“No, that was just a reasonable excuse for you six to stay,” Dr. Carnesby shook his head, rising to stand and shake Elyse’s hand. She crossed her arms over her chest, glaring at him and not allowing the handshake. “If you’ll follow me, I’ll get your money order.”
Elyse stomped after him, Darryl following after a few seconds. Like Wendy and Tabitha, they had packed earlier, much like everyone had I would guess. We all wanted to get out of the warehouse, cabin fever setting in. A shorter time than it took Wendy and Tabitha later, Elyse and Darryl came back and walked right on past us without even a glance in our direction. The door hissed as it opened and closed behind them. The sound of an engine starting up had an edge of finality to it, at least so I imagined, before it faded away. I turned my attention back to the people remaining and saw Eric staring at the floor restlessly fidgeting with his fingers.
“Eric, you okay?” I asked, hoping to bring him out of his stupor.
“What?” Eric asked, head whipping up to stare at me. “Yeah, yeah, fine. I was just lost in thought. You know what? I think I’m going to take the option Elyse and Darryl did. I want out. This is just way too crazy for me to deal with.”
“Again, that is perfectly fine,” Dr. Carnesby said, coming in at the last couple sentences. “I suppose I’m going to be running laps back and forth as you all decide then. Follow me, Eric, and we’ll have you on your way.”
It didn’t take too much longer and Eric was heading out with his money order in his pocket. His duffel bag was slung over his shoulder. There was an odd expression on Eric’s face, something calculating that worried me. But it was gone almost as soon as I saw it and I wasn’t even really sure that expression was there. Rose and Brandy talked quietly, their conversation a soothing murmur in the nearly silent room. I silently wished Eric well, along with Elyse and Darryl. They hadn’t asked to be changed, had only hoped to walk away with more money. I hoped they would be able to get back to their lives. They deserved it. When Dr. Carnesby came back and sat back down in a chair, Rose and Brandy stopped their conversation and looked expectantly at him.
“Anyone else?” Dr. Carnesby asked, looking from Rose to Brandy to Nick.
“I think we’re staying,” Brandy answered for both her and Rose, gripping Rose’s hand tightly. “Rose still can’t control her ability completely and I won’t leave her.”
“I’m staying, too,” Nick said, giving Billy a warm smile. “Though I hope that doesn’t necessarily mean we have to stay here.”
“No, no, you’re free to go back to your homes,” Dr. Carnesby replied, chuckling a little bit. “You aren’t prisoners, I won’t force you to live here.”
“Good to know,” Nick said, nodding. “So, since we’re staying, what are we going to do?”
“We have a lot to talk about,” Dr. Carnesby said grimly, a determined look crossing his face. “Plans to make and all that.”
“Guess we won’t be going home all that soon,” Rose said sadly, sighing quietly. I sympathized with her; I wanted to go home myself, have some time all by myself rather than stuck in a building with people. But all our futures were at stake now, possibly our safety, and we needed to be prepared for any outcome we could think of. It was going to be a long day.
Chapter 14
“I can’t believe you let that guy convince you to go back to Chicago,” Michael grumbled from his seat across the aisle of the plane. Sandra and Amy were sitting next to each other, Amy staring out the window with a dreamy look on her face.
“It’s a logical place to go to next,” Sandra replied, keeping the little details out of the conversation as Michael was doing. “Besides, who would expect us to go back?”
“That’s the thing,” Michael replied, keeping his voice pitched low. “What if they find us? Or the people behind what happened find us? No one ever explained who they were. Why go back when it’s so dangerous?”
“Because that’s where I chose for us to go next,” Sandra snapped, her voice rising and causing a few travellers ahead of her to glance back angrily. Taking a deep breath, Sandra modulated her tone. She also didn’t want to continue this argument, didn’t want to have to deal with opposition to her plans. Slipping invisible fingers into Michael’s emotions, Sandra deftly erased the doubt and anger Michael was feeling and tweaked his curiosity. He hadn’t noticed yet how much she manipulated him and Sandra was fairly certain he never would. “Besides, we can use some answers. Chicago might be the best place to go for them as it all happened there.”
