Breaking In For Survival (Part 1)

Breaking In For Survival (Part 1) (Elsewhere, 2013 - Neo, Cole, Franco)

FRANK COLE
(This thread will be running the same time as Elsewhere, Training For A New Life)
Cole was the first one out the door. Neo and Franco were right behind along with Punta who had taken over for Mecum and Tarka who had taken over for Kimtu. Cole had two reasons for being in the front lawn. The first was, Neo and Franco both needed some fresh air and second Cole was about to start Neo's breaking process. He knew he had a while and was planning on using every possible bit of time. Leading the group to the grouping of chairs in front of the large tent, Cole motioned for Neo and Franco to have a seat. Taking a deep breath, he took the iced-tea offered to him and motioned to Neo and Franco.

Smiling Cole nodded when Franco accepted the ice-tea. At least the part of the understanding where Franco had agreed to eat and drink anything Cole said to consume had hit home. Looking at Neo he said, "Neo it gets rather warm on the island. I promise you there is only tea, water and a little sweetener in the cup. I do suggest you have something to drink."

Neo nodded as he said finally, "Mineral water then. As tea has caffeine."

Nodding Cole motioned to the private on duty that Neo was to be given mineral water. When Neo had his drink, Cole sat back in his chair and raised his face to the sun. "This is really great isn't it." Looking back at Franco he said, "Franco you will spend one hour in the sun in the morning and one in the afternoon. You may take off your shirt if you wish, but the idea is for you to get some sun and some fresh air. Tell me what do you normally do when you are outside?"

Franco smiled as he sipped his tea and said, "Unlike my brothers, I usually just relax and maybe read a little."

Neo settled back in his chair and sipped his water, trying to figure out what game Cole was playing, He smiled but said nothing. He and Marco worked out every day. His routine was usually exhausting and Neo did it three times a day.

Neo had still not said anything, but his mind was working. Cole was studying Neo, learning to pick up on his body language. The man was a thinker. That might be a useful piece of information for later. Turning his attention back to Franco he said, "I have an extensive library and you are welcome to borrow any of the books. One of the elves will have t accompany you there and you will need to take the book to your room to read, but otherwise the library is open to you."

Turning his attention on Neo he said, "I gather by the shape you are in Neo, you do not do a lot of reading. Working out would be more your style. How would you like to take a run and see the sights?" When the look of horror and worry took over Franco's face Cole added, "It is all right Franco. I am not going to do anything to Neo… I usually take a run this time of day, and I have to check up on the training of the men and women in my little group. Your brother will return to you hale and hearty as far as I am concerned."

Neo smiled as he said, "I read some as I am a Ravenclaw but you are right about working out to be more important."

Looking at Franco as he continued, "I doubt you would be able to handle my work outs as even Marco can't get through one without collapsing. But sure why not."

Franco shook his head as he said, "I get exhausted just watching Neo for his morning workout and my brother has not been doing his total work out here, let alone going by his usual schedule of three times a day. Neo, even Marco thinks two hours each time three times a day is a bit much. For most that would exhaust them, for you it is just your usual day."

"Good to hear, " Cole stood up and motioned for one of his men to bring Neo the running shoes, he had waiting for him. While Cooler put them on he turned to Franco, "Normally I would only stay gone about an hour, but I might show your brother some sights, so it may be a couple of hours before we return. After one hour, you will be taken to the library if you wish or straight back to your room. Do not give anyone any reason to restrain you Franco. I need your mussels working. We will be talking again this afternoon. Get some rest or read. Do not worry about your brother, I think he is going to enjoy this." Turning back to Neo who was trying the shoes by running in place he asked, "Ready Cooler?"

Neo smiled as he said, "Frankie, I will be fine. You know I have been missing my running. This should be a good work out and since I am way overdue for my afternoon run...this should nicely."

Franco nodded as he said, "I gather it is warm up time? Want me to spot?" Neo nodded as he went into the stretches he did every time before a run.


Cole had already started his warm up, as Neo reassured his brother. This run was going to give Cole time to talk with Cooler, without his brother worrying or wondering what they were saying. Cole also hoped to show Neo how cut off from the outside world they were. When Cole was sure Neo had finished, he said, "Ok, let's go. We will be back Saint, relax." With that Cole took off at a dead run toward the woods. They were headed for the obstacle course and to check on the training schedule of the troops.

Cole did not hold back and he stayed off the trail. Neo was keeping up nicely. When they got to the training facility, he stopped and walked around the building, cooling down. There were about two dozen men and women going through their paces on the obstacle course and other training equipment like the saw horse, rings and balance bars. Cole could use all of them but he preferred the obstacle course. While he stopped and talked to the top sergeant, he watched as Neo looked around. When he was done, he walked up to the man and asked, "So what do you think Cooler.

Neo was cooling down with more strengthening after his run as he said, "I hope they know the importance of warm-ups and cool-downs?"

"Of course," Cole smiled as he looked around checking on the men and women. "Neo, you ever ran a gauntlet? The guys are not allowed to hit your head, but it still can be simulating." Cole did not wait for an answer but called out, "Gauntlet" and watched as the 24 people formed two lines with about a four foot in-between them. Cole smiled. Each person in the line had a stick of some type in their hand and they were all watching him, for a signal to start. "So how about it Neo want to try it out?"

Neo gave a sly smile as he said, "Either you have no intention of returning me to my brother's room after this exercise or I won't be staying there very long after we get back, am I right Fixer? What is to keep Frankie from realizing that you plan on trying to break me as well? I thought you said I had a couple of weeks before you would try your plans for me?"

Cole crossed his arms across his chest and set his eyes on Neo. "You have a couple of weeks before I am going to expect you to be primed, Cooler. But between now and then I thought we might use the time to create some understanding between us. Now I will go first. If you want and think you can take it, you can follow when I am done." Cole turned on his heels and walked to the front of the rows of men. Smiling he said, "Ok, guys lets see what you have." Taking off at a run, Cole ran down the lane toward the other end of the line. The first thought he had was there was something wrong. When he reached the other end, he held up his hand and said, "Hold on Neo, I need to check on something." Walking half way back he turned to the young man on his right. "Name?" was all he said.

The youngman in front of Cole came to attention and said, Simmons's, Sir."

"Well, Simmons, I would be willing to bet you did not hit me as hard as you can, am I right? Cole was going to use the young man to make a point to all of those standing around him.

"Ahhhhh… yes Sir, I can hit harder." Simmons said as he stared straight forward.
"Why may I ask did you hold back, soldier?" Cole stared into the young mans eyes.

"Because you are a sir, Sir." Simmons was not sure what he had done wrong. Hitting an officer would get you punished severly and he wanted so much to make his training period. .

Cole smiled and stepped back half a step. "Simmons look at me. I know you have run the gauntlet at least three times, trainee. I also know your squad leader, sergeant, and even some of the Officers have run through the gauntlet, when you were on the edge. Since nothing has been said about what you just did, I am thinking it was because it was me." Glancing over at Neo, Cole asked, "and what may I ask are you going to do when my guest runs the gauntlet?"

The young man actually smiled, glanced at Neo and said, "I promise to show him exactly how hard I can hit, Sir." The smirk on Simmons face made Cole glance at Neo and shake his head.
"Soldier, I want you to treat me exactly like you would him. When you finally, if you finally get an assignment, the people you are after or watching, are not going to care if you are young, old or have a good reason to be where you are…. If they start to beat on you, they are going to hit hard and fast. The gauntlet is to teach you to take the hits and work through them."

"Morgan," Cole said calling his Training leader, knowing the man would be standing right behind him. "Yes Sir. The man said. Cole continued. "Simmons and all of the other trainees have just volunteered," Cole looked side long at the young man, "to run the gauntlet a couple extra times today. Make sure you further explain anything he does not understand about what I have said. At the moment I am going to run the gauntlet one more time and then take my guest to the field." Cole walked to the head of the lane, but turned to Neo before he started down it. "They are going to be out for blood this time, Cooler, so I will understand if you don't want to follow through the lane. I can meet you at the other end and we can head to the obstacle course.

Neo just gave a sly grin as he took off right through the middle of the lane as he said, "You coming Fixer and you still have not answered my questions?"

Cole only watched for a second before he took off in Neo's footsteps. He could hear the hits landing on Neo and on himself. The sting told him the men were not holding back this time. When he reached the end, he turned to Neo, who was trying very hard not to show how some of the hits had probably still hit harder than Cole's. The man was not going to show the pain thought. Cole turned and smiled at the men, giving them all a general salute and a thumbs up.

"Ok, Neo on to the obstacle course. Save your questions for later. I will answer all of them in about an hour." Cole walked to the course and showed Neo on a message board a picture of what was there. "We start here at the hurtles; after that is the double rope swing, where you have to use the first rope to get to the second and then to the other side. After the ropes is an eight-foot rock wall."

Neo is just looked at the message board and quickly took in the order of the different obstacles. This was going to actually be fun. Turning he headed to the right side of the course and started as fast as he could. "What's wrong Cole, you don't want to come." Neo shot over his shoulder as he took the last hurdle and headed for double rope swing. He would make Cole answer his questions later, but for now, he concentrated on getting through the course.

Cole laughed out loud. It had been a very long time since he had someone equal to his indurance to run the island. As he took off, he had thoughts of maybe having Neo around more often. When all of this intrigue was over they just might even be able to become friends. But at the moment he had to concentrate himself on making it through the different parts of the course. Neo was climbing the rock wall as he made it to the double rope swing. The rope ladder on the other side of the wall, more hurdles, Rope Bridge and more hurdles could be challenging to new comers. He felt this was not going to hard for the Cooler.

When they reached the other end. Cole only said, "Well done Cooler. Come on we need to get to the top of that." Cole pointed to the top of the extinct volcano. The Volcano had fallen in thousands of years ago and there was now a plateau at the top of it. From there you could see the whole island. Cole did not give Neo a chance to say anything but took off at a dead run.

Cole stuck to the trail this time. He didn't want Neo to break an ankle or have another misfortune. He need him healthy.

(OOC: This is a combined thread by Barbie and Jane, We hope you enjoy it)

NEO SPELLMAN
The plateau at the top of the volcano was about a hundred plus yards in diameter. A small lip ran around it's irregular perimeter. From the plateau, you could see the whole island, which was about five miles by seven miles running roughly east and west. Cole stopped when he reached the top and did a few stretches and gently walked fast around the perimeter, filling his lungs with the sweet air. Finally he stood still very close to one of the edges and turned to face Neo, "So take a look around Cooler. What do you think of my little island oasis?"

Neo had just finished his cool-down and looked around. He shook his head as he said, "You brought me up here for a reason other than the view, Fixer. You ready to answer my questions?"

Cole turned his back on Neo and looked out over the water. After a few seconds he turned back and said to Punta, "Punta you may return to the barracks. We will be there in about an hour or so." When the elf slowly shook his head no, Cole smiled, "It will be alright Punta, Master Neo understands what will happen if anything happens to me, now go. Make sure Chef is preparing Franco's lunch exactly like I said." The elf looked at Neo and then at Cole and started down the trail. At the speed he was traveling, he would be back at the barracks in five minutes or less.

Frank maintained his place close to the rim. "You sure you don't want to come over here Cooler and get a better view." He chuckled at the look on Neo's face, and then continued, "You will be returning to your brothers room Neo. I have had to move your training schedule up a bit. The only differences are one, you will not be there when Franco eats, which I will explain as I want to make sure he eats everything on the plate, and you will be returned to the room when he is finished and the dishes are cleared away. The second main difference is you will not sleep in the room with Franco. When he is asleep you will be in your room. There are a couple other small things but we will cover those if they become necessary. Until I consider you have had all the training you need, this is the way it will be."

Neo chuckled as he said, "And should I resist these changes? Also if it should upset my brother? He does not trust you Fixer and you lost my trust by bringing the children here and using them against Bren. I knew you had plans to break me or at least try. You say that what you do is for you alone but Fixer that was not the case when you brought my brother here from Hog's Head. You see I remember the orders you received from Khalid. I wish we were not on different sides because it will bring Marco into a situation that I was hoping to avoid. You don't have to worry about me taking you down this trip but should I ever see you after me and Frankie leave here..." Neo smiled, as he knew Fixer would understand.

