A Hidden Element (23 page)

He shoved hard. The door lifted up. He collapsed on the floor of the shack. Dizziness engulfed him and icy wind cut into him. It raged around the poorly insulated building. White blew across the one window. Whips hung on the wall and hooks dangled from the ceiling. Ben's stomach turned, visualizing the torment doled out in this shack.

He stood. His legs stayed, but his chest threatened to crack open with each breath from where he had been stabbed. Death hadn't taken away his pain. It now exploded inside him. He opened the door. Steel knives of frigid air sliced into him. He staggered back and gripped the door's edge. Snow swirled, beating at him.

A face appeared through the snow. A gray robed man lunged at him. "What are you doing here?"

Ben lurched as the man shoved him back into the shack, and alongside his weakness, fury blasted through him. He punched the man in the face. In the seconds the man staggered back, Ben grabbed a hook off a ceiling chain. They circled the shack, eyeing one another.

"Human, you can't take me down." The man lumbered around him, a hulking figure.

A piercing pain lit across Ben's head as the man probed his brain. The pain intensified. The man came at him. Ben dodged right like a drunkard and swung hard. The hook sunk into the man's back. He screamed and fell to the floor. Ben stumbled back and fell to his knees. The room spun. The pain dissipated. The man flopped down and was still. Blood spread in an incriminating stain across the light gray wool of his robe.

Ben crawled to him, shaking from adrenalin and the cold. He searched for the hidden door. Finally, his fingers felt a notch in the wood. He lifted the latch to the cellar and with all his remaining strength, rolled the massive man into it. He crashed with a thud. Ben stared down at his victim, the man's hands crossed his chest as if posed in death.
God, forgive me.
Then he slammed the door down to hide his crime and stood up.

Laura, help me now.

But she remained lost to him. Thinking more clearly, he took another hook and pulled down a whip from the wall. They may come in handy.

Then he stepped out into the gale.

Dizziness grabbed him again. He staggered out into the winter abyss. Step by step he headed away from the Elyon world and toward his own. The trees held him up when his legs could not. The cold snarled inside him, claiming him, but he would not give into it.

It could not have him. Not yet.

Caleb waited in his cell for the elders to make a decision on his punishment.

He was exhausted and powerless. They had drugged him to dull his powers. He didn't care. He could think of just one thing over and over.

My father murdered my mother
.

The deep loss he'd felt hit him afresh after all these years. His beautiful, loving mother. She had been the softness that protected him from his father's hardness. Tears welled in his eyes. It had been so long since he cried. He cried now and wiped the tears away angrily. His loss as a young boy drained away, replaced by anger.

What would happen now? The elders had questioned him for what seemed hours. He had detailed every step he had taken in the last day. They had prodded deep into his strained relationship with Adrian, thinking he had partnered with his father to torture, rape, and kill females.

"Our people may be assigned partners to breed with, but you know rape and murder is a line not to be crossed," Tollen had said, frowning down at him. "We do not take matters into our own hands. We do not become like the human beasts that perform such atrocities. Ours is a shared community. And those who violate our rules are punished by law, not by vigilantes."

"You mean murdered by law," Caleb had said, staring at the blood stains on his robe.

"Punished for justice. And you shall await yours."

They had left him them. He heard the bell toll one a.m. now. He had to get out of here and help Laura. Ben counted on him, too. He smashed his fists on his thighs. His plans were unraveling.

His door opened. The elders filed in.

Tollen threw a robe at him. "Change out of those bloody clothes. We have decided you are innocent of this crime. We believe you came across your father's act by chance. You are exonerated. As you know, your powers will return in time."

Caleb changed his robe and stood. "Thank you. What of my father?"

"Tomorrow he will be punished in the courtyard."

"Stoned," Caleb said. A numb feeling mixed with a deep seated relief washed over him. His father had murdered his mother and built the well here to do the same to him.

"To death."

"Will Charlie still be leader?"

Tollen smiled at him. "No. I am."

The elder had wanted his father out for a long while. "My father had promised me I could spend time with my two sons."

