Chapter 30
Kevin’s words roared in my head while I stared at the computer screen at the stupid stick of wood. My skin felt tight, as if it was fighting to hold in all of my internal organs. My hands were swollen, hot, and I held them out in front of me to try to cool them off.
Ben finally broke the uneasy silence. “You said they were a terrorist group?”
Kevin nodded. “Yeah, I don’t remember too many details though. I was pretty young.”
“Their mission, goal, whatever you want to call it, was to reduce the world to ash,” Hugh lectured. “Hence the name, Mountain of Ash. Not much is known about the members of the group since they've pretty much disappeared since Aunt Emily’s death. I know Aunt Kate was certain they were supernormals.”
I barely registered their conversation over the buzzing in my head and the pressure in my body. Unable to sit still, I staggered to my feet, trembling from too many emotions to sort through.
“Ollie, what’s going on? Are you ok?” Kevin’s voice came from far away.
I gasped as I felt a snap from somewhere inside my gut. All of the pressure building up in my body surged to my hands, and flames shot out of my fingertips, lighting several of Mom’s old collectible Madame Alexander dolls on fire.
I yelled with surprise. Kevin shouted, “Holy shit!” Ben just stared with his mouth dropped open while Hugh grabbed a blanket and tossed it over the burning dolls. He whacked the blanket a few times until the fire was out.
Burned plastic scented the air. I held my hands up, surveying them for burns, but, except for slightly reddened fingertips, I was unharmed. Even my manicure was intact, the bright blue polish pristine except for the chip I had gotten during training.
“So.” Kevin crossed his arms and grinned at me. “I guess we know what your ability is now.”
I stared at Kevin for a moment and then started giggling. “So…you think its fire?” He gave a snort and then collapsed into laughter. Ben grinned as he walked over to my windows and pushed them open to help clear the air.
Hugh tapped his lip thoughtfully. “Our grandfather was a firestarter.” I raised an eyebrow at the term. “I guess that’s not a completely accurate description of what he could do. It was more than just starting fires.” He shook his head and pulled out his phone. “Aunt Kate will want to know that your ability has manifested. And I bet she will want to run some tests. As usual.”
“Yeah, I’ll bet she will.” Suddenly a happy thought came to me. “Hey, doesn’t this mean I’m cleared?”
Before I could ask the first of the millions of questions swirling around in my head, Hugh pressed the phone to his ear and stepped over to the door leading to my little balcony.
Kevin and Ben glanced at each other, and Kevin shrugged. “I think so.”
Ben nodded. “Her ability is pretty noticeable, at least by supernormals. It would be hard to be stealthy.”
Hugh came back. “Aunt Kate and Dad were already on their way.” He shoved his phone into the back pocket of his jeans. “They picked up the signal from your wristband monitor.”
“Here? To my house? Why can’t we go to the warehouse?”
“They happen to be waiting for a table at Laurelhurst Market. Since it’s just a few blocks from here, they thought it would be faster to come over.”
I tried to remember when Dad would be home and felt a jolt when I saw the time. He would be here any minute now.
As if thinking about Dad summoned him, I heard the backdoor open and close. Dad’s distinctive heavy footsteps echoed through the house. The guys and I shared a panicked look and before I could decide what to do with them Dad was clomping up the stairs. I had a fleeting thought that he would make a terrible thief.
“Olivia, are you okay? I smell smoke.” Dad sounded scared.
I ran to the door, waving for the guys to hide. I wasn’t sure how to explain having three guys in my bedroom, much less the fact that two of them were cousins I was supposed to be estranged from for the past several years.
Dad pushed open my bedroom door just as I reached it. He looked relieved to see me but then frowned. “Olivia, why does your room smell like smoke and,” he wrinkled his nose, “burned plastic?”
“Um…” I cast around for an explanation but my mind was completely blank. I flapped my hands in a lame attempt to wave away the smoke.
Dad’s gaze shifted from mine to behind me. His frowned deepened and then, oddly, cleared. He said, “Hello, Hugh, Kevin.”
