I awoke feeling very groggy indeed. Slowly my eyes focused. The left one still stinging from having a tiny foot rammed into it.
I tried to raise my arm to rub my eyes, but to my dismay I realised it was tied down.
As the room came into focus, I saw I was sitting in a very expensive-looking office. I was bound tightly into the chair I was sitting in.
My eyes cleared and I focused on the man sitting behind the desk in front of me. He was extremely old, and was smiling at me in a rather cruel way.
"Good, you're awake." He said simply. "We haven't met, Jon, but I knew your grandfather quite well, he even worked for me before he betrayed me."
I had a lot of questions, but first to confirm identities. "You are DeMorrell?"
He frowned. "That's Mister DeMorrell to you, show some respect for your elders!"
"What do you want with me?" I demanded, trying not to let the fear in my voice show. I had spotted the rock sitting in front of DeMorrell on his desk.
He smiled, a nasty gash in his withered face. "Well, first, I want you to tell me how to get my assault team back into shape."
"You can't," I lied. "Wished made with the rock are permanent."
"Nice try kid. I know how the idol... the rock worked. It was I who sent your grandfather to get it from South America. No, I want to know exactly what you wished to turn my team into midgets."
I paused for a moment, but I didn't really have a choice, so I told him how I'd worded the wish. It would be pretty easy to work around.
DeMorrell grinned. "There, now was that so difficult?" He turned and tapped a few things into his computer.
"Now, you've been a real annoyance to me, young man. I'm afraid I'll have to punish you for that, but in the meantime, I can't risk anyone running to the police. My second assault team are on their way back here now with your family, and your friend Karyn. We'll see what to do with you all then."
He pressed a button and before a knew it someone entered the room from behind me and put something over my mouth. Soon, everything was dark once again...