"It's not allowed at their age."

"I prepared the female, Laura, for him. My sons were to be my reward."

"Your time on her won't be wasted. She will be mine now. And if she doesn't comply she will be eliminated."

"Let me be with my sons."

"We'll see."

Caleb looked at the grim faces of the elders. He had no choice but to wait. For now he had to help Laura and her family. It's what he did. Set the oppressed free. Except himself. He was imprisoned in a world of hope to be with his sons. He had planned many times to escape with them but the logistics had too much risk. His sons didn't even know he was their father, and if they were caught escaping they could all die.

"Let me go back to my room and rest."

"Not yet. You will come with us. I have ordered Charlie to the sanctuary. He will be informed of his place here now. And since you have worked with him, he will be your responsibility now."

Caleb nodded and followed the elders out of the room. Laura would have to wait.

Charlie stood at the altar in the sanctuary. The brawny Elyon who woke him up to bring him here stood silent, flexing his giant muscles.

Candles burned low on the walls. Black smoke drifted from them in a murky haze. Stars flickered above in the glass dome skylight. A dead Elyon world hung in the universe up there watching over this new one being created. The courtyard bell rang slow and steady.

Clang. Clang
.

Two a.m.

Footsteps echoed in the corridor outside. The giant door swung open. Caleb entered. Behind him stood the community elders.

"Charlie-boy." The tall elder smiled at him. The way he used Adrian's nickname for him sent a shiver across his stomach. "Remember me? I'm the head elder, Brother Tollen."

He nodded. "Why am I here?"

"I have an announcement. Adrian has committed a heinous, unsanctioned crime. And with the preparation of his disposal—"

"What does that mean?

"—you are no longer in charge of our Elyon community."

Charlie stepped away from the altar. "Where's Adrian?"

Caleb shook his head slightly at him as if to silence him. Suddenly, everything felt so wrong.

"And your place is one of a menial worker now." The elder continued on, ignoring him. "You will be assigned to Caleb and do whatever he assigns you. You will no longer have your own room but sleep in the quarters with the other males. All who second this say, 'Make it so'."

The elders responded in unison, nodding. "Make it so."

"But Adrian—"

"Adrian is not here to protect you anymore." Tollen paused. "He will be stoned to death at sunrise."

Charlie shook his head and stepped back. His new father was to die? Caleb's father. Why did Caleb just stand there?

"No. No."

"Yes. And you will help us do it."

"I can't," he whispered.

"You will. Or you mother will suffer. Your baby brother will suffer."

Charlie took another step back and stumbled as he hit the altar steps. "Where's my mom? Is she okay?" The words
baby brother
hung in his head.

"She's fine. For now. And so is her new son. Elyon's new son. Soon she will produce more new sons. With me."

Charlie's world tilted. He strode to Tollen, fists ready to smash the man's face in.

"You can't do this. My father won't let you. You're not in charge. You're nothing!"

The elders took a step back, but Caleb stepped forward and grabbed Charlie's arm.

Tollen smiled at him. "And which father is that, Charlie-boy? Your pretend father, Adrian? Or your dead human father, Ben?"

Charlie pushed against Caleb, but he held him tight. His eyes burned into his begging him to stop.
Charlie, calm down. Trust in me. I will help you
. But his rage burned too bright. He struggled against Caleb. The Elyon guard held his other arm.

"My dad isn't dead. I didn't kill him in the sanctuary."

Tollen twitched his lips. "He's dead now. Adrian ordered it."

"Liar!"

"And Caleb killed and buried him."

Caleb's hold loosened on him. Charlie turned to face him. Hate filled him as never before. Caleb's face revealed the truth. Nothing was as he thought. And everything was his fault.

"Charlie?" Leah's soft voice broke through Charlie's despair.

She stood like a golden dream in the doorway. Light radiated around her. She walked into the sanctuary and her light faded.

"Ahh, Leah," Tollen said. "Thank you for coming. Charlie and you are no longer bonded. You see, Adrian has committed a terrible crime and must pay for his sins. I am now leader. Charlie will be assigned elsewhere. Your services with him are over."

