Talent Storm (33 page)

She shook her head, scowling. “What did those Loyalist scum do to you?”

I shook my head while pounding the ground. “I did it... I killed her. I killed them all. I can’t believe she’s dead. I killed her. I killed her.” I punched the ground harder, stinging my hands and spattering blood.

Sofia jumped up before yelling, “Kevin! Help me get him to a bed.” Kevin began to jog back.

I continued to scream, smashing my glowing fists harder and cracking my bones. “Why, why?” I asked.

A burst of talent whipped out from me, striking Kevin’s chest. He flew against the wall, then collapsed

“Kevin! Pavel, get Kevin out of here.”

The large man rumbled over to Kevin, then ran him from the room. I growled before punching the floor again. A tremor rumbled through the ground, knocking Sofia off her feet.

“Oof,” she grunted.

Suddenly, her talent flooded into my mind. My anger and sadness immediately faded. The illusion, Sofia, was an Emp. Now devoid of all emotion, I slumped like a corpse.

“At least we know you’re the one Val wants.”

Sofia helped me up, and I didn’t resist, no longer caring.

“We’ll get you to her later. You need more healing and rest.”

After we walked down a few halls and through a door, she placed me on a bed in a small dark room. It reminded me of my prison cell.

☼☼☼

At some point, I awoke. My broken hands no longer throbbed in pain. Kevin must have healed me in my sleep. A muscular woman, with salt and pepper hair, stood in front of me. She had an air of confidence about her. Next to her was a wiry, olive-skinned man, with dark brown hair, parted to the side. I sat numb, waiting for her tricks. What did they want from me? Why wouldn’t they just kill me already?

“What's your name, son?” asked the woman.

“Jaden,” I said, still lying in bed. Didn’t she already know that?

She smiled. “I'm Valleri Delven, the leader of The Underground. This is Barid one of my compatriots.”

With his shoulders back, he locked my eyes with his hazel ones. He offered me his hand. “It's a pleasure to meet you, Jaden.”

I stared at it, then let my head and eyes fall to the side.

He shrugged and lowered his hand.

“We heard that Goldwater captured a Coalition telekinetic named Jaden,” said Valleri. “You’re a man of great importance to our cause. If you have any information to help destroy Goldwater, we’d appreciate it.”

At hearing his name, I gritted my teeth while clenching both fists.

“We also hoped you might join us. Your talent is strong and telekinesis is rare.”

With a tilt of my head, I met her eyes, squinting. I stared, trying to read her essence. Could she really be telling the truth... No. It was another trick by an illusion. I wouldn’t fall for their games again. “Leave me alone,” I said with lowered eyebrows.

She didn’t flinch... or even break eye contact. She simply nodded before waving toward the door. They turned and left. The lights clicked off, leaving me in darkness.

☼☼☼

A pale hand jutted out of a collapsed pile of rubble. Heart sinking, I knew it was Lilly. I sprinted to the pile and grabbed my first rock. I threw it, then grabbed another and another while tears streamed down my face. Each rock I threw revealed more underneath. If I could only get to her in time, I could save her. In a frenzy, I tossed rocks aside until the pile was finally clear.

A blond haired skeleton in torn clothes lay where Lilly had been. Strength abandoned my legs, and I stumbled backward before spilling to the ground. I slowly shook my head, horrified and trembling. The skeleton’s head titled upward, and I screamed in pure terror.

“Why didn’t you help me?” it asked with Lilly’s voice.

Gasping for breath, I lurched into a sitting position, my heart laboring. In complete darkness, I looked around me. Where was I... in the prison? No, I destroyed it. I was alone in the illusion, surrounded by imaginary rebels. Shivering, I hugged myself, then fell to my side. Perspiration drenched my torn shirt, plastering it to my body.

Would I spend the rest of my days reliving Lilly’s death? Unlike last time, there was no disputing that she was actually dead. After truly losing her, I couldn’t understand how I was fooled the first time.

Everyone I loved died, mostly at my hands. My parents, the exception, abandoned me before being murdered by Goldwater. I had killed Ben, selfishly saving my own life. He was the better man; I should have saved him. What had I done since then besides betray the Coalition and kill Lilly in a reckless rage?

