Broken - Afflictions of the Evolved (The Evolved Trilogy)

by Shawnda Currie

  I could feel Taylor staring at me intently. Since he had basically watched my life play out on a screen through edited pieces of cameras that had captured me since birth, he didn’t think I had any secrets left to tell. “I’m enchanted,” I finally blurted. I looked up at him for his reaction.

  I expected Taylor to be somewhat surprised but he was stolid. “I had a suspicion you might be,” he simply said.

  “Why didn’t you say anything?”

  “I’m a firm believer that things are revealed when they are supposed to be,” he said as he fluffed up his pillow.

  “You told me about the elite. Why didn’t you tell me about the enchanted?” I asked inching closer to Taylor.

  “Because I thought the enchanted was a myth. There isn’t one documented case in my time. We thought it was someone’s imagination running away with them….something made up.”

  “You thought it was made up yet you had a suspicion about me?” I pulled the covers over us. That didn’t make sense.

  “Yes.”

  I knew from his one word answer that he didn’t want to discuss it further. Instead, Taylor held me tightly in his arms and kissed my forehead. I missed the feel of his tender hands touching me and the sound of his beating heart next to mine. If it came down to it, was I strong enough to give him up? My mind raced, conflicted by various emotions but eventually sleep came.

  The next morning, the children gathered in front of the mess hall to wave goodbye. Sherry hugged us both and wished us good luck. Nitro hugged Taylor and lifted me in the air again. Jade was nowhere to be seen. She must have “been told” so to speak.

  The hike back to the jeep was as treacherous as before. We were soaked again crossing the stream, only this time I remained cold as we were out of the protective dome of Serenity. My lips had turned blue by the time we reached the jeep. Taylor’s high metabolism kept him warm enough.

  We changed our clothes and threw our bags in the jeep. After starting the jeep with my mind, Taylor cranked the heat for my benefit. I wrapped myself tightly in his jacket until I was finally warm again.

  After driving for a couple of hours we pulled into a gas station along the highway. Taylor drove around to the back where a man in blue coveralls worked under the hood of a brown station wagon.

  Taylor got out of the jeep and went over to the man who nodded his head and smiled. After he rolled from under the car and stood up, Taylor walked with him to the side of the garage where the man opened a drawer and handed Taylor a grocery bag. The two looked in my direction and I knew that was my cue to get out. I grabbed our belongings and walked over to Taylor who now stood beside a silver truck. He checked the contents of the bag. As I got closer he said, “Hop in.”

  “Really you schmoozed that guy in just a few minutes?” I wondered if Taylor was keeping more from me, like maybe he was a controller.

  “He’s a friend of Sherry’s,” he smiled. There goes my theory. “There are fake ID’s for the two of us in here,” he said tossing the grocery bag on the seat. Taylor started the truck and began to drive. He honked and waved as we passed the mechanic.

  “I don’t get it, how did she make this happen from Serenity?” There were no phones, no computers, and no short wave radio.

  “The guy had this bag for a few months. Sherry and the others occasionally venture back to the real world. By the way, I love your high school picture,” he grimaced.

  I grabbed the bag and rummaged through. There was a driver’s license for both of us. Sure enough my high school picture was used to make the fake. There was also a cell phone, a credit card and a few business cards with random words on the back. I had no doubt Taylor would understand exactly what they meant as he had a certain short hand way to communicate with his contacts. Maybe I would start to use symbols as a way to communicate with others once I developed my own list of contacts.

  I thought about the books Sherry had me read. They were books my mother would have enjoyed. If she was still here, she would know exactly what to say to me to help me figure this all out.

  Before her overdose, she used to say there were forces at work beyond our understanding. At the time I didn’t know what to think. Did she know about time travel? Did she have any idea that I would be the key in preventing three disasters to alter the future of Taylor’s world? Even with her gone, the pieces of the puzzle were falling into place. I reached into my pocket to touch the two stones Sherry had given me. My mother would have no doubt been a believer about the magical powers they supposedly contained. I would hold on to them as Sherry suggested – just in case.

