The alley opens up to a street around the next bend. Old, beat-up cars cram the opening, funneling us into a focal point. A large gathering enters my mind. I slow, but it’s too late. Gareth sprints through the chokepoint.

  “Stop!” I yell.

  A blur of something swings from around the corner, cracking Gareth in the head, his helmet flies several yards. A large man pulls a metal bat back down to his side, a grin filling his face. Leeyah comes to a quick stop, a pistol in one hand and a fist up on the opposite side. Breece stops just before batting practice. Gareth is crumpled over, blood covering his face as he lays in a dirty pool of runoff water in the gutter.

  Flanked by several men and a couple of women in the rear, the man with the bat tightens his grip, his muscles bursting from his sleeveless jacket. Leeyah points her gun at him, but the three men realign their rifles on her.

  The bald man with tattoos covering his smooth scalp raises his bat. “Looks like my trap caught us something real nice,” he snarls. “We have you covered from all sides. Drop your weapons. Now.”

  Scanning the setting, I can’t see a way out, only back where we came from. That’s not an option, as the Society’s not far behind. We can’t leave Gareth, either. I can still feel his consciousness; he’s not dead.

  “You don’t want to be here right now,” Leeyah says to the man. “The Vernon Society is close. They’re not as lenient as I’ll be.”

  The man hoots, followed by what seems like forced laughter from the rest. “I own these streets,” he boasts. “I don’t fear nobody.”

  I’m about to use my Push to make these Harvesters flee when I sense it. The muddling of consciousness. A deep sense of unease and sadness washes over me.

  Stratton.

  Before I can counter it, blasts from the street rattle me back to the current moment. The Harvesters mow each other down. Pops of light fill the air as limbs snap back, blood spraying everywhere. The constant barrage of gunfire forces me to cover my head and crouch down. I peek up to find Leeyah and the rest of our team have taken cover behind a burnt-out car up in front of me. Leeyah’s confused at why I didn’t follow, but they know what to do in an attack. They flank Leeyah, keeping their focus on Gareth.

  The shots slow, and one by one the Harvesters fall, blood dripping from countless bullet wounds. I will never get used to seeing people die like this.

  “Kaylin!” Leeyah calls from up ahead. “We have to go! I can’t protect them much longer!”

  Protect who? What does she mean? I look over my shoulder and take a deep breath before rushing to her and the others. As soon as I reach her, the small group surrounds me, protecting me from all sides.

  “Nance, go get Gareth,” Leeyah says before turning to me. “Kaylin, can you watch their consciousness?”

  “Um, yeah, okay,” I say. “Stratton did this. He does horrible things. I can block him, but there’s another one that can counter my Push.”

  “I know,” she says, taking my hand. “I know all about the Society’s people—her people.”

  I almost forgot for a moment that her sister, my aunt, is the delusional leader of the Vernon Society.

  Leeyah releases my hand and turns to Breece to say something, but I tune them out, opening my awareness as far as I possibly can. Shadows creep all around me as the subtle essence of life trickles into my mind. Stratton’s wicked brand of Push ability is nowhere to be found.

  Nance startles me as he drags an unconscious Gareth back to our position. He holds a torn-off sleeve from his shirt against Gareth’s head. I close my eyes to refocus my ability when everything stops and all the life swirling around my mind vanishes. My ability is gone. Neira’s close.

  “She’s here,” I call out. “Neira’s stopped my Push.”

  “Mine too,” Leeyah says. “We need to move.”

  Hers too? Leeyah’s ability is still active? An Influencer’s ability never works at her age, but I don’t have time to ask about it. Heavy footsteps thrum from down the street, every thud rattling my core.

  “We need to go!” Breece calls out.

  We creep out from the cover of the car and head toward the street where the Harvesters lie dead. Tiptoeing over them, I avoid looking down as much as possible.

  “Hurry, Kaylin,” Nance pleads.

  I’m stopped dead in my tracks as a heavy lull washes over me, my body tensing up. That familiar, dark sense of dread trickles before my awareness. Stratton is near, and my Push ability is severed. My skin crawls with fear. I’m useless because of Neira.

