Trevor looked at me as if I had made the building shake, "was that you?"
I looked at him I am sure like he was an idiot, "are you crazy, what am I supposed to be trying to bring the building down around us or something?"
Trevor turned to his men and said, "Go check it out."
Just as the guys turned the room shook again with more power and I could hear the explosion above. What the hell?!
Trevor turned back to me and grabbed my arm, "what is that? What is going on?," he asked me.
"How should I know, you brought me here drugged and have been trying to kill my friend," I responded as I ripped my arm out of his hand.
He yelled over his shoulder to his guys, "Go put us on lock down. No one in and no one out. We are under attack!"
Trevor grabbed me again, "and you are coming with me."
I wrenched myself away from him and ran to the wall of Corrie's room. "I will not leave until I know Corrie is ok!"
Another explosion threw everyone to the floor, I got up quickly and jumped on Trevor. I used all my strength and hit him multiple times until he was no longer struggling. I felt for his pulse to make sure he wasn't dead, and I had just knocked him out. I ran over and put my hands on the glass to Corrie's room and made it shatter into a million pieces. I then ran over and did the same for Dane's room. Dane and I used our powers to move the dirt away from Corrie and get her out and we ran back the way we had come.
When we got into the hallway, I used my powers to destroy all the doors with numbers on them. I didn't know who what in the rooms, but if they were all test subjects or prisoners they had to be released. I ran to room 13 and ran into the room. Where Emma was just standing in shock, "Emma lets go, we are getting you out of here." I said.
"What about my brother?" Emma asked quickly.
"Right now, I don't know where he is, but once you are safe we can make sure he is too." I replied.
Emma crossed her arms in defiance, "No, I will not leave without him."
Corrie ran in, "we don't have time for this. We have no idea what is going on and standing around arguing with a kid is more like to get us all stuck here!"
I looked at Corrie and Dane and back at Emma, "they are right Emma. If they don't have you then Rick won't be forced to do things to hurt people. I can't guarantee we find him and get him out today, but we will get him out. I already saved him once, I can do it again."
Emma looked at all three of them, "last I knew they had him in one of the rooms down this hall. We must at least try to find him."
I nodded and ran back out into the hall. Emma saw that all the doors were gone, and people were running out in the hall. I turned to her "if he is in one of those rooms he can get out." I turned back towards the hall and shouted, "IF YOU WANT OUT OF HERE NOW IS THE TIME TO RUN!"
We all watched in horror as someone came cautiously out of every room, but they didn't have time to figure out who they all where.
Rick did come running out of a room three doors down from Emma and ran to her and wrapped her in a hug. He looked up at me with remorse and gratitude, "I am so sorry."
I looked down at him, "we don't have time for this." I turned back to the rest of the group, "we are getting out of here. If you want to leave, follow us."
Everyone quickly ran up the stairs to the main house. The main part of the house was engulfed in flames and there was rubble everywhere. I looked around and took off in the opposite direction as the suite of rooms we were in. I made sure to keep the flames away from everyone and used my earth power to keep the rubble at bay, so nothing fell on anyone. I was getting hopefully we weren't going to run into anyone while we tried to escape, but when we ran around a corner I saw men who looked like part of a swat team.
They noticed me immediately and raised their guns. I immediately put an air barrier around all of us and stepped forward to confront them just as someone came from the back of their group and said, "That is the target, let's get out of here."
He seemed to be the leader of their group, he looked at me and said, "rescues here, follow us."
I stood there defiantly with my group; I was not about to run them right into another trap. "We are not going with you!" I shouted.
He lowered his gun as I watched him cautiously, and took off his mask and goggles, "JAKE!" I nodded my head, and we all followed his group of out of the crumbling mansion.
As we ran out of the mansion gunshots started ringing out from behind them. We needed to hurry and get the heck out of there. There were 4 black SUV's waiting for us and Jake turned to the group again and said, "pile in. We will be a little squished, but we will get us all out of here."
