Elimination (The Mind Breaker Book 1)

by Marina Epley

  Pressing the gas pedal more gently this time, I drive down the street. My fingers turn white from gripping the wheel and sweat drips down my neck. Navigating between other cars is one heck of a task at first. I have trouble with staying in my lane. Near misses begin to pile up with several instances of avoiding a collision by only a few inches. A large truck swerves out of my way and collides with another vehicle in a violent wreck. Police cars drive past them, now on my tail.

  Miraculously, I drive through a busy intersection and come to the devastated part of the city. There’s no other traffic around so I increase speed, trying to lose my pursuit. It doesn’t quite work out the way I’d planned. I hit a pothole, sending the car into a crazy spin. The steering wheel jerks, jarring my wrists, and the world turns upside down. The front window crashes, spraying pieces of glass into my face. Something hard slams into my head as I’m swallowed by absolute blackness.

  Chapter 3

  I awaken to the stench of gasoline. When I open my eyes, everything is deathly still. The car lies on its roof while I’m stuck inside, upside down and unable to move. Pain racks my body. I feel like I’ve broken every bone. My chest hurts with every breath. Sirens fill the air around me. I see flashing red and blue lights through the broken window.

  Two policemen jog toward the car, searching for me. They kneel, peering inside. I close my eyes and try to concentrate, overcoming the crushing pain in my chest and head. I have to twist their minds. It’s my only chance to be free.

  “He’s not here,” I say through clinched teeth.

  Nothing happens for a few moments. I remain motionless, waiting. Time seems to stop. I don’t know if policemen see me or not. Maybe I’m too weak to break them.

  Then I hear a loud voice, “Negative on the suspect, he’s not here!”

  “Anybody see which direction he went?”

  “Let’s do a thorough search and send officers to check his place of residence.”

  It works. I take a deep breath in relief. One noise and police will understand that I’m still in a car. I have to keep silent.

  Kitty! I need to find her. The cops already have my address. Searching for me, they will arrive at my apartment and find Kitty just returned from school. Unprepared, she’ll be vulnerable. I can’t let it happen.

  I get an awful picture of my little sister being shot. The thought brings mental anguish to add to the physical pains I’m already suffering. I have to reach Kitty before the police.

  Gasping for air and struggling with the seatbelt, I manage to crawl out of the vehicle through the broken front window. Taking a look around, I realize that this area is only a few blocks from home.

  Limping, I stagger hurriedly in the direction of our apartment building. My left knee aches. My vision is blurry. I can see almost nothing with my right eye. I must have injured it as well. Convulsions shake my body and I fall, landing on my hands and knees. I close my eyes tightly for a moment. It’s all too much. I can’t handle all this pain and suffering on top of being hated and chased.

  No, you can’t give up, I tell myself. You can’t fail Kitty. Now get up and move, you wimp!

  The image of my sister snaps me back to reality. Grinding my teeth together and gathering all my will power, I push myself up and stand still for a few seconds. Keeping my head down, I wait for my mind to clear. Breathe, just breathe and regain your balance. There you go. Now move.

  I limp along the street, swaying and stumbling like a drunkard. I haven’t the strength to conceal my identity from any passersby. Thank goodness, only a few homeless are out wandering around. They could care less.

  The sight of our apartment building sends goose bumps down my spine. Is she still alive or not? What if police have already arrived and shot her? I groan miserably at the thought. Regaining a second wind, I proceed.

  I can’t lose Kitty. She’s my whole world. I can’t let anything happen to her.

  Breathless, I enter the building. It’s dark and silent. No sign of the police. Maybe it’s not too late? I rush up the dilapidated stairs leading to our apartment. They seem endless. The stairwell creaks with each step, ready to break.

  Finally I see our door. I smack into it, turning the handle up and down. My shaky hands search for the keys in my pockets. I must have lost them in the accident, or during all the fighting and running before. Insanely, I pound the door with my fists.

  “Kitty!” I scream at the top of my lungs. “Kitty, open the door!”

