The Board (4)

Every time the Scoobs and their escorts go through an intersection one of the furry creatures does a head count.

"Because we had a guard that we forgot to look for." Rae slaps herself on the forehead. "How could I have been so stupid. First rule of strategy: Know if you're being watched. Gunnie, how many are watching us this time?"

"Ten." Raegun reports after a few seconds. "And you wouldn't believe how many watch places there are around this room."

"Which means you won't be able to tell us who grabbed you and why." Rae says quietly to Kara. "Keep your voices low everybody. The sound won't carry as well that way."

"Wait a minute!" IQ#1 says rummaging around in one of the backpacks that had been brought from the village by the chessboard. "Ahh, thought so." IQ pulls out one of the writing boards.

"Erase as you go." #4 pulls a piece of cloth out of another backpack "Then, even if there is the remotest possibility they Can understand, there won't be anything there To understand."

Suddenly a Larger furred creature stalks into the room. The writing board vanishs from the circle, no one sure who took it, except the one who has it.

"It is time for the meal." The creature turns his back to them and walks out of the room. Rae places herself at the end of the line but places Kara and the three IQ's in the middle of the line so that if one or all of them disappear this time somebody will know.

Kara mutters to Rae as the group is seated at the high table. "Why all these questions about the IQ's? Can it really make that much of a difference?"

"You bet it can." Rae mutters, placing herself between Kara and IQ #1. "Is silver your element?"

"Even if it was, it can't be any more." IQ runs his fingers over the scars from the werewolf attack.

"Good point." Rae nods and scanns the room thoughtfully. "I don't like this one little bit."

"No, I mean this room. You've got three huge entrances. An assassin could escape in the blink of an eye. We'd never be able to catch him."

"No drenn." Rae sighs. She pulls a dagger from her pocket and taps it against the rim of her goblet before taking a cautious sip. She passes it down to IQ #4 and repeats the process for the other IQ's.

"Exceedingly obvious." Rae mutters. "I want it made exceedingly clear to all parties that I am veeeery serious about the safety of those under my protection..."

"Well, you could execute a couple of guests at random." Raegun suggests, sniggering. "Food scans as clean. Tuck in, people."

Rae takes a sip of her own drink and leans over to IQ #4. "This is getting very much out of hand." she whispers.

Rae stares around the table at each of the other Scoobs in turn. They are eating and talking with varying degrees of discomfort. "Look, Four, these people have a really ugly case of the Factions. Infighting can get ugly, and innocent people tend to suffer. Trust me, I know these things."

"Oh, I would never KILL one of you..." Rae assures him sweetly in a tone of voice which suggests that maybe it's not as out of the question as she says. "I was thinking something nice and non-lethal. A kidnapping, maybe."

...the scoobs are led to a large chamber with a bed for each scoob. After some discussion of safety the scoobs retired to bed. Just before going to bed #7 wondered off to find a bathroom. He found one walked inside and closed the door.

"Whasssup?" came a voice from behind him. Sitting on the sink was a large cat, dressed in leather, with a tall red and white striped hat.

"You don't remember me. I's da funky cat. I met you when you were walking those dogs and they got away from you."

"well anyway I came to warn you," continued the cat, "that king has got in for you, and he's the least of your problems...

Suddenly, the cat began to dissapear, starting at his tail and working it's way up, until only his smile remained, and then that was gone...

"The ones you sent to spy on us." replied the guard, who then pointed at two empty beds. Rae and #4 had dissapeared in the night while everyone else had been sleeping!

Jila snaps, "why didn't you just go find them yourselves instead of waking us up?" Being woken up in the middle of the night by crabby beings is Not one of the things Jila deals with well.

"And you think they'll come out of wherever they are for us?" Kara knows the answer to this one but decides to ask the question anyway.

"They'll come out for you," the leader says nodding to his men, "especially if one of you is in danger. Now Move!!" The furred one's leader points his spear at IQ#1 and the rest of the guards point their weapons at each of the Scoobs. The Scoobs get out of their beds and as a group head for the door, with half of the furred ones in the front and half bringing up the rear. Where the corridor is wide enough some of the furred ones walk along beside the humans.

Soon enough the group is in the King's audience chamber where the first interview of the IQ's was conducted. The king sits on his throne with his advisors beside him.

"IMPOSSIBLE!" The King roars again. "My guards would have seen them in the outer cave. You will MAKE them appear before me."

The IQ's look at the Scoobettes, who make small pointing gestures at the IQ's as if to say "You handle this, we heard how he dealt with Rae the last time." IQ#1 and #7 look at each other, shrug, and then turn back to king.

