Surviving ELE (ELE Series #4)

by Gober, Rebecca

I scrunch my eyebrows. “Maybe they are doing it because Lee and our people are here...” He’s right though, something doesn’t add up. I stayed in Erik’s camp for a long time and never saw them so much as light a fire outside. There are too many Reapers in this area and Erik doesn’t like to draw any attention to his safe haven. A strange sensation flutters around in my stomach.

  “I don’t have a good feeling about this,” Tony says as he comes to a halt. We are now only a short distance from the camp. We all stop with him.

  “What’s going on?” my dad asks.

  “I don’t know, something feels wrong. It feels off,” Tony answers my dad.

  All of us huddle around in a circle. Connor beams his flashlight at us. “I feel something strange as well,” he says seriously, which is strange since he is rarely serious. He shifts the flashlight around in his hands and the light glances off Sabby’s face. My little brother’s eyes are sleepy and...

  “Wait,” I say to Connor. He stops shifting around and looks at me. I grab the flashlight from his hands without asking and shine it in my brother’s eyes.

  Sabby squints. “Wello!” He covers his blue eyes with his little hands.

  “His eyes are blue,” Tony says, catching onto what I’m just noticing.

  I shine the light on Alec’s eyes. “Green,” I say. I move it to Claire and notice her light blue eyes, then Connor’s black eyes. My dad’s eyes match my brother’s. Marya’s eyes aren’t gold, they are hazel. Lastly, Tony’s eyes are brown. “What the heck?” I ask.

  Tony grabs the flashlight from me and shines it into my eyes. “I’ve never seen your original eye color. They’re beautiful.” We are caught in a strangely intimate moment in front of everyone.

  My dad clears his throat, ending the moment. I look over at him. Sabby has already fallen back asleep on his shoulder.

  “How?” Alec asks, looking at me.

  Connor still isn’t getting it, “What’s going on? You all are making absolutely no sense at all.”

  Claire answers her boyfriend. “Everyone’s eyes are back to their original color.” Tony shines the light in her face and she points to her eyes.

  “Oh,” Connor says confused.

  “I can’t move anything with my mind,” Marya chimes in. “My powers aren’t working.”

  I try to open my mind to listen to their thoughts but I hear nothing but deafening silence. I run through my other powers, invisibility, moving through objects, nothing is working.

  “Maybe the immunizations only lasted so long,” My dad says. He clutches my little brother closer to his chest. I can see the unease in his eyes. He cancels his own thought out. “No, that wouldn’t make sense. We weren’t all injected at the same time. There’s something else going on here.”

  “I have a bad feeling about this,” Alec says.

  I look to Tony and I don’t have to read minds to know that he concurs with Alec. I look back in the direction of the camp. “We should get back there now. They may need help.”

  Tony grabs my hand and together we lead everyone forward, towards the camp. The closer we get, the more uneasy we feel. Soon we start hearing a muffled voice up ahead, it sounds like it’s coming from a microphone or megaphone. We can’t make out what is being said but it seems to be the same two phrases being repeated over and over again every minute or so. The lights are more noticeable now that we are only a few yards from the road that leads to the camp entrance. The glow they emit is more white than yellow, which tells us that the light isn’t coming from a fire.

  Tony stops our group. “This definitely isn’t right. There’s no electricity out here so there shouldn’t be lights like that.” He points towards the camp. “I think we need to proceed with caution.” He looks to my dad, Alec, and Connor. “Why don’t us guys go check out what’s happening first?”

  “I’m going with you,” I tell Tony.

  He looks at me. “Have your powers come back?”

  I shake my head.

  “Then I think you should stay. We’ll only go up ahead and take a peek, that’s all.” When I glare at him, he puts his hands on my shoulders and looks into my eyes. “Please, babe?”

  I don’t like the idea of not being involved, but I have to remind myself that the world doesn’t revolve around Willow. Plus, I find myself feeling a bit insecure without my powers. I’ve learned to rely on them far too much in the past few months. “Okay. If you aren’t back in twenty minutes, I’m coming after you,” I tell him.

  He kisses me on the cheek. “Love you.”