  Panicked, I don’t care about police who may be already waiting inside. Forget about any neighbors who might hear me yelling like a madman. I just want to see my sister right now. One more minute of waiting and I’ll lose my mind.

  The door opens suddenly and there she is… unharmed. Still dressed in her school uniform. Seeing such a mess standing before her, Kitty’s jaw drops and her eyes widen.

  “Holy cow!” she exclaims.

  I push her back inside our apartment and shut the door behind. All the blood suddenly drains from my head and the room darkens. Not feeling my legs, I slide down the wall and sit on the hard floor, resting. I know there’s no time for a reprieve, but can’t help taking a moment to collect myself.

  “What the heck happened?” Kitty asks.

  I open my mouth, but can’t speak.

  “Hold on,” Kitty says, running off.

  My mind floats between a dream world and reality. All sounds seem muffled. Objects fade and silhouettes mix together. I drop my head down, fighting a bit of nausea rising in my throat.

  Kitty wipes my cheeks and forehead with a towel.

  “Wake up,” I hear Kitty’s voice. “Rex, wake up.”

  Her hand gently slaps my face. Kitty crouches beside me, holding a towel now stained with my blood.

  “What happened to you?” she asks.

  “The cops are coming. We have to get out of here.”

  Kitty thinks for a second. Her eyes darken.

  “Do they know that you’re a breaker?” she asks.

  I nod.

  “Damn it!” she cusses.

  “I’m so sorry,” I say. “I had no other choice. I had to save my coworkers. Those thieves would have killed them.”

  “Really?” Kitty says. “What about us? What about me?”

  I don’t know what to tell her. Kitty sighs and helps me get up.

  “It’s unbelievable,” she says. “Why do you always have to be the freaking hero?”

  She’s right. I screwed up. I always thought it’d be Kitty bringing Elimination down on us. What a fool! I was so wrong.

  “We gotta go,” I say. “They could be here at any moment.”

  Kitty searches for her shoes. She’s no longer scared. Her expression reflects only disappointment.

  I change into an oversized hoodie and old pair of black jeans. The hood is large enough to hide half of my face. Hopefully, it will prevent people on the street from recognizing me.

  The loud wail of sirens makes my heart skip a beat. They’re already here! There’s no time left. I feel like a cornered, wounded animal.

  “Kitty,” I call, running to her bedroom. She’s ready, dressed in warm flat boots and a coat above her school uniform.

  “Let’s go,” I say, grabbing Kitty’s hand and pulling her toward the exit.

  The door shudders from a violent strike. A few cracks split its wooden surface. I stop abruptly. It’s already too late. I take a last desperate look around, trapped. Thick metal bars cross our windows, cutting off our last chance of escape. Nowhere to go. The police are breaking in.

  “Help me put them under,” Kitty says. “Make them think we’re not here.”

  The door breaks down and several officers rush inside, brandishing firearms. I step to the wall and close my eyes, concentrating. We’re not here, I repeat in my mind desperately, we’ve left.

  I hear heavy footsteps and a dog barking. Every muscle in my body tenses so much that it hurts. I stand motionless, scared to move. If they see us, we’re done for. If our ploy
doesn’t work, we’ll be sent straight to prison or shot. I feel vulnerable and exposed. One simple thought swirls in my mind I keep repeating over and over. Not here, nobody home, they’ve already left.

  A minute passes with nobody shooting or handcuffing us. Anxiously, I open my eyes and see policemen walking right past me, searching the apartment.

  “Clear!” somebody yells from our kitchen. “He’s not here!”

  “Damn it,” the policeman standing beside me spits out in anger.

  I breathe out slowly and glance to my left, checking on Kitty. My sister stands propping her back to the wall. Her lips curl into a mocking smile. Unbelievable. She’s enjoying it. Hypnosis seems to give her no headache.

  Feeling my astounded gaze, Kitty turns to me and winks playfully.

  “It’s all right,” she says. “We’re holding them.”

