Len, hes really worried about you, they all are.
I gotta get out of here, Helen stammered. She ran a hand over
her face and turned for the window.
Where are you going? Claire asked, trying to block Helens path
with an outstretched arm. Ill tell him to go away if you want, but
you have to let me know that youll be okay.
Im just going home. Promise you wont let him follow me,
okay?
Claire promised and gave Helen a hug. Then Helen jumped out
the window, transitioning states in midair. She heard Claire gasp
as she flew away. A minute later Helen was landing in her front
yard and heading right for the stairs to take a shower and warm up.
He was waiting for her behind the front door. He swept her feet
out from under her before he even bothered to slam the front door
shut. Everything went completely dark, darker than any night, any
blindfold, or any closed room that Helen had ever experienced. She
was enveloped in a disorienting blackness that made her feel dizzy
and cut off from the rest of the world that she couldnt even remember
the layout of her own house anymore. Where were the
stairs? The furniture? She didnt know. It was as if she had fallen
into a black hole.
Helen was so shocked she didnt have time to roll over before she
felt a very large man cover her from behind. He took her head
between his hands and wrenched it to the side, trying to break her
neck. She grabbed on to his wrists and pulled them outward, trying
to get him to release his grip, but he had leverage on his side. Her
neck muscles strained dangerously, and she felt herself start to
panic for the second time in an hour. But it was that recent brush
with death that informed her as she kicked and struggled. The
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thought of using her lightning made her stomach turn, but she
knew she had no choice.
Helen felt the current start in her belly. It was naturally trying to
arc out of her toward the ground, and all she had to do was release
it. Untrained as she was, she let the bolt go, and it shot down her
legs uselessly, causing her to convulse. In her desperation, she got
the last few volts to run up to her hands and jump across her skin
into the mans wrists.
For a brief moment the blue spark lit up the room with a flash,
and she saw his eyes widen in surprise. Then she felt him shake
with the current, and heard him scream as he was electrocuted.
Helen smelled burnt hair and ozone like a calling card from her
darkest childhood nightmare. She felt what must have been half
her bodys energy empty out of her, leaving her as weak as a kitten.
The burden of the large man on top of her grew intolerably heavy,
and she knew she had to get out from under him before he recovered
or she would be no better off than she was when hed had
her by the head. While her attacker was still shaking, she managed
to kick some of his weight off of her, and as the barest amount of
light was allowed to creep back into the room, she finally got a look
at him.
The gleaming blond curls and the thick body were Hectors, and
for a moment she feared she had killed him while he might have
been trying to teach her a lesson. She leaned right over him to see
if he was still breathing. Hanging inches away from his face in the
regular darkness of night, she saw it was Creon, but it was too late.
The moment she recognized him he opened his eyes and grabbed
her to his chest in a deadly bear hug.
Helen screamed and struggled. She reached down into her belly
looking for the current, but all that was left was weak static. She
had already discharged all the voltage stored up in her muscles.
The release of all that energy had left her weak and vulnerable. Her
arms and legs had no strength, and she crumpled under Creons
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renewed attack like a paper bag. He fell on top of her, pinning her
to the ground as he pulled a bronze knife out of his belt.
Such a shame, preciosa. Youre the most beautiful girl Ive ever
seen. Almost too perfect to cut, he grunted into her ear. But
Atlantis . . .
She squirmed her neck away from his lips, shivers of disgust running
across her skin. Then he pushed off of her, raising his knife up
high over his head. He paused, and for a brief moment Helen
thought he wouldnt do it, but she saw his eyes harden. He brought
it down directly over her heart.
Creons knife made a dozen pinging noises as it shattered and
scattered off of her skin. He had just a moment to register what
had happened before a foot connected with his head and sent him
flying off of Helen.
Lucas jumped on Creon with a vicious snarl, and the two of them
began to fight so fast Helen could barely see their hands move.
They punched and grabbed and gouged at each other, both of them
changing from a rapid-fisted boxing to some kind of strange wrestling
in which they tried to bend each others joints in the wrong
direction. Helen barely had time to roll onto her knees before it
was over. Cornered and still weak from having been electrocuted,
Creon cloaked himself inside an eerie shadow and ran at top speed
out of the house as soon as he could put even one inch in between
himself and Lucas, who chased him halfway across Helens lawn
before turning around and coming back inside.
Are you okay? Lucas practically shouted.
Yeah, I just cant . . . Helen said as she tried to stand and then
fell back down on the ground with a woozy thump.
