Red-Line: The Shift (Volume One)

by J. T. Bishop

  “A birthmark?” she asked, still showing a remarkable calm, which he admired. “I take it that’s not the only difference.”

  “No, it isn’t.”

  “So what is the rest?”

  He considered how to explain it as simply as possible. ”Red-Lines have advanced abilities, more so than Gray-Lines. Their capabilities include manipulating energy, high levels of sensitivity and empathic abilities, telepathy, and reading the energy of not just people, but also objects. Many have the ability to communicate with other species, such as animals and other forms of extraterrestrials. With the proper development and training, they can become very powerful and are usually very intelligent. In the past, they served as leaders in our community as well as valuable information gatherers. They can blend in and cloak themselves around humans so as not to be seen. They also traveled to and from our home planet with regularity, serving as a branch between our two worlds.”

  She stared at him, her expression unchanged. “And you’re telling me that’s what I am?”

  “Yes, that is what you are.”

  “But how do you know for sure? Maybe you’re wrong.”

  “We’re not wrong. You have the mark.”

  “I do?”

  “Yes. It’s on your back, beneath your shoulder blade.”

  She reached behind her with her right arm as if to feel the mark on her left side.

  “Other side,” said Hannah.

  Sarah put her arm down. “So I’m a…what do you call it? Red-Line?”

  “Yes.”

  “Is that why I’m in danger?”

  “Yes.”

  “Why?” she asked him.

  “Why?”

  “Yes. Why does that put me in danger? Aren’t you guys supposed to be a peaceful bunch?”

  Declan answered that one. “Normally, we are, yes.”

  “So why not now? Who’s got it in for me?”

  Ramsey felt her energy contract. “We’re not sure about that yet, but we think someone may want to use you.” He didn’t offer that her life might also be at risk.

  “Use me?”

  “Yes. You are highly advanced, with remarkable untapped abilities not seen in decades. You could be very valuable to someone.”

  “In what way?”

  He could tell she was trying hard to stay open, and as he kept going, he continued to gauge her reactions. “We’re not exactly sure. We don’t know the motives behind this particular threat.”

  “I’m not exactly going to go quietly, you know.”

  He chuckled, remembering her confrontation with X and Z. “No, I wouldn’t think so.”

  “So why is it a concern?”

  He stopped as he thought about what to say, but again, he could only be direct. “Because this person may also be another Red-Line.”

  Now she did look uncertain. “But you just said I’m the only one.”

  “Believe me, we are as surprised as you.”

  “And you think this Red-Line wants to hurt me?”

  “I don’t know, but he’s already tried to take you twice, which makes him determined.”

  She looked surprised. “Twice?”

  “Yes, twice.”

  “And you stopped him?

  “I stopped him the first time.”

  “But not the second.”

  “No, not the second.”

  “Who stopped him the second time?”

  He stared at her, waiting to see how she would handle it. “You did.”

  “I did?”

  “Yes.”

  She looked away as if trying to think back. “I don’t remember that.”

  “You may, at some point, or you may not. It’s not uncommon to forget things that occur during a Shift.”

  “And I used these advanced abilities?”

  “You most certainly did. And quite effectively.”

  She sat unmoving, but then she hugged herself and swallowed. “So let me ask you something.”

  “Ask away.”

  “Why do you want me?”

  It was her turn to be direct.

  “Why do I want you?” He wanted to be sure he understood her question before answering in a completely inappropriate way.

  “Yes, why do you…Gray-Lines, whatever… Why do you want me? How do I know you don’t also want to use me?”

  It was a logical question, and it made him wonder. Were they any better than this unknown adversary? He knew the answer, and it bothered him to admit it.

  “There’s a very specific reason why you’re here. We need you. Because of your potential abilities, we hope you will be able to provide us with something we seek.”

  “And what is that?” she asked.

  He looked at Hannah, Declan, and Leroy, who all watched the exchange with more than a little interest. Nobody stopped him from answering. “Because you may be the key to our survival. You may be the one person capable of preventing our extinction.”