  “Love you too.”

  He smiles at me before he turns around. “Let’s go.” He waves the guys out.

  My dad hands a sleeping Sebastian to me. I didn’t realize how heavy my brother is without my super strength. I pull him to me and smile worriedly at my dad. “I love you, Dad.”

  “I love you too, honey. We’ll be right back. Stay hidden please.” He looks more alive than he has in a long time. I can imagine that having a daughter who’s stronger than him could have been a bit emasculating. I think he likes the idea of taking care of me. There are a lot of things I haven’t thought much of lately and involving my dad more in the future is a must.

  I watch them walk towards the camp. Marya, Claire, Sebastian, and I move back behind a grouping of large trees. I sit down, since Sabby is getting heavy, and rearrange him on my lap. We continue to listen to the strange voice on the loud speaker that we can’t quite make out. My stomach is a ball of nerves.

  “What’s that?” Claire whispers.

  I strain my ear to hear what she’s talking about. Marya moves closer to us. Her back is rigid with tension. The sound grows closer and I realize it’s the sound of gravel crunching underneath tires. I place my hand to my lips and grip Sabby closer to me. I’m so grateful that he’s sleeping. Claire and Marya move as close to us as possible. I hope that the huge trunk of the tree provides adequate cover for us.

  I peek around the trunk as best as I can and see a black SUV approaching slowly; it can’t be going more than ten miles an hour. I find myself wishing for the cloak our invisibility would have allowed us. Why aren’t our powers working? That seems to be the million-dollar question. The SUV stops every few feet and someone inside the vehicle shines a search light out into the woods. The windows are open and the person holds the light out the window as far as they can.

  As they approach, I can hear static and voices coming over a handheld radio.

  I duck my head back since the SUV is nearly on us. The girls scoot in even closer to me. My heart starts beating heavily in my chest. Sabby stirs, but I rub his back gently, trying to urge him to go back to sleep. I have no idea what’s going on. All I can hope is that the guys haven’t been spotted. I don’t trust anyone who has a vehicle in a time like this.

  I hold my breath when I see the light shining on a tree next to us. It moves around and I shift Sabby closer to me when it reflects off the snow on the ground beside us. Please don’t let them see us, I say over and over again in my head.

  With them this close, I can make out the sound of the radio even better. I listen as someone talks into it. The truck is placed in park right next to where we sit, giving us a clear opportunity to hear what’s going on. It still sets me at extreme unease having it be this close to us.

  “Base command, this is two-one-bravo over,” a man’s voice calls from the vehicle.

  “Go ahead two-one-bravo, this is base command, over,” a voice responds back from the radio.

  “Base command, two-one-bravo reporting operation: Perimeter is secure,” the man says.

  “Confirmed two-one-bravo, perimeter secure. SITREP on Whisky Mike? Over,” the person on the radio squawks.

  “Base command, two-one-bravo reporting negative on Whisky Mike, please advise, over?” The vehicle starts moving again slowly. I see the light hit a tree a few rows down. The voices are getting harder to make out.

  “Two-one-bravo, maintain perimeter until we transport occupants to Foxtrot-Oscar-B
ravo, over.”

  “Base command, copy, out,” the man in the vehicle says.

  The vehicle keeps moving ahead slowly. I can’t hear if there is any more to the radio conversation because they are now completely out of my hearing range. I let out the breath I’d been holding. “What in the world is going on here?” I say aloud.

  “I don’t know,” Claire says a little shakily.

  Marya looks really nervous. “I grew up on a military base. This isn’t good. It sounds like they are taking someone or everyone to the forward operating base. That’s what Foxtrot-Oscar-Bravo means.”

  My heart starts pounding double time. “Do you think they found the guys?”

  Marya shakes her head. “No, they referred to the people they have as occupants. I can only assume they mean the people at the camp... That they’re taking them to the base.”

  “Why would they do that?” Claire asks, her blue eyes wide as saucers.

  “I have no idea.” Marya shakes her head. She looks at me with a worried look. “They’re looking for someone specific though and it sounds like they still haven’t found them.”