I whirled around. Apparently the guys either hadn’t had time to hide or hadn’t bothered to. I glared them, but Kevin just gave me a wry grin and mouthed ‘sorry.’ Ben hunched his shoulders and shoved his hands in his pockets as if trying to look small.
“Hi, Uncle Sammy.” Hugh walked forward and shook my father’s hand. “How have you been, sir?”
I rolled my eyes at Hugh’s formal greeting, but Dad smiled at his nephew. “It’s good to see you both.” He looked at Ben. “I’m going to guess this is Ben Hallowfield.”
I jerked around and stared at Dad with shock. “What?”
“Yes but, but how did you know?” Ben stammered.
Dad started to speak but stopped when the doorbell rang. I gasped; I couldn’t believe this was happening. Given the way the past few minutes had gone, it had to be Aunt Kate and Uncle Alex at the door. Hugh, Kevin, and Ben seemed to agree, sharing panicked looks.
“Are you expecting anyone?” Dad asked.
“Well, my dad is picking us up,” Kevin said. I mentally applauded his cover.
“Really, then whose car is that I saw parked out front when I came in?”
Oh crap. I’d forgotten about Hugh’s Subaru.
The doorbell rang again. I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. “I’ll get it.”
Dad said, “I think we should all go.” He opened the door wider and gestured for us to go in front of him. “Come on.”
As I walked down the stairs, I felt lightheaded. My powers, Dad knowing who Ben was, it was a lot to process. I had a feeling there was more to come.
Dad opened the front door and greeted Aunt Kate and Uncle Alex calmly. “Kate, Alex, how are you doing?”
Aunt Kate wore her usual tidy pantsuit and carried a leather briefcase. Uncle Alex wore jeans and a plaid button down shirt. They looked like normal people just coming over for a visit, nothing like supernormals coming over to analyze their niece.
“Hello, Sam,” Aunt Kate replied. She took in the scene, Dad, me, and the guys. Her nostrils flared as she sniffed the smoky fragrance in the house.
Uncle Alex reached out and shook hands with Dad. “We’re good. How about you?”
I couldn’t take the attempt at being normal anymore. I wanted Dad to be gone; it was too surreal watching him talk to my aunt and uncle. “So, hey, Dad, we were just leaving. I think they” – I waved a hand at my older relatives – “want to take us out to dinner.”
Everyone looked surprised by my statement. Kevin, as usual, recovered first. “Yes, she’s right.” He walked to the door and stood as if waiting for the rest of us to follow.
Dad said, in a tone I knew all too well meant no argument, “I don’t think so. I think we’re going to sit in the den and chat.” He looked at Aunt Kate and Uncle Alex, who nodded in agreement. Both looked as if something had become clear to them.
In an awkward silence, we all filed into the den. Kevin, Hugh, and I all crowded onto the sofa; Ben sat in the matching easy chair. Aunt Kate and Uncle Alex sat in the other couch, and Dad stood in the archway. He scanned the room, and I saw a flicker of something, maybe fear, in his eyes. He glanced behind me and seemed to relax. I turned to see what he saw, and there was a photo of Mom taken at Timberline Lodge the summer before I started first grade. She was grinning at the camera and looked so lovely and alive.
I turned back around when Aunt Kate cleared her throat. “So Sam, I suppose you’re wondering why we’re here.”
“Not really,” Dad answered as he took a seat in
the other easy chair. “Well, I guess I’ll want the specifics eventually” – he continued while we all gaped at him – “but I get that Olivia has reconnected with you. And I have suspected for several weeks that she was exploring the supernormal side of her heritage. She’s been giving me some creative explanations for getting home late but I’ve let it slide because of my suspicions.”
Once again I found myself gaping at my father. Had he just admitted he knew all along about supernormals? And, by extension, that Mom was one? What the hell? Why hadn’t he told me? I could have saved myself a lot of trouble if I hadn’t needed to sneak around. I frowned at Dad and opened my mouth to demand an explanation, but Aunt Kate beat me to it.
