by Kim Jewell
Slowly, he reached out and took his hand, and smiled just a little. “Charles Rowe. You can call me Charlie.”
“How did you know who I was?”
Charlie chuckled just slightly, and Sam could feel him relax the tiniest little bit. “Clint is a spitting image of his father. And I can see the family resemblance between you and your sister. I expect the fourth in your party is Leesha?”
“You know us well…”
“Just on paper. I’ve always hoped to get the chance to meet you guys in person.”
Sam heard his thoughts again as the fear came to the forefront of his mind again: “He’ll kill me if he knows.”
“Who will kill you? Blevins?”
“You heard that?” Charlie’s eyes got wide with wonder.
“I did.”
“Your powers have gotten very strong. All four of you…?”
“Just myself, Leesha and Lexi for now. Would you like to meet them? We’d really like to ask you some questions, if you don’t mind.”
Sam heard the worry and wonder in his mind.
“I promise, sir. We just have questions.”
He sighed, as if trying to gather his courage. “I’d love to meet your friends. Come on, we can go sit out back.”
Sam turned to the three others, still leaning on the Jeep and projected: “He’s fine, guys. Come here. I’ll introduce you.”
Chapter Forty-three
The five of them sat on the patio furniture of Charlie’s very elaborate backyard. The pool was closed, but fall in Arizona still lent to warm weather and sunshine. Even in the morning hours, the temperature was comfortable to sit outside.
“So,” Leesha started right in, “you were a resident in the hospital when we were born?”
“I was. I was doing my rotation through all of the departments back then. I was in the middle of an eight-month stint in the OB. That’s how I met Dr. Blevins.”
Sam heard the rest of his thought, which was very bitter: “… what a mistake that was.”
“What was a mistake? Why?”
Charlie smiled sheepishly. “I keep forgetting you can do that. That must come in handy…”
“Sometimes. What was a mistake?” Sam prodded.
“Getting involved with Blevins. He was very charismatic, and I didn’t know what he was asking me to do at the time. By the time I put it all together, I was in so deep there was no way to get out.”
“What were you doing for him?” Lexi asked.
“I was helping him get different medications from other areas of the hospital. My class – the residents – were all rotating in different departments. He would tell me what to get, and who to get it from. He was a doctor – a mentor, someone of authority – I was too young and stupid to figure out what I was doing was wrong.”
“What was he doing with the medications?” Sam asked, even though he thought from their research that they already had the answer.
“It was basically an extension of a research project he started in the military. He was mixing drugs – designed to alter the mind and body functions – the combination of which was supposed to create special abilities if administered in the right dosage.”
“Why to babies?” Lexi asked.
“Babies are designed to be resilient… While small and weak physically, babies are surprisingly strong and immune to a lot of illness and external dangers. It is nature’s defense mechanism – it starts when you’re in the womb, when your mother’s body protects you, but continues throughout childhood. Children heal faster.”
“Did you help Blevins administer the medications?” Sam asked, half accusing.
“No. I didn’t know anything about what he was doing until it had been uncovered and he was in the middle of the court case. Even then, I didn’t understand everything. When the military got wind of it, the case was moved to their jurisdiction and they kind of swept everything under the rug.”
“Why?”
“Because the work he was doing was something he started in his time in the military. They began with animals, and the experimentation eventually turned to humans, which ended badly and was covered up. They tried it on adults, and had several deaths. Years later, Blevins switched his practice to OB with the intention of trying it on babies. The military put two and two together, and opted to handle the litigation so they could manage how much of the information went public.”
“Which was none,” Leesha noted sourly.
“Which was none,” Charlie agreed. “I didn’t know any of this until Blevins filled me in later, when he was in prison.”
“Why would he do that? Why did he spill to you?” Lexi wondered.
“Because he thought he finally created a successful study. And while he was in prison he needed someone to recreate his documentation and monitor your health through your pediatricians. Even after he was released, he still couldn’t practice, so he needed someone in the medical arena to help him.”
“Why did you agree?” Leesha asked.
“He threatened me. Basically he told me he would turn me in as an accomplice if I didn’t cooperate with him. I was young, and had started a family… Anyway, it seemed easier to just do what he said than worry about what would happen if I didn’t.”
“That’s horrible,” Lexi was sympathetic.
“Yes, I suppose it is. Though he’s been fairly decent to me in the years since his release. He pays me well for the work I do… And I haven’t done anything illegal. All he wants me to do is compile the information he gives me into charts. He’s done all of the surveillance. Once he figures out who you are and what powers you have, my job is to figure out what mixture it was that you were doped with after you were born and chart it.”
“How many?” Clint spoke for the first time.
“How many what?”
“How many babies were medicated?”
“Eleven. Well, thirteen originally. Two died in the hospital,” Charlie grimaced, remembering. “So eleven of you are still out there.”
“When?”
He turned to Clint to answer. “According to what Blevins told me, it happened around 2 am in the middle of the night, the morning of the 15th.”
Clint turned to Leesha. “Was I there then? Am I on the list?”
Leesha didn’t need to answer. Charlie beat her to it. “Yes, Clint. You were injected with some combination of something.”
