Brutaka's Game 2: Ch 12

Brutaka’s Game Ch 12

    Tetinkites! She could feel them crawling on her arm. One good slap on the arm and they were gone. Gone there at least. Now they were on her calf. She slapped it as well, then her stomach. Somehow they were jumping from one part of her body to another. The odd feeling came again and she slapped her face. A male voice snorted in amusement. That’s when she opened her eyes.
    “Morning sunshine.” he chuckled “I see you’re feeling better.”
    She felt the feeling in her arm again and realized it was Jerbraz's fingers. She pulled her arm away and sat up. “How long have I been out?”
    “A day. Maybe two. I told you you’d be better in no time. ” He was right. The fever was gone, she didn’t feel tired, and had no irritation under her skin. She looked down and rubbed her arm.
    “I guess I owe you a debt of gratitude.” She paused “but I must ask, how did-“
    “I know what you had?” he interrupted “I’ve seen it before. You just ate some poorly cooked meat, that’s all. That creeping sensation in your skin was the obvious sign, but your other symptoms almost threw me off.”
    “Other symptoms?”
    “Your tiredness, lack of energy, and your sudden increase in body temperature.”
    “Oh, that. Those aren’t necessarily symptoms. It’s more like a way our bodies fight back. It’s a little hard to explain.” She then looked around. “Where is everyone?”
    “The loud mouthed one? She and the Toa have been doing some combat training. As for grumpy I don’t really know. But he did go through your stuff this morning.”
    “He did?” She then remembered Janet saying something about him before. “What was he looking for?”
    “I don’t know, but whatever it is he hasn’t found it.”
    That made Sarah ponder for a bit. She wasn’t quite sure what he would want to take, or why. Nothing was missing from the gun case, nor the tool case. The thought of it began to bother her.
    “Are you okay?”
    She realized she was in a trance and snapped out of it. “Uh, yeah. Hey, if you saw him go through my stuff why didn’t you do anything?”
    “Don't you remember?” He gestured his hands up and down his body, even though he knew she couldn’t see him. “I’m permanently invisible. As such I have to keep a very, very low profile. You have no idea how hard it is to be in this position. You can’t just go up and talk to people it freaks them out. So does moving objects, however it’s fun to see people’s expressions when they come back and find the furniture moved around. But anyway, I’m just hitching a ride. No one knows I’m here. In fact no one is supposed to know I’m here, not even you. I’m only talking to you because you found me.”
    Sarah threw her hands up. “Okay, okay I get it. You don’t exist. I don’t talk about you, and you don’t trip me while I walk.”
    He chuckled. “We may met on occasion, but know that I will be watching you.”
    “That’s comforting.” she groaned.

