And so, Vance explained it to them through his various deductions, using what he realized himself first. About how clearly the killer knew the nanny, and likely had some sort of access or connection with her or the household itself. Additionally what was mentioned was the fact they would likely choose a place nearby to stash the boy, but also that this was very likely done in a rage, which was good.
"If they are angry with the parents for whatever reason, the boy will still be alive. They will want to make sure that the parents will suffer, but I dont think we have that long. Most likely, the moment the ransom call comes in, once itts over and they confirmed the boy is alive, he will be killed. He may even be killed over thte phone, during the call".
"So we cant wait for the call and then trace it then".
"Yes. However, to do this in broad daylight is still risky. So they should be nearby. Abandoned warehouses are too obvious, but an inactive but still maintained warehouse is a different story. There are a number of those in the area, and they would be a great place to lay low for a short time".
Vance was taking credit for all their hard work, but it couldn't be helped. Not revealing Oz and Astra' psionic abilities would help keep them safe from The Institute, plus it would require admitting to them having touched evidence. Vance was already going to punish them severely for doing such a thing in the first place, to engrave into their heads, or rears in this case, not to risk contaminating evidence at a crime scene.
Course, it would have been even more punishment had they used their palms or fingers, rather tthen the back of their hands, since that would have let fingerprints and palm prints.
Still, even if the rest of the cops couldn't feel it, Oz and Astra could tell Vance was quite mad at them for doing such a thing.
Ahhh....we aren't going to be able to wear pants or underwear tonight, our butts are going to be stinging really bad after this one.
That was their general impression. After all, they both knew Vance didn't know how to scold kids normally. Plus he was way too strict.
Though since they were deeply regretting their choices right now, one could argue Vance's methods were effective for them. For normal children, it would probably be way too harsh. But while spankings were painful and embarassing to them, as well as all of Vance's rules, and certainly they wanted to avoid all the humiliating and painful feelings from his punishments, to them they could see all the kindness in it as well.
After all, they learned true pain, true malice, true uncaringness from the researchers at The Institute. Compared to them, Vance was so kind. He gave them his bed to sleep in last night, and it was the best sleep they ever got. He cooked them breakfast himself, and had them eat at the table, rather then just being passed whatever they were told to eat, which focused on just keeping them alive and good for experimentation, inside their cells. They didn't mention it, and Oz would never ever admit it, but they had to hold back tears of joy when they ate a homecooked meal at the table with Vance. During the meal, he had completely forgotten all the embarassment and pain, and even that he was naked.
And then there was the bath. The scientists made sure they were clean, yeah, but only for their own sakes. And it often would just be a power wash with some sort of high tech hose, or other crude methods. But as embarrassing as it was, Vance gave them a bath himself, washed them both by hand. He washed some areas that Oz would have rather dealt with himself, but as embarrassing as it was, it was so incredibly kind as well. He took such care to make sure soap didn't even get in their eyes.
Within twenty four hours, Vance had done so many embarassing, humiliating, idiotic things. He just talked about their phobia like it was nothing. Even now, surrounded by all these people, Oz and Astra stayed away from the big groups even though they knew they were cops. Even if they could read their minds, and they knew they were good people, they still couldn't bring themselves to trust or like any of them. And with Vance, for some reaosn, they couldn't even read his mind. He was an adult too. Adults had only just sold them off, barely looked after them in the orphanage, abused and denied them basic human rights in the Institute, and so much more.
Vance had done more for them, had been kinder to them, then every single other adult they had ever met combined.
But because of that, Oz couldn't stop himself from being suspicious. On one hand, Vance was the closest thing they had to a parent ever. On the other hand, it was so wildly different from all of his previous experiences, he couldn't fully trust or invest with this person. To Oz, he knew he had to be playing an angle of some kind.
At least that was what Oz believed. But still...
Vance is stupid, idiotic, insensitive, way too strict, mean, strict, an airhead, doesn't know how to treat kids, strict, and is way too suspicious! He absolutely has to be some sort of pervert!
Astra just smiled as he heard his brother's thoughts.
I understand what you mean niichan, but...this is the best we have been treated. So I think we should stay. That said...I was excited to wear clothes for the first time in a year or two, but it feels a bit unnatural now. It might take awhile. Niichan too, I dont think he is used to it either.
Astra made such observations.
Though, maybe...part of it is just being uncomfortable and not used to being treated like a person after so long. I thought it would be a harder fight, that we would need to fight people for it. But everyone here really does treat us like people.
Astra mused on that, as Vance and the cops suddenly isolated one area on the map.