  “It’s too late,” I plead to Leeyah. “They have us.”

  9

  SEVERED

  LEEYAH LOOKS DEFEATED. Her face tenses as fear grips her, her jaw locking tight. Stratton’s brand of amplified depression is filling the area, surrounding us as well.

  “No,” I breathe.

  A slow rumble fills every alley. I crane my head in all directions, trying to reconnect to the collective consciousness of the moment. Nothing. I’m simply ordinary. Even my sense of Stratton’s ability trickles away, leaving me alone with my own thoughts and emotions.

  “Fall back to the car,” Leeyah says. “Nance, Breece, cover opposite directions.”

  The rumble turns into thunder. We crouch and make our way back to the false safety of the beat-up car. Rust has nearly consumed every inch of its metal frame. Leeyah grabs my arms and guides me to lean against the side between her and the rest of our team, but it’s no use. We have nowhere to go.

  The dimly lit road only enhances my growing anxiety. If the nearly full moon wasn’t overhead, it would be pitch-black, and even then, clouds threaten to conceal our false sense of security.

  “We’ll need to shoot our way out,” Breece insists. “As soon as we get a target, we need to open fire and head in the opposite direction.”

  Seconds later, Harvesters pour out from every street and around every building. Their heavy footfalls become uniform, like the heart beat of the city ripping from its chest.

  “Oh no,” I mutter. “We’re surrounded.”

  A few yards out, the filthy, deviant flood of Harvesters comes to a complete stop. With lifeless eyes, they look past us, their faces void of emotion. No doubt this is Stratton’s handiwork.

  “There is zero chance you have enough bullets to take them all down,” a familiar voice calls from a distance. “Lower your weapons.”

  Stratton.

  I turn to Leeyah, her face etched with worry. Her eyes race back and forth before she looks at Nance and Breece and nods. Nance purses his lips, a scowl overtaking them. He doesn’t want to give up.

  “Nance, now!” Leeyah orders.

  He scoffs, but drops the weapon to the ground and kicks it away. Breece does the same, then returns her attention to the unconscious Gareth, pressing the blood-soaked cloth against his head.

  “Listen,” Leeyah whispers loud enough for us to hear, “we’re not done here. I didn’t find my daughter just to lose her now. They would have killed us by now if they were going to. Wait for my lead.”

  We all nod and return our gaze to the hoard encircling us. My hands shake, but I keep them close to my body. This sense of helplessness is unsettling.

  There’s movement down the street we came from. Harvesters step to the side, creating an opening in the crowd. I glance back to Leeyah, but she calmly shakes her head. Returning my focus to the movement, I take a deep breath and exhale, steadying myself.

  Six men emerge in body armor similar to what Leeyah’s team is wearing. They all wear Society trench coats over their armor. The beanies look ridiculous over their helmets, but somehow that makes them even more terrifying.

  They inch forward and fan out, large rifles trained on us. Two silhouettes approach from behind them, coming into focus as they strut closer. That trademark smirk fills Stratton’s face while Neira remains poised and confident. Her chin inches up as she interlocks her fingers in front of her waist.

  “Leeyah, nice to see you again,” Neira says. “I wish it wasn’t under these circumstances, though.”

  Leeyah stands and folds her arms. “These are the exact circumstances you and that creature created for us. Don’t kid yourself.”

  Stratton huffs and shakes his head. It’s almost as if that comment hurt his feelings—if he had any to hurt.

  “I guess that’s true.” Neira nods. “But don’t you think your constant meddling in the Society’s business warranted this action? And then you go and take Kaylin from Laney.”

  “She is my daughter, not hers,” Leeyah snaps.

  “I’m not here to discuss family matters. I’m here to bring an end to this.”

  Leeyah steps out a few feet in front of us. The armed men tighten their grips on their rifles, shifting their shoulders forward.

  “So, this is it?” Leeyah pleads. “You’re just going to let these goons mow us down in cold blood?”

