by Sarah Bale
“The Uppers need you to open something.”
Her eyebrows lift. “That’s it? This better not be another jar with a tight lid!” To me, she says, “I swear to god, they treat me like a freaking can opener.”
But she follows Tick and Tock in a different direction. I head toward Marble’s office, knocking on the door when I get there. He’s on the phone, but motions me in.
“Yes, we understand how this looks. Yes, sir, we’ll clean this up before the Basics notice.”
He ends the call, tossing his phone on the desk with a sigh.
“Everything okay?”
“No. I’ve got two Rogue Heroes and four missing government officials. Needless to say, the Uppers aren’t happy right now.”
I sit. “Ink?”
“Yeah.” He sits in his chair, leaning back. “Did he say anything the other day before he left?”
I nod once.
“Fuck, Alpha. Why didn’t you say something?”
“I don’t know. I didn’t think he meant anything. He was just tired.”
He rubs his temples. “Start from the beginning.”
So, I do.
When I finish, he closes his eyes, cursing under his breath.
“You should go home. Don’t go anywhere, either, until I figure this out.”
“Are you really mad at me?”
He stands. “It’s better if we don’t speak much for a while, Alpha. There are going to be questions and I fear you’re the only one who can answer them.”
He’s talking about the treatment facility again.
I stand, too, and ask, “Why are you so hell bent on sending me back to that fucking place?”
My voice cracks and he has the decency to look ashamed.
“You know what they did to me there. Hell, they did it to you, too.”
But that’s a lie. The government went after me the hardest because I was the only test subject they had for weeks before others stepped forward. Well, they didn’t step forward – they were turned in, like criminals.
Marble says, “It’s for the good of everyone, Alpha.”
Not for the good of me.
That says a lot, doesn’t it?
“Goodbye, Marble.”
It takes every ounce of restraint I have not to beam him with a stinging laser before I leave. That would only get me in more trouble, so I won’t even enjoy it. Tick and Tock call my name, but I ignore them.
Knuckles meets me at the door, frowning.
“Are you okay?”
She replies, “I think I’m supposed to ask you that.”
“What did the Uppers want?”
“They literally wanted me to break open a rock for them.”
“A… rock?”
She nods. “Yeah.”
“Um. Why?”
“I have no idea. They seemed irritated after I broke it open and told me to leave.” She eyes me. “What about you?”
“Ink’s missing. And Marble’s pissed that I kind of knew about it last night and didn’t say anything.”
“What?”
“I didn’t think he was going to run off. He just said he was tired.”
She lets out her breath. “Man. First Doc and now Ink?”
“I’m worried about them. If the Uppers find them, there’s no telling what they’ll do.”
“That’s no lie. They’re all on edge. I’ve never seen them like this before, and I don’t think it even has anything to do with what today is.”
I glance around, making sure we’re alone on the street. “I’m worried, too. They’ve tried twice in the past few days to get me back at the treatment facility.”
She gasps. “Why would they do that? And is Marble really going along with it?”
“He’s the one who suggested it.”
“Damn girl. Maybe it’s a good thing you’re not dating him.”
“I’ve thought that a few times myself.”
The truth is it hurts that he’s turning into one of them.
I sigh. “I better get home. I don’t want to piss off anyone else.”
She surprises me by giving me a quick hug. “It’ll work out, Alpha. Things can’t stay this way forever.”
They can, though, because we have no say in our own lives. We’re at the mercy of a government that uses us to further their own agendas. I shove the thought aside and wave at her before taking off. As I fly, my thoughts wander. Marble isn’t going to let this go. If I’m lucky I’ll have a few hours to myself before he and the Uppers are knocking on my door, demanding answers. Answers I still don’t have.
So I make a plan – a plan, I might add, that just might get me killed. I’m okay with this decision. The government took everything away from me three years ago on this very day. It would only be fitting for them to end my life.
Twelve
When I get home, I check in on my watch, so the Uppers know where I’m at. Going to my room, I pull out a box from under my bed that has a few personal items in it, including a burner phone. I dial one of my friends that I haven’t talked to in a very long time.
Blot answers on the first ring. “Well, this is a surprise, considering what today is. What kind of trouble are you in?”
“I don’t have time to give you the rundown. Do you still know how to disable the watches?”
There’s typing in the background. “Yeah. Give me a second.”
I wait for the typing to stop. Blot is a hacker. He’s not considered a Hero or a Villain, since he doesn’t have a true superpower, according to the government. But they’re wrong, as they are with a lot of things. His mind works like a computer and he can hack anything. Remember Y2K? Yeah, that was totally him freaking people out and everyone fell for it.
He says, “I’m texting the code. Get rid of this phone when we hang up and I’ll make sure another one lands in your possession soon. You’ll have four hours before anyone notices you’re gone.”
Four hours is more than enough time, especially considering my new flying speed.
“Thank you, my friend.”
“I have to know. Is it true what they’re saying – has Doc gone Rogue?”
“I’m not sure.”
“Bullshit, Alpha. We both knew this was going to happen.” He pauses. “Be careful. They’re watching you. One false step and this house of cards will fall.”