What did he do to you? Lucas asked, his voice high-pitched
with worry. He picked Helen up and tried to balance her so she
could stand on her own. Are your legs broken? He suddenly reclaimed
her weight as he frantically assessed the damage.
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No, I just . . . Hector said to use my bolts to fight, and I did, but
they went the wrong way, I think, she mumbled. She was confused
and seeing spots.
Why cant you stand? Lucas asked as he tried to get her to take
her feet again. Her heart hurt from seeing Lucass beautiful face
and smelling his body and feeling his hands on her. She had a
vague sense where the ground was, but the whole world was falling
over, and she was too tired for this crap. She just couldnt do this
anymore. She needed a nap.
The next thing she knew, Helen could taste something sweet on
her tongue. Honey. She opened her eyes all the way and saw that
she was sitting on the counter in her kitchen with Lucas standing
between her knees, holding her head up and tilted back as he
drizzled honey from a plastic bear.
There you are, he breathed through a small smile when she
looked at him. He looked back at her with so much tenderness
Helen had to remind herself that Lucas wasnt really interested.
For the thousandth time she wondered what had happened to
make him push her away the way he had.
Hi, she said, h
er voice cracking like shed just woken from a full
nights sleep. Howd you get here?
Cassie got a glimpse of Creons attack, but she didnt know
where it was going to take place because all she could see was darkness.
I took a guess, he said, brushing her hair back from her face
and placing a long lock behind her shoulder. Sorry I was late.
Dont sweat it, she said, her voice still shaking with fear. She
took a deep breath to steady herself and pulled herself together.
You messed him up pretty good. Ive never seen Creon bolt from
a fight like that before, Lucas said with admiration.
I just softened him up for you. She couldnt resist smiling at
him, even though she knew shed spend hours rethinking and regretting
it. Did I miss anything while I was out?
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Just a trip from there to here, he said, pointing over his
shoulder then to the counter. And a quick call to Jason for
backup.
Lennie! Claire shrieked frantically as she barged through the
front door. She gasped at the knocked-over furniture in the foyer.
In here. Dont freak out, Im all right, Helen called out to Claire.
Then she saw Lucass questioning look. Its okay, she knows some
of it, she told him. She pushed him back so she could jump down
off the counter. Claire came in first, followed by Jason, who looked
like he was ready to strangle her.
Sorry, Luke. I was at her place looking for Helen when you
called. I tried to come alone but Five-Two latched on to my arm
and wouldnt let me go without her, Jason growled, nearly tearing
his hair out in frustration.
Um, excuse me? But shes my best friend and I could tell
something was up, Claire snapped at Jason. How could this have
happened? You just flew out my window, like, two seconds ago.
Claire grabbed Helen in a hug.
You know about . . . stuff? Jason asked, surprised, not sure how
much he should say.
I told her, Helen admitted as she pulled out of Claires enthusiastic
hug and rubbed her sore neck.
But Ive always sort of known. I just thought she was undead or
something, Claire said with a dismissive wave of her hand. Believe
me, Im much happier youre all part Greek god instead of
part something disgusting like bat or wolf or mosquito.
Jason and Lucas shared a look over Claires head. Helen explained
what had happened as quickly as she could while Lucas
took Jason outside to look at the tracks, but it was too late to try to
follow Creon. They came back inside with grim looks on their faces
to find Helen and Claire had switched the lights on to assess the
damage in the entryway.
Are those pieces of a knife? Claire asked.
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Yeah. He kinda stabbed me in the heart, Helen said tentatively,
not knowing how Claire would react.
You can still do that? Stop blades? Claire asked, unsurprised.
What about the lightning thing? Can you still do that, too?
How do you know all this about me? Helen sputtered. Claire
sighed.
After I pushed you off the roof . . . she began.
After you what? Lucas yelled.
It was when we were seven! And she wasnt hurt! Claire yelled
back. Anyway. I knew about the knife thing because, well, I tried
to stab you once, too, she continued bashfully. But I already
knew youd be fine because of what happened with Gretchen and
the scissors in second grade. Remember?
Helen grimaced. Oh, yeah! Gretchen and the scissors! She really
was trying to kill me, wasnt she?
Yeah, she was. She was crazy jealous of you. But I never wanted
to hurt you, I just had to be sure I wasnt losing my mind. It was
scary, you know? she asked apologetically.
Helen smiled, forgiving her instantly.
