Sisters

Sisters, also called Wendy Smith Faces the Face That Her Sister Might Be Dead, is the fourteenth volume of Attack on To'kustar. It is the first volume of Attack on the Knights, the fourth chapter of the series.

Plot
[The camera shows the skies over the city of Teviv, the second-most southern city in the region between Wall Via and Wall Sera; only the city of Ateria is farther south. The sky is dark, as the early hours of the morning pass by. Underneath the dark sky, the police station in the city is shown; while the bottom floor serve as a station and training area, the top two floors serve as a residential area.]

[In one of the rooms on the second floor, Tuesday Smith sits alone on a bed. Her back faces the door as she stares out an open window. For some reason, she is wearing Skywings, even though it is late at night and training has long since ended and won't begin for many more hours. She sits, half-depressed, with a somber, foreboding look on her face. Suddenly, there is a tapping sound, so Tuesday stands up, as if she was waiting for the tap, and walks towards the window.]

[Outside the station, Vance Grace and Andrew Knowles stand on the ground, as if waiting for Tuesday. She climbs out the window and then lowers herself to the ground using her Skywings. She lands softly and stands across from Vance and Andrew, who appear to be very impatient.]

[Vance]: Alright, let's go...

[The camera slowly pans to the group of three walking in a back alley in the city. Tuesday walks far behind Vance and Andrew, but she is clearly following them as they walk, presumably heading for their only remaining base in the city; the other one was destroyed by Sven Schmidt in To'kustar form. The three walk in silence for a few moments, before Tuesday speaks up.]

[Tuesday]: I'm assuming you'll want a report of everything that's happened?

[Vance]: You won't be delivering it to me, though.

[The camera suddenly cuts to the Forever Knights base. Andrew and Vance stand in the corner of the room, about to exit. The room is darkly lit, but that doesn't stop Tuesday Smith from being forced to sit in the room on a small stool. Across from her, Webster Grace sits in the darkness in a large chair. In front of him, there is a short table with a lamp on it, serving as the only light source in the room. The camera shows Andrew and Vance leaving the room and closing the door behind them. Tuesday watches them, but then turns to Webster as the door closes. She looks as if she is about to speak, but then he stands up from his chair and starts pacing around the room.]

[Webster]: I don't usually do this... I usually have unworthy knights report to higher officers, who then report to me, but you're different. You're smart enough to be able to trick my higher officers, but you'll never trick me.

[He stops at the wall on Tuesday's left side and then turns towards her.]

[Webster]: So, you better tell the truth, or you'll be dead before you can blink.

[Theme Song]

[The camera shows Vance, Andrew, and Pietro Czeswin sitting around a table in another part of the Forever Knights base. Vance and Andrew sit next to each other at the round table, with Pietro sits across from them. Unlike the other room, this room is a well lit, with a chandelier providing sufficient lighting.]

[Pietro, happily]: I'm assuming Max won't be joining us?

[Andrew]: He's yet to return here after the fiasco with the To'kustar.

[Pietro]: Well, he's must know I'm not happy with him. It's completely and utterly his fault that my package was stolen.

[Vance, slightly angry]: Yes, about your package: who exactly knew about that, and why was it left unguarded?

[Pietro]: I had requested that the package be sent to me a few weeks ago. I was unaware that it had arrived in Teviv as Max never told me. It was unguarded because Max is a good-for-nothing bastard.

[Andrew, arrogantly]: Agree. It's for the best that's he's decided not to return.

[Vance grunts, being triggered by that statement for some reason.]

[Vance]: And what about Tuesday...? Why is she still here?

[Andrew]: Who knows... She says she's trying to gain the trust of the police in this town...

[Vance]: I don't buy it.

[Andrew]: Well, then neither will your father...

[The camera cuts to the dark room where Tuesday is sitting as Webster paces around in front of her.]

[Webster]: Don't you understand, girl? By attempting to create a situation where everyone trusts you, you've created one where no one trusts you.

[Tuesday]: With me, though, you'll finally get an Esper.

[Webster, furious]: Then why hasn't it happened yet!?

[Tuesday]: It's not my fault that Max's plan failed, my lord.

[Webster is apparently unaware that Tuesday was the one to free Sophia Faraday from the very Forever Knights base that he is currently in.]

[Webster]: No, I suppose not.

[He walks over back to his chair and sits down across from Tuesday.]

[Webster]: So tell me, what do you plan on doing so that I can get my hands on an Esper?

