by Amy Hale
She nodded but said nothing.
He walked out of the door and closed it behind him.
Jane stared at the door and wondered at Jeremy’s scattered train of thought. His Jekyll and Hyde kind of behavior was disturbing, and she didn’t know which she’d meet at any given moment.
With a full stomach, she found she was sleepy and the inviting bed called to her. “I need a short nap,” she whispered to herself. She yawned. “Just thirty minutes or so.” Jane felt sure after some rest she’d be able to see her situation more clearly.
A light tap on the door startled Jane awake. She sat up and ran her hands over her hair. The short knock occurred again, so she hesitantly moved to the door and opened it a crack. Seeing Karen on the other side, she opened it more.
“It’s good to see you, Karen. Please come in.”
The older woman’s smile sent warmth through Jane’s body. She equated it to being wrapped in a blanket of sunshine. Jane pushed the feeling down a bit, fearing it was more manipulation than real emotion.
Karen cleared her throat. “It’s good to see you too, Jane. I’m glad you are out of that awful cell.” She looked around and whispered. “Did you … agree to Jeremy’s terms?”
Jane shook her head. “I don’t do anything I don’t want to.”
Karen nodded. “He can be very persuasive.”
“I’m sure he can.” Jane sighed. “I’m not so easy to persuade.”
Karen’s lips curved into a pleasant smile, but her eyes held fear. “Can I … No, never mind.”
Jane reached out and touched Karen’s arm. “Please, continue.”
Karen hastily wiped away a tear and then pointed to the closet. “I stopped by to be sure you were awake and dressed for the meeting. You should have something clean to wear in there. If you need anything else, I’m happy to help.”
Jane frowned at her. “Karen, what is it? What did you need to say?”
“I can’t,” said Karen.
“What is it you can’t do?”
Karen looked at the door nervously, then back to Jane. “I just wanted to ask you about the night you came in, but I should mind my own business. I don’t need to know.”
Jane had the distinct impression this question was something very important to Karen. “I’m happy to talk when you’re ready.”
Karen gave Jane a weak smile then left the room in a hurry.
Jane closed the door behind her and tried to concentrate on details of the first time she met Karen. Nothing specific stood out to her, outside of learning Karen is another pawn in this game Jeremy was playing. She’d entered the room and comforted Jane, then Jeremy came in and became angry. They talked about Colt just before Karen became ill and asked to be excused. Am I missing something else?
Jane looked at the clock and realized she’d need to change and get to Hall B in the next fifteen minutes. Hopefully she could find the room quickly and easily.
She breathed a sigh of relief when she found the designated room ten minutes later. Her movements were still slow, but the nap and meal had helped revive her a good deal. She quietly entered the room and watched the inhabitants with astonishment. The room was occupied with roughly fifty children of various ages. Most of them looked familiar, but she had no doubt that a few of them had become new additions since the last time she’d lived with this group. Her heart broke at the thought of another child being ripped away from his or her family only to be treated with even more cruelty and objectification. For a brief moment, she was transported back to the day she’d been kidnapped. The protests, tears, and eventual demise of her parents echoed through her mind and traveled down to her broken heart.
Jane wiped her eyes and steeled herself with the assurance that she would keep this from happening to another child. The suffering and fear would end, even if it took her death to accomplish it.
With a renewed sense of purpose, she found a seat in the back of the room. Jane attempted to assess the welfare of the children before her. The general vibe in the room was carefree and light. The younger children chattered away about one thing or another, not appearing to have a care in the world. Two of the teens sat off to one side, laughing as they used telekinesis to toss a ball back and forth. What is going on here? There had never been laughter among the gifted while imprisoned by The Curators, with the exception of Gregory who enjoyed inflicting pain.
Her eyes snapped forward at the thought of Gregory. She hadn’t seen him since being captured. Where is that sick, twisted bastard? As soon as his name had entered her mind, he appeared at the front of the room. Jane felt a wave of nausea overcome her at the mere sight of him. He whistled, and in seconds, all eyes fixated on him. His smug grin told her that he still enjoyed being the center of attention. His eyes met hers and his smile morphed into a subtle sneer. His hatred of her had obviously not diminished over time.
