My powers came quickly this time. I focused on the circuits I knew were located behind that wall. Poured the energy from my body, from the universe, into the board. A sudden pop had me jumping back. Smoke curled from the keypad.
“Crap,” I whispered. I hadn’t expected that. What else could I do?
I didn’t have time to marvel at my own abilities. An alarm above the door screamed out in warning, red lights flashing from the bulb on the wall proclaiming my location to all. I flinched, pressing my hands to my ears. When the door clicked open I didn’t dare pause but raced inside to level one where the prisoners were kept. Unfortunately, I wasn’t alone.
Seeing me, the guard jumped up from behind his desk. “What the hell?”
My thoughts exactly. He reached for the pistol at his side, and as he grappled with the weapon, I knew I had only a split second. I didn’t have time to pause and think things over. I reached out with my mind, but his mental wall was intact, that chip in place.
I’d broken through my father’s mind and Maddox’s. Surely I could take on this guard. My anxiety and anger combined, clawing its way through my body; an energy stronger than the rest. An energy that frightened me as much as it empowered me.
My father had said there was no such thing as good and evil… that the world was gray. Perhaps he was right, in some instances. But I knew one thing… it wasn’t right to torture children and I would do whatever it took to see them free.
I felt the guard’s mental wall crumble and a rush of emotions and memories flooded my body. His memories, his emotions.
He screamed out in pain, the sound tearing me from the world of energy and placing me smack dab in the middle of hell. The room came sharply into focus. I could hear the shrill sound of the siren outside, but inside my body it was oddly still.
The guard lay unmoving upon the floor, his eyes closed. I knew without checking he was near death. I pressed my hand to the keypad at the barred gate until the lock clicked open. I had no time for guilt. Averting my attention, I raced through the double gates, and down the corridor past the many prisoners. Alert now, they stood at their bars, attempting to uncover the cause of commotion.
“What’s happening?” someone asked.
“Help us!”
I ignored their pleas, even as guilt begged me to stop. I’d need Lewis and Deborah to rescue the children. Sweat snaked down my back between my shoulder blades. I shoved open the door and stumbled down the stairwell. The door closed behind me, blocking the sound of the sirens. My breathing echoed heavily against the cement walls in the quiet stairwell; so loud I could barely think.
At the bottom of the steps was another keypad. This time it was easier to destroy the lock. It was as if I’d tapped into the source and it flowed freely through my body. I felt invincible, I felt stronger than I’d ever felt before. I shoved open the door only to stop short. Two guards stood in front of me, their pistols pointed at my chest.
“Drop to the ground right now!” one of the men said, his aim unwavering.
I felt no fear; I merely focused on the gun and sent it flying.
Startled, the guard stumbled back a step.
The other guard wasn’t so easy to intimidate. “Drop, in the name of the U.S. government.”
I used my energy to rip the gun from his hands and sent it sliding down the corridor. He didn’t cower. Instead he surged toward me. With a cry, I threw out my energy full-force. The waves hit him hard, sending him into the cement wall. Unconscious, he fell to the floor.
The guard who was still conscious stumbled to his feet. “Please don’t,” he whispered, trembling. “I have children.”
I curled my lips in disgust. He sure as hell didn’t care about the children upstairs, children forced to live in a prison. I scooped up the two pistols and raced by him. Deborah’s cell was first. I somehow managed to juggle the guns and press my hand to the keypad on her door.
“Cameron?”
“Shhh!” I closed my eyes, wrapping my fingers around the keypad. Heat singed my very fingertips. Although it burned like hell, I didn’t release my hold. It was only when smoke curled from the keypad that I stepped back.
“We need to help the children.” I didn’t wait for her, but shoved a pistol into her hands and raced down the hall toward Lewis’s cell.
“Cameron, wait!” Deborah called out.
“We don’t have time.”
Lewis was sitting up on his cot, his shoulders hunched, his face pale. I brushed aside my nervousness and pressed my hand to the keypad. “We’re leaving.”
