There was Recarie lying on the sand dazed and barely able to see straight. For a brief moment it looked as though Ian was on his way to help her, but as soon as he and the men following behind him surrounded her and began to set up a force field, Recarie knew it was only her imagination. She could see the pure hate and determination that brightened his eyes.
“Forget this!” She yelled giving the same gesture with her middle finger.
Ian saw that this was directed at him and could only blink in amazement at her varying attitudes. “What is with this girl?” He kept that thought to himself.
Recarie rebounded and stood straight up as she calmed her body and searched her heart for advice. Flowing inside her, she felt the answer trickle out of her finger tips and show itself as rose colored sparkles.
“It’s time to end this!” She took a slow step forward watching how the others around her reacted.
“Just like a girl.” Trey commented at the color of her energy.
These sparkles gathered around her left hand forming a type of glove. She reached her hand out to the surface of the force field and split the white translucent beams of energy. There was a gap wide enough for Recarie slip out. Immediately she dashed towards the oceans water, leaving everybody, including Trey, chasing after her. The cool nights air that had begun to blow at that exact moment, prompting Recarie to take to the sky.
“You guys suck!” She shouted back over her shoulders, dodging the nine foot waves that were being thrown in her direction.
Recarie disabled the three men below her who had been causing all the havoc with the water. But her troubles were not over yet, not by a long shot. She was very valuable to the NSSH and they would pursue her until she was caught, dead or alive. The helicopters followed her over the surface of the water, firing heat seeking missiles, one after the other. One missile was fired, Recarie ducked into the water leading it off her trail. Once in the water, the missile detonated and sent water shooting several feet in the air. It was this rush of water that caught Recarie in its mist and pulled her back into the oceans depths.
Tiny arms broke out of the dark, sapphire waters and back into the sky. Wet and cold, Recarie had had enough of it. Now she was standing her ground, and if it took her life, she would fend off the remaining NSSH force that had shown how far it was willing to go on this night. Recarie stood on the water’s surface and prepared for the next attacks.
“Come on.” Recarie whispered into the dark.
“...” Silence echoed in the blowing air.
“Huh?” There was nothing else out there with Recarie. “Where'd the copters go?”
In the brief moment she had been pulled under the water, everyone had disappeared and why was the moon higher in the sky than it was seconds ago? Something had happened, but Recarie was not about to stay there and ponder what it was. She flew in the opposite direction of the beach and into the vast ocean and the twinkling night sky. Her destination, she figured, was whatever piece of land she would land on first. If she never saw Disten again, it would not have bothered her in the slightest of ways.
“That girl.” Ian climbed into the back of camouflaged military jeep. “Seriously, what’s her deal?” He sat in the seat next to the Hunter.
“Hm?” Trey raised a stone eyebrow.
“It is like one minute we have her cornered and outnumbered, and then she pulls a stunt like that.” Tossing his arms in the air to demonstrate his point as he so often did, something was different about Ian.
Maybe it was his new promotion, which he was awarded only because Sean was so kind as to speak on the boy’s behalf, or the way he looked Trey in the eyes when he spoke without the nervous laughter. This Ian was more confident in his words and actions; this was 'Working Ian.' While on the job around his peers, Ian was the little awkward boy who let others lead him, but on his own, he took control of the situation and was the leader.
“How did she disable the electronic sensors in the copters?” His arm leaned against the jeeps window as he gazed at the rising morning sun coming up over the horizon.
The Hunter shrugged, shaking the armored vehicle in the process. “The only thing I care about is the flames.” He looked away from Ian’s direction. “You know, they only last two weeks, a month at best, if I am not within a three mile radius of her.”
EEEEEEEEEEEK! The jeep jerked as it made a sharp turn onto the freeway back towards Disten's NSSH headquarters. Several cars swerved into each other trying to avoid a collision with it. Horns blared and people stepped out of their cars waving fists and swearing like Recarie when she brushed her hair for the first time.
