The Mind Games (31 page)

Lewis was obviously biding time. Like me, he hoped my mom would magically appear and save the day.

“Whether you believe me or not, we’ve been spying on your mother for some time now. Your proof, if you keep going straight and turn left at the T, you’ll go past your mother’s home. The door to the tunnels goes through your mother’s bookcase. I’d be happy to give you the code. The spies your mother had implanted into our organization have now been converted.” He glanced back at the men behind him. “As well as a few guards who were stationed here.”

He had me, I knew it. Lewis knew it. My only concern at this point was getting John as far away as possible from those I loved. Once I knew they were no longer in danger, I could think about escape. I’d done it before, I could do it again. “I’ll go.”

Cameron,
Lewis’ warning whispered through my mind. I didn’t bother to respond.

John wanted me, me only, and he could have me.

John turned, his back to us as if he’d known all along we would fold. As if he wasn’t the least bit worried about our powers. “Start walking.”

Two of the guards stepped from the shadows and fell into place behind us. It was as they moved by me that I recognized one of the men. I sucked in a sharp breath, startled. The man from the hotel room, the man who had forced me back into my body. Who the hell was he?

Someone shoved me forward and I followed John.

Walking swiftly and silently, we moved through the tunnels. I had to find a way to get rid of Lewis and fast. I couldn’t concentrate while worrying about him. If I knew he was safe, I could focus on destroying John for good.

The sound of singing grew louder as we moved underneath the church, the soft murmur of Latin barely audible over the rumble of thunder. I tried to remember the layout of the tunnels but my education on the subject was sadly lacking. I’d spent too much time at the beach. John, on the other hand, knew underground Savannah well and I wondered how long he’d had a map of the place. I was running out of ideas, and fast.

“So how does it feel?” I taunted. If I couldn’t physically defeat him, perhaps I could get to him mentally. “Destroying your own family. Your child? Is it worth it? Will your belief’s keep you company when you’re dying a slow and lonely death?”

Lewis’ hand brushed against mine. He’d done it deliberately, warning me to be careful.

“I’ve never been one to buy into the ‘blood is thicker than water’ thing,” John said as if we were merely strolling through Savannah, having a chat.

The lights flickered once more and I wondered if the storm was worsening. If I remembered correctly, we were headed toward Bay Street. But in the evening, and during a storm the usually crowded area would be desolate, which would make it more difficult to escape.

“Your own parent, child, spouse can be just as much as an enemy as a stranger,” John continued as we turned left.

The singing faded and from somewhere nearby I could hear the rain pouring down a drainage ditch. Thunder rumbled, shaking the tunnel around us and sending tiny pieces of debris pattering to the floor. Great, just what I needed, to be trapped for eternity in a collapsed tunnel with John.

“In fact your family can be worse, because you don’t expect them. A little tip,” John said, glancing at me, “that’s why you should never trust anyone.”

I had a feeling we were getting closer to the surface. “And I’m assuming you have a lot of enemies, don’t you?”

“We all do, it’s the price that comes with having power.”

I rolled my eyes. This guy seriously needed to be taken down a peg or two. “But that’s the thing, John, isn’t it? You don’t have any power, which is why you need me.”

I felt the subtlest shift in his energy and grinned. Although he didn’t face me, I could tell by the unsettling air around us that he was angry. Lewis’ hand brushed mine once more. I ignored his warning.

“The only enemy,” I continued, “the only person who is preventing me from having a normal life, is you. So how about we shake hands, play nice, and go our separate ways?”

Happen to have a plan?
Lewis asked me mentally.
Other than taunting him?

Not yet,
I replied.
We’re headed toward the river.

The river. We were headed toward the river. Suddenly it all made sense, like puzzle pieces falling easily into place.

“And the river?”
John had asked in that hotel room
.

“An easy distance. Not far.”

I slid Lewis a glance.
I think we’re going to leave town by boat.

“
And you believe I can trust your people?” John released a harsh laugh. “You think they won’t attack me the moment they get the chance? Once again, Cameron, you think it’s so easy to pick sides, so easy to define who is bad and who is good.”

