Jack’s slow burn of anger built to a furious rage as he stalked forward, stopping just inches from her. “So, you went digging into my past and interrogated my friend.”
“I just want to help you,” she whispered.
“Help me? I’ve heard that lie before. Can’t you come up with something original?”
Jack watched her face as he kept her pinned to the wall. He could see the tears in her eyes, but whether it was because he was intentionally cruel, or because she’d been found out, he wasn’t sure. He caught himself leaning down to kiss her and forced himself to walk away from her. How can I still want her, even knowing what she is?
He kept his back to her when he spoke again. “Were you planning on telling me about your own powers, or would that fact have been conveniently left out?”
He listened to her quiet footsteps as she came up behind him. “I wouldn’t have told you. I thought it best to drop one surprise on you at a time. You’d just finished telling me how you felt about the hero community.”
He whirled around to face her. “This all fits together a little too neatly. Who’s your contact at ULTRA?”
“What?”
He grabbed her arm. “It seems odd that after I meet you, ULTRA starts showing up after leaving me alone for pretty much the past ten years. I suppose it’s because you’re on their payroll. Who are you supposed to call when we’re together? Is someone coming now? Is the telepath in on it?”
She laid her hand on his chest. “I’ve never called ULTRA about you. I did call Rena, but she’s helping me clear you. I was born with my powers so that shouldn’t even be a factor. I care for you.”
He narrowed his eyes, staring at her. “Even now? You can stand there and honestly say you care without knowing what I’ll do next?”
“I can and I do. If you’d stop being such an idiot, you’d see that,” she said, her defiance trying to force its way out.
He pulled her closer to him. “But you’re afraid of me. Don’t deny it. It’s in your eyes, the way you’re standing. I’ve seen it too many times to count.” He let go of her, stepping back. “You should be afraid of me. I’m insane, you know. It’s there, in all those records you poured over so faithfully.”
“No, it isn’t!”
“Yes, it is. You just have to know how to read it.” He tapped the side of his skull. “I should be locked away. I’m a danger to others and a menace to society. The old sanity could go at any time.”
She grabbed his arms. “Stop it! It isn’t true! They were lying so there was a reason to lock you away. Let me help you. Trust me!”
He laughed, watching her cringe at the harsh sound. “Trust you?” His voice was hard, cold. “I don’t trust any hero. Ever!”
He grabbed her around the waist, carrying her with little effort to the bedroom window. “I want to show you something.” He took them up the cable he’d left to the roof.
He dragged her to the edge of the roof and made her look over the side. “You see those people down there? They don’t need you heroes or want you. Want to know why? It’s because you ask for trust and give none in return.”
He pulled her back, turning her to face him. “You want to help me? Don’t. I don’t need your help and I don’t need you!”
He shoved her away from him, standing over her where she fell to the rooftop. “I expect you to stay out of my life, Misty. Don’t make me warn you again.”
He jumped to the next roof, disappearing into the blackness beyond.
****
When Jack had burst into her living room, Misty was overjoyed. Now she could tell him all she knew. Then she’d spied the armor, the weapons, and the anger simmering in him. The muscle in his cheek twitched like it had when he’d been sliced open the night of their second date. It was true that if looks could kill, she would’ve been six feet under. Maybe more.
She’d been trembling since she’d felt the fury radiate from him. He’d known she was afraid of him, and he’d been right. If only he’d listened to her, but he’d been betrayed by people and heroes he’d trusted in the past. She understood it would make him wary of any hero and it would take time to rebuild that trust. That still didn’t make it hurt any less.
She turned intangible and passed through the roof and the hallways of the upper floors to fade into her apartment. She walked slowly to her bedroom, huddling miserably on the bed, holding a pillow to her chest. She kept hearing him say he didn’t need her and those words would fuel another round of tears. She was like that when Rena returned.
****
Amy had been hanging by her wrists for almost an hour. Some agents would’ve cracked with waiting, not being able to stand the suspense. She’d been through this before, except this time, no team would be coming to her rescue.