  We continued down the highway for a few more hours until we reached a city. Taylor pulled into a random motel. I waited in the truck while he went inside to get a room. The outside of the motel was much like the one we had stayed in the night before our first mission. I shivered at the thought of Taylor’s father almost killing him. I knew that man would never tire of tracking us down and it would only be a matter of time before he caught up to us again. For all I knew, he could be lurking in the bushes right now.

  Once inside the motel room I was pleasantly surprised. It smelled like lemon cleaner unlike stale cigarettes of the other motel we stayed in the night before the first mission. It was your standard room with two queen sized beds. I went straight to the bathroom and turned on the tap in the tub. This was exactly what I needed, a nice hot bath. I was thankful to have running water and electricity.

  “I’m going to go to the store while you have a bath,” said Taylor standing in the doorway to the washroom.

  “Okay, see you in a bit,” I said. I kissed him on the cheek but Taylor wasn’t satisfied with that. He grabbed my face with both hands and kissed me passionately on the lips. It was the first time we had kissed like that since I walked in on him and Jade. My stomach fluttered with butterflies, my body’s way of letting my mind know I really did forgive Taylor.

  After he left, I got naked. Just as expected, the water soothed my aching muscles and renewed my vitality. I took my time shaving my legs and armpits. I turned on the shower to rinse off the shaving cream residue.

  After drying off, I walked into the room in a fresh white robe, combing knots out of my wet hair. I searched my bag for fresh underwear, a tank top and pajama bottoms. I got dressed, sat on the bed closest to the washroom and continued to brush my hair. I extended my free hand in the air and made the remote control for the television come to me. I wasn’t being lazy. I just liked practicing my telekinesis. Use it or lose it, I thought. I clicked on the television and found a music channel for background noise. I supposed I could have turned it on with my mind but it was more fun watching the remote fly through the air in a controlled motion.

  Moments later the door opened and Taylor entered carrying numerous bags. I closed the door behind him using my telekinesis as he threw the bags onto one of the beds. I even latched the chain for good measure. And maybe to show off a bit.

  “I brought us some food,” he said looking back at the closed door and back to me.

  “Thanks,” I said standing up to put the brush down on the dresser and to inspect the bags.

  I grabbed a fruit tray and pulled off the plastic lid. Taylor walked over and plunged a strawberry into the creamy white dip. Then to be a smart ass he extended his finger in the dip and smeared it on my cheek. I retaliated by doing the same to him. We both laughed hard at our immaturity. It felt good to laugh and to finally be alone with Taylor so we could reconnect. I felt alienated from him while at Serenity.

  Taylor went to the bathroom and threw a facecloth at me so I could wipe the creamy mess from my face. “My turn to shower,” he said.

  I searched through the rest of the bags. Some sandwiches, some granola bars, some juice boxes and condoms! My stomach did little flips. Did this mean what I thought it meant? Was Taylor planning on having his way with me tonight? Then I felt anxious. My mouth dried up. What if I wasn’t any good in bed? Though my best friend Kate was well practiced in having sex, I myself w
as a virgin. Kate couldn’t believe that I wanted to save myself for someone I truly loved. Maybe it had to do with the fact that I always thought my dad and Judy were having an affair while my mom was suffering with her mental illness which was confirmed by Taylor at Clear Waters. I swore to myself that I wouldn’t just give it up to fit in with the crowd and would definitely not act like them. Some things were meant to be cherished.

  When I heard the bathroom door open I quickly put the condoms back into the bag. I looked up to see Taylor in nothing but a pair of blue boxers. I licked my lips at the thought of his muscular body becoming entwined with mine. I was also scared out of my mind!