Everyone piled into the vans and screeched out of there. I took a minute to look around and Corrie is the only one I know who had made it into the same vehicle as me. I just prayed everyone else made it out ok. Jake had sat next to me, and I turned to look at him. Though he drove me nuts, I was nothing but relieved to see him.
He turned to me with a halfhearted smile and shrugged, "you may get mad at me at times, but it is still my job to protect you."
I didn't care in that moment all the crap that went on back at the cabin and I threw my arms around him in a big hug. "Thank you, Jake."
"Always Kenna," he said threw her hair.
I relaxed back into my seat and looked over everyone in the SUV with us. We looked a little the worse for wear, but everyone seemed to be ok. I turned back to Jake and asked, "How?"
Jake just smiled tiredly at me, "I can explain it all once we get to safety."
I decided I was too exhausted to argue and set my head back on the seat and closed my eyes.
Everyone was quiet on the drive, reflecting on what they had all just been through, until they pulled up to a gate that looked all too familiar to me. I looked at Jake in shock, "this is Mr. Mecham's place. What are we doing here?"
Jake just smiled at me again and said, "once we are safely inside."
Once they got inside, I didn't have time to ask questions. People were running like crazy, and my worst nightmare came true the minute I looked into one of the rooms adjoining the foyer. I saw men huddled around each other and blood all over the floor. I hadn't found the rest of my friends yet and dread almost left me immobile. I looked at Corrie and we took each other's hands as we quietly walked into the room. We pushed our way past some of the men and saw Rick holding Dane's hand as Dane tried to speak through the blood seeping out of him mouth.
"NO!" I shouted as I pushed someone out of the way and fell on my knees taking Dane's other hand. "Oh my God, Dane you are going to be all right." I looked around frantically, but no one was doing anything. "Why isn't anyone helping him?!"
"Kenna, there is nothing they can do." Rick said quietly.
I looked over at Rick with complete loathing, "this is your fault! Get out!"
Rick looked at me in shock, but I didn't have any sympathy left. Corrie pushed Rick out of the way and took Dane's other hand and Rick quietly left the room.
Corrie looked down at Dane, "Dane you can't give up. After everything we have been through you can pull through this."
Dane just smiled and both Corrie and I, "sorry girls, you are gonna have to make it without me." as he coughed up more blood.
I started crying, "no Dane, I should have shielded us. I should have protected us."
Dane lifted his hand to my cheek, "Kenna you gave me my freedom when I never imagined I would ever have it again. It was not your job to keep me safe. I thought I would be killed once the Restorers were through with me and instead, I get to die a freeman. Thank you, Kenna." Dane turned to Corrie, "you girls need to take care of each other. Corrie, you know what the Restorers are capable of," Dane turned back to me, "and Kenna if anyone can stop them you can." Dane closed his eyes and his chest stopped rising.
Corrie and I both just kept saying No, no, don't die, but none of our words could bring Dane back. Somehow, I had naively believed we would all make it out of this fight alive. Corrie took my hand and we both fell into hugging each other as we cried.
I didn't know how long we stayed like that, but Jake finally came in and moved me and Corrie to a private bedroom with an attached bath. "You girls can get cleaned up if you like. I put spare clothes in the bathroom for you." Jake said as he closed the door behind himself.
Corrie and I sat on the floor in the bedroom just staring at each other. Corrie finally managed to pull herself together and told me she was going to take a shower. I think I nodded, but wasn't really sure.
I was still sitting on the floor when Corrie came out of the bathroom. "Kenna, I will help you get cleaned up." She gently lifted me and helped me to the bathroom.
Once Corrie help me into the shower and the water hit my face I turned to Corrie, "Corrie he is gone. Dane is really gone?" I asked questioningly.
"He is Kenna. After all the things him and I have done for the Restorers, I know in my heart Dane is at peace and that is because of you. You got us away from them and allowed us to embrace who we were meant to be." Corrie said gently.
