by Anne
Disclaimer: The characters of Adam Newman, Megabyte Damon, Kevin Wilson, Ami Jackson, Jade Weston, General William Damon, Colonel Masters, Millie Damon and Caroline Damon belong to Roger Damon Price, Thames Television and Nickelodeon. So do any other names or events linked to the Tomorrow People TV series.
Max Evans, Liz Parker, Maria DeLuca, Michael Guerin, Isabel Evans, Alex Whitman, Kyle Valenti, Sheriff Jim Valenti and Milton belong to Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and WB. All other concepts and events linked to Roswell also belong to them.
The characters of Joe Dawson and James Horton (who appear in name only) belong to Panzer/David, Rysher/Gaumont Television. So do the concepts of immortality, the Watchers and the Hunters.
The characters of Geoff Anderson, Gil Hawkins, Jim Beckett and Simon Trent belong to me and should not be used without permission.
"Jim Valenti. I'm the local sheriff. " Valenti held out his hand. "Sorry for the intrusion but my son, Kyle," he indicated the dark haired well built teenager standing beside him, " thought there was something weird going on here and asked me to check things out. It sounds as though he was right, from what I've heard."
Bill stared at the sheriff and tried to pull himself together, wondering how much the man had heard of the conversation. Hopefully not too much, but the way things were going today, it wouldn't surprise him if his luck was taking an extended vacation somewhere. How the hell had they entered without being noticed? Bill mentally hit himself over the head. He was so caught up in what was going down that he was slipping. This situation was far too personal, he wasn't reacting the way he should. No. He was reacting like a parent whose kids were in danger. Which they were. Bill looked on all the Tomorrow People as his kids, as his responsibility, not just Marmaduke.
He took Valenti's proffered hand and introduced himself. "Bill Damon. Look I appreciate your concern and I know you're only trying to do your job, but the situation is under control." Bill could see from the other man's expression that he wasn't buying what he was saying one little bit.
"Certainly sounds like it from where I'm standing," Valenti replied, looking at him intently. Bill knew he was trying to 'read' him, trying to get an idea of what he might be thinking. He laughed to himself. If only the Sheriff knew how ironic that was, in the present situation. "Kyle and I came in through the back in time to hear enough of the conversation to know that if you want your son back unharmed you're going to need help. I've had experience with this kind of thing."
Experience with this kind of thing? The man had no idea what he was getting into. Hell, no one had the experience to deal with this one.
Valenti frowned before continuing. "Look, I'll be straight with you, and hope you can do the same for me. Kyle noticed you appear out of thin air with a girl about twenty minutes ago. I know it sounds unbelievable but I know my son. He wouldn't say he'd seen something like that unless it were true."
The room had grown very quiet and Bill suddenly put two and two together as to the reason. He looked at the Tomorrow People, wondering what they were talking about. He'd known them long enough by now to realise there was a telepathic conversation taking place.
Ami stepped forward. "We've decided to trust you, Sheriff," she told him. "But you've got to understand that what you are about to hear goes no further than this room."
"Sure," Valenti agreed. "You can trust us, can't she, Kyle?" Well of course the man would say that. Bill realised that ironically his earlier words to Geoff about trust were in effect being thrown back at him. He could never understand the Tomorrow People's tendency to trust others. Maybe their own inability for violence hindered their ability to realise how others seemed to almost thrive on it?
Kyle nodded. The boy still had a look of puzzlement on his face. Not that Bill blamed him. He remembered his reaction when he'd first seen a teleport. Hearing about it had been quite different to actually seeing one. The fact that it had been his own son hadn't helped matters either.
"Are you sure about this, Ami?" asked Bill, checking his watch at the same time. He was supposed to meet Masters in under an hour, and he didn't dare to be late. His old enemy had spelled out in no uncertain terms what he would enjoy doing to his son if he didn't obey the instructions he had been given to the letter.
"We trust Kevin's feelings on this, General," Ami replied. Kevin's feelings. He should have known. Adam and Ami seemed to put a lot of stock in Kevin's empathic abilities. Still they knew more about it than he did, and hopefully Ami knew what she was doing. He wasn't convinced this was a good idea, bringing even more people into the loop.
"Besides," the girl continued. "What choice do we have? If we're going to save the others we're going to need all the help we can get." Ami looked around the room, catching Kevin and Jade's eye, before turning to Valenti. Here comes the TP 101 lecture, thought Bill. More people to add to the list of people for me to keep an eye on after this is over.
