by Amy Hale
Jane gave Dr. Weston a warm smile. “Thanks so much. We couldn’t have gotten this far without you.”
He returned her smile and reached across to squeeze her hand. “Anything for you, my dear. Anything at all.” He brought the coffee cup to his lips, but before he could take a sip, his eyes widened and his hand lost its grip on the ceramic handle of the mug. A choking sound escaped his lips as his cup crashed to the concrete.
Jane stood up, horrified. “What’s happening?” Colt was already out of his seat and at Dr. Weston’s side when he saw movement from the corner of his eye. As he turned his head he saw a young man make a crushing motion with his hand and Dr. Weston’s struggle to breath became more urgent.
Colt yelled at Jane and Jeremy. “Over there. It’s him!”
Jane turned and looked into the eyes of a man she hadn’t seen in years. Gregory was once one of Professor Russell’s golden boys and a centerpiece much like herself. His gifts were extensive, and he’d always had a knack for causing pain. He’d been teacher’s pet, so to speak, until Jane came along. Last she’d heard of him, he’d been moved elsewhere because he’d become jealous and difficult to manage.
Jeremy recognized him too, but fear kept him rooted in place. Jane reached out one hand and pushed a ball of energy at Gregory. It hit him with such force and surprise that he was knocked off his feet. He stood back up and glared at her.
Dr. Weston was starting to regain his ability to breathe, and Colt was about to usher him indoors when all hell broke loose.
Gregory lifted his hands and the air around him literally crackled with energy. He pulled the power in and pushed it back out, throwing Jane back several feet. That shook Jeremy from his shocked state and he rushed at Gregory. The speed he exhibited was nothing short of astounding. In the blink of an eye, he was behind Gregory, wrenching his arms backward in an attempt to hinder his abilities. While Jeremy was athletic, he was no physical match for Gregory and promptly lost his grip.
Gregory turned, and with a flick of his wrist he raised Jeremy several feet in the air. Flailing his arms and legs, Jeremy tried to find a way to break the hold Gregory had on him. Before he could get loose or fight back, Gregory tossed him into the middle of the square. He landed on a small cart selling handmade scarves, hats, and gloves. The sound of wood splintering and breaking glass echoed off the walls of the surrounding businesses. Jeremy lay deathly still among the remains of the stand. Dozens of bystanders screamed as they witnessed the unbelievable.
Dr. Weston assured Colt he’d be fine and urged him to check on Jeremy. Jane was back on her feet and charging toward Gregory. At that moment, Colt ran across the square, but before he could make it to Jeremy, he was also levitated into the air.
Jane froze and yelled across to Gregory. “Put him down, Gregory. I’m warning you.”
Gregory flashed her a contemptuous smile. “You aren’t powerful enough to follow through with your threats, little girl.” He raised Colt a few feet higher.
They were surrounded by innocent people, and she was already worried about the wellbeing of Dr. Weston and Jeremy when her mind flashed to the cemetery she saw in her vision. Then she thought of Colt’s gravestone and despair almost consumed her. She couldn’t allow it to happen. She wouldn’t.
“You don’t know what I’m cable of anymore. I suggest you put him down easily if you value your life at all.” She lowered her head, keeping her eyes on him. With a mere thought, she sent a pair of scissors hurling in his direction only to stop short of his throat and wait for further instructions.
Colt was trying to reach his boot knife, but the force surrounding him made it almost impossible to move.
For a moment, Gregory looked uncertain that he could win against Jane. He started to lower Colt, only to quickly raise him up again. “You always were talented, but Professor Russell was wrong about you. You could never outshine me.” Then he dropped Colt like a stone while simultaneously pushing his other hand in a sideways direction.
Too many things were happening at once, and Jane lost her concentration. Various items from the kiosks were pelting the watching crowd as they cowered or ran in fear. She couldn’t stop it all and help Colt. She pushed her hands out and let her mind take over the situation. She envisioned catching Colt in an invisible bubble. Colt’s descent slowed dramatically, and instead of the awful blow he’d expected, he landed on his feet with no more force than if he’d jumped off a small step. He immediately ran to Jeremy. The boy was out cold but still breathing.
