by Cameo Renae
“He told me about that. He said there’s a German bunker that has telepaths who can already control the Arvies. That’s so scary.”
“You have no idea,” Chase said, shaking his head.
“This is all so overwhelming.”
“Just play the game, as long as you can. Make them feel like they are in control. When we’re strong enough, they want to send us topside for field training. That’s what they’re calling it. I figure when this happens, it might be our ticket to freedom.”
“I won’t leave without my family,” I said.
Chase sighed and rolled his eyes.
Chloe pressed some numbers on a keypad, and a voice answered.
“Hello?”
“Juan, this is Chloe.”
“Hey, Chloe. What can I do for you?”
“I’m with Chase and Abi and we were wondering if you could possibly whip us up two cheesy pizzas to celebrate her arrival?”
“Cheese pizza, are you kidding? I just made you some delicious pork chops and steamed veggies for dinner.”
“Aww, thank you. That actually sounds great, but we’d really like some pizza. Pretty please?” Chloe asked in a sweet voice.
There was a two second pause before he replied.
“Fine. Give me half an hour.”
“Thank you, Juan. You’re the best,” Chloe chimed.
“Yeah, I know.”
Chloe turned to us and sighed out loud. “He’s so hot,” she said fanning herself.
“Hey, I heard that,” Juan’s voice boomed from the speaker.
Chloe gasped, her eyes widening, and her face turning bright red.
“Oh my God!” she mouthed, throwing her hands over her face.
“It’s all right,” he added. “It’s the sexy accent, isn’t it?”
“Yes, Juan. Sexiness exudes from thy lips,” Chase jested.
“Chase . . . sorry, man. I’m not into dudes.”
“Dammit!”
Juan didn’t respond and Chase rolled with laughter.
“You idiot,” Chloe slapped his shoulder.
“What? His goatee is kind of sexy though.”
“Shut up.” She giggled.
“How old are you two?” I asked.
“Chase makes us appear immature, but we’ll be nineteen in two months,” Chloe answered.
“I’ll be eighteen in five weeks.”
“You seem older than us,” Chase said.
Chloe rolled her eyes at her brother. “That’s because embryonic words fall from thy lips.”
JUAN DELIVERED THE PIZZA AND stayed only for a brief moment, as he had a cart full of deliveries. He told me he found a Glock 27 and would have it ready for my training. It was such a nice gesture. I did miss the feeling of having a weapon in my hand, and I was actually excited about the training.
Chase was right. As soon as the first piece of pizza passed my lips, I was in heaven. Melted cheese stretched thin as I pulled it away. It was glorious. This was my new favorite food.
After we had devoured the first pie, Chase wanted me to attempt blocking my memories. Asking me to lay on my back, they both sat to either side of my head. He began to ramble through the steps. His voice sounded a bit stressed as he tried to explain the details of blocking and putting barriers up. Feeling his tension, I felt more and more frustrated, especially when I wasn’t able to accomplish anything.
“Okay, stop,” Chloe interjected, putting up her hand. “Chase is only going to complicate things. It’s what he does.” She leaned over me. “Just relax and release everything in your mind. Don’t think about all the trivial things. Breathe deep, relax your muscles, and clear your mind.”
She placed her palms on the sides of my forehead and closed her eyes in demonstration. Following her lead, my mind went numb and my body tingled, just like it did with Dr. Simon in the testing room.
“Now open your mind. Find the memory you want to protect.”
My thoughts immediately went to Finn and the night he proposed. As the memory flashed through my mind, a full smile adorned my face.
“Are you thinking of your fiancé?” she asked.
“I am,” I answered, my cheeks filled with heat. I hoped she’d show me how to block the memory soon.
“He’s very handsome,” she added.
The smile rose even higher on my lips. “He is.”
“Now, to protect this memory, envision a steel wall enclosing all around it. A wall so thick and so strong, nothing can penetrate it.”
