Authors: Katlyn Duncan
“Did they capture you too?” Jamie asked hurriedly, and then released a barrage of questions including, “How are you human? Who is that awful woman?”
I held my hand up to stop her. “I came here on my own.”
Jamie recoiled.
I lowered my voice. “We came here to find you.”
Her eyebrows shot up. “We?”
I quickly explained to her about my memories. “Jackson was always on my side. I just needed to remember that.”
Her eyes narrowed as if she didn’t quite believe it, but she moved on quickly. “But how did you know where I was?” Her voice cracked. “They used my dad to drug me and then they locked me up here. It was awful. They want to know about my gift but I didn’t tell them anything. And they did something to Yera, I know they did.” Tears streaked Jamie’s face and my heart broke for her. I didn’t want to tell her the truth about Yera just yet so I squeezed her hands in mine in an effort to comfort her. “I did overhear something though.”
I leaned closer, interested in what information she had that I didn’t.
She nibbled on her bottom lip before speaking. “On the plane I pretended to be asleep and I heard that they were taking Prognatum.”
“I know.” I remembered my first time watching Hannah taking the soul of one and shivered.
She shook her head. “No you don’t.”
“Hannah is like me,” I explained. “But not. That’s beside the point. I saw a Prognatum here and she took his soul.”
“They have been taking out entire
lines
of Prognatum.”
My breath caught in my throat. “What exactly did you hear?”
Jamie looked around the room. She’d be able to tell if there was a Shadowed in there better than I could. “They were recruiting Prognatum for their side. I assumed David had been a part of that mix but he was the only one. All of the others that they have asked who refused, they destroyed.”
Or Hannah took their souls to feed Abidan’s large appetite.
Why hadn’t Felix told me that? Maybe he knew I would have hesitated with my decision? I probably would have stayed on the Guard to help fight if I’d known. So Felix had lied to me once again, what else was new? I didn’t know who was worse sometimes, Felix or Abidan.
“Okay,” I said, forming a plan in my head. “We need to get you to safety.”
“What about my dad? I can’t just leave him here with them.”
“This is our best chance. Once we meet up with the group we can come back here and get him. He’s not going anywhere.”
She frowned as if weighing her options. “How are we going to do this?”
“Don’t worry, Jackson has a plan.”
I silently summoned Jackson using my emotions. He appeared his eyes darting between us. “I thought—I felt—”
I shrugged. “I thought it was the best way to call you without getting their attention.” He frowned and gave me a look, which I promptly ignored. “What is your plan for us to get out of here?”
“I am going to distract Abidan, since the closest way out of here is through Abidan’s quarters,” he said.
My jaw dropped. “Are you kidding? That’s a suicide mission. Even if he isn’t around, what if there are other Shadowed in there and I can’t see them?”
“Ahem,” Jamie dramatically excused herself. “Percipio standing right here.”
Jackson nodded.
“Okay, well what about the Shadowed outside my door?”
Jackson led us to the far wall and moved the nightstand revealing a crawlspace. “I demanded the exact specifications of this room to be small enough to have a space behind it.”
“That is so cool,” Jamie said, her eyes wide.
“You think of everything don’t you?” I teased, hoping I could trick my body into lightening the mood even though I wanted to jump out of my skin.
“How are you going to find us?” I asked Jackson.
“Like I said, you can be pretty loud with your thoughts.” Jackson explained where the exit to the outside was through Abidan’s quarters.
I didn’t like the idea of us separating again but I knew if we were going to all get out this was our best chance.
“Just give me a few minutes’ head start,” Jackson instructed.
“Don’t take too long finding us,” I said.
He winked and disappeared from the room while Jamie and I waited by the trap door. I expected the Shadowed to come in at any moment and find us huddled by the bed.
Jamie distracted me by filling me in on what she had been up to before “Robert” kidnapped her. She explained that Yera had started her lessons before they had a chance to meet in person. These involved sensing After beings before seeing them. She would be able to anticipate any Shadowed presence and she had nearly perfected her gift.
“They had me trapped in a cell for who knows how long, I needed something to keep from going insane,” she said.
