264: A Plague of Phantoms: Covert Machinations II

Bo

30 Minutes Earlier

"How long is this guy going to be knocked out?" I asked as crept closer to Iris, unconscious captive.

Iris left about fifteen minutes ago, after she stripped the captive of all his clothes and belongings, swapped them with hers, used Sin's appearance swapping spell and then re-tied him back to the chair. She didn't leave however before writing a note and taping it to the guy's chest that said: Not really Iris, body swapped American soldier, do not untie. The captive was unconscious for all of that.

"Who knows, I think Iris said he was poisoned." Indy said. He was sitting on top of a crate and watching the captive closely.

"Should we be getting him medical attention?" I asked looking back to Seamus. Seamus was sitting on a little stool across from the captive and scratching Colossus on his ear.

"If he was poisoned by her Argonewt then he'd be dead already if I remember what Chase told me about it so that means it was her Scare-adorable. So he'll be fine. Might just be aggressive when he wakes up." Seamus said. Indy arched a brow at that statement.

"Why aggressive?" Indy asked.

"Because Scare-adorables create a gas that's messes with their minds and make them attack whoever is near." I explained. Indy nodded and Seamus smiled.

"So you have been paying attention during your lessons with Chase." Seamus said. I smirked and puffed my chest out.

"Of course! They're not that hard! It's just basic genetic structure composure." I said confidently. Indy looked impressed then looked at Seamus.

"Why did Chase tell you so much about those evos that Iris has?" Indy asked.

"Because I asked. Ya can ask him anything and he'll tell ya. He's not one fer keeping secrets." Seamus replied. Indy looked confused and crossed his arms.

"That's what I don't understand. Everyone is so honest. There isn't any deception in anyone's words." Indy said.

"Ya mean like the little deception you've been putting on since we've first met?" Seamus said arching a brow at the kid. I stayed silent but watched Indy's expression. He kept his face neutral but looked away from Seamus, suddenly finding a crate pressed against the far wall extremely interesting. "Yer far more articulate than most five year old's boyo."

Indy didn't say anything but his neutral expression turned frustrated. Seamus laughed once he saw this and slapped his knee.

"You're more perceptive than I thought." Indy said softly.

"Or maybe you're not as good at acting as you thought." I teased. Indy scowled and crossed his arms.

"You mean you noticed too?!" Indy asked. Gargesh walked out from behind a crate at the back of the car. He'd been straightening up around the car since Iris left, occasionally turning to check and make sure the captive was still tied up.

"You not good actor." Gargesh said as he walked across the car and lifted a crate that was next to the one Indy sat on and carried it over to the side of the car he was at originally. "Heart not in words."

"Seriously…!" Indy groaned. While I laughed at Indy's exasperation Gadget climbed up on my shoulder and chittered softly in my ear.

[That human is awake Big Brother.] Gadget told me. I immediately turned to look at the spy and frowned.

[You sure?] I asked Gadget.

[Yeah! I saw his eye open tiny bit a second ago. He's faking!] Gadget insisted.

[Can you spit up something to hit him with?] I asked.

[Yep! I have a bat or a hammer!] Gadget said.

[Hammer!] I exclaimed excitedly.

Gadget opened his mouth and channeled mana into his head, as he did that his jaw unhinged a little and a black portal formed in his mouth. A hammer slid out of the portal and I caught it in mid-air then twirled it for dramatic effect.

"Bo, what are ya going to do with that hammer?" Seamus asked. I smirked and stepped towards the captive.

"Make sure he's really sleep. A nice hammer to the nuts should do the trick!" I exclaimed and raised the hammer, not that the prisoner had any nuts since he had Iris appearance now but I was banking on him now knowing that. The captive's eyes shot open and he squirmed and kicked in the chair he was tied to while screaming.

"I'm awake! I'm awake! I'm AWAAAAAKE!" He screamed. It was kind of weird to see Iris scream like that and I had to remind myself that wasn't Iris, even if he did have her voice as well. Something else he didn't seem to notice.

"Can't fool Gadget!" I said triumphantly then turned and marched over to the crate that Indy was sitting on and leaned against it.

"I was wondering when you'd figure that out…" Indy said with a swarmy smile. I rolled my eyes.

"Oh don't try and act like you knew he was faking." I said. Indy stuck his tongue out at me and huffed. I ignored him and turned to look at the prisoner.

"We should tell Chase, or at least Iris." Seamus said. I frowned and crossed my arms.

"What for?" I asked.

"So one of them can ask him questions." Seamus replied.

"You mean interrogate him!" Indy exclaimed, suddenly very excited. A little too excited.

"Question him." Seamus reiterated with a shake of his head. I frowned and stood in front of Seamus.

"We can do that! Don't need to bug Iris or Chase about it!" I exclaimed.

"We should at least let the Star Shaper know that he is awake." Colossus spoke up. The prisoner's eyes widened when he saw Colossus speak.

"A TALKING EVO!" He yelled. Gargesh walked back over from where he'd been stacking crates and frowned at the prisoner.