  “What do you mean?” I ask, not liking the way she’s looking at me.

  “He called for a SITREP on Whiskey Mike. That stands for a situation report and Whiskey Mike would be the initials W.M.”

  I gasp. Willow Mosby. “They are looking for me,” I say quietly.

  Chapter 11

  I sit there stunned by this new revelation.

  Claire puts her hand on my knee and tenses up. Her eyes are wide. “Do you hear that?”

  My muscles tense and I pull Sabby closer into me. That’s when I hear the sound of vehicles approaching.

  Marya leans out of view for a second to look around the tree. “Vehicles, lots of them!” she whispers frantically.

  We huddle together as they approach. Their headlights light up the forest around us. Truck after truck zooms past us along the road. Unlike the SUV, these trucks aren’t looking for anyone. They are headed out. Memories of my parents and Tony being shot and taken away not too long ago, send my mind into a panic. I count the vehicles as they pass, twenty-one in all. I cringe at the odd number. Please let the guys be safe!

  After the last vehicle passes, we finally allow ourselves to breathe. None of us knows what’s going on but all we can hope is that whatever threat was here is gone now.

  We wait for a while in silence, hoping the guys will return soon. Sabby stirs beneath me, resituating himself. A rustling in the trees sets me on edge. I look at Claire and Marya and they return my gaze. Nobody dares move or breathe out of fear of the unknown.

  Sabby’s head bobs up and he looks around. “Daddy?” he questions aloud. I hold my finger to my lips and shake my head. He squints his eyes at me. “What’s wong, Wello?”

  I grit my teeth and put my finger to his lips, desperate for him to stop talking. I hug him to my chest and the rustling continues, getting closer and closer still.

  When a man emerges from the bushes, I almost lose it and scream… until I see that the man is my father. He kneels down and takes Sabby from my arms. My heart is still pounding in my chest as Connor, Alec, and then Tony, joins us.

  The sound that had been resonating around us suddenly goes silent. We wait for several long seconds before my dad breaks the silence.

  “We think they’re gone. “All three of us girls breathe a sigh of relief. I let my head go back and rest itself on the tree trunk behind me. Tony takes my hands, pulls me to my feet, and into a hug. His comfort and warmth makes me feel safe. He strokes my head as my dad gives a full report.

  “We saw several vehicles down on the other side of the camp loading in all of Lee and Eric’s people. They seemed to be going willingly. We assume it was because they had no abilities to use to defend themselves. Eric and Lee were the last to get loaded into the trucks. They’re the only ones who looked as if they’d been in a scuffle. No doubt, they didn’t go down without a fight. As to where they’re going…that we aren’t sure of. We overheard some talk on the walkie-talkies but couldn’t make out what they were saying.”

  “Marya can,” I say, almost cutting off my dad. “Marya’s dad was military. She heard what they said and told us what it meant.”

  My dad looks impressed. “Well…what did they say?” he asks, almost losing his composure. I can tell he’s irritated and on the verge of panic. He desperately wants all the puzzle pieces so he can fit them together.

  “They’re looking for Willow,” Marya says quietly.

  The look in my dad’s eyes is fierce as understanding flashes before him. “Impossible,” I hear my dad whisper.

  “They’re taking all of the people they gathered to a nearby base, probably less than twenty-five miles from here based on what they said. That’s all I really know. I’m sorry I can’t be of more help. “Her voice becomes quiet as Alec comforts her.

  I swallow hard, realizing the situation seems to be going down the toilet. So much for peace, harmony, or happily ever after, I think to myself.

  “Tell me about it,” I hear a voice say in my head. I look up to Tony and shine my flashlight on his face. I see his eyes have changed back to the wide array of colors they were before.

  “Powers,” I say aloud. “Our powers are back.” I look at the others around me. Their eyes changed back to the colors that correspond to their gifts. I watch as they each test their abilities and come away with satisfied smiles.

  “Why they looking for Wello?” Sabby asks as if he just clued in to that detail.

  Tony smiles at Sabby. “Because your sister is a very special girl.”

  My little brother nods his head, his bright yellow eyes showing adoration for me.