"This factory here. Easy access, its not abandoned but not active either. Looks like its because...its in the middle of being sold from the company the parents run to another company, complicated legal matters or something like that. And they had to lay off a lot of people as a result".
"...that might be motive. But we need more information".
"Alright, lets go out and ask the parents then" Vance said, as he sent a good hard look to the two brothers. The message was very clear.
Come with me and dont touch anything else, or your punishment doubles.
They felt a shiver go down their spine, and quickly followed after him. Vance quickly asked the parents about the warehouse, and anyone who might be disgrunted about the sale and the layoffs.
"Now that I think about it, wasn't our nanny dating the former manager there? We sold it to Zeldon Industries, who have been looking to expand their combat robot production line. We had not had much success there, and they did better robotics work, so we figured they would just hire everyone back. I guess it didn't work out for him though...I believe his name was Daisuke Shinya".
"So he has knowledge of a location close by we think is the hideout, he has a connection to the nanny, and he has motive. Alright, lets head over there".
"Yeah, we dont have any time to spare".
----------------------------------------
After rushing away from the crime scene and towards the point where they were abducted, arriving was fairly quick. They ran silent so that way they would not alert the kidnapper, but with the lights they still arrived rather quickly. As they stepped out, Vance made sure to stop Oz and Astra.
"You two, stay outside and stay out of sight. Do not come in no matter what, okay? This could be very dangerous".
"You dont tell us what to do!"
"So your saying you want a double punishment when you get home, Oz? My hand might get sore, so I might need to use something as a paddle".
Vance said that in a hushed voice in Oz's ear, causing him to go red.
"Mean! Rude! Pervert! You are definently a pervert! A sketchy weirdo pervert!"
Oz of course threw a tantrum immediately, as Vance made another mental note.
Oz will need plenty of punishment tonight so he properly reflects on what he did wrong. Meanwhile, Astra...
Vance looked around, and saw Astra walking back from a stall with an ice pop. The man there looked quite happy and satisfied, however...
"...Astra, I dont recall giving you money to buy that, nor having money yourself".
"...well, Oz was making a scene, and while I love my brother dearly, I wanted to get something till he cooled down, and also something to help hm cool down".
Astra proceeded to stick an ice pop into Oz's mouth as he proceeded to call Vance more names, getting him to stop talking as he enjoyed the ice pop.
"Yeah, well...telepathically convincing them to give you an ice pop, or stealing it with telekinesis, is still stealing. So you can both expect punishment tonight".
"...its been years since I had an ice pop though, its exugent circumstances!"
"Vance is just way too mean and strict and a pervert! He makes up stuff just to have an excuse to strip us and punish us!"
Vance's expression didn't seem to change at all, but the tone of his voice seemed to get colder all of a sudden.
"Keep this up, and you will have to stand up while using the toilet for a whole week, cause thats how long your rears will be stinging".
At this point, the two quickly went silent. Meanwhile, inside Vance's head, he made a note.
Ice pops can be used to make Oz be quiet, even if just for a bit. I will have to buy plenty.
Vance then went and joined the others.
"Sorry about that, Oz wanted to come with, and then threw a tantrum when I told him it was too dangerous".
"What about the other things he said".
"I told him I was going to have to punish him. That kid wont get it through his head unless it comes up through his rear".
"Ah...my condolences to his rear".
"You know Vance, its generally better to avoid doing those kinds of punishments. There are other ways to punish kids".
"Well they used to be orphans, they have gone through a lot, and they have heads made of cement. So I think its probably the best way".
"...thats just because even though you are hyper protective of kids, you dont know how to actually treat or educate them. I swear, if those two did anything wrong, you would spank them severely, but if anyone else so much as laid a finger on them, you would probably beat the daylights out of them wouldn't you?"
"Of course. I am their guardian, only I can educate them that way. And before you say it, yes I made sure to use my human hand, not my robot hand".
"Well yeah, they would be in the hospital already if you used the robot hand".
While making such small talk, they took positions by the doors. At the same time, Oz looked at the hand that Vance had held on the way here. He touched it with his other hand, and remembered that warm feeling. He wasn't yanked or pulled, but gently guided. With Vance's body, it would be easy for him to accidentally hurt them with his strength, but he always seemed so good at treating them gently, aside from their rears and emotions.
...the last time I remember someone holding my hand with such warmth...it was mom.
A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
Oz quickly shook his head.
No, she abandoned us. I barely remember her, and Astra doesn't remember her at all. Vance also, might abandon us one day...just like her.
Oz felt that within his heart, and then Astra gripped his brother's hand.