"Nothing special. Lots evos can talk." He said casually then went back to work. I felt like I should have stopped Gargesh from cleaning a long time ago but Orkands loved being busy and didn't like be idle so I ignored it for now. The prisoner however didn't ignore the fact that Gargesh could talk.

"TWO EVOS THAT CAN TALK!" He yelled. Gargesh groaned and shook his head.

"Loud human…" Gargesh grumbled.

"Probably tasty too…" Indy teased and eyed the prisoner deviously. He probably meant to scare the prisoner with that statement but Gargesh dashed that hope real quick by making a loud gagging sound and groaning.

"Meat nasty, Orkands vegetarians." Gargesh said. Indy's face screw into a mix of confusion and disapproval.

"Since when?" He asked.

"Since they realized they're bodies are more geared to digest plants than meat." I said.

"Veggies more engery than meat! More energy, more work!" Gargesh exclaimed.

"Plus tastier!" Colossus added.

The prisoner took a look around the car, well the part that he could see. Realizing he was locked in a room he eyed Indy, Seamus and me, probably sizing us up. He then looked at Colossus, Gadget, and tried to look at Gargesh nut the Orkand kept moving around out of his sight line.

"Look laddie, I know ya soldiers are supposed to try and escape but ya can't. Even if ya managed to overpower me, the lads here, and all the evos here. You're still stuck inside this mana train. The doors won't open for anyone but preauthorized users and it will lock itself down if it senses someone is in distress." Seamus said. The prisoner frowned and narrowed hos-eyes at the older man.

"That's impossible, there's no technology in the world that can do all that!" He exclaimed.

"Boy, ya have no idea how advanced technology is outside of America. Besides its not technology. It's magi-tech, true magi-tech. Not the sad mimicry ya american's have been passing off with yer techno-splicing technology." Seamus said with a hint of pride in his voice.

"Magi-tech…magic…wait…magic doesn't exist!" The prisoner exlaimed.

"How do you think splicers make Evos?" Indy asked. The prisoner started to open his mouth then frowned and closed it. He looked off to the side for a moment then huffed.

"I don't know…weird rituals?" He finally replied.

"Wouldn't that fall under magic?" I asked then looked to Indy and Seamus.

"Yep…" Indy replied with a disappointed shake of his head. The prisoner frowned at us.

"Hey! I'm not going to be talked down to by a bunch of brats too young to shave!" The prisoner exclaimed. I rolled my eyes.

"I might be young but I'm already in college also I'm not tied to a chair and in a woman's body." I quipped nonchalantly.

"And wearing women's clothing." Indy added. The prisoner looked at me confused for a moment then finally looked down. His eyes widened and he tried his hardest to get free from the chair to get a better look at himself.

"WHY THE FUCK DO I HAVE BREASTS!" The prisoner exclaimed. His eyes widened and he snapped his mouth shut. "WHY DO I SOUND LIKE A WOMAN!"

"Because we turned ya into one." Seamus said with a devious snicker.

"WHAAAAAAT!" He bellowed. "OH GODS! DID YOU CUT OFF MY DICK!?!"

"Yep!" Indy exclaimed then wiggled his fingers in the air mysteriously. "With magic…."

"OH GODS! OH GODS! NO! PLEASE GODS NO!" The soldier screamed and started crying. Outright sobbing and ugly crying.

I kind of felt bad for the guy at this point so much so that I almost told him that it was only temporary. Seamus obviously saw the guilty look on my face and quickly reaches out and grabbed the back of my shirt and pulled me back over to him.

"Now look boyo, this isn't permanent, we can reverse it…provided you tell us a few things." Seamus said, his voice ringing with soft and reassuring tones. Tones that the devious look in his eyes did not reflect. I could see where Chase got his devious look from.

"If I tell you what you want to know you'll turn me back?!" The prisoner exclaimed, the hope and helplessness in his eyes kinda hurt. It almost felt cruel leading him on like this.

"Ya. Nothing too secretive though. Just want to know why you're watching our little train." Seamus said. The prisoner seemed to have a moment of clarity and frowned. He looked contemplative for a few seconds then sighed.

"My mission was to provide surveillance on the Sho'lajah Artifact Company's enchantment and report back…at least officially." The prisoner said. Indy and I shared a look while Seamus arched a brow at the prisoner.

"Officially? So what's yer unofficial mission, boy?" Seamus asked.

"To get in contact with Chase Kingston and convince him to take me and my…sar…compatriot away from the Zeonic States of America." The prisoner finished. I frowned and scratched my head.

"Take away? Away from what?" I asked. Indy groaned and slapped his forehead.

"He wants to defect, Dingus!" Indy exclaimed. I scowled at Indy and slapped his knee. Indy grabbed his knee and yipped. Jumping off the crate he'd been sitting on and hopping on one foot while rubbing his knee.

"You're a defect! Dingus!" I snapped back.