Cole just slowly shook his head and walked toward Neo. Stopping about five feet away he said, "You are going to have no choice but to follow my orders, Cooler. You were the one who was so adiment about not letting your brother know what was happening to you. If he finds out it will be because of you. If he has a setback, it will be because of you. If I have to get him through this with the addictive drugs, it will be because of you." Cole only stared for a moment, waiting to see if his words had any effect.

Neo shook his head as he said, "Frankie, is not a fool. He is going to wonder why the sleeping arrangements have changed. I said I won't argue in front of my brother. I also told you that away from him, I would fight you every step of the way. So if my brother gets upset it will be because he does not believe your reason for the changes. So just what do you have planned?"

"I will come up with a reason on the sleeping arrangements that will not be a problem as long as you add some agreement to what I tell him." Cole said as he folded his arms across his chest. "So you know when we have reached the end of your training, let me fill you in on that first. Your training will end when you agree to come when you are summoned. I will try and make it so it is not too inconvenient to you. In addition, you will also agree to not cause and even prevent any disturbance to either me or any of my men, when we are at the Shadow Lounge or anywhere else we may meet or you may see us. You can continue to be a bouncer and a member of the Caretaker Group, but Neo you will also be a part of my little army." Cole laughed out loud at the expressing on Neo's face.

Neo shook his head as he said, "You can try Fixer but I won't break. I will not be somebody you can control. I won't argue with you in front of my brother but I also won't help you. So if that was the reason for our little exercise to this place? I am headed back." Cooler turned and started to walk back the way they came. He wondered just how far he would get.

Cole watched for a second, then said, "Neo do you remember earlier when I told you that you should drink something, well water is all you are going to get for a few days… Want to hear the rest?"

Neo seemed to be ignoring Fixer as he continued to walk.

Cole smiled and started to walk several paces behind Neo. The man was returning to the barracks where he wanted him in the first place. He continued to tell Neo what was going to happen, "You are also going to be losing a lot of sleep. Since you like being out in the open so much we are going to step up your physical training. You are not going to be able to refuse Cooler. I already have a couple volunteers to stand in for your punishment, if you refuse me. They all at least 18 years of age." Cole kept following Neo. They were about half way down the sloop.

Neo turned extremely quickly and grabbed Fixer as he said, "Don't ever think you can threaten somebody else in my place Fixer! If you ever talked to Marco about me, you would know all that would do is get me even more stubborn and you dead. I will say this only once Frank Cole, so listen extremely well! In front of Frankie, I will not argue. But anywhere else, I will be totally against you! You will find that I have no intention of you ever breaking me and if you are thinking of brainwashing me to your view point, think again!"

Cooler released Fixer as quickly as he had grabbed him. Then turned and continued his walking. He smiled as he knew that he had just gotten Fixer to realize just how quick he really was.

Outwardly Cole smiled, but inside he wondered if he really wanted to break the man walking in front of him. The guy was good, strong, smart and well trained already. However, Cole realized if he did not break Neo then Shadow would be able to step in. At least if Cole could prove Neo was his, Franco was his and Brennan was his, Shadow would not have much to say. Cole would have accomplished what Shadow could not. "When we get back Neo, you can go in and see your brother. When his lunch is served you will be removed from the room and returned when he has eaten everything on the plate, which will be verified by the elves, and then the plates will be removed. I will expect you to tell him you have also eaten. You will be allowed to stay during his training, as long as you stay quiet unless a question is directed toward you by me, or I signify you may answer Franco's question. If you cannot do this, you will be removed and Franco will be told it is because you are creating a disturbance. Do you understand?" Cole waived at some of the men at the training field as they passed. Another gauntlet was being run, and Cole nodded as he realized, the gauntlet was being done correctly.

Neo kept walking as he said, "And what if I decide not to tell my brother? What if I don't tell him that I have eaten? I can refuse to tell him anything. I said I won't fight you in my brother's room but I am not lying to him either."

"Tell him what you want, Neo. I have a good supply of the drugs I need to get him through the acceptance of the change. This is no game as far as your brother is concerned, Cooler. I figure I have about two weeks tops to get his body to start accepting the changes before a change comes about that either is body tries to counteract by shutting down or his body accepts the change and Franco does not have the training to pull out of it. So tell him what you want." Cole kept walking behind Neo. He knew the man was thinking and trying to accept what he had proposed. Maybe after he was hungrier and tired, it would be easier for him to accept.

As Neo kept a steady pase toward the Barracks he said, "I plan on saying nothing one way or another. Frankie is not going to like you removing me especially when I will not be causing a distribution. You see my brother already don't trust you. So how are you going to explain removing me from his room? And just how are you going to keep me away?" He knew that Fixer could easily not return him to Frankie's room. Cooler was trying to figure out if Fixer planned to lie to Frankie and just say that Neo had been released. Neo shook his head, as he knew Frankie wanted that so he might just buy it. The problem there was Fixer would still have Neo and Franco would believe that Neo was safe.

Cole pushed the button his shirt and said quietly, "Feed Franco, we are going to be too late for Neo to join him." Cole knew Neo heard him. "Well that will take care of lunch time today. You will not be seeing your brother until after his dishes are cleared away. Maybe I will get lucky and he will not eat everything, so I can just explain he messed up, and you cannot be with him when he eats. That would work nicely. What you think Cooler? I need your brother to eat all that is served to him, because I am, prepping his body for day after tomorrow when we actually allow a small change. You want to be there?" Cole chuckled as he waved to the perimeter guard to the main area.

Cooler grinned as he said, "I was wondering when you were going to pop your trap. Thing is I said I would not take you down Fixer. I said nothing about sparing your lackeys. So just how are your boys going to take me? As I said You are not breaking me Fixer."

"They do not have too, Neo. You can not get into the room where Franco is at without having it unlocked for you. The room is also sound proof, so if you think you can stand outside of it and yell, well go ahead. When your brothers dishes are cleared away, I will check them. If anything is left on the plate I will have my reason for not having you in his room. If he eats everything then I will tell him, he needs to not eat for twenty four hours to cleanse his system. The only problem with that Neo, is it will set the whole process back a day…. A day your brother cannot afford to skip. Your brother needs the nourishment, and I am trying to get it to him the easy way. I can also do it the hared way, by intravenous or a stomach tube. You see your brother does not know the difference so he would think it was actually part of the plan. You want to put your brother through that, Neo. It is totally up to you."

Neo shook his head as he said, "You know I don't."

"Then you need to figure out how you are going to handle the situation." Cole knew he was not leaving Neo any room for not following his directions. "So what's your decision Cooler, play along with my easy way or put your brother through pain and suffering because of your stubbornness?"

Neo hung his head as he said, "How long am I being kept in a separate cell? And how often will I get to see Franco?"

Cole smiled, he had just made his first step on what he figured was going to be a very long road to getting Neo broken and in his little army. They had just made it to the tent area, "Stop Neo. We will be waiting here for the all clear from Tarka, to let me know your brother has decided he has eaten all he should." When Neo stopped but did not turn around, Cole continued, "Turn and face me Cooler." Slowly Neo turned and brought his head up with a look of defiance in his eyes. Cole only smiled. "Good, now to answer your questions. You separate room will exist for a while. At the moment I cannot tell you when you will again be able to share a room with Neo. You will get to see Franco, every morning before Breakfast and after breakfast until he comes outside for his morning fresh air. While he is sitting in the sun, you and I will go for our morning run and general work out. Franco should be fine with that, because he knows how much you like working out. There should be time for about an hours conversation, after that point, then you will be removed when he eats his lunch. You will get to see him from when he finishes until, his afternoon hour in the sun, when I think you and I will again partake of time at the training grounds or maybe we will just sit with him, or if he wants to walk about you will be able to do that also. Then it will be back to his room for some more training. At dinner time you will again leave his room, but may return after he finishes eating." Cole stopped for a moment and considered the condition Neo would be in a couple of days. A person could go without food for a week…. Lack of sleep would also work to break him down. "If everything goes alright during the day, then you will be able to stay with Franco for most of the evening…. Probably around 9:00 pm. Neo I am going to try and leave Franco's evenings clear so he can rest and recuperate from the day's activities. You will be able to play cards, chess or just talk if you want." Cole put his hands on his hips and added, "This part of my plan may change day to day, depending on what happens, so do not go all commando on me if it does."

Neo thought for a few moments and then said smiling, "There is no way you are going to break me. Here I thought you were planning to break me. We will see how much breaking you can do with the little time you gave yourself? Unless you have other ideas in mind?"

Cole only smiled and did not answer Neo's question. Motioning to one of the men he had an iced-tea brought to him and a glass of mineral water brought to Neo. "I told you in the beginning your brother is my primary concern, Cooler. I have two weeks to get him to the point where he has margial control over his gift. This means he will be able to force the change back to human form when his body starts the change. I did not tell you that was the end of his training." Chuckling Cole put his hand to his ear, as the message he had been waiting for came over the intercom. Cole nodded and said, to whoever was at the other end of the conversation, "All of it." Smiling broadly, he nodded and looked back to Neo. "It looks like your brother has decided part of his lunch was not to his liking. Shall we go in and discuss it with him?" Cole motioned toward the door to the Barracks. "After you Cooler," he said with an added chuckle.

Neo slowly nodded as he said, "I guess my time with Frankie just got shorter. You put something on his plate that you knew he would not eat. Fixer, just how do you plan to break me without my brother figuring out what you are doing? My brother is going to notice changes in me." He wondered if it might just be better that Frankie believe he had been released. He stopped by the door as he asked, "How about getting Frankie to believe you have released me? As long as I got to check on my brother and see that you are really helping him..." To spare his brother the stress of worrying about what Fixer was planning for Neo, Cooler could accept the separate cell. He looked at Fixer and wondered if he had just fell for Fixer's trap. Cooler had no intention of breaking but now he would be cut off from his brother and he had a feeling that was not going to be the worse of Fixer's ideas.

"The only problem Cooler with you leaving is Franco would have no ground zero, so to speak to hang on to and that he needs. We will see how it goes. You can always become ill and have to stay in your room, so he does not get an infection. That way he would be able to see you. Of course he would see you were being well taken care of." Cole had been walking Neo toward Franco's room. When they got to the door, he stopped and said, "Neo, play along with this or I will establish my other plans. If I do not have to worry about Franco seeing you, your own stay here is going to go downhill fast, understood?" Cole waited for an answer before opening the door.
Neo shook his head as he said, "Do you think I care about my own stay here? I will play along but only because I want Franco trained. Cause as soon as he is, I plan on taking you down."

"I am so glad you have decided to be reasonable about the whole thing, Neo." Cole said with a tinge of sarcasm. "Now let's go inform you brother of our new rules." Opening the door he said, "After you." Then he followed Neo into the room.

COLE
Franco had just finished eating and Tarka had cleared away the dishes. He looked out the window wondering when his brother and Cole would be returning. Cole could not be trusted and Franco was worried his brother either would not return or Cole would do something to him. As his thoughts wondered out the window, he noticed Tarka's head pop up, a sure sign someone was coming. Franco sat up straighter in the chair, crossed his legs and tried his hardest to look like he was not worried. He was not as good at schooling his features as his brothers, but he tried.

When the door opened and Neo entered first, Franco checked to see his brother was alright. As Cole entered Saint went back to looking bored, even though inside he was shaking like a leaf in a gale wind. He watched as Cole motioned for Neo to have a seat so his back would be toward the window. Punta joined Tarka in the corner of the room. Cole took his regular seat across from him at the table, straddling the chair, and his back to the manacle wall. Franco just waited.

Cole just folded his arms on the back of the chair and looked at Franco. The glare he was receiving from the man, said volumes. Then said, "I told you I would bring him back Franco. I actually think he enjoyed the exercise. When you are out for your morning and afternoon time in the sun, Neo and I are going to do some more training." Cole looked at Neo and smiled. Turning back to Franco he said, "It seems we have a small problem with you eating though, Franco. Your instructions and your agreement makes it necessary for you to eat and drink anything I give you, which means nothing should be left on your plate. It has been reported to me, by the kitchen staff, some of the rice, seeds and even the fruit was still on the plate when it was returned to the kitchen."

Franco smiled as he said, "I was full and I don't eat fruit."