"How do you do it? How are you ok? I feel like I am completely broken and won't ever be able to put myself back together. I should have protected him, why didn't I shield him?!" I cried as she slid down and sat in the spray of the shower. "I need to learn to rely more on my powers, I could have saved us all if I had kept my barrier up when we ran to the SUV. I just didn't think."
Corrie slid down the wall with me outside the shower, "Kenna you can't protect us all. This is not your fault. Dane and I were held captive by the Restorers for what felt like an eternity, and you saved us. After everything I have seen them do, I had to learn to process death, and unfortunately you will have to learn too also. Your fight with them is only just beginning and I am afraid there are going to be more casualties on both sides."
I sniffed and started pulled myself together, "your right. I only tarnish Dane's memory by wallowing in self-pity. I will be the one to make this right. I don't know how long it will take but the fight between our kind and the Restorers will end with me." I said forcefully as I stood back up and began washing the blood off myself. "Thank you, Corrie. I am ok now."
Corrie got up, "I will be in the bedroom if you need me. I may be processing but I still don't want to deal with all those people," she said as she walked out the door.
As I showered, I let more tears fall and blend with the water, but once they stopped, I didn't have any more tears. I had already been told this fight would end with me and now more than ever I was determined to make sure that happened, no matter how it ended it would end. I finished getting cleaned up and put some PJ's on that were on the counter. When I walked into the bedroom Corrie was already in the bed, so I just climbed in behind her and we faced each other. Corrie took my hand in comfort and we both fell into a fitful sleep.
I awoke abruptly after having another dream of my friends all dying and me not being able to save them. I looked over and Corrie was still sleeping, so I quietly got up, threw on a robe, and left the room. I didn't know where I was going because I wasn't all that familiar with Edward's home and I didn't even know what time it was, but the house was quiet and it is dark outside.
I quietly walked the halls until I found the back patio and sat quietly in one of the patio lounge chairs, until someone laid a hand on my shoulder. I about jumped out of my skin but turned to find Jake standing behind me.
"Kenna, how are you doing?" Jake asked.
I scooted over and patted the seat next to me. Jake sat down and put his arm behind me and I curled up into him. "I don't know Jake. This is all new to me. Somehow, oh I don't know how, but somehow, I thought we would all come out of this ok. How stupid is that?"
Jake squeezed my shoulder gently, "it isn't stupid Kenna. You have been thrust into a pretty crazy world and you are still learning how to navigate it. Unfortunately, Dane will probably not be the only casualty on our side of this fight."
"I know, that is part of what scares me so bad. We all need to survive this." I said passionately. "But I know we won't."
"Kenna we just have to save as many as we can."
"Yeah." I replied. "I am still mad at you, by the way."
Jake chuckled, "I figured you were. There has just been so much going on."
"You were treating me like a child." I said.
"I was doing what I thought was best to protect you. That is my job you know." Jake replied.
"But Jake what is the point of being alive if I don't get to live?" I asked, "and maybe if I had practiced more my instincts using my powers would have been better and I could have saved everyone today."
Jake squeezed my shoulder, "Kenna, Dane isn't your fault. As much as we all want to save everyone we just can't."
"I know, well at least I am figuring that out. But I should have done better." I whispered.
"I'm sorry Kenna, I should have listened to you and trusted you. I don't know what you are going through, well no one does really, because there is no one in this world like you." Jake said. "As much as it pains me, I can't keep you locked away. I know in my heart; you are the one who needs to fight this. With us all behind you of course, but the fight starts with you."
"I don't know how to go about that Jake. I keep being told this is my fight, I can't lead all of us into a fight. But, I promise you, the fight between my kind and the Restorers will end with me." I said with conviction.
Jake sat in quiet contemplation, "I believe it will Kenna, and I am here to help to facilitate that. With you making it out the other side."
"I will try my best Jake, I truly will." I replied quietly.
We sat in companionable silence after that and Jack just kept stroking my hair until I fell into a dreamless sleep.
