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Jaxson began to chuckle to himself. I was confused until I saw the elevator that arrived. It really wasn’t a lift, more like those rides you used to see in front of department stores. The ones you fed a quarter to spin in circles. The ones that resembled a carousel but on a much smaller scale.
One by one, the other came up with disgruntled, stooped over riders.
“Oh Jax,” Lincoln gave a long-suffering sigh. “When will you learn who to play your games with and who not to?”
“Not now, man!” Jaxson nearly sounded pa
nicked. “We’re on a mission.”
“Back up needed!” I heard Victoria’s terrified tone come over the radio.
“What’s your location Vick, and where’s your team?” I responded to her immediately.
“We were attacked. I was able to grab Ben, but the other ones are still out there,” Vick said, her voice trembling in fear and unshed tears. “He’s hurt. We’re on level six.”
“We’re right above you. We’ll be right there. Vick, you’re going to be okay sweetie, you’re doing a good job,” I reassured her.
“What room are you in?” Jace asked her.
“The old classroom,” she whispered. “Can you hurry? They’re coming, and I’m getting tired.”
“We’ll be right there,” Jace reassured her.
“Thanks,” she whispered back.
We ran up the stairs, and Creeper held out a hand. Then he held up nine fingers.
I tried to feel them out, but it felt like I was hitting a brick wall. Nothing but a giant void was all I felt.
“I can’t…reach them,” I said frowning.
“Me neither,” Jace explained with a scowl.
“It doesn’t feel like a blocker,” I continued. “At least not the ones we’re used to.”
“It’s more like a shield,” Lincoln explained quietly.
“You can see them…” I said slowly. “I can see them,” I said brightly.
Lincoln gave me a crooked smile. He slipped up behind me and put his arm loosely around me. “Remembered what I told you,” he murmured softly in my ear. “Reach out to him and once you find him, let go. Let completely go, or he will push you out. He’s fairly strong.”
I nodded and inhaled. I reached out to the man Lincoln was talking about. It was nearly ethereal. I felt like a…spirit. I pushed out and projected myself. I could feel a healer, some kind of earth manipulator, a weak defense wielder, and finally, I contacted him. I jumped him and saw the others around me. I felt him begin to push against me. My control was slipping.
“Let go!” Lincoln reminded me.
Unlike before, his voice wasn’t faint in my head. It was loud and clear like he had spoken aloud. His grasp on picking up our silent communication was impressive. It almost made me want to let go…almost.
I was a control freak in so many ways, and the concept of letting go was a huge inner struggle. Of course, it didn’t help that instinctively when you were being pushed you felt compelled to retaliate in kind.
“Mon trésor,” Lincoln insisted quietly. He spoke inside myself, but I felt something cool being slipped onto my ring finger of my right hand. “It was my maternal grandmother’s,” he explained. “Rub it to remind yourself that you can’t and won’t lose yourself.”
I was shocked to see a beautiful sterling silver ring in one of the most unique designs I had ever seen. Little turquoise gems were in the shape of an oval on the outside, and a single line of turquoise pearls ran down the middle. It was gorgeous.
“I can’t-” I began as I felt the man try to make a final push, and suddenly an image of the tug of war rope we used to play with in gym class flashed in my mind. I remembered that moment you knew you were going to lose, that the rope was close to crossing that line. You either dug in your heels, or you let go and found some satisfaction with watching the other team fall ungracefully and hilariously.
I rubbed the ring. I wasn’t going to lose control, so, I let go, and suddenly I was looking at eight other people. I was looking straight in the eyes of a glowing girl. She looked like a human glow stick. It was both enthralling and creepy at the same time. Other than the disturbing glow thing she had going on, she was gorgeous. She was tall and model thin. Her long dark hair fell to her waist, and her eyes glowed blue unlike the rest of her.
“Come out, come out wherever you are,” some obnoxious man cackled. Not only was his voice intolerable, his looks were…interesting. Every possible inch of him was pierced or tattooed. I wholeheartedly supported someone who wanted to express themselves, but I also believed some people expressed themselves…revoltingly. Was seven demon-like figures, six skulls, a few graphic pictures of women in suggestive poses, and several repulsive innuendos really necessary? And that was only what was visible.
