ade and Glenn were frustrated. They'd got Michael's address from the school computers, and had gone there only to find that not only was the house deserted, but the police had been there before them, and had taken anything of (presumable) interest. Both had been in for questioning again, questioned and cross-questioned on Michael's activities, about Kat, about their relationship. Glenn had punched the young detective in the face when he suggested that Kat had perhaps run off with Michael. It didn't help the situation much, but it had made him feel a little better.

Erick and Lucia had called home and found out what had happened, and the police had helped them to get a flight home - they displaced a couple of other people, but they didn't really care at that point. They just wanted to get home. They couldn't quite understand how this had happened to them. They'd just made it through Jade's illness, and now Kat was missing too? The police had started interviewing people from school, hoping to find out more about Michael. Everyone knew that Kat had been kidnapped now, and people were talking and dropping by all the time. Jade often just didn't open the door.

Jade didn't quite know how to cope with the whole thing. On one hand, she was completely lost without Kat. It was like half of her had suddenly vanished - been taken. On the other, she needed to be strong, and get her sister back. Jade knew the police were fairly hopeless, and that it was pretty much up to her. It was a hard position to be in.

Erick and Lucia arrived home on the Wednesday evening, and after spending the evening with Jade, went to the police station first thing in the morning to see what was happening. It was then that Jade had her brain wave. Glenn arrived early and let himself in, knowing how often Jade opened the door.
"Jade?"
"Up here!"
Glenn slowly walked up the stairs, and towards Kat's bedroom. Jade stood in the doorway of her sister's room, holding a small black book.
"What are you doing?"
"Look what I found," Jade replied, holding up the black book.
"An address book?" Glenn asked, puzzled.
"Kat's address book. And look."
Jade held out the book so Glenn could see the page. Under Michael Siddall, there was two addresses. One was the one they'd been to. The other was different.

***

Michael forced open Kat's mouth, and poured a quarter of a cup of water into it, which she swallowed thankfully. He had been "watering" her every now and then, whenever he felt like it, but not feeding her. He had offered her food from his mouth, but Kat had refused. He hadn't liked that, and had declared that it was time they moved to the next "level". He had cut her shirt and bra off her, removing them permanently, and attached a pair of nipple clips. Kat had watched in horror as he then produced a battery.

Suddenly, Kat remembered her dreams, telling her to look out for the Akasha realm. And Jade's poem. One line was running through her head: "Seeking protection in the Akasha realm". Kat breathed in, and began to chant softly to herself, ignoring the messages of pain her body was sending her.
"I am protected by your might
O gracious Goddess, day and night
Thrice around the circle's bound,
Evil sink into the ground.
I am protected by your might
O gracious Goddess, day and night
Thrice around the circle's bound,
Evil sink into the ground..."
As she picked up the feeling of the chant, she switched to a Tantric mantra in order to go deeper into a trance.
"Om hrim strim hum phat," Kat chanted quietly, and slipped away into her mind in a deep meditative state.
Inside the halls of her mind, Kat walked through the halls, until she reached a final room. And there she walked inside, and shut the door.

Michael looked at Kat closely. Her eyes were closed, and she was whispering under her breath. There was a punishment for talking without permission, and Michael touched the wires to the battery. Kat didn't so much as flinch. Confused, Michael tried it again, then touched the tip of the battery to his tongue. It wasn't flat. He tried touching the wires to it again, but again Kat didn't even twitch. Michael lifted the whip and brought it down sharply across Kat's belly, but again, he got no response. Michael cursed savagely, and opened her eye with one finger. Kat stared up at him blankly, not seeing him there. Michael cursed again, and let the eyelid fall closed. She had escaped him! The little bitch had hidden away. Suddenly he grinned. He could break her concentration. Was he not stronger than her? He had proved this over and over in the past 5 days, so surely he could beat her at this. Michael left the room to look for things with which to break Kat's trance. In the room, Kat didn't move. She was safe in her room, and nothing else had any meaning.

***

Meanwhile, Jade and Glenn were discussing if they should let the police have Kat's address book or not. They were so intent on arguing they didn't even realise they were on the same side. The argument stopped suddenly when Jade yelled out and collapsed into a heap on the floor. She was clutching her chest in pain. They way Jade looked would have made normally made Glenn laugh but his sense of humor seemed to have disappeared with Kat. He dropped to into a crouch in front of Jade before she wriggled in agony now clutching her right side. To Glenn's shock he noticed she was now bleeding freely. It looked like someone had sliced her open, the cut was very neat and not that deep but still Glenn didn't know how to explain how it suddenly appeared. He looked at Jade questionably and she whispered the name Kat as if that explained it all before passing out.

***

Kat had been sitting cross legged in the middle of the floor staring at the door she had just walked through. She was at peace here but still troubled that Michael would find a way in. She was about to place a charm upon the door when it swung open. Kat gasped in surprise but then quickly got to her feet and ran to the figure. As Kat pulled away she noticed the look of surprise on her sisters face.

