I looked him in the eyes defiantly and smiled. I knew then and there that I was made of stronger stuff than I had ever imagined. He could take everyone I ever loved. Heck, he could kill me. But like Mel Gibson said in Braveheart, “He could never take my freedom." I knew that was the truth. I was my own person, and I would fight until my last breath to keep that freedom.
“What’s the matter?" I croaked running out of air. “Did somebody foil the evil villain's plan?"
He shoved my head to the side, against the window. I heard a crack before everything went dark, sinking me, once more, into oblivion.
**********
TWENTY TWO
When I awoke, we were on some sort of plane. I sat up and looked around, trying to get my bearings. This was no mere plane, it was a private jet. Just add that to the list of firsts for the day. I had never flown before this and I had quite frankly never wanted to. I sat there, trying to control my breathing. I wouldn’t let him know how this small space affected me. I couldn’t imagine what he would do with that sort of information. I looked around, trying to twist in the seat, only to find myself practically immobilized.
The pull against my wrists drew my attention to my handcuffed hands. Personally, I thought it was a bit overkill. I mean, I was on a plane, flying through the air. Just where did they think I was going? I wasn’t dumb enough to jump out of the plane. Although, I was desperate enough to just crash the whole thing and kill us all. I guessed the handcuffs made sense after all.
My throat was on fire and my head was pounding. I wondered if they kept some of those magic pills Kennan stocked. As I was pining for some sort of relief, Xavier lowered himself into the seat directly in front of me. He looked at me with an expression that I assumed he meant to be soothing. He approached me like I was some sort of wild caged animal and I reveled in it.
I raised an eyebrow at him in question.
“Izzy, it really is unseemly for you to act out in front of my associates. So I am going to ask you nicely to lower your wards. I will only ask this once more," Xavier said calmly.
“Sorry, don’t know how to help you," I said, my voice strained and sounding like someone driving over an old gravel road. Well, that was new. I wondered if the affectation would be a permanent one.
“Now, be reasonable. I can make your life very easy, or I can make it very uncomfortable. Your mother gave me too many problems and chose the latter for herself. Will you be smarter than she was? Sorry for your loss by the way," he said flippantly.
I raged against my confines. I wanted so badly to wrap my hands around his stupid throat and squeeze until his face resembled a blueberry. I had never hated anyone before, never wanted to in fact. Yet there I was. I wanted nothing more than to destroy the man. I yearned to see him burn for all he had done to my family and even his own. I pulled as far forward in my seat as I could.
“I need you to listen very closely, Xavier. You will kill me before you ever get me to submit to you. I will fight you every second I am breathing. Make no mistake, my mother may have come to you willingly, but I did not. The funny thing really is I am damn near useless with all of these wards up," I said, nodding my head back. “So, good luck with that," I snarled before he shoved me back in my seat pressing hard against my breast bone.
He towered over me. Rage burned in his eyes and I could tell that it had been a very long time since Xavier had been denied any request. It really was a pity no one ever taught him to play nicely.
“Let me help you understand your position, Izzy. You will submit to me. I am a patient man. I have no scruples about doing anything necessary to get what I want. I have no grand sense of morality. So you can push and you can taunt all you want. Your blustering won’t save you in the end," he said, releasing me.
He walked to another part of the jet, leaving me alone with my musings. I looked out of the window with my blood boiling. I was angry at him, I was angry at myself and I wanted nothing more than to be free so that I could inflict some sort of damage. I thought about every step I had taken that led me to this point. The only thing I knew for certain was that if I ever got the chance, I would kill Xavier or die trying.
We landed about an hour later, coming into a city I knew all too well. I was back in Chicago. I looked as the city I once loved passed by the windows. I glanced back toward where Xavier was sitting to find him looking directly at me. He wore a knowing smirk, as if to laugh at some joke I was not in on. I tore my eyes away from him. I refused to ask what it was about. In fact, I had decided not talking might be the best thing for me.
