Created (Talented Saga) (28 page)

When she finished speaking, I was at a loss for words.
Janelle’s story was no more tragic than many I’d heard. But it was heartbreaking all the same. How awful to be imprisoned as a child. And then to come here, to a place she knew nothing about, on the hope that life would be better. Obviously, her gamble paid off. Janelle seemed to genuinely enjoy working for Crane.

“Have you seen your parents since you left?” I asked finally.

Janelle shook her head. “Too risky. The people born on this side of the border have an easier time moving around in TOXIC territory. Faked identification and stuff like that helps them get in and out of anywhere without too much security. People like me, refugees from TOXIC, have a much harder time. Our stuff is on file. It’s one thing for a fingerprint or retinal scan to show no match. It’s another for it to come back belonging to an escapee. That’s why Frederick has been so valuable to the movement. He can go just about anywhere in TOXIC territory. He’s one of the few of us who can even get into the capital at all.”

I thought about that.
Frederick really had risked a lot for Crane’s cause. That made me feel a little bit better about him keeping me in the dark about his connection to the Coalition. Telling me the truth, and me not believing him, had huge consequences. Not only for Frederick, but for the entire Underground movement and the Coalition. Had he chanced it and I ran to Mac, all of his hard work would have been for nothing.

After that, Janelle gave me a more detailed explanation of how the mental blocks worked.
The one Harris had been given served two purposes. The first was that it kept me and others like me out of his head, which I thought was a pretty big risk, since it meant people like me couldn’t manipulate his thoughts and feelings to their own advantage. And when you’re trying to control someone, not being able manipulate them makes that task pretty hard. But, as Janelle pointed out, a person given the mental block is a blank slate. They become easily suggestible to normal types of brainwashing, like mantras about TOXIC equaling good and Coalition equaling bad. Once their heads were filled with that sort of nonsense, and they made those ideas their own, a Manipulator like me was unable to break through and change their minds.

The second purpose of the block was to prevent the recipient from accessing all or part of his own mind.
They didn’t remember how they used to think or feel. Again, making them easily suggestible to brainwashing.

Taking all of this in made my brain hurt.
It also made me wonder to what extent Mac was using the technology. Was he not only creating his army of super-Talents, but also brainwashing them, too? UNITED had to be briefed on the possibly. This new development was a whole other layer of horrifying.

I left Janelle and Harris a little while later.
I debated going to Crane with the information directly, but was worried that would lead to a long night in Victoria’s company. No, telling them tonight wouldn’t change anything, I decided. Tomorrow was soon enough.

The lights in Erik’s room were out when I returned.
He appeared to be sleeping in the sofa bed, but I felt his brain activity, so I knew he was awake. A quick read of his emotions told me his mood was darker than the deepest depths of the ocean. I wasn’t entirely sure it was my fault, but felt I was the root cause. A fight was the last item on my agenda, and if it escalated and Victoria found out, I wasn’t sure Erik’s ability to expertly navigate the tunnels would save him. I let him continue feigning sleep.

I changed into pajamas, brushed my teeth and washed my face, and then climbed into the bed with Erik.
I stayed on the opposite side of the mattress so I wouldn’t accidentally kick him or roll over onto him in my sleep. Soon, I realized that wasn’t going to happen because I wasn’t going to fall asleep. Questions thundered through my head, demanding my attention. It wasn’t long before I became so distracted with my own problems that I forgot Erik was pretending to be asleep beside me.

His touch was light on my back, his fingers cold as they brushed my curls aside.
Gently, he began massaging the back of my neck with his thumb, making small circles that went a long way towards releasing the tension in my muscles.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”
he sent after a couple of minutes.

I tensed.
There were so many things I hadn’t told him yet, and I had no idea what he was referring to. He had his mental walls up – not good.

“About what?”
I asked.

Erik tugged on my shoulder, urging me to roll over and face him.
Another bad sign. He wanted to read my face. I refused to budge. This conversation, whatever it was about, was better had with my back to him.

“Donavon,”
he sent.

Oh no, I thought.

“You should have told me.”

“I didn’t want to bother you with it,”
I sent stiffly.