Cole smiled and caught Franco's eyes, which tended to shift to his brother, "That was not our agreement. There was nothing stipulated about stopping when you were full . The agreement was everything on the plate ." Cole shifted his own eyes to Neo who was glaring at him and continued, "To guarantee you will eat everything from now on, your brother will not be allowed to stay when you are eating. When it is confirmed you have finished everything on your plate, no matter what it is, whether you hate the taste of it, or are full, he will be allowed to re-enter the room. You should know by now Franco, I do not say things I do not mean."

Franco shook his head as he said, "I don't eat what I don't like. You are lucky I ate anything, as I usually don't eat lunch. You are not separating me from Neo or our deal is off. I don't trust you...I trust Neo!"

Neo shook his head as he feared that Frankie would throw a fit and his baby brother was doing just that. Franco only ate for Tal'mac, Neo and Mom. He hated fruit and nuts, Franco's rice had to have soy sauce on it. Neo used one of mom's tricks and slip things Frankie did not like in his salad, which Frankie loved

"Your meals will be served to you Franco … Neo will be removed from the room… your plate will sit in front of you until you have eaten everything on it …. Neo will only be returned when the empty dishes are removed and it has been varified you have eaten." Cole lowered his voice to a deadly tone, "If you do not eat, Neo will not return, that is up to you. You will not see or hear from him. Even if the last meal is still sitting there, the next meal will be added to it." Cole added a small smile, "Eventually you will be hungry enough to eat. Oh and Saint, refuse to eat a meal and you will be either force fed, or feed through a tube. The protein and minerals in each item are going to be needed by you. I will not allow your brother or yourself to prevent me training your body to accept the unavoidable changes coming. Make your decision Franco. Eat and see your brother, or don't eat and not see your brother along with having a tube jammed down your throat." Cole watched, as Saint's eyes, flicked between him, Neo and the tabletop.

Franco looked at Neo and shook his head as he said, "The rice was plain and undercooked Neo. You know Fruits and nuts are foods I hate. I like my salads especially the way you made them. I eat meat and salads mostly. I won't eat if you are not here. I don't know what his plans for you are so I won't let him get any chance to try anything. You're my brother and I am not going to allow Fixer to harm you."

Neo shook his head as he headed for his brother. Upon reaching him, Neo said, "Franco Spellman, you made a deal to eat everything. Cole is calling you on it. In your animal forms you will be drawn to the food that animal prefers. Get used to it and by the way I put fruit and nuts in your salad just like mom did."

He turned to Fixer as he said, "I told you my brother hates change. He had so much of it growing up that any regularity we could give him became the norm. Fixer, he hates anything that looks or could be classified as hospital food." Neo knew that Franco had grown attached to him. Neo in Franco's eyes had become his foundation. The Cooler was praying that Fixer had caught on that Frankie was terrified that Neo was being torn away from him. He looked at Frankie and wondered just how insecure his baby brother really was. Had he really done the right thing by being Frankie anchor.

"Neo sit back down please." Turning to Franco he said, "My Chef would be horrified if you even suggested what he prepares is hospital food. I cannot change the items, because there are vitamins and minerals in the different foods which you need a certain amount of on a daily basis. I may be able to add some spices and I think a salad would be possible with dinner, but only a small one." Giving Neo a small smile as the man took his seat, "I will have Neo write down what was in your salads, and anything else you might regularly eat. If some of it can be incorporated it will be." Cole steepled his fingers on the table and continued, "My rule still stands though, that Neo will not be here until after your meals."
"Now with that out of the way, we move on to the next change. The elves are going to need to change the atmosphere in the room while you are sleeping. Nothing you will probably be able to notice, but enough it could be bad for Neo's health to be sleeping in here, at night. So…. after 9:00 every night, which is going to be your approximate bed time, Neo will return to his own room." When it looked like Franco was going to jump out of his chair, Cole added, "He will be back in the mornings at 7:00 am. He will stay until you breakfast is served at 8:00 am and then return again when you are done."

Franco was furious as he realized that what ever Fixer had planned for his brother would be happening between 9 PM and 7 AM. That meant Neo would be in Fixer's torturers' hands for ten straight hours. He shook his head as he said, "No! My brother sleeps in here with me. Your breaking squad are not getting a hold of my brother. He protected me all my life and now I am going to protect him."

Neo just gave Fixer a look of what did I tell you. Cooler knew that his brother had caught was about to happen where Neo was concerned and like Neo had tried to warn Fixer, Frankie was throwing a tantrum.

Cole got up out of his chair and walked to the otherside of the table. Sitting on the edge so Franco could either look in his direction or his brothers, he put on hand on the table and leaned down to within twelve inches of Franco's face. "Saint you will either calm down, or I will have you bound and Neo removed NOW ." When it looked like Franco was going to be stubborn, Cole added, "Do not try me on this Franco. Your brother only gets to come into the room and stay as long as I say so. That privilege can be removed with a snap of the fingers. You want me to prove it too you?" Cole raised his fingers preparing to snap them.

Neo felt the change coming and shook his head as he said, "Fixer, I thought you said he could not do what he is about to?" It was the only warning Neo could give Cole. Franco's metamorphic ability was extremely strong and from the feeling Neo was getting, Fixer's worse fear was about to be realized.

Neo moved quick to get between his brother and Cole. Staring at his brother, Cooler said, "Frankie, No! Calm down Now! You are out of control..." He hoped Fixer could use Frankie's desire to protect him (Neo) to get Frankie to follow through with his training. Frankie was so worried about him that he was not realizing what threat his gift was. At that moment, all Neo wanted was for their father to see what his refusal to get help for Frankie had done. Neo just prayed that his link with Frankie was enough to pull his brother back. He wondered if that was the reason he had the link.

Cole watched as Neo jumped in front of him. Even with Tarka and Punta in the room, Franco was able to start a change. From the looks of it there was a dragon coming out at the moment. As Neo tried to calm his brother down, Cole pointed at Punta and then the cabinet in the wall. Punta nodded. Cole turned back in the direction of Franco and said, "Franco Spellman, who is standing in front of you? Calm down or I will not have to hurt your brother because you are going to do it for me. Franco concentrate on telling you body, you want to be human. You have 10 seconds before I give you meds, which will render you unconscious. You want to stay in this form? Concentrate." Cole did not try and move Neo out of the way. It was interesting after all the talk of taking him down, Cooler was actually trying to save his life. Again Cole looked at Punta who was standing behind Franco's chair, hypodermic ready to administer. Frank held up one finger and then the second. On the third, Punta would administer the meds.

Neo was going try something that he had only attempted once before and still carried the scar from. Frankie had changed in at the hospital once in Egypt. Somebody that sounded like his mother's thoughts had told him to use the link to help his brother to return.

Concentrating he willed his brother to be calm and listen to Cole. Before Fixer got to three, Franco was back. Neo heard Frankie yell at Fixer, "I would never hurt my brothers and they know it." Neo looked at Fixer as he realized that Marco must have told Fixer about that time in Egypt when they were five. They had decided it would hurt Frankie too much to know that he had almost killed both Neo and Marco so they never told him.

Slowly lowering his hand, Cole watched as Franco returned to total human form. Franco's skin was still a litte blotchy and only the top half of his body showed any part of the change, but for the most part it was human eyes which glared at him. When he was sure Franco was totally back he waved, Punta off and said to Neo, "Very well done, Cooler. Interesting link you have there. I am going to enjoy examining it. For now though please return to your seat, I think your brother has calmed down enough to sit quietly and understand, what I say is not negotiable." Turning back to Franco, Cole folded his arms across his chest as he continued to sit on the edge of the table. "Franco, when you get upset, you have realized your body changes. Your brother was just forced to put his life in danger, because you started to change. All though you say you would never hurt your brothers, I am telling you, if you are not careful, the change will be so sever your mind will not register that it is your brothers, your sister or even one of the children at the school, who is standing in front of you. You will attack."

Cole leaned down again to Franco and trying to keep as much of the threatening tone as possible out of his voice, said, "I know you do not trust me Saint, and I can live with that. But I am telling you point blank, you have to get through this training, and I am not going to waste my time and yours, making you do anything which does not have a direct relationship with you controlling your gift. If I say something has to be a certain way, then it just has to be that way. Stop fighting me Franco and you just might get out of here in a decent amount of time. I have told you the way it is going to be."

Neo had almost reached his chair when the room started to spin. Franco noticed it and screamed, "Neo!" Then glared at Fixer as he said, "What did you do to my brother? I am not letting anywhere near my brother again Fixer! He has never passed out before..."

Neo was trying for his brother's sake to show he was fine as well as use his link once again to calm his brother. Nothing, except more dizziness. Neo was exhausted both mental and physically. He had never understood his link with his siblings but it had always been a part of him. Cooler knew that if he did not understand why this happened, his own gift could make him useless as a Caretaker. There was no way he was going to allow Fixer control of the link as it would give him control of all the Quints. Neo had promised at age five that nobody was ever going to use him to gain control over his siblings.

Cole motioned for Punta to help Neo back to his chair. Walking around to the man, he used his fingers to open his eyes up wider and examined them. The pupils were dilated but clarity was there. Sitting down on the edge of the table he leaned down so he was not far from Neo's face and could look directly into his eyes. "Cooler, breathe deeply. Close your eyes and count five breaths." Frank watched as Neo complied. "Ok now open your eyes." Again Cole checked the Coolers eyes. They were back to normal, but now small tremors ran through the man's body about every three to five seconds. "The shakes will stop in a couple of moments. What happened was you mentally made the connection with Franco when he was changing. He literally drew of your life energy to be able to transform back. I personally recommend you do not do that often. Now just sit there for a moment, while I talk with your brother."

Walking over to stand behind Franco, Cole leaned on the back of his chair, and lowered himself so he was not far from Saint's ear. "You see what happens when you cannot control your gift. With control, you would have been able to come back around by yourself, and you would have been able to block your brother from jumping in. Your body automatically grabbed for what energy was being offered it, to survive." Cole moved his hands to Franco's shoulders, "Franco look at your brother. He is going to be all right, but it could have been a lot worse. You still want to fight me on learning control?"

All Franco wanted was to get to his brother. Why had Neo done that? Neo could have died?" He had felt the link and Neo's inability to control it. His brother's link had forced him to calm down and change back. He stared at Neo as he asked, "Neo, have you talked to Air about your linking ability? Or even Tarik? If you are an empath then Tarik could teach you? Please why did you risk your gift to save him? Even you said he needed to be brought down."

Neo smiled and then laid his head back down. He had never even thought about asking Air or Tarik about his gift. He had acted on instinct in saving Fixer. Neo wanted Frank Cole brought down yes, but not killed. He smiled again as he realized that deep down a part of him still trusted the man because of Marco's trust in Fixer. Cooler knew Marco trusted very few and so Neo knew that for Fixer to make that list, Frank Cole was still a good man as Marco had a way of seeing a person's true-self.

Cole could feel Franco try and get up, but he forced him to stay in his seat, pushing down on his shoulders. Franco was confused and Cole did not know if he wanted him to stay that way. "I would be willing to bet Franco, that your brother has a link only, at least for the time being, between the Quints. " Patting Franco's shoulders hard, Cole returned to his seat. "For now, I need you to agree to my stipulations. Your brother is weak Franco, because he is trying to fight your battle for you, a battle which does not have to exist." Cole looked at his watch, and added, "it is now 2:15 and you have a little over half an hour before your time outside. Since Neo will be going on a little training exercise with me for the hour, we need to let him rest. I need your answer Franco, are you going to continue to fight my decisions or just accept them for now?"

Franco looked at Neo and then back at Fixer. He was terrified for his brother. Fixer could use his brother's weaken state to break Neo. His brother must have known that and still Neo had risked it to bring him back. He wanted to protect his brother from Fixer and yet once again his brother had come to his rescue. He turned his head back to Neo as he said, "I won't let you hurt him. He stays in my room where he is safe!"

Cole folded his arms on the table and looked dead into Franco's eyes. "No, Saint…. He comes in while you are awake or he does not come in at all, your only two choices." Cole continued to stare at the man.

Neo started to raise his head as he felt his brother's anger. He would have to relink with Frankie but knew that two complete links in one day would be pushing his gift. He had to try as he felt Frankie's desire to kill Fixer. He knew that whatever Fixer had planned for him, Neo was walking right into it. Cooler shook his head as he had no choice. Frankie was associating Fixer with their father and now Neo realized just how much hate Franco had for both. Neo realized that if he failed Cole would most likely die. He started the linking when something went wrong.