Niichan, I am worried. I dont want to lose anyone. I dont want to go back to being on our own. I know we cant fully trust Vance, but...niichan, he is tthe best thing to happen to us in our entire lives. I dont want to lose him...
Hearing Astra's voice in his head, Oz got red in the face as he found himself agreeing with Astra.
And then it was at that moment, that he had a vision of the future. The warehouse in front of them in flames, so many people dead, chaos everywhere. And the severed arm of Vance, his human one.
Oz recoiled backwards, agast.
"We need to run away from here. They are all going to die, we need to run away right now".
"Niichan...if we run, then we would be abandoning them. Like we were abandoned, maybe even worse".
"Astra! This is..."
"Niichan. If we can save them, lets save them. Lets at least warn them".
"How. We are trying to keep our powers hidden. We cant just run up to them and say 'the warehouse is super dangerous'".
"I know of one way, but you might not like it".
Astra took Oz's hand, and pulled him along as he headed right towards Vance.
"Daaaaddy?" Astra asked right before they went in, his already cute voice heightened as best as he could to be extra cute. "Since it might be dangerous out here as dangerous as it is in there, can we haz some monies to use while we wait? There was an arcade down the street I think with a new arcade game I heard about. I think it was...Base Ambush 5 or something?"
Vance made a visible twitch when Astra called him daddy. He seemed to pay attention to every single word Astra said afterwards, and let out a sigh. "Very well, here...now that I think about it, everyone, this guy might have potentially anticipated some sort of ambush. Lets go in with riot shields, just to be safe, as well as protective shields".
"That might spook him though".
"Yeah, but with a factory like this, he might have also set traps, so we should be extra careful".
Vance had gotten the message, so Astra felt a little bit better now. Oz on the other hand, went stiff as a board. He looked at Vance, but while it was important, he was so hesistant to do what Astra just did.
No way! I am never, ever, calling him daddy! Not that, not papa, not dad, not father, nothing like that! I nearly did it once because of this damned collar, but no! I absolutely refuse to do such a humiliating and embarassing thing....Astra, tell him about the weird psychic feeling from the warehouse!
We are surrounded by cops! If I made another coded message myself, especially involving psychics, they will completely figure it out! You do it!
Ehhhh?!?! No no no!
Well you have to do something!
Uhhhhg....
"Uhg, I wonder if there is some sort of weird dust or something in this place, I have a headache...I haven't felt this since I was in school with all the others".
Oz did his best, using his already developing headache to his advantage. He threw in a few words, and Vance seemed lost for a moment, before he realized what was going on.
And yet, right as they passed out riot shields and personal shield devices, the alarms went off for the building.
"Damnit, someone must have tripped something by accident! Go in, now now now!"
They all quickly stormed the building, raiding it. However, Oz felt like something was wrong, and so did Astra, so they ended up rushing in after them out of concern. As they followed them, they eventually found the main manufacturing room, where they mass produced what appeared to be robot parts. There were a few large shipping crates, some wooden crates, and right on top of the largest one, was a man holding a gun to a kid's head.
"Shut up! Stay right where you are everyone! Ahg, this stupid headache! Dont even try to surprise me!"
He is using psionic abilities, but...
The crying boy with him, Oz and Astra felt something within him as well. It was feint, but perhaps due to his emotional state was how they sensed it at all.
He is psychic as well...wait, the chaos we saw, dont tell me it was dissonance!
Oz started to panic, but when he looked behind him, emergency shutters shut, and the building got sealed all of a sudden. Seeing that, they went over to Vance.
"Vance, both of them are psychics. The panicked situation, its about to make them go berserk! You need to diffuse the situation!"
"We have dealt with psychics before...but wait, doesn't dissonance require two psychics in close proximity with strong emotions that are...opposite of each other".
He looked back at the man, who seemed to pop a pill with his spare hand. The boy was also very clearly agitated.
Oh shit...
"Now now, how about we all calm..."
Vance tried to lower his weapon, but then he blew a lid.
"You think acting all peaceful and kind will trick me?! Thats what they did, and we got betrayed!"
The moment he shouted, he moved the gun slightly, fired a bullet right in front of the kid's face, and then put it back against his head. At that moment, his emotions ran rampant as well.
And it was in that moment, that some sort of cataclysmic conflict occurred withing the warehouse. A huge spike of psionic energy created a massive vortex, and objects began to swirl around haphazardly, hitting lots of people, especially if they tried to approach. They had both lost control of their powers at once, and their conflicting energies and desires caused a huge backlash. Oz and Astra, being sensitive to psionic energies as psychics themselves, felt their headaches get significantly worse.
