Esper Chapter 16: The Mind of a Killer

Part 1

Cursing his portly body, Harper Wolf lagged far behind the van he frantically chased. (Matt better hurry the fuck up. I want to go home and sleep!) The driver’s constant thinking acted as a signal, steering the telepath toward a secluded alleyway behind a theater house. (Got a headache.) That man thought, pulling to a stop.

(Daddy…Vergil…) Wilhelmina Trask spiraled deeper into despair in the vehicle’s trunk, losing hope fast!

(Why me?! Why now?! They haven’t called in months, and now all of a sudden?!) Another voice entered the fray of hysterical minds, rushing through the theater house! (…ok, just calm down! Calm down. It’s alright, whatever he wants from me, I’ll do it and then cut them off!)

(What do I do? What do I do?!) Something deep inside of Harper had moved, changed, and it wasn’t just his abilities. (Should I suggest thoughts…?) The thought of employing his telepathy gave him pause, but no other ideas sparked within his aching head! (Fuck it! I’ve got to suggest thoughts!) He decided!

(Who is this little girl?! Fuck, bunch of worthless pieces of shit! This is the last time I work with the 365!) The unknown man grew more frantic! From a bench two blocks away, and with an entire building separating them, Harper tried to push thoughts into that man’s head! (Ow! Am I having a stroke now?!) The instant he tried, both minds radiated throbbing pain!

Slamming his fist on the bench powerlessly in impotent frustration, Harper was beside himself! Even trying again only elicited worse pain! “…I can’t just run up there! Fuck…fuck…what do I do…?” No plan, allies, or courage, praying for a miracle was Harper’s last futile idea.

Rapt in thought, no solutions evident, the boy failed to notice the silky black hair of his own pursuer blowing in over bench’s backside. She wondered how he managed to ignore the blood pouring from his nose, subsequently drenching his navy-blue jacket’s collar. At wit’s end, Harper drummed the heel of his brown loafer and thumbed his temples. Somewhere in her heart, she found a shred of sympathy. “…Have you considered calling the police?”

“Oh shit!” Harper ducked to bench’s opposite end, suddenly hearing Amala Singh’s voice!

“You’re very slow, and stink at hiding. I bet you were always bad at hide and seek.” She sat beside Harper, trying to make even more space between them. “You found the girl, didn’t you?”

“How’d you know that?!”

“You were running one way, then stopped and went the opposite direction out of nowhere, then you just sat here for a while. You forgot I can fly, didn’t you? I watched you from above for a while.”

“…” Constant lapses in both judgement and forethought led Harper down an arduous path.

“…Well, did you call the police?”

“Not yet…” Reaching for his phone, suddenly a massive explosion in the distance shook the ground! Both Amala and Harper stood, assuming it was an earthquake; however, on the edge of the city colorful dust clouds and debris billowed upward into the blue sky! “W-was that an earthquake? Do earthquake’s cause explosions?”

“No…I think.” Every car and building security alarm in the surrounding area roared to life! People flooded the streets, attention drawn toward clouds of smoke and a cacophony of blasts ringing out like a disorderly band! More colors tinted the clouds, as people became transfixed on the incident! “…Let’s go!”

“What?! Go where?”

“To your friend – Vergil’s sister!”

“What about the police?”

“You think you’re going to get through to them with all of that going on?” Amala pointed to smoke wafting over rooftops and continued explosions in the distance. “We can save her ourselves!”

“…Fuck no. Am I supposed to trust you?!”

“I don’t care if you trust me. I don’t trust you! You tried to control me…and your…” Amala stopped just short of lobbying that accusation at Calvin Wolf again. “I don’t give a crap about your feelings or your stinkin’, stupid…rah!” Amala swung a flurry of her small fists at nothing in a short tantrum! “I want to save that little girl! She needs someone to help her, someone to save her, someone to be there for her! Someone…no matter what, needs to help her!”

