Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4

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“Linda?”

I sat up with a start. Who was that? No one had called me yet.

“Linda. This is Agent Finch. It’s safe to come out. Please show yourself so I can escort you back to CoveScope.”

I frowned and stood up, tightening my grip on my phone. I'd silenced and dimmed it once the sun set, but in my pitch black surroundings, there was no doubt someone would notice the faint light. I didn't dare make a call.

“Linda, I don’t have time for this. Come out.”

How did he know where I was? I didn’t tell anyone. My phone’s location wasn’t turned on. I didn’t have a GPS tracker. I didn't detail my hiding place in my post.

I tensed up as I heard the ladder creak. He was coming for me. Panic rustling in my core, I turned to the window. There was a platform outside, barely visible under the moonlight. I could jump out, run across it. There was a rope at the far end. I could climb down.

“Linda,” Agent Finch said, irritated as he stepped into the room. “Why weren’t you replying?”

I whipped around to face him, and I squinted at the light he aimed in my eyes. Without hesitation, I turned on my phone's flashlight and blinded him back.

"Argh, Linda, point that away."

"Only if you do the same."

We both angled our beams downwards, and I asked, “How did you find me?”

“I’m the most powerful Reader in the world,” he replied, as though I’d asked the most ridiculous question. “I can read the primitive thoughts animals and insects. They pointed me in this direction.”

“Detective Cho said he’d call me once it was safe to come out. I’m going to call him.”

“You don’t trust me?” he growled.

"After you lied about Agent Rodriguez wanting to see me and then sending me to Qadir?"

"That didn't happen. I told you to follow me, but you went in the opposite direction."

"Don't gaslight me. I know what you wanted to do and why. I'm calling Detective Cho.”

The words had barely left my mouth before he charged at me, and I gasped and backed away, aiming my flashlight at his face again. He cried out and turned away, and I took the chance to jump through the window. The platform wobbled beneath my feet, and I dropped my phone as I dropped to my knees.

“Linda!” he bellowed.

I flinched, my pulse frantic as I crawled across the rickety beams as fast as I could. Once the rope was within reach, I lunged at it, bracing myself as it swung me in a wild arc and slammed me into the wall. Regaining my bearings, I slid down, ignoring my burning palms and legs as I listened to the platform groan beneath Agent’s Finch’s weight.

A terrified gasp squeaked from my throat when he grabbed the rope and started pulling me up. Looking around in despair, I saw a truck below me. If I swung myself just right, I could jump onto its cab without much damage.

Clenching my jaw, I pushed myself off the wall, tensing up in preparation for the landing as I let go. Agent Finch's yells clashed with my cry as I landed on the truck and rolled off. Not bothering to check myself for injuries, I got up and broke into a run, adrenaline racing through my body.

“There she is!” Agent Finch yelled. “Stop her!”

My fraught heart leapt to my throat.

He didn’t come alone. Of course he didn’t come alone.

The dusty air clogged my throat as I raced across the construction site, every panicked breath followed by a cough. Footsteps stomped behind me. More than I expected. How many people did he bring with him? They were panting as they gained on me, and tears streamed down my cheeks as I threw all my energy into my sprint.

I wasn’t going to make it.

They were too fast.

A hand grabbed my arm, and I yelped and jerked away, only to stumble into a man who’d caught up to me on the other side. We both fell to the ground, and I kicked him away and tried to get up again, only for two other men to pin me down.

“Help!” I screamed. “Help! I’m being—”

A hand silenced my words, and I thrashed and bucked as they shoved my head down and rammed something into my ear.

And everything went black.

…

A bright light seeped through my eyelids, and I croaked a cry of pain as I squinted against the glare. My senses struggled to reboot, but that gave my memories enough time to fall into place. My heart jolted and I tried to sit up. I couldn’t. Panic spurred my lungs. I was strapped down. I couldn’t even move my head. Something was in my mouth. I couldn’t speak.

My vision regulated, and I tensed up as I saw people around me. They were talking in a strange language. Staring at me. Touching me. Taking samples of my blood. They were assessing me.

A man unstrapped my head, and I growled and strained as he shoved a helmet on me. It was cold against my scalp. Had they shaved off my hair? I cried out as they tightened the helmet, its sharp points digging into my skull. Wires stretched out of it, just like the ones I could now see on the sensors stuck to my body. I was only in my bra and underwear.

