Root

by LeeAnn McLennan

  “It never came up.” Dad bit off each word while gripping the seat belt so hard his knuckles were white.

  “I promise to tell you what happens,” I said weakly.

  Dad shook his head and got out of the car. I followed, scrambling around to the front to stop him before he marched to the door of the warehouse. “Dad, no, please, I’m sorry.” If he tried to come in, the security measure put in place by Aunt Kate would trigger, knocking out Dad somehow. For his own protection, naturally.

  He kept going. Desperate to stop him – while I doubted the Brighthalls would hurt him permanently, I wasn’t sure what Six would do if she were there – I dashed forward and stood in his path. When he continued to walk towards me, I held up a hand, palm forward, this time not in a conciliatory gesture. “Stop.”

  He shook his head and went around me again. I kicked into full-on supernormal mode – running in a blur to stand a few feet in front of the warehouse. I pointed my finger at the ground and drew a line of fire across Dad’s route. Not a big fire, just a thin trail to make the point – he couldn’t pass.

  Dad froze mid-step and swallowed hard. He looked directly at me through the flames, betrayal in his eyes.

  “I’m sorry, Dad. I don’t want you to get hurt.” I was furious at him for making me do this. He knew there were rules. “Please, go home. I’ll see you there.”

  I couldn’t wait any longer – I didn’t want to hurt Dad any more than I had already by leaving, but I had to talk to a supernormal about the vision. Knowing my fire would burn out in a few seconds – I hadn’t put a lot of power into it – I spun around and ran for the door.

  Chapter 16

  I burst into the warehouse, calling for Aunt Kate, Uncle Dan, anyone. I’d even take Six at this point. What I found made me smile despite my angst over Dad and Emma.

  “Olivia?” Uncle Alex was sitting on one of the couches, holding a book. He looked good – healthy. His eyes, which had gone from calm to distraught in the months after Emma’s betrayal, were back to calm. The silent meditation retreat had helped restore some of his empathic balance.

  I skidded to a stop in front of him, briefly pushing my worries to the side to make room for my happiness. He was the kind of person who made you feel better just by being in the room.

  “Uncle Alex, you’re back!” I hugged him. “I’m so glad! When did you get here? Have you met Six? Did you hear about Emma?” My joy fled when I remembered why I was at the warehouse. “Oh no, I need to tell you –”

  “Kate and Dan told me what’s going on.” Uncle Alex shook his head. “I leave you guys for a few weeks and everything goes to pot.” He smiled at me, but then stared. “Olivia, you’ve been crying and you’re broadcasting distress…” He pulled me down to sit next to him on the couch. “What’s wrong?”

  I sniffled; it was so nice to receive sympathy instead of a lecture. I took a shuddering breath. “I had another vision.” I looked at Uncle Alex uncertainly. “Did they mention the visions?”

  He nodded.

  “Okay, so this one was the worst. Emma and the others, the ones she escaped with, Black Gaea, too…” I was messing this is up. I closed my eyes but only saw the destroyed buildings, so I opened them quickly. “Um, they blew up a building. I think a lot of people were killed. I don’t know where, though. I saw the name…Clarke Planetarium?”

  “In Salt Lake City.” Uncle Alex wasn’t looking at me – instead he looked bleakly at the floor. “I took the boys there a few years ago.”

  I felt guilt, then anger at Emma. Uncle Alex had looked okay when I came in, but now he looked shattered.

  “Oh, okay.” I swallowed anxiously. “I think it just happened.”

  The monitor in front of us blinked on, startling me. I saw a news station showing an overhead shot of a gutted and burning hole in the ground. “Yes, it’s all over the news.” Aunt Kate came up from behind us, carrying her iPad. “I wondered if it was of supernormal origin.” She sat down and dropped her iPad on the table. “How can Emma do these things?” She put her head in her hands and her shoulders slumped.

  “I don’t know, Katie.” Uncle Alex paused, looking thoughtful, started to speak, then stopped. I got the feeling he was censoring himself. Instead, he just patted his sister on her shoulder.

  Aunt Kate lifted her head, gave her brother a weak smile, and turned to me. “Can you describe the vision Ben sent you?”

