EIGHTEEN

“What?”

“Drake, break through it,” said Zach, his voice strong. Hikaru sucked in her breath, staring at him with wide, frightened eyes. She clutched onto Brielle tighter.

“Are you sure?” asked Drake.

“Yes.” Zach turned to the man, putting out a hand. “Sir, I need you to step back. It won’t be safe.”

The man narrowed his eyes, but he nodded. After they were far enough back, Zach gave the command.

“Do it, Drake.”

He didn’t think about the repercussions. Their safety was all that mattered. He would sacrifice anything, cross any boundary, do whatever it took to save and protect his friends – no matter what.

A cry of power shouted beneath the rubble.

The wall exploded apart. Drake burst forth. Beneath him, curled on the ground, was Jacob. Zach rushed forward, helping him out of the rubble. He was covered in dirt and soot; two trails along his cheeks revealed his tears. Once free of brick and stone, Jacob cradled his arm in his chest.

“It hurts a lot,” said Jacob, his voice catching. “I think it’s broken.”

Zach wrapped his arms around him; the boy began to sob in earnest. “That’s it,” he whispered. “It’s all right.”

“Here, I’ll take him,” said the man. He scooped Jacob into his arms with ease. Zach caught sight of Jacob’s wrist. It was swollen and bruised.

“My leg,” said Drake, his voice hissing once. His face contorted; he gritted his teeth. A long pole was embedded inside his leg. Blood pooled the ground. Though covered in dirt, Drake’s face was ghostly pale. His breathing was labored. “Hang on a minute, I’m gonna…”

He grabbed the pole. Zach’s breath caught in his throat.

“Drake, wait—”

A scream tore the air, just as Drake ripped the pole out of his leg. The pole clanged against the ground; Drake slumped back, his eyes rolling into the back of his head.

“Hikaru!” shouted Zach.

There was no time to get Drake to a doctor or other medical aid. If he wasn’t healed immediately, losing the leg was the least of his worries: Drake would die.

Hikaru and the man were at his side in seconds. Zach didn’t have time to contemplate how helpful this man was to them right now. With Zach and Hikaru’s help, the man pulled Drake out of the rubble, lifting him into his arms. In their wake, trails of blood dotted the ground. Once within the shadows of the alleyway, the man set Drake down to rest against a wall beside Sevati. Drake moaned, grimacing in pain. Jacob curled against Sevati’s side, while Brielle sat down next to him. Both Jacob and Brielle were shaking, watching the others with glazed eyes.

Hikaru rushed to Drake, kneeling beside him and immediately starting the work of healing his leg. She removed debris and dirt from his flesh, getting the blood to stop soon after. A thin layer of healed skin was over the wound. Drake was still out of it, however. Once he was secure, she moved onto healing Jacob’s wrist.

All the while, their visitor watched.

“Sir, I must request that you speak of this experience to no one,” said Zach, turning to the man. A solemn air rose among the group. The man’s eyes widened slightly as an eyebrow raised. “You know what we are, I’m sure, by now. I…” Zach let out a shaky breath. “I’d hate for something to happen to someone so kind like yourself. If the government gets wind of this, we’ll all be in a bad position.”

“Haven’t you heard?” asked Sevati in a light, yet ominous tone. “They make people disappear for a living.”

Zach nodded. “I’m not requesting this just for us,” he said softly. “Yes, we’d get in trouble, but… those who reveal anything about our identities go missing. We’ve seen it firsthand.”

A silence lifted between them. The chaos around them still raged on with a vengeance, yet within their group of six and a stranger there was an odd bubble encapsulating them.

The man’s expression softened.

“Now I am certain we’ve met before, said the man with a gentle smirk. The tension eased within Zach’s chest, slowly unknotting the pain of fear. “Fate must be directing our meetings, don’t you agree?”

Was she?

The man stepped forward. “As we seem to be crossing paths often,” he said. The man smiled and held out a hand. “Perhaps it’s wise to properly introduce myself: I’m Sebastian Hawke.”

Zach slowly extended his hand and clasped the larger one. A strong handshake was met. He stared at the man, stunned by the friendly gesture.

“I’m not the type to go spreading secrets, especially something like this,” said Hawke. “And I don’t want any trouble for you. You have it hard enough as it is.”

This man wasn’t abhorred by them.

He knew what they were and he didn’t hate them, like everyone else had. There was an openness to him, which was so unlike the cold barrier that everyone held when speaking to any of them. It was such an overwhelming feeling of being accepted. It brought an intense wave of emotion through Zach’s being.

He swallowed.

Those eyes were filled with a trustworthy light. However, a powerful aura hovered around the man, forcing Zach to keep his guard up even though he didn’t want to do so.

Was there really someone out there who didn’t view them as the enemy?

“I’m Zach Bennet.”

The smile was tender. “It’s nice to meet you, Zach,” Hawke said. Something flickered inside the man’s eyes, a deep sorrow. Uncomfortable, Zach was unsure what to say. “If I may, your parents?”

