“I won’t argue that point,” Marcus said.
Eli continued to drive. He knew what the outcome was going to have to be. Julie’s fear of this man was not what he would do to her, but what he would do to the people she cared about. Eli realized that was what Austin was being used for. Even if what Fred had said was true about Austin’s abilities, Luke would get Julie to do exactly as he wished by using Austin as a pawn. Eli knew there was only one way this was going to end.
Austin and Julie had both fallen asleep during the car ride. They were drained from their recent use of abilities and lack of nourishment.
Luke instructed Joey to exit the highway and find a small motel. Although he wanted to get far away from Marion, he wanted his young slaves awake and working to pay back what he felt was owed to him.
Luke attempted to awaken Julie as he pulled her from the car. “C’mon, sweetheart… pit stop,” he said.
Julie was disoriented and unable to hold herself up. She clutched at the figure in front of her. The weakness of her body caused her to fade back into the blackness from which she had been pulled.
Luke was prepared. Previous times when he had worked her all night and he had not stopped for her to eat, similar situations occurred. He caught her before she hit the ground, scooping her up in his arms.
Luke carried her into the room they had rented and placed her on one of the two double beds in the room. He turned to see Vinnie carrying Austin, in a similar state, slung over his shoulder. Vinnie dropped Austin onto the other bed. Austin stirred but did not open his eyes. His hands were still bound behind him.
“Joey, you stay here and watch these two. Vinnie and I are gonna go get some food,” Luke instructed.
“I got babysitting duty now?” Joey complained.
“You got a problem with that?” Luke asked, narrowing his eyes. Joey cursed and looked away. He knew better than to challenge Luke.
Luke and Vinnie left to fulfill their task.
Joey was restless. He paced the floor. He turned on the television and flipped mindlessly through the channels before switching it back off. Joey opened the door and looked out. He spied a vending machine at the end of the corridor. After checking his pockets, he cursed again. He had no money on him.
Closing the door, he walked over to Austin. He checked the boy’s pockets for cash and found none. It was enough to rouse Austin, but he feigned sleep.
Austin opened his eyes and watched as Joey approached Julie. He watched the man begin to search her pockets.
“Austin,” Julie whispered.
Julie’s whisper made Joey pause. A smile spread across his face as he decided on another way to pass the time. Joey laid down on the bed next to Julie and pressed his body against hers.
Austin was fully awake now and knew he had to do something.
Julie felt a warm body against her and turned towards it. “Austin,” she whispered again. Joey began kissing Julie and took advantage of her disoriented state.
Austin bent his knees and pulled his bound hands over them so that they were in front of him.
Something is wrong. Austin doesn’t kiss me like this, Julie thought. She forced herself to open her eyes. Immediately she realized what was happening and began to struggle. Joey felt the resistance and positioned himself on top of Julie, pinning her hands above her head. “No way, baby. You’re not getting me all worked up and then holding out on me,” Joey taunted.
“Get off of me!” Julie shouted.
Austin charged at Joey, knocking him off of Julie. Both men rolled onto the floor. Joey got his bearings first and began beating his attacker. Austin could only seek cover behind his bound hands.
“Leave him alone!” Julie screamed. She attempted to pull Joey off of Austin and received a shove that sent her careening into a table and chair.
Joey resumed his assault on Austin.
Julie’s recovery from her injuries were slowed by her weakened state. She crawled back toward the two men and stopped when her hand connected with Joey’s gun.
Julie grasped the gun with both hands. Raising the gun, she fired off a shot. The bullet struck Joey in his left arm.
“Ah!” Joey shouted in pain, grabbing at the wound. He turned toward her. “You little bi—!” Joey’s words were cut short as Julie fired another bullet. This one lodged in his right shoulder. Joey rolled onto his back, writhing in pain.
The motel door burst open. Luke and Vinnie entered the room, guns drawn. They had heard the shots from the parking lot.
Julie was on the floor, her back against the wall, still holding the gun. Austin had crawled over next to her.