“…” Harper held his head in his hands, considering the waning options. (Maybe Vergil’s too far away, but I can’t read him anymore. The others…they’re…shit! It hurts to try and focus…! No Katie, no Nicolaus, no Vernon…!) Glancing around, the other pedestrians were using their phones, recording the event, or calling the police! Cruisers even zoomed by, flying down the block!

“…The longer we wait, the worse it could be.”

“…”

Part 2

“What was that?!” Only seconds after entering the building did Katie Vang feel the earth beneath her black flats rock! Ceiling lights sputtered on and off, poster frames shook on the walls, and the ticket counter receptionist fell with a thud! “Mrs. Díaz, you alright?!” The redheaded waitress rushed over. She lugged along her gym bag full of workout clothes, resenting not having a chance to change out of that despised hip hugging skirt foisted upon her by the owner of Captain Louie’s Ale house. “Here. Let me help you up.” She pulled the older Hispanic woman, large as she was, up off the ground.

“Ai…Katie, you know what that was? Lord in heaven!” Halls sat mostly empty, except for cleaning staff, who managed to scurry off toward the exit. Fearing the integrity may have been compromised, Katie aided the elderly Mrs. Diaz in escaping the theater house, until a small cry echoed out from deep within the building! “Matthew? He is still in there, probably!”

Katie had every intention of quitting, finding better employment, and turning Matthew in, though she still wanted to tell him off in person first! Breaking from the group of escapees, she reacquired her bag and stormed back into the building! (Seriously, what is happening?!) Several other explosions rang out in succession as Katie rushed through the service hallway, finally coming to the back exit. There was Matthew, reentering the emergency exit! “Matthew, what are you doing back here? Come on, let’s get out of…” In the overweight, underdressed man’s arms was a small girl, consciousness wavering. Katie studied the child, noting her hands bound behind her back and mouth wrapped in duct tape. Revulsion at the sight caused Katie’s usual plastic smile to be usurped by her nose wrinkling, lip curling, and eyes flaring in anger, forming an unpleasant scowl!

Another man suddenly forced his way in through the backdoor too! Everything nearly went black when the door slammed shut; only silhouettes bathed in red from the exit light were visible. “Yo, Matt, the fuck?! Who is she?!” The man shoved Matthew hard against the wall, almost losing his grip on Wilhelmina!

“Hey, careful! Noah wanted me to look after her, right?” Despite shadows being cast over the gourd shaped man, an evidently sweaty brow still twinkled under the exit sign’s light. “K-Katie, here!” Wilhelmina’s limp body was forced into Katie’s arms! “Take her to the office, we’ll talk.”

“…” Shocked and disgusted, Katie totally blanked, just taking the girl and walking away without a word.

“That your girl? Can she be trusted?” The man asked, but Katie halted, turning on a dime and answered, speaking with zero air for misunderstanding.

“No. I’m not and was never ‘his girl’.”

Part 3

Amala and Harper peaked down the dingy alleyway, seeing only that unoccupied van sitting idle. “What are you reading? What’s happening in there?” Harper attempted to scan the building again, as Amala primed her pyrokinesis.

Distressed and confused thoughts seeped in between everyone of Harper’s own. “…” Focused, one reoccurring voice stood out to the weary telepath. “…The guy who had Wilhelmina is still there. He’s afraid of going back…and he’s trying to reach someone named Noah.”

“Noah…? Whatever. Where’s the girl?”

“I don’t know. My head hurts really bad.”

“Fine, whatever. Here, put this on.” Amala passed a black scarf over to Harper; meanwhile she slipped her purple hoodie on over her work clothes, and covered her head.

“I’m going in too?”

“Yes, you are. I don’t believe you won’t just run off and get into more trouble, and your powers will help us avoid too much trouble. Relax, we won’t fight anyone…unless necessary.”

“…Why are you so prepared for all of this?”

(He doesn’t know?) Amala quickly surmised, despite Harper reading her mind, he hadn’t read deep enough to uncover her darker activities. “It doesn’t concern you. Let’s move before something else happens. Are they still in the back?”