Zach shook his head. He gritted his teeth. “We’re all we have.”

“I’m sorry,” whispered Hawke.

“We have each other and that’s all that matters,” said Zach. “Our parents died years ago. It’s not a big deal.”

Are you sure about that?

The man’s jaw clenched. For a long moment, Zach wondered if he had offended the man. However, a small smile loosened Hawke’s expression. He withdrew from the handshake.

“Well, I can’t help but think you look like your mother. Hair as red as that must come from her.”

Zach inhaled sharply. “Uh, excuse me?” he asked, confused. Wait, hadn’t he said he didn’t know my Mom? Or is he just guessing?

“But… your eyes. Did they come from your father?”

Becoming even more unsettled, Zach didn’t say anything. But he couldn’t pull his gaze away from the pair of intense, almost wistful eyes – such emotion filled them.

“I must be going,” said Hawke. He glanced towards the others. “Will you and your friends be all right?”

“Yes, thank you,” said Zach in a low voice. “For everything.”

Hawke merely inclined his head. Zach watched intently as the man walked away. His gaze never left the broad back until it turned a corner to another block of the city. Confusion bled through every particle of his soul. It was foolish. The man wouldn’t lie about knowing his mother.

Michael Bennet had hazel eyes; Abigail Bennet had green eyes.

Wherever his eye color came from, it wasn’t directly from his father. Zach’s pair of blue eyes were more vibrant and crystalline in nature.

An unknown chill slid down his back. It wasn’t from a gust of winter wind. He wriggled his back, trying to shake off the uneasy feeling in his chest. There were more pressing matters now than a weird, yet kind stranger.

Hikaru was healing Sevati’s sprained ankle after finishing with Jacob’s wrist. Blessedly, they were the only ones in the small alleyway, so she could work unimpeded. Zach was about to move towards them, to be at their sides, when his cell phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out and answered the unknown contact.

“Hello?”

There was a pause. Zach frowned, ready to end the call, when a smooth, deep voice cut through the silence. Goosebumps rose on his arms.

“Ah, my little Chief. Having a pleasant afternoon, I hope?”

Every muscle stilled inside Zach’s body. A chill raced down his spine. Zach whirled away from his friends; his jaw clenched. He took a moment to take a deep breath, trying to keep his voice from wavering.

“I’m sorry, who is this?”

His mouth went dry. He laced his tongue over his lips.

“Oh, I think you know exactly who this is.”

His breath caught in his throat; his heart skipped a beat. It took Zach a long moment to regain his voice; the fear clutched at his chest with a fist of unbending steel. Zach hunched over, walking a number of yards away to gain some privacy and distance from his friends.

“How the hell did you get my number, Falcon?” hissed Zach.

“I have my ways.”

Frick.

“What d’you want? Why are you calling me?”

“Oh, I don’t know; did you enjoy my recent show? Bit of a blast, don’t you think?” There was a hollow chuckle. “Oh, my, how callous of me. Pun wasn’t intended. I was hoping for an outing with you. Perhaps a cup of coffee? Oh, but you’re a teenager; how about a burger or a slice of pizza?”

This condescending—

“Quit playing games!” snapped Zach, his voice snapping out dangerously. He dropped his tone, hoping the others hadn’t heard his outburst. “Death and destruction isn’t something to gloat about, you psycho. People are screaming in pain and fear because of this—because of what you’ve done. How can you not understand?”

His last question came out more of a plea than an accusing demand. He’d been so close to the blast. He’d been so close to losing his own life and the lives of his friends. His hand shook at his ear; his heart thumped like a hammer upon an anvil.

We all could’ve died.

And no one would’ve cared.

“What do you want? You want something, don’t—”

“Tonight. At midnight. I think I’d fancy a video chat.”

“Stop babbling,” snapped Zach. “What’re you talking about?”

“So cute,” drawled Falcon, his breath purring through the phone. “But I’m serious. I want a video chat with you and only you. Midnight. Be alone. Don’t worry about how I’ll call; just have your laptop open at the right time. You can wear your cute mask, but that’s unnecessary.”

“What makes you think I’m going to do that?” demanded Zach. “I don’t make deals with terrorists—the government doesn’t make deals with terrorists.”

“Mmm, I suggest you think really hard about how I know your number, little Chief.” Zach sucked in his breath, his eyes widening in fear. “Midnight, tonight. Refusal would be most unwise.”

The call ended.

His arm dropped like lead, his hand tightly clutching the phone. It shook. Every breath Zach took shuddered his chest. He slowly slid his phone into his pocket. His heart pounded viciously in his chest; he could hear each beat clear and loud within his ears.

“Zach?”

A hand touched his shoulder.

He didn’t turn around right away. Finally, he faced Hikaru with a soft, smile on his face. His reply was grim.

“We have to report to the chief.”

Keep reading –>

SEVENTEEN

Screams.

So many screams.