Ian and Trey paid the scene going on outside of their vehicle no attention. The affairs of the local normal citizens did not concern them. Their only focus was turning in for the day and starting fresh once night fell.
Much of the rest of the ride was spent in silence. Before reaching the NSSH headquarters, their driver picked up an extra passenger. His slicked back short black hair and glistening oval glasses, made Ian’s heart race and face flush. Besides meeting in the hospital ambulance a few short months ago, Ian felt very deep in the core of his soul that he had recently seen this man, but could not place him in any recent events.
“Hello gentlemen.” Cirri pushed his glasses off his nose and back into the rightful place in front of his eyes. “Well?” He pulled out a familiar manila folder. “What is your excuse for this failure? Hm?”
“I have nothing to say to you.” His words were not arrogant, but matter-of-factly. “I am the leader of this mission and do not have to report into low level boys like you.” Ian shrugged and, like Trey had been doing since Cirri had joined them on their little drive, ignored his presence completely.
“As that may be Lieutenant Ian,” A glint from his glasses fell right in the path of Ian's brown eyes. “I am to get your informal reports before your minds are able to warp and morph them that delicate information.” He held out three separate forms for each of them, but neither of them took the papers. “Fine, if we must do this, I will take down your reports orally.”
“He, he, he.” Trey hushed an immature giggle.
“I already have statements leading up to the battle over the water. All you two need to do is fill me in on the rest.” Cirri, in true nerd fashion, clicked his pen and waited for one of the men to start spilling out information.
“Once she, and by she I mean, Recarie, flew out over the water and took out the last of our ground force, I sent in the helicopters.” Ian could picture each moment clearly, even though he had a pulsating headache. “Shots were fired and then...” He was speechless.
The car was quiet as Cirri waited for Ian to finish his report. Leaning forward, Cirri waited anxiously for the next sentence. His tapping of his pen became louder and quicker as his temper flared in impatience.
Leaning forward, Cirri could no longer take it. “Well?!” He shouted practically jumping out of his seat all while containing himself.
“Oh…” Ian shook from his trance. “It was actually quite beautiful and serene now that I think about it...” He went back to staring wearily out of the cars window.
Cirri, not being able to hold his anger, finally snapped. “Just answer me! What happened next?”
“The dang girl disabled all our electronic vehicle and devices, and then shot out across the water faster than you could begin to blink!” Trey shook the jeep and punched a hole in the indestructible flooring.
“No need to get antsy, Mr. Hunter Trey.” Cirri waggled his finger. “Tsk, tsk.”
This was the last straw. Trey was ready to rip the unsightly man apart, but luckily for Cirri, the vehicle had reached its destination. Cirri was satisfied with the report and jumped out of the car before the Hunter actually tried anything on him. Being a frail waif of a person, it would certainly not take Trey much to hurt Cirri.
Next, it was Trey to jump out of the jeep and he pulled along the dazed and day dreaming Ian along with him. The morning sunshine did not i
mprove his mood. Already he had to deal with Cirri and now Ian's mind was vacant space between his ears. The new lieutenant must have been deep in thought to not notice he was being laid in his car, with his fiancée in the driver seat.
“You had best not harm him, witch.” The Hunter warned Justine before he let go of the car's door.
“And you had better mind your own dang business and learn your place, Hunter garbage.” Her angelic face twisted in nastiness and her words were said in pure hatred.
She sped out of the parking lot of the Disten NSSH headquarters, leaving smoke in her wake.
Ian could not take his mind off the scene of a graceful Recarie twisting her body like and island dancer, weaving her invisible powers in the air with each move. Her overskirt flowed in a rhythm with the wind that Ian could only describe as magical. He remembered the moment when she stopped her performance; how all the copters suddenly lost power and crashed to the ground. All electronic devices, including all vehicles, died and she disappeared over the water in a shot of pure sparkling silver light.
