by Nathan Roten
Graham stood and reached for the door and opened it. There was no point to wait any longer. The decision was made. He looked at Damien and Ailey as they walked through the door with a look of forced confidence on his face. Kel and Graham exchanged a mutual smile and nod as she ran out the door. They were now exposed. No going back and no way to retreat.
Running to catch up with the others, Graham left the door wide open. Maybe he didn’t mean to on a conscious level, but deep down it was his way of showing Aegis that they were not going to hide anymore. It was time to stand their ground and fight.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Pearched
Chase sat up in the tree behind the cabin like one of the stone gargoyles from Wellington. He put his hand his throat mike. “They have left the cabin headed west.”
Through the static of the radio, a gravely voice answered on the other side. “Roger that. We will cut them off at the clearing.”
Chase waited a few more minutes, letting the small red dots disappear into the trees. Jumping from his perch, he descended until he could grab the branch he was standing on, swinging to a lower branch. He continued jumping down branch by branch in one fluent motion until his feet hit the ground. He bent his knees to absorb the force of landing from the final jump and slowly stood up, gazing in the direction of clearing.
“Ahhh, the well laid plans of mice……”
Chase pushed his earpiece further in as he spoke. “I am guessing they will make their way to you in about twenty minutes. Stand your ground fellas. They have some extra pep in their steps. We’ve all seen that before, haven’t we. If I am not mistaken, I believe we have some fighters on our hands.”
Speaking in a calm, commanding voice, Cavaness said, “Murphy, Branson, I will take the older girl. It is apparent now we have something in common. Chase, you concentrate on the Damien kid, and be sure that the little one is separated from the rest. We don’t want her touching the others again. As for Graham…..don’t underestimate him. If that cork pops loose and all that pinned up energy comes out all at once, then we are all in trouble. He needs to be isolated. Chase, once you take care of Damien, make sure Graham gets nice and dizzy.”
“Roger that,” said Chase.
The authority in Cavaness’ voice only increased with each statement. “They have been out here long enough. They should be ready to take back to Alex now. The catalysts have taken full effect in each of them, all except for Graham. Hopefully tonight’s events will draw it out.”
“We are ready, sir,” said Branson.
“Same here,” replied Murphy.
“Ready when you are boss,” said Chase.
In somber anticipation of what was about to take place, Chase took off. He ran with supernatural speed and leaped forward, grabbing the edge of the cabin’s roof. Pulling himself up, tucking his knees to his chest, the momentum was strong enough from the initial jump to carry him all the way to the ridge. His sleeves were pulled back to his elbows, letting his glowing wrists show. His eyes had turned a deep amber color. As the stood there gazing towards the clearing, a faint glow began radiating from his body.
“Stop holding back, Graham. Just let go,” Chase said as if the winds could carry his message through the woods to Graham.
Cavaness stood with Murphy and Branson among the forest trees. Graham and the others were approaching the clearing from east, whereas Cavaness and the other two were drawing near from the south. If Chase’s bearings were correct, they would reach the clearing about the same time.
“Don’t hold back. We are in the final stage, and we need to be 100 % sure the catalysts are solidified,” said Cavaness. “Now spread out. We need them contained.”
Branson started moving through the trees westward. It was evident that he had previously been in the military. Though he was a stout man, he could move silently through the woods. His black fleece coat formed to his broad shoulders. His brown cargo pants were old and worn, looking like they had been with him on his multiple tours in Iraq. You could see the thin black combat boots moving carefully through the underbrush with his heel always hitting the ground first, followed by the rest of his foot, feeling for twigs and dry leaves on the way down. If anything that could create noise was detected, his foot would divert and find an new section of ground to fall on. You would think this would slow him down, but he was so effective that he could keep up with the others and be completely undetectable.
Murphy, on the other hand, had no intention of sneaking around, at least not until they got closer. As they continued walking, Murphy held his hand to his mouth and whispered a few words into it. Once done, he pulled his hand away, an opaque ball had formed in the palm of his hand. It was almost completely transparent, yet it had a faint glow and reflective property to it. Murphy twisted his hand around to get a good look at his little creation. Satisfied with the result, he held his hand up towards the sky. Extending his fingers as quickly as he could, the orb sprang from his hand into the sky.
Murphy turned to Cavaness with his eyes turning from their natural dark brown to a deep amber.
“Looking now.”
He grabbed Cavaness by the shoulder to be his guide as he focused on the scene from the sky, watching faint yellow forms run through the forest. The animals always had such an interesting look to them. They never did glow like humans. The were a very dim yellow color, almost a dingy cream or ivory. It was always shocking to see exactly how many woodland creatures were around you at all times, though you rarely ever saw them with the naked eye. They were masters of stealth. The ivory outlines grew smaller and smaller as the orb ascended higher into the sky. Murphy did not have to hold his hand out this time to control the orb. He could simply move it with his mind.
The orb glided to the east and then slightly north. More animals were scampering through the trees. Squirrels still preparing for winter most likely. He began moving the orb further to the north, but a bright yellow form crept into the picture from the left. Murphy refocused.
