by Lola StVil
“We could take her to the Healers at the clinic,” Bex says.
“Or you could just look on the inside of her lower lip,” someone offers.
We turn to find Ruin standing on her Port, looking bored.
“Thank Omnis, you’re here. You have to help her,” Bex begs.
“Ah, not really,” she replies.
“Diana!” I call out.
“It may have escaped your notice, but I’m not your pocket genie slash Healer, okay?”
“Ruin, please help her,” Bex says frantically.
Diana looks over at me and then at Key’s body.
“Look on the inside of her lip. If it’s blue then she took ‘upper’ mixtures. You can use the vial on the right to cure her. If she took ‘downers’ to calm her, the inside of her lip will be green. In that case use the other vial,” she says.
Bex places his shaking finger on Key’s mouth. He gently pulls back her lower lip and studies it.
“The inside of her lip is not blue or green; it’s purple. Purple spots,” Bex says.
“Shit!” Ruin says, leaping off the Port and hurrying over to Key. She searches desperately for something in the small pouch she always carries with her.
“Ruin, what’s going on? Tell me!” Bex begs.
“Your girlfriend didn’t take an upper or a downer. She took both at the same time,” Diana explains quickly.
“She’s Paused,” I whisper with quiet dread.
“What the hell does that mean? Talk to me,” he shouts.
“When you take mixtures to both calm and excite you, there is this crazy high you can get from it. It’s a high that fills you up with euphoria and makes you feel as if you are taking in the power of a thousand Para angels,” I inform him.
“The trouble is when angels do it too much it causes a bacteria to build up in the bloodstream. That then throws the angel’s body out of balance. So the body can no longer guard against an overflow of euphoria,” Diana adds as she takes three vials from her pouch and starts to mix them.
“That’s crazy, you’re saying she’s dying because she’s happy?” Bex asks.
“Euphoria is just as powerful as a Powerball. Imagine your system is equipped to handle a pint’s worth but now it’s having to deal with a gallon. The overflow is seeping into her system and shutting it down.”
“In other words, Para, your girlfriend is overdosing on synthetic happiness. I’m guessing she did that because her life is crap; only now the fake happiness is killing her. I can go into more detail or you can shut the hell up and let me save her.”
Bex agrees to Diana doing whatever she feels she must do. She takes out a thin, scalpel-like knife and presses it just below Key’s ear. Blood starts to seep out of Key’s body and onto the floor. Only it’s not silver colored like it should be. Instead it’s a horrid bruise color.
“We have to get the overflow out before I can introduce the treatment into her system. It will kill off the bacteria and restore her body’s natural balance,” Diana says.
“We can’t just let her bleed out!” Bex protests.
“I will stop the bleeding when we start to see silver colored blood, that means the infection is all out.”
“What happens if her blood doesn’t turn silver or if it’s so infected, by the time we get to the healthy blood color, she’s already bled out?” Bex says, more frantic now than I’ve ever seen him.
Diana and I exchange a quick worried glance but neither of us replies. I go over to him and force my voice to stay steady.
“Bex, Diana is brilliant. I trust her completely.”
“Okay,” he says softly.
There is no doubt about it. The Para angel is in hell right now. For the next two minutes, we watch as a member of our team bleeds on the floor. Just when Bex is about to seriously lose it, we see a stream of silver colored blood trickle out from Key’s neck.
Diana acts quickly. She applies the thick greyish mixture she created and we watch as the incision on the side of Key’s neck starts to seal itself.
“If it worked, in a few moments the color should start to return to her face. She’ll open her eyes,” Diana tells us.
Bex is on his knees and has sandwiched Key’s hand between his. All three of us look on, silently praying to Omnis that Key opens her eyes.
We wait.
We wait.
We wait.
Key stirs just slightly. Bex gasps, weak with relief. Diana and I exchange a look once again. It was a close call. Bex doesn’t know exactly how close because the fact is most angels don’t survive being “Paused.” When Bex speaks to Key, he struggles to stop the shaking in his voice but we can hear it clearly—the future king of Paras is at the mercy of a girl. I know exactly how that feels…
“You’re okay, I promise. You’re okay,” he tells her.
