by C. M. Fenn
“Sorry Ember.” I frown at her. I remember Ember’s an only child and that she doesn’t seem to have a close relationship with her mom. It would probably mean a lot for me to be there. “I’ll make it up to you—I promise,” I say with conviction.
“No biggie. Really,” she insists. “How about this? On my way to California, I’ll swing by your place. That way I can be there for your graduation!”
“That’s perfect!” I feel a little better now. “Come as soon as you like! You can stay all week if you want.”
She gets a mischievous look in her sparkly green eyes. “Maybe, if I’m lucky, you can leave for California with me! A few well-placed hints and suggestions to your mom could go a long way,” she says enticingly with raised eyebrows. I laugh at her persistence. It feels good to have someone really want me around, not out of a sense of guilt like Tori but because they genuinely like me.
“I’m sold.” I decide right then. “I’ll convince my mom.”
“Seriously?” Ember jumps up from the bed and grabs my shoulders.
“Seriously.” I smile. Ember’s the sweetest, coolest person I’ve ever met. This is the kind of friendship I should surround myself with. “I’ll do whatever it takes. Even if I have to fight dirty. One way or another, I’m going to California with you.” I hope secretly that I have the kind of persuasive power I’m boasting of. The look of triumph on her face is priceless. I will never forget it for as long as I live.
After a few minutes of “Oh my gosh!” and “I can’t wait!” and “We’re going to have SO MUCH FUN!” we remember I’m supposed to be meeting with Angel right now.
I follow Ember through the hallways of Major Calm. As we pass Walkers here and there along our way, I’m greeted with various wishes of good luck. Lang-hao winks and flashes me a heartbreakingly beautiful smile while Ben offers me a firm handshake and a nod. I’m not too disappointed when we pass Simone lounging in a bean bag and she ignores me completely.
“Are there normally this many Walkers here?” I ask once I notice how most of the Walkers I’m seeing are living on the opposite side of the world. It must be the middle of the day for them.
“Nope. Not normally. Everyone’s been on high alert though since the ambush last night. I think everyone’s hanging around in case anything new develops. Plus, not to make you nervous or anything, but everyone’s probably curious about what your ability will be.”
I try not to think about that as I follow her through Major Calm to a hall I haven’t been down before. We reach darkly stained oak double doors that open into a large octagonal room.
Everything’s richly lit by a crystal chandelier hanging from the high ceiling, throwing the corners of the room into shadows. The room is beautiful and cozy. All around are formal but comfortable-looking sitting chairs, sofas, and loveseats. The most remarkable thing about the room, however, is that the walls are actually bookshelves—thick, glossy, mahogany bookshelves. And they’re FILLED with books. There’s even a ladder attached to a bar that runs along the top of the walls. It’s on wheels and I can see how it can roll around the entire circumference of the library. The room looks like something out of a fairy tale.
“Pretty cool, huh?” Ember says quietly as I’m gaping at my surroundings. I nod my head, not wanting to speak and break the almost reverent spell in the atmosphere. “I’ll go get Angel if you want to wait here and unwind. I’m sure you’re pretty anxious right now. I remember I was back when it was my turn.”
After she turns and leaves, I make my way into the room. I’m trying to read some of the titles of the books lining the shelf nearest me when I’m nearly startled out of my skin by someone clearing their throat. I turn around in a circle, checking everywhere until I find the source.
There, sitting in one of the corners, hunched over a book propped on his knee, is Mikhail. No wonder Ember and I didn’t see him; he’s steeped in shadows. I wonder how he can manage to read at all. Maybe one of his abilities is night vision.
“Hi Mikhail.” I smile at him and head in his direction. He nods politely at me but then returns his attention to his book. It’s an obvious attempt to avoid socializing, but I’m determined to get to know him. After what Ember and Sam said about him yesterday, I have to decide for myself if Mikhail is a good person. I refuse to rely on borrowed opinions.