Jane had also tried to send out small bursts of power to deflect the items flying through the air, but she knew she’d missed some. She just prayed no one was seriously injured.
The scissors once at his throat were now inanimate at Gregory’s feet, and he wore an amused expression. “Like I said, you haven’t got what it takes. You’ll always have a weakness that can be exploited. You care far too much.” He laughed and then ran, moving almost as fast as Jeremy could.
She frowned at him and began to give chase when she got the keen sense that something was very wrong. She reached the table they had been sitting at only minutes before and quickly dropped to her knees. Her wail of grief pierced the sky and thunder boomed in the distance.
Colt ran to where she had knelt down. She cradled Dr. Weston’s head and shoulders in her lap. Tears ran down her cheeks. Colt felt his entire body go numb. While Jane was distracted trying to save everyone at the same time, Gregory had hurled several items in Dr. Weston’s direction. One of the larger items hit him hard and appeared to have snapped his neck.
She placed her palms on either side of his head and closed her eyes. The tears continued to fall as she tried to conjure the colorful swirls, imagining him awake and smiling, but nothing was happening. He wasn’t waking up. He was limp as a rag doll in her arms.
She couldn’t find a pulse, and out of desperation, she started shouting at him.
“Wake up. Wake up, damn you. You can’t die on me! Not now. Not ever.”
She bent down over him as sobs wracked her slender frame. Colt fought back tears as he tried to pull her close, but she pushed him away.
“No. No. This isn’t how it’s supposed to happen.” She looked at Colt. “I won’t allow it.” Fury was building behind her beautiful green eyes, and the clouds above were mimicking the blood boiling in her veins.
An ambulance and the police had just arrived and people were scrambling to get help or explain what they saw.
“Oh lord, no,” Jeremy whispered as he stood behind Jane, rubbing the back of his head. He knelt down. “Is he…” He couldn’t finish his question. Colt nodded in confirmation.
“Jane, I’m so very sorry. He was an awesome guy. But the police are here and we have dozens of witnesses that will be pointing fingers at us soon, if they haven’t already. We gotta go. Now.”
She stared down at lifeless face of the man she loved like a father. She leaned over him and kissed his cheek, then whispered, “I’m so sorry. It’s all my fault. It’s all my fault.”
She raised her head to see their friend Lance standing in front of them. Shock was written on his features as he looked from the doctor to Jane.
Jeremy pulled Jane to her feet while eying Lance warily. “We really gotta get out of here.”
She shrugged out of Jeremy’s grasp and looked at Lance as he bent over the doctor and searched for signs of life. After a few moments, his face fell, and a deep sadness entered his eyes.
“You’ll see that he’s…” she paused to swallow a lump in her throat. “You’ll make sure his service is beautiful?”
Lance nodded and pulled off his black jacket that said EMT on the back. He carefully covered Dr. Weston with it. Knowing that Jane was likely one of many with unusual abilities, he looked up at her expectantly. “I’m sure I’ll hear it told a thousand different ways, but I’d like your side of this story.”
Colt nodded. “You’ll get it. We just can’t do it now.”
Lance closed his eyes and fough
t back tears of his own. “Just go. You can get in contact with me when it’s time.”
Colt grasped Jane’s hand and pulled her behind him. She struggled at first, not wanting to leave Dr. Weston behind, but she knew it was useless to stay. She could do nothing for him now.
Jeremy grabbed all the paperwork from the table and what little had landed on the ground and caught up with them. In no time at all, they were in the truck and on their way home. During the short trip back, Jane held herself in check. No tears fell. No sobs came from her trembling lips. She just kept whispering the same thing over and over. When they pulled into the driveway, Colt parked the truck and turned to her.
“Jane? Sweetheart, talk to me.”
She turned her red swollen eyes to his and with a little more force, whispered the phrase one more time in a slow, menacing tone. “Gregory will pay.”
