by Marina Epley
“Talk to him, Holtzmann. Make him give us a couple more days.”
“He won’t listen.”
“So, this is it then? Are you really ready to give up?”
He thinks for a long moment before answering, “I’ll do everything I can. Actually, I should have a conversation with Browning right now.” He walks toward the door.
Rebecca and I are left alone in his lab. We continue watching the news. Rebecca is still holding my hand. Suddenly she’s crying.
“What? What’s wrong, Rebecca?”
“I don’t know,” she sobs, covering her face. “The world is just too cruel, I guess. Why do people always have to kill each other? What’s wrong with us? There’s plenty of room for everyone on our planet. Can’t we all just leave in peace?”
I don’t have answers to her questions.
“I’m sorry,” she says, wiping her tears. “I guess I’m just oversensitive. I was watching the news and thought of my parents.”
I end up holding her in my arms and patting her back. I don’t know how else to soothe her. No words come to mind and I simply repeat, “It will be all right, Rebecca. Everything is gonna be okay.” What else can I say? Nothing that I say or do can bring back her deceased parents.
Rebecca presses her face against my shoulder and slowly calms down. Then she suddenly steps back and turns away in embarrassment. “I’m sorry, Rex.”
“For God’s sake, why do you keep apologizing?”
She shrugs, “I don’t know. I just hate for you to see me like that.”
Chase returns, a very sleepy Lena in tow. Yawning, she rubs her eyes and looks around in confusion.
“We have work to do, Lena,” I say. “And we have very little time.”
Lena nods, ready. We both walk into the dark room used for telepathic experiments. Holtzmann suggests that light may be too distracting. Darkness is the best environment for telepathy.
Somehow I understand that Browning won’t be giving us more time. He wants Elimination to begin scanning everybody in order to detect all breakers. It means we have to locate the terrorist group immediately. This is our last chance.
I don’t have to explain anything to Lena. She’s in my mind and knows what I think anyway. I sense a jolt of fear in Lena. “Calm down,” I say. “You mustn’t be afraid now. We need to concentrate.”
She relaxes and calms down. I feel it. I lie down in my chair and close my eyes. Kitty. I need to think of her. I have to figure out where she is. Today. Right now. Tomorrow will be too late.
The minutes pass slowly. No idea how long we spend in the dark room. Maybe an hour, maybe longer. I call out for Kitty in my mind, asking her to help. Nothing. I imagine her as vividly as I can. My head hurts and I’m exhausted, but I keep trying. No vision comes.
“Lena, why doesn’t it work?” I ask. “What are we doing wrong?”
“I don’t know,” Lena answers sadly.
We continue our attempts. Our efforts seem futile. I need to think. Holtzmann said I have a mental block, subconsciously rejecting my being a breaker. I have to accept it on every level, to fully embrace my nature. He said it is as natural as breathing for me to have visions and to use hypnosis.
I take a slow deep breath, concentrating harder. I can do this, I think. I’m a telepath. That’s who I am and was always meant to be.
I get a sensation of weightlessness. Then multiple images begin flashing in my head. Kitty, a man with scarred face, a map laid across a table, a large building, other breakers, white sandy beach, the ocean… I gasp. I somehow understand they’re planning a new attack to free captured breakers at another police station tomorrow. My head hurts so intensely that I can’t bear the pain any longer and sit up. Lena is still lying with her eyes closed. Then she wakes with a jolt, overwhelmed by the visions. Her eyes are open wide and hands trembling. Being telepathically connected, I know we shared the same vision.
“Lena, what the heck was it?” I ask. “What have we seen?”
“It was their main headquarters,” she answers. “I think we may have actually seen where they’re hiding.”
“Can you locate this place?”
Lena shakes her head. “I only know the place they plan to attack tomorrow.”
It’s something at least. Hopefully, I can find Kitty there. But can we capture all of them at the station? To get them all, we’ll probably have to locate their base.
We walk out of the room and see Holtzmann sitting at his desk. He has a dull expression.
