Oblivion

by Adrianne Lemke

  The Doctor’s phone alerted, and what I could see of his face paled. “You need to get back into your room, Jason. We have a bit of a security drill going on, and you shouldn’t be out right now.”

  Still following the actions of my only friend, I almost choked when I noticed fewer vibrations on the upper floors. Wherever Jeremiah went, others simply vanished. The number in the building was down from about sixty to about fifty-five. And another of them was about to disappear. The heart rate sped up briefly before slowing to a stop, and I stumbled back shaking my head in fear.

  Jeremiah… the ‘other skills’ he mentioned. He’s killing them!

  “We need to get you back inside, Jason.” The Doctor pulled on my arm, but I couldn’t move. I was trying not to feel what I knew was happening, and I could tell that something was trying to come out.

  My power, I realized. The ground under us began to rumble, causing the building to shake. “Jason, now is not the time! You need to calm yourself!” Jeremiah sounded calmer than he should after killing at least five people.

  “You’re killing them!” My mental voice was a scream, and I couldn't be sure I didn’t also yell the words. The Doctor was scrambling to get away, and shouting to someone inside. A spike of pain went through my head, and I clutched it, yelling in agony. Images of corpses covered in blood assailed me.

  “Stop!” I screamed. “STOP IT!” My power surged. I couldn’t see anyone through the clouds of dirt swirling around me, but I could feel them. Seven men now surrounded the courtyard, all of them with hearts beating quickly. They’re afraid. Afraid because I could destroy every last one of them without even trying.

  There was a sharp sting in my shoulder that almost didn’t register over the pain and gory images in my head. When I glanced down, there was a dart sticking out of my arm. I tried to speak, but no sound emerged. I heard a faint, “I’m sorry, Jason. I’ll be back for you,” before the dirt collapsed down around me.

  Then there was nothing.

  TWELVE

  Jeremiah

  In my entire life, I had never regretted something as much as I regretted leaving this place. Jason was self-destructing and trying to take the entire building with him. I knew his ability to feel things through the building was stronger than he admitted to the Doctor, but I did not know he would feel the loss of life so easily. Or that he would react so strongly to it.

  “I’m sorry, Jason.” It was the only thing I could think to say. But I did have to leave in order to meet up with the people who might have a better chance to free him. “I’ll be back for you,” I promised him. Most likely, at this point he would not want me to come back. But I am the only person he knows, and he views me as a friend. For now. Maybe he would forgive the deaths if he knew they were trying to kill me as I escaped.

  Thankfully, not every guard was equipped with a camera, so some of them I could slip past easily. The others… well, they were in my way. The first guard I managed to overpower was Red, the young man who seemed the most open. Him, I left alive, and hoped he would be an asset I could use when I came back for Jason. Butch, on the other hand, I couldn’t. He had his weapon trained on me from the moment I managed to escape my cuffs. A handy little trick Mason taught me for if I ever got caught. The pin I kept under a false patch on my hand was useful for escaping them when my ability proved incapable of doing so.

  They wouldn’t connect me to Jason. They had no reason to. I had never been seen in his room, and neither of us mentioned the other. Leaving without him was difficult, but everything I heard so far indicated they would begin with minor testing—nothing that would hurt him. Honestly, Jason might be safer with these people than he would be going about his daily life… at least for a little while.

  Finding Jason’s family should be my first priority. They may be the only people capable of getting him away from such a large, well-structured group. With Detective Alice Farrow and FBI Agent Mark Jones working against them, they would have no choice but to release Jason—especially with myself and Oblivion working alongside them.

  The exit was surprisingly not very well-guarded. Perhaps the guards had been called to the upper levels in a poor attempt to recapture me. Looking around cautiously I noticed a camera in the corner. I tossed a careless wave toward it, and walked out the door. Jason may not approve of my methods, but they worked.

  I allowed myself to disappear from sight and rushed to get away from the facility before the guards realized they were looking in the wrong place. There was something odd about some of the people there, but I couldn’t figure out what it was.

