Fear Darkness (The Fear Chronicles Book 3)

by C. C. Bolick

  The queen read my future. Was she messing with my head now? “I’ve had months to consider. The only way I can live a normal life with Rena is by getting rid of my powers.”

  “Rena’s power cannot be contained.”

  Her words sent a shiver down my back. “Like me, she didn’t choose to have a power.”

  “Your planet didn’t choose to have her as a threat.”

  “What do you want from me?”

  “I want to see your skills in action. Not your powers, but your skills as an agent. Those are the tools with which you can truly save people.”

  She turned and walked back toward the throne. “I believe we are finished.”

  Finished, but this didn’t feel finished. “Why did you send the serum?”

  “Because you love her. I knew you could live without your powers. Asking you to live without touching the person you love—I couldn’t imagine that pain.”

  “I showed her a night to remember.”

  “What if that was your only chance?”

  Why was she so focused on my relationship with Rena? “If I got the serum once, I could find it again.”

  “Can I give you some advice?”

  “What?”

  She looked back at me, her blue eyes sad. “If you ever get the chance again, don’t wait.”

  “You’re saying…”

  “I’m saying go with your heart. Show her how you feel and don’t wait because of a sense of duty or honor. Take advantage of the time you have.”

  My chest felt cold. “Do you think I’m going to die?”

  She hesitated. “Do you think it’s a possibility?”

  “I’ve pissed off tons of people. If someone took me out, I wouldn’t be surprised.”

  “Is it worth making her wait for a night that might never come?” She waved and a vial of purple liquid appeared in my hand. “This will give you twenty-four hours without your powers.”

  “Van said I’d have to bargain with you for more of this serum. What do you want in return?”

  “Your forgiveness.”

  “For what?”

  “Take it when the time is right.”

  “What if I never find the right time?”

  With another smile, she climbed the stairs. “It’s not about finding the right time; it’s about using the time you have in the best way. One day you’ll understand that part of your gift.”

  “Your time is finished,” said a voice from behind.

  I spun to see a man standing behind me dressed in a green uniform. “You’re late for your training,” he said.

  “Training?”

  “Christian is my most trusted guard,” the queen said. “He will determine if you have a place here with us.”

  “A place… I just want to go home.”

  She nodded to Christian and he led me out of the room.

  “Where are we going?” I asked.

  “To test your skills. How are you with a laser?”

  This wasn’t going anything like I planned.

  * * * * *

  Two hours and three laser burns later, I was ready for a break. Not only was Christian a skilled fighter who took me down twice, he showed patience while teaching me how to fire a laser. That skill was worth waiting around to learn.

  When Tyler and Pade walked in, he offered me ten minutes and I sat against one of the walls as I tried to catch my breath. Discreetly. I couldn’t let anyone know Christian had me out of breath.

  “Are we on schedule?” Christian asked.

  Pade nodded. “The trip to Levendar is a go. We’re waiting to find out the status of Agent Lockhart.”

  “Good. I gave our new trainee ten minutes. Let him pick a weapon,” Christian said, pointing to a table that held everything from a laser to a double sword. “I’ll be back.” He left the room and Tyler walked to the table.

  “This will be fun,” Tyler said. “I can’t wait to see what you pick.”

  Pade walked to where I sat and dropped down beside me. “What do you think about the training?”

  “Christian is a serious fighter.”

  “He’s the best we have,” Pade said. “Take picking a weapon seriously. You might be stuck with it.”

  “What’s your weapon of choice?” I asked.

  He pulled a gun from the back of his pants and handed it to me. Not a laser, but a gun with bullets.

  “You inherited Charlene’s power?”

  “Yep. Like you, I got stuck with a power I didn’t want.”

  “Why did you come here? Why leave Earth?”

  He coughed and put the gun away. “Tyler said you’re Angel’s brother.”

  I nodded. “She never knew about me while we were growing up.”

