ColorBlind (Book #2 of S.H.A.D.E.) ✔

Fight or Fall

23.

We stand over Jade's body, all of us completely blank-faced.

As always, I don't know what to do for Copper. He looks at her, facedown on the floor, blood pumping out of the gaping hole she left in her head. I can't read his expression.

I raise an unsure hand and place it on his shoulder, waiting until he is ready to tell us what to do next.

After a while, his head tilts back, and he closes his eyes, letting out a long and anguished breath. "If we could... if there's time, I'd like to take her body with us. I'd like to bury her like we did with Iris."

Onyx and I both nod in agreement. It is the least I can do for her. Maybe she was a liar... but I get it. And I'm sorry.

Copper lowers his head again, and when his eyes find ours, they are steady once more. "But we need to get the technology first. You can bet they know we're here and are coming right now."

"Let's go," I say, stepping around Jade carefully to make my way to the door. Onyx and Copper follow.

The urgency is almost tangible. We need this technology. Our lives depend on it.

Maybe Jade is right about never being free, but we must persevere, or die trying. We either fight or fall.

The door is large and of course it is also locked.

"Stand back," I say, walking up to it and pressing a hand against it.

"What are you--?" Copper begins, and then gasps in surprise as I blow the door in. "Holy shit, when did that happen?"

I wobble a bit, and he comes up to steady me. "I'm finally able to control it. This... power."

"That was awesome!" Onyx whoops. "Ebony, you're a beast!"

That's what I'm afraid of.

We walk into the cold dark room. There are lines and lines of work stations, and metal glints at us from every angle. At the other side of the room, lined up against the far wall, there is a row of blood stained gurnies.

They are experimenting here with S.H.A.D.E technology, inserting chips into Demons amongst other things. I think about how Copper was able to boost my abilities by controlling my biochemistry and shudder at the thought of an enhanced Demon.

No... an army of enhanced Demons.

They want to be like Gods, they want to triumph over earth and use humans as livestock. Danny was able to survive a shot to the head, and now many more Demons will be just as unstoppable. "How many surgeries do you think they have performed?"

Copper looks around the room, his expression grave. "Even one is too many. It looks like they figured out the correct way to implant the chips."

"So there are literally ticking time bombs running around on earth. S.H.A.D.E.'s only advantage was their advanced technology, and now that's fallen into Demonic hands," Onyx growls, frustrated. "We're screwed. The whole world is screwed..."

"We have to destroy what progress they've made here. I'm sure they know how to replicate the chips by now, but at least we can slow them down. I heard Danny say that- that some girl is coming.  That she's going to ruin their plans."

"Well, she's certainly taking her time," Onyx snaps, then shakes his head. "Sorry, sorry. Let's just get rid of this stuff. Right now, we're the only ones who can help."

I grunt in agreement and turn to face the entirety of the room. I take in a large breath, centering myself. "Grab a few of those cases, the ones filled woth chips, to take back to Gold. I'm gonna wreck all the rest of it, so you may want to get back again. I'm not necessarily a pro at this."

Copper and Onyx grab two cases each, then retreat into the hall, watching me.

"If it gets too much, you stop, got it?" Copper says.

I nod in reply, feeling the heat build back up again.

Back when I was facing off against Gray and his goons, I was hurt by this power, but it feels like an elastic has been broken, and now I can expand it as I please. I broke through the barrier of whatever was blocking my power.

I think of Jane, and wonder if she was aware of this Psychic ability, if that's why she was so gifted at sports, blasting herself into the air to preform some gymnastic move?

Was Jane an honest person? Will I ever meet my family, the girl in the yellow rain boots, who bursts into my mind as though she has manifested in front of me?

Or am I just too far removed from Jane? Was Jade right, is there really no way we can be free?

The heat is burning me up inside. It's painful. It always comes from my pain and frustration. It's a sacrifice. I know that now.

I blink to release it, and it waves over the room, knocking over the rows of stations like dominos, the metal pieces, the completed chips, the chemicals, all bending and smashing apart. My vision blurs, but I keep my focus, wanting to destroy it all.

I won't let them win. I won't let them hurt people. Whether it be Demons or Shades, they no longer have free reign over humans. I will always be here now to stand in their way.

The room is in shambles when the heat dies out, and so is my head. My knees shake from the strain to stay standing and the ice pique is lodged into my brain again. I fight the urge to throw up.

I have to be on my toes still. Gray and the Demons will be here soon. He'll know Jade killed herself by the chip in his head.

Copper rushes over to me, helping me stand. "This thing you can do... I don't like it."

"I'll be okay," I pant out, leaning against him. I'm able tolerate it much better each time.

"You better be," he says, and his tone knocks me out of my own mind. I look at him and remember that he just watched Jade shoot herself in the head. I rest a hand on his cheek and raise myself up, pressing my lips to his. It's far too brief, but it grounds me again.

I give him a smile when we part. "Can't shake me that easy. Sorry."

He smiles back, about to answer, when we hear them.

"Kill them! I don't care how special they are! Just kill them!" Gray screeches.

The rhythmic march of one hundred Demons fills the hall.