“Blot, do you know where he is?”
“Yes. But that’s not my story to tell, now is it?” Typing resumes in the background. “Break the phone after you get the code. And be safe. You don’t know what you’re going up against.”
The call ends before I can tell him goodbye. When I glance down, there’s a code flashing on the screen. I enter it in my watch and wait. My watch makes a sound I’ve never heard before and then feels cold against my skin, as if it’s off. I’ve never thought of it as a live entity, but now I wonder.
“I hope you know what you’re doing, Blot,” I mutter as I head toward my back door.
Looking around, I make sure no one else is in their yard before rocketing into the sky. The sun shines on my face as I zip upward. And then I take off. There aren’t any signals in the sky and my bracelet hasn’t gone off, warning me I’m flying without authorization, so they don’t know I’m gone. Yet.
When I fly over a big lake, I drop the burner phone, letting to crash into the water where it will sink. No one will ever know it was mine. I have to give credit to Blot for thinking I might need it. I’d laughed at the time, but turns out he was right. Makes me wonder what else he’s right about.
When I touch down in Silver City, I let out a laugh. It’s literally a few rundown houses and a gas station. That’s it. Nothing else. There’s not even a school here. Or post office. Or a grocery store. I’m guessing the residents – all six of them - go to another town for those type of things.
My boots crunch on the gravel as I walk. The grass is unkept, making my search difficult. But it’s also pulling my attention. What if what I’m looking for is hidden th
ere? Hell, I don’t even know what I’m looking for if I’m honest. Dos isn’t going to magically pop up and tell me there was a mistake.
Closing my eyes, I will my senses to take over. It’s a strange feeling, letting go. You know you’re still inside of your body, but you’re not in control.
My feet move and I inhale the sweet scent of fresh baled hay. I walk past a stream that gurgles next to me and over hard rocks that dig into the soles of my boots. And then I stop. My fingertips tingle and I rub them against the side of my leg, trying to control the sensation. It’s only fear, I tell myself. I’m not going to lose control.
Opening my eyes, I freeze. Before me, there’s a crater in the ground. A crater that wasn’t in any of the photos of Silver City a few days ago. The dirt next to it is fresh, as if someone dug the hole recently. Moving closer, I feel the pull of some energy force. The ground throbs beneath my boots. I want to run away and tell someone – anyone – what I’ve found, but I can’t ignore the pull.
My eyes close and my feet move until I feel as if I’m floating. And then I feel the same throbbing between my legs, to my core. A moan works its way up my throat and I press my thighs together, savoring the feeling. The wind picks up, caressing my skin. I feel more alive than I think I ever have before. Everything is heightened. The way the sun kisses my skin. The heat coming from my body. My desire. All of it.
Opening my eyes, I find myself in the middle of the crater. It’s glowing red now, pulsing and hot. What it puts out into the universe, I feel in my soul. This is where I’m meant to be. But a word crosses my mind, bringing me out of this fog. Doc. Blinking, I look around. He’s not here. But he was.
My vision wanes and when it clears, I see Doc standing almost where I am, but the crater isn’t uncovered yet. He feels the pull, too, looking down with hunger in his eyes. I reach out and my fingers go through him.
He looks right past me, talking to someone. When I turn, I’m not surprised to see Ink there. But he’s wearing the same outfit he did the day the meeting was called. That can’t be right. Can it? Was Ink surprised when I told him Doc was involved with the missing congressman? I can’t remember, but I feel like I should.
They talk and then call someone on the phone. As much as I try, I can’t make out what they’re saying. I can’t even read their lips. Who are they talking to? Is it the man from Paris? Is that who’s behind this?
The ground throbs and the vision fades. When I blink, I’m on the ground, lying on my back. How did I get here? And what in the hell just happened? Did I really have a vision or does it have something to do with the rock in the crater?
Standing, I move to the crater again. It’s not glowing, but my skin tingles as I feel whatever energy it’s putting off. There are so many questions, but I’m not going to find any answers here.
Glancing at my watch, I let out a curse. I’ve been here nearly four hours – how is that possible? It feels like I just landed. Blot’s words echo in my mind. Shit! They’re going to notice I’m gone! As much as I don’t want to leave I don’t have any other options. I need the Uppers to trust me, or I’ll never find out what happened to Doc. And Ink. Hell, and maybe even to me.
I fly back to my house, landing quietly in the backyard. My kitchen light is on – and it was off when I left. Unease creeps up my spine. What if it’s Marble or the Uppers? They’re the only ones who have the ability to get into my house without permission. Moving forward, I try the knobs. It’s unlocked and opens when I turn it.
My gut tells me it’s not Marble or the Uppers.
“Hello?” I call out.
“Where in the heck have you been?”
I turn to where the voice is coming from. “Trace?”
“Of course it’s me. Who else did you expect?”
I let out a shaky laugh. “There’s no telling these days. How did you get in here?”
“The front door was unlocked.”
Well shit. Now that I think about it, I don’t remember locking it before leaving.
“Again I have to ask. Where in the heck have you been?”