A high-backed chair sits close to him, but I decide to scoot it closer. As I go to lift it I’m surprised at its weight. I’m barely able to budge it. Things get awkward when Mikhail doesn’t offer to help. In fact, he doesn’t even look up and acknowledge my efforts. I’m almost tempted to give up. I manage however, to at least scoot it an inch in his direction and angle it so that I can face him. I sit down.
“What are you reading?” I ask.
After a few silent seconds, he looks up from his book. He doesn’t look directly at me but instead gazes somewhere in the vicinity of my hands resting on my lap. He lifts his book up a little and shows me the front. It’s difficult to see through the shadows, but on the cover I’m able to make out an image of a big ship on a storm-tossed ocean. I can see the title and author but it’s in another language.
“That’s Russian, right? What’s it called?”
After a brief hesitation, he says in heavily accented English, “Star of the Black Sea.”
It’s obvious he isn’t comfortable speaking to me, but I get the feeling it’s more out of shyness than from blatant snobbery. He’s here in the library reading a book, so I decide to exploit that angle. Maybe talking to him about something he enjoys will help him open up more easily.
“What’s it about? Is it fiction?” I ask.
He nods his head. He’s quiet for so long I start to think that’s all I’m going to get from him. Then he surprises me.
“There is an old story in Russia of a ship that was found out at sea by the Navy. The nine crew members were not found onboard, though the life boats were all accounted for and nothing was missing or stolen from the ship. It is a well-known mystery. This book is a fictional account of what happened written from the first mate’s perspective, like a journal, which is said to have been found among his things in his cabin.”
“Wow. That sounds really good! How is it so far?” I’m encouraged when he finally looks me in the eyes.
“I’ve read it before. It’s good.” Once he says this, I can see that the cover and pages of the book are aged and well worn from repeated readings. I smile at the sight of it.
“I have a few books like that. There’s one I must have read at least a dozen times.”
“You read much then?” He’s asking me questions now? This is a good sign.
“I’m always reading!” I say, jumping on the opportunity. “Call me a nerd but books are my best friends. I love disappearing into a good story. Being able to leave everything behind and become part of something else,” I say dreamily, “it’s magic.”
He looks at me for a few seconds as though he’s contemplating his next comment. I’m disappointed though, when he looks back down at the book in his lap and starts reading again. Angel and Ember aren’t here yet, so I’m not willing to lose this chance to get to know him better.
“Do you know if there’s a version in English? I’m almost finished with the book I’m reading now, so I’ll need something new soon.” He starts to look back up at me but just then I hear Ember’s laughter coming from the hall outside. Knowing my time with Mikhail is up, I turn to thank him for talking to me. And there’s nothing in front of me but an empty chair.
Shocked, I gasp audibly.
“What’s wrong?” Ember says from the doorway, looking concerned. I turn back to make sure I’m not completely losing it. Sure enough, Mikhail is nowhere in sight. I sit there for a minute, looking wide-eyed and pointing stupidly at the empty chair in front of me.
“Mikhail …” I manage to say. That’s when I notice Angel standing next to Ember. She’s looking especially cherubic tonight in a white sundress with matching ballet flats.
&n
bsp; “Oooh,” they say in unison, nodding their heads in understanding.
“He does that sometimes,” Angel smiles and says in her sweet, little-girl voice. Sam appears behind them in the door frame.
“Angel, Adelaide, are you two ready?” he asks us. Angel looks questioningly at me. And just like that my mind is off the disappearing Mikhail and back to the business at hand. I take a deep breath and try to steady my nerves.
“Well, I’m as ready as I’ll ever be,” I say weakly through a thin smile. Angel comes over and takes my hand.
“You don’t have to be worried, Addy. Everyone has a place and a purpose here in Chaos.” She leads me to a soft brown leather chair near the center of the room. I sit down and she stands in front of me the way she did the other night in the conference room.
I’m suddenly very aware of Sam and Ember hovering over us. I can read the appraisal in their intense stares and I begin to feel uncomfortable. To fail is one thing, but to fail in front of these two would be miserable.
“All right, you two,” Angel says. “You know the rules.”
