The Enhanced Ones (paused)

Ch. 19 Faith

I watched them go in then I went to the top of the tower. Again no viable entry points. "How do they take care of this building if they can't get on top of it?" I wonder aloud. Shaking my head I walk to the edge. There is no breeze for the time being so the building and my feet are steady. I look down at the people scurrying below. How many are ignorant and how many work here. How many have spent there lives in search of children to corrupt or kill. Disgusted I look away from the people below.

I run my senses over the surface of the roof. Inch by agonizing inch trying to find something. Anything. There had to be a way in besides the door downstairs. "Come on. Come on." I say between ground teeth.

"Come to join the party?" A familiar voice taunts overhead.

In that moment I notice something I'd missed. Not a roof hatch or secret passage. Something more mundane. Windows. Open windows.

I smile when I look up and see Victoria hovering above. I don't bother to lift myself to her height. Better to let her think she has the power in this duel. "And what party would that be?" I ask innocently.

She rolls her eyes then flies straight at me without warning. I throw myself to the edge of the building. I can hear her yell of frustration as she wheels back around for another pass.

"For someone who can fly you're surprisingly bad at it." I say just as I leap over the edge. I let gravity take me down while I feel for a window. Victoria got out somehow. There! I latch on with my mind and pull. As soon as I can, my hands grasp the window sill. I heft myself inside then roll to my feet.

I'm in an empty break room. A half full coffee pot sits neglected on a splotchy counter and the smell of an over used microwave fills the stuffy room. Wrinkling my nose I turn and close the window. Victoria will have to find her own way in. Slapping my hands on my pants I step lightly toward the door.

Placing my ear against it's surface I listen for voices. Nothing. I turn the handle slowly and peek out. A woman in a suit sits at a desk flipping through a folder. The room is average size seeming more like a hallway with other doors branching off from here. I'm still near the top of the building. The flashes from Sage must have come from one of these levels. Wishing that Mercy and I could trade abilities I take a chance and walk towards the woman at the desk. She looks up at the sound of my boots. Her face goes from boredom to shock to expectation in seconds.

"Can I help you?" She asks as her hand casually slips below the desk. Her eyes widen slightly offering me the only sign that the button she was reaching for would not press.

I lean against the desk and smile widely. "There is something you can help me with."

She quivers but does not look away from my gaze. "You're a...an..."

"I am. And I'm on a mission." I watch as she blinks in fear. "And you are going to help me."

With some encouragement she leads me to an elevator. I watch carefully as she presses the buttons. 'P' for parking. It's a boring trip. Both of us remaining silent. Whenever we come to a slow towards a floor not ours I prevent the doors from opening and we continue down. Its about ten aganizing minutes before we reach the parking level. I step behind the woman. For a moment I feel bad for not asking her name, but I shake it off. She is part of something terrible. The doors ding and slide open. What I see over her shoulder stuns me. Cars turned upside down, shattered glass, and a body lying limp.

"No!" I shout before I run out of the elevator. "No no no no no." I fall to my knees and move aside a lock of blonde hair. "Mercy." I feel for her pulse. So faint, but there. I hear the ding of the elevator doors and look up to see the indicator say it's rising. Great. I turn back to Mercy and tenderly I slip her head onto my lap. Her fancy dress is gone replaced by dark breathable material. Smart girl, I'd have t ask for her trick if she lived.

"Now what is this?" A lean man says rounding a pillar. "How ironic that a traitor would come to save her worthless friend."

"I am no traitor." I growl as the man nears.

"Aw but you are." He says smiling. When he lowers himself to his haunches to be eye level with me I fight the urge to cringe. To shrink away from him. "You left family. That makes you the biggest traitor out there."

His eyes bore into mine until I finally look away. "I'm sorry."

"Yes." He says coming to his feet. "You will be."