In my mind I constructed a thick steel wall, and tightly sealed it around the memory of Finn.
“You did it, didn’t you?”
“Yes,” I answered. “How can you tell?”
“I can’t see it anymore.” She released her hands and opened her eyes.
“Is that it?” I sat up.
“That’s it.” She smiled. “You learn very quickly, especially with a good teacher.” She raised her eyebrows at Chase and he rolled his eyes and huffed.
“How long does the barrier work?” I asked.
“As long as you remember not to lift the wall, you should be good.”
“What do you do during training sessions?”
“They’ve been shooting us up with low doses of their super serum which is supposed to expand our telepathy. After each dose, they have us rest for an hour while they monitor us. The following hour is spent with Dr. Simon, who gives us lame flashcard tests. It’s the same tests every day. The next session is later in the afternoon in the Arvy chamber. This is when we get to check our progression and try to connect with them. I hate that part. They scare me.”
“They scare me too,” I admitted. “I don’t know if we could ever change their minds. They’re filled with so much rage and hatred.”
“They want us to manipulate them,” Chase said.
“Manipulate tens of thousands of mutants . . . yeah, doesn’t seem possible.”
“It’s why they’re injecting us with their crap.” He shrugged.
“Have they even tested the serum first?”
“They say they have but we’re not certain,” Chloe said. “For all we know, they could be watching us carefully for side effects.”
Chase jumped in. “As soon as the first team of scientists went out to collect the soil samples, and one came back infected, the researchers started working on a cure. But when they saw how huge of a threat the Arvies were, they started searching for alternative solutions. Biological weapons and weapons of mass destruction were out because the planet is still trying to heal itself. They had to explore safer ways to attack.
“When Dr. Simon approached them with his theory of telepathy and mind control, they ran with it. It was all they had. That’s when the search for telepaths began. Chloe and I were both born with the gift. Our parents thought we were mutes for a long time, but it was only because we talked to each other in our minds. It wasn’t long before the soldiers came knocking on our door. Our parents told them we had the gift because they were afraid if they held back the truth, they’d be exiled.”
“That’s horrible,” I breathed.
Chase nodded.
“Yeah, I was terrified when they took us. I thought they were going to punish us for being freaks. But instead, they put us in our own rooms, gave us tests, and have been keeping us well fed.”
“Exactly what they do to lab rats,” Chloe uttered softly.
“How long have you been getting these shots?”
“They started administering the serum about a week ago, which makes me almost certain they haven’t tested it. We’re given one low dose per day, and starting next week, it will be two doses. As our bodies adjust to it, we will work our way up to the full dose.” Chase showed me his arm which had track marks all over it.
“Holy crap,” I exclaimed, throwing my hands over my mouth. He still had bruises all over his arm from the last injections.
“You’ll probably get your first dose tomorrow,” he said.
“Chase, stop sc
aring her,” Chloe scolded. “Don’t worry, Abi. It’s not that bad. They numb the area before they inject you.”
“I’m not afraid of the needle. I’m afraid of what’s being shot into my veins.”
“So far, we haven’t had any side effects, but I’m beginning to notice small changes.”
Chloe’s words didn’t make me feel any better, and my world started to fold in around me. I tried to slow my breathing and turned my thoughts to Finn and my family. As I did, I could feel my insides relax a bit. My dad’s words rang through my mind. We’ll make it through this.
“Dr. Simon said we get to visit our families tomorrow. Is that true?”
“Yes,” Chloe answered. “But they are monitored visits and only for an hour a week.”
“I won’t be able to see my whole family?”
“You’ll be able to see whomever they approve. Usually your immediate family. They might make an exception for your fiancé though.” Chloe grinned.
“They better, or they’ll see a side of me they don’t want to.”
“So, you’re good with a gun?” Chase asked with narrowed eyes.
I nodded. “Especially with my girl, Hellfire. She’s a Glock 27.”