  How on earth can she speak, while I can barely keep myself upright? My legs are weak and my head dizzy. Doesn’t she feel any of that herself? Kitty must be an even stronger breaker than I ever realized.

  The officers are trashing the apartment, opening closets and throwing our meager belongings onto the floor.

  An officer with a huge German shepherd enters the apartment. Passing me, the dog stops, sniffing the air. Its ears twitch, listening closely.

  “Hey,” the officer says, yanking the leash. “What’s wrong, boy?”

  The dog emits a low growl and bares its razor sharp teeth. Relying more on instincts than logic, animals are darn hard to twist.

  I’m sweating. Not here, I project, you can’t see me.

  The dog barks, rising up on its hind legs. The officer pulls back on the leash, almost falling off balance, but thankfully preventing this furious animal from attacking me.

  “Bad dog,” he says. “Stop!”

  “What’s wrong with Buck?” another officer asks.

  “No idea,” the dog owner answers. “He’s been acting a bit strange today.”

  Buck continues going crazy, barking and charging toward me. His teeth snap at the air inches away from my leg.

  The officers move closer, narrowing their focus. I concentrate even harder to keep their minds foggy. My headache is making me sick. I’m losing it. Their wills seem to strengthen with each passing moment. Their minds fight relentlessly against me, resisting continued suggestions. One of them puts his face close to mine and stares right at me. I hold my breath. I already know what’s about to happen.

  Suddenly the policeman flinches, letting out a short burst of surprise. He blinks a few times, shaking his head and not believing what he’s seeing.

  “What’s wrong?” the cop with the dog asks.

  “He’s right here!” his partner screams. “Can’t you see?” He shoves the gun in my face. “Don’t move, punk!”

  This is getting worse than any nightmare.

  Kitty reacts instantly, pointing a finger at the officer in front of me.

  “That’s him!” I hear her screaming. “Get him! He’s the breaker!”

  The policemen turn their heads, raising their guns.

  “No,” the officer pointing the weapon at me says. “Don’t listen to her. She’s a breaker too!”

  “Drop your weapon, freak,” his partner orders.

  “Run,” I hear Kitty’s demanding voice as her hand grips mine, pulling me away. Still overcoming nausea from the car accident, I follow along as fast as I can. The space behind me explodes into gunfire and shrill cries. They’re shooting each other, I realize. How in the world could Kitty have confused them so easily?

  No time to think. We need distance first, now running for our lives. The effect of hypnosis won’t last after we leave. Their minds will clear within seconds and they’ll be looking for us with a vengeance.

  Outside it’s cold and getting dark. The fresh air does bring some relief for my headache. I feel better and am able to jog again. Fast and full of energy, Kitty runs ahead leading the way. We change direction several times, stopping only briefly to catch our breath. The sound of sirens blare in the distance. Hopefully they’ve lost us.

  “Where should we go?” Kitty asks.

  I stand still, thinking. I haven’t faced such a situation before.

  “Let’s try to get outside the city,” I offer, concealing my doubts.

  Kitty nods in agreement and we’re off again. I pull my hood down low as I move, turning away from any random people crossing our path. My face might already be in the news so caution is warranted. I was considered a dangerous criminal, just being a mind breaker. Now after the incident at the bank and this run in with police, I may even become public enemy number one. The police are after us, and the Elimination force may already be tracking as well.

  Finally, after passing countless blocks of dilapidated buildings, we reach the woods. It’s quiet and peaceful here. I can no longer hear any sirens. Now we need to find some sort of shelter. I’m too weak and worn out to continue walking. Kitty seems tired as well. Arriving at an abandoned house, we decide to spend the night inside, although it’s still very risky.

  “I’m hungry,” Kitty complains in a hollow voice. I nod in understanding. My stomach is empty as well.

  We search the kitchen area for anything edible. This is an enormous two floor mansion where wealthy people must have resided long ago. Now it’s empty, with looted rooms, broken windows and crumbling walls. We find nothing but trash.

