Chapter 11

I woke up bright and early on Saturday. Well, maybe I should say bright and early for Saturday. It was after nine, and I had barely half an hour to get ready. I hurriedly washed and cleaned myself, then tried to pick out some nice clothes for my day out with Caitlyn. Nat sat sniggering a little at my attempts to decide on what to wear. I had never really been one to spend a lot of time on my appearance before now. It seemed now I was just like any other girl fussing over this outfit, or that, trying to decide which I looked best in. In the end, as I got increasingly frantic Nat took pity on me and helped me choose.

When ten o'clock rolled in I was brushed, polished, and ready for my day. I waited for Caitlyn to show up, pacing up and down the room a bundle of nervous energy.

"Sit down! You'll wear the carpet out! I don't want to have to pay half of a new carpet," Nat joked.

I was often like this when waiting for someone. I'd worry I had got the day wrong, or the time, or the meeting place, or that the person I was meeting had forgotten me. I tried to calm down and sat, trying to do some of my work while I waited. It got to ten thirty and I began to get jumpy again. Where was Caitlyn? I waited another few minutes then decided to give her mobile a ring. There was no reply, I began to get genuinely worried.

Nat, sensing this shift in my emotional state, perked up. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know, Caitlyn was supposed to be here at ten and she's not answering her mobile," I replied.

"Hmmm, maybe she just a bit late and forgot to charge her phone or something," Nat tried to be reassuring.

"I suppose," I said, still a little worried, but I guess I was probably over reacting. Caitlyn would probably come rushing up in a few minutes, with a dead phone and an apology.

I sat down and waited some more, but still no Caitlyn. I was getting very worried by the time eleven came around, even if she had been delayed and lacked her phone, she would have found some way to let me know by now. I decided to head over to her hall and see if she had just overslept or something.

"Where you going?" asked Nat.

"Going to try Caitlyn's room, see if she just overslept."

"I'll come with you. I need to go up to campus anyway."

I smiled. I was pretty sure Nat had no need to be on campus, but I was glad she was coming with me. Her presence was calming and reassuring. We headed over at a fast walk, Nat keeping me from running all the way. We got to her hall and headed over to Caitlyn's room. I found the door open with no Caitlyn. The bed was made and looked like it hadn't been slept in. As we headed out of the room to see if one of her neighbours knew where she was, I noticed the door frame was broken, like some one had kicked the door in.

I was beginning to panic now, when my phone rang. It was Caitlyn's number!

I answered it in a rush, "Caitlyn where are you? Are you OK?" I asked.

"Emily..." Her voice was tight as if she was in pain, and she was breathing in short sharp breaths a bit like she was crying.

"What is it? What's wrong, baby?" I asked, my heart accelerating, threatening to burst out of my chest.

"I'm ... he's got me on the..." she said, then she started talking to someone at the other end, "I won't do it, you sick bastard!" Then she shouted, "Emily stay away! He's crazy, stay away! Ahhh!"

It sounded like the phone was suddenly moving, as if it had been ripped out of Caitlyn's hand. By now Nat was looking at me with an expression of extreme worry.

A voice came on the line, one that made me angry the moment I heard it, "Hello Emily."

"Mark!? What have you done to her you sick fuck?" I shouted.

"Now. now. Language my sweet," he said calmly. "If you want to see your little kitty cat again, you are to come to building 14 on the far side of campus, and don't bring any police. Quick march as well, or I'll test to see if this Kitty lands on its feet after a fall."

Rage pulsed through me my hands balled into fists, "You bastard! You hurt her and I'll rip you apart, you hear me?"

The bastard laughed at me, then said, "Ta ta now," and rang off.

I screamed in anger and punched the wall, putting six neat holes through it, crushing my phone, and startling the two occupants of the room next door, who peered worriedly at me from the holes I had left.

"What is it? For goodness sake, Em. Calm down! What is it!" cried Nat.

The noise and my destruction had brought quite a few people to see what the fuss was about. They stood round watching warily. A few were making calls, probably to the cops, about the crazy six armed girl trashing the place.

"I've got to go!" I shouted and started to move, pushing people out of my way.

"Where, what's happened," said Nat jogging to keep up.

"He's got her!"

"Who? Emily, please stop and tell me what is going on."

I didn't stop, in fact I probably accelerated. I wasn't in my right mind, all I could thing about was getting to Caitlyn, "Mark he's got her, I have to get to her!"

I started running as fast as I could, pushing my new body in ways I never had before. Soon I was moving at a speed that, if I hadn't been so focused, would have blown my mind. I was completely focused on saving Caitlyn, I didn't even notice Nat keeping up, trying to talk to me to calm me down. I didn't even hear her. I was just running, pushing my body to its limits, trying to get to my Caitlyn before that sick bastard did something to her.

