(A/N- The picture above has a deeper meaning further in the chapter. You'll understand why it's here when you find the part of the chapter where it's relevant.)
-Sky's POV-
I watched as Brandon and Mat were rushed out, and Mat was limp. Something was desperately wrong with Mat. In fear for Mathew, I screamed the most recent name I'd said. He appeared in front of me, slightly angry. "What." "What's wrong with Mat?"
"The robot?" "Yes. The robot. What happened?" "I don't know! He just collapsed, and the slime freaked out." "Did you let Brandon go?" "Of course. He knew where to go." "Is Kara okay? Did you let her know?" "Who?" "The kit hybrid." "Kit?" "Baby rabbit." I stated as I rolled my eyes. "I haven't told her. I don't plan to either."
"Good. She doesn't need to panic and hurt herself." He walked away, still pretty angry with me for earlier with the tea incident. I slid my back down the glass again, and laid there, waiting for something to happen, or news to come about Mat and Brandon. I was restless and upset. Was Mat going to be okay?

-Pete's POV-
"Mat, please wake up." I sat by his bed, with Kenny pacing on the opposite side. "Please, Mat?" He'd begun to breathe again, but still hadn't woken up from shock. The doctor said he'd be awake in a few minutes, but he hasn't woken up in hours.
"Petey, let him be for a while. He'll wake when his body finds the energy to." I backed away and sank into the chair depressingly. Kenny sat next to me. "Are you okay?" "Not really. Kenny, I can't lose him."
"I know, Pete. I know. How old are you guys now?" "Kara's 13, I'm 12, and Mat's 11." "At least your old enough to function properly. And who were the men who brought you to me?" "They took us from home. I don't know why. They said it was the... Syndicate Project?" "The Syndicate Project?!"
"Why? Do you know it?" "Yes I know it. Why you though? They specialize in human disorders. You're a fantasy." "So?" "So you don't count as human. Why'd they take you? Did they take Kara?" "Yeah. Is it a problem?"
"Yes it's a problem. They like to separate groups. You'll go insane by being alone. They produce personal separation anxiety. You won't survive it." "Well, can you help us?" "I can try, but it'll take a few days." "From what you've told me, we don't have a few days. All I'm waiting for is Mat to wake up. It's starting to scare me that he's not up."
"Pete, shock is a serious problem. To know that's he's only 11, and has already gone into shock, his body may not have been ready for it, so it'll take longer. An unprepared body responds slower and more careful than one that is prepared." "But it's been hours. The doctor said minutes." "It is odd that it's taking this long, but it's still a shock response. His body needs to recover a while."
We sat quietly for another hour or two, and slowly, Mat began to wake up. He was awake, so I was okay. "Pete? Kenny?" "Yeah?" "What happened?" He asked groggily. "Your systems shut down. You went into shock for several hours. Are you okay?" "Kinda. My chest hurts. So does my head."
"Okay, Mat. I'll go get the doctor quick." "Okay..." He drifted in and out of sleep while the doctor did his doctor thing, checking monitors, writing stuff down, asking questions, etc. I sat patiently, quietly, until the doctor turned to me. "Are you okay, young man?" I jumped. "Yes. I'm fine. Why?" "You seem stressed over something. And also in pain." "Pain? What?" "Never mind. My apologies about being nosy."
"No, I'm curious. You're fine." "Your facial expression screams pain, but you seem fine as I look at you. Is something bothering you?" "Not as far as I'm concerned..." "Are you sure?" "Yeah..." "Your friend here will be fine. Just make sure he rests very consistently."
"Okay then. Thank you." He ripped a small piece of paper off his clipboard. "This is his hospital release form. Hand this to the receptionist when you leave." "Thank you sir." "Not a problem. But may I ask, why is he in a metal suit?"
"He has a weak heart. The suit keeps him alive. It's kept him alive for eleven years now." "That's amazing. But also, why a full suit?" "When it was just the chestpiece and he came for a refitting, he wanted a full suit, so I provided it." Kenny explained. "He's just not very social, and doesn't like people staring at him." I chipped in, cheery to speak.
"You can leave now." "Have a wonderful day, sir!" "You too, gentlemen." Kenny handed the lady the form paper, and we left. The sound of hooves on the pavement took my attention the second we left the hospital. "Pete? Why are you here?" "Preston?"
"Yeah. What happened to Mat?" Kenny answered. "His heart started to fail. He went into shock for a few hours." "I'm okay though!" "Why is no one at home?" "We need help. Where's Rob?" "At home, the castle. Why? What's wrong?" "Everyone's trapped. Kenny, can you explain?" "They're all stuck in the Syndicate Project. It'll drive them mad."