“How the hell can a little thing like you handle a Glock 27? Those things are powerful.”
“This little thing can handle a weapon just fine,” I replied, flashing thoughts of my encounters with the Arvies. I felt optimistic Hellfire and I would connect again. If I was going to go out, I wanted her with me. She hadn’t failed me yet.
Both Chase and Chloe’s faces paled and I knew they were reading me.
“How did you survive out there?” Chloe asked.
“We were lucky. We ran into the Arvies much more than we anticipated, and just as we’d reached the end of our rope, we were rescued. I think someone was watching from above, letting us know it wasn’t our time yet.” Tears ran down my cheeks and dripped onto my shirt as I flashed back to Dr. Lisa, the pilot, Pike, and all the other soldiers taken by the Arvies. “At least for some of us.”
“I’m sorry, Abi,” Chase said. “I didn’t realize what you’d been through to survive out there. You fooled me. Most people wouldn’t be as strong.”
“It’s not a matter of wanting to be strong. I had to be.”
“I totally understand where you’re coming from,” Chase said, glancing over to Chloe. Chloe’s eyes saddened as she studied her hands. Chase held out the second tray of pizza. “Another slice as a peace offering?”
“I’ll take it.” I sniffled, reaching for a piece. “And thanks for giving me the heads up about Dr. Simon. I know you didn’t have to.”
“Yeah. Just remember if you don’t want him to find an individual memory, do what you just did. Envision an impenetrable wall around the part you wish to keep safe.”
“Why can’t we put a barrier around our entire mind to keep him out entirely?” I asked.
“We’ve tried,” Chloe answered. “But it seems, the larger the barrier, the weaker it becomes. At about thirty percent, it just disintegrates.”
I sighed. “That sucks.”
“Hopefully, the drugs they’ve been giving us start kicking in soon, and then maybe we’ll be able to expand the size of the wall. If that happens, they won’t know what hit them. We are the ones who actually hold the power. Little do they know, their greatest weapons could backfire. We just have to make the leaders believe we are on their side and willing to work with them. And that includes our attitudes,” Chloe remarked, narrowing her eyes at Chase.
“I know. But it can’t be too drastic, or Dr. Simon will know something’s up.”
“So are we like the three Musketeer’s now?” Chloe asked.
“Yes!” Chase exclaimed, throwing his slice of pizza in the air.
I laughed and explained how that movie was available in our library at the old hive. I’d watched it at least fifty times.
Chase handed Chloe a slice of pizza, and then took one for himself. “All for one . . .”
“And one for all,” Chloe and I cheered, clashing our pieces of pizza together, laughing, and then taking a bite. Even cold pizza was amazing.
It felt good to have a tiny bit of normalcy between the madness. There’d been so much death and pain these past few months – a constant spiral of chaos. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d laughed or smiled as much as I had in the few hours spent with the twins. Maybe it was because they helped me release something inside . . . or protect it. I felt a little more grounded. Like I could finally find some peace, or maybe even figure out how to use this new gift to help those I loved.
Chase and Chloe left my room at around midnight, and I found myself having trouble sleeping. I tossed and turned, practicing putting steel barriers around my memories, although I couldn’t tell if they worked.
I even tried to create one massive wall to cover my entire brain, but just as Chloe had said, it crumbled like grains of dry sand.
Glancing at the small red numbers illuminated on the wall, I could see it. It was almost four in the morning. I needed to sleep, at least for a few hours. I turned to my side and closed my eyes, wondering if I could put myself to sleep like Dr. Simon had done.
I turned onto my back and relaxed my entire body.
Concentrating, I took deep, controlled breaths, and then counted in my mind.
One.
Two.
Three.
My limbs were getting heavy.
Four.
Five.
My mind started to get numb.
Six.
Seven—
I woke to a knock on the door and glanced at the clock, 8:15 A.M. I quickly tried to think back to what time I was supposed to wake up, but couldn’t remember.
