Shadows of Deception

by Amy Hale

  Colt shifted his position so he could pull her to his chest and hold her. She didn’t resist the gesture, but she didn’t respond in her usual warm manner, either. He put his chin on the top of her head and sighed.

  “Jane, please talk to me.”

  She inhaled a deep breath, then let it out slowly. “About what?”

  He pushed her back so he could see her face. “About whatever it is that has you so bothered that you barely function. Something happened with your last headache that you aren’t telling me.”

  She pasted on her best smile, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Nothing to talk about, Colt. I’m just tired and worried. I’m afraid we’ll never find the others.”

  He frowned, sure she wasn’t being totally honest with him. He ran a finger over her cheek and down to her jawline. “You can tell me anything. You know that, right?”

  She nodded, but something in her expression told him she was uncomfortable with the conversation. He decided to drop it.

  “Okay then.” He looked at the television. “When did you start watching soap operas?”

  She allowed a small smirk to form as she looked at the screen. “I haven’t. Not really. It’s just background noise.”

  He relaxed a little, happy to see any emotion other than the disconnect she’d been displaying for several days. He was about to suggest a channel change when the words Breaking News flashed across the screen. Jane focused her full attention on the reporter holding a microphone. The young, dark-haired woman stood in front of an apartment building that was billowing smoke from every window and door. Flames could be seen on occasion as firefighters fought to contain the blaze. Families were huddled around each other, wrapped in blankets and covered in soot. Some of the dirtier faces were also streaked with tears. Colt grabbed the remote and turned up the volume.

  “Witnesses say the fire spread so quickly that escape seemed impossible. Only those already on the first floor were able to get out on their own. The cause is yet to be determined, but I’m told that everyone in the building was safely evacuated thanks to an unnamed hero.”

  The reporter turned to a blue-eyed young man that looked to be about ten years old. His sandy-blond hair was long and shaggy, and he kept pushing it out of his eyes while he stared at the camera.

  “What is your name?” She pushed the microphone in the boy’s face.

  “I’m Gary.” He smiled widely, giving the viewing audience a good look at the gap between his two front teeth. His arm flailed wildly as he waved to the camera.

  “Tell me, Gary, did you see the person that saved all these people?”

  Gary’s mouth fell open. “See him? He saved me too. I’d still be stuck up in that closet if it wasn’t for him!” He gestured to the uppermost corner of the building.

  “Amazing. Tell us just what happened.”

  Gary took a deep breath and then shot out his words in rapid-fire succession. “I was hiding in the closet ‘cuz I was sure I was a goner! Then this guy zooms in, yanks open the door and grabs me. Next thing I know he was putting me on the ground and running back inside. I think he’s a superhero. The flames didn’t even hurt him, and he can move really fast.”

  The reporter gave him a smile and patted his back. “Thanks so much for talking with me, Gary.”

  She interviewed a couple more people as the cameras panned the scene. Bystanders watched as the last of the fire was doused. One other person that was interviewed mentioned the hero, with her story being very similar to Gary’s.

  Jane stood up and walked to the television, her eyes squinted as she examined the live video playing before her. She placed her hands on the screen, then turned to Colt.

  “Wait. Rewind it.”

  “What? Rewind the news?”

  “Yeah. Don’t you have that thing that lets you back up shows?”

  Colt looked confused a moment. “Oh, you mean a DVR? No, we don’t have one of those. Where did you see a DVR?”

  Jane waved her hands in front of her. “Never mind that. I need to see a shot of that crowd again.”

  Colt scratched his head. “I guess we could go down to the station. Peter Grant kinda owes us after all the crap he pulled this summer.”

  Jane shook her head. “I think he redeemed himself when he warned you about the men that took me. But we could go and ask nicely. He might be willing to help.”

  “Okay, fine, we’ll ask nicely. What did you see?”

