Challenge Issued



 

Power Monkees - inspired by Enola Jones series   setting between Malibu, the Ogre King and Then there were Five


Hundred miles from the Pad. . .


Peter sat on his thinking perch.  At the light house, away from everyday life where only the birds congregated.  He sat, back against the glass of the light house and closed his eyes, reviewing what had happened that day and before.  So much had happened to him and his friends that if it wasn’t for them, he would think he was having a bad dream that he couldn’t get out of.

First, he had powers, like his friends.  They each had a different power, his was telekinesis, making things move with his mind and flying too.  He was also mentally linked to his best friend, Mike.  They had merged at one point where now he had two sets of memories, his and Mike’s.   The four of them had been sent on a quest to find seven jewels and at some point he had to change roles.   Mike was unable to lead them, leaving Peter to fill the spot to lead them through the rest of the quests. 

It was with Mike’s memories and knowledge that he did so with support from the others.  But after the quests they were brought to a different dimension that mirrored their own time ‘cept for a few changes, like, they weren’t actors here, they actually were the guys trying to make a band work. 

They had adjusted finding work as session musicians and working on their music with full devotion.  Then they found themselves involved in a strange event that brought them before the Ogre king.  That is when things had gone fatefully wrong,   Mike had let off a blind laser and caught him in its path.

He still couldn’t talk.  It had been several weeks since the battle but his throat still felt raw.  It took all his effort to eat or drink something to make it past the soreness. 

The link with Mike was both a blessing and curse for them.  Peter still felt that agony from Mike about his throat.  He still would not forgive himself for the accident.  But Peter thought it was blessing that at least he could communicate with someone during this ordeal.

He had gone to the doctors that morning with Valerie, his girlfriend, by his side.  Two doctors reviewed his records and still couldn’t give him an answer if he would be able to speak or not.  Valerie held his hand during the whole exam and discussion.  After leaving the office, Peter wrote her a note that he had to go think, for her to go on to the Pad and tell the guys what the doctors.

Peter kept reasoning that his voice was just a part of him, not the whole Peter.  He could still play his instruments.  He could still lead the group by speaking through Mike. 

Valerie was very supportive since learning about his newest incident.  He thought she would break up with him when she met Michael Tork in the merge of the bodies of them.  But she hung in there with him.

Just like the rest of the recent events in his life, he had to adjust to the change.  For there were reasons beyond his comprehension on why things were the way they were.

Peter felt a twinge in his mind, a feeling of concern.  Mike was checking on him.

*I’m okay* Peter thought, *Just thinking, I’ll be home soon*

A warm feeling came to him, Mike was glad to hear that.

** ** ** ** ** ** ** **
Mike sat at the kitchen table, listening to Valerie tell them what the doctors had said at the appointment.

They weren’t surprised to see her come home alone.  After each doctor’s visit Peter took off for his perch to think for awhile to get things into perspective so he could go on.

Valerie recounted what had gone on at the doctor’s office. 

“They still can’t tell him if he will be able to talk?” Mike asked.  Each time Peter went to a follow up appointment he had a hard time containing himself.  It was his fault that Peter was in the situation.

“No change.  They still can’t rule one way or the other about his voice,” Valerie told them.

“That is good then,” Micky said.  “They didn’t say he wouldn’t have a voice.” Looking at the optimistic point of the situation.

Mike sent a wave out to Peter, trying to get his perspective on the latest visit.

*I’m okay* Peter thought, *Just thinking, I’ll be home soon*

Mike sent a warm feeling to Peter, letting him know that he was glad to hear that he was okay.

** **
An hour later Peter touched down on the verandah.  He had gone through his low and high points once more in thinking to himself about the current situation and it’s affect on their existence.

Mike was on the bandstand writing some words to a new song.  Peter had seen Davy on the beach with a girl. 

Mike looked up once he felt Peter was near.

*Where’s Micky?*

“Went to town to get some music supplies.  Lost another pair of sticks.”

*I think someone comes in at night and steals them personally.* Peter mentally joked as he sat down at the piano.

“It might be true,” Mike agreed.

