Aberrant: 2011 - Surreal [Mature themes] [Complete]

[z-Kara]

**This fiction contains mature themes of sex and violence. If this offends you, please read something else. You have been warned.

"Freeze!" Bobbie shouted, snatching his hat off his balding head and throwing it angrily to the floor. "This is not working!"

Kara sighed, letting her head drop back on the desk under her. Tyler also dropped his head, his long blonde hair tickling her stomach as he groaned. Kara emphasized with him; as much as the top of the hard desk was starting to make her butt numb and her back ache, she knew that he was in a worse position as he pressed his thighs into the wooden edge of the desk.

Bobbie was turning away from them, grabbing the arm of the lighting technician and growling at him softly while Frank, the producer, shook his head. "Bob, can Caramel and Ty move? That oak top can't be comfortable," Frank interrupted the hushed conversation. He was the only one who would have dared to interrupt Bobbie when he got like this.

"No, guys, sorry, just hold your position for just a moment," Bobbie called absently. His whispers became more insistant.

"God, this is a crap job," Tyler sighed, rolling his neck to crack it.

Kara reached up and rubbed his shoulders. "How you doing?" she asked, a little concerned. Tyler had been irritable from the start of the shoot, which was nothing like she remembered from their last movie together.

"When Bob has us go fast, my balls smack into the table," Tyler grunted angrily. "And all these pauses don't help me keep my wood."

"I know, sugar," Kara said automatically. She'd meant it to be comforting, but Tyler clearly took it to mean she could feel him losing it.

"That doesn't help either," he snorted. "Wanna give me a squeeze or two to help out?"

"Sure," Kara said tightly, fighting with her own irritation now. She complied with his request; no point in not helping a co-worker. She wasn't sure if it was very effective; the numbness in her ass was spreading.

Frank looked at his watch again, his irritation clearly growing with each passing second. Kara sighed and tried to shift her ass slightly, earning her a grumble from Tyler. Her hands dropped to the wooden surface, feeling the grains of wood-

Something brushed her mind, like someone dragging flower petals over the inside of her skull. Fighting down a sudden surge of panic, Kara tried to relax, to let the mental invader search her harmless memories while sequestering the dangerous ones in her mental safe, hidden behind a deluge of porn scenes.

But the searcher was relentless, and Kara felt the first bead of sweat trickle down her face as she pressed her fingers into the wood and fought-

It was what the invader wanted; an opening to a certain memory, and it took it, thrusting into her mind like a knife. Kara screamed; she wasn't sure if it was aloud, because her attention was completely absorbed by the internal battle. She felt her mind tetter on the edge of breaking, and she knew that something had to give. She tightened her grip on the rest of her hidden memories, and opened a tiny hole in her shields, letting the invader have what it wanted. But the rest was safe, pulled back-

-pulled back against the rough wood and Caramel grunted. "Hey, is this thing sanded?" she asked, tugging against the bonds holding her to the St. Andrew's Cross.

"Somewhat," Hodge, the director said absently as he gazed through the viewer on the camera.

"Hey," Caramel snapped, "splinters were not part of my contract."

"Does it really matter?" her co-star said, stepping forward and becoming visible as he moved in front of the quartz lights. His dark eyes were latching onto her with something that was too intense, too deep. Suddenly, Caramel was frightened, just from that deep gaze.

"Let's put you up here and see if you change your tone," Caramel grunted irritably, hiding her fear. Her mind was working hard, trying to remember if she'd heard anything about this man, Ma-

The invader zeroed in on the name, but Caramel shoved it away, forcing it back to the memory. She thought, for just a moment, she heard Tyler's voice, but she was too caught up in her internal struggle to care.

"No, I don't think so. I've already had St. Andrew kiss my back, many times," her co-star said. He took a step toward her, a step she desperately wished she could make him take back. Something was very, very wrong with him; she could feel it, like the hint of vomit on the back of her tongue. "And I've been where you are, many times before, and sometimes on film," the unsettling man added. "In fact, my last film there changed me. I hope it does as much for you."

