The Collision (Sequel to The Division)

Chapter 8 (Autumn)

Once we found out Time and Serena were gone too, I was on the brink of giving up. It's almost as if our enemies are just forestalling us for fun now. The only person I can go to for advice now is Queen Azalea, but I'm afraid that they might kidnap her too. That's definitely the last thing we need.

After convincing River to let me handle the Time and Serena investigation (mostly because she was almost ready to set the whole island on fire), I manage to slip into Time's room alone.

His room is rather small and mostly empty except for the bed in the corner and a window directly across from it. The simplicity of the space made sense for him. I assumed he wanted to be alone with just his thoughts at all times, just in case he got his visions.

I stroll over to the window and stare out of it. He had a perfect view of the Ruby Nation, but unfortunately it's not as lively as usual. More and more guards were patrolling the grounds of the city causing the streets to lack happy citizens. An obtrusive fear was living amongst all of us, and we didn't even know how to begin controlling  it.

From Queen Azalea's descriptions, Time seemed like a completely calm and generous guy, which is why it seems so unimaginable for him to be taken.

Suddenly, an unfamiliar sensation rushed through me. I didn't feel as if anyone was watching me, but I felt a presence in the room. My feet begin to move on their own, moving closer and closer to Time's bed. I panic, having lost control of my body completely. My hand stretches out and touches the blanket lying on the bed and a white light flashes in front of my eyes. A powerful pain erupts in my head, causing me to step back and release my grip on the blanket. Before I release it entirely, I hear my name being called.

"What the-," I start, clutching my head while trying to ignore the throbbing. I reach for the blanket again involuntarily, but this time the pain subsides leaving behind darkness, as if I just closed my eyes.

"Autumn," a deep voice rumbles through my head, making me jump. "Can you hear me?"

"Who is this and what are you doing in my head?" I ask, hoping no one passing by thinks that I'm talking to myself.

"Azalea was right about you," he says vaguely.

"Right about what? Time, is this you?" I ask, finally recognizing the voice.

"Yes, Autumn. Now listen to me closely, because I have a lot to say in the next few minutes."

"What's going on? How do we get rid of Zayin when almost everyone that can help is gone?"

"I know it seems like a lost cause, but trust me, you can manage. Especially now that you have accessed your gift."

"My gift?" I mutter under my breath and suddenly my answer hits me. "Do you mean I have the gift of Sight too?"

"Yes. But I have a feeling that yours will be slightly different. Serena can see events and memories that I give her. You on the other hand might be able to access them yourself."

"So you think I can access memories of people?"

"It's worth a shot. My connection is wavering, Autumn. Just clear your mind and try to look into mine. All you need is to hold a person's belonging in order to see. Oh, and when you get a chance, go to the tree. She wishes to speak to you."

"Time, I can't do this on my own." But by then, the connection was broken. Light returns to the room and I collapse on to the floor, feeling slightly uneasy.

Comprehending what just happened was definitely not an easy task to complete. I sit on the floor going over what Time told me. Apparently, the gift of Sight isn't just an pair of functioning eyeballs. The reality of it all hit me a few seconds later. If I could look into Time's memory, then I could see who was behind the disappearances.

"Clear your mind." I whisper, remembering Time's words vividly. I take a shaky breath and relax into the emptiness of the room. Clutching the blanket, I clear my head of the many unwanted thoughts and just focus on his memory. At first, everything is dark, but slowly a new image swirls into view. Instead of looking down on the scene, I'm seeing things in Time's perspective.

Suddenly, the door to the room burst open, but it takes me a moment to realize that it was the door in the memory and not in reality. Everything felt so real, but I was limited to only Time's movements in the memory itself.

Time turned around and faced the door quickly, and to my surprise Dagger was there alongside of Zayin.

"Get up." Zayin commanded swiftly. Hesitantly, Time followed the command. "Put your hands behind your head." Zayin added and took a step further in the room.

"What do you think you're doing?" Time asked angrily, ignoring the other command.

"Did I ask you to speak? Put your hands behind your head." Zayin snapped back.

"You won't get away with this. They'll find you."

"You think I don't know that? Why do you think I'm keeping a low profile? I'm monitoring everyone and everything right now. If you know too much, you have to be eliminated. That's the rule."

"What did General Asoura's sisters know?"

"Nothing, that one was just to bother her. I figure if she gets angry enough, she might be of use to us. One by one, we take the people she cares about the most and she'll break sooner or later. She's already at the peak, all she has to do is get one little push." Zayin looked at Dagger with a smirk, "Knock him out."

Dagger walked forward instantaneously. His eyes seemed empty and unfocused, as if he didn't have control of his actions at all. He didn't seem like himself. I watched as he got closer and closer, holding what looked like a syringe in one hand. I felt a small prick on my neck as the needle was inserted, then all at once, everything returned to black.

When I open my eyes, I find myself lying on my back in Time's room once again. The only thing I could think about was Dagger.

He's been working for them.

He's been lying to me this whole time.

And I trusted him.

The door burst open and standing in it was just the person I wanted to confront. Before he even open his mouth I whispered, "You lied to me." I felt betrayed and hurt, but I also felt angry that I let him get to me so easily.

"You need to get out of here, Autumn." He warns, his shoulders sagging slightly.

"Not until you tell me why you're working for Zayin." I protest, my hands clenching by my sides. "Not until you explain why you helped him kidnap Time."

He gives me an extremely confused look, "What are you talking about?"

I groan in frustration, "Here we go again with the lies! Spare me of them. I have to go." I push past him and head towards the door.

"I'm afraid I can't let you do that." Another voice says behind me. I turn around to find Zayin standing by the window with an evil smirk on his face, "I wasn't going to take you until later, but now that you have been enlightened on the current situation, I'm afraid I have no choice."

"Leave her out of this, Zayin." Dagger warns stepping in front of me. I roll my eyes at his petty attempt to win my forgiveness. Zayin notices and chuckles.

"Move out of the way Xavier, this doesn't concern you." With a flick of his wrist, Dagger (or Xavier I guess) is thrown to the floor while I am pulled towards Zayin by some sort of invisible force. "Say goodbye to your little boyfriend Autumn. You won't be seeing him for a long time."

I felt the prick of the needle entering my neck and I braced myself for the impending darkness to enter.

I was going to have a hard time getting out of this one.

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Finally wrote my chapter. I was super busy for the past few weekends and I couldn't find time to write. Sorry about that. Anyway, thanks for reading and if you liked it click that vote button!

Side note. So I watched the movie Gone Girl and now I'm an emotional mess cause it wasn't supposed to end like that and I'm freaking out so yeah..... urgh.

Anyways.... Bye!