When the tale tell look of change came into Franco's eyes, Cole sate bolt upright and whirled his finger in the air. It was a signal for Punta to get all five of them into the room.. Cole turned to Neo and closed his eyes. It had been a long time since he had tried to set up a block, and the Cooler was no lightweight at broadcasting. Cole put his fingers to his temples and concentrated. "Sorry Neo, but I can't allow you to link again. It is too dangerous." Cole said in his mind. Within a couple of seconds, all five elves were in the room and surrounding Franco, staring at him. Making sure the elves had Franco blocked from changing, Cole broke his link with Neo. Turning to the man he said, "Neo talk to your brother…. Do not like just talk… get him concentrating on your voice." Cole did not want to have to go to the drugs, but everything was pointing to that direction. Slowly he got up and went to the cabinet, took out a bottle and a large hypodermic needle. He looked at them closely before he returned to the table…. Filling the needle he listened to Neo talking to his brother… Shaking his head he whipped Franco's arm with an alcohol swab and……

Neo nodded as he was barely able to focus. He turned to Frankie as he said, "Frankie, Look at me. He is not dad. For the first time since dad left, I felt such a rage in you that I almost risked a second complete link. You are giving Fixer no choice but to separate us as even Marco has warned me about linking so completely. Frankie, I am mentally exhausted and yet I was still going to stop you from changing. I have always had this link though for some reason, I never could link with father or Leo."

Neo saw what Fixer was going to do and knew what the effect on himself would be. He nodded to Fixer as he said to his baby brother, "I wished dad had been wrong about drugs being the only way. I really thought you could learn control but I can't risk you changing when I am not around. Sorry Frankie."

Frankie realized that Neo blamed himself for him not being able to learn control. Neo was spiraling downward quickly.. Frankie wanted to prove that Neo was the one that was right. He realized that he really was not trying to learn cause he did not want to trust Fixer. He had been so worried about what Fixer was going to do to Neo that he thought if he resisted the training Neo would be kept safe and it had backfired. Franco looked at Fixer and at the needle in the man's hand. Swallowing hard he said, "I will do it your way, Fixer, please no mind-control drugs. I can do it please." Franco was pleading shifting his eyes from the needle to his brother. "Neo, tell him I can do this."

Neo's head was on the table and he barely heard his brother. He had tried for so long to keep Frankie off any drugs to control his ability that Neo and Tal'mac had become the control. Fixer had threaten to remove that norm from Frankie. Neo realized that he had set his brother up for failure and now Neo was unsure if Frankie could find the control in himself that Marco swore was there. Marco must have asked Fixer to help Frankie find it. Marco had always said that Neo was the only one that gave up everything and that he was furious at Father for making Neo have to always choose. Neo wondered if maybe his brothers had understood what the link was doing to Neo. He wondered if that had been why they really had stayed away.

Cole looked toward Neo, who still had his head down on the table. Inwardly he was glad, because his job with Neo probably just got a whole lot easier. Holding up the needle in front of him he said to Franco, "You are going to have to keep your anger under control, Saint, because it it what is forcing the changes. You are agreeing to eat and drink everything served to you without Neo in the room, and you are agreeing to have Neo out of the room when you are sleeping. Am I correct in this?" Cole did not move the syringe from in front of him.

Franco looked at Neo as he pleaded Fixer, "I swear!" He prayed that Fixer was not going to use this to hurt his brother. Still looking at his brother he tried to get Neo to look at him. Then he asked, "Fixer, what is wrong with my brother? Something is wrong." He was not anger but worried, as his brother had not moved.

Cole put the hypo in his pocket and turned toward Neo. Bending down, he pulled the man's head up so he could see his eyes. Lowering Neo's head he checked his pulse on his neck… it was strong. Patting Neo on the back he said, "Neo I know you can hear me, and I also know you can not move. What has happened is your body has told your mussels you must stop. You could call it a lucid faint. You are going to be fine, I promise." Turning to Franco he said, "Franco, your brother has techniquely fainted. He has become so weak from connecting with you and the stress of trying to take care of you and himself at the same time, that his body has shut down everything except what it needs to survive and rest. What I need to know from you is if you can stay calm enough for me to have two of the elves, help me with your brother. I still have the hypo and will administer it to you if need be, but I do not want to do that, because your brother needs you alert." Cole kept his hand on Neo's back to give the man the contact. He knew Neo could hear everything he was saying, but he could not open his eyes, or move.

Frankie was scared for his brother. He prayed Cole was not going to separate them until at least Neo could stand and think. Looking at Fixer as he said, "I am too scared for my brother to get angry. I want to help. What can I do? It is my fault he is like this. Please Fixer, let me help my brother."

Neo was not any good to Cole like this. He needed the man up and moving, so he could break him and still have him be able to perform daily functions. Franco had come around, so it probably made it easier with him, but Neo needed to be lucid and thinking in order for the brain-washing to work. Cole looked at Franco and then at Neo. This was a setback, but not a large one. Signaling the elves to break the ring around Franco, he sent Punta and Tarka off to rest. Kimtu would stay with Franco and Mecum would be with Neo. Artkee still had a project he was working on. Three of the elves left and the other two, stood slightly behind their charges.

Cole stood up and said to Franco, "Franco you need to understand that Neo, needs absolute peace and quiet for a while. The only way he is going to get that is if, he returns to his room and Mecum sets up an atmosphere of tranquility. When I know he is settled in I will turn the viewer on so you can see him. It will not always be this way, but for the next couple of hours, I will allow it. You and I are going to talk. First though you need to go and get your afternoon sun." When Franco started to shake his head, Fixer held up his hand and said, "Franco this is the best way. When he regains lucid consciousness I will let you know and see if I can set up a short com link. Now, go Franco. Kimtu will go with you."

Franco wanted to stay with his brother until at least Neo came around. He looked at Neo worried as he said, "I agree that Neo needs rest but can't I stay until he comes around? Please Fixer? I don't want him worrying that I am still against him being away from me. I want to assure him that I am okay and he can stop worrying so much. Please Fixer, I want to take care of my brother for once."

Cole looked at the ceiling, exasperated that his plans had been put on hold. But he had to keep the brothers working together, because it was going to be his best bet on using the to get the other one to cooperate. As he motioned for the elves to pick Neo up carefully and levitate him out horizontally over to Franco's bed, he said to Franco, "I will agree to let you stay until he can talk, then you go out for your sun time, and Neo will be taken to his room. Do not make me regret this Saint." As they laid Neo gently in the bed, Cole put up the sides and continued, "You can pull up a chair if you want or just stand by the bed. Talk with him quietly and see if you can get him to focus on your voice. It could take anywhere from a few minutes to half an hour." Cole stepped aside and allowed Franco to stand beside the bed. Frank went and straddled his usual chair. All they could do was wait now. He looked at Mecum who was standing at the head of the bed, and motioned for him to keep tabs on Neo. The elf nodded, and put his hand on the pillow just above where Neo's head rested. Cole crossed his arms on the back of the chair, and listened to Franco trying to bring his brother around.

Franco smiled as he said, "You won't Fixer."

Standing by his brother as he said calmly and quietly, "Neo, please wake up. I understand now why he thought you needed a break. You do Neo. You been so worried about me that you stressed yourself out. You don't have to worry Neo. I can learn control without drugs or the link. You have never understood that link and yet you used it to protect others from my inability to control my gift. Please Neo wake up so I can show you that I can do this. I swore to Fixer to try things his way. You know I won't go back on that. Neo, it going to be a while before I will be allowed to see you. You need peace and quiet for a while but Fixer said the video screen will be on and maybe even a com-link."

Neo was barely hearing his brother but it was getting clearer. His brother had sworn to complete the training. He opened his eyes as he said, "Frankie, Marco believed that you can learn control without drugs and so do I but if you can't find your own way to control..."

Frankie cut Neo off saying, "Don't worry, Neo. I have afternoon sun. All I want to think about is rest and getting better. I can really do this Neo."

Cole smiled and stepped up to the bed. Looking down at Neo he said, "You are going to be returned to your room Neo. You will rest for a while. Tomorrow morning we start again with the training I told you about. Franco is going to be fine. He is still going to have some rough spots," Cole took a side glance at Franco, then continued, "but you will still be available to talk with him even if it is only through the calm link." Cole realized this spell of Neo's was going to be the perfect excuse why Neo started getting weaker for lack of food and sleep. Turning to Franco he said, "Saint you promised you would go out for your afternoon sun. Go. Your brother will now be returned to his room. When you return to your room. I will let you both talk by com-link for a few minutes, then you and I are going to get started on your training in earnest. Now go."

Neo watched as his brother did not even argue but instead kissed him on the cheek. Then in a couple of minutes it was just Fixer and him. He shook his head as he said, "Okay Fixer, what have you really got in store for me?"

As Cole put the side of the bed down and helped Neo swing his legs over the side, he motioned for Mecum to help Neo out of the room and down the hall. As they slowly made there way, with Mecum, levitating Neo, Cole kept quiet. When they were in Neo's room, he helped Mecum get Neo back into bed. Putting up the side he said, "Nothing much Neo. You are just going to voluntarily join my little army, call me Sir when we are on the island, come to the island when I call, and cover to some extent for me and my men when we are in Diagon Alley, the Shadow lounge or anywhere else you may run into us. There are probably a couple of other things, but that is the largest part of what your deal is going to be." Cole laughed out loud when he saw the expression on Neo's face. The man was still weak, but he was not meek, yet.

Neo laughed, as he said, "Not on my worse day, Fixer! So keep dreaming because there is no way you are breaking me."

Cole chuckled and patted Neo on the shoulder, "We shall see Cooler, we shall see…. But for now get some rest. When Franco gets back to his room, if you are still awake I will let you talk for a few minutes. Keep him positive Neo, it will make this transition for him easier. Mecum will be here with you. If everything go alright this evening. I may be able to let you see Franco in person tomorrow. I need you positive about this though. Franco and I have one more day of talking to do, but the day after tomorrow we start introducing his body to the actual changes he will knowingly create." Cole looked at Neo for a very long moment before he continued, "Your brother has also agreed to eat by himself and to not have you there when he is sleeping. Since he also has agreed to talk with you by com link, then as you grow weaker from no or little food and from no or little sleep, seems to me I won't have to worry about him thinking something is desperately wrong. Besides with your little fainting spell you also gave me a reason for how you are eventually going to look and feel, until you decide to meet my requirements." Cole reached down an squeezed Neo's shoulder, saying, "Get some rest Neo. Tomorrow starts a whole new life for you."

Neo shook his head as he said, "There is no way you are going to break me Fixer. So stop while you are ahead." He was worried though as Fixer seemed more confident. Cooler needed to know why. Neo looked at Fixer and said, "Just what makes you think you can break me, Fixer?"

"That is an easy question to answer Cooler. The answer is because you care…. It is that simple. See you later… and we will talk."With that Cole turned on his heels and laughed as he walked out the door.

(OOC This is a combined thread by Barbie and Jane, hope you enjoy
NEO
Neo had not slept well. He had nightmares about his brother changing shape and he could not get to him to help. Fixer had set up a com-link and through it, Neo had been able to sit in on some of Frankie's training. At the moment it seemed to be all talk. Cole had said, there would be one more day of talk and then they would start with the physical side of the training. Promptly at 9:00 pm the com-link had been broken.

Neo swung his feet over the side of the bed. Sometime during the night Mecum, who was now sitting on an air-chair in the corner, had put down the side. Looking out the window, Neo saw the first hint of the pre-dawn sky. He thought about lying back down and seeing if he could rest more, but he needed to be up and doing something. After refreshing himself in the bathroom, he started some stretching exercises. If he had time before Cole came in he would see if he could get some running-in-place in. At the moment he was betting he was not going to get breakfast, because Cole had also made it very clear they would be resuming his training starting this morning.

As he finished his stretching exercises, Mecum jumped down from his air-chair, this was a clear sign Cole was close. Right on cue the door opened and the man stepped into the room. "Ah you are up, good. I hope you had a good night sleep. Ready to get started?" Cole kept the smile on his face even though it did not match the scowl on Neo's face.

Neo looked at Fixer as he said with sarcasm, "Do I have a choice?"