The screams tore through his essence, sending shockwaves of fear through every vein. Dust clouded the sight, voices of terror filled the ears, smoke accosted the nose, and heat burned the eyes. Zach was disoriented. People clamored about, seeking, calling, crying for help.

I have to find them.

Be alive.

Please, you guys, you have to be okay.

Something creaked ominously overhead. It cracked with a snap. Zach could hear something falling; the dust was so thick, the air was so thick, he didn’t know where to go, where to dodge, where to—

A rough hand grabbed him by the arm. It jerked him back. He slammed into a flat chest and they toppled backwards. Zach landed hard on his arm.

Drake? No—

BOOM.

The earth shook as something struck the ground with enormous weight. Dust flumed upward. Zach rolled to the side and hunched over, choking. The others… where… are they okay…

“Are you all right?” asked a voice. “Are you injured at all?”

Hands grabbed him by the face, turning his head back and forth. Zach didn’t look at the man for a long moment. Something flashed in his eyes and he squeezed his eyes shut.

“No concussion at least.”

Movement. Where and what, he didn’t know. Zach felt himself being pulled to his feet. He swayed; a hand steadied him. His lungs burned. Exhaustion threatened to unravel him. He should’ve eaten something; he should’ve slept; he should’ve been better prepared; he should’ve—

Dammit!

Where is he? Where’s Falcon?! We have to collect ourselves. We have to go after him. We have to stop him before he escapes!

A gentle, but a firm pat on the face brought Zach back to his senses. He blinked, looking up at his rescuer. The man was covered with dust, but his crystal blue eyes shone through the grime on his face.

Zach frowned.

Those eyes… It’s that man I bumped into…

“You’ve got a nasty wound on your arm,” said the man. “You’re going into shock.”

“I’m fine,” said Zach, his voice trembling and weak. Pain clouded his mind. His arm throbbed, blood trailing downward. He let out a shaky exhale of breath. “Thank you. You probably saved my life.”

He couldn’t stop the tremors. He couldn’t stop the adrenaline exhaustion. He needed to calm down. He needed to focus. He needed to put all of his energy into finding the others. They were fine. He was fine. Everyone was fine.

We just need to regroup.

Despite all of his previous training, he hadn’t been prepared for something like this. It was a completely different experience living through a catastrophic event than swooping in later as the ‘so called’ heroes. They’d been so close to getting injured or worse – the others could be hurt, even now.

His heart thumped in his ears; it echoed so loudly he could barely hear. Panic flushed into his throat, mixing with the dust. He gasped.

Please be okay, guys.

“My friends… My friends were with me,” whispered Zach, glancing around. “I have to find them. I have to find them.”

He couldn’t stop the panic in his heart. A part of his mind screamed at him to calm down, but he couldn’t. Panicking wasn’t going to make his friends reappear. He knew that. Now if he could just get the rest of his body to figure that out…

“It’s okay. Calm down. We’ll find your friends.”

A hand on his shoulder steadied Zach, but he didn’t pay attention to it. His eyes were frantically searching.

I can’t lose them, too.

A voice broke through the chaos, a bright light shining through the darkness in his mind.

“Zach?”

He whirled around towards the source.

“Hikaru!“

He broke away from the hand on his shoulder and rushed forward. Hidden in the shadows, Hikaru was only a few paces away. She had fallen to the ground, slowly trying to sit up. Zach knelt at her side. As she looked at him, his hand slipped passed her cheek to hold the side of her neck. He could feel her quickened pulse against the palm of his hand.

She was alive.

“Are you all right?” asked Zach.

She nodded; her chest rose and fell at an accelerated rate. Her eyes flittered back and forth at their surroundings. The dust, dirt, and grime clung to her face; sweat beaded at her temples. With his free hand, Zach brushed a thick strand of stray hair out of her face. His fingers lingered as they touched her cheek.

“Are you sure you’re all right?” whispered Zach.

“I’m all right,” said Hikaru, her voice somewhat breathless. “What’s happening?”

Zach shook his head, pulling away. He looked out over the chaos, the sounds of fire still flickering in the air. Sweat slipped down his face from the heat.

“It’s him,” whispered Zach. He glanced back at Hikaru. Fear laced through her brown eyes. “It’s him.“

“We were…”

Too close.

“Where are the others?” asked Hikaru, her voice rising in pitch. She made a move to get up, but the man knelt down beside her with a hand held up.

“Wait a moment,” said the man, lifting her chin to face him.

“What are you doing?” asked Zach.

“She might have a concussion. I’m no doctor, but I know the signs,” said the man. He lifted a cell phone with the flashlight on. “Look into the light, dear.”

Hikaru’s lips thinned, but she looked into the light. Her pupils contracted as the light shone in her eyes. The man did this with both, before shutting the phone off and pocketing it. He withdrew his hand.

“You don’t seem to have a concussion,” said the man. “You don’t feel dizzy or confused, do you?”

