Chapter Thirteen
Peter
11:48am
I walk into the park aware of what I am entering, what I am risking, but I know I have no choice. When Igetis says something, he means it, and he will stand by it until it is finished. In this case, the message given to me has a clear aftertaste- come alone, or everyone dies.
The three of them were huddled together safely in my room, the door slightly ajar, letting their conversations out into the rest of the house. I had sneaked one last look at her from the outside, making sure I didn't disturb them, and started for the car. The note I left had a visible clue on where I would be. I know it is risky, but I penned it down just in case.
Ha. Like that would make any difference. I walk out of the house swiftly and get into my car. They still think I was sleeping safely on the coach. Safely. Funny.
Igetis had sent me the message through my dreams, probably using one of his willing slaves to do so. So, safely wasn't the first thought that came to my mind when thinking about what happened.
My thoughts come back to the situation at hand. I pull over and leave the car.
Max is there, as was Richard, and some other boys I recognize from the Ceremony. My mind reader friend is present too. Fun. There is no time, or effort taken to talk. The park is deserted- not a single intelligent living soul would get out on the streets in this heat.
I sigh and bring myself to the center of the semicircle that they formed, and as soon as I hit my position, the fight starts. My eyes turned a ferocious shade or red, my palms, faced upwards, were already emitting flames of fire, my mind starts calculating my next move at an unbelievable speed.
About fifteen minutes pass.
And then, my ears perk up. I push them, trying to figure out what they have heard.
He is here. And he is not alone.
I straighten up well before time and reverse my body, my back now to the weak ducklings I had just overpowered. For another few moments, nothing happens. My eyes turn a dark shade of blue, hints of yellow, at who appear in front of me. Igetis arrived, flaunting his black coat as always.
An army of perhaps a hundred soldiers- some even in purple To Sotos uniforms- follow him, a merciless look in their eyes. But I only doubted my senses when I saw the figure beside the leader of the Oi Alloi. Her hair is placed effectively on top of her head, her hands at her sides, her face displaying a serene look of mischief, stood Countess Margarita- the leader of the To Sotos.
And they walked forward together.
I turn my head around slightly to check if any of the others behind me recognize this pact. They don't. They don't know about this. They don't know Igetis and Countess Margarita are working together. I stop, skipping back a few seconds
Realization hits me like a bus running down a road, skipping a red light: Igetis is working with Countess Margarita.
They don't wait. Following barbarous commands instructed by their two managers, the miniature battalion annihilated us, the circle of men standing behind acting like cowards, giving themselves up to the forces we stand against.
Wimps. It isn't soon into the battle that I am left fighting the ruthless, jingoistic herd myself. I don't stop though, using my powers to the fullest, trying my best to get through each and every blasted stroke, each whip, each shot; hoping and praying for Catherine to have seen and uncoded my message- all false confidence.
Eventually, the remaining half of the clan, appreciated- and probably even celebrated by Igetis and Countess Margarita, pull me by my gory, blood-spattered arms, and leave me fighting for life by the streets on the pavement outside the park. Even death would have been more welcoming than this- this... I can't think up a word vindictive enough to describe my situation.
I gather my broken limbs together and made my way home.
-
I can hear Catherine from outside the doors before I even see her face. A thudding sound comes from behind the walls, some walking fast, heavily. I smile to myself. she stood up for me; she was coming for me. I approach the doorknob. It opens from the indoors immediately.
Cathy stays glued in her position. Her eyes slowly inspect my damaged body. I wait for a moment, then having allowed her to gape at my half covered physique for long enough, I carefully walk into the house from the side.
I stop in the center of the room, allowing her alarmed parents to witness what they had just indirectly caused. After a poor, negligible one-sided conversation, proving once again my devotion to their daughter, I limp to the bathroom to get myself cleaned.
-
I sit in solitude, going over the events of that afternoon, simultaneously thinking of a plan- and a team- that could help us make this right.
During the fight, Max and the others seemed pretty confused about the new pair. They too must be feeling equally distraught... I smile mischievously to myself.
"What are you thinking?" Cathy asks, placing an ice pack on my brow at where the bleeding starts. I didn't doubt her for a second, but I couldn't say the same for her parents. I scan the room for them. Not there.
"During my time at the park, I was at first only fighting against Max and a few others. It was around ten minutes into the fight that Igetis showed up- with Countess Margarita," not waiting to hear a response, I continue, "And as they entered the field, I discovered that those guys behind me were as surprised as me on seeing those two together."
"Okay..."
"They gave in to the leaders soon enough, leaving me to continue on my own."
"What are you trying to say?" she asks. I'm guessing she probably already knew where I am headed, but answer her anyways.
"If we manage to get those morons out of Igetis' hands, they will be forced to work under us."