"Alright," Caramel said. "I want down, and I want my phone. Right now! Or else this becomes a legal matter."

"It only becomes a legal matter if we're caught," her co-star said, signaling to a someone beyond the lights. A cart rolled forward, pushed by someone who didn't follow it into the light, so it appeared to come at his call. It was a tall, narrow cart, with the tray on top being covered by a hanging cloth. He flipped back the cloth to reveal shining scapels, wires and other nasty impliments. "I assure you, beautiful Caramel, no one will ever catch me."

[z-Kara]

... never catch me...

... never catch me...

"I caught you," Kara whispered, surfacing into the physical world for just a moment, her eyes catching Tyler's. He blinked at her-

Falling back into her mind was like being pulled under water, and Kara didn't fight it. She drew an involuntary breath, completely caught up in the sensations flooding her. And with a tiny shudder, she embraced the memory-

-embraced the blade like a confused lover, and Kara screamed as her co-star let the blade remain in the hug of her flesh. "Stop, please!" she cried, shivering despite herself.

"I have just begun," her co-worker said, drawing the surgical blade down a fraction of an inch. Kara didn't scream as loudly; shock was starting to set in a bit, and her mind was frantically distancing itself. "Let me go!"

"No, no... not yet," he said, his voice smooth and painless.

"I want to go home," Kara wept, sagging against bonds that didn't give an inch.

Lips were warm against her cheek, and his breath was hot as he whispered, "I will set you free. When I'm done."

I'm going to die here, Kara realized, and fear washed over her. Mar-

Again, Kara shoved the memory away, but not toward the torture. She turned toward something better, still related, but better-

The car idled, waiting for the light to change. Caramel stretched in the back of the limo, eyeing the rough neighborhood just outside the window. She wasn't worried, really; she would be protected.

The small, sleek tabby in the alleyway wasn't so sheltered; a mob of chattering children had it cornered. Caramel frowned, whispered, "Poor thing." And even as the cat spat and hissed mightly, the group attacked.

The light changed, and Caramel twisted to watch, a prayer in her throat. For a second, she couldn't see; then the cat dashed between the childrens' legs, twisting and rolling, her tiny body untouchable. Hands slid off fur and came up empty, and the cat dashed between buildings and was gone.

How sweet.

It was the intruder, Caramel knew. No voice had ever resonated in her head this way.

Were you glad the cat got away?

Yes.

Why?

Caramel didn't want to answer; she didn't want to give this thing in her head the keys to her soul. But there were darker secrets still for her to protect.

What do you want?

Her flesh embraced the blade like a confused lover, and Kara screamed as her co-star let the blade remain in the hug of her flesh. "Stop, please!" she cried, shivering despite-

Say his name.

No!

-herself.

"I have just begun," her co-worker said, drawing the surgical blade down a fraction of an inch. Kara didn't scream as loudly; shock was starting to set in a bit, and her mind was frantically distancing itself. "Let me go!"

"No, no... not yet," he said, his voice smooth-

I can take you here, over and over. I can LEAVE you here.

-and painless.

"I want to go home," Kara wept, sagging against bonds that didn't give an inch.

Lips were warm against her cheek, and his breath was hot as he whispered, "I will set you free. When I'm done."

"Please," Kara whispered, hearing Frank shouting her name, feeling someone shaking her. But that was another place, somewhere she couldn't be right now.

Say it.

There were deeper things to hide. Marcus Ramm.

There was silence. And the cat?

There were deeper things to hide. Because I used it to get away later.

-blood ran in warm rivelets down her body, and she was weak with pain. I'm dying, she knew. I don't want to die.

She saw the cat in her mind, and she wanted to be as sleek-

-her body shivered, thinned-

-as smooth-

-the fur spread, thick, glossy and slick-

-as small-

-the bonds were too large to hold her, and Kara the cat dropped to all four paws.

For a long moment, there was silence. "You..." Marcus said.