Once the helmet was secured, two other men unstrapped the rest of me and lifted me up. My muffled protests echoed in my head as I struggled, but my efforts made no difference as they dragged me to what looked like a treadmill. After cuffing my hands to the railing in front of me, they connected a hose to the muzzle covering my nose and mouth.

The moment they stepped back, the treadmill began to move, and I gasped as I stumbled for a few seconds before I matched the brisk pace. There were no edges for me to stand on, no emergency stop clip, no controls.

I looked at them as I jogged, my fretful heart thudding. They were observing me through a window. At CoveScope, they mentioned plans to assess me during various levels of fatigue and hunger. It seemed this organization was speeding up the process.

The first hour wasn't strenuous, but when they began increasing the speed and inclination, my dread increased with them. How far were they going to push me? Sweat poured down my skin, and it took me a while to realize they'd increased the temperature too.

My sides ached as I ran, my wrists throbbing in their restraints, my feet raw. I didn't want to show weakness, but my heart felt like it was going to burst through my chest. They'd already rotated shifts and had their meals, and tears welled in my eyes as I prayed for a break of my own.

To my delighted relief, the speed and inclination decreased, and I panted as I jogged, my abdominal muscles cramping, my calves burning. The same men and women surrounded me. Staring into my eyes. Touching my sweat-soaked body. Ignoring my pain and distress.

After they left, I let out a muffled wail of despair as the treadmill sped up again, the inclination at a near impossible angle. Unable to hold back my tears, I cried as I huffed and strained, my feet bleeding. Goosebumps began covering my skin, and I looked up in alarm at the puffs near the vents. Were they decreasing the temperature? How much worse could this get?

I shivered as I looked at those observing me, wondering how they could be this inhumane. Was this what Bren was subjected to? That poor boy.

Time lost all meaning as I struggled to keep up the pace. Hoarse breaths wheezed through my parched throat, my lungs working overtime as oxygen felt scarce. My extremities throbbed with numbness in the heartless cold, my entire body twitching in violent shudders. My empty stomach churned, my muscles searing with cramps, my heart convulsing in my heaving chest.

I couldn't keep going …

I couldn't …

My legs gave out and I collapsed, too exhausted to even cry out as I hung from my wrists while my body bounced and bled over the treadmill. They reduced the speed and inclination to zero, but I remained hanging limp …

… until my body jumped up by itself.

I watched in horror as I performed stretches against my will.

They managed to break through my shield.

I wasn't one hundred percent invincible.

After a few more stretches, I flopped back on the treadmill, and I screamed as they began pulling out my teeth, blood flooding my mouth. Their assault felt like it lasted centuries as I writhed in pain, but in the blink of an eye, the pain vanished. With a quivering tongue, I caressed my teeth. They were all intact. It was just a Senser.

To confirm my deduction, a putrid smell filled my nose, and I gagged and wretched. But that became the least of my worries when the room began to flood, the hissing and crackling of electricity taking my fear to the next level. Was this also a Senser, or were they going to electrocute me?

With the dregs of my energy, I tried to stand up, but my legs no longer held me. I slumped against my bound hands, heaving with raspy sobs as I awaited the next bout of torment. But instead of currents racing through my body, it was intense heat. I croaked an agonized gasp as molten lava replaced my blood, my vision throbbing red, my nose gushing.

Not a second later, ice replaced the fire, and I curled into myself as my insides shrank and shriveled. The heat and cold alternated, toying with my endurance, but it was the paralysis of my lungs that left me convulsing in a helpess attempt to breathe.

They kept testing me, each wave more vicious than the last until I was left barely conscious. They uncuffed my hands, removed my muzzle, and strapped me back down on the examination table. A few of them touched me and I closed my eyes, tears trickling down my temples as they talked. What more could they do to me?

"Hello, Linda."

I frowned at the familiar voice, and I cracked my eyelids open to see a phone near my face.

"Agent Finch?" I rasped.

"I knew I sensed a crack in you. They said they've successfully broken through your physical shield, but they haven't been able to break your mental one yet."

"You're … a criminal."

"I'm a visionary. CoveScope isn't equipped to assess a Nuller. Or anyone for that matter. They're too soft. They want to help those with disadvantageous gifts?" He scoffed. "MBokh thinks bigger. Imagine: a gifted army with intrinsic weapons *and* shields."