“What a day.” He managed to comment to his fiancée who had been ranting on about her work day on their drive her. “What a day indeed.”
Chapter 5
To Farous We Go
As the day dawned, an unidentified figure flew over the water. Her back faced the water and she was fast asleep. Sometime after her most recent fight with the NSSH, Recarie had drifted into a peaceful slumber above the oceans salt water. During this time, her hair went from being silky smooth and straight, to dried and coarse strands that resembled hay. It was not only Recarie's hair that was affected by the sun and salt water; her lips were cracked and blistered. If anyone spotted her out floating so close to the water, and with the way her looks were, they would have thought she was a victim of drowning.
Luckily for Recarie no one would be finding her out on the edge of the ocean. Instead, the depth of the water became shallower and the voices of sea gulls were being drowned out with the voices of human beings. Recarie was washing onto the white, crushed marble sand of the shore and out of the salt of the sea. Her body tumbled out of the air, landing her face first into a pile of hot, white sand.
“Owwww!” Now wide awake, Recarie rubbed the dirt out of her eyes. “Ohhhh...”
In front of her was something not like had ever seen before, people that looked like her. Well, not so much as they were tan and had mauve hair that reached their knees, but more so that they were not tight laced like those back in Disten were. These people were happy and Recarie could see that many were not normal, in the superhuman kind of way. Children bounced around creating bears and castles in the sand with just a few swift movements of their hands. The adults, both special ability and not, conversed about politics and the latest in sports all while not moving their lips.
These people lounged around in the golden sunlight that shone down from a clear blue sky. Rows and rows of palm trees lined the section of sand between the water and land. A true paradise.
“Is this...” Her voice trailed off. “A Zone!” Recarie stood up out of the mound of sand she had fallen into, not bothering to dust herself off. She did not make it far.
“Oof.” Two voices cried.
“Oh, I am so sorry.” Recarie, in her disarming sweet and innocent voice, spoke first as she helped the person she had bumped into up.
“No, it’s my fault.” They rubbed their heads. “Once I start running, I can't help it.”
Recarie stared wide eyed at the boy, no older than most people thought she was. His slopping shoulders and unruly auburn hair that glistened in the sun somehow made her feel calm and reassured.
“Running from what?” Recarie had forgotten why she was running. She was too entranced by the boy’s looks.
This was, in fact, the first time she had seen a boy, or someone younger than their mid-twenties. He could be compared to the young female nurses that had worked in NSSMC. His skin was not quite as tan as Recarie’s, but not as pale as the sand they stood upon. There were no wrinkles on his forehead or bags under his eyes.
Copying the boy, Recarie dusted herself off as she watched the boy do so. She was still enthralled by such an encounter that she ignored the thirst on her tongue or the hunger pangs in her stomach. Being in this boy’s presence was way more fun, and much more exciting.
“Well this is no way to start off our first meeting.” He reached out a lean lengthy arm and held his fist open in front of Recarie.
Recarie had not actually shaken someone’s hand before, but had seen it practiced by people in the hospital. Her curiosity got the better of her and she tilted her head to the left to examine the hand. The boy raised a brow, never having seen such actions by a person. It was the look you’d get from a dog yeah sure, but by never a person.
“You must not get out too often, do you?” Laughing the boy took her tan and dusty hand in his. His touch was gentle and not like those who had treated her at the NSSHMC. “My name is Daouen, and yours?”
“Huh?” She was still in Daouen's energy. “Oh, um? It’s uh...” Recarie tilted her head and stared into his eyes. “My name is Recarie.”
Smiling, the boy shook her hand. “See, now that was not so bad, now was it.” His warm smile and understanding of the situation put the jittery girl back on the level.
“Uh huh.” With lips closed, she smiled back at the boy, still shaking hands.
They continued on shaking each other’s hands until Recarie's stomach began to rumble loud enough for Daouen to hear.
