Terregon (Book Two of The Red Diamond Saga)

by Jennifer Janne

  Terregon

  (Book Two of The Red Diamond Saga)

  Jennifer Janne

  http://www.JenniferJanne.com

  Disclaimer ::

  All contents copyright © 2012 by Jennifer Janne. All rights reserved. No part of this document or the related files may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, by any means (electronic, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the publisher.

  Description ::

  The story continues as Corinne struggles to keep her family of strangers together in their new house. Though connected by a tie they don’t quite understand, they find it difficult to communicate with each other. Corinne’s natural urge to protect and nurture threatens the already temperamental bonds she shares with Aaron, Lisa, and now Cori.

  The truth about the Red Diamond Project is revealed, and the madman behind it exposed for what he had done. Corinne and Aaron share a familial bond that others could only guess at, though the two endeavor to keep their ties hidden from the rest of the world. Both have been watched from afar with great interest by the secretive group that genetically engineered them. Though Corrine and the others believe they have escaped the clutches of those who would try to control and manipulate them, forces lurk in the shadows, ready to capture or destroy them when the time is right.

  Cori, a young clone of Corinne’s, falls into her hands, and the secretive group that created her moves in to take her back before her delicately manufactured mindset is contaminated by the warmth and kindness of Corinne’s. A precarious hostage situation erupts and demands the family’s special talents. Corinne, Lisa, and Aaron respond to the scene and use their heightened abilities to try to quell the situation. Aaron’s recklessness forces Corinne to take a life, something that will haunt her memories.

  Before she even has a chance to recover, the family is called back as an anonymous tip had reached the police station that a random busload of commuters was going to be attacked. With the very real prospect of dozens of people dying and panic consuming the city, the police force is desperate for Corinne and Aaron’s help. Aaron’s recklessness again proves to be very trying for Corinne. With the unstable terrorists making demands on a city bus filled with innocent people and children, Corinne and Aaron will struggle, not only to keep the people of the city safe, but to keep their own bonds strong enough to survive what happens next.

  Thank you for purchasing my book. I’ve enjoyed writing this book and I hope you enjoy it too! - Jennifer.

  Check Out The Other Books In The Red Diamond Saga:

  Book 1: Corinne

  Book 2: Terragon (this book)

  Book 3: TBA

  Book 4: TBA

  1

  The smooth motion of the brush as it slid down through golden locks of hair was soothing, both to the young girl whose hair was being brushed, and her older counterpart who was doing the brushing. With each slow stroke of the brush, Corinne imagined that she was brushing away any ill-treatment the younger girl might have experienced. Corinne noticed that Cori’s age was accelerating oddly and faster than a normal human.

  “Cori, would you like me to braid your hair?” Corinne asked softly as she looked at the teen's reflection in the mirror. With their faces so close it was easy to see the similarities. Both had round faces a bit long at the chin, with full peach hued lips. Their dark green eyes were framed with the same heavy black lashes despite the fair color of their hair. Although Cori's hair was a shade or two lighter than Corinne's its texture and loose curls were identical.

  “Is that what you wish?” Cori asked as she stared back at Corinne through the mirror.

  Corinne's expression crumpled into a frown as Cori's remained indifferent.

  “I am asking you if it is something that you would like.” Corinne explained patiently.

  Cori winced with a hint of frustration at Corinne's words. “I don't understand.” She seemed to be very disturbed by the idea that she could not comprehend and provide what Corinne was asking of her.

  “Cori,” Corinne said gently as she ran the brush through the young girl's hair again. “You are living a different life now, sweetheart. You do not have to do as I say, you can do as you would like.”

  Cori nodded as if she understood and arranged her features into a reflection of the pleasant expression Corinne was wearing. In truth the fourteen year old had no idea what Corinne meant by what she would like. Her entire life had been a set of requirements that she was to fulfill, with no variation in her caretaker's expectations.

  She was to complete the task she was given, obediently and swiftly, and to the satisfaction of her caretakers. Corinne made her extremely uncomfortable with the way she acted as if what she felt or needed mattered. The only person Cori had felt remotely comfortable around was Lisa, who seemed to understand her confusion. Lisa was just learning to experience genuine emotion herself, and she saw in Cori the same void of empathy that she still struggled with.

  Corinne set the brush back to the vanity, and swept Cori's long hair back over her shoulders. She remembered being a younger age and longing for someone to brush her hair. She had seen other mothers and daughters participating in the ritual and had yearned for the experience. She had never received it, but it was nice to now be on the giving end.

  She was just about to speak, when Aaron stepped into the room. He avoided looking directly at Corinne and Cori; he found their similarity to be disconcerting.

  “We have a job.” He muttered in his trademark gruff voice. His temperament had grown considerably darker after visiting Bethany in the mental hospital. He and Corinne had traveled there together, although Corinne made sure it was after Bethany had been moved out of the section for criminally insane.

  Corinne had ached to go to the authorities and reveal the truth that she and Aaron were very much alive, and clear her mother's name, but Daniel had pointed out how dangerous that would be. As far as the government knew, Corinne was Corinne Sanders and in no way connected to Bethany. As far as the government knew, Aaron did not even exist, nor were he and Corinne related.