Ember’s shoulders slump in defeat and Sam nods in acceptance.
“Ugh, fine. We’re leaving,” Ember says begrudgingly. She pats my head on her way past. “Good luck, sweetie! Make us proud!” I cringe inwardly even though I know she means well.
Sam stops next to me and looks unsure of himself for a second. It’s strange and unnerving to see a crack in his normal, unwavering confidence. He swings his arms nervously back and forth a few times and finally decides that an offered fist bump is the best option for well-wishing. After I bump my fist to his, he quickly leaves the library.
Angel giggles quietly. “He’s nervous for you. Everyone’s anxious and excited tonight. I know this is overwhelming but you really don’t need to worry. You’ll see, Addy.” She places her tiny hands on my head, directly over my temples. “Are you ready?” she asks through a grin. Looking into her blueberry eyes has a calming, almost hypnotic effect on me. I nod and she begins her instructions.
“You don’t need to do much for this. Just try to clear your mind as best you can. This won’t be like the other night in the conference room. I’m going to go much deeper into your mind tonight. You won’t be aware of me or what I’m doing. It will almost be as if you are asleep. Okay?”
“Okay,” I answer. I try to think of nothing, which is impossible. Instead, I’m thinking about how I’m failing at thinking about nothing. I’m starting to get worried that maybe this isn’t going to work at all when my eyesight goes fuzzy. I can’t seem to focus on anything. Everything seems to be going dark. All of a sudden, there is a ringing in my ears. It’s not a loud ringing, just that sound you hear when there is no other sound at all. It’s as if your ears invent a noise to fill the emptiness.
Then the sound stops and my vision begins to clear. The first thing I see is blue. I’m staring into Angel’s eyes again as they seem to rise up out of a murky haze. Or maybe I’m the one rising up, toward her. I can hear her voice now but it’s muffled.
As the rest of her face comes into focus, I can see that instead of her typically porcelain skin, her face is flushed red. Her eyes are red rimmed and her cheeks are wet with tears. I’m trying to make words match the movements her mouth is making when she takes her hands from the side of my head and throws her arms around me.
“Finally,” I think I hear her say. I can feel her little body shaking with quiet sobs.
“Angel, what’s wrong? Did I fail?” I ask.
She explodes into giddy laughter as she pulls back, and shaking her head, she says, “Oh, no, Addy! You did not fail.” She’s grins as more tears escape her eyes. “I’ve been waiting for someone like you for so long! And you’re finally here.” She sighs contently. An almost visible weight seems to lift right off her shoulders.
“You mean I have an ability?” I ask. I hold my breath and wait for her response.
“Yes, Addy, you have an ability.” She lets out another peal of silvery laughter. “Addy, you’re a Mimic!” I try to remember where I’ve heard that familiar term before. Then Angel explains, “You’re just like me!”
Chapter 18
“What?” I ask numbly. I’m lost in a hundred thoughts at once. Did I hear her right? Did she say I’m a Mimic? Could she be wrong? What does that mean for me? I can do what everyone else does? How is this right? I don’t feel like I can do anything, let alone everything.
“Adelaide.” Angel waves her hand in front of my eyes. “Woo hoo!” she calls. “Snap out of it.” My eyes refocus and I can see her smiling. “You. Are. A. Mimic,” she says slowly and clearly.
“But how?” I wonder aloud. “Are you sure?”
She nods her head adamantly. “I’m very sure. To be a Mimic, you must have two abilities. One, you must be able to project your consciousness. And two, your mind must be very adaptable. You have both of these abilities, Addy,” she says excitedly. She puts her hands on her hips and looks contemplative.
“You know, there’s something else about you. I can’t quite put my finger on it.” She taps her foot as she thinks. “It’s something that you have that I don’t. An understanding of things, or of the nature of things?” she muses aloud. She waves a hand dismissively. “Oh, it’ll come to me.”
She walks over to the door and opens it. Ember peeks in.
“So?” she asks with clasped hands and raised eyebrows. “Can we come in?”