  Time to find Jason’s brother. He probably wouldn’t like that I had left without Jason—heck, I didn’t like it—but there was nothing I could do about it now.

  It took only a moment to find Sam and push my thoughts into his mind. “I am free. We need to meet to discuss how to rescue your brother.”

  His response was swift and expected. “YOU LEFT HIM! You need to go back! He can’t be alone, he is falling apart!”

  I winced at the volume of Oblivion’s mental attack, and hoped he didn’t push all his anger into my mind. There was the potential that he could destroy my mind as he’d done to the Hunter.

  “Calm yourself. It couldn’t be helped. Now, we can either meet or you can continue to yell at me. What do you choose?”

  He didn’t answer immediately. I didn’t push. He needed to figure this out on his own. “Fine. We’ll meet. We’re at 2200 Highlands Court. But if you try anything against us, I will destroy you.”

  He was angry. He wouldn’t have threatened me otherwise. “I’ll be there. But keep in mind; I am the one who knows where your brother is. If you destroy me, the information goes with me.”

  “Just get here so we can save my brother.”

  Despite the dire situation, I smirked. The kid could definitely rip my mind to pieces. He’d done it to the Hunter and his own brother, so there was no doubt in my mind that he could do it to me as well. But he would have to struggle to hold it in, at least until we rescue Jason.

  My smirk dropped. Once we rescued his brother, Sam had no reason to hold back unless he felt grateful, or if I could figure out how to help him restore Jason’s memories. Figuring that out could be the best way to protect myself from Oblivion’s power. But it would also remind Jason of how much he hated me.

  I made my way to the address Oblivion told me and paused for a moment in surprise. I had assumed Jason’s friends would take refuge in a hotel, but the place they were staying would qualify as a mansion. Whoever they stayed with would not let me in if I showed my true face, so I projected the appearance they had seen last: detective Scott Nickels.

  The woman who answered the door appeared to be in her sixties, and I smiled. “I’m here to see Sam,” I said in a kind tone. “He’s expecting me.”

  “May I get your name, young man?” she asked.

  I hesitated. “Sco—Jeremiah.” She frowned slightly, but allowed me in. Agent Jones stood to the side of the door, his hand near his holstered weapon. “At ease, Jonesy.” My voice took on a mock-playful tone.

  “Where is Jason? What did you do?” The agent’s voice was accusatory.

  Glaring, I took a step toward him, pausing when he gripped his weapon. “For your information,” I gritted, “I did nothing but try to keep your friend safe!”

  He scoffed. “Yeah, look how well that turned out.”

  I narrowed my eyes at him. “It isn’t my fault that bad people are drawn to Jason like magnets. I went with him to help him. Until I decided to find out more about the people who took him, I was able to keep him calm. Not sure what else you would have me do in that situation, agent.”

  Before he could answer, Sam burst into the foyer. “What are we going to do?” He was frantic, and his voice was loud enough to make me cringe. “My brother had a major meltdown just before you contacted me. We need to get him!”

  “We will get your brother,” I assured him, “but we need to be smart about it. They kno
w about me and what I can do, but they do not know anything about you. Sneaking in will be difficult, but with your powers combined with mine we might stand a chance.”

  “Who are these people?” Alice came up behind me. Like the FBI agent, her hand also hovered near her service weapon.

  I chose to ignore the obvious threat in order to answer the detective’s question. “I don’t know who they are, but there are a lot of them. The man in charge calls himself ‘the Doctor,’ and so far doesn’t seem like he wants to harm Jason. His second in command, however, may be a different story. He seems a bit more likely to do something harmful.”

  “What would he do?” Jones asked. “Will he hurt Jason?”

  “Maybe not at first,” I answered. “The Doctor doesn’t want him harmed before they figure out how his abilities work. But from what I could tell, the Boss is significantly more sadistic. He relishes holding others in his power and hurting them.”