"They … torture."

"It's for a greater cause. Too bad I couldn't figure how to get Qadir to them alive without ending up dead myself. CoveScope is too afraid to sacrifice a few people in an effort to experiment on him, but MBokh isn't. Imagine: an army that can kill in an instant."

"But you … wanted him dead. Wanted me dead too. Because … we're stronger."

He scoffed again. "I may let pride take over at times, but I'm not at its mercy. I sent you up to test your strength and see if it was worth it to make a deal with MBokh. As for Qadir, it was a last-ditch effort. I'd hoped his gift would lose potency in his death so I could transport his body to MBokh. And I was right. I'm sending him over as we speak."

"Sending who?"

"Qadir."

I frowned, wondering if my fatigue was fogging my mind. "Qadir?"

"When he heard of your disappearance, he fell into such despair he killed himself."

My heart dropped. "No. You're ... lying."

"All those years egging him on. It turns out all I needed to do was give him hope and snach it away."

Fresh tears welled in my eyes. "No … no …"

"And Bren died too."

"What?" I cried, my hoarse voice breaking.

"They set him up in your room, and when he heard you went missing, his emotions boiled your cat to death. Bren then killed himself out of guilt."

A frail sob trembled from my lips. "No … no, you're lying."

"Casualties are unavoidable when we try to change the world. Some people are strong enough to survive, like me, and some perish for the greater good. Oh, by the way, CoveScope found out who your parents were."

My voice shook between sobs. "My parents?"

"Your mother was a test subject at Terromyd. She was a mousy girl, big ears, buck-toothed. I should've noticed the resemblance. She was a strong Booster though. They liked her genetics and got her pregnant, but she escaped in her third trimester. She gave birth to you on the outside and stashed you somewhere before dying during recapture."

"What?" My frazzled head spun. "You … knew my mother?"

"I was a test subject at Terromyd too, a few years younger than your mother. CoveScope rescued me when I was twelve, but not before Terromyd used my sperm to impregnate your mother."

My emotions clashed and roared, tearing apart whatever stability I had remaining. Sorrow surged to the surface of my mind, only for it to ebb as I let out an elated laugh.

"That's amazing! From the moment I met you, I wished you were related to me, and now you tell me you're my father? This is a dream come true!"

The people around me cheered, and I was thrilled to see them sharing my celebration.

"Seems like I broke through her mental shield," Agent Finch said, teetering between pride and annoyance. "But I don't appreciate what you're persuading her to feel. Revert it. Now."

My elation vanished, and the raging emotions I'd felt earlier overflowed. With my mind a scrambled mess, I wept, the loss of Qadir, Bren, and Wookiee wringing my tattered heart, the truth about my parents piercing my identity.

And now all my shields were broken. They were probably reading my mind right now, seeing every heart-wrenching memory. I didn't care. I just wanted them to kill me. Or did I? I didn't even know what feelings were mine anymore.

Time had no meaning as I floated in and out of consciousness. On one of my moments of lucidity, I saw a bald, little girl in her underwear standing at the door. We were alone. Or were we? Was a Senser manipulating my eyesight?

She tilted her head, studying me with her big, dark eyes. My weary gaze followed her as she walked around the examination table, and I frowned when she cupped my face in her hands. She felt real. Or was this all a Senser's creation?

I opened my mouth to speak, but a shuddering gasp replaced my words as an intense surge of power coursed through me. Buzzing with overwhelming energy, I jolted up, the straps snapping away as though they were paper. Blinking in shock, I turned to the girl, and I found her lying limp on the floor.

Filled with bewilderment and concern, I tore off my helmet, ripped off the sensors, and jumped down, kneeling by her side to check her pulse. She was alive. She had to be a Booster. She rejuvenated my energy and strength, but I didn't know why she collapsed. Did my nulling gift return and knock her out?

She was obviously a test subject like me. I didn't know how she ended up in my room, but I was grateful. Now it was up to me to save her and any others who might be imprisoned here. We just had to avoid our captors.

A chill crept down my spine and I looked up at the ceiling. Cameras. I jumped up and faced the door, tense as I expected someone to run in, but there was silence. Gulping, I took a nervous breath and tip-toed over, peeking into the hall. It was lined with cameras but was as empty as my room. No one was here.