Luke heard Joey moaning and discerned the situation. He locked eyes with Julie. “Laney, my love, you know how much you hate guns. I, on the other hand, have fond memories of you and I holding a gun together. Do you remember that? Do you remember who you helped me kill?” Luke chose his words very carefully. He smiled when Julie’s hand began to shake.
Julie tried to block out the memory that Luke’s words evoked. Tears slid down her face as images of the horrible event flashed before her.
“Don’t listen to him, Julie. Shoot him,” Austin said, reaching for the gun in Julie’s hand.
Julie’s mind was still seeing the terrible visions of the day when Luke forced her to hold and fire a gun. He had held the gun with her, wrapping her fingers around the trigger. The gun fired and killed a woman who had been trying to help her. When Austin spoke to her, it was Luke’s voice she heard. It was Luke’s hand she saw reaching for the gun. “No!” she shouted and threw the gun.
“Get him,” Luke ordered Vinnie.
Vinnie grabbed Austin and moved him away from Julie.
Julie pulled her knees up and buried her head in an attempt to stop the vision. Luke grabbed her arm and pulled her up. “You can’t stay out of trouble.” Luke’s voice was bridled with anger. Julie’s head was swimming as she was now free of the vision. Luke wrapped his fingers in her hair and pulled her head back. “You are going to pay for pointing that gun at me,” Luke growled.
“Boss… c’mon man… I’m in pain,” Joey cried out.
“You should be. How the hell did she get your gun?” Luke asked.
“They… jumped me,” Joey stammered.
“Make the boy heal him,” Luke ordered.
Vinnie pushed Austin down on his knees next to Joey.
“How? I don’t….” Austin said. He was confused.
Luke looked at Julie with a crooked smile. “So, you’re the teacher. I thought it was the other way around,” he said. He pushed her towards Austin. “Show your boyfriend how it’s done,” he ordered.
Julie knelt down beside Austin and Joey. Austin looked lost and confused. She ached to take him in her arms.
“He needs his hands,” Julie said.
Vinnie looked at Luke, who nodded. Vinnie untied Austin’s hands.
Julie rubbed Austin’s wrists that were slowly repairing the stress marks caused by the cord that had bound them.
“Hurry it up. I’m in pain here,” Joey complained.
“Shut up, Joey. I need to concentrate,” Julie scolded. Joey scowled at her while Luke and Vinnie chuckled.
Julie refocused on Austin. “I’m going into you first, then you will follow me into him,” Julie instructed, remembering what Marcus had done.
“How?” Austin asked.
“You’ll feel me,” Julie replied softly. “Close your eyes,” she instructed.
Austin followed her direction and closed his eyes. Julie followed suit and grabbed his hands. She entered Austin.
Luke and Vinnie moved closer.
Upon entering Austin, Julie was immediately encompassed by the brightness of him. She had scanned him when they first met in the marketplace; he had not been like this. It felt warm and safe inside of him. She had seen this brightness when she scanned Marcus the first time and it had scared her. Now that she understood what it was, it was very comforting.
Austin had released an a
udible gasp when he felt Julie enter him. It was like nothing he had ever experienced before. His initial shock gave way to a warm, almost erotic sensation. His breathing became hitched as he dealt with the new feelings coursing through him.
Julie felt herself caught up in the sensations as well. She tried to remember what she was supposed to be doing. A whisper in her ear bought her back to her senses.
Luke had felt the room get heavy as the two were joined together. He was watching them closely and knew it was time to intervene. “Laney,” Luke whispered in her ear.
Julie gasped and pulled back into her own body. She released Austin’s hands and turned to see Luke right next to her.
Luke grabbed her chin and held it. “What did I tell you about your mind games?” he asked.
Austin was just coming out of his disoriented state and tried to help her. “Get your hands off of her,” he ordered, grabbing Luke’s arm.
Luke grabbed Austin by his shirt and pushed him against the wall. “You need to learn some rules,” he said, his face close to Austin’s. “Rule number one: you never put your hands on me. Rule number two: you do what I say, when I say,” Luke said.
“What’s rule number three?” Austin asked with attitude.