He put his hands behind his back and scanned the room before he spoke. “Thank you all for attending this meeting. Jeremy will be joining us shortly. In the meantime, I’d like to hear what you’ve learned today.” He looked down at a young lady lounging in a bean bag chair directly in front of him. “Sara, please tell me what you studied today.”
Sara placed the book she’d been holding in her lap, pushed blonde curls from her face, and smiled. “I read about Alexander the Great today. He built a huge empire and was undefeated in battle.” Her excitement played across her facial features as she spoke on the topic.
Gregory smiled at her again. “Very good. Now why do you find that interesting?”
She bit her lip. “Well, I guess it’s because he had such a wide influence on the world around him, just as we hope to.”
Gregory winked at her. “Bravo, Sara.”
Jane frowned at Sara’s last words. What did she mean by “as we hope to?”
At that moment, Jeremy entered the room through a small door near the front. He gave those in the room his most charming smile and Gregory moved to a chair near the wall.
Jane watched him interact with the children in a pleasant manner; then his eyes sought her out. When he found her, he motioned for her to join him up front.
She masked her confusion and tried to paste a congenial expression on her face. She knew a joyful attitude would be overkill, but she could sell him on being sociable. When Jane reached his side, he clasped her hand in his and she resisted the urge to jerk away from his touch.
Jeremy smiled at her before he addressed the children. “Dear friends, we are so very happy to have Alice back with us. Since seeing her last, she has changed her name to Jane, and while I know it’ll be tough to adjust to, I ask that you honor her wishes and call her by her new name.”
Several of the children clapped or yelled “hi” and “welcome home”. These were the faces she’d seen in her dreams. Arms that had reached for her, begging to be rescued. Eyes that had pleaded for a savior. Voices screaming out under the unjust abuse. Yet, there she stood, in front of them now, being welcomed back as if she’d been simply returning from a vacation.
She searched the familiar faces looking for traces of their suffering, but instead she was greeted with excited gazes. They seemed to be content, and she should have been relieved by that realization, yet, deep in her heart, she knew something to be gravely wrong.
Colt pushed open the doors to the cafeteria and strolled to a nearby table. The entire group had already seated themselves and began digging into a quick lunch before they resumed training in the gym. As he lowered himself into his chair, Kyler placed a plate of pizza and drink in front of Colt, then sat next to him.
Colt took a bite of his pizza and glanced at Kyler, giving him a slight nod.
Kyler invaded Colt’s mind. “I’ve been monitoring Jocelyn the best I can. She knows my gifts and likely knows how to block them, but it seems she hasn’t attempted to hide anything. Everything I’ve caught feels authentic. She wants to help and isn’t in league with Jeremy.”
Colt took another bite as he mulled this info
rmation over. If Jocelyn could be trusted, she would be yet another asset. He knew he’d never be one hundred percent comfortable with her, simply because they’d been burned before, but he’d have to settle for what he could get and pray that Kyler’s instincts held true.
Kyler caught on to his train of thought and smiled. He stood and stretched as he sent one more thought in Colt’s direction. “I’ll let Jocelyn know we are including her in our game plan.”
Colt nodded once more and Kyler left the room. The reminder of Jeremy’s betrayal caused a flood of anger to rush through him. His palms suddenly itched to strangle someone.
No longer hungry, he cleared his spot at the table and marched his way to the gym. He needed to blow off some aggression, and though his shoulder still hurt, he intended to give it a workout.
He warmed up a few minutes, then eased himself into some light boxing with the punching bag, getting a feel for his current range of motion. He was surprised and pleased to learn that his discomfort was minimal. With any luck, he’d be back to some kind of decent fighting shape by the time they had a solid plan formulated.
His mind drifted to Jane. He envisioned those vivid green eyes that looked at him with so much love and trust. Colt felt he’d already failed her once—he couldn’t allow it to happen a second time.