Chuckling Cole answered, "Nope, so come on let's start with a run. Frankie will be up in about an hour. If you are good, I will let you go in with him for our morning talk." Cole didn't think Neo was coming at first, but eventually Cooler shrugged his shoulders and follow Cole out the building. When they got outside, Cole took off running toward the forest. He knew if Neo did not follow the elf would give him some general prodding.

Reaching the training area, Cole stopped and walked around cooling down. There were already a bout twenty five people milling around and some were running the obstacle course. It did not take long for Training Sergeant Malcolm to be standing in front of Cole, and giving him a smart solute. "Good morning Sire," the TS said, while eyeing Neo. "Can I help you with anything this morning Sir." The Sergeant had turned back to Cole.
Smiling Cole said, "Good Morning Malcolm. Actually I need to check on some paperwork inside. Could you please run Spellman here through the obstacle course, three times. If you have a gauntlet planned, he can do that also." Receiving a nod from the TS, Cole turned to Neo and said, "Malcolm will run you through your morning paces. You are well trained so you should not have any problems. I will be back in about 15 minutes. The water fountain is over there if you are thirsty." Cole answered the TS's salute a he walked away.

Neo shook his head as he said, "I never do the same routine two days in a row. Yesterday was the course so today would be calisthenics. So I will just wait here." He planned to see just how Fixer would handle his resistance

Cole had turned to walk away, when Neo's refusal brought him up short and made him turn back. "I think not Spellman. The longer we stand here and argue, the longer it is going to take us to get back. I told Frankie you would be in the room around 8:30 or 9:00, if he ate everything of his breakfast of course. You don't want him to worry do you. His training is going to be harder on him without your support. Is not going through a little obstacle course a few times, worth his anguish. Or maybe the course was too difficult for you to be able to run it three times in a row?" Cole knew Neo was threatening to make Franco's training harder if he did not do what he was told. Frank stood with his hands on his hips, waiting for an answer.

Neo shook his head as he said, "Fixer, It has nothing to do with hard or easy. It has to do with the body and get the most out of every work out. I change my routine every day as to never allow my body to plateau. I will still do the course but in the evening, then tomorrow I will do the course first before even my run. If you had asked Marco, he could have given you a copy of my exercise routine. I have a copy of his and he has a copy of mine. We hold each other accountable."

Cole nodded, "I understand how you did your workouts, Spellman and I am all for your variations on what you do." Cole looked at his watch. "You may do an hour of calisthenics with my permission AFTER you run the obstacle course three times. If you are fast enough, you may not even be late to see your brother." Cole looked point blank at Neo. "If this is not to your liking, I can have the Sergeant here set up a couple of gauntlet sessions for you, then you can run the obstical course and then do your choice of exercises."

Neo shook his head as he said, "My routines hit all four of the categories. Endurance, strength, balance and flexibility. I switch them up every day and I never do them in the same order twice. Yesterday I started with Endurance so today I can start with either Balance or Flexibility. I don't care which as long as I don't do Endurance until Night."

Cole looked at Neo and then at the Training Sergeant and then out toward the troops who were unsuccessfully trying not to watch what was happening. "I think we might be able to handle your small problem, until you can write down what your routine is. You can start at the wall and run to the end of the course. Then you can turn around and run back through the course. You will now be starting with your calisthenics and by running the course backwards you will not be doing it the same way twice in a row. You will make three complete trips through the couses, alternating direction.

When you are done you can take advantage of the other items around. In the back area is a balance beam, rings, uneven bars and a few other pieces of equipment. You have one hour." Cole started to turn away, and then turned back, snapping his fingers as if forgot a very important step. Looking at the TS he said, "Who is the newest recruit?" A young female, who was trying very hard to do chin-ups, coming very close to succeeding was pointed out and called over. She stood in front of the TS and Cole at attention. "At ease soldier. Your name is Saunders?" Receiving a nod, he went on. "Saunders this is Spellman, who had come to train with us. He will be running the course three times this morning, starting with the wall. Each time he will reverse his direction. Then he will do a workout for whatever time is left from now to one hour from now. You are going be in charge of his workout. What happens if you do not complete you mission, soldier?" Cole watched as the young girl, took a sidelong glance at Neo, then turned back to Cole and said, "I will run the gauntlet three times Sir and then I will do his exercises for him." Cole could tell the girl was scared but was hoping Neo would pick up on the fact. Cole knew though either way, the girl had to learn to run the gauntlet and not flinch, or the first FUBAR she ran into she was in major trouble. Turning to Neo he said, "Spellman, Saunders is your new partner for the day. She knows the ropes. I will see you in one hour." Cole spun on his heels walking away quickly not giving Neo a chance to agree or disagree.

Neo looked at the girl and shook his head. He knew the girl would not last even thirty minutes. He said, "She won't last Fixer. Got anybody even close to our pace?"

Cole chuckled and shouted over his shoulder, "Nope, she is your responsibility and you are hers. All you have to do is run the course as I said, and work out on the equipment for one hour, to keep her from getting punished. Work it out Spellman." Cole disappeared into the building and walked to the one-way windows, to watch.

Neo shook his head as he said to the girl, "I hope you can keep up because once I start, I will not stop for one hour. By the way young lady, I will be hitting the gauntlet at least four times so prepare yourself. And do your best to keep up as I am not slowing down to protect one of Fixer's goon recruits. Do You Understand?" With that he looked at the new board that showed how Fixer had set up his workout for the change he asked for. Smiling Cooler took off.

Cole watched out the window as they took off. Reaching over to the panel on the wall next to the window he turned the view screen on and watched. Neo had taken off at a dead run toward the wall with the girl trying to keep up. Cole wondered how long Neo would play the hard-to-get-along-with person. Cole was betting he would start helping the girl when she fell behind. Marco, one of the Quints, had said he was a softy in that department, and Cole was testing the statement Marco had made.

The girl was not doing bad at all, she had caught up with Neo and made it over the wall. She stayed right with the Cooler, even when he made the turn and was headed back. Several of the other members of the troop had gotten off the course, because Neo was now running the course backwards. Cole chuckled to himself. The man really was good. Cole went to the sidebar and poured himself a glass of iced-tea, then walked back to the window. For the next 15 minutes he watched as Neo completed the course two more ti mes. Saunders was starting to lag behind, and Cole realized, Neo had actually slowed down himself. The Cooler was in too good of shape to have the course affect him this early, so he must be holding back for the girl, Cole said very softly to himself, "That's it Cooler, I told you …. You care and that is where I will have you." Frank was working on having Cooler start to identify with working with the men. It would put him closer to accepting the idea of working on one of his teams.

On the last trip through the course, Saunders fell, when she caught her foot on the top of one of the hurdles. At first it did not look like Neo was going to stop… he did though, walked back the few steps, picked the girl up and set her on her feet. Cole let out a louder chuckle, because Neo even took the time to brush her off, before he said something to her and took off running again. They were headed for the equipment. Cole looked at this watch. They had made good time covering that part of the training in about 25 minutes. Cole switched the view on the screen to the area where the other equipment had been built.

Neo had only stopped when he was sure it seemed nobody was watching. Once he had the girl back on her feet, Cooler laid into her saying, "I am not going to be responsible for you so get your act together. Do you understand? You fall again it is your problem not mine. I am not here to train you guys. I am not one of Fixer's goons. In fact, as soon as my brother is trained, your boss is going to Azkaban. He endangered a group of kids that should have never been on this island. His friendship with my brother Marco is the only thing saving his rear and yours, Now Move It!"

The girl nodded. As she followed Neo to the training area, she said, "But Spellman, the children were never in any danger. They love it here and the Captain always makes sure there are enough of us to watch them and all the safety equipment gets checked before they come and after they leave." As Neo jumped onto the rings she said, I know you are not here to train us. You would have to be very special for that, and I do not think the Captain trusts you. It will be all right though, because you are good and you should do fine here."

Cole had not caught all the girl had said, but he had picked up enough of the words to know the children had been mentioned. He would ask her later because there was a look of puzzlement on Neo's face and he needed to know what put it there. The girl had jumped up on the balance beam, and from the routine she was going through, she was a first class gymnest. Cole nodded and went to the cabinet. He needed to check some reports. They may as well get checked while he watched the next 20 or so minutes of Neo's workout.

Neo heard the girl and decided she knew more then Fixer thought. As he did his workout, he said, "If you are so new then how would you know about the kids' visits? I don't like set up or traitors, so you better start talking. As soon as we are done, I better still trust you to some extent or you will regret ever hearing the name Cooler! Now start talking!"

Saunders looked over toward Spellman. Before answering she did two back flips on the balance beam, and a dismount that she nailed, which was not easy in combat boots. Walking to the side of the beam she leaned back against it. She allowed herself a side glance at the house-elf which was standing a few yards away, trying not to look like he was watching them. The Captain sometimes brought one of the elves with him when he was stopping by to train with them or just check on things. Saunders wondered why this man needed a servant to be with him. Turning her full attention back to Spellman she said, "I am new, been here only four months. I came in with the last group of recruits. There were six of us, but myself and Cork over there are the only ones who have made it this far. It takes a year to be a full fledge trooper, although I hope to do it in less time. I was with the children the last time they visited. We all have our specialities, and besides looking young, which the Captain thought would help make them more comfortable, I seem to have the knack of free-hand rock climbing." Saunders jumped up and sat on the beam, facing Neo, who had now dismounted from the chinning bar and was leaning against one of the support posts. Saunders chuckled, "One of the children, named Mika has a real gift for climbing. If you can, you need to tell the school to watch out for him, he will be shimmying up the side of it one day… I have great balance which the TS says is a specialty and one other, but I will keep that one to myself at the moment." Saunders found herself talking freely to the man, which was probably not good, because she knew nothing about him.

Cole glanced up at the view screen and saw both Neo and Saunders had stopped working out. Later he would find out from Saunders what they talked about. Looking at his watch he realized they still had 10 minutes, so he got up and retrieved a bottle of iced tea for himself. Neo was going to have to be satisfied with the fountain water.

Neo listened to her and thought back to those with the kids. There had been one that stood out. If this girl was that one, well Neo would find out soon enough. He looked where the TS was and said, "I need a ring of ten who know enough about martial arts that I won't accidentally kill them. Do you have that or do we have to chat with Fixer?"

He turned to the girl as he said, "Mika is always watched. Him and Marsh are like double trouble. What belt are you?" Neo was a master in several styles of martial arts as well as other forms of fighting. He held more grandmaster titles then anybody would ever know. Cooler knew a master when he saw one and thought he realized the name from a year ago. There had been a MMA tournament where a young first year had surprised everybody. The girl has taken third place at only seventeen. He smiled, "Why did you settle for third place? You could have taken Flanders down, instead you went for the draw."

Saunders smiled as she watched the TS look at the camera. He was asking permission to gather the men together. When the light on the camera blinked, he nodded and turned calling out 10 names. Ten men came forward and the rest of the group came to find out what was going to happen. While they were assembling Saunders looked at Spellman and said, "I recognized you but did not want to say anything. You were really good, Spellman. I learned a lot when I watched your moves. As a flyweight, I was not considered much. As far as belts, I have three, the best one in Karate, which is a Masters level. In Taekwondo, and Kungfu I still have not taken the test. That will happen when I get my first leave." Saunders looked off into the distance and then back at Spellman. "As far as the third place was concerned, I found out just prior to the fight that Flanders needed the prize money more than I did... The guy had a sick wife.... so I held back. One of the judges was very mad, but there was nothing he could do. Third place got me my college books and enough left over to go home for a couple of weeks before I had to report."

Saunders turned toward the men assembled, "So what you have planned? I am only a trainee, Spellman. I cannot fight without express permission from the Captain. It could get me sent home and I really want this job."

Before Neo could say anything Cole walked slowly up to the group. Every man and woman, except for Neo, instantly came to attention. The TS walked up to Cole and saluted. Cole returned his salute and gave a general at ease command. Turning to the girl, he said, "You have my permission to fight Saunders." Cole always did a check on his people. He had thought it was a thorough one, but with the ones, who had been pointed out between Franco and Neo, he had to revamp the process a bit. He knew Saunders skill level and was interested on what would happen.

Neo smiled and said, "Who is your Sensei in Taekwondo and Kungfu? Have you ever faced a Grandmaster?" Luckily for her, Neo had the right to perform the test at any time. He would need proof of the test but he figured Fixer could handle that.

