Yells and shrieks of happiness fill the air as the captives realize they are safe. This continues for several seconds before the lights turn back on and a voice sounds over the outdoor sound system.
“Bring them back inside.”
Crimson and I, both relieved, suddenly come to the next horrific conclusion together—these people are going to be killed inside the compound. No way will General Harding allow them to leave and risk that they will go and expose what is going on in his facility.
We follow the line of ecstatic people inside the building. They are placed in the same observation room where Freedom died. We don’t go in the room. Instead, Crimson tells me to go find Chris.
He’s easy to locate. I just follow the yelling.
General Harding and Chris are in the lab. A computer monitor behind them displays the outdoor scene of illuminated grass where the prisoners were supposed to die. Deus stands several paces to the side watching Chris get cussed out. I conclude they must have watched the botched attempt on the monitor.
The general demands information. “Yes you do! I know you know why they didn’t die. I saw it on your face when the spotlights came back on.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I was confused, just like you,” Chris responds.
“No, you were relieved. Deus was confused.” General Harding makes an exaggerated face to mimic Deus. “You were relieved! Tell me what you know.”
“Fine! I was relieved . . . you caught me. I haven’t been able to feel safe in the dark since I was twelve. I’ve wished the Shadow Demons would go away for good . . . and when the lights came back on, I guess I imagined myself out there and what I’d be feeling.”
“What? You’re useless, Chris. They will die, like they should have already.” General Harding stalks toward the door.
“You’re not even going to harvest their power?” Chris asks.
His father stops and turns to look at Chris.
“What are you proposing?”
“Run them through the machine, remove their power, create another crystal, and then set them free. What’s the worst thing that would happen? They go running to the police station and report they were captured and their cosmic power has been removed by the government? How much of that do you think anyone would believe? If you have them killed, their bodies have to be dealt with, like Rolf’s. A much bigger headache for you.”
“It would take a month to run all of them through the machine, unless I could get a transportable generator to boost the recharge time. Besides, we don’t have enough quartz to store their powers. Logistics direct the decision here, Chris. We don’t have space enough to house them or enough food to feed them. A bullet to the head is both inexpensive and easy.”
“Did you know Diamond Bearers have the power to make people forget things?” Chris asks quietly. “You could make them forget they were ever here.”
“What? How do you know?”
“I’ve seen Maetha erase other people’s minds.”
“She has that kind of power?”
“They all do,” Chris lies.
“Hmm. I guess I’ll keep the prisoners around . . . at least for a while. I’ll need subjects to practice my powers on when I become a Bearer.”
“Yes, you will.” Chris smiles.
“It’s late. You should return to your ‘friends’ and give them an update. Tomorrow, bring the Repeater.”
“What about Deus? You could run her through the machine.”
Deus’s jaw falls open, and a slight squeaking sound comes out of her mouth.
The general says, “Agent Alpha seemed to think the male Repeater was more powerful. If I’m going to waste quartz and all the power it takes to run the machine, I’d better make it worth my time.”
“I thought you could use any quartz to contain the power removed from whoever went through the machine.”
“Only a specific kind will store the power indefinitely. The piece that was confirmed earlier today is one of those. Bring the boy with you tomorrow. Alive. If you can accomplish that, you’ll have earned my complete trust.” General Harding hands an obsidian-laced cuff to Chris.
Chris stands, takes the cuff and watches his father leave the room, thinking, I thought I had already earned your trust, but I guess I should have known you’d keep changing the game. Chris then sends his thoughts to me. Calli, are you here? Can you hear me?
Before I can answer, Deus launches heated words at Chris. “How dare you suggest I be run through the machine!”
Yes, I’m behind you, I say.
“Come on, Deus. I was only keeping the pretense up that I’m loyal to my father, not you. Besides, he didn’t want your power anyway.” Chris walks toward the door and directs his thoughts to me. Alert Crimson. We’re leaving. You two should remain invisible all the way back to Denver. I think my father might put a tail on me.