  The look on Sam’s face darkened, and I could feel something stirring. “Stay calm, Oblivion.” I used the name to remind him to keep control, and he jumped at my use of it. “You don’t know what will happen if you do not.”

  The boy took several deep breaths, and his friends watched him warily. Interesting. They appeared… frightened. “He will not harm you,” I informed them. “At that moment his anger may have been unchecked, but it was aimed away from those he cares about.”

  Alice’s eyes widened and she took a small step back. “We…”

  “Are made nervous by abilities you do not understand. But your reticence makes Sam more likely to lose control. He is a child in need of guidance.”

  Mark put a hand on Sam’s shoulder. “We’ve been here for Jason, despite his occasional lapses in control. I think we can handle being here for you too. Don’t be afraid to talk to us, kiddo.”

  Sam smiled weakly. “I’ll try, but Jason doesn’t even know yet.”

  “And he won’t for some time,” I informed him. “At this moment, he knows you only as Oblivion. He is aware he has a brother, but he doesn’t know you are the one who caused his memory loss.”

  The boy looked at me, an unreadable expression on his face. “Why didn’t you tell him?”

  I cocked my head slightly as I explained, “Think about it, kid. If Jason thinks his brother caused him harm, but can’t remember anything else, how would he react? Would he be able to set aside his feelings and allow you to help me rescue him? Admittedly, I don’t know for certain. But I don’t want to cause him any unnecessary hurt. Knowing exactly what happened can wait until we set him free.

  Then we can figure out how to undo what you did.”

  THIRTEEN

  Sam

  Kindred’s tone sounded accusatory, but he looked at me with sympathy. Having a killer look at me with such understanding made me seriously reconsider my use of power. My uncontrolled use of power had killed Hunter and destroyed my brother. Was I different from Kindred? I think the answer is still yes. I haven’t killed on purpose, or set out to harm someone.

  His ability to empathize also makes me wonder how bad he truly is. How can a soulless killer be sympathetic? How can someone who has murdered an unknown number of people still manage to understand the pain or difficulties someone else is having?

  Slowly, I looked up to meet the former assassin’s gaze. “I will figure out how to fix my brother,” I vowed. “You may have some redeeming qualities, but you are still a murderer who belongs behind bars. None of us are going to forget what you’ve done.”

  “Sam…” Alice met my gaze, shaking her head slightly. She didn’t want me antagonizing the man.

  Too bad for her. I figured I didn’t have to worry much. Kindred needed us. He also wants to stay on Jason’s good side, so he wouldn’t dare to hurt us. I also could tell he was nervous of what I could do to him, and his confidence was already shaken by what had happened at the facility. A predatory urge struck me, and I wondered briefly if it was truly me or if something in Kindred had crossed to me. I mentally shrugged. Didn’t matter. The result would be the same. He had accused me of harming my brother. While that was true, he had no right to judge me. Especially after everything he’d put Jason through.

  Narrowing my eyes angrily, I stepped toward Kindred aggressively. “I am not scared of you. But you’re scared of me. And I can amp that up until you are absolutely terrified. And if you do anything I don’t like, I can destroy you.” My words were hostile, but I kept my tone even.

  “Sam!” Hannah entered the foyer in time to hear my tirade. “Stop that! What would Jason think?” She grabbed my shoulder and gave it a shake.

  I smiled at her, knowing my words had the effect on Kindred that I was hoping for. “Sorry, Hannah; just wanted to make sure he doesn’t try anything.”

  She glanced at Kindred and the others standing there and said, “As messed up as it is, he seems to want to help us find Jason. Please don’t make him regret that desire. We need all the help we can get.”

  “Even if it means working with the devil?” I asked harshly. “Would Jason want us to sell our souls to help him?”

  She paused, considering how to reply. Alice beat her to it. “Jason cares about you Sam. He doesn’t want you to become a monster, to stop a monster.”

  “Your brother has made me a better person. He helped me discover my identity,” Kindred explained.

  “After you terrorized him into doing so. Not sure that counts as better,” I snapped.