She looked around. Definitely some type of abandoned warehouse, four agents, and one chair. One agent kept glancing at her, and she knew he was going to try something. She watched him saunter over.
He grabbed her chin. “Not very pretty, are you? I wonder if you’ll last as long as the other two. All this loyalty for one man.” He grinned at his partner. “I know why she’s loyal.” He moved closer to her. “Come on, sweetheart. Give us a little of what you’re giving good old Jack.”
He pulled her hair back, kissing her hard. When he started fumbling with her jeans, she clamped her teeth down on his lip, at the same time bringing her knee up into his groin. He staggered back and she pulled herself up on the ropes that held her and kicked him in the chest.
“And I know why you can’t get into the real ULTRA,” she growled. “You’re just not good enough.”
The other agent backhanded her, knocking her glasses to the floor. “Keep your mouth shut!”
Fenmore arrived as the agent balled up a fist and drew his arm back. He waved the man away and pulled the chair over. He stared at Amy as he sat down, crossing his legs. “Now, Agent Rogers, tell me about Jack McClennan, and we can all go home.”
Amy turned her most charming smile to him. “He’s six foot five. He has red hair. He’s a good man and better than you at everything, including breathing.”
He scowled. “It seems Jack’s defiance has rubbed off on you. You used to be so much more reasonable, but I had a feeling you’d be stubborn.”
“I was reasonable before you decided to ruin Jack and our team. I was reasonable before I found out what you are.”
Fenmore looked at the agents around him. “We’re in for a long night.”
Amy turned her head and closed her eyes. If anyone’s out there, please help me.
With all the psionics in the city, hopefully someone would pick up her telepathic cry.
Chapter Nineteen
Rena came by to see if Misty had heard anything else from Jack, and found her in the bedroom, curled up on the bed, holding a pillow to her chest. She rubbed her friend’s shoulder and held her hand while Misty told her everything that happened between her and Jack. The more she talked, the more Rena’s temper simmered.
“It’ll be okay. He was just surprised, that’s all.” She paused. “Is he really worth all this grief?”
Misty nodded. “That’s the only thing I am sure of.” Tears rolled down her cheeks again.
Rena sighed, wishing there was something she could say. “Things will work out. You’ll see.” She stood and went to the door. “You sure you don’t want me to stay? I can put off doing stuff if you need me to.”
“I’ll be all right. Go run your errands. Call me when you get back to the mansion.”
Rena left the apartment, stomping to the garage. Her sister would’ve been proud of how she’d held onto her temper. Of all the unmitigated gall of that man! Rena was sure if she saw him, she’d strangle him.
“That stupid, pompous, overbearing, complete, and total bastard!”
She climbed into her car, slamming the door so hard the loose bolt holding her rearview mirror creaked, and it tilted. She took several deep breaths, adjusted the mirror, and headed for Angel
Haven. She sat at a red light, drumming her fingers on the steering wheel when a slightly familiar mental thought pattern nudged at her senses, wanting to be noticed.
She pulled off to the side of the road, sending out mental threads to follow the cry back to its source. It came again, fainter and tinged with pain. Rena grabbed the thought, and found Amy at the other end.
“Hold on, Amy,” she told her telepathically. “I’m coming.”
Rena “saw” the other men there through Amy’s eyes, including Fenmore, and read the location from them. “Hang in there, Amy. Help’s on the way.”
Rena got out of her car and found a quiet place to telekinetically change to the purple and white bodysuit she wore in her hero identity. “Misty,” she called. “Amy’s been picked up by Fenmore. I’m heading there now. Meet me at this address.” She sent the location.
“Try to get in touch with Jack. He needs to know,” Misty sent back to her.
“If you insist,” Rena grumbled. Using her telekinesis, she lifted herself into the air, all the while trying to reach Jack.
A faint echo of Jack’s mind resonated in her powers. “Finally,” she sighed. She pulled her power in tight and punched a hole through his natural psionic shields.
