“What are you saying, Calli? Don’t you want a future together?”
“Of course I do, but that doesn’t mean we have to rush into it, right?”
Before he can answer, I receive a heightened awareness that another Sanguine Diamond no longer has a Bearer. The sensation feels as if a piano tuning fork has twanged inside my chest. I am about to feel for the diamond to try to identify which Bearer has just died when Crimson quickly maneuvers the car onto an off-ramp, almost missing the exit altogether. She turns right at the light and quickly pulls into a parking lot.
“Hold my hand, Calli,” she says, reaching over the seat to me. I take her hand after letting go of Chris’s.
Maetha’s voice enters my mind mid-sentence: . . . and he’s working for General Harding again and must have an open line of communication to give her the exact whereabouts of Hasan. Yet, I can’t enter his mind or bi-locate to him.
Other voices join in on the conference-call-like conversation. Mary says, It’s not surprising that Rolf returned to the only safe place he can go. How safe is he really?
Kookju, a Bearer I’m not too familiar with, says with an Asian tang to his accent, If bullet-proof vests aren’t going to protects us, as Hasan’s heart was still able to be blasted out through the vest, then I feel it’s time for another disappearance. I’ve already chosen my location. Give this two-hundred years and it will resolve itself.
Amenemhet says, Let me guess. You, Chuang, Jie Wen, Yeok Choo and Marketa are going to your secret retreat in upper Mongolia? Don’t you think Rolf will look there first? He knows all of our preferred hideaways.
Maetha confirms Amenemhet’s thought. Hiding won’t work this time. We have to stand up and fight.
Kookju says, We disagree. What good will it serve nature to seek out our own deaths?
Fabian asks, Maetha, is it safe for Mary and Jonas to be on your island if Rolf knows about it?
Mary jumps in. We are presently relocating.
I am relieved to hear her voice and hear that she is looking out for Jonas’s safety.
Jie Wen asks, What does Crimson feel we should do?
Maetha answers, She hasn’t offered any suggestions. We know the will of nature must be upheld. That is our duty as Diamond Bearers. We will stand up and fight.
Jie Wen persists, Of course. But surely Crimson would be able to offer some insight. She has finally surfaced, making her presence known to all. It must be for a reason. She foresees something monumental or she wouldn’t have risked everything by coming forward.
Amenemhet responds with a sarcastic flavor to his words, I wasn’t aware you could read her mind, Jie Wen. Besides, we’ve always operated independently of Crimson. She works on her own duties. We work on ours.
I look at Crimson, wondering why she doesn’t just speak up and comfort the other Bearers. Maetha’s voice says, Our focus needs to be on retrieving Hasan’s diamond before Deus figures out how to pick it up.
Too late, Merlin says. Rolf already instructed an Unaltered soldier on how to do so.
Maetha says, The diamond has no owner yet, Merlin.
Yet. The Unaltered is on his way to pick up the diamond. It’s being guarded by Deus.
Where is the diamond located?
Pittsburg, Merlin answers.
My heart thuds against my ribs. Pittsburg is just a few hours away from Brand. Is Deus making her way to him?
Maetha says, I’ll alert Calli so she and Chris can be on guard.
I wonder why she keeps it a secret that Crimson is listening in on the conversation. Crimson lets go of my hand, and I immediately reach for Chris as my energy slides. He takes my hand in his and gives me comfort. I understand he has no idea what is going on, but he exercises patience. I want to speak to his mind, but I don’t know what Crimson wants him to know.
Maetha bi-locates to the passenger seat of the car and address Crimson. “I think Calli should disguise her location with obsidian.”
“No, not yet.” Crimson shakes her head. “She needs to draw strength from Chris so she’s fully recharged by the time we reach the Repeater. I’m not worried about Rolf being able to locate her diamond. You work on helping the other Bearers try to remain undetected, and continue helping Merlin with his duties. We will continue on the I-90 to Ohio.”
“Understood.” With that, Maetha vanishes.
Crimson turns the car around and waits for traffic to clear.
Chris asks, “What’s happening?”
