by Sophie Davis
Talia had gone to prison for letting Kenly go instead of turning her over to UNITED. It seemed odd that Kenly would willing to even visit a major containment facility after all that was done to keep her free.
“West Bank isn’t under UNITED’s control, technically.” Ian shrugged sheepishly. “I am head of the council, so I pulled a few strings. In return, Kenly promised to stop hacking UNITED’s databases. I figured it was a fair tradeoff.”
I smiled thinly. “That was nice of you. Talia will appreciate it.”
The chopper departed to make room for the next in line, but Kip and Emma were still on the roof.
“Kip’s going to teleport them out to West Bank,” Ian said when he noticed me looking at the duo. “Emma isn’t a big fan of flying.”
The couple started walking toward us. Kip extended his hand to first Ian, then my father, and finally me. “Thank you, for everything.”
“No, thank you,” I told him. “You’ve really helped us out a lot.”
Kip smiled at Emma. “Our work on the mainland isn’t done quite yet. When it’s time to get Talia back, you know where I’ll be if you need me.”
“Thanks, man,” I told him. “I appreciate that.”
“Ready, Em?” Kip asked his girlfriend.
Emma nodded and slipped her hand in his.
“I’ll see you soon, Erik.” With that, they were gone.
The next helicopter landed, and my father, Janelle, Alpha, Brand, and Penny boarded. There was no reason for goodbyes with them. We were only going to the nearest military base to catch hovers for the flight to Switzerland, and we all had the same destination.
Three more choppers took turns collecting the soldiers and trusted UNITED agents who served as Ian’s protective detail. Finally, it was just Ian and me, and three of his bodyguards.
“Don’t you dare leave without me,” a voice called as I was strapping into a seat.
I grinned. “You’re cutting it close, buddy,” I called to Frederick.
Using the side of the chopper for leverage, he hoisted himself onboard gracefully. “Ian wanted clearance from the doctors before he’d let me come on this trip.”
“I guess everything checks out?” Ian raised an eyebrow in Frederick’s direction.
Frederick sank into the seat opposite mine and pounded on the divider between the passenger compartment and the cockpit. “We’re all good for takeoff,” he called. To Ian, he added, “Just like I told you, I’m good as new.”
“Really? Nothing’s off?” I asked curiously. I knew Phi had healed him, but it was such a new ability. Well, it was new to me, old in general. Still, I’d thought there might be some residual issues. Frederick had been nearly dead.
“I haven’t felt this good in years,” Frederick boasted. “I’ll feel even better once we get Henri out of those mountains.”
“Have you seen him?” I asked.
Frederick smiled. “Yeah. On and off. Sometimes he’s harder to view, I’m not sure what that’s about.”
“Emma, most likely,” I informed him. “Was she nearby when you were trying to view?”
Frederick nodded. “Emma? She’s the Interceptor, right?”
“Yeah. And she’s not really in control of her abilities,” I replied.
“How is Henri?” Ian interjected.
“Good.” Frederick seemed to reconsider. “Well, good as can be expected. They have plenty of water where they’re hiding. Some rations, though they’re running low. Tempers are getting heated, which is to be expected with a group in a confined space.”
Ian leaned back in his seat. “Won’t be long now.”
A nauseating churning in my gut told me that he wasn’t talking about Henri. Battle with Gretchen’s Privileged army was on the horizon. I, for one, was ready. The more of her soldiers we defeated in Switzerland, the less people who stood between Talia and me.
Gretchen could make more. And she undoubtedly would. But it would take time. Time that we could use to bring Alex and my girlfriend home.
Chapter Forty-Five
Talia
Even with a mental map, finding our way out of the tunnels was no joke. It took forever to locate the exit thanks to several hidden doors that could only be opened using telekinesis, a ravine with no obvious way across, and our physical limitations—my bare feet, Alex’s age, Cadence’s extreme fatigue from lack of food and sleep. At least, it sure felt like forever.
Because my luck was terrible, getting out of the Institute was only half the battle. Maybe less. The day still wasn’t over.
