The Anomaly Project

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

TODD

Erik acknowledges me with a slight nod. "Hey, Invisible Boy." His eyes shift to Tessa. "And Super Senses is here, too, I see." He glances at Nina dismissively, observes Brooke for a moment, and then his gaze lands on Autumn. His eyebrows lift.

"The famous Autumn Stone," he muses. "Interesting. You know, you're shorter than I thought you'd be."

Autumn tilts her head, confused. "Sorry, but... do I know you?"

"This is Erik," Tessa says quickly, stepping forward. "He helped us escape from the facility."

A frown flickers across Autumn's face. We all know what the trip to the facility reminds her of. But she shakes it off quickly and faces Erik.

"So what are you doing here now? Come to help us out again?"

There's an undertone of biting sarcasm in her voice. It's clear she doesn't trust him.

Erik shrugs nonchalantly. My gut clenches. Something's wrong. I know I don't know Erik very well, but... I can tell something is off.

"As dandy as that would be for you, I haven't come to help," Erik says. "Actually, I've come to stop you."

"Why would you want to stop us?" Tessa asks, sounding genuinely confused.

Erik chuckles quietly, like, silly girl.

"Because you're messing with the Director's plans," he says, stepping inside the house. "We can't have that. He is what is holding this city together."

"Are you insane?" Autumn curls her fingers into tight fists. "Desmond Forrester is a lunatic. If we don't put this antidote in the water supply, hundreds of people are going to die!"

"It's for the greater good," Erik replies calmly. His face takes on a dreamy expression, and that's when I realize it's not him talking. Not really. He's been brainwashed somehow; his mind is being controlled.

Autumn scoffs. "Let me explain something to you real quick. Innocent people dying equals bad. Innocent people living equals good."

Erik just stares at her, his face expressionless. Autumn rolls her eyes.

"Whatever, nutcase. I'm going to save some lives," she says irritably, scooping up the bottle with the antidote and heading for the door. Before she can exit, however, it slams itself shut. She looks at it, her brow furrowing.

"You're not the only telekinetic one," he says with a cruel smirk. "Not anymore."

"Erik, what's wrong with you?" Tessa asks. "I thought you wanted to help us."

"It's not you, is it?" I say, moving forward. "Forrester's controlling you. This isn't you talking."

Something briefly shows in his brown eyes – something like panic. Fear. "It's me," he says, but he speaks too quickly. He shifts his weight, like he's hiding something. And I know I'm right.

"Erik, I know you really want to do the right thing. You have to fight back against Forrester. He's got ahold of your mind."

"No," he says tightly, like he's struggling with something.

Autumn sees the opportunity and grabs it. While he's slightly distracted, she rushes forward and decks Erik in the face. He stumbles back, shocked. Then she throws open the door to the cabin and streaks out into the dark street. I surge forward after her. Someone yells, probably Erik, and all of a sudden my legs stop moving and I collapse in the road.