“All right,” Michael said slowly, hesitantly, shaking his head as his emotions changed. He resisted it for a few moments, much more than he done even just a week ago. But Sandra’s hold was still strong and Michael could only ride the changes to his emotions like a wave. “Maybe we can talk to George or something. He seemed like the kind to want answers.”
“Sure,” Sandra nodded, happy that she’d placated Michael. It was ridiculously easy to get what she wanted using her abilities and it was addictive. The power, the rush of it all was getting harder and harder to ignore. Sometimes Sandra found herself wallowing in the emotions of others, stroking invisible fingers through them and just feeling.
She made small talk with Michael for the rest of the flight until they landed in Midway. After picking up their luggage, they got in a taxi and went to the hotel their agent had booked for their stay and shows. Sandra relaxed back against the leather seat, mind busily working. She had a lot of planning to do and so many choices of places to rob. Chicago rolled past her window as she had taken one of the outer sides of the cab.
“You know, I think finding George might not be a bad idea,” Amy said thoughtfully as she stared out of the window of the taxi, picking up Michael’s suggestion from the plane. The hotel was just down the block and the driver slowed to pull up near the doors. The shows they’d be doing here would take place in the convention center attached. She was looking forward to it and felt excited to be home. “I know you keep saying he doesn’t deserve a conversation or closure or anything, Sandra, but I really feel like I need to finish this between us. It’s been bothering me, leaving things hanging like this.”
Sandra sighed and pressed a hand to her forehead. While Michael didn’t seem to be fighting her control so much as it wearing off, Amy had bursts of pushing back. No matter how hard she tried, Sandra couldn’t get rid of the love and worry Amy had for George. Reducing it was possible, burying it deep enough that it didn’t affect the other woman. But getting rid of it completely was beyond even Sandra’s abilities with emotions.
Knowing that she had hit a limit was frustrating but Sandra had learned to live with it. At least for now. She wouldn’t need Amy forever. Well, Sandra hoped she wouldn’t need Amy forever. The other woman took a lot of her energy to keep under her control. But for right now, Sandra would expend that energy and bring Amy’s emotions back under her control. Coming back to Chicago had been a gamble but one Sandra thought might pay off.
“Do you think maybe I keep telling you that because I might be right?” Sandra asked, weariness in her voice. As she spoke, Sandra worked her way through Amy’s emotions. Quashing down the love and concern, Sandra increased the jealousy and fanned it into a fire deep inside Amy’s heart. That was always the best way to control her, keep her away from anyone and anything that might pull Amy away from Sandra’s manipulation. “Remember how alone you felt when George just walked away from you?”
“I remember, I really do,” Amy grumbled, grinding her teeth slightly as jealousy overtook her. “But I feel like this conversation with him is hanging over my head and I need to deal with it. Besides, maybe I can get some information out of George about whether there was another trial.”
“Who really cares?” Michael asked airily, opening the door as the cab parked outside the hotel. It had a grand and imposing facade while a liveried bellhop waited outside with a luggage cart. He grinned excitedly at Sandra and Amy before pulling their bags out of the trunk. The bellhop hurried forward an
d helped Michael load them onto the cart before taking it inside the hotel. “Are you both coming?”
“Amy, just let it go, okay?” Sandra asked exasperatedly as she got out of the cab. She was looking forward to taking a shower once they got up to their room and wash the travel off of her. Plus, continually manipulating Amy’s emotions was starting to give her a headache.
“Fine, I’ll let it go,” Amy muttered, following after Sandra. But there was a stubborn little voice deep inside that kept reminding her about George. For once, that voice didn’t die away after a few seconds and held on grimly. “At least for now.”