Crimson confirms that she overheard Chris and tells me she will meet us outside the main gate.
Deus blocks Chris at the door. She hisses, “What if he actually had wanted my power? Did you think about that? Don’t screw up like that again, do you hear me?”
“I hear you.” He steps around Deus and says, “See you tomorrow,” over his shoulder as he walks out of the lab.
I let Chris know what Crimson said and then follow him as he leaves the building. We don’t have any trouble getting past the security checkpoint. Fortunately, they don’t scan people as they leave. Ethan has been replaced by another guard named Juan. Chris asks for his necklace back, and Juan reluctantly obliges. Outside the building, we hustle to the gate so my powers can return as quickly as possible. My topaz is nearly drained.
Crimson speaks to both our minds. Chris, drive your car toward Denver. Stop at the first gas station. We’ll run behind you and watch for followers.
* * *
Chris pulls into the gas station parking lot and waits. Crimson has me exercise my Bearer telepathy, first with Maetha, to find out where she is located, then second to communicate with Chris—all while maintaining my invisibility.
I haven’t communicated from a distance with another Diamond Bearer before, at least not on purpose. I feel for the other diamonds as Duncan taught me to do. Several diamonds surface in my mind. I haven’t associated the names of each Bearer to all the individual diamonds yet, but Maetha’s is one I’ve identified. Jonas’s is another. I carried the one Jonas has for so long I know its signature on a personal level. Plus, I still have a piece of it in my heart.
Maetha congratulates me on reaching her and tells me the address where she and the others can be found. I relay the information to Chris as he sits in the idling car, waiting patiently.
After double-checking to make sure we haven’t been followed, Crimson and I climb in the backseat and become visible to Chris. Chris catches my eye in the rearview mirror and begins the drive to the motel. His thoughts tell me he’s relieved I’m alive and that we are all out of the compound.
Crimson speaks to both our minds. I’m relieved as well, Chris. You handled yourself well today. I don’t want anything said to the others about Beth’s brother or Clara Winter. Nate has a high chance of survival. Beth has had a rough enough day already and doesn’t need something else weighing her down right now.
Chris and I agree.
We enter the motel room and find Maetha, Brand, and Beth waiting for us. I sit down on the side of the bed across from Brand and Beth. Crimson walks straight to Maetha and takes a seat at the table with her.
Maetha asks, “What information did you gather concerning the machine? Is it producing Unaltereds?”
“Yes.” Crimson pulls some folded papers from her pocket. “I found these records. They identify everyone who has gone through the machine. Several of them were working today, and yes, they had Unaltered auras.”
Chris says, “Well, with Rolf dead now—”
“What?” Maetha exclaims. “I never felt anything.”
Crimson says, “The obsidian on the outside of the building
creates a barrier, keeping the events happening inside private. Take my hand and review what happened today.”
Maetha grasps Crimson’s hand in what I figure is the first time in several centuries that Maetha has needed to be filled in on the details of an event surrounding another Diamond Bearer. I can’t help but feel guilty.
Crimson’s voice says to my mind, That’s a natural feeling, Calli, but don’t think Maetha’s lost privilege is your fault.
I guess I don’t feel as qualified as Maetha to carry the Grecian Blue.
No one is more qualified than you.
Maetha lets go of Crimson’s hand and asks, “So General Harding wants to become a Diamond Bearer? Does he have enough information to actually accomplish that?”
Crimson nods her head.
Chris says, “He wants me to take Brand in tomorrow.”
“What? No,” says Beth, clearly disturbed.
Brand, apparently having repeated already, says to Chris, “I’ll do it. I don’t care if he takes my ability away . . . but remember I’m not going to kill anyone.”
“What if he kills you?” Beth asks, looking even more worried.
I ask, “Is it a good idea to risk Brand’s life in this way? I mean, is there some other solution?”
Brand chuckles. “Aw, you just like having me around to bail you out.”
