The beam of energy smacked the tray with a full force, blistering Lionel's hand. The shiny surface reflected most of the rays back in Mel's direction, striking a gallon jar of acetone sitting on the counter. The explosion threw both of them off their feet. The bar between them partially protected Lionel from the blast, as did the tray that saved his life for the second time.
Instantly, the room was filled with smoke and flames. Dazed by the blast, Lionel crawled towards the door, staying low to avoid as much of the smoke as possible. At the door, he stopped. What about Mel? The boy might still be alive. He crawled back to the counter that divided the room and then, down the right-hand side. As he stared through the smoke and fire, he could just make out Mel lying in a heap on the floor.
The flames had already reached the ceiling tiles that were dropping like flaming incendiary bombs onto the floor below. Lionel started down the aisle but had made it only a couple of yards when a large chunk of the ceiling gave way falling just a few feet from him and blocking further passage.
The whole place is going up in flames; Lionel thought as he backed away, shielding his face with the tray he still held. There was no way to get to Mel. Not that it much mattered, he thought. He couldn't imagine the boy surviving such a blast. He'd better get to the roof and see about getting Alp and the rest of the children to safety.
The smoke was getting heavier and had spread into the hallway. Once out of the lab, Lionel stood up and started for the stairs that led to the roof. As he did so, he heard a new explosion as more of the reagents exploded. It wouldn't be long before the fire spread to the roof.
Reaching the stairs, he flung the door open and ran smack into Chunk coming from the other direction.
"What are you doing?" Lionel asked. "We need to get the children off the roof before the fire breaks out."
"What the hell have you done now?" Chunk barked. "Where's the boy?"
"Dead, back in that burning lab. No time to explain. We've got to get to the children."
"What children?" Chunk replied. "There are no children up there."
Lionel pushed around Chunk and started up the stairs. "What do you mean? They're in the helicopter. I left them with Alp."
“That's what I'm trying to tell you, dummy." Chunk grabbed Lionel by the arm and spun him around. "There aren't any children. There isn't any Alp, and there's no helicopter. It took off about five minutes ago."
"But how?" Lionel asked, staring at Chunk in disbelief. "I mean, how could she...?"
"Face it, man. The girl conned you. Now let's get the hell out of here before we get ourselves roasted. I've called the National Guard to try to pick them up before they get very far. All we can do now is wait and see."
The two men started down the stairs. In the distance, they could hear the sound of approaching sirens. As they reached the bottom, Lionel turned to Chunk.
"It's been a long day, a really long day."
"You can say that again."
Sympathy
It took the firemen an hour to get the blaze of the neighboring research lab under control and another two hours to put it out completely. Meanwhile, an unidentified aircraft flying in the vicinity had been reported by the Raleigh-Durham airport to have suddenly disappeared from their radar screens as it traveled in an easterly direction. No one had explained as to the cause of the lost signal.
Lionel sat in the infirmary grimacing with pain as Bridgette gently wrapped his burned hands with Furacin-soaked gauze.
"This should help until we can get you seen by someone who knows what they're doing," she said and made a face as Lionel winced again. "Do they hurt?"
"Not too bad. I'm just trying to get some sympathy," Lionel replied.
"Oh, she will be happy to give you as much sympathy as you want," Denise said nodding towards Bridgette as she entered the room. "Any word about the children?"
Lionel glanced from Denise to Bridgette and back again. They both looked tired and worn out, just as he felt. It had been a trying day, and especially the last few hours. The protective instincts of the two mothers had turned both of them into dangerous she bears, but Denise had become particularly agitated the more time passed without any word. Lionel had persuaded her to take a Valium to calm her nerves. It seemed to have finally taken effect. At least she wasn't screaming at everyone.
"No, I'm afraid not. Chunk was in just a few minutes ago. They finally found Franklin tied and gagged a couple of rooms down from yours. He'd fallen asleep. Said he was beginning to enjoy the peace and quiet."