The immense ramifications of what had happened that morning were finally catching up to Jane. As Colt and Jeremy had mentioned several times, they needed to hit the road. They would once again be the center of gossip, news, and possibly a manhunt. There would be no sweet talking their way out of this one. There were far too many witnesses to blame it on a drunk’s imagination or an abusive co-worker’s need for revenge. Everyone saw what she could do. What people like her were capable of. They wouldn’t care that she had no desire to hurt anyone—all they would remember was the man that used his gifts for evil purposes. She would be branded with the same intentions and labeled a menace to society. It was laughable to think that The Curators were the cause of the very thing they claimed to be protecting her from. They created monsters like Gregory. Although, in fairness, she wondered if he wasn’t born a spawn of evil itself.
Thinking back to her years of imprisonment, Gregory had been one of the few that actually enjoyed the experiments. He hadn’t minded causing others pain, especially when he had been considered the cream of the crop. No one could touch him. At least not until she arrived. She’d been with The Curators about a year when Professor Russell pitted them against each other. Jane hadn’t wanted to fight back, but she knew that Gregory was ruthless when given an assignment. His task had been to force her to the ground, by any means, and hold her there until she begged for mercy.
She remembered being terrified by him. The look in his eyes as he’d approached her was feral. He’d been a lion tormenting his prey. She’d blocked the various blows he had sent her way, and when he’d tried to oppress her with the sheer weight of his power, she had struggled to stay upright. It frustrated him that she was resisting him so easily, so he’d allowed her to think she was winning and let down her guard a bit. When she did, he had knocked her legs out from under her and then pressed her down to keep her out of commission. He’d stood over her, not touching her although it felt like the weight of a truck was compressing her chest. She’d struggled to breathe, and as he’d looked into her eyes, she had seen complete and utter glee. That was the moment she’d realized he enjoyed hurting others. It hadn’t been just a show to impress the head honchos—he had genuinely loved inflicting pain.
Panic welled in her chest, and she’d struggled even more. His smile had widened at her obvious distress. She’d felt sure that that was where she would meet her end. She hadn’t had enough air in her lungs to force out a squeak, let alone utter the word mercy. She had supposed it was self-preservation that took over at that point. Instinct to survive. She’d felt the world go black, and in that last second before total nothingness, fear had surged like a tidal wave. The black behind her eyelids swirled into the mass she’d been so used to seeing. It had pulsated and seemed to take on a life of its own. Then, a massive shock-wave had burst from her entire body and thrown Gregory across the arena and into the metal doors at the far end, knocking him unconscious.
Everyone watching in the arena had been hit with the wave of energy as well, but those higher up suffered less of the impact. The Professor and his minions observed from a protected room, watching from various monitors and a large window of bulletproof glass.
The experiment had brought her potential into the limelight and earned her a place among the centerpieces. Gregory had never forgiven her for showing him up, especially in front of the entire compound. He’d began to take risks and get sloppy during his time in the arena. Eventually, Professor Russell had deemed him mentally unstable. They had all assumed his disappearance was down to one of two things: death or reassignment. They had never been totally sure which had befallen him.
But the past was the past. She needed to focus on the predicament they were in at the moment. And it was damn difficult to do considering the oppressive grief and shame she carried over Dr. Weston’s death. She feared that eventually her vision would become reality and everyone she loved would end up in an early grave.
Colt had packed up their clothing and necessities and had instructed Jeremy to do the same. The truck was loaded and they were going over the Owensboro city map trying to figure out which of three abandoned hotels they should check out first. Suddenly, the back door opened and Brett strolled in with a suitcase and backpack in hand.
Colt frowned. “Brett? What are you doing here?”
He smirked and dropped his stuff on the floor. “I’m here to save your ass. Apparently, you guys can’t stay out of trouble.”
Colt rolled his eyes. “You couldn’t save a fly from a flyswatter.”
Brett laughed then. “I could if you were the one with the flyswatter, slow poke.”