  She furrowed her brow, unsure what he meant. “Excuse me? You’re joking, right?”

  He regretted adding the weight of this responsibility to her already overloaded system, but he continued, giving her the truth. “I wish I was. In all likelihood, without your help, the four of us may be dead in twenty-four months.”

  At first, she just stared at him. Then she looked around the table, looking for confirmation. When she apparently got it, she stood and started pacing. “You want to explain that one to me?” she asked.

  He hated telling her. In that moment, he felt anger rise in him at the thought that the Council would mess with issues better left alone. What right did they have to create a life whose sole purpose was to save the life of another, or even many others? Was death really all that bad? He felt her anxiety, and he wished he could reduce her distress.

  “Sarah, I know it sounds crazy.”

  “Crazy? No, we’ve gone way past crazy. This is lunacy.” Her pace picked up. “I mean, you tell me I’m some sort of super alien? After you first tell me that I’m a regular alien—let’s not skirt over that initial revelation. And now I’ve changed and I’ve got all these super powers, which apparently I’ve used, but have no memory of, and I could become this great, wise, all-knowing, all-seeing, animal-talking, object-reading, telepathic…red…thing.” She struggled to find the right word. “Whatever you call it. And now, now I’m supposed to save the world? Oh, and let’s not forget there’s a bad guy out there too, who wants to use me for evil. Is that what you’re telling me?”

  Ramsey felt her energy level rise dramatically.

  Declan picked up on it, too. “Sarah,” said Declan, “You want to sit? I know we’ve thrown a lot at you—”

  “A lot at me?” she shot back, almost yelling. “Now, that’s the understatement of the year. Don’t you think?”

  “Sarah…” Ramsey started.

  “Don’t…” She aimed a fiery glance at him. “Don’t tell me to calm down.” She turned away and stood unmoving for a few seconds, her back to them, breathing deep and fast. “I need to get out of here,” Ramsey heard her say. She started for the front door.

  Ramsey shot up from his chair. “Wait.”

  She stopped. “Wait? What are you going to do? Keep me here?”

  He didn’t know what to say.

  “Sarah.” Leroy stood as well. “Think about it first. It’s too soon for you. You walk out that door, and you won’t be able to handle it.”

  “So what?” She directed her growing anger at Leroy. “Now you’re telling me I can’t handle going home, even if I wanted to? What exactly am I supposed to do? Live here with you guys?” She looked around the group. “No offense, but I’m over the frat house thing. I hardly know any of you. All I know is that this guy over here”—she nodded toward Ramsey—“shows up on my doorstep and the next thing I know, I’m an alien.” She breathed deeply again and shook her hands with excess energy. “I’ve got to get out of here.” She headed for the door.

  “Sarah, wait…” Declan stood as she m
oved in his direction.

  Impatient and overwhelmed with the amount of stimuli directed at her, Sarah turned on him angrily. “Get out of my way!”

  Instantaneously, a force flooded the room. The dining-room light, which had been illuminating their discussion, popped and broke, and Declan shot backwards, his chair overturning. He flew back several feet, landing on his back and smacking his head on a small side table in the entryway.

  “Declan!” Hannah jumped up and ran over to him.

  The remaining light in the kitchen lit the room hazily as Ramsey, Leroy and Sarah stood in shock.

  Woozy but conscious, Declan tried to sit up. “I’m okay,” he said as Hannah reached him. “I’ll live.”

  Hannah checked out his head and felt blood. “You’ve got a gash on your head. You’re bleeding.” She turned toward Leroy. “I need a towel and some ice.”

  Declan attempted to downplay the incident. “I’m all right, Hannah. I’ve dealt with worse.” He tried to sit up, but failed.

  “Sit back, you idiot. You may have a concussion.” She looked back at Leroy. “Leroy?”

  Leroy finally snapped out of his state. “I’ll get it.” He moved around Sarah, who still stood there, frozen to her spot.

  “Did I do that?” she managed to ask.