He didn’t question me, didn’t even hesitate, but managed to stand. I couldn’t help but notice the way his body trembled as he came toward me. Ignoring my unease, I pressed my hand to the keypad and concentrated. The energy came faster now; I barely had to think about it. The keypad hissed and the smell of burnt metal and plastic trailed into the air. Success! If only the rest of the escape could be so easy, but I had a feeling my luck was going to eventually run out.
I pulled open the cell door. “Can you make it?”
He nodded. “I will.”
His answer wasn’t exactly reassuring, and the fact that he was limping as he shuffled out of his cell didn’t help matters.
“The children,” I said, turning toward Deborah. “They’re upstairs.”
She shook her head. “We don’t have time.”
“Then go!” I slipped my arm around Lewis’ waist and we started down the corridor. “But I won’t abandon them.”
I heard her long drawn-out sigh and knew she would follow. If Deborah was anything, she was loyal to the cause. She slipped her arm around Lewis, and together we helped him past the comatose guard and up the steps. The other guard was gone, no doubt warning the others.
“How much time do you think we have?” I asked.
Deborah gritted her teeth, shifting Lewis’ weight as we started up the steps. “I expect to be caught any moment now.”
“Gee, thanks.”
“Cameron, this is pointless. There’s no way—”
“I have help,” I snapped.
Her brows rose in obvious surprise, but fortunately she didn’t question me further. I wasn’t sure what Maddox had done, but he must have done something major because we hadn’t been swarmed yet. I owed him my life and I hated that I had more guilt to add. Annoyed, I tightened my hold on Lewis and helped him up the steps. The stairway seemed to go on forever; at each step Lewis grew heavier.
“Why don’t we just break everyone out; make it a party,” Deborah panted as we paused outside the children’s door.
Lewis swallowed hard and slumped against the wall. “She has a point. If we release the adults, they might create a diversion.”
“I thought of that.” I pressed my hand to the keypad. “But they also might make things worse. I read some of their minds. Not all the men behind those bars are trustworthy. Some are downright evil. We have enough people to worry about; I won’t have the children in more danger than they already are.”
Deborah sighed. “All right then, get to work.”
I closed my eyes and focused, but before I had time to destroy the keypad, something shifted within me. A wave of energy that wasn’t my own invaded my very being like some parasite, sucking on my soul.
“He’s coming,” I whispered.
Deborah grasped my arm. “Who?”
“My father. It’s like…I can sense him. We’re connected in some way.”
“Did you tap into his energy?” She shook me, gaining my flagging attention. “Cameron, when you escaped, did you use his powers against him?”
I nodded. “Yes.”
“Damn.” She raked her hands through her dark hair. “That’s why. Hurry, open the door. Using someone’s energy is great, if they don’t know about it. If they do, they can attach to you. Brand you.”
I knew I didn’t have time to question her further, at least not at the moment. Instead, I closed my eyes, ignored the feel of my father’s energy, and focused on the keypad. It took a few moments longer than the others, but soon enough I smelled the scent of smoke.
Deborah shoved me aside and tore open the door. “You’re connected. And if you can track him, if you can sense him coming, then he can track you.”
My skin crawled and frantically, I searched out Lewis, needing his calm reassurance. He slipped his hand into mine. Instead of making me feel better, his touch only made me feel worse. His skin felt clammy, cold and the pulse beating from his wrist was weak at best.
“We shouldn’t risk saving the children,” Deborah muttered as she swept into the room. The lights were already on, but the beds empty.
I moved away from Lewis and grabbed onto Deborah’s arm in a hard grip, jerking her to a stop. “I’m not leaving Caroline.”
She shook off my hold. “Fine. Then you take care of the guards.”
“What…” I followed her gaze. Three guards were racing toward us, running between the rows of beds. But the children were huddled in the far corner, the sirens and chaos, no doubt, terrifying.
“Cameron?” Caroline’s sweet voice called to me.
“Stay back!” I demanded. The last thing I needed was Caroline running into the line of fire. I focused on the guards, wondering if I could take them all at once. My body still hummed with energy, but the power had faded. How much longer would my high last?
“Hurry,” Deborah ordered before rushing toward the children. I knew I wouldn’t have to worry about them with Deborah there. Instead, I could focus on the guards.
“Stop! You are surrounded,” one man said.
Lewis took my hand once more. “I’m right here. Let me help you.”
