by ID Johnson
"Thank you," she replied, releasing him. "You, too," she added, smiling meekly.
Christian was still standing in the aisle, and she embraced him next, feeling a bit awkward at first but pushing those thoughts out of her head. He kissed the top of her head softly and messaged her directly saying, "If you need anything at all, let me know, and I'll be there."
Cadence did not reply, she just caught his eyes, a look of gratitude in hers, and waited for him to step out of the way.
Eliza and Elliott were already exiting the plane, clutching their carry-ons. Though Elliott headed straight for the smaller plane waiting nearby, Eliza lingered at the exit, waiting for Cadence. Jamie squeezed his way past her and followed Christian down the aisle, leaving Cadence alone with Aaron, who still hadn't moved.
This alarmed Cadence a bit. "Are you feeling okay?" she asked.
He smiled up at her. "Don't worry about me," he replied, avoiding her question. "You've got a plane to catch." He had been busy giving orders to get Eliza's luggage from one plane to the other, but the true reason he hadn't gotten up yet was because he wasn't sure his lungs had healed completely from where the bullet had ripped through them the night before, and he wanted to take his time getting out of the plane. He certainly didn't want to alarm Cadence or give her anything else to worry about.
But she was worried. "Do you need some help?" she asked, wondering if she needed to call Christian or Elliott back in, though she knew with her now super-human strength she could probably lift him herself if she needed to.
He waved her off. "I'm fine," he declared, finally deciding he was going to have to prove it to her and pulling himself to his feet, mustering every ounce of determination he could come up with to do so without grimacing or falling over.
Cadence wasn't completely convinced he was being honest with her, but she knew she needed to be on her way. The fact that Jamie was nearby was comforting to her, and she knew the Healer would do whatever it might take to help their Leader make a full recovery. "All right," she said, lingering for a moment in those piercing blue eyes. "I guess I'll go, then." She glanced down the aisle and then back at him, wanting to say more, but not sure of exactly what she wanted to say or how she was going to say it.
"Let me know if you need anything," he said nodding slowly, the pain in his chest making it difficult to keep up the charade that he was all right much longer.
"I will," she nodded, taking a step backward. It was all she could do to keep herself from leaning forward and kissing those soft lips. But thoughts of Jack and the difficulty journey ahead of her kept her from doing so, and instead, she reached out and placed her hand on top of his where it rested on the back of the seats in front of them. She closed her eyes for just a second, as if she were soaking him in, and then turned and proceeded down the aisle and out of the plane.
As soon as Cadence exited, Aaron collapsed back into his seat, his strength finally giving out. He ran his hand through his light brown hair, and watched Cadence make her way onto the other plane, Eliza's arm around her. Sighing in exhaustion, he collected his thoughts and attempted to regain his strength before he endeavored to exit the airplane. He didn't want to call for help unless he absolutely had to. As much as he didn't want to, he was beginning to realize he might have to ask Jamie to do a second round of healing. There seemed to be some damage that had not been completely corrected the first time. The longer he sat, the more the pain in his chest subsided and he contemplated the possibility of walking out of the plane under his own power.
The pain from the wound was not the only unsettling thought on his mind, however. The circumstances surrounding the sudden illness, odd behavior, and unusual symptoms that had led to the tragic and unexpected death of Jack Cook also seemed both familiar and disconcerting. He was concerned that Cadence may be walking into an even more devastating situation than she realized.
Chapter 3
Hannah was tall with long blond hair, a sharp nose, and hazel eyes. Cadence noted that she was pretty, though not in a traditional way, and that she had a warm smile. "Cadence," she said, standing and approaching the girls as they boarded the plane. "I'm Hannah. It's very nice to meet you." Rather than offering her hand, she actually embraced the Hunter, using her gift to ascertain that Cadence had heard of the passing of her friend. "I'm so very sorry for your loss," she added quietly.