He watched the way Fixer handled his men and gave an inward smile. Then he said, "Fixer, is there a way to video tape this for her Sensei? I also will need three witnesses that are at least a 7th degree black belt in either or both Taekwondo and Kungfu. They will have to be recognized by the MMA Association."

Cole nodded and walked over where Punta was waiting patiently, "Go get his Grandmaster uniform. If you are not sure what should be included, talk with Tal'mac. Make sure you tell the elf though, that Neo and Franco are still under my care. Also tell him Franco is fighting the training, but I know he will be alright. I will contact him again in a few days." Punta disappeared and Cole walked into the crowd of men, talking to a few of them. When three had agreed to help officiate, he returned to Neo and said your men are picked. Punta appeared by the tree he normally stood by and walked forward holding out Neo's uniform. Cole took it and whispered something in his hear. The elf disappeared again. Cole handed the uniform to Neo and said, "You can change over there in the men's room. Don't take too long, Franco should be awake by now and eating his breakfast."

Neo accepted his uniform in the traditional way then bowed as he said to the girl being tested, "Be Ready by the time I return." This was his time to test somebody in two forms at once since he was given the honor of becoming a Grandmaster. He went and got ready and returned

When Neo had left, Cole winked at Saunders and sent her into the locker room, where her uniform hung with the others the men and women might need. Each had there own full locker and area to change. Cole walked into his office where he met, Punta, "Thank you my friend, I wonder if this will surprise him." To that he chuckled, changed and walked back out into the yard area. Saunders came out a moment later and stood beside him. Cole put his hands on his hips and laughed at the look on Neo's face as he got closer. Saunders smiled and said, "Spellman, I would like you to meet my sensai, GrandMaster Cole." She bowed politely.

Neo looked at Fixer as he said, “So do you want to perform the test? I was only going to give the test out of curtsy since I was here. As her sensai, you have the right to refuse her to be tested or even perform the test yourself.” Cooler was a little surprised that Fixer was recognized as a Grandmaster. As far as Neo knew he had never seen Frank Cole at any of the MMA matches that Cooler went to. He had been only a Grandmaster for about a year. In fact, it had been at his last match that they had surprised him with the honor.

Grandmasters were usually quite older and grandparents. Neo was neither and even his Grandmaster had been surprised when it was announced that a golden robed Super Grandmaster had decided that one of those present was being given the honor. Grandmaster Wu said that he had only ever seen the honor given to only two of his students, Neo and another student. The other student had been given the honor in private a few years earlier.

Neo was wondered if he had just met Grandmaster Wu’s other student. He would have some sad news to give to Fixer if his hunch was correct.

"You may test her, if she wishes it, Spellman." With a sidelong glance at Saunders, Cole said to Neo, "She is an apt pupil, and I have had great pleasure in instructing her, but she knows all of my moves. Even though the test is choreographed in some respects, there are still elements of surprise." Cole would just enjoy watching Neo. Wu had told him last year one other of his pupil's would get the honor. Cole had been watching in a private box, when Neo had been told he was chosen. Frank knew Neo was exceptional, but he also knew he was better. If Neo continued to study some day, it might be an even match between them. Frank would enjoy that, because there were only a few he could fight and get a true workout.

Cole turned to Saunders and asked, "It is up to you little moth if you wish to learn from Grand Master Spellman. The test will be valid." He was going to give the girl a chance. She could possibly make it. Some weakness still was there but if she concentrated, she would do fine.

Saunders looked between the two Grand Masters. It had been her dream to finally get the top belts she was missing. She knew the Captain did not fully trust this man, but if he said the test would be valid, then he trusted his skill if not the man. She nodded and waited for further instructions.

Neo smiled as he watched her nod. He said calmly after bowing the traditional way, "I am not your instructor but here to see if you are worthy of the honor to hold the title of Master. It will be your sensei's duty to correct any mistakes you may make once the exam is completed. Do you understand that once began the exam cannot be stopped until finished?"

He waited for her answer and then said, "SHEJAK !" The exam had began and Neo was completely focus on Saunders. She was good but did she have what it took become a Master. Neo planned to find out.

Cole stood back and watched. Normally this would be done indoors and all participants would be barefoot. Cole, Neo and Saunders all wore a soft sole shoe, not unlike ballet slippers. The men had formed a large ring around Neo and Saunders waiting for the show. When Neo said begin, he stood back and watched as Saunders performed several s, solo patterns. Cole stepped in for one of the patterns to give her a little competition, which she would normally have somewhere else if she was competing. The girls breathing was right on. Her patterns all began and ended in the same spot. She was a little weak on posture, something she knew Neo would pick on, because a couple of her stances wobbled the tiniest bit. The moves she was making were strong with a good amount of realism and tensed mussels as the point of imaginary impact was shown. Cole had worked hard with Saunders on Spirit. She had trouble believing in herself and sometimes it showed.

When Neo moved to the hosinsul , or self-defense part of the test, things got a little rougher. It was one of the reasons all of his troops ran the gauntlet. They had to be used to being hit. Neo was going to make sure she worked for the belt. He implimented too sul or throws, kwan jyel sul or joint locks, chil sik sul, or choking techniques and paegi freeing techniques. Cole could tell Neo was holding back, but he was still very proud of his pupil.

Cole motioned to Punta to bring the boards forward. Breaking was showing you could destroy inanimate materials. Three men came forward and each held a board in a semi-circle in front of Saunders. The idea Neo was going for was to have her break the boards in quick succession. She did a sidelong glance at Cole. This was not her favorite thing to do. She could do it, and her leg muscles were strong from ballet, but her aim was sometimes off. Concentrating she took a deep breath and kicked, first with the right foot, then with the left, then did a turn and kicked again with the right foot. Cole could see the relief on her face when she was done.

Neo smiled as he bowed to Saunders and said the word that signaled that the test was complete. Then he did the formalities with the rest without saying a word. He was impressed but would not let on as this had to be done a certain way. The Master Exam was one exam that was an honored tradition and even the presenting of the belt must be done in complete silence.

Neo knew that to Fixer, his silence spoke what he could not. Cooler prayed that Fixer had a couple extra black belts. Only a Grandmaster could, if he so chose, advance a testee to a higher level. Facing Fixer, Neo showed two fingers. He then went to stand in front of Saunders and waited for the presenting of rank.

Smiling Cole motioned to Punta who reached in his a small bag he had leaning up against a tree. From the bag, the elf drew two belts. Walking over and handing them to Cole, he backed up and bowed. Cole made his way the few feet over to Saunders and bowed to Neo and then to her. Holding out the belts he smiled at the look of surprise on her face. Neo had not only given her the first level black belt, but had Cole presenting her with the second level also. Cole put them in her hands and squeezed them gently. Backing up two steps he bowed again. Receiving the answering bow for Saunders and watching her bow to Neo with great honor, Cole smiled.

When this was all done a loud cheer from all the men and women around the area broke the silence. Cole reached out and helped Saunders remove her old belt and put on the highest grade black belt. She just stood there for a few long seconds looking at the ends of the belt. When she finally looked up her face was beaming. She even added a twirl to the mix. Cole held out his hand and shook hers. "You did fantastic Little Moth. I told you all the practice you put in would make the difference. I am honored to be your Sensei."

Saunders nodded and was able to add a small. "Thank you Grand Master Cole." Turning to Neo she said, "And thank you Grand Master Spellman."

Neo waited until Saunders spoke thanking him before saying anything. He then bowed as he said, "You impressed me and thus were rewarded Master Saunders. Now if you will excuse me..." He was going to say he needed to change but stopped as he decided Fixer should not become aware of how much of a bond he had made with Saunders.

"May I go now please, Captain?" Saunders asked, still too excited to stand perfectly still.

Cole nodded and watched as she ran to the others present and showed them her belts. Turning to Neo he said, "Thank you Neo. She really deserves the honor. Please go and change." Cole waved toward the men's room on the outside of the building.

Neo just turned on his heels and went to change. It had not taken him long to get back into his other clothes. Carefully folding his uniform he carried it back out with hi. but when he returned the girl was not there and most of the other troop members had left to keep training. Relieved Cooler decided to go with his plan to out fox the fox.

Cole had changed while Neo did, and was standing waiting for the man as he came back to the area. Frank looked at his watch and said, "Now we need to get back to the house. Franco should have finished his breakfast by now. If he has eaten everything then I need to start another day of his training."

Neo shrugged and headed toward the compound. The walk was done in total silence. He had already slipped by giving Saunders the test. Inwardly Cooler prayed that he had covered it up well.

When they reached the house Cole directed him to his room, "Go and take a shower Neo and shave. When I have checked on how Franco has done with breakfast , I will call you to his room. If he has not eaten everything again, you will be watching the one way feed from your room. You will be able to hear and see him, but he will not be able to see and hear you. Now go." Cole waited until Neo was in his room and then turned into the office. He needed to check his desk and wanted to get a quick look at Franco before entering. He also turned on the monitor in Neo's room. until he could check on how Franco did with breakfast and look at anything else, which may have been deposited on his desk.

Neo still said nothing as he headed for his room. Once there he let out a sigh of relief as he said quietly, "I must be more careful. I will not have Saunders used by her own sensei as a pawn in his game. The girl is still innocent of just who all Fixer works for. Most of his clients, I could care less about." Neo shook his head as he finished, "It is him showing at Hog's Head that one of his clients is Khalid, that has this battle of wills happening. It is the one thing that I can't forget. I wonder just how dark my brother's friend really is. Yet there is a small part of me that hopes that I am wrong." Neo went and did some exercises on the floor of his room. He had told Fixer that he would fight the man tooth and nail. So he had no intention of just doing what Fixer asked. If the Cooler gave in then a lot more would be lost besides his siblings.
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(OOC: This is a combined post by Barbie and Jane, we hope you enjoy it. Saunders is only a character used to further the story. At this time there is no idea of bringing her in as a full character. List of Taekwondo techniques - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Taekwondo_techniques )

COLE


Cole watched the view screen and smiled

Neo glanced to both sides and turned his head slightly so he could just barely see behind him. Having three elves surround you did not create good prospects for what was going to happen. Neo fought the need to stand up, but it was too strong. He tried to hold his legs steady, but they were moving him toward the bathroom. As the bathroom surrounded him, his clothes came off and disappeared somewhere behind him. "How dare you do this to me… I do not choose to take a shower and shave. He is not my boss. Stop," he yelled, having no effect on what was happening to him.

His body was forced into the shower and cold water rained down on him. When he was rinsed, he was allowed to get out of the shower, a towel was rapped around him and he was walked into the main room. Trying to move his head to see what the three elves were doing, he found his head was locked into position, looking straightforward. Mecum walked up behind him and put a hand on either side of his head, hold his head still. Kimtu got a razor and proceeded to shave Neo, pushing his face so he had nice flat surfaces. Apparently, the elves did not know about shaving cream. His face was going to burn for a while. All three elves stood back and Punta held out the pile of clothes, looking at Neo and said, "Here are your clean clothes Master Neo. Please get dressed. Your brother and Master Frank are waiting for you."



Neo was furious with himself. He was trying to fight the idea that Cole could dictate what he did, but he was being blindsided at every corner. He was headed toward Frankie's room, and in all truth it was exactly where he wanted to be, so he stopped fighting.



Neo looked at Cole sitting calmly at the table. Neo knew the impression the man was trying to make to Frankie. Cole wanted his brother to think, Fixer was being a good guy in all of this and it was his fault he had not come sooner. The only thing he could do though was glare, as he headed toward the chair, where he was told to sit.

Cole kept the smile on his face, as the Cooler sat down, knowing if human magic could be used on the island, he would be under the table hurt bad, if not dead.

(OCC: This is a combined post between Fixer and Neo. The quoted parts are taken from the thread that is taking place at the same time in this forum. Between Franco and Fixer called "Training For A New Life")

NEO


Franco cringed when Neo glared at him saying, "Frankie needs to learn to say out of this. Unless you are setting Khalid up and not accepting jobs from him like you did at Hog's Head? Otherwise, I have no other choice but stand by what I said. I can't and will not work for or with anybody who gets even partial payment from the likes of Khalid and Shadow!"

