Fantasy

22 - Randy

Part Three

I'm not really all that worried, for my life, anyway. I mean, after this I'll be out of a job and I guess I won't be able to spend so much. Sure, they have my parents, but if I don't go after them the CMRA or RA or whatever they call themselves now will get bored and probably just let them go. At least that's what I keep telling myself. And, I hate to feel this way (not too much) but so what if they don't? My parents wouldn't want me to risk my life to save them, or anyone else, for that matter. I decide I should go back to Alabama where I'm in summer housing at the UA.

I think of my roommate, CJ. I mutter his name just because it's easier to focus, and pinpoint his location. I can see a 3-D image of our room in my head. He's standing shirtless in front of the fridge and squirting whipped cream into his mouth. I'm about to travel there when someone grabs me just above the left elbow. I look over to see Phil clamping my arm so tightly it hurts a little. See, the thing about my extra power is that it's very finicky. I can travel to anyone as long as I know their full name and have met them at least once, unless I'm bound to something or someone, like someone grabbing my arm. I try to jerk away, but Phil's grip tightens and I don't really want to hurt the guy. He was my caseworker and trainer, taught me everything I know. "Oh no, Randy, I can't let you escape so easily," Phil says menacingly, reaching towards his waist.

"Come on, what are you talking about? You're not... you're not on Riley's side...are you? He's trying to kill us all!" I stutter in disbelief as Phil draws a handgun and points it at my head.

"Randy, I was a member of the RA when you were in diapers. Though I do see you as a friend, I value the Reaching Army more. Join us...or become our enemy and die at our hands." He pauses for a moment. "Come on Randy, I don't want to have to hurt you." I swallow, processing the fact that this man I thought I knew, who I have known since I was eleven, has turned on me. Suck it up! He's trying to kill you; stop him I tell myself.

I bat the gun away from him with my free right hand, my skin stinging on contact with the metal, and then backhand him with my left fist. The gun skids across the floor and gets lost in the crowd and Phil's head swings to the side with my blow, but his grip doesn't loosen. His head snaps back to face me and he grabs the collar of my button-down shirt, then throws me to the ground. My teeth fly together and I taste blood, but I hastily climb back to my feet. When Phil goes to throw me down again I thrust out my left hand and grip his arm. With my right hand I grip his shoulder and pull him down with me. We fall to the floor amid the chaos. Phil gets to his knees where, without either of us letting go, he plants his hand over my other shoulder, and puts one knee in the center of my chest, pinning me to the ground. "Now that's no way to act, Randy," he spits.

"Get off of me," I shoot back.

"Not a chance." I allow my arms to burst into flames, hoping to burn Phil, but water pours from his skin, neutralizing the fire. Plan B: I drop my arm from his shoulder and strike the inside of his elbow, causing his arm to bend. When he loses his balance on that side I clamber on top of him, still trying to pry my arm away. With his newly freed hand Phil makes a fist and delivers a blow to the side of my face. While I'm trying to shake off the first hit he punches me again, and again. By the third time I feel blood trickle from my nose. When he rears back for a fourth time I bring my fist down on his throat. That stops his arm in mid-air. Pulling myself to my feet, I step on his arm and finally free my own. When he tries to sit up I sock him in the jaw. He falls back to the floor, out cold. With my knuckles throbbing, I run towards the exit.

A huge bang from the direction of the entry hatch stops me in my tracks. It sounds like an explosion. I wipe the blood from my face and continue forward, but another random agent happens to notice me. When he spots me, it draws the attention of yet another agent. They both rush forward, reaching for me. I think of CJ and am about to travel to my dorm when I see I'm too late. A person enters the room and flashes a badge; the badge says their name, Frederick Porter. I refocus on his name and I can see his face. I've seen him around the CMRA before. Riley said he'd planted a bunch of agents at all our houses, so Fredrick probably isn't the only one; I'm too late. Before anyone else's name comes to mind, I run. I run faster than before. I just break out running like in a football game when I decide to take the ball. The twist is that this isn't just a game; its life or death. I wish I had on sweatpants or something, though, because my jeans are hard to move in. Maybe Phil was right. I have to either join the RA or die trying to stop them. Well, I guess I'll find out.

I bolt up the stairs and to the entry hatch, which I expect to find locked, but someone blew the whole thing off. So that was the explosion I heard earlier. With agents closing in on me I dart through the hole and outside. There is still light left, but night is coming quickly. Looking back I see that one woman has already made it outside to pursue me. To my left and right there is nothing but open field, but across the road is a thick forest with a mixture of all sorts of trees. The trees seem like my best option, so I tear through the field, across the street, and into the woods. The woman chases me to the edge of the trees where she stops and raises a handgun. She actually pulls the trigger and bullets whiz past my head, narrowly missing me. The forest is slightly darker than the open field, but if I use my power to find myself I can see my surroundings perfectly.

While running I debate where to go. I can't go to the university because of the agents, but Riley has my power anyway if he got everything from the locket. That's a scary thought. If not to Alabama then I don't really have anywhere I can go. So for now, forward works. I don't stop and I'm grateful for the exceptional endurance I have built up from football. One minute I'm heading straight ahead while dodging trees, but then from behind a maple a guy jumps out at me and tries to grab my throat! I guess I was so focused on the trees I forgot to look for people with my power. It doesn't matter now; I completely loose the image of myself and become focused on my attacker.

Without thinking I clamp his wrists with my hands to stop him and then reflexively knee him in the stomach. He doubles over and I let his wrists go and move to jab my elbow into his back, but he rolls out of the way and comes up on his feet, fists raised, and then disappears. Wait, what? I know he's not Riley or Levina, which are the only two people I know who can turn invisible, except maybe Levina's brother, Jayce. Wait, I wonder if he is Levina's brother, Jayce Worldd? I test the name with my power and, sure enough, a 3-D image of us appears in my mind. I put my fists up and turn to face him. I can't see him with my eyes, but thanks to my power I know where he is and how he's positioned. When Jayce realizes I'm facing him he wrinkles his brow, like does he know where I am? I smile. I can totally beat him. He cautiously steps to the side and I nail him in the jaw with my fist, bet he didn't see that coming. I go to do it again, but he blocks my arm and pushes me back. While I stumble backwards he throws a few punches, but I see them coming and block them all. He turns visible again and I slam him into the nearest tree, face first. I'm about to finish him off when he turns around, breaking my grip, and pins me to the tree across from this one. Before I can do anything about it he presses the blade of a Swiss Army knife to my neck. If I move he'll slit my throat.

"Are you for or against the RA?" he asks me placidly, eerily.

"What?" I shakily reply.

"I said, are you for or against the RA? And don't just tell me what you think I want to hear because you don't know. You don't know which side I'm on and if you give me the wrong answer you're dead... so it might as well be the true one." But I do know, don't I? Thinking back, Jayce was the first one to speak out against Riley. So he's on my side, but then again, what if it was a trick meant to gain the rest of the Worldd's trust? "You have five seconds to give me your answer," Jayce tells me, "five...four...three...two..."

ZK'