  “I’m not sure. Just… someone looked familiar. And the hero no one can name? It’s possible it’s someone from the compound. If I’m right, we might have our first decent clue in weeks.”

  Colt grabbed his keys and her jacket off a hook in the hallway as he ushered her out the door. “Let’s go see if you’re right.”

  Twenty minutes later, Jane and Colt were sitting at Peter’s desk. The reporter smiled, but it was obvious he was uncomfortable with them being there.

  “You need to see footage from the live broadcast earlier?”

  Jane gave him a genuine smile. “Yes, please.”

  “It should be on the website soon. You can find it there by the end of the night.”

  Colt shook his head. “We need to see it now.”

  Peter clamped his lips into a tight line. Colt was an intimidating man even when he wasn’t trying. Peter wasn’t going to argue with him. “Uh, well then… Let me see what I can do.”

  Minutes later, Peter led them to another computer and told Earl, the man sitting before it, to show them what they needed. He looked annoyed but did as Peter asked. He pulled up the footage and, at Jane’s request, fast-forwarded to the end where the camera was catching glimpses of the crowd.

  “There. Stop there.”

  Earl nearly jumped out of his chair at her shouted command. She leaned down, looking closely at the screen, which gave him a good view of her cleavage. He wasted no time getting an eyeful before Colt caught him staring. Earl shot his eyes forward and kept them there while Colt stared daggers at him.

  “Earl, can you print this like a picture? Just this frame?”

  Earl nodded, and with a few clicks of the mouse she had the print-out in hand.

  “Thank you, you’re the best.”

  She gave Earl a quick kiss on top of his bald head and then grabbed Colt’s hand, pulling him behind her. When they reached his truck, she quickly jumped inside and waited for him to start the engine. He climbed in, buckled up, and then turned to her.

  “All right, time to show me this hero.” He held his hand out for the photo.

  She scooted close to him and placed the photo on the steering wheel. “See this guy in the red hoodie? That’s Jeremy. He was at the compound before I escaped.”

  Colt took a closer look. “Are you sure it’s him?”

  “Yes, it’s him. I’d recognize him anywhere. He was one of the more unfortunate captives. Professor Russell used him as a punching bag of sorts. He forced some of the stronger-gifted children to practice their abilities on him.”

  Colt started at the photo, and his jaw started twitching. “It’s really too bad you took out that professor. Think we could find and resurrect him? I’d like to kill the bastard again.”

  Jane placed a hand on his arm. “Jeremy was just one of several that were deemed weaker links, but he was strong-willed. He once told me that it had become his mission to make sure the professor never saw him cry. He refused to give the man the satisfaction.”

  Colt flexed his fingers, imagining them wrapping around the throat of the man who had done nothing but destroy lives and torture children. Jane moved her hand from his arm to his brow, trying to smooth the frown lines that always appeared when he was upset.

  He turned his face to her and stared at her lips. Her touch always sent his mind reeling in directions that were usually totally inappropriate for the situation. She moved her hand to the side of his face, then slid her hand into his thick hair. He took that opportunity to close the gap between them and press his lips to hers. She kissed him b
ack for a brief moment before lightly pushing away.

  “Colt, we should get going. We need to see if we can find Jeremy. He may know where The Curators have relocated.”

  He nodded in agreement and started the truck. She buckled up and Colt took comfort in the fact that she didn’t scoot back to the seat near the door. He put the truck in gear then placed his hand on her knee as they drove toward the scene of the fire.

  Jane scanned the few remaining bystanders as they neared the charred remains of the apartments. Barricades were in place to deter onlookers from getting too close. Colt had barely put the truck in park before Jane jumped out and ran toward the building.

  “Damn it, Jane. Wait up.”

  He quickly unbuckled and ran after her. She stopped just outside the caution tape and looked up at the building. Colt was at her side within moments, and he grabbed her hand. Without looking at him, she squeezed his hand and took another look at the few people still milling about.

  “I don’t see him, Colt. Do you?”

