Chp. 28 “New Ability”

Avery and I were on our way to pick up Max at his house and I was still thinking about what she had done to me just thirty minutes before. I was holding her hand but right now I wanted to be doing so much more than that. I was still furious at Max because he had literally ruined such a perfect moment between her and I, and I couldn’t stop thinking about it.

Avery spoke, “You know, you were getting pretty hot back at your house…”

I looked at her, smirking in the process, “Well I mean, how could I not? Look at you.”

This time she blushed and I smiled from under my hair. I knew she was going to continue reminding me about it because we both obviously wanted it to happen again. I just knew right now wasn’t the right time to be doing this.

But I couldn’t resist her even if I tried.

We pulled up into Max’s driveway and horned, knowing we weren’t going to be making the call here. I was nervous of course, but I knew we had to do it. We had absolutely no time to waste, people were dying every day because of this disease.

And it was up to me to save them, I guess.

He appeared at his door, dressed in a striped muscle-T and a pair of cargo shorts. Even though he was oblivious to my glare I knew he was aware he had interrupted something important when he called. I couldn’t be mad at him forever because it wasn’t really his fault, but I was still desperate for Avery and he ruined the moment.

He joined us in the car, sliding into the backseat, “Well, looks like I’m stuck in the back again.”

I turned to him, annoyance on my face, “Max, just be grateful we decided to pick you up.”

His face twisted to a sneer and he held up his hands, “Okay, who pissed in your cheerios this morning?”

I rolled my eyes and made our way to the junkyard, knowing when we got there everything was going to move in slow motion. What was I going to say to Roger? Was he already waiting for my call? Had he been waiting? And what was our first step going to be in finding this Bureau?

My heart started pounding in my chest as I thought about everything that could happen over the phone. What if he started talking about my real father, Fred? Or what if he already spoke with my mom?

I was trying not to worry about it but it was impossible.

We arrived at the junkyard and Max punched in the code like he usually did, allowing me to drive my car in and out of sight. Avery exited the car swiftly, giving me time to allow my eyes to study her legs in her cutoff jean shorts. Her golden skin was flawless, and I watched desperately as she swayed her hips while she walked.

She looked back at me, her dark hair looking more red than brown in the sunlight, giving her a appealing look. She spoke, “You comin’?”

I followed her and Max to the warehouse opening, joining them in the lounge area that contained a couch and a rolling chair. I pulled out my phone and sat myself next to Avery, feeling like this was do-or-die. I was nervous, because I knew once we were involved with this place, it wasn’t easy getting out.

And I knew it would be even more difficult for me, considering my powers.

But we had to do this.

I scrolled to Roger’s number, staring at it and feeling a sense of remembrance as I thought about when I first called my mom. That same feeling of anxiousness made its way into my stomach while Avery’s hand found my thigh. She smiled, “It’s gonna be ok Andy, we’ll be with you through all of this.”

I gazed into her believing eyes, knowing she was speaking the truth. I knew my friends would be here for me no matter what we all went through, and I couldn’t thank them more. I looked at my phone and sighed, “I’m doing it.”

I pressed call, instantly putting on speaker phone to where everyone could hear. It was quiet as we waited for him to pick up, and then all of a sudden the ringing stopped. A deep voice echoed from the speakers, “Andrea Mason, I’ve been waiting for you to contact me.”

I felt my heart beat grow as I glanced around at my friends, seeing both shock and disbelief written on their faces. How was this man expecting my call when I didn’t even know him? Had my mom, Teal, called him after we left her house?

I stuttered, “H-Hi… is this Roger Boyd?”

“It is, your mom Teal called me Saturday evening and let me know that you and your friends were going to be searching for us. Why is that Andrea? Are you in some sort of trouble?”

It was weird hearing this man call my by my real name and not by Andy. I sighed, “Well, I met a guy by the name of Blaine Garret-“

“Ah yes,” his deep voice cut me off, “You’re the Healer we’ve been waiting for.”

I sighed, feeling as if this man knew a little too much about me, “Yes.”

“Now tell me, what exactly did Mr. Garret tell you about us?”

I looked at Max, knowing he could help me out on this if I got stuck, but I remembered most of it. I began speaking, “Well, he pretty much made you guys sound like a witness protection for the supernatural, but I know you are searching for a cure to the BD3 disease. He also told me you guys needed another Healer, and this is why I’m reaching out to you, Mr. Boyd.”

I heard silence on the other end of the phone while he listened to me, and then speaking once I was finished. He responded, “That is quite true, Miss Mason, but it will be dangerous for you.”

I swallowed hard as Avery’s grip tightened, “I know, but you guys need me.”

“Andrea, do you have a pencil and paper ready?”

