Gifted Connections 01

by S M Olivier

  A drugged-out female came stumbling out of one of the bedrooms and before she could even open her mouth to raise an alarm, I focused in on her. “Don’t say a word, not a word. Go sit down on the couch and don’t move.” I compelled her. I didn’t even have to concentrate that hard before she did my bidding.

  Will gave me a smile and a thumbs-up. Remy and Jace squeezed my hands simultaneously.

  A high-pitched scream erupted from one of the back bedrooms and we took off running towards it.

  I didn’t know what I expected but it wasn’t the sight of Tom poised half naked over a girl not much younger than me. She was completely naked. I froze in panic. For months, he tormented me in my dreams. I never thought I would ever have to face that monster again. I felt sick and angry all at once.

  “Stop now,” I compelled him as tears of anger and pain coursed down my cheeks.

  Remy grabbed him by the neck, like he was nothing more than a rag doll. I could see the rage burning in his eyes.

  Jace grabbed a blanket off the floor and handed it to the girl. He was talking in soft, smooth tones and I knew he was calming her through his empath ability.

  Will moved out of the room towards another door.

  “Not alone,” a small voice whispered in my head.

  “Pops, stop,” I called out to him in panic.

  Somehow, I knew that voice belonged to someone in this trailer and they were reaching out to me.

  Will stopped and looked at me quizzically.

  “There are more than two people that had the children.” I said urgently.

  He seemed torn between believing me and wanting to find the other children.

  I felt a searing pain in my head and I collapsed to my knees. In my head, I got a vision of a man not much older than me standing protectively over four younger children. He looked like he wanted to call out, but his mouth seemed sealed shut.

  In the distance, I heard commotion and my focus began to waiver, but I knew it was important to hang on. I knew I was looking through the eyes of the child that had called out to me. Even though the room was dark, through the street light streaming through the window, I knew it was a younger boy as he casted his eyes down and I could see his dirty, torn jeans, and beat-up sneakers.

  “Who is with you?” I called to him in my head.

  I saw his head jerk up, like he hadn’t expected me to answer him back. His eyes lit up on a man that had tattoos running up and down his arm, a bald head, and body piercing everywhere.

  “What can they do,” I asked him.

  “Fire,” he replied in a shocked voice.

  His eyes lit up on another man. A squirrelly looking guy no bigger than me, but much older was bouncing up and down on his toes in anticipation. “Speed,” he whispered to me.

  Then his eyes lit on another man and I gasped. Prestigiously dressed and even in the darkened room I could see his startling blue eyes and upturned nose. “Puppet Master,” the boy breathed.

  I gasped as my eyes came back to focus. “Zach Young, a pyrokinetic, and someone with speed,” I said urgently to Will.

  Jaxson and Troy came running into the house and started throwing furniture across the front door. “The other teams are ten minutes out but they’re rolling in deep.” Jaxson said in a slightly panicked voice.

  There was no time to tell Jaxson, we hadn’t secured inside yet. That one man and five children were being held behind the doors to the left of him. As I heard the door open I began to envision several of the gifted people I had met over the course of the last few weeks, casting an illusion. I could see Jaxson’s and Troy’s confusion before the bald man and the squirrelly looking man came running into the hall.

  Fire Man launched a fire ball at Ed, not knowing Ed wasn’t even there. Speedy started lunching darts at Ben, Mike, Jemmy, Rachel, Taylor, and Rick, before I even realized he had moved. The diversion seemed to have worked the way I had hoped it would.

  Troy was already fighting fire with fire as Jaxson started casting his own illusions. When I saw that he had sufficiently casted enough illusions to confuse Speedy, I dropped my own illusion. Will started to pick up objects and hurled them through the air at Speedy and Fire Man and I went with my gut instinct once more.

  “Show me the Puppet Master,” I said softly to the boy.

  The boy didn’t start this time and immediately my vision was on Zach Young. He looked decidedly more panicked now and he was talking urgently to someone on the phone. The younger man that had been protecting the children was now urgently whispering to them and comforting them.