  “She works with you now—for the agency.”

  “Yes, she and Skip both work for the agency.”

  He let out a breath and pushed his hand through his black hair. “Are they okay?”

  “They’ve tried every possible way to find you. I think Skip took your disappearance personally. He tried to call you a thousand times.”

  “I wanted them to be safe. I didn’t know your agency existed and I damn sure didn’t know half the town had ties to it.”

  “A lie to protect us all,” I said.

  He laughed as if the words were ridiculous. “What do you want to know?”

  “We can start with why you came here.”

  “Not by choice.” Pade held out his hand and a coin appeared in his palm. “This belongs to Angel. When you get back to Earth, can you give it to her?”

  I took the coin, a shiny silver dime with the date 1815, and tucked it into a small pocket near my shoulder—a pocket that also held the vial. Angel always enjoyed collecting old coins. Thinking of her made me smile. “Why don’t you take it back yourself? Or is leaving denied by the queen?”

  “I could leave if I wanted to, but I don’t.”

  “You’re part human like me, aren’t you?”

  He nodded.

  “There’s no reason you have to stay here.”

  “This is my home now. Everyone I care about is here.”

  I couldn’t argue with the authentic sound of his words. Maybe he’d be a more useful ally than foe. “The person I care about most is back on Earth. I can’t help her unless I find a way back there. It’s probably a waste of time to tell you. You don’t understand what I’m feeling.”

  Pade stared at the far wall. “I understand better than you know. But I have a job to do.”

  “Working for the queen’s guard?”

  Tyler approached with a knife in his hand. “My weapon of choice.”

  Something about the knife seemed familiar. It was a survival knife with a serrated edge, the kind used by soldiers in the Army. I stood and reached for the knife. I flipped over the knife and inspected the carvings along the surface. “This is my father’s knife. How did you end up with it?”

  “By fighting to the death,” Tyler said.

  “No way.”

  “Your dad didn’t need it anymore so he said I could use it.”

  Despite the anger I felt toward Tyler, I also felt relief at seeing my friend again. He’d betrayed the agency by helping a rogue group steal a shipment of gold. Because of him, I’d nearly died and been the subject of a botched experiment to rid someone else of their powers.

  Everyone thought I was dead and I ended up with two extra powers instead. The power that kept me from touching a person without burning their skin required the greatest adjustment. Along with the greatest regret.

  Although I blamed Tyler for what happened, I still considered him a friend. I’d had few friends in my life. Now he stood before me, holding my dad’s knife—a weapon that should have been passed down to me. I should have been jealous, but I felt happy for Tyler.

  “You asked why I stayed here,” Pade said.

  I turned to Pade. “If you want me to consider staying, tell me why you did.”

  “Keeping our queen safe keeps the peace here. Sh
e’s made reforms to bring equality that seemed impossible a year ago. Most people embrace her reforms but some will always fight against change. We have to fight to make sure Golvern never goes backward.”

  “Do you agree with her reforms?” I asked.

  “She’s done everything possible to get equal treatment for humans here. Since I’m part human, yes I agree.”

  “I’ve heard this place is a thousand years more advanced than Earth. After a thousand years, this planet hasn’t figured out how to treat people equally?”

  Pade shook his head. “We’re working on it. Before the reforms, humans couldn’t go to the same schools or work the same jobs. Some humans were even used for slave labor in an underground mine we’ve shut down with Tyler’s help.”

  I looked at Tyler with something that felt like pride. He’d come to this planet after Sylvia kicked him out of the agency and found a way to make a difference. “You helped free slaves?”

  “Almost died but I made it out,” Tyler said. “I’m having doubts about ever working underground again.”

  We both laughed, a sound that felt better than it had in years.

  Chapter Nine

  Rena

  Agent Dallas landed the plane on a small airfield outside of New York City. She led me and Hannah inside a building with siding that begged for a new coat of paint—from the size of the runway and lack of security this couldn’t be a legit airport. A man appeared from an office behind a long counter covered with a map of the U.S. In a pile sat dusty flight logs with yellowed paper. He had a glass of dark liquid in his hand.