~ ~ ~ ~

Roger had explained a lot to me, and he had started with what he was calling “Phase one” in traveling to the Bureau. He told us that simply taking a plane to where they were located, which is all the way in Buffalo, New York, was too dangerous. I told him about the person that had followed down the highway and he relayed the bad news I had been regretting to here since then. The person that had followed us was an agent for the F.P.S. and they had confirmed my identity back in Louisiana, and they knew I was Fred Mason’s biological daughter. If I tried to fly there was a riskier chance they would recognize and kidnap me, and it was too big of a risk, so we would travel by car.

He ordered us to prepare our things to pursue Phase one, and whenever we were ready to give him a call. I knew we needed at least a couple days to pack up because we could be gone for a very long time, and the trip to the Bureau was going to take at least 3-4 days. This didn’t include the possible obstacles and the actual time we would spend at the Bureau itself, so we would have to pack heavy.

It could be for weeks, or even months…

The thought of that actually scared me more than anything, but I would have my friends with me, and I wouldn’t be alone.

It had been about an hour since I had hung up with Roger and the heat was nearly suffocating. Avery, Max, and I were discussing things we would need to get together before we left, and we were all about to head out to pack. I though back to Teal, and everything she had told me about the Bureau. I didn’t know what we were in for, or what I was in for, and I was nervous.

Then I remembered how she had told me to practice my powers, but mostly referring to the newly obtained Telekinesis.  I hadn’t attempted to practice it but ever since I had touched her… I had felt a little different. I didn’t know how to explain it but it felt as if I had another sense, or more accurately, a third arm. It felt as if it was a physical part of me, but I hadn’t used it because I had no idea what it would do.

Max snapped his fingers in my face then, literally snapping me out of my daydream. He spoke, “You ok?”

I nodded slowly, knowing I had probably been absent about 80 percent of the conversation. I responded, “Yea, just thinking.”

“About?”

I shrugged, “Remember how my mom has Telekinesis?”

He laughed a little, “Yea, and do you remember that you now have her power?”

I smiled, realizing he always had the ability to finish my thoughts. I nodded, “Yea, and ever since then I’ve felt… different. Like there is another part of me.”

Avery leaned into me as Max leaned closer, pressing me further, “How do you feel different?”

I explained to him how I felt as if I had another limb, a part of myself I wasn’t using because I was afraid. I knew they were both amazed by the way I described it, but that doesn’t mean I was any less fearful. I didn’t want to hurt anyone, and I was scared if I used it I would.

Max stood, grinning with excitement, “Let’s test it out then!”

I shrunk back into the couch, feeling the nervousness creep up into my stomach. I shook my head, trying to show him that I wasn’t ready, but I knew he wouldn’t take no for an answer. He grabbed my hand, pulling me up and off the couch and to the wide dirt opening. He clapped his hands, “Remember how I taught you to use electricity? Do the same thing. Concentrate on that feeling you have, and control it, don’t let it control you.”

He stepped back from me and gave me space, standing next to Avery that was a few feet away from where I was standing. I was nervous, but Max had been an amazing coach when he helped me nearly master my first power.

I knew I could count on him the second round.

I closed my eyes, remembering how I had to concentrate really hard when I first started working with my electricity. It had been rough, but after a lot of practice it had become almost second nature to me, and I knew my Telekinesis would end up the same way if I practiced.

I had to start somewhere, right?

I felt the weird sense of another arm, knowing there wasn’t a physical arm, but it was the best way to explain it. I focused on the feeling, getting a fair sense that I was in control of it now. I opened my eyes, remaining cool and collected as I continued concentrating on the feeling.

Beads of sweat formed on my brow but I wasn’t giving up, I knew the more I held onto this “arm” the better control I would have. I began getting accustomed to the feeling of it, and soon I felt ready to spring into action.

But where to start?

I took control of the invisible “arm” and extended it past me, realizing I could bend it and extend it infinitely without restriction. I smiled as I continued to control it, focusing while I allowed my real arms to rise from my sides where they had been still.

The physical movement of my real arms helped my third “arm,” and it allowed me to maintain complete control. I directed the invisible “arm” further, commanding it to wrap around a trashed car and raising it into the air.

I watched in amazement, my physical arms rising above my head, as if commanding this piece of metal to levitate in mid-air. I smiled, feeling the invisible “arm” constrict tighter around the car, and then I felt myself getting fatigue. Controlling it was fairly easy, but maintaining pure concentration was difficult, and I knew it would need practice.

I lifted the car further into the air, hearing Avery and Max’s gasps of shock behind me. I didn’t let them break my concentration though, and soon I knew I would need to make the “arm” let go of the car. I released then, feeling exhaustion and fatigue set in as I watched the piece of junk fall out of the sky and back to the ground, causing a loud crash.

I smiled in victory as I turned back to Avery and Max, feeling completely confident in myself. Avery stared at me in awe while Max had the biggest grin on his face, looking way more excited than I had predicted.

I clapped my hands together out of excitement, “This power is going to be fun.”