Breaking Free

by Alicia McCalla

  XJ yelled at him. “I don’t want to have anything to do with you! Aren’t you still dating my uppity, white step sister? Isn’t that enough gossip for you?”

  Brandon watched XJ storm off.

  He rubbed the back of his neck, as he saw her frantically march to the porch while cameras flashed. How could he convince her to work with him? If he could figure out a way to use Revolution TV to help change things, maybe they could be together.

  But she’s not making it easy.

  Chapter 5

  “I’m ready for the Miss GEP High School Pageant! You already know who’ll be my escort. Brandon Miller, the love of my life.”

  —Heather Stillwater, GEP Network’s Teen Sensation

  Heather could care less that Brandon left. She was sick of tracking … or rather dating him. She clenched her jaw and put her hand behind her head.

  Which one is it?

  She always had two people inside her head, and she never knew who would take over. This person, though, felt calm. Real. She felt her best when this Heather took over. She smiled to herself. She wanted to be free from all the drama. She wanted to have some fun—to get away.

  She wanted to see Saskia.

  Heather rounded the corner to the ladies room. She was going to change her clothes and hang out with Saskia at the skating rink. She’d already texted her. Her heart skipped a beat. She could feel her face flush. This was exactly what she needed, some time away from everything—especially Brandon. He didn’t like her anyway.

  Her head hurt. Her hands shook. Not again. Her other personality screamed, railed, yelled in her head. Brandon does love me! Let me out! I’ve got to find him!

  The Heather in control laughed out loud. “He hates you. You’re only doing this to humor her. And mother doesn’t care about you either.”

  You’re wrong. Mother loves me. She takes care of me. She’s good to me. The other voice inside her, blathered on and on and on.

  “I’m not buying it. I’m in control and you can’t have it back. Look how you’ve messed up our lives.”

  Heather pushed the door open to the ladies room. Someone shoved her away from the door in the opposite direction. She lost her grip on her gym bag, and it fell to the floor.

  Heather’s mother grabbed her arm and dragged her into a nearby corner. “Why did you let him get away?” Nadia’s blue eyes pierced her soul.

  Heather shrank back as far as she could. She took in a quick breath.

  That’s when her two minds began to fight.

  One side screamed, Don’t do what she wants! She’s just using you!

  A second voice whined, Do what she wants! She’ll reward you later!

  Heather’s body shook. She needed the medicine—there were too many voices and sensations, too many thoughts. Heather bit down on her lip and swallowed. Couldn’t she just hang out with Saskia? Everything would be better and she’d be able to think clearly.

  Her mother shook her and looked around to make sure no one was watching. “Answer me!” Nadia was focused on her like a laser. Heather widened her eyes.

  “I—I don’t know. Brandon’s sneaky that way.” Heather felt cold sweat run down her back. The two voices warred inside her mind like a clash of the titans. They talked so fast she couldn’t catch up. She just wanted them both to be quiet.

  “Shut-up!” She screamed. Her body wouldn’t stop shaking. She couldn’t get herself together. She trembled.

  Her mother looked into her eyes and hissed, “Who are you? Which one?”

  “I hate you!” Heather spat. “Get your hands off me!”

  Her mother’s lip curled. “You will do what I want.”

  Heather knew what was coming. She had to get away. Her calm mind needed to stay in control. She didn’t want to do it. She didn’t want to do any of it. All those horrible things her mother made her do. She wanted to run.

  “Why can’t you leave me alone? Why can’t I do what I want for a change? Why can’t you let me be who I am?” Heather tried to wriggle away from her mother.

  Her mother had her stapled against the wall with her forearm while she took off her red glove. She went straight for Heather’s neck and held it with an iron grip. Her mother’s touch telekinesis pulsed through her entire body like a blooming, hot flower. Real tears gushed. She wanted to scream but knew the consequences so she suffered the searing pain.

  Her two minds quieted. Both were clear. They had to do what her mother wanted to stop this pain.

