“You did it? How did you do it?” Ash takes a step forward and picks Ada in his arms and twirls her around. She laughs and then hugs him tight.
Pa clears his throat, loud and clear, but not with any heat. Ada laughs again as Ash puts her down.
“Okay, I don’t know how much time we have,” Ada says while turning to look at everyone. “Can we do this here, or we have to go somewhere else? I need to get this over with fast and furious!”
“What do you want to do?” Pa asks her.
“Something I have in mind. It is an experiment. But I am sure we can figure it out. So, here or somewhere else?” she asks urgently.
“Let’s go to our car. Drive to some place little away from here, and then try and do whatever you want there. Car would have to suffice. Or we will step into the forest,” Sensei says, and then turns around and starts walking briskly to the exit.
Ash comes over and wraps me in his arms. I breathe him in. My brother is back. I open my eyes to find Ada, and see that Enzo is checking her all over while she rolls her eyes.
Ash lets go of me and then turns to Ian. “I am sorry for whate-”
Ian pulls him into a hug and thumps his back twice. “Don’t even. That was not you. Now let’s go before Sensei finds we are lacking.”
Ash nods, gives him a smile, and turns back. I know exactly when his eyes find Ada. His entire posture relaxes as he walks to her and wraps her in his arms. He starts walking away with her tucked under his arm, much to Enzo’s grumbling. Ada’s tinkling laughter reaches us, and even Enzo smiles at them.
“Wow, they are really into her, aren’t they?” Ian asks from next to me.
I turn to look at him, and for the first time in ever with him, I feel a sensation on me. The Adishakti members are all immune to each other’s powers. That is what keeps us safe from one another. But right now I feel Ian’s feelings.
It is a warm caress. Not lust. Not greed. He looks at me, and gives me his killer smile. He wraps his hand around my shoulder and starts tugging me towards the gang walking ahead.
That caress turns into a warm shower. Like I am bathing in a warm shower.
Care.
Ian cares? About me? Ada? All of us?
“You,” Ian says.
I gasp and stare into his eyes.
He chuckles, flicks my nose, and continues walking, tugging me forward.
My heart is ramping up. It is about to jump and come out my mouth. Ash and Ada are walking just ahead of us. As they reach the door, Ada turns her head. She gives a smug smile. She slides her sunglasses down her nose, and winks. Winks. And looks like a sexy devil doing it.
Did she hear him?
Ian chuckles, and his hold on me tightens. Marginally. But it does tighten.
Fuck.
Ian cares for me.
A smile makes its way to my lips as I pass the doors, and step out into the sun.
Chapter 48
Ada
We hired two cars. We don’t know what will happen come tomorrow, as the loop plays again.
I also wonder how rich Adishakti is. But that thought doesn’t go beyond that the sun starts setting. What?!
“What is going on?” I ask Dad.
I am with Dad, Enzo, Ash, and Lexie, while the others are in the other car.
“I think we are running out of time,” with that he turns to me from the passenger seat. “What do you want to try to do with the mental control on Ash? Can we start now or do you need the others too?”
“I think I need everyone. At least the guys.”
He looks at me for a long moment. “Care to explain?”
“I have this feeling. I think it is all about senses, is it not? I think if we somehow get to the man controlling Ash, with all our powers, then we should be able to destroy his control, or him,” I tell him worrying my lips. It is just an idea. A risky one. Never been done before. But I have to try.
“Okay, we will figure it out,” Dad tells me with a smile and turns back around.
Ash, who is sitting next to me, squeezes my hand. His way of telling me he trusts me.
After about twenty minutes we pull off the main road, and take one of the service lanes. I watch the scenery pass by as we finally come to a stop. The dusk is beautiful, but the fact that the day shortened to such an extent is worrying.
Vyhdir is running out of time.
I look out the window to see we have come to a cemetery. At my questioning look, Dad says, “this is the safest place right now. Any visitors might have gone or would be leaving for their homes. Plus, nobody will disturb us. They will think we have come to pay respects to someone and are meditating. Let’s go.”
