by Jenn Nixon
Another attempt to stop him from doing what he must do, another distraction. They wanted his involvement, this is the result.
“No, it’s not, Caelum,” Sanjeeta said, moving in his line of vision. “No one’s asking you to kill this man, you’re overloaded. Something’s wrong with Dina, she needs your help.” Confusion wracked his brain. Sanjeeta sighed, wrapping her hand around his wrist. “Baby blues.”
“Do not distract me, Sanjeeta,” he barked, lifting his hand for added control in keeping the guard against the building as he reluctantly gazed down at her without changing his vision, easily allowing him to see her elevated temperature and neural activity. “They must pay for their actions.”
“Yes, that’s why we have a justice system,” she replied with extra snark. “You said similar things happen on other worlds, we’re not killers. You’re not a killer.”
“You have no comprehension of the things I’ve done, human.”
“Don’t pull that crap with me, I’m not some random person, and you know it,” Sanjeeta snapped. “Look at me.”
“Any who are freed will continue. Visitors and descendants will never be safe from humans like him,” Caelum grunted as he reluctantly met her gaze.
“You’re right,” she replied. “That’s why there are people like us around to make sure everyone is safe. Isn’t that why you helped the MIND team find each other?”
“Yes, but it was not enough. I failed…”
“You didn’t fail,” Sanjeeta said, her voice cracking as her fingers tightened around his wrist.
“It’s over, “Liam said, approaching from the other side. “Zila sacrificed herself to stop the virus. Gardner is dead, we have all his people in custody. But I still need your help. Dina is trapped in her mind.”
I don’t want to force you, Caelum. We need you. Look at me, please. When her sniffling floated through his ears, his heart dropped. He flipped his vision to see her glassy eyes staring up at him. The silver ring around her irises shimmered. His control over the guard evaporated and the man collapsed.
He lowered his shield.
Sanjeeta crashed into him.
Thousands of images and voices clogged his head as he enveloped her in his arms. The link between them opened. His little star cried out in agony and he could do nothing to help her. Caelum held her tighter as tears spilled down his cheek. Trying to soak up her pain intensified his own. Undeterred, Sanjeeta strengthen the link to ease his burden, only his and Dina’s safety remained at the front of her mind.
As the voices began to quiet and the anguish subsided, Caelum’s thoughts came into focus. Lexa, Duncan, and Theo stood over Liam who held Dina’s head in his lap as he gently brushed his hand along her forehead.
Sanjeeta’s fingertips fell against his cheek. Are you focused?
Caelum nodded, feeling strong enough to begin, and approached the group, easily sensing their anxiety for a moment before Sanjeeta helped it all float away. He knelt down beside Dina and wrapped his fingers around her forearm. Sanjeeta rested her hand on his shoulder to ensure he maintained clarity.
He returned to Enhancer vision and peered into the Shrian-hybrid’s mind, coming face to face with all the memories belonging to Dina’s future counterpart. No longer in need of answers, he kept his attention on the task, noticing the original wall he’d used to secure the memories no longer existed. Subsequently, each time the loop replayed in her mind the shorter it seemed to take.
The future memories were disappearing.
Caelum worked furiously to block the playback from her present thoughts and used the calmness Sanjeeta surrounded him with to help speed up the process despite the draining effect it had on his energy. The visitor presence, his presence on Earth was ultimately responsible for everything plaguing the people of this planet. He knew, deep within his mind, humans needed to know the truth. As much as he hated the thought and the potential result of their actions, MIND needed to come out of the shadows eventually and Caelum feared that day would come sooner than later.
When Dina moaned, the entire group, which now included Casey and Bates, formed a semi-circle around him. Caelum sensed the last of the future memories slip away just as Dina opened her eyes. The odd green glow faded and a frown spread across her mouth as Liam gathered her in his arms.
“Dina?” Duncan called nervously.
Caelum rose to his feet and swayed.
Sanjeeta’s fingers tightened around his wrist as her other grabbed his shoulder. “Careful.”
