The Starborn Ascension: Books 1, 2, and 3 (The Starborn Saga)

by Jason D. Morrow

  Jenna nods.

  “Evie has an important future ahead of her. I know you can’t understand what I mean, but it’s true. She is special.”

  “I understand,” Jenna says, smiling. “Every child is special in this world. It’s our duty to protect them.”

  I don’t contradict her. That’s not exactly what I meant, but if it’s enough for her, then it’s enough for me.

  I leave Jenna on the sidewalk, satisfied that I’m helping secure the future. Tonight, Evie will be with people that will keep her safe. But first, I’ve got to talk to Jeremiah.

  I find Jeremiah talking with Ethan and Stephen near the entrance of the town. I think about listening in on their conversation before going up to them, but I don’t really care what they are saying to each other. I don’t trust any of them, really. At one point, I would have trusted Ethan, but the way he’s been acting toward Waverly just makes me mad. So, I lump him together with the others, if only to keep myself focused.

  When I approach them, Jeremiah stops talking, and looks at me with a smile.

  “Hello, Remi,” he says. “I was actually wanting to talk to you about something.”

  I nod at him. “Same here. You first.”

  “I wanted to make sure you planned to sneak into the compound with us,” he says. “I want a group of individuals who are comfortable with each other.”

  “Who all is going?” I ask.

  “Myself, Ethan, Stephen, Waverly, and I hope you and Gabe.”

  “Is that a small enough group?” I ask.

  “I think it’s just right.”

  I look at Ethan, who seems to be off in another world, and then at Stephen who stares at the ground, seemingly in a daze. I don’t know what’s up with Ethan, but I know that Stephen is still struggling with losing the people of Elkhorn. They were his family. They were all he had left. I feel sad for him.

  “I will go with you into the sewers under one condition,” I say.

  Jeremiah’s eyebrows lower as I say this. He doesn’t like conditions. “What is it?”

  “I want you to let Jenna and Mike go,” I say. “They have nothing to do with this. They’ve agreed to take Evie with them so long as they are allowed to go free.”

  “I’m sorry, but no,” Jeremiah says. “I can’t trust them.”

  “They were just in the wrong place at the wrong time,” I say frustrated. “They aren’t part of this fight.”

  “As far as you know,” Jeremiah says. “But they could be spies sent from Shadowface. I’m not going to risk letting them tell her that we’re coming. It would ruin everything.”

  “Olivia will be too preoccupied with the greyskins surrounding her city, don’t you think?”

  Jeremiah’s eyes narrow. “How did you know about that?”

  “I overheard you, obviously,” I say.

  “Not having you with me is a risk I can afford,” he says. “Letting Mike and Jenna leave is a risk I can’t afford, but I am willing to compromise.”

  “Go on,” I say.

  “They must come with us to Anchorage, but can leave before the fighting begins. So, you will need to take Evie with you, if your plan is for them to take her. They can have a car, but only once we get there.”

  “It’s too risky,” I say. “They could get caught up in the fight. I don’t want to take Evie within a mile of that place either.”

  “That’s the deal,” Jeremiah says. “Take it or leave it.”

  I let out a huff, but I know it’s all I’m going to get and it will have to be good enough for Mike and Jenna.

  “But that’s only if you agree to help us get through the sewers,” Jeremiah continues.

  “Fine,” I say.

  I spin on my heel and start walking away. I can hear steps following me and when I turn, I see that it’s Stephen. We are several feet away from Jeremiah and Ethan who are now in another conversation discussing their plans.

  “Why are you giving Evie to strangers?” Stephen asks.

  “Same reason you gave her to me,” I lie. “I can’t take care of her.”

  “I thought the two of you were getting along,” he says.

  I feel tears starting to come and I don’t understand why. I swallow them as best I can, trying to force the lie out naturally. “I can’t take care of a kid, Stephen. No more than you can.”

  “I can take her then,” Stephen says.

  I shake my head at him. “You already gave her up,” I say. “Look at yourself, Stephen! You’ve been walking around looking like a greyskin. You couldn’t take care of her if you wanted to.”