He threw another punch, hitting the bag with a little more strength than before. His thoughts then moved from Jane to Jeremy, and his anger intensified. The next punch shot forward with full force as he envisioned Jeremy’s smirking face in place of the large blue bag. The thought of pummeling Jeremy gave him great satisfaction, but his shoulder protested at the strain.
Colt closed his eyes and gritted his teeth. Jeremy continued to haunt his mind. Jeremy was the reason he needed to rescue Jane. Jeremy was the one who shot him and put him in this pain. Jeremy was at fault for Doctor Weston’s death.
Despite his injury, Colt continued to beat the bag, quickly building to a blind rage. Jeremy, Gregory, and Professor Russell all rotated in his mind as he delivered each hit. Sweat ran down his forehead and dripped from his hair, each punch echoing through the large gymnasium. He concentrated as he inhaled with each cock of his arm backward and again with the exhale as he smashed his fist into the bag with all his strength. The ache in his shoulder dulled as his focus moved to destroying anyone that got in his way of saving Jane.
His repeated jabs rapidly took a toll on him and he started to falter. An image of Jeremy touching Jane flashed in his mind. The kid seemed infatuated with her. If he even dares …
Fury at that possibility fueled one final crushing blow and the punching bag broke free of its chain, hitting the floor with a loud thump.
“Impressive!” Wes clapped as he approached the broken bag. “Didn’t know you had that kind of strength.”
Colt worked to slow his breathing and heart rate. “Yeah, neither did I.” He reached up and rubbed his shoulder. “I’m gonna pay for that in a day or two, if not sooner.”
Wes grinned at him. “Somehow, I think you’ll survive.” He motioned to the floor in front of Colt. “Too bad that wasn’t a certain little jerk we all hate. I’d pay to see that beating.”
Colt’s soft chuckle echoed in the room. “Get him in front of me and I’ll give you a front row seat for free.”
“You’ve got yourself a deal. Just promise me it’ll be a death match.”
Colt’s expression hardened. “I intend to do whatever it takes to put an end to this madness once and for all. If that means killing Jeremy, so be it.”
Colt’s healing progressed at an amazing pace. The beating he’d given the punching bag the day before should have re-injured his shoulder, or at the least made it sore. But, instead, he felt stronger than ever. What the hell is happening to me? He had no idea what he was experiencing, but he wasn’t going to waste time dwelling on anything other than how to save Jane. He’d take his blessings where he could get them.
As he entered the library, he noticed that everyone else had already beat him there. He had come to depend on this unusual group of people in such a short time. Before, it’d only been him, Brett, and their dad. Now he had more family than he knew how to deal with. It felt nice, but also a little terrifying. After his mom had left, they’d learned to fend for themselves. What if I suddenly find myself without all these gifted people to help me? He shook off the thought. He couldn’t allow his mind to go there. He had to believe. And if they did abandon him, well … he’d survived that before; he’d do it again.
Thoughts of his mom sent a twinge of anger and pain through him. He hadn’t had a lot of time to dwell on learning she’d become part of The Curators, but he did know that when they found her, she had a lot to explain. Karen owed them answers, and one way or another, he’d assure they got them. Years ago, he’d moved past any hope of seeing her again, but Brett held on to the notion that one day she’d be back. He had to be sure Brett at least had an explanation. His little brother might be a pain in his ass most of the time, but he deserved better than a deadbeat mom.
Colt reached them and only Wes noticed he’d arrived. “Colt, Jocelyn has an idea.” Wes smacked the chair next to his. “Have a seat, man.”
Colt lowered himself into the chair and sat forward, resting his forearms on his thighs. “Let me hear it.”
Jocelyn cleared her throat. “I was thinking about how you had a mole in your camp this whole time. What if we pulled from their own playbook?”
Rachel frowned. “That’d have to be you. He knows the rest of us are devoted to Jane.”
Jocelyn shook her head. “Not me. I was thinking of Cameron.”
“Cameron?” Kyler scoffed. “He hates everyone.”
