Arrogance: Volume One of Ebb & Flow

Chapter 7 - Going Home

With a flash of light, I'm on another raised platform in a forest. I don't recognize any of the surrounding foliage. The BNA is far more dangerous than I had thought. They have access to teleportation and the only supply of that miracle mixture. Going forward, I'll have to consider that. Nothing looks familiar to me, so I can't be in New Farford. Do they know what I did? Was I sent here to die? My heart rate rises, and my head feels cloudy. They think they can fuck with me and get away with it? HOW DARE THEY? Why does my face feel so hot? Oh my god, this is rage. This is dangerous; I want to hit something so bad right now. Even knowing that this anger affecting me isn't my own does nothing to make it stop. How do people deal with this? My hands are clenched so hard my nails threaten to break the skin.

"Hello, Mr. Blakely. Are you ready to go home?"

A man appears to my left. He wasn't there a second ago; I would've noticed him. The sudden distraction does a lot to help dissipate my rage. He sticks out like a sore thumb with his pinstriped suit and sunglasses. Tan, rough skin, the look of someone who's had it rough. His voice is soft and kind—a man of contrast and conflict. Is he here to kill me? A United Nations-funded assassin? Control yourself, don't let him see how mad you are.

"Oh, God. You scared the crap out of me. Where are we? Who are you? I thought I was going home." I rambled off.

"Sorry about that. Right now, we're at one of the receivers for the BNA teleporters. I am Special Agent Waters, and I am your ticket home." He answered.

He avoids giving me any details without seeming like he's hiding anything. Interesting. This one's nothing like Agents Hale and Sigrid. He's dangerous and wary of me for some reason. They might have cleared me, but at least one person from the BNA thinks I'm not telling the whole truth. I need to play this carefully and distance myself from the BNA.

"Can we go then? My dad must be worried sick about me."

"Your father was given regular updates about your status and health. He knows you're coming back today. I already know the address we're going to, but I will need to touch you for my power to work."

He walks over and offers me his hand. As soon as I grasp it, the forest starts to spin. Faster and faster, until everything but the man and I blur. The greens and the browns blend until it hurts to look at anything but him. Is he a Mentalist attacking my mind? Suddenly the wind picks up and whips my hair wildly. And just as quickly as it starts, the wind stops, and our surroundings become clearer. When he releases my hand, we're both standing in my driveway.

He's not a Mentalist. He's a Traveler—teleportation, super speed, or maybe something else. I don't know why I'm thinking about it. It's not the time for this, not yet, anyway. I thank the special agent and walk up the driveway to my front door. I reach for my keys and remember I'm not wearing my clothes. A couple of knocks on the door, and I hear my father's muffled voice.

"Be there in a minute."

Exactly a minute goes by, and he opens the door. We stand there in silence until he reaches over and hugs me. Pulling me in close and he lets out a deep sigh.

"Thank God, Eryk. I thought I lost you like I lost your mom."

He weeps as he holds me. This is real, raw grief and sadness. I've never witnessed my father cry before. A side of him I've never seen, an intensity that's been absent for years. A glimpse into who Daniel Blakely used to be. I need to figure out how to react; I've never been in this situation. Letting some tears fall, I break down with him. We lean into each other and share a tender moment of comfort. Ever the filial son.