  I imagined Will walking through the open door and when Mr. Young turned to compel him, I focused on my surroundings once more and took the opportunity to slip through the open door as Jace called after me.

  I heard Mr. Young derisively talking to illusion Will as I slipped through the door. “Well, well, well, two birds one stone. We get to take you and Blake with us,” he said arrogantly as he stared intently at illusion Will.

  Confusion settled in his eyes and I took the opportunity to focus in on my anger and I told him to freeze and took away his ability to talk or use his gift.

  He stared at me in anger, knowing I outsmarted him, and took away his ability to use his gift temporarily.

  “I’m sorry,” I said flippantly. “I remember you once telling me I should control my anger. Maybe that only pertains to when your children are involved. Forget about what you’re doing to these children.”

  I heard a sound of indignation behind me and I smirked at the man behind me as I turned on the lights. “I do apologize. Children and man.” I turned my attention back to Mr. Young. “You were so outraged when I humiliated your precious, vicious princess, yet you were capable of doing these things to these children.” I had barely glanced at them, but I knew the children were underweight and wearing dirty clothing and hadn’t seen a bath in quite a while. “You allowed, that, that monster, near that girl in there,” I fought the tears that threatened to fall. “If you only knew what he was capable of, imagine allowing that monster loose on your daughter.”

  “I can help,” the little boy said bravely as he took my hand in his. “Just think them,” he said softly.

  Visions of Tom moments ago poised over that young girl and the day he assaulted me flitted through my head and by the growing horror reflected in Mr. Young’s eyes I knew he was repulsed and sickened by him. By his reaction, I wondered how much he really did know, and I wondered why he was there. I had a feeling he wasn’t aware of how Tom operated. I knew he imagined his own daughter in my place, in that moment.

  I finally looked down at the brave little boy who had probably saved himself and the others around him by reaching out to me, and I almost fainted in shock. Looking up at me was my dark curly hair, albeit shorter, and green eyes so similar to mine. We stared at each other in wonder, but I knew he was less shocked than as I was. It was as if he had been waiting for me.

  Chapter 31

  Remy came crashing through the door and halted in front of me and my little miniature. He looked at me, then the boy, then me again. He looked at Mr. Young and I saw his eyes widen for a fraction of a second before disgust settled on his features.

  “The teams are out there, but they may need a little help,” Remy said quietly. “We have to go out there, will you be okay here?”

  “Why can’t I come?” I inquired.

  He looked at me and then Mr. Young. “Can you still continue to subdue him, while you do?” Remy asked wonderingly.

  I ducked my head and nodded. The truth was, the stronger I got physically, the more I started testing my gift. It started with watching people and their natural habits. For instance, I have a girl in my physics class that always shook her legs, especially during exams. One day I had decided to have her alternate her movements. She never knew I did it, at least I didn’t think she did, because she didn’t seem alarmed by it. It wasn’t until the bell rung that I remembered what I had done, and she sat there confused for one moment
before I lifted the command.

  Mr. Young gave me a smug look and I knew he doubted my ability to control him if I left the room. I’m sure he was limited in his gift, but I wasn’t.

  I turned to the kids. “Would you like to hear some bedtime stories? Mr. Young has two girls,” I gently squeezed the hand of a little Asian girl no older than nine. “In fact, Mr. Young wouldn’t you say this little girl, who looks like she hasn’t had a decent meal in a while and probably would love some new clothes, kind of reminds you of Mei Linn? When’s the last time Mei Linn had to go without food?” I asked in anger, feeling it mount once more.

  I knew I hit another cord in him.

  “I’m sure you’ve heard of bedtime stories. You should tell them some lovely bedtime stories and we’ll be right back, I promise,” I patted him mockingly.

  “Once upon a time,” Mr. Young began.

  “Let’s go,” I reached out for Remy’s hand, wanting his comfort in that moment. I know the moment we leave, I’m going to be overwhelmed with everything I needed to process.

  Remy looked uncertain. “Someone should watch them and him,” his lips curled in derision.

