“So what actually happened last night? And please don’t lie to me.” There was a long pause and I wasn’t sure if he was going to answer.
“I wasn’t charged because the man who did this was someone who has had multiple warnings. What I did was in self-defense. You saw the cuts and bruises on my back. I had to fight back. He’s been a problem ever since he arrived, so the authorities swept it under the rug and are backing me.”
“Dr. Simon said he’s still alive.”
“He is, but he’s a vegetable.”
“What do you mean?”
“I scrambled his brain.”
“You what?” Holy Crap. That was possible?
“When I entered his mind, I couldn’t stop myself. A rage took over that I couldn’t control. I didn’t have to do much when his brain snapped and he went unconscious.”
“Oh my God. Then why was he beaten so badly?”
“I don’t know what happened. When I came to, blood was all over my hands, arms, and shirt. I was terrified and ran to my room. I jumped in the shower and changed my clothes, then found myself at your door. I’m so sorry I brought you into this.”
“It’s fine. I’m glad you’re okay. But why wasn’t that man taken to critical care?”
“He was, taken to another secret medical facility set up for the leaders and staff of this place. Because his brain is fried, they’ll eventually have to pull the plug, and I think they’ll be doing it sooner than later.”
“At least he’ll be in a much better place.”
“He doesn’t deserve that much.” There was a pause. “Just be careful what you share with Dr. Simon. He may seem like a nice, sweet guy who wants to help us, but he has a hidden agenda. Maybe his hands are tied and he’s a puppet, but whoever is yanking his strings is keeping a close eye on everything we do.”
“Dr. Simon said you and Chloe were brought in from the outside a few months ago. Is that true?”
“Yes.”
“Why did you lie to me?”
“I don’t know, I’m sorry. I just thought the story I gave you was better than our real life story. Our years of survival were not happy, and we don’t have fond memories. The guy who owned our bunker was banging my mom and took us in as a favor. But my mom got really sick and died within the first year. From then on, we were abused, almost on a daily basis. All we had was each other, and barely enough food to survive. I don’t know how we made it, but as soon as we stepped foot on the topside, help was a few hundred yards away, assisting another family. We were lucky.”
“I’m sorry. I had no idea. Is that man still here in the bunker?”
“Yes.”
“He should be put in a cell.”
“We don’t ever have to worry about him again.”
“Why?” I asked.
“He’s the vegetable in critical care.”
I was speechless.
“He had it coming,” Chase added.
“I don’t understand what happened, or what he did to you and Chloe, so I’m not going to judge. You did what you had to. I’ve had to do some terrifying things to survive on the topside.”
“Thanks, Abi.”
“We’ll get through this. Right now, we have each other to rely on, and it’s that confidence that will take us through whatever is coming. On the topside, I trusted the people around me. I knew they had my back, and they knew I had theirs. There were many times when I doubted myself, but they were there to give me hope. They reached out, picked me up, dusted me off, and kept me moving. They saved me in more ways than one.”
“I wish I could trust like that.”
“Don’t let that man’s abuse cripple you. There are a lot of good people in the world who genuinely care and want to help.”
“I just wouldn’t know who.”
“Sometimes, you just have to trust with your heart and not your mind. There will be times you’ll run into people who have ulterior motives, but you could also run into those who could change your life forever, for the better. But I will promise you this. I will be here for both of you.
“Thank you. And you have my trust.”
“Okay, let’s learn as much as we can so we can get the hell out of here. I’m going to take the barrier down in three seconds. You better get back into your mind.”
“See you in the real world.”
“See ya,” I replied.
Counting to three, I imagined the barrier gone. As soon as I did, it turned into what looked like tiny grains of golden sand which crumbled and disappeared.
“Abi? Abi, can you hear me?” It was Dr. Simon.
“I’m here,” I answered.
“Are you alright? What happened? I lost you for a moment.”
“I must have hit an area of my mind with no service.”
Dr. Simon laughed. “Alright, are you up for a little training?”
“Yes.”
“I want you to focus on my voice and follow it to me.”
“Okay, but I don’t know where to start.”
“Ask your mind to give you a path.”
That sounded simple enough.
I asked for a path and a golden trail appeared, twisting and turning in weird directions.
I clarified and asked for a straight path. My mouth dropped open as I watched it even out into a straight line.
“I see a path and am going to follow it,” I said.
“Good.”
As I walked forward, memories flashed before me.
It was a strange feeling to be walking through one’s own mind. As the memories played before me, they brought back a flood of emotions. Every once in a while I would notice memories I’d put barriers around, and they looked as strong as ever.
I pressed forward and could see a bright light ahead. It was a figure, and I recognized it right away.
“Dr. Simon, I can see you,” I called out.
“Congratulations, Abi. You’ve just channeled your first person.”
I threw a barrier around my thoughts.
Grammy was the first.
“Wow. That actually wasn’t too bad. There are other ways to channel, right? Like how I’ve seen you channel people by looking at them?”
“Yes, we will be going over that during another session. Some people are harder to read than others. It depends on how strong their minds are, and how practiced you are.”