---

    Janet landed on the floor with a thud. An amused chuckle teased her.
    “Four out of seven?” asked Adimer.
    She stood up and rubbed her back.
    “Remind me again why we’re doing this?” Sarah asked as she griped her staff tightly.
    “Nothing too important,” replied the Toa “Just giving you guys some pointers.” He then took a defensive stance and smirked, daring them to come at him.
    The girls looked at each other. Sarah shrugged. Janet decided to make the first move. She charged and trusted one end of the staff at his gut. He blocked the attack and spun himself around her and struck her in the back. The move was so fast that Janet didn’t have time to react. Seeing that his back was turned Sarah decided to give it a go. She ran, but this time trying to keep her steps quiet. Right when she thought she could get him in the back he turned around and blocked her strike.
    He then swung at her. She took a step back and ducked, then tried to strike again. For thirty seconds they blocked and attacked each other. Occasionally the two would try to use their staff to push the Toa back. At first it didn’t look like there would be a winner, but it soon became noticeable that Sarah was starting to get tired. Eventually the Toa of Air was able to beat her. He pushed her staff away with one end and jabbed her on the side with the other. She fell onto one knee and moaned.
    “That was good.” He rubbed his mask. “Well that’s about all I can teach you guys without getting myself in trouble with you know who.”
    “Thank goodness.” sighed Janet, who was rubbing bruises from yesterday’s training.
    “Well I’m going to grab something to eat, you coming?” the Toa asked.
    “Go on ahead, I need to have a word with Janet.”
    He gave a slight nod and walked away.
    “Sarah, what is it?” Janet showed no sign of interest in what she had to say.
    “It’s about what you said earlier this week. About Klandaz.”
    Janet folded her arms. “What about him?”
    “He went through our stuff again.”
    She cocked her head. “Did he take anything?”
    Sarah shook her head. “Well Adimer says he’s just looking for something he lost, but I don’t believe it.”
    “You think he’s the mole?”
    “Not quite.” replied Sarah “While I was sick, I met our spy face to face.”
    “Are you sure? You were sick.”
    “I’m positive.”
    At that point Janet's arms dropped. “Did you get a good look at him.”
    Sarah paused. “No. It was pitch black.”
    Janet gave her a look that showed she was not impressed.
    “But he did touch me.”
    “That doesn’t help us.”
    “Yes it does. The tips of his fingers are slightly curved, like a claw, and they’re a little thin too.”
    “So, we’re going after a Hunter that likes to stay hidden with long and slender fingers. That’s Klandaz all right.”
    “You’ve seen his hands?”
    “No, but I rarely see him. In fact he’s never around when we get these darn intrusions in our heads.”
    “But-“
    “No buts, you can go and play detective Sherlock, but I remain sure that it’s Klandaz.” She began to march off. “By the way we’re stopping at one more port, then it’s straight to the southern islands.”
    “How much longer?”
    “Two, maybe three days.” Sarah gave a sigh of relief. She then looked around the room.
    There was very little training equipment she could use to pass the time and even fewer she either knew how to use or was capable of using. She did notice a pipe three feet off the ground going parallel with the room. It was only a few inches wide, but it looked sturdy enough to support her weight. She placed one foot on the pipe, and then counted to three before pushing herself on top. She leaned back and forth and threw her hands around until she was balanced. When she was sure she wouldn’t fall off she aligned herself with the pipe and walked forward; shifting her arms and hips to keep her up.
    “That was the worst fighting I have ever seen.”
    Sarah jumped mid walk and lost her balance. She yelped as she leaned too far to the side. A pair of hands grabbed her and pushed her back up.
    “Jerbraz!”
    “What? It really was. A dead Turaga can do better.”
    “Are you going to sneak up on me every time I’m alone?”
    “Nah, just when nobody’s around.” he joked. “But seriously, that guy is a horrible teacher. An amateur can do better.”
    She got off the pipe and looked up, believing to be looking at his face. “In case you haven’t notice I am an amateur.”
    He laughed. “Perhaps I can change that.” He walked to the other side of the room and picked up a staff. She stared at him in disbelief.
    “You expect me to fight you?! You’re invisible!”
    “So?” The floating staff twirled around his body. “If you can beat me then you are a better fighter than you think.”
    She tilted her head and folded her arms. “So I just have to beat you and I win?”
    “Yep.”
    She smirked and grabbed a staff. “Okay then.”
    Jerbraz took what she assumed was a defensive stance. Instead of attacking she pulled her Tazar out and fired. The two strings hit their target and the invisible man went down. The loud thud of his landing made Sarah’s grin grow wider. She let go of the trigger and listen to him moan.
    “I should’ve seen that coming. You cheated.”
    She walked up to him with a big smile on her face. “Actually the rule was to beat you. You never said how.”
    “Okay I’ll give you points on that one.”
    Suddenly Sarah felt something hit the back of her legs. She lost her balance and fell backwards, landing on her bottom. The next thing she knew Jerbraz was on top of her; one arm had her shoulders pined to the floor, while a leg on her lower torso kept her from going anywhere.
    “But I’ll have to dock some for letting your guard down.” He got up and placed the staff back. “First rule in combat: pay attention to what goes on around you. The second is to know how your opponent fights.”
    “And the third?”
    He chuckled. “Don’t get in the way of a tazer gun.”
    She gave a soft smile and stood up. “While I appreciate the lessons, they’re useless against mental attacks.”
    “Mental? Why would you be so concerned about that?”
    “Because Janet and I have been the victims of several lately.”
    “I see. Well I know how to prevent those, however it’s a closely guarded secret. Members only. I would like to teach you, but can’t.”
    “You can’t give any pointers?”
    “Nope. You first have to be one of us, and I’m not exactly the one allowed to recruit. Sorry.”
    She rolled her eyes. “Fine, be that way.” She then began to walk out of the room.”
    “Oh and one more thing,” Sarah stopped and turned around “You should be more trusting of your friend. She may be on to something.” Sarah turned around and walked out.
    ”Or maybe I should be less trusting of you, mole.”