  Taylor looked at the bag and then to me. My expression told him of my discovery. Taylor walked towards me as he towel dried his hair and glanced again at the bag on the bed. He dropped the towel to the floor and moved closer to me. His lips touched mine briefly. He lifted my top over my head exposing my breasts. I covered them with my hands but Taylor pulled them down to my sides and gently pushed me onto the bed. He kissed my neck then my lips. He looked directly in my eyes and gave me a mischievous grin as he pulled off my pajamas. Our lips locked again and my hands moved over his biceps. As our bare chests rubbed against each other, I grabbed at the top of his boxers and slowly pulled them down.

  It was as if fate intervened when our moment of heated passion was interrupted by a loud knock on the door.

  BOOK TITLE

  7.

  UNEXPECTED VISITOR

  Taylor and I both looked at one another, asking in our minds if the other was expecting company. Obviously neither one of us was or we both wouldn’t be half naked. I grabbed my robe as Taylor yanked up his boxers. My heart was beating so fast and I wasn’t sure if it was from the make out session or the adrenaline from the knock on the door. Maybe it was a combination of the two. He held his finger to his mouth for me to be quiet and pointed to the bathroom with his other hand.

  I quickly ran into the washroom, my head peeking from behind the door jam as Taylor looked through the peep hole of the door.

  His body went from being tensed to being relaxed. Apparently, he knew the person standing on the other side of the door. He removed the chain and unlocked the door to let him in. Leave it to Zed to ruin my perfect evening with Taylor.

  “Am I interrupting something?” asked Zed looking at Taylor in his boxers and messy blond hair. He removed his leather coat and threw it along with his bike helmet on the spare bed closest to the window.

  “What are you doing here and how did you find us?” asked Taylor closing the door behind him.

  I walked out of the washroom holding my robe closed with one hand as I searched my bag with the other for something more appropriate to wear.

  “Wow, don’t you look appetizing?” said Zed as he stared at my breasts, bulging more than usual as I gripped the robe tightly.

  I flashed him a dirty look. Now was not the time for his flirtatious innuendos. Zed smiled wryly as he turned his stare towards Taylor. I didn’t even have to dwell inside his mind to know what he was thinking. My cheeks blushed with embarrassment.

  Zed let out a slight cough. “I’m here for the meeting.”

  “What meeting?” asked Taylor.

  Zed searched the room for the grocery bag Sherry’s friend had given us when we picked up the truck. He rummaged through pulling out one of the business cards. He handed it to Taylor who flashed his eyes over the words. Taylor hadn’t even bothered to read and decipher all the business cards yet as both of us thought that we could have at least one night off from all of this craziness.

  “The meeting isn’t for two days. Why didn’t you just hook up with us at the venue?” asked Taylor.

  “I had some business in the area when I picked up on your signal. I wasn’t sure if it was really you guys with that truck out there. By the way, where’s the Mustang?” he asked returning his gaze in my direction.

  I grabbed my clothes and the card from Taylor’s hand in a huff and proceeded to the washroom making sure the door was closed tightly. I didn’t need Zed the pervert spying on me. As I changed out of the robe into some sweats and a t-shirt, I read the message on the card I had placed on the sink. There were four words, none of which meant anything to me: Mega, full, niner and track.

  Just as I was about to go back into the main room, I paused in front of the mirror. It was as if I was in some sort of trance and couldn’t force myself from looking away. I thought I was hallucinating when a blurry image started to appear. Intrigued, I continued to stare at the image forming until it became clearer. It was some sort of power plant. As I neared the mirror for a closer look, the power plant blew up!

  I sucked in a deep breath, blinked, and the image was gone. What the hell was that all about? Taylor and Zed would surely think I was nuts.

  I walked out of the bathroom and heard Zed speak through a mouth full of fruit. “Shame about the Mustang,” he said throwing a strawberry in my direction.

  I batted it out of the way with one hand and held up the business card in the other. “Anyone care to explain what this means?”

  Zed answered. “In two days, there will be a full moon. Across from the racetrack is the Megaplex. We are supposed to meet there at nine in the morning.”

  I handed the card to Taylor who was reading through the rest of the cards. He had also put on his sweats and a t-shirt. “Why didn’t I guess that?” I muttered sarcastically to neither one in particular.