“What the hell happened here?” someone asks from the doorway.
“East, I called you and the whole team like an hour ago. Where were you?” I ask.
“I was in the middle of something. I came as soon as I could—Key, are you naked under that jacket?”
“It’s a long story,” I reply.
“Yeah, I’ve got time,” East offers.
Bex flashes East a warning glance and zips Key’s jacket all the way up to the collar.
“Seriously, Key, are you okay?” East replies.
“Yeah, she’s gonna be fine, thanks to Diana,” I add.
“Wow, you’re handy to have around. I’ll have to remember that,” East quips suggestively.
“Yeah, like you could handle me,” she whispers, loud enough for him to hear.
“Where’s Pry? Did you leave her out front with the demons?” I ask.
“All of the demons have taken off, Silver. The front is clear.”
“Knowing her, she probably chased them.” I sigh, shaking my head.
“I’ll take a look around the neighborhood,” East says.
“And find out where Swoop is. I called her too. She’s supposed to be here,” Bex says.
“It’s my fault. She was trying to save me,” a quivering voice adds.
We turn our focus to the two beings that have just entered the room: Randy and Swoop.
Randy has a gash on his right temple and his lower jaw is bruised. Swoop looks out at us and she isn’t her usual off-the-wall-with-energy self. Something is seriously freaking her out. Key notices it too and asks Bex to help her up.
“Swoop, what is it? What’s wrong?” Key asks her twin in a weak voice.
Swoop looks around the room but stops when she makes eye contact with me. I’ve known Swoop since she was born and I have never seen her look this afraid and this worried—for me. Dread starts to work its way along my body. Everyone in the room grows eerily silent. Whatever she’s about to say, it’s going to be bad; really bad.
“East, go get Pry, tell her something’s up and we need her back here,” I order.
East turns to leave, but Swoop calls out after him.
“No, don’t go outside. Pry’s not outside,” Swoop says.
“Where is she?” East asks.
“They took her,” Randy says as his eyes fill with tears.
“Who took her?” Bex asks.
“The Center.”
Chapter Five:
Hollander
As soon as the words come out of Randy’s mouth, a blanket of rage comes over me like nothing I have ever felt before. It’s a perfect storm of loathing, vengeance, and desperation. My wrath is fueled by its desire for one thing: death. I know there will be death—there must be death. Yes, today many will die…
It only takes seconds for me to set fire to the entire street. The chaos that ensues means nothing to me. The team pleads with me but again that means nothing. I take to the air with such speed the windows in the surrounding buildings shatter as I fly by them.
I don’t stop to examine the damage in my wake. I fly furiously
until I get where I need to go: Shanghai, China.
I look down at the city of skyscrapers and focus my attention on the tallest one: Shanghai Towers. The mega tower is over two thousand feet tall and has over one hundred and twenty stories. It is currently Para headquarters.
The team has followed me to China, but that doesn’t stop me from raining Powerballs down on the Para’s sacred landmark. The blasts from my palms are so strong the foundation of the building starts to shake. At once Paras take to the air to investigate.
I attack them with no regard for their lives whatsoever.
They try to surround me, but my powers are far more lethal than theirs and so they end up mostly trying to shield themselves. Meanwhile the team insists on calling out to me, but their voices are barely audible in the rage and frenzy of my mind. There are Powerballs hurling in every direction but that doesn’t stop me from getting to my goal: the top level of the tower. There is where I will find him—Ross Hollander.
Hollander is the one in charge of the Paras while Bex’s mother is stuck in the light. Although Bex is the next Kon, meaning the next king, until he is ready to take his position, Ross Hollander serves as the interim Kon. And if he doesn’t give me what I want, he will be the first on a long list of angels to die today.