All I had to show for my back talk was a sore throat and lump on my head. Oh, and let’s not forget the bruise forming on my breastbone where Xavier had tried to make the seat and I one entity. Ugh, I was so over this. I just wanted to know what the evil mastermind had planned. Then I could get in touch with Kennan.
Well, if he were lurking in the dreaming at any rate. I sure hoped he was there, because this plan was total crap otherwise. Not that any of my former plans had turned out so well. But this one seemed solid. And, well, it was the only one I had.
Xavier stood and approached me. He unlocked the cuffs and I rolled my wrists trying to release some of the soreness. He looked down at me expectantly while I awaited my next command. I could play the affable captive if I needed to. Look at me, I’m a model prisoner. Hey, I wondered if there was some sort of early parole for Seers who did the bidding of the Corporation without giving a fuss. I started to ask Xavier and then thought better of it. I didn’t think my body could take any more abuse this day.
“Would you get out of your seat already?" Xavier asked, exacerbated.
I nodded and did what he asked. I had so many clever retorts, but I feared he wouldn’t appreciate them the way Kennan and Ian did. God, I really missed Kennan. I felt myself in really grave danger of caving and opening myself up to Kennan before I found out anything of use. I knew that I couldn’t, but not having him with me made me feel like I had phantom limb syndrome. I kept starting to ask him something and then I would remember I was alone.
We deplaned and headed toward yet another black limo. We took the car straight into the city. I wondered why I wasn’t being blindfolded. Just as the thought passed through my mind, a black rag was tied around my head. I tried to fight it off only to have Xavier "tsk" me again.
“Now, now Izzy. I thought we were finally getting along. If you start fighting again, we will have to put you back in shackles. You don’t want to mar that pretty skin of yours do you?" he asked, running his fingers over my wrist.
It took everything in me not to physically cringe away from his touch. Something that should have been soft and seductive was turned into something twisted and frightening. I sat as still as I could and held my breath. I knew that if he saw how bothered I was at his touch, he would just use that against me. "Show no weakness." It was the motto that Ian had drilled into me for the past four weeks. So instead I put my bravado back in place and nodded toward Xavier.
He stopped touching me immediately. So he had done it just to throw me. I supposed there would be many more tests just like this one. I hoped none of them included confined spaces. I didn’t think I could fake my way out of that.
I sat there with my blindfold on and wondered where we were heading. Each part of the city had always felt different to me. It all pulsed with a life of its own, and I wondered if I would still be able to feel it, even blindfolded.
We stopped, and I was pulled from the car by what I assumed was a Lurch. Being blindfolded, I couldn’t tell if it was one, two, or three. I just knew it wasn’t Igor. He wasn’t tall enough to fit the bill. I was dragged into a building, and I immediately knew where I was. I was in the building I had delivered a package to almost two months ago. Time flies when you’re on the run. I waited with the goon squad, hoping we weren’t about to take the elevator. Alas, my hopes were dashed when the telltale ding announced the death box’s arrival.
I took one last deep breath as discreetly as
I could, fearing my little secret would be discovered. Hell, the blindfold was about to send me into conniptions as it was. I just tried to keep it together. It couldn’t be that far up in the building. I waited as the seconds ticked by. After what seemed like an eternity later, we arrived on our floor. I was escorted off of the elevator and the blindfold was removed.
**********
TWENTY THREE
I stood in what looked like a doctor’s office, or perhaps it was more akin to a lab. Except here, where there should be doctors there were just ridiculously large men, and in the place of patients there were women of various ages. I took in my surroundings slowly. When my eyes finally came to rest on a bay of windows I was revolted. Inside, there rested five Seers hooked up to the same machines my mother had once occupied. I looked away as the tears threatened to spill over. I glanced in the opposite direction of the windows and found a corridor with a sign announcing the way to the dormitories.
I stood still, not knowing what was expected of me. I certainly didn’t want to end up hooked to a machine. If I got hooked up, I would never be able to find Kennan without being discovered. So, I decided to continue with my nice captive charade. My momma always used to say that you attract more flies with honey than you do vinegar. I never understood why anyone would want to attract flies, but now it was starting to make more sense.
