Out among the trees he could be himself and not worry about judgement or rules. There was no one there to tell him what he was or what he should do. He could simply exist.
*****
Weeks passed and Ethan’s time with Edred became increasingly labored. Not only was he still working out and improving his hand to hand combat skills, but he would also spend part of his day on his enhancements.
Some days would consist of strength training while other days were spent moving objects twice his size. Manipulating air was his favorite ability. It was the one thing that made him feel powerful, like he had a chance of surviving.
His least favorite days were spent with Godrik learning about the MalJari and memorizing various parts of Kowend. Both Godrik and Danica felt it was important that Ethan familiarize himself with everything ‘MalJari’. He didn’t argue, relenting instead that some knowledge was better than none. But after all their time together, he still felt strangely defensive toward his mentor. He had forgiven the doctor’s betrayal and lies but something still seemed untrustworthy about him. It was bothering him but he remained silent on the issue.
“This is the main tower,” Godrik stated, pointing to a large alabaster skyscraper with a pointed center peak and two equal sides that curved downward. It was exactly like a spade. On either side of the building stood multiple pearly white towers shaped like sails from a ship. They flanked the main structure closely, forming a V shape.
“MalHalen will be here.” Ethan stared curiously at Godrik. Why would he need to find MalHalen? “How do you know so much about him? Have you met him before?” Dr. Stevens turned to meet Ethan’s eyes. “I only know what I’ve heard.” Ethan heard the lie slip through Godrik’s lips. What was he hiding?
CHAPTER 14
H unter stared at him sadly. "There’s something he’s not telling me,” Ethan said. They were sitting in the living room of Ethan’s dwelling after coming back from a study session with Godrik, Hadley and Abby.
They had been discussing the various entry points that they would use once they had all had the serum but every time that Godrik mentioned a place within the city walls, Ethan was certain the scientist had actually been there. The facts were not adding up and Ethan vowed to get to the truth.
“Let’s not worry about that right now, okay? It’s late and you have a big day tomorrow.” Ethan smiled at Hunter. “I suppose you’re right.” He stood up and motioned for Hunter to follow.
“Do you really think you can do it?” Hunter asked. Ethan shrugged.
“Guess we’ll find out huh?” He had been given the monumental task of manipulating enough air to damage the school house. Thus far he had been able to move all the playground equipment with relative ease, destroying most of it in the process.
Now Edred had requested a larger target. Though he didn’t think that Ethan could move the entire building, he did at least hope to damage it beyond repair. Moving a whole building was a huge feat, one that even Hunter wasn’t sure he could accomplish. Strength like that simply didn’t exist. It was Edred’s thinking that being able to attack buildings would come in handy should it come to a fight and they needed a way to escape to safety. Ethan couldn’t agree more.
That night Hunter would be the one to have a fitful night of sleep. He tossed back and forth unable to keep the demons in his head at bay. Little did he know the virus running through his veins was engineered to do just that.
When morning came, Hunter found himself weak and tired. Ethan wanted to stay with him until he felt better but Hunter insisted that he train with Edred instead.
“I’ll be fine. Now go move that building!” Hunter ordered playfully. “Alright but I’ll come back as soon as we’re finished.” Ethan smiled and gave Hunter a peck on the lips before departing. The sandy haired boy attempted to go back to sleep but found the task too exhausting.
He was feverish but cold and clammy at the same time. He had never felt that way before. Perhaps it was something he had eaten the day before? He thought back to the prior days’ activities and found no cause for concern. After training with Edred in the morning, both he and Ethan met Godrik in the laboratories beneath the streets for more research. Hadley and Abby had been there as well. Preston had stopped by for his usual update, even bringing them lunch but other than that, nothing was out of place. They were still working on Ethan’s sample but he would let them know as soon as he heard anything.