  Ramsey was at a loss. Sarah stood dazed as her energy projected erratically and she attempted to process what had just occurred.

  “You didn’t do it intentionally.”

  She gave him a hard look. “But I did it, right?’

  He paused, knowing and feeling how hard this was for her. “Yes.”

  “Oh, my God.”

  “Sarah, I’m okay. It was an accident.” Declan spoke from across the room as Leroy brought the ice and towel over and handed them to Hannah.

  “Sarah, this is all new to you. You don’t have a handle on it yet. You’re like a newborn right now. You’ve got to crawl before you learn to walk.” Ramsey hoped he was getting through to her.

  “Oh, my God. Oh, my God.”

  “Sarah, please don’t freak out.” Ramsey reached out to touch her, but she pulled back from him.

  She took a step back. “Don’t.”

  He couldn’t help himself. He took a step toward her.

  She stepped back again. “Don’t. I could hurt you.”

  “Sarah, you are not going to hurt me.” He moved toward her again, willing her to relax.

  She retreated into the kitchen.

  Hannah, Declan and Leroy watched Ramsey try to bring her back. Hannah held the ice pack on Declan’s head.

  “Sarah.” Ramsey held his hand out to her. “Just focus on my voice right now. You’ve got yourself all worked up, which is understandable, but you need to bring the energy level down a bit, or you’re going to pop something a lot worse than a light bulb.”

  She stared around the room as if lost. His worry for her doubled. She appeared confused and afraid.

  “Listen to my voice. I’m right here. I told you I’m not going anywhere. We’ll get you through this. I promise.” He reached out tentatively to her, but she did not engage.

  “Please don’t.” She pushed back against the cabinets, unable to move anywhere else. “I can’t do this.” She hugged herself with her arms.

  “Yes, you can.” He spoke calmly, keeping his own energy level balanced. “You’re not alone. We’re all here to help you.”

  “And look what I do in return. I could have killed him.”

  Ramsey smiled. “Not really,” he said. “He’s got a thick skull.” He looked over at Declan. “You might have actually knocked some sense into him.”

  Declan glanced up at the pair in the kitchen, holding the pack to his head. “Ha, ha,” he said in return.

  Sarah didn’t enjoy the humor. She continued to press back as Ramsey approached.

  “What do you say we all take a moment to collect ourselves and try not to answer all the questions right now?” Ramsey asked. “We’ve had enough for today.” She stared off. “You thirsty? You want some water?”

  She acted as if she heard nothing.

  “Sarah?” He didn’t like her far-away gaze. “You with me?”

  She made no reaction.

  “Sarah,” he said again with no acknowledgement from her. “Hey. Why don’t we go sit down?” For some reason, her far-off stare worried him more than her anger and her violent outburst toward Declan.

  Declan perked up as well. “Sarah?”

  Ramsey sensed Declan’s wariness and knew his brother was picking up on something. “Declan?” he asked.

  Declan’s energy intensified. “John,” he said. “Snap her out of it. Now.”

  Declan’s tone got Ramsey’s attention. He reached for her even as she continued to pull away from him.

  She reacted forcefully. “Stay away from me.” She brought up her hands as if to deflect him. He braced, preparing in case she pushed him away as she had with Declan. He felt a force move at him and around him, but he stayed where he was, untouched. Just as suddenly, though, the kitchen light above him exploded and shards of glass rained down on him, and he closed his eyes and ducked his head to protect himself just as they were all plunged into darkness.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

  * * *

  “SHERLOCK!” LEROY’S VOICE boomed in the dark. “You there?”

  Ramsey shook the shards of light-bulb fragments out of his hair, trying not to cut himself. “I’m here,” he answered. He couldn’t see anything. The kitchen and dining-room lights had been the only ones on, and with them no longer operational, the house was completely dark.

  “Hannah,” said Declan, “flip on the office light.”

  “Where is it?” she asked.

  “Should be over your left shoulder, on the other side of the wall,” answered Leroy.