“Emily never told me she explained everything to you.” Aunt Kate’s brow was creased in puzzlement. “Why would she hide that from me?” She gripped her hands together in her lap, and Uncle Alex patted her back while keeping his eyes on Dad.
Dad sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “She never meant to tell me, but she got tired of hiding it.” He looked at me with an appeal in his eyes. “Especially after you were born, Ollie. When it became clear to her that you had inherited powers, she decided to tell me.” He grinned wryly. “I can tell you it was a bit of a shock, and I didn’t want my daughter to have to deal with such a dangerous life.” Then he looked sad. “After a lot of discussion, we agreed to a deal – basically neither of us would stand in the way of whatever Ollie decided. It’s her choice.” He sighed again and sat back, watching me. “After Emily died, and you pushed her family away, I knew why. And honestly, I was glad. But then the bank robbery happened, and I knew then you would get pulled back in.”
I found the words I’d been searching for. “Dad, why did you let me think you didn’t know?” My eyes filled with tears. “We could have talked about stuff, you know, Mom and everything…” I trailed off, aware I wasn’t making much sense, but I was overwhelmed. It had been a day of big events – Ben’s kiss, my powers manifesting, and finding out that Dad knew about supernormals. I just wanted to find a quiet spot and digest everything, but I didn’t see that happening anytime soon.
Uncle Alex gave me a sympathetic look. He turned to Aunt Kate. “As much as I wish we could leave Olivia and her father alone to talk, I don’t know that it’s quite safe. What do you think?”
“Safe? What do you mean?” Dad said sharply. He looked at me. “Does this have anything to do with the smoke in your room?”
Aunt Kate answered, “Olivia’s significant ability manifested a short time ago.” She smiled at me. “I think you’ve inherited my father’s ability. A significant ability indeed.”
“Ah, your own ability. Like Emily’s ability to leap over, well, just about anything?” Dad said.
“Well, except mine’s different.” I held out my hands. “I seem to be able to shoot fire out of my hands.”
Everyone leaned away from me as if afraid I’d demonstrate. When flames didn’t appear, Kevin gave a little laugh and everyone relaxed.
“Fire?” Dad said. “Can she control it?”
Aunt Kate said, “It’s hard to say at this stage. Usually they’re fine unless there is an emotional trigger.”
I tensed, afraid she would ask me what caused my outburst today, but Dad said, “I think it would be a good idea to get her powers under control before we talk. What needs to happen now?”
“We need to run through a series of tests and exercises,” Aunt Kate said. “This will determine what she can do and help her understand how to control it.”
“Hey, she’s sitting right here.” I was annoyed that they were talking about me as if I weren’t in the room. Typical adults, normal or supernormal, always talking over kids.
“Of course.” Dad stood up and came over to sit on the coffee table in front of me. He hesitated and then took my hands. I guess he trusted that I wouldn’t burn him. I felt okay inside at the moment, no pressure or anything, so I figured he was right. He continued, “Ollie, I know we have a lot to discuss, but I think it would be best if you went with them to work on controlling your ability.”
I looked at him, mentally starting a list of questions for him. He was right; any talk was bound to be emotional. “Okay, you’re right. But I expect answers.”
“Of course.” He gave me a half smile and ran his hand over my hair in an old, familiar gesture.
Chapter 31
Aunt Kate waved me into Uncle Alex’s Mini Cooper. I got in, wishing I could ride with Hugh and the guys; I had the fleeting feeling I was leaving my childhood behind in the old Subaru.
As soon as Uncle Alex pulled away from the curb, Aunt Kate pulled out her iPad and began peppering me with questions – How did my body feel when the flames first appeared? Had I ever felt this way before? How was I feeling now? Had I felt this way when I was at the destruction sites?
I kept my answers concise to match her gunshot style – lots of pressure and then a release; yes I had felt the pressure in my body before; I felt fine now, no pressure; no I had not felt the same buildup when at the scenes of destruction. The last part left me feeling giddy with relief, and I knew again how much I’d been afraid it was me who destroyed Vera and the rest of the landmarks.
