Empath

by Emme DeWitt

  I nodded once.

  You need more hobbies.

  The door banged again, and this time, I was ready. I flipped the old lock open, pulling the door open slightly after the latest push. The crew outside my door were unprepared and already destabilized from their last battering ram attempt. As I stepped out, I grabbed the weighted ram from the black clad assailant, and entered their mind when it opened up with a ping of surprise. I asked them politely to step aside in my mind, and they bustled against their comrades on their way towards the front entry hall. We were in the front bedroom, so the small space of wall between me and the front door held a bench for shoes and hooks for coats. I directed the battering ram operator to sit nicely on the bench, and they complied.

  While this was happening, I registered surprise on the other three comrade’s auras. In part from me, and in part from Niko entering the doorframe. They were clearly not expecting him. As quickly as I moved on the first assailant, I pulled the other three into line quickly, moving them to the side and having them take a seat. The ram thunked heavily on the ground as I briefly forgot about it, letting one side pitch down out of my grasp. The noise did not register on the placid faces of the team I had subdued.

  Niko tapped my shoulder, grabbing my line of site and pointing upwards. I gave him a nod, and he crept silently through the front door and around to the staircase to eliminate the other mobile threats. I turned my attention back to the seated team, feeling a flicker of fear as they realized they couldn’t move against me. Their brains were being overridden by me.

  “Everyone take a deep breath,” I said softly, not wanting to alert the remaining infiltrators down the hall that I was outside of my room yet. The team complied. I sent a small wave of assurance to them, keeping them calm. “Thank you for cooperating. Please stay seated for the time being. If at any point I feel you may be in danger, I will release you so you can protect yourselves, understood? I just need you to stay out of the way for now.”

  The fear from earlier had turned to unease and confusion, but I could live with that. I needed to move fast. As much as I scolded Niko for not knowing his limits, I too was unsure how long I could hold a variety of people in different states while still keeping myself conscious.

  As Niko had said, only one way to find out.

  Leaving my peaceful charges on the front bench, I tip-toed down the hall, hoping against hope I hadn’t forgotten where the creaky boards were in the hardwood flooring. I passed the open living area. Barren as it was, it still held a lot of life. Brightly colored blankets covered well-worn sofas and chairs. A mural was painted over the fireplace, and pictures and old art prints speckled the walls. There were more books than I could count lining the low shelving along all the walls. I so wanted to come back here when all this was over. I could picture myself sitting on the floor with books scattered around me, Tio in the big corner chair excitedly talking me through one of his many adventures in far-flung forests cataloging plants and animals for his job. Tia would be on the floor with me, her arm pumping rhythmically at her mortar and pestle as she ground fresh pigment for her pottery studio. The picture faded from my mind as a thud echoed from above.

  “It’s probably just the cat,” I could hear Tio’s voice call out. “He likes to knock books off the shelf upstairs.” His voice sounded strained, and I imagined he was probably still pressed up against the wall. Not because he was a real threat, but because people in power liked to let you know they were in power sometimes.

  I froze, vulnerable in the middle of the hall. Tracking Niko, I found him next to a sleeping person, likely his doing, with the cat winding around his feet. As I found the other bodies in the stairwells, all asleep or otherwise unconscious, I realized Niko had been catching them and letting them down softly. The cat must have gotten underfoot, and he had not wanted to potentially harm the cat. I let out a soft snort through my nose, the puff of air barely registering even to my own ears. Big softie, indeed.

  Through the door to the kitchen, I could still sense an overwhelming crowd of people. I wouldn’t be able to take them on all by myself, especially not with my mind already holding four people.

  I sent a soft ping to Niko, requesting an opening. He complied easily.

  Can you take the back stairs and come in from the back porch through the kitchen? I can’t take on everybody alone, I volleyed over mentally.

  Sure you can. But I’ll make my way over. Top levels are clear.

  A radio chirp echoed through the flat, and my eyes focused back to the closed kitchen door.