“Another Diamond Bearer was killed,” Crimson states in what I feel is a rather bland manner.
“Who? When?”
“Hasan, just a few minutes ago in Pittsburg.” She crosses the road and turns onto the onramp to the interstate, then accelerates. “We will drive straight through until we get to Ohio, stopping only for food and gasoline.”
I can’t decide if Crimson is more worried about Rolf zeroing in on my diamond or Deus reaching Brand before we can. Or maybe she’s concerned about who will be the first Unaltered to touch Hasan’s diamond.
Crimson adds, “You can take that bullet-proof vest off, Calli. It’s not going to save your life, obviously.”
* * *
We stop in Springfield, Massachusetts for lunch.
I ask Crimson, “Don’t you carry a supply of Clara’s granola bars?”
“No, they’re designed for Runners to rebuild their bodies. I prefer to eat real food. You two stay here. I’ll be right back.” Crimson reaches under the passenger seat and pulls out a reusable grocery bag and heads into the store.
Chris unlatches his seatbelt and slides closer to me, turning his shoulders square with mine. He has a seductive look in his eyes. “Calli, I still can’t believe we’re together finally.” He leans his head towards mine, and our lips meet delicately, sending tingles all the way down to my toes. He smells so tantalizingly good, I can’t help but inhale his scent and relax into the kiss. Our lips meld together at various angles, soft, yet commanding, causing my body to buzz and heat up.
He pulls away slightly and smiles. “I swear you could light up a pitch-black stadium with your aura when we kiss.” He moves his mouth to my neck by my ear and whispers as he lightly kisses my skin, “I knew you had died when you were on the stone altar because your glow was gone.” He takes my hand in his and kisses my palm and wrist. “And when Maetha tried to insert the diamond, I waited anxiously for your glow to return as she healed you. After that, I noticed how my touch on your skin charged your aura whenever I held you. Just like now.” He pushes my sleeve up to my elbow and continues kissing a trail up my arm. I notice his kisses charge my body faster than simply holding hands.
I’ve never made-out in a backseat before, let alone in the middle of the day in a crowded parking lot. In fact, I haven’t ever made-out at all. Well, unless you count the time in the motel room just before Chris left to return to his father when he had Brand repeat with him while he kissed me over and over. Of course, I had no idea Chris had made out with me until I extracted his memories earlier today. I’m not even sure if this extremely sensual moment counts as making out.
Yeah, you’re totally makin’ out, Calli, Jonas says in my head.
Dude, come on! The only time you interrupt is when Chris and I are close.
Yeah, ‘cause it makes me feel what you’re feeling, so I take notice.
Well, you don’t have to interrupt us, you know.
“Are you all right?” Chris asks while still holding my arm to his mouth.
“Yeah, it’s just . . . there are a lot of people around . . . and Jonas.”
“Jonas? Is he eavesdropping again?”
“He can’t help himself.”
Chris straightens up and lowers my arm, yet still holds my hand. I don’t read his mind because I already know what he’s thinking. He says, “He’s not supposed to be in your head at all.”
Jonas responds, Tell him you have all your strength now.
“He says I’m back to normal.”
I glance arou
nd nervously at the other vehicles in the parking lot, looking for someone to test my powers on. People walk to and from the store’s main entrance while vehicles circle round and round like lazy vultures, waiting for the best parking spots.
I zero in on a girl no older than me who stands by the driver’s side of the car directly in front of us. She balances a crying baby boy on her hip while she fishes through her purse for her car keys. The baby is probably one year old. She has already set two grocery bags on the hood of her car to make it easier to hunt for the keys. The child wails on. I realize with stark clarity that I could be in her situation if I had made different choices somewhere along the way. I am old enough to have a baby. I suddenly don’t feel like a teen any more.
Feeling sympathy for the girl, I use my mind-reading power to determine she left her keys inside her locked car. Not good. I know I can’t help her with that problem, but I can calm her child to help make the situation a little easier. I heal the irritating rash on the baby’s bottom, which is the cause of his discomfort, and he instantly quiets down.
Then I turn to Chris. “Let go of my hand.”