Erik groaned as he scooted closer to my side of the bed.
Snaking his arm around my waist, he pulled me flush against his chest. Erik wrapped his body around mine, and I began to shake with silent sobs.

“
Shhh,”
he soothed.
“I’m so sorry, Tals.”

I cried harder.

“He’s free, Tals. Donavon’s prison didn’t have walls, but that didn’t make it any easier for him to escape. The guy was a mess. Don’t get me wrong, I am sorry about his death. But however this war ends, Donavon’s fate had already been decided.”

Erik was right; Donavon was finally free.
Free from his father, free from TOXIC, and free from the uncertain future his father had sentenced him to. That gave me some comfort.

“Don’t hold things back from me.
I’m not sick, Tals. Don’t treat me like I am. Nothing has changed between us. I want to be here for you right now. But I can’t if you don’t let me.”

“I’m sorry,”
I told him.

In Erik’s warm embrace, I cried myself to sleep.

Chapter Sixteen

Over an early breakfast of pink tomatoes and orangey-colored eggs, Erik and his father met with Crane in our bedroom. I’d prepared Erik for the meeting by filling him in on all I knew about UNITED’s attack strategy. I’d told him about the evaluations, and how Crane and I were both concerned about his chances of avoiding containment. Erik agreed that his chances of passing were slim. He was naturally hotheaded, which didn’t help matters. He also agreed that hurrying along his recovery so he could lead a team through the tunnels was a good solution.

Victoria and the rest of the UNITED council members still in residence hadn’t been invited to our breakfast, since Crane was trying to keep Erik out of their sight until absolutely necessary.
The three men talked over all of the different ways into and out of the tunnels beneath D.C. I listened, adding in an occasional comment, but not knowing enough to contribute any worthwhile information. Crane had gotten ahold of old blueprints for the ancient metro system and had them spread out across the sofa bed. Mr. Kelley’s leg wasn’t going to heal in time to go. Crane didn’t offer him the choice of receiving any fast-acting drug. Edmond, however, was in prime condition and nearly as well-acquainted with the tunnels as his brother and father. Mr. Kelley reluctantly agreed to allow him to take part. Edmond still being a minor – he had a couple of months before his eighteenth birthday – Crane felt Mr. Kelley’s acquiescence necessary.

Dr. Patel made his morning visit, and gave Erik a dose of the miracle cure that would further speed his unnaturally-fast healing.

“Councilwoman Walburton is very eager to meet with the young Mr. Kelley,” Dr. Patel told us nervously. “I have impressed upon her how important his rest is at this crucial time. She is persistent, though. I am unsure I can hold her off much longer.”

I was about to tell him that he'd better find a way to do just that, when Erik said, “It’s cool, I’m ready.”

“Erik,” Crane began.

“No, seriously.
I want to get this over with. Besides, I’m going to see her later today when we start talking strategy with the rest of the team, right? All the council members will be there, won’t they?”

“Sort of,” Crane said.
“Victoria will be here with us, as well as the other members on site. The rest of the Council will be on teleconference from Bern. The council guard who have already landed in the U.S. will also be taking part in the planning sessions via teleconference. They’re occupying many of the military bases on this side of the border.”

“Has Mac even responded to the order for surrender?” I asked.

“Not so much as a peep from TOXIC or the government as a whole. Communications into and out of the capital have gone dark. We’re having a hell of time trying to reach the Underground station there. Brand is still working on it, but I’m afraid we might need to send scouts ahead to alert them to the current situation.”

“I can do that,” Mr. Kelley piped up.

“Dad, no, your leg,” Erik protested, gesturing to his father’s bandaged limb.

“I can’t fight.
I can walk. I’ll be able to get word to Adam so he won’t be surprised. That will give him time to evacuate his people, at least the ones who don’t want to fight.”

“It’s a good plan,” Crane said reluctantly.
I could tell he had reservations. “It would save us sending one of the few guides we have for the mission. Earon, if I sent two or three soldiers with you, would that do? Would you feel safe?”

“No more than that,” Mr. Kelley said.
“We’ll attract too much attention.”

“With TOXIC jamming the signals in and around the city, how will we know whether Mr. Kelley has made contact?” I pointed out.