Peter started fiddling with the keys on the piano.  Mike looked at him feeling guilty once more.  Peter hit the piano keys with his fist. *Don’t do that* Peter mentally yelled out *Stop feeling guilty.*

Mike stood up and glared at Peter.  “I am guilty,” he yelled at Peter.  “You wouldn’t be in this mess if I hadn’t let off that shot.”

*It was a mistake.  People make mistakes.* Peter stood and looked at Mike in the eyes.  Peter’s anger starting to get the best of him in regards to the situation.  His eye’s started to glow.

They stood, looking at each other, glaring for their own reasons.

“Calm down man.” Mike whispered to Peter. 

Peter realized that his anger had been pressed.  He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, to regain his control.  It was frustrating that he couldn’t get Mike to get beyond being feeling guilty.

Mike admitted to Peter, “I feel helpless right now.  I can’t do anything.  I see you in this state and just can’t get beyond that I’m the one who did it to you.”

Peter stepped closer and brought his arms around Mike. *It’s okay Michael* he thought, holding the stubborn Texan close to him. *We’ll make it through this like we have everything else.  We’ll adjust.*

Mike gave a heavy sigh.  “We have been doing a lot of that.  Adjusting.”

** ** ** ** ** **
Peter woke from a fitful sleep.  At least once a night he had a nightmare of being hit by the laser shot.  Usually he would wake and find Mike sitting up, looking at him.  Being linked kept few secrets between the two. 

Mike knew he had nightmares.  There was nothing he could do to stop them.  But tonight Mike must have been exhausted for he didn’t even move when Peter stood up. Peter looked over to Mike, seeing his soft glow that he radiated from Mike has he slept.  Peter sighed, knowing that it would take some time for him to calm down enough to go back to sleep.  He decided to go down to get a drink, his throat felt like it was on fire.

Peter looked at the other beds in the room.  Micky was cradling a pillow in his arms.  Peter smiled that Micky was having a good dream for a change.  Since coming to this dimension, Micky had been rediscovering himself both as a musician and as a caring individual.  The old Micky played many games but here he wanted more depth, so he was dealing with insecurities.

Davy too was changing for the better.  He still dated but he showed more carrying, compassion in his relationships if that was possible.  

Peter pulled on his robe and descended the spiral stairs into the pad.  He rummaged through the fridge to see what they had that was cold to drink.  He pulled out the milk and poured himself a glass.  He brought the glass to his lips and said a mental prayer before drinking the white liquid in one slow motion.  It hurt going past his throat but there was a lasting relief afterwards. Peter rinsed the glass and put it in the drying rack.  He was heading back to the stairs when a red glow started spreading in the middle of the living room.  Peter stopped to see what was happening.

The red glow grew in size till it revealed someone within it.  Pete, the leader of the copies that Mara had brought to fight them sometime back.

The man stepped before the stairs announcing, “The man known as Peter Tork.”

Peter sent a mental message to Mike. *Mike, get down here NOW!* he screamed.

“So, it seems that you have a bit of an impairment.  Can’t talk.” he joked.  “Can’t lead if you can’t order people around.”

Peter just tried to keep his eyes on an even keel with Pete, something he learned from Mike’s personality.

“I was wondering how it would be if it was just you and me in a fight without having anyone interfere with us.  Think you would be up to it my brother?”

“He’s not your brother and no he would not like to fight you one on one on your terms anywhere,” Michael declared coming down the stairs.

Pete looked up to see the Texan come down the stairs.  “Well, well, it’s the linked Monkee.  So tell me, how does it feel to be the one who injured Peter?”

“Go to hell.” Mike shot at him.  Peter moved to stand between him and Pete.

*Don’t sink to his goading. That is what he wants from you.  Ask him why he’s here, other than challenging me to a new challenge of one on one.*

Mike leaned against the stairs.  “So, what brings you to our part of the dimensional plane?”

Pete looked to Peter, “Checking up on my other part here.  The offer still stands; you, me, in another dimension where it is just us.”

*Don’t think so.* Peter glared at Pete.

“Peter says no dice.”