  “I’m just surprised by you,” Stephen says. “She was the reason you came to Elkhorn in the first place.”

  “In a way, I guess. But everything has changed. Things will always change.” I take a step forward and lower my voice to a whisper. “Honestly, I don’t know why you’re helping Jeremiah.”

  “Before Shadowface destroyed Elkhorn,” he says, “I thought I had already lost everything when I lost my wife. But when most of my people were killed in Elkhorn, I found out what it truly meant to lose everything. Jeremiah’s my only chance to see retribution.”

  If he only knew who Jeremiah really was, I think to myself. I want to tell him, but I can’t. Stephen is fragile. Who knows what he would say or do right now. He would probably kill Jeremiah where he stood, which is what I want to do too. But he has to help us get to Olivia. Then, and only then, can we change the future.

  Chapter 20 - Waverly

  The evening creeps up slowly with long shadows crawling down the sidewalks. The blood-red sun shines just above the horizon while orange and purple clouds paint the sky.

  I feel confused. Remi just told me that Evie, Jenna, and Mike have to come with us to Anchorage. I thought for sure we would be sending Evie off before the fight. This looks like the same sky that I saw in the vision. Have we become so consumed with helping fate run its course that we accidentally changed it?

  Everyone that is going to Anchorage—at least seventy people—carry guns with them. Everyone except Jenna and Mike who stand in the crowd, fuming because their wrists have been tied behind their backs. Jeremiah’s lack of trust for them might get them killed if we’re running into greyskins, but Remi has already assured them she won’t let that happen. I still don’t know how this is supposed to play out. The plan is to allow Mike and Jenna the chance to leave with Evie just before getting to Anchorage, but by the time we get there, the sun will be gone and the painted sky will be lost.

  I hope I haven’t somehow altered Evie’s future. But it’s either do that or we send her away at a different time. It’s impossible to know. The burden of my power weighs heavily, and I wish I could be relieved of it.

  I walk the street, making my way to my assigned vehicle where I will travel with Ethan, Jeremiah, and Stephen. Remi and Gabe will take a different SUV with two guards, Evie, Mike, and Jenna, so they can help them escape when Jeremiah gives the order.

  I zip my coat up as a cold breeze blows against my exposed skin. I carry a backpack full of supplies given to me by one of Jeremiah’s men. It includes water, bandages, and extra ammunition. One of the soldiers even tried to hand me a couple of grenades, but I declined, not having a clue how to use one. I’m happy to just have a handgun with me and plenty of ammunition to keep me secure.

  I’m almost to the vehicle when I spot Remi and Gabe saying goodbye to Ray and Nancy. I think about stopping and thanking them for their hospitality but decide to leave that to my sister. As I get closer to the car, I can feel my hands start to shake. I don’t like the idea of going toward a large group of greyskins. They terrify me. It’s not the death I fear…but the pain…the turning. I don’t want to become one of them. I can’t imagine anything worse than having to go through that transition—twenty-four hours of sickness and pain, only to die and come back to life as a mindless, flesh-eating corpse.

  When I get to the car, only Ethan sits inside. For a second, I think about not getting in. I don’t ex
actly want to be alone with him, but what good does avoidance do?

  When I open the door, he doesn’t even turn to look at me. I feel shocked when I see tears falling down the sides of his cheeks. He doesn’t even attempt to wipe them away.

  “Ethan, what’s wrong?” I ask, getting in and closing the door.

  “I don’t feel well,” he says.

  “What’s happening?”

  “More than I’m able to tell,” he says.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Something bad might happen today.”

  “Like what?” I wish he would just say it. What more can I do than to badger him with questions. If I thought it would help to slap it out of him, I would, but I don’t think that’s what I should do.

  He shakes his head at me. “I can’t tell you.”

  “I wish you would.”

  “No,” he says. Now he wipes at his cheeks and eyes to get rid of the tears. “You don’t understand.” He turns to me, staring into my eyes intently. “I can’t tell you. I don’t have the ability to tell you!”

