“That was the plan.” His response is cold and without feeling.
She perks up and her eyes brighten. “Well, I had some more fun on my way back here. I got another chance to get a diamond.”
“You failed, though. How do you classify that as fun?”
“Being able to kill another unkillable person brings a certain level of satisfaction.” She inhales deeply with a pleased expression.
I don’t think I can stay calm with her, Chris thinks.
She’s testing you, Crimson says with her mind.
I better change the subject. Chris asks Deus, “So what are you working on?”
“Where’s Brand?”
“In Denver somewhere. Why?”
“He has something I want.”
“Ah, you figured out his power is stronger than yours.” Chris smiles, having second-guessed Deus.
“Did you know?”
“No, but I figured it out quickly enough when they were able to take Beth and lose your tail back in Ohio. Obviously, Brand must be more powerful than you.”
“Yeah, well not for long. Grab a lab coat and come help me. We’re looking for clear stones or pale-colored stones bordering on clear. It’s just easier to remove the dark stones. Put the clear stones in this bin for Dr. Condi.” Deus points to a grey-haired man on the other side of the room who is bent over a microscope.
While I sit and watch, Deus and Chris take turns insulting each other and trying to outperform each other.
Crimson decides there’s nothing we need to do here, so she leaves the room. I follow her as she wanders around the facility. Our minds share information like two computers saving data to the same hard drive. I learn what she learns, and vice versa. We are able to get into the room containing the machine Travis talked about. It looks like a regular CT machine, with nothing special setting it apart from any other medical scanner. The room next to the machine stores many crystals labeled with different powers. Crimson tells me she will try to get inside and investigate.
I head back to keep an eye on Deus just as Deus takes the bin of crystals to Dr. Condi. I figure I’d better see what he’s researching so intently.
A female assistant enters the lab carrying a medium-sized metal box.
“Here’s the archived material, Dr. Condi.”
“Thank you,” he says, rather absentmindedly, accepting the box.
The assistant sits beside him, observing his work. Dr. Condi lifts the lid of the box she brought and exposes several gemstones of varying colors. He pushes them around with his finger until he locates the one he wants. He carefully picks up a clear white stone and places it under the lighted magnifying glass. After examining it thoroughly, he says, “Excellent. Let the general know we’ve found a match.”
I step away, not a moment too soon, as the female pushes her chair back and hurries over to the phone. I follow her and listen to the voice on the other end of the phone.
“Sir, Dr. Condi says we have a match.”
“Any flaws?” General Harding asks.
“I’m not . . . I’m not sure, sir.”
I don’t need to use my powers to hear him yell, ordering her to go find out.
“Dr. Condi,” she says, raising her shaking voice to be heard across the large lab. “Are there any flaws?”
“No. It’s a perfect match.”
“Sir, there are no flaws . . . sir?” The assistant pulls the phone away from her ear and hangs up the receiver. I read her mind. I hate this job! I hate this job!
Chris and Deus Ex bicker back and forth as the assistant crosses the lab back to Dr. Condi. I remain by Chris and speak to his mind.
Your father is coming.
The door to the lab opens and slams against the wall. General Harding marches in and orders, “Bring it to me!”
Dr. Condi brings the clear stone to the general.
“You’re certain?” Harding asks.
“One hundred percent. It’s an identical match to the other, just as you thought it would be.”
Crimson’s voice says to my mind, What kind of stone are they talking about, Calli?
I read Dr. Condi’s mind. The crystal is quartz, but not just any quartz. This particular quartz came from the same area as their strongest samples . . . samples that now hold all the known powers except for the repeating power.
General Harding hands the quartz back to Dr. Condi and says, “Take it to the crystal room.” Then he addresses Chris. “I want you to bring the Repeater in tomorrow.”
“I thought you wanted the Diamond Bearer?” Chris says.
“I do, but bring the boy first so I can be better pre-pared to handle the girl.”
Deus addresses General Harding. “Might I suggest you forget about the girl and just harvest the diamond you have right here in your building? Rolf held back information that would have been useful to know. Besides, he’s of no use to us now.”
General Harding doesn’t respond. The entire room falls silent for several long seconds. Then he says, “Young lady, when I want your opinion, I’ll ask for it. Until then, just do as you’re ordered.” He turns and leaves the room.
Chris asks, “What was that all about, Deus?”
“He’s your father. What are you asking me for?” Deus turns her head and looks up at the clock on the wall. “We need to go meet the truck with our new candidates.”
“Right. How could I forget?”
I follow Deus and Chris down a different hallway and into a room with an outside exit and a loading bay. Along the opposite wall, I notice a large cage built out of chain-link fencing. Obviously the cage is meant to house the prisoners.
Deus peers through the peephole on the door and then sits down on a folding chair.
“They’re not here yet,” she says.
Chris unfolds a chair and sits across from her.
The room falls completely silent—so quiet I worry my breathing might be detected. Chris thinks the same thing. He clears his throat and asks, “So, Deus, what’s your plan?”
“My plan? My plan is to outlive everyone else.”
“Oh, nothing short of grandiose, huh?