Colt gave Brett a stern look then offered him a seat at the table. He grabbed some beers and a soda for Jeremy then sat down.
He handed a beer to Brett. “How much did you hear?”
“Oh, enough to know it had to be you two.” He glanced a Jeremy. “Or was it three?”
Colt frowned. “It was four, plus a surprise guest that started it all.”
Brett sipped his beer while Colt explained what happened. Once Colt finished, he placed a hand on Brett’s back. “Doc… He didn’t make it. He’s gone.”
The pain in Brett’s eyes said everything. He blinked away a tear and looked down at his drink. “So what’s the plan now? How do we make that bastard pay?”
“You will go back to school while Jane, Jeremy, and I deal with this.”
Brett stood up. “Like hell I will. Doc was practically family, Colt. That bag of dicks has to be held accountable, and I will be there when it happens.”
Colt’s anger was starting to show, and Jane reached over and rubbed his arm in a soothing gesture. “Dammit, Brett, we can’t take the chance of losing you too. This is dangerous. Besides, if you miss any more days, you’ll flunk out.”
Brett’s face took on a look of shame. He released a big sigh. “Well, since we’re on that subject, I guess now is as good a time as any to tell you that I quit school.”
“What?” Colt barked out. “Please tell me this is a cruel prank. Do you know how much money we’ve wasted if you don’t go back?”
“Hold up, Colt. College was something I was never sure about. It’s what you and Dad wanted, but you never asked me about it. You just assumed I’d go and you two set the wheels in motion.”
Colt looked like he’d been slapped. “Really? You don’t want to better yourself so you don’t end up a mechanic in a dead-end town? Look at me. Look at Dad’s life. We didn’t want you to feel trapped here. We wanted you to have options.”
Brett gave his brother a sad smile. “College is only one of several options. And to be honest, I don’t think you turned out bad at all. You aren’t rich, but you do okay. And look what you have with Jane. You can’t complain, Colt.”
He knew Brett was right, but it stung that he had sunk so much into a future that Brett didn’t actually want.
“Listen,” Brett said. “I can always go back. I just feel like I need a break. I need to figure myself out, ya know? And the more people that have your back in this current mess, the safer everyone is, so let me help, dammit.”
Colt wasn’t going
to let it rest so easily, but for the moment, he nodded his head in resignation. Brett had a point. “Okay, but you’ll have to drive your car, and Jeremy can ride with you. Jane and I will take the truck.” He looked to her for approval, and she nodded. “Load your crap, and let’s hit the road.”
An hour later, they were in Owensboro, parked in front of the first hotel on the list. With flashlights in hand, they snuck in through a broken window and gave the place a thorough sweep. Finding nothing but peeling wallpaper and outdated furniture, they ventured to the second building on their list. This one was boarded up tight, but Jane knew that wasn’t a real barrier to those in hiding. There was also the recent rumor that the hotel was haunted. Things moving, strange sounds, and disembodied voices had frightened off more than one group of teens trying to prove their bravery. She felt sure it was the work of her gifted friends.
Colt pried open the back service entrance enough that they could all slip inside. With flashlights on, they made their way through the laundry room and kitchen service areas. Jane stopped and listened, hoping some sound or maybe intuition would give her guidance. Jeremy motioned for her to join him, and then he placed his hand on a chair that was pulled out from one of the tables. She placed her hand on it as well. They both smiled, feeling the connection to their missing friends, much like she felt when she found Jeremy.
She quickly and quietly explained that she and Jeremy both felt a pull to the third floor.
“One of them recently sat in that chair. I’m sure someone is up there. I’ll lead the way. Colt and Brett in the middle with Jeremy bringing up the rear.”
Trying to lighten the tension he was feeling, Brett asked, “Why the battle formation? Are these guys dangerous?”
Jeremy spoke up then. “We don’t think so, but then you never know. With Jane in front and me in back, we can use our gifts as a shield of sorts, if needed. But these people don’t want to be found, so even if they aren’t bad guys, they’ve been using scare tactics to chase people off.”