Where were they? Was this an elaborate test? Was a Senser playing with me? Was I dreaming? Why would any of those options create this bizarre scenario?

I whipped my head to the left, my pulse spiking. Someone was mumbling. Was it another prisoner?

Worry gnawed at my mind as I turned to the girl. I remembered how it felt when they persuaded me to celebrate Agent Finch as my father. I didn't make that choice. It just appeared. But right now, I was making the choice to save everyone and escape. It was my choice. This was really happening.

Spurred by hope, I carried the girl and slinked down the hall towards the mumbling, my jittery heart thudding. Holding my breath, I peeked inside the room, and my jaw fell open at the sight of a naked, muzzled woman on a stretcher. She had a helmet on as well, with near countless wires sprouting from it.

She stopped mumbling as her eyes met mine, and I gave the room an anxious scan before I hurried inside. After placing the girl on the floor, I removed the woman's muzzle, and she took a relieved breath.

"Thank you, Linda."

I blinked in surprise. "Are you a Reader?"

"No, and even if I was, Namono restored your gift by restoring your energy, and then some. Just as I foresaw."

"Foresaw? You can see the future?" I asked in awe.

"Yes, and I know you're going to help us escape. I'm paralyzed from the neck down, so I'm going to teach you how to remove my helmet. Please follow my directions and don't rush."

"Of course." I glanced at the door in apprehension. "Do we have time?"

"Yes. As I said, I foresaw our escape."

After she repeated her instructions twice, she walked me through the steps as I unscrewed one of the wires lodged deep in her skull. Blood trickled from the vacated hole, and I plugged it with the cotton she told me to retrieve from a cupboard. Getting the hang of it, I made my way through the remaining screws while I talked to her.

"What's your name?"

"Kei."

"What's your gift?"

"I'm a Brainer."

"How long have you been here?"

"Fifteen years."

"Oh my God! Have you been hooked up like this the entire time?"

"Yes. They've been trying to get me to see the future."

I tensed up. "What? So they already know everything that'll happen right now?"

"No, they don't know their experiments have been successful."

"How? Can't they read your mind and figure it out?"

"Experimenting on a Brainer can backfire. I've learned how to sense their presence in my mind, and I've created barriers and alternate memories to keep them unsuspecting. They don't know we're escaping tonight."

"That's a relief. How many other prisoners are there?"

"There's Namono and her twin brother Mukisa. Igor died a few days ago."

"Oh, no. I'm sorry."

"Namono tried her best with him."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm paralyzed and Mukisa is unresponsive, so Igor was our only hope for escape. Every night, everyone leaves except for the security guard who monitors the cameras. This is when Namono tells her brother to freeze the security footage and unlock her cage and all the rooms. Then—"

"Wait, how?" I asked in confusion.

"Mukisa is a Senser, and experiments have allowed him to affect not only biological electricity, but also electrical devices. Which works to our advantage. Once Namono is free, she goes to the prisoners and tries to boost them. After Diya died, Igor was the only able-bodied adult left.

"He was a Brawner. Exceptionally strong. But that also meant his restraints were exceptionally strong. Every day, Namono would push as much energy into him as she could, but she wasn't able to free him before a faulty experiment ended his life."

"Oh, no," I whispered, tearing up. "Poor Igor. And poor Namono. That explains why she passed out boosting me. She must've pushed too hard. How long have she and her brother been here?"

"Two years."

"Were they …" my eyes widened in alarm at a thought. "Wait, what if our captors read their minds and know this nighttime ritual is going on?"

"Mukisa's brain has been altered to a point where it's like a computer now. He's emotionless and his memories resemble binary code. The Readers here can't get anything substantial from him. As for Namono, she's only kept around to boost them and her brother. She's meek and plays dumb, and they're too hubristic to expect anything from her."

"Wow. We're lucky. And … I just removed the last screw!" I cradled her head and slipped the helmet off. "I'm going to remove your catheter and IV too."

"Thank you. I assume as a veterinarian, you don't need guidance."

"No, don't worry." After I removed them, I asked, "What next?"

"You'll take out the security guard."

"What! Why?"

"Because we escape in his minivan. You'll take his car keys, cellphone, jacket, shirt, and pants."

"His clothes too? Why?"

"There's nothing else in this facility to wear. Not even blankets or towels."