  Before Kindred could do more than nod thoughtfully, our hostess entered the room and cut in, “If you all are going to keep talking, you should go to the living room. It is more comfortable for long discussions.”

  “Thanks, Tessa,” Mark sounded grateful for the interruption. “We’ll do that.”

  “And you,” Tessa said, looking at Kindred. “Don’t start anything. If you are genuinely here to help this young man get his brother back, then do that without trying to rile Sam up. You’ll get nowhere with him like that.”

  Seeming to be stunned that the woman would stand up to him, Kindred swallowed. “Yes ma’am. I will keep that in mind.”

  “Do that,” she said with a final glare at him. Apparently, hearing about how dangerous Kindred is didn’t deter Tessa from speaking her mind.

  We walked to the living room, and I overheard Mark muttering to Tessa, “Be more careful. He’s dangerous.”

  Followed by the older woman’s response, “I will not be silent in my own home.”

  Brave woman, I mused, but maybe not the brightest. The rest of us remained silent as we chose seats in the living room. The quiet allowed me to check on Jason, whose emotions seemed unnaturally quiet. “I think they drugged him.”

  “What?” Alice glanced at me, and I realized I spoke that thought out loud.

  “Jason,” I clarified. “After he lost control, I think they drugged him. He’s still conscious… sorta, anyway. I don’t know. His emotions are muffled; a hint of unease, some anger, but mostly just confusion and fear.”

  Alice and Mark exchanged a glance over my head. “If you can, keep monitoring him. But try to focus on us too.”

  “Where is he?” I asked again, aiming my focus toward Kindred again.

  “There is a large abandoned building near the edge of town,” Kindred informed us. “This group has taken it over for their own use.”

  “I know the place,” Tessa said. “It’s an old steel mill. Since it was shut down it has been used for all sorts of questionable activities. Unfortunately it is hard to prevent people from breaking in.”

  “Or from taking it over, apparently,” Kindred spoke acerbically.

  Tessa frowned thoughtfully. “I did hear rumors that someone bought the place and was planning to fix it up for use again.”

  “A clever cover,” Mark said. “If there are as many people there as Jeremiah says, then they would be noticed.”

  “They have excellent security. There are cameras everywhere that are closely monitored. My ability will not be of much u
se. Several of the guards also have cameras on their helmets, allowing them to see me.”

  “So we don’t sneak in,” I snapped. I turned toward Mark. “You and Alice are cops. We know Jason is there, we can walk in the front door and get him back!”

  It couldn’t be that easy. Nothing is ever that easy. “We could try it that way, Sam,” Kindred answered. “But I’m afraid they would simply hide Jason away until we leave. You underestimate them.”

  Glowering at him, I snarled, “If they don’t willingly tell me where they are keeping my brother, then I will make them.”

  “Sam, don’t go down this road,” Hannah pleaded. “Jason wouldn’t want you to go around hurting people with your ability.”

  I looked at each of them. My friends. My allies. And each of them held the same concerned frown, their eyebrows crinkled slightly as they met my eyes. Not one of them seemed frightened of me, but instead they all seemed worried for me. “Jason is my only family,” I insisted. “He doesn’t know what I am capable of, and I can use my abilities to force information from people without harming them.”

  The former assassin was the first to raise concerns. “Are you certain of this? You have shown little control so far.”

  Letting out a huff, I assured them. “When I was with Hunter I was able to get information out of him. After our discussions, he had no memory of what he told me.”

  “And yet, you let the power overwhelm both the Hunter and your brother. Both circumstances happened without your conscious knowledge or consent. How can you hold such exact control over your power at one point, and lose it so completely at another?”

  I opened my mouth to defend myself, but clamped it shut a moment later.

  “You don’t have to answer to him,” Hannah assured me. “I can make a pretty good guess.” She turned to Kindred. “Jeremiah, Sam is a fourteen-year-old child. His emotions are in turmoil on a regular basis due to normal teenage hormones. When you add his ability to that, it’s a wonder he doesn’t lose control more often.”