The Bonding Chronicles Ch. 08

Despite his best efforts he couldn't place his finger on what Vivienne Mitchel's goal was.

***** Acquisition *****

As soon as their phones were turned on they each received good news. Andrew had a message from the mechanic letting him know that besides the funky paneling the car was in perfect condition. Sara had an excited message from Mike who was eager to meet up. Whatever nervousness he felt from the test drive had been lost to the anticipation of the sale.

They were excited by this news, and eager to make their way to Mike. Andrew sighed and nursed his cola as he scoured his phone looking for malware. As he navigated the filesystem his gift seemed to work ahead of where he was. Soon he had acclimated to the device and his fingers stopped moving over the menus while the screen began flashing through the many folders and files. Andrew looked for anything out of place while his gift sped his search. Thirty minutes later he identified the subtle script which was configured to run periodically.

After a brief investigation he knew what the script was designed to do. It packaged the call history, message history and emails in preparation for transmission. Once the device was connected to a network it would search through all public machines looking for anything in a specific set of MAC addresses. If it identified any of them it would transmit the package and delete the file before shutting down. It was a simple but elegant series of commands, and Andrew couldn't help but be impressed by the design. He modified the source but left the code largely intact.

It didn't take Andrew much more time to make the same changes to Sara's phone. Andrew was pleased to have mitigated the damage, and happy that he finally understood the extent of what had been exposed to Vivienne.

"Your mom has copies of our emails, texts and call history." Andrew stretched back into the seat before taking a large drink of soda. He welcomed the cool caffeinated beverage as his nerves started to settle. They both considered what had been exposed and laughed with relief. Even the messages Sara had sent to Andrew while he learned his gift on their drive gave almost no hint to his powers. She was flirty, and sometimes vulgar, but she never mentioned his powers or their bond.

"Did you kill the virus?" Sara was still upset at her mother, and wanted to call and give her a piece of her mind. Andrew was confident that they needed to conceal their knowledge of what her mother had done, and that was the only thing keeping her from acting on her anger.

"No, tiger. But I modified her script so that it will exclude anything beginning with the initialism 'PEO.'" He smiled at the confused expression on Sara's face and explained, "Private Eyes Only!" Andrew shone with a proud smile as he made his statement.

"Best..." She planted a kiss on his cheek. "Nerd..." A little nibble on the neck. "Ever!" She pulled him into a deep and passionate kiss. The subdued sounds of the diner fell away as the young couple embraced this happy moment. All glances and chuckling comments were missed as they lost themselves to the searing kiss.

"Remind me to do that again." Andrew chuckled as he pecked Sara one last time on the lips before standing.

Andrew and Sara made a couple of stops on their way to the Chinese restaurant. Even though they were both reeling from the discovery of Vivienne's duplicitousness they were excited at this new step that they were taking together. Sara radiated with happy excitement and Andrew basked in its warm glow through their bond. He rested his hand on her thigh where Sara cupped it with one hand and rubbed his arm with the other. Andrew smiled at Sara who beamed at him with a gorgeous and excited grin.

They both knew that this was their first true step towards bringing their lives together. The thought of their car reminded Andrew of how much his perspective on life had changed over the last week.

"Can you believe how fast this is all happening?"

Sara's smile became a bit more subdued as she responded, "Say whaaat? It took a lot of work to find this perfect little car."

Andrew laughed and shook his head, forgetting that Sara couldn't actually read his thoughts.

"You did an amazing job, kitten. What I meant was, can you believe that we are buying our first car, and that in two days we will effectively be living together?"

She squeezed his arm and rested her cheek against his shoulder. Andrew kissed the top of her head and smiled as he listened to Sara release a contented sigh.

They arrived at the restaurant a few minutes later, finding that the heartbeat of the city seemed to force them towards their destination. The Chinese restaurant was alive with customers and staff. Unlike the diner, this place was loud and felt hectic as people moved about. The young couple was happy to find Mike sitting by himself in a booth eating egg drop soup. The Latino man smiled and greeted them with an eagerness that showed through his broad grin.

"Hola! So? You excited?"