“Faith, Talia,” Earon Kelley told me. “Trust me to get the job done.”

There was that word again:
faith. Everyone wanted me to have faith. Trouble was, I was fresh out. I’d had faith in Mac, and look where that had gotten me. I’d had faith in Donavon, and that hadn’t turned out so well either.

“If you’re sure, Earon, I’ll assemble a small team to accompany you,” Crane said.

“Positive.”

After Crane, his father, and Dr. Patel left, Erik was in a foul mood.
He didn’t want his father taking chances. I understood how he felt. I wasn’t keen on Mr. Kelley risking infection or worse just to get word to Adam. There also didn’t seem to be a plausible alternative.

The first of what promised to be many strategy meetings wasn’t scheduled until the late afternoon.
My sole objective between now and then was keeping Erik away from Victoria and her cronies. He might be ready to face them, but I wasn’t convinced that it was a good idea. However, Erik was going stir-crazy being cooped up in the bedroom. A short stroll of the medical sublevel did little to mollify him.

“Let’s visit with Henri,” I suggested.
“I think Frederick is back from Kentucky, so he’ll probably be there, too.”

“Whatever,” Erik replied, limping along the stone corridor beside me.

Frederick had returned, we learned from Henri, but was busy doing chores for Victoria. She was using him to keep tabs on Mac. The Director of TOXIC was living like a king in the penthouse of The Hamilton, a posh D.C. hotel.

“City is on lockdown,” Henri confided.
“Frederick says only those affiliated with TOXIC are allowed into or out of the city. All civilians were evacuated as soon as the surrender order was issued. Even the senators who aren’t in the Director’s pocket have been banished. TOXIC’s military personnel have taken over. They’re patrolling the streets and skies around the clock.”

“If we know Mac isn’t going to surrender, why are we waiting?” I asked, exasperated.

I was sitting in an uncomfortable plastic chair with my legs flung over the arm. One of my feet started tapping against the metal leg impatiently. The noise was grating, but I found it impossible to stop the twitch.

“Diplomacy,” Henri said.
“UNITED gave him a deadline. They have to wait it out.”

“Screw diplomacy,” Erik said angrily and kicked the wall with the foot of his good leg.
He’d been pacing back and forth since we’d arrived. “The longer the Director has to prepare, the worse off we are. He’ll be ready for us.”

“They’re already ready for us,” Henri said quietly.
“Frederick’s seen some conversations. The Director’s injected all of the operatives with the drug. Shit’s out of control.”

I’d never heard Henri cuss.
The swear word was odd coming from him. I’d have smiled had the situation not been so grim.

Sitting with the two guys felt like old times; the three of us against the world.
Except it wasn’t like old times. Too much had happened for us to pretend like we were talking strategy for any old mission.

A knock on the bedroom door pulled all of us from our thoughts.
Erik stopped pacing and glanced at me, alarm radiating off of him. Even Henri seemed tense. Our visitor didn’t wait for an invitation.

“Erik, I’m sorry. The time has come.
Councilwoman Walburton wants to see you immediately.” Crane stood in the doorframe, tall and imposing and extremely grim as he delivered the news.

“Ian, there has to be something you can do,” I protested.

“I’m sorry, Talia. She is insisting that she meet with him before the session tonight. She’s worried about him being in close contact with so many people.”

Erik snorted.
“What does she think I’ll do? Go on a killing spree?”

Crane sighed and rolled his dark eyes.
“She’s just using that as an excuse to see you. Honestly, she’s curious. She wants to see what you’re capable of. Penelope doesn’t embrace being talented the way most of us do. She’s reluctant to use her gifts on a daily basis, so she isn’t actively using her new ones. You were taught differently. Your time with the Hunters is well documented. You’d already mastered so many other talents as a Mimic, now that they’re your own, she wants to see how good you are. That doesn’t mean she’ll hesitate to contain you if she perceives you a liability. Just answer her questions and try to remain calm.”

That was the same advice Crane had given me before my evaluation.

“This isn’t a full evaluation. It will be just the two of you talking. She’s even agreed to meet with you in my study, alone. That shows how very interested she is. The session won’t be recorded, so anything you say or do will be your word against hers. In case you’re wondering, though, her word carries more weight.”

