Words are failing to find meaning as I stutter, “I... what… I don’t…”
Max takes a few steps toward me and directs me to sit on the bed. Fear forces me to sit and my sister being part of this all prevents me from using my push on them. I made that guard kill the other guard. What if my push gets Laney killed?
“We work with the Corporate Police,” Max says. “They’re done being under the thumb of Influencers.”
A new sensation of fear emerges and flows from my chest to my limbs. They’re with the same Corporate Police that work for VeRx and the other corrupt corporations. The same police that nearly wiped me and the Humanity’s Protectors out less than an hour earlier. This is not making sense.
“Put the gun down, Max,” Laney stands, putting her hand on top of the gun, guiding it to his side.
“Fine, but she’s not leaving,” he insists.
“A few months ago after I met Max, we were looking for information on your location. We were asking around and caught their eye. One of their units approached us. They told us they needed our help to stop the manipulation of our society. We were just as hesitant as you are now. Believe me, but we listened and they showed us all their work.”
Max jumps in and fills me in on all the details of operations that have been going on for close to a year now. The Corporate Police have been secretly shutting down Influencer offices, bringing us in for something called “Cleansing”.
“What do you mean by Cleansing?” I ask. “None of this feels right Laney.”
“We’re not sure. We don’t have that kind of clearance.”
“Then it can all be lies!” I once again jump to my feet and inch closer to the door.
I near the exit, keeping a close watch on Max when a heavy thud rattles the door behind me. The frantic pounding makes me jump to the middle of the room. I turn to Laney, “Who is that?”
It’s them… the Corporate Police.”
5
CORNERED
I’m ALONE AGAIN. My sister betrayed me and now the Corporate Police are here to purify me or whatever they want to call it.
“Open up!” A muffled, deep voice commands from outside the door.
“Laney,” I cry out to her. “What have you done?”
Heavy pounding on the door gets louder and more intense.
“Open now or we’re coming in,” the man barks.
“Please Leeyah,” Laney begs. “Just make this easy. They can help you.”
There’s no helping me now. I’ve been abandoned by the one person I thought would always be there for me. Maybe it’s time to give up and end this day. Maybe it’s possible. Maybe they can cure me.
“Get out of my way,” Max says. “I’m letting them in.”
Fighting back now is pointless. I drop my hands to my side and flop into the chair near the front window and wait for my fate.
Max narrows his eyes, glancing my way, as if he’s disappointed in me. As if I let them down for not being excited to get neutered. He walks to the door. The deadbolt clanks, and Max opens it. Two men barge in with the barrels of their rifles leading the way, pushing Max to the wall. Similar to the VeRx guards, these men are in full riot gear. Since when did a sixteen-year-old become public enemy number one?
The first officer through the door scans the room before turning to find me. His stance stiffens and he inches the weapon closer to my face.
“Relax, she’s not resisting,” Laney pleads.
I refuse to look at her. I refuse to look anywhere but at the tip of the man’s gun. How many times can I be at the edge of death in one day?
“You even think of doing that Push crap, we will end you,” the officer says.
“Put your damn gun down,” Laney says. “This is my sister. You need to take care of her.”
“I don’t know what you think you know, but there is nothing we can do for her kind. She needs to be processed.”
“Hold up,” Max steps in. “What do you mean processed?”
It’s starting to sink in now. I knew there was no cure. Why would there be? Laney was stupid for trusting the Corporate Police. Just like I was stupid for trusting a corporation like VeRx.
“You’re going to take her somewhere to be cured, right?” Laney approaches the officer before Max holds her back with his outstretched arm.
“There is no cure, only elimination,” the officer says. “Thanks to your intel, we now know this one is deadly too.”
My breathing pics up, but I don’t dare move. This large man will pull the trigger in an instant. His meaty hand swallows the gun’s handle, gripping it tighter with every second that passes.
Out of the corner of my eye I see Max make a move toward the officer. The second officer shifts his rifle, stopping Max in his tracks.