“…No. They moved to another part of the building…I think. Hey, wait!” Amala swiftly moved to the backdoor! She ran her fingers over the lock, trying to figure a way in. “What do we do?”

“Shh…” Amala calmly focused on her pyrokinesis; easing all tension throughout her body and mind. A surge of mist rolled upward, gracing her skin with heat. Far cooler than before, yet still warmer than normal, that wasn’t what intrigued her. (This detail…I can feel it.) The mauve haze seeped beyond the black door frame and seal, along its backside, another sensation revealed itself to the wielder! Dexterity, akin to moving individual fingers; Amala manipulated unlike ever before, allowing her to grip the latch and release it! The door flew open, just missing the petite woman’s nose by a centimeter! “O-OK! Let’s move. Quick!” Following in behind his accomplice, Harper skulked into the corridor. “No phone light!” Amala quickly warned. The door slowly closed, and all light drained from the narrow path ahead. “Move slowly.” Entering into that grimy, dimly lit corridor, only an exit light glowing red above the door illuminated a path forward.

Harper elected to keep right behind Amala, tracing her hand along the interior piping above. Tired, entering a den of gangsters, and still suffering from a massive headache, the teen was spent! “I just wanna go home, man…” He groaned.

“Shh!” Amala shushed in response! The two reached another door, and when opened, a clean and well-lit hallway awaited. “Keep your face covered.” Both further concealed their identities while crouch walking along. Amala’s steps, being particularly precise and graceful across the laminated flooring, created nary a sound in her weathered sneakers. Such movements came naturally to the former dancer; Harper though, was flatfooted and clumsy. The essence of uncoordinated, coupling that with a migraine and blood loss, Harper haphazardly stumbled about like a drugged hippo.

“Noah ain’t picking up!” Some man’s streesed yell was followed by banging on a wooden object in another part of the building!

“OK, but don’t hit my desk, please! It’s expensive!” Another countered. Two men’s silhouetts shown through a set of blinds. One was stout, drying his forehead and slipping into a suit jacket. Beside him, the other was tall, wiry, and paced back and forth in the office. Amala signaled for Harper to follow her below the office window’s view, though he already was. Absentmindedly, still impaired with pain, he collided right into her from behind, knocking Amala down! “Jesus! What was that?!”

The taller man hurried toward the door! With just enough forethought, Amala used her power to launch Harper down the hall and out of sight! “Who are—” Before the man could utter another word, he was pinned against a wall by a warm wave of pyrokinetic force!

“Look for the girl! Go!” Amala shouted, and Harper rushed down the opposite hall without a second thought! “You, where’s the other one?” Circling into the office, Amala kept focus on her flattened thug captive but looked from the corner of her eye for that overweight figure. In her blind spot, said overweight man, Matthew, seized her around the waist and slammed the much smaller woman against his wooden desk! Stunned, pain sparked forth across Amala’s body, radiating from a still horribly brusied shoulder! Still baffled by the mauve smoke holding his accomplice, Matthew clumsily straddled Amala pinning her down. “Jerk…” Focus weakened, Amala’s pyrokinetic haze faded, releasing the gangster. Seeing him recover and reach for his gun, left Amala with one option! She released more haze, and by clutching her hand as if squeezing the mist itself, it ignited the pyrokinesis! (That is how it works! I thought so!) With the flick of her wrist, a bolt of flames was discharged!

It shot across the room and biting onto the gangster’s shirt, running up his arm then engulfing his head in fire! Tortured screams of pain echoed throughout the building! “Holy shit!” Matthew witnessed in horror! Flailing wildly, that fire bit gangster spread flames to papers and boards on the walls! Amala braced herself and booted the overweight man back into the wall. When he looked up from the floor, before him stood a fury driven figure in a purple hoodie, staring down with cold unsympathetic eyes. “Wait! Please, don’t kill me! I don’t know what’s going on!”