After about five agonizing minutes, I pushed aside the panel that concealed the door. It was time to get out of there.
We hurried through the crawlspace toward Abidan’s quarters. We didn’t have to go far before we reached another opening. Jamie poked her head out, turning her head in both directions. “We’re good to go.”
I pulled my hood over my head to somewhat disguise myself even though it was a futile effort. Even if a Shadowed didn’t know who I was at this point they probably would have known we were human and definitely not on their side. But I felt better under the fabric’s protection. I placed the piece of wall back in place so as not to rouse suspicion.
I touched her shoulder, allowing her Percipio vision to lead us. I tucked my face further into my hood.
“Down here,” Jamie said, pushing us through a door. Just as we turned into another corridor, Jamie shoved me backwards. I bit back a yelp and pressed against the wall, waiting for her signal.
“Sorry,” she whispered, opened the door slightly and leaning forward to look through the slit she made. “There were, like, four of them coming down there.”
As much as I wanted to keep Jamie safe, I was glad she was kidnapped. I wouldn’t have made it through the facility without her. But then again, I wouldn’t have been as willing to put myself in this situation.
“Okay, it’s clear.”
I grabbed her hand this time, feeling more confident with each step and allowed Jamie to take over, a role I doubted she’d been given before. But she deserved it. Her footsteps were light and she stopped at every corner for any sign of a Shadowed. We arrived at Abidan’s quarters. I pressed my ear against the door but heard nothing from inside. Turning the knob, I pushed through the door and ushered Jamie inside. But just as I moved the door back into place a shrill alarm burst into life.
Jamie whipped around and scanned the room. “There’s no one here!” she shouted.
“They must have realized we were gone!” I yelled back at her.
“They are going to find us. We should head back!”
“Let’s keep going!”
“We will have another chance. If they know it’s me who set off the alarm they might hurt my dad.”
I scowled. We were so close to getting out of there, but I wasn’t going to leave without her.
“Okay!” I conceded.
The alarm was louder in the corridor.
“I don’t understand,” Jamie said, pulling me beside her. “Not like I want them to find us but you think they might have by now?”
“I’d rather not think that at the moment.”
We picked up the pace, rounding another corner. It was Jamie’s turn to stop running. I dodged around her, my back slamming against the wall. “What is it?”
She smiled broadly. “I think I found out what set the alarm off.” She pointed down the corridor. I expected the worse but what I got was more than I could have imagined.
Cooper, Ally, Thomas, and a dozen Guard were standing at the end of the hall. They were huddled together in a mass of black uniforms. My heart nearly leapt out of my chest. They had found us.
“Come on!” I called to Jamie.
Cooper was the first to turn. He nudged Thomas who looked up as well. Ally turned around, her hair whipping to the side, pulled back in a high ponytail. Cooper’s mouth moved but I couldn’t make out what he was saying. The other Guard hadn’t turned but instead were facing the other direction. They yelled inaudibly as well just before their souls appeared to be thrown against the wall and I stopped.
Jamie screamed and I nearly ran into a Shadowed who was in the process of becoming corporeal. I side-stepped him, tripping over my own feet.
“Run!” Jamie screamed. She had caught up with me. I wasn’t sure if she wanted us to run or for Cooper and the others.
One of the Shadowed grabbed for Jamie but I struck out, slapping his hand away. I pulled her with me before he could strike again.
Ally’s panicked expression told me that something was wrong. Grabbing Jamie by the arm I pulled her toward the group. I wasn’t going to let them out of my sight again.
Suddenly Cooper appeared next to us, his sword raised high. He brought it down and I pulled Jamie to the ground. His weapon connected with a scythe from the Shadowed who had tried to grab us before. Cooper subdued him quickly and raised his sword again to the other one, but that one appeared to be waiting for backup.
Cooper nudged me with his foot. “Are you okay?”
“Yes!” I said. My heart rate skyrocketed making my whole body jittery.
He helped Jamie and me from the ground and we sprinted to the group.
“Hey, Coop!” Ally called facing the same direction that the fallen Guard had been. “We’re really outnumbered now.”
Cooper moved so he stood in front of Jamie and me. “We came in not far from here.”