We emerged from the dark underground maze to find a dark night sky and acres of nothingness.
“How far did we walk?” I asked, peering at a hulking, shadowy mass that loomed in the distance. It was the only structure as far as I could see. Unless the Institute was entirely beneath ground, the faraway building was the only option.
Cadence was panting heavily, bent over at the waist with her hands on her knees. She needed increasingly frequent rest stops as the day wore on. I hated to keep pushing her, but we needed to keep moving. At least until we found shelter or even some trees to hide under. Gretchen had to know by now that Alex and I were gone. That meant there would be a hunting party after us.
Alex was on my back, his arms around my neck and head resting on my shoulder. We were both tired, and I had carried him most of the way through the tunnels. Still, we were in a better condition than Cadence.
“No clue,” she wheezed. “Feels like a marathon.”
“Cadence…,” I began.
She held up a hand. “Yeah, I know. We can’t stop out here. Just give me a minute.”
One minute passed. Then two. Then five. Twenty minutes later, I was too antsy to give her any more time. I had an idea, one that might help or might kill us all. If we stayed there any longer, Gretchen’s minions were going to come kill us all for sure. Well, maybe just Cadence. I wasn’t sure what she would do with me, and I didn’t want to wait around to find out.
“Think you might have enough energy left to make us all invisible for fifteen minutes?” I asked Cadence.
We sat across from each other on the ground, Alex in my lap. Cadence looked at me with dark, pained eyes.
“What do you have in mind?” she asked, too tired for one of her snarky replies.
“I could morph,” I offered. “Into a large bird. Not the easiest to ride, but we would cover more ground that way. One tiny issue, though. I’ve spotted several surveillance drones while we’ve been sitting here. They’re circling the area. I’m guessing they haven’t seen us yet, but….”
“If they had, we’d already be caught,” she finished the sentence I left hanging in the air. Inhaling deeply through her nose, Cadence blew out a long breath and nodded. “Yeah, I can do it. The invisibility, at least,” she clarified. “I don’t know about riding a bird. It’s sort of weird.”
I shrugged. “You’ll be fine. I ride Erik all the time.” I wrinkled my nose as blood rushed to my cheeks. “In bird form, I mean,” I added quickly.
Cadence actually laughed. “That’s between the two of you.”
I picked a handful of grass and threw it at her. “You know what I mean. On missions.”
“Like I said, your business.” She sighed and got to her feet. “Alright, let’s try it.”
Cadence and Alex waited while I shed my clothes and gave them to Cadence to hold for later. Then, I morphed. “Can you hear me?” I asked.
“Yeah. I hear you,” Cadence sent back. “Are you sure you can carry us both?”
“Totally,” I lied. Honestly, I wasn’t certain. Cadence was bigger than I was in human form, and my energy was on the lower end of the spectrum. But desperate times and all that.
She helped Alex climb on my back, his little knees wedged beneath my wings. Once he was settled, she followed suit. Cadence wasn’t that heavy, but I wasn’t used to carrying so much extra weight. Takeoff was…tricky. Once we were airborne, my confidence began to soar. I could do this. We
could do this. Just not for very long.
“Keep your eyes open for any shelter,” I sent.
Cadence was shaking badly, but her grip on my feathers was tight.
“Believe me, I am,” she sent back.
My initial guesstimate of fifteen minutes wasn’t far off. I spotted a cattle farm after not too long. There were lights on inside the small house, but the barn appeared empty except for a few animals. The moment we landed, Cadence’s light manipulation failed her. She slid from my back and collapsed in the dirt.
After morphing back, I dressed in record time. Then, I dragged her into the barn with Alex at my side. It wasn’t an ideal accommodation, but the hay was soft and there were blankets. The smell wasn’t awful, since I was adept at shutting down my individual senses. Cadence didn’t seem to care about anything except sleeping, and Alex was as easygoing as always.