“One of these days he won’t have a choice.  Remember that Peter, you and I will finish that battle we started.”  Pete turned and left in the red globe.

They watched it shrink and finally disappear.  Once it was gone, Peter turned to Mike. *That was a serious threat.*

Mike sat down on the stairs and looked at Peter.  “VERY serious.”

Davy and Micky came out of the bedroom looking down at them.  “What happened?” Micky asked.

Mike looked up behind him.  “We just had a visit from Pete.”

“What ‘e want?” Davy asked with a yawn.

“To issue a challenge to Peter, to continue on with their initial challenge.”

Micky walked down the stairs past Mike to stand before Peter.  “That is dangerous.  I know what you are capable of and he wants to. . .”

Peter looked down, trying to forget what he had done when Micky and his clone brother David Michaelson pushed his buttons.  He had lost his temper due to the brother’s goading.

“Peter, we know what you are capable of.  So therefore we know what he is capable of.  Other than your voice you have the strength.” Mike told the group.

*You’re right.* Peter thought *But it doesn’t mean I can’t be scared*

Mike smiled, “You are allowed to be scared.  Heavens knows how scared I have been over this last year with all the things we have been involved in.”

Peter moved off to bandstand.  He knew before he wasn’t going back to sleep, now with the spoken challenge, Peter needed to think.  They watched him sit down at the piano.

Davy gave a quiet moan, “There he goes off into his world.”

Peter started playing a slow melody.

Mike got up and started up the stairs followed by Micky.  “He was having trouble sleeping anyway.  He needs to think,” Mike told them. 

They went to their beds and crawled under the sheets. 

Davy sat up and looked over to Mike.  “Can Peter handle going against Pete?” Davy asked Mike.

Mike was laying back, letting his mind register all the questions Peter was bringing up to himself.  He thought about Davy’s question and answered it with his own question, “For his survival Peter has to handle it doesn’t he?”

** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **

Peter had fallen asleep on the sofa.  Davy spotted him with the colorful afghan spread over him.  Davy and Micky had left Mike to sleep upstairs.  They fixed themselves bowls of cereal and milk and went out onto the veranda. 

“I wish Petah’s voice would return,” Davy told Micky.  Davy had been learning to communicate his fears since living in the new dimension.  He had panic attacks by holding every thing in, he scared all the guys but once Davy had let everything out, he felt better.  Micky made it an effort to get Davy to talk to him on a regular basis so not to explode again.

“Having him only talk through Mike is strange enough.  With Pete showing up though, it’s enough to rattle anyone.  If Peter is capable of doing that much destruction to an island, I can’t imagine what would happen if Peter had it out with Pete.” Micky said in awe, remembering what had happened sometime back when he helped Peter lose his temper.  For a moment he thought he was toast.

Davy ate for a moment in silence.  “I hope things won’t go that far, that Pete was just blowing ‘ot air last night.”

“We can only hope.” Micky answered, not wanting to think of the worse possibility.  “But I have a feeling that Pete is going to make good on his word.  Mara would love to have any one of us out of the way but Peter is the biggest threat she has.”

Davy knew that too.  “I wish we were normal,” he said in a quiet voice.

Micky looked at him.  “I know babe.  I wish we were too.  But that’s in the past.  We are here with awesome powers, helping people when we can, and playing some jiving music for once.”

** ** ** **
In another dimension, in Mara’s Castle:

Pete lay in bed with his mistress Mara.  “Step one complete, challenge issued.”  He kissed into her ear.

“Step two, insurance policy to hold.” she moved to have him on his back.  “Which one shall we hold to ensure as compliance to the challenge?”

“His link, Michael, or his love, Valerie?” he asked back.  “I’m leaning towards both actually.”  He  moaned when Mara started kissing down his chest.

She returned to look into his brown eyes.  “You are such whore,” she smiled at him.

“Only for you my lady.  I am yours.”

Mara kissed him once more, brutally kissing him.  He loved it when she was rough with him and she loved that she found someone who loved her loving ways.  In her mind she had him spread and tied out before her.  When she opened her eyes he was secured to the bed.