“No more time?” I guess.
“No. Browning is skeptical of our team’s usefulness, and wants to shut down our project.”
“He’s too late,” I grin. “We’ve already located them. They’re attacking a police station tomorrow.”
I describe the place in detail.
“There was a long bridge nearby,” I offer. “It was somewhere near water. I could smell the ocean.” I search my mind for a sign with a name of the street. “Apple Grove.”
“It should be enough,” Holtzmann says enthusiastically, turning to his laptop. “Chase, please report to Mr. Browning that we’ve identified the location of tomorrow’s attack,” he commands as Chase rushes away.
“We also saw their main headquarters,” I say.
“What?”
“Their main base, headquarters… whatever you call it. The majority of them are hiding there.”
“Could you recognize the place?”
“No.”
Holtzmann keeps silent, thinking. Then he says, “If we want to prevent new acts of terror, we’ll have to capture all of them. We need to locate their headquarters somehow.”
Easier said than done. I frown. We have no time for conducting more experiments. The next attack is going down in a few hours.
Holtzmann calls for guards and commands them to wake each member of my team. The guards execute his order quickly. Within ten minutes everybody is in the lab. Holtzmann explains the situation briefly and then we’re all discussing what we need to do. Victor is smoking, pacing back and forth. He seems bored.
“Why all the hurry?” he asks. “Lena and Rex can get more telepathic visions, after we capture the group attacking the police station. On second thought, why not just interrogate the captured terrorists? They will likely tell everything, especially if we beat the hell out of them. Browning can’t shut us down if we succeed.”
“The uncaptured group may change their location before we can get there,” Holtzmann answers.
This is not the only reason. Kitty is my only link with those evil breakers. Having found her, I won’t have any more visions. Afterward, there’ll be no further reason for me to work for Elimination. Holtzmann must realize this.
“Too bad we don’t have any friends among the terrorists planning the attack,” Jimmy sighs. “They could lead us back to their headquarters.”
I look at him and then say, “Jimmy, you’re brilliant.”
“What did I do?” he asks.
“You’re right, Jimmy. We’ll just need one of us to join the terrorist group.”
Everybody stares at me in shock, but then they understand what I mean.
“We could put a tracking device on him,” Holtzmann suggests.
“When we arrive, we won’t capture the entire breaker group,” I say, glancing at a clock showing 8 am. “We’ll arrive at the police station and attack them. And then we’ll let a few escape. The one of us who helps lead them through our defenses, will hopefully be allowed to join their group and taken along right into their main base.”
Holtzmann smiles with approval.
“Why would the terrorists allow one of us to join them?” Frank asks.
“Because I’ll have helped a few escape, and besides, I’m their martyr,” I offer. “They already want me to join them.”
I hope Kitty won’t let the terrorists kill me. I can’t be sure whether they’ll heed her suggestions or not.
“It’s dangerous,” Holtzmann says, “but bold enough that
it just might work. I like the concept.”
Looks like I’m going undercover.
Rebecca gives me a worried look and says, “They may kill you.”
I shrug my shoulders. I’ve already died once before.
Chase returns and reports that Browning agreed to give us one more day. “If we don’t succeed today, he’ll shut down the project,” Chase says.
Only a few hours left before the terrorist attack. I’m getting nervous. Today I’ll rescue Kitty or die trying.
Chapter 21
I’m walking toward the transport aircraft with my team, when I notice Rebecca standing aside and watching us. It’s 11 am, three hours before the terrorist attack. I’m wearing the black uniform of Elimination, a bulletproof vest and carrying a rifle. Rebecca doesn’t say anything, but by the look on her face I understand she wants to talk. My team has to hurry, but in spite of a lack of time, I decide to stop and give Rebecca a minute. It may be the last time I see her. I don’t know if I’m coming back.
I command my team to board the aircraft as I wait for Rebecca to approach. Rebecca hides her eyes. She seems both embarrassed and a bit panicked at the same time.