"Oh, okay."

"When they brought you here, did they place a device in your ear that shut down your senses?"

"Yes," I said, shuddering at the memory of my capture.

"There are some in that drawer there." She gestured with her eyes. "Take one, walk down the hall, turn left, take the stairs one floor down, and turn right. His office is the fifth to your left."

"How do you know all this?" I asked, rummaging through the drawer.

"I notice everything and memorize everything. Fifteen years in the same place, I can draw a blueprint of this building."

"That's mind-boggling." I held up a device the size of an earplug. "This?"

"Yes."

I took a determined breath. "Okay, I'll be right back."

Following Kei's directions, I crept my way to the security guard's office. In the quiet of the hallway, this whole thing began to seem like a surreal dream again. Maybe this was my brain creating an escape fantasy while I lay there, strapped to a table and plugged in a helmet. I hoped not. I truly hoped not.

Reaching my destination, I held my breath and peeked through the door. The security guard had his back to me as he faced a wall of motionless screens, but he was watching something on his phone and laughing. Bolstered by Kei's assurance that we escape, I didn't assess the situation further as I ran in and tried to jam the device in his ear.

He was wearing earphones.

My terrified heart stuttered as he turned to me, his shock matching mine. Before I could even blink, he grabbed my wrist and stood up, towering over me. My knees shook to the rhythm of my hectic breaths as I tried to pull away, but a sliver of hope flashed through my fear when he removed his earphones with a glare. Relying on Kei's clairvoyance, I prayed I was making the right decision as I kneed the guard in the groin. His eyes bulged as he bent over, and I took the chance to shove the device in his ear.

The floor shook as he collapsed face-down, and I let out a quivering breath and sank to my knees, tears blurring my view. My haste almost cost us our escape. Trembling with adrenaline, I searched his pockets, removing his car keys and cellphone before I stripped him down to his underwear.

I made my way back to Kei, trying to shake off my lingering jitters. "I got everything, I just wish you'd told me he had earphones in."

"I can only see the future through my eyes. If I'm not there, I don't foresee it."

"Oh. Well, it was a close one." I held up the phone. "Can I call CoveScope to let them know what's happening?"

"Yes."

The only number I'd memorized was Qadir's, so I dialed and waited, only for my heart to shrivel as I remembered he was dead. Blinking back tears, I continued to wait to see if anyone else would answer.

"Hello?"

I gasped. "... Qadir?"

"LB! Oh my God! Where are you!"

I put my hand to my mouth, my tears falling. "Oh, God, Q, you're alive."

"Of course I'm alive! I've been working online with everyone else to try and find you! Where are you? Are you safe? Are you hurt?"

I tried to collect myself. "I'm in an organization called MBokh with three other prisoners, and we're getting ready to escape. I'm sending you our location. I'll also call once we're safe to let you know where to find us."

"Okay, I'll forward it everyone now!"

"But not Agent Finch!" I said in alarm. "He's the spy!"

I jumped as he hit something. "I knew it! We all did! We're not letting him get away with it this time!"

"Q, please tell me, is Bren okay?"

"Yes, don't worry. He's with Agent Silva until you're back. Dr. Abbas is taking care of his therapy."

"Dr. Abbas! How is she after being controlled?"

"She was shaken up but she's okay. When they didn't find you with her, they persuaded her to drive to another city. That forced Detective Cho to follow her instead of them."

"Thank God they didn't hurt her. And … Wookiee?"

"Don't worry, Agent Hansen is taking care of him."

I nodded with a tearful smile. "Thank you, Q. We're going to try and escape now. I'll call once we're safe."

"Please be careful, LB. Please."

"We will."

I hung up, my anger simmering at Agent Finch's lies. He said those things to break me mentally, and I fell for it. Putting the phone down, I shook away my anger and turned to Kei.

"What next?"

"Dress me in the shirt and Namono in the jacket. Since you're the only one who can walk, you'll have to lay her on top of me and roll my stretcher to Mukisa's room. I'll direct you."

After buttoning the shirt on Kei, I swaddled the little girl and kissed her forehead before laying her on Kei's chest. With careful steps, I rolled them out, following Kei's directions until we reached Mukisa's dimly lit room. The poor boy was also naked and plugged into a helmet.

Kei said something in a strange language, but not that of our captors, and I jumped when the lights flickered on.