“Ah my dear, you are so pretty.” she kissed in his ears.  “Soon we will deal with the other you and we shall then be able to go against my dear sister once more.”  She kissed his neck.  “Then you and I will control the realms.”

** ** ** **
In the Pad:

Peter woke with a start.  He mentally groaned, his back hurt and his head felt like a throbbing drum.

Mike was coming out of the bathroom by the kitchen.  “That’s what you get for playing the piano for four hours.”  Mike went to the kitchen and got a glass of water and found the bottle of aspirin.  He walked over to Peter and handed them over to him.  “Take these shotgun.”

Peter looked at the two pills.  He wasn’t up to trying to get them down. 

“Come on Peter, it will make you feel better.” Mike tried to coax him to taking them.

Peter closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath.  He brought the pills in his mouth and took the water to rinse them down.  He winced with the hard objects made their way down.

Mike felt the pain radiate from Peter when the pills moved down his throat.

Peter opened his eyes and looked at Mike. *Why does it hurt still so much?* he thought.

“I don’t know.” Mike answered.  

The phone rang.  Mike got up and answered it.  “Hi Valerie...no, he’s up...You want to go out?  What time?...Three?” Mike looked at Peter who nodded yes.  “He’ll be ready Valerie.”  He hung up the phone and returned to Peter.

“She is some girl Peter.”  Mike was envious of Valerie.  Mike still hurt that Phyllis stayed behind.  Mike ws starting to think that he would be forever alone in this dimension.

*I know.* he smiled, thinking of his lovely girlfriend.  He never thought he would find someone to stand by him no matter what they faced, which was a lot more abnormal than most things.

“About time you smiled.” Mike brought him out of his dream state.

*I’m still shook up over that little meeting last night.  Mara and Pete are working on something but I can’t put my finger on it.* Peter stood up and started folding the afghan.

“We’ll handle them when it comes.  We always do.  Now I think you better go get ready for your date for it’s already one in the afternoon.”

*Yes Dad.* Peter answered, moving off to the stairs.

** ** ** ** ** ** **

Peter was ready by said time, dressing in a purple button shirt and charcoal pants and black dress boots.  He did his best to dress conservative but with a twist when going out with Valerie.  He added a few love beads.

Valerie walked in at three as said on the phone.  She hugged and kissed her blond haired man.  
Peter held her close for a minute, loving the feeling of holding her close to him, calming him a bit.

When Valerie pulled back she could feel a change in him.  “Something’s wrong,” she told him.

Peter thought to Mike who told Valerie.  “There is a lot going on right now.  He just wants to enjoy being with you.  We can talk about it tonight when you drop him off.”

Valerie looked at Peter.  “Okay, we’ll go out and then when we come back, I want to hear what the problem is.  All of it.”

Peter nodded and signed to her “okay love.”  Valerie had known signing from some work she had done while in high school.  She taught Peter what she knew.

Valerie laughed at him and started for the door.  “Come on, we have places to go and people to see.”

Peter followed behind thinking *yes ma’am*”

** ** **

From the street, in a dark car, was George and Dave, Pete’s gang members.   When Valerie pulled out of the driveway, they started driving behind them for they had a job to do and it had to be done by the end of the night.

** ** **
Valerie wanted to do some shopping and then they went out to dinner and some dancing.

Peter held her close to him while they danced.  Peter still marveled that she was still there after so many things had happened. He kissed her neck, getting the responsive giggle from her.  How he wished he could talk to her.  He sighed in frustration.

Valerie pulled back to look at his face which showed his true emotions.  “It will be okay Peter.”

He nodded, hoping that it was true that some time soon it would be okay.

They returned to their table.  Peter helped her sit but he signed that he had to go to the restroom.  He went to the back of the club to go to the restroom.  He made his way to the urinal.  He went to the sinks and washed his hands.  Then he was surrounded by two men.  One grabbed him quickly covering his eyes while the other put something over his nose.  He blacked out quickly unable to fight them off in anyway.

From a stall, came Pete dressed identical to Peter.  “Good work boys.”

