"Oh my God, what kind of baby did you put in her?"
"Her baby is the hope for our race. Without her, paranormals will stand no chance in the coming storm."
"I can't tell if you're lying, without my powers, but my instincts say you're being honest. If all you've said is true, then remove the lockdown and get rid of Mr. Black. Stop beating kids and shooting them. Turn this back into the school we loved before you got here."
"Come now, Lucy. After Sam's escape, rebel meetings started occurring. Other students started breaking rules, trying to escape. You didn't know what was best for you. We had to implement a stricter policy to protect the students. We had to keep all of you on campus, away from those who would kill you. But you persisted. The harder you push, the harder the organization has to push back, for the safety of everyone."
"So if we stopped the rebellion, then things would go back to normal?"
"No, not normal."
Lucy scowled. She knew this was all bullshit, but his next words surprised her.
"Better than normal. It's clear to me now we should have been honest with you all along. No more lies, no more cover-ups. I will personally make sure that everyone knows the truth."
"I want to believe you, but you've blocked my powers. If you're being honest with me, why not let me confirm what you've said?"
The Seeker chuckled. "I blocked you so that you would listen to me as a human being. I wanted you to look into my eyes as we talked, and assess at a basic human level if you could trust me. We are still people, you and I, and we deserve the courtesy of simple human interactions. You can feel what is right and wrong without your powers. We tend to rely too much on our extraordinary gifts, and not enough on our most remarkably ordinary talents."
The candle by the bedside flickered out and left them in darkness. Lucy reached over, lit a match, and the candle came to life once again.
The Seeker continued. "I can see that this is hard for you. If it makes you feel better, I will drop my protection and you can test me."
Lucy perked up at this. She'd gotten better at trusting her instincts, but with so many lives on the line, she'd much rather have her power to help her.
"First, I shall lie. Hmm... what shall my lie be? I have only three toes on one foot and one of the toes knows how to sing and dance to Irish limericks."
Lucy smirked. "I didn't expect you to have a sense of humor."
"Yes, people seldom do. I have unexpected depths, you know. All right, I assume you felt the lie in that, as I do not, in fact, have limerick-singing toes."
"Yes, I felt it."
The Seeker then repeated everything he had said about wanting to help her and Luke, about his care for Sam and Drake and his sadness about the recent tragedies.
"I have arranged a memorial for the boy who was killed. I know you dislike Mr. Black, but his job is to keep all of you safe, and he is good at what he does. As for you and your brother, there is no assignment. You are free to go back to your dorm, but I would recommend checking in at the hospital to get some medication. You'll likely need it. I've enjoyed your company, Lucy. I hope you will consider all of this carefully."
Moments later a guard came and escorted Lucy out of the building. The Seeker actually let her go, and gave her a lot to think about in the process. Could it be that Darren was right when he refused to join the Freedom Fighters? Were they safer here than anywhere else?
On her way back to the dorm, the warmth of Lucy's sphere washed over her. Her thoughts spun, conflicted and confused. If there were organizations bent on destroying her kind, would they even be safe if they escaped, or would she be leading these kids from bad to worse? They'd have no money, no identification, no resources, and no way to protect themselves. Then what would they do? Where would they go?
The honey-and-wine voice of the Seeker filled her veins, pulsing through her like a second heartbeat, enticing her and drawing her closer—but another, darker power kept her from succumbing.
She pulled the sphere out and clutched it, letting the cool metal ease the feverish state of her body.
The Seeker was good, but not as good as he thought.
Chapter 24 – Drake
Drake crouched in the dark Montana wilderness and rubbed his hands to keep warm. Sam shivered beside him despite the many layers he'd insisted she wear. This part of the country had skipped fall altogether and gone straight to winter. An early snow dusted the land around them and enveloped them in the kind of silence only the cold could usher in.