  “I’m sorry, mother. I’ll find Brandon.” Heather choked back tears and let her shoulders deflate. The pain burned everywhere, crippling her. Saskia would have to wait. The disappointment burned, too.

  “Please! I won’t disobey you again!” The real Heather faded into the background.

  “I’m glad we understand each other.” The pain receded and Heather felt Nadia’s other ability flood her. It was intense calm and comfort … a warm and loving sense of security. She relaxed into this feeling. It was like a drug. Heather felt high and her mind was clear.

  She collapsed onto her mother. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it. I’ll do whatever you want.”

  Nadia rubbed her daughter’s hair, then pushed her back against the wall, her eyes determined. “Now, you find that Miller boy. And don’t let him out of your sight.”

  This Heather was happy to do whatever her mother wanted. This Heather enjoyed it. This Heather smiled. Spending time with Saskia was a fleeting dream. She would do whatever she could to make her mother happy.

  And she would do whatever it took, to make sure that Brandon was hers for good.

  Chapter 6

  “Brandon and I may as well be soul mates. We are compatible mate-designation types.”

  —Heather Stillwater, GEP Network’s Teen Sensation

  “Brandon, it’s Heather. Pick-up.” Heather snapped the phone shut. She hated that Brandon had gotten away. Pissed, she dialed again and again … and again.

  “Ugh!” She said out loud and shoved each one of her legs into her hot-pink jeans. She zipped up her pants … then stopped.

  Her hands trembled. She took out the little white pills that her mom gave her and popped three more in her mouth. Nadia told her the pills helped calm her down so she could focus.

  Brandon wouldn’t get far.

  Heather bent over to put on her chunky, pink, combat boots.

  “I know I can find him.” She muttered to herself. She was so glad the other voice was silent. “Finally, I’m alone.”

  She stood up and warm arms encircled her from behind. Warm, inviting, tender, and caring. They could only belong to one person.

  Heather smiled from cheek to cheek, “Brandon! I knew you’d come back!”

  She whipped around and faced Saskia. “You!”

  Saskia released her. “Hey, you ready?” She always asked in such a kind way.

  Heather didn’t need this. She had to get rid of her. “No. I’m not going anywhere with you.”

  Heather turned her back on Saskia but could still see her in the mirror.

  “Oh, you’re busy, I get it.” Her friend’s brown eyes looked sad. Heather felt her other self wake up but she pushed her back into the abyss. She couldn’t afford this distraction.

  Heather sensed Saskia using her ability. She switched around and pointed her finger. “Don’t even think about using that emotional, empathic crap on me.”

  The other Heather stirred. Saskia was a Slavic beauty. Heather loved her short brown hair, flawless skin, and freckled nose. She loved her generous face too.

  The other voice inside her head tried to take over. Just give me a minute!

  No. It’s too dangerous.

  Let me talk to her! Heather wiped her face with her hands. You’re not coming out! Had she said that out loud? She couldn’t tell. Her hands shook and her stomach churned.

  “Shut up!” Heather tried to ignore everything going on inside. She pulled her pink turtle neck out of her bag and forced it on over her body. She’d pushed
her head through and Saskia leaned over to kiss her cheek.

  Heather shrank from her. “Back off!”

  The other voice thrashed in conflict. Heather stepped back, bent over, and grabbed her head. She was drowning inside her own mind. Her heart pumped faster—she couldn’t catch her breath. The meltdown slithered into her soul. She tried to stop it, but waves of confusion and frustration washed over her. The internal conflict was beating her up.

  Saskia’s warmth flooded her body. The soothing voice echoed throughout the room, centering her. “I’m here if you need me.”

  She could feel Saskia bringing her back, but it was the wrong personality.

  Heather rocked on her heels and screamed, “You can’t come out!” She straightened up and peered into the young woman’s eyes. Sweat poured down her spine. “Go away,” she said coldly. “You’re distracting me.”

  She could feel her friend searching for the other Heather, but she’d forced her down. Heather’s blood pumped a little slower. She took a deep breath.

