"You see? You shouldn't have come out of your car!" She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. Strangely enough, her element was only a light pulsation inside of her, or maybe I was still a bit numb to the world of elements. "Someone else would have come."
"Fine. I shouldn't have tried to save anyone's life." I finally found my shoes and slipped them on. It just wasn't worth it arguing with her. She came over to me, putting her hand on my shoulder.
"I'm sorry, honey. I know this was hard for you, but you should think before you act. Your father is the president of the Element Preservers. Everything we do might affect him."
"Right." I angrily brushed off the tear that managed to escape me.
"The media is relentless. They'll twist your words and acts how it suits them, and there won't be anything you can do to fix the damage once it's done."
"Does Dad have enemies?" I turned around to look at her. Surely there had to be someone who didn't agree with my father being the president, but if there was a larger group... it could give me more options for saving Adrian.
"Yes, he does. Many." The wrinkles around her eyes became more prominent, which meant the situation was serious.
"Who? I mean, is it someone important?"
"MDCA, Arnold Winsten, Lara Archier,..." her voice trailed off. "Doesn't matter. Your dad will take care of it." Oh, I had no doubt he would take care of it, but I didn't even know who these people were. The Magic Disease Carriers Association was an expected enemy, but what could they all say against my father when he had promised to prevent magic disease, which would be beneficial for everyone? It wasn't like they would find out he was torturing magic disease carriers in his labs... unless someone was a spy. But how that person would get the necessary evidence and come out of there alive was anyone's guess.
"Mom, you need to teach me how to use my element. I want to help Dad with a project." I breathed a sigh of relief when I realized my phone was in my pocket. I couldn't even begin to imagine what would happen if my mother saw my texts or calls. It was weird my father wasn't recording all these things, but then again, who'd want to listen to or read about teenage girls' ramblings about clothes, make-up, shoes and university stuff? I wasn't exactly sure how I was supposed to stay under my parents' radar and get things done.
"He told me about that magic disease carrier. I'm glad you're finally thinking about your future, but you should know that you can't learn much in a day or two." She went to the door, waiting for me. "A car is waiting for us near the back door. If someone from the press appears out of nowhere, just keep your head down and hurry."
"Yes, Mom." I sighed, glancing around the room. When I was sure I hadn't left anything, I followed her down the hall. My father had sent some of his guards, so we didn't have to worry about the press attacking us, and we were safely in the car before anyone could even see us. I looked at my mother after she gave the directions to the driver, wondering whether I should take the risk and ask what had been bugging me for a while. Ah, well. It wasn't like I'd never asked a stupid question. "Why is Dad so worried about the rumors about me and the magic disease carrier? Wouldn't that be a good thing? You know, tolerance and all?"
"Did you hit your head?" My mother frowned. "How could promoting dangerous behavior be good? You go to the same university and that's already a huge thing. Your father even had to pay the press not to publish the pictures of you and Michael going to a club with the carrier and Paula."
"I don't think he's going back to the university." I wasn't going back there either, but my poor parents didn't know that yet. The only thing I knew was that they wouldn't be paying for my education after I betrayed them. Would I even live to see another day after that? I wasn't too optimistic.
"No, he's not." My mother didn't seem bothered by it at all. Oh right, making magic disease carriers suffer was perfectly fine in her book.
"I want you to teach me how to make those fireballs that can fly around someone." I grinned at her, changing the subject to the only one that might actually interest her.
"That's too complicated. You don't even know how to make a floating one." She laughed, shaking her head.
"Then teach me!"
"You're not old enough."
"I have no idea why everyone keeps saying that." I grumbled. "And then you wonder why people give up on their elements."
"Ria." Her dark eyes bored into mine. "I know you feel like you're mature enough to know when and how to use your element, but the fire inside of you can burn more than you can handle."
I raised an eyebrow at her, but she turned her head and looked through the window. Huh. What the fuck did that mean? We drove in silence as I mulled over her words. In the end, I disregarded them as another of my parents' 'you're too stupid to live on your own' speeches. When the car pulled to a stop, I got out as fast as I could. The first thing I needed to do was call my brother and ask what it meant to have two elements. I only hoped it wouldn't drastically change my life.
"You what? How did that happen?" My brother was yelling at me over the phone, and that certainly wasn't a good thing. I sighed as I explained everything about the accident for the fifth time.
"Why didn't you tell me we can just hang around dying people in hospitals and get elements? Wait, why aren't people doing it all the time? We wouldn't even have a problem with murderers." I started to wonder whether magic disease carriers were getting jobs as doctors. They'd only have to be around people who couldn't be saved, and that wasn't hard in a hospital. Ah, wait, medical school and training weren't that simple to pass. Right.
"They wouldn't be able to hide who they are for even a second. Strong elements in weak bodies draw magic disease carriers like magnets. But trust me, no one would be able to stand there calmly and wait for the second before the person dies to snatch the element. Sometimes the element is as weak as the body, so it won't even let you hold it in you."
