Chapter Eight
Gabriel didn’t say a word as Adin drove along the old gravel roads away from the ranch. It was an indirect route. Adin was worried. Gabriel leaned his heavy head against the cool glass of the window. The scenery drifted past, revealing the path of the storm. Fence posts and power poles, broken into scrap wood, littered the road and fields. His neighbors' houses and barns had been torn apart. More work crews were trying to pick up the pieces strewn across the fields. Ambulances sat quietly in front of the homes, not a single one was rushing away. Did anyone else survive? The scars left by the storm disappeared behind him as they finally reached the freeway and headed for Denver. An hour passed, filled only by the sound of the tires humming along the freeway. He stayed pressed against the window, his eyes closed, not sure what to feel.
Adin finally spoke. “What happened? Why's that shard in your chest?”
Gabriel straightened in the plush leather passenger seat, and cleared his throat. “I had just gone to bed.” His lips tightened. “A piece of hail cracked my window. I looked outside and saw a wall of black moving towards the house. The tornado came so fast. We scrambled to try and lock down the house but … it was too strong. Nothing we did helped – the blinds, the storm doors – nothing held. The house just started to come apart.”
“So you didn’t make it to the shelter?”
Gabriel’s eyes burned. His throat was dry as his voice trembled. “We did … She was supposed to stay there until I got back … the storm hit the house and everything started to break apart.” He covered his face with his hands, dragging his fingers down across his cheeks as he exhaled. He was sick, his stomach twisted with guilt. He turned to Adin. “I went back for the ore – I didn't want it lost in the storm. I never made it back to the shelter. Neither did Mom.”
Adin huffed. “Why, Gabriel? It's just a stupid hunk of ore.”
“Because it's all I have of him!” Gabriel shouted back. “I don't remember him like you and Mom.”
Adin sighed. “And now that damn thing is in your chest, and Mom's gone.” He took several deep breaths.
Gabriel touched the shard in his chest. “What do I do?”
“I'm thinking.”
“Can it be taken out?”
“I don't know.”
“Well, what do you know Adin? You work for TERA! And TERA is supposed to know everything about this stuff!” Gabriel focused on his brother.
“You're an ore user!” Adin glared at him. “Something I didn’t believe existed, until I found you on the ground with a piece of that crap embedded in your chest. I don't know what to do!” Gabriel could see Adin's fear. “All I've heard are rumors – who the hell knows what’s truth and what isn't.” Adin pulled the vehicle off to the side of the road. It stopped abruptly as he slammed it into park and rested his head in his hands.
“Then start with the rumors.” Gabriel tried to be calm.
Adin peaked out at him from the corner of his hands then slammed his hand on the steering wheel. He stared out the window.
“Please, Adin. I need to understand this.” Gabriel reached out for his arm. “I need your help.”
“So, you suddenly want us to act like family?” Adin scoffed.
“That’s rich coming from you!” Gabriel wanted to whip Adin with his words. “Dad was never home, Adin! He died working. Not at home, not with any of us. And did that make you act any differently?” He barely paused. “No, first you run off to university, and then you go to work for the same company that killed Dad! Mom would have given anything to have you around more. Anything, Adin.” He scowled. “But that just didn’t work for you, did it?” Gabriel had always resented Adin’s priorities, choosing to work rather than be with family – even through the holidays. The last time he'd seen Adin, they'd had one hell of a fight. “Look, I know we don't get along. I get it. When Dad died – you went your way, I went mine.” Gabriel shrugged. “But I don't have anyone else. So either you help me, or I get out right here.”
“First of all, stop with the lies! TERA didn’t kill Dad! It was an accident!” Adin shook his head and breathed out, his voice returning to normal. “And I left because sitting around pitying the dead doesn’t help anyone. Mom turned our house into a shrine for Dad. He didn't deserve that!”
“She did it so she could survive – his death nearly killed her!” Gabriel yelled the words at him. “But you weren't around for any of that, were you?” He pounded on his chest. "I was! I had to keep her together at the age of eleven after you left."
“I had to." Adin's nostrils flared. "I couldn’t stay there any longer. I was lucky Dr. Cymru helped me get into university early, helped me get my first job at TERA. He did more for me than Dad ever did!”
“Your precious doctor.” Gabriel despised Dr. Cymru. He was the one who had taken Adin away from his family after their father died. The man was evil – Nate had given him enough reason to believe that, but Adin seemed blind to the fact.
“This is not about him! Dr. Cymru has been nothing but supportive since Dad died. He was Dad’s partner at TERA, for crying out loud! He has done nothing but help me along my path. You should be so lucky to have someone like him in your life.” Adin gripped the steering wheel tightly, his knuckles turning white.
“You had Mom, Nate, and me. You didn’t need him!”
“Really?” Adin glared at him. “Who helped me through all my schooling? Mom? Nate – the washed up soldier living in the barn? You, my little brother who barely made it through grade school? None of you could, but he did! When I left for school, he was a lot more supportive than the rest of you. Hell, he even paid for it all – just like he plans on paying for yours.”
“Your family needed you!” Gabriel was tired of having the same fight with Adin every time they saw one another. “You know what? I don’t care!” He threw up his hands and opened the door of the SUV.
“Damn it, Gabriel.” Adin popped up on the other side of the vehicle. “Stop!”
Gabriel twisted around on the spot, kicking at the gravel on the shoulder of the road. “Why?” He didn't want to look at Adin.
"Because you said it: We’re all that we have left."
Gabriel looked at him. "So you'll help me?"
Adin sighed and leaned against the hood of the SUV. "Yes. That thing in your chest is more dangerous than you know." Adin stepped back towards the driver’s door. "Get in."
Gabriel reluctantly got back in. The air in the SUV suddenly felt thick. The whirl of the tires was the only noise in the uncomfortable silence. Neither of them spoke. Gabriel thought it best to let their emotions calm first. His chest was burning "Why is this thing so hot?" He tapped the surface of the ore, feeling the sting of its heat against his finger tips.
"Because it's energy. Pure, unbridled energy – at least that's what we think." Adin leaned back in his seat. "Look, some of this is going to make sense – some of it isn't. We're still learning about what it is."
Gabriel nodded. "So, start with what you know then tell me the rumors."
Adin nodded. "Fair enough."