The Rarest One

Houston, We Have A Problem Part 19

(Scott)

We had just finished our breakfast and I studied Crystal.  Her eyes were bloodshot, with black circles beneath them, but her movements were sharp and alert.  My phone dinged.  We all froze, looking at it.  

"My question is," Adrian sat up in his chair.  "Who has your number, and why is someone texting it." 

"That is a very good question," Crystal moved closer, and I opened the text.

I cleared my throat, and read it out loud, "Very smooth, Crystal.  You are as smart as always.   Your parents taught you well.  You pulled a nice disappearing act at the mall, but if I recall, you don't do illusions.  Must be that McCall boy.  You can't run from this, girl, and besides little brother misses you.  He finished with his name, and the emoji of a clock."

"Shoot," Crystal said a couple more choose words, as she scrambled around throwing our things into our bags.

"What's wrong?" Adrian stood, and we followed suit.

"Get off your butts, and help me," her voice was deathly threatening.  "He's coming and knows we are here." 

Hugh cursed, and ran out the door to get the rest of our group moving.   She threw her duffel bag at me and I caught it, heading for the door.  Adrian followed with our backpacks.  She came out last, following with the rear with Hugh leading.  "Move, move," she whispered harshly, and Adrian pushed us into a run.  She seized  Adrian's shirt.

"Don't run, but walk fast," Adrian spoke.  "Got it."  

We made it to the camaro, after sprinting for it once we were out of the building.  

"Come on, unlock the thing already," Puck urged.

She patted her pockets, and her eyes went wide as she turned in a slow circle.  When she faced us, her face had a grimace, "Houston, we have a problem."

"What is the problem?" Victoria growled, arms crossed.

"I don't know where the keys are," she deadpanned.

"You took them!  How could you lose such an important item!" Puck accused.  

"Back off buddy," I told Puck, while helping her dig through the duffel bag.

"I found them!" Adrian threw them at her, and she caught them, unlocking it.  We all piled into our normal seats.  

She turned the key, and nothing happen.  She turned it again.  Nothing.  "Son of a-," she pushed her door up, and popped the hood.  I stepped out, and watched as she fumbled with the cords inside of the engine.  She cursed the engine fervently. 

"Crystal, the batteries are dead," I said, and she turned to look at me.

"Okay, so how do we fix it?" she asked.

"You have to get another car, and jump cables," I began.

"I can jump it," Puck walked over to the engine.  Light built around him.

"Are you sure about this?  And I thought you had light manipulation," Crystal asked, while I backed away.

"I can jump it, trust me, I've done it before, and light molecules can be converted into sparks," Puck's eyes began to glow, and his brown hair stood up with static zapping through it.  

Her brow furrowed, "I don't think that's how it works."

"You can see the future, and move things with your mind," Puck exclaimed, as sparks flew from his fingertips.  "And you're going to stand there and tell me, that's not how it works?!  We are Talents,  everything is easier to create when your own body does it."

Crystal raised her hands and backed up beside me.

"What are Talents?" I asked, but Crystal shushed me.

"It's their way of saying supernatural, I think," Crystal said, not very convincing.

"Oh, by the way, the last time I did this, some gnarly stuff happened, so be warned," Puck plunged his hands onto the batteries.  He only had it on there for a couple seconds when the car roared to life.

"Did Puck just start that?" I looked down at Crystal.

A banging on the window and we both jerked in that direction to see Victoria yelling, "Get him off of the car!"

"He'll blow it up!" Kira shouted, as the engine sound rose to deafening. 

We both cursed as Crystal tackled him to the ground.  His body convulsed as a shock was sent through her small body.  "Oww," she grunted, pushing his body away, fingers still sparking.  

"Are you okay?"  I held my hands out.  

"I'm good," she clasped my hands, and I pulled her to her feet.  Her right leg buckled, and I put my arm around her narrow rib cage, while her arms circled my neck.

"Thanks, my leg gets a little messed up," she breathed as her lavender scent washed over me.  Her small body fit perfectly against mine, and her breath hitched as if she read my thoughts.  She pushed away, and looked back at Adrian, who was checking Puck over.

"He'll be fine, probably tired, and will need ibuprofen," Adrian updated us on Puck's condition.

"Okay, let's roll," I grabbed one of his arms while Adrian grabbed the other and we both assisted him into the back seat.  We sat in our own seats, as Crystal put the car in first gear, and we headed for a CVS.