‘There are people out there making a difference. People like Titan. People who are using their abilities for the greater good.’
‘I know and I admire their attempts but their crusade is futile. Al long as their is great power there will be unbalance. This is how it has to be. The is the best solution.’
‘You call harming innocent people and forcefully making a discussion for them balance. How does that make you any different from the adroit—‘
‘I’m nothing like them.’
I took a step back. ‘You broke into the treatment centre. You caused the harm of hundreds of innocent people-’
‘The side effects were unfortunate. A necessary evil—’
‘You most of all should know how it is to be persecuted,’ he said. ‘As long as some see themselves above others, there will be no equality. Imagine a world where everyone was equal. A world where you weren’t defined by your special abilities. Imagine a world where you didn’t have to feel inferior.’
An image of me having a similar conversation with Asher crept into my mind. I recalled having a similar conversation with Asher. The familiarity I felt around Eric. That’s what it was. Eric sounded just like Asher. How could it be?
‘Asher?’ I whispered.
Eric morphed into Asher.
Chapter 22
Eric was Asher?
‘How?’ I whispered.
‘It began just before I had to quit my treatment,’ Asher explained. ‘Everything became wonky. I began to experience other peoples thoughts. I would feel like I was Oliver or two different people. It would last for hours. It turns out my voice mimicking abilities were just the tip of the iceberg of what I could do. I could become any person I touched. I could assume their abilities, thoughts and knowledge. It explained why I knew certain things. I was consuming the knowledge of teachers and other people around me all along. I could actually shape-shift. The treatment helped unlock my full potential.’
‘You got your abilities,’ I said. ‘Why are you still doing this?’
‘Because I have the power and the knowledge to make a difference. I have the power to make the world a better place. No adroit or maladroit, just equals.’
‘This is madness,’ I said.
‘I thought it was what you wanted. Equality for everyone.’
‘I didn’t literally mean it.’
A thought crossed my mind. If Asher was Eric, then where was the real Eric?
‘What did you do to Eric?’ I asked.
‘He got what he deserved.’
‘What did you do to him?’
Eric was silent.
‘I shouldn’t have to remind you who the bad guys are.’ He said unable to look me in the eyes. ‘You should know. You understand.’
‘What did you do to him?’
He turned away from me.
‘Maladroit, freak, weirdo!’ he yelled. He sighed. ’I just wanted to be left alone. I was so tired of the taunts. So tired of being shamed for my abilities. So tired of being ridiculed for something I didn’t have control over.’
‘I was minding my business after school, and as usual, Eric had to taunt me. He raised his hand against me. I grabbed it in self-defence. I just wanted to be left alone, but he wouldn’t stop. I wanted him to feel my pain. I wanted to hurt him. The longer I held on to him the weaker he grew. It felt great to have the upper-hand. I felt like I had been asleep and finally woke. I held on to him too long. When I realised what was truly happing I let go. Eric dropped to the floor. I checked for a pulse but it was too late. He was gone. I had absorbed his abilities and essence. I had transformed into the very person I hated.
As hard as I tried I couldn’t shape ship into myself. I couldn’t go home as Eric so I assumed his identity. I tried to go on as him at school, but even after my disappearance, the adroit would not let me rest.
In time I learnt to shift into myself, but the adroit and Eric’s voice still lingers within me so I decided to use my knowledge to rid myself of him and to find a way to end the discrimination and hate. A way to ensure equality.’
‘I’m sorry,’ I said. ‘I know how vicious the adroit can be. You were left with no choice. Taking away everyone’s abilities is not—’
He walked over to the desk and grabbed a clean syringe and unwrapped it.
‘This is not how I expected you to react,’ he said. ‘I thought you saw things the same way.’
Reasoning with him wasn’t going to work. His mind was made up on the matter. I ran for the door. Asher telekinetically held me back. Every step felt like I was carrying twice my weight until I was lifted off the ground. I tried to move. My entire body was stiff. Asher telekinetically turned me around to face him. He pulled me closer until I was inches away from him. He reached into my jeans pocket and pulled out my phone. He dropped it on the ground and stomped on it, smashing the screen. A power cord floated towards me and tightly wrapped itself around my shoulders. Another floated over and bound my legs. I felt a force against the back of my knees as an arm chair slid behind me forcing me to sit.