“Whoa there,” the second officer says. “I’m assuming you don’t like the terms of our arrangement anymore? Does this mean our partnership is over?”
“Please don’t do this,” Laney cries. “I just wanted to save my sister.”
The room turns quiet as everyone’s eyes are locked on each other. I have no choice, I need to use my Push ability. The risk of hurting my sister is outweighed by the fact we’re all dead if I do nothing.
Just before I start to focus on my ability, I see her. Terra slips into the room. No one notices her, but me. She turns to me and winks before she pulls out a knife. Her ability to slip out of the reality of people is crazy. Influencers can’t affect other Influencers. This allows me to watch the horror.
Terra cuts the arm of the man pointing his weapon at me. His artery spills out like an open bottle of wine pouring onto the carpet. Before he can react to the assault, the other officer falls to the ground, his neck slit. He gurgles, choking on his own blood. Laney screams in terror, confusion floods her face. Max jumps into action, yanking the rifle from the officer near me. The man doesn’t fight back and collapses to the ground. Max glares at me, shock overtaking his face. He thinks I’m doing this.
Raising his weapon at me he shouts, “Stop this now!”
It’s too late, Terra digs the blade into his side before pulling it out. He drops the gun and clutches at the gash.
“No!” Laney shouts, running to him.
Terra stands over them both now. Max kneels on one knee, and Laney wraps her hands around his shoulders.
“Stop,” I growl. “No more, please.”
Terra turns to me, tilting her head. She shrugs, flashing a careless grin before walking out the door. Both officers lay motionless, blood soaking the thin carpet around them.
Shock begins to overtake me as I try to go to Laney. My legs are wobbly, vision darting uncontrollably. I don’t make it a step before Laney raises her palm out, forcing me to stop.
“Stay away from me,” tears trickle down her face. “You’re a monster.”
I lean against the wall, trying to regain my composure. “That wasn’t me… I… I would never…”
“Enough,” she interrupts. “Leave—now!”
“Laney, listen to me, please.”
“GET OUT!”
Recoiling, I scramble toward the open door. Tears brim and flow down my cheeks. I lose control and cup my mouth as the emotion pours out of me. I stumble over the metal door frame, and when I pick myself up I don’t turn back. All I can do is run down the hall. Passing the elevator, I barrel into the stairwell door. It slams open, echoing down the stairwell. Nearly tumbling over, I race down flight after flight until I reach the main floor exit. Bursting into the parking lot, I bend over, supporting the weight of my emotions by planting my hands on my knees. Sirens ring in the distance as reinforcements close in. Standing tall again, I sprint down the side of the complex toward the back of the building. Burning around the corner, I slam into someone large. Bouncing off him, I fall back to the ground.
Merrick reaches out his hand. “Oops, sorry ‘bout that.”
Terra laughs, standing to his side like a puppy to its master.
“Dang, girl, where you
going in such a hurry?” She says.
Unable to catch my breath, I slide back on the cool pavement, searching for something—anything. Merrick steps forward, grabbing my arm. He effortlessly lifts me to my feet. I yank free of his tight grip. This draws a sarcastic glare from him.
“Relax, your safe now,” he says. “You’re welcome.”
“What did you do… why did… how did you find me?”
Boundless energy fills my body, and I want nothing more than to run.
“Listen, unless you want more of your police buddies to find you, we need to bolt.” Merrick looks out onto the darkened cityscape.
“I’m not going anywhere with you.” I turn and head toward the main street that runs parallel to the apartment complex.
“What do you have left?” Terra asks. “There’s nowhere to go.”
“Where ever you aren’t, I’ll be. Stop following me.”
The fear that I might set them off if I run keeps me walking casually away. I feel them watching at me.
Sirens blare as three armored police vehicles burst from the closest side street. Screeching to a halt just yards from me at the edge of the parking lot, their emergency lights flicker forcing me to shield my eyes. I turn, but Merrick and Terra are gone.