"So is it possible that someone absorbed dying people's elements in wars or situations when people were too busy to notice people acting like crazed murderers?" My history books never mentioned this, but maybe they didn't want to encourage others to start doing such a thing.
"Sure."
"Then we really don't have to kill anyone, even if we really need someone's element to be able to function properly?" I didn't have anything else to say on this except that my whole life was a lie.
"Sis, I thought you have realized by now that whoever made that shit up had a hard-on for magic disease carriers, but it's true you have to be touching the person right before he or she dies and maybe even speed up the death."
"Are you trying to tell me I killed that woman?"
"No, but I suspect she tried to use her element because she couldn't breathe, although that wouldn't help her, but I doubt it she could think clearly. Since you were touching her and you have the disease, you absorbed the element. It probably wouldn't have happened if she hadn't used it because you have to concentrate on the element to get it or be out of control of the disease."
"Great."
"How old was the woman?" Oliver asked.
"I don't know. Maybe in her late twenties." I couldn't imagine what that had to do with anything. "Why?"
"One of my friends thinks elements age too. If you took an element from an old person, you might not get to keep it for a long time. We still don't know what happens when the element fades away."
"Sure you do." I frowned at the phone, even though he couldn't see me. "Magic disease carriers who don't keep an element could tell you. It's the same thing, isn't it?"
"No. We are different. It is possible that the element we keep lives as long as we do, but there is still a small chance it dies in its own time." He sighed. "Since we keep an element much longer than a normal magic disease carrier, we get more attached to it."
"So you think we'd go all insane and attack the first person with an element?" When had magic disease become so complicated? I missed the times when it had only been some weird disease that turned you into
a murderer and that was it. Yeah, I appreciated I wasn't a murderer, but if I was, I'd at least know what to expect.
"Maybe. But you said the woman was young, so no need to worry your pretty little head with that." He chuckled. "Well, little sister, congratulations, you're now twice more unstable than you were before."
"What?" I scowled.
"You need four elements to feel complete. Now that you have one that isn't yours, your body knows that you could have more, so you will crave another one."
"My body knows? Really?" I knew he wouldn't be lying to me, but I wished he was. "How am I supposed to be around all these elements if my disease is getting worse?"
"You can run away. Wait until it gets better." Wait until you kill someone.
"No, I can't." I thought of Adrian and what would happen to him if I chickened out now.
"You're risking way too much for him, sis. Are you even sure he'd do the same for you? It isn't worth it otherwise."
"Oliver..." I sat on the bed, running my hand through my hair.
"Fine. Do it your way, but remember this: don't use your other element unless you really have to."
"Let me guess. Once I use it, I might accidentally trigger air when I want to use fire, and I'll expose the truth to everyone around me."
"Yep."
"Ah, great."
"Besides, you don't really know how to use air. You could trash your room in the blink of an eye." He sounded like he knew exactly what he was talking about, which meant he had experienced something similar.
"Thanks for the vote of confidence." I snorted. "You just made me feel a whole lot better."
"Any time, sis." I could picture him grinning at me. "Anything else you need?"
"Can I use both elements at the same time?" Because that would be damn useful for a prison break, or a lab break.
"What did I just say about using your second element?" Oliver said disapprovingly.
"I know! Answer the damn question." I was getting impatient. "I'd sooner break down the door of the lab with elements than convince our father to let Paula in with me." Not to mention I didn't want Paula involved in that at all.
The line was quiet for what seemed like an eternity. "Yes, you can do that, but the consequences wouldn't be pleasant."
"But could I get Adrian out of the lab if we used his element and both of mine?" Wow, if that would work, I actually had a plan.
"In theory, yes," Oliver said hesitantly. "In practice, you might fail... well, for numerous reasons."
"Wish me luck." As I said goodbye to my brother, I wondered if I was going to regret any of my decisions. Fuck that, I was probably going to regret everything at some point, but the only thing I could think of now was that I could do the most dangerous part of my plan without involving Paula or Michael. Speaking of Paula, I better go see her soon.
Chapter 14
"You should have seen all the equipment they have in the lab! Even I didn't know what for were some of the tubes and instruments," Paula said excitedly. We had met in her room and she was retelling me her first impressions of the job, clearly oblivious to what had happened to me in the meantime. My parents really did know how to cover up things they didn't want others to know about.
"But they didn't let you anywhere near anything important?" I closed the window, afraid that someone might be listening, even though I couldn't feel anyone's element nearby. But thanks to those special new suits and my temporary numbness to elements, I'd never be able to tell for sure. Paula's element was all over the place, despite her promises that she wouldn't get too emotional about anything. Yeah, right, like that was possible, but at least it didn't bother me for the time being.
"No." She pouted. "But they gave me this!" Extending her arm toward me, she offered me a piece of paper. I took the yellowish paper and realized it was more or less a complete map of the lab. While most of the rooms were drawn as empty blocks, the map still showed the emergency exits.
"Oh my God, this is perfect!" I couldn't hide my excitement.