"Oh, the poor dear," Denise said, but from the tone of her voice, Lionel didn’t think she felt particularly sympathetic towards the administrator of Bio Vita Tech at the moment. “Where is he now?”
"They took him home to his wife. I'm sure he'll have some explaining to do as to where he was last night," Lionel said.
“Are you sure there’s nothing we can do about the children?” Denise asked for what felt like the twentieth time. “There must be someone we can call who can help us find them.”
Lionel tried to give her a reassuring smile but failed miserably. He’d been trying to keep a positive attitude, especially while around the two women who had devoted so much to taking care of the Kindred. But the truth was, he was also worried sick about them.
“I don’t know what else we can do. Chunk has filed a missing person report and is in regular communication with both the S. B. I. and F. B. I. and knowing Chunk probably several other agencies.”
“It’s just not enough,” Denise said, her anger breaking through the veneer of drug-induced calm. “There must be something we can do.”
“Well, I do have one idea,” Lionel finally said. “It’s not much to go on but...”
“What? What is it?” Denise and Bridgette both asked.
“I’d like to go talk to Flip.” Lionel hesitated. He didn’t want to give the two mothers any false hope, but just maybe...
“I’m sure he wants to see you as well,” Denise said, breaking into his thoughts.
“It’s hard to believe, after all this time, he's finally back with the living."
“I know,” Denise replied, a little calmer now. “He can hardly stop talking. It's like he's trying to make up for lost time. I'm going back up in a few minutes if you want to go with me."
"Sure," Lionel replied. "Chunk did say that, although there’s been no new information about the helicopter, he was able to shine some light on how Alp was able to persuade the pilot to help in the escape."
"What was that?" Bridgette asked as she stifled a yawn.
"Chickowski’s gun is missing."
"That little shit,” Denise said.
“She must have picked it up from the parking lot, and kept it hidden from me all that time,” Lionel continued.
"But where the hell are they?” It was Bridgette this time asking the question with an unmistakable edge to her voice. I might need to give her a Valium next, Lionel thought.
“Surely eight kids can't just disappear, not to mention the helicopter. We’ve got to find them."
The three of them sat in silence; each of them deep in their own thoughts.
“Nine.” Lionel’s one word broke the silence like a crack of thunder.
“What was that?” Denise asked.
“Nine children have disappeared."Lionel stood up and stretched. "Chunk told me the firemen didn't find a body in the burned out lab. No remains whatsoever."
"But how is that possible?” Denise asked. “What happened to the boy?”
"Well, they said there'd been several more explosions. Evidently, the room was filled with some highly flammable reagents. But they couldn't explain it either."
“I’m afraid we’ve not seen the last of him,” Denise replied. “I’m betting he’ll show up.”
“Yea, like a bad penny,” Bridgette added.
Lionel reached for his jacket on the back of the chair and winced as he tried to pull it on over his bandages.
"Here, let me help you. Honestly
, you don't have to be so macho," Bridgette said with a chuckle; the first such sound anyone had heard in hours.
"Me, macho? Hardly. I'll be happy to let you wait on me hand and foot."
"It's about time," Bridgette replied as she took Lionel by the arm and winked at Denise.
"What's that all about?" Lionel asked, noticing the wink.
"Oh, never mind; just girl talk," Denise answered as she took his other arm.
"Let's go see Flip. Maybe it'll take our mind off the children."
"What happens if they don't find them?" Bridgette asked as she put her arm around Denise, and the three started for the door.
“I don't know," Lionel replied. "But try not to worry. I have a feeling that it'll be impossible for the Kindred not to attract attention eventually."
"Good point," Denise and Bridgette answered together.
End of Book Four
Bonus Content
FreeForm: New Power
Book 5 of the FreeForm Series
Enjoy this sample chapter
Escape
Alp took a couple of deeps breaths as she glanced around her father's sterile hospital room. A vase of cut flowers several days beyond fresh set on the hospital stand next to the bed. On the other side of the bed, framed photographs of several young girls lined the top of the monitoring unit the guard said was necessary to keep the frail man in the bed alive. Alp counted pictures of seven different girls and surmised they must be her half-sisters she'd yet to meet. Apparently, someone had tried to make her father's surroundings more inviting, despite the fact that he'd been in a coma for over two years. She took a final deep breath then stepped away from the door before letting loose with a blood-curdling scream.