“No, I’m fine. Thank you,” said Hikaru, shaking her head. “We have to find the others,” she said, her voice desperate yet strong. She began to get to her feet. “Let’s go.”

Zach helped her up. Hikaru looked around, her features etched with pained fear.

“How horrible,” whispered Hikaru, drawing her arms around her chest. “How could someone do something like this?”

The chaos rang in their ears. They tried looking for the others in the dusty fog, but their voices were drowned out by countless other people trying to find their own loved ones. Zach called out names, his voice growing hoarse. The man stayed with them, doing his best to aid them in their search.

They still didn’t even get his name.

Time slowed and stretched. It seemed like a century, but it was only after a few minutes when Zach caught sight of a small rustle in a section of nearby debris. He rushed to it. The rubble parted as plants flooded upward. A moment later, Sevati appeared, the plants pushing fallen stones away before they wilted to dust.

“I only had time to protect Brielle,” said Sevati, her voice breathless. The youngest girl popped up at this, looking quite shaken.

“Hikaru!” cried Zach. “Sevati and Brielle are safe!”

At the sound of his voice, Hikaru turned around. Relief bloomed in her face. She was at their side in a flash, the man quickly following after her. Zach pulled Sevati’s arm around his shoulders and helped her out of the rubble. Sevati winced and sucked in her breath.

“It’s my ankle,” whispered Sevati. “Nothing too bad, though.”

“Here. If I may,” said the man, coming forward. With gentle hands, he pulled Sevati away from Zach and lifted her into his arms.

“Are you hurt, Bri?” asked Hikaru

Brielle shook her head. “Just… Just a few scratches,” she whispered, trembling. Her eyes were wide.

Hikaru helped her out of the rubble, appearing torn as she eyed Sevati’s swelling ankle. If they’d been in uniform or were alone, she’d already have begun the healing process.

But they had an eye witness. They were lucky as it was, since the man hadn’t seen how Sevati had protected Brielle. A civilian finding out was dangerous.

Not for them, though.

For the civilian.

If this man found out and didn’t remain silent, he would disappear. Just like that girl at their school had disappeared.

“Don’t put too much weight on that foot,” said the man, as he lowered Sevati against a secure wall a number of feet away.

“Thank you, sir.”

Brielle stood still, not moving any further. Her lips trembled as her arms clutched around her waist.

“Brielle?” whispered Zach.

She turned to him and threw her arms around his neck, burying her face into his shoulder. She began to cry. He wrapped his arms around her.

“Shh, it’s okay,” whispered Zach, tucking her head beneath his chin. Hikaru came to them and coaxed the young girl into her arms. Brielle didn’t protest. She clung to the new comfort offered her. Hikaru looked at Zach, her eyes filled with pleading. He nodded.

Look for the others.

It was another five minutes – that seemed like hours – before he heard something odd. A weak, muffled cry came somewhere nearby. Zach froze as he listened. The sound grew louder; he recognized it.

“Drake!” cried Zach, moving closer to its source. “Drake, are you all right? Where are you?”

The muffled sound became louder. Zach moved closer to it.

“Drake, where are you?”

There was a pause. Zach prayed they were all right, hoped beyond all hope he’d found them. A rush of deep gratitude poured through his heart when he got a reply.

“Beneath…” started Drake. “Beneath a wall. I shielded Jacob. Something… Something has pierced my leg, though.” There was a weak chuckle. “Think it’s serious. Hurts too much.”

Zach’s mind raced. His hands brushed against the debris; it was too heavy to lift. Those two needed to get out. They could suffocate. How long would it be before help would come? Weren’t they supposed to be the heroes? Weren’t they supposed to be saving lives here? But… When they failed, who would save them?

There was only one solution.

“Break through it,” whispered Zach.

Consequences be damned.

Keep reading –>

SIXTEEN

Falcon had been disturbingly silent.

There were less people than usual at the large park within central Templeton Hills. Zach leaned against the park bench, catching his breath. Laughter played in his ears, voices interwoven in their melody, as his friends engaged in their carefree game of tag. His head tipped backwards all the way; he gazed at the nearby street. The skyrise of the city was upside down at this view point. There weren’t many people on the sidewalks.

Sighing, Zach lifted his head and watched his friends. A wave of dizziness struck. He drew a knee to his chest and rested an arm there, putting a hand to his forehead. Nausea flooded over his senses; his hand slid over his mouth.

Good thing I skipped lunch.

Though Hikaru had given him a disapproving look, he had managed to get away with not eating. Zach swore it was one of her life goals to fatten them all up. If anyone of them skipped a meal, Hikaru always seemed to take great personal offense at it.

He hated disappointing her.

Zach sighed, pulling out a hard candy out of his pocket and unwrapping it. He popped it into his mouth, stuffing the wrapper back inside his pocket. So long as he controlled his sugar levels, his emotions would stay in check. He could eat later. Maybe his appetite would be better around dinner time.

He doubted it.