‘I’m not gonna hurt you,’ he said. ‘I need more of your blood for the final batch of the virus.’
A medical kit floated over to his right hand. He opened it and retrieved a cotton ball and some antiseptic.
‘I was hopping you might willingly donate it, but you left me no choice.’
He tied a tourniquet around my forearm and sterilised my inner arm before drawing some blood. When he was done he put a bandaid on the bleeding incision. He walked over to his workstation and began working.
‘Are you gonna get rid of me like Eric?’ I asked. ‘You can’t keep me here!’
‘I’ll let you go as soon as I have released the virus.’
‘This is insane.’
He was oblivious.
‘Help!’ I yelled.
‘No one will hear you.’
‘Help!’
A wrapped t-shirt from the sleeper couch floated over to me and wrapped around my mouth.
‘Help,’ I mumbled. My voice would not carry over the gag around my mouth. ‘Let me go!’ I repeatedly mumbled over the gag. Asher was oblivious. I screamed and mumbled until I tired out.
***
I watched Asher work. He worked with urgency for hours. He got up and left after a few hours. I struggled to free myself from the restraints when he was gone. I got up, but I could barely hop around. I looked around Asher’s workstation for a sharp object. Anything sharp enough to cut the cords. I noticed a scalpel near the electron microscope.
I frantically struggled to my feet. I began to hop over to the table nearly tripping. I heard the latches on the door open and collapsed back on the chair.
Asher entered holding two large bags of takeaway.
He untied the cord around my arms and handed me one of the bags. There were two bottles of water, my favourite grape juice and fast food inside.
‘Thanks,’ I said.
I began to eat. Asher continued his work. He assembled a canister to some tubes and electronics.
‘Is that how you plan to unleash the virus?’ I asked.
‘What if it doesn’t work.’
Asher telekinetically gagged me with the cloth and tied me to the chair.
‘Hm,’ I moaned. ‘Hm.’
‘What?’ he said removing my gag.
‘I need to use the rest room.’
He untied me.
‘It’s through there,’ he said referring to a door near the couch.
I walked over and noticed a shelf with some disassembled handheld inhibitors and black gloves. I entered the bathroom. The window was barely big enough for me to fit through. It was completely dark outside — hours had gone by. I plopped down on the toilet seat defeated. I looked up. The Gelder helmet hung from a towel rack mounted on the inside of the bathroom door. The gloves and black pants laid on a shelf next to the door.
I exited the bathroom and ask Asher if I could lay down.
‘Go ahead,’ he said.<
br />
I kept quiet, facing away from him. He would have to sleep at some point. I’ll just have to wait him out, I thought. A few hours later he was still wide awake perfecting his weapon of destruction. I waited a while longer until I drift to sleep. I was rustled by the noise of Asher exiting the bathroom. The birds chirped outside. I squinted against the light flooding through the windows. I sat up.
‘I had really hopped you would experience the dawn of a new era with me,’ Asher said. He packed the contraption into his backpack. ‘The look on the faces of the adroit once they realise they have no power.’
He telekinetically wrapped the cord around me.
Reasoning had failed. Running was pointless. Asher was too strong. The inhibitor my mind screamed.
I asked to use the bathroom before he left. He unstrapped me.
I entered the bathroom. The Gelder suit was still there. I grabbed one of the gloves with an electronic bracelet around it and studied it. I turned it on. The lights came on illuminating buttons on the main dial — Stun, Immobilise, Central Inhibitor.
‘Are you done in there?’ Asher called.