“Why would I settle for anything less?”
A low rumbling outside the door, followed by the high-pitched squeal of brakes halting a vehicle, indicates the truck has arrived. Deus jumps up and peeks out the hole, then she climbs on the elevated loading-bay platform and raises the large garage door. As the door curves up and around on the tracks, the back end of a dark green military truck becomes visible. Deus reaches forward and opens the flaps. Two Unaltered soldiers get out of the truck and join her.
The prisoners are all chained to the inside of the truck and need to be released one at a time and escorted to the cage. As each person marches by, I detect their individual power. Each of the five powers is represented. Then Deus walks out of the back of the truck with Clara Winter.
I clamp my hand over my mouth to trap any sounds of horror that might escape.
Chris doesn’t flinch or even acknowledge her. He seems to stare right through her.
I read his mind and find he is near tears, especially when he sees the next prisoner ushered out of the truck—Beth’s little brother, Nate.
My heart almost stops when my eyes catch sight of Nate. How were Clara and Nate captured? The fact they were captured is a horrible reminder that Unaltered soldiers are formidable foes. These prisoners are going to be outfitted with crystals and fed to the Shadow Demons to create more healing stones. Nate isn’t a person with powers. He’s just a regular human, so the Shadow Demons won’t be interested in him. General Harding will probably have him shot.
Oh, how I hope we did a good enough job of eliminating the Demons. The sun needs to set in order for me to know.
Chris and Deus return to the lab after the prisoners are processed. I follow close behind. I seek out Crimson with my mind. Crimson, did you see that Clara and Nate were captured?
Yes. Remember to stay focused, Calli. I warned you we migh
t see disturbing and horrible situations today.
Where are you?
I’m in General Harding’s office.
She allows me to see through her eyes. She’s sifting through files in the file cabinet. One particular file catches her eye and she pulls it out of the drawer. Inside are blueprints and schematics.
Calli, look at the walls in the lab. Do you see any seams? Perhaps trim pieces you don’t normally see on walls?
I glance around the room at the walls. Most of them are covered with shelving units. I answer Crimson. No, I don’t think so.
I see the blueprint she’s studying. Apparently General Harding has installed some sort of back-up security device inside the walls. Not every wall, but definitely inside his office.
Crimson hears voices out in the hall. She quickly replaces the file and closes the drawer just in time as General Harding enters his office, followed by Rolf and two guards. The general closes the door and then sits at his desk. Crimson moves away to the corner behind the desk and watches. The guards stand along the wall near the door next to Rolf.
I think I’m more panicked for Crimson than she is for herself. I’m not sure, as I can’t read her mind. I watch the scene play out through her eyes.
General Harding asks Rolf, “Why didn’t you alert Deus to the possibilities of what might happen when the soldier went to retrieve the diamond from the Bearer?”
“Sir, there are so many possibilities. It’s hard to predict what a Diamond Bearer will do.”
“If it’s so hard to predict, then what use are you?”
“I know information about the Bearers that you’ll never be able to discover.”
“So you’re holding your information back until you feel I need it?”
“Sir, I assure you I’m not being deceptive. For instance, I’ve detected the Bearer Calli nearby. I can feel her diamond.”
“That’s it? Chris already alerted me to her presence, and he doesn’t have a diamond. Your usefulness has run its course.”
Rolf’s expression is one of extreme shock. “Chris knows she’s here?”
General Harding nods to his guards, who step forward, seize Rolf by his arms, and pull him back to the wall.
“What are you doing?” Rolf asks in alarm.
Harding slams his hand onto a red button protruding from the side of his desk. A large panel on the wall behind the desk moves sideways at lightning speed, exposing several large pieces of obsidian.
Because Crimson read the General’s mind moments before, she is ready for the obsidian. She activates her topaz power just in time to prevent being exposed. Our mind link should have ceased as a result of the obsidian, but it didn’t. I can only assume she has other topaz with other powers on her body.
“I’m going to make myself into a Diamond Bearer, Rolf. What’s the matter? Can’t you see the future?” General Harding pulls a .44 Magnum pistol from under his desk, stands, and grips the gun firmly with both hands. He fires two shots into Rolf’s chest.
I witness the gruesome scene through Crimson’s mind and feel her shock.
In the lab, the echo of gunfire startles everyone. Guards run by the open doorway, and terrified workers huddle together in the hallway Voices are heard, asking, “Is the compound under attack? Is there a lone gunman or are there several?”
I tell Chris’s mind, Rolf was in your father’s office and your father just shot and killed him.
Chris runs out the door, and Deus follows him.
I stay in the lab, as Crimson instructs, and watch the scene play out through her eyes. I’m also able to view a second perspective through Chris’s mind. He and Deus, along with several guards, stand outside the office in the hallway, peering through the partially-closed blinds in the windows along the wall. The guards are shouting and trying to break the door down. Chris hears cursing and expressions of disgust at the gruesome sight of Rolf’s body. Words like “bullet-proof” and “secured from the inside” hit Chris’s ears. Chris sees his father sitting at his desk with a gun in his hands.