They sat across from him and Sara couldn't help but fidget with the envelope that contained a large amount of both of their money. Andrew leaned back and ran his fingers between her shoulder blades while he grinned across at the older man.

"I think we will be able to give your girl a good home." Andrew found himself having a hard time suppressing his grin. Between Sara's excitement and the anticipation of making this large step he was struggling to remember when he had ever been happier. For a brief moment he wondered what Karen might think of the sporty little car. The thought of Karen brought her calm and relaxed sprite to the front of Andrew's mind, and he savored its relaxing presence. He tried to be upset at the thought of her visiting him at this moment, but the joy of what was happening softened his resolve.

Mike laughed and said, "Well, it's a cute car for a great couple." He smiled before looking at Sara and saying, "Assuming someone doesn't wrap it around a tree, I think you two will get a lot of enjoyment out of her."

"That's what she said?" Sara chimed in with a playful tone, causing everyone to laugh. Andrew was grateful for the relief, and kissed her cheek in appreciation.

The title transfer was quick, just sign a document, hand over a giant wad of cash and voila, you're the proud owner of a brand new car. Andrew basked in Sara's excitement as she signed the title, becoming the new owner of a used Mini Cooper.

They kept Mike company while he finished his late lunch, and found that they both enjoyed sharing this moment with him. He was a bit no-nonsense which offset Sara's craziness, and Andrew enjoyed listening to them pick on each other.

An hour later Andrew and Sara were waving goodbye to Mike as he walked away.

"Well, how do you like your new girl?" Sara's voice dripped with meaning, and Andrew rolled his eyes.

"I only have eyes for one girl, and she is quite the handful." He squeezed her butt while leaning up and giving her a deep kiss which she returned with zeal. "I hope you love it, it seems perfect for you."

Sara dangled the keys in front of his face and grinned as she said, "It's amazing, and it's perfect for us. Remember, it's our car, not just mine." She winked as she said, "But it is mostly mine." which caused them both to laugh.

Andrew leaned against her and pulled her close. Wrapping Andrew in her arms, Sara enjoyed the feeling of protectiveness that washed over her as her diminutive man rested against her chest. He was still so small, and it was in these moments when she was reminded of how much she wanted to shield him from harm. She knew where these thoughts were coming from, and sighed in resignation of what she knew had to happen next.

It was time to travel to the clowder, and confront her father.

***** Showdown *****

Sara was uncertain if she would remember how to get there, but as they worked their way south on I-5 everything came back to her. Andrew followed and she worked hard not to play with her new toy, realizing that Andrew would have no hope of keeping up with her if she drove how she wanted. Arriving in Eugene they caught highway 126 west and headed towards 101. With every mile Sara's anticipation built and her grip on the steering wheel tightened.

They pulled off of highway 101 and wound their way along a small forest service road, finally ending in a small parking lot with a couple of trucks and a small school bus. Sara sat behind the wheel, shivering as she fought back tears. Her emotions were a mess, and she struggled between anger and fear. Sara loved Andrew more than anything, and wanted to find these answers for him but she knew that she was not prepared to see her father again.

Andrew rushed the small car and fumbled with the door release before flinging the driver's door open and leaning in. He pulled Sara into his arms and as she began sobbing he caressed her back and whispered soothing words.

"We don't have to do this, baby." She shook and hated herself for allowing her father to still have this effect on her. "We'll figure this out without your father." She sniffled against his shirt and they continued to hold each other in an awkward embrace. Between the seat belt and the strange angle that Andrew was forced to use the tender moment was made difficult. "Let's go, kitten. We have each other and Karen can never get between that."

She kissed his neck and sniffled back the last of her tears. Andrew pulled away and watched with concern as she wiped her eyes. She gave him an apologetic smile before saying, "No, we need to do this."

Andrew already had the sense that Sara was hoping to get something more out of this trip than just the answer to whether they could sever their bond with Karen. His suspicion was given light as he looked at his demure yet powerful girlfriend who resolved herself to move forward.

"Besides, they already know we're here."