Aunt Kate nodded, made ‘hmm’ noises, and tapped on the screen. She kept records on all of us and our training progress; Kevin was trying to talk Zoe, the hacker of our generation, into finding out what Aunt Kate had written about each of us. Zoe kept refusing, but I thought she might be weakening. At least now my records would indicate I wasn’t a dud as a supernormal.
I was relieved when we pulled up to the warehouse; Aunt Kate’s questions made me impatient to try my abilities again. Now that I understood the flames were a part of my ability, I was excited to explore my skills.
The guys were already there, standing by the entrance. Kevin grinned at me and held open the door. He gave a wave and a bow as I walked through, holding my head regally high. I spoiled it with a giggle when both Ben and Hugh bowed as well.
Once we were inside, Aunt Kate said, “I’d like Olivia in the fireproof room.” She said to me, “That’s the safest place to see what you can do.” She waved a hand at everyone else. “This will take a while. You may as well go home.”
“Seriously? You want us to leave? Now? When it’s getting interesting?” Kevin crossed his arms in front of him. “I want to see what Ollie can do when she’s focused.”
Uncle Alex pulled out his phone. “I’ll order some dinner.”
“And what? I’m the show?” I felt self-conscious at the thought of everyone watching me.
“No, there’s no show.” Aunt Kate gave the rest of the group a quelling look as she took my arm gently. “Olivia and I will practice without an audience. The rest of you go do something useful. In fact” – she regarded the guys thoughtfully, and I was sure I saw them all wince as if they knew what was coming – “this would be a good time to clean the workout room. Starting with the weights area.”
I just barely managed not to laugh at the dismay on their faces. Uncle Alex did laugh, but he tempered it with, “Come on, I’ll help.” He pointed at Hugh. “You’re on pizza pickup duty.”
I followed Aunt Kate into the fireproof room, reflecting on the last time I’d been in there. Was it really only a few hours ago? I glanced back to see Ben watching me. He gave me a small quirk of his lips to let me know he was thinking about our last time in the room as well. I turned away to hide my blush.
Aunt Kate stood in the middle of the room, looking around with one hand on her hip and the other holding her ever-present iPad. She had a half-smile on her face when she faced me. “Did you know your grandfather designed this room? He wanted a place he could really test his abilities without burning the place down.” She put a hand on one of the walls. “I think this was the second or third design.”
“So what all could he do?” Once again, I was aware of how little I really knew about my mother’s family. I couldn’t even remember if I’d met her father.
“Yeah, I’ll bet.” I fidgeted while she finished whatever she felt was necessary before I could begin. Starting, stopping fires, controlling ice? Obviously I could start fires, but the rest sounded out of reach.
Finally Aunt Kate said, “Okay, let’s see what you can do.”
“Um, just like that?” I gasped. “I mean, I don’t know how to start…unless you want to yell at me for a while. That ought to get me mad.”
“That won’t be necessary.” Aunt Kate pursed her lips thoughtfully. “I’ll lead you through some mental exercises that will teach you to consciously tap into your ability. Eventually you won’t need these exercises; it’ll be natural to use your ability.” She gracefully lowered herself into a crossed legged position on the floor and waved for me to follow.
As I sat cross-legged on the floor and closed my eyes, I had a flash of memory: me and Mom in this same position with her leading me through a simple chant. Even before Aunt Kate began chanting, I knew the words. “Even as I am, I am my power; even as I am, I am my power.” In my head, Aunt Kate’s strong, firm voice merged with Mom’s soft, gentle one. My body relaxed as my mind zoned out.
After several minutes or hours, I couldn’t really tell, Aunt Kate changed the chant to, “My source is in me, show me my source.” As if her words were a command, I could see a glow through a shimmering wall inside my mind. Mentally I reached for the glow; with a gasp, I heard a small whoosh as if a furnace were lighting. Instinctively I raised my hands in front of me. They felt warm, like I was holding them in front of a fire on a cold day. I opened my eyes to see flames licking the edges of my hands.
Dormant Page 24