[Tuesday]: I don't know, my lord.

[Webster, displeased]: I was expecting you to say that... Very well...

[He taps his right foot twice against the side of his chair. Suddenly a door behind him and to the right opens up, and a man wearing a mask walks on. The mask is black except for a red smile and has small slits for eyes. The man appears to be wearing a belt holding various tools that would be used in a dissection. In his left hand, he carries a knife. He walks into the room and stops just in front of and to the right of Webster. His name is Charles Butler: a high ranking torturer for the Forever Knights.]

[Webster]: I don't believe you've met Mr. Butler before, have you?

[Tuesday, worried]: No.

[Charles]: Charles Butler at your service. Around these parts, though, I go by C

[He spins the knife around in his hand. Tuesday watches him ominously.]

[Tuesday]: You're going to force me to come up with a plan?

[Webster]: You don't have to do anything...

[Charles starts to slowly walk forward, as he continues to spin the knife in his hand.]

[Charles]: You can just think of this as... motivation.

[Charles stops in front of Tuesday. Not wanting to try and get away in fear of harsher punishment, she doesn't react as he slams the knife down into her left hand. She cringes in pain, screaming out loud enough for Vance and the others to hear in the next room, but quiet enough for no one outside the building to hear her. Charles pulls the knife out, revealing a stream of blood jetting out of her hand.]

[Webster]: Now think, girl, or there will be more of that waiting for you.

[The camera shows the police station in Teviv in the early morning that same day. The camera shows different parts of the residential area on the second and third floors of the station. All of the Aterian children are still asleep: Sven and Arik share one room; Michael and Teru share the room next to them; Hadria and Lily share the next room down, while Noelle, being the odd girl out, gets a room to herself. The children from Teviv haven't arrived yet, as the adults, both of the police and the military, prepare for the full day of training.]

[Downstairs, in a lounge area, Prescott Martin, Susan Quell, and Logan Fitzpatrick sit at a table, eating breakfast. Prescott sips a mug of an unknown beverage while the other two appear to be eating toasted bread and eggs. Lawrence Carter walks into the room and sits down at the table, where a plate of eggs with fruit is waiting for him.]

[Lawrence, as he sits down]: You guys don't have to do this for me every day.

[Susan]: Sure we do, you're a guest here in our city, and even if it's not by choice, that means we owe you something.

[Lawrence]: If you insist...

[He laughs.]

[Lawrence]: I'll make it up to you guys one day.

[Suddenly, Ryan Thames walks into the room. He leads a young teenage girl into the room with him. She stands behind him, shyly, not wanting to bother anyone. She is Wendy Smith, the younger sister of Tuesday Smith. Lawrence, the only one in the room who would recognize her, does not. At this point, no one is aware that Tuesday has gone off with the Forever Knights, either.]

[Ryan]: Have any of you seen Tuesday?

[Prescott]: She hasn't come downstairs yet, why?

[Ryan]: This is her sister, Wendy. She arrived in town last night and has been looking for Tuesday ever since.

[Prescott]: She's probably still in her room.

[Ryan and Wendy exit the room as the officers remain in the lounge, continuing their morning meal.]

[Logan, confused]: So who exactly is Tuesday anyway? She's too young to be a police officer.

[Lawrence]: She's a former member of the Forever Knights, but I wouldn't judge her based on that. She didn't have much of a choice.

[Logan]: What makes you say that...?

[Suddenly, Ryan starts shouting from upstairs.]

[Ryan]: Lawrence, get here now!

[Lawrence stands up, waiting to hear if Ryan continues.]

[Ryan, louder]: NOW!

[He runs off as the camera cuts to him arriving in the room. He sees Ryan standing in the middle of the room, with Wendy just feet behind him. Ryan holds a note in his hand, one that was left in the room. As Lawrence enters the room, Ryan turns towards him.]

[Ryan]: The Knights have Tuesday.

[Wendy's eyes widen tremendously, but she doesn't speak. Lawrence drops his jaw.]

[Lawrence]: What do they want?

[Ryan, pessimistic]: It doesn't say...

[Logan, catching up]: So Lawrence... what were you going to say earlier? About Tuesday joining the Forever Knights?

[Lawrence]: It's long story that brings back painful memories for a lot of people in Ateria, myself and my daughter included, but the short version... Is that the Forever Knights killed her parents.