“Abi, it’s Dr. Simon.”
Dang it. “I’ll be right there,” I yelled.
I closed my eyes and thought of the whole night I spent with Chase and Chloe, from the time they took me until the time they left, then quickly built a steel barrier around it. When I felt it was secure, I took a deep breath and made my way to the door.
Dr. Simon stood on the other side with a grin on his face. “Looks like someone had a rough night’s sleep.”
“I did. I had a severe case of insomnia and didn’t knock out until four.”
“We were supposed to meet at eight. Go ahead and get ready, and I’ll meet you in the training room.”
“Okay,” I said. “Thanks for letting me sleep in. I needed it.”
“You’re welcome. I’ll see you in a bit.” He walked away.
When the door closed, I pressed my back against it and slid to the floor; my heart was thumping loudly in my chest. I wondered if the barrier worked. I hoped our conversation last night was safe and Chase and Chloe wouldn’t get into trouble.
AS SOON AS I STEPPED into the training room, I froze. Chase and Chloe were both strapped into chairs and being administered shots.
My breathing quickened as I caught a glance of the needles. They weren’t small. These were the largest needles I’d ever seen and they were filled with fluid.
“Abi, come inside,” Dr. Simon said softly, ushering me in.
A man in a white lab coat stood by an empty chair. Next to the chair was a small table with white linen draped over it. Laying on top was an enormous needle. Mine, I suspected. My world started to spin. I hated needles; especially large ones filled with who the hell knows what.
When I didn’t move, Dr. Simon came over and gently took my arm. “It’s okay, Abi. I’ve already had mine and I feel fine,” he whispered, showing me a small bandage on his forearm. “It’s just a quick prick, and before you know it, you’re done.”
I finally found my voice. “What’s being shot into us?”
“A serum which will hopefully enhance our thought transference and broaden our extrasensory perception.”
“Has it been tested?”
“Yes, of course it has. The test subjects had positive results and showed signs of he
ightened sensitivity and awareness.”
I wasn’t sure if I believed him. How could they test lab rats for increased awareness? Could he read their minds?
“No, I can’t read their minds, but the scientists have their methods.”
Dammit. I tried to keep my mind blank.
“I’m sorry for reading your thoughts. It’s a bad habit.”
“It’s okay. I’m just not very fond of needles.”
“Believe me. It’s not as bad as it looks, and you’ll get used to it.”
This was something I didn’t want to get used to.
I exhaled loudly and made my way over to the guy in the white lab coat, plopping down in the chair. Glancing at him, I flashed a quick smile. He didn’t respond; his brown eyes remaining focused behind his big glasses. I looked for a name tag, but he didn’t have one.
How was I supposed to address him properly?
The man took my left arm and placed it on the armrest. He then strapped it down. My insides twisted as I became confined.
“Why do we need to be strapped?” I questioned.
“It’s for your protection, and his,” Dr. Simon noted. “You shouldn’t move during the process, at least until the full dose is distributed.”
I guess that made sense. Knowing me, I’d probably jerk and snap the needle off in my arm. The visual made me lightheaded.
“Just relax, Abi,” Dr. Simon coaxed. “See? Chase and Chloe are doing just fine.”
I glanced over and saw both sets of eyes were covered with some kind of light blocking glasses. Their faces didn’t appear to be in pain or stressed.
After I was securely strapped, the guy in the white coat tied a band around my left arm, which made my veins pop. He then spoke quietly.
“The glasses will help you to relax as the serum passes through your blood stream. If you feel anything out of the ordinary, let me know.”
I nodded and attempted to relax, but after seeing how big the needle was, all I could do was associate it with pain.
My stomach burned with anticipation.
“This is a numbing cream. It will help with the initial prick,” he said rubbing a cold cream across my protruding veins.
Watching my vein roll around under his finger made me sweaty and feel like I was going to pass out. I nodded again, trying to steady my breathing.