TIS The 'Chandelier' Project: Jason Chpt. 11

Chapter 11: Bad Associations Spoil Useful Habits

Surprisingly, neither the Sub Suites nor the hallway has cameras. Takes a load off Jason, but puts another on him as well.

"Now, how do I get out of here?" he says quizzically.

He was just finishing putting on his clothes. Looking around Jason looks for a door of some sort.  The smooth walls made no distinction of doors of any kind. He keeps walking until he hits the dead of the Suites. Jason can't really make out what is in front of him until he squints.
Suddenly, he hears a familiar sound. Scratching. On the wall. Jason now knows he's not alone. He's not the only danger around here as well. A loud thump follows the scratching. The wall shakes and small pieces of rock fall off it. More hits are heard and Jason prepares for the worst. He pushes sharp crystals studs out of his knuckles and solidifies his body. His bones are visible which gives him a more intimidating appearance. Then the hits on the wall stop.
Jason feels a different tingle run down his spine. It wasn't like the past times, where he slowly lost control of himself. Instead the Crystal Virus took evasive action. Putting Jason on all fours, it sank thin and sensitive vein-like crystals with a root type patterns out of his palms, fingers, and feet. Serving as motion sensors, Jason could feel every footstep and scratch made around him in a 15 meter diameter. He could almost make a mental picture of what was in the other rooms. Jason just then realized that a tentacle was making its way towards him at an alarming rate from underground. The crystal roots return to their place and Jason pushes himself backwards. A crystal spear shoots out and stops right on Jason's forehead. Scared stiff and motionless, Jason slowly comes to and pushes himself away from the spear point. His body goes back to normal and Jason looks closely at the tentacle. It began to wriggle and extend as a bulbous figure formed itself on the tentacle. A head emerged and hung at the tip of the tentacle and then it expanded. A familiar face, though not a friendly one. It was Henry or the 'Black Guy' as Jason knew him, sprouting from the ground. Jason was marveled at the speed in which Henry restructured himself, but not so happy to see him, again.

"Hey bro, you gotta teach me to do that" says Jason.

"I'm gonna teach you a lesson 'bro'" says Henry in a less-than-happy tone. "The Sub-Suites are guarded by none other than me, so I've set some rules. Rule number 1" he dictates, extending his arm to clutch Jason's throat, "never embarrass me in front of my father". Henry throws Jason against the wall to his left and walks towards him. Jason tries to defend himself shooting crystal bullets at Henry, but he dodges them and then he extends his arm to grab his hand and covers his hand with a mitten and sticks it to the wall. Kicking Jason in the gut he then says,

"Tsk, tsk, I wouldn't have done that. Rule number 2, don't use your crystal powers against mine".

He kicks him a few times and then says "I'm much faster, stronger and skillful with them. And rule number 3," he says detaching Jason from the wall and lifting him up to the ceiling of the hallway, "don't leave your Suite. You're lucky enough to stay alive in one". Slamming Jason onto the cold concrete floor he finishes, saying "Next time you break any of those rules, I'll make sure you make it slack-jawed and black-eyed to the WOP enlistment center. Got it, bro?"
Jason only nods his head rubbing his belly in a fetal position. "Now crawl back in through that peep hole before I call Watchtower".

"Gotcha boss" he mutters, short of breath. Jason squeezes back in and lies in bed, KO'ed.