  I wrinkled my nose at the smell of alcohol. Would I ever escape people with the need to drink? For years Dad drank and ruined my life. Just when he’d promised to give up drinking, he’d been taken away.

  “Didn’t expect you today,” he said to Agent Dallas.

  She walked around the counter and gave him a hug. He pressed a kiss to her lips. With embarrassment in her voice, she pulled away. “I need a car.”

  “I can play this game,” he said with a grin. His teasing eyes held a warmth that made me like him despite the alcohol. “Give me your keys and I’ll give you mine.”

  Agent Dallas took the glass from his hand and set it on the counter. “I thought the doctor told you no more drinking.”

  “You know what they say about doctors,” he replied.

  “You should introduce us to your friend,” Hannah said.

  “He doesn’t want to meet you,” Agent Dallas said, her voice higher than normal. “It’s better if we keep our names to ourselves.”

  “As if you’d tell anyone your real name.” The man stepped back into his office.

  She turned to us. “According to one of my connections, the senator will be at his townhouse this afternoon. He wants to surprise his daughter for her birthday.”

  “I love how you’re always working the Rolodex,” Hannah said. “You have a true gift for maintaining relationships. Not everyone in this business can work well with others.”

  “Including yourself,” I said.

  Hannah snickered. “How has your gift been shaping up? Are you still trying to manage control?”

  “I have control. As long as I can find something to fear, I can use my power.”

  “Good,” she said. “We might need your power before this is over.”

  The man returned and handed Agent Dallas a set of keys. “Take the Plymouth. If you get her scratched, I’ll know.”

  Why would he worry about a scratch when the wall next to me had a hole the size of my fist? On the wall beside the hole was a cork-board filled with notices and bills expired for more than two years. And the smell—I wiped my nose, which had started to run. The smell of alcohol faded, washed away by the overwhelming smell of incense.

  Agent Dallas almost shoved me and Hannah out of the building. She walked to a car parked in the rear. It was painted half-green and half-pink, with a lightning bolt of white at the center.

  Hannah raised her sunglasses. “Good thing no one will notice us in this.”

  “He’s good with maintenance. The car will get us to the senator’s townhouse.”

  “You stay with the plane,” Hannah said. “I’ll take the girls and maybe someone there will be inclined to listen.”

  Agent Dallas let out a sigh of relief. “What if he has you arrested?”

  Laughing, Hannah took the keys and tossed them to me. “I’m assuming Donald taught you to drive.”

  I nodded. “He never drove when he was drinking.”

  “Which was often from what I hear,” Hannah said. “If I go to prison, maybe the food will be better than the isolation floor.”

  * * * * *

  An hour later, Rachelle stood next to me and Hannah at the door to Senator McCall’s townhouse. Cars lined the street behind us, expensive cars that made me feel out of place in my Pac-man t-shirt. I’d stripped off the jacket. Was it always this warm in New York?

  I gave Rachelle a sideways glance. “Are you…”

  “What?”

  “Making it hot?” I asked. “We’re in New York City and no one needs a jacket. It’s November.”

  “I’m not making it hot,” she said. “Do you want me to freeze everything? Would that make you feel better?”

  The door opened and I felt surprise at the person who stood before us. Tosh Henley, the agent Travis had teleported into the base. I’d only met her once and knew nothing more about her other than the fact she was a translator and she didn’t like Travis.

  Her face sagged. “I thought you were Lauren.”

  “What are you doing here?” I asked.

  “I live here,” she said.

  “With the senator?” I bet that made life at the agency more complicated.

  “Not with him,” she hissed. “I live here with his daughter, Lauren.” She looked over Rachelle and then turned to Hannah. “You guys shouldn’t be here.”