Inside the office, the guards let Rolf’s body slide to the floor in a heap.
Harding puts his gun back in the holder under his desk. Then he reaches inside the wall where the pieces of obsidian rest and picks up a chunk the size of a deck of cards. He walks over to the quivering bloody mess that lies beside what is left of Rolf’s body.
I speak to Crimson’s mind. He’s going to pick up the heart and diamond. Should you stop him?
No. Just watch.
General Harding extends his hand, pauses, and then grabs the heart and holds it in one hand, with the obsidian in the other.
General Harding looks at his obedient guards and laughs manically. “I’m holding a diamond and I’m still alive. So much for assigning this task to anyone else.”
The commotion from outside the door pulls General Harding’s attention to the gathered crowd of onlookers in the hallway. Unsuccessful attempts to open the door prompt the general to instruct one of the guards to press the red button on the desk to deactivate the security system. Once it’s pressed, the door is quickly opened. Guards pour into the room, guns drawn.
“Holster your weapons. Everything is under control,” General Harding says.
Through Chris’s eyes, the scene of Rolf’s demise is horrific. Others standing around Chris utter words and sounds of disgust at the sight. Chris sends me his thoughts. I don’t want this to happen to you, Calli.
General Harding walks toward the door, the black rock and bloody heart held out in front of him. Everyone in the hall moves out of his way.
Crimson loses eye contact with him and says to my mind, Stay where you are. I think he might be headed in your direction. Get ready to use your topaz, and don’t let anyone bump into you.
Okay, I respond.
Crimson remains in the general’s office, watching the panel on the wall, behind the general’s desk, slowly slide closed. Crimson tells my mind, The blueprints showed a hair-trigger system for this panel in the wall. As we’ve just witnessed, once activated, the panel instantly opens, giving the general immediate protection from exposed obsidian. We must be extremely careful, Calli. I’m sure there are more of these security panels throughout the compound.
I don’t hesitate to focus on my topaz power. Moments later, when General Harding enters the lab, the large piece of obsidian in his hand instantly removes my diamond powers.
The general walks slowly to the double sink, where he deposits the two objects. Several guards and curious employees enter the lab, but remain at a distance. Chris and Deus are among the group. They watch in amazement as Harding turns the water on and scrubs the heart muscle off the diamond. When he finishes, he dries the diamond and obsidian and turns toward the door. He seems shocked so many people are standing around observing him—almost as if he has been inside his own little world for the last few minutes, unaware of the crowd.
General Harding places the diamond in a small glass case he removes from a nearby shelf. He locks the container and walks slowly toward the door with both the case and the large obsidian. Everyone moves out of his way again.
As soon as the obsidian is out of the room, my powers rush back into my body. I focus on refilling my topaz with invisibility power because I sense its level is low. Crimson’s mind reveals she’s in the hall and will follow him to see where he places the box. I am to remain in the lab.
Through Crimson’s eyes, General Harding enters the room containing the crystals and places the box down on the table next to a metal pyramid-shaped object. He hands the large piece of obsidian to a nearby guard and instructs him to return it to his office.
Once the obsidian is on its way down the hall, I receive the strumming awareness that the diamond no longer has an owner.
I send my thoughts to Crimson, Look on top of the metal pyramid. Is that the clear quartz Dr. Condi found today?
I believe so. I don’t detect any power residing within it.
Crimson reads the general’s
thoughts briefly, which reveal that he’s excited and nervous about completing the biggest accomplishment humanity had ever achieved. He will become an all-powerful, all-knowing Repeater. The lackeys in Washington will never disrespect his research again. In fact, he has several creative deaths planned for his biggest critics. Faces of senators and other people flash through his mind, including Merlin’s face. Crimson pulls out of General Harding’s mind. He scratches the top of his head, turns, scans the empty room, then leaves. Crimson hurries out before she’s locked inside.
* * *
After sunset, a full moon shines down on the shackled captives as military guards lead them outside to the far end of the property where spotlights and video cameras are set up. Each person has been outfitted with several crystals in the hope of capturing more of the Demons’ healing power.
Crimson and I follow close by, using our topazes to remain invisible. Our mind connection is sustained through the use of the topaz. I speak to her mind. I can’t tell if there are any Demons nearby. We’re too close to the obsidian on the exterior of the building.
I don’t know if there are, either. You must resist the urge to help, Calli.
I know. I pray the Demons are gone. I don’t know if I’ll be able to stand by and watch so many innocent lives perish.
I take a few more steps away from the building, putting enough distance between my body and the obsidian on the exterior of the building so that my powers rush back into my body. I instantly look for Demons but find nothing. The night air smells fresh and safe. Even though I feel relieved, the captives all believe they are about to die. I empathize with their fear, as I have felt it before.
The guards step back and wait.
Several of the younger prisoners cry, and Clara tries to comfort them with calming words. Even though I know they will all be okay, Clara does not. She displays true selflessness.
The lights turn off, all at once. Everyone flinches and braces for attack.
Nothing happens.
The Diamond Bearers' Destiny Page 19