Fear Tomorrow (The Fear Chronicles Book 4)

by C. C. Bolick

  “I heard you’ve had a rough day,” he said.

  “That’s what you’re going with?” I turned to Angel. “This is a waste of my time.”

  She gripped my arm, forcing me to stay seated. “Excuse me if I’d rather you talk to Dr. Greene than go back to your room and think about Rena alone.”

  Again, the paper slid from the table. Dr. Greene’s hand twitched as he looked down. I’d forgotten how much disorder bugged him. I wiped my face with my hand. Stop, I told myself. No more psychoanalyzing the doctor.

  “I don’t know what’s going on,” he said.

  “Rena’s making the paper fall,” I said. “She’s a ghost now, which is why we’re here. Sylvia lied to me, so did my dad and Agent Mason.” I glared at Angel. “Even my sister. They all plotted to have Rena killed. Van pulled the trigger, but they’re all guilty.”

  He blinked. “I don’t believe in ghosts.”

  “That’s all you heard me say?”

  “No, I heard the part about what happened to Rena. You’re upset. None of us can possibly understand what you’re going through. But we’re here for you. This agency is a family and we’ll do whatever it takes to help you through this.”

  I pointed at the paper. “How can you not believe what you’re seeing?”

  “I believe I’m seeing the paper fall, but I don’t believe a ghost is causing the movement.”

  “Who else can it be?” Angel asked.

  “Not what, but who, you ask?” Dr. Greene sighed. “We all know Rena’s mother had a power that brought her back in an otherworldly form. You call it a ghost, but I see her return as one of hundreds of powers this agency has discovered and cataloged over the years.”

  “You weren’t there,” I said. “You didn’t see her body vaporize in a flash of red.”

  “Call her dead if you will,” he said. “Rena’s isn’t gone. According to Agent Mason, she’s training with her mother to strengthen her power.”

  “He’s been by to see you?” I gripped the arm of the couch. “What he did is worse than Van. He betrayed his own daughter.”

  “He didn’t have a choice,” Angel said.

  Dr. Greene leaned forward. “Despite your grievances, Rena’s on board with this plan. She’s ready to do what it takes to save lives. Don’t you think you should be considering what you have to offer in this scenario?”

  “You won’t get away with tricking me into agreeing with this plan. What they did to Rena was wrong.”

  “You and I agree,” he said. “Unfortunately, you have two options moving forward. Either deal with what happened in the conference room or put your head in the sand until this thing blows over.”

  Angel touched my arm. “Your dad said you’ve got to help for this plan to work. We’ve got to trust him.”

  “Trust him? He’s been back in my life for less than a week.”

  “You searched for him thirteen years,” she said. “You should give him the chance to explain.”

  “He had his chance,” I said.

  Dr. Greene watched our exchange. “I don’t know the entire story about your father leaving; I’ve never heard Sylvia’s version. What I’ve heard is that he left to find a way to save lives, including yours.”

  “I’ve heard enough of this.” I stood and headed for the door.

  Angel grabbed my arm from behind and tried the same move to swing me around I used on her earlier. I ducked and knocked her off balance. She spun and thrust one arm around my neck and the other into my stomach.

  I doubled over in pain. “Let me go.”

  “No.” Her choke-hold tightened.

  Kicking her legs did nothing. Damn her strength. “Let… go.”

  “Not until you quit talking and start listening.” Her palm pressed against my neck. Within seconds, she jumped back.

  I stumbled out of her arms and to my knees. While I coughed and tried to catch my breath, she turned away from me.

  “I can’t believe you’d actually fight me,” she said, sounding as if she might cry.

  Her words brought instant guilt. This was my sister, the one person I never imagined fighting with. Had I really hurt her feelings? I straightened and reached for her arm. “You pushed me over the edge. I’m sorry, I…”

  She held her hand out of view. “Don’t come any closer.”

  Which made me want to get as close as possible. “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing.”

