The Retreat (Olivia Hart and the Gifted Program Book 2)

by Alana Siegel

  After speeding through the empty desert for hours, it felt like Prometheus’s mansion crept up on us. I pressed my face against the window of the van to get a closer look. Calling it a mansion would be an understatement. Twenty stucco-style towers and turrets were connected by mud walls, archways, and cacti. The massive orange and red structure bled through the dry landscape. It was a colossal estate and a gargantuan palace.

  However, the reinforced steel bars gave away the façade that this was a happy abode in the middle of the desert. It was more like a military base, and the protective moat around the entire property wasn't subtle about highlighting that point. It wasn't only for style, and it wasn’t your average moat. The deep ditch was creatively filled with pinching, blood-sucking scorpions instead of water. For that reason alone, the house could claim medieval castle status.

  As the van crawled over the wooden plank that acted as a bridge across the moat, one of the prehistoric scorpions jumped into the air with his fatal pinchers snapping. Even with an entire van between us, I let out a high pitch screech. There wasn't much to eat in the desert to begin with, but it looked like Prometheus kept them extra hungry.

  The gate at the end of the plank that safeguarded the entrance to Prometheus’s lair opened as soon as we drove up. We didn't stick around for another angry jumping scorpion show, but I didn't feel relieved to escape the monstrous and grotesque residents in the moat. We were driving directly into Prometheus's clutches.

  Jaime put the car in park when we were inside the gate. It closed behind us, and no one moved. The sandy courtyard was like the bailey of a castle, enclosed on all sides. I began nervously running my fingers through my hair. This was worse than I could have imagined. We were on Prometheus's home turf, and there was no doubt in my mind that he had the entire grounds rigged for his needs. If we managed to break out of his tormenting palace, where would we run to? We were in the middle of the desert!

  Why did we think he would answer our questions? Why did we think he would listen to us? We couldn’t offer him anything.

  I gasped as I realized there was something he wanted. Me. If he threatened to keep my friends as prisoners, I would negotiate with him.

  Derek turned around in his seat to give everyone a pep talk. “Here's the plan. We will enter the house as a united front. Max, Luca, Jaime, and I will create a circle around Helen, Cliff, and Olivia.” He looked at Max, Luca, and Jaime, and they nodded.

  “Chelsea, can you circle the group invisibly and keep an eye on any weak spots? Similar to last time, we may need to catch them by surprise,” Jaime added. Chelsea nodded in agreement.

  “What if they have Gifted circling us? We don’t know how many Gifted followers he has recruited,” Helen said, the words rushing out of her mouth.

  “That’s a chance we’ll have to take,” Derek said, making the final decision. “We need to find out what Prometheus wants with Olivia. Don't let your focus falter,” Derek concluded.

  Chelsea nudged me and said, “There's no turning back now. Let's go.”

  I exited the van and took two, shaky steps. My hands weren't steady so I crossed my arms tightly across my chest. Was this the right thing to do? Was it fair to bring everyone into my mess? Danger was right in front of us.

  “Olivia, wait up,” Jaime said as she wrapped her arm around me and lead me away from the group.

  “I just want to remind you that this isn't like the last time. We were caught off guard in the fall. We hadn't practiced our Gifts, and there were fewer of us,” she said, being practical, united, and protective. There was no apology for keeping secrets. She was the army general now, ensuring her soldiers stayed in line. I nodded my head to show I understood.

  She took a deep breath, like she was relieved to get that part out of the way. She looked into my eyes. “You also need to remember that Justin isn’t being held hostage like Helen was. Don't forget that it was his choice to go to Prometheus and not by some fault of your own. I won't let you be a martyr,” She said.

  I should have guessed that she would figure out my back-up plan. It was going to be difficult to convince the others to leave me if this visit didn't go well. After she assured me a few more times that she had my back, we walked back to the group.

  We all took our positions. Derek headed the front of the group and Max guarded the back. We put our level-headed leader in front. Hopefully his talent with people would win over Prometheus. Max was the support plan. He would jump in if we needed to use brute force.

