Kevin, A.J. and Howie all looked at each other.
"I hope you don't mean 'convince' the way some movie villains do," Howie joked nervously.
"Yes Howie, I'm going to have you put on the rack." Mindi dripped sarcasm. "Free will is a big part of pulling Nick back to reality. If you have doubts, you could sabotage the whole thing. Frankly, I'd like to leave you out for a few weeks, but the longer Nick's stuck inside himself the harder it gets to pull him out and the more help he's going to need to recover afterwards. Also, he needs all four of you."
"Mins, you're just making him nervous."
"I know," she sighed. "I guess the best thing for me to do is call Brian up. If you hear what Nick's going through right now... trust me, you're going to want to get him out of there fast."
"I thought you didn't want him..." A.J. broke off his question, wondering if it fell into the 'waste of time' category.
"We're going to try it. Howie, if you feel weird at any point, *say so* and I'll send him out. Incidentally, feel anything just then?"
"No, don't think so."
"Looks like direct contact is really all that bothers you. No wonder it took Nick so long to figure it out."
"There are people who have it worse?" Kevin inquired.
"Much. Some people would pass out just being in the same room as Nick. And while that's normal for your fans," she grinned, " it might have created some problems if it happened to a group member."
"No...really?" It was A.J's. turn for sarcasm.
"This way it only threatens Nick's life." Kevin murmured.
"What are we going to have to do once we fix this?" Howie asked, trying to stay positive.
"I'll put those two to sleep and one of Nick's team will help them connect to Brian. He knows the way, has some idea of what to expect, so he's going to lead you in. I'm going to connect you to Brian myself. I can't knock you unconscious, so you're going to be their anchor by default."
"Anchor?" but Brian had arrived.
He looked a little dizzy and kept blinking as if seeing double. "Um... Suzanne said..."
"Rok, sit *down*!" Kevin barked, trying to get up out of his own chair to offer it to his cousin. A.J., being more mobile, grabbed Brian and led him to a chair.
"B-rok, you okay?" Howie worried.
Brian made an effort and pulled himself together. "I'll be ok, D. I was talkin' to Nick. It's a little hard to come back."
"How's he doing?"
"Glad to see me, upset we can't do more than stare at each other. Still can't even touch me." Brian shook his head. "Don't know how much more he can take."
"What's it like?" Howie asked in hushed tones.
"Prison." Brian didn't mince words. "Cement blocks, barely enough space to pace in, one small window. No door."
A.J. blanched.
"Nick?" Howie pressed, knowing he needed to hear the truth.
"Pale. Underfed. Bruised. Dirty. Scared shitless. And so young."
"Young??"
"Eight, maybe ten years old. Lot younger than when we met," he closed his eyes. "He was scared of me the first time he saw me. Tried to hide, as if he thought I was going to hit him... me!" The bitter tone of his voice spoke volumes.
A.J. turned to Mindi, "Where did the bruises come from, Mins?"
"You guys," she told him bluntly. "Anyone he's connected to strongly enough to still feel. He's caught in a prison of hopelessness, self-pity and guilt that none of you have helped him fight against. The scars and bruises are every negative thing he's felt since this whole thing happened, compounded with his own negative interpretation of a few other things."
"We did that to him??" Brian stared at her. "No wonder he's still nervous with me."
"You did it to him. Now, he's so hurt and confused he can't get out, even though he's starting to realise it's possible you still love him."
"I... guys we gotta get him out." Howie blurted.