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“We can’t trust what he says.” I double-checked my belt contents and closed the chamber. “He was raving. He acted like he couldn’t even see that machine in the corner, and I believe him.”
“Maybe someone mind-bent him?” Zo asked, hopefully. “Like maybe none of it was his fault?”
I sighed. “I want to believe in him, too, Sis. But I’m pretty sure he knew what he was doing. Even if the ‘gods come to Earth’ aren’t real, he believes it and still decided to give us whatever the hell their alleged gift was.”
“You’re right,” she said, fastening the clip in her hair. “Let’s go save some kids. That’ll make me feel better.”
“Good plan,” I agreed, opening the door to the living room where Sam, Daphne, and Hazel waited.
Sam wore a black T-shirt and cargo pants that looked like they’d easily rip off if he shifted. He had a spare set of clothes waiting on the couch by a pouting Daphne.
“I’m sorry you can’t come,” I said.
“It’s not your fault it’s painful for me to be that far from my land,” she said with a shrug, but it clearly upset her.
“We’ll bring you back someone’s ass to kick,” Hazel promised with a grin as Zoe slipped a hand in hers.
“Okay, let’s do this,” I said. “Zo, the portal. Stay at the ready to close it if anything goes wrong. No matter who is left there. Got it?”
“Will do, Sis.”
I drew in a deep breath as everyone waited for my mark. “Now!”
Zoe drew the portal open. Sam jumped through first. A moment later, he yelled, “Clear,” and Hazel and I followed suit. We’d landed in a reinforced metal corridor as far inside the circular maze as Zoe could get us based on Em’s visions. I tensed, ready for guards to come rushing toward the sound, but nothing happened. Sam jerked his head at the large iron door and Hazel sent a zap of blue lightning at it, forcing it open.
Inside, a group of children, ranging in age from infant to teen, stared at us. Their heads were partially shaved, electrodes blinking from various patches on their scalps. Sam rushed to the middle of the circular space, where Dr. Orpheus stood gaping, and grabbed him by the neck. A clipboard dangled from the doctor’s fingers, and his thick blue glasses went askew as he purpled. The man’s shoes barely scraped the floor as Sam squeezed him with superhuman strength, growling and eyes lit like silver moonlight.
“Stop!” I yelled at him, but I didn’t put magic behind the word. I couldn’t afford to waste any energy in case we were discovered. “Sam, we need information from him.”
Sam released his hold, and the man slid to the floor, coughing. “Incoming!” Hazel yelled through the portal on the other side of the doorframe. She nodded to Sam, who lifted the man and tossed him through the air to the other side.
“That was easy,” Hazel said, hand on hip. “A little too easy. No one came running.”
“We can’t worry about that now,” I said, facing the children. “Hi. I’m a friend of Em’s. We’re here to save you.”
The kids looked at each other and then back at me expectantly.
“We’re going to get you to safety. Okay?”
Still, no one moved or spoke. I reached into my belt and pulled out the toy I’d found on the ocean floor. A small gasp came from the left. I zeroed in on a young boy and recognized the face I’d connected with at the beach.
“This is yours.” I smiled and held out the block, waiting. After glancing back at some of the other kids he’d been standing with, he inched forward cautiously.
When he finally grasped the block, I let my hand fall to my side.
He hugged the toy to his chest. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Will you please come with us? We’ll do our best to make sure these people never find you again. But you can’t use your abilities unless absolutely necessary. They’d be able to track you.”
The boy nodded, looking determined. “I’m Jay.”
“Can’t hold this forever,” Zoe shouted through the portal.
“Go,” I motioned for the kids to climb through. To my relief, they filed out after Jay.
When the last teenagers climbed through carrying the four infants I realized were in fact the babies we’d helped deliver, I breathed a bit easier. “Okay, Hazel, do your thing and we’re out of here.”
She nodded, focusing on the instruments lining the walls. I braced myself for the explosion, but instead a rush of wind announced an unexpected arrival, and I turned to find Julian standing a few feet away. My heart skittered in my chest, which was ridiculous because I hated him. Strange feelings whirled inside of me as I stared at that poisonously beautiful face. My mouth dried up while I tried to work out what he was doing here of all places.