"How did you do that?" I asked, stunned.

"I told Mukisa to do it."

I turned to the frail boy. "He can hear you?"

"Yes. He's like a machine, give him an order, and he'll execute. Now you have enough light to safely remove his helmet the same way you did mine."

As I delicately worked, I asked, "What language did you speak to him in?"

"Luganda. It's the only language the twins know how to speak."

"Oh, interesting. How do you know it?"

"I'm an expert in all languages. I have an insatiable desire for knowledge, to the point where it feels like I'm starving if I'm not learning, inventing, or solving."

"Oh, wow. But how do you satisfy that here?"

"I listen and observe. I know everything about everyone in this organization. I know how their experiments are conducted and how to improve them. I've invented my own solutions to problems they've been struggling with for decades. But I don't divulge anything."

"I can't even imagine how rich your mind must be. Have you figured out a way for Mukisa to regain his autonomy?"

"No, I haven't yet come across a solution that shows a conscious future for him."

"Oh, the poor boy." Sorrow weighed my heart as I looked at Mukisa's innocent face. "What about people with disadvantageous gifts?"

"Ever since I foresaw a Nuller ending up here, I began creating formulas in my head. Once I have access the actual data, I foresee us coming up with a foolproof solution."

"Oh, that's amazing!" I said, turning to her with joy. "We have a Killer at CoveScope, he'll be thrilled to hear the news!"

For the first time, I saw Kei crack a smile. "Yes, Qadir. You two become quite close. I've seen you two sharing a pizza together in the cafeteria with us at CoveScope."

Tears welled in my eyes. "He's sitting with us in person? Oh, that's such incredible news! Thank you, Kei! You have no idea how much this'll lift his hope!"

"I do, it's why I told you."

"Oh, right." I let out a tearful chuckle as I dried my eyes. "Okay, please don't make me cry anymore. It's difficult to work through my tears."

We remained silent as I worked my way through the screws of Mukisa's helmet. Once I slipped it off, I removed his IV and catheter, bundled him up in the pants, and kissed his forehead before placing him on top of his sister.

With quick, careful steps, I pushed the stretcher down the hall and to the garage, following Kei's directions. Clicking the car key fob, a minivan lit up, and I flattened the back seats so all three of them could lie down side by side.

"Keep us within reach," Kei said. "I suggest stretching our hands above our heads and securing them to the center console."

I frowned in confusion. "Why?"

"I didn't want to distress you earlier, but the external gate isn't electric, so I can't tell Mukisa to control it. It's locked, so you'll have to drive through it, and the crash will wake up Boris who lives nearby."

"What! Who's Boris?"

"He's a Mover. A very powerful one. He'll get in his car and follow us. He'll try and fail to control you, so he'll try to control us."

"But you're all incapacitated!"

"Muscles are muscles. As long as the body is alive, they can move it."

"So what do we do?"

"From what I foresaw, you can share your gift with those you touch."

"What? … Oh!" My eyes widened as I remembered how Dr. Abbas hit the brakes the moment I touched her. "So, if I touch you, they can't control you."

"Yes."

Boosted by this possibility, optimistic thoughts raced through my mind as I used the passenger seat belt to tie their hands to the center console. After making sure they were as comfortable as possible, I slid behind the wheel, placed one hand over theirs, and took off.

The gate loomed ahead, and I braced myself as I floored it. The minivan crashed through the rusted metal, and I flinched when the windshield cracked. Someone would have to be deaf to ignore a crash like that.

Just as Kei foresaw, a car appeared in my rearview mirror less than a minute later. I tried to lose Boris, but he was persistent, and possibly frustrated at his failing gift.

"How do I lose him?" I asked Kei, glancing at the mirror in apprehension. "It's very hard to drive this fast one-handed!"

"There are two possibilities, depending on whether I ask you to make a certain maneuver, or whether I take matters into my own hands. The latter will satisfy me greatly, but it will upset you."

"Will it get him off our tail?"

"Permanently."

"Then do it!"

"At the right time."

"When is the right time!" I asked, cringing as the minivan scraped against a tree.

"Once we're out of these forests."

"That could take ages!"

"Ten minutes."