I put the glove on and took a deep breath. I slowly exited the bathroom. Asher was standing by his workstation staring at the monitors. I trained the glove on him and pushed the Immobilise button. He collapsed to the floor. I continued pointing the glove at him until he stopped thrashing. I threw the glove off. I reached into Asher’s pocket for his phone. He reached out and meekly grabbed my hand. I fought it off. He collapsed back to the floor. He wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon. I examined his phone. It was looked. The time was eight-fourty-five. I tried the emergency call button. It was disabled. I threw the phone down and opened the door. I was half way out when something dawned on me — The virus. I turned back and picked up the backpack.
I exited the mill and looked around. There was no one in sight. From my vantage point, I could see a road and railings that ran along a hill in the distance. Lush woods without a clear path stood between me and the road. There was a path to my left, but it hadn’t been used in ages that shrubs and trees had engulfed it.
I ran into the woods. I knew if I kept a straight trajectory I would eventually get to the road but it was further than I thought. After running for a minute, I slowed down my pace to a jog. My lungs were burning, but I kept moving. I rested my hands on my knees and took deep breaths when I finally reached the road. I looked around as I tried to catch my breath. I waved down the first car I saw approaching. It wasn’t slowing down. I ran and stood in the middle of the road. The car horn went off before it screeched to a halt about five feet ahead of me. A man got out of the car.
‘I could have hit—’
‘I need to use your phone,’ I breathlessly said. ‘Please.’
‘Are you okay?’ He asked.
I nodded. The man reached into his pocket and handed me his cell phone. I dialled the first number that came to mind.
‘Mum,’ I said out of breath. ‘Asher has gone mad. He plans on spreading a virus—’
‘Slow down honey. Where are you?’
‘I’m on a highway…’
I looked around. I had no idea where I was.
‘The turnoff to the old mill,’ the man aided me.
‘The turnoff to the old mill,’ I relayed to Mum. She was silent. ‘Mum?’
‘I’m here hone. Just trying to recall the details. I’ll be there in a moment,’ she said. A few seconds went by. I still had the phone to my ear. ‘We’re here,’ Mum said.
Mum, Grandma Sophie and Cody appeared about a hundred metres down the road. Cody was wearing his “Kid Titan” towel-cape over his pyjamas. His beanie mask hung from his pocket. ‘Over here!’ I waved at them. They teleported to me and gave me the longest hugs and group hug.
‘Are you okay?’ Mum asked. ‘We were so worried about you.’
‘I’m okay,’ I said inhaling and exhaling deeply. I wasn’t full recovered from my dash through the woods.
‘Your Dad, Grandma and I were out looking for you all night,’ Mum said. ‘Your Dad,’ she diverged. ‘He’s still out there.’
She dialled her phone.
‘We found her… She’s okay… We’re at he old milling plant… See you.’
A car honked as it drove around the car parked in the middle of the road.
The man stood beside us speechless. I still had his phone in my hand. I gave it to him.
‘Thank you,’ I said.
‘You’re welcome.’
‘He stopped to help me,’ I explained to Mum.
Mum thanked the man. He asked if everything was okay. Whether he could assist.
‘We’ll be fine,’ Mum assured him. ‘You’ve done more than enough. Thank you very much.
‘All right,’ the man said.
‘Thank you,’ Mum and I said.
He got into his car and honked as he drove away.
‘How did you get here?’ Grandma Sophie asked.
‘Asher,’ I said. I explained everything. How Asher had transformed into Eric and his entire plan. How he had broken into jail and stolen the power inhibitors. How he had used the inhibitors to cause the blackout and the incident that nearly affected everyone. I explained that he had stolen my medical records.
I unstrapped the backpack and opened it. Grandma Sophie and Mum peered inside.
‘He intends on releasing some kind of virus,’ I elaborated. ‘I don’t know if it works, but he was serious about it.’
Mum dialled her phone again. ’Hi detective. It’s Elle Goodman. I reported my daughter missing… She’s all right… Yes… We’re at the old milling plant. The kidnapper is still here… Hurry.’
She hung up and hugged me tight. ‘I’m so glad you’re okay.’
She started shaking and collapsed. Asher stood behind her in his Gelder outfit. He had his inhibitor glove pointed at Mum, Grandma Sophie and Cody who laid shaking on the ground before me.