When I woke again I was back in the room Corrie and I shared and the sun was up. Corrie was standing over by the window still in her pajamas. "What time is it, Corrie?" I asked.
"Just after 8." Corrie said as she turned back to me. "I guess we should get dressed and see what is going on."
I agreed and we both dressed quickly and headed back downstairs. We found Jake and Edward with a group of people I didn't recognize in the room I had first met Edward in.
Jake turned as we entered the room and spoke. "Morning, I am guessing you both have a few questions this morning."
"A few would be an understatement." Corrie quipped.
Edward stepped back from the couches and asked, "will you both have a seat, Jake and I will be happy to explain." Edward turned to the rest of the group, "if you would all excuse us." and everyone else quietly filed out of the room.
Corrie and I sat down and waited expectantly for someone to begin explaining to them.
Jake looked to Edward who nodded, and Jake began. "Kenna, I know we had a bit of a difference of opinion back at the cabin…"
I couldn't help but snort, "a bit?"
Jake just smiled, "ok a big one. Anyway, are you going to interrupted me the entire time or let me tell my story?"
"Okay, I will keep it all bottled up inside until you're done." I quipped. Jake and I were ok, I just wasn't gonna let him off the hook too easy.
Jake continue, "of course after you all left, Aidan and I went looking for you to no avail. Then Aidan decided he wanted to return to the cabin. At that point I could only assume, a brother that loves you to death, was no longer as worried as I was and my best chance of finding you was sticking with him. I didn't let him know I followed him back to the cabin, but I did know eventually you would let him know where you were."
I just nodded her head.
"I still don't necessarily agree with what you did, but I do understand why you did it." He held up his hands before I could reply. "Anyway, I followed Aidan to Las Vegas and from there reverted back to my old job of protecting you from a distance. I knew you were livid with me and figured it was best to protected you by staying in the shadows. Something I should also mention is, I had a bug on Aidan so I could hear what was going on." Jake said the last sheepishly.
I began to speak, but Jake cut me off, "but in the end it was worth it because I would not have known about Edward had the bug not been there."
I quietly sat back again, ok he had a point I guess.
"Once you were captured, I went to Edward, because I didn't have the resources to get you out and he had told you if there was ever anything you needed to get in touch with him. I figured out exactly who we were dealing with after Aidan called me because he needed a quick evac from the cabin."
I couldn't keep quiet anymore, "are they all okay Jake? Did they get out?"
"They did Kenna and that is another thing you can thank Edward for. I didn't have anywhere else for them to go, so Edward provided a place." Jake finished.
Edward sat forward and said, "I own quite a few properties that even the government haven't figure out are mine. You friends are safe at my island in Belize."
"Your Island!" Corrie and I exclaim at the same time.
Edward smile, "yes, my island. We figured it was safest because you can see anyone coming. There is no way to sneak up on them." Edward shrugged. "Once Jake told me the situation, I was more than happy to help. I wasn't sure I believed your story before when you told me about the Restorers, but I do understand power. And power is what we have those others want to take from us."
I leaned forward and took Edward's hand, "thank you. I am indebted to you."
Edward shook of my response, "of course you are not. I told you if you ever needed me. We must stick together. Jake and I were discussing our situation now and I believe it would be best for all of you to head to my island and regroup. But you brought more people with you when we rescued you and I am not sure all of them should go."
"Your right, sorry I forgot about all the people. I am not even sure who they all are." Kenna said.
"We put them all in the basement so they could not leave until we were sure it was safe for them to do so." Edward said.
I gasped.
"Oh don't look at me like that, it isn't a dungeon. They are in nice rooms; they just can't leave." Edward said with a smile. "There is a perfect room to speak with all of them if you would like."
I thought for a minute and said, "I want to speak to Rick first. Just him and his sister."
Jake leaned towards me, "Are you sure that is safe?"
"Yes Jake," I replied. "Rick and Emma can't go with us, not after what happened, but I need to talk to him."
Jake agreed.
I turned to Corrie, "you don't have to come if you don't want to."