Luke pulled Austin up and pushed him towards Vinnie. “Rule number three,” Luke said, pulling Julie up. “She belongs to me,” he finished, pulling her against him and kissing her. Julie struggled in vain while Vinnie held Austin back. Releasing her, Luke grinned at Austin. “Want me to tell you any more rules?” Luke asked him. Austin kept quiet this time. Luke pushed Julie back toward Joey. “You do it,” he ordered.
Luke was in a good mood. He realized he could use each of them against each other to do whatever he wanted. Neither one of them wanted the other to get hurt.
All eyes were now on Julie as she knelt back down to heal Joey. “‘Bout time,” Joey grumbled. As Julie placed her hands on Joey’s stomach he grabbed one of her hands. “I look forward to finishing what we started,” he teased. She yanked her hand from him and he yelled in pain. Julie looked up to see Luke watching her. She lowered her eyes and set about healing Joey.
She entered Joey and healed the area around both bullet wounds. The bullets would stay inside of him but pose no threat to him. Julie held in the moan that wanted to escape as her body worked to heal the injuries she had taken from Joey. Joey sat up and flexed his arms. His anger at Julie returned and he put his arms around her neck and attempted to choke her. “You shoot me again and I swear I’ll find a way to kill you,” he seethed.
Luke pulled his gun and put it to Joey’s head. “You touch her again without my permission and I’ll be the one to put a bullet in you,” Luke said. Joey removed his hands and moved away from Julie. Julie began coughing as the air returned to her lungs.
“Get him fed, then we are out of here,” Luke said to Vinnie. Luke knelt down next to Julie as her coughing quieted down. She felt herself blacking out once again. Luke pulled her up into a sitting position before that happened. “Look at me,” he ordered. Julie forced open her eyes but had trouble keeping them open. “Laney, look at me,” Luke said more forcefully. She opened her eyes wide at the tone of his voice. “You are gonna eat something now,” Luke told her. Julie nodded and he helped her stand up. She held onto him as he walked her over to the table and placed her in a seat. Austin sat with a sandwich in front of him but had not started eating. He was too concerned over Julie. “Eat, both of you,” Luke ordered. Julie was starving; she lifted her sandwich and took a bite. She looked at Austin and nodded to him that he should do the same. Austin reached for her hand under the table and squeezed it. She took a deep breath and squeezed his back.
Although Julie was thankful for the food, she could have eaten more than just one sandwich and the bottled water they gave them. It was enough, though; she didn’t feel like she was going to pass out again any time soon.
Julie turned her head sharply when she heard Luke curse.
“Why the hell doesn’t he answer?” Luke said angrily.
“Neither one of them does,” Vinnie said, “How should I know?”
Luke looked over at Julie. “Get over here,” he ordered her.
Austin grabbed her hand. “It’s okay,” she whispered. She walked over to Luke.
“Tell me about this Doctor Elsworth,” he ordered her.
“He’s just a doctor,” Julie said.
Luke looked hard at Julie; she was a terrible liar. “Is this someone I need to go back and take care of?” Luke asked her.
“No,” Julie answered a little too quickly.
“We’re going back,” Luke said.
“Luke, wait… please,” Julie said, grabbing his arm. “He is not like us, I swear,” she promised.
Luke pulled Julie against him. “You swear?” he asked putting his face close to hers.
“He’s not,” Julie said.
“I… don’t… believe you,” Luke whispered in her ear and pushed her away. “Let’s go!” he shouted and headed for the door.
Julie hung her head. Austin was right beside her. She looked up at him as he rubbed her arms. “C’mon, you two,” Vinnie said, waiting at the door. Luke and Joey were already in the parking lot. Julie swayed as she walked, and Austin had to help support her. Guess it wasn’t enough food, she thought.
Outside, Luke was smoking a cigarette.
The night was dark; clouds concealed whatever moonlight there would have been. A strange-sounding bird’s call could be heard, perhaps warning of the impending storm. A gust of wind blew suddenly, kicking up dirt and debris, forming a dust cloud.