Dave and George held the unconscious Peter between them.  Pete took the love beads off Peter and put them around his own neck.  He looked at disdain to is other self.  “Set him up in the stall.  Let’s see if Miss Valerie will notice the difference.”  He took a breath and showed a smile that rivaled Peter’s.

** ** ** **
Mike, Micky, Davy and Mr. Schneider was playing poker.  Mike was having a good run with the cards.  He was shuffling the deck when he felt something in his mind.    When Peter was away, he tried to tune out Peter, to give him some privacy but if something happened he could get a feel for it.  The low frequency went even lower.  Mike searched to get a feeling what was going on, questioning to Peter.  But he got no answer.  “Something is wrong,” Miked commented.

Micky and Davy looked at each other.   They saw the color flicker across Mike’s eyes when he talks to Peter.

“What’s wrong Mike?” Micky asked.

“Peter’s not answering me.  I feel him, but I don’t get a response.”

“Where were they going?” Davy asked.

“The last full thought I got was that they went to a club to go dancing . . .Club Cassandra.” he told them.

They all got up and headed towards the door.

** ** ** ** **
Pete stepped out of the men’s room and made his way to the table where Valerie was sitting.  He sat down opposite her.

“I’m glad we got out for the evening.  I was starting to think that you were going to become a recluse with your current situation.” Valerie smiled.  She reached over for his hand “Know this Peter, I will be by your side through anything.  I love you.”

Pete smiled at the lady.  He thought to himself, “We’ll see if that will stand true when things are said and done.”

“I guess we better be getting back.  You promised to tell me everything there is to know about something that had you all serious this afternoon.”

Pete nodded.  They got up to leave the club.  He escorted Valerie to her car and they pulled away to drive back towards to the pad but they would not make it.

** ** **
The Monkee Mobile pulled up to Club Cassandra.  Mike and Davy went in while Micky parked the car.

They looked through the club not finding neither Peter nor Valerie.

“I still feel him here somewhere,” Mike told them when Micky joined them. 

Davy thought of one place they hadn’t looked, “come on.” he told them.

They followed him to the restroom. They tried each stall.  One was locked.  Micky got on a knee and looked, Peter was slumped on the seat.  “Bingo.” 

Davy shrunk down to walk under the gap and grew to unlock the door. 

Once the door was unlocked, Davy got out to let Mike at Peter.   He was out like a light.  Mike found a note in his pocket.  He opened it and swore under his breath.

“What is it?” Micky asked. 

Mike handed Micky the note while he went back to attend Peter.


Remember the challenge Peter.
I am making it an insurance policy
that you and I will have that battle.
I’ll promise to take good care of her.

Pete

“‘E’s going to be furious when he finds this out.” Davy told them.

“To put it mildly.  Let’s get him out of here and home before he comes to,” Mike told the others.

** ** ** ** ** ** **
Valerie woke up on a soft bed.  She couldn’t remember how she got to where she was.  She stood up and looked around the room.  It was similar to a bedroom but there were some casual differences.

The door unlocked and opened.  Peter and a lady came in. 

“Peter?”

“I’m not Peter, I’m Pete.”

Valerie remembered the name of Pete from the story she was told about how Rob Smith had come about in the groups lives.  Valerie moved back from him.  “So, Peter told you about me.”
Valerie nodded.  “Then you know about my lovely Mistress, Mara.”

“Dark Lady.” she answered.

“Very astute.” Mara smiled.

“What do you want with me?”

“Just an insurance policy.  Peter and Pete had been in a challenge and Pete would like to pick it up where they left off.”

“So you kidnapped me to make sure he’ll take the challenge.” Valerie concluded.

“Well you are part of the plan.” Mara told her. “So relax, if you need anything just say so and it will appear for you.”

Then Mara and Pete left the room, the door locking behind them.  Valerie went to the door and tried the door knob, which did not budge.  She looked once more around the room that was now here prison.  Valerie could only think the worse scenario.  She went back to the bed and started crying.

** ** **
Peter started to slowly wake up, his head was groggy from it’s forced sleep.  He tried to shake his head, shaking off it’s affects.

“Easy Peter, relax, you’ll feel better if you don’t fight it,” he heard.