More than likely, his lack of appetite had something to do with his sleepless nights. Though he wasn’t sure which had come first – at any rate, sleeping through the night had become a thing of the past.

He was just as on edge as the rest of this city.

A little over a week had gone by since that first attack by Falcon. There were no more sightings, no more little teasers about where the criminal would strike next, no more news – all information had ceased.

Radio silence.

Zach rubbed the goosebumps on his arms.

It was impossible to evacuate all of the clinics and hospitals. They couldn’t shuffle people back and forth between facilities, wondering when an attack would strike next. One of the larger clinics, which was about a block away from this park, had been evacuated; but the hospital a few blocks further down the street hadn’t been evacuated.

He couldn’t stop thinking about all the possibilities. He couldn’t stop thinking about the next fight, the next encounter. His phone had buzzed twice since that first fight and both times he’d been powerless against the fear that clawed at his heart and gripped his soul.

Is this it?

Is it Falcon this time?

His lack of appetite and sleepless nights had an even deeper root. Maybe if he stopped having disturbing nightmares about Falcon killing his team, maybe if he stopped having nightmares about losing his friends – maybe if everything stopped seeping into his dreams, then maybe he’d have a normal night’s sleep.

Just maybe. It was a slight possibility. Mmm.

If he stopped thinking about Falcon, then maybe he could have some semblance of normalcy once again.

Zach snorted to himself. As if that would happen. No, his mind would continue to race with new plans, potential ways of bringing Falcon down – but they were useless within his nightmares. He would continue to lie awake at night, staring up at the ceiling, staring at his mother’s painting on the wall, staring into the unknown and praying he could come out the victor.

It was better to be proactive.

Someone slumped onto the bench beside him; there was a loud exhale of breath and a low whistle.

“Can’t believe they can still go at it,” said Drake, nudging Zach and motioning towards the youngest two. Brielle and Jacob were still playing, abandoning Hikaru and Sevati on the grass; they chased each other with loud laughter in their wake.

“You sound like an old man,” said Zach with a chuckle. He lightly punched Drake in the arm.

They fell into companionable silence, watching the others play for a time. After five minutes or so, Drake nudged him softly again. Zach looked at him; he grew nervous at the expression on Drake’s face.

“So, what’s going on with you?” whispered Drake.

His breath caught in his throat. Zach swallowed. “What are you talking about?”

“Oh, come off it,” said Drake, sounding frustrated. He glanced at the others before dropping his voice. “You know I can tell whether or not you’re asleep by now, right? You’ve barely slept. You haven’t eaten much and, honestly, I’m shocked Hikaru hasn’t come down on ya like a Norse god or something for missing meals. So, what’s up?”

‘Have your powers returned yet?’

‘…freak of nature.’

‘…lucky to have this job.’

‘A little hero like you could never understand.’

“Zach, hey, are you all right?” asked Drake, more urgent now. He gently pushed Zach on the shoulder, worry lighting within his eyes. “You’re pale. Are you sick?”

Zach blinked, voices echoing in his mind with the destructive lure of a Siren’s call. He smiled wanly. Drake’s lips thinned.

“I’m fine.”

“Bullshit.”

Zach raised an eyebrow, almost impressed by his courage. Hikaru had the ears of a hound. Drake glanced at her, nervous guilt on his face. When it was apparent she hadn’t heard him, he looked back at Zach with a relieved sigh.

“Bull crap,” Drake amended with a flush. “Look, I know you like to bottle things up like this, but I really hate it, Zach.” There was a pause; he ran a hand through his hair. “It scares me,” Drake whispered.

Zach didn’t answer immediately. He looked away. His eyes singled onto a billboard sign that glowed in the distance; ads interchanged every few seconds. An ad for parents came next: “Protect your future children from genetic diseases… Genetic Modification: Children of the Future.”

The ad ended with the address of the clinic, which happened to be nearby.

Smoke and flames billowed in the distance.

‘One hundred twenty-four to be exact.’

Will he crush my skull?

Zach sucked in his breath, dragging his gaze away from the billboard. Drake’s hand was over his wrist. He didn’t remember when the other boy had placed it there. He patted the hand lightly, trying to collect his thoughts.

“I have a lot on my mind,” whispered Zach, looking back at Drake. The other boy had grown more alarmed. Zach sighed. “I’m sorry. You’re right. I haven’t been sleeping and it’s affecting me. I’m just really tired all the time now.”

Drake studied him, his eyes hard with their scrutiny. He blew out a huff of air through his mouth, his throat grunting with annoyance.

“You’re not going to tell me, are you?” whispered Drake.

“No, I’m not,” said Zach softly.

“You can talk to me. You know that, right?”

“I know.”

“Then, why?” asked Drake, a hint of sadness in his voice.

“I know it looks bad now,” whispered Zach. “But it will get better. I’ll take care of it, I promise.”

Liar.

