Untouchable (ON HOLD)

Untouchable Ch 9

The boys rested and the next day, flashed to the Agency. They had spent the night planning how they would confront the Doctor about what had happened. The boys agreed they were angry at what the Doctor had allowed to happen to them, and needed his help to get rid of the abilities. They decided, even though Jason wasn’t fully agreed, to use force.

The sun shone on the new day and Jason spotted Doctor Carlson, smoking behind the Agency building. He instantly grabbed Alex and flashed him near the Doctor. Carlson, caught completely off guard, fumbled and dropped his cigarette and its package. Alex pushed the doctor against a nearby wall and held the Doctor by his neck as he spoke.

“Old man, what was that about with Brian last night?”

The Doctor struggled with breathing as he hoarsely stammered. “I-I don’t know what you’re talking about…”

“Don’t lie!” Alex hissed as he gripped the Doctor’s neck even harder.

Jason begged Alex to release some of his hold on the Doctor. When he finally did, Jason quickly explained about what happened when they dropped off the papers.

“We want to know who they were, Lyle and Brian, and what they needed those documents for.” Jason explained. “Because we both want the same thing from this research, some answers; and if Alex and I don’t get them from you, maybe we just won’t cooperate anymore.”

Carlson’s face had gained a small amount of colour and even with Alex still slightly clutching his throat, he explained. “Those men work for Mr. Zander, the founder and financial contributor of this establishment. I sent the documents containing the findings of my research about you two. And that’s all. Zander only lets his men attack others when he is mad about something. He must have been angry about my lack of findings until recently and thought I made my findings up to get more of his money.” Carlson looked anxious as he told the boys where Zander would be found.

“Seattle?” Jason asked. “That’s a whole other country.” He looked towards Alex who had now completely let go of Carlson. Jason continued, “I’ve never been there before, so we will need plane tickets.”

Carlson nervously informed the boys Rachel could get some tickets for them. “But the ticket money would have gone towards more research for this month. I want to do as much as I can before I have to get rid of the abilities.”

Alex spoke for the both of them. “Actually we’ve changed our minds. We kind of like these abilities, and what we’re capable of now. We can take down the man for ourselves. I can find Rachel inside, right?” Alex entered the Agency building as Jason followed reluctantly. He noticed the cigarette box on the ground and stopped to pick it up and hand it to Carlson.

“Smoking isn’t good for you,” Jason muttered.

“My daughter told me that too.” Carlson wandered off, probably to light up again.

On his way inside, Jason experienced a wave of intense guilt for the way he and Alex treated the Doctor. The man had a daughter, for crying out loud, and he was obviously oblivious to the experience the boys had with Brian. Jason was now more determined than ever to reach Seattle and take out some of his guilt and frustrations on the mysterious Mr. Zander’s face. 

A week later, Jason was packed and ready to leave. He had taken off two weeks from school and said bye to Jordan and his other roommates. He told them he was leaving to do some schoolwork in Seattle and said to pass the message along to Angie (he could never lie to her face, she knew him too well). Jason walked out of his building and into the alley behind his house and flashed to the Agency. When he arrived in the middle of a field that lay behind the arena, he was punched immediately in his face by an unseen force.

Jason flashed behind his unknown attacker and kicked the burly body. The attacker fell to the ground and Jason caught a brief glance of the man’s face; it was Lyle, the man who helped Brian try to kill Jason and Alex. Jason was about to flash away when he heard a loud bang echo. Jason looked down at his now bleeding stomach- Lyle had shot him in his ribcage. Jason crumpled to the ground and tried to flash through the excruciating pain, but he found that he couldn’t.

 “Mr. Zander told me if I hurt you bad enough, you couldn’t use your freaky magic. I guess he was right!” Lyle chuckled and handcuffed Jason’s wrists aggressively. Jason muttered a few choice phrases that his mom said he ought not to say in church. Lyle stepped on and pushed Jason’s head a few inches into the ground with his foot. “Shut up, maggot,” Lyle hissed.

A frantic bob of red hair came bounding into Jason’s blurred line of sight. Rachel gasped and shouted for  Carlson. Before she could even turn to run, Lyle pointed his gun and fired, straight at her chest. Rachel dropped instantly and Jason cried out.

“You bastard!” He tried to stand and kick Lyle, but the excessive blood loss caused him to stumble.

Lyle leaned and whispered to Jason. “Unfortunately for me, Zander wants you injured, not dead. Goodnight for now, worm.” Lyle then dealt a final blow with the back of his gun to Jason’s neck.