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  Daniel removed the stick from his mouth and slapped him on the arm. “Hell, boy, you think you could have dug any deeper with that steak knife of yours? I thought we’d have to buy a herd of shirts to stop up the hole you were coring through me.” The debt-ridden surgeon smiled at the lighthearted comment.

  The ex-mercenary dropped the stick he had almost chewed through and lifted himself up, accepting Roger’s hand of assistance. Both men strode to the edge of the landmass and washed their bloody hands.

  I’ll bet there’s more truth to that comment than Roger’d like, thought Jedd. But Daniel’s up and walking, so I guess we should be happy with that.

  Upon their return, Daniel greeted Jedd with more enthusiasm than his washed-out face looked capable of. “Hey there, Pops. Get a good look at my innards?”

  “Enough to know that I don’t want that man anywhere near me,” Jedd replied in jest.

  “Ah, come on. I did fine. There’s no reason to be like that. If I’d had some alcohol, I’d have done as good a job as a doc.”

  “If you had alcohol, I would’ve drunk it,” replied Daniel. His hands twitched with the truth of the statement.

  Both men enjoyed a hearty laugh as they walked back to the campsite. Madelin sat in silence searching her mind for the things she lost.

  Their chuckles startled Madelin out of her inner exploration. She glanced at Leodenin’s distant glow, uneasy with his lack of movement. Knowing what his agency had done to her family was disturbing, but she felt something stir inside that she never felt before. Thus far she just wished to escape, but now she was driven to do more.

  Vengeance has a way of taking hold of people, and as Jedd walked up to Madelin he caught sight of her distant gaze. She was weighing her options, deciding what to do about Leodenin and the PASTOR agency. Her eyes reflected the revenge she sought.

  At least she feels it, thought Jedd. What I’ve felt for an eternity.

  Jedd looked in the direction she gazed and found the pale shifter’s dark aura. Madelin’s godfather allowed his imagination to take flight, relishing in the torture they would force upon Leodenin and his compatriots.

  Revenge and her safety are all that matters now, he surmised.

  Daniel and Roger gathered their things and smothered the fire, leaving their reunited friends staring off in the distance. By the time Jedd’s daze broke, the makeshift camp had been scattered and their possessions stowed.

  Jedd could see no evidence that they had stayed the night. “Wow, y'all work quick.”

  “I just didn’t want to leave those bastards a proper place to sleep,” replied Daniel.

  Jedd tapped Madelin’s shoulder and broke her timeless gaze.

  “Sorry, I was thinking,” her voice echoed, as though from a deep well.

  “I know. What do you want to do?”

  She stood for a few minutes, lips pursed in thought, unable to pull her eyes from what Leodenin represented. “I know what he’s here to do and I can’t let it happen. I won’t go back to that place, not until I’m ready to take them all down. Were there others like me?”

  Pictures and faces from files and the hospital flooded his thoughts. “A lot of children were taken over the years.”

  “We can’t just leave them in that horrid place. We have to take the agency down and free them.” Her declaration carried over the waters, lapping at their small islet.

  Jedd gripped her shoulders and spoke with calm certainty. “You don’t understand.”

  “What, what don’t I understand?” she cried, her voice bolstered into a semblance of hysteria.

  “We can’t just free them and let them go,” he replied with transfixing eyes. The uniqueness of his voice caught her attention and she floated back to reality. “If we take them now, many will die.”

  The fear of Jedd’s words subdued her passion and tentative questions rose to her lips. “Why? Surely we can help them. What could the agency do if they don’t have them?”

  “Sometime, yes, we’ll help them, but we’re not prepared to now. The reason these people became aware of these children’s abilities was because they weren’t able to control what they could do. Many vanished the first time they used their ability, never to be seen again. We have to control your talent and take over their training before they hurt themselves. But before that, we have to reverse what’s been done to them. If we don’t, what reason do they have to come with us, or even view us different than how you view PASTOR?”