“That, and the fact that you’re my friend, Brand.”
Brand looks to the floor for a moment and then says, “I have a shot at convincing Deus to rethink her actions. I’m going to try at least. Like I said, I really don’t care if I lose my repeating ability.”
“She is actually helping our cause,” Chris says.
Brand adds, “Maybe she can be convinced to come back to our side.”
Crimson says, “No, her mind was shaped long ago. She’s a survivor and a fighter. She’ll never feel secure until everyone she perceives as a threat is taken care of. She’s simply getting rid of the government threat, and then she’ll continue removing the Bearers.”
“But if we could convince her to stop trying to kill off Diamond Bearers, then she wouldn’t be going against nature,” says Brand. “She helped balance nature when she killed Neema, and she’s trying to eliminate the research and prototype weapons that would help the government hunt and kill people with powers and Diamond Bearers. So, technically, she’s still on the good side even if she has an attitude about it.”
“She killed Hasan,” Crimson says. “Hasan was one of the Bearers who actually performed his job.”
“Everyone deserves a second chance,” Brand states flatly.
Chris says, “I have to take you, Brand. I don’t want to, but to keep my position inside the compound I have to comply.”
“I’ll be sure to put on a good act for you, Chris.”
Chapter 12 - The Power-Removing Machine
Brand says his goodbyes to Maetha and Beth—Beth’s goodbye is an intimate kiss—and then we leave for the compound before the sun peeks over the horizon.
Crimson and I sit in the backseat. Crimson says, “Calli, activate your invisibility.”
Brand turns around instantly. “What? You can go invisible? How come you never told me that?”
Before I disappear from his view, I say, “I like to remain a little mysterious, Brand.”
Brand turns to Chris. “Did you know?”
Chris doesn’t answer. He continues driving toward his father’s facility.
About a quarter mile from the compound, Chris pulls over and pretends to retrieve a water bottle from the backseat, leaving the door open while he takes a drink. We slip out. Even though we’re invisible, our combined weight climbing out of the car causes it to wobble. If someone is watching closely, they’ll certainly wonder why the car moved.
We follow the car to the compound. Chris attaches the obsidian cuff to Brand’s wrist, removing his repeating power.
“Sorry, Brand.”
“Don’t worry about it, Chris.” Brand smiles, dimples sinking in.
Crimson says to my mind, Use your topaz for invisibility until you’re away from Brand. If he accidentally bumps into you while wearing that cuff, you’ll become visible.
I do as she says.
Once in the building, Brand is sent through the security arch first, then Chris. We accompany him, causing the X-ray machine to go off again when we walk through. Ethan, who’s back on duty, bangs on the monitor for a second time, convinced it’s experiencing a momentary glitch.
I spot General Harding just beyond the security checkpoint, waiting for Brand. I find it depressing, and quite rude, that General Harding isn’t as happy to see his own son as he is to see Brand. Chris doesn’t seem bothered. Being ignored by his father is so commonplace, it rarely affects him anymore.
I ask Chris’s mind, Do you feel like he trusts you any more today than he did yesterday?
Nope.
General Harding has two guards take Brand directly to the room with the power-removing machine. Chris follows, and Crimson and I follow Chris. On the way, we pass the lab where Deus Ex catches sight of the procession. She quickly drops what she’s working on and runs to the door.
Crimson tells my mind to step aside to make room for Deus. I do so.
The guards push open the heavy door to the room with the CT-looking machine. I notice a twelve-inch square, lead-lined window set at eye level on the door, indicating the machine produces harmful rays. The general and Deus follow the guards and we manage to squeeze inside before the door closes.
The machine is positioned in the center of the large room. Along the same wall as the door, a tall narrow glass window reveals the room that contains the power-charged crystals. Next to the narrow window is another security-enabled door that opens into the crystal room. Along the far wall, at the other end of the machine, a safe viewing area is set up behind a partition with a lead-lined observation window which allows a clear view of both the machine, and the crystal room on the opposite wall.