Sam held up the drawing she'd made from her dream. Her teeth chattered as she spoke. "There are guards by the front gate, and guards in and around each building. The Seeker is likely located in what was once the main office. We need to get in and find him."
"I have a plan for that." Drake knew she wouldn't like it, but he could see no other way. "We take control of the guards' minds and pretend to be prisoners. They'll take us directly to the Seeker."
Sam didn't reply, but Drake could practically hear her mind as she tried to think of any solution other than mind control.
"It's better than fighting our way through," he reminded her.
She flinched and pulled away from him.
His heart sank. It was bad enough that she would never forgive him for beating that man, but he had to battle his own self-loathing as well. He would do anything to protect his family—even if that condemned him in the eyes of the one he loved most—but it did little to ease his conscience.
"Sam, we won't hurt them. We need a way in, and this is the easiest and safest way for all."
"What if they're like the men who came after us, and we can't use our powers on them?"
"I'm going on the assumption that the Seeker can't control everyone all the time. It made sense he would protect the minds of those he sent after us, but he probably doesn't waste energy on every guard here. It's a risk we have to take."
Sam stood and stretched. Each day her stomach grew, the baby inside getting stronger and bigger. Drake caressed and kissed her belly before he rose to lead them into danger.
Dressed all in black, they blended into the night, but they couldn't silence the crunch of snow underfoot, no matter how stealthy they were.
Before they exposed themselves, Drake and Sam linked minds and took control of the two men on patrol.
Drake commanded them mentally. 'When we walk up to you, take us through the gates safely and show us to your leader, the one called Seeker. Alert no one else to our presence. Deflect any inquiry about us. Act as though we're captured, but defend us with your lives if it comes to that.'
The compulsion waned with the last statement as Drake felt Sam pull away, repulsed by the thought that these men might die for them.
They maintained their mental control and approached the guards. Drake stepped in front of Sam, to protect her if things went wrong.
The guards' glazed eyes stared at him, offering no resistance. Without waiting for further commands, they led Drake and Sam through the electrified gates and onto the school grounds. This early in the morning, few staff or students were up and about. They walked to the main office without conflict or question.
Uneasiness stirred in Drake. He'd hoped for easy, but this was too easy.
The guards guided them to a white door and turned to leave. Drake mentally stopped the guard closest to him and compelled him to give up his gun.
"Drake, what are you doing? We don't need guns. We aren't killing anyone."
'I'm not taking any chances, Sam. If we can't use powers on this guy, then bullets will have to do.'
With gun in hand, Drake turned the knob on the door. While still connected mentally to Sam, he sensed her scan the room. They found no trace of another mind.
The darkness temporarily blinded them. Drake felt Sam reach for his hand. "Something doesn't feel right."
A flick of a match startled them both. The soft illumination of a candle revealed the Seeker, dressed in a flowing white robe, with long, pale hair, sitting in a chai
r. His translucent skin and fragile body reminded Drake of a vampire.
The Seeker smiled at them and lit a few more candles. "You will have to forgive the low lighting. My eyes have become very sensitive as of late, and anything more than candlelight is simply intolerable."
Sam stepped forward from behind Drake. Her voice didn't quaver at all as she addressed their enemy. "You're the Seeker, then?"
"Of course. And you are Sam, and Drake. I cannot tell you how long I have been waiting to meet you both. You have no idea what this means to me, to have us all three here together. You have proven very clever at evading my men, and quite deadly, though they deserved it. They were never meant to harm you, only bring you in. No matter, the easiest solution was simply to lure you here of your own volition. And you have arrived just in time. This is so lovely."
He rose and glided with unnatural grace to light more candles around the room. A loveseat sat across from the Seeker's chair. "Please, sit. Let us discuss matters of great importance."
Sam sat on the edge of the couch, so Drake sat next to her, poised to attack at the smallest hint of provocation.
Sam cleared her throat. "We aren't here to talk. We're here to rescue our friends and all the other kids you're holding prisoner. And you're going to help us."
