"It will get easier," Rafe says as he stands over me. "In a matter of hours, this will all feel natural to you. Now get up."
I do what he says. I expect to feel bruises on my body, but there's nothing.
Rafe and Tank disappear into the trees. I hurry after them, continuing our quick speed in and out of the forest. I'm glad we're wearing our special bracelets, otherwise, we would have poisonous darts shooting at us right now. This thought gives me pause. Would they hurt me now that I've been transformed? A theory to test later, perhaps.
Rafe seems to find the most difficult path to run on, one lined with big boulders and deep ravines. I don't hesitate jumping over the smaller ones—large enough that they would've been difficult as an Original, but they don't scare me now. Only the bigger ones make me nervous.
Up ahead is a deep canyon almost thirty feet down. Tank and Rafe easily jump to the other side. I falter for just a second before making the mad leap. My feet just barely manage to reach the other side of a steep hill. I slide downwards, but my hands dig into the ground, stopping me.
"Better," Rafe says looking down at me. "But we can go faster. Don't think about anything but your muscles. Push them as hard as you can."
Tank holds out his hand and helps me to my feet. I take off after Rafe with Tank sprinting behind me. I do as Rafe says, focusing on my muscles and the way they respond to movement. I feel them pulsing and flexing with every step, but they aren't hurting at all. If I was pushing them to their max, they should at least hurt, right?
I inhale deeply, lower my head, and push faster. Trees go by me in a blur. My legs are vibrating so much it becomes a constant hum, almost to the point where I can't feel them.
Rafe glances over his shoulder. Realizing I'm gaining on him, he runs faster. I've seen fast Primes, Speeders specifically, but Rafe might be just as fast. And I'm keeping up. I look back as I run, barely glimpsing Tank behind us. My mouth drops open. I'm faster than Tank!
I concentrate again on my muscles. They’re burning, but not enough that I need to stop. I can go faster.
I pump my arms back and forth and stretch my strides out long, reaching nearly ten feet for every step. I dart to the side of Rafe. He glances at me, his face red with exertion. The corners of my mouth turn up as I pass him. I like being in front of him.
I scan the area ahead trying to determine the most difficult route. Off to my left, it looks like the forest is beginning to thin. I turn in that direction, not bothering to see if the other two follow. I want to test myself by creating my own challenges.
I keep sprinting, but at this point, I don't feel my legs moving at all. They are just buzzing, making me think of the wings of a hummingbird. Instead of running, I try leaping. I push off on one leg, lifting high into the air and landing nearly twenty feet away. I laugh out loud and keep jumping. My head rises up past the scarce trees. The forest goes on as far as the eye can see, but every so often there's a wide empty space. I catch a glimpse of water.
The sun has fully risen, bathing the forest in a honey glow of warmth and new possibilities. The smell of earth and pines accost my senses, making me feel like I belong to this new, fascinating world.
I turn in the direction of the water and travel fast until I reach a wide lake. Pine and ash trees press up against its edges, some of them growing in the shallow parts. I glance to the other side. It must be fifty yards across.
I back up and start running as fast as I can. As soon as I come close, I explode upward. I fly through the air, my arms spiraling to keep me from turning sideways. I realize when I'm half way across that I'm not going to make it.
I crash into the water, diving deep into its murky depths. Pushing off the bottom, I slide through the cool water to the light. I don't pause when I reach the surface. I swim through the water, moving almost as fast as when I was running. Part of the time, I dip under the surface and shoot through the lake like a torpedo. It's a fun way to travel.
After a few minutes, I surface and float onto my back, breathing slowly. The last hour was just what I needed to clear my mind.
"What are you doing?" a voice calls.
I swivel around. Tank and Rafe are on the other side. "I tried to jump it."
"You're good, but not that good," Rafe calls back. He's smiling, something I haven't seen him do yet. "Come on out. I want to try something else with you."
I swim to join them. I walk out of the lake and wring the water from my long hair. I pull off my t-shirt, leaving only a tank top.