"Me!" Kara screamed, but her body was already changing again, shifting up into something larger, much large, a suitable conduit for her rage. The word "me" came out as a gruttural roar.

The Siberian Tiger knocked the St. Andrew's cross down with its rump, an accidental bonus caused by the lack of room for the larger form. With another roar, she leapt, her form slamming into Marcus, throwing him down.

"STOP!" he shrieked and the words punched into her brain stopping her-

Kara jerked away from the rest of the memory, turning away from it. It was the best part but she shoved it away, hiding it.

Why stop now?

BECAUSE I KILLED HIM! Kara screamed in her mind. There was a dead silence in her mindscape, as her entire brain held onto that horrible fact. Because I killed Marcus Ramm, she sobbed mentally, feeling the horrible guilt she always felt with this memory. He was a nova, and he fucked with people's heads and he tortured them to death for snuff films, but I crushed his skulls in my jaws and I would do it again and that's wrong!

But I would do it again. And again; he can't die too much. I can't kill him enough, not for what he's done.

Marcus Ramm is alive. And the pressure in her mind was gone.

[z-Kara]

Kara slammed back into awareness, to find a wallet in her mouth and a paramedic leaning over her, trying to shine a light in her eyes. "Mefff mmme uphhh!" she said, unable to communicate with the leather holding down her tongue.

"I think she's having seizures again!" someone shouted, but Frank said, "No, she's looking at us. She's awake. Kara. Kara, blink once if you understand me."

Kara blinked once emphatically, and Frank nodded. "Back up, everyone," he ordered, waving people away from her. "Give her some room. You, too," he said to the medic.

Kara realized she was on one of the beds in the blue bedroom set as she took out the wallet. The taste of worn leather and worse was thick on her tongue and she made a quick face. Frowning at Frank, she asked, "What happened?"

"You seemed to have a fit," Frank said, reaching down to touch her forehead. "How do you feel?" He casually handed the wallet over his shoulder to the cameraman, who gingerly wiped it off with a towel and slipped it back into his back pocket.

"Tired," Kara said, which was true - she was fighting sleep, just laying here. "I'm going to sit up, so I don't fall asleep." Frank leaned down and helped her, and Kara realized that she was naked under the sheet that covered her. The moment she was vertical, her head began to pound.

"Thanks," she mumbled, holding her head.

"What's wrong?"

"Headache," Kara said, and the medic pushed back to her side and checked her eyes again.

"You could have a concussion, and I'd like to take you into the hospital for observation," the medic said, though it was clear he was really talking to Frank.

"Do it," Frank said, and just like that, Kara was hustled away for medical care.

[z-Kara]

It was after ten p.m. when she was finally able to make her phone call. And the nurses weren't sure about that; Kara had practically had to threaten a law suit to get access to her phone. But finally, she dialed the number she knew by heart, then paused and dialed another series of numbers.

The voice that answered didn't go into preliminaries. "What's wrong?"

Kara smiled as she realized that he trusted her enough to know that she'd never call him unless it was serious. "I got brain-rolled."

Breath whistled as he sucked it in through his teeth. "How bad?" he finally asked.

"Bad enough," Kara said, curling around the phone. She wished he were here. It was stupid, but Colin had been there last time she'd needed protection-

-"STOP!" he shrieked and the words punched into her brain stopping her cold. Marcus Ramm lay under her paws, but she couldn't bite him, and the massive cat roared in frustration.

"Freeze!" another voice shouted, and the tiger lifted her head to snarl at the new person. Tall with sandy hair and an athletic form, he had a gun and a badge of some sort.

Hodge stepped from behind the camera, swinging an empty camera stand like a club. It caught the man, even as he swiveled away from the blow.

Kara was stopped, but she wasn't helpless. She dropped hard on Ramm, driving her heavier body into his form. He choked and coughed, straining to draw air.

The gun went off, and Hodge shrieked, grabbing for his knee as blood sprayed around the room. The smell only heightened Kara's anxiety, and she fought against the word carved on her mind, keeping her in place.