  I nodded. I’d expected they would ask and was already bracing myself for the task. I described the latest vision, fighting to keep my voice level while I told them how Emma used Mountain of Ash weapons to destroy the Planetarium and proved she was still aligned with the supernormal terrorist group – not that we needed more proof after the events of last fall.

  Uncle Alex and Aunt Kate listened without interrupting. I was halfway through when Six sat down across from me. She waved at me to continue, her face set in impassive lines.

  I finished with, “Emma’s ability seems stronger, different.”

  Uncle Alex sat hunched over, hugging himself while Aunt Kate gripped the fabric of her sweater tightly. She asked, “In what way?”

  “It’s not like I was timing it, but I think she stopped time for longer than thirty seconds.” I rubbed the back of my neck. “When she touched the others, they could move while everything else was still frozen. That’s new, right?”

  Aunt Kate chewed her thumbnail, looking worried. She raised an eyebrow at Six, who nodded thoughtfully as she answered my aunt’s unspoken question. “Joshua Grenon’s ability amplifies other abilities. He’s able to make all of them stronger, if he chooses to do so.” Even though Six’s voice was level and matter of fact, she gripped her hands together so tightly her knuckles were white.

  My mouth went dry. “What about Black Gaea,” for a moment I couldn’t remember the other woman’s name, “and what is her ability?”

  Six gave me a cold stare with undilated eyes. “Eva Maralah,” she used Black Gaea’s given name, “can control the weather.”

  “So that’s how she caused the drought in California.” I’d never met a supernormal with weather controlling ability.

  Six nodded, watching the screen where the news reporter interviewed a firefighter. Even though Aunt Kate muted the sound, his distraught expression over the carnage tugged at my heart and I looked away, furious at Emma for causing such anguish to strangers.

  What cover story would the Council come up with to explain this?

  “Olivia Brighthall,” Six’s sharp tone made me jump, “when you see through Emma Brighthall’s eyes, can you feel her emotions,? Her intentions? Do you know where she’s going next?” Her aggressive gaze made me lean away from her cautiously, confused by her sudden hostility. I was pretty sure I could beat her in a fight, but I didn’t want to find out differently.

  “Um,” I thought back to the visions for a moment, “no, it’s like watching TV from inside her head, I guess. I see what Emma sees, but I don’t know what’s going on inside her mind.”

  Six clenched her jaw for a moment, folding and unfolding her hands while she stared at the screen. After a moment, she sat back, her eyes fully dilated, leaving no rim of blue visible. I guessed she was communing with the mother ship.

  I whispered to Uncle Alex, “Do you think she can hear us when she does that?”

  “I’ve never been sure,” he whispered back. “I’ve never been able sense the emotions of any of the sisters in The Octad.”

  I frowned with surprise. Uncle Alex could read anyone’s unshielded emotions, even though most of my family didn’t bother shielding around him because he was very discreet. I wondered if his inability to read Six meant she was shielding. But that didn’t make any sense. The primary reason supernormals learned to shield was to protect themselves from mind readers, like Ben. If Six was shielding, she shouldn’t be able to communicate with her sisters. Six became more of an enigma with each passing day.

  Aunt Kate had retreated to her laptop, where she typed in quick taps. �
�Gregory says the Council is considering bringing Ben out of a coma.” She looked at me with wide eyes. I assumed Gregory was someone she knew from her Council days.

  I stared back. “Have they ever –”

  Six stood up. “Yes, that is our recommendation.”

  “Really?” I was shocked. Six was so contemptuous of Ben and his ability; I’d assumed she would never agree to use him while he was conscious.

  “Yes, he is obviously tapped into Emma Brighthall’s mind, and into Olivia Brighthall’s as well.” Six disfavored me with a disappointed look. “But since Olivia Brighthall can’t, or won’t, communicate back to Benjamin Hallowfield to gather more details –”

  “Hey, I told you I can’t.” I wished she would let it go.

  “– we have no choice but to speak to him directly.” She continued as if I hadn’t spoken.

  Aunt Kate eyed Six thoughtfully. “I agree. And we should be there.”

  Six shook her head. “No, that is not advisable.”