The super-sized security guard stormed through the door, a look of astonishment on his face.
“He's not breathing!" Alp screamed at him. "I think he's dead!" She pointed to the still form of her father lying in bed obediently holding his breath as she'd instructed.
The guard rushed over to Flip MacDougal’s bedside to check his pulse just as Alp had hoped he would. As he did, she slipped behind him and out the door. As she ran down the hall, a vague image flashed in her mind. Something she’d seen earlier while gazing out the hospital window in her father’s room but hadn't fully absorbed. There had been something else, some detail tickling at the edge of her awareness begging for her attention. What was it? Not the two helicopters in the almost vacant parking lot, their rotors still turning, and not even the line of carts being pushed to the waiting choppers. Something else she needed to remember.
Then it hit her. The image of the building across the street flashed clearly in view for only a split second, but it was enough. Someone stood on its roof studying the scene on the ground below, and in that instance, she knew that someone could only have been Mel. She was relieved that her twin brother was still alive and hadn't died in Danville as she had feared. Still, Lionel's cautionary words rung in her ears.
Mel isn't on your side—not really. He's on his side and only his. He'll do whatever is necessary to achieve his purpose. And he won't hesitate to hurt anyone who gets in his way, including you and your sisters.
As Alp ran down the stairs, conflicting thoughts and emotions wrestled each other in her mind — the happiness of knowing Mel was alive; not only alive but well enough to...to what? Well enough to take the children away came the thought, but it wasn't hers. It came from her father, Flip.
He wants to take the children away, Alp. You mustn't let him. He's evil and means to use you and your sisters for his demented purposes. If you go with him, you will always be an outcast. You will be hunted and feared. Don't let him take your sisters! The anguish in the thought tore through Alp.
But Mel is my brother. He's always taken good care of me and protected me from Sarrah. He's not evil! She argued back at her father. You don't know him. Deep down, he cares. He really....
Alp, you know better than that. You've never looked deep into your brother. You've always been afraid of what you might find. Do that before you make up your mind. Look deep within—deep down to the core of his being. There you will find the answer.
As Alp reached the first floor, she heard several loud blasts. Were those gunshots? But all she could think about was that her sisters were in danger...from many different directions. She didn't know how, but she had to find a way to help them. They'd been the small forms on the carts being taken to one of the helicopters. As she ran down the hall of Bio Vita Tech to the rear parking lot, she heard someone else fall into step behind her. Without slowing down, she glanced behind her to see Lionel gaining on her. Would he help her save her sisters? He seemed to care for them a great deal. Could he be trusted?
Yes, little one. You can trust my friend. He will help you, came Flip’s reply to her question. But could she believe her father? Could she trust anyone but herself? As she reached the door to the outside, Alp decided she had no choice. If she were going to save her sisters, she'd have to trust someone. It might as well be Lionel. The two of them reached the exit door leading to the parking lot side-by-side.
"Careful Alp. We don't know where the gunfire is coming from." Lionel reached out and grasped her shoulder. "Let me go first. You follow right behind." At least he isn't silly enough to think he could stop me from coming with him; she thought as she allowed him to go ahead of her.
She watched as Lionel pushed the heavy metal door open and peered out through the crack. Alp bent down and around him to gaze through the opening as well. A man in a white lab coat laid on the pavement, writhing in pain. It looked like the doctor who'd inflicted so much agony on her sisters. Even so, the compassionate, healer part of Alp reached out to try to calm and soothe him. As Lionel opened the door a little wider, she spied the source of the loud noise. The helicopters had taken off and were hovering over the parking lot.
“It looks like one of the helicopters was damaged, or the pilot was shot. It's drifting towards the building next door," Lionel yelled.