"Rob was talking about that today. So you're telling me that everyone's in the middle of that weirdo's project?" "Yes." "Wait who?" "Thomas Syndicate Cassell. He runs the Syndicate Project." "He's crazy weird, Pete."
"I could help you guys. Gimme five minutes to get Rob. B, go home. Quickly, now." And he turned the horse around and sped north, back to the Flower castle, cloak flying behind him. Ten minutes later, he came back, on a different horse, with Rob and the first horse next to him.
(Here's where that picture at the top matters)
Rob still had his pure black friesian horse- Bianca, but Preston had a pure white version of her. She was clearly still a friesian, but she was solid white instead of black. She was beautiful. Both the mares were huge, and they were all decked out in royalty stuff.
"Where are they?" "I don't know. But if you follow the van, you'll find it. Trust me. You will."

-Rob's POV-
Preston came up to our room quickly, and said he'd found Pete, Mat, and Kenny in the city not far from here. Remembering I couldn't find any of them at the house, I dashed after him while I told a servant to prep Marshmallow. Preston called her that, it's his horse. I jus recall her MM most of the time, but I was kind of angry when Preston mentioned the Syndicate Project. He ruins everything.
The horses galloped to the city, with me following Preston and Marshmallow closely. When we slowed to not run over city people, we had several hundred bow their heads when we passed. I spotted Pete, watching us as we approached. He and Mat looked okay, and when they reached Kenny's, a few men took Pete and Mat into a white van, leaving Kenny behind. I followed at a distance with Preston sticking close.
The van stopped, and went down into a vent that opened in the ground. I spurred B to follow before it closed, and Preston followed immediately after. The vent closed shortly after Preston and MM ducked in. The horses' hooves echoed in the empty cement tunnel. B and MM got skittish in the enclosed space, but continued as we had them move along swiftly.
"It's eerie, Rob." "I know." Our voices echoed as we reached a light- the tunnel's end. The van had disappeared ahead, and when we exited the tunnel, movement stopped instantaneously. A British accented voice, much like Vikk's, called, "Who are you?"
"The Flower King." "You aren't the Flower King. The Flower King is well over 50." "That was my father. He died 7 years ago. Come forward." A zombie in a suit, Thomas Cassell, came through the frozen crowd. "Where are my friends? The fantasies, hybrids, and immortal?" "Them? In here."
He waved behind himself, to all the empty space. "I want them back. NOW. If not, I will revoke the license my father gave you. Actually, I will anyways. It was given under my father's rule. It's my rule now, and I don't want you to have it. What you do is cruel to anyone or anything you test on." The room seemed to hold its breath, and Thomas straightened.
"The work everyone in this room has done will continue, but only with willing volunteers. Not those you capture and confuse. Got it?" A hundred nods returned as an answer. "I'll get signposts up in the cities. The people will come to you if they want. You will take no one on your own account. Understood?" Cassell looked up at me. "Yes, Flower King." "Now release my friends."
Tanks along the walls opened, and Sky leaped from one, Mitch, another. Ty and Anthony came out of one, and Kara another. Pete and Mat were already out, so we all went out as a group. Preston picked up Mat, and I grabbed Pete. They didn't need to walk anymore today. Neither protested.
We arrived back at the house about an hour later, and realized one thing. Brice and Seto hadn't come. Where were they? "Do any of you know where Seto and Brice are?" I got a lot of shaking heads. "Do you know anyone who does?" Still shaking heads. "I'm gonna call Vikk quickly." And rushed home.
I sent out a letter to the Barn castle immediately.
'Hey, Vikk? Do you happen to have Seto and Brice there? Did you save them from the Syndicate Project? ~Rob~'
I got a letter back soon after.
'Rob, they're here. Lachlan got them out while I work out renovation here. This castle is too cramped together for all the space. •Vikk•'
Okay good. At least I know where they are. And renovation on that castle is a good idea. The walls are in the weirdest of places. It's like being constantly stuck in a maze. Much of the space inside was untouched and sectioned off by curtains. Guess the elder Barns never walked very far.
The guys got resettled, and I noticed Ty's wing looked off. "Ty, is your wing okay?" "It's fine, why?" "Where's the inside? The leather part?" "I needed to rip it out. It was damaged beyond repair. At least this will heal correctly." "Oh. Cool. Sounds painful though." "Not really." "Oh. Awesome. I gotta go."
The moon had risen, while Ty and Anthony were gonna be up, while the rest of us went to bed. Today was something I'd forgotten. My birthday. I turned 14 today.