"Peter, there are quite a few important holes in this idea- and you know that..."
"Yes, I do, and I also found a way to sort of cover it up."
"Sort of?"
"Look- they're going to know it's us anyways, there's nothing we can do about that." I sense her disappointment, "we will obviously be discreet..."
"Alright, how are we going to get in?" she asks, still unsure, "and then how are we going to get them out without getting caught? For one, we can't be sure where they are and secondly, even if we did, the two of us, four if we counted my parents, can't possibly be able to pull this of ourselves!"
"No, we can't" I grin and lean back on the seat, my head resting in my hands against the seat rail, and that's why I have a step-father."
The mood in the hall changes. Catherine beams at me, "You sneaky what's-it."
We immediately begin for the motel in which I have quarantined Ester, hoping that Igetis hasn't taken him too, our hair disguised in despicable wigs and our face entirely covered with 'foundation' and 'blush'. I cherish our little hour spent over this shameful, amusing job wholly, my heart aching at the idea of all the memories that are continuously being snatched away from our grips with every passing second. It is not necessary, but it is fun.
"I'm driving!" She screams, grabbing the keys and racing into the driver's seat of the car. I race after her happily, both of us forgetting all our problems, forgetting the exposure and threats that we were slowly getting ourselves into.
Forgetting all negative thoughts, I aimlessly follow her.
-
The Motel I had rudely imprisoned Ester in was a thirty minute ride from the city. I have never felt even a pang of emotion- apart from anger- towards this cowardly member of my family but seeing the broken 2 story structure that he has been living in since almost a month now gave me a surprising feeling of guilt and neglect.
The reception walls are damp, as are the red carpets that are rolled out, probably to cover an unfortunate event of a traveler with a weak stomach. An icky green is painted on the sides. It smells of rotten eggs, the worst kind of rotten eggs one could ever imagine. Our shoes literally make splotching noises as we reach the desk.
A girl, probably in her mid-twenties, sits behind the desk, her black hair is tied up messily, the bun a the back is a sudden yellow, earphones plugged in, her left leg is lazily resting on the top of the table, her right shoe on a muddle of important looking documents. She wears a loose red shirt, exposing too much skin, and long, fitted striped leggings that stop at her leather boots. She is chewing something uncaringly and her ringed eyes and dainty fingers are busy in the task of polishing a much necessary coat of pink nail paint on her left toes.
I stand back in the shadows and allow Cathy to take the lead for this one.
"Hi!" Catherine says excitedly. How does she manage to smile at this girl's face?
The girl looks up at us. The amount of makeup on our faces was a single grain of sand compared to the dessert her face is covered with. Unfortunately, my vocabulary does not have enough of terms to explain in detail her exact features, but her lips are a shade of navy blue, and is it 'mascara' outlining her eyes, making her look like a panda, a pessimist panda, the decor of the room fitting in with her plans of becoming an Asian animal perfectly.
"What?" she manages to spit out, "can't you see I'm doing something?"
"Right. Sorry about that," Cathy falters, "the thing is, we're here to meet a friend, maybe you could tell us his room number?" she persists, "um, his name is Ester O'Connor..."
"Okayy, listen up girly," the girl says rudely and unnecessarily to Cathy, "Just cause I work, and you go to college doesn't mean I'm any lesser than you. It doesn't mean I do your work. So shut your tiny little mouth and leave. Oh, and take your bubbly rainbows along with you. We ain't breeding no unicorns here."
I step ahead. "Ester O'Connor. Where is he? Quick." I knew it is no use replying back to her surly comments.
"Oooooh, guess who got herself a boyfriend??" she bulges open her eyes and presses her mouth into a pout and juts her face forward, mocking Catherine.
I slam my hand down on the desk. We don't have time for this nonsense. "Can you hurry up!?"
She smirks and leans back, "calm down, blue-" she says referring to my eyes. Oh no. I'm getting angry. Cool down, cool down, cool down. But I'm not fast enough. She jumps out of her seat suddenly, shrieking, " your eyes ain't blue anymore! They're freaking orange! Who are you? Aaaahh! Aliens!"
I roll my eyes and reach over, clasping her throat in my hand. I stare straight down at her eyes, mine still burning red, "Ester O'Connor." I say to her. She gurgles out something, probably a threat, "Ester O'Connor," I repeat impatiently. Another incomprehensible sound left her gasping mouth.
"Peter! Put her down!" Catherine demands from behind me.
I leave her instantly. "2nd floor, 3rd door to the right." she whispers bending over, her hands on her knees, her hair falling over her head, staring straight down at the floor.
As we exit the reception area to the stairs, I leave two dollars on the desk. "For all your trouble." I murmur.