"There's a clearing not far from here. We'll spar there." Rafe disappears into the forest. I stay back with Tank, walking through the trees.
"You are fast, almost scary fast," he says. "So you're a Speeder?"
"Maybe. I'm not sure exactly what they gave me."
His muscles tighten, and his voice lowers. "What else can you do?"
"I guess we'll see."
"I'm not sure you made the right choice. What if what they injected you with something harmful?"
"Even if it was, if it helps me save Colt, Max and the others, wouldn't it be worth it?"
He takes hold of my arm. "What are you saying?"
"Over here!" Rafe calls.
I pull my arm free and hurry over to the clearing.
"I want you to fight Tank first," Rafe says. "Are you okay with that, Tank?"
Tank's eyes flash to mine. "I think so."
"Good. Now Sage," Rafe continues, "you have a photographic memory. I want you to use this to your advantage. Memorize the way Tank fights. Find a pattern. You have an amazing brain and now a body to match it. Make them work together."
I nod and step into the middle of the clearing. My father had taught me to fight from an early age. I know all the moves, know exactly what to do, but in the past, I was never strong enough to actually have it mean anything. What I used to do was exploit a Prime's weakness, then run like hell. This time there would be no running away.
"Try and punch me," Tank says.
With little effort, I jab a closed fist at his chest, the highest point I can reach on his massive body. He easily sidesteps the motion. I punch again, faster this time. He spins out of the way.
I inhale deeply and try again, paying close attention to his footwork and the way he moves. So far there's not much of a pattern.
"Quit holding back," Rafe says, his voice sharp.
I swing my fists, two jabs, left then right. They are fast and nearly catch Tank. Just as he steps to the left, I finally manage to catch him in his shoulder.
His eyes widen, and he smiles as he rubs his shoulder. "I think we can actually have some fun now."
I grin just as he swings his huge fist in my direction. I duck and punch at his stomach. The force almost makes him double over, but he recovers much too quickly. He kicks at my side, a move I don't expect. Air explodes from my lungs and I drop to the ground.
"Sage! I'm so sorry." Tank bends over to see if I'm all right.
I expect to feel some serious pain, but it never comes. This realization has me jumping to my feet ready to fight with everything I have.
Tank steps back, startled. "Are you sure?"
I swing fast and hard, three in a row. The last one smashes into his left side, nearly flipping him around.
"Good," Rafe says. "Go faster."
Tank lunges for me, but I step out of the way, and punch him in his back near his kidney. His eyebrows draw together, and his jaw tightens. This is his fighting face. I've seen it before.
I step back into a defensive position and brace myself. He jabs twice, then uppercuts with his right hand, all of which I dodge. He back steps then comes at me again. This time throwing left-right-left-right, followed by a left hook that grazes the side of my cheek. He back steps again. I keep a close eye on him, especially his metal arm. It's got to hurt something terrible to get punched by it.
He continues these motions over and over, with me avoiding them until I find his pattern. As soon as he steps toward me, I jump up and swing my fi
st at his jaw, taking him by surprise. His head snaps back, and he stumbles. I spin around before he can recover, jump again, and kick directly into his chest. The force of the blow sends him flying until he crashes into a tree behind him.
"Perfect," Rafe says under his breath.
Tank's face creases in pain and anger. He takes a few seconds to recover then rushes me. We fight again, exchanging blow for blow. He swings. I duck and reciprocate the punch. There is so much going on that I'm surprised I can keep up with the action, but my body is responding as fast as my mind. Sometimes I think I can go faster, but my brain is too focused on watching his moves, calculating each step and punch until he's not able to hit me if he tried.
"Stop!" Rafe roars.
We lower our hands, our chests heaving.
Rafe shakes his head. "Not bad, but you're still not running at full capacity."
"What are you talking about?" Tank asks. "She's doing amazing. I've never fought someone as competent as her. It's scary."
Rafe steps toward me. "I want you to fight us both."
"Both?" I swallow hard.
"There's no way," Tank says, his eyes flashing between us. "We could kill her!"