I gritted my teeth as we bounced and bobbed through the trees, Boris' car unrelenting. It felt as though the forest would never end, but then, in the distance, a clearing came into view. Fueled by desperate anticipation, I zoomed towards it, mentally cheering as the studded night sky finally domed us.

"We're out!" I said.

Kei spoke in Luganda, and I screamed as Boris' car exploded behind us. Still racing down the road, I stared at the flaming wreckage in the mirror, horrified.

"H-How did you do that?" I asked, my voice shaking.

"A little electrical spark in the right place. I just had to direct Mukisa. He's not as knowledgeable about cars. But I knew it would work."

"Because you foresaw it."

"Exactly."

"This is insane. And you wanted to wait until we were far from the trees so you wouldn't start a forest fire?"

"Yes. We're safe now. There's enough gas for you to drive to an abandoned farm 252.7 kilometers from here. You'll park in a barn, call CoveScope, and give them our location. They'll pick us up there."

"Okay."

No longer having to hold their hands or speed, I drove the rest of the way in comfort, listening to Kei speak to Mukisa.

"What are you telling him?" I asked.

"I'm teaching him how to access the internet on the cellphone. I'll then expose everyone who worked in that organization."

"Can he help you do that?"

"Yes, because—"

"You foresaw it."

"Exactly."

"You know, CoveScope helps shut down these types of organizations."

"They don't have jurisdiction here. And they're too lenient."

I left Kei to guide Mukisa while I drove, and I breathed a sigh of relief when I found the empty barn we were to hide out in. Once I made sure they were alright, I got out of the car and lay down on a pile of hay, exhausted as I sent our location to Qadir before calling him.

"Hey, Q."

"LB! Are you safe?"

"Yes, I sent you our location."

"I already forwarded it! Five agents are flying out to pick you up. They said they can't shut down MBokh as easily as AlkaPi, but they'll try. It'll take them eight hours to get there in their private jet. They contacted a hotel near the area you sent before. They paid for a suite for the four of you."

"Oh, that's nice of them, but it'll be a bit difficult. I'm the only one who can walk."

"Oh. Are you somewhere safe and comfortable at least?"

"Yes, we're in a barn. I drove all night and I'm tired."

"Maybe try to sleep?"

"I want to, but I'm too jittery."

"I can sing for you."

I smiled. "A lullaby?"

"Yes. My mom … she used to sing it."

"I'd love to hear it."

His voice was a warm shroud over my heart, and I found myself crying. Not tears of sadness or joy. Perhaps a meld of all the emotions I felt tonight.

"That's beautiful, Q. Thank you."

"I'm so glad you're okay."

"Me too."

"I love you."

I raised my eyebrows in surprise before I let out a soft chuckle. "You've only known me for two days."

"I know. But when they told me you were missing … I understood the movies. How when something bad happens … they regret not saying I love you. They say if you love someone, you should tell them. So I'm telling you. I don't know what type of love it is. I never loved anyone after my parents and siblings. But I do know I love you and … I want you to know."

I smiled, wiping away my tears. "I love you too."

…

"I know it's wrong, but the experiments on Kei and Mukisa are the reason they were able to escape!" Agent McKenna said. "Makes you think there may be merit to experimenting."

"Don't let Kei hear you say that!" Agent Hansen said.

"She agrees with me. Sure, Mukisa is more robot than boy now, but Kei is a genius who can see the future!"

"Kei was always a genius, genius," Agent Laurier-Kent said. "She's a Brainer."

"I bet she has a billion ideas," Dr. Laurier-Kent said. "I can't wait until we begin working together. Imagine what we can do, how many people we can help!"

"What are the odds we end up with a rare Killer, a rare Brainer who's even rarer because she's clairvoyant, the only Senser that can control electricity, a Booster with unparalleled reserves, and the only Nuller?" Agent Hansen asked.

"Hey, guys?" I said, groggy. "I'm glad you came to visit, but these painkillers are strong and I just want to sleep."

"Oh, sorry, Linda!" Agent Hansen took a piece of chocolate from the box near my bed before she stood up. "We'll get out of your hair! I hope you feel better soon!"

…

"Bren! Come in," I said with a smile.

He returned my smile as he walked over to my bed, Agent Silva right behind him. My heart sang at his healthy complexion, bright eyes, and shy concern.

"They told me I can visit now because you're feeling better," Bren said.