“I got ‘em.” He raised the orb higher in the sky until he could see the edge of the clearing. “They are probably about five minutes out now.”
“Ok. That is good enough. Get into position,” said Cavaness.
Murphy removed his hand from Cavaness’ shoulder as his eyes slowly faded back to brown. His pupils refocused and the orb in the sky dissolved.
“Yes, sir.”
Murphy ran off towards the east, disappearing into the trees. Cavaness stayed straight. He would approach the clearing directly from the south. He had made it another forty feet, maybe fifty from where Murphy branched off, when he saw Chase leaning against a nearby tree with his arms crossed.
“It’s about time you showed up,” said Chase.
Cavaness kept walking, not even attempting to make eye contact. “Aren’t you supposed to be farther east, closer to the kids?” It wasn’t a question, though. It was an indirect command to get moving.
“I’ll get there. I think I can make it on time,” said Chase. “I wanted to talk to you first.”
Cavaness stopped.
“I’ve seen his type before. You can’t push him too hard. If you do, Graham will pull back into his shell. Either that, or he blows up and we all go up in a flash of light. This kid is stronger than anyone I have ever come into contact with. He is definitely the one we have been searching for, but that said, he is still a wild card.”
Cavaness grunted. “If I were a betting man, I would say you actually have a soft spot for him.”
“So. What if I do?”
Cavaness leaned in within inches of Chase’s face. His expression was emotionless. “Keep your feelings at bay, you understand me? I’ve been doing this longer than you have been alive. I know how this works, and I have dealt with his kind more times than you could count.”
Chase stood there without changing his demeanor. Cavaness backed off slightly, giving Chase a little more personal space.
“Change of plan. You take the girl. I will deal with Gr
aham. I don’t want you handling him with kid gloves.”
“But he is a kid,” Chase said bluntly. Cavaness continued walking past Chase to the clearing. Cavaness sighed in reflection as he stared at the ground.
“Not anymore. None of them are. They do not have the luxury of a childhood any longer. They will return to Alex as recreations. They all do. You know that, so stop pretending this is just a game. None of us like the final push, but it is a necessary step. You have to do what is necessary no matter how it may be perceived.”
Chase got up from the tree and followed behind Cavaness. “I know the system, Cavaness. I don’t need a lecture. I’m just saying go easy on Graham if you want him to have his breakthrough.”
Cavaness looked over at Chase again. “Sometimes a tame dog will only attack when backed into a corner.”
Chase was getting angry. Cavaness was not listening. He was a stubborn and abrasive man who was set in his ways.
“Go. Get in position. That is an order.” The words might have well been etched in a boulder. In a blur, he ran eastward into position.
Cavaness looked towards the clearing. His expression remained emotionless. “Let’s get this over with.”
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Now Or Never
Graham and Damien knelt down behind the bushes at the edge of the clearing. Kel and Ailey were close behind. Once they caught up, Kel knelt down beside Damien and slid the backpack off her shoulder. Damien unzipped the large pouch and retrieved two empty water bottles. Arching his back, he poked his head over top of the bush looking to see how far the pond was from where he was.
Sinking back down behind the bush, he turned around to face the others. “Its about fifty feet.” I will go fill these up.”
Damien looked at the surroundings searching for a good hiding spot. Pointing to his right, he said, “Why don’t you take Ailey over there to that big cluster of rocks. Maybe she can wedge herself in-between them.”
Ailey shook her head up and down. They all fell silent again, just like in the cabin. A wave of nerves hit them all as the anticipation turned their stomachs into knots. Their blood pressure began to rise creating rhythmic pounding in their skulls as their hearts began to race. The heavy breathing set in next. The silence enveloped the forest like a looming storm. Not even the wind was stirring.
“Are you guys ready to get out of here?” asked Damien, trying to cut through the tension.
“I am just ready for this to be over with,” said Kel.
Graham could hardly move. He was stricken with fear as the time continued to draw near for him to act. He had serious doubts about his ability to do his part, but he would not let it show to the rest of the group. He swallowed the lump in his throat hoping it would push the fear down with it. Everyone needed to be confident now, and that is what he was going to show. “This is going to work.”
Cavaness could see the clearing in the trees ahead. He looked to his right and could see Murphy off in the distance crouching and inching towards the tree line. He cupped his wide hands around his wrist and pushed his sleeves upward around his elbows. He crept towards the clearing, pushing branches out of his field of view. Like a tiger, he laid in wait behind the bushes, waiting to pounce.
Murphy crawled to a group of rhododendron bushes. Once he got close enough, he laid down on his stomach and crawled, arm over arm, until he was wedged underneath the branches. His head was barely protruding from the leaves, allowing him to have a full view of the clearing.
The sun was creeping closer to the western horizon, taking the temperature down with it. Chase sat ten feet up in a tree blowing hot breaths into his hands to keep the edge off the chill in the air. As the puffs of white vapor poured from between his fingers, he began to feel the butterflies fluttering about in the pit of his stomach. He had done this enough times to remove his emotions from the equation, but for some reason, he could not shake the concern he had for Graham. He did not intend to rescue him. They needed him. It wasn’t that, but he felt like he had to soften the blow for him. Not wanting to think about it too much, he focused his energy on watching and waiting.