  “I can help her,” the little boy piped up.

  “What’s your name?” I asked quietly. “I’m Blake.”

  “Alex,” he said politely. I wondered how old he was, and his eyes lit up before he answered. “Seven.”

  I was shocked and amused, he could read my thoughts.

  “It comes and goes, and I can’t do it all the time. But it’s easy to hear you,” he smiled shyly.

  I gave him a gentle smile, “Can you watch him for me, Alex?”

  He nodded eagerly.

  “I can too,” Jace said as he entered the room, looking me up and down as if he were reassuring himself that I was in one piece. His eyes widened for a moment as he looked down at Alex. Jace gently guided the girl into the room. She seemed calmer, but I recognized the look in her eyes. I used to carry that same haunted look. Heck, I still did at times.

  “Krista!” the man said in relief and caution as he removed his shirt and handed it to her.

  She gave him a tremulous smile and took it from him.

  “Are you okay, kiddo?” he asked in concern as he removed his t-shirt and handed it to her.

  She slipped it on and as he turned his back. I saw the trident etched in his skin on his shoulder blade and I gasped softly.

  A loud boom from outside drew my attention.

  Without hesitation, I ran toward the front door.

  It looked like a scene out of a movie as I entered the melee outside. I easily recognized ‘our’ guys compared to theirs. It appeared that Will took pride in having his people dressed in uniforms. The few that didn’t have uniforms were dressed impeccably, compared to Horatio’s men that looked no better than hoodlums and street rats.

  I went to the closest group that seemed to be struggling with a man that threw hail like balls from his hands and another guy that had the ability to manipulate the earth. I made them turn and begin attacking their own.

  I saw Will and a few other mental manipulators struggling with a group of fire wielders, ice wielders, and a girl that was letting out ear piercing screams that was loud enough that you wanted to cover your ears.

  I knew I had to go help them and as I did this girl came running out of nowhere and hit me in my ribs with enough force to throw me back several feet. I tried to stand up but it felt hard to breathe through the pain and shock. She came advancing towards me and I quickly rolled out of the way before her foot could connect with my face. Her gift had to be one of strength.

  I couldn’t think clearly through the pain and she tried once more to crush my face with her foot. I saw her body engulf in flames and rolled to my side, giving Troy a grateful smile. I rolled up to my knees and made my way to Will and the other mental manipulators.

  I slipped beside them and put up a protective force field, protecting them from the onslaught of ice and fire. I made screamer girl shut up and commanded her to turn on her own people as well.

  As I watched the mental manipulators gain the upper hand, I felt my energy begin to wane. One of the guys on our team that had crazy speed, finished binding the last one of our enemies.

  With heavy limbs, I helped load our captured enemies.

  “Where do they go?” I asked Troy as I slumped against him.

  He looked at me with concern. “We have a special facility in the mountains. We take those that wish us harm there. Once they enter the facility they are unable to use their gifts.”

  “And the children?” I asked in apprehension.

  “We take them to Knightstown,” he explained as he lifted me to put me in our Land Rover. “We have a staff especially for this that work twenty-four seven. They investigate each child and if parents are located we take them back, if not we find a foster family within our community that will raise them as one of their own.”

  “These kids don’t have a family. Not really,” the man that was protecting them said bitterly. He held out his hand, “Hi, I’m Gavin and I work for a shelter downtown. Those are kids that have been in and out of the shelter almost their whole life.” He explained.

  I wiggled out of Troy’s arms and shook Gavin’s hand with a smile. “What gift do you carry?”

  He looked at me with widened eyes. “What-?”

  I smiled once more. “If you’re trying to hide it, it’s no use. I’m sure you have for some time now, but normally the non-gifted show some kind of reaction to…all this,” I flourished my hand around me. “And I just so happen to know someone that bears the same mark as you…and she’s gifted,” I took Troy’s hand and made him view Gavin’s shoulder blade.

  I heard Troy’s soft intake of breath as he recognized Jemmy’s mark as well.