"Well sir," #1 begins, "we'd really like to be able to do that, but we have no way to communicate with them if they are outside this room."

"We are mere humans." #7 continues "With no magical devices or abilities in which to do what you ask."

"Then we shall see how long it takes them..." one of the advisors whispers in the King's ear "....to find out that one of you is about to die. Guards! Take that one!" The king commands as he points to IQ#1. One of the other advisors whispers in the King's other ear. "Yes." the kings says to the advisor but loud enough for the room to hear. "This will take care of Both of my problems."

A group of the king's guards rush over to IQ#1, surrounding him and seperating him from the rest of the group. They take him and tie him hand and foot to two Large tree limbs that have been roped together in the shape of an X.

"Now we shall have an end to this, one way or another." The king says, his voice a low rumble.

"We TOLD you we couldn't summon them. What makes you think this will? Do you think they are psychic?" About the time she said that, Kay realized that Rae and the IQ's were totally able to handle things.

However, Mouse noticed that as Kay was talking, "Go Kay", she thought hearing the normally shy Kay speak out, that the King was listening very intently to her. Almost as intently as he had listened to his advisers.

Then it dawned on her. *Why, this man probably has not one ounce of wits on his own. He would probably take the advice of anyone who advised him..

In one hand, he clutches an envelope. "This was found, sir," he tells the king, trembling, "in your bed-chamber."

"WHAT?" the king shouts, grabbing the envelope. *His royal froginess* is written across the front. He opens the envelope, and a small lock of hair falls out.

"That's Four's." IQ #7 says promptly to the others, noticing that it's precisely the same as his own.

"She says that we have nine days." the king continues. "In three she will send a finger. In six, an ear."

"No," Kara says. "She may be half-crazy. Hell, she may be all crazy. But she is definitely NOT interested in money."

"Return the prisoners to their rooms." the king orders. (Each of the Scoobs notice that they are no longer 'guests'.) "Search the whole of the cavern if you must. Find them!"

"Yes sir!" a guard salutes and the Scoobs are quickly led from the room. "Find a way to get the money together." the guard mutters to a chamberlain as they walk out.

"I'm making YOU nervous?" IQ #4 shakes his head. "You didn't even warn me that you were going to do it!"

"I thought you were joking!" IQ #4 shakes his head. "I did not expect to be abducted from my bed at 3:00 in the morning by a masked assailant with a knife!"

"Well, it was either that or take you publicly at dinner." Rae points out. "And I didn't want the others to stop me."

"Guys, I know that sound won't carry very far in this type of cavern, but you could stop shouting." Raegun suggests.

"They needed to be shocked when they went before the king. It was vital to our success. Sit." Rae points at a rock. "Look, Four, I know that you probably think I'm nuts..."

Rae smiles helplessly. "Look, the other IQ's will find the clues we left and they will understand them. They may tell the others, or they may choose not to, but THEY will know, and they WILL understand it. This was the right thing to do."

"This will be over in fewer than three days, no question. They may find us, or we re-secure the others, but either way will take fewer than three days."

"Then I'll cut off my own finger." Rae promises. "Um, our hands are about the same size. One of the IQ's might recognize the switch, but no one else."

"Then I'll think of something else." Rae shrugs. "The problem with humans is that they're so busy planning for the future that they fail to live in the present. Three days is a long time. Be calm."

"Of course. Before I took you, I planted trackers with comm capicity inside of both of your brothers. Just under the skin at the back of the neck."

"I'm good. VERY good." Rae smiles. "We will know where they are at all times. We will hear what they here. We will know what signals are travelling to their brains."

"Trust me." Rae repeats. "I plan on going, as soon as it's night again, to talk to Mouse. I can't risk contact with the IQ's, but Mouse deserves to know what's happening. You'll stay here with Raegun. If I'm caught, take Gunnie and get out. Do not allow yourself to be recaptured."

"No. This cave is a pre-existing structure. It was carved from solid rock, but the most recent DNA traces are over 20 years old. No intelligent life-form has walked here in at least a hundred. We are secure."

"They won't. They'll try to find us. Failing that, they may even pay the ransom. They may wait three days and realize I'm not serious, but they think I'm unstable, so they won't risk setting me off."

"I ALWAYS act like that." Rae tells him. "It's useful. Maybe it's even true. But it's not what's important right now. So just relax and get your strength up. If we can't find a way to get all of you out of here, we may have to make our own."

*Should I or shouldn't I?* Kara thought. *It's the obvious thing to do. But maybe they are somewhere where they don't want the sound to carry, like I was in the wardrobe.*

*Then again, they can always switch the comms to vibrate and Rae will certainly have thought of that.*

"Frell, you have lost it!" Kara yelps. There is a clattering sound of something falling to the floor, most likely the comm.