  I grabbed her arm and felt honest surprise at the red welt along her palm. “Did I do that?”

  She frowned and snatched her hand away. “If it makes you feel better, yes.”

  If I burned her skin, my powers were returning. “You shouldn’t have tried to choke me.”

  “Sit back down, Travis,” Dr. Greene said.

  I shook my head. “Our talk is over. If my powers are back, that means I can start my revenge. Better to get it over with before the world ends.”

  Angel put her hands on her hips. “Stop talking that way. I don’t believe my brother is capable of killing anyone.”

  I laughed as my misery deepened. “If not, why worry?”

  “Who are you going after first?” she asked. “Van?”

  The watch on my wrist reflected light from overhead. “No, first I’m going to find my father.”

  She moved to my side. “If you’re going, I want to go with you.”

  “Why?”

  “So I can keep you from making a horrible mistake. You can’t say it’s too dangerous for me. Your teleporting power can take me there.” She lowered her voice. “Assuming you know where he is?”

  I thought of his watch, just like mine, and remembered the queen’s advice on the time. We had less than ten minutes until eleven fifty-six. To teleport to a new place, I had to picture myself there. I’d used a picture of Louis’s house to take Rena to Spain. I’d never tried picturing an object, but…

  Bingo. I thought of the watch on his wrist and pictured the minute and hour hands on the face. The numbers were Roman numerals. “Dad has a watch like mine—he bought them before he disappeared. If he’s still wearing it, all I have to do is picture the watch and I should be able to find him.”

  “We should be able to find him,” she said.

  I grabbed Angel’s arm and gave my teleporting power a shot.

  * * * * *

  Rena

  Erin closed the door to Rachelle’s room and turned to me. The hall to either side of us was empty. “Where to now? Last I heard Travis was in his room.”

  “There’s someone else I need to see first.”

  “Let me guess, your brother.”

  I nodded. “See, that’s why I keep you around.”

  “Okay, I’ll walk with you and then go back to the op-center to check our status.”

  “You mean find out how close we are to the end of the world.”

  “One thing at a time.” She walked close by my side, prepared to help if I stumbled along the way. Really, I felt fine. The difference in Rachelle’s height and mine made me clumsy, but I was catching up fast.

  I went back to the suite of rooms assigned to Dr. Greene and his family. After watching Alfie take the news of my death earlier, I felt sure he was still here, probably playing video games with Samuel in an attempt to forget the pain.

  My first knock brought Carmen to the door. She opened her mouth but seemed to hesitate. “Rachelle?”

  I shook my head. “It’s me, Rena. Can I see my brother?”

  A few seconds passed before my words registered. “I’m not sure… What’s going on here?”

  “Rachelle was in a coma and Rena took over her body,” Erin said. “It’s temporary so she can talk to Travis.”

  Carmen shifted her attention to Erin. “Are you the new doctor?”

  This time Erin hesitated. “At the moment, I’m acting director. Don’t ask what Sylvia was thinking because I’m really not sure.”

  Carmen watched Erin as if sizing her up. No doubt she’d heard this wasn’t just a
ny doctor, but one named Erin. And not just any Erin, but the Erin who broke her son’s heart.

  “Can I see Alfie?” I asked.

  Stepping back, Carmen opened the door wider for us to walk inside. As I crossed the threshold, Erin waited in the hall. “Maybe it’s best if I go back to work.”

  Before either of us could reply, Erin turned and disappeared down the hall.

  “I’m at a loss for words,” Carmen said.

  In Samuel’s room, Alfie sat on the bed crying. Samuel sat to his side with an arm around Alfie’s neck. They both looked up as I walked in.

  “Rachelle?” Samuel’s face brightened. “You’re awake.”

  “I’m not Rachelle.”

  Alfie jumped to his feet. “Rena?”

  My eyes filled with tears at the excitement in his voice. “It’s me.”

  He ran to me and wrapped his arms around my waist. “I knew you’d find a way to come back like Mama.”