Branson was already in position. He was stationed all the way to the right of the pond. He too was peering through the branches into the clearing, keeping his trained eye focused on sweeping the tree line to the east for any sign of movement. He watched as he saw a little head poke out from over top one of the bushes and disappear after a few seconds. A whisper came through over the radio.
“I’ve got them. They are due east in-between two large pines, with a small patch of shrubbery at the base. There is at least one kid behind it.”
“Roger that, Branson,” said Cavaness. “They will not separate. They would be too vulnerable on their own. If there is one behind the shrubs, they are all there. Hold position until I give the green light. Let’s see what their next move is.”
“10-4,” said Branson, followed by the others. “Waiting for your signal.”
Damien looked at the others. “I want you guys to stay here while I go fill these up.”
As he got up, Graham grabbed him by the arm and pulled him back down.
“Wait. What if they are out there already?”
“The longer we wait, the longer we give them to find us. Plus, even if they see me, they can’t see you. Someone has to be the bait. This was my plan, so I if anyone should be bait, it is me.”
Graham let go of his arm. Damien was right. They needed to act fast. Time was of the essence. Damien stood up.
“Don’t worry Graham. I’ve got this.”
Damien pushed the branches of the bush aside to move through them. Still in a crouched position, he ran out into the clearing towards the pond with a plastic bottle in each hand. His heavy breaths were an indicator that his heart was about to beat out of his chest. He winced in reaction to the jolt of each footstep, sending a pounding throb through his spine upwards through his head. His whole body became numb as he ran further out into the open. He forced himself to look straight ahead instead of all around him as he opened and closed his fingers trying to get some feeling back in his hands. Damien was so focused on his nerves in fact, that he almost didn’t notice the edge of the water as he approached.
Meanwhile, Graham and Kel took Ailey over to the large cluster of boulders. Graham dug his fingers into the ground behind a few rocks and rolled them to the side. Kel took Ailey by the hand and led her into a small groove between two huge slabs of rock.
“I don’t care what you hear out there. Do not come out, ok? You have to stay hidden. We will come back for you once this whole thing is over,” said Kel.
Ailey nodded her head up and down as she stepped over some rocks and wedged herself into the gap. Graham took hold of one of the bigger rocks and rolled it back into place, so that it would not look like anything had been disturbed. There was a big enough gap in which Ailey could retreat if necessary, but small enough that a full sized adult would have a hard time reaching her.
Digging his heels into the ground, Damien came to an abrupt stop at the water’s edge. His body waved back and forth a few times until he was able to catch his balance. After steadying himself, he knelt down in the cold grass to fill up the first bottle.
Cavaness watched Damien closely. He looked over and gave his command. “Branson, move in.”
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Face Your Fears
Pushing the branches aside, Branson emerged from the woods. He did not make any further attempts to be stealthy. He just walked with a steady pace, his arms swinging slightly from his broad shoulders.
Damien was filling the second bottle now, unaware of the approaching threat. The fog was beginning to settle into the clearing, hovering over the ground like a thin, misty blanket. The evening rays of the sun filled the fog, giving the air a sinister glow. The sun would be settling down behind the horizon soon. The warming hands of the sun would soon let loose the chill of the night. Small puffs of smoke came out of Branson’s mouth as he walked towa
rds Damien. He was about fifteen paces away before he broke the silence.
In a deep but smooth voice he said, “You guys have really kept us busy with all this running around.”
Adrenaline surged through Damien’s chest as he whipped his head around to see Branson approaching. He knew they would eventually come face to face, but nothing could really prepare him for it. He thought he would have more time to build up his nerve, but they had found them too fast. He was not ready. Damien tightened the cap on the 2nd water bottle and stood up to face Branson.
“Maybe this was a good thing,” he whispered. “Don’t think. Just react.” He kept telling himself this over and over as he stepped down into the pond. The water was frigid. The shock of the cold felt like tiny knives stabbing him all over his feet and ankles as he waded further in. Damien kept a tight grip on the bottles, squeezing them in reaction to the cold water as he made his way towards the middle of the pond. He continued walking backwards, keeping his eyes on Branson.
“That is an interesting strategy. Are you hoping that I am unable to swim?”
Damien said nothing.
“Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but swimming is a pre-requisite for Navy Seals.”
Branson walked over to the water’s edge. He held his right hand up to display bolts of electricity flowing around each finger and down his glowing wrist. The blue of his eyes gave way to a deep amber color as he stared at Damien.
“I’ve heard you have a Pusher with you. That is a raw force, kinda like an earthquake sending ripples through the earth’s surface. Mine is more electric.”
The bolts of electricity grew more intense, with sparks flying from the sides of his hands. The glow from his hand cast shadows, making his expression appear more sinister. He moved his electric filled hand closer to the surface of the water.
“Do you know what happens when water and electricity meet?”