“Jack,” she called. “I don’t care what neuroses you’re currently battling over Misty being a hero. Amy’s been taken by Fenmore. Meet us at this address and don’t be asinine about it.”
****
Jack paced the warehouse. Every time he thought about Misty, he saw her tears, the hurt on her face. “I’m right,” he mumbled. “I have to be or I’ve just made the biggest mistake of my life.”
“What if you’re wrong?” the little voice asked him.
Jack picked up the glass that recently held the balm to help him get through his leg repairs. He threw it against the far wall with a force usually reserved for beating the hell out of opponents and watched it disintegrate into a thousand glittering shards.
“Damn it!”
Jack felt the stirrings of telepathic contact and opened his mind, finding Rena at the other end. When she told him where Amy was and the trouble she was in, he didn’t hesitate. It might be a trap, but he couldn’t take the chance. He felt Rena’s contempt for him linger in his mind and had a feeling she’d left it there on purpose.
“Great,” he muttered. “More guilt.”
Frank walked in as the bay door opened. Jack grabbed his arm. “I just had a telepathic call. Amy’s been taken. We’ve got to go.”
“Right behind you.” Frank stopped long enough to grab his own arsenal before climbing in the van.
****
Misty and Rena stood where they could keep an eye on the building and not be seen by those inside.
“Can’t we go in yet?” Rena asked, her voice sharp with impatience.
Misty looked up and down the road. “Not until Jack gets here.”
“Well, Mr. Fancy Pants better get here toot sweet.”
A sleek black van pulled up and Jack stepped out carrying his rifle and still armed to the teeth. Frank carried two auto-pistols and a combat knife strapped to his leg. They approached the two women.
“How many inside?” Jack asked in a low voice.
“Four agents plus Fenmore,” Rena said, not allowing Misty to say anything. “I can shield Amy if you three take out the others.”
Jack frowned and nodded. Rena watched Frank stare at her, his mouth hanging open, the same as Jack’s had when Misty had introduced them. Frank took a deep breath and turned away, and Rena smiled, seeing his thoughts. She turned to the group. “Let’s rock and roll.”
Jack stared at the door then kicked it in. Rena moved in behind him and used her telekinesis to throw the guard near Amy across the room, banging him hard into the wall. Misty charged in behind her, heading for the closest agent. She passed through him then, from behind, stuck her hand through his neck to cut off his airway. As he dropped to the floor, she spun around, again turning ghost-like to let another agent’s laser pass harmlessly through her.
Jack pulled his sonic rifle and leveled it at an agent heading toward Amy. The force of the sonic wave shredded the man’s skin from his bones, leaving the bloody skeleton smoking on the floor.
Frank took off after Fenmore as he ran for the back exit. “I don’t think so,” he muttered. He grabbed the thin man by his jacket and dragged him back to the others. “Where do you think you’re going, George? Party’s not over yet.”
Rena freed Amy, and Jack took her from the telepath’s arms, cradling her close to his chest. As he held her, Frank hustled Fenmore over to them. Frank glanced at Amy, and in that split second, the councilman took advantage, elbowing him hard in the ribs before delivering a punch to Frank’s face and sprinting for the rear door.
Rena started to follow him, but Jack stopped her. “Let him go. There’ll be time to deal with him later.” He held Amy tighter and smoothed her hair back. “I’m so sorry. I’m supposed to be watching your back. Every time I turn around, I’m letting you down.”
“Jack,” Rena called quietly. “The authorities are on their way. You’d better get scarce.”
He kissed Amy’s forehead, laying her carefully on the ground. He took a last look at the amount of injuries she’d sustained in the time Fenmore held her and rose to his feet.
He eyed Rena’s form fitting costume. “I didn’t know you had room in that getup for a radio.”
She frowned at him. “Uh, hello? I talk to peoples’ minds. Don’t need a radio.”
“Then read this, telepath,” Jack said, moving closer to the two of them. “Get near my people again, and I’ll shoot you where you stand. Is that clear?”