"Try and remain calm, dear." Rae suggests. "I have a plan. Four will not come to any harm. Wait."

"Radio silence is important, Kara. They could be tracing this communiqué. I'll have to ask you to trust me."

"You have no one else." Rae tells her. "That is all that is important. I WILL get you out of here. All of you. But I'll do it on my terms."

"Radio silence is important." Rae repeats. "This transmission is at an end." She tosses the comm-badge into the air and casually shoots it down.

Kara stared down at the comm in her badge uncertainly for a few minutes, then clicked it again. "Guys, we need to talk."

"Great! How are we supposed to communicate with them now?" IQ #4 demands of Rae, picking up a piece of the comm badge. He burns his hand and drops it with a curse. "I'm beginning to think that you really DON'T know what you're doing. I'm going back."

"Please don't force my hand." Rae mutters, sitting. "Look, as long as you're safe, the others are safe. You can't compromise all of them just for your own sake. It's selfish. You won't do it."

IQ reaches across the cave and removes Raegun from Rae's hand. "Rae, we need to get them out. Soon. BEFORE the king realizes you're bluffing."

Rae nods. "Agreed. Time is short. The other IQ's should be noticing their implants by now. I'll have to wait for one of them to act."

"No. Can't risk exposure any more. Kara will tell her we're both alive. It's more than I'd have them know if it were in my hands, but here we are."

"Keep him." Rae says quietly. "You may not be able to trust me any other way right now, so keep him."

IQ #4 stares at Rae in surprise. "This isn't one of our modifications. We gave him free will."

Rae pulls out a deck of cards and holds them up. "I think I might have a chess board around here somewhere..."

Rae and #4 hid behind a large stalagtite and waited for whatever it was to enter into the small cavern.

Everybody moved around in the room, talking and sitting on the beds since there was no place else to sit. Mostly they talked about Rae and #4, the King, the guards, and how irritating it was to be locked up in a small room.

Eventually dinner was served. It was decent enough stew but nothing like the sumptious meal the night before.

Fur was growing out of IQ#1's skin. His ears were moving to the top of his head nad getting longer and sharper. His nose was growing and turning into a muzzle with teeth. His back legs were shrinking and his arms were growing. He waqs changing into a wolf. And it was obviously very painful.

IQ, fully transformed, leapt toward the guards, growling and snarling. Caught off guard, they scattered and ran out of the room screaming about a monster. IQ ran out the door, followed by the scoobs.

IQ #1 quickly navigated through the tunnels, his very presence there scared away anyone who might stop them. After a long run, he burst into a small room where #4 and Rae were.... with Echo.

Echo growled at the appearance of the wolf and almost leapt to attack, but Rae was standing in between them all of a sudden. "That's IQ #1. He's a were wolf. That's why he understands your speech." she stated.

Echo, suddenly recognizing IQ #1 scent relaxed. "Come on, let's get out of here already," Said Chryse. "IQ's wolf form is scaring all the guards, and with 2 wolves we can get out of here."

Rae grummbles to the wolf (IQ) as they hurry through the corridors. "Not that I'm not grateful to you for finally catching on, and pushing up my timetable. I was getting sick of letting Four win."

"Frell. Okay, time to split up, I think. They'll have to make a choice about who to follow. IQ, Echo, can you safely retrieve the others? We can meet back at my cave. Is that good?" Rae hesitates. She leans close to one of the wolves. "IQ, are the others safe around you like this?"

...leading the guards on a wild goose chase, #1 and Echo led the remainder of the scoobs to the small cavern were Rae and #4 had been hiding earlier.

"Sir!" said the guard, "The prisoners have been rescued by a pair of four-legged monsters, and are hiding in the bouls of the castle."

"What?!?" said the king, after a few minutes of thought he said, "Organize the entire army near the entrance. They must not be allowed to escape!"

Rae sighs and reaches into her pack. "Well, it's not a great plan..." She pulls out a pick-axe and tosses it to IQ #4. "I guarantee they won't expect it."

"Which means we'd better start digging." Rae adds, taking up a pick. "Where's the rock thinest, Raegun?"

Raegun uses his laser sigh to light up a portion of wall, and Rae drives her pick into it with a grunt. "Oof! Right here, people."

"Rae, that's insane." IQ #7 protests. "We'll never get through. All of us digging for months--"

"Once we've gotten through the first couple tons, it gets spongy." Rae tells him. "We can't fight an army."

