A Diamond in My Pocket

  * * *

  “Sir, the Runners are here.” The secretary announces our arrival over the intercom.

  The forty-five-minute run to the office complex was rather pleasant. I held hands with Chris, but only after Ms. Winter insisted he cooperate. Humiliated, I had assured him I didn’t have any diseases and have had all my shots. He scrutinized me with his intense blue eyes, then reluctantly took my hand. I concluded he’d rather have surgery without anesthesia than touch any part of me.

  We flew, or at least it seemed like we did, through the forest and over the lakes. Clara was right. When you run so fast you don’t sink in water, you can go anywhere. The special shoes apparently have water displacement properties that help us stay on top of the surface as long as we don’t slow down.

  Chris’s running power is much more intense than mine. I actually found myself having fun running hand-in-hand with him. What made the journey the most pleasant was the fact I couldn’t talk or read lips while running. I didn’t hear any snide remarks or degrading comments as we wove our way toward the destination with the other members of our team following closely behind.

  When we arrived at the office complex, the rest of the team waited outside while we entered the building to receive the package. The secretary seated us in the foyer.

  I look at Chris and Justin as they sit across from me in uncomfortable contemporary-style armchairs in the foyer. Chris fidgets, shifting side to side. Justin has his arms stretched out on the armrests and his feet spread apart. He stares back at me. A short coffee table covered with magazines sets in front of us. I glance down and notice the magazines are normal ones, the type I would have read only last week. The sign on the door says, “Harold Bates, Master Gemologist.” I deduce from the kind of reading material set out in the waiting area Mr. Bates is a normal guy without powers.

  The secretary at the front desk is busy filing her long and elegantly-colored nails. The sound reminds me of Velcro being pulled apart over and over. She is pretty, well put together, and probably close to fifty years old. If only everyone’s appearance could be as favorable when they reach her age, I think.

  “Send in the fastest,” a male voice booms over the speaker at the secretary’s desk.

  She glances in our direction. Chris stands and walks gracefully to the door and goes in.

  I feel a whoosh of air and turn my head to find the secretary standing beside me.

  Before I can even voice my amazement at her speed, she says to Justin, “Your task, Justin, is to deliver the Sanguine Diamond to the Death Clan.” She extends her hands, cupped together. They hold what looks like a huge diamond, about the size of a small orange. “They have hostages from every clan, and this stone is what they’ve demanded as payment to gain the hostages’ release. This must be delivered by the very best of the Runners’ Clan.”

  Justin fidgets in his chair.

  She thrusts her hands a little closer to him, reaching over the coffee table. “You must take this, Justin.”

  “No!” He presses his back into the chair. “I’m not the best Runner. Chris is.”

  “You know he’s not,” she insists.

  “He’s the fastest.”

  “He’s not.”

  “What makes you think that?” Justin asks. The flash of trepidation in Justin’s eyes makes me wonder what’s behind his question. Is he asking, “Why are you assuming I’m the fastest?” or, “How did you know?”

  “Will you carry the diamond, Justin?” she presses.

  “No!” He barks his answer and looks toward the door Chris entered a moment ago.

  The secretary turns to me. “Will you carry the diamond, Calli?”

  Justin’s head snaps back to me, as if he is torn between wishing Chris would come out and take the lead position, or making sure I don’t end up with the valuable stone.

  I cough and sputter my protest, while Justin’s eyes bore holes through me. “I’m definitely not the best,” I say, “in fact, far from it.” And who told her our names?

  “Being the fastest doesn’t mean you’re necessarily the best.” She grabs a chair and pulls it close to me, then sits.

  “Are you going to tell me being the slowest is?” I ask.

  “Will you be the carrier of this diamond?”

  “I don’t—”

  Justin points at me in outrage. “She can’t. Look at her! She’s a muck!”

