Auras

Chapter 24

Neil, Hannah, and I went to go meet the Watchers. I wouldn't let anyone else come.

"Hello Artemis," the Chief said.

"You're not welcome here," I replied.

"But we let you into our HQ," she argued.

"You were here for years, that should be enough," I replied.

"Yes, I was quite surprised when my passwords didn't work," she said.

"Did you really think I wouldn't change them? Or up the security?" I asked.

"Yes I can't even get passed here," she said as she reached her hand out it stopped before it got even close to me.

"Yes a very special barrier that the Techs made, isn't it nice?" I asked.

"So you're having them using their abilities?" she asked in disgust.

"Yes, they actually enjoy it and their abilities are improving better than ever, there's no way you'll win now," I replied.

"Seer," Hannah warned.

"She can't do anything, unless she wants an all-out war between us," I said as I looked straight at the Chief.

"How are your new defenseless Abilitors?" Chief asked.

"Not as defenseless as you would like. They are a quick study," I replied.

"Quick study?" she asked.

"Yes Leigha is a wonderful teacher as is much of the Abilitors," I replied.

"Anyway Neil are you finished with these... things? Will you join our side?" she asked him.

"I'd rather die," he replied.

"What about the other two humans?" she asked.

"Let's see family friend and a girl nurse who has taken up a big sister position to our younger Abilitors. I don't see them joining you any time soon," I replied.

"You know Artemis, this boy looks a lot like your dead brother, you do remember him don't you? You do remember how we killed him, don't you?" she asked. I took a deep breath.

"She's baiting you Artemis, don't," Hannah warned.

"I saw footage you know. You could have prevented it. If you were just paying attention, your brother wouldn't have taken that hit. He would be alive," Chief said.

"Shut. Up," I replied.

"'Artemis, I'm sorry. You have to be brave.' Isn't that what he said? And this? 'You have to be strong, you can't break down.' But isn't that exactly what you did?" she asked.

"Shut. Up," I repeated.

"Didn't you kill all the Watchers? All 50?" she asked.

"Artemis?" Neil asked in the same time my brother would have. I didn't dare glance back at him because I would lose all my edge.

"What's there's 20 of you here? I've killed more than that," I replied angrily. She was pissing me off.

"You won't kill them will you Artemis?" Neil asked.

"Shut up," I told him. I don't care what anyone says. If she says one more thing about that day I'll kill her, I'll kill the whole lot of them.

"You lost the person you cared about, didn't you? You lost your heart and soul that day. And when we killed your parents you just lost everything. You even took to training newbies, hoping the exhaustion would kill you," she said. That's it. I started to run towards her.