"Honestly, Sam, I am offended by the use of that word, 'rescue.' It implies such vulgarities. This is a place of safety and learning, a place where children with extraordinary powers can learn to use their gifts without fear. I cannot let them into the world where they would pose a threat to others, as well as themselves—not yet, anyway. It would be the epitome of irresponsibility to do so."
Drake aimed his gun at the Seeker. "We're not giving you a choice in this, freak. You will help us, or you will die."
The Seeker laughed and dismissed Drake as if he were a misbehaving child.
"Come forward, my pet. Let us show your friends who has the power here."
Drake turned in confusion as a woman walked out of the shadows.
Sam gasped. "Mary? What are you doing here?"
Mary didn't answer. Her lifeless eyes and stiff body seemed poised for another command, but held no free will.
Sam had told Drake about Mary, and he'd harbored little sympathy for the bully who had made her life miserable.
Sam's rage erupted. "What the hell have you done to her, you bastard? Release her right now. You're hurting her. Her mind—I can feel your powers eating it away."
Curious, Drake allowed his power to seek out her mind, but the pain became too much and he pulled back.
The Seeker frowned slightly. "I thought you would be pleased. After all, is this not the girl who tormented you throughout high school? Now she will never harm you again."
Drake and Sam linked together and reached for the Seeker's mind, but they hit an impenetrable wall.
"Your powers will not work on me. And now, your powers will not work at all."
Drake's heart pounded against his chest. He reached for Sam's mind, but found nothing. He couldn't compel or seek the mind of anyone. One look at Sam proved she had lost her powers as well.
Drake stood and cocked his gun. The Seeker nodded, and Mary cat-walked over to Drake. Heat exploded in his body, every muscle and nerve ending crackling with awareness. The room zeroed in on Mary, her smell and heat and the expectation of her touch.
"No! I won't be seduced by you." Drake turned the gun towards Mary, but Sam kicked it out of his hand.
Tears clogged up her throat. "You can't kill her. She's only acting on his command."
Drake gaped at Sam, shocked that she'd just disarmed him of the one weapon they had against the Seeker. Rage exploded in him. He pushed Mary out of the way and charged at the Seeker, bent on beating him until he could never hurt another soul again.
Before he could move two feet, the Seeker tore through his mind until all Drake could experience was pain.
Never-ending pain.
Chapter 25 – Lucy
The nurse handed Lucy a bottle of pills. "Take one every four to five hours as needed for pain. Come back in if you notice any puss or infection forming around the wound, or if the pain spikes suddenly or the stitches tear. Do you have any questions?"
Lucy shook her head. "No. Thanks."
She stuck the pills in her backpack and brushed her finger against the metallic sphere. The gentle thrum of energy filled her and eased the pain in her shoulder better than any medication could.
At least a dozen students filled the waiting room as Lucy made her way to the front door. Most of them had sought treatment for some kind of injury after a run-in with the guards from the night before. Lucy reflected on her conversation with the Seeker and wanted to talk to Luke about it. While the Seeker's rhetoric made sense, the reality was less convincing.
Before Lucy reached the door, Mr. Black entered alongside a young girl on a stretcher. He held her disfigured hand with such gentleness that Lucy had to follow him to learn more.
After all, know thine enemy is a basic tenant of the art of war, is it not?
Mr. Black spoke to a doctor. "I need her closer to me in these final stages. The other hospital said she might not last more than a few weeks. You have to buy her some time."
"We can make no guarantees. I've never seen anyone recover from such severe degeneration."
"Just keep her alive for as long as you can, okay? She's all I have, and I won't give up my little girl without a fight."
The knowledge that Mr. Black had a daughter startled Lucy. Of course he had parents—did they know what evil they'd spawned—but a wife and child? That required empathy, compassion, and some capacity to love, none of which Mr. Black seemed to possess. Yet this young girl, with her beautiful and disfigured form, argued otherwise.