After everything I went through, she was still alive before I killed her... I killed her. Now alone, I might never interact with real people again. It was probably for the best. I’d just end up killing them anyway. I hugged my knees, shaking and sobbing until sleep took me again.

☼☼☼

Over the next few days, I refused to eat, letting food spoil on the table beside my bed. Would they give me a feeding tube soon? They made me shower and gave me new clothes, but for the most part, they left me alone in my cell like I demanded. During the days, I wallowed in misery, never rising from bed. During the nights, I woke from terrible nightmares in cold sweats.

Who was I now, besides a dried river, lifeless and barren? Did I do something to deserve this torture? Was I cursed from birth? Was my uncle right when he said my parent’s marriage was selfish and doomed to fail? Was I the culmination of that failure? Or had I done something? Did I offend some god, who was smiting me in return? Was it Karma? Was I paying the consequences for an evil past life? Why, why, why?

Overpowering emotion brewed inside me. I drowned out my thoughts in a river of tears. Burying myself in blankets, I shut out the world, waiting to die.

☼☼☼

My eyes opened. I rubbed the morning sand out of them, feeling the stiffness in my body. I was deaf to the pleas of my captors and continued to refuse food. They wouldn’t trick me. I would give them nothing. During my protest my, body weakened even further, and my mind wearied. Visions of Lilly’s death and negative thoughts were all that broke the monotony of staring at the gray ceiling.

I was nothing but a selfish, inhuman murderer. Everywhere I went, I brought death and destruction. If I could change my past, Ben, the kind-hearted, charismatic guy, would still be alive. The dutiful, cheerful Lilly would be smiling somewhere. But no, it wasn’t possible to go back. My past was set; my future was pointless.

I glanced at the table next to me and grimaced at seeing some greasy sausage. Wasn’t anyone a vegetarian? A steak knife, propped up next to the meat, drew my eyes. I reached over before grasping the tool... the weapon. Why was I staying here when I wasn’t locked in? I could kill them all and leave. Shaking my head, I sighed. What would be the point of leaving when my life was already over?

I’d never felt so completely alone. The horrors I’d been through seemed even worse without someone to confide in. Although humanity thrived on relationships, mine were all severed. Besides, I couldn’t bear to form another connection only to lose it, especially at my own hand. I stared at the knife, turning it over in my hand. After a moment, I nodded while shutting my eyes. Danessa’s kind, smiling face flashed in my mind, nearly giving me a reason to live... but no, I’d only kill her too. Inhaling deeply, I raised the knife to my chest. Exhaling sharply, I rammed the knife at my heart.

My eyes shot open as my hands froze, just as the tip of the knife pierced my skin. Sofia stood before me, hands on my wrists like vices. A glass of orange juice lay shattered on the ground next to her.

“Why?” I asked.

“Don’t,” she whispered. Despite the steel of her grip, tears welled in her eyes.

I scowled. I couldn’t even kill myself... for the second time. Growling, I pulled harder. I felt a spike of pain as the knife bit a fraction deeper before halting again. A trickle of blood tickled me as it dripped down my chest. My arms began to shake, and I knew I only had one option. My hands glowed green as I sparked my talent. The world would finally be rid of a curse. Taking a deep breath, I prepared to strike as I met her eyes. Her outright crying seemed out of place on her, up until now, tough face.

She tilted her head while whispering a single word, “Please.”

Something about the way she looked at me caused my resolve to crash. My talent blinked out, my muscles going limp. She was real; I was sure of it. No illusion, no enemy could act like they cared this well. She did care. She didn’t want me to die. I lowered my head, then handed her the knife before collapsing backward on the bed.

Lying there, I heard her say, “Thank you.”

☼☼☼

An hour or so later, I bolted upright in bed, heart pounding. If she was real, the other rebels must be real too. Was I really free? What about the Coalition? I had to warn them. Throwing the covers back, I leapt out of bed. I fell to the ground with a crash as my frail legs buckled. Growling, my talent sparked around me before I propelled myself upright. I threw the door wide open, then dashed off to find their leader, Valleri.

She popped out from around a corner. “Jaden... where are you going?”