“Let’s just get this done,” Erik said, his limp more pronounced as he headed for the door.

“I’ll come, too,” I volunteered quickly. “If this is informal, that shouldn’t be a problem.”

Erik paused halfway across the room.
His shoulders sagged, and he let his head fall forward until his chin was almost touching his chest.
“No, Tals. You stay here. I can keep my head if I’m alone. If she tries to rattle me by using you, well, that’s a different story. I’ll be okay. Promise.”

I swallowed.
“I’ll be waiting,”
I sent.

“Wait naked and I’ll be back even sooner,”
he teased.

Crane cleared his throat, and I flushed crimson.
Had he been listening in on our mental exchange?

“Come on, son.
She’ll be irritated if we keep her waiting.”

I watched Erik and Crane leave, dread weighing me down.
Crane better be right, I thought, Victoria better be trying to satiate her inane curiosity. Otherwise, she’d have me to deal with, and like she said, my threat level was off the charts.

Henri and I passed the time by going upstairs to visit Alex and Penny.
Marin had put the child in the room I’d occupied until I’d moved below ground to be with Erik. It had been agreed that was the safest, most nurturing place for him. I was slightly miffed that I hadn’t been consulted, but he appeared happy in the small, rustic bedroom that was next door to Penny’s.

Marin had taken responsibility for Alex, and he’d grown attached to her in the short time he’d been at the cottage.
He excitedly told me, in detail, how Marin let him help make cookies.

“He just stirred the batter,” Marin assured me quickly when I stared at her in horror, assuming that she’d let the small, blind child near an oven.
I couldn’t be trusted near an oven and I had superior eyesight.

Every other minute, I glanced at an old-fashioned clock hanging on the wall over Alex’s bed and willed the hands to move faster.
What was taking so long? Seriously, how many questions did Victoria need to ask to know Erik was now one of the most powerful Talents alive? She’d have felt his power the instant he entered Crane’s study. Had I let myself, I’d spend all day basking in the energy he emitted. I’d purposely been blocking the part of me that craved his power. The attraction was unhealthy, and my hormones were already on a constant upswing where Erik was concerned. There was no telling how I’d react if I opened myself up to him.

Fingers snapped in front of my eyes.

“What was that for?” I asked, staring at Penny, who was sitting cross-legged opposite me on the bedroom floor.

“You spaced out.”
She gave me an odd look. “You feel okay?”

“Fine,” I said, the single word sounding harsher than I’d meant it to.
“Just worried about Erik, is all,” I added sheepishly.

“Well, Alex said he was hungry.
And I asked if you wanted to go to the kitchen and fix a snack with us.”

“Right, um, sure, let’s go.”

I got to my feet, feeling stupid. Alex held his pale arms up to me, and I hoisted him onto my hip. He buried his face in my neck like a puppy burrowing close for warmth. I hugged him tightly to me and breathed in the scent of fresh soap in his hair. Following my friends and Marin, I carried Alex to the kitchen.

That was where Crane found us two hours later.
He had a pale and exhausted Erik trailing a step behind. Erik was too proud to lean on Crane for support, even though he was swaying on his feet. I jumped off the bar stool I was sitting on and hurried to catch him before he fell. Under the pretense of hugging me, Erik wrapped his arms around my waist and practically collapsed. It took both Crane and Henri to get him through the trapdoor and down the metal stairs. Erik had all but passed out before we reached the elevator.

“What did she do to him?” I hissed at Crane.

“Not sure. Probably had him demonstrate some of his new abilities. It must’ve drained him. I’ll send Dr. Patel by, but rest is likely what he needs.”

“She better hope so,” I snapped.

“Careful, Talia. I know you’re angry. Making empty threats won’t help the situation.”

“My threats aren’t empty.”

Crane groaned but gave up his side of the argument.

Dr. Patel agreed that Erik just needed to sleep it off.
Expending energy he hadn’t had to begin with had drained him. The doctor also suggested he eat a high-protein dinner.

“I’ll let Marin know,” I said dryly.

Victoria excused us from the evening meeting since it was more of a state-of-the-world address than a strategy session. Via Crane, she’d sent word that Erik and I were to report to her the following morning.