  I hugged my brother close. “I’m not back for good, but this will work for now.”

  “This is freaky,” Samuel said. “How did you get into Rachelle’s head?”

  “I’m not sure.”

  “Can she hear us too?” he asked.

  “Maybe.” The last thing I wanted to do was upset them more.

  “It’s about time,” said a voice from the doorway.

  Alfie pulled away. “I told you she’d be back.”

  Mama walked in with Dad behind her. “You’re taking your time today, Regina. We’ll have to work hard to get back on schedule.”

  I turned to Dad. “How did you know I was here?”

  “I have my ways. I knew you were awake before you left the med-level.”

  “One day you’ll have to tell me all of your agent secrets,” I said.

  He held out his arms and I let him hug me. Despite serious issues with trust in our family, and the fact I stood there in another person’s body, he was still my dad. My feelings for him hadn’t changed.

  We’d work out the lies after we saved the world.

  “Rena?” Dr. Greene asked from the doorway.

  “I don’t think my room’s big enough for any more reunions,” Samuel said.

  I pulled away from Dad. “It’s me.”

  “Good,” he said. “Travis just got his powers back and he could use some help dealing with your death.”

  Boy, was that an understatement.

  * * * * *

  Travis

  I appeared in a room with dim light that smelled of smoke. Angel stood by my side. A few feet away, Dad held out his laser, which was trained on Paleris. For almost thirteen years, Dad worked for this man, who was no older than me. His white-blond hair looked the same as I remembered. Not his hair; this hair belonged to the queen’s brother. He’d taken over the younger man’s body through a heart transplant to challenge her throne.

  As if the politics of that planet mattered to me. Yesterday I’d escaped from the island where he and Louis plotted a nuclear war. The two of them wiping humans off Earth? Now that bothered me.

  Dad moved closer to him and I had a perfect view of the watch on Dad’s wrist.

  Charlene stood to Paleris’s other side while holding her gun to his head. Behind Paleris, Sylvia held her gun to his back.

  “Either way you turn, there’s no way out,” Charlene said.

  Dad noticed me first. “We’ve got this under control.”

  I checked the time on my watch. Eleven fifty-two. No one moved as the hand on my watch ticked away another minute and then two.

  “You won’t kill me,” Paleris said. “Even if you do, this changes nothing.”

  “You have no place to go,” Dad said. “No one here will fight for you.”

  “For now,” Paleris said. “When my fighters arrive, they will destroy anyone in their way of taking control of Earth.”

  “What is he talking about?” Sylvia asked.

  “He doesn’t have any fighters left,” Charlene said.

  “There are still people loyal to Golvern.” When Paleris smiled, I found it hard to believe this man could be so evil, and in his sixties, while having the body of someone my age. “After they wipe out every human on Earth, we’ll have a new home.”

  Dad shook his head. “Your plan will never work. The sun here will kill you.”

  “A problem for a later date,” he said.

  “Golvern will be destroyed and Earth soon after,” Sylvia said. “What good can taking over Earth bring you?”

  “I’ve seen the destruction,” Dad said. “The blast will travel through the gateway and destroy this planet.”

  Paleris laughed. “By the time the energy wave reaches the gateway, those loyal to me will have destroyed it.”

  Dad’s eyes widened. “Your plan is to destroy the gateway?”

  “When my fighters arrive, they’ll collapse it with a blast of our own and no energy will reach Earth. Those remaining here will survive and we’ll find a way to rebuild the Golvern we once knew.”

  The hand on my watch moved to eleven fifty-six.

  “I can’t believe I didn’t see this.” Dad shoved a hand through his hair. His voice filled with resignation as he repeated the motion over and over. “What if there was another way to make you believe?”

  Paleris narrowed his eyes. “How?”

  “By showing you the future.”

  “No,” Charlene said. “That’s not part of our plan. You agreed to—”

  “I have a plan to save everyone,” Dad said to Paleris. “Destroying the gateway isn’t necessary. Everything you love about Golvern doesn’t have to be destroyed. Let me show you the future as I’ve seen it.”