“Do you know what?”
“No. All of the medical records were seized by the military. Probably destroyed. I don’t know, they may be locked up somewhere. There’s probably no way of knowing until you realize your power.”
“Oh. Okay.” Clint sounded a little disappointed, but Sam could hear that he was encouraged knowing that he would eventually be affected, have a power.
Just then, the back door opened, and a pretty blonde stepped out onto the patio. “Charlie?”
He turned, and smiled at his wife. “Yes, dear. Hey, come meet my guests. They’re, uh, doing a school project on medicine. Lexi, Leesha, Sam, Clint, meet my wife Amber.”
“It’s nice to meet you kids,” she smiled as each of them greeted her in return. “I won’t keep you. I just wanted to let you know I’m taking Ellie to swim practice. Caitlyn wanted to stay here. She’s in her bedroom. We should be back in a couple of hours.”
“Okay, babe. I’ll hold the fort down. See you in a bit.”
“Bye,” she waved at the group and retreated back indoors.
Chapter Forty-four
He watched Charlie as he sat casually in his backyard, chatting up the teens. What a moron. Did he think he could get away with lying to him? Did he think he could steal his kids from him?
He was glad now he installed the surveillance cameras at the Rowe house. He hadn’t needed it much, but it was coming in handy today. The more he watched the group around the pool sit and chit chat, the hotter his temper got. Rowe’s smile was coming easier and easier the longer he sat there, and he knew Rowe was getting more comfortable discussing
his work the more they talked. What a sap, to let four teenage kids gain his trust and pump him for information. Charlie had always been weak, soft, too trusting.
He would have to teach Charlie a lesson for his betrayal. For his disloyalty.
He checked his GPS tracker and saw Charlie’s wife’s car in motion.
One phone call was all he needed to make – he had connections everywhere, but he had a couple of thugs he kept in the Scottsdale area just in case he needed to keep an eye on Charlie. It looked like he was going to need their service today.
He gave the two goons the GPS coordinates and told them to intercept the car, then told them where to take it and whoever was in it. By the time he got there, he could finish the job himself.
He’d give the goons a head start. They’d need about an hour to get the car and take it to the house.
He typed up his text message to Rowe and set it to send in about an hour. He then dialed the number to his pilot and told him to get the jet ready. Destination, Scottsdale. Please. There was always time for manners, at least for those that were still on his payroll. As long as they did what he wanted, no one needed to worry.
But for those who crossed him, well, they’d pay. And Charlie Rowe was getting ready to do just that.
He sat back to plan the rest of his trip to Arizona. He might even sneak in a visit to his mother while he was in the area. He hadn’t seen her in more than three years, ever since he moved back to the St. Louis area to begin his search for the teens. Not that she’d recognize him, he thought to himself. But if he was going to be close, he may as well swing by and check out her new surroundings.
Charlie had always been able to give him updates on his mother… He guessed he would have manage that role himself, or find someone else that could do it after Charlie was disposed of.
Chapter Forty-five
“So there are eleven of us?” Leesha wanted to find out all she could. They all did, and none of them seemed to run out of questions.
“That’s what we think. We don’t know for sure until one of you is found. Since all of the medical records were taken, we haven’t had an updated paper trail of names and contact information to locate you from.”
“How has he found us?”
Charlie turned to Leesha. “He found you about a year, maybe a little more, ago – at a flea market. Said he saw you save some kid from a falling tent.”
“I remember that! It was very shortly after I finished flashing, and I was finally starting to control my power with some regularity.”
“He’s been following you ever since. And you led him to Sam, which led to Lexi. He was thrilled when he found the set of twins. Kind of a two-for-one deal, if you know what I mean,” the corner of his mouth turned down in kind of a guilty frown. Sam knew he was torn between guilt and the intrigue of finding kids and learning more about them.
“How did he find Clint?” Sam asked. “How did he know to send him to us?”
“He recognized his dad in a parking lot outside a pizza place one day. He was there listening to one of your meetings, and ran into his dad as he left the joint.”
Lexi turned to Sam. “Isn’t that the day you said you felt the déjà vu thing?”
“It was! No wonder… I must have sensed him there. You mean he’s been listening in to our meetings? We knew he’d been tracking our cars, but I had no idea he was showing up where we were meeting…”
“He saw you for the first time meeting at the diner. That’s where he got the plate number on your truck and was able to find out who you were and where you live.”
“He’s crafty…”
“Sam, you have no idea.”
“So why did he send Clint to us that night at the mall?”
“His whole mission was to get you together, to work together. He didn’t know if Clint started realizing his power yet, but either way, he wanted Clint to be able to benefit from the teamwork your group was putting together.”
“And why,” Lexi pondered, “has he not come forward himself yet?”
“I’m not entirely sure. He doesn’t tell me everything, but I don’t think he has, um, honorable intentions for your powers.”
“What do you mean?” Sam asked.
Charlie tilted his head, trying to find the right way to explain. “Have you ever heard of a God complex?”