That voice, he knew it, it was...Micky’s..then he heard footsteps and movement in the room.  Peter tried to move to sit up but he couldn’t, something held him down.  He tried to open his eyes but again he was impaired.  Panic struck him.

Someone laid a hand on his shoulder. “Peter, relax, you’re okay,” Mike told him, feeling the panic rise within Peter.

*Why can’t I move or see?* Peter asked his link.

“For your own protection and ours shotgun.” Mike told him.  They had decided to tie him to the bed and blindfold him to keep his powers at bay for the time being.  They knew his temper would flare with the knowledge of what had happened at the club.

Confusion came to Peter. *What’s wrong?* not understanding why his friends would do such a thing to him.

Mike took a deep breath, Micky and Davy were standing behind him giving him moral support in dealing with Peter.   “We found you at the club unconscious in the bathroom.”

*Someone jumped me* Peter said remembering what had happened in the restroom.

“They drugged you.” Mike told him.

*Where’s Valerie?  I was at the club with . . .* Peter jumped to his own conclusion. *Where is she!* he shouted in panic again.  He tried to struggle once more with his bonds, trying to get up.

Mike winced as Peter shouted at him.  He had forgotten to lower some of his shields to protect himself from Peter’s onslaught.  Mike put his hands on Peter’s shoulders, trying to calm him.  “Listen Peter, Pete has her.  He left a note for you.” 

With redoubled effort Peter struggled against his bonds, his temper flaring each second of thinking Pete had Valerie.  “Peter quit struggling.” Mike told him.  “You can’t do anything till Pete contacts us.”  

Peter laid back into the bed feeling that it was useless to get out whatever his friends had done to him.  Despair crept in.  He couldn’t protect his one true love and he had been troused up like a cow.  Peter’s fury was not abated however.  He thought to Mike, *Blast it, let me go!  I need to find Valerie, NOW!*

“I don’t think so.  Not till you calm down.  This is the only way I know to keep you from demolishing the Pad or anything else you would set your eyes on.” Mike explained.  “We need to get your temper under control before we do anything.  Besides, Pete would not be stupid enough to hang out in our dimension, knowing what he knows about us.  He would have taken her somewhere where we can’t get to on our own.”

Peter couldn’t move nor see.  His friends had robbed him of his power sensories.  He mentally sighed.  Pete was out to get the challenge accomplished. *Pete robs me of my heart and my friends robs me of my powers.*

“We only temporarily robbed you of your powers, Peter.  You know as well as I what you are capable of.”

They talked for some time, bringing Peter’s temper down to a manageable presence.  Mike untied him and lifted the blindfold once he thought Peter was calm enough.  They went into the living room where Micky and Davy had fallen asleep while waiting for Peter to calm down.

*They have no staying power* Peter remarked.

“They were worried in what would happen if we didn’t keep your power at bay.”

*Thanks for the thought of confidence.* Peter remarked.  On one hand he was glad that his friends were there to keep him in place but on the other he wished they had let him go, maybe he could have found Pete before taking Valerie to another dimension.  Before he could think more on that the house shook.

“What in Hades?” Mike remarked.  He went to the back door.  “Looks like Pete has decided to make his next move and he has company,” he announced to the others.

Peter joined Mike at the door.  Davy and Micky woke and joined them at the door to see George and Dave with Pete, hovering in the air beyond the veranda.

Pete saw the four men standing on the balcony watching them hover over the beach.  Pete looked to them.  “Glad to see you awake Tork.”

Peter’s eyes started to glow, his temper starting to flare again.  Mike caught that.  “Not now Peter.  They got Valerie somewhere.” he reminded Peter so he wouldn’t lose it now and there.

Peter let his eyes die back.  Mike turned his attention back to Pete.

Pete watched Peter, seeing his temper flare then die.  “Ah yes, your precious Valerie.  She is safe Tork.  For now.  I wish to direct to you a challenge.  A challenge to the death between you and I in a dimension where it will just be the two of us.  You will bare the words of this manuscript and will teleport you to the land.  You have twenty four hours to respond or Valerie will cease to exist in this dimension but in mine.”  He threw over a scroll that Peter caught in his mind’s eye and brought to him.  With that, Pete and his followers flew from them into the night.