-
Ester is sprawled over his bed in his room. I ask Cathy to wait outside while I get him sorted. I push him, gently, over to his side, he groans. I flick his blanket off him, "Ester?"
His eyes flicker open grudgingly. On seeing me, he shoots up straight, "what more do you want boy?" he asks, tired, "I've done everything that you asked for."
I get straight to the point. "Ester, I want your help."
He guffaws maniacally, "My help! Boy you want my help!!" Tears stroll down his cheeks, his bulky hands clutch his stomach, "Oh dear, oh dear!" more laughter. More tears. I roll my eyes. You have to be patient, Peter. You know he loves annoying you.
"Ester. Something happened."
"Yeah!" he cries, "no wonder something's happened that you call Ester to help!!"
I sigh and then lean in cautiously. "This is much bigger than you and me, Ester."
"AHAHAHA, AHAHAHAHAHAHA!" He continues, now rolling onto the floor, falling with a bang.
"Ester!" I say sternly, pulling him back up with one hand clenched onto his sleeveless white shirt, "Listen to me," I hoist him carefully onto the bed, "Igetis and Countess Margarita have joined forces!"
"Oh god! Oh sue me! Igetis is getting married!! AHAHAHA, AHAHAHA!! You're here cause Igetis got himself a girl!!! AHAHAHAHA!!" This mad man will be the death of me.
"Ester," I say, painstakingly controlling my anger, "Ester, Countess Margarita is the leader of To Sotos."
Well, that shuts him up.
He pushes my hand away and puts his own on my shoulders. I allow him to. His words are hurried, quick, intense, "Boy, boy, you're not playing around right? What you're saying, it's not-it's not funny at all, you know that right?"
"It's not funny at all Ester, because it's not a joke." I say shrewdly.
He gets up and pulls on a shirt that was lying on the floor. "So, what are we going to do about it?"
I call Cathy in. Once we are all settled down, I begin.
"Here's what we have thought about yet: First, we meet you and convince you to join us; Second, we figure out where Igetis and Countess Margarita have situated their army; Then, we host a jailbreak and save Max, Richard, and a few others who are most likely imprisoned and paying a parole; Next we create a full proof plan and lastly, we break into the quarters, seize Igetis and the Countess and kill them or whatever and everything will be back to normal. Sound good?"
"Boy," Ester looks at me worriedly, "when I called you a nerd, I actually meant it. Is this girl feeding off of your brain or something?" He looks around, "this place is complete and utter nonsense- the only thing right you just said in the last two minutes were the conjunctions." Yikes. "Boy," he continues, in a tone I have never heard him to talk me with before, "If you kids are going to do this, you have got to do it right." he pauses, his eyebrows slanting in, confused, "but why are you'll taking this into your hands? There will be a reason why Igetis is pairing up with the Countess lady right?" He looks at the two of us curiously.
"It's because their plan, for some reason, includes abusing and beating Peter." Catherine replies blandly.
Ester took this new information in. "Okay, and why would he do that?"
I pout. I never thought about it this way... What's he trying to say? I think about a resourceful answer to his question. "Because, I let Catherine meet her parents- who I was holding hostage in my house as were Igetis' commands."
He waits.
"I broke his trust." I had never thought about it this way.
"Anything else?" The room falls silent.
"Yeah. Max shot Catherine. They killed Shailene."
"What do you think was the reason for this?"
I gulp, "I told Catherine about Oi Alloi."
"Continue..."
"Cathy and Shailene saw the Ceremony."
"And the motive behind this?"
"Behind what?" I ask, finally lifting my head from my hands.
I gasp audibly at the sight before me. Catherine is holding a huge metal rod- I don't know where she got it from- and in less than a second, leaving no time for me to react, she flings one end of the rod forcefully against Ester's back. If she was going to hit him, why not his head?
I leap up to my feet in an instant. "What are you doing?!"
Catherine doesn't reply, she just stands there behind a now fallen Ester, her chest heaving from breathlessness of what she had just done. In her hand, she still holds the rod.
"What did you do?" I scream frantically.
"Ester is part of Oi Alloi, isn't he, Peter?"
"Yes, of course he is!" My hands fall down to his wrist, his throat, searching for a pulse.
"And Ester is older than seventeen, isn't he, Peter?"
"Obviously, Catherine, he's my step dad!" My fingers stop at the bottom of his neck. I search for a pulse.
"Then that means Ester too has two powers?"
I glance up. "Yeah."
"And do you know his two powers?"
"Um..." I start, unsure.
"Exactly. You don't. But guess what? I just figured out one of his prominent talents: hypnotism."
I get up from my knees wearily. "But Catherine, what he said was true. It was all true. We don't need to stand up against them. We don't need to fight. What we are facing are just the consequences of our actions."
And then, Catherine Stanley Davis slaps me. Hard. Right across my face.