Rafe rubs his chin and mumbles to himself more than to us. "She should be able to fight a small army single-handedly with what we gave her."
"What exactly did you give her?" Tank asks, his voice steel.
Rafe looks up, his eyes meeting mine. "Let's fight. Don't hold anything back, Sage. If you do, you'll be feeling pain like you've never felt before, because I promise you. I won't be holding back."
"Rafe, I don't—" Tank begins, but Rafe is upon me before he can finish his sentence.
I barely miss Rafe's fist as it slides past my cheek. I duck again to avoid his upper-hook right for my jaw. I spin and jump into the air, kicking at his chest. He evades the kick and attacks me again, this time connecting with my face. I fly through the air and crash to the ground. I cough, spraying the ground with blood.
"You're going to kill her!" Tank yells.
"Not if she stops me," Rafe responds and rushes me before I can get to my feet.
His booted foot comes crashing down toward my head, but I stop it with my hands and twist hard. His body turns with it and he nearly falls, but he manages to jerk his leg away from me. I jump to my feet and swing at him, but I'm too slow. I punch again, but he dodges every blow almost as if taunting me.
I grind my teeth together. Focus! I dig deep inside my mind, watching every move, every twitch. The images become ingrained my memory. After about thirty seconds, I feel like I know everything I need to know about his fighting pattern. This time when I swing at him, I connect, but just barely.
"Don't think about it!" Rafe says as he jumps out of the way of another one of my punches. "Let your body do what it was designed to do!"
"Stop this!" Tank yells again. He moves to step in front of Rafe, but Rafe shoves him away.
I do a reverse spin kick, but Rafe dodges it and punches at my face, connecting once more. Pain as if a knife has been shoved up my nose shoots through my body. Warm blood runs down over my lips and chin.
"You like the feel of blood on your face?" Rafe taunts. "Because you're about to have a lot more of it."
He punches my face again, making me stumble back. I'm losing. How can I fight the Institute if I can't even beat one man?
"Your brother. Max, right?" Rafe says.
My head snaps up.
"Do you know that Ebony has him locked up in a cold cell somewhere with no blankets and no company. He's lucky if he's being fed once a week. It will be just enough food to keep him alive. Do you want to know why?"
My mouth parts, and I taste blood. Tears sting my eyes.
"Because when the time is right, they will use him to get to you. Surely you know this."
"But I'm different now," I whisper.
"Are you?" He snorts. "From what I'm seeing, you're still weak. You might as well tell Ebony to kill Max right now."
"Shut up!" I growl.
"Make me! Or maybe you can't. Maybe you have too much of your father in you and are only useful stuck inside a lab!"
I scream and rush him. This time when I fight him, I don't think. I just focus on how much I want to smash his brains in. My fists fly left and right. My kicks come right after. Rafe's arms are up trying to block me.
"Help me, Tank!" he shouts.
"Sage," Tank begins and reaches for me, but I shove his hand away, my focus solely on Rafe.
Rafe tries to fight back, but I don't let him. He punches and spins and kicks while I do the same. Most of mine connect, but his don't even come close. Blood pours from his nose and his eyes swell.
Tank jerks me back, but I whirl around and swing at him, connecting with his jaw. He flies through the air. I turn just in time to catch Rafe's fist before it crashes into the back of my head. I twist his arm and shove my other hand directly into his chest. He lands on the ground and slides several feet taking grass and dirt with him.
Tank reaches me then. We fight in a flurry of fists and kicks. Rafe joins a moment later. The faster they go, the slower their movements seem. There's a tickling on my mind, subtle at first, but as it grows, I realize I'm moving so fast that they are practically at a standstill. The power flows through my body, igniting every nerve ending until I'm running circles around them. I have them so flustered that at this point they are just throwing blind punches hoping to catch me in passing. I'm no longer hitting them, just teasing them. This is the first time I've ever seen Tank sweat.
Finally, I jump between them and shove my arms outward into each of their chests. They fly backward at least twenty feet and each crash into a tree. Tank's snaps in two.