Cadence nodded, stepping back. "Thank you," she replied quietly. She noticed two things almost immediately. First of all, the second Hannah touched her, the overwhelming grief she had been feeling for so many hours seemed to dull. It certainly was not gone, but rather than being a sharp, stinging pain, it felt more like an ache. Not desirable but certainly more tolerable. She was also surprised to see that Hannah was not dressed all in black, as every other Guardian she had ever encountered usually was. Rather, she wore a turtle neck sweater beneath a soft suede suit jacket, with a matching skirt, in hues of beige and gray, with knee-high brown boots.
"I felt that I should look like a business associate of yours, not a bodyguard," Hannah stated, as if reading Cadence's mind. She stepped back into the row of seats where she had been sitting, sliding over to the one nearest the window and gesturing for Cadence to sit next to her. Eliza took the seat directly in front of them, and since Elliott was nowhere to be found, Cadence assumed he must be in the restroom in the back of the plane, perhaps changing into something more suitable since he would also be accompanying them in public.
"How does your talent work?" Cadence asked, wondering if she needed to be in physical contact with Hannah in order to benefit from her skill or if just being in her proximity were enough. She buckled her seatbelt and glanced out the window at the G5, wondering if Aaron had ever gotten off of the plane.
Hannah tossed her long strawberry blonde tresses over her shoulder. "Well, as you may have noticed, I can adjust the emotional response one is feeling. So, hopefully you are feeling better now, though I am sure you are still very upset over the passing of your friend. I don't typically use it to combat grief, but Aaron was concerned that your judgment might be impaired if you are called upon to perform any of your Hunter duties on this trip without my assistance. And I'm sure he doesn't want to see you suffer when I can help you, though we are all aware that the grieving process is necessary to healing. I will still allow you to feel that sadness, just not to the point that your mind is clouded."
Cadence nodded in understanding. "What about my friends? Will they still feel the same way that they do now?"
"Well," Hannah replied, glancing toward the back of the plane. "Actually, Elliott will take care of that more than I will."
As if on cue, Elliott exited the confining restroom, a tight squeeze for someone of his girth, and approached them, dressed in a dark blue sweater and jeans. Cadence had seen him dressed in normal clothes once before, at Thanksgiving dinner, but it still took her a moment to adjust, and she did her best not to snicker. She already had a strained relationship with Elliott, and she didn't need him mistaking her unfamiliarity with jest. He sat down in the back of the plane, as far away from Cadence as he could, and placed his headphones over his ears, letting them know he did not wish to be part of their discussion. She knew Hannah could include him in their dialogue via IAC if she needed to, but Cadence couldn't help but feel a bit dejected. It seemed Aaron's plan to get them to work together was failing miserably.
Returning her attention to Hannah, Cadence asked, "Do I need to be in physical contact with you to use your gift, or can you do it from afar?"
Hannah's kind smile returned. "Oh, no, I just need to be in your proximity. How are you feeling now?"
Cadence was about to answer, explaining that she actually felt much better, when she saw the scene unfolding over Hannah's shoulder. Standing abruptly, she threw herself against the window, forcing Hannah to lean back sharply. "What in the world. . . ." she began.
Jamie and Christian were making their way around the front of the plane, each with an arm under Aaron for sup
port, practically carrying him. Cadence slammed her hand against the plastic window. "Dammit," she whispered, realizing she should have never believed him when he said he was all right.
Eliza was also staring out the window in disbelief. "What the hell?" she exclaimed, every bit as concerned as Cadence was. Hannah was the only one of the three who seemed undisturbed, only making a soft, knowing "hmm" sound under her breath.
Cadence decided she needed to get back off of the plane and go check on him when she realized the plane was moving. "Stop!" she called, heading towards the cabin.
She was met by a man wearing a pilot's uniform, apparently the co-pilot, who was just coming back to make sure they were all strapped in. "I'm going to need you to take a seat, sweetheart," the older gentleman said, gesturing toward the empty rows.
"We need to stop," Cadence said, not budging. "I need to go check on Aaron," she explained.