“…You’re a kidnapper, right?! Not a drug dealer, right?!” She asked, actually expecting Matthew to answer! “Tell me now!”

“I-I don’t…uh…I just store shit for them and run things.”
“Do you traffic people? Yes, or no?!” The battle within Amala to decide whether she’d end the man’s life or spare him, raged! She needed an answer, a definitive reason!

Wrapped up in the conversation, both failed to notice the gangster subdued the flames cast onto him. He pulled up his gun and opened fire into the office through the window! A bullet winged the side of Amala’s neck causing her to fall back onto the ground! In response, a cascade of flames, setting the entire office ablaze was launched! Matthew fled through the door and toward the front of the building, followed behind by the ailing gangster!

“Get back here…!” Firmly holding her new wound, Amala slowly gave chase.

Part 4

Going only as far as Matthew’s personal office near the theater house’s front, Katie took pity on the kidnapped girl, untying her, and contemplating the next move. (What’s with this heat?) She pondered. The child sat catatonically on the couch; hands clasped around the water bottle Katie provided. She hadn’t uttered word, made a move, or looked up from the ground. Imagining what she’d experienced infuriated Katie, though she stifled it on her face. “Honey, don’t worry, it’s okay. I’m getting you out of here.” Though a veneer of positivity, Katie faked a pleasant smile and grabbed Wilhelmina’s hand, leaving the office! The second they stepped through the doorway; however, Katie was broadsided and sent tumbling to the floor by an unknown figure! “Ow! Jeez! What the…Harper?!”

It was, in fact, him! The teen was sprinting as fast as he could, hardly lucid, in search of Wilhelmina! “K-Katie…? What are you doing here? Did you see…a little girl with frizzy grey hair?” Slowly, it donned upon him, Wilhelmina was hiding behind Katie, clutching the doorframe! A rush of joy overwhelmed the weary teen! “Wilhelmina! Fuck yes! Oh…I’m so fucking happy you’re ok!” The boy fell over himself trying to reach for a hug, though Katie deflected him.

“Hold it! What’s happening? Why are you here?!” She stepped in, shielding the clearly traumatized child! Shaking like a leaf, a thousand-yard stare, and with color drained from her pale little face, Harper didn’t need his telepathy to understand how Wilhelmina felt. “Who is she?”

“She’s Vergil’s sister! Look…w…we…” Vertigo claimed Harper. “Get her…out of here…p-please!” The room spun, even the concrete wall under Harper’s hand seemed to ebb. Fatigue set in, and dizziness finally won out.

“…Shit!” Bile in her throat, Katie pulled the chunky boy onto her shoulder and began lugging him towards the exit. “Come on…Wilhelmina, was it?” She grabbed the girl’s hand again and soldiered forth! (This fat fucker… lucky I’m with this little girl, otherwise, I’d drop his ass! Gotta’ get out of here. We’ll go through the main entrance!) Struggling on, clattering erupted behind Katie! She halted, turning to find Matthew and the same gangster from earlier dashing around a corner! Seeing the gangster’s clothes, and skin along his scalp seared nearly to the bone like an over roasted brisket was horrifying!

“Katie, babe, what are you doing?!” Matthew screamed!

“She untied the girl, and who’s that with her?!” The man trained his gun on Katie!

“Stop! Don’t shoot her!” Matthew pushed the barrel away at the last second, sending a bullet right by Katie’s head!

“The fuck are you doing?!” Before Matthew could consider the actions he’d just taken, 3 shots were unloaded into his chest! With his own blood soaking his hands, Matthew reached out. Hand falling short of Katie, who never outstretched her own. Matthew collapsed to the ground, dead.