  Ramsey heard shuffling and then the sound of Hannah sliding her hands against a solid surface. After a few seconds passed, he could hear her patting her fingers against the wall. “Where is it?” she asked.

  “Keep looking,” said Declan. “John, how’s Sarah?”

  He got no response. “John?” he asked again.

  “She’s not here,” Ramsey finally replied.

  “What? Where is she?”

  “Well, if I could see anything, I would tell you. But I’m feeling my way through this kitchen, and she’s not in here anymore. She must have skirted past me as I ducked away from the glass. Damn it.”

  “Here it is,” Hannah exclaimed. The flip of a switch could be heard, but no light welcomed them. “It’s not working,” said Hannah, flipping the switch several times.

  “She must have flipped the breaker,” said Leroy. “We have flashlights in the garage. I’ll see if I can find one and get the lights back on.”

  Ramsey heard a grunt as Leroy walked into what was likely a chair on his way to the garage.

  “What if we opened some curtains? Get some light from the street?” asked Ramsey.

  “What light from the street? We’re too far away from the road, and there’s no moon tonight,” answered Declan.

  “Of course there isn’t,” responded Ramsey.

  “Hannah, help me up,” Declan said.

  “You need to stay still,” Hannah answered. “If you have a concussion, you could get dizzy, or worse.”

  “Hannah, I appreciate your concern, but I’m not going to sit here all night. I need to check the house.”

  Ramsey remembered Declan’s tone with Sarah before she hit the lights-out button. “Declan,” he asked, “what are you getting?”

  “I’m not sure.” Ramsey heard what sounded like grunting and assumed his brother was now standing—with or without Hannah’s help, he didn’t know. “Whatever it was, I didn’t like the feel of it.”

  “What do you mean?’ Ramsey felt his way slowly out of the kitchen.

  “I don’t know, but it felt like another presence.”

  “What, here?” Ramsey felt his anxiety ramp up. If they were confronted now, they w
ere at a big disadvantage. His mind played out scenarios of Sarah walking out the door and right into Y’s hands. They had to find her.

  “It wasn’t a physical presence. More like some sort of projection. And it was directed at Sarah.”

  “What are you feeling now?”

  There was a brief pause. Ramsey pictured Declan closing his eyes and going still. It was quiet for a few moments.

  Declan finally responded. “Nothing. I don’t feel it anymore.”

  Hannah spoke. “Good. Then sit down before you fall over.”

  “Hannah, I am not going to fall over.”

  “Then why are you leaning on me?”

  “I’m not leaning on you.”

  “Oh, really?”

  Ramsey could only picture the interplay between them as he made his way through the dark back to the dining table. He wondered what was taking Leroy so long in the garage. Standing there, seeing nothing, his mind played out another scenario where Leroy lay dying, with a flashlight embedded in his chest. Ramsey tried to rein in his overactive imagination.

  “Whoa,” said Declan as he sucked in his breath.

  “What?” asked Ramsey, suddenly on alert. “What is it?”

  “Nothing,” said Hannah. “I just let go of him. The man who was ‘not leaning on me’ almost fell over. Declan, would you please sit down now?”

  “Where the hell is a chair?”

  If not for the seriousness of the situation, Ramsey would have enjoyed the commentary between his brother and Hannah, but right now he couldn’t get his mind off Sarah. He played out the myriad of possibilities of where she could go and wondered where he’d look first when the lights came back on.

  “Hey! Watch where you’re putting your hands,” Hannah objected in the dark.

  “Sorry. You wanted me to hold onto you.”

  “Yes, well, hold something a little less personal, please.”

  “I’m in the dark, Hannah. I’m at a slight disadvantage.” Ramsey could almost hear his brother smirk.

  “Sure you are.” Hannah wasn’t buying it. “Here, sit down.” Hannah had managed to locate a chair at the table and directed Declan to it. “There. Now stay put.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  Ramsey was about to venture out on his own through the house, dark or no dark, when he finally heard Leroy and saw the beam of a flashlight.