We inched forward and in one fluid motion, Justin cupped his left hand in front of him, palm up, and with his right hand gathered the leather cords in a sweeping motion catching the clinking amulets in his left hand and he pulled his hands to his body, to his chest.
The glass pieces exploded with a loud crack flinging broken glass in all directions and bright rays of light shot out from between Justin’s fingers and he screamed in pain. His body crumpled to the ground at our feet. He lay face up and a large gaping wound in the center of his chest oozed blood where the diamond had blasted into him. I could see the merged shards deep in the bloody crater of his chest and it sickened me to think that if only Justin hadn’t been so bent of having ultimate power he’d still be alive. Yet, like Maetha had said, it’s the way the human mind works in so many cases. I couldn’t believe how calm I was feeling. Perhaps it was because I knew this would happen; I’d seen it already.
Brand broke the silence. “Should I repeat, Calli?”
I looked at Chris who said, “It’s nature’s way.”
My senses alerted me to something else, an oddity that I couldn’t quite wrap my mind around, dealing with the guards. They still had their guns on us even though their ‘leader’ was lying in a growing pool of blood. None of us dared move for fear of being shot and yet the guards stood their ground as if they were waiting for something or someone else; the puppet master.
The door opened and Freedom walked in with an opened pocket watch in his hand, the chain was attached to the inside of his long coat, and my powers vanished. I could tell they were completely gone! I couldn’t do anything. Brand looked at me with question in his expression. Maetha suddenly appeared across the room looking confused; her presence caused Freedom to do a double take. “Well, good of you to join us, Maetha.” Freedom nodded to one of the guards to indicate she needed an escort. A guard quickly positioned himself by Maetha. Freedom then turned to me and said, “Calli, I’d hoped you would have been with me at this point, but I guess we all have our choices.”
I spoke out loud to Brand, “OK Brand, this would be a good time to repeat.” I knew my statement held a little too much emotion but considering the fact that for the first time since I was sixteen I had absolutely no powers radiating through my body, it scared the hell out of me.
“Would love to, Calli, but I can’t.”
“Disturbing, isn’t it?” Freedom said in his low, smooth voice as he calmly bent over Justin’s body and dug into his chest pulling out the bloody stone. He stood and walked over to me and said, “I believe you have something I need, Calli.” He held up the diamond for me to see the vacant notch where the shard from my heart would go. He turned away from me and at the same time issued an order to the guards, “Kill everyone else.”
I watched in absolute horror as the guards opened fire on Maetha, Chris, Charles, Curtis and Dominic while at the same time Brand rushed Freedom whose back was turned and knocked him down to the ground. I was completely stunned and in shock at the carnage all around me. Charles, Curtis and Dominic were moaning from their injuries but Chris and Maetha lay face down completely still. Dead!
I screamed without even realizing I was doing it. This couldn’t be happening. Chris was supposed to live. He was in my vision.
Brand shouted my name. I looked at him and found he had Freedom on the ground using him as a human shield. Freedom yelled to the guards, “Don’t shoot!”
Brand said, “It’s the pocket watch, Calli, it kills our powers when it’s open. I’m taking you back with me this time; I can’t save everybody on my own. Look to see who is shot first and see if there’s a way to take out a few guards or get a hold of a gun.”
I watched as Brand snapped the pocket watch shut. I immediately felt my powers return. The whole world felt like it rotated one-hundred times in only two seconds and I found myself in the same place I’d been just a few seconds prior with the guard’s gun to my head and Freedom walking to Justin’s body. He pulled the stone out of his chest and said, “I believe you have something I need, Calli.” He turned away and gave the order, “kill everyone else.”
I listened for the sound of guns firing trying to determine which went off first. Brand rushed Freedom and the three on my left were shot almost simultaneously. The gun to my right fired into Chris and I looked over to find Chris and Maetha falling down. Instinctively my hands reached forward for Chris.
“Again!” Brand yelled and I heard the pocket watch snap shut and everything spun wildly.
“Kill everyone else,” Freedom turned away from me.
