It was gone nine and about time to head toward Courtney’s apartment. They used Courtney’s place most of the time because she had one of the bigger places and Kyle was in one of the better capsule buildings. His bed was not right under the ceiling, but it was a single and Courtney’s was… huge. She liked a big bed.
Kyle was just considering what he was going to do in that big bed to relieve Courtney of some of her stress when he felt something, a pressure on his mind. He had about enough time to wonder whether this was what Lambert Stenger felt when he was taken over when Kyle’s mind went entirely blank.
~~~
Kyle had access to Courtney’s apartment via his ketcom, not that either of them would admit it to anyone. So, when her apartment door opened, she rushed out of the bedroom in time to see him walking in. She had been expecting him, obviously, and she smiled warmly at him.
Still, she waited for the door to close, just in case, before speaking. ‘Any trouble on the way? I hope not because I really need you tonight and I don’t want to be disturbed.’
‘No trouble,’ Kyle replied. He did not comment on the fact that Courtney was stark naked, but he did move closer with a predatory expression on his face. ‘No trouble at all.’
Courtney backed up toward the bedroom door, grinning. ‘Oh, I don’t like that look in your eye. I think you’re trouble.’
‘You’re absolutely right. I am.’
He advanced and she retreated. He was not always this forceful, but she loved it when he was. She felt the foot of the bed against her calves and stopped. ‘You’ve got me cornered.’
‘I have.’ He raised his hand toward her and…
Courtney gasped as she felt a spell sweeping over her. For an instant, she felt as though she had to sleep, but she pushed the sensation away. ‘What–’ Another spell hit her and this one took hold. Her muscles cramped and fire burned through her veins. She managed more of a croak than a scream before her legs crumpled under her and she fell. She was in agony, her mind unable to work through the pain, but she heard Kyle’s voice.
‘You’d have suffered less if you’d slept. Well, I lie. You’ll suffer. I’ll make you pay for disturbing my–’
There was a noise a bit like someone hitting an off-key gong and Kyle crumpled onto the carpet beside Courtney. She did not notice immediately, but a second later the pain stopped. Breathing hard, her vision swimming, she struggled to sit up. She saw Kyle, sprawled beside her. Raising her eyes, she saw a saucepan hanging in the air briefly until a hand appeared around the handle.
‘Are you okay?’ Nava asked.
‘N-Nava?’
‘No mental damage then. I figure that was an Agony spell, or the equivalent. I guess Kyle won’t be arguing against this disembodied spirit thing when he comes to.’
Courtney’s eyes widened. ‘That thing? Where–’
‘It’s gone. Ran off after I hit Kyle. Oh, he’s bleeding on your carpet.’ Nava lifted the saucepan. ‘I’m going to put this away and get a meditech over here.’ She turned and started for the bedroom door. ‘Then I’ll call Suki and have her come over. You should probably put some clothes on.’
Courtney struggled to her feet, still groggy. ‘Wait. How did you know it was here? How do you know it’s gone?’
‘I honestly have no clue how I know, and the reason I’m not healing him myself is that I’m not absolutely sure it’s gone. Let’s get him to the infirmary and we can worry over my weird feelings once we’re sure he’s okay.’
~~~
The first thing Kyle thought upon regaining consciousness was, ‘What happened?’
He was, he thought, on a bed. He was certainly lying horizontal on his back, but not in a position one would normally sleep in. When he tried to move, two things impinged upon his slowly returning consciousness. One: he was attached to the bed by soft cuffs around his ankles and wrists as well as a band around his chest. Two: his head felt as though someone had used him as a target dummy for Concussive Force spells. Opening his eyes seemed like a bad idea.
‘Oh… Shit. Did someone hit me with a sledgehammer?’
‘It was a saucepan.’ Female voice. Deadpan, pardon the pun. That had to be…
‘Nava?’ Tentatively, Kyle opened his eyes. The sight which met them was too damn bright – he had been right about it not being a good idea – which just added to the impression that he had died and gone to heaven. Three beautiful faces looked down at him from various points around his bed. If his head had not been throbbing to the beat of an unheard heavy metal band, he would have been really happy. Considering that he was naked and not under a sheet, really happy might have been really embarrassing. ‘Uh, hi,’ he said. ‘I don’t generally mind a bit of bondage, and a foursome sounds great, but this seems a little excessive. And why did you hit me with a saucepan? No, wait, when did you hit me with a saucepan?’
‘I think it’s really him,’ Nava said. She was at the foot of the bed. ‘I guess whatever I’m feeling is real. If he can recognise me from my voice, there’s probably no neurological damage.’
‘I agree,’ Courtney said from Kyle’s right. She looked worried. ‘I guess we can take the straps off.’
‘Oh, I don’t know,’ Mitsuko said from Kyle’s left. ‘I think we should keep him tied up