"UP!" Ramm croaked, and Kara stood up before she could stop herself. His gaze turned to the new player on the field, and he ordered, "DROP IT!"

But to do that, he'd had to release Kara, and the giant tiger struck. Ramm's head disappeared into her jaws, and she bit down without hesitation or mercy. His skull fractured, blood running hot over her tongue.

Suddenly, Kara realized what she had done. In a heartbeat, the hot anger was gone, and the tiger dropped her prize. It was a mistake, for she could see what she had done. With a moan, Kara turned away, vomitting into a corner. Her furred body slowly lost its form as blood and vomit mixed on the floor.

A jacket slipped over her shoulders, and the shaking woman looked up at the man curling the clothing around her naked form. His hands were strong and his voice gentle as he said, "You're safe. My name is Colin, and I'll make sure you get home ok. It's ok - you're safe." And he'd said it until she'd believed him.

"Kara?"

"Sorry, I zoned out," she answered quickly. She'd never admit that she'd been wishing he was here to hold her. Keep your mind on business.

"It's ok," he answered. "Getting a brain drill is no fun. I have to ask - what'd he get?"

Kara rubbed her face and answered, her voice tired. "The story about Ramm," she said. She heard her pride as she said, "He doesn't know about you." Kara heard the sigh of relief, even through he'd tried to hide it. "He thinks I killed Ramm alone. But he said something strange - he said Ramm was alive."

"What?" Kara felt relief rush through her as she heard the confusion in his voice. But is it real relief? He's trained to lie.

"That's what he told me. Ramm's dead, right?"

Colin growled a curse. "Yes, and he might still be. I don't like this, Kara. Just knowing enough to tie you to Ramm is too much."

"I... think that means Ramm's alive," Kara said softly. "Hodge was brain-wiped, so who else could know?"

"Any number of people could have known about that horrible movie," Colin said. "They would have known that you were supposed to be there, but you survived and Ramm disappeared. Add in Hodge coming up blank on the whole affair, and they could have been fishing." There was a thoughtful pause, then Colin said, "Damnit. Don't call me again. I'm checking around, and I'll contact you as soon as I know something."

The phone went dead in her ear, leaving her alone.

[z-Kara]

"There are two issues here," Colin said when he called two days later. "The first is the state of Ramm's body. It has gone missing from the morgue it was first interred at. The second issue is who told you this and why?"

"Wait," Kara said, backing up the conversation a touch. “Ramm’s body went missing, but no one told me?”

“Kara, you get information when you need to know it,” Colin said, and his voice was tense. She could almost here the aggravated thoughts in his head. “You didn’t need to know that, just as I didn’t need to know it either. You know how the game works.”

“You’re right,” Kara said emphatically, trying to get her understanding of the situation across. “You’re right. This just has me freaked not, and I’m not exactly a professional.”

“I know, Kara,” Colin said soothingly, “and your efforts are appreciated and valuable.”

“I do it because of people like Ramm, because I can’t let anyone else fall into their hands,” Kara said softly, “so you kinda can see why I’m like this… right?”

“I know, Kara, I know,” Colin said. “That’s why we don’t normally let agents do cases where they have a personal stake in it.”

Kara smirked. “Good thing I’m not really an agent then, huh?”

“Good thing they’re not really putting you on the case,” Colin replied jokingly. His tone swiftly became deadly serious as he said, “But you are clearly being targeted, so it’s been decided to inform you. The information will be passed to you by hand, by a method I’ll inform you of as soon as they set it up. Understand something; this is so that if Ramm or this mysterious telepath contacts you again, you’ll be informed, and can act to first, protect yourself, and second, to gather the necessary information that would lead to their apprehension. Can you do that?”

“Of course,” Kara said, nodding even though she knew he couldn’t see the gesture. “That’s what I already do.”

“No, it isn’t, because this time, they’re coming after you. This isn’t some light information gathering; they might be out to finish what Ramm started. They might try to put you back on that cross and cut you up. Be careful, Kara – this isn’t like anything else you’ve ever done before.”