Fracted (Book #2)

Chapter 42: Just A Peek

Benjamin has been calling me "son" for a while now, and I haven't called him dad. I feel kind of guilty about it, but there was no right time for it though. I don't want to get killed by a small child, that's the reason.
"What was that yesterday?" I asked Benjamin.
"What was what?"
"The thing where you put your hands over my head and I felt like falling and then I passed out? How did you even make me pass out anyway?"
"It counts as my powers, dear. Your old man's half-Controller, half-Zapper, half-Reader, and half-Passer--I know that's too many halves but, that's just what makes me...me."
"Yeah but, why'd you knock me out for?"
"That's my gift to you."
"Gee, thanks I really needed to get knocked out for no reason." I roll my eyes at him.
"Weren't you even curious about what it's for?"
"No, actually. I was too tired to wonder."
"Well you see, I gave you a part of me that you never earned when you were a child."
"So you're saying..."
"You're a part-Controller, part-Reader now."
"Are you serious?" I laughed like I just tasted the sweetness of victory.
"What do you want to do with it?" He asked.
"I wanna capture André," I felt a little grim inside.
"W-what, are you crazy? There's no way you're doing that. I won't let you do that--I can't forgive myself if anything happens to you!"
"I just wanna bring justice to our kind. That's it. No one said anything about dying."
"Yeah I know, but promise me that you'll never go by yourself, understand me? Never."
"I'm not a kid anymore, I can do things on my own, okay?"
"No, Jess!" He grabs my arms and holds my face to his closely. "You don't know what he's planning to do with you. I know him better than you do...so promise me something, son."
"I promise I won't do anything."
Lies, lies, lies.
"And I'm getting tired of these type of conversations--so just please stop, I beg you."
It took a huge amount of breath to say it.
"Alright."
"So...what do you want to test out first?" He asked, changing moods instantaneously.
"I kind of wanna try the reading someone's thoughts."
"Like who--? You can see what your brother looks like if you look inside." He winks at me and grins.
I felt a sudden fear touch the hair on my neck and I shivered.
"Maybe next time," I said hesitantly.
"Suit yourself. Maybe you can read Eiffel's, she seems like someone you can trust, right? Even though she's a Zip--which is pretty obvious--she looks pretty trustworthy."
"Should I find out if she has affections for me?" I laughed nervously.
"Stupid child," Benjamin chuckled. "Don't be stating the obvious--of course she likes you. Maybe even love you."
"Do you think either of us are making the right choice?" I ask.
"You're the only one who can answer that, son. Just follow what's inside."
I jumped down from the same tree from yesterday and ran for the stonehouse.

Eiffel brought Clare an aluminum plate with leftover alligator meat. I must say, alligator is one of the best meats I've ever eaten. I knocked on the wooden barricade to get her attention.
"Hey, uh...can we talk for a sec? In private?" I scratch the back of my head nervously.
"Sure," She responded fairly.
"Let's do this outside," I requested.
"Sure," Eiffel repeated.
I got more and more excited as we walked further away from everything until we reached nothing but dead trees and an abandoned wooden cabin.
"Jess, what are we doing? This is too far, Jason and Patrick might be looking for us now."
"Then we would hear their voices shouting for us right now--you worry too much." She chuckled and brushed a wisp of hair away from her face.
"There's something I have to ask you. Very important."
"Okay, I'm all ears."
"Are you sure you're making the choice?" I asked.
"Excuse me? What choice?" She looked unpuzzled.
"Do you...love me or not?" I quickly slapped my hand against my mouth, wishing I could not have said that. That third word, it gave me hiccups inside. Could I take it back? Apparently not, not ever. All I could do was wait for her to respond.
Then her phone rang. I'm surprised there's still signal in this island. Darn phone always getting between us. I didn't want to be rude, but I did what I had to do and reached down her sweater pocket and snatched her noisemaker. I tossed it down the dead-leaf-infested ground and eagerly asked for her to continue. If I ask for something, I want it right away. I get what I want this time--no more waiting on people like before.
"Continue, please." I manage to fake a smile in the midst of impatience.
"I don't know," she mumbled.
"What?"
"You heard me...I don't know. I'm sorry. Maybe we're just rushing, that's it. I'm so sorry."
I've waited long for this response, and that's it? Great expectations can sometimes lead to disappointment. But that doesn't mean we can't find love in a hopeless place.
I held back a stifled sob. "I'm sorry too." But my smile never faded.
"I just think we're too young for this. I mean, we're not even close to high school yet."
"I'll wait for you, then."
I hate waiting, but for Eiffel, I will never get tired of waiting.
I pulled her close to me until her head was on my chest. She wrapped her arms around my waist and hugged me. But I could not resist looking through her mind and find out if she has real affections.
"I'll be waiting," I repeated just to distract her. She squeezed tighter and I felt even more guilty. It's so devious, yet worth it.
So, I placed two fingers on the back of her head and imagined myself entering through the veins on her brain. I'm sure I've got some time to peek. Tons of sparks spread in the corners of my eyes. I couldn't stop my head from shaking. But when I heard scattered voices occupy my ears. I closed my eyes to concentrate furthermore. He's so worth it, I heard one of the voices mutter.
He might be it...Gosh, can he even be more worth it...? Too fast, too affectionate...I think I'm going to lose it...Who am I kidding--he's just a boy...But he seems like the one.
More thoughts and voices overlapped in my ears. But the very last words woke up disturbingly.
If I tell him I love him--which is apparently true--he might endanger my mission. I cannot be killed before I even kill him.