“Sure. It’s like when someone feels like they’ve got more power than anyone else. That they deserve the power. That they can control people, places…”
“With Dr. Blevins’ time as a physician, plus his previous training in the military, he developed kind of a power trip. He kept talking about creating his own army of super soldiers. Kind of a take-over-the-world effort.”
Sam heard both Lexi and Leesha shiver slightly at the thought of what Charlie was implying. The next thing Sam heard was Charlie’s phone buzz from his belt holder. He took the phone and read the text. No one paid much attention until both Sam and Charlie lept out of their chairs, wild-eyed.
“What’s wrong?” Leesha asked.
Sam answered, as Charlie couldn’t find the words - he was already dialing his phone. “Blevins knows we’re here, and he’s pissed. He’s on his way here.”
The three others sat in silence, not completely understanding, watching Charlie and what he was going to do next. He snapped his phone back closed. “I can’t reach her. She’s got Ellie. What am I going to do?” his eyes pleaded with Sam.
“Sam?” Clint looked at Sam for an answer.
“He sent someone to intercept Amber’s car. They’re holding Amber and Ellie until Blevins lands here. He told Charlie that in order to get them back, he needs to turn us over to him.”
“What?!” Now both girls were on their feet, in panic.
Sam took charge. “Calm down everyone. We need to figure out…”
Clint was a step ahead of him. “Sam, go to the Jeep and get your laptop. I’ll do a perimeter of the house for surveillance equipment.”
“Right.” Sam sprinted towards the gate.
“Wait… There’s a computer inside.” Charlie pled, trying to help.
“His is clean. I’ve already checked it. Charlie, you go inside now and check on your daughter. Don’t scare her, but make sure she’s okay.”
“Okay.” He turned, knowing he was at the mercy of the kids, who hopefully knew what they were doing.
Clint scanned the exterior of the house, finding two cameras – one above the front door and the other in the patio area, where undoubtedly they were discovered. He did nothing about the cameras – there was really nothing to do at this point but steer clear of them as they planned their next move.
Charlie came out the back door again, still looking full of anguish. “She’s fine. She’s in her room.”
“Good. Charlie, I need to come inside the house. Is that okay with you? I need to check for cameras.”
“Cameras?”
“Yes, surveillance cameras. He’s got two out here. I need to check the interior to see if he’s got any inside so we know where we can work.”
Charlie shook his head in an attempt to clear his head and understand, and then opened the door and ushered the kids inside. Sam was back by then with the laptop, and followed the group in as Clint gave him the update on the surveillance equipment. He scanned the kitchen, finding another camera. Judging from the direction it was pointing, he showed Sam a place to sit down at the corner of the dining room table – clear from the camera’s view – and told him to boot up his computer.
“Show me your daughter’s room. That’s the next priority.”
Charlie led Clint up to Caitlyn’s room, the girls in tow to distract her from what was going on. As they chatted to her about clothes and boys and the like, Clint scanned the room for bugs and cameras. All clean.
As they left Caitlyn’s room, Clint whispered to Charlie “Where’s your garage?”
Charlie took him to the garage through the laundry room, which Clint walked through and scanned for cameras
as well. When he cleared the garage, he came back inside to talk to Sam.
“There are two cars in the garage. Do you remember how we searched ours for tracking devices?”
“Yep.”
“Think you can check his?”
“No problem. Is the garage clear?”
“It is,” he answered briefly. This was no time for long answers.
“Leesha, you go with Sam and run communication. Lexi, I need you here with Charlie.”
“Check.” Both girls headed in the direction they were given.
Clint sat down next to the computer and brought up the internet. As it was loading, he turned to Charlie. “Was that your wife you tried to call?”
“Yes,” Charlie answered with tears in his eyes.
“No answer?”
“No.”
“Did it go straight to voice mail?”
“No.” He had no more words.
Clint tried to look reassuring. “That’s good, Charlie. That means her phone hasn’t been turned off. Whoever took her has probably grabbed her phone and won’t let her answer it. But if it’s still on, I can track its location through its cellular signal.”
He turned back to the computer and punched in a few commands. “Give me her cell number.”
Charlie recited it to him. There was no life left in his voice. No hope, just fear.
As Clint turned back to the computer, he glanced first at Lexi and nodded towards Charlie, hoping she’d get his unspoken message. She did.
“Charlie, here, have a seat. There you go…” she said as he sat down numbly. “I’m going to get you something to drink while Clint works, and then I’m going to go back up and check on Caitlyn.”
“Caitlyn. Yes. Good.” Charlie said back.
As she took Charlie a glass of orange juice, she looked back and Clint and he nodded his approval. She went back upstairs to check on Caitlyn, knowing that Sam would project to her when they needed her back downstairs. For now, her job was to keep Caitlyn safe.
Leesha came back into the dining room. “There’s a device on both vehicles. Sam wants to know what you want him to do.”
Clint never looked up from the computer. “Tell him to remove the one from the Suburban and put it on the convertible. Take the original one from the convertible and put it in the freezer, close the lid. When you’ve told him, come back here. I need your help.”
“Got it. Be right back.” And she was within fifteen seconds.
