mutated

chapter forty three: well this is fan-fucking-tastic

Fuck. I swore over the telepathic connection, before switching the comms back on. "Fuck, fuck, fuck. Otter, move in right now. Ignore Dolphin. Peregrine, snatch the head and get back to base immediately, Ptiloris will know what to do. Frost, get ready for extraction."

"Bellbird's unconscious - she's been using her powers for too long," Abby reported.

I groaned. "Get her to Goblin and Mirage, and Goblin, get Mirage and Bellbird out of here right now." I glanced at Abby and Charlotte's position, where the illusion's glow was fading. "Mirage is pretty out of it, so get them back to base whatever way you can."

I leaped off the crane, my telekinesis supporting me as I sped towards the boat ramp, and a quick blur and shout of surprise told me that Anson had heard me and taken Sophia's head. Head. Oh god, we were so fucked. Abby was running now, half dragging Charlotte with her, and through the mental link, I could hear Ryan tapping on the computer, summoning a car or some sort of vehicle to bring them back to base.

Landing softly at the ramp, I fired my gun at the man, the bullet whizzing through the air. By logic, it should have killed him. It was fired at point blank range, right at his head, but just as the bullet neared his skull, he disappeared. What the heck?

I heard the slash a second before it hit me.

I seized the blade with my telekinesis, flinging the attacker off and whirling around, already holstering my gun and unsheathing my own knives. He swung again, and I blocked with my blade, my other hand sweeping low, and he disappeared again. I growled, the momentum of my block sending me tumbling forward, and just as he was about to stab me in the back, I managed to hold out a hand, freezing him.

Blades still poised to attack, I stalked backward, eyes narrowing at the assailant. He met my stare and winked, saying with a gruff voice, "nice to meet you again, ling mei."

Ling-mei. My mind flashed back to nine months ago. The teleporting man. The beastly grunts. 

"You." I snarled, keeping my grip tight on him as he struggled against the telekinetic bonds.

He smiled. "Yes, me."

"I'm going to kill you," I clenched my fist, and the bonds tightened around his arms. He gritted his teeth, his finger spasming as he fought against it, until he pressed a button on the side of his gloves.

And then my power on him vanished. I glanced at him in confusion, thrusting a hand towards him again. Nothing. No telekinesis. He grinned even wider, flexing his shoulders. "Are you, little girl? Can you?"

Fuck. You. I seethed, reaching into his mind, trying to tear his brain apart, but he chuckled.

"I see my little sister has been teaching you some of her tricks. Little Lily always liked the brutal intricate methods. Your psychic tricks won't work on me, girl. I've had a lifetime studying my sister to know how to resist it."

Lily? His sister? I recalled the conversation I had with Lily about family. She had mentioned a brother who remained with the Ghosts before, but I hadn't expected him to be the one who had been sent to attack me all those months ago.

Then I remembered the teleportation device she had designed. The look on her face when she mentioned that it was based on someone she knew back in Ghost base. The sad, wistful sigh as I showed her the memory of my first attack in that dark alleyway in Kwun Tong. She had known I was going to face her brother some day or another. And she had still trained me to defeat him.

He rushed towards me, the long blade in his hands, and he swang it at me, a sadistic smile creeping into his features. I blocked with my blade, swiping at his legs, and he disappeared again. I twisted around, anticipating his teleporting destination, and slashed blindly, my knife piercing through the fabric of his shirt, drawing blood.