"Neo, I am working for myself. I am not accepting payment from Khalid to complete any job. What I am doing I am doing to gather my own information." Cole looked at Franco and then back to Neo. "I know you do not believe me, but on my honor to a person you know about I am telling you the truth." Cole did not dare tell Neo he had discovered he was Khalid's son-in-law, because he had been married to the man's now deceased daughter. He was telling the truth in what he said. Khalid was not paying him for the job. The man had made a rather large sum of galleons available for him, but it was to ensure Cole could find the information he needed on the traitor in the PACT and at the school. The money and the relationship put him on equal footing with the Shadow.

Neo shook his head as he said angrily, "Are you saying that I am blind? That The TS and most of the men on this island are not getting paid by Khalid?"

"I am telling you I have inherited a lot of galleons and I am putting them to use, running my own jobs. The army is being paid by me. In the beginning I did take help from Khalid and others who you do not even want to know about, but now I am running this show. You can believe me or not Neo. Either way, you are going to agree to my stipulations, because in the end you have no choice." Cole had picked his words carefully, always telling the truth. "Your brother thinks we should make a new deal I think, " Cole glanced at Franco, "but I have set my stipulations and I will stick too them." Turning to Franco he said, "And don't worry about the elves correcting my stubbornness, Franco, because they know what is at stake, in my little game and they have agreed to help." Cole just stared back and forth between the two brothers, before continuing. "Neo when you are ready to agree with me, let me know. At the moment though we need to get about an hour's time into Franco's training. Then he needs to eat and go outside to get some sun."

Franco shrugged as he said, "Since you two are being stubborn well I guess I can show you how you should be handling this? Neo, Fixer is not the PACT Traitor. He was not the man that almost killed our brother. He wants him just as much as we do."

Neo looked at Frankie and said, "So far he is the only PACT member that has taken a job from a known Dark Sect member or have you forgotten Frankie that he took you from Hog's Head and turned you over to that maniac Khalid? His job there showed me that he will take any job that pays his price! Khalid can and that means a certain girl is at risk. That risk can't exist or everything James, Samantha, Troy died for will mean nothing!"

Franco looked at Fixer and waited. Neo was at least talking.

Cole knew he had to lay a few cards on the table. He was still going to get Neo to agree to his terms, but maybe, just maybe he could do it without semi-starving the man to death and weakening him to the point he would be unable to fight. Scooting his chair so it was more at an angle to the table and facing Neo, he said, "Cooler, the traitor had my wife and unborn son killed in front of me, because I would not give up information." Cole looked away for a moment, as his sweet Maggie's face floated through his mind's eye. "Franco was taken like he was and treated like he was to make Shadow know I could control at least one of you Spellman's. I have called in my markers with Franco very sparingly, as he can tell you. Rest assured though, I will get rougher if need be and your brother knows it. I have a reason for everything I do Cooler. The girl is actually safer with me involved then if I stayed out of the situation." Cole bore his eyes into the man adding, "I have told you I will help Franco, because it is necessary for him to understand his gift, before he seriously hurts others unintentionally. I do not care if you want to take me down Cooler. Maybe it will give you something to concentrate on as I use your compliance to my rules. Are you done? Can we get back to your brother?" Looking at his watch, Cole realized he needed to get Franco out into the sun. He would not use that time to question Franco, because it would be the man's down time from the other training pressures. Then it would be lunchtime.

Franco smiled as he saw that Fixer was at least trying. He turned to his brother and said, "Neo, if Fixer had been the man that Marco took the hood off, our brother would have remembered, right?" After Neo nodded, Franco said, "So Frank Cole is not the man. Marco trusts Fixer, why can't you?"

Neo shook his head, "Drop it Frankie! Let me handle this my way! Now let's get your training done, cause at least there me and Fixer can agree. Okay?" His brother and Fixer had given him a lot to think about. The problem was that Neo was torn between wanting to trust and knowing if he was wrong yet again that the price would be excessively high. Neo tried to remember just who had been the one that had taught him never to trust unless he was positive. Cooler started to get a headache as a girl's face came into his mind.

"Well at least we are getting somewhere. Unfortunately Franco needs to get outside and have some sun. He will have one hour then it is lunch time." Cole stood up looking back and forth between the two brothers, "I am going to allow you both to have the hour free. You can walk around the main lawn area. You are not allowed in the trees. Punishment for not following this rule will be severe. Franco, Neo will take any punishment you gather along with his own. Understand me gentlemen, I will not have it different? At the end of the hour, Franco will return here and have lunch. We will use the afternoon for training. After dinner, Neo and I will have a little physical training and Franco you will be allowed to rest." Signaling Punta to release both men's legs, he started toward the door. "I will see you gentlemen in about and hour and a half."

Cole never stopped until he was out the door and across the hall in his office. Turning on the main view screen, he went to the wet bar and poured himself a drink of very old scotch.

Neo waited until Fixer left then said, "I was thinking about what you asked me, Frankie. Do you have paper? There is a face that came to mind and I am hoping you know her name." Franco looked at Punta as he asked, "My brother sweet on a girl. Why have we never met her?" The elf's reaction told Franco that this girl was trouble, big trouble. Saint watched and wondered just why the elves had no intention of Neo ever remembering that girl's name.

"There is no time at the moment, Master Franco and Master Neo. Later I will see if I can get some parchment and quill for you to use, Master Neo. Now please follow Kimtu out the door to the main yard." Punta gestured toward the door and bowed slightly. As they left he looked at the camera above the screen and silently asked what he should do. He was not expecting an answer immediately, so he followed the others outside.

(OOC: The following post by Neo is a direct quote from "Training For A Neo Life" located in this forum. As stated before this thread and that one are happening at the same time, so we are double post a little bit to keep the readers up to date on where we are in the story. This is a joint post by Barbie and Jane, we hope you are enjoying both threads.)

COLE
Cole had seen Punta's questioning look on the screen as the two men were led outside for Franco's morning walk. Frank knew of the girl, and somehow he had to keep Neo from remembering her. He was not sure how much the girl still had control over Neo through possible memories inserted into his head, which could be triggered to make him do things he would not normally do.

Switching the screen to the yard, Cole watched as Neo and Franco started a circuit around the perimeter. He smiled as he saw there were four men, two in front and two behind, staying with the brothers as they walked. Cole had made it very clear in a morning memorandum he had posted on the main bulletin board, what would happen if he the two brothers got away from the yard, without his permission. All the members of his little force, knew he did not hesitate to discipline those in the wrong.

Cole had decided to not ease drop on what the brothers were saying. It added a little spice to the game of cat and mouse he was playing with Neo, concerning the man giving into his demands. The men were not frowning and did not look on high alert, so whatever the two brothers were talking about, was not immediately dangerous.

Pulling some paperwork toward him, Cole used the time to catch up on the details of running his little empire. The paperwork was crazy. He was getting more requests for work, then he could ever handle. He had been able to send out a few teams to handle some of the contract work, but concentrating on what he was presently doing was essential.

NEO
Neo stood in front of Fixers desk. Franco had been taken to his room to have his lunch, and Neo had been brought to Cole's office. As he stood there with Punta on guard a few feet away, Neo wondered what the man had in mind. Punta told him he had to stand, but he had been waiting about fifteen minutes now.

Cole came out of the bathroom, drying his hands on a towel and made his way to the large office chair behind his desk. Nodding at Punta, he turned to Neo, "How was your walk Cooler. It was a little warm out there. Punta will give you some water to drink and then we will talk." Punta handed Neo a bottle of plain water and then went to a small door behind Coles desk, opened it and pulled out a food tray. Putting it on the desk in front of Master Cole, he removed the lids to the food. Cole knew it had been fifty plus hours since Neo had eaten and he had gone out of his way to make sure the chef had prepared all of Neo's favorites and put them on the tray. "You don't mind if I eat while we talk do you Neo. Chef has really outdone himself don't you think. I would offer you some, but you have not decided yet on whether you deserve to eat or not." Cole chuckled.

Neo just stayed silent as he figured that he could last at least as long as his last fast was. He had went a week once as a way of cleansing his body. He was interested that Fixer was also as their dad would say "a health nut". Neo thought about all the times their father had tried to make him eat fried foods. He held out with their father, Neo grinned as he said, "What did you want to talk about? As I have exercises I need to do in my room."

Taking a large bite and making sure Neo saw how good it was. After washing it down with a couple of healthy swallows of Butterbeer he asked, "So what did you an Franco talk about on your walk?"

Neo said, "What me and my brother talk about is none of your business! Unless it deals with his gift, which it don't! Anything else as I am going back to my room?" With that he turned around and headed for the door. He knew he should try to understand Fixer. The thing was he was not about to risk the Core on a hunch.

Punta stepped in front of the door and just looked at Master Neo. Cole smiled, "I have not given you permission to leave yet, Cooler. Please return to your original spot." Cole signaled to Punta to help Neo back to in front of his desk if the man declined to move on his own.

Neo shook his head as he said, "I am not one of your lackeys and never will be. Get this clear in your head Fixer, I don't break! My family's sacrifices for a certain young lady, have made that impossible. Cause if Khalid bought you once, he can again! I won't play hunches with that girl's life! So Sorry Fixer I am not breaking! That girl's safety is my responsibility."

Cole put his fork down and laced his fingers together across his chest. "I have given Punta permission to use force to bring you back over here. Do you really want to put the elf through that? He seems to like you for some reason."

Neo turned to face Fixer as he said, "Maybe it is just that he understands why I can never allow myself to give into you or anybody else? I won't risk her on a hunch that you have good intentions where the Core is concerned. Maybe if you had not accepted that job at Hog's Head from Khalid..." Neo stopped and then said, "But you did Fixer which means you can be bought by those who a girl that my family has sworn an oath to protect with our lives if need be." Neo turned back towards the door thinking, "I just wished I never saw that you would use those kids against Bren. Or if you had just promised that they would never come back? Cause now I am torn between my loyalty to her and my love for at least one of my brothers? Marco's friendship with you will make what I must do to protect her the hardest thing I have had to do since Marco's fight with Thomas." He just prayed that Fixer did not take Marco down with him. Cooler knew that if that happened then he would never forgive himself for sending Fixer to Azkaban. It was one of the reasons Neo was waiting as he needed to know just how involved his brother Marco was.

Cole held up his finger and Punta nodded. Neo stiffened, turned and with halting steps was forced back to in front of the desk. "Neo let me show you something." Cole turned in his chair and pushed a button his desk. The screen changed to the mountain. Slowly he zoomed in on the cliff, "Tell me what you see Neo. Look hard because what I want to show you tends to blend in with it's surroundings." The screen showed the side of the mountain which looked almost straight up. It was where one of the children had held preciously by his fingertips until he found a foot hold when he was free climbing. They were not easy to see, but as Cole zoomed in netting was visible at various stages up the side of the hill. The camera angle changed and there was also a net around most of the lip about ten feet down from the top. If Neo had pushed Cole when he was up there, Cole would have just fallen into the netting.

Turning from the screen Cole said, "These are just a few of the percussions implemented when the children are here. Whatever the children are doing there are a least two specialist with them for the activity. There is also a one to three ratio of grownups very close. A medic is with the group at all times and in radio contact with the small hospital I have set up on the island. The children come here to learn servival skills that the people at Hogwarts do not realize they are going to need in the future. I made a promise once to a great man, Neo and I will not go back on that promise." Cole pushed his tray back and leaned on the desk. "I am not the enemy Neo, but I need certain promises from you, which you are unwilling to voluntarily give. You are worried about Marco's involvement, well I can tell you he is in deep enough that if what I am trying to accomplish does not work, he is going to be in dire straits with more than one branch of the Ministry, and he is willing to accept that risk. You keep thinking about giving into my requests Neo. I will continue to train your brother, but how long can you go without eating, with all of the energy you are expending. What is your stubbornness going to do to Franco, when he figures out it is because of him that you are going to get weaker."

Cole pushed a button on the screen and Franco's room came into view. The man was almost done. "Return to your room Cooler, and think about what I have said." Cole waved Neo away from his desk and turned his back watching the screen.

Neo walked back to his room worried just how much of his mind was an open book to Fixer. The man knew that what he and Frankie had revealed had Neo doubting his resolve about sending Fixer to Azkaban. Now Cooler had an extra reason due to Marco's involvement. Neo shook his head as he realized that whatever Fixer was doing, it was getting to him. He needed to mediate and clear his head.