  “Silence.” The woman flicks her finger toward him and he seems to freeze in place and shuts right up. Then she turns to me. “Calli, you’re here for a reason. You’re different from the others, and you’re the one who must carry the stone.”

  “Why not Chris?”

  “He’s not to be trusted.”

  “Justin?”

  “Same.”

  “Me? Surely one of the Runners outside would be better.”

  “No, this task will be carried out by you or no one. I’ve watched you for some time now, and you are the carrier.”

  “Then why did you make the offer to Justin first?”

  “I wanted you to witness his inner weaknesses, his insecurity and doubt. Remember this moment in the days to follow, and never forget that, yes, he’s faster than you, but you’re stronger than he is in more ways than one.”

  “What do you mean you’ve watched me for some time? Why would a secretary for a gemologist be watching me?”

  “I’m not Harold’s regular secretary. I’m giving this diamond to you, Calli.” She hands me the magnificent diamond. “You’ll understand everything in due time,” she says with a sly smile. “Take a long look, child. You won’t lay eyes on this diamond again until it’s delivered.”

  Cupping my hands around the stone, I reverently study the intense fire of the facets as they reflect the light. A delicious smoky aroma drifts to my nose. The diamond actually has an odor—I’d never thought of a diamond having a smell. On one of the facets, I see a word etched near the bottom: Sanguine.

  “What does ‘Sanguine’ mean?” I ask.

  “Don’t you sense what it means?” she says, looking deep into my eyes.

  I feel so many things racing through my body: hope, optimism, certainty, awareness, strength, and power. I meet her eyes, and my mind unexpectedly opens up and my senses numb as if I’m falling into a dream. A swirl of mist clouds my vision, and then a scene slowly emerges.

  I see an expansive clearing or meadow in a forest. Large tents similar to what might be used for a wedding reception are set up near the surrounding tree line. Several hundred people stand near the tents. In the center of the clearing, a mound of stones creates a table. I see myself, Chris, and Justin standing next to the table on one side, and three figures dressed in white robes standing on the other side. My mind recognizes the figures as Death Clan members, even though I’ve never seen them before. I see myself present the diamond to the three men, and the hostages are brought out from inside the Death Clan’s tent. The group of Runners standing near the Runners’ tent whisper words that indicate they view me as their leader and that they have absolute respect for me. Another swirl of mist passes by and the vision switches to a scene of destruction. The Death Clan members all wither away, crumbling to nothing. Dead. An enormous glittering circle comes down out of the sky, encircling the clearing and all of the occupants. Outside the giant shining ring, the woman who gave me the diamond speaks strange words and waves her hands high above me. I shake myself and pull out of the trance.

  The woman smiles as I blink to refresh my eyes. Unbelievably, I enter her mind and hear her say, You’re protected, Calli. Your mind cannot be entered by anyone, and this vision is now sealed by a circle of light. No other Seer will envision this, nor will they be privy to any additional visions you may have on the subject so long as you never pull the diamond out of this pouch, lest the spells protecting it be broken.

  She slips the diamond into a leather pouch and pulls the strings together, sealing it tight. My mind closes and the aroma of the diamond disappears. She ch
ants some words over the small bag and hands it to me.

  “Do not let anyone touch this pouch. No one can hold this except you.”

  I place the bag inside my jacket pocket and close the zipper. This seems a rather precarious place to put something so priceless, but I trust in the protection she’s placed upon the stone, upon me.

  I don’t know how to explain the complete sense of knowledge and trust I now possess. Prior to a couple days ago, if someone had told me I would soon be seeing the future and reading minds, I would have laughed in their face. But after experiencing these events firsthand, I have no doubts whatsoever. The only example I can liken this to would be someone who believes in the existence of a supreme being, versus someone who actually meets and shakes hands with the god in question. It’s one thing to have faith and believe. It’s entirely different to actually meet the deity.

  Is this woman a goddess? No, I don’t think so. But in my mind she represents everything I haven’t allowed myself to believe in—magic and metaphysical powers.