*Challenge issued in formal decree.* Peter unrolled the scroll to look over the letter.

Micky mentioned something that no one had thought of.  “The man said you had to bare the words to teleport.  You can’t bare the words, you can’t speak.  Someone is going to have to go with you.”

Peter looked to Mike, they would come up with a plan with that thought in mind.

** ** ** **
With some planning and forced sleep, with eight hours left in the time to accept the challenge, Mike pronounced the words from the scroll to teleport him along with Peter to the dimension that was set forth to meet Pete.

Before them was a land of harsh waste.  A dry lake bed was before them with rock and mesas surrounding them.

*Not much to use* Peter thought.

“You’ll make it.” Mike encouraged.

Peter took Mike by the hand and flew him around the area, formulating a plan of what Peter could use.  They returned to where they had arrived and found Pete, Mara and a large blue globe encasing Valerie. 

Peter smiled, seeing that Valerie was looking well.  That was a positive in his book.

“I said to come alone Tork.” Pete bellowed in anger.

“Kind of hard to say an incantation when you can’t even get a sound out.  I had to read it for him for it to work.” Mike defended.

“Then you can join Valerie in the sphere till the victor is announced.” Mara announced, clapping her hands together.

Mike found himself teleported into the sphere with leather gloves on his hands that seemed to be made to fit his hand’s shape.  He couldn’t find anyway to pull them off.

“A little insurance to make sure you didn’t try to use your power in the sphere, it would only refract in the sphere.” Mara told him, while watching him look at his gloved hands.

Peter looked to Mike, *well at least you can keep me up on the score of things.*

A mental picture came to him of *OK*

Pete looked to Peter.  “Ready?”

Peter nodded.

“May the challenge commence,” Mara announced.

** ** ** **

Pete looked to Peter and shoved him with his mind. *shoving match* Peter thought and shoved Pete harder, causing him to take a few steps back. 

Pete shot into the air to hover a few feet above the dry lake bed.  He created a dust storm to start up around Peter, blinding him for a moment before he counteracted the sand and froze it around him.  Peter then rose above it and flung the dust at Pete, doing the same to him for a moment.  Peter took off for a far mesa to get some distance between him and Pete for once.

Peter looked down to see rocks of various sizes.  He looked up to see Pete flying towards him.  Peter pictured the rocks flying one by one at Pete.  He was able to get three at Pete till one of larger size hit Peter from behind, sending him down to the rock bed.

Pete came at him, hitting him with a body slam knocking him onto the ground.  Pete held him down snearing at him, “I thought you would more fight than this.  I bet that chick of yours could do a better job.  But then again, when I win this little charade, I could have some fun with her.”

Peter snapped at that, *You won’t have a chance.*

Mike heard the exchange between the two and smiled.  Pete just tapped into Peter’s anger.  Valerie saw Mike smile.

“What’s going on?”

“Pete just made a fateful mistake.  He threatened your virtue.”

Peter’s eyes glowed with his anger, throwing Pete off of him and sending him into the mesa wall twenty feet from him.  Before Pete could recover from the slam, he found himself being lifted up into the air, Peter holding him.  Pete gained some awareness and was able to disengage himself from Peter’s grasp.  Peter continued on a few more feet to stop and look back at Pete.

They continued to take turns creating more chaos around them.   The sand storm and small rocks rotated around them, pummeling each of them.

Valerie watched through the sphere.  “How can either win if they have the same strength?”

Mike thought that was a good question. 

Pete and Peter continued their battle for sometime, neither getting an upper hand.  It was going to be a battle in endurance.   Mike could only hope that Peter could win on that.

At the final point both Peter and Pete were facing each other on the ground, no longer flying.  They showed bruising and strain of the battle they had been fighting.  Pete was exhausted as Peter was.

Peter stood before Pete and thought *There is no way for us to win this battle for we are the same.*

Pete looked at Peter.  “I think you are right,” Pete answered.  “Yes, I can read your thoughts, at least in this realm.”  Pete sank to his knees.  “I think, once again, this will be a draw.”