  “I believe it is.” Uncle Alex put a hand on my shoulder when I started to protest Six’s statement. “You know the boy will be disoriented when he comes out of the coma. His parents should be there,” he gripped my shoulder, “and so should Olivia.” He smiled at my sharp sigh of relief. “If you are correct, then it seems Ben is expending a lot of effort to reach out to her and it would comfort him to know he succeeded.”

  Six didn’t answer. She merely stared into space with her pupils large and black. I crossed my arms and waited impatiently for The Octad to render their decision. She took so long that I went back to plotting ways to break into Ley Prison, each way more unlikely to succeed than the last.

  When her eyes retracted back to normal size, I couldn’t wait any longer. “So, what’s the verdict from the almighty sisters?”

  Six frowned slightly, barely marring her smooth forehead. “Behave yourself or we’ll change our minds about allowing you to attend the awakening.”

  It took me a moment to absorb her words. “I get to go?”

  “Yes. You and one adult Brighthall.”

  “What about my father?” After the ugly scene in the parking lot, I dreaded telling Dad that I had to go to Colorado.

  Six’s upper lip quirked, but she controlled it. “No normals.”

  Unsurprised by her answer, I looked anxiously at Uncle Alex and Aunt Kate. Who would they decide to send with me?

  “When?” Aunt Kate was still typing. Talking to Gregory, I supposed.

  Six answered Aunt Kate’s question, “We will go in the morning.”

  Uncle Alex was staring at Six while tapping his fingers on the table. “Kate, I should go. I can help the Hallowfields. You and Dan need to stay here and deal with all the beasts.”

  Aunt Kate sat back in her chair. “Are you sure you’re up for the emotional load?”

  “I’ll be okay.” He smiled at me. “It’ll help me feel like I’m doing something.”

  Glad that was resolved, I said, “I guess I’d better talk to Dad.”

  Uncle Alex heaved himself out of the couch. “I’ll take you and explain everything to Sam.”

  I smiled at him, relieved I wouldn’t have to. The echoes of our fight still rang in my head.

  “That leaves me with Dan.” Aunt Kate gave Uncle Alex the stink eye, but he merely responded with a sweet smile.

  Six smoothed down her gray tunic to remove nonexistent wrinkles. “I came to Portland in one of the Council’s planes. There’s room for you to join me on the return trip.”

  “And the Hallowfields as well?” Aunt Kate held her phone in one hand. “I can ask them to drive up from Ashland tonight.”

  Six hesitated and I expected her pupils to dilate, but they didn’t. “Yes, there will be room.” The set of her jaw was tight. Was she uncomfortable with the idea of Ben’s parents flying to Colorado with us, or was she against them coming on the trip altogether? I peered at her but couldn’t decipher her expression of forced calm. Maybe she just hated mind readers so much that the emotion extended to their families.

  “I’d better go talk to Dad,” I said again, wishing I had a reason to delay.

  Uncle Alex grabbed his raincoat and pulled it on. “Okay, let’s go.”

  When Uncle Alex and I came out of the warehouse, Dad was talking to Uncle Dan. Or rather, Uncle Dan was yelling at Dad, who stood a few steps back from my uncle with his hands palms-up in front of his chest as if he was defending himself. Uncle Dan pointed his finger at Dad in a stabbing motion and I panicked, afraid he might hurt my father.

  “Uncle Dan –” I ran towards them.

  Uncle Alex beat me there. “Dan, stop it. What in the hell are you doing?”

  Uncle Dan turned towards us and I took a step back. His lips were pulled away from his teeth in a snarl and his eyes were slits – he looked like he was about to go all Anakin on us.

  I jumped in front of Dad, relieved when he put a shaking hand on my shoulder. We faced my raving uncle, who had turned his wrath from Dad to his brother.

  “Who let Sam come here? I found him standing at the front door, trying to force his way past the safeguards,” Uncle Dan hissed, spittle flying from his lips.

  I backed further away, hoping to get Dad out of Uncle Dan’s line of sight. I tried not to tremble, but I was scared. I knew Uncle Dan had become erratic after Emma’s betrayal, but this rage was extreme and terrifying.

  “You both know the rules. No normals in the warehouse.” He gave Dad a look of such hatred that I gasped – it was as if he’d punched me.