I was grateful for his presence, but I knew that when it came down to it, Lewis would be of little assistance. I took in a deep breath and focused. “No. I may need you later,” I lied. “You need to conserve your strength.”
“Drop to the ground now!” the guard demanded, lifting his rifle and pointing it directly at me. His friends followed his lead.
I felt Lewis shift, and held out my arm, blocking him from stepping in front of me. “Don’t.”
I took in a deep breath, trying to focus but my energy was unstable. I could feel my dad coming closer…closer, taking over my senses. I shook my head, as if to clear my thoughts. We had to escape before Dad made it here because frankly, I wasn’t sure if I could defeat him again.
I released the air I held and threw my energy forward. Disarming them would be pointless; they could rush me without guns. But I had more tricks up my sleeve. Pain. I could cause pain. I’d done it before, hopefully I could do it again.
My energy hit the chip in their brains and paused, hovering. With a yell, I pushed forward until I felt their mental walls break. The closest guard fell almost immediately. The other two hesitated, unsure if they should help their fellow guard or stop me.
Their thoughts made me sick, for it wasn’t just fear, but fear combined with the desire to win. They wanted me as their trophy. It was a game, and they knew they’d be promoted if they caught the most powerful prisoner they had. The second man groaned, and fell to his knees. I wanted to gloat, but didn’t have time. Would the third man run? Would he beg for mercy?
He scooped up his fallen comrade’s rifle. With a gun in each hand, he looked like some overly-muscled Captain America come to life. He didn’t realize that guns held nothing on me.
“Go,” I said to Lewis, keeping eye contact with the remaining guard. “Help Deborah get the kids out.”
This guard was no secretary sent to watch video monitors, he knew what he was doing and he wouldn’t relent. From the corner of my eye I could see Lewis and Deborah ushering the children toward the door.
“You won’t escape,” the guard said, and to give him credit, he kept his voice even. “Even now your father is on his way.”
“I know, but if you think you scare me, you don’t. I am leaving; sadly you aren’t.” I threw my energy forward. The force hit him so hard he actually staggered back a few steps. With a cry, his face crumpled, and he fell to his knees. My conscience screamed at me to stop, but rationality warned I couldn’t yield. Vaguely I was aware of Deborah and Lewis ushering the children toward the door.
The guard fell forward, hitting the floor with a thud. I buried down my guilt and spun around, following the kids into the stairwell. Caroline glanced back, her pale face full of fear and worry.
“I’m coming,” I assured her, although she probably didn’t hear me over the thunder of feet down the steps.
“The back door,” Caroline said, pointing toward the right when we’d intended to go left.
We all paused at the landing and stared at the steel door. Some of the children were crying, some whimpering. The older ones were doing their best to comfort the younger. But the constant noise made it hard to concentrate. “You’re sure?”
She nodded, those blue eyes wide and sincere. “Yes.”
I took in a deep breath and pressed my hand to the keypad, hoping it would be the last time. My energy was waning fast. The heat traveled down my arm more slowly. I ignored the harsh breathing and whimper of children behind me and focused. The heat left my fingers and seeped into the keypad. The all too familiar scent of burning metal and plastic invaded my nostrils.
I coughed, stepping back. Deborah tore open the door and the children filed out into the crisp night air. Caroline had been right; we’d found the back of the building. I studied the area around us. North, we had to find north. Hopefully Maddox had done his job. Now if only I could do mine and get everyone out unharmed.
“Hurry,” I said, pushing them toward the fence line.
Deborah took up the front, while I stayed in the back with Lewis. He stumbled and my worry escalated. I knew it was taking all the energy he had left for him to stay upright. The hatred I felt for my father burned through me in a heated wave. But Lewis wasn’t the only one influenced by my father’s power. The children were stumbling over their own feet, lost and scared in the darkness. Their many emotions were racing through me, confusing my already riotous mind.
“North,” I said. “We need to find north.”
We’d all be caught if we didn’t do something fast. Shouts broke through the night, interrupting the screech of the sirens. They were coming.
“Take Lewis and go,” I said, turning to confront the guards; dark hulking beasts who were scouring the surrounding area in search of us. “I’ll catch up with you.”