Fear sent adrenaline coursing through Katie’s veins! Wilhelmina shrieked, sirens blared, lights flashed, and everything slowed to a crawl as the gangster turned his gun toward them. One word roared throughout Katie’s mind, ‘push’! Throwing everything she could into a singular burst of energy, a geyser of ghastly, black particles sprung from the ground and formed a mob of psionic mannequins! Shoving their hands forward, and glaring with those solitary blue eyes, figures flooded the hall and washed that gun-toting man, as well as Matthew’s corpse, away and out of sight! Katie’s nose spewed blood as she tugged Wilhelmina and Harper toward safety!

Sturdy mannequin arms pinned the gangster in place, holding the remnants of his loose-fitting jacket and cooked flesh against a hot skillet like wall. “What the fuck are these things?!” Glaring eyes pierced the man’s soul. Firmer than any statue, he fruitlessly wrestled to free his trapped hands and scorched back! “Fuck man! Fuck! Somebody?!” Black smoke crept into the sweltering corridor. No matter how the mannequins’ lifeless blue eyes terrified him, they were nothing before the approaching hooded heroine’s glowing reds.

“…” She glared with an undaunted fury, causing the gangster to panic!

“W-Wait! I swear I’m nobody, yo! I got no idea what Noah is doing with the girl, for real!”

“…” Amala glanced at the still remaining psychic projections, immediately recognizing them. (When did she arrive? Did Vernon call her too?) Questions to be saved for another time. Amala’s grim, unfeeling, unrelenting duty was well underway. “Noah? Is he your boss? Call him. Tell him to tell me everything.”

“He ain’t been picking up…I-I think whatever’s happening outside got something to do with him, yo! Yo, we gotta’ get out of here! Fire’s coming!” More smoke filled the hall as Amala felt warmth along her back grow.

“…Then you’re useless…and someone who hurts kids.” Around her feet a circle of flames spilled outward! The flames snaked up the walls, eating at the foundation, slowly wrapping the entirety of the hall, turning it into an oven!

“Don’t kill me, please! I got a kid too!” Words that fell on deaf ears. The fire at her feet mixed with those from behind, spiraling into a whirlpool of flames! The mannequins cracked under the heat, disintegrating within her blaze. The man slowly was freed from his captivity, but it was far too late. His back had been swallowed up, flames quickly claimed his arms and legs, and finally his whole being! Wailing in agony didn’t elicit sympathy from Amala, just frustration. She merely stepped over the crumbling mannequins, wiping away a trickle of blood from her nose on her way toward the entrance.

Part 5

Katie, along with other workers, watched from a block away as the blaze consumed more and more of the structure. Her mind wandered back to the conversation with Baxter for a second. (…Guess everything really happens for a reason.) Resuming her escape, Katie froze upon noticing a figure casually exit the flame spewing doors! More concerned with a lack of information gathered, still tightly gripping her wounded neck, Amala absentmindedly staggering about until when strolling by Katie! In the instant they locked eyes, she turned, prepared to flee, however, Katie reached out her free hand and snagged her sleeve! “…Where are you going?”

Amala froze, wanting to escape, immediately thinking to attack Katie, and run! That thought passed as both women comprehended the situation. People filled the streets, sirens booming, and fire trucks were incoming! Tensions flared, but Katie remained rational while trying to piece together a plan. A simple one ended up as the best option. A wave of pedestrians flowed toward the theater house turned inferno, wanting to catch a glimpse! Still shouldering Harper’s weight, holding Wilhelmina’s hand, and pulling Amala along, Katie pushed through the crowd making an escape to a far less populated area!

Reaching an empty parking lot, the exhausted group sat and caught their breath. “Ok…what the fuck is happening?! I’m so confused!” Katie pulled her sweat dampened hair out of its ponytail, allowing it to blow all about in the cold wind.

“Here…” Lucid again and laid unceremoniously on the asphalt, Harper attempted to hand off Amala’s loaned scarf to the shivering redhead.

“Eww! Gross! It’s covered in blood!” Despite standing in the winter breeze wearing a miniskirt, and ironically forgetting her own bloody nose, Katie rejected his offer.

