by Bryan Cohen
Chapter 46
As Ted ran through the caves, he had his first solitary time since he'd gotten out of bed. Once he was sure he was far enough away from Nigel and the twins to stop running, he let his thoughts catch up with him. Sandra and Mr. Faraday were dead. They'd both tried to kill him and his friends. Erica was dead, too. Whatever spirit had taken control of her was on his side, but the girl he'd grown up with and loved had perished. He was caught in the middle of a war he didn't understand, and a group of evil thugs were trying to use him to take over the whole world. Ted's mind raced with emotion. He felt heavy with burden.
"You know, I'm probably going to die."
He thought about all the things he had yet to do in life. He'd never visited New York City. He had yet to pay way too much money to go to college. He hadn't even gotten a paycheck from his first job. As a sentimental soul, these missing aspects of his life made him feel forlorn. As he breathed deeply, a glimmer of hope shot through him.
"All I have to do is not get stabbed. If I don't get stabbed, the world doesn't end and I get to do all those things."
Ted resolved to walk more carefully and to use all his senses to be prepared for anything. As he crept around the next bend in the cave, a fist swung through the air and hit him right in the nose. The pain shot through his face. He began to bleed almost immediately, and when he put up his hands to defend himself, he recognized Jennifer Norris standing before him.
"Oh my gosh, Ted?! I'm so sorry."
Behind Jennifer was her father.
"Nice punch, honey. A little premature but right on the mark."
"Thanks, Dad."
Ted pinched his nose to stop the bleeding. He was glad to see two allies, but his thoughts immediately went to Erica.
"Where are Erica and Dhiraj?"
"They're here, too. Is your face OK?" Jennifer asked.
"It's as good as anything else."
Ted sat on a semi-flat surface on the cave wall. He looked down at the drops of blood that had landed on his shirt.
"Are you going to pass out or something?" Jennifer asked.
"I might have some fruit snacks," Sheriff Norris said.
Ted groaned.
"I'm not going to pass out. I don't need a snack, though I appreciate the offer. I have no idea why I'm here."
Ted looked down at the rocky ground. He thought about the blacktop outside the diner and how he'd have been pretty roughed up without his powers. Jennifer sat down next to him on the wall.
"I think you're here to save the world."
Given Dhiraj's crush on Jennifer, Ted knew more about her than most. According to his friend's rose-tinted glasses, Jennifer was one of the kindest people on the planet, she had a voice that could soothe an angry lion and her skin was as smooth as silk.
"But why me? What was the point of picking me? I'm nobody. The world is going to end because I don't know what the heck I'm doing."
Jennifer put her good arm around Ted's shoulder and gave him a reassuring squeeze.
"Ted, I almost got choked to death today by my drama teacher. My dad got semi-brainwashed for the 'greater good' and I'm pretty sure I have a separated shoulder. But I'm still here, and I wouldn't have it any other way."
Ted looked over at Jennifer's face. Aside from being deep and blue, her eyes were also filled with truth.
"But why?" Ted asked.
"My friends needed me."
"Erica isn't even Erica. She's someone else entirely."
Jennifer pulled Ted a little closer to give him a half-hug.
"But part of her is still in there. And just like the Erica we know is part of her, the people who gave you these powers knew there was a hero inside of you. You may not believe it, but sometimes you have to just trust what other people see in you."
Ted considered what Jennifer had to say. Perhaps he was looking at his situation too one-dimensionally. After all, if a society of powerful beings chose him to play a role in saving the planet, they had to have a half-decent idea of what they were doing, right?
"Kind of like what Dhiraj sees in you?" Ted asked.
Jennifer laughed.
"And what does he see in me?"
"He basically thinks you're the best person in the world. Right now, I feel like he might not be too far off."
Ted watched Jennifer light up. He wondered how exactly she felt about Dhiraj.
"Thanks. I might have to talk to him about that."
"You should."
The sheriff cleared his throat.
"Is the pep talk over now? I think I have a feeling of where Erica is."
"A feeling?" Ted asked.
Jennifer sighed.
"They have some kind of creepy ESP connection. It's weird and I don't want to talk about it."
Ted nodded. He reached over and hugged Jennifer.
"You knew just what to say to me."
"It's a blessing and a curse," she said. "Now we go stop the bad guys, right?"
Ted nodded.
"Which direction, sheriff?"
The sheriff pointed. Ted smiled and looked at his two compatriots.
"Let's get there in style."
He put his hands out and the three of them began to float a few feet off the ground. Jennifer seemed to enjoy the sensation more than her father did.
"What are you doing?" the sheriff asked.
"Time management."
Ted moved his fingers and the three of them began to fly forward at an incredible rate. As they reached a turn, the sheriff barked out a direction and Ted complied. Jennifer couldn't help but let out a squeal of joy as they whipped around each bend.
"This is amazing!" she said.
Ted continued to fly the three of them around until they came upon a man in a similar beige uniform to the sheriff's. Ted landed the three of them a few feet away. Ted nearly tripped as he got used to walking again. The sheriff helped Deputy Daly to his feet.
"Daly, what are you doing here?" the sheriff asked.
"I – I was coming to help you."
Daly rubbed the back of his head.
"Somebody knocked me out."
The sheriff grabbed his deputy's shoulders. "You need to get help, Daly. Get as much backup as you can and bring them to the cave."
"Yes sir."
Daly picked up his gun off the ground and stumbled away in the direction they came.
"We're close," the sheriff said.
"Up, up and away!" Jennifer said.
Ted picked the three of them back up and sent them forward. That's when Ted heard the commotion. He recognized several voices and floated them to a stop. Ted glimpsed Erica doing a kick flip off the ground to a standing position.
"Let's even these odds. You guys ready?"
Jennifer pulled out her stun gun and nodded.
"Let's go."
The three of them rushed into the room with their weapons drawn.