I pounded up the hill to campus, scattering startled pedestrians. When I encountered roads, I jumped them, sailing high in the air, clearing the cars easy. I guess I should count myself lucky I didn't encounter any lorries, or buses, or even a double decker, that might well have ended my mad dash prematurely. As I came charging up to the university gate, there were a few of the anti-MORFS people still there. They screamed in terror when they saw me coming, maybe thinking I was attacking them. I pushed past them, smashing a few of their signs as they tried to block me with them. Campus was pretty quiet, so I only scattered a few people as I ran across the site to get to Caitlyn.

As I approached building 14, I finally began to slow, looking around for the evil bugger who had Caitlyn. I stood panting, exhausted. In the last dash it had only been the anger and fear that was keeping me going.

Building 14 had something to do with the science faculty. It was way off in the backwoods of the campus, separated from the rest of it by a good ten minutes walk. It was a large 4 story building, with reasonably old construction. Its relatively isolated location meant it was quiet at the best of times. Right now it was deserted.

Nat caught me up a bit out of breath herself. "Em... " She paused, breathing heavily for a while, ""lease calm down, we should call the cops, this seems like some sort of trap."

I turned to her and was about to say something, when I heard Caitlyn's voice from above us, "Emily," she cried. I looked up and in horror saw her positioned on the edge. Her beautiful face was beaten and bloody, tears flowed down her cheeks.

"Run, get away!" she shouted, then she squealed and it looked like someone was pushing her forward over the ledge.

I let out a high pitched wail and ran to the front doors, smashing through them. I frantically searched for the stairs. Finding them I knocked yet another door off its hinges and began climbing to the roof. I hammered up the steps two at a time, quickly progressing up the building. As I passed the third floor and headed for the roof access I was grabbed firmly from behind.

I struggled, thinking it was Mark or someone he had sent to subdue me.

"Easy, Emily it's me," said Nat., "Listen to me, he's planned this. Rushing out there is what he is expecting you to do. We need a plan."

Even in my manic state I saw she was right. I relaxed a tiny bit and nodded.

"OK," she said, "it's just him out there. I can't sense anyone but him and Caitlyn. You go out there. try to keep him talking and his attention away from the access door. Then I sneak up behind him and brain the S.O.B..."

It seemed as good a plan as any with this short notice.

I nodded, so we made our way to the roof door. It was obviously normally locked, but the padlock sat on the floor, broken. Nat hid out of sight as I barged my way through the door, using enough force to make it look like I hadn't stopped to plan and also, not so much that the door was useless as cover.

Standing in the middle of the roof was Mark. He smiled at me with a cold evil smile, "Emily my dear, so nice of you to come."

I glanced around. I saw my poor Caitlyn still standing perilously close to the edge, her eyes closed. She looked like she was about to pass out. I ran to her, making it half way before Mark stopped me dead in my tracks, saying, "Go any closer and she dies!"

I wasn't sure what he was going to do. He was a ways away from her, but something about this didn't add up.

"I'm here, sweetie," I said to Caitlyn. "Are you okay?."

Caitlyn's eyes opened with terror. "Emily run! Please! Run, save yourself! He is too..."

"Silence!" shouted Mark. Caitlyn was abruptly quiet, her mouth snapping shut, she began making moaning mumbling noises.

'What is he doing? It's like he's controlling her against her will? I didn't think that was possible.'

"Leave her alone, you crazy bastard!" I shouted. I was positioned so that Mark was between me and the door. Hopefully Nat could get him while I distracted him.

"Is that anyway to talk to someone who has done so much for you? To the one person perfect for you, to your true love?" His face displayed a sly smile.

"I could never love you!"

"Oh my poor Emily. That's what your so called friends have conditioned you to think. They have used their abilities and your trusting nature to control your life and turn you against me. In reality you love me very much. I knew from the first moment I saw you that you were the one for me. But your roommate, jealous of you for finding a happy loving relationship when all she can achieve is empty sordid sexual encounters, contrived to break us up. She used her powers and her complete control over your life to make you think awful untrue things about me. Then when you were changed and even more vulnerable, she used this to further control you, first having you slave to some guy she owed, then gave you to this little kitty cat. I can only assume it was so you wouldn't go after her men. Now you were more than a match for her charms. She conditioned you day and night, controlling your destiny, taking you away from me."

"What! That's crazy! You are totally out of your mind!"

"Oh my poor dear. Your devilish roommate has you completely controlled, and you don't even realise it. I only hope I can undo the damage."

He was totally bat shit crazy. I had to keep this nutter talking and give Nat the chance to take him out. "Please, Mark, let Caitlyn go and give yourself up. Get the help you desperately need! I don't love you, but I'm sure you can find someone who does. Stop this before you do something that can't be undone ... Please!"

"You don't think this thing," he gestured at Caitlyn, "has any feelings for you. It thinks of you as a toy, a mere slave. All set up by your roommate. She is an evil monster pretending to be a human being, and speaking of your roommate, it's high time she joined the party."

