To Overthrow the Guardians

Chapter 33: Lies

Mallory sat listening to the people on the other side of the door. At first, nothing interesting happened. They just spoke with the E.A.D., asking questions it wouldn't answer for fear of messing with the future. It didn't know what Mallory knew from the Beth Howard incidents, that the future was probably already set. He could do whatever he wanted, and the future would likely not be changed at all. Except for when he killed the Guardians, of course. They were frozen in time, so he could take them out.

"May, don't touch that!" one of the redheads, the one who Mallory had heard was named Cynthia, exclaimed. There was a loud thumping sound and a cry of pain.

"I am sorry," came the E.A.D.'s voice. "I was not designed to attack someone with human durability. I did not mean to use so much force, but I had to protect my mistress from being released."

"A touch wouldn't have released her, would it?" Beth asked.

"Touching can lead to worse things. Is there anything I can do to help?"

"No, stay away!" Cynthia shouted, rage and terror in her voice. "Stay away!"

"If that is what you wish," the E.A.D. said.

"Beth, let's get her to the car!"

Mallory flew back up to his tree and watched as the three teens exited the building, the one called May's arm turning colors it really shouldn't have been.

"I'll get my mom and have her take her to the hospital," Cynthia said as she shut the car door on May's side, muffling May's exclamations of pain a bit.

"Okay. Text me when you can," Beth said, and the twin redheads were off. Beth then drove away in her car as well. Mallory followed. Beth was who he would need to get what he wanted. He had a plan, and it involved her.

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Mallory circled above Beth, who now sat in a tree at the Marbleville park. Instead of going home, she had gone here. She kept glancing at the black bracelet with a shiny white charm on her wrist as if she was asking it a question.

The tan bird landed a few branches away from her on the tree. Beth looked back at him. It was time to tell her what she needed to know.

"What?" she asked. "Am I too close to your nest or something?" Mallory shook his head. Beth immediately turned away, her eyes wide with supposed fright at a bird responding to her, and was about to jump to the ground when he turned human and grabbed her arm. She screamed.

"Sh! Sh! Beth, it's just me!" Mallory said, his eyes darting everywhere to make sure no one was going to come after him.

"What the...!" Beth cried, and she tried to yank herself out of his grip in a panicked frenzy. Mallory held fast. He was stronger than he remembered himself being.

"Sh! I know the E.A.D. hurt your friend! I want to tell you about the L.E.R.!"

"I don't want anything to do with them!" Beth continued to try to pull herself out of Mallory's grasp.

"And you don't have to! I can help you avoid becoming one of them if you want. I just want you to know that I'm on your side."

Beth stopped fighting. "Why?" she asked, narrowing her eyes.

"I need your help," Mallory sighed, doing his best to appear reluctant. He wanted someone to get more Power-Inducers for him so that he could carry out his plan of killing the Guardians.

"Fine. As long as you promise to help me remember and to help me not work for the L.E.R. in the future."

Mallory furrowed his eyebrows, pretending to be confused. He didn't want to share Beth's episodes with the past her. "Remember what?"