"Ah, guys!" Rae sighs in disgust. She puts down the pick and stares at the group. "Aren't you the ones always telling me how I go at things too ready to fight? Isn't this a viable alternative? There are three thousand men in that army."

"I'll cave in the tunnel." Rae offers, picking up Raegun. "That'll keep them from getting to us. Of course, I'm not sure how long our air will hold out..."

"I'm not sure." Kara said. "But it's bound to be better than being overrun by an army or having Rae bring the roof down on us."

Rae glared at her. "Don't be so sure. Strange magic is NOT something you want to mess with."

Kara took a chocolate from the box and held the box out, waiting for the others to take one, or not, as they chose...

"Before we try to dig our way out, let's try these." Kara said, pulling a box of chocolates out of her pack.

"That's not what I mean." Kara interrupted her. "I got them back at that haunted castle and I think they're magic."

"I'm not sure." Kara replied. "But it's got to be better than being overrun by an army or having military engineer Rae over there bringing the roof down on our heads."

Kara took a candy from the box and unwrapped it. Then she waited to see what everybody else would do...

...of those little wrinkles in time." said Rae, "Have you learned yet why you shouldn't try to bend space-time"

and I know you must have done something wrong." Rae mutters, shaking her head. Dropping Raeung, she picks up one of the candies and examines the wrapper. Neatly printed on the gold foil are the words 'Eat me' "Now why does that seem so frelling familiar?" Rae mutters. She smiles at Kara. "It's definitely worth a try."

Chryse reached for one too. *A bit of strange magic has GOT to be better than digging through 46 thousand tons of rock* she thought.

and popped it in her mouth. She bit down. It was a chocolate covered cordial cherry and it was very sweet. As she munched it, Kara looked at her foil candy wrapper. Something was written on the inside.

Kara looked down at her hands and couldn't see them. Kind of squinting, she could just see the outline of her arm against the floor.

IQ#4 stopped with the candy halfway to his mouth, staring in disbelief. Meanwhile, #7 had picked up an inch high Rae from the floor so no one would step on her.

IQ #4 looked at the chocolate in his hand and everyone else looked at eachother. Mouse's hand, holding the box of chocolates started to tremble. Were the rest of them going to try the chocolates?

and Kay concerned everyone was going to dissappear or something and leave her there alone, quickly ate some of hers too.

"Rae!", Kay looked up quickly, shocked at what Rae just said. Rae flushed slightly, and then, at once, her head as well as Kay's jerked back up as they stared at each other.

"Well, yes, I guess I did", said Kay. "Maybe this will come in handy with these people who, for all intense purposes, have us captive.

Both IQ #1 and Echo had been sniffing the air suspiciously since Chryse ate her piece. All of a sudden, they both were as far away from Chryse as they could get. The chocolate were keeping them away from her.

It's funny the things that go through your mind when you're standing around waiting. Rae looks so cute Stacie doll sized, and blushing ever so slightly when she realized that Kay understood Sebecean cursing. Poor Chryse. Who knew how long it would take for these chocolates to wear off. The space between her and the wolves couldn't get much bigger in this room. Jila leans against one of the walls, waiting patiently for her chocolate to take effect.........

"Wh...?" Jila catches herself from speaking out loud just in time as she finds herself in a corridor outside the cave/room. She looks incredulously at the wall.

*Oh Frell. I should have looked at the wrapper I guess* Jila chuckles. *Now can I do it again before somebody spots me out here?* She put her hand on the wall, inhales and holds her breath, and pushes her hand into the wall.

*whoa, that's freaky* Jila grins. Slowly letting out her breath, Jila steps forward, walking back through the wall. When she's fully back into the room, Jila takes the chocolate wrapper from her pocket.

*Great. What does that mean, and how come I don't get a power? Well, at least that sounds encouraging for the IQ's...* she thinks.

Rae squeaks. Sighing in exasperation, she casts an amplifying spell on her mouth. "What do we have left? Who still hasn't taken one yet?"

Rae laughs and nods. "Yes, another one. And, um, don't eat the whole piece of chocolate if you can help it. Save some. We may need it agian. Or we may need to share. I still have half a piece of the shrinking candy left. Let's find out what the others do now. Let's unwrap them all & have a look-see."

"What's your plan?" IQ #4 asks in a whisper as the Scoobs carefully begin cataloging the candies.

"Well, if you're not going to eat it, give it here." Rae pulls a corner off of the (for her) giant candy and shoves it into her mouth. "Mmm, vermont fudge..."

said Kay, "This chocolate was obviously here for a reason. We will probably need these powers. But, I wonder what for.