He gestured, and then suddenly the door behind him exploded as Nat was forcibly pulled through it. She screamed in pain as she was dragged along the roof and brought to a stop a few meters to the left of Caitlyn, not on the edge, but near it. She was visibly struggling but seemed unable to move. I tried to run to her, but suddenly I couldn't move, either It was like a invisible force had grabbed me and was holding me in a vice-like grip. It was painful and immensely disturbing. I tried to move, but pretty much all of me was held tight. I could move my eyes and my mouth, but I couldn't turn my head or move any of my limbs. The pieces were slotting into place, though. Mark must have gained some sort of telekinesis, or some other form of control over the physical world, when he went through MORFS. Whatever it was, he was strong! He was holding the three of us still and didn't seem to be under any strain.

He walked over to Nat slowly and calmly. He looked completely in control.

"Ah, Natalie, how beautiful you are, but your wonderful body hides a grotesque and twisted person underneath. I will make sure Emily sees that, and is free of your control forever." He stroked her cheek and ran his hands along her body. I could see she hated him touching her, she was straining, trying to get away, but couldn't. The desperation and anger showed in her eyes.

He walked away from her towards poor Caitlyn. "And you," He pulled on her tail, causing her tear filled eyes to open again in renewed pain. "I will see she is purged of all the conditioning that makes her your slave. I know Natalie is most to blame for my loves brainwashing, but you took advantage, allowing her slavery to continue for your own ends. You will pay for that."

I wanted to rip this guy apart. If he let me go even for a moment, I would not hesitate. I would tear him limb from limb for what he was doing to my girls. I waited for my opportunity.

He turned back to me and, with another theatrical gesture, caused a table, some chairs, and a basket to float over from next to the roof access door.

"Please my dear, come join me for a little food. Your run up here must have made you quite hungry," he said.

I felt his control release me. I decided to be careful, he would be expecting an immediate attack. I slowly walked over and when I was in range, sprang at him with all my might. I actually managed to touch him, my nails nicking his face slightly before an unstoppable force catapulted me away from him. He nearly threw me into the wall, stopping before I hit.

"Ah my dear, Of course I had hoped without her whispering poison in your ears, you would be able to listen. But I see she has conditioned you far too well for that, turning you into her weapon if need be. No matter. I will break you of this, have no fear," He touched the cut on his face gingerly.

I was pulled back towards the table and forced into a sitting position. I tried to struggle, but it was no use. His power held me like I was encased in steel.

"Such a shame you can't enjoy this as I would like you to," he said, pulling various things from his basket. He placed a plate of sandwiches in front of me. I glared back at him. Even with his new power he couldn't force me to eat those wretched sandwiches. "Such a pity I must resort to other methods to get you to cooperate. Eat them all, or kitty cat will suffer."

He did something that made Caitlyn scream to prove his point.

'Damn him, I'll get him for this, for torturing my sweet Caitlyn, ' I thought, anger raging in me.

He released my arms and head, so I could carry out his bidding. I was still held in place, so I couldn't throttle the little bastard, but I was able to eat his damn sandwiches. Goodness knows what drugs he had laced them with. I hoped I would lose myself in all this. I had to remain strong for Nat and Caitlyn. I took one of the sandwiches and, glaring hate at him, ate it.

"There's a good girl. If you just stop fighting and let me help you, things will be so much better for you," he said. "Think of what I have already done. When Natalie tried to give you to that rugby moron, I saw to it he took a beating he'll never forget. When the student services woman also under the pay of Natalie tried to keep us apart, I dealt with her. When that loathsome protester tried to harass you, I taught her a lesson. All small things I do for you my love."

He really had flipped! It had been him all along going around hurting, even killing people. The horror of it, was he thought he was doing it for me. I felt terrible, like it had been my fault. I mentally shook myself to clear that out of my head. There was no benefit in thinking like that, no matter what I had done, he was the one who had decided to do the damage. If it hadn't been me it would have been another girl. I had to stay strong and fight this bastard for everyone's sake, including my own. When we were all safe and this nut job was behind bars, then I could feel guilty for being the catalyst that caused these events.

I couldn't let that go, though, "You sick fuck! You killed and harmed all those people for no reason! There was no conspiracy against you, I wanted rid of your crazy arse. I reported you to student services and you killed that poor woman, just on a whim, then attacked others just to get your sick thrills!"

"Oh Emily while you may think it was you that were trying to get rid of me, it was Natalie all along," he said with a tired smile. "You'll see in time. Now we should be going before someone notices us up here. I have much work to do with you, my dear Emily. Soon your mind will be free and you will love me again."

"I will spare you from seeing these two dealt with, while you will come to see it was the right thing to do in time. I fear watching them die would permanently damage your gentle mind, and set back the healing you need to return to your normal self. But before you go I will take a kiss. While I wish you would give it willingly, it is still too early for that. I only take it now to show your two tormentors that they have lost for all time."

I was pulled closer to him and my mouth formed so as to kiss him, I was frantic, trying to get free. If I didn't do something he was going to kill Caitlyn and Nat. I fought and fought, trying to get free but I couldn't move. He used his power to pull me close and then began kissing me, feeling me up. I would have felt so violated, if it weren't for what I knew was coming next. I would have endured an eternity of his pawing me if it meant Caitlyn and Nat could live.