Hey guys! Look who's back! Though I don't know whether or not you're happy about that... I do hope you're happy... whatever. (Srsly, are you happy 'bout me coming back?) Sorry I've been gone os long! :( But anyway, here's a new story I'm working on. (Don't worry though. I'm not giving up on my other stories.) Enjoy! :DDDDDD

"Faster! Faster! They're gaining on us!" Ben yelled as he ran alongside Hal. He swirled around, let off a few shots which killed two of the five skitters on the trail, then turned back to his original position.

It had been a simple mission. Hal and Ben had both been assigned to a scouting mission. They were looking for some more supplies but were going farther than usual so they could check other stores that may have been untouched by them or anyone else. But they had gone too far. They'd had until sunrise, and they had left at about six o' clock pm. They had spotted skitters nearby and had begun running. They were still a good while away from camp and the aliens were closing in on them.

"Ben, run! Run! I know you can! Come on!" Hal screamed at his brother. He had run only a few yards when he turned back. And what he saw put knots into his stomach.

Ben was lying on the ground, agony clearly written across his face. His nose had begun to bleed and it was making a think trail to the ground. He was writhing and making small, choked noises. Hal saw Ben's spikes glowing with an eerie, blue light.

Hal released his gun and let it swing to his side as he rushed to his younger brother's aid. "Ben? Ben! Ben, answer me!" Hal yelled as he tapped the middle Mason's cheek.

Suddenly, Ben stopped convulsing. "Ben?" Hal asked. "Here, let me help you," he said as he lifted Ben into a standing position. It was then that he realized that his brother's spikes had not stopped glowing. They hadn't even dimmed. In fact, it looked as if they had gotten brighter.

"Ben?" Hal asked again as he placed his hands firmly on his brother's shoulders. A few quick seconds later, his arms were being restrained. He whipped his head back and forth to see that two skitters had taken hold of his limbs. He had been so focused on Ben, that he had completely forgotten about the green aliens that had been rapidly approaching them. He tried, but could not break the hold.

When Hal looked back at Ben, he had his head slightly cocked to the left side. "Ben?" Hal spoke in an undertone.

"He cannot hear you at the moment," the middle Mason responded in a monotone.

"What? What's going on? Ben?" From the shadows, Hal saw two people—more like things—emerge from the forest. "No. No, it can't be."

"I'm sorry, but it is true," Ben said making Hal turn his head to focus on his brother. Finally he looked back at the slimy Overlord and the girl he had once loved. "Karen, stop this."

"I'm afraid I cannot," Ben said for them.

"Why? What could you possibly want from us? Haven't you done enough?"

"My masters ordered it."

Hal shuddered at the statement. Hearing Ben say 'my masters' was scary. It made him think about what could've happened to Ben if they hadn't rescued him. "Again, why? And this time, at least have the courage to talk to me yourself. In your own voice."

Karen took a half of a step forward. "That is none of your concern." This time, it was her mouth that moved; her voice that rung out across the road. Hal shot a quick glance over to his brother only to see that he was still in the same state—frozen in his place—but he was not answering for Karen and her Overlord.

Hal was about to answer, but was stopped when he heard coughing and gasping. He whipped his head in the direction of the sound to see ben on his hands and knees spitting out blood.

"Ben!" Hal called out to his sibling.

"Hal," the younger Mason stammered out hoarsely as he slowly rose to his feet. He weakly raised his gun. His hands quivered and he knit his eyebrows together in concentration and pain. He quickly killed the two skitters holding Hal back before gasping. A few seconds later, he had his breathing remotely under control.

Hal noticed that Karen and the Overlord were slowly advancing with distressed expressions.

"Hal," Ben said again. "Run. Now."

"No, Ben. I'm not leaving you!"

"Please! Go! Now!"

"No!"

"Hal—" Ben was abruptly cut off and his deep breathing turned into a coughing fit.

"Ben!" Hal yelled with and outstretched hand. Just as he was about to run his brother's side, his arms were tied back once again by the last skitter. "Ben!"

Ben swayed on his feet before falling to his knees once again causing Hal to call out his name. The middle Mason pressed his hands hard on his head and slumped to the ground. Then he started screaming in pain.

Hal winced and noticed that Karen and her master no longer looked worried—they looked content. "Stop it!" Hal screamed. "You're killing him!"

Ben's screams turned into gasps for air. Then, as suddenly as it stopped, he squeezed his eyes shut and started convulsing.

Hal was on the verge of tears when Ben finally stopped. Having to watch Ben in such pain was absolutely horrible. When Hal looked down at his brother, he could see him struggling to get up. "What do you want, Karen?" the oldest Mason said.

"We just need you to come with us. And trust me—there's an easy way, and there's a hard way."

Hal didn't even hesitate. "Fine. But let me help Ben. He needs me."

"As you wish. But first you must drop your weapons. All of them. If you try anything, my master will not hesitate to hurt your poor, baby brother Ben. So let us just do this compliantly."

"Fine." Hal felt his arms being released. He threw down his rifle and his handgun. He got out his grenades, bent down, and gently set them on the ground. He held up his hands in surrender for show, and then raced to Ben's side.

When he got there, he flopped down on the ground. He pulled Ben's head onto his lap and tapped his face again.

"Hal," Ben whispered.

"I'm here, Ben. I'm here. Shhh. Don't worry."

"No. Run. You can still run. I'll be fine."

"No, Ben. They'll kill you. I can't let that happen. Not on my watch."

"They won't kill me. Run."

"No."

"Hal—"

"No, Ben! I refuse to!"

"Why?"

"Because you're my brother!"

"Hal—"Ben started.

"It is time. Come now," Karen interrupted.

"Wait!"

"We are done waiting. My masters are getting impatient."

"Okay, okay. We're going. Come on, Ben."

"No," Ben said. He slowly pulled himself off of his older brother's lap and when Hal tried to sit him back down, he just shook him off. He winced as he turned to face Karen and the Overlord. "Just take me. You don't need Hal. Let him go. Please."

"Ben, no," Hal objected.

"I'm afraid we cannot do that, Ben. Hal knows what is going on. We cannot risk it. He is a threat with all of his knowledge."

"Please, Karen. Please."

Karen seemed to hesitate before speaking. She almost looked confused. Like she was torn between decisions. "No. You will both come with us," she said finally. "Let's go."

Soooooooo? Please review! I wanna hear from ya! Pleazzzzzze!

Like I said up top, i'm so sorry for not updating in a long time! I just haven't been in the mood. But I think I'm gettin' mah groove back! (I hope!) I will be trying t update my other stories for you. Sorry for the long wait! Again, PLEASE REVIEW! And follow, and favorite. All that shmansy shtuff! :)))))))