The pilot was shaking his head. "I'm sorry, honey, but we have a tight window for departure here. The snow is starting to come down, and if we are going to get you in Lincoln before the airport closes up there, we've got to go. Now, go strap in before we take off."
Cadence opened her mouth to protest but realized her argument was futile. She looked over her shoulder at Eliza who was also still standing. "All right," she finally said, sighing. She glanced back out the window as she walked back to her seat, seeing her friends fade into the distance. She knew she could easily cover the ground in just a few steps if she were out of the plane, but destroying the exit and wrecking the plane would accomplish little, and despite the fact that she wanted to make sure Aaron was okay, she knew there was not much she could do to help him. Jamie would be the best person for that, and he was right there. Still, having lost one man she used to love made her realize just how important Aaron was to her, and the urge to run to him when she saw him struggling had been instinctual.
As she re-buckled her seatbelt, she realized that Eliza felt exactly the same way. Now, however, was not the time to contemplate those implications, and she pressed them out of her mind, reluctantly returning her thoughts to Jack and her attention to Hannah.
"I'm sorry," she began, looking into Hannah's calm hazel eyes. "He said . . . he said he was fine. But obviously he was lying."
"Or understating," Hannah offered.
Cadence nodded. She knew his intent was to spare her from worrying about him. Nevertheless, she couldn't help but wish he had just been honest with her. She shook her head, seeking clarity, and refocused. "Are there any emotions you cannot modify?" she asked.
Hannah paused for a moment, considering the question. "Yes and no," she finally admitted. "I can modify all emotions to a degree, but there are some I refuse to change."
"So you have control over it, then?" Cadence asked.
"Yes," Hannah nodded.
"Jamie doesn't, not really," Eliza chimed in from across the aisle. She had changed seats after the deplaning debacle. "If he touches someone who is in pain, there's not much he can do to control the flow of power."
Nodding, Cadence considered the statement. When Christian had implanted her IAC, there had been a malfunction, which had allowed an unbearable amount of data to flood Cadence's mind all at once. Her reaction had made Jamie think she was in pain, and when he had come to her, in an attempt to help, he had actually instantly healed the incision Christian had made in her eye, locking the device inside. Jamie had not been able to control the flow of his power then, and she would have been in dire straights if Aaron had not been there to help her learn how to control the device. "You're right," she replied, meeting Eliza's violet eyes. Turning back to Hannah, she asked, "Which emotions do you refuse to adjust?"
"Sometimes it depends on the situation," Hannah began, "But most of the time I do try to avoid grief. People need to go through that process. Though, members of the Passels don't necessarily need to always," she added almost as an aside.
The Passels were the three branches of the Clandestine Ternion: Vampires, Hunters, and Guardians. Cadence assumed she was speaking only of the latter two Passels, however, since she could imagine Vampires having very little need for grief counselors. "I see," she replied, nodding her understanding.
"I try not to touch love, either," Hannah admitted. "It's too messy, and one can never tell if one is gambling with fate."
Cadence almost chuckled at that. It made sense. "Anything else?"
Hannah's pause this time seemed rather meaningful. "Dejection," she finally replied, pointedly.
A furrow formed in Cadence's eyebrows, not sure she quite understood. "Dejection?" she repeated.
"Yes," Hannah affirmed. "As in, when one loves someone who does not return that feeling. I tend to stay out of those affairs as well.
Cadence nodded her head in full understanding. "That makes sense," she agreed. Glancing across the aisle, she could see that Eliza had leaned back in her seat, chewing on her thumbnail and staring straight ahead. Cadence wondered briefly if her change in demeanor had anything to do with Hannah's comment but decided it was not her place to ask. She looked back at Hannah then and asked instead, "How long have you been part of the team?"
Hannah seemed to consider the question. "For a very long time," she finally replied. "I know your grandmother, and I worked with your grandfather, as well," she added with a smile.
"You did?" Cadence asked returning the smile. "Oh, wow. That's amazing."
"Yes," Hannah agreed. "Lovely people. I really miss having them around."
Cadence nodded. "I bet my grandma would love to see you. You should stop by and visit sometime."