"I called you a dingus! Not a defect, you Dingleberry!" Indy snapped back then kicked me in the shins. I screamed and grabbed my shin, hopping on one foot like Indy was, with Gadget clinging to the back of my shirt for dear life. "And that's what he's trying to do!"

"You're dead Indariq!" I yelled then ran at Indy. He jumped back and onto the crate he'd been sitting on earlier, making me run straight into the crate and bash my nose. "OWWW! INDY!"

I suddenly felt a hand grab the back of my neck and lift me off the ground. The hand belonged to Seamus who was also holding Indy, who he'd caught with the same movement. He held us both at arms length and shot both of us hardened glares that made my spine shoot straight up.

"Now listen boys! I'm not gonna have ya two fighting in front of me! Especially when we're 'possed ta be guarding a captive!" Seamus said sternly. Both Indy and I looked to the ground, shamed and feeling stupid that I let Indy get to me so easily.

'Is this how Chase feels when I bug him?' I thought then quickly banished that thought. There was no way I was that annoying.

Seamus let go of Indy and I in mid-air. I landed flat on my butt while Indy managed to land on his feet. I would have been impressed if he hadn't had longer to fall and thus more time to put his feet under him. Seamus looked back towards the prisoner and crossed his arms.

"Why exactly do ya want to leave America? You're a normie. Privilege wise, America is the best country for normies." Seamus asked. The prisoner scrunched his mouth into a scowl like he'd tasted something bitter.

"YOU wouldn't understand…what living in America is like when you're relatives is a splicer…" The prisoner replied. Seamus sighed then grabbed the stool he'd been sitting on earlier then placed it down in front of the prisoner and sat down, looking the prisoner squarely in the eyes.

"Me mother and Grandmother were splicers. We immigrated to America when I was eighteen years old. Before the borders closed. I helped them hide their crystals for almost fifty years before they finally passed on. My Grandson is currently the most hated splicer in America, on a island filled with soldiers who want to kill 'em but can't. If anyone on this island understands what that is like…it's me." Seamus said.

The two sat in silence for several seconds, staring at each other unblinking until the soldier sighed and shook his head.

"If you're from America then you probably heard the tale of a young splicer girl just barely of age getting caught splicing evos even thought it was illegal?" The prisoner asked. Seamus expression turned grim as he nodded to the man.

"Aye…papers said she was killed trying to escape that country's jail…but any idjit can see that she was murdered in her cell for being a splicer." Seamus replied. The prisoner's jaw clenched and I could see his hands balled into fists as he fought back tears. Sadly that wasn't the first time I had seen that look on Iris face.

"They dragged me, my father, and my mother, to the prison to see my sister…they had her chained up like an criminal…her clothes were ripped…she'd been beaten…fucking shit faced brats were throwing rocks at her through the bars, LIKE SHE WAS SOME KIND OF ANIMAL!" The prisoner roared and kicked and struggled to stomp his foot even though it was tied to the chair. "The fucking sheriff told us if we wanted to prove that we weren't traitors to our country and didn't know anything about her and the evos then one of us had to kill her!"

My eyes widened as the weight of his words started to hit home and realization hit. The look in Indy's face told me he realized it as well.

"You killed your sister…" I muttered in disgust. A look of pure rage fell over the Prisoner's face and he lurched at me as of to grab me but only succeeded in tipping his chair over.

"I'D NEVER FUCKING HURT HER!" He bellowed, his voice a mix of fury and anguish. "My father…that fucking bastard took the knife before the sheriff even finished talking and butchered my sister! HIS OWN FUCKING DAUGHTER! ALL TO SAVE HIMSELF! I couldn't save her….I blinked and he's already stabbed her in the chest…over and over again!"

The prisoner broke down and started crying on the floor. It was a mix of anguished sobs and frenzied screams. I looked to Seamus when he started beating his head on the ground as he cried I'm sorry over and over again. Seamus immediately placed his hand under the man's head to keep it from bouncing on solid crystal.

It was weird watching this happen. I knew in my mind that it wasn't Iris, that it was a prisoner wearing Iris appearance so she could carry out Chase's mission but I've seen Iris in that much pain before. I watched her cry herself to sleep when her brother died. That wasn't even two months ago.

I activated my manacite communication ring and focused on Indy and Seamus. Their rings glowed dully, letting me know they were receiving me.

[He's telling the truth…Iris had that same look after hee brother was killed…] I informed the both of them.

[I know…that's the look of someone who's watched someone they care about die before their eyes…Chase still has that look at times...] Seamus replied.

[What do you want to do?] Indy asked. Seamus sighed and shook his head silently at Indy and I then looked at our captive and helped him upright in the chair.

"What's yer name boy?" Seamus asked. The prisoner sniffled then muttered.

"Ned Anders…of Red Roots, Arkansas."

I walked around to Seamus side and placed my hand on Ned Ander's knee.

"What was her name? Your sister?" I asked softly. Ned looked at me, surprised and grateful.

"Yvette…her name was Yvette Anders of Red Roots, Arkansas." Ned said softly.