  I squint at him, not understanding what message he’s trying to convey, but all I can do is shake my head. He reaches into his pocket and produces a folded piece of paper.

  “I know this doesn’t make sense now, but if you follow the instruction on the paper as soon as possible, everything will be all right.”

  I look at him curiously, taking the paper and unfolding it. When I read the messy scribbling, my stomach drops.

  The message reads: The moment you get a chance, kill me.

  It takes a minute before I realize that I’m holding my breath. I look at Ethan, speechless. He stares at me, almost as if he’s waiting for me to carry out the instruction. Surely he knows I would never do such a thing.

  “What are you doing?” I say to him, feeling angry.

  This time, I feel the hot sting of tears in my eyes. When I look away from him, he sighs and leans his head against the window. I’m about to ask him another question when the front car doors open. In comes Stephen, who will apparently be driving, and Jeremiah in the front passenger seat. I fold the piece of paper back up and place it into my pocket, feeling angry that he gave me the note. What game is he playing? Is he trying to make me feel horrible for pulling the trigger and shooting him a month ago? It wasn’t my fault! He knows it wasn’t my fault!

  Jeremiah constantly talks loudly over the radio, barking out orders to his soldiers. Stephen sits silently behind the wheel, ready and waiting for Jeremiah’s instructions.

  Jeremiah turns to look at me from the front, his red, drooping eyes studying my face. He seems to notice the wetness in my eyes, but doesn’t say anything about it. “Are you ready?” he asks.

  It’s difficult to unclench my jaws. I don’t want to tell him yes, but I don’t want to delay. I don’t know what the future holds for me, but I know what I have to do. I am ready—to kill Shadowface…to kill Jeremiah…to change the future for the last time.

  Chapter 21 - Mitch

  Darkness covers the land and the sun has disappeared into the shadows of night. The only light is the constant firing of guns and missiles by the soldiers of Anchorage, doing everything they can to deter the horde of greyskins surrounding the city. I have never seen so many, so I know most of these people haven’t either. It’s an unprecedented, massive assault that none of them ever anticipated. As I sit in my car, a safe distance away from the city, I can’t help but smile at the irony of it all. Inside Anchorage is a bunch of people feeling scared and helpless. One of them is my mother. Her own plan for domination is devouring itself with my father’s creation. Tonight, both of them will be dead, and it’s all by my design. This is true justice.

  I can’t help but marvel at the ingenuity of this operation. Thanks to Taylor, my subject on the inside, I know that the meeting between Shadowface and the thirty settlement leaders has been postponed until the crisis is over.

  And thanks to Ethan, I know that my father and his men will be here soon. They will blow a hole in the wall in a matter of seconds when they get there. By that time, there will be so many greyskins inside the city, it will be simple to slip inside undetected. It’s not like I have to worry about it though. I can control the mind of anyone I encounter. I want to slip by unnoticed, however, so it can all be a surprise. I want my mother to see me and feel surprised—scared. I want my father to make it in easily enough so he doesn’t feel much worry until he sees my face.

  Sure, he could have done this all by himself. The seventy soldiers he’s gathered would have been enough to make a distraction, possibly allowing him inside the compound without notice. But I’ve made it probable, not just possible. With Waverly’s help, he will make his way to the bunker where my mother’s office is. There, I will meet him and my mother. Then we will die as a family—though not before I have Ethan kill Waverly.

  The day will end in destruction for all of us, but that is the way I want it. That is the way it needs to be.

  I wish when I first obtained this power of mind control, that I would have been powerful enough to take over my father’s mind. Sure, I had been able to do it when I was in the room with him, but only recently have I been able to take control from a great distance, and only then after I’ve been with that person for an extended period of time; Taylor and Ethan being the examples. But it hasn’t been easy with either of them. Though they never disobey my direct orders, I constantly have to fight with them over subtleties. For instance, the other day, Taylor tried to lose his keys so he wouldn’t have access to one of the main hallways, but I was forced to command his mind to do otherwise. Last night, Ethan came too close to divulging too much information to Waverly, his constant battle of love for her versus the command I have over his mind has proven especially difficult. I thought I had just about lost him when he handed the note to Waverly earlier today. The note that read: The moment you get a chance, kill me. I knew the moment she saw it, that she wouldn’t heed him, though it planted in her mind that there was something terribly wrong.

