After our little chat with Cain (if you can call it a chat) I went to my room to get changed and lie down for a while. It was a relief to take of the black combat gear the government made me wear and to put on some normal clothes. I pulled out some jeans and a plain white T-shirt.

I threw myself onto my bed, staring at the ceiling. I painted it blue with the stars on it so I wouldn't get bored at night. Now, I just stared at them. They were nothing compared to the real things. I couldn't stop thinking about how the Commander just refused to rescue Edward. Tess was living proof of what they do to people.

I remember when the Commander found me. I was just a scared boy whose family had abandoned him. When I first got my powers, the government had already started sending out messages saying how dangerous we were. My family shouted at me and almost killed me but they eventually they couldn't bring themselves to do it. One day, I woke up and they were gone, left the house some time in the night. I was living on the streets, trying not to show my powers to the world, when the Commander found me. She basically became my new mother, teaching me how to control my powers. Because I was one of the first recruits, I rose up the ranks quickly, becoming a captain.

'Nick! Are you awake?!' Caleb's voice suddenly exploded in my head.

'Ah, god Caleb,' I replied. 'A little warning next time!' This was the problem with telepathy sometimes. Someone can just pop up in your head at any time, making you jump.

'Sorry, but you need to come quickly!'

'Why? What is it?"

'It's Tess! There's something wrong with her. I don't know what to do!' That was enough for me. I launched myself off the bed and ripped the door open. I ran down the corridors at full speed, ignoring the people giving me weird looks as I shoved past them.

I burst into the Commander's quarters and was met by Caleb. "Caleb! What's going on? Where's Tess?"

"In here," Caleb said, pulling me towards the guest room. "I don't know what's wrong with her!" I pushed ahead of Caleb into the room. The Commander was sitting in a chair by Tess's bed, trying to get her to calm down but it wasn't working. Tess was asleep but she was tossing and turning, shouting out and screaming.

"Tess!" I cried. "Tess come on, wake up!" I shook her hard but nothing happened.

"She's been like this for ten minutes now," the Commander said. "We can't wake her up." Tess suddenly gasped.

"No please don't! Don't do that to him! No! No!" she screamed. "Leave him alone!"

"What is she talking about?" Caleb asked.

"I don't think this is a dream," I said, kneeling on the bed next to her. "I think she's connected with Edward."

"How is that possible?" the Commander asked. "I've heard about telepathy but this is ridiculous."

"I don't know," I said. "Tess! Tess can you hear me?"

"Nick?" she cried. "Nick where are you?"

"I'm right here, Tess," I said soothingly. "You need to calm down."

"Nick, they're torturing him!" she shouted. "Edward! Edward! Please stop it! Leave him alone. Just leave him alone."

"Tess, you need to calm down or we can't help you," I said, trying to keep my voice calm.

"Nick, I can't!" She cried. "They're killing him! I don't know how much longer he can last!"

"Deep breaths, Tess," Caleb said. "You can do it. Just...think of the valley when we went riding, how peaceful it was." It was working. Her breathing began to slow down and the jerking stopped. Then she suddenly sat up, gasping and smacked Caleb straight in the forehead. He fell backwards as Tess curled up in a ball on the bed, shaking and sobbing.

"Hey, hey, hey," I said, hugging her and rocking her gently. "It's ok. It's ok. You're safe with us."

"It was horrible, Nick," she wept. "They were torturing him with knives and beating him."

"It's alright," I said. "I've got you. We'll get him out. I promise you." At the last statement I looked up at the Commander, giving her a glare.

"Tess, what happened?" Caleb asked, rubbing his forehead.

"I was asleep then suddenly I heard Edward call out," Tess whispered. "He needed help. They were trying to get information from him that he didn't have. He...he's trying to keep them focussed on him so they weren't trying so hard to look for us."

"That brave, stupid kid," I said, shaking my head. "He's going to get himself killed for us."

"Why would he do that?" the Commander asked.

"Because he'd do anything for the thing he loves most in the world," Caleb said quietly.

"Alright," the Commander said. "I think we should let Tess rest now. Caleb, go to your room. Nick, if I could speak to you please,in my office." I nodded and detached myself from Tess. As I went to the door and turned off the lights, I turned to Tess who was burying herself in the blankets. "If you need me," I said, tapping my head. "Just tell me." She smiled sadly and nodded as I shut the door behind me.

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Hey peeps!!!

Sorry for the short chapter but I originally wrote this chapter a few months ago but then half of it got deleted for some reason and I couldn't remember all of it. I've done my best but if you've read this chapter before and can remember if I've missed anything, please tell me so I can add it in for you! Also if you read the chapters after this and something doesn't make sense then please tell me too because I've probably missed something important in this chapter.

Any I hope it wasn't too bad!  Please comment and vote!!!

Thanks!

CricketCat