Jamie knelt down next to the fallen Guard and helped one of them up. The other was having more trouble.
“I’ll stay,” Thomas said to us. He glanced at me. “You get out of here.”
Even though I knew I had to save Jamie, I didn’t want to go anywhere without all of them. Especially around Hannah. “I’m not leaving anyone else here.” I didn’t want to ever come back to that place, unless we had the whole Guard behind us.
Thomas grunted and he, Cooper, and the other Guard lifted the last one up. They held the injured between them as we started in the other direction. I pushed Jamie to the front of the group and stayed in the back with Cooper and Ally.
“You really have a way of entering a building,” I mused.
She rolled her eyes. “That wasn’t me. Thomas thought it would be a brilliant idea to just start opening doors all over the place.”
“Focus please,” Thomas called to us.
The alarm cut off suddenly, leaving an annoying buzz in my ears.
Ally grabbed my arm and Cooper slowed his pace bringing up the rear of the group.
“Let’s put a little spring in our step!” Thomas called from the front.
I didn’t dare look behind us even though I knew the Shadowed weren’t too far behind. I had to focus on getting out of there first.
We entered a dark room and I touched Ally’s back to keep my balance. She adjusted her body, turning to me, taking my hand in hers leading me through the room. A large metallic creak broke the silence and I jumped. Had the Shadowed found us?
“It’s just the door,” Ally said calmly.
Light poured into the room, growing larger as Thomas opened a hatch. We piled out into the desert where a full moon lit up the sky. I inhaled the fresh, dry air. Whatever filtering system they had for breathing air in the base was nothing compared to this. I felt rejuvenated, more alive than I had ten seconds ago. I sprinted to where Jamie was. Now I just needed to call for Jackson. I rustled up a memory of us and reveled in it, a warmth pooling in my stomach.
We ran further into the desert, my heart both lifting and sinking at the same time. This was the right choice. I had done everything I needed to do and we were almost home free.
“Hey!” Jackson’s voice called to us. I turned around but not before Cooper and Ally pulled out their swords, blocking Jackson from me.
“Wait!” I called, running back toward them.
Stupid human legs.
I would be happy when I was able to transport again.
Shadowed poured from the hatch and they reappeared closer to us. I turned to Jamie who was farther ahead with the rest of the Guard. My shoulders relaxed. At least I’d helped get her to safety.
“You need to leave,” I said in a low voice to Cooper and Ally.
“Not a chance,” Cooper said.
“Jamie is safe. They can’t find the Gate now,” I replied.
“Hadn’t they already found it to destroy it?” Ally demanded, her sword steady in front of her.
“I guess Felix has been moving it.”
“We should meet up with the group,” Ally suggested.
“I can’t transport her out of here, you two go and I will distract them.”
“No way!” Ally said. “We leave together.”
Jackson took in Cooper and Ally. “Mags has to stay. I will protect her.”
Cooper’s hand tightened around the hilt of his sword. “You can’t protect her in there. They only want her for her powers.”
“Come with us,” I said. “We are free now.”
Jackson’s eyes met mine. “I’m not free.”
My heart squeezed. He was right.
“What are you talking about?” Ally interjected.
Jackson noticed the Shadowed around us. “You don’t have a chance against us,” he growled. “I am giving you one last reprieve. Give me back what you have stolen or I will show no mercy.” His expression was tight, murderous. The loving Jackson I had been close to had checked out for the moment. This was the Shadowed that Cooper had come up against all those years ago.
“I’ll be fine,” I whispered to my friends. “Just take care of Jamie.”
Cooper moved in front of me and I looked behind Jackson at the growing numbers.
They didn’t stand a chance. I made a quick decision and ducked under Cooper’s arm, charging forward until I was beside Jackson.
Cooper and Ally’s faces fell. I knew the feeling. It was the same I had experienced in the warehouse when Jackson had sided with Hannah.
“Don’t come back for me. I have chosen my side.”
Cooper shook his head furiously. “You don’t mean that.”
Why didn’t he understand the danger they were in? I didn’t have time to explain. “I do.”
Cooper flinched as if I had struck him.