"Yes, I'm feeling much better!" I patted the side of my bed. "Come, sit, hun. How are you? How do you like CoveScope so far?"

"You were right. Everyone's very nice." He sat down and jumped back up when a bump appeared under my blanket. "What's that?"

"Oh." I chuckled. "That's Wookiee stretching after a nap." I flung the covers to the side and Wookiee yawned.

"Why's it called Wookiee? That's a funny name."

"A Wookiee is what Chewbacca is in Star Wars."

He crinkled his face in amused confusion. "What? What are those?"

I laughed, realizing how silly the names sounded to the unacquainted. "Star Wars is a series of movies and shows that take place in space. There are spaceships, planets, aliens, light sabers. We could watch them if you're interested."

"Are they funny?"

"They have some funny parts, but it's mostly action and adventure."

He looked down. "Oh."

"We don't have to. Not everyone enjoys them."

"I can try."

"I love that you want to try before deciding."

He looked up at me, smiling, then he gasped and pulled back when Wookiee sniffed his hand. "What's it doing?"

"He's introducing himself. Oh, look, he's purring, he likes you! You can pet him. He likes his head scratched, like this."

Bren bit his lip. "I'm afraid I might hurt him."

"That's why I'm here, kiddo." Agent Silva said. "But I'm not worried. You've learned to control your gift super well over the past few days! We're very proud of you!"

"That's wonderful news!" I said. "I knew you had that talent in you, hun."

Bren blushed as he gave us a shy smile, and he reached down to pet Wookiee, much to Wookiee's delight.

…

"Hey, Q! I've got a surprise for you!" I said, stepping out of the elevator.

He jogged over with eager wonder. "What is it?"

"Let's sit first!"

We sat on the loveseat, and I smiled as I held up my cupped hands. "Ready?"

"Yes!"

I opened my hands, and his mouth fell agape, his eyes wide with disbelief. "Is that … is that … real?"

"Yes! This is Poppy. She's a field mouse."

"Sh-she's … she's alive?" He whispered, his voice shaking. "W-with me?"

I blinked back tears. "Yes. I wanted it to be a surprise."

He covered his mouth, his eyes glistening. "I can't believe it. Look at her. Her eyes are so shiny. And she's breathing. She's breathing so fast. Look at her whiskers … they're twitching with her nose. This … this is amazing. Is she injected with something Kei invented?"

"No. Kei is still helping us find a solution, but this is all me. If I touch someone or something living, I can share my gift with them."

He looked at me in tearful delight. "Really?"

I nodded, smiling. "Would you like to feed Poppy?"

Fear crept over his joy. "No, I'm … I'm afraid."

"We've been running tests to see how much of my gift I can transfer. Ten drainers touched Poppy and couldn't make her sleep. She's also part of my plan to wean CoveScope off animal testing. Poppy has late stage cancer. She's on painkillers to keep her comfortable, but she doesn't have long to live. I thought she could spend her last day making yours. If she passes away when you touch her, consider it mercy. But I doubt it'll happen."

Keeping Poppy in one palm, I pulled a pack of crackers out of my pocket. "Here, she loves these."

Qadir took it from me, ripping it open with shaking hands before holding one out to Poppy. She sniffed the trembling cracker, reached out with her tiny hands, and began nibbling on it, and Qadir's face lit up with childlike exuberance.

"She's eating! Look!"

"I see! She likes you."

"Really?"

"Yes. See, she trusts you. And her appetite seems to have returned with you."

His eyes glinted as he watched her eat. After a few seconds, a nervous twitch replaced his smile, but it didn't last as he brought a hesitant finger closer to Poppy. Just as he was reaching down, she sat up and sniffed his finger, and he gasped and jerked back.

"She touched me!"

"She did!"

He studied her nervously. "Is she okay?"

"She seems perfectly fine."

He leaned closer to her, his eyes wide with anticipation, his finger less hesitant as he let her sniff it. A soft giggle bubbled from his throat when she licked him, and he ran his finger down her back.

"Wow. She's so warm. Oh, oh, wow. I can feel her bones. And her muscles moving. She's so delicate!" He looked up at me. "LB, this is amazing."

"I'm so glad this is possible!"

"Me too." His voice cracked, and he cried as he hugged me. "Thank you."

I hugged him back, letting my tears fall. "You're welcome. This is only the beginning!"

Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5 (final)

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SR