Anticipating her request, I say, “Don’t worry, Rebecca. I’ll make sure Holtzmann doesn’t go inside the building. He’ll be safe.”
“He’s not the only one I’m worried about,” she answers quietly and then keeps silent for a few moments. “I’m also afraid you may not come back. What if those breakers shoot you? No telling what may happen.”
“Nonsense,” I smile, pretending unconcerned. “Remember, I’m a breaker just like them. Everything is going to be all right.”
Rebecca sighs. “I don’t know if I should tell you this or not,” she says. “It’s all so complicated. And I’m confused about what I really feel for you. That you’re a breaker, I understand, but now that means little to me. You have a good heart, and I’m better for having met you, Rex. You’ve shown me how to be strong no matter what. I was living in constant fear, afraid of everybody and everything. But then I met you. It seems like you’re never afraid. I admire your bravery.”
My bravery? I’ve never thought of myself being overly brave or strong. I’m just trying to save Kitty, and myself if I can. The things I’ve done were not acts of bravery, but rather simply following survival instincts. I say, “Thank you, Rebecca. It pleases me if I could help you in some way.”
She suddenly reaches for me, giving me a big hug. We stand for a few moments, holding each other.
“Please, come back to me,” she whispers. “Please, be safe and don’t die. I won’t survive another loss. I can’t lose you now.”
I’ve no idea what this is all about. I don’t know whether Rebecca is just being overemotional or she really does feel something for me. I believe she sincerely cares for me in spite of my being a breaker. And I understand I care for her too.
“Everything is gonna be all right,” I repeat.
Wheeler shouts from the open aircraft door, “Hey! Get a move on, breaker!”
“I promise to come back,” I say, leaving. Rebecca covers her face.
It’s no time for any feelings. No time for doubts. I have to go save Kitty.
I grab a seat next to Jimmy inside the aircraft and it takes off.
“Why do you think they will trust you, breaker?” Wheeler asks suspiciously.
“I don’t just think it, I know they’ll trust me,” I answer. “I was their martyr after all. They will want me to join forces with them. Besides, I’m a fellow imprisoned breaker. They wouldn’t kill me.”
“It’s a stupid idea, destined for failure,” Wheeler says. “But be my guest, I don’t care if they kill you or not. Actually, I hope they don’t because I’d like to have that opportunity myself in the future.”
He grins. I don’t answer. I just think of the time when I can put a bullet between his eyes or slit his throat. Soon, I repeat in my mind, only not right now. First I need to use Elimination to rescue Kitty from the terrorists. I can’t fight them all on my own. I need to cooperate for now.
I must think of what may come next. What am I going to do after I reunite with Kitty? We’ll need to escape. We’ll have to take Jimmy, Jessie and Lena with us. I should add Rebecca to my list as well. I can’t leave her with Elimination. It’s no place for her. What about Holtzmann? Elimination isn’t suitable for him either, but I doubt he’ll agree to leave. That egghead is crazy. Then I look at Victor sitting nearby. I don’t fully trust Victor and don’t believe I should involve him in my plans.
I decide to worry about all this stuff later. Now I just have to get the terrorists to bring me along to their headquarters. I have a tracking microchip implanted under the skin in my arm. I only need to make it to their main base and then Elimination will come to capture the breakers and hopefully rescue me. We will destroy their organization. No more acts of terror by this group. No more innocent school children being burned alive.
I take a long look at my team. Everyone seems slightly nervous. Lena is biting her nails. Victor checks and rechecks his handgun. Frank is better able to keep calm, but I notice beads of sweat popping out on his forehead. Jimmy can’t shut his mouth, mumbling about dogs, parachutes and plane crashes. Only Jessie seems like she really doesn’t give a damn. She sits with her eyes closed, napping. I glance at Holtzmann and hope he doesn’t have another fit. His left eye is already twitching.
“Worried, breaker?” Chase asks.
“Not really,” I answer. He smiles and winks, cheering me up a little.