You’re lying to him. You can’t fix anything. Stop lying. Tell him. Tell them. Stop holding back and—

“And I’ll take better care of myself,” said Zach, forcing a grin to lift his face. “Once things settle down, I swear things won’t be so weird with me. All right? Trust me.”

Trust a liar?

You’re hilarious.

“It’s nothing a good sleep and a good meal won’t fix,” said Zach, his fake grin becoming more believable.

“It’s about Falcon, isn’t it?”

“No, I don’t think the Falcon problem will be solved with food.”

They stared at each other for a long moment, before they both burst into laughter. The tension slid away, like cool water quenching the thirst.

You can’t lie forever.

Oh, but he was going to try.

The laughter gradually died; the others stopped playing. Warmth encapsulated his side; hands slid around his arm. A head rested against his upper shoulder, bringing with it the familiar scent of Hikaru’s shampoo. Drake slowly smirked at him. His eyebrows bobbed up and down.

Zach ignored him.

The others shuffled forward, gathering around each other at the bench. Brielle crouched in front and prodded Zach’s forehead, keeping her finger poised for another poke.

“It’s not as much fun without you,” said Brielle with a haughty sniff. There was a light flush to her face.

Zach smiled.

Emotion rose in his chest. His jaw clenched.

He stood up, taking a moment to stretch his limbs. He wasn’t going to break down. Not now. Not ever. Not in front of them. He ruffled Jacob’s hair. He grinned at the others.

“I dunno about you guys, but I hear some mac and cheese calling my name.”

As they walked home, the sun slowly waned across the horizon. The chatter of six teens added to the cacophony of the car filled streets. An ambulance sped by.

The air shattered. A blast blew over them. The ground shook beneath their feet. Screams warbled inside Zach’s ringing ears.

His friends…

Screeching tires, honking horns, shattering glass – they crashed together with ear splitting proportions. In the chaos, Zach grabbed the nearest two and jerked them down to the ground; the others followed like dominos. The sound of flickering flames licked his ears; smoke and fire clogged his senses.

Glass struck the ground. A second explosion shook the evening. More screams. More chaos. Everything was happening so fast, yet time came to a brutal halt. There was a crackling noise nearby; it snapped. There was a tremendous, thunderous crash.

Debris came down all around them. In the disorder, Zach lost sight of all of his friends. He slammed a hand over his mouth and nose, coughing through the smoke. He groped through the smoke, trying to get clear of it. As he broke through, he gasped for breath, choking. His eyes burned. He quickly looked around.

The building closest had been old, made of faded bricks. The entire side of the wall had fallen, sections of brick lay scattered across the area and the road.

A rage of billowing black smoke and wild, untamable flames stood only two buildings down the street. If they had been any closer… They would’ve been at the danger zone. The heat was intense, meltingly hot as a desert sun. The warmth burned Zach’s face, even from this distance.

The screams hadn’t faded. It’s the clinic… Falcon had targeted the empty clinic. Empty… Zach dragged his gaze away from the raging flames, with only one focus occupying his mind.

Where are they? Where’re my friends?

Keep reading –>

FIFTEEN

Chattering animatedly amongst themselves, the six friends walked down the street towards a nearby pizza shop. Each one had a bounce in their step; though, the most excited were Jacob and Brielle. Laughter followed their playful skips. The sun shone brightly, the breeze gentle and light. The air was crisp and refreshing.

Zach hung back somewhat, walking with his hands in his pockets. He took a deep breath, filling his lungs with the fresh air. He really wanted to enjoy this with them, but he couldn’t shake off the misgivings floating around in his head. He could easily pinpoint the sources of these feelings, but it was more the overall effect they had on him.

Lost.

He’d managed for so long without the support of an adult. He wished he didn’t feel so darn lost, wanting someone to talk to – someone who could offer wisdom and advice that came with age and experience. He wasn’t sure why he was missing it lately. Maybe it was the deadline. Maybe it was Falcon. Maybe it was the overwhelmingly helpless feeling that burned through every particle of his soul.

Sure. Multiple choice? How about all of the above?

Zach sighed, running a hand through his hair. Hikaru glanced back at him, concern on her face. He gave her a reassuring smile. She returned it and rejoined the chatter.

She always knows…

How she did it, Zach would never know. He was thankful she didn’t prod him further. If she pushed, he wondered if he would break. Would he tell her? Would he reveal this secret, like he’d done before with so many other things in his life?

Or would he lie to her?

Just this once?

His thoughts were a chaotic mess. Zach walked with his head bowed, his eyes watching his footsteps. He bumped into a stronger body and stumbled backwards, almost falling to the ground – if it hadn’t been for a pair of powerful hands clasping him by the shoulders and keeping him on his feet.

He looked up. It was a tall man with wavy black hair. A hint of white could be seen at the roots, yet the man looked young enough to be in his thirties. His crystal blue eyes were the most intense feature on his face.

“Are you all right?” asked the man. Zach nodded, unsettled. The man removed his hands and gave him a warm smile. “Deep in thought there?”