  Snow starts falling again. Unlike the last time, this moment isn’t exactly filled with excitement. The night is cold and the events that have unfolded within it leave us feeling shaken and scared. “We should find shelter,” I say.

  “The camp isn’t safe anymore. They may have left a few of their troops behind to see if you show up. Let’s go back to the cabin,” Tony suggests.

  “That’s not exactly a safe place. We were abducted from there, you remember?” Connor adds.

  “Yes, but that was Zack’s men. I don’t think what’s going on here is part of his operation,” Tony says. “This was a military takeover.”

  “Still, it might not be secure,” Alec agrees with Connor.

  “Maybe we should go to the other safe house. Where our people went. You said that Lee came here to inform you when Sebastian and I were taken, but I doubt he would have brought everyone along. Did he?” my dad asks me.

  I shake my head. “No, he only had a group of no more than twenty people.” A memory comes moving into the forefront of my mind. “Lee had said that they found a way to make contact with the Department of Defense. Do you think that could be what prompted this military takeover?”

  My dad considers it for a moment. “It could very well be. It wouldn’t explain why they would be looking for you though.”

  “It doesn’t,” I say. A small inkling of hope fills me. Perhaps they aren’t looking for me. The initials W.M. could stand for a lot of things. What things? I don’t know, but I’m sure if I think on it for a little while, they will come to mind.

  “It could stand for whacko-maniac. Or woman-man. Maybe Wal-Mart?” Tony says inside my head.

  “Listening in, huh?” I raise my brow at him.

  “I can’t help it; your voice is like a siren’s song.” He wags his eyebrows back at me.

  “Suck up,” I say aloud. My dad looks between the two of us. I quickly get back to the subject at hand. “Do you know how to get back to the safe house?” I ask my dad.

  He nods his head. “I believe so, but it’s a long way from here. It could take half a day.”

  “Then it’s settled. We will go back to the cabin to take shelter tonight. Then tomorrow at first light, we will try to meet up with the others,” Tony says.

  I try my b
est not to shiver when I nod my head to agree. “Let’s get moving. I don’t like being out here.”

  When we arrive at the cabin, everyone is exhausted and cold. Tony and I perform a perimeter search and see no signs of any danger in the immediate area. We rush inside and Tony begins making a fire to warm the living room. I grab all of the blankets and coats I can find and we make a large pallet on the floor near the fire.

  My dad tucks a large, down jacket around my sleeping brother. He lies down at his side and looks up at me where I lie on the sofa. “What I don’t get is why I didn’t see any of this coming.” My dad seems lost in thought.

  I’ve been thinking the same thing. “I know. I would have assumed that between the two of us, we would have at least had an inkling of what was about to happen. I got nothing.”

  “I know,” my dad says.

  Tony comes over and makes a spot for himself on the floor, directly below where I lie on the sofa. He pulls the Sherpa blanket up over my shoulders before he lies his head down on a sofa pillow. “My guess is that it has something to do with the fact that we lost our powers. Something caused our powers to turn off back there. I don’t know what it was, but it had to do with the military being there because when they left, we powered up again. That’s not a coincidence,” he says.

  “Yeah, that was some freaky crud. Heck, these past few months have been filled with nothing but Twilight Zone-worthy events,” Connor chimes in. He’s lying between Claire and Alec on the floor.

  “Dude, stop trying to play footsies with me.” Alec scoots further away from Connor.

  “Sorry, man.” Connor laughs. “I couldn’t help myself.”

  Alec groans. I can tell he’s tired. Marya lies next to him, closest to the fire. Her eyelids are fluttering heavily as she tries to stay awake.

  “Boys,” My dad chides and Connor and Alec quiet down.

  “What do you think they are going to do with everyone?” Claire asks in a worried whisper.

  “I don’t know,” I say thinking of Erik, Morgan, Audrey, Molly, Candy, Jake, Lee, and all of the people who have helped me survive out here. “We will find a way to help them though,” I say with confidence. That’s what this life is about now. It’s all about trying to survive on the outside and helping others when you can. Everyone agrees with me sleepily.