  Jaime and Luca completed the outside circle. Positioning didn't really matter to Jaime. If someone was in danger, the speed of her Gift would take her where she needed to go.

  For Luca, it was the exact opposite. Positioning was everything because he wanted to be where I was. He grabbed my hand and sent me one last broad, shining smile. I realized that no matter how this ended, I was happy to have met Luca, and it was comforting to know he was by my side.

  Helen stood in the center, with Cliff and me on each side. I could see her trembling. The last time we met Prometheus's trio, Helen was being held prisoner. I vowed not to let that happen this time. I didn't want anyone else to be the bargaining chip for me.

  The double door entrance was made from two pieces of thick, dark brown wood. Derek banged the large copper circular knocker once against the door. It started opening immediately. With the strong morning sun burning down on the desert, the inside looked like a cool, black, empty space. We entered the abyss slowly, in our pack.

  I squinted my eyes as we shuffled inside, and the doors slammed shut behind us. The interior was minimalist and modern. It was a stark contrast to the ostentatious and medieval mud castle motif and the surrounding protection that was portrayed outside. I wondered if it was deceivingly empty, like the tricks and booby traps were well hidden.

  On either side of the entrance doors stood two massive lamps with long cylinder shades. They were perched on granite stones that served as tables. Despite their size and height, they emitted only a dim, eerie light. Another large, cylinder lamp hung as a chandelier from the tall, domed ceiling.

  Behind the hanging lamp was a grand staircase that narrowed as it curved into an upstairs area that we couldn’t see. Everything was made with solid, unbreakable stone.

  Standing a few steps from the bottom was Ms. Magos. She returned our gaze nervously. It had been months since we last saw her. She looked malnourished and haggard. Her condition shocked me, and I truly hoped we could find a way to take her out of here.

  On the bottom step stood two other members of Prometheus's trio. I tried not to catch the eye of the muscular Ikos who stood in an army green blur. He was itching for a fight and excited for the looming danger. His Gift reverberated throughout the room, and it was unnerving as he stood over us. I glanced at Luca, whose jaw had dropped. This was no longer his old friend, Graham, who once took part in the Gifted Retreat.

  Lynn stood next to him. It made sense that I didn’t recognize her at our family dinner. She looked completely different than when she was filled with zeal for a fight in Ms. Magos’s secret room last fall. She was personally involved now, and she kept her eyes steadily centered on Derek.

  Then, there was Justin. Our eyes connected, and I felt a rush of emotion: relief, happiness, anger. He stared at my hand which was linked with Luca’s. His face was as unreadable as ever, but his eyes darted away and focused on something past me. I hadn't expected to see him waiting for us. I had pictured him tied up in the basement, waiting for us to rescue him. Jaime was right, he had come here of his own accord, and I had to accept it. Still, I let go of Luca's hand.

  Ms. Magos, Lynn, and Graham were wearing long capes and protective gear, but Justin wore the same clothes I had seen him wear to school. There were dark purple circles under his eyes and his shoulders seemed to weigh him down as if he wished he could shrink down or disappear.

  At the top of the stairs, I could just make out two figures. One appeared to be holding the other up, practically carrying h
im down the stairs. They were moving at a slow pace. We were motionless as they approached, anticipating their entrance. Could that bag of bones using a cane to walk down the stairs be the mighty and powerful Prometheus?

  * * * *

  Chapter Twenty-Five: Take It All

  The tall and lean guy glared at us from the top of the steps like we were unwelcome vermin infesting his master's palace. A tingle shot down my spine, but as I looked into those evil sea foam colored eyes I wondered if it was from the chills or his Gift.

  This was Hunter, Prometheus’s Horus and the leader of the trio that had come to Pandora last fall. He was the clever mastermind behind the failed negotiations. He was also a giant compared to his benefactor, a withering old man who shrunk into his long black cape.

  The wrinkles hung from Prometheus's loose skin and blended in with his dark turtle neck. There were only a few wisps of grey hair left on his head, and despite all of that, he was undeniably intimidating.