“I want to help,” I said. “We need to warn the Coalition and the generals.” I hoped it wasn’t already too late.

“Tell me everything,” she said while motioning me to her office.

I told her everything I knew about my uncle, Ben’s dad, and the Coalition’s plan.

Immediately after, she hit an intercom button. “Barid, call back the scouts. We’re sending them to the Coalition.”

She was going to help me, help the Coalition. Maybe all wasn’t lost.

She turned back to me with the same serious expression she showed both times I saw her. “Jaden, we strongly support the Coalition. It represents the ideals that we fight for. We’ve been hoping for years that they’d invade Liberty to free us. We’ll do everything we can to help them.”

I didn’t tell her that the Coalition called off the invasion when I was captured. I didn’t have the heart and didn’t want to lose her help.

“I can’t imagine what terrors they put you through, in that prison,” she said. “I can only say that I’m sorry you had to experience Goldwater’s wrath. He’s a demon. If you’re interested, join us, and we'll get revenge.”

I wanted revenge more than anything. “Let me think about it.”

Her thin lips stretched into a smile. “Do so.”

☼☼☼

That evening, someone knocked at my bedroom door just after I finished a meal.

“Come in,” I said from my seated position on the bed.

Sofia appeared in the doorway, wearing a form-fitting shirt and black pants. The shirt exposed the smooth skin of honey-wheat shoulders.
The dark brown ringlets of her hair bounced as she walked toward me. It was her eyes though that commanded attention, and when she locked them on mine, guilt flooded through me.

She stood with her arms crossed in front of her chest. “Jaden, don’t ever try to kill yourself again.”

I looked down, refusing to meet her eyes. “I couldn’t see a reason to live.”

She stepped closer before putting her hand on my shoulder. Her touch warmed me, showing me how much I missed human contact. “You need to find one. There’s always a reason to live.”

Shaking my head, my shoulders drooped. “I’ve lost everyone. Every day I struggle to hang on, to deal with the pain; today I nearly lost that struggle. I almost wish I did.”

She shook her head and frowned. “What did they do to you?”

What didn’t they do to me? “They beat me, electrocuted me, and tortured me with bio pain and illusions.”

“I’m so sorry.”

“On top of that, I lost all the people I’ve ever loved, two by my hand.”

She pulled back, tensing. “What happened?”

For some reason I felt comfortable around her, like I could open up. “Ben, my best friend, and I were attacked back in Rapid City by some of Goldwater’s men.” I exhaled, looking down.

“It’s okay. Take your time.”

“I guess he wanted to capture me. I wouldn’t allow it. In the process, Ben and I were both wounded. I could have saved him with my talent. Instead, I chose myself.”

She sat next to me and rubbed my back. “Oh, I’m so sorry. That wasn’t your fault. It was Goldwater’s fault. He’s the one that put you in the situation. His men critically wounded your friend, not you.”

I shrugged. In one sense, I knew she was right, but I could have saved him. “I also killed the only girl I ever loved.”

She pulled her hand away from my back.

“First, they convinced me she was dead, to help break me down. When they finally broke me, I lost control. To escape, I exploded the wall of my cell. It collapsed into hers and killed her.”

“Talent, that’s horrible. I’m so sorry you had to go through that. You didn’t mean to kill her.”

I lowered my head in my boney hands. “I know, but if I controlled my anger better, she might still live.” I couldn’t tell her that I didn’t help Lilly when she was first injured. The thought of it sickened me.

“You can’t think like that. What you went through was a terrible tragedy, but you couldn’t have known how things would turn out.”

Maybe she was right, but I’d find a way to control myself better. “Goldwater also killed my parents after an assassination mission.”

“Talent, you’ve had it rough.” She put her arm around me again, rubbing my back. “Wait? What’s your last name?” she asked, stiffening.

“Stone.”

Her brown eyes widened. “Your parents were
Jane and Heath Stone?

“Yeah.”

“Th
ey’re legends in resistance circles for killing Grand Duke Lenox.”

“Really?”

She nodded, her curls bouncing. “They were the only ones to ever kill one of Goldwater’s grand dukes. The loss was a huge blow to him.”

I guess they
were
heroes. “Still, I’d rather have grown up with them.”