I made beds with the hay and blankets, and then helped Cadence over to lay down. She could barely keep her eyes open, and I used the opportunity to look her over. There was quite a bit of bruising on her face and neck that I hadn’t noticed before.
She needs medical attention, I thought. For now, food was best I could do.
“Can you watch over Cadence while I find us some dinner?” I asked Alex.
Curling up beside her, he nodded stoically. I tucked the blanket around them both and brushed Alex’s hair back from his face.
“I’ll be back so soon,” I promised, kissing his forehead.
Being a cattle farm, there was an abundance of fresh milk and cheese. An apple orchard provided fruit, and I found carrots, onions, and potatoes in a small garden at the rear of the house. When I brought all the goodies back to the barn, I made a fire, much to Alex’s delight. I also made a semi-decent stew, much to my own delight.
“Hey, you should eat something,” I said, shaking Cadence gently to wake her.
She managed to sit up, and we all ate in the makeshift bed in silence. Cadence passed out after again after three bowls of my concoction. She was so still, I kept checking for the rise and fall of her chest to make sure she was breathing.
“Are we going to Erik now?” Alex asked as we lay in the barn, staring up at the stars through a hole in the roof.
“Yeah,” I said tiredly. His head was on my chest, my hand rubbing his back. “We’ll have to make a few stops first, though. Like this one.”
“Why?” he asked.
How was I supposed to answer that loaded question? Because we were thousands of miles from Virginia? Because I was a wanted fugitive, and we couldn’t be seen in public? Because his grandmother was chasing us? Because the world had turned against the Talented and we were more likely to find harm than help anywhere we went? Or, because I said so?
“It’ll be a fun adventure,” I told him, deciding avoidance was best. “You can ride more birds, maybe even a horse. We’ll camp, hunt for food, and take baths in lakes. It’ll be a good time.”
Honestly, none of that sounded enjoyable to me. Not that I minded roughing it. It was the fact I was alone and responsible for two other people while we ran for our lives that I wasn’t super keen on.
Alex giggled. “You’re the bird, silly,” he told me.
“Am I? I had no idea,” I replied, deadpan.
His little finger started tracing a pattern on my arm.
“We’ll get you some paper and colored pencils,” I promised.
Where I would get the art supplies, I didn’t know. I’d likely steal a lot more before this adventure was over, so I wasn’t above a little thievery to make him happy.
He didn’t respond, and the movement on my arm became faster. More deliberate.
“Alex?” I whispered. “Are you okay?”
No answer.
Overhead, two hovercrafts whipped by. That makes seven, I thought. It was a lot for a hunting party. Where were they all going? Was Gretchen sending her entire hover fleet out for us? Or were they headed to battle?
With his free hand, Alex turned my arm over as though his picture required a larger canvass.
“Alex? Sweetheart are you okay?” I repeated.
“Don’t you want to go to Erik?” he whispered. “We can all go to the island where the man and the lady live.”
Tears welled in my eyes. I blinked them back. He kept saying “live” and using the present tense. Like he thought my parents were still alive. He knew they weren’t, so I could only assume that he didn’t understand what it meant for someone to be dead.
The whole life versus death as it pertained to my parents didn’t bother me much. It was the larger implications I worried about. He knew Kandice and Donavon were dead. So what was I going to say if he asked to go where they “live”?
“Don’t be sad, Talia. Look, I drew Erik.”
For some reason, I looked. Like there might something to see. There wasn’t. Should’ve given the kid a stick and let him draw in the dirt, I thought wryly. Since I didn’t want to upset Alex, I pretended like I could see his picture.
“Yeah, he’s at Mr. Ian’s house,” I said, forcing a smile.
“No, he’s not.” Alex sat up and shook his head emphatically. “You just don’t see it ‘cause it’s invisible. Like Cadence makes things.”
I couldn’t decide if I was more impressed that he pronounced invisible correctly or that he’d connected Cadence’s talent to his inkless drawing. Truly, it was a tossup.