He does so and scoots away from me ever so slightly. I notice I don’t weaken right away, so I use my powers again. I speak to the mind of the now frantic girl, who is still searching inside her purse for the keys. I suggest, Are they in the car?
The girl freezes in place, then bends over and looks inside the car. Her head drops in frustration. One of the bags on the hood of her car tips over, spilling the contents, including several different kinds of diaper rash ointment. The girl pulls her cell phone out and makes a call, holding the phone to her ear with her right shoulder, while pulling the child further up her hip on the left. With her right hand, she picks up the contents of her bag and carries on a conversation on the phone. Talk about multi-tasking! Now that girl has superpowers!
I look for her future, the point when she will realize the baby’s bottom has healed. I experience her elated relief that her child is no longer in pain, but also her confusion because of the small spots of blood still in the diaper from the rash the baby had been battling for weeks.
I turn to Chris, still feeling my complete powers, and ask, “Is my aura still strong?”
He smiles warmly. “Yes. Completely.”
“Your kisses healed me,” I say, feeling my cheeks heat as blood rushes to them. “I didn’t know you were a Healer,” I tease.
“On second thought, I think your aura is dimming. I better play doctor with you again.” He moves closer and takes my lips possessively. My heart races in my chest more intensely than before, and I feel the pain of the diamond shard tearing my heart. I wince a little and focus my healing powers on the pain. At some point, I’m going to have to have this thing removed.
The car door opens, and Crimson clears her throat. We pull apart quickly, and Chris repositions himself in his seat. “Take this, Chris,” Crimson says. She hands him an overloaded bag filled with vegetables and fruits. Her eyes are on me as she says to Chris, “I see you fulfilled your assignment, Chris.”
Chris’s gaze shoots to the floor in embarrassment.
“That was an assignment?” I ask Chris, feeling a little hurt, but then the diamond in my heart warms my cold reaction. I read his mind and find he was more than willing to do as Crimson asked. In fact, he would have taken the private opportunity to kiss me whether or not Crimson had given him the order.
Crimson climbs in the car and sets her bag in the passenger seat. “Calli, the energy between two people in love is an incredible thing to behold. I could see the glow through the windows by the checkout stands. Don’t panic, though. Not many individuals can see your glow. It’s part of the color spectrum that regular human eyes cannot see. Perhaps someday love energy will be harnessed and used as a new clean power source.”
“Beth saw my aura the first day I arrived at the Runners’ compound, and Chris saw it too.” I look at him. He nods his head in agreement. Crimson starts the car and pulls into traffic.
Crimson continues, “Beth Hammond’s ability to view auras is a gift that I gave her many years ago, and she has yet to use it to its full capacity.”
“Does Beth know you too?”
“No. She was unaware of my presence. I also gave Chris the same power, but your aura is the only one he can see.”
Chris’s eyebrows shoot upward. “You did? When?”
“Just after Maetha gave you the vision of Calli. Auras are like fingerprints. Each one is unique. There’s a discernible difference between what Beth sees when looking at Unaltereds in general and what you see when looking at Calli’s individual aura.”
My mind races a mile a minute. “Wait a second. Maetha and Beth tried to teach me how to see auras. Is that something that can be taught?”
“No. My powers aren’t the same as Maetha’s, and she is unaware of everything I can do. In order to view an Unaltered’s aura, a physical change has to take place within the eye—a change only I can bring about. I’ve personally altered each Diamond Bearer so they can view auras . . . well, with the exception of you and Jonas.
“I’m telling this to you two, and through Calli I’m also telling Jonas. Certain bits of information I give you will not be able to be extracted from your mind, nor will you be able to share the information in any way: not through speaking or thinking or writing. You’ll know which bits I’ve blocked because you won’t be able to discuss them . . . but you’ll remember them. Each Bearer is privy to some type of exclusive information. Maetha knows information that you will never know, Calli, but that doesn’t mean anything negative. Now you know something Maetha doesn’t. In fact, Calli, to answer a question from your past, the Bearers work together as a group because each one understands they know something none of the others know. It’s an equalizing feeling, especially for newer Bearers who learn that Maetha, Mary, and Amenemhet have been alive since the ancient Egyptian times. Their age automatically places them higher in rank in the human mind, but it shouldn’t be that way. The only leader of a Diamond Bearer is nature’s will and, secondarily, me.”