I immediately turned and fought with my guard for his gun but the strap was over his head and I failed. The five shots went off marking my friends’ final demise. I looked back at Brand on the ground with Freedom and heard Freedom shout, “Don’t shoot!” and felt the ground spin as we repeated back again.
“Kill everyone else.” Freedom said and I quickly spun around and grabbed the strap and yanked it over the guards head. He fired his gun into the opposite wall while the other guards shot their prisoners and then turned their guns on me. Freedom’s yell to stop was evenly timed with the butt of the gun ramming into my nose.
The ground spun wildly as I fell to it, only I never hit. I found myself back in time looking at Justin’s body with Freedom entering the room. I looked at Brand who mouthed, “No guns this time.” I looked over at the three people to my left marveling at how a moment ago they were dead, now they were alive. We needed to figure out a way to keep it that way. I looked at Chris and Maetha as Freedom said, “I believe you have something I need, Calli.” He turned to the guards and said, “Kill everyone else.”
Brand rushed Freedom in a slightly different way this time, jumping up at a sideways angle and planting his feet on Chris’s chest pushing off toward Maetha and knocking Chris down. His hands pushed her shoulders back, knocking her into her guard and then Brand cart-wheeled into Freedom taking him down to the ground in the same fashion as before. I noted that the surprised look on Freedom’s face never lessened with each time Brand took him down; particularly with such a sudden display of acrobatics.
I stood in shock as the three to my left were already lying on the ground bleeding and Chris and Maetha had been shot after they were knocked to the ground by Brand. I heard Freedom shout to his guards, “Don’t shoot!”
Brand grunted, “Oh shut up already you piece of—”
Freedom cut him off in a choked voice due to the amazing disabling hold Brand had on him, “You’ll never escape. Look outside.”
I looked out the windows and saw multiple military vehicles screeching to a halt with the dust clouds following. My jaw dropped open and I turned my head back to Brand.
With a whoosh, we repeated back again. Freedom walked in with the pocket watch extended in front of him. Brand said to me, “Go for Maetha’s guard, follow my lead.” I looked to my right at Chris who repeatedly ended up dead with every scenario wondering if I should attack his guard instead of Maetha’s. Next time. I faced forward and watched as Freedom bent down to pull the diamond out of Justin’s chest. The gruesome image had lessened in strength with the many replays of it, the same with watching Chris, Maetha and the others getting gunned down; the intensity was not as shocking. It was almost as if it wasn’t real because all Brand would have to do is repeat and the injuries would be gone just like when he stabbed his own leg at the amusement park.
As Freedom began straightening himself with the diamond in his hand, I saw Brand move toward him. I took the cue to rush Maetha’s guard before the “kill everyone else,” order could be issued. Maetha’s guard wasn’t even looking in my direction when the brunt of my shoulder rammed into his gut. The tip of his gun pointed upward and when he pulled the trigger the bullets hit the ceiling making plaster crumble down.
Three distinct bullets were fired, I heard the familiar snap of the pocket watch closing, and a split second later Maetha commanded loudly, “Freeze!”
Everyone halted in their positions, l
iterally frozen in place. I saw that Charles, Curtis and Dominic were already down, but alive. Chris was unharmed, as was I, and Maetha appeared unharmed. Brand was under Freedom with his arms and legs wrapped around him. He didn’t look to have been shot.
Sirens wailed in the distance and multiple military vehicles pulled up in front of the building.
Freedom choked out, “Well hell, Maetha, how long have you had it?”
“Awhile.”
“And yet you held off using it all this time.”
I looked at him and her confusedly.
“I will not allow you to do this, Freedom. The diamond belongs to Calli.”
“Where did you find it Maetha?”
“Two pieces of the twenty-one will not double your powers.”
“But a piece of the Grecian Blue Diamond will, like with you.”
Maetha’s voice sounded in my head, “Calli, I can’t hold everyone for very much longer nor can I release individuals. I have to release everyone at once but when I do, Freedom will be released as well. Prepare to grab the diamond and run on my word.”