  “I understand.” Saskia said in a small voice. “Maybe we can hang out later.”

  Heather’s other mind knew she couldn’t afford this right now. She skirted past Saskia and stopped in front of the mirror. She looked a mess so she whipped out her make-up and freshened up. She heard the door click behind her and knew that the woman was gone. She caught herself taking big gulps of air but she calmed down.

  The other one couldn’t come out. Not now.

  “Brandon is all that matters.” She told herself in the mirror as she smooched her lips together to put on her lipstick. “I’ve got to focus on what’s important.” Heather tapped into the preternatural part of herself.

  Heather’s body quieted, heating up as she used her GEP tracking ability and focused. Using her ability felt right. It was like sliding on a perfect pair of gloves. Her vision turned red.

  She fixated on her target. Brandon’s just confused. He really adores and worships me. He just needs some help.

  She found him. Her abilities bloomed. She received a full image and instinctively knew how to track him down. Her whole body was drawn to his location. She mindlessly finished lacing up her boots and went to the garage to get into her hot-pink convertible Lexus. Her internal map helped her envision Brandon. She drove on, entranced but capable of following traffic laws.

  Heather pulled up next to Brandon’s car. She recognized this location as the bad part of town. She swiveled her head from side to side to investigate.

  Wait … I know this yard. It belonged to her step sister.

  Someone was sending her a text. Heather picked up her phone, scrolled down and saw it was Saskia. She blew out her breath impatiently.

  She typed back, Can’t talk now. Trying to follow Brandon.

  Saskia texted, Be careful, love.

  Something about Saskia made Heather calm. Feeling more confident, she stepped out onto the muddy sidewalk.

  “Eww!” Heather shrieked, as she caught a stench of something that smelled like fried skunk.

  She redialed Brandon. He didn’t answer. How dare he treat her with such disrespect! Her hands shook. She needed another pill to calm her down. She popped another one.

  Heather tramped through the sludge, downed trees and disgusting odor to find Brandon. With the smoke and the bright lights it was hard for her to see him, but her internal tracking kept her focused on him. He was the love of her life.

  Heather heard muffled voices and hunkered behind a bush. The smoldering scene overwhelmed her until she saw Brandon’s beautiful, tanned skin and spiky, blond hair. Her heart jumped. She would change his mind. She would make him adore and love her.

  He must love…. Heather did a double take. She pulled her hair back in a ponytail with a hairclip and squinted.

  Brandon held her black, step sister like he cared about her! She’d rip the little slut’s eyes out! A fanatical growl escaped her lips. She shoved the top of her fist into her mouth and held the sound back.

  Why the hell would Brandon leave me for that trash? XJ doesn’t have my money, connections or mate-designation type! My step father chose pedigree over her mother.

  Brandon would certainly pick her over XJ.

  Heather scanned the area. She made out camera flashes and a crowd heading towards XJ. Heather would have to fix her step sister. A plan formed inside her mind. She noticed a reporter in a hideous, trench coat and smiled. She’d recognized him as one of Nadia’s stooges. Between this reporter and one of her mother’s social workers, her step sister wouldn’t stand a chance.

  Chapter 7

  “The Kates family have sacrificed everything for the freedom of GEPs but who’s sacrificed for them?”

  —John Brockman, Revolutionary News Conference

  XJ couldn’t believe that she’d just balled up in Brandon’s jacket and then stomped away. Not only was he the richest, sexiest guy in school, but he was her step sister’s long-time boyfriend. He smelled like fine cologne and he had a body out of this world.

  She couldn’t believe how gentle he’d treated her. But as sexy as he was on the outside, she couldn’t be bothered with him. He’d already shown her what he thought of her at the wedding; and he’d chosen her step sister over her.

  XJ could totally understand. They weren’t the same mate-designation type. Nothing could ever come of their relationship. He couldn’t add to his father’s media fortune if he chose her.

  She kept walking and refused to look back. A part of her wished that things were different. A part of her wanted the lives of GEPs to be free, so they could choose to love who they wanted.

