Powerless (Book 1): Powerless (34 page)

McKay
laughed
and
jeered,
“Well
done,
Tom.
Finally
the
penny
has
dropped.
When
I
hit
you,
I
hit
you
with
your
power.
No
matter
what
it
is,
I
can
turn
it
against
you.
All
the
power
and
none
of
the
weaknesses…”

Tom,
struggled
to
find
his
feet
as
pain
coursed
through
him.
“Then
why
pretend?”

McKay
growled
back
with
menacing
intent.
“Why
pretend
to
help
you
or
why
pretend
to
have
been
locked
up
with
you?
Well
that’s
very
simple
really,
I
worked
with
you
for
long
enough
to
know
that
you
would
have
taken
precautions
to
protect
yourself.
I
knew
you
would
make
a copy
of
the
files
I
needed
to
get
back
and
I
also
knew
you
would
entrust
them
to
someone.
I
wasn’t
sure
who
you
would
trust
with
them,
your
father
or
your
brother,
but
I
should
have
known
that
you
would
choose
your
brother.
And
to
be
honest
I
didn’t
think
he
would
have
the
balls
to
pull
this
off.
Speaking
of
which,
I
know
you
won't
tell
me
where
the
files
are,
so
therein
lies
the
million
dollar
question:
where
is
Lee?”

Tom
wiped
his
brow,
got
to
his
feet,
“Lee
is
long
gone.
You
will
never
be
able
to
find
him.
I
might
be
good,
but
he’s
exceptional
and
no
matter
how
powerful
you
are,
he
will
not
be
outdone.
Trust
me,
I
know,
and
if
you
don’t
find
him,
you
won't
find
the
files…”

While
this
was
all
happening
Lee
was
perched
above
watching
all
this
unfold
on
the
ground
below,
unsure
as
to
what
to
do.
Seeing
the
power
McKay
had
in
him
, he
knew
that
without
an
ability
he
didn’t
stand
a
chance.
After
listening
to
Tom
cover
for
him
, he knew
it
was
not
looking
good
for
his
brother.
He watched
from
above
as
Tom
struggled
to
stay
on
his
feet
and
McKay
stalked
him
like
a
predator
pursues
his
prey.

McKay
spoke
through
the
rain
below.
“Well
if
he
has
the files
then
I
don’t
need
you…”
He ran
at
Tom,
throwing
him
into
the
base
of
the
tree
under which Lee was camouflaged.

When
Tom
struck
the
tree
the
earth
seemed
to
move,
causing
it
to
reverberate
upwards
and
it
resonated
up
through
the
wood
and
into
Lee’s
body.
Looking
down
he
saw
there
was
still
a
sign
of
life
in
his
brother
who
looked
up
at
him
from
below
and
smiled
through
all
the
pain
and
blood.

McKay
then
began
to
walk
towards
Tom
saying,
“Wow,
you
are
strong.
I
wonder
how
much
you
can
take
before
you
die.
I'm
betting
not
much. You know all those deaths are on you. You get that right?”

Unable to move, Tom tried to rest his body in hopes his strength would return. “I was getting my men out. I was on the bridge about to save them, and guess what happened…” McKay was now moving around Tom as he spat all his pent up hatred at him.

“The bridge blew up; I would have saved them all but I was on the bridge you blew up. Next thing I realise I am being carried away, while they die.” Pausing and for the first time letting his human side be seen, he continued. “My men died, because of you. 14 lives all on you.”

It was clear McKay didn’t believe his own words and they were seeped in guilt, blaming Tom for his own failing. Guilt fuelled his anger once more and he turned his attention toTom’s broken body at the base of the tree.
As
McKay
approached
Tom,
instinct
took
over
Lee’s
body
as
it
did
all
those
years
before
and he
launched
himself
from
the
tree
and
flew
through
the
air
towards
McKay.
As
he
fell
he
grabbed
McKay
by
the
neck
and
used
his
own
momentum
to
throw
him
across
the
clearing
and
away
from
the
injured
body
of
his
brother.

Lee
now
stood
between
Tom
and
McKay,
staring
McKay
in
the
eyes
and
vowing
with
steely
intent,
“Try
your
best,
but
you
will
not
put
your
hands
on
him
again…”

He
stood
and waited
for
McKay
to
attack
and
as
McKay
advanced
towards him,
he walked
out
to
meet
him
without
any
fear
in
his
heart
for his
own
safety.
He
was
not
fighting
for
himself,
but
rather
for
his
brother
and
if
needed
he
would
willingly
die
to
protect
him.
In
this
moment
his
motivations
weren’t
for
a
greater
good.
His
hunger
wasn’t
to
expose
a
cover
up,
and
even
his
beloved
Jennifer
fell
from
his
mind
as
he
thought
only
about
protecting
his
brother.

McKay
swung
to
make
contact
with
Lee
but
ducking
under
his
punch
he
jumped
into
the
air,
throwing
a
punch
of
his
own back. It
connected
with
McKay’s
face
in
the
exact
same
way
that
Tom
had
done
moments
before,
but
this
time
the
result
was
different.
Lee
struck
McKay
who
in
turn
fell
to
the
ground
clutching
his
jaw. McKay felt something he had never felt before, actual physical pain. He roared in anger and confusion, he could not grasp what had just happened or how it had happened!