  Daniel had joked about Corinne living with a bunch of ghosts, considering that neither Lisa nor Cori had birth certificates on record either. They had to falsify some documents to lay claim to Cori, and though Daniel was unsettled by the idea of breaking the law, he was learning how to be flexible when it came to his morals. In the end it had not been too difficult to have her moved, considering the length of her incarceration and her lack of threat to others.

  Still, even sitting on a bench, staring out over the gardens, with her hair pulled back into a cheerful pink bow, seeing Bethany had been crippling for Aaron. He had kept a straight face with Corinne beside him, but she could feel his emotions.

  With a trembling hand he had reached out to touch Bethany's cheek. She grasped his wrist and pressed his palm against her skin.

  “Oh Conner.” She giggled as she looked at him admiringly.

  Aaron snatched his hand away impulsively as he was compared to the man he was harboring an intense hatred for. In the next instant Bethany's expression had darkened, and her lips moved as if she might speak, however instead of words, she began to scream.

  Orderlies had to escort her back to her room as she screamed and kicked her legs as hard as she could. In the midst of her protests Corinne had to place her hands on Aaron's shoulders to hold him back. His muscles were so tense that it felt as if she was touching stone. A moment later they rippled, and shockingly, Aaron turned into Corinne's arms, seeking comfort.

  Corinne had been more than willing to hug her brother as his body trembled. It struck her again, that despite how well the
y had gotten to know each other, there was still so much about each other’s lives that they did not share. Despite his shaking, when Aaron abruptly pulled away from Corinne there was not a tear in his eye.

  “Let's go.” He barked at her, as if his grief had melted completely into rage.

  Corinne did not argue with him, and in fact, the hospital staff encouraged them not to return as their visit had caused Bethany far too much stress. They had no right to visit her anyway, as they were not family, according to paperwork.

  The two children she had fought to protect, were not on a visitor's list.

  2

  “What is it?” Corinne asked as she stood and walked over to him. Aaron bristled as Corinne lowered her voice. He stole a quick glance at Cori who simply sat staring into the mirror, uncaring as to their conversation. She appeared to be waiting for her next command.

  “There was a bank robbery on Philamore Street, someone set off a silent alarm, now the robbers are stuck inside with hostages-”

  Corinne lifted her finger to her lips to silence him as she looked toward Cori. Aaron rolled his eyes and turned his head sharply away from Corinne to hide his disgust. “Whatever, just hurry up, negotiations are not working.”

  Corinne noticed his attitude but she chose to ignore it. She turned back to Cori. “Guess what? You get to go hang out with Daniel.” She smiled brightly.

  Cori looked at her vacantly and nodded. She stood and walked out of the bedroom that Corinne had decorated for her, with vibrant shades of green, pale purples, and splashes of pink. After completing a few jobs for the police department Corinne had been able to afford to rent a large house. Now each member of her strange family had their own room, with Aaron taking over the converted detached garage so that he could have some privacy.

  Aaron sighed as Corinne and Cori brushed past him, words boiled at the edges of his lips but he did not allow them to pass. It was not the time, and he knew how Corinne despised confrontation. But something had to be said, and soon, and he knew he would be the one to say it.

  Lisa joined them downstairs as she reluctantly hung up the phone with Stanley. The two had been inseparable, and though Lisa did not quite understand the implications of romance, she did know that she was enjoying the warm fuzzy feeling she had every time she saw Stanley. Aaron was getting used to the idea of his little sister having a boyfriend, or more getting used to the idea that his opinion no longer held much weight in the situation.

  When they arrived at the bank, the SWAT team was already prepared to enter. Cori was settled with an officer far from the action, as Corinne was concerned for her safety and did not want her to be exposed to the violence, but she was still too nervous to leave her home alone or with anyone she did not trust. The police chief, Ernest Grant, better known as Ernie, met them just outside the perimeter. Although they were considered paid consultants, he preferred to keep their involvement as quiet as possible.

  “I can only give you twenty minutes.” He said brusquely as he looked over his shoulder at the SWAT team that was waiting impatiently. “If they go in, it's going to a bloodbath in there. The robbers have already killed one hostage and are threatening to kill two more within a half hour. If SWAT goes in they are going to take out as many hostages as they can before they go down.”

  He frowned as he met Daniel's eyes and added. “The mayor's wife and son are in there. I promised him personally that I would do everything in my power to get them out.” His gaze flickered over Corinne, Aaron, and Lisa, and then back to Daniel. “It is a very dangerous situation.”

  “Chief!” A police officer called to Ernie, summoning him into a discussing with the leader of the SWAT team.

  Daniel turned to look at Corinne. “Are you sure you want to do this?” He asked hurriedly, knowing that they did not have much time. “If everything goes south, you will be right in the middle of it.”

  Corinne nodded as her expression became determined. “I'm in.” She looked questioningly at Aaron and Lisa.