Inside I was pretty excited to learn more. Like he said before, this gift was given to me for a reason, and my goal was to learn as much as I could and become as strong as I could, to survive.
“Dr. Simon?” I questioned.
“Yes?”
“I need to see my family. I have to let them know I’m in good hands.”
“I’ll see what I can do,” he said. “I understand your position and know how important family is. It’s time for you to come back.”
When I opened my eyes, I was sitting in my chair. The white coat was already untying my straps.
“I guess my strength can be managed.” I grinned.
The white coat didn’t say a word and tried to keep a straight face.
“Why don’t they give you guys name tags?”
“Because we don’t need them.”
“What if we need to call you, you know, for something important?”
“You won’t,” he answered flatly.
“In a few weeks I’ll know your name, and probably everything about you.” I shrugged.
“That’s why I’m good at this job, I’m a nobody,” he answered.
“Everyone is a somebody, and you’re good at what you do. I barely felt a thing.”
He nodded, and before he walked away he said, “Goodbye.”
A huge grin rose on my lips. He’d acknowledged me.
“Why are you smiling?” Chase said, walking over.
“Because a little kindness goes a long way,” I replied.
“Your white coat isn’t supposed to interact with you. He can get into trouble.”
“Why? For me tellin
g him he did a good job?”
Chase rolled his eyes. “You’re so obnoxious.”
“Thank you,” I chimed and he chuckled.
“Hey, Chloe. How did you do?”
“Good, I guess. I think I fell asleep.” She giggled.
“No wonder I couldn’t read you,” Dr. Simon said, raising his brow.
Chloe shrugged. “I guess I needed a nap.”
“After last night, I need a week off,” Chase said.
“You and me both.” I sighed.
“Abi, are you normally a happy person?” Chase asked.
“Mostly,” I said.
“Is it because of your fiancé?” Chloe asked.
The word seemed funny and so foreign to me because Finn was my best friend, and him being referred to as my boyfriend was still new.
“He has played a huge part in my happiness. He completes me, and there is no one in this world I’d rather spend the rest of my life with.”
“You’re so lucky,” Chloe said softly with a sweet smile.
I looked into her baby blue eyes. She looked so vulnerable. “You’ll find love one day, Chloe.”
“Yeah, and that guy better take care of you, or big bro might have to scramble his brains,” Chase threatened.
“Don’t you dare,” Chloe scolded.
They both laughed and the tension in the room lifted.
Dr. Simon taught us a few more tricks on channeling, and for me it was pretty easy. I wanted to make it seem as if I was struggling a bit, but the truth was, everything he threw at me, I did on the first try.
He also tested us using a set of flash cards with objects on them. He held up the back of the cards to us, and we had to tell him what the objects were on the front of the card. Because he channeled the pictures into his mind, I effortlessly read each one of them. It wasn’t that great of an accomplishment though, because Chase and Chloe were also perfect on their tests.
After lunch, Dr. Simon announced he was called into an emergency meeting, so we had a few hours of free time before our training session in weapons. I couldn’t wait.
“HOW MANY DAYS DO WE have weapons training?” I asked the twins on our way to the training room.
“Twice a week,” Chase said. “It’s a nice break.”
“I don’t like weapons training.” Chloe sighed.
“Of course you don’t. You’ve never held a weapon in your life, and you’re pretty uncoordinated.”
“That’s not my fault,” she rattled. “No one ever taught me.”
“Maybe Abi will,” Chase suggested, elbowing me in the arm.
I stopped in the middle of the hall. “Yeah. I can teach you something pretty easy.”
They both paused and turned to me.
“Throw a punch at me,” I said waving him to come at me.
“No way. I’m not hitting a girl,” he scoffed.
“Don’t worry, you won’t.”
“You think you can block my punch?” he teased, throwing some quick jabs while adding in some Kung Fu sound effects. “Look at that. My fists are a blur. Can’t touch this.”
He must have had too much caffeine because he didn’t stop, and after about thirty seconds of him shadow boxing with himself I crossed my arms over my chest.
“Are you done, yet?” I sighed.
He stopped, and was panting like a dog.
“Chase, you better take it easy or you’re gonna pass out.” Chloe laughed.
“Pfft. I can do this all day,” he wheezed.
“I’m waiting,” I said.
“Fine, but if you get hurt it’s not my fault.”
“And if you get hurt,” I remarked, “which way is medical?”
Chloe laughed.
“Oh, Abi thinks she’s a comedian,” Chase teased.
Before he threw his punch, I could read his moves from a mile away. His bony elbow bent back and he thrust his arm forward, aiming directly toward my chest. I dodged it, took hold of his arm, and used his momentum to toss him over my hip and onto the ground. Then I grabbed his wrist and pressed it back into a wrist lock.
Chase screamed in pain.
I let go, wondering if he was really hurt. I’d barely put any pressure on him.
Chloe shrieked and threw her hands over her mouth.
“I think I might need medical,” he moaned, holding his side.
“I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you,” I apologized.
“Sure you didn’t. I just have a new bruise on my side to match all the others,” Chase teased, popping up to a standing position. “Other than that . . . I’m totally fine.”