While it was still quiet inside his mind, he needed to review all he’d seen, he needed Sanjeeta to maintain that focus. There was one place he felt safe enough to stay so open for so long and flashed to Rivia’s ship without another word.
His Conduit sighed and let go of his hand taking some of her energy, the link, and her thoughts away. “We really need to work on your exits and appearances.”
“Even with our connection, I am often lost in thought, Sanjeeta.” Caelum frowned, glancing over at the golden letters on the cargo hold wall.
“What does it say,” she asked softly as she moved to his side.
“I don’t remember.”
“It feels…familiar.”
“Perhaps you’ve seen some of the letters and symbols at the base or in my thoughts.”
“Yeah, maybe.” Sanjeeta threaded her fingers through his, heightening the link. “Dina’s okay?”
“Yes, the memories have faded.”
“See, that’s something you should have told them before leaving.”
“This is why I need a Conduit,” Caelum sighed, scrubbing a hand over his face as he mentally sent a message to Liam. “I’ve seen much. I need to focus.”
“On what?”
“Gardner, his team, what his guards knew.”
“Maybe you should rest.”
Caelum shook his head. “Help me or leave me be.”
“Don’t snap at me. It gives me a headache.”
“What?” Caelum blinked and gazed down at her.
“I guess that’s how I keep tabs on you, when you’re super-emotional, I feel it now.”
“With Rivia it was always my thoughts,” he replied, taking her hand in his. “I never want to cause you pain, Sanjeeta—”
She pressed a warm finger on his mouth. Sharing your burden may always bring some pain, Caelum, or it may all go away the stronger I become. No matter what, I am here for you, until my last breath.
Caelum drew her into his arms, feeling his eyes welling again. To strengthen his bond to her, he unburdened every corner of his mind giving her access to his deepest fears and darkest desires knowing more than his heart was in her hands.
Chapter Thirty-six
Liam grunted when Caelum vanished. Lexa curse under her breath. No one else moved. Everyone’s gaze rested on Dina as she slowly came to. She winced and shielded her eyes.
“Hi, gorgeous,” he said softly, helping her to sit upright. Dina looked around, confused. Liam’s heart sank. “You’re okay.”
“Gardner?”
“He’s dead,” Lexa answered as she clung to Bates’s side and shot Hinta a death stare.
Dina rubbed her temple when Caelum’s thoughts entered Liam’s mind to tell him the obvious. All of the future memories were gone. The only things inside his and Dina’s mind had been what they experienced firsthand and parts of the dream they’d seen.
He helped her to her feet as Duncan, Theo, and Casey approached.
Dina squeezed Liam’s hand and broke her hold to approach Hinta. She threw her arms around him. He hugged her and sobbed against her shoulder. “You saved us all.”
“I saw everything,” he murmured.
“Me too,” she sniffed and rubbed his back.
Shocked at the emotions Hinta displayed, he shared a look with Lexa, thinking they needed to cut him a break. Despite their usual code not to kill anyone, Dina and Hinta seemed adamant Gardner deserved to die for his past and current actions and possible future ones as well.
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Only time would tell if Hinta’s choice would haunt him and the rest of the MIND team or bring about the closure they desperately needed.
“The others are inside,” Duncan said, motioning to the Phoenix building. “I’m afraid it’s bad news, we should go…”
After Dina broke from the hug and returned to Liam’s arms, the group teleported into the building, landing at the end of the hall leading to the lab. His heart dropped. Valtor, holding a crying Jazara in his arms, stood next to a distraught Kim and the glass decontamination room across from the main lab. He grew tired of seeing everyone suffer.
Casey and Lexa gasped at the same time seeing Jones and Zila dead inside the room. Theo ran to the door and glanced in while Duncan returned to his father to check on him.
“Jaz?” Hinta approached the group. She lifted her head from Valtor’s chest, eased out of his embrace and collided into her boyfriend. They continued to cry softly.
Dina shuddered beside him. I should have seen this…
Liam shook his head. I don’t—
Not true, sweet pea. Valtor hijacked the conversation as he glanced back. I asked Jazara to view my future. She must have shared what she’d seen with Zila.