“What?” I couldn’t help myself from speaking out loud. I looked around for the diamond and found it lying on the floor a short distance away next to Justin’s body. “But Freedom already touched it—”
Brand grunted and replied, “Just do it, Calli. I can keep him pinned down long enough for you three to escape.”
Had he heard Maetha’s telepathy too? “What about you?” I asked Brand.
“If I let go, he will catch us all and no one will get away. Now go!”
A helicopter sounded above and the door was busted down opening the way for a dozen or more soldiers to enter. A large older man entered after the soldiers.
Chris gasped out, “Dad?”
Freedom tried to yell, “Shut the door,” but it only came out as a raspy whisper.
“Now!”
I felt my legs run on Maetha’s power, my body bent forward instinctively and my hand snatched the diamond off the floor. As I straightened myself, I noticed Maetha catching a flying object; it was Freedom’s pocket watch that Brand had tossed her. Chris was by my side and the room, its occupants and intruders became a blur of colors as we ran as fast as lightning out the opened door. My mind couldn’t help but worry about Brand. He’d clearly tried to escape with us, he’d repeated at least once without me to determine the dismal outcome of Freedom catching us, so he sacrificed himself so we could get away.
What of the three injured companions? Charles, Curtis and Dominic; I looked to the future and saw that I couldn’t read their futures. I tried to view Brand's future but was met with bombardment and frustration. I looked for Freedom’s future but found nothing. I tried looking for what would happen next but my mind was filled with Maetha’s voice.
“Calli, stop using your powers! You’re holding Freedom’s property and we can’t risk any connection to him.”
“But what about my running?”
“I’m making you run. Take Chris’s hand so we can go faster.”
I ran near him and grabbed his hand. He tightened his grip on my hand and I felt Maetha increase our speed. We ran over mountains, lakes, around cities, over farmlands and through thunderstorms until we reached Maetha’s lakeside resort in Indiana. Night had fallen along the way but the Shadow Demons didn’t seem to be able to keep up with us and Maetha had assured me through telepathy that Chris was safe as long as we kept running.
We came to a halt under the bright lights of the parking lot of the resort where Chris would be safe.
“Where are we?” Chris asked.
“Indiana.” Maetha answered calmly as she led us to a side door. After typing in a key code, we entered the well lit hallway and proceeded to her room. Hans Lindlbauer came stumbling out of the bedroom and inquired to our presence.
“Hans, you’ve met Calli, this is Chris Harding. Chris, this is Hans Lindlbauer. Hans, please bring juices from the refrigerator for these two.”
Maetha quickly went into the other room and sat on the bed in the lotus position closing her eyes and relaxing her body. Hans brought two juice bottles to Chris and me and said, “Calli, your devices arrived.”
“Thank you, Hans.” I set my juice on the table along with the blood encrusted diamond. The juxtaposition of the white tabletop and the brownish-black covered diamond was a stark reminder of the deaths that had occurred only a few hours previous. My mind replayed the horrible sight of seeing Chris shot over and over again, and the confusion of the next second seeing him alive once more. I guess my mind didn’t realize I was seeing potential outcomes until Maetha froze the process of repeating.
“What is that?” Hans asked while reaching out his finger to the stone. I quickly grabbed the diamond and Chris launched his body into Hans to stop him from touching it. The two of them fell to the floor in a loud commotion.
“What the hell was that all about?” Hans asked as he sat up on the floor.
“You can’t touch it or you’ll die,” Chris answered rather breathlessly. He looked up at me with a mixture of emotions showing in his face. It was clear that he still couldn’t wrap his mind around the fact that I could hold the stone and that I had a piece inside of me. His eyes held fear, anxiousness, admiration and love; not at the same time, but a cascading change of emotion.
I looked through the doorway at Maetha only to find the scuffle hadn’t pulled her out of her meditation.
I loosened the grip on the diamond and held it out for Hans to see. The stone no longer looked like a polished cut diamond; instead it looked like a huge cloudy crystal, a diamond in the rough, with an obvious missing section.
“Where did you get it from?” Hans asked.