----------------------------------------------------
A week after the trial ended, Eric was still wondering exactly what he wanted to spend his money on. A good chunk of the five thousand had been set aside for his next semester’s costs though he still wasn’t completely sure he’d be going back. When Dr. Carnesby had revealed the previous trial and what Sandra had done, Eric had begun thinking. With his own ability, going back to studying business seemed boring and dull. To be honest, he’d been thinking about changing his major before this, the classes driving him to complete boredom. But, what if, just what if, he could find this Sandra and join her? Gain some of the power she was probably gathering to herself?
But he hadn’t the slightest clue where to start. A quick Google search hadn’t shown anything in regards to a Sandra Johnson, Michael Tusing, or Amy Veksler. All three of them seemed to have dropped off the map though there was an article about a string of strange robberies in Las Vegas. Eric chuckled at the wording, wondering how people could break in and leave absolutely no evidence behind. After searching futilely for Sandra and about superpowers, Eric decided to kill some time by watching television. There was a special playing about magicians that he was interested in. He flipped to the correct channel and sprawled across his couch, a cup of water balanced on his chest. The episode started with the typical hype about magicians and the wonders they could perform. But that wasn’t what caught Eric’s attention.
“I don’t believe it,” Eric exclaimed, sitting bolt upright and sending his water flying. There on his screen, as bold as if they were in his living room, Sandra, Michael, and Amy stood on a stage performing feats of “magic”. From Dr. Carnesby’s explanation, Eric knew that what they were doing was no magic at all. This Triumvirate was performing everything with their superpowers and disguising it as magic.
The episode explained that they had debuted in Las Vegas and Eric noted that it was around the same time as the robberies. Could the two be connected? As the episode wound to a close, Eric grinned widely when the announcer said the Triumvirate was coming to Chicago. It seemed fate was on his side, wanted him to find Sandra. He took careful note of the hotel and the dates, prepared to sit in the lobby if need be.
Two days later, Eric was doing exactly that, sitting in the lobby of the hotel the show was going to be performed in. While it may not have been the best plan, it was the only one he had. Other than buying a ticket, which he had done for the first available show. If he didn’t see any of the three here, maybe he could catch them after the show. He’d been sitting for a couple hours, about to give up and go get lunch, before Sandra walked into the lobby. Eric grinned to himself and followed after her, tapping her shoulder when they got to a secluded place.
“Excuse me, Sandra?” Eric asked when she turned, eyes narrowed as she studied his face.
“Who are you?” Sandra asked instead of answering. Better to deny that was her name if this was someone Dr. Carnesby had sent to find her. “Do I know you?”
“No but I know you,” Eric replied, taking Sandra’s arm and pulling her towards the wall. A potted plant with leafy branches blocked them from view of any passers-by. “My name’s Eric Miller and I know you’re Sandra Johnson. I went through the same trial you did. Even got a brand-new ability.”
“What do you want?” Sandra asked suspiciously, yanking her arm out of Eric’s grasp. “Were you sent to find me?”
“No, I wasn’t,” Eric said, letting a smile tug at his lips. “I found you on my own. I want to join you. Dr. Carnesby theorized you were going to start gathering power to yourself. I want in.”
“Why should I let you?” Sandra sneered, chuckling nastily. “We are perfectly situated to gain everything I want. What could you possibly add?”
“How about strength?” Eric asked, reaching out to grip Sandra’s shoulders. He lifted her carefully, trying not to leave even so much as a bruise on her skin. It didn’t even take all that much of his new strength and Eric set her down again after a few seconds. “I don’t want to live a petty little life. I want big, I want unique. I think you can give that to me.”
“I think you may have a place after all,” Sandra mused, resting her right hand on her left shoulder thoughtfully. “So I see you gained super strength. Why don’t you come on up to my room and we’ll talk.”
Eric felt a hot burst of triumph flash through his chest as he nodded. There was no way he was going to die an undistinguished death. Sandra wasn’t the only one who wanted power, who wanted to have the world at her fingertips. This group was fascinating and Eric wasn’t going to let an opportunity slip by. He followed Sandra back the way she had come, taking the elevator up to her floor. She ushered him into her room and the door closed behind them with a final-sounding click. This was going to be one hell of a ride.