“What do you mean?” Dina asked aloud, breaking her grasp.
Liam pressed his fingers into the corners of his eyes as Valtor took Dina’s hand in his.
“Jazara saw that man, Jones, inject me with the virus prototype. Zila intervened.”
“What?” several said from behind.
“Why would you do that when you know her visions come true?” Dina’s voice pitched higher.
“Because I refused to see my children suffer. I needed to find a way to stop the virus. I needed to know how to help you,” Valtor said calmly.
Duncan grunted. “You knew, that’s why you volunteered to expose yourself to Gardner…”
“Had we not confronted Jones, here, today, we’d never stop the virus,” Jazara said softly, defending Valtor. “That was the choice Val faced. My mother wanted her revenge on Gardner, too, so she sacrificed herself to save us.”
“For fuck’s sake,” Casey gasped as she shook her head and hugged Theo.
“You shouldn’t have done that,” Dina spat, glaring at Valtor and Jazara before dashing away down the corridor.
Liam frowned as Duncan, equally distraught, went after her.
“I’m sorry,” Valtor said with a sigh. “I did what I thought best. I’ll ensure Zila is brought home safely, someone needs to bring the rest of the guards to the shuttle and—”
“We need to destroy this building,” Lexa said. “And the warehouse in England.”
“I need to contact Tippton, we’re going to have to hand over all the humans without visitor blood,” Theo added, frowning.
“Are we sure that’s the best idea?” Bates asked and the group frowned.
“Something we need to discuss shortly,” Liam said.
“Agreed. Jaz and I will take care of the warehouse, meet you back at the base,” Hinta said, before he and Jazara vanished. Valtor sighed and walked back to the decontamination room and gazed in. Liam looked down the hall, trying to pick up Dina and her twin.
“Where’s Caelum?” Kim asked, nervously drawing his focus.
“No clue,” Lexa answered.
Bates shrugged. “Sanjeeta’s with him, so I’m not worried. Yet.”
“Did you get everything from the servers?” Theo asked, glancing over to Kim. She nodded. “Do we need anything else from this place?”
“No,” Liam said. “The formula died with Gardner.”
“Hope so, between Dina and Hinta, I’m sure one of them can confirm that,” Lexa interjected as she curled her hand around Bates’s bicep. “I’m going to check on Caelum and Sanjeeta, make sure they’re okay.”
“Casey and I will destroy the building after Val’s done.” Theo met Liam’s eyes. “If you need me, you let me know…but I think she’s going to be okay now.”
Liam nodded as the group dispersed. His gaze lingered on the hallway. Although the twins were nearby, neither was open enough for him to gather a sense of their emotional states. The right thing to do was give them space and time to work through the anger toward their father. He understood both sides, which meant it was best to stay out of it, for now.
***
Beyond the need to belong, stronger than the desire for affection, Caelum’s biggest fear was going mad and driving everyone away. Promising him he’d never be alone again seemed cruel when he’d outlive her. Sanjeeta, however, could promise all her days and nights.
Caelum shuddered in her embrace. Help me focus, Sanjeeta. I have to know it’s truly over.
She tightened her grip around him and smoothed her hand along the back of his head and down his neck, taking the billions of voices into her mind and letting them drift away. He didn’t subject her to his current thoughts, but allowed her to sense all his emotions, raw and bubbling beneath his tough exterior.
Such pain. He sniffed back tears, clinging to her body. So much suffering.
Unsure she had any words of comfort, she continued caressing him, trying to easy his burden as best her abilities allowed. When he pressed his face against her neck and breathed in, her skin sizzled and body heated.
“Sanjeeta,” he cooed as his lips brushed behind her ear.
She leaned back, collected his face between her hands, and kissed him softly. I love the way you say my name.
And I love the way you make me feel. Caelum parted from her mouth and frowned slightly. You’ve liberated me, little star, from an eternity of madness and loneliness. You’ve saved the entire team. I don’t have to leave Lexa and the others to survive on their own. I can stay and help now.