  One of the other teams started moving the children out of the trailer after the area was deemed secure. I watched as this team moved flawlessly, loading the children ages seven to sixteen years old into a van.

  “Stop!” I called out as I saw a larger man carrying Alex towards one of the vans.

  Troy and Jaxson went to put a restraining hand on me. “They’re going to be okay and you will probably see them again,” Jaxson said reassuringly.

  “No,” I said forcefully. “I won’t leave Alex…I can’t.”

  I made my way towards Alex and the guys reluctantly followed. I know they were just humoring me. They had no clue that somehow, some way, this boy was related to me. I didn’t need a blood test to see and feel that he was my brother.

  “Hey, Brown,” Jaxson nodded toward the burly guy.

  “Hey, Jaxson, Troy,” his eyes assessed me, and I could see the look of interest that entered his eyes, which baffled me. When I left the house earlier I had put on skinny jeans, a pair of boots, and a simple green cashmere sweater. After the night I had, I knew I must look like a hot mess. “Who’s this pretty lady?”

  “This is Blake, but she’s spoken for,” Jaxson said laughingly, but I heard the warning in his voice.

  “Oh,” the guy let out a disappointed sigh. “The cute ones always are.”

  Alex was watching our interaction with interest. “Come on, Alex, you’re coming with me.”

  “Blake,” Troy said gently, “we have standards and procedures we have to follow. I know this is hard, they’re never easy, but he’ll be okay.”

  I ignored the pain in my ribs and I took Alex from Brown’s arms. Brown was too shocked at my quick movements to offer much resistance. It made me sick to my stomach how light he was. Ella was considered petite for her age group, but Alex was beyond petite. I could feel his bony arms, ribs, and legs as he wrapped them around me. He wasn’t accustomed to getting consistent meals.

  I turned, putting my face up against Alex’s. “I am not leaving without him,” I said firmly.

  The guys stared in shock at Alex.

  “What’s going on here?” Will asked as he came up behind me. “We can move out now. We’re done here. Team Sw
ipe is coming in right now.”

  I had already been told Team Swipe’s primary mission was to act as a cleanup crew. They would swipe the whole location where the children or teens were found, look for any evidence we may need to properly identify them, and if it happened to be in an area where the non-gifted witnessed the extraction they would wipe their memories clean of what they had seen. I was reassured that it was painless and the next morning the witnesses would wake up like they had drank too much the night before and blacked out.

  “I’m not leaving his side, Pops,” I stated as I turned around.

  I could see the surprise in his eyes too, and I could see he was coming to the same conclusions I was. I had a sister out there and now I had a brother. That was three of us, that we knew of, and Horatio had taken an interest in all of us. It made me wonder if he knew more about me than I did.

  I buckled Alex into the seat beside me as Jaxson took the seat on my other side. He seemed reluctant to let me go. I knew it was because he just found out Tom had been there.

  Remy was now driving as Will was on the phone the whole ride home. He had let the placement team know that Gavin would be accompanying the children to the processing facility and he was to be given a car to come to Remy’s afterwards. Gavin agreed to allow him to ‘pick’ his brain after he ensured we weren’t creeps out to hurt the children and after he made sure that the children were settled in to their temporary homes.

  Will had called Drake and asked him to throw together something for us to eat. After the amount of energy we used tonight, we were all famished and Alex clearly needed some sustenance.

  I didn’t pay much more attention to the phone calls he was making as I turned to Alex. “How did you get in that trailer?”

  He leaned against me and looked up at me trustingly. “My dad sold me to some men.” His eyes filled with tears and I could tell it was hard for him to talk about this. “A few weeks ago, I started hearing people…in my head. My dad thought I was crazy. He took me to the hospital. The doctors started doing some tests and didn’t know what was wrong with me, When we were getting ready to leave, some doctor came up to my dad and told him he would pay him to take me off his hands.” His lips curled in contempt. “Dad can’t hold a job down. He’s always getting fired. The doctor gave me to some rich guy in a suit and he took me to that trailer.”