Gary made his move.
Sidling along the wall, Gary Gibson moved to the left, away from the door, closer to the person that was now Jack Merlin. Escape was not his goal. He was almost directly behind him, though sadly a little off to one side. His line of sight was not as clear as he would have preferred, but he had learned to take what opportunities presented themselves on the battlefields of two different deserts. At least Liam and Nora were out of the way. Gary lifted his hand, it was shaking slightly, but his aim had always been good. Quietly exhaling through his nose he felt his nerves steady.
Gary's hand was empty of any visible weapon, but that didn't matter. All he had to do was point with his outstretched fingers and let go. Sizzling spears of fire shot from the family man's fingertips with a hissing whooosh! Nora screamed, not in pain this time, but in fright. Liam threw himself accross her prone body, trying to shield her from whatever new chaos that was errupting.
Jack was caught off guard and though he spun with catlike speed even as he was struck, so that two of the jets of flame missed him, the other three scored hits. Two of the successful firebolts struck Jack direct in the back and the shoulder respectively. The third delivered the tall, white-haired man a glancing lick accross his right arm even as he threw himself out of harm's way. He roared in pain and Gary felt a wave of telekinetic force wash over him, trying to shove him away, pin him back up against the wall. Too late, old man.
Gary had the advantage now. Never taking his eyes from Jack's writhing form, Gary faced his other hand palm first at the wall behind him. Massive air pressure was released and a nearly hurricane force gust of wind hurled Gary forward, defying the weak and unfocused telekinetic waves. Flames still dancing at his fingertips, Gary raised his hand to fire on Jack once more, fully intending to shoot his enemy while he was down.
Gary was not evil any more than Gary was a saint. He was a good man in many ways, a faithful husband, a devoted father, a decorated soldier. Even so, the stone had presented certain opportunities; a chance to revenge himself upon Linda's former father, both the stranger animating his flesh, and the wailing mother-to-be that was his reincarnation as it were; a chance to fulfill his wildest dreams; a chance to never be helpless to protect his family ever again. Let DeMorrell send another army of black-clad thugs now.
Gary had wished for magic powers, including control of the elements and forces of nature, and the skill to use them. Earth, air, fire, and water all bent to his will. The one caveat he had unexpectedly discovered was that most if not all of these powers were denied him if his hands were restrained - - much as they had been while in Jack's telekinetic vise up against the wall. He had wished for magical powers and magic, it seemed, involved a certain ammount of gestures, even prestidigitation. Jack had unwittingly bottled him up before before Gary could get off even a quick shot. Not now though. Liam/Linda had convinced Jack to releasing him.
That would be this new enemy's last mistake.