  “Of course, there is a much better chance of survival if we go in.” Lisa said as if it was the most logical thing to do.

  Aaron set his sights on Daniel with a half-smile. “Can I have a gun?”

  Daniel pursed his lips. It was Aaron's favorite question.

  “No.” Daniel said sternly. “If any of you are armed and something goes wrong you could face criminal prosecution-”

  “Alright, alright.” Aaron muttered, he would just have to acquire his own weapons. “Let's do this!” He growled, his desire to get into the middle of a roomful of homicidal maniacs quite evident.

  Corinne and Daniel exchanged a look of concern, but there was no time to waste. Corinne was already moving toward the bank when Daniel caught her arm and he pulled her close for a light kiss. Corinne smiled dreamily.

  “No don't worry about the hostages, just keep on kissing!” Aaron called over his shoulder as he stalked toward the bank.

  Corinne blushed at Aaron's words and hurried after him, Daniel glared and shook his head. He joined Ernie and the SWAT team to closely monitor what happened inside the bank.

  3

  Corinne could feel the emotions of the robbers, wild and panicked. In drastic contrast was the sheer terror of the hostages who had already witnessed one of the bank employees being shot to death as a warning to the police.

  Aaron had found a side entrance to the bank that was bolted shut. He easily broke the lock, but waited for Corinne's input.

  “They're all in the front of the bank.” She murmured, and tried to clear her mind enough to connect with the robbers. “There are four.” She swallowed thickly as she added. “They would kill each other if they had to, they will not be reasoned with.” Because of their indifferent nature it would be difficult to manipulate their energy, beyond that, the chaos of all of the hostages' emotions would make it even more difficult to create a clear connection in order to manipulate energy.

  “So, I get to play?” Aaron asked hopefully.

  Corinne sighed at the pleasure he seemed to get out of that idea. She knew by saying yes she would be letting him off of his leash, yet, she did not see another solution.

  “Yes, but take it slow, and stay close to us.” She insisted. Aaron tended to break away and act before thinking. Together the three moved silently into the bank. Corinne was able to create a barrier around their energy that would prevent the robbers from sensing their presence, but she still could not connect directly to their energy to get them to drop their weapons.

  They were just outside of the lobby of the bank, and could hear the voices of the people inside.

  “Only ten minutes to go.” A male voice said mockingly to the hostages. “Might as well pick out who it will be.”

  He strolled casually between the hostages who had been separated from one another to reduce the possibility of communication.

  “Kids are always a good choice.” He said with sadistic amusement

  Corinne could hear whimpering coming from a few of the hostages and she knew that they were certain the man who was threatening them would slaughter them without hesitation.

  Suddenly the three heard a scream, followed by a woman's pleading voice. “Oh no, please not my boy, please take me instead.”

  The man's laughter was punctuated by the crying of a child. “Don't worry Momma, you get to go right along with him.” He chuckled and ignored the woman's tearful pleads that he release her son.

  Aaron did not wait for Corinne's approval. He picked up the coin counting machine that was beside them in the hallway, ripping it out of the floor it was bolted into. He launched the machine through the double doors that led into the lobby, and right into the middle of the hostages and armed robbers. Corinne was able to manipulate its motion to prevent it from striking hostages, and instead slam into two of the robbers.

  While the other two were reacting with extreme confusion as to how such a large machine had been launched into the room, their guns drawn, their eyes searching for the source o
f the flying object, Aaron, Corinne, and Lisa slipped into the lobby. They easily blended as if they were hostages, making sure that they were out of the direct line of sight of the robbers. The male robber that had grabbed a boy who appeared to be about five years old from his mother's arm, still held the little boy tightly by his wrist.

  “This is some kind of trick!” He roared. “I'll show those pigs what happens when they screw with me!” He jerked the boy over to the front window of the bank so that the police would be able to see what was happening.

  The boy's mother was screaming so loudly that the female robber who had been trying to aid the two others that had been injured by the flying coin machine, jumped up and snatched the woman by the hair.

  “You see how much they care about your lives!” She screamed at the other hostages. “Nobody else had to die!” She yelled as she dragged the woman by her hair toward the window as well.

  “I can't stand the screaming, kill her first.” She demanded as the male robber pulled his weapon and pointed it directly at the woman's head.

  “Why the hell does he get a gun, but I don't?” Aaron demanded as he stood slowly from the floor. Corinne and Lisa ignored his ill-timed humor. Corinne had been able to seize the energy of the male robber when his panic turned into fear of being caught.

  She harnessed his fear and began to turn it against him. As he pointed the barrel of the gun at the woman's head, her son still held tightly with his other hand, and the SWAT and police offered a clear visual of his intentions but with no sniper shot because of the boy's proximity, Corinne crawled inside of his mind.

  She convinced him, that there was no way out of this. That he could kill the boy, he could kill the mother, he could kill every hostage in the room, but in the end he was going to jail for the rest of his life. She made him believe that there was only one real escape.

  Just before he would pull the trigger, the weapon began to turn. It turned slowly, until it faced the man who wielded it.