  For some reason, I grabbed the remote from the dresser and covered up beside Taylor with a blanket in a sitting position. Zed’s stares and comments had managed to make me extremely self conscious. Not to mention resentful. It was no time to watch television but I felt compelled.

  I clicked through the channels when a commercial caught my eye. It was an advertisement for a nuclear power plant company and the images in the background looked eerily like the ones in my vision/hallucination – whatever happened in the bathroom.

  “Is that plant around here?” I asked staring at the screen.

  “Lacey?” asked Taylor lightly grabbing my arm.

  “This is going to sound crazy, but an image of a power plant appeared in the bathroom mirror just a minute ago,” I explained. “It looks like the same place.”

  “What else happened in the vision? Were there any signs or symbols?’ prodded Taylor.

  “I’m not sure. It was a quick flash of a power plant that exploded.” I shrugged my shoulders. I wanted to tell them more but I simply didn’t have the answers.

  Zed stood up and pulled something out of his leather coat. He showed us an article from a newspaper that had a small picture of a nuclear power plant in the upper right corner. He pointed out randomly circled letters on both sides that spelled out Prescott Hotel – the one we were staying in – and silver truck. “I lied to you. This is how I really found you.”

  Zed looked down at the ground ashamed. Taylor grabbed the newspaper and pursed his lips as if thinking of a response. I didn’t think it was my place to interfere. I was pissed that Zed lied yet I was relieved. He said that he picked up on our signal which sounded plausible since Taylor and Zed had an extremely close bond. If he couldn’t pick up on our frequency than neither could the dark spirits. Our cloaking abilities worked better than imagined.

  I swallowed dryly when I realized that it didn’t matter about the signal. Somebody knew where we were! How could they know? Taylor and I didn’t even know where we were going. It was Las Vegas all over again.

  “Where did you get this?” I demanded.

  Zed explained that a young woman at a coffee shop dropped it on his table as she was leaving. He flipped open the pages and saw the circled letters. He chased after her but by the time he reached the parking lot, she had already disappeared.

  Taylor finally spoke. “I love you like a brother Zed. But don’t ever fucking lie to me again.” I was waiting for a fist fight but Zed just nodded in agreement.

  “Somebody knows where we are. It could be
a trap. We should leave now.” I started to gather our items.

  Taylor grabbed my arm to stop me. “We’re okay here. Sherry told me we would be guided by new friends as well as old. This must be what she was talking about.”

  “Just in case you’re wrong, I’ll take first watch,” offered Zed.

  Great, Zed was having a sleepover. It didn’t really matter at that point since neither myself nor Taylor was in the mood anymore. Event number two had managed to sneak its way in, along with Zed. I crawled into bed and pulled the covers over my shoulders. With one side of my face resting on the pillow, I narrowed my eyes at him as he moved to the chair beside the window and pulled back the curtain slightly to keep an eye on the courtyard. Hopefully I wouldn’t be as resentful by the morning.

  Taylor turned off the light and got in beside me. He whispered softly into my ear, “Get some sleep, Lacey. Tomorrow we see Dr. Hendrick.”

  I had the feeling he didn’t want Zed to know.

  BOOK TITLE

  8.

  DR. HENDRICK

  When I awoke, Taylor had replaced Zed in the chair by the window and Zed was gone. I rubbed my eyes and looked at my watch. It was just past six in the morning.

  “Why didn’t you wake me for my turn?” I asked through a yawn.

  Taylor walked towards me and kissed my forehead. “You looked so peaceful; I didn’t want to disturb you.”

  “Where’s Zed?” I had hoped he left for good. I guessed I was still resentful.

  “Gone to get us some breakfast,” he said stretching his arms over his head.

  “Great. I’ll jump in the shower.” This time I would be first and there would be plenty of hot water for me unlike at the safe house. I recalled seeing Zed in just a towel and how surprised I was by his muscular build. Yes, he was cute but still a total jerk.