It was quite chaotic, and even Vance was tossed backwards by the rogue psionic.
"Vance!"
"Ojisan!"
Oz and Astra ran over to check on Vance, but it seemed he was still relatively okay. His leg hurt quite a bit, so he injected something into it and it started to heal.
"Listen, you two, you have to run".
"I dont think it will let us do that. The emergency exit is right behind that guy, and the rest are sealed. He is really strong though".
"...then, I will use those".
He took out the two keys. Oz and Astra went wide eyed when they saw them.
"You two are the only other psychics here. Either in self defense, or to take him down, or to run away, you will need your full power. So lets get this done. But whatever you decide to do, you are not allowed to die. Understood?".
The two nodded, but then Astra added something.
"You are not allowed to die either".
"I will do my best".
He put the keys into the padlocks.
"Full Power Release!"
The moment the locks clicked, something strange happened. Their clothes glowed a bit, and suddenly they too changed into a new style. Masks that only covered the eyes appeared on their faces, as well as goggles. Their sleeves got long, but they still had shorts. That said, everything had changed into different colors as well, and even material and appearance. They even had dark grey jackets appear, and now had black shorts, and blue T shirts. Their shoes changed to black as well, with purple highlights, and turned into something that looked like a rainboot as well.
One probably couldn't even recognize them anymore, their appearance was different. Of course, only their clothes had changed, but still.
"That must be...smart fabric. I am not sure how, but somehow the client set it so if we use the release, this happens".
"Thats good. If no one can recognize us, then we can fight without issue".
"I will support you, niichan!"
Their powers were now heightened, and this let them break through the vortex of psionic energy that prevented them from approaching the target. Several objects flew at them telekinetically, but they were able to divert them using their enhanced powers. However, when they entered it, they saw the truth of the vortex.
Both the boy, and the assailant, were radiating psionic energy.
Its dissonance!
Then we should counter with resonance.
The two grabbed each other's hands, and linked their minds fully. Suddenly, their telekinetic abilities combined into a more powerful version, which let them move larger objects even faster.
They then dodged another telekinetic barrage, and were even attacked with direct psychokinetic attacks. They returned fire with their own psychokinetic attacks, rather then using moving objects with telekinesis.
The dissonant psionic waves were causing all sorts of psychic anomolies and disturbances, but the resonance created by them allowed them to cut through it and get closer.
To think both of them were psychic. What bad luck, dissonance is incredibly painful.
Niichan, please check several seconds ahead constantly. Ill lead us forward.
They moved forward through hte psionic vortex, which seemed hellbent on crushing them and anyhting else that tried to enter. Telepathic attacks were also common, but were entirely shrugged off by the brothers.
"As...Alpha, do it now!"
"Right, Omega!"
At that point, one of them launched Psychokinetic attacks, while the other one teleported them behind the two. They would finish this quickly before someone got hurt, but then suddenly, the large crate they had been standing on before they started floating broke apart, and a Combat Robot, a Mark-22 DZ-S2 emerged from it. It was designed as a security robot, to protect designated zones, so while it had some mobility, it was moreso heavily armored and had plenty of firepower. It was four times as big as a Volkswagon Beetle, and could twist the upper part of its body around 360 degrees in either direction.
It fired several lasers at them, as well as machine gun rounds, forcing the boys to create a psychokinetic shield to protect themselves.
Psychokinesis was the direct use of psionic energies to attack or form barriers. Its different from telekinesis, which is used to move objects. A telekinetic attack would be throwing or launching an already existing object with your mind, while a psychokinetic attack would be directly using psionic energy itself to attack without the need to use objects.
The moment it aimed its large shoulder cannon at them, it was suddenly blasted from behind by a giant energy blast. They looked and saw the source came from Vance's robot arm, preventing it from firing and allowing them to attack again. Alpha created a psychokinetic projection of a saw blade and used it to cut of one arm, but antoher knocked him away, shattering the psychokinetic shield and making him hit into a wall.
"Dont you dare hurt him, you overgrown metal trashcan!"
Omega proceeded to use his telekinetic powers to crush some of his weapons in a rage, causing some explosions as he used a direct psychokinetic attack to destroy some of its computer systems.
Of course, robot designers were not stupid, there were plenty of redundant computer cores to counter exactly that, so it immediately attacked him right as an object thrown around by the telekinetic vortex also slammed into him, causing his psychokinetic shell to rupture. Alpha quickly created several baricades to prevent objects from hitting them again, while also jumping up and slamming a giant psychokinetically created hammer into the robot. This got rid of its left arm completely, as well as half its torso.