We get down and make our way inside. Baba is leading our procession. He stops at a grave far at the far corner, next to a statue of an angel.
As we come to a stop next to him, he turns to me and says, “here gudiya. Try what you want to here.”
I nod and turn to face Ash.
“So, earlier today,” I start telling them, “I had managed to render the controller unconscious. I don’t know how long he stayed unconscious, or if he still is. Hopefully he still is, because then we can try what we want to without getting any backlash.”
“How did you do it?” everyone asks.
“I honestly just followed my instincts. You had told me that our magic like our extension. So I let it lead. I…. I hope what I am trying to do works, because I have no idea what it will entail.” I look at Ash and speak the words, “but if you don’t want, we won’t do it. I don’t know what the outcome would be. It sounds workable in my mind. But….” I trail off.
Ash takes my hand in his hand and says, “I trust you. Whatever you want to do, I am down. Let’s do it.”
I give him a nod. Then take a deep, fortifying breath. I turn and place myself so that I am facing all of them.
“In case none of you noticed, these five have powers that can be clubbed as the senses. Lexie has feelings, Ash has hearing, Enzo has touch, Ry has vision, and Vee has scent. There are aspects of their magic that they have not explored yet. So this is the time. If this mage can find Ash’s mental presence in someone else, then stands to reason that someone else can find their mental presence in Ash too. Which I did. Now, because I don’t know any aspect of my magic, I think it would be safe if piggybacking onto that connection, you five can utilise your powers, but this time we will do it differently. We are not going to control them. But…….” I let a sly smile curve on my lips. And everyone else starts smiling too.
“But, we will root around in their head and try and get as much information as we want. Ry, Vee, Ash, you are going to get in his mind and get whatever information you can get, but because this time you will be connected through me, you should be able to get more than just facts. You will know when the time comes. Lexie, you are going to make him feel guilty and afraid of ever doing this again. Enzo, you are going to punish him when he doesn’t give in to this intervention. I will tell you how…”
I explain my vision to them. They listen to me, and if they have doubts they do not say. Finally, when I am done, Baba says, “How is this connection going to happen?”
I give him a nod and ask Kali to come out.
Ian’s eyes almost fall off his face, as Dad smacks him on the back of his head.
“Remember, Kali can be what and who I need her to be. Now let’s see if this works. You ready babe?” I ask her, out loud and in my mind too.
‘Created ready darling. Let’s do this.’
“You know when,” I tell her, out loud and mentally.
I sit on the ground, making Ash sit in front of me, and others around me. I look into his eyes, and for a moment I am taken aback at the worry and fondness reflected in them. “Are you sure?” I ask him once again. He simply nods and winks.
Okay then.
I close my eyes and take deep breaths. I open my senses and my chakras. I go to my root and feel the earth around me, lending me its support. I give them a smile in thanks.
When I have touched base with all my energy centers and my coiling magic, I open my eyes and focus on Ash’s eyes trying to see deep within his mind. His eyes widen marginally. I feel something connecting both of our foreheads. I close my eyes again.
I look for the slimy grey thread I had found earlier. It is easier this time. As soon as I find it, I hop onto it and find my way back to the wielder.
He is awake.
I stop at the edges and peek in. His mind is a gruesome and a dirty place. Every strand is slimy, mucky, and dirty. Whatever he spends time thinking, is definitely pathetic. Now I don’t know if I can do anything else, but since I have not explored my magic more than this, I won’t risk it. I have only one job, and I trust others to do theirs.
Kali, ever the observant and attuned one, begins.
As I keep my eyes closed, I feel Kali extending and becoming a large chain in my hands. She wraps one end around my wrist and slithers away to wrap around others too.
====
Enzo
I am the last one to be approached by Kali, and as the chain slithers my way, I cannot help but think if she will speak to me too. I want to be connected to Ada every way possible. And Kali is such a huge part of her. I would be honored really to be able to talk to Kali like Ada does.