  His answers were logical and well thought out, but dashed her hopes of immediate retribution. From downcast eyes, she replied, “I see.”

  “Don’t lose that passion,” Jedd whispered, tilting her chin up. “There’s no reason to be ashamed. I’ve been thinking about this, and you, for many years now. My research has shown me what the agency’s done. We will save them and we will take these tyrannical bastards down, but we have to prepare first.” He paused in his passionate speech, before continuing. “First thing’s first. We need a place to defend ourselves.”

  Daniel lowered himself onto a log with Roger. He hid a grimace behind veiled eyes, but the anguish he felt was evident. The sight pulled Jedd’s attention. He nodded at the veteran who was proving older than his years and mumbled, “He hides it well, but he’s wearing thin and needs a doctor, too.”

  Madelin followed his gaze, noticing what she had overlooked in her protective friend. “I know.”

  Madelin Turned to the forest and squinted at the horizon. “Take a look over there, far away. What do you see?”

  Jedd peered through the morning light, but could make out nothing. “Not a thing. What are you looking at?”

  “You don’t see the small specks of light just under the skyline?”

  “No, I don’t.”

  “There are people like us moving around, many of them.” After a moment’s thought, she voiced the question weighing on her mind. “Should we go to them? They might be able to help.”

  “They might be the same people we saw last night too,” he cautioned. “They glowed like us, but they were very different. They were incredibly strong and fast, and couldn’t be human. If they aren’t friendly, we won’t stand a chance.”

  “But we have to try,” she insisted.

  “Well, let’s see what the others have to say.”

  The idea was a good one and she approached the coffee deprived men with Jedd in her wake, a look of concern creasing his face. Roger had discovered the remains of a few candy bars in his bag, a blessing from Maria, and the two ex-servicemen munched on them greedily. Madelin ignored her own hunger pangs and spoke with confidence, having embraced her future with fervor. “Got a question for you, boys.”

  Her approach startled them out of murmured conversation. Daniel’s eyes considered Jedd before returning to Madelin. She repeated the question with a smile, leaving out Jedd’s assessment of their chances if things went wrong. However, his fears spoke aloud as he stood in her shadow, hands hidden in his pockets.

  Daniel strode over to Madelin and jerked her aside. His tongue lashed out after they had gone a safe distance, “Look here, you silly girl. I’ve put my life on the line for you time and again, and I’ll be damned if I sit here and allow you to manipulate us.”

  “But I didn’t…” Madelin’s voice trailed to nothingness as Daniel spoke over her. “Don’t give me that shit. You know what I’m talking about. I don’t give a damn where we are. If you try pulling that shit without telling me everything again, the only thing you’ll see is my back side. I’ll leave you to those bastards.”

  Madelin blushed. “Okay … I’m sorry. I am. I just didn’t think you’d go along with me if you knew what Jedd thought.” The apology was sincere and she found it hard to meet his eyes.

  Daniel left her shamefaced in the ankle-high water and stalked back to the rotting tree trunk. Roger’s curious expression was answered with a glance. It would wait. With his adrenaline flowing, he felt as though he had gained the vitality of a twenty-year-old and the confide
nce of a drill sergeant.

  He slapped Roger’s knee. “Let’s go. We’ve got a town of fanatics to find.” His undertone commanded obedience.

  Daniel gripped Jedd’s shirt collar and dragged him closer. Madelin’s godfather attempted to hide a smirk as he looked the veteran in the eye. The soldier’s breath was hot and stale as he rasped, “What the hell’s your problem, Jedd? Why didn’t you speak up?”

  In a voice shrouded with subdued laughter, Jedd whispered, “I know your kind pretty well, Danny boy, and I did speak up, loud enough for you to hear. Sometimes she needs a firm hand after she’s made a mistake. We have to remember that she hasn’t learned how to act around people. So in a way we’ll all have to teach her some life lessons.”