Amala crouched down to check on the likely-traumatized Wilhelmina. “Are you alright?” She reached out her hand to caress the child’s cheek and comfort her, feeling accomplished; that was until Wilhelmina jerked away! The look of terror stunned Amala, though with blood running from her neck wound and nose, coated in soot, and hair erratically set atop her head, heroism couldn’t overcome that unnerving appearance.

“Hey, you, want to explain?” Katie looked to Amala.

“…” Amala stared blankly at her hand, damp with her own blood, felt the aching of her shoulder, and just sat back on the ground, saying nothing.

“…Hey! Hey!” Katie repeatedly snapped her fingers in the gloomy heroine to no avail. “Goddammit!” She snatched the woman’s hand up and placed it back onto her own neck! “Keep your hand there at least!”

“Vergil ain’t picking up.” All of Harper’s calls went to voice mail, and messages remained unchecked, leaving Vergil’s status unknown. “…Should we call Vernon now?”

“Fucking duh! I can’t believe this is happening—”

“Just stop already, ok?” Finally breaking her silence, Amala spat that remark!

“Finally speaking now, are we? Care to explain who set that building on fire? Was it you two?”

“…I’m hurt. I don’t want to talk right now.” Amala huffed.

“Fuck that! Fuck you! You can’t just sit here and—”

“I said, I’m hurt! I didn’t want to do any of this in the first place!”

“Any of what?! I still don’t know what is going on!”

“Stop fighting!” Wilhelmina spoke for the first time since her rescue! With her small hands gripping the sides of her skirt and tears pouring down her rosy cheeks, the little one strained to say anything. “I want to…go home!” She bawled!

“…Ok! Vernon responded!” Harper interjected! “He said we should drop Wilhelmina off at home and…I should get back to school? No way!”

“Seriously? Whatever. Now, what happened to Vergil? You mentioned him. Where is he?” A still unanswered question posed by Katie, which filled Harper with further anxiety.

Discreetly attempting to use his telepathy again, spreading the range as far as possible, only achieved a greater migraine. “…I don’t know. He…didn’t answer his phone or any texts.”

Wilhelmina suddenly latched onto Harper’s arm! “Is Vergil okay?! He probably is looking for me! Can you take me home?!” She pled!

“…Vernon said to drop us off somewhere inconspictous.”

“Inconspicuous!” A tiny smile crept across Wilhelmina’s sullen face when correcting Harper. The rush of glee flushed Harper’s cheeks bright red, feeling he’d once again used his power for good, that he’d done something right!

“Can you fly them?” Katie spoke, not bothering to conceal her sneer at Amala.

“…Yes. They’ll have to hold onto me though.” Blood seeped between her fingers from the neck wound, to which Katie grew intensely exasperated.

“Wait here! You, none of you, move from this spot!” The redhead demanded in a stern voice and stormed off, leaving her companions! “You all better stay there, I’m fucking serious!” Turning to holler back, she emphasized!

“…She doesn’t know.” Amala leaned into Harper and whispered. “She doesn’t know about your powers. Who does?”

“…Just me…and…someone who used to know.” Chills ran up and down the teens back. Amala’s gaze was unrelenting, despite her own obvious distress. Like spotlights trained directly onto the back of Harper’s head, the small woman leaned over him, staring down at the nerve wrecked teen. “…You know; Wilhelmina will have to see you use your powers.”

“She’s probably already seen…hers.” Amala accurately surmised Wilhelmina had seen Katie’s powers. “…Listen…you’re hiding your telepathy for a reason, I’m guessing.”

“I…”

“Don’t lie. You’ve been lying forever. Don’t lie!”

“…I did some shit. I don’t want—”

“I don’t care. Just don’t you lie to me. From now on…you tell the truth, ok?” He sheepishly nodded, eyes firmly on the asphalt below. “…You can read minds, right?” Again, he nodded. “How much of mine did you read?”

“Only a little. I…” Hesitation met with swelling heat. Harper felt Amala’s pyrokinesis kick in beside him, warming the area. “I think my powers are getting stronger. Th-the nose bleeds…are probably, like, a side effect or something?”