  Neira chuckles softly. “Oh, no, that wouldn’t be fun. I’m going to let the Harvester do our dirty work.”

  I look from side to side at the army surrounding us. There must be at least a hundred of them jammed into this area. My breathing picks up as fear builds in my chest. I try again to use my ability, but nothing happens. It’s like there’s a dull void around me.

  “Is this really who you are, Stratton?” I ask, grasping at straws. “Do you have no conscious of your own?”

  Stratton narrows his eyes on me, barely moving his head. “I do what’s best for me, nothing more.”

  “And this is what’s best for you? Murdering people without a second thought?”

  His glare softens a fraction before the determination in his eyes return. “I have not murdered anyone. I’ve never laid a finger on anyone in my life. There’s no blood on my hands.”

  “Keep telling yourself that,” I snarl. “You’re a monster.”

  “Stratton?” Neira interrupts. “Can we do this already? I’m tired, and Ray is making broiled lobster tails for dinner tonight.”

  The guards snicker at her comment. The amount of heartlessness in this world astounds me.

  “Let Kaylin live,” Leeyah begs. “You can’t tell me Laney wants this for her.”

  “She’s worn out her welcome,” Neira replies.

  Leeyah grits her teeth before turning back to me. She comes to my side and wraps her arms around me, squeezing me tightly. “I’m sorry I didn’t get a chance to know you better. You stay behind me. They’re going to have to go through me first.”

  Her words hit me hard. Before this moment, I was too distracted to let my emotions truly soak in. This is my mother. Not even having a chance to sit down and talk with her is a cruel joke. I’m not going to stand by and let them wipe her out just so I can be the last to die.

  I grab Leeyah’s arms and pull them off me. I look into her eyes before turning to face them, readying my stance. Stratton shakes his head at me as if I’m foolish. His eyes shut and a moment later the crowd stirs, inching closer to us. My stomach drops as the realization of what’s going to happen sinks in.

  Painfully slow, the hoard of Harvesters lurch forward, their dirty faces void of life as they move in. Our helpless group falls back into a tighter circle.

  The first line reaches us. Several teenage boys charge us with nothing more than the amplified rage Stratton’s toying with. Breece thrusts her boot into one of the taller boy’s kneecaps, dropping him to the ground. The boy’s high-pitched scream reminds me that these are just kids.

  Not wanting to hurt anyone, I try one more time to force my Push onto the gathering, but my concentration is aimless. There’s nothing to grab onto.

  Nance drives his head forward into another boy’s temple, and there’s a sickening thud as it connects. The boy spins, releasing a guttural yell as he plows into another Harvester. A heavy-set woman and a bulky man grab Leeyah’s arms, wrenching her from our group. I claw at the man, drawing blood as I scratch down the length of his forearms. He releases her and I pull her back behind me, then ball up my fist and punch the woman in the side of the head, my knuckles bursting into throbbing pain. I draw my hand in close to my chest, trying to smother the intense fire pulsing up my arm now. The woman I hit staggers back, releasing my mother.

  Leeyah returns to the false protection of our cluster as more and more people pile in, knocking into one another, all trying to get their hands on us. An ocean of people flood the street, heads bobbing like waves in a storm as they fight to reach us. Breece disappears as Harvesters tackle her, smothering her. Fear forces me to close my eyes.

  This is it. This is where I die.

  Then I feel it.

  10

  A BOND

  MY EYES FLASH open. His awareness washes over the entire block.

  Jax.

  The Harvesters stop. Slowly, they turn, looking to leave. The zombie-like groans and hate-filled faces are replaced with calmness. The crowd disperses and the mob trickles out of the street into the alleys and side roads.

  He came back. I knew Jax wouldn’t leave me. I pivot from side to side looking for him, but he’s nowhere. It’s too dark to see beyond this street.

  “Kaylin, are you alright?” Leeyah asks, resting a hand on my shoulder.

  “Yeah, I’m fine.”

  “We really need to move now,” Breece insists, staggering back to her feet. Cuts and scrapes cover her face and arms.