If things go according to our plan, members of my team, excepting Lena and Jimmy, will go inside the police station to engage the intruders. Elimination soldiers will wait outside as backup. Chase is the only Elimination officer coming with us.
The aircraft takes a sudden turn.
“Are we still flying or falling?” Jimmy asks, grabbing the bench with both hands.
“Shut up, retard,” Wheeler growls.
The aircraft is descending. I’m getting anxious and having doubts. What if Kitty isn’t with them this time? What if they won’t accept me and simply shoot me full of holes? I have to force myself to remain calm. Of course Kitty will be there. I wouldn’t have had the visions otherwise. She won’t let them kill me. Everything should work out fine.
The aircraft lands in a large square a few blocks away from the police station. My team exits the craft followed by a dozen Elimination officers, who’ll be providing backup. It’s odd to be associated with them. I notice that they’ve stopped their offensive insults and now pay little attention to my presence. The aircraft takes off again, heading off to a predetermined staging area.
As we approach the police station, Lena looks around cautiously, saying, “This is the place from our visions. They’re coming.”
“Why attack during the day?” Jessie wonders. “Night would be safer.”
“They want to demonstrate they aren’t scared of anybody,” Victor answers. “Also these breakers are capable of mind control. What can ordinary cops do against them?”
Jessie gives Victor a piercing glance which falls short of hiding her disgust and hatred. She looks at Victor the way I look at Wheeler. Jessie wants to kill him, I realize. It may turn out to be a problem in the future, although, I can’t really blame her for feeling that way.
The Elimination officers take concealed positions inside the nearest buildings. My team takes position a block away from the police station in a post office, waiting for a signal.
I worry that Lena and I were wrong, but finally Wheeler contacts Chase on a radio.
“They’re here,” Chase reports. “It’s go time.”
Lena grabs my hand and whispers, “I’ll be watching if I can, be careful!”
“Thank you,” I answer. “I will.”
I realize that should I die, Lena will suffer the same experience in her visions. Just like I died in my mind when Wheeler shot an inmate at the jail.
We walk cautiously toward the police
station. I lead while Jessie, Frank, Victor and Chase follow, everyone armed. I see a large van parked on the side of the road. No sign of suspicious looking people. The renegade breakers must be inside the building already.
As we enter the police station, I pass by a few cops standing motionless, peering into nowhere. I wonder why the terrorists put them in a deep stupor instead of using them against those resistant. Possibly, it takes too much effort or those cops are just very strong minded. I pass by them, heading toward the voices coming from the distance. Then I hear gunfire and follow the sound.
Keeping close to the wall, I reach for the door and take a careful glimpse inside the room. A couple of Elimination guards who had been assigned to the jail are shooting. Five people in camo military uniforms are firing back. A few dead cops are sprawled out on the floor. These cops were probably forced to fire at the Elimination officers. Being under a hypnotic trance, they were slow and became easy targets for return fire.
Then I notice a skinny figure dressed in camouflage, shooting a large handgun, too big for her thin arms. Kitty. She’s here, only several feet away.
I gesture my team to follow and spread out into the room, keeping low to avoid waist high bullets. Jessie, Frank and Victor are firing above my head toward the intruders.
“This is Elimination!” Chase yells. “Drop your weapons!”
A wall of gunfire immediately returns his direction. Chase drops flat on the floor, emptying a clip in response as I run toward the group of breakers. The gunfire ceases for a few moments and I know, my team is projecting their thoughts toward the attackers. But I also realize Victor and Jessie won’t be able to hold them for long, just for a moment. I make it only half way through the room, when the air fills with shouts and gunfire again. A couple of bullets slam into my chest, knocking me to the ground. The bulletproof vest has taken the brunt of the impact. I gasp to regain my breath, then roll over onto my hands and knees. All my attention is focused on a single small figure, holding one heck of a big handgun. I must make my way to Kitty. I’m here for her. Crawling and hoping not to catch a bullet in the head, I continue across the room.
