Chapter Nine

Jason stepped forwards taking care not to stumble as he released his hold on the psionic technique powering his movements transitioning back to more mundane means of movement. Ignoring the few agents he had arrived in time to save, he made a beeline for the cultist. “Where is your master,” he demanded, his voice caught between a growl and a yell. “Fuck yo--,” “ahhh,” the cultists rebuke turned into a scream as he slammed his stave through her left hand nailing it into the ground. “Let’s try that again,” Jason sneered, “where is your master”. The cultist paused a moment before spitting a mouthful of blood-stained saliva at him. Jason sighed, “hard way it is then,” reaching out to the aether he wrapped the arm opposite the one impaled by his stave in several bands of aether then exerted his Will causing them to slowly constrict and turn in opposite directions. In few seconds the defiant cultist began whimpering before transition to screaming as her skin began to tear apart and several audible cracks began to echo out from the bones in her arm and hand.

“Stop”. Startled Jason paused looking up at the beautiful girl that had momentarily distracted him during his fight with the Daemons. “What,” he snapped, locking eyes with her. “Torture is illegal, you can’t continue.” she replied. “You’re actually protecting a cultist. One that just condemned dozens of your fellows to a fate worse than death.” Jason replied momentarily dumbstruck. Looking at her remaining companions he saw his surprise mirrored in their eyes. “I’m not protecting her,” she replied, “but we have laws”. “That don’t apply to cultists,” The injured female agent cut in, interrupting her speech. “Only if they have been tried and condemned by the church,” Elly argued back. “For Christ’s sake girl that witch just committed a grand heresy.” A gravely voice cut in. “She still needs to be tried and handed over to the inquisitors.” “Who will get her to late to get any useful information from her even if the do get anything,” Jason cut her off. “You all can blame me if the higherups have problems but I doubt it will be an issue”. Matter settled screams rang out as continued his interrogation.

Not giving up, Elly stepped forward to intervene but suddenly found herself trapped in a cage of pure Aether. Testing the bars with her psionic senses her eyes widened. Just how strong is he, she wondered marveling at the power he wielded. There was no way she could get out of this. Her training had brought her into contact with what she believed were the strongest psionics in the city, but this man was stronger and far more skilled than any of them.

“Where is your master,” Jason demanded for the umpteenth time. “I don’t know,” The cultist sobbed, “He said he’d contact me after I used the ritual to wipe out the attackers and unleashed daemons on the city to wreak havoc”. Surveying his prisoner Jason sighed, damn she doesn’t know anything. I was so close but then these idiots got made. At least I know that bastards in the city. I don’t think he’ll leave yet. Whatever he’s planning it must be big if he’s willing to cause this much commotion.

“I believed you,” he said releasing his psionic grasp on her mangled arm. Lifting his stave, he spun it into his hand so the shaft pressed against the backside of his extended arm and the tip touched the side of the cultist’s forehead. “Die,” He spat, sending a surge of power through the stave. The cultists eyes widened then went limp as a small spere of Aether entered the detonated in her brain leaving no external sign of damage.

“What did you do.” Jason turned his attention back to the source of the voice. With a thought he released her from the psionic cage before responding. “She knew nothing useful”. “She was helpless that was murder.” She shot back. “Again, cultists have no rights. Also, even if your bosses cared about what I just did, which they don’t. There’s nothing they can do to me. Perks of power.” Jason responded.

Shocked at his arrogance Elly stammered as she replied, “no one is above the law”. “Its cute you still believe that, but I don’t have time to disillusion you right now,” Jason replied. “Let’s go you’re coming with me,” He continued not giving her time to reply as he turned towards the warehouse. “Going where. We have to wait for back up and medical to get here, then we have to back to headquarters and report what happened.” Elly argued. “Again, with the rules. These idiots were just a distraction for the real target. It hasn’t been too long so if we get clear of the range of the pulse used to scramble the aether and break your lock you might be able to reestablish the trace if we get close but we have to go now.” “Then why didn’t you try that first instead of torturing her,” Elly said. “Odds. This has a low chance of working but there’s no better option no let’s go”. Not giving a chance for further argument Jason turned and walked back to the warehouse to get the hoverbike.

Wracked by indecision Elly looked back and forth between the retreating Psi-commando and the other agents. “Go,” Smith said, making the decision for her. “He’s right if there’s a chance you can re-establish the trace you need to take it”. Taking a deep breath, she nodded and turned to walk into the warehouse. She had only made it a few steps when she heard a soft hum and the stranger shot out of the building on the hoverbike bringing it to a halt right next to her. “Get on”.

Swinging her long leg over the back Elly slid in behind him wrapping her arms loosely around his chest. “You need to hold tighter we have a lot of ground to cover. I’m going to move outside the area where the Aether was disturbed the spiral out from there. Since you had the track once before if we come across the targets trail you may be able to detect it and re-establish the trace”. Nodding her head Elly squeezed tightly feeling iron muscles against her arms and pressing her chest into his back. “I’m Elly by the way,” She added as an after thought felling strange they had not yet been introduced. “Jaa… Jason,” he grunted. Then gunned the bike causing her to squeeze even tighter than before.

Trying not to get distracted by form pressed against his back Jason shot down the road. That suit hides her igure even better than I thought, he mused enjoying the feel of her against his back despite his attempts not to. The girl, Elly, he corrected in his mind was a distraction to his mission. An idealistic, persistent and worst of all gorgeous distraction. One that he definitely could not afford to let get under his skin. Reaching out with his mind Jason felt for the edge of the Aetheric disturbance that bastard had used to escape. He was no tracker but he could still easily feel the transition from the still churning Aether to its normal placid stillness. Slowing momentarily, he turned his head back to look at the tracker. Answering his unspoken question with a nod she closed her eyes and expanded her senses, laying her head against his back. Shaking his head to bring himself back to the present Jason accelerated and turned to the left cutting off several vehicles in the process. Fortunately, the flashing police lights made sure they gave him a wide berth.