“Sorry, I wasn’t paying attention,” said Zach, taking a step back. “Thank you, though.”

“It’s quite all right,” said the man. “We all have those days.” The man studied him, so much so that Zach felt a little uncomfortable at the scrutiny. Before he could say anything about it, the man spoke up, “Have we met before?”

Oh, probably mistaking him for someone else.

“I doubt it, sir.”

“I’m sorry, it’s just…” The man paused, his eyebrows furrowing. A distant look entered his expression. His tone dropped. “You really look like someone I knew many years ago.”

There was such sadness within those eyes. They had the light of remembering a distant past and a loved one gone. Zach recognized it. The person this man saw in him had passed on. Compassion surged through his heart.

“I’m sorry,” whispered Zach.

“There’s nothing to be sorry about.” The man paused for a moment, seeming hesitant. “Just to be sure, if you don’t mind… Would you tell me the name of your mother?”

Should I?

All right, this was a little weird; a complete and random stranger asking about his mother. But… A part of Zach didn’t see the harm. On the outrageous off chance this man knew his mother, then Zach gained an old family friend – a precious connection to the past. If this man was someone untrustworthy, it wasn’t like he could go after her.

He couldn’t hurt the dead.

“Abigail Bennet,” whispered Zach, reverence in his voice. A swell of hope took him by surprise. He swallowed it back. “Ring any bells?”

An Adam’s apple contracted.

“No,” breathed the man. A blank, stillness fell over the man’s face. With an exhale, it softened into disappointment. “I guess I was mistaken. I apologize. I didn’t mean to pry.”

Zach smiled. “You’re fine. I’m sorry to disappoint.”

The man let out a laugh. It was warm and Zach found he liked the sound of it – rarely hearing something so gentle from an adult male. The man dropped a hand onto his head and ruffled his hair. Zach flushed, embarrassed.

“Have a nice day, kid.”

The man lifted his hand as he walked away. Zach turned around, keeping his eyes trained on the man’s broad back. Zach couldn’t place it, but there was something familiar about him. Had he met him before? Even the man had wondered it himself…

Where?

Zach inhaled sharply. Hang on. He had seen that man before. Those eyes. Odd as it was, Zach had been able to pick the man out of a crowd because of those eyes. Small world. He’d seen him at the bank, when they had tried to save the hostages.

Blood flashed inside his mind. Childlike screams filled his ears. Zach sucked in his breath and shoved the image away. He squeezed his eyes shut. He leaned against the brick wall of a street shop, exhaling with a shudder.

A hand touched his lower arm.

“Zach, what’s wrong?” whispered Hikaru.

“Are you all right?”

“What’s going on?”

“You sick?”

“Don’t throw up, bruh.”

“All right, shoo,” said Hikaru, motioning the others away. “Give him some space.”

Zach laughed softly. He looked at his friends. The other four stood a few feet away, watching him with united concern.

“I’m fine. I’ll catch up, all right?”

Hikaru glanced back at the others and nodded. With hesitant movements, they turned away and began to walk – very slowly – down the sidewalk. Hikaru leaned in closer, studying him intently.

“Are you sure you’re all right?”

“I’m fine—really, I am.”

“No, you’re not,” whispered Hikaru, frowning. “Something is troubling you. You’re more quiet than usual. You’re tense. What’s going on?”

And she does it again.

“I just… I just have a lot of things on my mind, all right?”

“Like Falcon?” whispered Hikaru, hushed.

Zach stiffened. His insides churned. A taunting voice entered his mind once more, that horrible number ghosting through his vision. But another voice swept over it, ringing with a foreboding truth.

‘You have a month, One.’

‘Regain your powers.’

‘Or else Unit Twelve will be dissolved and assigned new members.’

“Yes, like Falcon,” whispered Zach.

She stood at his side, not pushing him further. She waited, giving him a chance to elaborate. Zach let out a tired exhale. Where do I begin? What do I say, without revealing the frightening truth? His mind could easily articulate what he wanted to say, but connecting his mind with his mouth was another skill altogether.

“I dunno,” whispered Zach. “Money’s tight – that’s old news. Thanksgiving’s this month; Christmas is…” His voice dropped against his will. “…next month. The chief is always on my case—” At this, the tender light in Hikaru’s eyes darkened. “—and I always have to worry about whether things will change.”

And not for the better.

“But Falcon—” There was another sigh, more exasperated than the last. “He throws everything out of whack.”

The hand on his arm squeezed lightly. Such gentle care were in her eyes. His face tinged with heat. Before he could pull away, Hikaru drew him into an embrace, her arms tightening around his chest. His breath caught in his throat.

“I don’t know what to do,” whispered Zach, curling his arms around her. “Nothing ever seems to get better. I feel like I’m drowning.”

“It will get better,” said Hikaru, the gentle lilt of her accent affecting her pronunciation. It was faint, almost unnoticeable, but Zach liked it. “It has to get better.”