A male technician with an Unaltered’s aura stands by the machine. He’s holding a clipboard.
“Secure the young man to the table,” General Harding orders his guards.
My heart races inside my chest. I resist the urge to look to the future concerning Brand, and instead focus on Crimson’s admonishment to remain calm and not give away my location.
The two guards usher Brand forward and force him to sit and then lie down on the table. They remove his shoes and use heavy Velcro straps to secure his wrists and ankles. Then they remove his obsidian cuff.
Crimson says, Okay, Calli, use the Blue Diamond’s invisibility power.
Brand turns his head to the side and makes eye contact with Deus.
“You don’t have to let this become your life, Deus. You can stop everything.”
“Why would I?” she asks.
Brand says, “He’ll do the same thing to you when he’s done with me.”
Deus throws a suspicious glance at General Harding. Then she changes her tone of voice to the familiar innocent, sweet girl. “No he won’t. My power is nothing compared to yours, Brand.”
General Harding speaks to Chris and Deus. “Go behind the wall. Only Unaltereds can stay out here.”
Deus and Chris follow the instructions and move behind the wall. Deus asks Chris, “How exactly did you catch him?”
“It was easy. Why? You doubt my abilities?”
“He just seems a bit too willing to throw away something that could be used to rule the world.”
“Maybe he doesn’t want to rule the world.”
Deus pauses, scrunching her eyebrows together, then shouts, “Wait a minute! General Harding, something’s wrong here.”
The general raises an eyebrow. “What makes you say that?”
She points at Brand. “He’s not fighting you. He’s too willing.
General Harding halts what he’s doing. He looks at Brand and says, “Are you up to something, boy?”
“No. I’m just tired of the burden o
f repeating. So get on with it.”
General Harding says to Deus, “If he’s up to something, he’ll be shot once his power is removed.” The general walks to the wall and stands behind it with Chris and Deus.
I can tell Deus isn’t satisfied with the situation. I don’t dare try to read her mind for fear of revealing my presence. Even though Deus doesn’t seem to understand when her mind is being read, General Harding may. If he sees her scratch her head, he might put the place on lockdown.
Crimson confirms my thoughts. When I read his mind earlier and he scratched his head, he had the thought that maybe his mind was being read. He dismissed the idea because no one else was around. If he saw Deus, or anyone else, scratching their scalp, he’d probably panic.
The technician continues to run through his checklist in preparation for the procedure.
Chris asks his father, “How does this machine work anyway?”
General Harding replies, “I don’t know. It just does.”
“It just does?” Chris repeats, utterly flabbergasted.
“Yes, Chris, it just does! How do tiny microchips hold entire libraries of books and movies? How do phone conversations travel through the air? Do I need to understand how any of that works to know it works? No. The world has eggheads who figure out logistics and technology. Agent Alpha was an egghead with much more knowledge about the subject than I . . . of course, now I know why . . . but that’s not the point. He built the machine, perfected it, and used it many times over before he died. I’m going to complete his studies by performing the final experiments. Let’s not waste any more time. One moment delayed is one more moment before we’re done.”
The technician standing next to the control box on the side of the machine presses the final button, after General Harding instructs him to do so. The table holding Brand slowly slides all the way through the center of the humming machine. Then the machine revs up in strength, causing the lights overhead to dim. The table slowly moves back through the core of the machine. A bright white line of light seems to travel up Brand’s body as he moves through. The lights in the facility dim even more, while the quartz in the crystal room begins to glow brightly. The white band of light reaches Brand’s neck and slowly climbs his face, causing him to shut his eyes. Finally, the process is complete, and the machine powers down. The lights in the hallway regain power, as well as the lights in the room. I hadn’t even noticed the darkness because of the brilliant glow coming from the quartz sitting atop the metal pyramid in the crystal room—presumably containing Brand’s repeating power.
The Diamond Bearers' Destiny Page 20