Fantasy

26 - Levina

Because we're invisible, Jayce has my hand as we run into the forest. I feel it even though I can't see him, or myself, for that matter. Only a little ways into the trees, though, it's jerked from mine. Even if I could see Jayce, I couldn't help him; agents appear from behind trees, surrounding me. Naturally I take a fighting stance, not forgetting they can't see me. One of the agents walks unknowingly towards me, but I have to jump back to avoid letting him plow into me. I think I'm in the clear, until I hear the snap of a twig under my foot. One little twig and everyone looks my way. The guy behind me even points a rifle in my direction. Really? He steps forward and so does the guy in front of me, closing in. This is going to come down to a fight.

The cold metal muzzle of the rifle touches my arm, but I shiver because I know exactly whose name is stamped on the barrel. The rifle's owner abruptly stops with the surprise of hitting something, and I take advantage of it. I drop my invisibility, shocking the poor man further, knock the gun out of his hands, and nail him in the temple with an open hand strike. Jayce taught me how to break boards with it, so it has to do some damage, even if I am panicking. When the guy in front of me advances I throw a fist at his throat and follow up with a swift snap kick to his stomach. It must be pretty solid because he doubles over. A third agent comes at me from the side and I hit him with a roundhouse kick. Turning back to face the now disarmed gunman I nearly get hit in the face with a fist. In the nick of time I swipe his arm to the side with my forearm, but from my left bony knuckles connect with my temple. My roundhouse kick must've been weak. Pain shoots through my head nearly taking my breath away. In the second I'm incapacitated, all three men surge forward. Thrusting out my palms, lightning jumps from my fingers, electrocuting all of them. They literally fly backwards like people in action movies and I doubt they'll be getting up anytime soon.

I take off, but that last magic trick took a lot out of me. I'm too tired to turn invisible. When I stop to catch my breath, even though it's unlikely Jayce is anywhere near me, I turn around and scan the trees for him anyway. While my back is turned someone runs into me, knocking me off balance. I roll and land back on my feet, but the other kid, who might be about thirteen, falls flat on his face. He turns over and scrambles to a sitting position. My fists go up when I see who it is.

"Aaron, what are you doing here?" I ask calmly.

"Look, I know you probably don't trust me, but I'm on your side, okay. I had nothing to do with this or what...my dad was planning. I know it's wrong. Believe me, please; I don't want to join him!" I shift my weight from one foot to the other, deciding whether or not to trust him. I examine his face; he looks like he's telling the truth, but there is a hole in his story.

"Aaron, if you can read other people's minds, even if it's just in involuntary glimpses, then wouldn't you have at least gotten some clue from your dad's mind of what he was up to?" Aaron shakes his head vigorously.

"My power doesn't work on others who have the same power. I can't see his mind; he can't see mine." I weigh the truth to this. Jayce and I can't see each other when we're invisible; our power works on each other, but then again, most extra powers do have a lot of weird rules and catches. I lower my fists.

"Why should I trust you?" I ask him. He swallows and shrugs.

"I'm telling the truth." I frown. What else am I going to do? Kill him? He hasn't given me solid evidence to trust him, but he hasn't given me a solid reason to mistrust him, either. After a brief silent debate, I offer him my hand. He looks up at me, trying to read my expression, guess he hasn't seen a flash inside my brain yet. I try not to think about all the things he could see in my mind. He takes my hand and I pull him to his feet with minimal effort. "Thanks," he says, then dusts himself off.

"Sure," I reply with a small smile. "Do you know my name, by the way?"

"It's Levina, right?" I nod. "Um, so, where should we go?"

"As far from the CMRA as we can get, but it's dark now. Let's just get some rest," I yawn. I honestly don't think I can stay awake much longer.

"Okay," Aaron agrees reluctantly. I quickly realize a problem when Aaron says, "I'll take first watch if you want."

There is no way I can stay awake at this point, but what if Aaron is lying to me? I guess I really don't have much of a choice; besides, I really can't see Aaron killing anyone. I think I could get up and react in time if he tried to do anything.

"...Alright, thanks," I reluctantly agree."

"I'm not going to hurt you or anything," he says, leaning against a tree.

"You better not," I say, half teasing, then I lay down on the leafy ground and close my eyes.