Edmond threw the fifth computer to the floor.
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u0153This is ridiculous!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he shouted.<\/p>\n
Inside the castle, he was alone. Alone with no communication. He’d spent all day salvaging computer equipment and attempting to get a connection going to the outside world. He hadn’t succeeded. How could Dexterians even survive among this trash? How could they live without even a simple phone? He could only thank fate he at least had electricity<\/em>. Inside Sinico, Q’s face was covered in confusion. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Edmond?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Mercain questioned. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Who’s that?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Mercain groaned and sat back in his chair, picking up his pen and fiddling with it as he propped his feet on his desk. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153So you have no idea if he’s the Soul Stealer.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n Kingsley growled again from within Q’s body. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153He is<\/em> the Soul Stealer!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Q’s hand reached over the office desk and grabbed Mercain’s leg. Mercain was overcome with a warm feeling. As if he were about to pass out, but was happy about it. Another hand yanked the pen from the man’s weakening fingertips and held it up, the pen morphing into a small gun. Q’s hand let go of Mercain and dropped the gun on the desk as he stood back up straight. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Soul Stealer,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Q’s voice grumbled.<\/p>\n Mercain looked down at the gun that used to be a pen. His own resonance soul was the ability to mold metallics. Kingsley had just used it from within Q’s body. He swallowed.<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Say I believe you,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he said quietly. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153What could we–\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Mercain jumped up. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Kingsley?!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Q, shaking and breathing abnormally, struggled to look over to Mercain and Shoy’s original body. Once he had, Q’s body immediately collapsed to its knees and Shoy’s body gasped for air. <\/p>\n Mercain jumped backward. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Damnit, are you okay?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n Kingsley’s hand went to his neck as he coughed a bit. He pointed to the collar on the floor. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Negator,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he hoarsed. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Put it back on him.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n Mercain reached over and grabbed the collar, tossing it to Q, who was dry heaving. He didn’t react when the collar hit him and fell to the floor.<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Put it on him,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Kingsley forced, bringing himself up to a kneeling position. He was trying to get up, but his body wasn’t fully complying.<\/p>\n Mercain swallowed and he grabbed the collar again nervously, then quickly wrapped it around Q’s neck, pushing the Talvian over on his back in the process, where he finally passed out. Kingsley rubbed his throat again.\u00e2\u20ac\u009dKickback,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he admitted. Shoy shook his head, clearing his throat. The Monte Cristons had it right. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Kingsley,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Mercain’s voice ushered Shoy out of his thoughts. Mercain lifted a brow. He was going to ask what to do with Q, but instead a look of concern passed over his face. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Are you sure you’re okay?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\nIt had been a week with no progress. He couldn’t just depend on Q to do everything. Q probably wasn’t even doing what he said he was. He probably was out getting a damn music fix.
\nEdmond shook his head. Even if Q somehow did get the Phoenix and lure her away, how would he contact Edmond with no phone?! The Monte Criston kicked one of the computer monitors on the floor, causing it to roll forward a few times before wobbling to a halt a few feet away.
\nEdmond grunted and looked out a nearby window. Something didn’t feel quite right. He didn’t know why, but he had the urge to go into town and find Q to see how he was doing.
\nThere was no harm in that.
\nHe gave a final kick to one of the monitors before walking outside and taking the long road to town. It was time for a change of pace anyway.<\/p>\n
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I don’t know,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Shoy said from within the Talvian’s body. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153His memory is missing a bunch of pieces. Things don’t make sense. I think Q’s memories of his Resonance Soul have been…\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Q’s eyes narrowed.
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Edmond…\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he let out a guttural growl.<\/p>\n
\nQ’s head shook. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Nobody important. But it appears that Q here is his adoptive son. They came to the kill the Phoenix.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u0153You just can’t prove it,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Mercain mocked. <\/p>\n
\nKingsley, inside of Q, glared at the other man, who was only vaguely aware of what had just happened.<\/p>\n
\nThe man was interrupted by Q doubling over, his arms holding himself up on the desk.<\/p>\n
\nHe shoved his chair back and grabbed Kingsley’s body, lifting its head up and opening an eye. He looked over to Q, still struggling with the dead weight.
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Kingsley, over here!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he shouted.<\/p>\n
\nMercain clasped the latch shut and turned to Kingsley, who had only just managed to get on his own feet.
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u0153What the hell<\/em> was that?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Mercain demanded as he stood back up. <\/p>\n
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u0153From his Rez?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Mercain was confused. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Why the hell did you<\/em> feel it?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I felt it. The Soul Stealer. It has a personality, like a normal Soul. Like the Phoenix,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he rasped.
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Every time Q uses his Rez,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he coughed, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153It tries to absorb Q. It tried to absorb me, while I was in there. That thing is….\u00e2\u20ac\u009d He shook his head, his hand grasping his umbrella for support. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153That Resonant is evil.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\nThe Soul Stealer was bad news. No wonder Q had a negator. That Resonance Soul was an implosion waiting to happen. Kingsley understood now why Q was so afraid of his rez. But at the same time…. To use it… It was exhilarating. Kingsley wanted to try again. To steal a real soul. His knuckles tuned white as he gripped the umbrella. Why would he think that?<\/p>\n
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Yeah?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he answered, uneasily.<\/p>\n
\nKingsley was shaking.
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Yeah…\u00e2\u20ac\u009d He nodded. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Yeah. I’m fine. Let’s, uh…\u00e2\u20ac\u009d He looked around, swallowing. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Let’s lock him up somewhere, before he wakes up.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[12],"tags":[],"series":[30],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cc.khat.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/521"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cc.khat.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cc.khat.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cc.khat.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cc.khat.us\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=521"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/cc.khat.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/521\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":577,"href":"https:\/\/cc.khat.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/521\/revisions\/577"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cc.khat.us\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=521"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cc.khat.us\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=521"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cc.khat.us\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=521"},{"taxonomy":"series","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cc.khat.us\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fseries&post=521"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}