Misty looked away. “Perfectly.”
Rena just smiled. “There are a few other things in your brain that are perfectly clear too, Commander McClennan. Let me know when you want to talk,” Rena told him telepathically. “And you may put the fear of God into other people, but you don’t scare me. Not. One. Bit.”
He scowled at her, and she just watched him.
“Get going,” she finally said, staring at him until he stomped outside.
****
Jack pulled out and headed for the warehouse. From the way Frank was watching him, he knew his friend was itching to ask him what was going on. “Spill it. What do you want to know?”
“How did Fenmore get his hands on Amy? How did he even know where she was?”
“I don’t know.” Jack glanced at him. “But I’m pretty sure it has something to do with the fact that those two heroes made her talk to them.”
Frank chuckled. “Do you really believe that? No one makes Amy do anything she doesn’t want to. She must’ve had a good reason for talking to them. If she trusted them, maybe they’re not on the Council’s take.” He paused. “Maybe they could help us.”
“I never want to hear you suggest anything like that to me again,” Jack growled. “Is that completely understood? No hero can be trusted, especially not when they have ties to ULTRA.”
“You know for a fact that the Council is a small faction and not even connected to the clean ULTRA. Have you thought any more about contacting Commander Frailer like we discussed?”
“Yes, and the answer is still no. No one in power is going to help.”
“Yeah, but…”
Jack’s hands tightened on the steering wheel. “I said no!”
Frank crossed his arms and stared out the window and the two men remained silent for the rest of the trip home.
Chapter Twenty
Misty gripped the pillow she was holding to her chest tighter when she heard the front door open. She relaxed a little when she heard Rena call her.
Rena stopped and rapped her knuckles quietly on the door. “Knock, knock.”
“Go away, Rena,” Misty mumbled. “I’m not in the mood.”
Rena sat on the edge of the bed. “Too bad. You’ve got to talk this out. It’s not good to keep it all inside.” She smiled. “I’m cheaper than a
shrink.”
Misty rolled over. The way her eyes were burning, she knew they had to be ten times their normal size. “He said such horrible things to me about how no one cares about heroes and how he doesn’t need me. I must’ve been crazy to think he loved me, especially after I found out how he feels about the hero community.”
Rena smiled at her friend. “You still love the big jerk, don’t you?”
Misty rolled back to her side. “Yes.”
****
Jack made a rare return to the warehouse. His ammo was running low. Again. He was exhausted, he knew that much. His limbs ached, his head pounded, and the rest of him was running purely on instinct. “Just one night without dreams,” he muttered. “Is that too much to ask?”
Frank was sitting on his bed when he walked in. Jack hesitated then headed straight to his footlocker. “What’re you doing here? I told you I’d call if I needed help.”
His friend just watched him. “Your face is bruised,” Frank finally said. He nodded toward Jack’s armor. “What’s the rest of you look like?”
Jack cringed from the tone in his voice. “Pretty much the same.” He reloaded his rifle, the moved to the pistol strapped to his leg.
“I thought as much. I’ve never seen so much damage to your armor. Do I even want to know what made that dent the size of a grapefruit right there in the middle?”
“No. It’ll come out. It always does. A little paint and you won’t even see the scratches. Or the dents. Or the gouge down the back.”
“You’re pushing your systems too hard,” Frank said. “What’ll you do if they fail at a crucial time?”
Jack jammed the pistol back in its holster. “Survive. It’s all I know any more.”
Frank stood and rested his hand on Jack’s shoulder. He opened his mouth then shut it again before finally saying, “Come back safe.”
Jack watched him leave. The silence pressed in on him, and he headed for his van. “Let tonight be the night I can sleep,” he whispered.
****
It was past midnight when Jack rolled back up to the warehouse. He waited as the bay door slid upwards then pulled inside. He stepped out and frowned, gripping his pistol. The place should’ve been dark and silent, but there was a single light on and he heard music. He crept forward quietly, his fingers tightening around the pistol’s butt.
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