  “Team B, status. Team A, stand by,” a voice said, quickly drowned out by crackling silence. The channel chirped again, and they repeated their message. After another silence, they moved on. “Team A, status. I repeat, Team A, report status.”

  Tio let out a howl of pain, and I imagined his arm being twisted further behind his back. A bolt of anger slipped out from me, and I watched as the kitchen reacted to my slip up. Two guards peeled off toward the door. I stepped slightly to the side, the backs of my legs up against the couch so that I was out of the line of sight for the hallway. My hand brushed back, knocking against the high table along the back of the couch, normally filled with pretty knickknacks and plants.

  Next to the pile of remotes was a small cylinder, and I recognized it as a laser pointer. My fingers wrapped around it, and I darted against the wall right at the opening between the hallway and the living room. I slid in line with the wall, facing the front of the apartment.

  The door creaked open, and I heard two pairs of boots take slow measured steps out of the kitchen. Their minds were focused, scanning and cataloging what they saw with very assured, clear minds. They were far enough away they didn’t quite notice the group sitting quietly at the front, so I beamed the laser pointer onto the wall, moving it every few seconds. For their training, they likely assumed it to be a long distance weapon instead of a harmless laser pointer. Question marks of surprise rose in each brain, as they did not expect a third party with weapons on this mission. In that moment, I was able to sneak into each of their minds, pausing their footsteps.

  I stepped out in front of them, waving the laser pointer at them. I shook my head and tutted my tongue against my teeth. Putting my finger to my lips, I directed in my mind for them to walk over to the couch and take a seat. Fear rose up hard in one, and I sent a wave of calm to him. I sat them nicely on the couch, forcing them to holster their handguns and place their hands nicely on their laps.

  This time, it was too risky to assure them out loud.

  Hello, I said awkwardly into their minds. Two pairs of eyes bulged back at me. Sorry about this. You must be very surprised. The good news is this is the extent of the mind play for today. Please sit nicely until I leave. If any shenanigans happen, I promise you will be released in time to protect yourselves. I don’t want to hurt you. Okay?

  The eyes blinked back at me, and I nodded.

  Yes, I agree, you are clearly not getting paid enough for this. Hang tight.

  I left my two newest charges on the couch and tip-toed back to the edge of the hall. I listened through the door, and didn’t hear any further expressions of pain. Taking a deep breath, I reached out to Tio. His mind was wide open, as if he had been waiting.

  Tio, I’m coming, I said.

  Mija, we already talked about this.

  And we already agreed I wouldn’t be listening. So. I took a deep breath. Don’t be scared, but I have everything under control. Or everyone, I should say.

  I could feel Tio sigh through our connection.

  I’m just letting you know Niko will be coming from the back. I’m on the other side of the kitchen door. The plan is to rendezvous in the front bedroom, and Niko will pop us out. Are you okay?

  I’m sorry we weren’t there to teach you, to protect you, mija. Tio said. I trust you. Your abuela would be so proud. Your dad, too.

  Sadness lanced through me, and I couldn’t distinguish if it was coming from my own reaction to his words,
or if Tio was sending through those feelings as well. I swallowed hard, trying to clear the lump in my throat. I had to remain focused.

  I don’t know how much longer I can hold everyone, I warned. We have to be quick.

  At your ready, Tio said.

  Ready, I heard Niko send over from behind the kitchen door.

  Everyone knows the plan, I sent to Tio’s connection and Niko’s. Brendan is not a friendly. Subdue, but don’t hurt. Much, I added to myself. A ping of surprise came from Tio, but no rebuttal came through. It seemed he would trust me on this count, too. I would have to explain later. We would all have to explain a lot to one another later.

  I took one final steadying breath. I closed my eyes, thought of Abuela, and Noah, and Birdie, even Eli and Aleks and all the people counting on me to get this right. The pinch of a migraine started between my eyes, but I pushed it away. Exhaling, I opened my eyes and walked straight through the door to the kitchen and unleashing my next volley.

  “Tia, is there any cafecito? I have a wicked headache.”