  Daniel harrumphed, dismissed his shirt, and hefted one of the bags over his shoulder. Then, he and Roger set off in the direction Madelin had indicated, neither of them glancing back. Jedd waited for his goddaughter to collect herself before following at a distance. He kept the grueling pace Daniel set and shadowed Madelin in silence.

  She needs her space, and time to think. She’s got to grow up quick or there won’t be anything I can do for her.

  Jedd watched Leodenin keep pace, waiting for the right time to strike. Birds chirped as they passed, as though accustomed to seeing people. The orbs Madelin had mentioned earlier were now visible and growing larger. There were many more than he imagined, but they never moved far from the solitary point ahead. It was as though they lived there.

  The fractured group continued as the sun climbed a ladder of clouds into the sky. When it reached its summit, Jedd retrieved a handful of dehydrated turkey from his pack and nibbled as he walked. He lost himself in thoughts of the future, and what they needed to do with PASTOR lurking a few miles behind.

  Alerted by hunger pangs and the loud crinkling of Jedd’s wrapper, Madelin watched him eat until the hunger overshadowed her stubborn nature. Giving in, she allowed the few feet separating them to diminish, or tried to. Jedd kept his distance and watched the similar, yet somehow distinct forest surrounding them.

  Most of the trees look like those on my world, thought Jedd, well aware of the distance he kept between Madelin and himself. But there’s something different … something … If I could just put my finger on it. Maybe that would tell me more about this place and what changed it.

  To her disgust, Madelin was forced to turn and wait for him to catch up. Her lips were thin and strained as she watched him approach. He smiled at her stubborn disposition and took another bite, relishing in her immature misery as only a father could. She fell in step next to him and he handed her a stick of spiced meat. She chewed the tough ration and kept pace with Jedd’s lengthening steps, unaware of the closing distance between them and the military veterans.

  “So, what should we do?” she wondered aloud.

  Jedd spoke between mouthfuls, “Well, to teach those young brainwashed minds, we have to understand what you can do. Plus, I need to figure out what I can do to help. So far the only thing I’ve had time to think of is finding you.”

  “So what do I do then, just go and find a book on the subject?” asked Madelin with a hint of sarcasm.

  “It won’t be as easy as going to the local library,” he replied. “We’ll have to do it the old fashioned way, through trial and error.” He lifted his blackened arm to emphasize his point. “We’ll learn more through our mistakes, but we can’t allow them to overwhelm us.”

  They both peered at the defunct arm.

  “Was that a mistake?” asked his goddaughter.

  Jedd pondered the question. Nothing seemed to have been harmed other than the skin. He poked the darkened forearm with a finger and was reminded of the lack of feeling. He poked it harder and harder yet, but still felt no pain.

  What is it doing to me? he worried. Will it spread?

  The questions ate at him, finding a home in a cavernous hole of his psyche. After a moment, he answered, “I’m not sure.” His voice quivered with uncertainty. “When I touch one of your portals, this grows, covering more of my arm. At first the pain was unbearable, but each time since then it’s diminished, making it easier to follow you.”

  Jedd looked up into her eyes as he finished the stick of meat. “I wonder if it might’ve been necessary to help me find you.”

  “You think it was supposed to happen then?” The question seemed absurd, as though pondering the pragmatic possibility of a buffalo growing wings to reach a distant pasture.

  “Maybe,” he replied in the same wavering voice.

  “So what if I attempt to do something and fail, and wind up dead or worse?” asked Madelin.

  “If we’re going to be ready, then that’s a chance we have to take,” Jedd answered with a flat stare. “But I doubt you’re destined for that. You already have a ton more experience than any of the naïve children that fall prey to their own abilities.”

  Jedd could sense her uneasiness with the potential consequences, but her words showed none of it. “I’ll try. Since I started shifting, the outline of webs seems to call to me. I can find them wherever they are, like those over there,” she said pointing to a dense clump of trees nearby.