The girls were really taking a liking to Hunter and the feeling was mutual. He couldn’t imagine going through all of this without them. They were intelligent and level headed – something he often lacked when it came to Ethan’s safety. At the very least, the girls were entertaining, always finding out unique tidbits of information to share like using the pre-fix Mal. Soon they started calling each other MalAbby and MalHadley to be funny. He too found it comical until they started calling him MalHunter.
He smiled fondly thinking of his new friends. But the smile quickly faded as a wave of nausea hit him hard. He sat up and ran into the bathroom with barely enough time to release the contents of his stomach into the bowl. He retched and coughed until everything had been expelled. When it was over he leaned back against the wall and wiped at his sweat covered forehead. He noticed his reflection in the mirror and gasped at how ghostly his skin was.
He turned toward the shower, contemplating if it was worth the effort to undress or simply stumble in and turn the cold water on. As he sat on the tiled floor, the apartment alerted him to a visitor. He thought it was strange but figured perhaps Ethan had told someone of his illness and they were now coming to check on him. He instructed the computer to open the door and he waited until he heard the person enter the apartment before speaking.
“I’m in the bathroom,” he informed the visitor, his voice hoarse from throwing up. He heard footsteps coming toward him but frowned at the sight of the person. “What are you doing here?” he asked, clearly annoyed. “Your presence has been requested.” That was the last thing Hunter heard before he was struck over the head with a blunt object, passing out almost immediately.
*****
“Yes Ethan, just like that!” Edred cheered. Ethan had not only demolished parts of the old building, he was now causing deep cracks within the foundation, forcing the structure to buckle under his command.
He was very pleased with himself. When he was finished, he once again shook his head to bring himself back. Each time he accessed this part of his abilities, it was like his mind went elsewhere and he needed to reel it back in before he lost himself permanently.
“I wish Hunter could have seen that,” he said slightly out of breath.
The practice had paid off in terms of building up his ability to the point that he no longer felt like passing out when he was finished. At first, manipulating air took so much of his energy that he would feel weak for the rest of the day but now he could control not only his actions but his body’s reactions. “Me too. Shame Connor couldn’t see it either.”
Ethan rolled his eyes. Connor wasn’t always present during his training and Ethan was okay with that but he could tell that Edred missed him. He realized their relationship was close since Edred had been the one who awakened Connor and told him the truth. It was hard for the young man to understand and come to terms with his existence but he quickly embraced his place next to Edred, training with him and working together to build the small army they had.
“Where is he anyway?” Ethan asked. Edred was now standing next to the building admiring Ethan’s work. “He sent me a message that he wasn’t feeling well. Perhaps he ate something that didn’t agree with him?”
Ethan glanced down at the ground. That was strange, he thought. Both Connor and Hunter sick at the same time. It made Ethan feel uneasy and suddenly all he wanted was to see Hunter. “Are we finished? I’d like to check on Hunter… make sure he’s feeling better.” Edred nodded. “I suppose I better check on Connor too.”
The pair left the forest in relative silence, d
eparting with a simple nod as each walked toward their respective dwellings. Though Ethan was worried, he was also excited to tell Hunter about his accomplishment. As soon as he stepped into the apartment he knew something was off. It felt cold and empty. He ran into the bedroom, expecting to find Hunter still in bed, but saw nothing.
His eyes widened when he searched the bathroom and found a streak of blood on the shiny floor. “Hunter,” he whispered. He raced through his front door and down the stairs to the 72nd floor. He figured before he freaked out he would check Hunter’s dwelling to make sure he wasn’t there first. He knocked incessantly but the door remained closed. “Hunter?!” he shouted. Nothing.
Panic and fear enveloped his senses. He didn’t know what to do or who to call for help. He ran back into his apartment and dialed the first person he thought could help him. “Edred?” The older man noticed Ethan’s frightened demeanor. “Ethan, what’s wrong?”
He took a deep breath before speaking. “It’s Hunter, he’s not here,” he said quickly. He saw an expression of concentration on Edred’s face. “What? What is it?”
“Connor wasn’t in his apartment either.” Ethan’s panic grew. “I thought you said he was sick!”