At top speed, I smash through the large bay window of the penthouse floor. The Paras are right behind me with a hail of Powerballs and Soul Chasers. The Soul Chasers are orbs designed to suck the soul from me. But little do they know, I don’t even think I have a soul at this moment; not anymore.
The pandemonium around me only fuels my rage. I land and the building sways beneath my feet. The black marble floor reveals my reflection back to me. I don’t recognize myself. My wings have lost most of the greyness they once harbored. They are now as black as my eyes. I look down the long hallway and see the Para angel I came for. He has hair the color of snow and bright blue eyes. He stands guarded by a sea of Paras.
His guards take flight and attempt to tackle me. I don’t attack them, it would take too much time. Instead I use my powers to dismantle the building and cause further destruction. In the pandemonium I am able to get close to Hollander.
There are only three Paras now in my way. I quickly remove them as obstacles by breaking various bones in their bodies on contact. They are skilled, but so am I. And I have something they do not: an unrelenting desire for vengeance. When I make my way to Hollander, his eyes widen in utter shock as he takes in the scene.
Hollander goes to attack me, but I’m quicker. In one swift motion, I pick him up and fling him down to the ground, facing the floor. Before he can even think to get away, I stomp on the area between his wings and his shoulder blades with my boot.
He is unable to move. I grab ahold of his wings and start to pull on them. Hollander begins to scream. The team enters the building and calls out for me to show mercy as they race over to me.
“Silver, no! Please stop!” Swoop begs as they come towards me.
I take out a flat coin-like object from my pocket. It’s called a Kork. It creates an instant sheer barrier. It only lasts a few minutes, but that’s all I need. I hurl the Kork towards the team and the army of Paras headed my way.
Immediately, a blue neon swirl emanates from the Kork. It forms a blue tented barrier and divides the room in two. On one side is the team, the Paras, and Diana. On the other side is me and a soon-tobe-dead Para if he doesn’t comply.
“WHERE IS SHE?” I demand.
“Who?” Holland shouts.
I yank harder at his wings as the team bangs on the barrier, begging me to stop. Hollander cries out again, and again, I pull mercilessly at the base of his wings.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about” he insists.
“YOU’RE THE INTERIM KON; NOTHING THAT HAPPENS WITH THE PARAS CAN HAPPEN WITHOUT YOUR CONSENT. YOU AGREED TO LET THEM TAKE HER. NOW WHERE IS SHE?”
“I don’t know what you’re---ahhhhh.” He groans as I slowly yank his wings from his shoulders.
“I’M GOING TO ASK YOU ONE MORE TIME AND THEN I’M GOING TO RIP YOUR FUCKING WINGS OFF. WHERE IS PRYOR???”
“I told you, I don’t know!” he lies.
“I’M DONE TALKING; NOW YOU DIE,” I vow as I pull his wings halfway off.
His bloodcurdling screams fill the halls and coat the entire tower. The team implores me to spare him but there is no reasoning with the rage that engulfs me. I don’t give a shit about anything or anyone but her. And if he is not helping me, he’s in my way and must be dealt with.
“He’s not lying!” Randy shouts at the top of his lungs.
I turn to him in my wrath-filled haze and wait for an explanation.
“How the hell do you know?” I ask, refusing to even loosen my hold on the Para bastard.
“Look at him, if he knew anything he would have told you; listen to his voice, there’s genuine shock that Pry has been taken,” Randy reasons.
“Bullshit! He’s hiding something,” I push.
“What if it’s not the Paras that run the Center? What if it’s just a select few? What if it’s a hidden society among the Paras? If so, there are ways we could lure them into the light. Just like the group of super villains in the DC Comic book series,” Randy says.
“This isn’t a comic, Randy!” I scold.
“No, think about it. There has never been any media about The Center. Why is that? They want to remain secret. That includes their identity. Whoever runs The Center is doing so covertly,” Randy pleads.
“And I’m telling you, I don’t give a shit about what he says, he knows something! He’s gonna tell me now or die,” I promise as I go to pull out the rest of Hollander’s wings.