The rollercoaster of emotions from the day have left me numb. My breathing is calm now. Looking out, the Corporate Police exit their vehicles, weapons raised. Taking cover behind their doors, they have me nearly surrounded.
“Interlock your hands behind your head and drop to the ground,” an amplified voice booms from the nearest car.
Off in the distance, officers storm the apartment complex. Soon they will see what happened and they’ll want revenge. Sweat covers my palms as my fingers link. I drop to my knees.
“Lay on the ground,” they shout from all angles. “On the ground—now!”
“No,” I mutter under my breath.
“We will open fire on you,” intensity fills the voice.
“I said NO!”
I rise to one knee. My thoughts clear, and I lock onto the minds surrounding me. The Push feels exhilarating. Every part of me tingles with energy. The men’s thoughts flood my vision, pushing away the fear of the moment. I want nothing more than for the officers to just stop. Flickering light bursts across my eyesight, wrapping around their mental presence. As if someone pulls a string, unraveling my state, the feeling pours out of my body. My Push takes hold.
With a deep inhale I bring myself back to my current reality. No more shouting, no more intensity inching closer—nothing. Looking out at the officers, they’re frozen. Weapons still drawn on me, but I’ve stepped out of their current moment and into some sort of void. I’ve split the conscious awareness into two places.
It was me earlier today. I was the one that froze that VeRx supervisor, it wasn’t Sam or Wade. It was me that set that man up for his forced suicide. Then, when I blinked out of time in the Humanity’s Protectors’ stronghold, I didn’t allow myself to enter the void. I must’ve avoided the state I created. How, I have no idea.
The men surrounding me now have that same paused look. It feels like I’m walking in a virtual projected moment of time. Everyone else is stuck within the reach of my Push.
Rising to my feet, I approach the officer in front of me. His weathered beard remains still even as the cool breeze caresses my face. The natural elements even circumvent their state. I’m tempted to touch him if only to see if this is real. But I can’t, what if that defuses my Push? Right now I’m safe, surrounded in my own bubble of existence. But it’s time for me to disappear.
Looking past the police cars, I find the darkest alley across the street. I make it a few feet before Merrick and Terra pop into my awareness. Like walking through a fluid bubble, they enter my manipulated reality.
“Now this is fun,” Merrick grins. “What’s-his-name could only put people into a zombie-like state. You froze time for them. That’s freakin cool.”
Terra can’t help herself as she sticks her face right against the young officer closest to her. She kisses his cheek and laughs. “This one’s cute.”
“How are you here?” Confusion floods my face.
“We stuck around to watch the show,” Merrick says. “It’s quite a sight to see everything stop existing around you. Your own personal pocket of reality—nice!”
Merrick’s stance stiffens as he tilts his head at me. The arrogance in his grin consumes him.
“You’re an Influencer?” I ask, knowing only people like me can avoid a Push. “How… You’re too old.”
“Well, that’s not nice,” he says with a playful pout. “My ability is long gone, but we never lose our immunity to Push ability. Tricks of the trade, I guess.”
Terra returns to Merrick’s side, like the fangirl she is. I guess she’s had enough of playing with the officers as if they were her personal toys.
“We’re not letting you go,” Terra says. “We like you. You’re fun. You’re useful to the cause.”
Stepping toward me, Merrick points to Laney’s apartment building. “Your sister up there… we did you a favor. We freed her. Terra spared her life. You think she’s safe without the Protectors watching over her? Working for us is the only way you can guarantee her safety.”
That didn’t sound like a favor, it sounded like a threat. Laney’s caught up in all of this because she thought she could cure me and take me away. Merrick is using her as blackmail now.
“Leave my sister out of this,” I snarl.
“Relax, she’s safe. How about we get out of here now before more corporate pigs get here?”
“Hold up, guys,” Terra says. “Why waste this? Look at all these corrupt fools just frozen waiting for us. It’s like Leeyah’s gift to the cause.”