Xavier motioned with his hand that we were to move forward into the doctor’s bay. He led me to a physician’s table and had me climb up and sit. I did my best to hide my nerves, wondering the whole time whether or not they would be able to lift the wards without my help. Kennan had assured me that the ones we had used hadn’t been used in over a thousand years and were far more difficult to break than the ones most Seers used today. The ones he had me use took a great deal more time and focus to put into place. So I was counting on his word, and my ward ability to keep me safe.
A woman slowly approached the table, followed closely by two more Lurches. Seriously, would it kill these people to add a little color to their wardrobes? I mean, didn’t they know that the black suits were kind of cliché. Maybe they bought them in bulk for a discounted price. I pulled my mind back into focus and drew my attention back to the approaching woman.
She was amiable looking. She had crinkles around her eyes that spoke of long ago easy smiles. Her hair was graying around the temples and was plated neatly. The thing that struck me most were her eyes. They were a brilliant blue, the kind of blue I had always wanted instead of my indecisive hazel. But these eyes told of great sadness. She carried so much history in her eyes that I wanted to weep. I couldn’t imagine what horrors she must have witnessed to end those easy smiles and replace them with the grief that now sung out of those beautiful, blue orbs.
She approached the bed slowly. I was getting tired of being treated like a caged animal. I hadn’t bit anyone. Yet. I looked at her, patiently awaiting whatever my next test might be. I tried my best to school my features into a blank, friendly expression, but from the look on her face I didn’t think I achieved it. The way she stared at me, I was wondering if I more resembled a deranged chimp. She cocked her head to the side in question.
“Are you Moira’s girl?" she asked, with a thick southern accent.
“Yes."
Short and sweet, that was me.
“You look just like her, you know? Well, close enough that anyone could tell you were kin at any rate. Well, Baby Doll, I need to check you out. Make sure nothing is broken and all that. It shouldn’t hurt." She said the last with a sigh, like she wanted to be doing anything but this.
“What are you going to do?" I asked, knowing that this was no ordinary physical.
“Well, I need to check your brain out and see if those wards you put up can be taken down. I also need to check and see if you are getting any information from the outside." She looked down at the chart in her hands and nodded. “Ready?" she asked before putting her hands on either side of my head.
I could feel a pressure building in my head. I knew that she was unable to penetrate whatever wall she was trying to push down. Suddenly, I heard her voice in my head. I had to school my features so as not to show my surprise.
“I’m so sorry about your momma. I wish that I could have done more to help her. I wish I was strong enough to help you. But they have my Molly. I can’t let any harm come to her. I’m sorry." She breathed out heavily, as if she was taxed by what she was doing.
“How can I hear you, are my wards broken? Can all of the Seers jack into my head like this?" I asked, terrified. I didn’t know any other Seers, for all I knew we were all hooked up to the same wavelength.
“Your wards are safe sweetheart. Good strong strapping ones at that. And no, not all Seers can jack into your head. That is just something my Molly and I can do. We all have our own talents you know." She finished and dropped her hands.
“These wards are unlike anything I have ever seen. They were done with very old magic. Stuff that hasn’t been used in at least a thousand years. If you want a crack at what is in this girl’s head, you better get your scholars working," she said to Xavier, before sending an apologetic look my way. I knew she had her daughter to protect, but dang it, I wanted someone in my corner.
Molly, where had I heard that name before? I knew her. She was the one that had lied to cover my tracks. She had known exactly where I was and she’d saved my skin. Well, at least until I had served myself up on a platter. I should’ve shoved an apple in my mouth while I was at it.
“So, what now chief?" I asked Xavier. For once, I didn’t add any heat to the question.
“Now we get you situated in a room. If you behave, you will be allowed to socialize with the other Seers. If you act out, we will hook you to a machine and see if it can’t sort out those pesky wards of yours," Xavier said with a nod toward some of his men.