Crimson drives the car effortlessly and merges into heavy traffic. She says, “Go ahead and select something to eat out of the bag. Everything is organic, so there are no chemicals on the skins to wash off. I also looked them over carefully for bacteria. They’re clean.”
I choose a particularly delicious-looking apple. Chris pulls out a yellow pear speckled with brown marks.
Crimson continues talking, addressing Jonas as well. “You three are young and full of ideas. Your traditions are from the present day. Your ideologies are current, yet your minds accept the teachings of old. The older Bearers don’t have that luxury. Their thought processes and actions are dictated by outdated traditions. You’ll be the same in a thousand years. Who you are will never change. The difference is that you are you in today’s day and age. Even Duncan doesn’t have the advantage you do. His day and age was not long ago, yet long enough that the technologies of today baffle his mind. Maetha has tried to keep up with the evolving world of science, but her mind is always struggling to accept the changes. Still, of all the Diamond Bearers, she’s the only one who could influence the world’s governments to make them deal with the nuclear threat of the last century. It’s because of her willingness to continue to try that I’ve allowed her to live after going against nature’s will with Henry.”
“How many times has Maetha gone against nature?”
“Several, like when she controlled Chris in Alaska. I was particularly unhappy with that one.”
“How so?” Chris asks curiously.
“As I told you, the power of two people in love is incredible. At that time, and with the extenuating circumstances of needing to use obsidian to hide from Henry, Maetha’s actions of taking your memory and feelings for Calli away was for Calli’s survival. Maetha crossed the line when she took it a step further and used your indifference to Calli to allow her to feel pain and suffering. Maetha knew that if Calli be
came deathly ill, the tribal shaman would step forward and hopefully use the yellow stone, which she did. I have yet to decide what the consequences will be for Maetha.”
“Would you remove her diamond?”
Crimson doesn’t answer immediately. “I’ll know what the appropriate course of action will be when it presents itself to me.”
Wow! My mind is blown away by the realization that Maetha could lose her diamond for ordering Chris, while in his mind-controlled state, to befriend Kikee. I almost feel the punishment is a little over the top because everything has worked out in the end. Chris and I are back together, and finding the golden topaz resulted in Freedom’s death. I’ll just have to wait and see what happens in the end.
The next several hours consist of conversations and naps, especially during the several times Crimson holds private conversations with Maetha. I call my parents from a truck-stop payphone and tell them to remain at the cabin because we don’t know what Deus is capable of just yet.
At five o’clock, Maetha bi-locates to the front-seat once again. She speaks reverently. “The diamond Hasan bore is in a safe location now.”
Crimson’s mind speaks to me. Maetha’s memories are coming into my head through our Blue Diamond connection. I will view them and then send them to you and Chris.
Chris and I both nod our heads in unison, making it clear she has just spoken to both of us.
While Crimson focuses on the road ahead and Maetha’s memories, Maetha turns to me and asks, “Are you recharged yet?”
“Yes.”
“Excellent. This whole situation is intensifying, as you will soon see.”
I don’t like the gloomy tone in Maetha’s voice.
Crimson interrupts. “Done. You did well.”
Maetha nods and then vanishes. Then Crimson transfers Maetha’s memories to our minds.
The sensation racing through my body is like cool, rushing water as a vision fills my head. The scene plays out as Maetha invisibly materializes near Deus Ex. I see what Maetha sees, as if I am the one at that location. Hasan’s dead body lies near a tree just a few feet from a deserted parking lot. His heart has been blasted out of his chest and lies in the nearby grass. The edges of his diamond sparkle as occasional rays of sunlight manage to shine through the dense leaves that wave lazily above. Heavy traffic rumbles by in the distance beyond a large field of weeds. Birds chirp and fly from branch to branch, unconcerned with the gruesome scene below.
The Diamond Bearers' Destiny Page 11