  He did a slow survey of the area. “No, I don’t.” He sighed. “Would he really have hung around after something like this? Especially if he was the one that saved all those people?”

  She thought about that for a moment. “No, I guess he probably wouldn’t. He wouldn’t take a chance that The Curators could find him, and publicity like this would do exactly that. After all, it’s how we found him.”

  Colt nodded. “We haven’t found him yet.”

  Jane turned to look at the other buildings in the area, hoping maybe there was a restaurant or some other business he might have been using to blend in. She turned to Colt and froze. Her grip on his hand became like a vice as she felt a familiar inkling of pain start at her temples and make its way over the top of her head to spread like a blanket over her skull. The headache wasn’t crippling, but it was enough to stop her from responding to Colt’s worried questions.

  He led her to a nearby bench placed just outside a barber shop and helped her sit down. She leaned her head forward a bit and placed her fingers at her temples as the images formed in her mind. It was a brief flash, and then it was gone. She opened her eyes and breathed deeply as she willed the pain away. Colt sat close, his arm around her, waiting for her to let him know what she needed.

  Jane sat up straight and placed one hand on his thigh for support. She leaned into him and placed her head on his chest. He hugged her carefully, hoping his touch wouldn’t worsen any pain she might still be having. After a few minutes, she was back to normal and able to think again.

  She looked into his face. “Colt, he’s nearby. Jeremy is here.”

  “How can you be sure?”

  “My vision. I just saw him.”

  Colt’s confused look mirrored how she felt. They were both stumped by the visions she had when the headaches hit. Before she regained her memory, her dreams and visions were limited to actual events from her past, or were at least related to her past in some way. The new images made no sense whatsoever.

  “I don’t know how to explain it, but I’m sure what I saw is correct.” She stood up. “Follow me.”

  Colt grabbed her hand and tugged. “Hold on, sweetheart. You might be walking into a bad situation. Let’s do this slowly, okay?”

  Jane smiled and nodded. She knew he was correct, but she was anxious to find Jeremy. She pulled him next to her and they walked about a block north before she stopped.

  “There should be a large blue dumpster around this alley.”

  “That could potentially be any alley in the city.”

  “True, but this one has graffiti on it. It will say bite me in bubble letters, and there will be a really bad drawing of a tiger above it.”

  Colt smiled. “Well, that’s pretty specific.”

  They turned down the narrow alley and walked just a few feet before seeing the dumpster in question. She ran her fingers over the deformed tiger sprayed at the top, then looked around the area.

  “Over here.”

  She moved to a small, rusted door that appeared to be barely hanging on. The top hinge was all that kept it from falling to the ground. It wasn’t safe to open as is, so she closed her eyes and let the muted colors form behind her eyelids. The swirling neutral masses formed the shape of the door. With a firm grasp of the door in her mind, she opened her eyes and moved her hand to the side. The door opened as if it were newly installed. She motioned for Colt to follow, then took a step inside the darkened room. He followed quickly, making sure she didn’t get more than an arm’s length away from him. The door softly closed behind them.

  Jane let her eyes adjust to the dim light. They were in what was left of an old bar. The building had been abandoned long ago, but some of the equipment was still present, covered in dust and crumbling ceiling tiles. She took a few steps forward, leading them into a small seating area. She raised a hand to Colt signaling that he should proceed carefully. Her steps were light as she moved across the floor. She found one of the bar stools and quietly sat herself down. Colt sat in the seat next to her.

  The small slivers of light that streamed through the mostly-covered windows were useful, but not enough to illuminate the entire room. He was on high alert, trying to tune into every sense as they sat in silence. He didn’t know what they were doing, but every time he started to speak, his gut told him to stay quiet.

  Jane reached for Colt’s hands and held them firmly. Then she started to sing softly.

  “I am the night, the keeper of dreams.

  I send you hope on the moon’s brightest beams.