As if she didn't have enough conflicting thoughts, now she had to factor in a human Mr. Black, one who hadn't been spewed out of hell—a demon in human form.
The doors to the private clinic swung closed, and Mr. Black and his daughter disappeared.
Lucy left the hospital and immediately ran into Luke and Gary.
Luke embraced her in a gentle bear hug that avoided her shoulder and arm, which hung in a sling for protection. At least it was her left arm. "I'm so glad you're okay. How did you escape the Seeker?"
"He let me go. He wasn't that bad, actually."
Both guys looked at her like goldfish with their mouths agape.
"Don't look at me like that. You weren't there. I'm just saying there's a lot we don't know about what's going on."
Gary swatted the air as if to make her words go away. "I don't care about any of that. We have to get out of here. Now's the time to try again. We can get out, no problem, as long as the Seeker isn't around to block our powers. If we move fast, we're free."
"I don't know, guys. I'm still in a lot of pain, and I can't help but think that we're partly to blame for all this. If we didn't keep pushing the boundaries, they wouldn't have to get so strict. Maybe things will get better if we just chill for a while and see what happens. Luke and I won't be going on assignment, or to any breeding facility, and the Seeker has promised to come clean with all their plans soon. We just need to give them a reason to trust us."
Luke frowned. "Did you knock your head when they shot you? Look around, Luce. No way are they going to lighten up. The lockdown has only gotten worse. We rebelled because they started all this, not the other way around. How many more kids do you want to see die before we do something?"
The loudspeaker buzzed to life before Lucy could respond. "ATTENTION ALL STUDENTS. THERE IS A MANDATORY ASSEMBLY IN THE HUB CENTER TO MOURN THE LOSS OF A STUDENT. PLEASE ATTEND IMMEDIATELY. NO ONE IS EXCUSED WITHOUT VALID MEDICAL REASONS AND A NOTE FROM THE DOCTOR."
The three of them headed towards the Hub.
Luke offered to carry her backpack, but she declined. "I heard they cremated Kyle and his ashes will be here today. Everyone is really shaken up."
A crowd formed around the center where a small stag
e had been erected. A few teachers were present, including Mr. Lancaster, who gave Lucy a meaningful look, though she didn't know what meaning it held. Mr. Black stood on the stage, next to a table holding an urn, and directed students and guards. He held his gun as if ready to fire at any moment, and Lucy worried he'd get trigger-happy.
The guards formed tight circles around groups of students, and kept them pinned to location like insects on a collector's board. When a boy fell out of line and tried to join another group, a guard pistol-whipped him and brought him back to formation.
Lucy swallowed a bit of vomit that rose in her throat.
She'd understood the Seeker's intention and ideas, but nothing had changed—and it wouldn't change unless they did something.
Her black eye still throbbed from the beating Mr. Black had given her, and her freshly shot shoulder pulsed with a painful reminder of how students were treated here.
Whatever Mr. Black and the Seeker cared about, it wasn't the students. Rent-A-Kid may have been well-intentioned at one point, but their methods got one kid killed and had seriously injured countless others. There had to be another way, a better way that didn't involve holding them prisoner and treating them like cattle.
Her brother and Gary were right. They couldn't wait for more kids to die. They had to escape now, today, and Lucy knew how.
The sphere in her backpack sent a surge of warmth into her and gave her strength. The pain in her shoulder disappeared, and she discarded her sling.
Before she could be pulled into formation, she slipped through the crowd towards Mr. Black. Once close enough, she grabbed a gun from one of the guards.
And held it to Mr. Black's head.
The entire crowd fell silent in shock.
Chapter 26 – Sam
Drake hadn't regained consciousness yet, and I couldn't stop crying. If I hadn't kicked the gun away... if we had done things his way....
But he would have shot Mary. She may not have been my favorite person in the world, but I didn't want her dead, or zombified.
Forbidden Fire (Forbidden #2) Page 15