  Even with this firsthand knowledge and full understanding, I still wonder if this is all a dream. Well, it’s a pretty good dream, if that’s the case.

  She says, “You’ve seen the future as it can become, now make it so. If the diamond is not delivered, your vision will be nullified.” She stands and replaces the chair she’s been sitting on.

  “Wait! What do I do?” Panic races through my body. “I don’t know anything about this world.”

  “You already possess everything you’ll need. Follow your leader, follow your instincts, and never tell a soul you carry the Sanguine Diamond. You’ll know when the time is right to disclose that it’s in your possession.”

  She walks around the table to Justin, who has been staring at us the whole time with his mouth hanging open. She places her fingertips on his forehead, and says, “You will forget all you’ve seen and overheard concerning the Sanguine Diamond and Calli.” She gently pushes his head back and lets go, walking away as Justin comes back to his senses.

  The door to the office opens, and an older gentleman invites the two of us inside. Justin shakes his head and rubs his eyes as he stands. I watch him to see if he shows any signs of recognition of what has just happened, but he appears oblivious.

  As I stand to walk into the office, I glance down at my pouch, wondering if the diamond makes a bulge in my skin-tight jacket. I feel the diamond resting against my stomach, but my jacket doesn’t protrude at all. Interesting.

  The man introduces himself as Harold Bates, master gem cutter. Then he starts in on his explanation of the task at hand. “One of my gems needs to be delivered to the Death Clan, and I cannot trust this to the standard delivery companies. This particular stone is a diamond and it’s the ransom the Death Clan has requested for the release of their hostages.”

  I glance over at the two guys, wondering if Justin remembers what just happened out in the foyer. I’m also curious about what Mr. Bates and Chris discussed in private.

  Harold Bates continues. “The rough diamond was found in the center of a crater formed by an explosion of some kind. Members from all clans died in the blast, and somehow their respective powers collected inside this stone. The diamond was brought to me by a female ambassador to the Death Clan. I was ordered to cut it into a round, brilliant stone. She instructed me to hire the Runners to deliver the finished product using this box.” He holds up a small black metal box with a hinged lid. “As I worked with the diamond, I felt an incredible amount of powers racing through my body every time I lowered the stone to the cutting wheel. I normally have no special powers myself, but all sorts of powers surged through me while I handled the diamond. I even experimented with them a bit. I am familiar with the cosmic abilities—I think that’s why the Death Clan chose me to cut the stone.”

  Harold opens the black box. Inside, a diamond identical to the one in my pocket rests on a black velvet cushion.

  Why are there two diamonds? One must be a decoy. But which one is real? The one in my pocket, or the one held by the diamond-cutting master?

  I already know the answer.

  I remember the woman’s instructions that I should not tell or show the stone to anyone, so I keep my mouth shut. Justin seems to have no memory of the stone, and it dawns on me at that moment what must have taken place in the waiting room. The woman must be a witch, and she bewitched Justin’s mind to make him forget. She’d cast spells on my mind too, both for protection and strength.

  I realize I have delved deeper into the woman’s mind than I first thought. It’s as if I’d been inside her skin. I know her name: Maetha. I know, too, that she is indeed a well-known witch. Clara had warned me about dealing with witches, however I don’t feel the vision I saw when I held the diamond was something evil.

  Maetha’s mind continues to convey messages to me. The experience is like sitting in front of a giant Jumbotron screen, watching her speak to me, while a bunch of other little screens show assorted memories from Maetha’s past.

  One of those memories is of my mother.

  I see Maetha watching my mother when she was a young girl. My mother was once considered for carrying out this mission, but things weren’t completely lined for success.

  After my birth, Maetha started watching me as well. She did something to me that fateful day at the track meet so I’d be recognized by Clara and be brought to the compound. I’d be fast enough to be spotted, but slow enough to be the weakest member of the team, ensuring I’d meet with Harold Bates, giving Maetha the opportunity to secretly give me the real diamond. It was Maetha’s voice that had sounded inside my head telling me to leave the track meet. I’m relieved to learn I’m not going crazy.