  The smile on his lips was menacing and gave him the appearance of being slightly unhinged or even insane. His eyes portrayed a dark, unwavering determination, but that wasn't what caused the scream to build in the back of my throat. With each step he took, he stared directly at me. He didn't scan the room that was full of Gifted soldiers ready for a fight. His eyes remained steadily on me. This was why the devilish grin made me cringe and caused the hairs to stand up on the back of my neck. I was visibly shaking now, but trying with all my might to be strong.

  He stopped a few steps above the others to enforce his authority. Even clinging to his cane, he appeared unbreakable.

  “Olivia, we finally meet,” he announced in a voice much stronger than I would have imagined. The disturbing and fake sincerity was part of the game, and just as I suspected, he was only interested in me.

  He intentionally focused his attention, as if we were having a private, casual conversation. It was a reminder that owning me was the ultimate end goal to his song and dance.

  I didn’t respond because I was too scared to say a word, but he continued as if I had.

  “Welcome to Fort Bliss. I hope you're enjoying the attractions.” A sardonic giggle escaped and sounded more like wheezing than laughter. How ironic the death trap he lived in was named Fort Bliss.

  “It’s a shame we didn’t get to meet last fall. It seems there were some complications with the messenger, but I took care of that,” Prometheus took a verbal jab at Ms. Magos as he turned to glare at her. She cowered at the end of the lineup.

  The air bustled behind me as Max squirmed. Standing by and watching Prometheus verbally abuse his sister was testing his patience. I could feel his Gift growing and see his red glow seeping into the space around me.

  “My other messenger got the job done,” Prometheus said, turning his attention to Lynn. She looked back at him because he was the authority figure in the room, but her eyes reflected pain instead of pride from his compliment.

  Prometheus ignored the tension in the room, turned back to me, and said, “How rude of me! I forgot to introduce my followers. Then again, I think you’ve all met before.” He billowed out his free hand, motioning to the five Gifted lined up in front of him. “Your old teacher. My Kynikos,” he waved his hand dismissively at her.

  “I’m not sure if you remember my Ikos and my Hadean,” he said pointing out the protection he had placed around him. Graham let out a low growl, and Lynn kept her eyes forward.

  The way Prometheus spoke about them was creepy, calling them the names of the original families and possessively claiming them as his own. It was deliberate, like they were objects, rather than people. He was pointing them out one by one to scare us, as if to say that we may have numbers, but he had strength.

  Finally he held out his arms to show off the two men that flanked his sides. “I always like to be surrounded by descendents of Horus. They are clever and the best at evasion and defense. Plus, they are almost as hard to come by as Elstes,” Prometheus said with an evil gleam in his eye. Hunter was his favorite Horus, and he stood taller when he said this. He was proud to be part of Prometheus’s crew and a rare piece in his collection.

  Justin’s body language projected just the opposite. He gazed down at the ground, trying not to focus on anything substantial. He kept his hands shoved in his pockets.

  Would a Meta agent who was using me for information about Prometheus be standing next to him without protection? Wouldn't a Meta agent try to arrest Prometheus? Wouldn't a Meta agent seeking such a powerful person come with a team of other Meta agents as back up? I wasn’t convinced that Helen’s theory was true.

  Derek took one step forward and said, “What do you want, Prometheus?” His voice was clear and precise. There was no mistaking that he meant business. Prometheus’s smile faltered from the tone of Derek’s voice, but he quickly pasted it back on.

  “Derek, I didn’t see you there. You have grown so much since the pictures I saw long ago,” Prometheus said, his smirk becoming vicious again. He turned his attention back to me, dismissing Derek.

  Derek stepped forward and shouted, “I won’t let you make decisions about Olivia’s life anymore. She is destined to be a powerful Elste…”

  “However, you are not!” Prometheus cut him off. “You were never meant to be an Elste. The necklace that hangs around your neck was stolen from me.” His voice reverberated off the walls and stunned all of us.