“People always say that. It doesn’t make it true.”

“I know,” said Hikaru, pulling back out of the hug. She smiled brightly at him. “But we’ve made it this far. We just have to hang in there and believe – because if we don’t have hope, then there’s nothing to look forward to.” She bumped his shoulder with a playful expression. “Like pizza for dinner.”

Zach snorted. “Wait, are you saying you’re the mastermind behind getting pizza today?”

Hikaru stuck her tongue out at him, grinning mischievously. “I guess you’ll never know.”

He laughed. The two of them started walking again, quickly catching up with the others since they hadn’t gotten too far ahead.

Zach was overcome with a deep wish. He wanted to slip his hand into hers. But he held back. They were in public, after all. The others might see, too – and Drake was sure to rib him about it. He couldn’t hold her hand under the guise of being friends, right?

Holding hands definitely meant something more.

A gentle touch slipped into his hand. Fingers plied through his own, spreading them apart and fitting perfectly there. Heat flared inside his cheeks. He glanced over at Hikaru, but she deliberately didn’t look at him. She walked, face towards the horizon, each step taken with strength.

But there was a light squeeze.

His heart fluttered. Zach enjoyed the warmth. She was his rock, his foundation, the one person who kept him sane. He heard the thoughts of her heart through her hand, thoughts only spoken of through such touch.

She would stay at his side, supporting him.

They broke apart before they reached the pizza shop. Neither looked at the other; neither spoke of it; neither mentioned it to the others. They all gathered around one of the outside tables, while Zach went to order two large cheese pizzas. Once done, he took a seat next to Hikaru.

He was able to forget, even for a moment. They were laughing, silly meaningful yet meaningless conversations about so many different things. Zach became lost in the stream, joining in with ease. Even when the pizzas arrived, there was little lull. Every last one of them chattered with full mouths, laughing more when someone’s food disgustingly fell out.

It was fantastic.

Maybe going out for pizza had been a great idea.

It wasn’t long before both pizzas disappeared. Zach checked his wallet. There wasn’t a ton of money left. Oh, well. They were going to have to live on PB&J, white rice, and bananas for awhile or else no Thanksgiving dinner.

“All right, guys,” said Zach, standing up. “We need a few things from the store. You ready to go?”

The store – a convenient dollar general – was a few blocks away. With full bellies, the conversation was soft and the walk slow. But it was wonderful and Zach’s spirits were lifted. As they walked inside the dollar store, he grabbed a cart. He stopped abruptly. His friends had surrounded him with identical looks on their faces. Zach instantly read it.

“Oh, no,” said Zach, shaking his head firmly. “We had pizza. We can’t get more stuff over budget. Okay, guys?”

Five pairs of bright eyes blinked at him.

Crap.

Ah, screw it.

“All right! All right,” said Zach. He received five glowing expressions for his troubles. “Two bucks a piece. Go!“

Jacob and Brielle whooped, high fiving each other. They darted away. With a grin, Drake was gone, while Sevati and Hikaru went off together.

All right, ten more bucks to the bill. We can take that, right?

Yeah, sure, Zach was letting them splurge. But come on! They were all kids. Something so small as two dollars shouldn’t bring a teenager this much joy, not in this day and age. Zach didn’t want to be the one who said ‘no’ all the time. He wasn’t supposed to be the ‘mean’ adult, the stingy parent.

He was supposed to be a kid, too.

They shouldn’t have to worry whether or not a bag of chips was in their budget. They shouldn’t have to worry about whether or not they could afford food for six growing teens, let alone healthy food. Worrying about such things was an adult’s burden. It was not meant for a child’s heart.

Bananas and carrots were the cheapest produce he could find. Zach grabbed some white bread. Yay for no nutrition. His biggest purchase was a large bag of white rice, but that would last them for the rest of the month. As he shopped through the store, one of the others would come up to the cart and put something inside.

Hikaru dropped off two packs of hair bands. The two older girls broke their hair bands frequently due to their long thick hair. Drake put in a bag of potato chips and a sketchbook. Sevati got a large bag of animal crackers and a notebook.

Brielle took the longest. She perused the book aisle, carefully flipping through page after page of different books. Jacob was in the same row, but looking at something else. He shyly glanced over at Zach, who – understanding instantly – gave him an encouraging thumbs up. Shyness faded, Jacob put a tray of cookies and a small stuffed toy, which looked like a little brown bird, into the cart.

Once Brielle picked a book, she gently placed it at the top. A tug on his t-shirt pulled Zach’s attention.

“I’ll share my cookies with you,” whispered Jacob.

Zach smiled at the young boy and ruffled his hair. The others quietly gave him a similar look: all food was to be shared. Zach went to the checkout, lightness in his heart. They each supported him in their own way. No matter the stress he had to deal with, he had his friends.

His family.

But it didn’t stop a memory from cruelly tainting the moment.

‘…a month, One.’

‘You have a month.’

Keep reading –>