  So, now I know I’m only a human—an enchanted human. What a letdown! Yet not much of a surprise.

  I see another memory from Maetha’s mind of when she cast spells on my parents’ minds. That explains why they hadn’t pitched a fit about me going away to Montana. Their minds were being controlled.

  “Do you want to see the diamond?” Chris pulls me out of my thoughts, his tone nicer than usual. Apparently they are taking turns holding the black box and examining the simulated diamond, inspecting what they think is a masterpiece.

  “Be careful not to touch the diamond,” Mr. Bates says. “The Death Clan’s ambassador said the cut diamond would be deadly to people with powers. I don’t know if that’s correct, but I don’t think you want to be the first to find out.”

  I take the box from Chris and admire the diamond. To me, nothing feels special about this one. In fact, the stone looks more like cut glass than a real diamond. It has the same dimensions and inscription on the bottom, but it’s obviously a fake. I hand the box to Mr. Bates.

  He accepts it, closes the lid, and leans forward in his chair. “This delivery mission will be dangerous. This stone is magical and legendary. Not only will you be at risk of being ambushed by those who want to prevent the Death Clan from harnessing the powers within, you’ll be sought by those who want the stone for themselves. Through it all, you’ll need to keep your trio together. If all three of you are not present when the package is delivered, the Death Clan may suspect you are trying to pass them a counterfeit diamond and the hostages will not be released.” His gaze rests on me with this last statement.

  Chris asks, “Why would they think we’d be giving them a fake?”

  “The Sanguine Diamond possesses unimaginable powers,” Mr. Bates replies, “and the idea someone might try to steal the diamond is perfectly plausible. Your clan is respectable and reliable, and your reputation as a whole is clean. Everyone knows this. But this is an assignment like no other, and the Death Clan is aware of the temptation inherent in this delivery.”

  “So how do we convince them it’s not a counterfeit?” Justin asks.

  “By simply remaining together as a trio, the three of you are witnesses to this moment. Sometimes, the weakest can be the strongest. Keeping your trio together will help convince
them of the diamond’s authenticity.”

  His random inserted statement, “the weakest can be the strongest,” causes my heart to pound in my chest. He must be in on the witch’s plan. Neither one of them trusts these boys. Should I be suspicious as well? I decide to be careful with my trust account.

  Justin asks in his arrogant tone, “Why didn’t the Death Clan just come pick the diamond up themselves?”

  I can’t focus on what Mr. Bates says because my head fills with the real reason extracted from the wealth of information downloaded from Maetha’s mind.

  A wizard—appropriately named Merlin—brought the uncut diamond to the Death Clan in exchange for their healing services for a dying friend. He told them the diamond held all the powers of the clans, and if extracted correctly they could become the most powerful group on earth.

  The Death Clan’s Seers revealed that the future showed a round, brilliant-cut stone, cut by Harold Bates. They foresaw an enormous gathering in the forest where members of all the clans would witness the trio of Runners delivering the diamond, and the ensuing transformation of the Death Clan into supreme beings. To ensure the cut stone would be returned in the way the Seers had foreseen, the Death Clan kidnapped members from each clan and are currently holding them hostage in exchange for delivery of the diamond.

  I ponder the information swimming around inside my head. The diamond must be delivered to them by a regular human—me—because the Sanguine Diamond is lethal for any person with powers. Because I’m a regular human, I can handle the stone, wear it close to my body, and not die. This would also explain why Maetha was able to hold the diamond in her hands. She’s a witch, not a person with powers, and Mr. Bates admitted he was powerless as well. The question is: why did Maetha try to give it to Justin if she knew it would kill him?

  We complete our meeting with Mr. Bates and stand to leave. Chris inserts the black box containing the fake diamond into his front pouch and zips the pocket closed.

