Echo Into Darkness: Book 2 in The Echo Saga (Teen Paranormal Romance) (30 page)

Keenan was grinning at me. "What was the pivotal moment for you in the contest for Connor's life? What finally pushed you beyond your limits?"

"Anger," I lied. No way would I tell him the real source of my unexpected power. If he knew love had delivered me over the precipice and back again, he would take that away, too.

"I'm proud of you. Luma has been one of my top agents since she volunteered at twelve years old. Her Class A talent can psychically bring a military tank to a standstill. She has toppled buildings and brought jets crashing to the ground, and you, dear girl, crushed her in one challenge. My apologies for the crush reference."

Was I mistaken, or did I see a flicker of hope cross Connor's face?

"All Echo needed was the right motivation. By the way," Keenan reached in his pocket and flung a pile of fifty-dollar bills on the table, "that's your cut of what you won against Luma last night."

My eyes narrowed in disgust. "Like that's going to make up for what you've done?"

"There's more where that came from. With your potential, and my tutelage, you'll be one of the most extraordinary paranormal beings on the planet."

"That's never going to happen." I shoved the money back.

"Be quiet," Connor said.

"And when you're done with us? What then?" I spat.

"I said be quiet," Connor squeezed my hand hard.

A few tense beats passed. "Your friend is giving you wise advice. Take the money. You earned it," Keenan said.

"You can't buy me."

He looked at me squarely. "You're already mine."

Keenan nodded once and Roth hauled Connor to his feet. I threw my arms around his waist.

"Please let him stay," I begged.

"He's going back to his room," Keenan said.

"Let me go, Echo."

"No!"

"Let go of me," Connor wrested out of my grip. He pressed dry lips against my cheek in a kiss and nuzzled close to my ear. "You are stronger than the chip," he whispered. Roth dragged him away.

Chapter 35

My brain exploded and my heart broke into pieces. I sank into the chair. What was that supposed to mean? I wasn't brave enough to cut the chip out with my bare hands, and if Connor couldn't override it, there was no way I could.

Dried blood had settled in the creases of my palm. I'd been careful not to touch his wounds but somehow, his blood found its way onto me. I ran my thumb along the red streaks and my insides shook.

From the first day we met, Connor's ability had awed me. The suggestion of power in those green eyes was enrapturing. I accepted him as a superior being. Indestructible. Invincible. Now his vulnerability stained my hand.

"Are you ready for your first mission?" Keenan startled me back to the present.

Only one answer would keep Connor safe. I dug my fingernails into my palm. "Just tell me what to do."

Keenan smiled his madman grin.

*******

Jaxon, Ivan, and I sat in the parking lot of the Columbia Marina. It was the off-season, but sailboats were still tied to the piers, gently swaying in the river's flow. Their owners clambered on and around the dock, sweeping, washing and polishing their boats with care.

My mission was simple and, for everyone involved, painless. Everyone except for one boat owner.

"See the sailboat in slip number three?" Jaxon handed me a pair of binoculars. We weren't that far away, but he must have wanted me to get a good view of my target. The twenty-foot boat named
The Kubrick
bobbed in the winter water. A man in a green rain slicker unraveled a thick pile of rope on its deck. I recognized Mr. Lauer.

"That's my principal!"

"He's got something Keenan wants," Ivan said.

"The list of gifted kids," Jaxon added. "That Crane guy must have given it to your principal. I doubt he knows why it's valuable, but he won't hand it over. You're going to change that."

"Mr. Lauer isn’t one of you," I said with new understanding.

"One of
us
. No, he's another ungifted," Ivan replied.

"What happens when Keenan gets that list?" I asked, afraid I already knew the answer.

"What is this, an episode of
Jeopardy
? Get out there and do the mission so we can get back for dinner," Jaxon barked.

Not long ago, his attitude would have stung. Now, I felt nothing.

"Whatever." I reached for the SUV's door handle.

"The kids'll be tested and if they pass, they'll be trained for our army," Ivan answered. "Same as you."

"Keep opening your mouth and you'll lose your other eye," Jaxon warned him.

"She deserves to know," Ivan replied. Then, to me, "You know what to do, right?"

Bile ate away at the back of my throat. My conscience begged to weigh the consequences of what I was about to do. On one side was Mr. Lauer and a list of kids whose lives depended on remaining anonymous. On the other side, Connor's life. I was sure others would struggle far longer in internal debate, calculating the morality of risking many lives for the well being of one. For me, the decision took a mere second.

I got out and pulled the hood over my head. Mist dampened my face. Fog settled between the piers and over the water, making the river resemble a long, low cloud.

I turned my attention to
The Kubrick
. I inhaled, breathed out in one long flow, and closed my eyes. My stomach soured at what I was about to do, yet I pushed myself into the imagery that guaranteed I'd be able to do the mission.

As I let out another long, slow breath, I let the image of Connor fill the space behind my closed eyes. I pictured him kissing me, and felt every sensation from his body: the taste of his tongue, the sweet smell of his hair, his fingers slowly drifting down my shoulder, to my back. My heart raced. Heat swirled across my forehead and down my arms. The energy build-up became so powerful, my arms ached. I directed all this onto the river dock.

Down in the marina, a loud tearing sound echoed off the water. Fiberglass crunched and wood split. Men yelled. I opened my eyes. The boat's fiberglass body was dented on one side. The mast snapped, spraying wood shards.

I blocked out the angry shouts and sank back into my vision.
I love you
, I heard Connor say.
I love you forever across time.

Mr. Lauer dove off
The Kubrick
and onto the dock. His mouth dropped open as his boat folded itself in half. The vessel took on water and began to sink.