"We call ourselves the Tomorrow People," Ami explained. "We have a few abilities that you don't, such as the teleportation Kyle saw earlier. That's the reason Masters kidnapped Adam and Megabyte."
Bill recognised the look on Valenti's face all too well as one he upon mirrored on his own. The man knew he wasn't hearing the full story. Still, now wasn't the time and place for all that, thought Bill, checking his watch again. "Okay," he said. "Explanation time over. I've got to meet Masters shortly and I don't want to think about what will happen if I'm late."
His cellphone rang again, and he reached into his pocket trying to keep the anger he was feeling under control. "I told you I'd be there, Masters," he snapped into the phone.
"Oh, Geoff, it's you. Sorry, thought you were someone else." Bill heard the worried tone in the boy's voice. "Is something wrong? Has something happened to Millie?"
Bill listened for a moment and then turned to the Tomorrow People. "Geoff thinks there's someone hanging around the house," he explained. "With everything that's happening would one of you mind going and checking things out and maybe taking them somewhere safer. Millie's my daughter, Sheriff." The last comment was directed at Valenti and Kyle.
Kevin spoke up. "I'll go. If I don't like the look of what's going on I can always take them to the island. They'll be safe there."
Bill hesitated before turning to Valenti. Even though Kevin was capable, the thought of the Tomorrow People going into danger, not really being able to defend themselves was something Bill was never going to be comfortable with. He wasn't happy about Kevin maybe walking into whatever was going down in the first place, but really what choice did he have? "I'd feel happier if Kevin had some company, though I'm not sure I have the right to volunteer…"
Valenti interrupted him, anticipating his suggestion. "Good idea. Kyle?"
Kyle looked at his father and back to Bill. "Okay, I'll help. I just have no idea what I'm getting into here so I want you guys to remember that when I regret this later."
"You'll be careful though won't you boys?" said his father. "No taking chances or playing the hero. If things look dangerous you get out of there."
Kyle nodded, as did Kevin. "Thanks for your help, Kyle." As Kevin spoke he held out his hand and Kyle looked at him suspiciously.
"Why do you want to hold my hand for?" he asked. "Hey you're not, you know…"
Kevin stared at Kyle, a look of disbelief fleeting briefly across his features. Jade giggled. "It's so that you'll go with him when he teleports, silly."
"Teleports? Hey what's wrong with using a car?"
"You might find it takes a while to get to London by car," explained Kevin, reaching out and putting his hand on Kyle's shoulder before he had a chance to change his mind.
"London?" exclaimed Kyle, as Kevin closed his eyes and they both vanished in a flash of white light.
Valenti stepped forward in concern. "Where did my son go?" he asked.
"Help's on the way, Geoff," Bill spoke into his phone. "Oh okay, they're already there. Good." He listened to Geoff's description of what Kyle was saying and smiled. "Yes okay, I'll pass that on. Good luck and be careful."
Bill turned to Valenti. "Kyle's still adjusting to the whole teleporting thing, I think. He's saying, and I quote 'Get your hands off me, and keep your hands away from my father.' I think Kevin's got his hands full there."
"Where's my son?" Valenti repeated his question. "How do I know he's okay?"
Ami put a reassuring hand on him but he pulled away, looking uneasy, which Bill could understand. After all, Kyle had disappeared after Kevin had done the same thing.
"It's okay, sheriff." There was concern and not quite fear in the man's eyes. "Kyle wanted to help and so Kevin teleported him to London that's all. He's fine, just suffering a bit of aftershock from experiencing a teleport." She paused for a moment, and then grinned. "Kevin says he's still trying to come to grips that he's travelled to another country in the blink of an eye."
"Kevin says? What do you mean Kevin says? Kevin's in London…" He sat down at one of the tables. "Of course, why didn't I think of that before. You kids are telepaths aren't you?" Poor guy, even though he was working things out quickly, there was still a lot to take in.
"Good move Jade," said Michael sarcastically. "Go on, tell the sheriff all your secrets. After all that's what he's here for, to find out all about you…Ow!" Bill noticed the boy glare at Maria as she gave him a swift kick.
"Michael…" Maria began, exasperation sounding in her voice.
Bill interrupted before things got out of control. "Yes, that's right Sheriff. They are telepathic. Look I'm sure Kyle's okay. The first time you teleport it takes a bit of getting used to. I remember that only too well." He glanced at his watch again.
"I know you're worried about your son, but at the moment I'm more worried about mine. Masters made it only too clear what sort of things he'd do to Megabyte if I didn't make the meeting place. You guys can talk all you like but I'm going to make that meeting. Now can anyone tell me where the UFO centre is?"