---

    Her hair waved in the warm, gentle breeze. The warm light of the sunset engulfed everything around her. For once Sarah was excited. She hadn’t heard from Jerbraz for a while, and they were now only a day away from their destination. The ship was racing through the water at full speed. Or at least that’s what it felt like. Even though it was getting too dark to see any islands ahead she knew that in the morning she would be on land searching for her ticket home. All ready nearly twelve days had gone by and she couldn’t afford to waste any more time than necessary. As she went back inside and to her room her feelings of excitement quickly faded into a knot in her stomach.
    “What if I can’t find them? What if they’re dead…. What if I fail?” She shook her head. No. She shouldn’t be thinking that. After all, she’s already halfway there. She couldn’t afford to give up now. She then toyed with her necklace. The toa stones had a soft glow to them as if they were alive. She held them tightly and placed them against her chest.
    “If I can do this then perhaps I can be a hero like them.”


    The bellowing sound of the ship’s horn scared Sarah out of her bed and face first onto the floor. That woke the others up.
    “What’s going on?” yawned Janet.
    The chattering sound of active hunters walking around got Adimer’s attention. “We must be here.”
    Those four little words were enough for Sarah to forget the pain in her face. She jumped up and frantically tried to get her clothes on, she almost put her pants on backwards in the process. But she was too excited to even care. She rushed out of the room, ignoring Janet’s plea to wait for her, and made it out to the deck. The sky was a deep light blue with no clouds in sight, while birds flew circles around the ship. She weaved her way around working hunters to the bow, where less than a hundred yards away was the island. The anchor was dropped and small rafts were being prepped.
    Janet soon made it and looked at the island as well. The island was covered in temperate forest with cliffs and mountains a few miles inland. It was quiet too and there was nothing to indicate that any Humans, or Matoran were living on the island.
    “So,” said Janet “This is the place?”
    “Yep.”
    “All right everyone now listen up!” The two turned around and saw Klandaz by the boats. All of the other Hunters looked at him. “The Shadowed One is only giving us three days here. If we don’t find anyone we head straight back. You’ve all meet Sarah and Janet. You should all know then what a Human looks like. Pair up with a partner and I’ll tell you where to look. Just be sure to be back by sunset.”
    “Who put him in charge all of a sudden?” whispered Janet.
    “The big man himself.” said Adimer. The girls jumped in surprise of his sudden appearance. “It’s best you two go together.”
    “What about you?”
    “I’m going with Klandaz. Better get your gear, because we’ll be launching the boats soon.”

---

    “How much longer.” Asked B.J.
    “Well if this map is accurate and we don’t have any problems I’d say we’ll get there before sunset.” replied Gaaki as she folded the map. Petrik gave a sigh of relief, yet contrary to what he was feeling he was still unsure of the girl’s fate or even how they were going to get them back. He went to his room and pulled out the M-16 from under his bed. He pulled out the magazine clip and made sure it was loaded and the safety was on. If needed he was willing to fight to get them back, even if it meant the possibility of losing his life.

---

    “Hello!?” Sarah’s cry echoed through the forest.
    “Is anyone out there!?” called Janet. It has been three hours since the search began and they were already starting to feel tired. Mostly because they were going up a gradual slope that never seemed to end. Already Sarah was beginning to feel the pressure of finding the lost soldiers. Just then her thoughts were interrupted.
    “MARCO!”
    Sarah stopped and turned to give Janet a mixed look of amusement and dumbfoundment.
    “Are you serious!?”
    Janet shrugged. “What? There’s not a single American that doesn’t know that game. They just have to say ‘Pollo’ and we find them.”     Sarah rolled her eyes.
    “What ever.” She walked a few more steps then stopped. Something wasn’t right. It was a little too quiet for a forest. She then realized the birds had stopped chirping. Perhaps Janet scared them away.
    “MARCO!” shouted Janet.
    “Pollo.”
    Sarah’s heart skipped a beat and she and Janet immediately turned around. A tall, black and grey mechanical being stood several yards away. She took a step back with a face lit in horror.
    “You.” She gasped.
    A glowing, green spinner flew past the bushes behind him and struck her. Janet yelped in surprise and took a step back as a green mist engulfed Sarah and faded away. Sarah was still for a moment, but then fell to the ground without any attempt to brace herself. She grunted as she tried to move, but could only look around. Janet drew her riffle and was about to fire when several roots from behind sprang out of the ground and wrapped around her legs. She let out a scream that was quickly muffled by hanging vines. Her whole body was quickly restrained by plants. The being laughed and casually walked up to them.
    “What are the odds?” he chuckled “I go on a hunt to find some meddling soldiers and of all the Humans in this universe I find you.” His fingers moved Sarah’s head so that they locked eyes with each other.
    Janet moved her head enough to free her mouth. “You know this guy?”
    “Why yes my dear.” smiled the being. “We go back quite a while Janet.”
    Her face lit up with surprise. “How do you know my name?”
    “Because,” muttered Sarah “He’s Makuta Ruunaja!”