For the first time Andrew had the chance to look around and was stunned by the beauty of the windswept pines which surrounded them. The forest was majestic, yet so dissimilar to the verdant rainforest of the Olympic National Park. He could smell the ocean in the air and found the crisp salty air invigorating and enticing.

Sara led him down a trail for about fifteen minutes until they entered a clearing in the trees. Andrew was taken aback by the large community that was laid out before them. When Sara had told him the story of her summer at this place he had imagined three large houses, one for each of the families. What he saw was a thriving community that had tamed this wild forest.

He counted what appeared to be six houses, a couple of large auditorium style buildings, several small shacks and what looked like a good sized plot of cultivated land on the far side. The entire place was alive with activity. There were people of all ages either working, or playing as the community strived to maintain their quality of life. As he surveyed the scene before them Andrew was struck by how picturesque it was.

Everyone looked like they were in the peak of physical condition, performing their tasks with strong and efficient movements. Even the children at play raced through the open spaces with a speed and grace that Andrew had only ever witnessed from one other person. He took Sara's hand and gave it a squeeze.

"I understand why you were so happy here at first." He studied her face and could sense her longing for a history that could have been. She squeezed his hand and met his gaze; her expression softened as she stared into the face of a bright and wondrous future.

"You are not welcome here, strangers."

The strong masculine voice came from the forest behind them, and as Andrew looked back he failed to find its source. Sara shook her head and rolled her eyes before responding, "Knock it off, Brandon."

The tall man dropped from a tree behind them and Andrew was amazed to see someone so large move with such silent grace. He was at least six feet tall and broad shouldered. His grey eyes studied them as he approached, his gaze lingering on Sara as he struggled to determine who she was. Despite his broad shoulders and muscular build Brandon was lean and reminded Andrew of a coiled spring, ready to react in an instant.

"Where is he, Brandon?" Sara still studied the community before them, and seemed to spare little attention to the dangerous man who was approaching.

Brandon's nostrils flared and for a brief moment Andrew thought he saw his eyes dilate. "What are you doing here, Sara?" His mouth turned up into a gleeful snarl as he watched Sara bristle at his question. "And you brought a human, you know we can't allow that."

Andrew recognized the threat and could almost sense the power within the man who was nearly upon them. He wondered if he had made a terrible mistake coming to this place.

As soon as the thought entered his mind, Brandon closed the distance and grabbed Andrew by the throat. His movements were impossibly fast and while Andrew had tried to react he lacked the speed to even make the effort. Andrew felt helpless as he sensed the tremendous strength within the hand that compressed his neck. He knew that if Brandon had willed it he would already be dead. Brandon's eyes shined with delight at the helplessness of the weak human who was at his mercy.

Andrew had just started being lifted from the ground when he felt a terrible and intense anger spill out from Sara. Her sprite was aglow with her rage, and unlike his encounter with Will, Andrew did nothing to stop her righteous fury. Quite the contrary, driven by will he connected her sprite to the pool of power at his core, and was amazed as he felt her pull vast amounts of his reserves.

He dropped to the ground as Sara's sudden attack broke the larger man's grip. Her series of strikes were nearly as fast as the attack Brandon had used to grab Andrew by the throat. As Andrew looked up, he saw Sara standing above him. Unlike when she trained with his father he could see that her hands were open and her fingers were dripping with blood. Large chunks of flesh clung or dangled from her nails as she growled furiously at the large man who lay on the ground ten feet away.

Brandon was laid out, staring towards the sky. His eyes were wide with fear as he felt blood pumping out of the large open wound on his neck. The right hand he had used to hold Andrew refused to close, and as he brought it forward he could see the large gouges of flesh which had been torn from his body when Sara had initiated her attack. He closed his eyes and tapped into the wild forces that made him what he was, desperate to avoid his impending death.

Andrew stood on shaky legs, between Brandon's sudden attack and Sara's drain on his will he felt exhausted. They watched as the open wounds on the large mans neck, hand and chest began to scab over and close. Brandon tried to stand but stumbled over and fell almost immediately. His loud voice bellowing his rage at what Sara had just done. Andrew turned and watched as the children and many of the teenagers vanished into the forest escorted by the woman and a few men.