Valenti moved closer towards him and spoke quietly, so not to upset the young people in the room. "Bill, " he said, "Do you mind if I call you Bill?"
Bill shook his head.
Valenti continued, "I know how you are feeling about your son. Hell, mine's just disappeared into thin air and I'm still dealing with that. I really don't think you're in any position to be making decisions at the moment, you're too worried. Think about it. What's meeting with this Masters going to achieve? It will just mean that he will have you as well as your son and the others. Don't think for a minute that Megabyte will be safe once you give in to this man. From my experience in this sort of thing…"
His experience? Bill felt his anger rise as the Sheriff repeated the phrase he had used earlier. He knew the sheriff was only trying to help but he had no idea what it was like living with a son who was a Tomorrow Person. Megabyte had gotten into so much trouble and danger over the last few years, and yet Bill had always dreaded the day when something like this would happen. Mad scientists and the like he could handle for some reason, but Masters? Bill sighed. Maybe it was because he somehow felt responsible that the man was still out there, that he had been able to get his hands on Megabyte in the first place.
Jade swayed and would have fallen if Alex hadn't caught her. Oh hell. What now? Don't tell me something else has happened? Bill was beginning to think he'd be lucky to get to the end of the day without losing his sanity. Well as long as it was just his sanity and not anyone he cared about, that would be fine.
"Kevin!" exclaimed Jade. "Something's happened to Kevin."
Naturally. Something always happened to the Tomorrow People when they went to check something out. By now you'd think he would know better. Send the kid to help. Stupid move Damon, stupid move.
"Are you sure Jade? How do you know?" He tried not to think the worse. After all if Kevin was in trouble, what was happening to Millie, Geoff and Kyle?
Jade sat on the seat where Alex had led her to and looked up. She started to speak, but stopped, overcome with emotion.
Ami put her arm around her fellow Tomorrow Person, trying to comfort her. "Jade, are you okay?"
Jade nodded. "I guess I'm not as over that whole taser shooting thing as I thought I was."
Valenti looked at the two girls. "You said something's happened to Kevin? Did he tell you that?"
Ami paused. Bill felt himself grow cold. Every time Ami hesitated before replying to that sort of question, he knew bad news was coming. She probably wasn't sure how much she should tell the Sheriff. Still Kyle had been with Kevin, he would be worried about his son. "Kevin's unconscious, Sheriff. At least as far as we can tell. He's been hit by one of those taser weapons. Jade and I felt him get shot."
"Oh, great," groaned Bill. "That means that Masters' men must have him."
Valenti pushed for more information. "You mean you kids can pick up stuff like that from each other too? You said you felt him get shot. What do you mean by that exactly?" He's wondering what exactly he and his son have walked into. Poor guy.
"Exactly what Ami said," snapped Jade. "We felt the sensation of the taser shock as it went through him, well an echo of it anyway." She looked at Ami and blushed. "Sorry I snapped your head off, I'm worried about my friends."
"That's okay, Jade. I'm worried about them too," replied Valenti. He looked between the two girls. He had picked up on the fact they had used telepathy too. Quick study. I wonder if that's a good thing or not Bill thought, rising to his feet.
"I'm sorry Sheriff, but that's the clincher for me. If Masters has both my kids, I'm going to meet him. At this point in time I really don't care what happens to me, I'm more worried about keeping the kids safe. Even if meeting him just buys them some more time, it will be worth it."
"But …" Valenti opened his mouth to argue and then closed it again. Good. Bill wished the other man luck if he thought he was going to make him change his mind. He suspected Valenti was worried about his own son now, and that had given him a bit more of an insight to Bill's own state of mind. This was one of those situations where teleporting was a nightmare. The kids were so far away there was no way to get to them to help. Not unless you were a Tomorrow Person, and there was no way he was going to let Ami or Jade walk into the same trouble the others had.
"Now can anyone tell me where to find this UFO centre?" Bill demanded. "Or do I have to find it by myself?"
Liz stood up, her heart going out to the older man. "I'll show you," she offered.
"Then you're coming straight back," ordered Valenti, deciding it was time to take charge of the operation. "I don't want you kids to take any more chances, do I make myself clear?"
"Crystal…" said Michael. Maybe it was authority in general the kid had a problem with, judging by the tone in his voice.
Bill headed out the door of the Crashdown and followed Liz over to what he presumed must be the UFO centre. He glanced behind him as he did so, catching the beginning of Valenti's next statement.
"And that means Ami and Jade too." Valenti was trying to take charge alright, that was for certain. Good luck to him. He was going to need it.
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