‘Hand it over!’ Asher instructed with his free hand motioning at the backpack in my hand. My harm rose with the backpack as Asher telekinetically pulled it towards him. I let the bag go and watched it float into Asher’s hand. I sighed in relief as he removed his grip on my family. He zipped the back and slung it around his shoulder.
The sky boomed as Dad came out of supper-sonic speed and rammed into Asher. The backpack landed in the road. Asher got up and struggled to orient himself.
A car passing by drove strait for the backpack. Asher telekinetically flipped it before it could run over the backpack. The car veered off the road and rolled a few times. Asher pulled the backpack towards him and flew away.
Dad helped Mum, Cody and Grandma Sophie up. He made sure they were fine before he came over and hugged me.
‘Did he hurt you?’ he asked.
I shook my head, ’No.’
‘He’s headed to the school. If his plan works a lot of people could get hurt.’
Dad whisked off into the sky. There was a crackle as he disappeared over the horizon like a missile.
A woman moaned from the overturned car.
Grandma Sophie and Mum checked on her. They helped her out of the wreck. She limped as she leaned on Mum and Grandma. They gently sat her down beside the road.
‘I need to check on Ray,’ Mum said. ‘Maybe I could warn the school.’
She faded slightly. Her nose bled. She reappeared. She was too weak to make a full jump. Police sirens faintly blurred in the background.
Grandma Sophie took Mums hand. She looked over her shoulder at the woman beside the road. ‘Are you sure you don’t need an ambulance?’
‘I’ll be fine,’ the woman insisted.
‘The police are on their way. They should be here soon,’ Mum told her.
‘Thank you.’
‘Come on,’ Grandma Sophie called to Cody and I. We formed a circle holding hands.
The growing sound of police sirens was replaced by the ruckus call of a fire alarm as we disappeared and reappeared in front of the school.
A swarm of kids flooded out of the school entrance. The incessant fire alarm blurred on in the chaos.
Rumbles and echos emanated from the school. Screams and panic erupted amongst the fleeing students and more flocked out of the school.
Dad flew out of one of the windows holding the backpack. Some rubble from the window and wall fell on him.
Kids screamed and scattered from the lawn.
Dad rose from the rubble, a dishevelled mess. The top buttons of his ripped shirt revealed the Titan costume underneath.
Chapter 23
Dad staggered to his feet holding the backpack. The crowd grew quiet at the sight of the protruding Titan costume underneath his torn shirt.
‘Hope!’ Allie called. She emerged from the crowd of students gathered outside the school along with Gael and Ailin.
‘Was that Asher fighting your dad?’ Allie asked.
‘Yeah,’ I confirmed. ‘He happens to be a shape shifter and has been pretending to be Eric for a while.’
‘Makes sense,’ Allie shrugged.
I gave Allie, Gael and Ailin the summary of my encounter with Asher and his plan that involved the contraption in the bag dad was holding.
Asher glided out of the school through the broken window. He telekinetically lifted rubble and hurtled it towards Dad. The stones stopped a few inches from Dad. Mum’s brows furrowed as she concentrated on the rubble and turned it on Asher. He shielded his face with his hands as a couple of the stones landed. Dad collapsed.
Mum ran to check on him. He struggled to get up. Mum helped him. Her eyes lingered on the Titan costume underneath his torn shirt.
‘Guess it’s not a secret anymore,’ Dad said meekly. ‘I meant to tell you. I—’
Dad pushed Mum aside, shielding her from some debris telekinetically shot by Asher.
The backpack disappeared. Allie was no longer standing beside me. She was nowhere in sight. Asher looked around. The grass parted with foot indentations. Asher aimed his inhibitor at the grass. Allie appeared holding the bag. Asher pulled the bag towards him. Allie was dragged along on the grass like a rag doll, but she wouldn’t let go. Ailin zoomed to help her. He held onto the bag and pulled. The bag stopped moving. Ailin grabbed it and sped down the street. He was tripped by a brick telekinetically moved by Asher. The bag flew out of his hands as he tumbled to the ground and landed near Mum and Dad.
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