As Kali wraps around my wrist, I feel a flash of heat and pain. I look down and see Kali disappearing beneath my skin. My eyes find those around me, everyone looks as shocked as I am. This was not told to us. My eyes dart to Sensei and Pa, who are looking at us with a million questions running on their faces. Ian is looking at Ada, and a wave of jealousy erupts, but then at the last second, he takes his eyes off Ada and focuses on Lexie. Lex has her eyes closed, and a deep frown on her face. Ian’s eyes change instantly. Huh? All the lust, longing, and something more, that wasn’t there when he was looking at Ada, comes to surface.
OOOHHHHH!?
‘Okay people!’ An angelic voice tinkles.
I jerk my eyes open and I am not the only one. The five of us look at each other, checking and ensuring that the others also heard the voice. In our heads. Is that Kali?
‘Of course it is me, you idiots.’
Oh God. I wanted to talk to her and here she is. A smile tugs the corner of my lips.
“Yeah well handsome, I wanted to talk to you too. But first we have got work to do.’
Oh shit she can listen to my thoughts?
“Oh my God. Can you people ever stop thinking? Focus people, Focus!’
Damn she is sassy!
‘Urghhhhhh’
Shit, sorry.
‘Now, close your eyes, focus on my voice and the feel of the connection. Can you?”
Yes.
‘Good. Follow that. You will go straight to Ada. She has created a bridge for you guys. You will find yourself at the edges of the motherfucker’s mind. And from there, you are on your own. Meaning, destroy him. Whatever Ada says, he is a sick bastard. I don’t want to take any chance that that asshole finds his way to Ada. All the best. Play well!’
Come back to Ada? Over my fucking dead body!
I follow the warmth, the tug, the path. I pass four other glowing, hot balls of energy as I make my way to the bridge.
‘Remember, it is all about mind. Yeah? Enzo, even if your power is more a physical one, right now it is about to become mental. So everything is in your mind. Visualise people, visualise. And not her naked body!’
Is this a mental equivalent of a PA system? Or was this message just for me.
‘Mental PA. From now on, whatever I say, will be for all of you. Go go go!’
I follow the path and just as I am about to get to the bridge, I see this beautiful fountain of golden and black shimmers. Ada.
I take the bridge and leap. And tumble down.
What the actual fuck is this place?
It is a dirty dirty place. Fuck. Like all the light and that gold from Ada has been snuffed out. Do all minds look like this? I will have to ask Vee, Ry and Ash later on. Because this? Holy mother of God. Unease and sliminess pours out of every nook and corner. I shudder at the thought.
‘I told ya. He is a sick bastard. Ash, go!’
Kali, quick question. Can you see what they all will see too?
‘Yes, I can. I saw what Ada saw. Urghhh. In case it isn’t clear, I am shuddering right now.’
I frown. I don’t know what she means, but I can understand. What kind of a sick bastard this might be if his mind is like a slime ball?
‘Fucking hell!?’
Ash roars.
Ash roars? I can hear Ash?
‘Ooopsie. I forgot. You all can talk to each other here. Except Ada. She is focussing on maintaining this bridge making it as discreet as possible so that he doesn’t realise that he has company.’
The hell?
Four voices scream in unison, with me.
I smile. This is fucking badass!
‘Thamks.’
Oh she is smug.
‘I can still listen to all of your thoughts people. Filter them!’
Damn, she is a commanding general.
‘Damn right I am.’
‘Guys are you listening to this?’ Ash asks.
‘No. We cannot. Can we?’ I ask.
‘Oh my God, it is like taking a bunch of kindergarteners to a picnic. Children, your basic powers won’t change. Ash they can hear you, but they cannot hear what your magic is telling you. You all can relay to one another what you find, but the others cannot see, hear, touch, feel, or see shit if it isn’t their powers. Got it?’
Yeah.
‘Ash what is it?’ I ask.
‘This bastard is fucking sick. Literally. He is involved in child pornography!’
The fuck!?