  “Right, let’s go before the Society can sort through the crowd,” Leeyah urges.

  Crack, crack, crack!

  We flinch and crouch down as flashes brighten the street up ahead. The Society guards are firing on the crowd. People cry out in agony as the chaos grows. We need to move or we’re next—again.

  Gareth has come to and is able to walk on his own. He wraps his arm across Nance’s shoulder, staggering a bit. Gareth was lucky. He was protected behind us during the madness.

  Nance points to the bend where Gareth was assaulted. “This way,” he says.

  We form a line, pushing our way through the scattering crowd. The Harvesters have no interest in us. They seem to just want to leave. Jax’s ability is truly amazing. He can affect so many so quickly. I want to find him, but we need to find a safe place away from the armed men.

  More gunfire blares in the background as we pull further away from them. We’re able to run now as the cluster of manipulated Harvesters thins. My heart wants to beat out of my chest. I’m not built for sprinting long distances, amazed at how Leeyah and the rest can charge ahead. They have to be running on fumes.

  It’s been five minutes and my legs can’t take anymore. Luckily, Leeyah raises her hand, signaling us to stop. Hunched over, trying to catch her breath, Leeyah peers up at Nance, panting out, “We need… to find a way… out of here. This place… is going to be… crawling with more Harvesters soon.”

  Breece takes a knee, her face so bright red I can see it in even the dim lighting. “What happened back there? Were one of you able to…break through Neira’s push?”

  “It was Jax, my broth—my cousin,” I say. “I felt his ability.”

  “Family is forever.” Leeyah smiles, standing taller now that she’s caught her breath. “Let’s get back to the camp. I’m sure the Society has enough to deal with.” She rests her hand gently on my cheek. “We’ve had a major victory tonight.”

  “What about Jax?” I plead, pulling away.

  “Remember that connection you felt with me? He will follow yours and find you. I have no doubt about that. Keep your awareness open. If he is in your thoughts, you can be a beacon for him.”

  I haven’t thought of my ability like this before, but sensing others has been a part of my life since I was a little kid.

  There was definitely a strong bond I felt with Leeyah. I know Jax can find me. I just hope he wants to.

  ***

  I’m starving. Trudging through the ransacked city has left me hungry and exhausted. Breece said only a bit more, but that was close to an hour ago—I think. When it’s this dark and you’re running on empty, time doesn’t flow the same.

  “This way,” Leeyah says a few steps in front of me.

  I narrow my eyes. A soft blue glow halos around a door down a service alley off the main street we’re on. More people wearing the dark armor plating that Leeyah and her team wears stand with their rifles pointed at us.

  “Relax, guys,” Leeyah says as we move closer to them. “It’s us.”

  “What happened to your helmets and gear?” one of the men asks. “Jen and the others made it back twenty minutes ago.”

  “Things didn’t go quite so smoothly for us,” Nance says, slapping the man on his shoulder.

  The guards move to the side as we approach the entrance. Leeyah turns to the other guard, asking, “Eric, did the other teams return yet?”

  The man pulls off his helmet and tucks it under his arm. “Most of them have, but Lisa and Ryan’s teams haven’t checked in yet.”

  Leeyah lowers her head and pauses a moment. She sighs, then nods to Eric. “Let’s get inside and rest up a bit,” Leeyah says, unlatching the metal door.

  The door swings in, creaking on old hinges. The blue haze emanates from several soft lanterns lining the interior corridor, doors lining each side. I follow closely behind Leeyah as Nance and Breece help Gareth. He seems a bit out of it. That long trek through the city could not have been easy with that head wound.

  As we approach an opening that leads to another corridor, Nance and Breece slow.

  “We’ll take him to Lee in the med bay,” Breece says.

  Leeyah nods to Breece, then gestures for me to keep following her.

  “What is this place?” I ask.

  Leeyah slows and walks side by side with me. “Ironically enough, it’s an old consciousness research facility. VeRx corp. Built a few of these back in the day when the Influencer ability started to show.”

 

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