Chapter Twenty Six

*Ariya*


My breath caught as I saw Caleb crumpled in a pile on the floor with chains on his hands, feet, and neck. I growled in anger, seeing him like that. As I edged closer, a heavy force came down on top of me, crushing me into the ground. It was like the gravity was cranked up to 15 times the normal amount. I tried to move but I was pinned to the ground. The weight of it crushing my body, holding me in place. I looked at Caleb, concerned.
“Thought you could save your little doggy, hmmm?” Boss said, mockingly.
Trying to force myself to look towards Boss, I growled, “I’m gonna kill you.”
The weight of the gravity pressure on me increased crushing my ribs, successfully breaking a couple, I cried out in pain as I coughed up blood, struggling to breathe from the pressure.
“You see, Ariya,” Boss said, squatting down next to me, “There is so much that you NEVER knew. So many secrets that no one but me knows. What did you think you were going to do? Come here and save your little doggy. I don’t think so. I have plans for you, Ariya. You work for me and that isn’t going to change, even when you die. But we’re going to need to make some adjustments first. So as long as you behave, you get to live and so does your little doggy.”
The gravity pressure lifted and went back to normal. Boss stood up and moved a bit away from me so I could get up off the ground. I could feel my body trying to heal but it couldn’t without the bones being set back into place. I pushed myself up on my hands and knees trying to catch my breath. I looked over towards Caleb. If we were going to make this out alive I would have to do what Boss said for now, but that meant that both of us were probably going to be tortured.
“What do you want from me?” I said through gritted teeth, standing up.
“I want to learn everything. Everything there is about the Navi. Everything there is to know about you and Drake and that boy you saved. I won’t lie to you. You’re going to suffer at first for sure. But I won’t let anyone hurt your little doggy if you cooperate. Any slight amount of uncooperation, he’s going to get the punishment for it. Do you understand?”
I shifted nervously. There was something about the way Boss was looking at me. Like some deep, dark, desire that he had. Like there was a master plan and inside joke that only he was in on. I felt my stomach drop, my insides churned, and I was overcome with a feeling of nausea. I tried to hide my expression as best I could. I didn’t know how to control my new abilities. I was never taught that. But Boss might be able to help me figure it out. As long as I cooperated. Too bad Boss wouldn’t know that I had anticipated this happening. Boss might think he was the puppet master pulling the strings but he would learn that it wasn’t the case. Though this was on my list of worst case scenarios.
“I know you figured this would happen, Ariya.” Boss grinned wickedly, “You’re anything but stupid. However, neither am I. You have your plans, I have mine. We’ll see who really is the master of strategy. Don’t forget, you work for ME, Ariya. I know how you think. I know how you act. I know how you plan. I know how you lead. I know how you fight. I know you. If you believe you can outthink me, then try it. But remember whose life you’re putting on the line if you do. Not only is it your life Ariya, but it’s your little doggy’s life, and Link’s, and Mya’s lives as well.”
I stared at Boss wide-eyed.
“Yes, Ariya. They may be loyal to me by turning you in, but maybe they did it with your direction. I won’t leave anything to chance. If you think you can beat me, go ahead and try. I love a good challenge. But keep in mind who you’re putting in danger as well if things go wrong. I know you care for Link and Mya. If you didn’t, you’d probably be dead right about now.”
“How do you figure?” I asked, genuinely curious.
“Well, I know that you have to activate both of your abilities before you can turn. I’m guessing the Rabid was a fluke. But with Mya and Link in actual danger it forced you to activate both of your abilities. You actually care about them. If it was just Drake fighting you guys, I don’t think it would have worked because you would know that Drake wouldn’t kill them if you didn’t want him to. What I didn’t know is that you can turn even if you don’t hit your prime age. The scar on your chest tells me you had a pretty massive injury. And no offense, Ariya, but 23 years old is NOT when someone is in the prime years of their life. You’re still a child. A baby. So I’m guessing you turned since you are able to be standing here in front of me right now. I doubt that Drake would just turn you. That wouldn’t make sense. Not when it’s part of your birthright. So I guess in extreme moments, as long as both your abilities are activated, you can turn if you die. Right?”
“Somehow I get the feeling you know a lot more about all of this than I do.”
“If the roles were reversed you would be able to analyze it just as well, Ariya. So don’t play dumb. Remember. I know you. Enough of this, are you going to endanger everyone’s lives or are you going to just do what you’re told?”
I glared at him, “Don’t really have a choice now, do I?”
“Right now, no. But don’t worry Ariya, you’ll get your chance at me one day. In fact, I’ll give you a shot right now.”
I narrowed my eyes at him, suspiciously, “I’m listening.”
“If you can touch me after I say go, I’ll let you and your doggy walk out of here and give you a 24 hour head start. If you can’t, then anytime you don’t cooperate, you will be the one to torture your little doggy.”
I didn’t want to make this deal, but it could get us out of here. Boss was way too cocky though. There had to be some inside joke I didn’t know about. I looked around. The only 3 people in the room were Caleb, Boss, and I. It could give me more intel about Boss and it wasn’t like I wasn’t going to cooperate. Not if it meant hurting Caleb. We would get out of here. It just wasn’t going to be an easy thing.
“Fine.” I said.
Boss grinned, “Excellent. Ready. Set. Go.”
I knew that Boss had to be the one with the gravity pressure ability. What I wasn’t expecting was for it to work the other way. I ran at Boss and he simply lifted his hand, palm up, from his side to his waist. I was in mid air, my eyes wide as I looked at him shocked.
Boss was grinning from ear to ear, “What do you think of my ability, Ariya? It’s one of my favorites.”
I narrowed my eyes at him and as I opened my mouth to say something Boss turned his hand over, palm facing the ground. He shoved his hand towards the ground forcefully. Turns out, not having both of your feet on the ground before an immense amount of pressure is forced on you will in fact make you break your fall with your face. As I hit the concrete below me I heard bones snap from the pressure. I felt the pain. Then nothing. Darkness.