[The camera quickly cuts to Tuesday being punches in the face by Charles. Blood gushes out of her mouth as she coughs and a large stream of blood lands on the table in front of her. She is breathing heavily, not succumbing to the punishment she is being subjected to.]

[Charles, arrogantly]: I do have to admit, your resistance is quite astonishing.

[Tuesday]: Go to hell.

[Charles rushes towards Tuesday and holds her chin with his left hand, holding a knife at her face using the other hand.]

[Charles]: I was planning on it...

[He draws the knife away and then pushes Tuesday back, sending her off the stool she was sitting on and onto her back. Webster remains in his chair; he takes a deep breath, angry at the lack of progress.]

[Webster]: Continue...

[Charles walks around Tuesday to her right side. He kneels down over Tuesday; she is still breathing heavily, forcing herself to avert her eyes from his.]

[Charles]: What's the matter?

[He chuckles.]

[Charles]: If you're this strong, why don't you use your strength to achieve what you want to?

[Holding the knife in his right hand, he grabs Tuesday by her hair in his left hand and pulls her off of her back. He holds the knife up to her face, touching the tip right to her cheek. She looks down at the table, ready to be slashes across the face.]

[Webster]: Do you think you deserve this, Tuesday?

[She doesn't respond; she remains silent, as her face remains in the same emotionless state. Charles suddenly pulls hard on the knife, leaving a small cut in Tuesday's right cheek. She winces in pain and holds her face with her right hand as Charles continues to hold her up by her hair.]

[Tuesday, softly]: Just kill me now.

[Charles, angry]: Oh, believe me, I would never do that. I could never put you out of your misery when you deserve so much worse.

[Tuesday, fiery]: I SAID KILL ME!

[Webster]: No, Tuesday, as much as we want to, you're still useful to us...

[His sound of optimism quickly turns into depression.]

[Webster]: But I thought this reinforcement would have worked.

[He smiles.]

[Webster]: Well, how's this for motivation...

[He pauses. Charles looks at him, unsure of what he is about to say or do.]

[Webster]: Do you want to know who killed your parents, Tuesday?

[Tuesday swiftly turns her head upwards to look at him. Her eyes widen, despite the pain, at the possibility of finding out the truth. Without speaking, Webster simply points at Charles, implying that he was the one killed Tuesday's parents.]

[Charles, surprised]: What? NO!

[Tuesday, now in anger, swings her right arm, knocking the knife out of Charles' hand; it lands behind and to the left of where Webster is sitting. Despite the excruciating pain she is in, she swings her right arm to the side, hitting Charles in the gun, forcing him to loosen his grip on her hair. She quickly stands up and kicks Charles in the right knee, sending him to the ground. She bursts over towards where the knife landed and falls near. Charles slowly gets up as Tuesday grabs the knife, preparing to use it in a fight with Charles.]

[She waits, however, continuing to breath heavily in place. She holds the knife in her right hand, as her left hand and arm remain covered blood, along with her mouth and the right side of her face. Splotches of blood dot her clothing, almost matching the color of her dark, red hair.]

[Charles, fired up]: So are you going to send me to hell or not?

[Charles takes a motorized razor blade out of his belt. He turns it on, sending the blade spinning at hundreds of revolutions per minute.]

[Charles, manically]: My own personal invention... I CALL IT THE C SAW!

[He runs at Tuesday, swinging the blade at her face. She ducks underneath him, electing to not stab him in the ankle and she slides by. She stands up and turns around, but then relaxes a bit, realizing that the door to the room Vance and the others are in is just behind her.]

[Webster, pleased]: You're smart, Tuesday.

[Tuesday, short of breath]: How can you say that when you don't trust me?

[Webster]: It's not a compliment, Tuesday. You see, you're actually too smart, or at least you think you are.

[Tuesday stares at him, not sure of what he means.]

[Webster]: It's a distraction, girl.

[Tuesday suddenly turns to Charles, who was running at her, but she doesn't turn in time to react to his attack. He stabs the swinging blade into her right shoulder, making her scream out in pain. Charles holds the blade in, easily allowing Tuesday to stab her knife right into his left arm, forcing him to pull out the blade. Tuesday, still holding the knife, backs away towards the door, but by the time she arrives at the wall, she realizes that the door is open, and Vance is standing on the other side, pointing a sword at her. She raises her arms as high as she can through the pain and tosses the knife on the ground in front of her.]

[Webster]: Let her go, son.

[Vance]: My lord.