“Oh, have you've eaten today?” He did not let her hand go. “Because right off the beach's sand is an air conditioned café and...”
Instantly, Recarie had remembered why she was leaving the beach and headed back into the water. She tried to shake his grip, but Daouen was not paying her any attention even though Recarie was struggling to free herself from his hand.
“Eh, what are you doing?” He still held onto the strange girl.
“You're with the NSSH, aren't you?!” Recarie stood firmly in the sand, digging her feet into the second, cooler layer of it. “Well I am not falling into your trap and will not be confined to this Zone!”
Daouen let her hand go. “Excuse me? We are not in a Zone...” A realization hit him. “You are from the continent over, aren't you?”
Several yards from the boy, Recarie stopped running. “Eh?” This had been quite the confusing morning for both parties. “Continent over? I am in Disten, right?”
Now a group had formed a circle around the pair, watching the proceedings. Once the organization NSSH had been mentioned, everyone within hearing range stopped having fun and sprang to their feet. Recarie may not have noticed, but she was a long ways from 'home' and on this side of the world, things were different, very different indeed.
“Girl, this is Farous and here.” Daouen looked over at the crowd. “The NSSH is nonexistent, let alone allowed on these lands.”
“Huh?” Recarie's face flushed with embarrassment.
“Wow, you really aren't from here.” He slowly paced towards the confused girl. “Like I said, there is a café a ways from here.” A tan hand reached out to Recarie. “I could shed some light on your little predicament if you would allow me to take you there.”
Recarie could see the truth and caring in his eyes. Without too much hesitation, she accepted Daouen's offer and his hand. Instantly, his emotions could be felt in her body just by touching the boy.
“He seems honest and very welcoming.” It was like seeing the truth in Daouen’s soul. “Is this part of my own power or is it that Daouen is more than what he seems?” Whatever was happening, as long as the NSSH was not involved in it, she would just go with the flow and listen to what Daouen had to say.
He slowed down, letting Recarie's hand go. “I would not mention the NSSH or anything about where you are from out loud and in the open, like you just did back there.” Daouen spoke low and Recarie could tell from his tone that he was serious.
As t
he sands of the beach began to turn into grass and asphalt, a small bubble gum pink shop came into her view. Acanelle’s Café was written across the front door in glittering gold letters. Similar gold coloring framed the square windows on either side of the front door. People sat drinking from dainty tea cups off of cutesy plates rimmed in light rose pink coloring. It looked as though it was the most innocent establishment in existent. But then again, so did everything else about this place called Farous.
A woman in a ruffled gold apron met them at the entrance of Acanelle’s. “Ah, a table for two?” She winked at the pair playfully, already knowing the answer and led them to their table in the back of the room.
They were seated by a side window and handed a menu. The waitress informed them that she would be back in a few minutes to take their orders and Daouen got right to explaining this new place to his newest friend.
“You are in a country called Farous.” Being in a secluded section of the café, he felt free to talk, but whispered.
He held out the seat for Recarie to sit and then motioned her to sit; all of this was still new to her. Following his instructions, she sat and allowed him to push in her seat. Daouen was a gentlemen and it showed to the fullest extent.
“In this land, the NSSH does not exist nor do they have authority to be here.” He took his seat opposite of Recarie. “Several decades ago when the NSSH was founded, they tried to gain access and set up headquarters in our borders. Luckily, our government pushed Temthaw Vene and his soldiers back to their continent and prohibited them from ever stepping foot on this soil.” Daouen glanced over his shoulders; the waitress was taking other customers orders. “There are no Zones and every superhuman ability enabled person lives as free as those without powers.”
Recarie had nothing to add to the conversation, so she kept quiet and sipped ice cold water from the glass the waitress had delivered to their table. Without taking their orders, their waitress scurried off to the other customers. Even as the café was near empty and most people opted for the scenic patio outside, it was still terribly busy inside.
Misery Saves the Night Page 9