  Exhausted, we plop down on the floor to collect ourselves.

  “So, what happened earlier?” Kitty asks.

  I tell her about the robbery and killings at the bank. She listens attentively, offering no comments while I’m speaking. Her pale face is stone cold and insensitive. I have no idea what’s going on inside her head.

  “Let me get this right,” Kitty says after I finish telling my story. “So the life of that silly, stupid girl meant more to you than mine.”

  “Kitty, please,” I protest. “Why are you talking that way?”

  We remain silent for a few minutes. Kitty bites her lower lip, deep in thought. Actually, she’s right. I chose to protect others instead of protecting her. Guilt burns through me like fire.

  “I’m sorry,” I say. “I really screwed up.”

  “It’s okay,” Kitty answers. “I’m actually pleased that it’s turned out this way.”

  “What?” I can’t believe my ears.

  “I’m sick and tired with all this hiding,” she says. “Now we can do whatever we wish. True freedom! Just like I’ve been dreaming about.”

  “What are you talking about?” I exclaim. “Our lives are ruined and we’re on the run. How in the world is that your dream?”

  “Our lives were pretty miserable before,” Kitty answers. “I hated that stinking apartment we could barely afford. I hated going to that nasty school where all those idiots were making fun of me every day just because I was poor. Hated to watch you counting out our last penny and tired of being scared all the time. That’s all over with now. We don’t have to lie or pretend to be people we aren’t. We can fight them now and finally be ourselves.”

  “Are you insane?” I ask. “Whom are we gonna fight? Elimination?”

  “Whomever stands in our way,” Kitty says.

  I just shake my head.

  “You’re out of your mind,” I say. “An entire army of well-trained resistant soldiers are looking under every rock for us now. We need to find a safe place to hide and become scarce.”

  “Oh, my goodness,” Kitty groans. “Why do you always have to act like this?”

  “Like what?” I ask.

  “Like you’re afraid of being a breaker and hate trying even now, when it’s time to soldier up,” Kitty answers.

  “Of course, I hate it,” I say with exasperation. “I’m sick of being a freak of nature. I just want to be normal.”

  “I don’t!” she yells. “We’re not normal, Rex. And the time for worrying about it has passed. I love being a breaker. I enjoy having power to control people. Now that the
y’ve come for us, I’m gonna put that little gift to good use.”

  “Forget about it, Kitty,” I say. “No more fighting. Tomorrow we’ll head south toward some small town where we’re not recognized, and start all over again.”

  “Oh, really?” Kitty questions. “And what if I don’t want to go?”

  “You’ll have to go anyway.”

  “What makes you think you should be the one to always make every decision?” Kitty asks, her voice trembling. “Why should I have to do only what you want?”

  “Because I’m your older brother and know what’s best!” I answer in anger.

  “You’re not really my brother!” Kitty snaps.

  Wow, I feel like somebody just dumped a bucket of ice water on my head.

  “Don’t say that!” I protest. It takes all my effort to keep my voice lowered.

  Kitty jumps to her feet and stomps away as if she’s frightened. Her eyes sparkle in the darkness, becoming moist.

  “It’s true!” she shouts. “I’m so sick of playing this stupid little sibling game. I won’t pretend to be your sister anymore, Rex. Your real sister along with your mother betrayed you long ago. I’m not them and I’m nothing like them. I’ll never abandon you.”

  Having spoken from her heart, Kitty turns and runs off. I don’t follow. Being so angry, I could lose self-control and say something even worse. We both need time to cool down.

  I sit on the floor, holding my aching head and trying to think. Kitty is the only family I have left. Four years ago I found her homeless in the street, scrawny and hungry. She was using her breaker abilities to steal money and food. I remember like it was yesterday.

  I was on my way home, deeply immersed in thought. It was my first year in a new and sometimes hostile city. I was close to utter despair, having been rejected by everybody I had known before. I could trust nobody. No family or friends. A wall of distrust and fear separated me from all normal people. I felt like a freak and was lonely all the time.