[Webster, authoritatively]: Let her go, son.

[Vance resists for a moment, and then complies.]

[Vance]: Yes, my lord.

[He sheathes the sword and then steps to the side, allowing Tuesday to back out of the room. She turns around and runs off, out of the base. As soon as she is outside, she turns the corner and then heads into an alley way where she trips and falls to the ground. She looks forwards, making sure that the side street is empty, and then drags herself to the side of the building. She lies back on the ground, in pain from all of her injuries: a stab wound to the left hand, a bloody mouth due to being punched, a slice to her right cheek, and worst of all, a terrible wound to her right shoulder, inflicted by Charles' spinning blade. She stares at the sky as she continues to bleed significantly, as the sun rises, and she waits to die.]

The Forever Knights are an organization of pseudo-terrorists, attempting to replace the police and cause havoc throughout the world. Though no one knows their main goal, the Knights do partake in laundering, larceny, corruption, and murder. Like the military, the Knights divide territory into each region, with a ranking Proctor over seeing each one. The Proctor of the capital region is put in charge of the entire organization.

[The camera shows Ryan, Wendy, Lawrence, Prescott, Susan, and Logan standing near the room where Tuesday was early that morning. Ryan and Wendy stand in the room, with Ryan holding the note; Lawrence stands in the doorway as the three Teviv officers stand behind him.]

[Wendy, worried]: Are you going to go save her?

[Ryan]: There's a problem with that... The only one who knows where the other Forever Knights base is... is Tuesday.

[Lawrence]: It can't be that hard to find.

[Ryan]: And what about training?

[Wendy, increasingly worried]: You have to save my sister...

[Ryan]: I'm trying to manage the--

[Wendy]: Look, if you don't save her soon, they will kill her... That's how the Knights work; you don't do what they want, they kill you and all of your loved ones...

[She starts crying.]

[Wendy]: I just don't want that to happen... Not again.

[Lawrence]: How about I take the officers with me and we go looking for her?

[Ryan, stern]: No, we have the military for that. You can go across town and tell them to search for her, but then I want you back here for training.

[Lawrence]: Understood.

[He starts to walk out of the room as tears continue to fall from Wendy's eyes. The camera cuts to Tuesday, lying on the ground outside the Forever Knights base. She stares at the sky, which is still rather dark, as the sun has not yet made its way over the wall. She is still breathing heavily from the pain as she stares blankly above her. Her mouth is open; the pain makes it to difficult for her to close it. Suddenly, footsteps can be heard, as Pietro can be heard talking.]

[Pietro]: What are you looking for?

[She leans forward, through the pain, and sees Pietro sitting down against the side of building, about five feet from her feet. He doesn't look at her, instead staring across the abandoned back street.]

[Tuesday, weakly]: What?

[Pietro]: You were staring at the sky. I was wondering what you were looking for.

[Tuesday, softly]: I wasn't looking for anything.

[Pietro]: That's a lie.

[Tuesday, sharply]: No, I--

[Pietro]: With the amount of pain you're in, your eyes would've been closed if you weren't looking for something.

[She ponders his statement; he looks up at the sky, as if copying her.]

[Pietro]: Have you ever looked for something in the sky?

[Tuesday, angry]: Just leave me alone.

[Pietro, ignoring her request]: You see, as a scientist, I'm naturally curious about things like this. I've always wondered why there's nothing up there except for the sun and the moon.

[Tuesday]: What else would there be?

[Pietro]: Do you think anyone lives on the moon? And if so, do you think they our asking themselves if anyone lives on Earth?

[Tuesday]: Stop asking me so many questions.

[She grabs her right shoulder with her left hand. Pietro watches her struggle with the pain, but doesn't do anything.]

[Pietro]: I apologize for not being a doctor.

[He reaches into his jacket and grabs a sheet of gauze. He tosses it to Tuesday and then stands up and heads around the corner without saying anything word. She takes the gauze and uses it to start to wipe away some of the blood and put pressure on the wound from the razor blade. The camera cuts to follow Pietro entering the base. He walks into the room with the tables and sees Vance, Andrew, and Charles sitting around the room, while Webster seems to have completely left the building. Charles sits off to the side, tending to his own wounds, as Vance and Andrew sit quietly, waiting for something to do.]

[Pietro walks to a shelf with medical equipment. He starts to grab a kit filled with equipment, but Charles speaks up.]

[Charles]: Oh, I didn't know you were injured in that fight...