Epilogue
Elyse looked up from the book she was reading to mouth a question at Darryl as the knock sounded at their door. She certainly wasn’t expecting anyone and neither of their parents was likely to visit without calling ahead. Darryl shrugged, confusion writ across his face as he got up from the couch to open the door. A man stood there, a look of polite interest on his face as he surveyed what he could see of the apartment through the open door. He had gray eyes, dark gray hair, and dark skin a few shades lighter than Darryl’s. His suit was a deep, navy blue, his shirt a few shades lighter. The tie he was wearing was a checkerboard of light and dark blue.
“Hello,” the man said in a deep voice that vibrated in his chest. “Would you be Darryl Richards?”
“I am,” Darryl replied slowly, eyeing the man carefully as he stood on the threshold. “Who are you?”
“My name is Lucian Thorn and I would like to talk to you and Elyse Sato,” Lucian replied, smiling reassuringly at Darryl. “May I come in?”
“Sure,” Darryl said after a few seconds, stepping back to allow Lucian in. “Have a seat.”
“Thank you,” Lucian replied politely, sitting on the end of the couch and turning to face both Elyse in her chair and Darryl on the other end of the couch when he sat down. “I’m sorry to come unannounced but this is a matter of some delicacy. I understand that the two of you participated in a medical trial recently.”
“So?” Elyse asked challengingly, meeting Lucian’s eyes directly. “What does that have to do with anything?”
“Quite a bit, my dear,” Lucian told her patronizingly, his reassuring smile morphing into a Cheshire Cat-like grin. “You both gained a new ability from that trial, something beyond what normal humans can do. I have a proposition for you both.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Darryl objected quickly, shaking his head. “All we did was test some drug.”
“Darryl, Darryl, please, don’t lie to me,” Lucian said, voice turning cold before going back to the syrupy cajoling tone. “My corporation was the sponsor of the medical trials. We’re experimenting with and studying Gnotret. I am well aware of what goes on in the trials.”
“What proposition?” Elyse asked to break the silence that greeted Lucian’s words. Darryl whipped his head towards her, denial in his eyes, but Elyse just shrugged at him. He knew already. What point was there in denying it?
“Ah, a woman who gets straight to the point,” Lucian approved, still sounding patronizing. “A woman after my own heart. My proposition is this: you aren’t going to be able to go back to y
our lives, not knowing what you do. Not being who you are now. So, come to work for the Corporation. There are many things we can use people of your... skill-set for. Besides, we pay lucratively. You’ll never have to worry for money again.”
“What things?” Darryl asked, turning back towards Lucian. “If it’s something illegal, the answer’s no. I’m not going to jail because you want something done that we shouldn’t do.”
“Oh, it’s nothing beyond what you’d be willing to do,” Lucian said airily, waving a hand. “Think of it this way. You’ll be helping people and helping your country. All we want you to do is little things like peacekeeping or dealing with dangerous people. Nothing illegal. What do you say? Want to rise above the obscurity of the lives you would have led and into the light of the lives you could lead?”
Darryl and Elyse exchanged long, searching looks, their time together allowing them to understand the other’s expressions. It was tempting, very tempting. And Darryl felt like he couldn’t keep his ability secret for long. Not when it was so fascinating, so amazing. If they could help people with their abilities, why not? After all, the people running the experiment could be trusted right? They wouldn’t have the drug in the first place if they couldn’t. This was right up Darryl’s alley though Elyse had reservations about the whole offer. It would be far too easy for a nameless corporation to abuse their abilities. Besides, once someone has a taste of power that others can’t have, they often wanted more. That more would come at Darryl and Elyse’s expense.
With a small sigh, Elyse nodded slightly at Darryl’s hopeful expression. She couldn’t say no, not when she knew how much Darryl wanted to help others. It was only pressure from his family that convinced him to go into marketing rather than become a police officer. She would just make it her job to keep an eye on this Lucian and on what his corporation wanted them to do. Elyse had no qualms with pulling out if the situation turned bad.
Expansion (The Accidental Heroes Chronicles Book 2) Page 18