“He was. At least that’s what he told me.” Ethan peered around, desperately trying to find a clue to what was happening. “Edred I found blood. Do you think something happened? What if someone took him?” Edred shook his head.
“Don’t jump to conclusions Ethan. I’m sure there is a logical explanation for all of this.”
He wanted to mean it but the statement didn’t feel like the truth. Instead Edred felt like something was wrong but he had no idea what. Who would kidnap Connor and Hunter? More importantly, why? “I’ll be right over.” Ethan agreed and stayed in his apartment until Edred showed up. As soon as he did, Ethan was out of his chair and barking orders at the older man. “Calm down Ethan. We need to figure this out but let’s take a deep breath. I’m sure everything’s fine, okay?” Ethan did as he was told and took a deep breath though it did nothing to calm his ever-growing nerves.
“Now, what was the last thing you remember?” Edred asked. Ethan thought about it for a minute before answering, “Hunter wasn’t feeling well, so I left him in bed this morning and went to meet you.” Edred had an amused smirk playing on his face. “Oh, shut up,” Ethan grumbled. “I didn’t say anything!” Edred mocked, placing both hands up. “Well did you search his dwelling?” Ethan shook his head. “I can’t get in Edred!”
“Oh right. I forget not everyone has one of these,” he said producing a small flat, card shaped object. “What’s that?” Ethan inquired. “Nothing you need to worry about. Now which apartment is his?” Ethan recited the apartment number as they exited his dwelling.
When they arrived at Hunter’s place, Edred swiped the flat black object against the sensor and the door opened instantly. Edred waited for Ethan to enter first and followed him.
Ethan ran inside, realizing this was his first time in Hunter’s apartment. They always ended up in his so Ethan never thought about it. Hunter left every few days and came back with fresh clothes, but now being inside the small space, something was off. He stepped further inside and peered around, studying everything carefully. It was perfect. Like too perfect. It almost seemed like no one had been there in ages. Curiosity got the better of him, causing him to shuffle toward the refrigerator and open the door. Just as he thought… empty.
He ran into the room, racing for the closet only to be met with the same conclusion. Empty. There were no clothes anywhere. No sheets on the bed, no personal items anywhere. Ethan’s throat began to close off, cutting the oxygen to his brain. Why would Hunter lie to him? And more importantly, where did Hunter actually live?
*****
He could hear strange voices around him speaking a tongue he had never heard. Connor opened his eyes reluctantly, knowing any movement would cause his head to hurt more than it already did. The last thing he remembered was coming home from his medical appointment. Now he found himself face down in what he guessed was a train car since the floor was gently swaying back and forth.
He slowly lifted his head and tried to assess his current situation. He was in a train car but he had no idea where he was headed. It was dark except for the lights inside the car, indicating that they were travelling underground. He reached his hand up to his head and felt a large bump across his forehead. He winced at the blood on his hand.
As he focused his eyes he realized he was not alone. Hunter was sitting next to him, quiet and apprehensive. Opposite him was Preston, seemingly bored out of his mind. Well at least he was calm, Connor thought. That’s when he remembered it. Preston was the person he saw trying to kidnap Hunter. He tried to stop him but was hit hard over the head. Why would he do that?
“Hunter?” Connor whispered. The other boy stiffened but maintained his seated position. “Shut up,” Preston ordered. “Where are you taking me?” Connor sneered. “I’m not taking you anywhere. They are,” he stated, pointing to the other side of the room.
Connor turned his head and met the gaze of three angry MalJari. He could tell by their appearance that they were military. They were wearing white leather pants and intricately stitched long sleeved tops that appeared heavy and protective.
Fear creeped up his body. Adrenaline began to course through his veins. Noticing their freakishly angelic faces, he knew he needed to get out of there. He needed to find Edred and tell him what was happening. He tried to stand up but his head wound caused him to be dizzy and disoriented making the task more difficult. “Stay down,” Preston hissed. But Connor was stubborn and determined to stand. It wasn’t until he was tackled to the ground that he realized his fate. He struggled to free himself from their grip but the soldiers were much stronger.