“She’ll never get over it!” Diana shouts at me.
“What the hell are you talking about?” I bark.
“Pryor; when you get her back and she finds out what you did in order to save her…she’ll never look at you the same way,” Diana replies.
“She’s right, Silver. You do this and it changes everything,” Bex adds.
Then in the haze of my hatred, Pryor’s face flashes in my head. She looks at me with pleading eyes. Those damn perfect purple haunting eyes…
“Are you sure about knowing ways to get to The Center?” I ask Randy.
“I have a few ideas—ones that don’t involve murder. Ways that Pryor would approve of.”
I look down at Hollander. I release him from my hold but before he can gather himself, I get down to the ground and make him a promise.
“When I get her back, if there’s so much as a scratch on her, I’ll peel the flesh from your body and eat your fucking soul…”
* * *
Just as I stand up, the Kork fades and the barrier disappears. Suddenly a slew of Paras come my way. I’m still livid and have no issue taking them all on. But Swoop leaps into the air, latches on to me, and does a series of summersaults that send us both tumbling out the window. I straighten up mid-fall and gain my balance, but she urges me not to go back to the tower.
“Please, Silver, don’t,” Swoop says again.
“The Omari are coming, we need to go, now!” East warns.
We look out in the distance and the trained Para assassins have indeed taken to the sky. They are nearly impossible to outfly and they never lose sight of their target. If they start after us, they won’t stop.
Everyone else on the team echoes Swoop’s suggestion. So we take off. Unfortunately the Omari are on our tail and determined to catch us. Suddenly, Bex turns back and raises his hand in front of the army of Paras headed for us.
“What’s he doing?” Randy asks East, who is helping him maintain his balance on the Port.
“Bex is the next Kon. So even though Hollander is in charge, when the future king tells the Omari to stand still they have no choice,” East replies. We look back and sure enough the Omari stand motionless in the air awaiting Bex’s command.
“You guys go.
I’ll take care of this,” Bex says to us.
The team exchange uneasy looks but we decide to do as Bex says. We all take off and head back to the house in New York City. As soon as we get home, Key runs upstairs to change and Randy bombards me with questions.
“Okay, first, do you have any recollection whatsoever about where you were when you were at The Center?”
“Even if I could recall, it wouldn’t matter. It’s located on a Whirlwind,” I inform him.
“I have no idea what that is,” Randy admits.
“A Whirlwind is a location that isn’t fixed. It changes every hour. The Center is in the middle of a Whirlwind. That means one hour it’s in Boston and the next it’s in Rome,” Swoop adds.
“So there’s no way to pinpoint its location?” he asks.
“You can if you know the origins. That’s what I was trying to get out of Hollander,” I reply.
“Why would they take Pryor? She hasn’t done anything,” Swoop reasons.
“It’s my fault. They wanted me to stay away from her but I couldn’t,” I admit.
Ruin glances at me with a mix of hurt and sadness. I know she has feelings for me, but I can’t lie about how much Pryor means to me; not anymore. And even if I could, Ruin sees right through me. She always has.
“But why should The Center even care that two teenagers hook up?” Randy asks.
“They didn’t bother to explain. They just said to stay away or there would be consequences.”
“You never asked why?” East says.
“You don’t know what it was like there—let’s just stay focused on Pryor,” I order.
“Okay, well we need to start at the beginning. We need to know what The Center is and what its function is,” Swoop says.
“I’ll tell you what their function is: torture. Plain and simple,” I reply.
“No, I think Randy’s right. We need to know more,” East tells us.
“Since it’s on this Whirlwind thing, we may not be able to find it, but we can do the next best thing: find out who is behind it. Just give me some time to gather the materials I need,” Randy adds.
“We don’t have time, Randy. She’s been gone for hours!” I yell.
“Yeah, and the reason she is gone is because she sacrificed herself so I would not get hurt. So let me help her the best way I can. Let me do what nerds do best—research.”