‘We are running out of time. Ada is being stubborn. She says she will handle it but it is her first time. She will burn out. Ry and Vee, join Ash. Lexie and Enzo, once they are done looking, you will go. I am timing you guys.’
It is like I am blind in here. I don’t want to see this rubbish that is inside his mind. But….. I can sense emotions from his mind, can I not? I can touch the insides of his mind and get glimpses of what he has been thinking?
‘There you go.’ Kali applauds.
Only one way to find out.
I reach out to one of the strands in his mind and touch it with a tentative finger.
Holy fucking shit. I can sense the memories. It is like a dream. Sepia tones, rough outlines with some details. Wow. I can do that? But his memories? Urgh.
This strand belongs to some memory of his killing someone because he didn’t give him way on the escalator.
I quickly move my finger away. I reach out for another one, and touch it, softly, so as not to spook him.
Him torturing a young boy to give him the whereabouts of his father.
I cannot handle that. So I move on. Running my fingers through his mind, flashes of every thought and memory spark. Nothing is good. Not a single thing. What kind of a perverted mind one has to be to not have a single decent memory?
‘Lexie. Snap out. Sit out. Go!’
What?
‘No it’s okay, I can-’ Lexie starts.
‘No. You are breaking into hives. Go. Out. Right. Now. And you really cannot do anything to him that these four cannot. Go on your own or I will push you out.’
Shit. This must be hell for her.
‘Phew. Thank God. What’s with the stubborn females around here?’
‘Look who’s talking,’ I snort.
She laughs.
I keep flitting through the strands, nothing good, nothing decent. Porn, torture, mind control, secret meetings, Ada, burni-.
Wait a minute.
I backtrack. Ada. Found it.
Her face at the airport. He cannot see where she is because Ash was careful to not think or look anywhere else. What amount of sheer will it must have taken him to fight this. But even in sepia and hushed tones, this bastard’s lust is overwhelming. I can sense wha
t he felt when he saw her trying to look at him through Ash. A deep sense of lust, entitlement to ownership, and an inexplicable need to have her.
What the fuck!
‘What the bloody hell!?’ Ash screams.
‘The fucking bastard!’ Ry shouts.
‘I am gonna kill him,’ Vee seethes.
For Vee to seethe, something must have spooked him beyond the normal.
‘What is it?’ I ask them.
‘He needs to die,’ my brothers state.
A statement, spoken simply. But the rage in the voices, unmistakable.
I realise I am still at the same thought strand, and his thoughts and emotions have changed. His immense hatred for Pa. He doesn’t know that Ada is Pa’s daughter. Just that she is the new Adishakti recruit. But that was enough for him to think of planning Ash’s death and kidnapping Ada.
A fury starts building up in me.
He dared think that for my brother and my angel? For my Ada?
The fuck he thinks of himself?
‘Guys. I need you to move out soon,’ I tell them.
‘Not outwardly blast Enzo. They can sense your magic. Keep it internal. Annihilate him,’ Kali’s voice is shaking with fury.
‘Kill him brother!’
Ash, Vee and Ry retreat after saying that. Taking whatever information they can with them.
My power had been coiling for some time now. In my mind’s eye, I see my purple glow. Ada is in his mind too. So I have to be careful.
‘You won’t hurt her,’ Kali tells me.
Relief fills me. I nod. Before I unleash, to be on the safe side, I go around trying to find Ada.
There she is. One bright golden shimmer, on the outer edge. Like I am looking at the edge of a well from deep down. I send a veil of my power over to her, protecting her from any onslaught. I don’t know how I know to do this. But I cannot thank my stars enough. Once she is covered, I unleash!
My flames come out, and I throw it all around me. I watch as my flames reach every inch of his brain, every fucking sick memory, every single thing he ever did in his life. I hope this is enough for an aneurysm.
‘Get out!’ Kali commands.
‘With pleasure.’
Circle of Time: An urban fantasy (The Kazi Chronicles Book 1) Page 33