Alp knew better. It wasn’t the helicopter that was damaged, but more likely its pilot. "No, the ‘copter is fine,” she answered. "It's Mel. I saw him on the roof of that building. He's controlling it." She pointed to the building across the parking lot.
"But how?" Lionel asked.
"He's suggesting the pilot do what he wants. The pilot appears to be resisting, but not very successfully. Mel can be pretty persuasive when he wants to be."
"You stay here until I take care of Chickowski. We've got to get the gun out of his hand and get across the parking lot before the people in the ‘copters notice us."
Alp watched as Lionel zigzagged across the parking lot, then followed several yards behind. She watched as Lionel bore down on the wounded doctor and without breaking stride kicked the gun out of the doctor's hand. She watched it clatter across the asphalt, coming to a stop several yards from the injured man. I’ve got to get that gun, she thought.
She corrected her course just enough to scoop the revolver up, and quickly stuffed it in the pocket of her ski jacket. She reached the other side of the lot and paused next to the tall building a few yards from Lionel. Somewhere on the roof of the building, she'd find her brother, so that's where she needed to be. She looked up in time to see one of the helicopters disappear over the roof of the building. She felt confident it contained her sisters, but what was going on with the other one?
"What's wrong with the other aircraft?” Asked a breathless Lionel as he pointed to the second helicopter.
"Mel only wants the helicopter with our sisters," Alp yelled back at him. "He's doing something to the other one to drive it away."
The two of them watched as the second helicopter veered sharply to the right rapidly losing altitude as it did.
“My God, it’s going to crash!” Lionel exclaimed as he threw himself to the ground, dragging her with him.
She laid on the ground as the earth-splitting sound of the crashing helicopter washed over her; the metallic sound of
rotor blades as they sliced through a car, pieces of the helicopter flung around like shrapnel, the body of the copter finally coming to rest in a burning heap. Please God, please let her sisters be on the other one. She stood up and brushed herself off.
"We've got to get to the roof. Mel won't stay there long now that he has what he came for."
“There's an old fire escape on the other side. Follow me."
Together they ran around to the other side of the building where they found an old metal staircase in much need of a new paint job. Lionel pulled the first rungs of the rusted steps down low enough for Alp to climb on. They felt overly rickety to her. She hesitated as she watched Lionel forge past her, climbing rapidly towards the roof.
"Go ahead. I’ll catch up but be careful. He'll stop at nothing, and he's very dangerous," Alp called after him then felt silly for the warning. Lionel had just watched as Mel cold-heartedly destroyed a helicopter with everyone on board. Of course, he knows how dangerous her brother could be, but did he know about Mel's torch ability?
Alp considered yelling at him but couldn't find the breath to do so. Instead, she concentrated on the climb up the five stories. As she glanced ahead of her, she was encouraged to see that Lionel was already more than halfway to the top. Would he make it in time? And if he did, would he be able to stop her brother?
Then she had a thought. Maybe she could contact Mel telepathically and divert his attention for a few minutes. She decided to give it a try as she climbed. She thrust out her psychic energy in the direction of the roof and promptly felt Mel's familiar power respond and just as quickly felt his mental guard block her.
Mel, wait for me, she thought with all her might. I'm coming, Mel. Don't leave without me. She didn't know if he picked up her thoughts, but she continued to repeat the message as she made the arduous trek to the top.
She climbed for what seemed like an hour but was probably no more than five minutes. She'd lost sight of Lionel within the first minute, but now as she neared the top of the building, she heard voices coming from above. She finally reached the top. She took a final step onto the asphalt and gravel roof and looked around. The blackness of the helicopter made it look larger and more ominous than it had from the ground, especially with the two large torpedo shaped tanks on either side. It reminded her of the vultures that had occasionally flown over Mel and her heads back in the fields of West Virginia. Ominous, foreboding, death personified. Its blades rotated slowly causing a womp-womp sound that reverberated against her eardrums. The next thing she saw made her heart leap into her throat, and she pushed out a gasp between her parched lips. Lionel stood precariously balanced on the edge of the low railing that encircled the perimeter of the roof.
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