  Jedd looked for the vibrant lines he saw when observing the scars, but instead noticed a natural growth of tall pines.

  He shook his head in frustration. “I can’t see it.”

  Daniel overheard the conversation as they approached and glanced at the trees she identified. He turned back to her and asked, “You can see that?”

  “See what?”

  “The weird outline. It’s like a building should be right there, but isn’t. It’s almost like seeing the building’s ghost.”

  Madelin smiled with excitement. “Yes, yes, that’s it. How can you see it?”

  “That’s how I found you,” he replied with a smile. The two friends looked at one another with newfound appreciation, while Jedd and the gambler stood stunned.

  “I knew there had to be something about you, Danny boy,” Jedd added with a smile.

  Bolstered by the possibilities, Madelin fired questions at the veteran. He answered them one at a time, as best he could.

  Aware of his own inability, Jedd asked, “So how is it that you two can see it, yet I can’t?”

  They all considered the perplexing question as they continued their march through the forest. While engrossed in conversation, Jedd ensured that they were maintaining their distance from PASTOR’s blessed son. It only took a look behind to see that they were.

  After some thought, Madelin proposed an answer. “What if the ability affects people in different ways?”

  “Go on,” prompted her godfather.

  “What if it just hasn’t finished developing?” She paused for effect before continuing, “Daniel, have you tried to do anything with the colored outlines you see?”

  “No, I haven’t given it much thought. I’ve been a bit preoccupied with all these people trying to kill us.” He gave her a mischievous smile.

  “Jedd, when did things start to develop for you?” she asked.

  After considering the inquiry, he saw her point. “I didn’t try anything until I remembered how you and I talked when you were a child. I’d never even realized it, but you told me what you wanted without saying a word. It was because of those memories that I tried to find you with such unusual methods. On those sci-fi shows, I think they call it ‘Astral Projection’.” He emphasized the name in jest.

  Caught up in the potential of their abilities, Madelin spouted, “When we find a place to bed down, I want to try some things.” Her mind whirled with ideas and tests she wanted to attempt. Every effort would be supervised by another person, for safety’s sake.

  The reminder of their limited time and the distance they needed to cover sent Jedd into a temporary, thoughtful silence. The orbs moved in the shadowed tree line ahead and grew with each step. He gauged that they would arrive tomorrow evening. The sun had begun its journey downward, eager to reach the depths of
night. Jedd mentioned as much, and their conversation went on in huddled procession. They would make it as far as they could before nightfall. The following day, they would test the generosity of strangers.

  * * * * *

  Chapter 18: Haunting Memories

  Friday, June 23rd

  People are complicated. Everyone has secrets they’re keeping from me … there are even some I keep from myself.

  ~Excerpt from the Journal of Madelin Boatweit~

  Jedd watched remnants of dwindling light peer through the tree branches overhead. At least most of the swampland dried up.

  His socks still squished in his boots and his feet had developed painful blisters. Sitting around the campfire, Jedd relieved himself of his footwear and set them next to the fire to dry. He massaged the pain from his feet while searching the area behind them, his shifting gaze glowing in the rays of the rising moons. It was not long before he found Leodenin’s aura shining in the ever present shadows.

  Very little grew under the old trees, and as dusk set in, the evil pawn shone like a beacon. He was still a great distance away and appeared to have settled down for the night. Jedd expected him to make a try while they slept. He was sure that the gaunt man could see the people they were headed toward. Even though he was young, he was intelligent. But it would take Leodenin and his men most the night to cover the distance between them.

  What is he up to? Jedd wondered. Why’s he staying so far away…? Could he be trying another sneaky attack? Time will tell, he concluded.

  Madelin plopped down nearby like a child after a long day of terrorizing the neighbors. A smile played across her lips, as it had all day since their decision.

  “So, what do you think we should do first?” he asked as his own curiosity piqued.

  “Well, I think I should make a portal like I’ve done before to start out, and you can tell me what you see.”