“She’s all yours!” Angel says. As Ember and Sam clear the doorway, other familiar faces appear from the hall. Mel and Ben walk into the library hand in hand, followed by Kira and a very exuberant Crank.
Crank bounds to my side. “Hey Addy! How are you? So how did it go? What can you do? No, wait! Let me guess … oh, I have no idea—tell me already!” I laugh with the others at his intensity.
“Give her a moment, Crank,” Sam says calmingly. Then he glances at Angel. “What’s the matter, Harmony?” He sounds concerned. “Have you been crying?”
“Oh.” Angel’s little hands go to her cheeks. She laughs as she assures him, “It’s nothing really. I guess I’m just so relieved to finally have another Mimic in Chaos besides myself.”
The small group erupts into shocked exclamations.
“Whoa! No way!” shouts Crank.
Kira slaps me on the back with a “That a girl!”
Mel hugs me warmly. “I knew you’d be a strong one, right from the start. I said it, didn’t I, love?” She nudges Ben with her elbow.
“She did. Congratulations, Adelaide,” Ben says with a smile and a handshake.
“Thanks guys.” I’m blushing from all the praise and attention. It feels weird being congratulated for having an ability I don’t even know how to use.
I look to Ember who’s shaking her head back and forth and grinning smugly. “And you were SOOO nervous. I told you there was nothing to be worried about!” She pulls me into a side hug. “This is so great, Addy! You’re going to be such a kick-ass Walker!”
Sam’s staring at me, his thoughts a mystery behind his steady gaze. He nods his head in approval and any lingering fear and uneasiness I have melts away completely.
I look around at everyone and sigh. “So what now?” I ask them.
“Now,” Sam says, “you train. Angel, do you mind getting Adelaide started on her basic training?”
“Sure thing, Boss!” she beams.
“I want her self-waking by the end of the night. The rest of you, don your ‘coms.’” Sam taps his ear as he makes eye contact with the small group of Walkers around me. “Timothy, Lang-hao, and myself will be leaving shortly to perform a scouting maneuver and we need you listening in. I want you all ready to provide back-up on a moment’s notice. Understood?”
“Yes sir.”
“Copy.”
“Wil-co.”
Various replies are heard from the Walkers.
As everyone says their good-byes and heads off to prepare for the coming mission, I grab Sam by the arm. He turns
and looks at me questioningly. For a moment, I struggle with what I want to say.
“Are you sure you want to take just the three of you?” I shudder as I remember the horror of last night’s events.
Sam is in “boss mode” and looks every bit the commanding officer. “This will actually be safer than taking a large group. This is only a reconnaissance mission. The fewer Walkers the better. We can move faster and have a smaller chance of being spotted.”
I understand what he’s saying makes sense tactically, but it still means he’s going out into Chaos at a very dangerous time. It does little to ease my fears.
He exhales and I can see some of the rigid formality drain from his bearing. He steps a little closer and softens his tone. “Don’t be worried, Addy. We’ll be okay.”
I try to take comfort from his words. This is what he does for a living, after all.
“Yeah, of course,” I say, nodding my head, more to convince myself than anyone else. He squeezes my arm reassuringly before he leaves.
Angel and I are the only ones left in the library. “Do we have a com we can keep handy while we work, just in case?” I ask her.
“I’ve got one right up here!” she says, pointing to her head.
She sees my confused expression.
“I can sense if any of the Walkers are in trouble.”
“Whoa.” This blows me away. “Wouldn’t you have to be reading everyone’s mind all the same time to know if they were in trouble?” I’m not sure how I’m going to be able to do these things that Angel can do. I’ve never been one for multi-tasking.
“No, it’s not like that at all. I don’t have to be actively reading someone’s mind to pick up on their distress.” She motions for me to sit next to her on one of the plushy sofas.
“Think of it like this. People are like radios. We broadcast ourselves—our personalities, our moods, our states of being. Our volume depends on what we broadcast. Most of the time, we’re humming along, barely audible. But when someone’s in a state of distress, that kind of excitement gets broadcast VERY loudly. I can’t help but pick up on it.”