  These connections have overwhelmed me. I haven’t slept well for weeks. Controlling both Taylor and Ethan, as well as a horde of greyskins has been no easy task. But everything is set in motion now. There is nothing left but to wait.

  I roll down the windows in the car and let the cold air rush over me. I breathe it in, not really expecting the stench of rotting flesh to hit me from this distance, though it does anyway. I close my eyes and can see Ethan riding in the car. He is seething silently. Good. I want him to use his passions to move him forward. It will help him when I tell him to kill Waverly. I try to enter his mind—to make him feel anger towards her, to blame her for trying to kill him. But every time I do this, I fail. He loves her. There is something there that I cannot overcome. I can tell him to kill her, and he would do it, but I can’t make him want to do it. It’s the flaw in the power. In due time, I think. He will kill her when I want.

  Minutes go by. I check in on Taylor who stands guard in one of the rooms of the building. Olivia is not in her bunker. She doesn’t think she needs to be. The walls will protect them from the greyskins, so she sits in an office of the same building, not far from where she was supposed to have a meeting with the settlement leaders. Through Taylor, I have seen the leaders. They are scared. Most of them question whether they should have come, but few assure the others that it will be worth it once the crisis is over. Some posit that the greyskins are actually an act set up by Shadowface to display power. This starts to become the prevailing theory, and some find it amusing. But they won’t find it amusing when the walls blow to pieces and the greyskins are suddenly storming the compound and eating their flesh.

  A light in the distance catches my attention. More than one light. Headlights. My father is here. Any minute now, the walls will be down, and this will all be finished.

  Chapter 22 - Remi

  Knowing that we’re about to come face-to-face with thousands of greyskins is a lot different than actually seeing thousa
nds of greyskins in front of me. I never expected to see such a large number of them. All of them screech and wail as they charge against the wall of Anchorage, defenseless against the firepower of Shadowface’s soldiers.

  Gabe and I sit with Evie between us in the middle seat of a large SUV. Scott drives while Derek mans the radio on the passenger side. Mike and Jenna have remained quiet behind us in the last seat. Well, quiet until now.

  “Okay, we’re here,” Mike says. “Now let us go. There’s no point in holding us.”

  “Jeremiah gave us orders,” Derek yells from the front. “You’re not allowed out of the car until the wall is broken.”

  I look back at Mike and Jenna, shaking my head. “I don’t like this any more than you do, but you can’t leave until we have a vehicle for you. Even if I could get you out, you wouldn’t have anything to leave in.”

  “We’re obviously not with this Shadowface person,” Mike says. “I don’t understand why he won’t let us go—why we had to come in the first place.”

  “Sweetheart,” Jenna says, resting her hand against Mike’s shoulder. “They will let us go. Just stay calm.”

  Mike rolls his eyes and takes a deep breath. I understand his anxiety, but I know that he and Jenna are Evie’s ticket out of this mess. I look away from Mike and then down at Evie. She’s crying at the sight of all the greyskins in front of us, but they are silent tears. I reach for her hand and hold it in mine.

  “It’s okay, kid,” I tell her. “We won’t have to see them for very long. In a few minutes, you’re going to go with Mike and Jenna, okay?”

  “No!” she screams. She gets on her knees and hugs me tightly. I can’t help but return the hug, rubbing my fingers through her soft, blonde hair. My eyes glance at Jenna, and I can’t really tell, but it seems like she has tears forming.

  What if Waverly saw everything wrong? The vision she saw of us giving Evie away was over a month ago. Anything could have happened to change that outcome. I’m starting to understand why she doesn’t want to see anyone’s future. It’s confusing and uncertain. Changing what she sees seems deliberate, but in the grand scheme of things, Waverly is very new to her power. She openly admits that she doesn’t understand it completely.