  My thoughts connect with the diamond in my own front pouch, and a wave of warmth radiates through my body. The apprehension and humiliation I’d experienced when leaving the compound has dissipated. Instead, I am filled with a new confidence and feeling of enlightenment. The diamond seems to be causing this metamorphosis.

  Leaving Mr. Bates’ office, we walk toward the front doors. I’m hoping to see Maetha at the reception desk, but she’s gone. We emerge from the building and meet up with the rest of the group.

  Chris informs them of our delivery destination. “We are heading to the Death Clan in Canada.”

  An audible gasp is heard.

  “The Death Clan? What’s in the package?” Tyler asks.

  Chris replies, “You know I can’t tell you.”

  Tyler places his hands on his hips. “No one told me this assignment would involve the Death Clan. I think we should know exactly what we are risking our lives over. What’s in the package?”

  “Telling you would only put your life in more danger,” Chris says. “I will tell you this, though, before we left the compound, Clara told me Dirk, John, and Macey are three of the many hostages being held by the Death Clan to ensure this package is delivered. Their lives are on the line more than yours, Tyler. Let’s get moving.”

  Chris organizes the group to surround the three of us while we run. He says he and Justin will take turns carrying the diamond. I’m left out of the decision-making process, which doesn’t sit right with me.

  “Hey, I’m part of this trio, too.”

  Justin laughs. “You’ll drop or lose it, muck,” he says, focusing only on the package, not on any danger we might be in or whether or not I should have a say about the arrangements.

  I start to say something in return, but Chris cuts through the argument. “Back off, Justin. Calli, you can carry the package when your speed increases.”

  Justin is now staring at me with a devilish grin on his face. “Well, muck, think you’ll ever be as fast as me?”

  I feel lighter than normal, like the way I felt at the track meet a few days ago, but better. I can still feel the energy of the Sanguine Diamond infusing my body, and for the first time since arriving here I feel amazing. Not sure of how to respond, I look Justin dead in the eye and say, “Yep.”

  Justin’s mouth opens, but nothing comes out for a moment. He shifts on his feet, looks around at the other Runners, then says, “Dream on.”

  Chris turns to begin the run. He smacks Justin on the shoulder. “Shut up so we can get going.”

  I plant my feet in place. “Who’s holding my hand this time?”

  They look at each other, then Chris says, “Justin, it’s your turn to help the new member.”

  “Eww! No! I’m not holding a muck’s hand. That’s your job.”

  Chris sighs and rolls his eyes. “If you’re going to be a leader here someday, you need to help the mucks.”

  While the two of them fight over which one will get stuck with me, like I’m some sort of diseased leper, I watch Kayla whisper to Beth. “Trade me spots, okay? I want to be by Chris.” They exchange positions without Chris being any the wiser.

  I cut the guys off. “Neither one of you is my preferred running mate either, but unless one of your oversized egos gives in and assumes some responsibility, we’ll all have to run at my pace, not yours.”

  Chris steps forward and takes my hand. I feel a tingling in my muscles, and my body feels feather light. He begins running, pulling me along. My legs seem to bounce off the ground with no effort, and my body instinctively knows the best posture, rhythm, and movements. I notice my breathing is fast and light, giving me all the oxygen I need. My body doesn’t thirst for water as much, either. I feel like I could run a thousand miles and never have to stop for rest.

  Running with Chris’s power doesn’t seem the same as before. Instead of being dragged alongside him, I run beside him, matching his ability. The speed is wonderful and exhilarating. I wish I could run this fast on my own. I look over at Chris and smile in spite of myself. I feel equal, regardless of how he perceives me.

  For once, the expression on his face is blank. Perhaps he can tell I’m not as slow as I have been. Perhaps. He squeezes my hand a little more than before, and I wonder what he’s thinking. If only I could read his mind. I read the witch’s mind back in the gem cutter’s office. Why not his?