“And once again, the only person I see set to destroy this world, this life, is you.”

He released a manic laugh that worried me. “They’ve brainwashed you so easily.”

My fingers curled as I resisted the urge to lunge at him. “Don’t feed me some bull about trying to do what’s right. You’re a greedy, power-hungry monster. This is all about you and your ego; what you want. And you want power because you don’t have any.”

He spun around and gripped my upper arms so tight, I knew they’d be bruised. “We’ve done enough talking,” John growled, oozing anger.

There was a perverse part of me that took pleasure in ruffling his carefully constructed façade. The wall he created was slowly crumbling. I felt Lewis’ protective anger surge around me and gave a discreet shake of my head, telling him not to intervene.

“By all means,” I said innocently. “Don’t let me keep you from your destiny.”

One of the guards stepped between me and Lewis, shoving me forward.

I resisted the urge to curse. The river was close. Too close. I wouldn’t have much time to save Lewis and escape. We rounded a tunnel and paused at a steel door. We were in a section of the tunnels where I’d never been. I glanced at Lewis, but he seemed just as lost as I felt. The stone was rougher, crumbly, as if older. Or maybe no one had repaired it. Wherever we were, it was obvious no one came here often. I needed to act now and fast.

Slowly, I reached out with my mind, testing the mental strength of the guards around me. Could I break through and take them all down, without hurting Lewis in the process? I bit my lower lip. Lewis was already weakened, if my energy pierced his mental wall, he’d be gone for sure. I was torn between wanting to escape and wanting to keep Lewis safe.

The guard who had forced me from the hotel room suddenly grabbed my upper arm. “Don’t,” he hissed in my ear.

Startled, I didn’t say a word as he moved around me and punched in the code to unlock the door. Somehow he’d known I was in that hotel room the other night. Somehow he knew the codes. Somehow he knew what I was thinking even before I reacted. Was this man the carrier of the source?

They shoved the door open, revealing a huge warehouse, empty of life, full of history. The immense glass windows looked out over the river, rain slashing against the glass and obscuring our view. We were high up, the second floor. The wooden floorboards were dusty and bare, indicating no one had been here in some time. So they’d entered through a different entrance.

The door shut behind us and I released the air I didn’t realize I held. We were out of the tunnels, away from my family. We moved across the dusty floor and I realized that this was the moment I needed; the only moment I might have to put my plan into place. First things first, get rid of Lewis.

“Owen,” John demanded, nodding toward the rusty door; what I assumed was an entrance at some point in time. “The key.”

The guard who had forced me from the hotel room took out a key and pulled open the door. Interestingly there was no electronic keypad. The scent of musty air swirled into the factory; a rough gust that sent me stumbling back. Rain came down sideways, slashing at us and pouring into the warehouse. I was soaked immediately, the cold air chilling my skin.

“Go,” John shoved me toward a rickety metal staircase that curved down the brick side of the warehouse.

I gripped the slick railing, the stairs trembling under my weight. The rain was cold, but I welcomed the drops. My hesitation would be blamed on the weather and not my plan of attack. I waited… waited until they were all outside the door. As the last guard stepped over the threshold, dragging Lewis with him, I acted. I spun around, and using all the mental energy I had, shoved Lewis back into the warehouse. I saw his look of shock right before I mentally slammed the door shut. I could only hope that in his state it would take him some time to break the lock.

With Lewis safe, I didn’t hesitate but spun around and jumped. It was a long way down and when my feet hit the cobbled stones, my ankles twisted painfully. The pain was worth it. I knew they wouldn’t go after Lewis, they’d come after me.

“Get her!” I heard John scream.

My skin prickled in warning. I scrambled to my feet and raced forward, back toward the city. Every muscle in my body demanded I run; my instincts screamed at me to escape. I’d made it only ten steps when the pain sliced through my brain. I cried out, stumbling, then falling to my knees. They were on me before I could plan a counter attack. Firm fingers bit into my upper arms, jerking me upright. I threw my energy at the man holding me, the same man who had forced me from the hotel room on my mental jaunt.