Yes, we can, Caelum, together, she replied, as she smiled, trying to elevate his sudden mood shift.
“Everyone decent in there?” Lexa’s voice echoed from the ship’s command center.
“Yes,” Caelum replied with an eye roll, but didn’t release her from his hold.
The portal door to the cargo bay opened and Bates and Lexa walked in. Sanjeeta smiled, unable to move otherwise. Caelum kissed the top of her head before relaxing his arms. She stayed attached to his side, rubbing her hand on his back as a shudder ran up his spine.
“Is Dina well,” he asked and sighed when they both nodded.
“How are you two?” Lexa approached, tilting her head slightly.
“Better,” she replied, gazing up as Caelum nodded.
“The memories are gone, they cannot influence us anymore,” he said.
Lexa sighed. “That’s good, but not really why we’re here. It’s…Hinta…”
“What happened?” Sanjeeta tensed at the thought of her friend hurt, or worse. “Is he okay?”
“He killed Gardner,” Bates said.
“Crap, really?”
“He went into the guy’s mind, totally flipped out. Snapped his neck,” Lexa added with a bite. “I…he…was like another person.”
“I also looked into a guard’s mind, saw what they had done to the humans and psychics, far worse than draining visitor blood, Lexa,” Caelum said gently. “Given Gardner’s history, and what he did to Zila, Marjorie, and the others, I’m surprised Hinta let him off that easily.”
“I can’t believe you just said that,” Lexa gasped, shaking her head.
“You have never been tortured,” Caelum snapped. Sanjeeta laced her fingers through his to calm him. He breathed deeply and his shoulders relaxed. “Some people deserve death, Elexanji.”
“I hate to agree, but he’s right,” Bates added with a frown. “Last resort, always. I know Hinta lives by that code, too.”
“I should go see him,” Sanjeeta said, squeezing Caelum’s hand. “I dragged him into this—”
“We were on Gardner’s trail long ago,” Bates said, glancing at the lettering scrawled around the room. “Liam wants us to have a team meeting anyway.”
“The other reason we’re here,” Lexa s
aid. “We’ll meet you back there, yeah?”
“Yes,” Caelum answered as he gazed down at her. “Sanjeeta go with them.”
“Why?” she asked, shuddering as his thoughts turned darker.
“As I said, I’ve seen into the guards’ minds, I must alter their memories, shield the team’s true purpose from them to keep everyone safe.”
“Is that a good idea, mate?” Bates asked, sharing a fearful look with Lexa. “What happens if you repress the memories and they come back?”
“Unlikely. Removing memories is beyond dangerous, you’ve seen the results in Zila. This I can do. Unless you are ready to reveal yourselves to—”
“No, we’re not. Not after what happened today,” Lexa said, shaking her head. “Go. We’ll meet you back at the base.”
Sanjeeta reluctantly released his hand and stared at the golden letters on the wall. Going back to the base and giving Caelum time to help the team was the right thing to do. She needed to check on Marjorie anyway. Still, the thought of leaving his side filled her with terror.
Little star. His soothing deep voice sent a shiver down her spine.
She glanced up.
Caelum brushed his hand along her cheek. I won’t be long, you have my promise.
Okay. I’ll see you soon. Sanjeeta nodded and stepped back. He blipped away.
“How are you feeling?” Bates asked as he and Lexa neared.
“Good, overwhelmed, but good,” she replied with a slight smile. “Thanks for giving me a ride.”
“Before you know it you’ll be teleporting too,” Lexa said, shrugging and holding out her hand. “Maybe. Bates hasn’t told the others, but he can shift a few feet across a room now. Caelum was right about that, it seems.”
“I’ll need every skill at my disposal to handle him, he’s very stubborn,” Sanjeeta said as she took Lexa’s hand.
Bates laughed as they blipped out of the ship. When they reappeared in the penthouse living room, his chuckle subsided upon seeing the team, all who seemed lost in their own thoughts. Sanjeeta met eyes with Hinta first and saw them turn glassy again. He turned away and hid his head against Jazara’s shoulder. Her heart sank.