They moved toward me, each grabbing an elbow. I wondered if I was to be dragged to my room or carried. The way they lifted me from the table looked like some sort of Broadway parody. I was bone tired, if they wanted to carry me the whole way, I wouldn’t have objected. I looked back to where Xavier stood, a questioning look in his eyes.
“I’ll be keeping an eye on you, so don’t start any more trouble. Am I understood?" his voice the same cold I had come to hate.
Where Kennan was all warmth and comfort, like a warm fire and good book, Xavier was like the frozen tundra. I was glad to be rid of him, but wondered at his warning. How would he be watching me? Would I get a Lurch of my very own? Oh happy, happy, joy, joy. It was just what I’d always wanted. I looked skeptically at the men on each of my elbows.
Both men were gorgeous. I wasn't sure they came any other way around these parts. Well, if they were of the Guardian variety at any rate. I let them walk/drag me down the hall where the dormitories were. I kept a close eye on all of my surroundings. I knew that if I ever wanted to escape this place, or be busted out, I would have to be able to relate as much information as I could.
We made a turn down another hall and I was greeted by at least twenty doors on either side of me. It looked a whole lot like that hallway in the movie The Shining. All that was missing were the twin girls at the other end. I breathed a sigh of relief when I was unceremoniously dumped into the equivalent of a cheap motel room.
I looked around my new digs trying to find anything that might be used as a weapon. Sadly, there was nothing available. I gave up on my snooping and threw myself onto the bed to bounce for a minute. Well, at least the bed seemed a little comfortable. I took in my meager surroundings and wondered if all of the other Seers were given rooms like this. If so, it was a wonder they hadn’t unionized and gone on strike for better working conditions.
Perhaps I could form a Seers union. Nah. That would probably constitute as misbehaving. I threw myself back on the bed and was surprised at how tired I suddenly felt. I allowed my eyes to close and I drifted off to sleep.
I didn’t know how long I slept before a knock at my door bro
ught my attention back to my surroundings. I went to it and was surprised to find I could open it. Why had I not tried to do that sooner? Standing on the other side of the door was Molly.
“So you went and got yourself caught anyway?" she said with a look of disapproval.
“Well how was I supposed to know my surrogate father was a giant backstabbing liar face?" I said defensively. I didn’t even know this girl and she was berating me for being stupid. She might’ve been right but that was entirely beside the point.
“I know, I tried to warn you, but I didn’t have enough time. Plus Keith would have known I was up to something more than he already suspected," she said with a roll of her eyes.
“Well, um, okay then. Would you like to come in?" I asked, unsure of what the etiquette for this situation was.
“Sure, but I was actually coming by to grab you on my way to dinner," Molly said before entering my room.
She was a little sprite of a thing. She was only around five foot four and tiny as could be. Her blonde hair was in loose waves that hung to about her shoulders. She had elfish features that conjured images of the fairytales my mother used to read me. I guessed I was staring at her because she awkwardly cleared her throat.
“You are awfully feisty for someone so small," I said, hoping I didn’t offend the only person that might be my friend here.
“Like TNT. I’m small but highly explosive," she said matter of factly.
“So, how long have you been with the king of the asshats?" I asked, hoping she would know I was talking about Xavier.
“Since I was about three. They came and took my mother and me. At least that’s what my mom told me. I have been here ever since, waiting for your slow ass to show up," she said, like I had purposefully inconvenienced her.
“Sorry about the wait?" I more asked than stated.
“Well, when I was four my mom had a vision about you and she told me. I’ve been waiting around ever since. She said you would save me. No pressure or anything," Molly said before landing on my bed.
“Yeah, no pressure. Jesus, you would think I would’ve gotten a welcome packet. If I survive this, I am totally designing one. It was a lot to take on when I had no idea what I was until right before my birthday. I mean, you would think someone would have at least given me a heads up about being the whole Seer messiah thing," I said, blowing out a breath.