  Not meant to be an Elste? Had Lynn stolen the necklace for him? I reached towards Derek, but blue and green exploded like fireworks across the room as Hunter and Graham turned their Gifts on high. Prometheus ground his teeth, and Lynn stared at Derek, begging him to back down with her eyes.

  We stood frozen in fear until Prometheus creepily cracked his neck and continued. “I’ll make this simple for everyone. I want the same thing you want. I want peace and happiness and love,” Prometheus said the last word an octave higher, attempting to make it sound carefree. It had the opposite affect and we were all confused. There was no time to dissect it.

  The smell of vanilla whipped by and in a matter of seconds, Graham held Chelsea by her hair on the steps. Her face was twisted in pain as she tried to wiggle free, but Graham was happy to be in the middle of the action.

  That one movement caused the pot to boil over. Thunder rolled through the castle. Max’s red aura burst around us, and rain poured down. Chelsea was not his girlfriend anymore, but that didn’t mean he instantly stopped caring for her. He lifted his hand and fired lightning directly at Graham.

  The room lit up with Hunter's neon blue glow. He put his arms out and caused the wind from Max’s storm to blow in circles. The twister sucked in Max’s lightning and then changed course, heading straight for him.

  I smelled lavender as Jaime whizzed by and pushed Max out of the tornado’s way. Instead, it hit the stone table, which toppled over straight toward Jaime. Her immense strength managed to ease the fall, but Jaime was still pinned against the wall. Cliff ran to Jaime’s sides and made a concerted effort to pull the stone off of her. It was useless. The rock held her like a jail cell.

  Explosions of color and smells reflected around the room. We were being outmaneuvered. Graham and Hunter broke down our defenses like we were inconsequential and weak, and Lynn disappeared from the action.

  I anxiously watched Prometheus give his Horus a head nod, and I braced myself for whatever obstacle came next. With one flick of his wrist, the whirlwind cut across the room and broke a valve on the chandelier. A warm, red, liquid rushed down and dripped into my eyes. I wiped my face and looked around in horror. We were all covered by blood!

  Soaking wet, we sloshed around the room, frantically stumbling over ourselves. Max, Derek, and Luca’s colorful glows were extinguished, and I could no longer smell Jaime’s lavender. They tried to use their Gifts, but nothing was happening.

  I looked up at Prometheus’s followers. They were drenched in rain from Max’s storms, but they weren’t covered in the gooey, red substance. Their Gifted hues
were strong, and their scents were intensified. Something about the dark red material was causing our Gifts to fail.

  Ms. Magos stood in ready position, undecided between the sparring foes. Her loyalty to each side was thin. She watched the fight to determine which side was stronger. Graham and Hunter were deflecting Max's feeble attempts to save Chelsea. The action was building, and Prometheus and his crew were in control.

  As Max said, Ms. Magos spent her whole life only looking out for herself. With Max busy fighting for Chelsea, there was no one to promise her that there would be a better life without Prometheus. It was up to me.

  I faced Ms. Magos and said, “You don’t need to live in fear. We will look out for you.” I had promised Max I would try to save her.

  I could see the decision on her face when she turned back to look at me. There was hatred in her eyes. I was the reason she had failed the task Prometheus had asked her to complete last fall. She was tired and lonely, and it was easy to blame me.

  Luca and Derek recognized the evil glint in her eye, too, so they inched closer, hoping to protect me. Ms. Magos’s lemon scent wafted over to us. She raised her hand, and before I could wish for a quick and painless death, the lightning bolt shot out.

  From the corners of my eyes I saw Derek and Luca jump towards me. How could I let this happen? I made a deal with myself. I refused to let anyone else take a bullet for me. I tensed my muscles and braced myself for enormous pain. When you know the end is near, time seems to slow down.

  The smell of apples rushed by as Derek's feet left the ground to jump in front of me. He never made it. Something invisible collided with him and pushed him out of harm's way. There was just enough time for Lynn to be invisible and save Derek before the red matter soaked her clothes. She became visible again and the smell of apples was gone.