I tense up, my fists tighten. “Stop… Don’t do this. They’re people; they have families and loved ones.”
“No, Terra’s right,” Merrick insists. “We take care of them now or they kill some of our own later. I like to think ahead.”
Terra pulls out her knife and turns to the nearest patrol car. Merrick winks at me, grabbing a blade of his own. My breathing becomes shallow. I look down at my shaking hands. This can’t happen.
Locking on the officer with the largest rifle off to the side, I focus my push. His altered reality makes it easy to corral his mind. Adrenaline-laced emotions pour into his thoughts. I direct him onto Terra and Merrick. He breaks from his frozen state and turns to them. A loud clank rips from the officer’s weapon. Terra screams as she’s flung against the patrol car near the officer she was going to attack. Blood splatters against the hood. Merrick lunges back, dropping his knife. Arms raise up as he shifts to the man with the gun.
“Whoa-whoa-whoa,” he shouts, exchanging glances with me and the officer.
Terra groans one last time before slumping lifeless against the bumper of the car.
The officer’s lifeless eyes track Merrick’s every slight movement. Merrick wants to run, but his fear leaves him grounded.
“Not cool, Leeyah… not cool,” Merrick says. “We’re on the same side.”
I clutch the sides of my head with both hands as I look at Terra’s blood-soaked body. The shot penetrated her stomach. Dark red spreads from the midsection of her tank top. I killed her. Well, I made someone kill her. Pulling my hands down, I cup my mouth to hold in my cries. Before I have a chance to rethink my push another blast rattles the air. Merrick’s head snaps back as the bullet passes right through it. His body stiffens and falls to the ground like a log.
“STOP!” I shout.
The officer drops his weapon, arms falling to his side.
Tears pour out now. Nothing can hold them back. All I can think of is finding my sister. I turn back to the apartment complex and see her standing on the balcony looking down on me. Fear fills her face. Shuffling back, she nearly slams into the wall. Turning, she runs down the hall away from the parking lot and away from me.
“Please, wait,” I plead. “La
ney, no!”
It’s too late, she’s gone. I’m a freak. A murderer to her. She doesn’t understand. She came here to save me, but now I'm nothing more than a monster. Then I realize. Max must be dead. He wasn’t with her on that balcony. She wouldn’t leave him. Laney will blame me for that too.
New sirens wail in the distance, refocusing my attention. I need to get out of here, but where. I have nothing—no one. Looking out on the horizon, the cityscape still billows with smoke from the attacks earlier today. Clear skies to the north give me a direction. I want out of San Diego. It’s time to head home. Even if there’s no one to go back to, up north is where I belong. I’ll find a way to get there.
Heading down a darkened alley, I’m stopped by a shadowy figure standing before me in the narrow opening between the buildings. I pause, staring at the hazy silhouette circled by steam from the vents. What do I have to fear with what I can do? Moving again, I step around avoiding whoever it is and keep going. A dim light hangs over me now, giving me a sense of security.
“Wait,” a familiar voice says.
I stop, turning to see Sam emerge from the dark—the light brightening his face. He’s alive… but how?
“I don’t understand… is it really you?” I ask.
“Yeah, it’s me. I’ve been looking for you all night.”
I step back, not believing it’s him. “I saw you die.”
“You saw what I wanted Merrick to see.”
“What do you mean? The blood was everywhere. You weren’t breathing.”
Stepping closer, he lifts his shirt, showing me where the wound should be. “I wasn’t shot. I faked it all.”
6
NEW BIRTH
SEEING ISN’T BELIEVING. Why would Sam fake his death? Better question—how? He’s one of the Protector’s top Influencers. He seems nice. Not ruthless like some of the others, but he’s still one of them.
“What… why?” Confusion washes over me.
“I’m not… I mean, I wasn’t… a fan of Merrick,” He looks back at the end of the alley towards the apartment complex parking lot. “I needed to get out and they don’t let us go. As you know.”
Humanity's Protectors: An Influence Series Origin Novella Page 4