I slowly rise, power coursing through every part of me. I have speed, I can jump far, my strength is insane, and I handled every blow they threw at me. I think I'm ready.
Rafe coughs and pushes onto his feet. "We're finished."
He doesn't say anything else, doesn't even look at me as he walks past, wiping at his lip.
I walk over to Tank and extend my hand. He glances down at it briefly before accepting it. I easily pull him to his feet.
"I'm worried about you, Sage," he whispers.
"Don't be."
He hesitates before asking, "What are the consequences?"
"What do you mean?"
"Something like this had to have a price. What was it?"
I stare into the forest, my skin chilling. "My life. I have maybe a couple of months if I'm lucky."
"Why would you do that?" he asks, his voice rising.
"I didn't have a choice. It was either me or…"
"Or?"
I shake my head, unable to say Link's name. "It doesn't matter. I did it and there's no going back. The best thing I can do now is to rescue the people we love. Then this will all be worth it."
“Look at me,” he says, taking my arms. "You should never have to exchange your life for someone else's. There are other ways. Rafe probably made you believe you didn't have a choice, but you did."
"You're right. I did have a choice, but I don't know if I could've lived with the consequences if I didn't. Besides, at least I know for sure that with whatever they did to me, my focus is entirely on saving Max and Colt. I don't know if someone else would have that same focus."
He shakes his head. "I hope you're right, but more importantly, I hope people will forgive you for what you've done, especially Colt."
I nod once and walk after Rafe. Colt probably won't forgive me, but at least he will be alive.
I keep a slower pace on my way back to Enfield, and I choose a different route than Rafe and Tank. I need some time to think and clear my head. That fight unlocked something inside of me, a new power I never thought myself capable of. The strength of it frightened me, and I worried that if I wasn't careful, it could overtake the part of my mind Rafe wanted me to ignore, the part Anthony had fostered.
I walk to my cabin keeping my head down. The
sun is low in the sky but still providing plenty of light. I knock on the cabin's door before I go inside just in case Jenna's in there. Somehow I need to make things right with her, but I have a feeling it's going to take time. I should probably try and explain why I did it. She might understand me better if she knew one of the reasons was to protect Link, who I know she has a crush on.
The cabin's empty so I slip inside and look in the mirror. My hair has fully transformed into a Prime’s. It's shiny like the sheen on maple syrup and hangs in perfect curls down my shoulders. I shower and dress quickly, pull my hair into a loose bun, then pull my hat down over it. Before leaving, I grab a banana and my jacket hanging on a hook. I realize I haven't eaten all day, but feel no hunger pains.
Walking toward the Green, I hear dozens of voices in the distance and sense tension. People are nervous, excited, scared. They want to save Colt. They want revenge on the Institute. They want to protect the ones they love. Their emotions seem to stain the air, making it difficult to breathe. I lean against a tree to clear my head. Since becoming a Prime I haven't had any suffocating feelings. They overwhelm me now, but not from a small space. It's the thought of how many people are going to suffer, how many are going to die.
I breathe slowly, focusing on the oxygen filling my lungs. In and out. In and out. When my mind clears, I continue forward before all my emotions can catch up to me again. A job has to be done, and my body couldn't be any more prepared.
The Green is crowded, more so than I've ever seen before. Most of the Primes are dressed in black uniforms and holding weapons. Originals are on the outside huddled together. I go there first and search the crowd until I find Jack, the man who had helped me evacuate some of the Originals when my mother ordered their execution in the gas room.
"Where have you been?" Jack asks when he sees me. "It's been awhile."
Smoke steps next to him. "I second that."
I smile at Smoke. He lived with me in Eden and was one of the few who actually wanted to leave the place. Since arriving at Enfield, he's mostly kept a low profile, helping Originals when he can.
"Sorry. I've been busy."
Jack nods toward the Green. "I can imagine, but they aren't letting you go on this mission, right?"
Saving Eden (Original Series book 3) Page 10