One of them held his body while another pushed his head down onto the cold steel floor. He gritted his teeth in pain. He knew they could snap any of his bones in a split second.
Finally, the third MalJari stood before him, unamused by Connor’s antics. He felt his body being pushed up to a standing position though no hands were on him. The other two soldiers had loosened their grip on him allowing the third to manipulate him at will. Once he was fully stood, the third alien held his hand out and pushed the air around Connor, painfully shoving him against the wall. He was physically stuck, unable to move from the alien’s invisible grip.
He was being held by the chest and then by the throat. He gasped for air as his lungs fought to fill with oxygen. His face was turning red from exertion. “You promised you wouldn’t hurt him!” Hunter shouted. The outburst both surprised and saddened Connor. Clearly Hunter was in on the kidnapping. Maybe he had made a deal with the MalJari? Maybe his plan was to force Ethan’s hand and make him fight, knowing full well that Ethan wanted nothing less? “I made no such promise,” Preston snarled.
“But MalHalen wouldn’t allow this. Don’t think I won’t tell him what you’ve done!” Hunter sneered back. Preston turned to Connor and studied him momentarily. Hunter assumed that he was contemplating whether to let him go but that was not the case.
The two aliens turned on Connor. One grabbed him from behind and forced him onto his knees. The other placed his hand on the boy’s forehead and glanced back to his leader for confirmation. Hunter stared in horror as they attacked Connor right in front of him. He watched as Connor’s body shook forcefully, his face contorting in agony. As much as he didn’t like the guy, he knew Connor didn’t deserve what was happening to him. “Stop!” Hunter roared. When they continued their torture, Hunter did the only thing he could think of. He summoned his power, eyes glowing a savage green hue as he pushed the air in front of him with such force that everyone in the train car fell over.
Connor laid there, eyes and mouth open, not moving, yet responsive. At least he was alive, Hunter thought. The leader of the aliens turned his attention back to Hunter, glaring at the boy. He appeared murderous but kept his distance. Preston’s expression
was of pure anger. “Will I have any more problems from you?” Hunter asked him as the man sneered at the boy. “You’re lucky I’m not allowed to hurt you.” It was obvious they had been hiding a lot from everyone else.
Hunter rolled his eyes and crawled over to Connor, assessing his injuries. “Are you okay?” he asked. Connor stared, open mouthed, like his brain couldn’t function right. “You…you,” was all he could say. Hunter sighed and leaned back against the side of the train. He knew he had a lot of explaining to do, but he wanted to wait to get home first… to Kowend.
CHAPTER 15
E than had a bad feeling that did little to settle the nervous knots in his stomach. Both Hunter and Connor were missing and both had been presumably ill beforehand. Were their illnesses somehow related?
Edred was talking with Godrik on video chat while Ethan paced the living room. He was so distracted, he didn’t even bother to try and listen to their conversation. Godrik wouldn’t know anything anyway. Once he was finished, Edred turned his attention to Ethan.
“Godrik is on his way,” Edred began to say. Ethan only stared at him incredulously. “Why did you have to get him involved?” he asked. Edred shrugged. “Because he knows where they are.”
Ethan stopped pacing and gaped at the older man. “What do you mean he knows where they are?” Edred shrugged again, taking a seat on a wool arm chair. “That’s all he said. Let’s just wait for him okay?”
Okay? Was Edred crazy? Who knows what’s happened to Hunter and Connor and Edred was cozy in his chair waiting for the toxic avenger to show up? It all felt like a dream, a horrible, horrible dream.
Ethan thought about his life before he met Godrik. Yes, it was simple and somewhat boring but at least he knew who he was and he wasn’t constantly in danger of dying or watching those he loved get hurt. He wasn’t spending countless hours preparing for an impossible battle with an enemy he knew nothing about.
Awaken_Ethan Drake Chronicles Page 17