[Pietro, angry]: I wasn't...

[Charles]: Then what's the medical kit for?

[Pietro turns towards Charles, staring at him angrily.]

[Charles]: You wouldn't be taking that to Tuesday, would you be?

[Pietro]: Shut the hell up, bastard.

[Charles stands up and then picks up the knife that he had used on Tuesday and she had used on him. He walks over towards Pietro and then holds the knife right at his chin, staring him in the face as he stares back.]

[Pietro]: I'm not afraid of you.

[Charles]: Really?

[Pietro]: Not the slightest.

[Charles]: Really?

[Pietro]: Never have been; never will be.

[Charles, manically]: Really?

[Pietro quickly punches Charles in the face with his right hand, sending his head into the wall. It smacks against the wall so hard that Charles collapses on the ground. He grabs the medical kit and walks out of the room without another word as Vance and Andrew continuously look back and forth between him and the unconscious Charles.]

[The camera cuts back outside. Pietro walks around the corner, starting to speak before he rounds the corner, expecting Tuesday to still be there.]

[Pietro]: But since not everyone's an...

[He turns the corner and sees Tuesday now sitting up with her back against the wall, still holding the gauze at her face. Nathan Loretta is squatting over right past her, facing Pietro. He is wearing Skywings, having only found Tuesday after Lawrence informed him and the other soldiers about her disappearance.]

[Pietro]: ...Esper

[Nathan looks up at Pietro, recognizing him immediately. He starts to jump back, getting ready to draw a sword, but the scientist stops him.]

[Pietro]: Drawing a sword on an unarmed scientist, are we?

[Nathan]: We meet at last, Pietro...

[Pietro]: Oh, you know about me? Because I know a lot about you and some of your capabilities.

[Nathan]: I'm sure you and I could have a long back of forth of questions we both want answered, but that will never happen as long as you're with the Knights.

[Pietro]: I could share so much with you, though. What do you want to know?

[Nathan]: I think Tuesday and I will be leaving.

[Pietro]: Feel free to stop by anytime.

[Nathan squats back down, helps Tuesday up, and holding her right arm so it's easier for her to walk, starts to walk away with her, away from Pietro. He hold the medical kit in his left hand, a bit irritated at his inability to do anything about the Esper walking away from him.]

[The camera cuts to Nathan walking with Tuesday. She is clearly still pain, but walking with the help of Nathan appears to be helping her significantly, both physically and mentally.]

[Tuesday]: How did you find me so quickly?

[Nathan]: Lawrence came to Krista's house and told us that the Knights had captured you.

[Tuesday]: So you did stay in town after all?

[Nathan]: Yeah, we're here to say for a while...

[They are quiet for a moment.]

[Nathan]: So are you going to stay away from the Forever Knights for good, now?

[Tuesday, laughing]: If they stay away from me...

[As she laughs, she suddenly stops and falls to the right a bit towards Nathan. They look at each other and then look away. Tuesday then looks back at Nathan as she continues to lean against him.]

[Tuesday]: So, if you're an Esper and all, how old are you actually?

[He turns back towards her.]

[Nathan]: Why does it matter?

[Tuesday, looking away]: Oh, no reason...

[As she looks away from him, she blushes. She is happy at the fact that he was the one to rescue her. He continues to look at her, but unlike Tuesday, he does so to check her injuries, which demand immediate medical attention.]

[Nathan]: Look, we should get to the station as fast as possible.

[Tuesday, still in pain]: Yes, I guess that would be best.

[After another moment of standing together, they start to walk away towards the station. As they walk, the camera cuts towards Pietro, who is standing back in the Forever Knights base. He is not in the room with the tables, rather the lab in the basement, similar to the lab in the other base where Sven found the device that latched itself around his wrist. Pietro stands at the center counter, alone; the counter is empty. He suddenly turns towards the counter along the wall of the room and walks towards a small metal cube, which appears to be a carrying case for something valuable, as it appears as if the top of the case folds open. He picks up the cube and places it on the center counter, and then sure enough, opens it up, revealing a glowing, blue crystal.]

[Pietro]: Perhaps it's a worthwhile trade-off...

[He picks up the glowing crystal; it pulsates in his hand.]

[Pietro]: ...Since it doesn't appear as if hostage situations have any effect on them, this will have to do.

[The crystal continues to pulsate as Pietro holds, giving off a mysterious blue light.]

[To Be Continued]