Charlie swallowed hard. Leah couldn't be lost to him, too. "Tell them, Leah. We're supposed to be…shooting stars, right?"

She shook her head at him and moved closer to Tollen. "Poor Charlie. Sorry." Tollen stroked her hand. She smiled up at the old man. A smile she had given Charlie many times. She gave it away now. "I go where the power is. You no longer matter."

"Caleb, take Charlie to his new quarters," Tollen said. "The bell will ring in a few hours for Adrian's stoning." Caleb nodded and tightened his grip on Charlie's arm. "Leah, I'll expect you in my room within the hour."

She nodded and Tollen and his group left.

But Leah lagged behind. "Too bad about you and me, Charlie. You're adorable. We'd make handsome sons, to add to the ones I've had already."

Charlie looked at her, hating her and loving her. She had babies? She was a mother? How could he have ever thought she was an angel? She had used him. She wasn't any different than the girls back home. He never had a girlfriend before. He had never been used before. But now he felt that pain. He bit his lip. It stung like the thought of her kisses now did. He shoved his hands in his robe pockets and forced them down, stretching the material tight. It didn't matter that he looked like the Elyons here. He would trade all of it to be home in his house with his Mom and Dad. Right now even the bullies seemed more appealing.

"I hate you," he mumbled.

"Good. Hate is stronger than love. Hate will serve you well here."

"Forget her, Charlie." Caleb pulled on his sleeve. "We have to go."

Charlie yanked away. "And
you
. Killer! You killed my dad."

"No, I didn't," Caleb said and let him go. "I buried him after. And then…"

"And then, what?"

"I didn't kill him."

"I don't believe you."

Leah flounced her robe and twirled to leave. "You and Caleb can fight out your own battles. I'm done here."

"Why are you so mean? I thought you liked me?"

She turned back. "I did, Charlie. But now you're useless to me. Like Adrian." She shot a smile to Caleb. "And Caleb. All you Madrocs loved me but now you're not worthy of me."

"Don't listen to her, Charlie." Caleb pulled at him again. "She can't love anyone. She's a Destroyer to the core. She has no emotion except to care for herself. She only wants power."

"Caleb's right. I follow the leader. And neither of you are it anymore. Goodbye Charlie." She laughed then moved toward him and pressed her warm lips to him. He hated himself for letting her kiss him but he did.

He stood frozen but Caleb didn't. He shoved her away from Charlie. "Wench. Leave us alone. Go be a whore somewhere else."

She stepped back, her eyebrows in a line of lightning. "At least I'll be at the top. I won't be trash at the bottom like you two freaks."

That last word slapped Charlie like a whip. Her hair spun in the candlelight like a golden web as she turned toward the door. Her slender figure moved away with grace. But his hate grabbed her back. He sunk his mind into hers. She grabbed her head and cried out.

"Don't ever call me a freak. You
bitch
."

She let go of her head and turned to face him. "I am stronger than you, Human."

Pain splintered through Charlie's brain. His neck snapped back like a baseball bat had hit him. He grabbed his head and sank to his knees, pleading with her in his mind to stop.

"No." Caleb ran to her.

Candle sticks flew from the walls and bludgeoned Charlie, adding to his pain.

Leah smiled at him as she killed him. "You can't hurt me, Charlie."

"But I can," Caleb grabbed her arms.

The bell tolled the half hour. Two thirty. Where was Caleb? Something had gone wrong.

Laura sat down, frustrated and out of breath. She had been moving objects in her room but couldn't get the door lock to budge. It had a long, heavy handle on the outside that slid into place. She wiped the sweat from her neck and brow.

She stood again and pulled her robe tighter around her thin waist. It felt strange to not have Benny inside her. Soon she would have him in her arms. Her breasts ached thinking about his needs. She squeezed them to shut out her sorrow then flung her arms in the air. She strained her muscles as energy flowed through them.
Let my powers return!

The bell tolled three a.m.
Where was he?