"Where am I?" Jade asked
"In my sanctuary"
"Nice." Jade commented
"Thank you"
"It's happening again"
"I kinda figured it would"
"I have to go now, I am on my way I promise"
"No, don't go, please don't go"
"I have to"

Jade left through the door again and Kat slumped down to the floor feeling very alone. She remembered the times Jade and her had connected when Jade was ill and they had never been so close. Kat had been able to link with Jade a lot easier than Jade could link with her. The doctors had put it down as empathy pains between twins. Kat didn't care what it was, she just wanted to be home, safe and sound. As she turned she saw a white figure standing watching her. Kat jumped a little but suddenly felt warm and loved. She knew this person wouldn't harm her. Kat wanted to ask who it was but before she could ask the words "I am the keeper" floated into her mind. Kat smiled warmly at the figure and wanted to ask a thousand questions but she knew there would be time for that later.

***

Jade awoke to find herself lying on Kat's bed. Glenn wasn't in the room anymore but she could here him talking to Nicole downstairs. Jade's wound was covered. She was tempted to see if it was still there but decided against it. She didn't really want to know. Grabbing Kat's address book she sneaked downstairs and out the back door. The time away from Kat was starting to take it's toll on Jade and without a doubt she knew that whatever happened to Kat she would feel. Gritting her teeth as another bolt of pain seared through her body she walked around the front of the house. Jade then started jogging down the street towards the hills. A car pulled up beside her a few blocks down. It was Darryl. He asked her where she was going. She told him leaving out a few details and he offered her a lift which she accepted. The car trip was filled with silence and Jade gave no hint to Darryl about the pain she felt. As she got closer to the cabin though the pain started to ease. Jade bolted into the forest before Darryl even fully stopped the car. He yelled out to her but she didn't care, she just ran towards where she could sense Kat. Darryl went to follow her but gave up and returned to the car. It was when he reached his car that he spotted a little black book just by the passenger door. As he picked it up it fell open to the page of "S". Under the listing he spotted two listings for a Michael Siddall. As he looked at the second one he suddenly knew where Jade was headed, and he knew what he had to do. Darryl turned the car around, and drove swiftly back towards town. The house he was going to wasn't far away, he only hoped that he could get there and back in time.

***

Jade paused, leaning against a large pine tree. She knew she had to be very careful, and plan her every move. She realised she'd have to get Kat to come out of her sanctuary, because she didn't have the strength to carry her very far - especially not with the wound across her stomach weakening her. Presumably, Kat had an identical wound, which would make it even harder for Jade to carry her - so Kat would have to wake up and walk. Jade peeked around the trunk of the tree and through the branches to the house which she assumed was Michael's. Jade wasn't sure where Kat was, as the link had broken after she'd left Kat's sanctuary, but as soon as Jade recreated the link, she would know. Recreating the link was the hard part. Jade sat with her back to the tree, and concentrated.

***

The door to Kat's room, swung open, and Jade entered the sanctuary for the 2nd time that day. Kat turned, and smiled at her.
"I am outside," said Jade, "and I'm coming in to get you."
Kat smiled again.
"But I need you to come out."
A look of almost panic crossed Kat's face.
"I can't."
"You have to."
"I can't."
"Kat, you have to. I can't carry you."
"But..." Kat's eyes filled with tears.
Jade put her arms gently around her sister.
"I know he hurt you, and he will pay for that." Jade's eyes were hard as agate. "But I need you to be strong again. I know that you can do this. We are better than him."
Kat took a deep breath. "Ok."
"Ok?"
"Ok."
Jade gave her sister another hug.
"I'll be there soon."

***

Darryl pulled into Mark's driveway, and jumped out of the car, leaving the engine running. Mark opened the door, in jeans and nothing else, holding a shot gun.
"Oh, it's you."
"Come with me. It's important."
Mark placed the gun on the table, and pulled on a pair of boots.
"Where are we going?"
"Hunting."

***

Jade had determined that Kat was on the 2nd floor of the log cabin, and so she slipped silently onto the verandah, and up to the door. She couldn't hear anything from inside, and slowly opened the door, grasping the spring to stop it's protesting screech. The house remained silent. Jade moved around to the stairs, and began to creep up them, staying close to the wall in order to avoid any tell-tale creaks. She could feel that she was getting closer to her sister, but haste would not help in this situation. Jade moved slowly upwards.

***

Darryl explained the situation to Mark as they sped along the dirt track, and Mark picked up Darryl's mobile, and found Erick's phone number. He spoke to Glenn, and then the girls' parents, and then the police. By the time he'd gotten off the phone he and Darryl were almost there.