My principal spotted me hiding under my hood in the lot above the marina. He saw the black SUV, and his face went gray. He would not have been able to identify me, but he had gotten the Mutila's message, loud and clear. The river frothed and
The Kubrick
disappeared below the surface. Mr. Lauer's hands went to his face.

A tear rolled down my cheek and I let Connor's peaceful, beautiful image fade. My ability was not strong enough to crush fiberglass like the hand of God, unless I called on the deepest love I had ever known. Hearing Connor's voice ringing in my head, hearing him say he loved me, supercharged my power. It enabled me to do unthinkable things. By following Keenan's orders, I was turning into my worst nightmare.

I did not deserve the love that fueled me.

*******

When we returned to Feller Industries, Keenan's entire army was gathered in his living room. They cheered when I walked in. Some of them patted me on the back. The guys grabbed cold cans of beer and popped them open, hitting me with bitter spray. Gianna handed me one, too. She gave me a tight smile.

"Good job not getting yourself killed yet." She tipped her can against mine and wandered back into the crowd.

"Did you see the look on that guy's face? If he doesn't hand over that list, he's crazy," Jaxon said.

"Smooth as a long-time recruit." Ivan nodded at me, sipping his beer. "You've got an in with Keenan now. Don't mess it up."

"She won't. She doesn't want to end up looking like you." Jaxon looped his arm around Ivan's neck and wrestled him into the crowd.

Cold, thin hands bore down on my shoulders from behind. There was no mistaking Keenan's attempt at warmth. "I watched everything from the SUV's video feed. You did a remarkable job," he said.

"Are you sending me home?" I asked. If he said yes, I did not know what I would do. Connor would still be here.

"Tomorrow, after you complete one more mission. We can seal that deal right now."

Keenan pulled my phone out of his pocket, punched in a number and began dictating. "Hi Kimber, sorry I've been out of contact, but the time away has been good and I'm feeling much better. I'll be home late tomorrow, 'kay?"

He sent the text. A chill bloomed on my neck. He was so certain I'd follow through on his orders, so confident tomorrow's mission would go as planned.

"Aren't you excited to go home?" he asked.

"Yes, of course," I answered flatly.

"You need to know what to anticipate once you leave Feller Industries. You'll no longer work at the Smoothie Shack, but I have a part-time job lined up for you at one of the malls. The owner is a close friend. He'll schedule you on the days that I need you, except when you arrive for your shift, Roth will be there to take you to your next mission. When you finish, he'll take you back to work. If I need you during the day, Roth will pick you up outside your school. You'll continue living at home as long as your missions go well. For the most part, that will be up to you."

"What about Connor?"

"Hmm. What about him. That is a good question. Would you like to see him?"

A full minute passed. He cleared his throat and startled me back to the present.

"Yes. Of course," I said again. This would be my stock answer from now on. Yes, I will do the mission. Of course, I will destroy, harm, collapse, or terrorize for you. Otherwise, Connor would pay.

I'd be able to follow through, do whatever was required, as long as I could use love as my source of strength. If Connor's body failed him, and he died because he could not acclimate to my time, that would only make me love him more.

But the missions would get harder. Keenan would push until I was as heartless as Luma. When I became that person, love could not possibly survive. I understood, then, why Gianna had wanted to jump off the West Vista Bridge. She had come face to face with darkness so bleak, she lost sight of the light. Instead of allowing it to eat away at her, to devour her day after day, she chose to let the darkness swallow her whole.

"Echo."

That velvety voice caressed my ear. A warm hand stroked my cheek. I lifted my chin and stared into pools of green.

"Hi."

"Hi," Connor replied. He wore clean clothes and his cuts were bandaged. They'd made some effort to clean him up, but his strength was waning. Fine capillaries webbed his skin. His cheeks and neck were sunken, like he was deteriorating from the inside out.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

I nodded weakly. His wrists were chained together but at least they weren't locked to his sides any more. He lifted his arms over my head and drew them in behind me. He squeezed me against his chest.

"I'm starting to reacclimate to your world," he whispered. "It's touch-and-go but I think I'm getting better."

This was both great and horrible news. He might survive jumping time, and for that I was eternally grateful, but that meant he would be imprisoned for longer. Used as bait while I went out on missions.

Darkness welled in my heart, my muscles, my bones. I let the voices in the next room fade and latched onto the sounds coming from Connor's chest: the steady, certain sound of his breath; the rhythm of his heartbeat—three beats, a flutter, three beats, a pause; three beats, a flutter, three beats, a pause; three beats, a flutter.

"I have a way to get you out of here," he whispered into my hair.

"Not now, please."

He pressed me closer. "If I can get them to send me on a mission, they'll cuff me and I might be able to contact the portal. Once I get home, I'll get my father to send a team to get you. Then you can come to West Region with me, like we've always wanted."

My shoulders shook.

"What's so funny?" he asked.

"You're insane."

"My strength is coming back. And I know I said I had to hide my ability, but I can't think of any other way to get you out. I might be strong enough to convince Keenan to give me a shot. I have to try, in case I start to fade out again. It'll work. It has to." He bit back his desperation, but I heard it.

I ducked under his arms and brought his hands to my face. They were the only warm things in the room. I wanted to dissolve into them, the way I had when Connor had seemed invincible. Instead, I stared in to his face.

"What's going on?" Connor asked. If I could read his mind, I bet I'd hear a tentative voice warning him that I was up to something. That voice was right.

I flagged Roth, who stood at the room's entrance, keeping an eye on us.