“Stop,” he whispered. “You’re making things worse.”

“Screw you,” I muttered.

“We’ve improved our chips,” John called out quite casually from the steps. “It’s quite hard to break through them now.”

“Don’t run,” the man holding me hissed.

I was shoved forward, forced toward the river.

“Sir, you want me to go after the boy?”

“No, Owen. Leave him. We don’t have time and besides, he’ll be locked in there for awhile.” He gripped my arm and jerked me down an alley. “Now see, you made a scene for no reason. Your boyfriend will probably rot in that warehouse and you’re still here.”

What he didn’t realize was that Lewis was great with mechanics. He’d be out within a few minutes. I could only pray that he’d be smart and find my mom, instead of coming after me. So I’d been caught. That was okay, I’d find another way to escape. All that mattered was Lewis was safe.

I brushed the clumps of wet hair from my face and concentrated on my surroundings. Sure enough the river lay below, just visible between the buildings. My ankles throbbed as I wobbled over the slick, cobbled street. A road that was probably around when our family tree had been written and would probably still be here long after we kicked the bucket, which might be sooner rather than later. It was dark enough from the storm and late enough in the evening that the gas lamps flickered along the brick and stone buildings lining River Street.

A police officer rounded the corner. “Excuse me.” He shouldered past us and started toward his patrol car, parked behind a restaurant. “Better find shelter,” he called out.

“Will do,” John replied with a wave.

I glanced longingly at the cop, but what could a police officer do? John would only hurt him, or use mind control. I glanced at the cop one last time before John led me around another building and out onto River Street. Lightning branched across the dark clouds, moments later thunder shook the very air around us. Rain hit my face like a thousand tiny needles. The storm was bad, really bad and I wondered how in the heck we were going to take a boat down the river on waves so high they were sloshing over the bank and flooding the sidewalk.

“And after we get on the boat?” I managed to ask as we crossed River Street, sliding and stumbling over the wet road.

“Don’t worry about that.”

A few boats bobbed up and down on the rough waves along the river. Only one vessel had a captain waiting at the wheel. It was a blue, nondescript boat that didn’t exactly look like it would make it down the river let alone out to sea. John wouldn’t have to kill me, I’d drown.

Frantic, I glanced around the riverfront. A few homeless people sat on the benches down the sidewalk, huddled under plastic bags. Too far away to be any good. A few tourists were up the street, near the shop fronts but they were rushing down the sidewalk searching for shelter from the rain. No Aaron. No Lewis. No mom. There was no one but me.

“On the boat,” John demanded.

“Why?” I snapped over the roar of the wind. If I got on that vessel, I knew I’d be as good as captured. I might be able to move water, but I sure as heck couldn’t move an entire river. I’d be truly stuck. “Why go by water during a storm? Are you seriously that crazy?”

“Get in,” he demanded, shoving me toward the water’s edge.

There had to be a reason we were going by river. Yeah, it might be easier to get out of the state via boat, but not like this, not when a storm this fierce was so close to land. I brushed the rain from my face. Why?
Why?

Suddenly, it hit me.

“Natural elements,” I said as I spun around to face him. “When we were at the compound you guys said that dirt and rocks can muffle mind reading ability. Water does too, doesn’t it?”

John didn’t answer, but instead turned toward his men. “Go. Split up.” The four men following us divided, two headed down the sidewalk as if keeping watch, two staying with us.

“You think my mother doesn’t already know where we are. You think she won’t be able to find me? Using water as insulation won’t help you.”

I reached out again, using all the energy I had. Nothing happened. It was like hitting a brick wall. Owen, the man from the hotel room, the man who looked so familiar, grabbed my arm as John headed toward the line securing the boat to the dock.

“Go along with it,” Owen whispered in my ear, pulling me toward the vessel.

Startled, for a moment I merely allowed him to push me aboard. Go along with what? Who the heck was he? A wave crashed into the ship, sending me stumbling across the deck. Salt water splashed over the edge, dousing me and taking my momentary attention. My skin had permanent goose bumps. I crossed my arms over my chest, shivering.