***

Jade entered Kat's room, and moved swiftly to the bed. Kat was pale, and had her eyes shut, and Jade moved quickly, unchaining her and removing all the instruments of what Jade would have called torture. As soon as Kat was free, Jade went looking for a shirt. Kat's own clothing was in strips on the floor, but there was one of Michael's shirts hanging from a chair which Jade "borrowed" for her sister. Jade turned around, and saw Kat looking at her.
"Hey."
"Hey."
"I knew you'd come."
"Can't let the family down, can we?"
Kat managed a smile, until she attempted to sit up. Then her face paled further, and she carefully peeled the sheet off her back, leaving behind blood and skin, breaking open a lattice of cuts upon her back. She eyed the shirt in Jade's hands.
"Do I... have... to wear... that?" Kat managed.
Jade nodded.
"Yes. We have a fair way to go."
"Ok."
Kat stood, with the help of the bed post and the wall.
"I'm... going to need your help."
Jade moved over with the shirt, and barely managed to stop herself from crying out when she saw the mass of blood, bruises, and welts on what used to be her sister's smooth back.
"I know," Kat said, quietly.
Jade helped her into the shirt, and Kat winced as the fabric touched her re-opened wounds, but didn't make a noise otherwise.
"Shoes?"
Kat shook her head, then grabbed the wall as the room spun.
"We'll have to make do. Let's get out of here."
Jade and Kat slowly and silently made their way downstairs, and towards the back door. Just as they reached it, they simultaneously heard two things - a car pulling up out the front, and an angry shout from behind them. Jade glanced over her shoulder, and saw Michael emerging from the kitchen. Jade grabbed Kat's arm, and bolted out the back door, dragging her sister along with her.

***

As Mark and Darryl left the car, they heard a door slam towards the back of the house, swiftly followed by some angry shouting and a second slamming. Mark and Darryl glanced at each other, and started running around to the back of the house, Mark with his loaded shot gun in one hand.

***

Kat stumbled frequently as Jade dragged her towards the trees. She had no shoes, and the sharp sticks and rocks hurt her feet even more, and her back felt like it was on fire. She sobbed as she forced herself to run, grasping her sister's hand harder than she ever had in her life.

Jade looked wildly around as she ran, looking in all directions at once, trying to find the road. She had to find the road, or they'd get lost, and that wouldn't help anyone. Jade caught a glimmer of something to her left, and veered towards it, pulling Kat after her.

Darryl saw Jade, dragging Kat, make a sudden turn and start running towards them. For a moment, he thought she'd seen them, but then he saw Michael come into view, running furiously after the two girls. Darryl touched Mark's arm, and pointed towards Michael. Mark nodded, and aimed carefully, tracing Michael's path through the trees.
"Tricky shot," he murmured to himself, took closer aim, and fired.

Michael was just gaining on the girls when he heard a shotgun fire, and felt a searing pain in his leg. Michael cried out as his legs collapsed beneath him, and he fell headlong into a patch of stinging nettles.

Glenn pulled up behind Darryl's car, and leapt out, followed by Erick and Lucia, and about a dozen police officers. They all hurried around the back, following the cries of pain.

Jade finally caught sight of Darryl, and moved towards him and the protection that he offered. Just as she and Kat reached them, Glenn, her parents, and half the police force appeared around the side of the house. Kat fell to her knees, sobbing quietly, blood soaking the back of Michael's shirt. Jade stood on wobbly legs, and Darryl put an arm around her, supporting her. Jade smiled at him gratefully, and leaned on him as he held her close. Glenn reached Kat and dropped to his knees beside her, placing a hand on her back. Kat screamed loudly, causing people to rush towards them. The ambulance arrived soon after and took Jade, Kat and Michael to the hospital - although Michael was transported in a separate ambulance.

The police officers interviewed Glenn, Jade, Darryl and Mark extensively, but were cleared of any charges - although Mark gained a warning about making sure he only went "rabbit hunting" on his own property from now on. Jade was released from hospital with a few scratches. Michael's knee needed a complete reconstruction. Mark's shot had apparently been a "lucky shot" that kneecapped Michael perfectly. Nobody thought fit to mention that Mark had won the national shooting competition three years running, and was a good candidate for the next Olympics. Michael was also charged with aggravated stalking of a minor, kidnapping, and torture, and convicted for a Very Long Time - although there was question of an early release, due to his age. Kat was in hospital for almost a month, with her complaints ranging from malnutrition and dehydration, to treatment for the many wounds Michael had inflicted upon her, plus three cracked ribs and fractured wrist. Jade stayed with Kat in the hospital, but returning home proved to be the best cure. Erick and Lucia allowed plastic surgery to remove the marks of Michael's obsession, and after 6 months, their lives had returned to almost normal. Kat suffered from slight Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome, and saw a psychologist once a week to get rid of that, which worked quite successfully in both curing her, and selecting her career path. She and Glenn became "less serious" and Jade and Darryl became "more serious", dating on a regular basis. Erick and Lucia became more protective, and worried when their girls weren't home, but they relaxed again as time passed uneventfully.

The end of the year rolled around, and the girls somehow managed to pass year 11, moving into year 12. Darryl moved states to go to Uni, but returned to visit Jade every weekend and holidays, and occasionally Jade would visit him. Kat and Glenn finally parted ways as year 12 started, and she and Jade began to discuss career options. Jade wanted to do an arts degree, and Kat a psychology degree, and both discussed which University they would both attend. Erick and Lucia decided to move the entire family to wherever the girls decided to go; and the further away the better. But all that was in the future, and they decided to cross that bridge when they came to it.