She reached for the lock in her mind. She envisioned it easing across, slow and steady. Inch by inch. Smooth steel sliding against wood.

Move, damn it.

Minutes passed. Sweat trickled down her spine.

Click.

She rushed to the door and placed her ear to it. Silence. She turned the handle. The door popped open. She grabbed it so it didn't creak and let out a huge breath. She peered through the widening crack. Shadows filled the corridor from dim lights that lined the ceiling.

She unfolded Caleb's map. She traced the way to the nursery. Left, left, and a right. Three halls away. Fortitude filled her—and fear. She pushed it deep down inside her. She would hide it until she needed it to fuel her ability to face whatever she might be tested with.

She stepped out into the corridor feeling more naked and vulnerable than she had with Caleb. She tiptoed along the wall, praying she didn't encounter any Elyons. The dark stretched forever. She passed door after door. She slunk on, feeling braver. The community was tucked away for the night.

After another minute she faced the nursery. The lights glowed softly. It looked like any nursery in a hospital ward. Like the one Charlie had been in. Peaceful and full of new life. One woman nursed a baby in a rocking chair in the corner.

Laura took a deep breath and strode through the door toward Benny. Her heart raced. She almost had him. She reached in the crib and pulled him to her chest. She peeled back his bunting and checked. His heart birthmark branded him with her love. He was
her
Benny,
not
Adrian's. She smelled his sweet hair. He opened his sleepy yellow eyes and gazed into hers. She lost herself in her son.

"What are you doing?" The nursing woman stopped rocking and stood up, the baby latched to her breast.

Laura held Benny tight. "My breasts are full. I need to release my milk."

The woman moved closer. "You're that human, aren't you?" She put her baby in its crib.

Laura shook her head. "Of course not. I'm nursing this one in my room. Goodnight." She turned away, but the woman ran up behind her and grabbed her arm.

"Stop! You are that human." She touched Benny's head. "And this is your baby."

Laura pulled away. Her heart wouldn't stop pounding in her chest. Benny began to cry.

The woman glowered at her, tightening her hold on her arm. "You can't take him. He belongs to the community. I'm calling the head nurse."

Laura smiled at her. "All right." The woman looked surprised and her grip eased.

"Come with me." The woman turned away, heading toward the door.

Laura followed. She held Benny with one arm and swiped a glass bottle from under an empty crib. The woman saw her movement and jerked around. Laura smashed the bottle on the edge of the crib, shattering it. Benny cried from the noise.

"What are you—"

Laura shoved the jagged glass into the woman's neck.

She pushed it in deep. Anger fueled her force. Exultant fury exploded in her and her heart raced, not from horror at what she did—but triumph.

The woman staggered back, tried to scream, but blood spurted from her sliced artery instead of a sound. It splattered across Laura.

Benny's cries grew louder. Another baby cried out.

The woman fell to the floor, twitched, and was still.

Laura struggled to drag her off to the corner with one arm and dropped her next to the fridge. Heaving for breath, she wrenched it open and grabbed four bottles of breast milk from the shelves. All she could fit in her pockets. She hoped it was enough.

Benny's cries softened. "Shh, my sweet boy." She buried her face in his neck. Her pulse slowed. She had never thought herself capable of hurting someone. She had never murdered someone before. But her child's life depended on it.

She turned away from the bloody woman and pulled out the map with one hand. It was damp from the cold bottle and ripped as she shook it open. She quickly assessed where Charlie's room was and fled from the slaughter with her son.

One more son to rescue.

She was running out of time.

Pain stabbed Charlie's head.

Leah's figure struggled with Caleb's. They hovered over him in a blur.

He hugged his knees to his chest, wanting to die. The world became black. He drifted away. Through the darkness a high-pitched scream cut through his brain. Leah's. And then silence. Was he dead? Smoke drifted across him. Did they have candles in heaven? Was his real dad there, too? His eyelids felt so heavy, like blankets protecting him.

He slowly opened his eyes. The pain receded. White swirled in the sky light above. He struggled to get up.