"I should," Hannah said, nodding. "Maybe I will." She reached over and placed her hand softly on Cadence's leg. Despite her explanation that she did not have to be touching a subject for her powers to work, Cadence suddenly felt a surge of calmness and was glad that she had met Hannah. The plane was in flight now, and it would not be too much longer before they arrived in Lincoln. "Now, what questions do you have regarding our procedure once we arrive?"
Cadence was a bit confused. "Well, I think everyone is still at the hospital," Cadence explained. "Taylor said something about there being an issue in the morgue. I'm not exactly sure what she was talking about. But I guess I'll call her when we land and figure out where we need to go. Jack's parents have a hotel room, so they might be there. I think Eliza is supposed to go to our hotel," she added, glancing back at Eliza who seemed to be carrying on a conversation with someone through her IAC. Her facial expressions were changing rapidly, which was always a sign to Cadence that Eliza was conversing.
"All right," Hannah said tentatively. "I suppose we will make our way to the hospital and then ascertain exactly what is going on and whether or not Elliott and I need to take any special precautions."
Again, Cadence felt confused. It was as if Hannah had some knowledge she was not privy to. Yet, she did not feel inclined to ask. Rather, she felt another wave of calmness spread through her mind, and she simply shook her head in agreement. She completely trusted Hannah's judgment and would allow her to take any steps she felt necessary to handle whatever the situation may be. She leaned her head back against the seat, taking slow, deep breaths, emptying her thoughts of every care that had previously invaded her mind. Before she knew it, she was dozing off, dreaming of better times at home with her group of friends.
The flight from Kansas City to Lincoln was not a long one, and before Cadence knew it, she was being jarred awake by the jolt of wheels hitting tarmac. Her eyes flew open and reality hit her like a ton of bricks. Jack was dead. She should be overwhelmed with grief. Yet, she wasn't. Glancing around, she saw Hannah's comforting smile next to her and remembered why.
Then, she realized, Jack wasn't the only person she was no longer worried about. She had never even contacted Aaron to see how he was. Somehow, Hannah must have blocked that worry from her mind as well. As much as she appreciated the help when it came to lessening her despair over Jack, she wished it did not apply to Aaron. He wa
s probably agitated that she hadn't even bothered to check in with him. And she suddenly realized exactly who Eliza must have been talking to earlier.
Despite the fact that the plane was rolling to a stop, and she was about to be faced with one of the most traumatizing experience of her life, she fired off a quick message to Aaron, wanting to simultaneously explain why she had not done so earlier. "How are you??" she asked through the IAC.
He didn't answer immediately, and so she gathered up the few items she had brought with her aboard the plane and followed Eliza to the exit, Hannah and Elliott just behind. It was snowing now, the flakes coming down in large, wet puffs. Since her Transformation, Cadence didn't feel cold the same way as she used to, and she actually felt refreshed stepping into the falling crystals.
"What's the plan?" Elliott asked, his hands shoved deep into the pockets of his jeans, his bag slung over his shoulder. They could see a car waiting for them nearby, but they paused just beyond the steps of the plane to discuss their next move.
"I guess I need to check in with Taylor," Cadence replied, fishing her phone out of her pocket. She found her name in the recent calls list and waited for her friend to answer
"Hello, Cadence," Taylor's weary voice whispered. "Are you here?"
"I'm at the airport," Cadence replied. "I just wanted to see where we needed to come. Are you still at the hospital?"
"No, we're at the hotel now. In Mr. and Mrs. Cook's room. The hospital told us they would call if they had anything else to report. Who is 'we?'" she asked.
"Oh, some friends from work came with me," Cadence replied, not realizing she hadn't explained before. "They didn't want me to come alone. I think you know my friend, Elliott," she added, using the term friend loosely.
"Elliott's here?" Taylor asked, her voice suddenly becoming more chipper. "That's good. He was such a help . . . last time." Her voice trailed off, as if she didn't want to remember that they had all just been through this same procedure recently, when they had lost Drew.