Omega meanwhile telekinetically launched himsel up into the air. The man saw this, and launched several psychokinetic attacks against them, trying to end them once and for all. Alpha created shields to block, while Omega moved to the side and struck him with another massive psychokinetic attack to knock him away from the boy he had kidnapped. The moment that happened, the overwhealming dissonance began to subside, causing everything to be less chaotic.
The man quickly took out a gun and tried to shoot them, but Alpha appeared next to them and then they teleported away. As he got off the floor, Vance walked up behind him, no longer pinned against the wall telekinetically by the dissonance, and proceeded to punch him right in the face with his robotic arm. This, along with the strain from the dissonance that overtook him, rendered him unconscious.
Alpha and Omega just looked at him, and Vance nodded outside once he made sure the man was really unconscious. As everyone else was recovering, he went outside and met up with Omega and Alpha.
"What is going on?"
"It would be best if no one realized you were the same two who just fought in there right?"
"Yeah, we telepathically manipulated their minds so they wouldn't be able to connect us with them. They would probably have to see us transform to actually realize it".
We tried yours as well, but we still cant. It must be because your a Cyborg, I guess you have brain implants or something.
"Right. So the official story is Omega and Alpha teleported you guys out first, and then teleported the kid into your arms once they escaped. Sound good?"
"Yeah, sounds good".
"Well, Oz, you actually agreed...wait, its still active. Right".
He quickly put the keys into the locks on the front of the padlocks, and clicked them back. Once that happened, all their clothes went back to normal, the masks and goggles disappeared, and they felt their powers return to normal levels.
"...I really hate that, but...fine. We should really get the credit, since my brother did so much, but ill prioritize his safety over that easily".
"That sounds more like you Oz. Now, lets head back inside".
They headed back in, as the officers were busy putting the unconscious man in handcuffs. They also placed a collar around his neck.
"...what is that?"
"Psionic Energy Suppressor. All psionic inmates have to wear them in addition to taking psionic inhibiting drugs, as a double measure against escapaing arrest and prison. Although considering the level of power you can put out, your own power is probably stronger then his by a lot, I wonder if those suppressors would even...work".
That was when Vance realized it.
"Right, so those things are probably more advanced versions of them, and they cant even suppress them fully since you can use them easily, just at a weaker level. So basically, normal suppressors are worthless against you".
"...well, thats nice to know at least".
As the oficers came over to them, they explained the basic cover story for them. They all seemed to accept it pretty quickly, although many of them were still curious on who those two were or how they were so strong.
"Dissonance is one thing, but its known. But those two...Ressonance is a very rare, far more rare then Dissonance. And evne when separated, they were still quite capable. They even dealt with the robot. Those two might just be the strongest psychics I have ever seen...we should make sure to investigate their identities as well".
They said that right in front of the two who were the ones in question.
"I think this might have been rather stressful for them, so we will be going home to decompress and relax, if you dont mind" Vance said, picking up both Oz and Astra into his arms and was now carrying them.
"Yeah, that sounds good. Sorry you kids got pulled into something like that".
Oz and Astra just nodded.
"Lets stop for something tasty on the way!"
"Lunch would be nice, I am very tired".
"Yeah, after I make sure to punish you severely for your tantrums, theft, and repeatedly disobeying my very clear directions regarding your safety, lets cook together. Thankfully, you stand in a kitchen while making food, and you wont even need to be completely naked because aprons only cover the front and just get tied around the back".
Oz and Astra both flinched.
"Ahahaha...so you didn't forget about that then?"
"Of course not Oz. I had half a mind to make you walk home naked".
"That is child abuse! Pervert! Freak!"
"Oooh, you must really like being incapable of wearing clothes from having such a red rear".
"Dont you think our merits this time null out all of that, daddy?"
Vance paused for a moment when he heard daddy. It seemed Astra found a weakness that he was willing to utilize.
"...no. Rewards and punishments are separate, they wont null each other out. Stealing is bad after all. However, you will get rewards for that".
"Like what?"
"...ill get you toys and other stuff kids like".
The nine year old boy and seven year old boy perked up a bit, despite impending embarassment and pain.
"Video games?"
Vance nodded.
"Oh, and there is one more thing. I talked to the client a bit as well, and arrangements have been made for something else as well. We need to pass you off as normal kids after all".
"Eh, what do you mean..."
"...you will have to go to school".
After Vance said that, Oz and Astra proceeded to rack up more punishments. They were unable to enjoy their new clothes for some time after they got home as a result.