“Stronger? No, that makes sense. My powers changed too…or are they just stronger? I did have a nose bleed…”

“Are we going to keep getting stronger?”

“I don’t know.” Without noticing, Wilhelmina had snuck in close to Amala. “Um…”

“It’s warmer here.” She said innocently, pressing into Amala’s side. Feeling a nostalgic sensation overwhelm her, the woman reached down and embraced the girl! The heat from her pyrokinesis rapidly dissipated, so she kicked it in again, purposely warming the girl. When Harper noticed the temperature climbing, he also tried to join, yet eyes of a lioness perturbed him!

“I swear, I said to keep your hand on your neck.” Katie returned, full plastic bags in both arms. She placed them down and started pulling medical supplies out. “Hold your hair up, then stay still.” She spoke firmly to Amala, while separating her from Wilhelmina, who Amala pulled back in for another hug! “No! Do what I say! Now!” Roughly contorting the stubborn woman’s hair, Katie incorporated one of her own bracelets into a makeshift hair tie! Amala’s long black locks, silky and vibrant, were wound up into a messy, twisted topknot.

“That’s too tight.” Amala simmered.

“Too bad. Head up!” Gripping the sides of her face, Katie went about cleaning, treating, and properly bandaging Amala’s neck wound. Next came using face wipes to clean away the soot and blood. “…What makeup are you using? No smudges or…anything.”

“…I’m not wearing any. I don’t like makeup…” Envy of the woman’s naturally vibrant skin and idyllic features, all without need for enhancement, drove a petty response. As she finished wiping Amala’s face, she pinched her nose shut, squeezing, hard. “S-stop! Stop, stop, stop!” Amala protested, lobbing small impotent slaps to the larger woman’s hand.

“Fine.” She released her grip, only managing to further alienate the already upset young woman. “Here sweetie, drink this, and you can have these if you’re hungry.” Katie presented Wilhelmina with water and some snacks while cleaning her face too.

“Uh…what about me?” Harper inquired, having a sanitary wipe tossed at his face with a bag of chips.

“Alright…I’m tired. Dead tired. We aren’t meeting tonight, right?” Harper nodded, answering Katie’s question. “OK. You guys…go do whatever.” Reluctantly, Amala was also handed a bottle of water. “I, for one, am going home.”

“Why were you at the theater house?” Asked Amala.

“…We’ll talk tomorrow. Get the girl home, now.” A tense glare was exchanged between the women. Both distrustful, both harboring secrets, both disliking the other. “Go!”

Amala grabbed the remaining grocery bags and slammed them into Harper’s flabby chest. After a quick glance around the area, gathered her pyrokinetic haze. Amala pulled Harper and Wilhelmina in close and began slowly floating upward. Wilhelmina shuttered, alerting Amala immediately! “It’ll be ok! Don’t worry!”

“Cool! This is so cool!” She shouted gleefully as the group moved beyond Katie’s sight.

Katie ran fingers through her hair. “…Finally gone.” Back leaned against the side of an abandoned shopping center, it did little to support the distressed woman. She slid down to the ground, holding back a fit…until she couldn’t. “…Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Matthew, you stupid fuck!” Katie’s muffled screams dispersed in her gym bag pressed tightly against her face! She wailed and cursed, on and on, until there were no words left in her gut! ‘Baxter’, that name popped back into Katie’s head again. Unbothered with thinking her next move through, she hit call on her phone…and waited.

Once the line connected, Katie sat, reconsidering it as a possible mistake. “Pretty lady, how the hell are ya’?” Baxter’s voice boomed from the other end of the line! “Think about my offer? Still on the table!”

“You said it was government, right? Can get me a lot of money?” Failing to keep desperation out of her quivering voice, the waitress and ‘former’ stage actress’s nerves had long since been shot. A panic attack wasn’t too far off, yet she persevered. “Like…a lot, a lot, right? I’ll be a name somewhere? Not a nobody, not some Podunk loser from fucking Wisconsin?!”