"I knew you'd be happy." She grinned, but then her blue-green eyes regarded me suspiciously. "Is Adrian ok?"
"He's fine.... for now." I went on to tell her everything, including the details about the accident. She gasped, covering her mouth with her hand, her eyes wide.
"Does that mean I'm safe to be around you?"
"No, I don't think so. Well, maybe a bit." I couldn't promise her I wouldn't go for her element when I didn't know that for sure. Fire had never had a strong pull since I had it already, but that didn't mean my body wouldn't mind having another fire element. However, if I were in a room with someone with fire and someone with water, I'd go for water. I guessed it would be the same for air.
"How are you feeling? Did you try to use it?" She got up from the chair she was sitting in, looking me up and down like she was trying to find something different on me. "I can show you how to do it. Oh God, we used to play we had the same element when we were kids, and now it's come true."
"My brother says I'm closer to giving in to the disease than ever, and that using the element wouldn't be wise." I doubled over the map a few times and pushed it into my pocket to make copies later.
"Even if you try it in a safe environment? A lab maybe?"
"I don't have time for experiments." I sat down on the soft light blue carpet, resting my back on the wall. "I'm planning to use it only once. Besides, the basics are the same for all elements and I don't need more than that."
"I think I can get some more info about the security in the lab tomorrow." Paula's phone rang and she quickly silenced it. "Michael's coming over. Do you mind?"
"No." I wanted to see him because a part of me missed him and his gentle touch.
"Great. He'll be here in a few." She typed something on her phone and returned it to her red purse.
"Get the info about the lab as soon as possible." I traced circles in the carpet with my nails, trying to calculate how much time we had. "I'm not sure Adrian can last long in there, and I definitely can't wait until that little bit of strength and peace my new element gave me goes away."
"Then what?" Paula arched her eyebrows. "What will you do when you're both out of there with every police officer, agent and guard after you?"
"I can't think about that now." I drew up my knee and rested my chin on it. "So many things could go wrong, so I guess we'll just come up with something as we go. You know, steal a car, hide in some shitty motel." I burst out laughing. Paula was trying hard not to do the same, but ended up giggling anyway.
"Doesn't that sound like some lame movie we watched?" She furrowed her brow, trying to remember.
"Yeah, the one where a couple drives away into the sunset after the girl helped her lover escape from prison. Didn't they have different elements or something? That movie was on the banned list."
"You found it somewhere, I think. We watched it while your parents were away. How could I have forgotten that? We'd jump on every sound and stop the movie, just in case they came home early." Paula's blue-green eyes shone with joy. "I miss those times."
"Me too," I whispered just as someone knocked on the door, making Paula jump. She gave me a startled look and I simply nodded. I could feel water, so it had to be Michael. Paula opened the door, smiling.
"Hey." Michael's face darkened when he saw me. He sat on the edge of the bed, as far away from me as he could. Paula started filling him in on everything. By the time she was done and managed to convince Michael I hadn't killed anyone, I was bored out of my mind and had peeled almost all of my nail polish. It took us another hour to explain what I planned to do.
"Ria, you really are the dumbest person on this planet," Michael said.
"Only on this planet? Why, thank you, Michael." I gave him a pointed look. "And what would you want me to do?"
"Instead of risking your life for an asshole who isn't even worth saving, you could actually find out what your father is up to. Stop for a moment and look at the bigger picture. Why blow up everything
for one person if you could be helping thousands?"
"You can't know that," I said, even though deep inside of me I knew he was right. "There are... What? Over a hundred labs only around here? Why would this lab be the one?"
"You'll just find an excuse for whatever I say, won't you?" Michael curled his lip. "But, please, think about the others, not just your precious lover."
I shook my head, not willing to have a fight with him over Adrian. Paula seemed to have caught on that, so she stood up, forming a sort of a barrier between Michael and me.
"Did you find anything in those books you've been reading?" She faced Michael, her hands on her hips.
"Yes, actually. I came to tell you something."
Aw, great, I was caught up in book talk again.
"Do you know where the word hell comes from?" Michael said, looking from Paula to me.
"How the hell am I supposed to know?" I shot him an exasperated look. "It's just some stupid phrase, expression, interjection... whatever."
"You see? That's our problem. We use things and elements every day, even though for half of them we don't know what they really are or where they come from." Michael was all business. He even sounded like one of my high school teachers.
"Yeah, yeah, we take things for granted and so on. What's up with the stupid word?" I tapped my foot against the floor, getting impatient.
"That word is really old. A few hundred years, I would say. Back in the time when people believed in God of Magic, they had this idea that everyone without an element would go to a place called Hell, which was a place of eternal torture. After death, the person would be exposed to all four elements at the same time, and that would cause a terrible agony," Michael said. "The belief was so strong that no one would even dare to think about giving up on their element. And people who supposedly ended up in Hell were called the Damned."
"Was that before or after magic disease was discovered?" Paula interrupted.
"It started before, but it died out well after," he said ominously.
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