Corrie gave me you're a dumbass look, "of course I am coming."
I smiled at Corrie, and we got up and followed Edward to the room in the basement. To me it just looked like a nice conference room, but I did see the room locked from the outside. Jake sat the us down, "do you want Edward or I in here?"
I shook her head no, "thank you Jake, but no. Corrie and I can handle this. Will you keep Emma in the hall with you though, she doesn't need to come in here?"
"Sure Kenna," Jake said as he squeezed my shoulder and ushered everyone out of the room.
Corrie looked at me and said, "Kenna what are you going to do?"
I gave Corrie a sad smile, "I just want to let him know he is on his own from here and that he needs to take his sister somewhere safe. We can't trust him, and people we can't trust cannot continue to be part of our group. But I won't be the cause of his blood shed. Hurting Rick won't bring Dane back and Emma needs Rick to help protect her. I can't protect his sister for him. That is solely his job now."
Corrie gave me an encouraging smile as Jake brought Rick into the room in handcuffs.
"Guess they don't trust you either Rick." Corrie barked.
Rick looked at the floor in shame. "Girls I am so sorry."
"No," KI said, "I don't need to hear your pitiful sorry. You traded Dane's life for your sisters, instead of coming to us and possibly being able to save them both. You must live with that guilt for the rest of your life."
Jake shoved Rick into a chair across the table from us and left the room.
"I couldn't take that chance." Was all Rick said looking down at his hands.
"Rick, after everything we have done and been through, you truly believe I would have let anything happen to your sister? I have traded myself for my family before, and at one point I considered you part of my family, and would do it again." I smiled a Corrie, "even though most of if not all of my family would shoot me themselves for even saying that." I turned back to Rick, "but we saved everyone, but Dane and you think we couldn't have saved a little girl? How much easier would it have been to only have to rescue a little girl."
"Kenna I am so sorry…" Rick stammered
"Rick that isn't why you are here, and your sorry will never bring Dane back. I am going to speak to Edward, and they are going to take you and Emma out of here." I started.
Rick looked up sharply, "what do you mean?"
"I don't trust you anymore and there is no way I will allow you to have knowledge that could endanger my family every again. You will never know where we will go from here and never ever have the power to do what you have done again." I informed him.
"Kenna my sister is just a little girl, she didn't do anything wrong." Rick pleaded.
I shook my head, "I guess we weren't as good of friends as I had thought. You honestly think I would hurt your sister!" I said accusingly. "Rick, I don't know if you have any more safe houses left that you feel are safe, but that is no longer my responsibility to keep you and Emma safe. When you walk out that door you are gone from my life and it is your job to keep her safe, and I honestly pray you can do that. But you being here for even a little while longer could in some way jeopardize my family, so you are leaving. This is goodbye."
"But Kenna, please don't do this." Rick begged.
I looked to the door, "I am done." I figured the room had ways for the guys to listen and I was right. As soon as I said it Jake opened the door.
Edward walked in behind Jake and looked at me, "Kenna I will have some of my men take Rick and his sister to the nearest bus station."
I nodded my head and looked down at the table, "thank you Edward." I kept my eyes downcast as Jake lifted Rick from his seat and almost had to drag him out of the room. I heard Emma run up to him and ask if he was ok and then the door shut and I couldn't hear anymore.
Corrie looked at me, "you did the right thing. There are too many people at state to put their lives above the rest."
I nodded, "I know, but Rick is right, Emma didn't do anything wrong. It isn't her fault her brother did what he did."
"Your right," Corrie agreed, "but two lives are not worth everyone else's."
"Yeah," was all I could say. I knew being who I was it was my job to start acting like a leader, but could I truly lead my family against the Restorers. Everyone's lives hung in the balance of my decisions. But not stepping up also put everyone's lives in danger. "Corrie, we are probably going to lose more people in this fight, but it will end with me. This decades long feud will be over between the Restorers and our kind while I am still alive."
Corrie looked at me with admiration, "I truly believe it will Kenna."