  “Is that a no then?”

  Seven pairs of eyes swung to me, and I sighed internally as their minds cracked open from such a small surprise. It worried me more that I was getting better at this, but I shoved that thought deep down and made quick work of driving the three closest guards toward the back door and Niko’s waiting chokeholds. The back door swung open to reveal his broad frame, but they didn’t need much push from me to go towards the biggest, most obvious threat. I tried not to be offended.

  The only tactical guard left was pinning Tio against the wall. He was a bit harder to crack, but also the closest.

  So I walked a few more steps and kicked him as hard as I could in the shin.

  He howled, immediately loosening his grip on Tio, who twisted easily away. The guard staggered down onto one knee, and through the open door of pain, I instructed him to just sit down cross-legged, which he complied quite readily. I looked up, immediately catching Brendan’s eyes. His jaw was agape, and the shock was evident in every crease of his expression. In my peripheral vision, I saw Tio grab Tia’s arm, pulling her towards and then past me, out of the kitchen and into the hall. The scuffle continued at the back door as Niko worked steadily through his share of assailants.

  Brendan’s eyes dropped to the grown man sitting cross-legged on the floor.

  “He’s fine,” I said aloud. “You should probably worry about you.”

  “How are you doing that?” Brendan said, forgetting to mask the absolute horror in his tone.

  “Easily,” I fibbed, feeling an icepick wedging its way into my skull. I was deteriorating, fast. My control would not last much longer. “Are you going to cooperate, or do you also need to criss-cross-applesauce on the floor?”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “I’m not staying,” I said simply. “And if you are going to get in the way of me leaving, then I’ll have to break our promise. Not like you haven’t already broken your side.”

  “What?”

  Brendan’s face contorted in betrayal, but at his core, I could tell I had landed on the truth. The feeling didn’t make it past his outermost layer.

  “Also, you need to work on your acting,” I said, taking a moment to loose my true feelings. If I never had a moment alone with Brendan again, I wanted to make sure he knew where we stood. “I can tell you don’t mean it. And I’m not even trying.”

  “What happened, Evie?” Brendan searched my eyes, a deep sense of loss blooming from his core. I felt some satisfaction that he understood on some level what was going on, that maybe now he could see me a little better as I actually was. “This isn’t like you.”

  “No,” I said. “It’s not. I don’t have that luxury anymore. I can’t sit quietly with my books in the library and mind my business. People, and that now includes you, won’t let me be. But what happened to you, Brendan?” I couldn’t hide the disgust on my face or in my tone. My sneer pointed right at the glowing white core of Brendan’s soul, right at his new Elevation. One that did not belong to him.

  “Give me a chance to explain,” Brendan said, his eyes darting to Niko, who had the final enemy in a chokehold, counting down until he passed out.

  Time was running out.

  “I think I already know,” I said. “And even if I’m wrong, I don’t want to hear it right now. I’m going, and you’re staying right here.”

  A chirp echoed from a radio, this time a different, very recognizable voice came over the channel.

  “Evangeline, aren’t you tired?” the Dean’s voice warbled over the line, fighting through a body lying over it to be heard. It was clear enough in the room, Niko, Brendan, and myself froze. The icepick in my head dug deeper, causing me to wince. My eyelids felt heavy.

  Immediately, I slammed up all my barriers, fortifying them with as much desperation and fear as I could. My eyes caught Niko’s, and a wave of understanding rolled off him.

  “I think this is more than enough,” the Dean’s voice called out, honey laden and annoyingly self assured. “Go ahead and let go. It’s time for you to come home.”

  My mind drifted to Tio and Tia in the front bedroom. I was calculating, watching the guard on the floor fidget a bit from his seated position. If the Dean was sneaking in the back door of everyone’s minds and loosening them up, we had a lot more to get through in order to make it to the back bedroom. Instead of fighting her for their consciousnesses, I was ready to let go.

  I just had to time it correctly.