(OOC: This is another direct quote from "Training For A New Life". It is also a combined effort of Barbie and Jane.)

FRANCO
(OOC: The quotes for this post have been taken directly from "Training For a New Life" with more from Neo filtered into it, to explain what he was thinking when the training session for Franco was happening.)

Cole looked at Neo as he entered and motioned toward the bed. He did not want Franco to be able to use his brother to judge what he should answer to Cole's questions.



Neo slowly walked over to the bed. His brother's eyes were closed and he had his hands spread on the table. He had come to realize this was a favorite position of Cole's because it would cut down on the reaction time of the person positioned like that. He thought of saying something, but the small shake of Cole's head told him he better remain silent. As he sat down on the edge of the bed, he watched as the elf, walked up to one side of him, stared into his eyes, nodded and took a small step back. Neo felt a part of his brain go blank. He had lost contact with Frankie and with other thoughts which had been on the edge of his consciousness. It felt empty.



Neo wanted to scream. His brother was following directions, which was what supposed to happen, but there seemed to be almost a disconnection from Frankie and the situation. The only way Neo could explain it was Frankie had gone down one level in his mind, of actively being in the present. Neo could feel fear, apprehension and a strong desire on his brother's part to act brave.



Neo realized if he was going to be able to keep himself calm enough to be able to stay he was going to have to distance his own emotions. Closing his eyes he started a time honored meditation process he had followed for years. He would still be able to hear what was going on and be able to react if need be, but he would be looking at the situation from outside of direct involvement.




Listening to his brother's answer to this question was important. Over the years, Frankie had told them all various things about how he felt about his gift. When the other Quints had compared notes, they had found different explanations, some of which directly contradicted others.



Neo cringed. Marco and Neo especially had hidden so many times from their brother on changes his body had made. There had been several really bad scares over the early years. Some had been funny but most had been scary, especially for a group of five year olds trying to make sense of the magical world they lived in.



Neo was fighting desperately to stay in the meditation state. That fight was the one thing keeping him from finding his quiet place. Finally he could take it no longer. He got up quickly from the bed and took the two quick strides that brought him to his brother's chair. He felt the elf's hand on his arm, but paid no attention to it.



Neo listened to Frankie's words. All he could do was glare again at Cole. In his heart he know Cole had to bring the memories out, so Frankie could accept them, rationalize their importance since they happened in the past and could not now be changed, and then put them on a shelf somewhere in his mind as just a memory. It was tough though to watch his brother go through the filtering of the past.



If Neo had not been glaring at Cole as he was returned to his seat, he might have missed the small shudder that ran through the Fixer's body. Neo knew Cole had met Master Yee and wondered if the martial arts genius had anything to do with the Fixers training. Neo had decided to go after who ever had murdered the Grand Master. Maybe when he got himself and Frankie out of this mess they were in he would hire Cole to help him find those responsible. That would be an interesting turn of events.



It was Neo's turn to cringe. They had all been only four when their father had tried to drug Frankie to the point he could not even stand up. Over the previous month, they had been letting Frankie pretend to take the pill, but never put it in his mouth. The couple of times their father had placed the pill in Frankie's mouth, he had held it under his tongue and then spit it out when their father had left. To all of them at the time, it had been a game. When they got older protecting Frankie from those who wanted to either destroy or use his gift, had gone from a game to real life dangers.



Neo had never been able to get his father to talk much about Frankie's curse as he called it. He knew of the different nationalities mixed into their family background but had never looked into possibilities which would involve them. Nodding he also agreed maybe they should talk with Arianna and Tarik, about some trait which had been passed down through the generations.





Neo's eyes shot to where Frankie was. After all these years he was going to finally find out what had happened to his brother so very long ago. Even to this day he could remember the pain he and Marco had gone through when his father had just about beaten their four year old bodies just about to death. His father had convince the people at St. Mango's hospital that he and his brother had gotten caught in some magic which had gone wrong. He could not remember what that was, but he and Marco had spent over a month in the hospital, recovering and not knowing what had happened to Frankie and Kat. Leo had been able to come to the hospital with their father, but had not spoken a word. Neo grabbed the sheets in his fist, holding onto the control he had to keep if he wanted to stay with his brother.



Neo was breathing hard and fast. He even allowed himself a growl, but he was able to maintain his seat on the bed. His hands hurt from holding the covers. Tears were forming in the back of his eyes and he was successful at keeping them back for the most part. The pain he felt radiating off of his brother was almost unbearable. Through clinched teeth the repeated several times, "It's all right Frankie….. It's all right Frankie… It's all right Frankie." His throat had closed restricting any other words from coming out. When he felt his brother deflate a little he allowed himself to try and relax, but it was going to be a long time before his brothers voice, which had taken on the sounds of a four year old to get out of his mind.


Neo dropped his chin to his chest. He had not known his father had come that close to killing Franco and Kat. He and Marco had been told while they were in the hospital that they better keep their mouths shut if they ever wanted to see the family again. To this day the look that had been his father's face, gave the grown Neo reason to cringe.

Neo knew he was not supposed to get off the bed, but Frankie needed him so he went to his brother. Kneeling down in front of this brother, he put his hand on his shoulder.



Neo got up and slowly walked back to the bed while watching his brother come to terms with the point Cole had just driven home. Taking a seat back on the bed, he tried to concentrate on just staying calm. His brother was emotionally hurting, but he knew he had to go through this. The passing of the years had not made it any easier on any of them.




Neo swallowed hard. They had only told Frankie about a couple of the times he had changed at Hogwarts. He never remembered, so when he woke up in a strange place, they had to explain to him why. None of them could tell him about the day he almost killed someone.



Behind Frankie's back, Neo shook his head no. He and Marco had made a pact never to let Frankie know that Thomas came very close to dying that night. Marco had told him a Minotaur had broken up the fight or Thomas would have been dead. Instead of just being questioned at all times of day and night, to try and break their story, Marco and possibly Neo could have ended up in the juvenile side of Azkaban.



Neo was not liking the conclusions he was coming to. Frankie had a loss of time, which meant he had turned into something. Something which would create tears in the skin and burns. Neo was fighting the one image he was getting of an animal which could create that damage. Shaking his head slowly back and forth, the tried to prevent his brain from even thinking about…. Dragons.





Neo grimaced and was getting mad all over again. If Thomas was not already dead, having been murdered Tia's second year at Hogwarts, he would be going after him himself. He had thought his sister knew better than to go to a secluded spot with a sleaze like the boy had been. She must have been convince Thomas knew something important or she would have sent for one of her brothers or at least gone to a quiet place, where there were people around. Neo again had a tight hold on the bed covers.



Neo became terrified. Frankie's eyes had gone blank and he was just staring at the table. He had seen this happen to his brother before and it had taken professional help from one of the Caretaker Group, to pull him back to the surface. His brother was shutting down, because he might have killed him. Neo was not sure how Frankie felt about Thomas possibly getting killed, but he knew his brother enough that Frankie never liked taking a life or even hurting someone. It was one of the reasons he had gone into the newspaper business instead of anything else which would have involved fighting and killing, like the mercenary work Neo did.



Neo watched as first the elf put fingers against Frankie's temple and then Cole motioned for Kimtu to watch him. He started to get up out of the bed, but the elf stepped up in front of him and held up his hand to tell Neo not to move. "It will be all right Master Neo. Master Franco will be back with us soon," was all the elf said. Neo watched. Cole seemed to be doing a mind dive, but he had never seen it done when the person was not in direct contact with the one they were diving on. The only possibility was that Fixer was using the other elfs dive, to piggy-back on and go to Frankie's mindset that way. Neo was starting to worry about the power Fixer actually had. The man was a surprise around every corner.

Neo noticed Frankie's eyes starting to focus and he wasn't as rigid sitting in the chair. He let out a breathe he had not realized he was holding.



It still bothered Neo that Frankie seemed to know what he had done, starting when he was 14 years old. He had never played the patsey since that time, but he had some black marks on his soul which he knew Karma would take care of someday. He was just always hoping, none of his family would suffer because of his past or his present. Looking at Frankie, who was standing in front of him, he slowly nodded and downed the rest of the pumpkin juice in the mug he had been absentmindedly holding in his hand. Then he got up and gave his brother a hug, smiled, turned and walked toward the door.



Franco reached up and patted his brother on the back. He was still a captive but it felt good to take care of his brother for once … to be the strong one.

(OOC: This has been a combined post by Barbie and Jane, hope you enjoyed it

COLE
As they walked out the main door, the men closest to them went to attention. Cole simply said at easy and let the brothers to the sitting area outside the tent which was located on the other end of the large yard. The whole expanse was about as big as a Quidditch Field, surrounded on three sides by trees and the Barracks at one end. The main Mansion was off to the left just barely visible through the growth. A small rock path could be just made out on the ground leading that way.

Cole turned and said, "Franco, you will be out here for one hour. You may walk around, sit in one of the chairs or relax in the hammock. Any of the men or women will get you anything you want to eat or drink, while you are out here. Your brother and I will be gone more than that hour. When you go inside, you may visit the Library or just return to your room. I will let you know when we have returned."

Turning to Neo he said, "Warm up Neo, we are going for a run. I want to show you a little more of my island paradise." Seeing the look on Neo's face, Cole chuckled and added, "After all I want to have plenty of information for you to have in your report when you give it to Arianna." Cole laughed even louder as he started his own warm-up exercises. When he had finished he looked at Franco and said, "Oh and by the way, Saint don't ever threaten me again, remember your brother is still surety for your good behavior."

Franco shook his head as he said, "Neo is in no mental shape for a run, Fixer. And Fixer what I said earlier was not a threat. It was a Promise!" He led his brother to the hammock and was getting him to lie down.

Cole was just about to take off on his run, when Franco took his brother's arm and led him over to the hammock, "Stop Saint. Your brother is going for a run. He is in shape to run and he wants to run, don't you Cooler." Cole added a hint of warning to his voice, letting Neo know, he better agree to come or it was going to be bad for his brother here. Neo would know, Cole could punish his brother without even touching him. "So what's it going to be Neo, go for a nice run with me or stay here and keep your brother entertained? "

Neo broke away from Frankie as he gently said, "It is okay Frankie. Air needs this info and I can run away my mental demons at the same time." He looked at Frankie pleading with him to back down and stay out of this. Frankie blocked his brother's path as he said, "No, you already had one stress spell. You are not having another. Your health is more important than you running."

Cole stood with his hands on his hips and his feet spread apart. "Franco, I am going to give you a choice. One, nicely get out of your brothers way and let him go on this run or two, let me have Kimtu force you to get out of your brothers way, by binding you in a chair the whole time you are out here, and let Neo go on our run. Make your choice Saint; you have five seconds, starting now."

Franco shook his head as he said, "Fixer, he is still recovering from that last spell of shutting down. The one that got me to agree to Neo being back in his own room. He almost had another just a few minutes ago. Please he needs rest? After his rest then he can run." He was worried about his brother as he still seemed shaky. He looked at Fixer wondering if the man had been lying to him about what was really wrong with Neo.

Cole looked at Neo. The man was weakening at least physically. Cole shook his head and raised his hand. Franco found himself bound and haultingly walked back to the chair about four feet away from the hammock. He was dropped into the chair not too lightly. Cole walked over and leaned on the arms of the chair, so his face was very close to Franco's. "You do not tell me what to do on either my island or anywhere else we may run into each other Saint. I gave you a choice. Arguing with me was not one of them. I choose for you. When you are back in your room, Kimtu has my permission to release you. Until then sit and relax." Cole reached up and not too gently patted Franco's cheek.

Then he turned and asked Neo, who had started to warm up and in a voice which did not give the option of being refused, "Ready Cooler?" At that he took off running, not even bothering to check to see if Neo was behind him, because he knew he would be.

Franco said glaring at Fixer, "My brother can drop at any moment and you want me to relax. If anything happens to my brother on this run, you know it breaks our deal."

Cole heard Franco's yell, but was not going to acknowledge it. When he reached a point in the trees where he knew Franco could not see him he stopped and waited for Neo to catch up. The man was definitely getting weaker, but Cole had to give him credit he was not ready to give in. Maybe after the run and the work out today though they would be a whole lot closer. Cole had a big day planned for the Cooler.

(OOC: This is a combined post between Barbie and Jane, We hope you enjoyed it)