  Your deepest fears I keep in my care,

  Locking them up, trapped in my snare.

  I bid you now sleep, let smiles fill your rest.

  Tomorrow brings promise of only the best.”

  She stopped and squeezed Colt’s hands, listening carefully.

  A male voice broke through the darkness. “Alice? Is that really you?”

  She smiled. “Hello, Jeremy.”

  A small lamp flared to life at the opposite end of the bar from Jane and Colt. Jeremy sat next to it, the red hood pushed back from his face. His expression was a mix of shock and relief. His once short, dark curls had grown long enough that they hung over his ears. She thought he looked thinner than he had the last time she’d seen him. He stepped out and took a couple of tentative steps toward her before he stopped and looked at Colt suspiciously.

  She stood. “It’s okay, Jeremy. This is Colt. He’s a friend.”

  Colt smiled at him. “It’s nice to meet you, Jeremy.”

  Jeremy continued to stare a moment before he allowed himself to relax only the tiniest fraction. “How did you find me?” His voice was laced with a healthy dose of skepticism. Jane was glad to see he was being cautious.

  “It’s hard to explain all of it, but the first clue was the apartment fire today. Specifically, the mystery hero that helped all those people. When I last saw you, you were learning to hone your gifts. I’m guessing that was successful?”

  He nodded reluctantly.

  “I also spotted you in the crowd during the newscast.”

  His eyes went wide. “Crap. You saw me? How? I had this hood on, and I thought I had avoided the cameras…” his voice trailed off.

  “It was only a glimpse of you, so I doubt anyone else would have taken notice. I think I’m a little more tuned-in right now, which is how I knew you were here.”

  His brows furrowed, and he appeared confused.

  Jane wanted to explain, but since she wasn’t yet clear on how any of her visions were working lately, she couldn’t give him a reasonable answer. “It’s a long story that I can try to explain later. You should be safe for now, though.”

  He didn’t appear convinced, but he said nothing more about it. She let go of Colt’s hand and took a few step toward Jeremy. He watched her inch slowly in his direction, but made no move of any kind. When she was less than two feet away, she stopped.

  Tears filled her eyes, and her voice held a slight t
remor as she said, “I’m so glad you’re okay. How did you escape?”

  His eyes darted to Colt, then back to Jane. He stuffed his hands into the pockets of his hoodie. “There was a commotion at the compound a few months back. We were transitioning from the Testing Hall to our personal rooms when things went nuts. The guards all ran to see what the fuss was, and a few of us were able to escape before they realized we were gone.”

  Jane kept her voice calm, afraid any outburst of emotion would frighten him off. “How many of you got away?”

  Jeremy shrugged. “I’m not absolutely sure. I think maybe ten or twelve. We all got separated fairly quick once we hit the forest.” He shifted his eyes to the floor. “It was pretty much every man for himself at that point.”

  She wanted to cry. Fear and self-preservation were powerful forces. At times they seemed to overpower rational thought and compassion with ease. It was what caused her to run, and what caused those young people to abandon one another once they escaped.

  She cleared her throat. “Are you alone here?”

  He nodded. “Yeah, I found this place a few weeks back. I have a bed and some random furniture upstairs. I think it was once an apartment or something. No utilities here, but it’s better than sleeping outside or in a dumpster. It’s safe and hidden.” He gave her meaningful look. “Or at least it was.”

  “Jeremy, your secret is safe with us. But you don’t have to stay here. You could stay with us. It’s safe there, too, and more comfortable.”

  Colt’s spine straightened. He was all for helping the kid out, but he wasn’t sure inviting him to live with them was the best idea. The house was small and he had no idea what his guy was capable of, Jane’s friend or not.

  Jeremy shot a smirk in Colt’s direction. “I don’t think your boyfriend is so keen on that.”

  Jane turned to look at Colt.

  He held up his hands. “I didn’t say a damn thing. I’m just sitting here letting you make all the decisions.”