“Where is Erik? Can you tell me?” I asked Alex, since it seemed like he wanted me to know. I did want to know where my boyfriend was, though I seriously doubted Alex would be able to describe the location in words. Looking inside his head was an option, but not a guarantee.
Apparently, I should’ve given the kid more credit.
“He’s with Henri,” Alex told me proudly.
I sat up. “Are you sure?”
“Yep.”
“Is Henri in the same place he was the last time you drew a picture of him?” I had to stop myself from lumping too many questions together, I didn’t want to overwhelm him.
Alex nodded. “He’s hungry. He doesn’t like eating cold fish.”
“Henri and Erik are together?” I asked again, just to make sure I understood.
“That’s what I said,” he insisted.
Right, silly me.
“Frederick, too,” Alex continued. “They’re happy. Erik’s sad, though.”
Crane approved the rescue mission, I realized.
The wheels spun inside my head. Switzerland and France shared a border. It would be much easier to get to Interlaken than Virginia. Plus, Switzerland was a pro-Talented country. I’d just need to worry about UNITED agents.
“Is anyone else you know with them?” I asked.
Alex considered the question before nodding. “Brand. He’s sad, too.”
If you mean pissed off, that sounds about right, I thought with a slight smile.
“Can we go see Erik now and go to the island?” Alex asked hopefully.
“What’s with you and the island?” I teased, ruffling his air. Seriously, he’d mentioned it a lot.
“The man and the lady live there,” he insisted.
And there it was again: “live” not “lived”. Once this was all over, maybe I could join a support group for ex-assassins who suddenly found themselves in charge of a child they were in no way qualified to raise. How did you explain the finality of death to a kid?
“You’ll be happy if you can see the man and the lady again,” Alex continued, sounding so cheerful. “Just like when you were little, like me.”
This time, I couldn’t keep the tears at bay. My parents were dead. I knew that with absolute certainty. I’d seen them murdered with my own eyes. Dr. Wythe might have been able to alter that memory some, but it wouldn’t be enough to make me forget that. Still, for an irrational second, I dared hope that Alex knew something I didn’t.
Alex yawned dramatically. He curled up beside me and closed his eyes. I laid back down and stared up at the sky, my arm aro
und his shoulders.
“Talia?” he asked sleepily.
“Yes, baby?”
“When we go to the island, can I have a horsey?”
Tears still streaming down my face, I smiled and pulled him closer.
Sure kid, I thought. If we make it through this alive, you can have as many horseys as you want.
“Go to sleep,” I said instead. “In the morning, we’ll go find Erik.”
Chapter Forty-Six
Erik
By dawn on the morning after we arrived in Switzerland, most of Gretchen’s forces were assembled in Interlaken. At least, we assumed it was most of her forces.
Credible intel suggested that nearly three-quarters of the Vault prisoners had joined her cause. The rest had apparently taken their freedom and ran. That was roughly three thousand Talented who all had reason to hate UNITED fighting for Gretchen. There were also the Created she’d liberated from containment, who also had good reasons to hate UNITED. Estimates on the number varied widely, but there were at least a few hundred of those. We had no clue how many Privileged were in her army before the attack on the islands.
Given how recently the creation drug was perfected—and her limited supply of Mimic blood—I was shocked she had enough Privileged soldiers to call it an army. Then again, Gretchen really only cared about blind obedience; mental impairment caused by early versions of the creation drug probably didn’t matter much to her. As long they had the ability to fire a weapon, I doubted she turned anyone away.
We also didn’t have a handle on how many of the exiled Talented would fight for the Privileged when the time came. They were being taken in by the busload, so it was possible the army could swell even more. Penny and a team of cryptos kept sending surveillance drones, but they were usually shot down before getting close enough to overhear the chatter at the encampment.
We did know that many of the exiled were angry. Gretchen’s impassioned speeches were also doing a lot to persuade them to join her numbers. How long it would take for those same people to realize she was nuts was anyone’s guess. If Gretchen’s plan to reprogram Talia and use mind control to enforce obedience actually worked, the new recruits would never realize the extent of her lunacy.