Dateless and Deadly

Chapter 20

Chapter 20:

Everyone was pretty quiet the next day thanks to Calypso’s dire predictions. We all threw ourselves into our training and I was feeling a little more battered and bruised than usual by the time I was finished sparring with Will who hadn’t pulled his punches as much as he usually did. I could understand though because I’d put more focus into my own fighting as well.

We were all sitting in the rec room that night, silent. The tension was almost unbearable. We all wanted to be doing something to stop the freaking apocalypse that Caine was bent on creating but really, not a single one of us was older than 22. It wasn’t that long ago that our only worry was what color prom dress we were going to wear.

Except for the guys but you know what I mean.

I was reading a book on telepathy, not really retaining any of the information when I felt…something just outside of the base. It was an odd feeling, like a tingling at the base of my skull that made the hairs on my arms stand up straight. It wasn’t hostile but it definitely wasn’t natural. I got up from my seat and headed towards the door before I realized what I was doing.

Shouldn’t I maybe get someone to come with me? I mean, we’d just finished hearing a woman prophesying the end of the world perhaps a little caution would be wise in this situation?

I glanced back to see everyone immersed in what they were doing. Jack, Sam, Will, Stephen and Angela were in the room, reading or chatting quietly. Stephen looked up from his book and smiled brightly at me. I immediately skittered my gaze away, not wanting to see his overtly cheerful self under such somber circumstances.

My gaze collided with Angela’s and she shot me a glare and gave me the finger.

I rolled my eyes and turned to leave. Alone.

I was at the door to the base and the feeling was getting stronger. The blood in my veins felt like it was humming with anticipation. My brain was telling me just how terrible an idea this was but my instincts were urging me to grab the door handle and just quickly check it out. I was reaching for the knob before I gave myself a mental shake.

Duh. I’m a freaking telepath.

I sent out my thoughts berating myself for not doing it earlier and encountered a wall of familiar energy just outside of the base. The energy was the same one that had blasted me the day before, sending me crashing to my knees as it collided with my shield.

“Harper,” I whispered as I turned the knob and stepped outside.

“Dude, what took you so long? I’ve been trying to get your attention for like, half an hour,” he said as I walked towards him.

“Well ‘Dude’,” I said mockingly, “I thought it might not be too bright to just waltz outside of the base without any protection whatsoever, get it?”

He laughed and lightly punched me in the arm. “C’mon Cass, you’re all the protection you need.” I just looked at him. “Don’t you get it? I’m an energy manipulator too. I’m not one to brag, but when I’m guarding the world’s most powerful seer, I don’t need any backup,” he said, bragging.

I put my hands on my hips and smirked at him. “Oh yeah, I seem to remember you lying on the grass yesterday moaning and whining.”

“I did not whine!” He shouted, his green eyes flashing sparks.

I shrugged. “You were semi-unconscious. Don’t worry, no one expects you to remember the entire incident accurately.” I patted his arm comfortingly.

“Okay,” he said, pulling his arm out of my reach and smirking at me. “Let’s see what you got then. C’mon.” He turned and marched towards a red jeep that was parked a few feet away.