  I sent a mental image to Niko of the front porch of Ms. Xavier’s residence at Windemere, complete with Ig on the porch. I zoomed out, and sent over a general map view of Windemere as well, as best as I could remember. Niko stilled, receiving the information, and gave me an affirmative nod. In two full strides, he wound around the fallen bodies, behind me, and through the door, leaving me, Brendan, and the walkie talkie in the kitchen.

  “You’ve taken my home away from me,” I said aloud to the walkie talkie, my eyes locked back on Brendan’s. “I’m not going anywhere with you.”

  “Evie,” Brendan said, standing up from his seat at the kitchen table. Finally. “Please come back with me. Dean Moriarty and her team can help. They have everything you need.”

  In answer, I held my hand out as a final warning.

  “One more step, Brendan, and I am no longer responsible for whatever action I have to take to protect myself. Please stay out of my way.”

  I sent a wave of emotion out, hoping that either way, he would be able to understand.

  But the emotions bounced off him. I could see he was being shielded, although not by himself. I took in a deep breath quickly through my nose. I was really, really out of time.

  Brendan took another step, and my boundaries snapped.

  I launched the seated guard toward him, putting a literal body between Brendan and myself as I rocketed through the swinging door. Loud crashes and groans echoed behind me, and I released that guard from my control. Even on his own, it would take some time for them to become untangled. Those few seconds were all I needed.

  My toes launched me down the hall as I leaned into my sprint. As I passed the living room, I released the two guards on the couch. They sat still, however, not realizing they had control over their own bodies once again. Not knowing what was coming, or how quickly, I didn’t want to leave them to be forcibly released by the Dean. I wasn’t sure how kind she would be given their mission failure.

  I was at the door to the front bedroom in no time. My breathing was ragged as my lungs caught up with my efforts. I felt light headed, and even after releasing half of my mental burden, the pounding in my ears intensified. My migraine was getting worse.

  The kitchen door cracked loudly against the plastered wall after Brendan pushed it open with all his might. I watched him stride toward me, a manic sheen in his eyes. I wasn’t sure if the desperation was to save me or to stop me. I’m not sure that those things were mutually exclusive.

&nbs
p; “Sorry,” I muttered to the two nearest guards on the front bench. “I’m going to need to borrow you for a moment. Again, so sorry.”

  I requested they stand, marching forward to blockade me from Brendan’s advance as I darted into the bedroom for Jasleen’s package, and Niko, I hoped.

  Hold him off, please, I sent to their minds, and I could feel them work with me instead of against me. Even though they had the excuse of my mind control, clearly Brendan had not made friends with these guards. I loosened my hold on them, ready to break the tie cleanly as soon as I was ready to jump.

  I rapped quickly on the door, opening it to find Niko standing sentry between the door and my aunt and uncle, who peered at me around Niko’s broad shoulders.

  “Set?” Niko said. “Harder to track if we only jump once.”

  “Two seconds,” I said, grabbing the box from the top of the dresser and leaning back out to release the two remaining seated guards. As I pivoted to release the two lightly held guards blockading Brendan, his face loomed before me. I clutched the box to my chest, fearing I would drop it.

  “Evangeline. Wait,” Brendan said, his arms reaching out for me.

  Instead of landing on me, his hands landed on the package. White light flared from his core, and I could see his eyes deaden as he looked at something inwardly. Like Tio, I could see his Elevation in action. It felt like a bucket of ice water had been poured over me. This was not something I wanted to be able to see.

  Brendan gasped as he let go of the package.

  “What did you see?”

  “Where did you get that?”

  Our words overlapped, but I caught Brendan’s intention to reach back out and grab me. I moved the box to one arm, and stepped back. I could hear my name being called from inside the bedroom, but I froze. I was torn. Would rummaging through Brendan’s brain to find out what he saw be worth the risk?

  Brendan lunged at me, his brain registering my moment of hesitation.

  I said a silent apology, more for my future sense of guilt than for Brendan. Just as his body broke the outer ring of my personal space, I loosed a solid right hook that landed perfectly on his very attractive, very surprised jawline.