  She pulled her phone out and called her father. Since her dad married his mate-designation type, things were better for him financially. He now worked for a company that allowed him to use his transporter abilities.

  He was somewhere in South America working on a short assignment. His new wife had helped him get the job. XJ’s stomach turned when she thought of her step mother. Nadia Stillwater was the perfect wife—and the complete opposite of her mother.

  “Dad, I need you! Mom’s in trouble! CAGE has taken her away! Please come home!” XJ ended the voice message and slid her phone into her pocket. She still wished that her parents would get back together, but that wasn’t going to happen.

  She kept marching toward her front porch. Within minutes, the vultures with cameras exploded: they flashed, clicked, and blinded her. But she kept her head up and continued walking. XJ ripped CAGE’s written, extraction order off the door, and turned towards the hungry reporters.

  She took a deep, cleansing breath. This was her life. Always in the public spotlight. Always in front of carnivorous reporters. Always defending her family’s name. She was so sick of it! Would she ever be a regular person?

  She looked out on the sea of reporters in her backyard. Cameras flashed faster. The effect was dizzying but she put on her mask. It was the mask of the daughter of a revolutionary and the granddaughter of a martyr. Dorothy taught her to look straight ahead, stand tall, and be clear.

  XJ’s voice croaked a little, but came out strong, “As you can see, my mother has been taken away. My family needs time to deal with this. I’d like you all to leave.”

  Voices bombarded her. “XJ, did CAGE take your mother away because of her decision to sabotage your father and step mother’s wedding?”

  Her stomach churned. That wedding wouldn’t go away! “My mom had nothing to do with that!” She let her anger settle and kept her composure.

  Another voice boomed, “Is your mother guilty of building an army to take over humanity?”

  XJ’s back tightened. The rage boiled up, but she remained outwardly calm. “I won’t dignify that with a response.”

  A female voice came next. “Your family has suffered so much with the assassination of your grandfather and now the arrest of your mother. What will you do?”

  XJ let the question roll around in her head. She wanted to say that she was 17 years old and her mother was all s
he had. She wanted to say that she felt like breaking down. She bit her lip. Suddenly the cameras parted like an ocean, to allow a CAGE officer to march up to her. The fear freaked her out but she held fast. Cameras flashed even brighter. She stood her ground.

  She didn’t think he would harm her. And she was right. He had paperwork for her. Her chest pounded as she took it. The CAGE officer turned and pushed back through the crowd.

  The papers said that her house had been confiscated as evidence. Her mother would receive the mind swipe procedure; and for her to pack her belongings, because she would be taken to a Zone 6 CAGE facility by a social worker within the hour.

  XJ wanted to scream, but she kept her emotions in check. She needed these vultures on her side. “If I can prove that my mother is innocent and CAGE has acted falsely, who will tell the real story? Who will stand up with me against CAGE?”

  The reporters gasped. They all knew what it meant to take on CAGE. Certainly torture, death or mind swiping. Silence ensued.

  “I’ll run your story!” all eyes shifted towards the voice. XJ looked into Brandon’s determined eyes.

  Her chest warmed with the thought of him helping her. But this was too dangerous for him. She needed one of the mainstream reporters to do this.

  XJ glared at the crowd of reporters. “Not one of you will tell the truth? Why am I not surprised?” She turned her back on them and opened her front door.

  “I’ll do it.” She heard a scratchy, male voice and turned to see who it belonged to.

  She peered out. “Who’s that?”

  A scruffy looking, white man put away his notepad and took a puff of the cigarette hanging from his lips. “Finnegan Fitch.”

  “Dude, did you not get the memo that smoking kills?”

  The reporters laughed nervously. XJ watched Fitch drop his cigarette and ground it out with his foot. He wore a tan trench coat; a dirty white, long-sleeve shirt; dark blue, worn-out dockers and a pair of funny looking loafers. XJ was not impressed.

  “I’ll run your story, kid.” Fitch walked up to her and handed her his card.