Chloe stood next to me and started laughing hysterically.
“That was amazing,” she exclaimed.
“I’m hiring you as my new bodyguard,” Chase said. “And, I’m not kidding.”
“Come on,” I said, taking his arm, while Chloe took the other.
As we entered the weapons room, the air was warm and humid and smelled of sweat and body odor. There must have been a session that just ended.
“Come in,” Juan called, wiping his sweaty face with a towel.
“Smells like you had a tough session,” I said, gagging. Chloe pinched her nose shut.
“It’s always tough,” he replied with a grin. “You’ll eventually get used to the smell. I sent the guys to the showers.”
“So what are we working on today?” Chase asked.
“Since I wanted to see Abi shoot, you three are going to have target practice.”
“Playing with guns. Fun,” Chloe chimed sarcastically.
“Don’t worry, Chloe. The gun I’m giving you is very easy to shoot.” Juan winked.
He led us over to a small shooting area where three targets were set up about twenty feet away.
Walking over to a large bag on the ground, he pulled out two S&W .357 Magnum revolvers and handed them to Chase and Chloe, along with six bullets each.
Juan then turned to me and smiled as he produced a Glock 27.
“Here you go, Abi,” he said, holding it out.
I’d been hoping for Hellfire, but it wasn’t. I knew I shouldn’t have been disappointed, but I was . . . just a little. But hey, it was still a gun and holding the cold metal in my hand felt incredible.
“Thank you,” I said coiling my fingers around the grip.
“Glock 27. That’s what you wanted right?” He handed me a ten round magazine.
“Yep. It’s perfect.”
“Are you sure you can handle that gun?” Chase asked with a hint of concern in his voice. “That thing looks like it can pack a punch.”
I smiled while I put on my protective glasses and ear protection. Then I turned to him and winked before I snapped the magazine into place and racked the slide. Taking my position in front of the target, I lifted my gun and emptied all ten rounds.
The power behind each shot sent a rush of adrenaline through my veins. Damn, it felt good. Shooting a gun was like medicine for my soul.
Chase’s eyes were wide as he shook his head. “You hit all ten bullets within four lines.”
“I know. I’m a little rusty.” I shrugged.
“Rusty?” Juan chuckled, shaking his head. “I’ve never seen any girl shoot like that. None in this bunker anyway. Actually, not too many of the guys can shoot that accurately.”
“Abi, that was amazing,” Chloe said.
“It’s nothing. I’ve just had a lot of practice. We grew up shooting guns.”
I ejected the magazine and handed Juan the gun, but he pushed it back.
“We’re just getting started. I want to see more of what you can do.” He handed me ten more bullets.
As I reloaded the magazine, sounds of chattering and laughter boomed behind us. When we turned around, three muscular guys came walking out. Their hair was still wet and disheveled from being towel dried.
“Hey guys! Come and check this out,” Juan called, waving them over.
“What’s this, Juan? You’re teaching the freaks how to shoo
t?”
Freaks? I clenched my fists; my insides burning.
“They aren’t freaks, asshole,” Juan pulled my target and handed it to him. “Look what she just did, in like eight seconds.”
“Ten out of ten? Not bad,” the guy beside me muttered. He was tall and fit, with dirty blond hair. I felt uncomfortable as his deep blue eyes scanned me from head to toe. “Beginner’s luck.”
“Abi, would you care to show him again?” Juan asked, raising his brow.
I shook my head, not wanting to cause a scene. I just wanted to leave.
“That’s what I thought,” Captain Jerkface said. “She won’t because she can’t.”
He was challenging me, and everything inside was screaming to prove him wrong. But, there was also that small voice inside telling me not to.
“Come on, Abi. No one’s been able to outshoot Kyle. He needs to be dethroned. Don’t you think this hive needs a new queen?” Juan jested.
“I thought you could outshoot anyone?” I said, addressing Juan.
“I can, but I’m the teacher so it doesn’t count,” he answered, shrugging.
“There is no way a chick can outshoot me,” Kyle snobbed.
“Do it, Abi.” Chase was almost begging. I could tell he wanted one of us freaks to show up this asswipe. Chloe nodded behind him.
I warred within myself, but knew they were not going to relent without watching me shoot one more time.
“Fine,” I agreed.
Juan gave me an appraising nod.
“Give me a gun,” Kyle said to Juan with a smirk on his face.
“Shoot off!” The other two guys yelled and high fived.
Juan handed Kyle a Glock 19, which was probably his, then ran to put up a clean target. He even tugged the targets back another ten feet.
“Let’s see what you got.” The jerk leaned in close and whispered. “Need any help racking your slide?”
I finished loading the new bullets into my magazine, and slapped it into my weapon.
I turned with narrowed eyes on him. “Rack your own damn slide.”
“Oooh . . . She’s a feisty one.” He laughed, turning back to his friends.
He had no idea how feisty I could be.
We both stood on the line.
“When I say go, you’ll have ten seconds to empty your rounds,” Juan instructed. “The one with the most bullets closest to the center . . . wins.”