A lightening bolt lit up the sky and Luke pulled out his gun. “What the hell was that?” he asked, looking at the roof of the building. Everyone’s eyes were on the roof as the next bolt criss-crossed across the sky. Whatever Luke had seen was not there now. “Get in the car,” Luke ordered. Austin helped Julie into the back seat and then got in next to her. Joey resumed his seat behind the wheel with Luke as the passenger. Vinnie sat in the back with Austin and Julie.
“We still going back?” Joey asked Luke. Luke didn’t answer, he was still staring up at the roof. “Boss?” Joey questioned.
“What? Yeah, yeah,” Luke finally replied.
Joey drove back onto the highway on his way back to Marion.
Austin was grateful that Luke was so distracted. He put his arm around Julie in the backseat. She rested her head against him. Vinnie seemed to not notice or care. Austin kissed the top of her head and she snuggled closer to him. He had lots of questions, but what mattered most now was finding a way out of the situation they were in.
Eli still had an open line of communication with Orel.
Orel: Found. Heading east. Three armed men with a boy and a girl.
Eli: East?
Orel: Yes. Black BMW X5, tinted windows.
Eli: What was their condition?
Orel: The girl was being supported by the boy, other than that, unknown. Continuing to manipulate surroundings and slow them down.
Eli: Thank you, keep me posted.
“Marcus, call your uncle again,” Eli instructed.
“O… kay,” Marcus replied and dialed his uncle. “Hey, Uncle Gregg, Eli wishes to speak to you again,” He handed it to Eli.
“We have some information,” Eli told him.
“We do?” Marcus asked but Eli ignored him.
“They are heading east in a black BMW X5 with tinted windows. Three armed men are with them,” Eli told.
“East. Does that mean they are heading back to your way?” Uncle Gregg asked.
“It appears so,” Eli said.
“I have people already out in that direction. I will pass along the information. Thank you,” Uncle Gregg said, before hanging up.
“How the hell did you get that information?” Marcus asked. Again, Eli remained silent.
Fred was sitting quietly in the back seat trying to absorb all that he had heard. “You guys are weird,” he said scratching his
head. “I need a smoke,” he huffed as he felt in his pants pockets for his cigarettes. Instead of his smokes, he found his phone. He had forgotten he had it. Checking it, he saw eight missed calls, all from Luke. He hit the button and dialed Luke as he leaned forward to talk to Eli and Marcus.
Luke nearly jumped out of his seat when his cell phone rang. He had been jumpy since leaving the motel. He looked at the caller I.D. “Where the hell have you been?” he shouted into the phone. He heard voices but had trouble making them out. He clicked on the speaker phone and listened more. He heard Fred’s voice.
“So, tell me. How did you guys find out they were in a black BMW X5 with tinted windows heading east?” Fred asked, being sure to let Luke know they knew what type of vehicle they were in. When they didn’t answer, Fred kept talking. “You realize you’re kidnapping me, in this fancy sport car that Eli is driving. Keeping me injured when Marcus here can heal me with a touch of his hands, I mean it’s just not right,” Fred rambled.
Marcus could keep quiet no longer. “What do you know about what is right? You killed the guy you were working with and planned on double crossing this Luke fellow and who knows what else,” Marcus answered.
Julie lifted her head up and both she and Austin looked at each other. “Marcus can do this too?” he whispered to her. Julie nodded slightly before looking away. Luke turned around and looked at them.
“Who is this Marcus guy?” Luke asked them.
“He’s my cousin,” Austin revealed. Julie closed her eyes. She knew better than to be so forth coming with Luke.
Chapter Twelve— Confrontation
“So what’s the plan?” Fred asked. Marcus turned and looked at him.
“Enough with the questions!” Marcus scolded. Fred’s voice was getting on his nerves.
“So, Eli… I’m curious. Just how did you get the information on where they were going? You got some special powers?” Fred questioned.
Marcus was about to answer Fred when Eli spoke. “Ignore him,” Eli instructed.
“Pull over!” Luke growled. He intended to get some answers once and for all from his two captives.
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