“…Yup, pretty lady. All that and more!” Baxter calmly explained, taking a second to sip from his flask. “Trust me, we need people. I’m sure Moss will be ecstatic.”

Part 6

Amala began to descend to the woods below. “Not here! No, not here!” Wilhelmina screamed, frantically tugging at the woman’s hoodie!

Harper suggested otherwise. “Oh, yeah right! Um…further down the block…please.” Unpleasant memories lurked in those woods surrounding the cul-de-sac, for both of its residents. Backing up into the sky, then gliding down the street, Amala spied an open street corner and rapidly descended to the ground! “Whoa…holy shit! Careful…please.” Again, the lioness shot a frown in Harper’s direction!

Amala struggled to keep her pyrokinesis from igniting while carrying such a hefty load. “…Are you okay?” She turned to check on Wilhelmina, ignoring Harper.

“Yes, thank you for saving me, miss…?” Wilhelmina smiled.

“Amala Singh, that’s my name.” After sharing another smile, she turned back to Harper. “You understand what Vernon wrote in that last message, right?”

“Yes! Dude’s such a fucking busybody.” Yanking Harper in by his jacket collar, Amala stood nose to nose with the boy! “I-I get it, okay. I’ll say I went looking for Vergil and lost him, then bumped into Wilhelmina.” Referencing the instructions Vernon begrudgingly gave when Harper refused to return to school.

“Good. Wilhelmina…um…remember, no telling anyone about us saving you, and don’t say anything about our powers, okay?”

“OK, Amala! Can we fly again some time though?” The wonderment expressed chocked up Amala.

“S…sure! Absolutely!” She reassured; a wide grin drawn across her cheeks.

“Harper?!” As soon as his voice reached Amala’s ears, memories were unleashed like a dam bursting. She didn’t even need to turn and see him, Calvin Wolf. “Harper! My God, where have you been?!” Putting his beige minivan into park, the flustered parent rushed to his son’s side! “The school said you left with Vergil or something…? Wilhelmina? For the love of God! Wilhelmina what are…you doing…with…” Slow realization crept in; Amala Singh was crouched beside the formerly missing girl. The situation grew more cluttered by the second.

“…Dad, I…I found Wilhelmina walking around!” Harper attempted to assert the lie! “I went looking for Vergil because he found out Wilhelmina got kidnapped! Then, I bumped into her…on the way home!” A paused suspicion halted the conversation.

“Harper, Vergil’s home.”

“What?!”

“Vergil’s home?! Watch out!” Wilhelmina dashed up the block, as fast as her legs could carry, forgetting everything else with only the hope of seeing her beloved brother!

“Wilhelmina, come back! Harper…let’s go.” Calvin eyed Amala, still having not turned to look at him. He began walking back toward his vehicle, which Harper tried to follow along until being stopped!

Small fingers, hot like the devil’s pitchfork, clutched Harper’s shoulder! “…You…” She leaned in and whispered into the boy’s ear. “…don’t believe me about your father, but…” Even without her haze, the icy glare forced into Harper’s line of sight changed the temperature of his blood, frigidly cold. “…you can read minds. Read his mind and tell me he hurt my friends.”

“…W-why are you like this? If you’re so certain, then you don’t need me to—” His father reached the car and looked back at Harper, calling for him.

“I do not forget. I could never. Do it!”

“I can’t, it hurts to much right now.”

“…Then do it later, and tell me later. You have no choice…I know what happened. You will too, and then you’ll understand.”

“…” Feeling his breath stolen, Harper silently agreed at something far worse than gunpoint, a possible coffin of flames. He walked over to the car, keeping his head down the entire way. As Calvin drove off, Amala stared her former instructor down. Sharing history and that gaze, both understood that they’d be involved in each other’s lives once more, regardless of joint reluctance.

End of Chapter 16