I guess I cant blame you. But howd you know about the
lightning-bolt thing?
Remember when we were nine, we were going off island on the
ferry to see the Boston Aquarium, and that creepy guy with that
huge gut kept trying to talk to us? Remember how he kept accidentally
bumping up against you and stroking your hair?
Helen did remember, even though she had spent a lot of time trying
to forget. There had been that horrible smell of burnt hair, and
the empty look in his eyes. Helen nodded, shivering at the thought,
and dreading where Claire was going.
Remember how he just disappeared suddenly before we docked?
Well, he didnt just disappear. He tried to grab you, Len, and I saw
an electric spark jump from you to him. It blew him right off the
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deck of the ferry. It looked like lightning, except it came out of
you.
I think I killed him, Helen whispered, needing finally to admit
what she had done.
Good! He was a child molester! You should probably get a
medal, Claire insisted. Helen looked at Claires earnest face. The
man probably did mean to do something terrible, but did that justify
frying him?
First, you dont know that you killed him. Second, it was a reflex.
Whether he deserved to die or not isnt the point. You
shouldnt feel guilty about something that was done in self-defense,
Lucas insisted. He touched Helens shoulder. She moved
away from him uncertainly, not knowing how to feel. Luckily,
Jason changed the subject.
So youve always known she wasnt entirely human, Jason said
to Claire with a wry smile. Didnt that ever bother you?
I was a little worried she might try to drag me off to hell and
drain my essence at some point, but I figured that was still better
than having Gretchen for a best friend, Claire said with just
enough honesty to get a laugh. Plus, I dont know if youve noticed
or not, but this island is full of white people. Not exactly easy growing
up Japanese here. But with Lennie around I always knew no
matter how strange I was, she would always be way stranger. So
that was nice.
And you never told anyone else over all of these years? You never
mentioned it to someone when you were little, even by accident?
Lucas asked skeptically.
Come on Lucas, Im not stupid! I saw E.T., you know, and I
know what the men in the white coats did to him and Elliot, she
replied with a disgusted look on her face. Id never tell on Lennie.
Or you, for that matter.
Thanks, Lucas replied, a little confused by the alien metaphor.
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He and Jason shared another look, and this time there was obvious
admiration in their eyes.
You know what I dont get? Helen asked, changing the subject.
Why can she be around when I do Scion stuff but it doesnt affect
me? All of these times she saw me use my powers over the years,
but I dont remember ever feeling pain in my stomach.
Helen explained her mothers curse to Claire, but no one had an
answer to
her question. They turned their attention to cleaning up
as best they could before Jerry got home. Claire offered to stay with
Helen for the night, in case she was too freaked out to sleep alone,
but Jason nixed that idea right away.
And what are you going to do if Creon shows up again? Throw
your pocketbook at him and give him a piece of your mind? he
said shaking his head. Uh-uh. I know you two are like sisters, but
youre not staying here.
Ill stay. You take Claire home, Lucas said, quietly assuming
control before Claire could start another argument with Jason.
Let me know if you see anything around her house.
Right, Jason said with a nod as he guided Claire toward the
door.
He didnt seem surprised that there might be something dangerous
lurking around Claires house, but Helen and Claire were.
Helen lifted her arm to stop them from leaving, suddenly terrified
again. It was night and any shadow could have Creon inside it.
Sensing Helens fear, Lucas intercepted her hand and held it
tightly.
Jase can handle it, he told her confidently.
Wait, what do you mean, my house? My parents are home,
Claire said, her anxiety resurfacing as well. You dont think the
guy who did this . . .
Dont worry, Jason said with a sensitivity he usually reserved
for everyone in the world except Claire. Im not going to let anything
happen to you or your parents.
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Thank you, she said slowly, looking a bit surprised that she had
any reason to say those words to him.
She turned and waved at Helen, who thought to herself that the
impossible had just happened. Claire had finally run out of nasty
things to say to Jason. Helen shut the door behind them and took a
deep breath. Then she glanced over at Lucas, and prayed to a pantheon
of gods that looking at him would get easier someday.
You look tired, she said, realizing it was true as she said it.
So do you. I hear youve been having a lot of nightmares, he
said back, completely unashamed to admit he was asking his cousins
about her.
Why do you care? Please, Lucas, just go away, she begged, rubbing
her face with her hands.
I cant. I wont, he said, moving forward and pulled her into his
arms.
She felt too fragile to fight him off. She melted into his chest and
rested there for a few moments.
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