The screech of the door hinge, and dim light entered the rectangular opening. Galar stepped into the room, and switched on a glaring overhead light, blinding her.
Gemma screamed angrily at him, and with her mind, willed him severe pain in his gut, but it was ineffective. Something was wrong. Somehow, the man had blanketed the room with an unknown EM frequency that made it impossible for her to use any mental weaponry.
She could feel the charge now that the door was open. It made her head buzz, and body vibrate, making it tingle.
He seemed as unaware of the effect of his block, as of her angry screams. Gemma went quiet.
"Here's how this is going to work," Galar's hollow voice echoed from behind the glaring light. "I captured you; you now belong to me."
That is quite obvious. But how the devil did you know about my abilities; Loni and I have never done anything when others are around? Did this EM frequency just freakishly happen? He's not that smart. Is he?
"You obey me, or..." he went on. "Or...you stay in here until you agree. You help me, are my mate...after I've let you out..."
He paused, as if waiting for an answer. Gem decided to wait him out, so remained silent.
"Just so you understand the full scope of things. I have reprogrammed the entire dome system differently. I have eliminated all supervision, and policing. They no longer have control. Outside my work station, I have created a static barrier. It keeps everyone out I don't want in here, until...you submit to my way of doing things...according to my satisfaction. And this is how I want it: you will serve me, help me with my work, eat what I give you; no complaints. If you fight me, the barrier stays up, until...I feel I can trust you...to stay with me, and only me!"
This guy is living nuts! There is no way he knows what he's done to me, how he's handicapped me, but I can't do anything about it, until I can get him to trust me. Maybe, Loni can do something from outside...Until then, guess I have to play along.
"And don't expect Flaw to rescue you. He's already tried a number of times. He can't get through my barrier. It repels him."
Great! That means it works against Loni, too. It must be similar to the shield I zapped him with when we first came together.
"And, in case that isn't incentive enough. If you don't say yes, now, you'll stay in here for days...It doesn't matter to me if you die. If I can't have you, he won't have you either. You keep up your rebellion, and I'll outright kill Flaw. Enough voltage will fry him good."
At that point, the buds of hope began to fade.
Galar let the thought ride the air.
Slowly, Gem was realizing who was responsible for the flood, and just how it had come about; how the many changes that developed over the past while had really impacted the group of four. And finally, the dire circumstances she was in sunk in...she was near blind and deaf without her extra mental faculties...and there would be no possibility of succor coming from Loni.
Tiny, unheeded tears slipped silently from beneath her half-closed eyelids.
There is really no choice here. My effectiveness is less than that of an average human being. I cannot get free...
"Do we have an agreement?"
"Yes."
I'll do anything to get free again. But when I am out of these chains...if I ever get my powers back again...you Galar...will be the first to pay!
"No funny stuff, now," he reminded her. "Or I'll hurt Flaw."
Not if I can stop you first...
"Okay," she agreed aloud.
I'll agree to anything, now. What happens in the future is still unknown; a different story.
"Well...I'm waiting for an answer."
"I said, okay! I agree."
But her words seemed to fall on deaf ears.
"Fine! Have it your way. You'll stay in here, without food or water, until it gets through that stubborn head of yours."
"But, I said, yes!" she declared emphatically.
He turned away. She rattled the chains; litterly screamed into his mind.
"I agree! I agree!"
He turned back.
"You got something to say?"
"Yes. I'll do whatever you want!"
But it appeared the man was as dull as the Neanderthal he resembled...or stone deaf.
"Well, I gave you your chance!"
He turned, pulled the light cord, relegating her to darkness. The door slammed. All the while Gemma screamed at him both mentally, and physically...until she was hoarse, and exhausted.
Still, he failed to understand.
The padlock was jammed home, and the tiny room filled with silence.
After a time, Gemma decided to see what she could still do. She tried to burn at the chains binding her. There was no small laser beam of red light shooting from her eyes, and no effect. Nor, when she touched the wall, could she will it to burn through...even a small hole. The accidental EM pulse frequency held her mind helplessly useless.
For three days, she languished. By the time Galar again opened the door, all Gemma wanted was water.
Yet, he would not give it to her, until she nodded vigorously, agreeing wholeheartedly to his plans.
There is no point in trying to communicate in any other way...
In her confinement, Gem had had much time to contemplate, and she had finally rationalized that Galar was deaf. It was the reason he did all the talking, and only because Scar was part of him, could he understand his own twin, and those talking to his brother.
Galar fed her dirty water, laced with blood, to drink, but...it was wet. What she gulped down, came back up again. He dragged her from her prison, left
