Your Touch

[Jack Ryder]

Jack had spent what felt like years, losing all track of time, sometimes it felt like minutes, other times it felt like days... weeks... months... he didn't even really know which end was up, every time he even considered escape, he was violently shocked. His thoughts and impulses grew darker... he started to feel like he was betrayed by the system he defended his entire life.

Suddenly the chamber was opened, his eyes stung from the light and he saw Ophelia, looking just the same as she did when he was dumped in there. He could feel so much more mentally than he was able to previously, the life he lived in that chamber felt a million miles from the life he lived outside of it.

"So... Jack... how do you feel?" Ophelia inquired as she crossed her arms.

"Like I could twist your bloody head off your shoulders. If i could move." Jack said as he glared at her. "I do agree with you on one side... there are no sides anymore. You're bloody bastards our side are bloody bastards." he focused on her and suddenly knocked her off her six inch high heels

"Bravo... bravo boy." Dominus said as he clapped his hands. "Certainly stronger than Jackson ever was. He couldn't do that... I trust after your... experience in there... you know what you must do."

"I will not serve you... or her. Or the Alliance. I serve myself." Jack said and tightened his grip on Ophelia. "Little harlot murdered my wife... she deserves..."

Ophelia gestured and broke his psionic hold on her. "Harlot, that's a step up from 'bitch'." she coughed and stood up. "I have a surprise for you." she gestured and brought up a feed from Kinsey's room. "I didn't kill your wife. Well not in the traditional sense. The Kinsey Calhoun you knew is pretty much gone, she's harder now... she thinks she killed you."

"Simulation?" Jack raised an eyebrow

"No, she killed a version of you, closest version of you to this reality that I could find on short notice. Considering you lived with out her for... what? Five lifetimes?" Ophelia said with a slight smirk.

"Three but I'd live a thousand and still feel the way I do about her." Jack said and glared at her. "What do you want?"

"I want to achieve of our goals of wiping out those that oppose us, of reducing the number of planets that cause problem. I want to see just how powerful you are now... now that you have no barriers." Ophelia said and gestured to the door. "If you want to talk your wifey into taking you back... I'd be... willing to let you two stay together. Provided you do as I say, I already made a deal with her, we leave Xenex alone... she is a destroyer of worlds."

"They probably had it coming... " Jack said bitterly. "Brethren right?"

"How did you guess?" Ophelia chuckled.

"Logical... she hates them to her core. The one race she would not give any kind of aide to. I tend to agree... " Jack replied.

"Good, then you can make them extinct." she snapped her fingers and a Brethren approached Jack. "This man's wife killed your allies..."

The Brethren roared and raised his weapon and attempted to assault Jack, but Jack stopped him from moving his arms. Then suddenly he dropped to his knees and collapsed.

"Neural lobotomy." Jack said coldly. "Easy for me now... I could do the same to you."

"You could... but then there's no deal and I wipe out everyone. I have plenty of contingency plans my dear half brother." Ophelia cooed and pecked his cheek. "Nice murder by the way... " she snapped her fingers. "Take him to Kinsey... I'm curious to watch the show."

The 'Ajem interns' wheeled Jack to Kinsey's room, gave him a shot to give him mobility back and literally dumped him out of the chair and locked the door behind them.

"Kinsey?" Jack said weakly as he staggered to his feet, actually being able to move and stand after so long without using his limbs was a challenge. "Is that really you luv?"

[Kinsey Calhoun]

“Go away I’m not in the mood.” Kinsey said dismissively from behind her book. She was dressed all in black, a leg tossed over the edge of a chair, as she sipped on a cup of tea. She thought these visions of Jack were something she’d put to rest. Apparently, she’d been mistaken.

[Jack Ryder]

"Oh here we bloody go... I finally find you and you're all in a sullen mood." Jack said as he noticed that a version of what he was wearing when he was taken was sitting on the floor. "It's been years... okay lifetimes for me but y'don't even believe I'm real." he gestured and pulled her tea bag out of her mug. "I can hear your thoughts luv... practically shouting. Oldest trick in the book eh? Make her think y'offed me." he dunked the bag back into her mug with a bit of splash. "Then she dumps me in a chamber... of whatever horrors... truth... mind feels like spaghetti." he pulled the pants on and just pulled the shirt on but didn't button it. "An' here we go again... prisoners... in time dilation chambers."

[Kinsey Calhoun]

Kinsey lowered her book and sat her mug down on the table. She eyed him skeptically for a long time. She could still feel his blood on her hand when she allowed herself to think about it.

“Last time you saw me?” Kinsey demanded.

[Jack Ryder]

"Joe's Bar like a million years ago... Ophelia knocked me out with the bloody sign over the back door. I had a concussion, woke up and all I saw was your jewelry on the floor and what was left of your clothes. Said she killed you and Cece. Killed Selene, bloody sad funeral. Clint put up a brave face." Jack said and shook his head. "I... went a little nuts."

[Kinsey Calhoun]

It sounded convincing but he could have gotten that from Ophelia or it could have happened in his own timeline. She still wasn’t convinced she refused to give into that hope. It was a weakness she couldn’t afford.

Kinsey stood her black jacket trailing behind her. She looked him over as she circled him, assessing him. Reaching out with her mind she’d pull the information from him if she had to. She stopped in front of him her eyes looking deep into his, searching. There was a familiar string there leading her right into his mind.

“Jack,” She whispered in disbelief as her mind brushed up against his and she felt that familiar bond. She reached out and gently touched his face. “Jack?”

[Jack Ryder]

"It's me Kinsey... your Jack. Not that... other me." Jack replied and touched her hand. "I thought I would never feel your touch again... but a thousand lifetimes would never dull my sense of you. Although... I am bloody well over everything else. What does it all matter? We fight, we lose people we care about, we win... big deal. We still lose." he sighed. "Remember that vow I made to you when we were in that bloody Condo... I am with you forever. No matter what."

[Kinsey Calhoun]

“I thought I killed you.” Kinsey said softly as she stepped closer to him. “I...saw you after. I...it doesn’t matter anymore you’re here now. Really here.”

[Jack Ryder]

"Aye and I'm not goin' anywhere." Jack said and held her hands and pulled her closer. "Not that I'm entirely agreein' with Dominus and Ophelia but... I have no problem with endin' some species. Ophelia told me we should make the Brethren extinct. Makes me think they don't need what they offer anymore. Like we're their new heavy weapon of mass destruction... I actually knocked the harpy off her high heels with my mind. Dunno if I'm quite as powerful as you luv... but it's like... a barrier was lifted."

[Kinsey Calhoun]

“Or it’s because we’re bonded.” Kinsey offered. “We still don’t understand where my powers come from. I destroyed a planet Jack and it felt amazing. I felt almost free but there was still something there holding me back. I could have pushed more but I didn’t. A part of me wanted to just to see what would happen.”