Mara appeared by his side, touching his shoulder.  She looked to Peter with a look that could send a man back ten spaces, but Peter had no strength to move.  “Next time.” she spat and she and Pete disappeared before his eyes.

Peter fell to his knees, his strength dissipating by the moment.  A sphere appeared in his mind.  He looked to see Mike and Valerie still in the blue sphere.  Peter looked to the sphere and brought his hand before him, imagining that he had the bubble in his hand and squeezed it.  Mike brought Valerie down to the floor, knowing what Peter was doing.  The bubble popped.

Mike and Valerie ran to Peter’s side.  Mike was on his knees beside him.  “You hung in there shotgun.”

Peter looked up at Valerie who sunk to her knees before him.  He smiled a brief smile and said in a whisper, “I love you.” then fainted dead away in Mike’s arms.

“Peter.” she screamed.

Mike moved Peter around to cradle him in his arms.  He checked his pulse, slow but steady.  “He is exhausted.” Mike told Valerie.

Valerie looked around the barren land.  “How are we going to get home?”

Mike looked over her shoulder and replied, “The good guys have arrived.”

Valerie turned to see what Mike was seeing.  A lady similar to Mara was approaching.

“Valerie meet Roma.” Mike introduced.

“The lady of light?” Valerie asked.

“One of many references I answer to.  Let’s get you home.”  Roma raised her hands and slowly they time shifted from the hot desert to the center of the living room of the Pad.

Davy and Micky were at the band stand when they materialized.

They saw Peter out in Mike’s arms.  “Peter!” Micky screamed, moving through the obstacle course of furniture.

“He’s exhausted Micky.  Help me get him on the couch.” 

Micky grabbed up Peter’s legs and they wrangled him onto the couch.  Davy was already in the kitchen getting a towel and a bowl of water.  He came up beside Mike.

Valerie and Roma watched as Mike cleaned his face off of the dust, finding a few scratches and bruises from the rocks.  Mike washed off his arms and hands. He didn’t find any bruising on his head so that was good.  He turned to look to Roma.

“Care to give any sound advice on this?”

“He will recover in a few days from this.  No ill affects.”  The guys let out an air of relief.

Valerie looked to Roma, “Could you have helped him back there?”

“Pete is Mara’s pawn.  His strength rivals Peters.  Mara did not help Pete, I could not help Peter.  If things were not on a even board, I would have let them know.”

Valerie looked back to Peter. He had said something to her before he had fainted, he had talked.  “Mike?  He talked before he passed out.”

Mike nodded, “He did, he whispered ‘I love you’ to Valerie before he fainted.”

Micky and Davy gave a whoop.

“Things will move on for him soon.  Give him the support and love that you share and he will grow stronger from this.” Roma told them.  She stepped back and disappeared.

Valerie let the events rerun in her mind and she couldn’t quite believe in what had all happened.  Mike looked up to see Valerie start to swoon.  “Micky, catch her.”

** ** **
Peter was propped up in his bed, extra pillows.  He wasn’t allowed out of bed unless he had to use the bathroom and that was with help.  The doctor ordered bed rest for five days. One nice thing about him being linked to Mike, they didn’t have to leave a bell with him or have someone sit with him, though Valerie would come by each day to spend time with him.

“Hi sweetheart.” he said in a whisper.

“I’m glad to hear that from you.” she smiled.  Peter would say that sentiment through Mike.

“Me too.” he smiled.

Valerie sat beside him on the bed and took his hand in hers.  “I wanted to let you know that I’m still there for you no matter what.  I know you are concerned about me being used by Mara, but Peter I love you and it seems to be a risk, and I’m willing to take that.”

“You talked to Mike?”

“He thought I deserved to know your reservations about all this since Pete and Mara tried to use me.  He’s worried about you.”

“Point taken,” *to both of you.*

“Don’t worry about it right now.  You rest.  We need you to regain your strength.”

Peter pulled her towards him to give her a kiss.  “Thank you for understanding.”

“That’s an understatement.” she chided him.

@ 2005 Tommy Boy fan fiction * design and content by Paula C. *