The young couple was surrounded by the rest of the community. Adults and older teenagers all wielding makeshift weapons approached with shocking speed. Andrew continued to weaken as Sara glowered at the prostrate man who had just attacked him. Her bloody fingers twitching with her barely contained rage. Andrew tried to sever his connection to Sara as he realized she was still drawing energy from him at an alarming rate, but found that her insistent pull refused to release its hold..

He meant to grasp her shoulder and shake her out of her anger, but instead his weakened hand slid off her arm as he mumbled, "Sara, please... stop. You're hurting me." Andrew blacked out, collapsing against her. Sara was startled from her single minded focus by the sense of Andrew losing consciousness. In that moment of distraction the connection was severed and his weakened body hit the ground. Whatever power she had felt faded from her and she was left feeling weak, knowing that without Andrew she was no match for Brandon.

Sara crouched above Andrew, baring her teeth and holding out her bloody hands at the ready. She had never done anything like this before, but as she saw the circling community members it somehow felt right.

"Kill that whore..." Brandon's loud voice carried through the open space as the assembled people gasped at the wounds he had been afflicted with. "She attacked me, our laws are absolute."

Several men encircled Sara as she swiped out at their brandished weapons. "What have I done, I never should have brought Andrew here." She thought to herself as she watched the much more agile men avoid her attacks with ease.

"Stop, Sara. They are not going to hurt you. You must only survive long enough to explain what happened."

An unfamiliar voice echoed through Sara's mind. It was both feminine and commanding. She scanned the area behind the men who had surrounded her, searching for the source of the voice. After a moment of failure she again hissed and swiped at a man who had tried to approach her from behind.

She knew her defense of Andrew was pointless, they could have killed her a hundred times already. Andrew just started to stir as Sara shook the remaining flesh from her nails and did her best to wipe Brandon's blood off into the grass. She sat with Andrew, pulling his head into her lap. The men kept their distance while Sara comforted her man.

As Andrew opened his eyes he saw Sara smiling down at him, her fingers brushing through his hair. "I know. I promise, we will stop meeting like this." She leaned down and kissed his forehead.

They both chuckled and Andrew was pleased to think that this ordeal may finally be over.

"What have you done now, Brandon?" A male voice asked as it approached, its tone conveyed authority as their attacker wilted before it.

Andrew got a look at the speaker as he approached Brandon. He was average height and had long dark red hair which was pulled back into a loose ponytail that ran down his back in thick curly strands. Like everyone else here he was a perfect specimen of physical fitness. Andrew could tell by the way that everyone acted that this man was in charge; they stole glances, taking their cues from what he did.

The man grabbed Brandon by the chin and turned his face, inspecting the wounds on his neck as they continued to heal. Once his chin was released Brandon's face twisted in anger and he screamed, "That whore and her pet attacked me."

"Is this true?" The man looked at the assembled people.

They all looked around at each other, and after a moment one of them said, "We don't know, Xander. We got here after these cowards had nearly killed Brandon."

Xander put his hand on the speaker's shoulder and said, "I'm sorry for what happened to your son, Roland. You know that we need to figure out what happened before we can act."

"Alexander, Brandon has told us everything we need to know."

Xander raised his eyebrow and turned his head slightly. Whatever silent message he had conveyed affected Roland, and caused the man to storm off with an audible growl. The leader walked into the circle of men who had surrounded Sara and Andrew, kneeling a few feet away from the couple.

"Hello, father." Sara's voice carried her disdain for the pleasant looking man. His eyes focused on her as he smiled.

"Is what Brandon said true? Did you attack him."

Sara's eyes squinted as she held onto Andrew more tightly. "Only after he attacked my Andrew."

Xander looked puzzled as he studied the two teens, he leaned in and sniffed the air for a few seconds before asking, "What are you, Andrew?"

Andrew blinked at him, dumbfounded by the accuracy of his question. After a moment of consideration he responded, "A techno-wizard, sir." He could sense the confusion pouring off of Sara through their bond as she fought not to ask him what he was saying.