She nodded. “That’s why he’s perfect.”
Blake chimed in. “He refused to take this on before, why would he now?”
She pulled a cell phone out of her pocket and held it up to show them. “Because he owes me a favor. And he gave me this cell to call in that favor if I ever needed him.”
Blake’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “That must be one hell of a favor.”
She smirked. “It is. I sorta saved his life.”
Brett chuckled. “Gigantor was rescued by tiny little you?”
She wrapped a length of silver hair around her index finger. Colt had learned from Wes that Jocelyn fidgeting with her hair was a nervous habit.
“He has weaknesses, just like the rest of us.” Jocelyn released the curl and sat up straight. “But that’s a story for another time. What do you guys think? Should I call him?”
Colt searched the faces of those around him. “All in agreement?”
One by one, they nodded their approval. Colt knew there were so many ways this could backfire, and Cameron seemed a bit of a risk since he held no allegiance to anyone but himself, and apparently Jocelyn. But would his devotion to her be enough to convince him to take on such a dangerous job? Not to mention it would put him right back into the clutches of the very organization he’d worked so hard to escape from just months earlier.
“Okay, Jocelyn, if you really think we can rely on him, then let’s do it. Bring him in,” announced Colt.
She looked at the phone, then back at Colt. “Are you sure? You seem hesitant. I understand if you think it’s a bad idea.”
Colt tried to paste on a reassuring smile that he didn’t really feel. “It’s the best idea anyone’s had since Jane’s original plan went all to hell.”
Brett spoke up. “Don’t worry about him, Jocelyn. He’s on his period. He’ll be less frowny in a few days.”
Colt gave Brett a look that would have sent anyone else scampering away, but Brett was immune to it.
“See?” said Brett. “He’s got that PMS rage in his eyes now.”
Colt stood and Brett hopped off his chair and bolted out of the room, laughing as he ran.
Colt watched him leave and shook his head. “Just when I think I care about that kid, he opens his mouth and ruins it.”
Everyone ch
uckled except Rachel. Her expression held sadness. Her eyes met his, and she pressed her lips into a tight line.
Colt stretched and said, “Well, I guess we can work on details while we wait to hear what Cameron says.” He motioned to Rachel. “Can I talk to you a moment?”
She nodded and he moved to the far corner of the room and seated himself at the farthest table from the fireplace. Rachel joined him.
“So, what’s up? Are you worried about including Cameron? If so, just say the word and we’ll figure it out.” He trusted Rachel and knew if she felt uncomfortable with something, he should probably pay attention.
She shook her head. “No, it’s not that. I think Cameron helping is a good idea, actually.” She released a shaky sigh. “I’m worried about Brett.”
Colt’s eyes shot to hers. “Why? What’s happened?”
She shrugged her shoulders. “It’s not that something happened, it’s just … you know he uses his smart-ass remarks as a defense mechanism, right? It’s his way of dealing with uncomfortable situations.”
Colt dropped his head and took in a deep breath. “Yeah, I know.” He raised his face to look at her once more. “The little dickface also enjoys getting a rise out of me. He always has, even when we were kids.”
Rachel smiled. “Dickface … I’m gonna use that one the next time he annoys me.” She looked up at the clock on the wall. “Which should be anytime now. He’s past due.”
Colt laughed out loud. “Yeah, he’s gifted that way. It’s almost like he’s been born with his own special brand of ability. If he were a super-hero, he’d be Pain in the Ass Man.”
Her expression softened. “He’s gifted in other ways too. He cares a lot. And he worries. He worries about you, and me, and Jane … and everyone. He’s holding all this fear inside, and I think it’s slowly eating away at him.”
“I know,” Colt’s reply barely registered above a whisper. “But he’ll figure it out. And we’ll all be here if he needs us.” His eyes focused on hers for a moment and one corner of his mouth curved in a knowing smirk. “If it makes you feel any better, I’ll try not to kill him, even when I really want to. It wouldn’t do to have Jane’s best friend hate me.”
