The Risk Takers

Part 9 | Donezo

Topher stands there completely confused and I see Lisa has fled from the room.

"What did you just do? What was that?" Topher gasps while inspecting the top of his arm.

"I'm not going to let you hurt anyone else. You're done," Liam spits and I can see the anger rolling off of him. He's furious and glaring at Topher.

"What. Did. You. Do?" Topher spits out each word slowly and he starts barreling toward Liam. I watch in horror as he gets close to physically attacking Liam but Liam suddenly becomes invisible. Topher swings his fist through the air but doesn't connect with anything. I spring to my feet and in complete disgust I tell Topher, "You're done."

Topher flips back around to face me and when he meets my stare he shrieks, "What did you two do?!"

Unexpectedly, I hear my voice coming from behind Topher, "We took everything away that was important to you without your consent. Just like you did to Liam and Stephanie when you forced him to go to Virginia." I realize it's Stephanie pretending to be me but Topher flips his head back and forth between the two of us. Under his breath he mutters, "How is this possible?" He's aggravated with our stunt and he suddenly flicks his hand toward Stephanie. When nothing happens, he flicks his hand again and Stephanie lets out an antagonizing laugh.

Topher is shaking his head but suddenly, he glances down to his hands. He flips them over and looks to them in horror. He must feel his power fleeing. I don't know if Liam is still invisible or if Ryan came and got him out of the house. I don't know if I have back up and I start inching my way toward the hallway as Topher is distracted with his changes. Stephanie is watching Topher freak out, completely amused by the situation. If he knew us at all, he could easily tell which one is me and which one is Stephanie. I don't know if I have ever released an evil laugh like she is currently doing now.

Right as I am about to break into a sprint down the hallway, Topher finds my eyes again, "You'll both regret this! Liam is dead to me!" Topher yells as he punches his hand out. He still must have had some of his power left because suddenly I'm soaring through the air. I slam into the wall behind me and the air shoots from my lungs. As soon as I hit the floor I feel the familiar sensation of being squeezed through a tube and I know Ryan must have gotten to me. Seconds later I catch my breath and open my eyes to the bright sun above me.

I'm lying in Ryan's arms but it doesn't take more than a second for Liam to pull me into him.

"Topher hit her, I got to her two seconds too late," Ryan tells Liam before he disappears again to go back and get Stephanie. I cough and try to get my breathing even. He knocked the wind out of me and the squeezing sensation didn't help. 

"Ellie, are you alright? I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to leave you. Ryan got to me before I was ready to leave. I'm so sorry." Liam carries me to my car that Teddy has ready for us and gently places me into the backseat. I clutch onto my arm and yelp out in pain as I slide across the seats. Liam tenderly looks over my arm and I notice Lisa sitting in the front seat next to Teddy.

"What happened?" Teddy gasps when Liam shuts the car door behind him, "Where is Ryan and Stephanie? It shouldn't have taken more than a couple seconds for him to get Steph out." I look to Liam and know Teddy's right. Why aren't they back yet?

"What happened to your arm El? Are you okay?" Liam asks while gently grabbing hold of my hand.

"Topher still had some power left and he summoned it to send me soaring across your living room. I hit that ugly yellow wall by your kitchen and I landed on my arm wrong."

"My wall isn't ugly!" Lisa snarks and Liam shoots her a dirty look. She spins around in the front seat and I'm not overly thrilled to see her.

"Do you think it's broken?" Liam asks while sliding his hand down my arm.

I shake my head, "I don't think so. I may have screwed up my shoulder though." A knock at the car window startles all of us and we relax when we see Ryan pulling the door open. Stephanie slides in and as soon as Ryan is in the car Teddy peels out of the parking lot.

"Wait, where are we going now?" I ask as Teddy drives out of the school lot and I glance to the familiar school building fading from my view.

"To your house. It's almost four," Teddy informs me and I roll my eyes to Liam. I don't know how I am going to explain Liam, Stephanie and Ryan showing up to my house with us but I'm sure Teddy has already thought of something.

"So are you going to explain to me what the hell just happened back there?" Lisa asks Liam while spinning around in the passenger seat. I know I won't be able to explain Lisa joining us for dinner seeing as she just pressed charges against me. I don't think Teddy will even have a good enough lie to convince my mom to allow her into my house.

"Why the hell are you here?" I snap back to her and she gives me a nasty look right back.

"That was my next question." She responds flatly.

"Mom, Ryan here can teleport. I asked him to take you out of the house. I wasn't sure what dad would do when I..uh... stuck him with the needle," Liam explains slowly and we all watch as Lisa becomes confused. Stephanie decides to chime in, "Yeah Mrs. Greysor, your husband is donezo. Fineto. Fin. Over. All done."

Lisa quickly glances to Stephanie but refocuses her attention back to Liam, "What's she talking about?" Liam lets out a pent up sigh before trying to explain what just happened.

"Mom, we just took dad's abilities away. Now all he is able to do is read minds. He can't do anything else." We watch a stunned Lisa sit in silence in the front seat. She might not be aware that everyone in this car can read her mind, so we all listen in as she tries to process what just happened. Finally she asks, "So are you and Ellie still dating or not? Aren't you her boyfriend?" She points to Teddy but he quickly shakes his head. I'm annoyed that that's what she's concerned with. Not that her psycho ex-husband has been drained of everything he cherishes but whether or not her son is still dating me.

"Yes mom, Ellie and I have always been together. It just took us awhile to form a plan to get dad out of the picture. We knew he wouldn't stop tracking me down until I was back at the agency. Luckily, Teddy here had a solution." Lisa looks back to Teddy and once again, Teddy is enthusiastic to explain all this to her. He quickly fills her in on the remedy but I notice he leaves his parents involvement in all of this out of his explanation. He lies and tells her he worked for the agency. I'm guessing he doesn't trust Lisa and I don't blame him. I don't trust her either.

We might be out of the Greysor home and Topher may not have any more power, but I still don't necessarily feel safe.