  Our group streaks north through the Frank Church Wilderness of Idaho. Apparently, the best way for us to remain undetected is to direct our route through uninhabited areas. As evening approaches and the shadows lengthen, we stop near the base of a waterfall to mull over the situation.

  Justin pulls out a map and calculates our position. “Nice going, Chris. You’ve led us into a trap.”

  “What are you talking about?” Chris says.

  “There aren’t any nearby towns in any direction we can reach before nightfall!”

  “Give me that.” Chris grabs the map and I peek over his shoulder.

  Beth approaches him. “Chris, you’re wasting valuable daylight. We either need to run, or we need to find a cabin or something to hide in. Now!”

  Justin turns to Beth and says with a heavy sting in his voice, “This is the protected wilderness, idiot. There are no cabins.” He may as well have slapped her in the face. His comment has the same effect and I feel pity for her.

  I ask the group, “Can we stay in a cave? The Death Clan hides in caves and the Shadow Demons don’t get them.” No one speaks for a moment, so I continue, “If we built fires to keep the Shadows at bay, would that work?”

  Chris answers, saying, “I think maybe, only . . . where can we find a cave large enough to hold us all?”

  I point to the waterfall. “According to the map, this waterfall is called Cave Falls. Maybe there’s a cave behind it.”

  Chris looks at me with confusion in his eyes. Kind of like: how did you figure this out all on your own and I didn’t? “The three of us will check out the situation,” he says. “The rest of you stand guard.”
He motions for Justin and me to follow him.

  I cast a glance at the other Runners, wondering why Chris doesn’t have some of them go investigate the waterfall. Isn’t that why they’re here? To protect us? Instead of second-guessing Chris, I follow him, thinking he isn’t handling the stress of the situation very well.

  We approach the falls, getting pelted with mist as the water hits the rocks close by. A little way up the side of the hill, I spot an opening in the cliff behind the waterfall. I decide not to point it out to the guys—they hate me enough already. If one of them sees the cave, then they can take credit for the discovery and be the hero. Unfortunately for me, neither one of them recognizes what I’m seeing, so I finally point and ask, “Hey, is that an opening up there?”

  “I’ll go take a look,” Chris says. He runs up the hill and enters the gap.

  “You don’t have to be like that,” Justin says, sizzling with indignation.

  “Like what?”

  “Little miss know-it-all.”

  I roll my eyes. “Do you know how long I’ve been staring at the cave opening waiting for one of you to see it? It’s not my fault you’re both blind. I only spoke up because we’re losing daylight.”

  “Don’t forget your place. You are the lowest on the totem pole, muck.”

  The muck who just saved your life. If he knew exactly how low on the totem pole I actually am, being a muck would be a step up.

  Justin adds, “You are just along for the ride, so shut your mouth and let the men handle this.”

  I’m about to fire back with both barrels when Chris rejoins us. “Good job, Calli. The cave is big enough for everyone, with plenty of light right now from the large opening behind the water. We’ll have to get fires burning right away before it gets any darker, though. Justin, go tell the others to start gathering firewood.”

  Justin lets out a huff of air and leaves.

  “Come check it out,” Chris says. Do I detect a smile or some kind of pleasant expression on his face when he looks at me? Unbelievable! He continues. “I’m so relieved you thought of this. Otherwise, we would have been in big trouble,” he says.

  “Wait, Chris. Can I talk to you for a moment?”

  He turns and faces me.

  “Would you give Justin the credit for finding the cave instead of me?”

  “Justin? Why?”

  “Maybe it would . . . well, he doesn’t . . .” I struggle to properly express myself. I figure if the credit is given to Justin he may lighten up or, at the very least, be confused. He certainly won’t admit he didn’t find the cave.

  As I try to formulate my thoughts, I stare into Chris’s bottomless blue eyes. Then it happens—I enter his mind.

  Chapter 5 - A Traitor Among Us