  “We need to see the senator,” Hannah said.

  Tosh stared beyond us at two people across the street who held a camera. “Come inside before the neighbors start asking questions.” She ushered us in and closed the door behind us.

  This house wasn’t as large as I expected, not on a grand scale, but the couch and loveseat to my right, along with the lighted glass cabinets filled with metal figurines, looked fancy and antique. Definitely wouldn’t match anything in the camper where I grew up.

  “You’ve got nerve coming here,” she said to Hannah. “I can only imagine what he’ll say.” She took Rachelle’s arm and pulled her down a short hall and into a dining room. The long table, with a red and gold tablecloth, was covered with trays of chicken fingers, cheese sticks, and other appetizers. A chocolate cake sat in the center.

  “I made the cake myself and ordered everything else,” Tosh said. “I wanted to surprise Lauren. Are you hungry? We could eat while we wait.”

  “She’ll enjoy this,” Rachelle said. “You went all out for her birthday.”

  “Not just that,” Tosh said. “The doctors told Lauren’s mom her cancer is in remission. Everyone’s ready to celebrate.”

  I let out the breath I’d been holding. Maybe the senator wouldn’t be in the mood to throw us out.

  “Grab a plate,” she urged Rachelle. “There’s more than enough food.”

  Rachelle filled a plate with chicken fingers and sat down. I grabbed a quesadilla and some chips and salsa and sat down beside her.

  “You seem nicer today,” I said. “Back at the base I wasn’t sure…”

  “Tosh doesn’t like to be pushed around,” Rachelle said. “No one does.”

  I took a bite from a chip. “You didn’t seem to like Travis.”

  Her eyes filled with shadows. “He and I have a past.”

  “A past?” The words seemed to stick in my throat. “What kind of past?”

  Tosh made a face. “Not what you’re thinking.”

  Rachelle held back a laugh. “Just because you’re into Travis doesn’t mean the rest
of us are.”

  My stomach churned. “What happened?”

  “I used to be a bully,” Tosh said slowly. “I bullied Rachelle and Angel at school. Now I regret the awful things I did, but back then, I didn’t care.”

  “I hate bullies,” I said. “I used to fight them at school so they’d leave the other kids alone.”

  “You never know why someone chooses to hurt other people,” Tosh said. “Sometimes it’s the only way they know to face people.”

  “What about Travis?” I asked.

  Tosh looked at her plate. “He didn’t like me bullying his sister. I didn’t know who he was back then. He threatened to make me disappear if I bullied Angel again. Imagine being kidnapped by someone in black when you’ve never heard of the agency. I was fourteen.”

  “He was young,” Hannah said. “Not yet an adult. We’ve all made mistakes we’re not proud of.”

  “Well,” Tosh said, “that’s what’s between us. He apologized but it’s hard for me to let it go. I still have nightmares.”

  I took a bite of the quesadilla, not sure how to feel about Travis. Part of me wanted to hate him because I’d sworn to hate all bullies. The other part screamed for understanding. He made a mistake. I’d made plenty myself.

  “Why do you look so worried?” Rachelle asked Tosh. “You’re not yourself today and this has nothing to do with Travis.”

  “I’m worried about Lauren,” Tosh said. “Her parents control every move she makes. Since she insisted on us staying close, her dad demanded I move into this house.”

  “Are you two…” I asked.

  Tosh shook her head. “We’re just friends. I don’t know, maybe one day. Maybe if I can ever get out of the drama surrounding the agency. Since Sylvia learned I’m good at translating, she insisted I take a job as an agent. It sounded fun in the beginning, but I’m over it now. Sylvia won’t let me out, and Senator McCall seems to enjoy the fact they control me.”

  Like they controlled me. “I feel your pain.”

  “Me too,” Rachelle echoed.

  Hannah made a clucking sound. “I don’t have to tell you all how this will end.”

  In the silence that followed, everyone stared at the table, unable to eat.