  I put a hand on Dad’s arm. “No.”

  “Did you hear what he said?” Dad asked. “His fighters plan to destroy the gateway. Those ships will take over Earth and eradicate every human. At the moment, we don’t have time to deal with the destruction and take on his fighters.”

  “What about saving Mom?” I asked.

  “You can go back and save her. As long as she lives, nothing else matters.”

  “What about me?” I shook my head. “If you ever want me to forgive you, you won’t do this.”

  Dad hesitated. “It’s the answer to all of our problems.”

  Charlene lowered her gun and a syringe appeared in her hand. She shoved the needle into the vein at the base of Paleris’s neck. I shivered at the thought of the needle they’d stabbed me with on Golvern, filled with the serum to take my powers.

  Paleris gripped his neck as he dropped to his knees.

  “That should take him out of play long enough for Kayden to see him,” she said. “Maybe she can change his mind.”

  Paleris looked up at Dad. “It took guts to make that offer, old friend. I truly believe you planned to go through with it.”

  “I did.”

  “To save your wife?”

  “To save Golvern,” Dad said.

  “That kind of loyalty must be rewarded. You spent thirteen years serving me but not for my benefit.”

  “You had the key to releasing my wife from her cylinder.”

  “Why worry about releasing her?” Paleris asked. “I’ve never understood your obsession. No method to save her has been developed.”

  Angel’s hand jerked next to mine. She was probably thinking the same thing I did. Why didn’t Dad tell Paleris about her power?

  Dad gave him a weary look. “If you die with the code, there’s no way to get her out.”

  “You think I’ll die? Have you seen that in my future?”

  “I’ve seen the destruction of Golvern and Earth,” Dad said. “I’ve also seen a way to save us all. You don’t need to let everyone there die.”

  Paleris’s voice came out groggy as he fell on his side. “We shall see.”

  Chapter Nine

  Travis

  Dad took Paleris to a room on the isolation floor. If they’d given him the same serum as me, he wouldn’t be able to teleport for several hours
at least.

  Charlene teleported Sylvia to Dad’s island where they thought Louis might be hiding. They wanted to be sure there were no more surprise bombs, though they both agreed Rena had done an excellent job at defusing the last one.

  Pride rose within me, pride at how Rena acted the part of agent after everything that had happened. I teleported Angel to the isolation floor and we watched as Dad locked Paleris in a room.

  “What’s wrong?” I asked.

  Angel stared through the glass at where Paleris lay across the bed. “Nothing.”

  “Something is wrong.”

  “That can’t be the killer everyone described.”

  “The person you see is the queen’s brother. Paleris took over his body through a heart transplant. Kind of like how Rena’s mom took over the body of a coma patient.”

  She shivered. “How do we get Paleris out?”

  “They thought bringing back his memory would do the trick,” Dad said. “That’s why Agent Lockhart went to Golvern, only it didn’t seem to work.”

  “How can you be sure?” Angel asked. “I’ve never known of his power to fail.”

  As Dad and Angel talked, I stared down the hall to the door of Van’s room. I began to walk, unsure of what I’d do when I reached him. Something drew me to him and before I knew it, I’d opened the door.

  From his seat on the bed, Van watched me. “Did you return to finish the job?”

  “My powers are back.”

  “How will you kill me?”

  I glanced down at my hands. Since my powers returned, I hadn’t bothered with the gloves. “I think choking you with my bare hands would be more satisfying.”

  “You’ve probably had plenty of time to decide.”

  Down the hall, Dad still talked with Angel. I stepped into the room. If Van could read my emotions, he knew my threats were empty.

  “Don’t waste any time,” Van said. “I’m ready to die when you are.”

  His emotionless voice snapped something inside of me. I rushed forward and reached for his neck. Van didn’t move.

  “Stop,” said a voice from behind.

  I froze and spun to where Rachelle stood in the doorway.