  Uncle Alex just stared at him, at a loss for placating words in the face of such anger.

  “Uncle Dan, Dad drove me here.” I hated how shaky my voice was, but I forced myself to keep talking while nudging Dad back. “I was upset –” I drew in a sharp breath as I remembered he didn’t know about the horrible destruction Emma caused “– um, because I had another vision at school.”

  His face went even darker and I was sure he was going to burst a vein. I whispered frantically to Dad, “Run. Get out of here. We’ll stop him.”

  “No, Olivia,” Dad answered in a loud, firm voice. I didn’t want to risk turning around to look at him, but I knew his face would be set in stubborn lines.

  “Dad, seriously, just go.” Usually I wasn’t worried that any of the Brighthalls, with the exception of Emma, would intentionally hurt a normal, but Uncle Dan looked… ‘Out of his mind’ was the best description I could come up with now.

  I was just about to drag Dad back to his car, despite the further damage it might do to our relationship, when Uncle Alex finally intervened. “Dan, come on inside.” He took a fixed stance when Uncle Dan wheeled around to glare at him. “We have some things to discuss. Olivia saw a vision of Emma destroying the Clarke Planetarium in Salt Lake City, killing a lot of people. The Council has decided to bring Ben Hallowfield out of his coma to see if he can help track her.”

  The news seemed to knock Uncle Dan out of his frenzy. His face went white and he gaped at his brother. Before he could start questioning the news, Uncle Alex grabbed his arm. “Let’s go inside. Kate will brief you.” As they headed for the warehouse door, Uncle Alex said over his shoulder, “Sam, Olivia is going as well, Council’s orders, not much we can do about it. We’ll pick her up for the airport tomorrow at 7a.m.” Without waiting for a response, Uncle Alex shoved his older brother through the door and followed him, slamming the door behind him. I was astonished at Uncle Alex’s crappy way of explaining the situation to my dad. And he’d left me to clean up the mess.

  In the silence that followed, I almost didn’t want to turn around and deal with what I might see in my Dad’s eyes. Anger? Betrayal? Worst of all – fear?

  “Olivia.” Dad drew in a deep sigh.

  I echoed the sigh and faced him. “Dad, I’m sorry.” I clasped my still-trembling hands together. Adrenaline brought on by the confrontation with my uncle surged through my body, but my training helped me begin the process of calming down, training that U
ncle Dan had instilled in me.

  “He’s out of control. Dan’s always been edgy, but that was…damn.” Dad ran his hands over his short hair, then sat down on the bench near the back of the parking lot. He put his head in his hands.

  I sat down beside him, unsure what to say or do. After a minute, he raised his head and regarded me with a bleak expression. “It wasn’t supposed to be like this. Your mother was supposed to be here to guide you and, to some extent, me through your training.” He shook his head. “With Emily gone, I’m like a skier in a snowstorm.” He reached for my hand and gripped it tightly. “I don’t know how to keep you safe, but every instinct I have as your father tells me I need to try.”

  My heart pounded from a combination of draining adrenaline left over from the confrontation with Uncle Dan and fear that Dad would decide I couldn’t go to Colorado. “Dad, I –”

  “Don’t worry, I’m not going to stand in the way of the Council. Even an ignorant normal like me knows better.” His face reflected the bitterness in his voice. Before I could find the words to say, he stood up and looked at me. “Are you coming home now?”

  I nodded and scrambled to my feet. “Um, we could get dinner on the way? Maybe Hodos?” I suggested the Lebanese restaurant as a tentative peace offering, knowing it was one of his favorites.

  He opened the door to the driver’s side of the car. “How about take out? I have a lot of work to do this evening. You can call ahead.”

  I nodded and hated myself for being relieved I wouldn’t have to make awkward conversation over the dinner table.

  Dad drove home in silence, not saying much when we stopped for the food. When he pulled into the driveway of our home, he turned off the car. As I was opening the door, he spoke. “Olivia, be careful –”

  “I am careful. I’m always safe –”

  “Be careful you don’t forget who you are.”

  He got out of the car, leaving me sitting there, astonished and surrounded by the smell of chicken and hummus. What did he mean? I knew who I was – a supernormal who was trying to balance both of her worlds.