“How long have you been waiting?”
“I don’t know. A few hours.”
“Has anyone stopped by looking for me?”
“No.”
A sigh escapes my lips. “Good.”
“Alpha, you’re starting to worry me. Where did you go? What happened?”
I walk from the kitchen to the living room.
“I’m starting to worry myself.”
“I hope you know you can trust me. With anything.”
My body warms at his words. He’s right. I can trust him. I turn to the sound of his voice and gasp.
“Oh my god!”
“What? What is it?”
“Trace, I don’t know how to say this, but I can see you.”
Or some version of him. His skin is translucent but glows a light blue. It’s enough that I can see his features for the first time ever.
He frowns, making him look young. “Very funny.”
“Your hair is blond. And, you have a mole on your cheekbone.”
I reach out touching it.
“Holy shit.” His eyes are wide. “What in the fuck happened to you?”
“I’m not sure. Trace, I’m worried.” I pause. “I went to Silver City, Oklahoma, tonight. Without permission.”
He shakes his head at that.
“There is a crater there that makes the ground throb and glow.”
“And you didn’t think that maybe, just maybe, you should’ve called for help? Or went with backup?”
I snort. “Hindsight is twenty-twenty, right?”
“Was Doc there?”
“No, but he was at some point. Ink, too.”
“How do you know?”
This is where I’m going to sound crazy.
“I had a vision while I was there.”
“Fuck. Of course you did.”
“Trace, this all feels like it’s connected. The crater. Doc. Ink. Me.”
“How do you think it’s connected to you?”
“My powers are changing. More so since I’ve been there. I mean, I can freaking see you. It has to mean something.”
He nibbles his bottom lip. “I think you might just be right, Alpha.”
Thirteen
Sunlight filters into my bedroom the next morning. Trace is next to me, sleeping peacefully. We stayed up late into the night trying to figure out what in the hell is going on. Spoiler alert – we didn’t come up with shit.
Trace stretches next to me as he wakes up and I smile. He was in his late twenties when he Changed, but right now he looks sweet and innocent.
“Morning.”
“You can still see me?”
I nod. “It’s actually better than yesterday. The blue glow is gone.”
He lifts an eyebrow. “How many fingers am I holding up?”
“Four. Three. Four.”
“Holy crap.” He looks down. “Wish I could see myself.”
“Maybe you should visit the crater,” I joke.
“No way. Not me. I don’t want any part of that alien shit.”
“What makes you think it has anything to do with aliens?”
He snorts. “Literally every superhero movie ever. Something falls from the sky, there’s usually aliens or other planets involved.” He sits. “Hey. What if that’s what this is?”
“Elaborate please.”
“We can’t really believe we’re the only ones like this in the universe. Maybe someone out there started the Changing and is collecting people now.”
This time I laugh. “Sure, Trace. That makes perfect sense. Next, you’ll be telling me we have to guard the galaxy.”
He shrugs. “Wouldn’t be the craziest thing I’ve heard.”
The part that bothers me the most is he’s right.
“Have you decided if you’re going to tell Marble?”
“No fucking way. He’ll personally escort me to the treatment facility.” I shudde
r. “Can you imagine what they’ll do to me if they know I’m Changing again? And that a red glowing crater made me have a vision and, I assume because of that, I can see you now.”
“Yeah, that won’t go over well.” He pauses. “What are you going to do?”
“Blot mentioned that he knows where Doc is. I was thinking about paying him a visit today and seeing if he’ll talk.”
Trace sits. “Let me come with you.”
“Trace-”
“I mean it. Blot doesn’t answer to anyone. He’s not good.”
I sigh. “Are any of us good?”
“You know what I mean, Alpha.”
“Fine. Let’s hope that code still works on the watches.”
“What? We’re going now?”
“Have a better time in mind? Doc’s been missing for almost a week now. There’s no telling what’s happened to him. And now Ink is gone. I don’t like this.”
Trace sighs. “You’re right. Let me shower and then I’m ready to go.”
He goes to the guest bathroom while I get ready in my bathroom. When we meet in the living room, I can see him clear as day. He was wrong about his protective suit. It’s actually a light blue, so he doesn’t look nude, which is good. I’m not sure if I could handle walking around with him if he looked naked.
“It freaks me out being able to see you.”
“Am I that ugly?”
“No. You’re incredibly hot, Trace.” I poke his arm. “You’re a little pale, which is surprising, but other than that you’re a total stud.”
He preens a little. “Good to know I’ve still got it.”
“What was it like?”
He knows what I’m asking because he frowns.
“November 4th, I went to bed a normal guy. On the 5th, I woke up and went to take a piss. When I looked in the mirror, I couldn’t see myself. My girlfriend was in bed, sleeping. I woke her up and, as you can imagine, she didn’t react very well.” He sighs. “I was alone for a month before the Government put out the alert asking us to turn ourselves in.”
“Do you regret it?”
He mulls this over. “No. I don’t. During that month I thought I was going crazy. Like actually crazy. When I went to the facility and turned myself in, they believed me. Not only that, they told me I wasn’t crazy.”