Chris put his thoughts on the edge of his mind. “Where did it come from, Calli?”
I spoke to both of them, “I don’t know. Maetha gave it to me.”
“Calli, I know you know more than that, but it’s alright, you don’t have to say.”
I nodded back to him and walked over to the kitchen sink and set the diamond down in the bottom of the basin. I washed my hands taking extra time to clean under my nails. As I watched the blood residue go down the drain I imagined a deeper meaning to everything. I felt as though Justin’s journey had been predestined to end tragically, that his purpose in life was to further the process of nature. He was a tool used by Freedom to round up the shards; he was used further because of his lust for power to reunite the shards thus resulting in his death.
I realized that Brand and Chris were the only ones now who knew I carried a shard in my heart and that I’m an Unaltered. I could sense that Charles Rhondell and Curtis Schultz and the Hunter named Dominic had died.
What had happened exactly? What was in the pocket watch that rendered us powerless? How had Maetha appeared in the middle of the room? Was she a Teleporter? If she was, why did she look shocked as if her cover was blown? What had Freedom meant with his questions? What was he talking about? What would happen with the stone now?
The water that splashed on the diamond had moistened the blood residue. I picked it up and rubbed the remaining splatters off of it admiring the defined lines within the stone signifying the separate sections, amazed at how it had merged back together on its own. I imagined the last time the stone had been bloodied; when my relative, Gustave, had willingly removed it thus ending his life. Had it gone through the same transition prior to entering his heart? Had there been a similar set of incidences that resulted in a shard entering his heart and then later the remaining stone entering and joining the first piece? I was curious to find out.
I dried my hands and the diamond and placed it on the table top once again. I sat down on the sofa next to Chris who put his arm around me. He handed me my juice from the table and we sipped the replenishing fluid and relaxed. Maetha exited her room and I watched as she whispered something to Hans concerning Chris. She turned to me and said with her mind, “It is time, Calli. Come with me.”
I stood up from th
e couch and Chris did as well. Maetha addressed Chris, “You need to stay here with Hans. Calli and I have some business to attend to.”
He looked gut shot as he turned to face me. I was about to tell him I would be back when he grabbed my head and pulled my face to his. He kissed me possessively for five long seconds and then pulled me into his arms and hugged me tightly.
I didn’t need to read his mind to know he was expressing his love for me so I spoke reassuringly of my deep feelings for him. He released me from his hug and his scent lingered with me. I always loved his aroma. I looked into his eyes and smiled, then turned to Maetha who held the diamond in her hand and we left the room.
Chapter 14 - The Diamond Bearers
We walked down the hall to the door we’d entered through. I somehow knew what was about to happen; it was time I joined the Diamond Bearers officially.
“Calli, I’m sure you noticed the female bounty hunter that Justin hired was a Repeater.”
“Yes, I picked up on that. Wait a minute; you weren’t there… were you?”
“I was in the room the whole time. I read Justin’s mind and found he wasn’t even aware of her immense power.” Maetha opened the door for me and I walked out into the night. “Imagine if Justin had known what she could do… imagine the implications, the possibilities, and the devastation. We will need to find her as I can see that any hope of rescuing Brand is dependent upon her involvement.”
We walked across the parking lot and into the trees. The cool night air rustled the leaves and sent a shiver down my back. Maetha must have noticed my shiver and said, “There is nothing to be afraid of, Calli, it only hurts a second and then you’ll feel the intense power of the stone emanate through you. You already know how to use the healing power and it will be second nature for you to immediately heal yourself; besides, I’ll be right beside you if for some reason you are not able to heal yourself quickly enough.”
My heart started to race with anticipation. I wasn’t afraid before but this explanation had amped up my nervousness. We emerged from the line of trees at a clearing by the lake. A woman stood by the water’s edge wearing a long, light colored gown and she turned in our direction as we entered the clearing. Several other individuals entered the clearing as if they were literally coming out of the woodwork. A couple more materialized out of thin air each wearing a gown of some kind, even the men.
Unaltered #2_A Diamond in my Heart Page 17