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LANDON
When we reach the address for Sue, Dave’s widow, August parks down the street so we’re close enough Ellison can use his illusion but far enough that we aren’t noticed. Ellison closes his eyes and takes a deep breath before I see a second Ellison leave the vehicle. He checks the street, like he actually has to worry about traffic, but such a simple thing makes him look unbelievably real. Even knowing it’s an illusion does nothing to help persuade me that it’s not really him. When Ellison the Second reaches the door, he knocks.
“I’ll try to explain what’s being said, and I’ll say out loud what I’m saying to her so you can follow along,” Ellison says as he glances over at the door. There’s another knock before the door opens and a woman looks out.
“She’s just greeting me… Hi, my name is Ellison Grant. You may have seen me around with Superheroes United, but I’m not here on official business. I’ve heard what happened to your daughter and am greatly grieved by your loss. I’m hoping that I can talk to you and hear your side of the story so I can set this right… Okay, she’s hesitating… someone deeper in the house has asked me to come in. A man.”
I watch as Ellison the Second goes into the house and the door shuts, cutting off our view, but Ellison can still seem to see what’s happening.
“And there’s a gun being held against my head,” Ellison says.
“Hell yeah,” Deus says.
“Hell no,” Ellison snaps as he grabs Deus’s collar. “You’re interrupting my thoughts. I have to play victim. Do you know how much harder it is to fake fear and tears?”
“I’m with Deus, let’s just bust in and fuck them up,” I say.
Deus high-fives me, which causes me to second-guess my life choices. It makes me feel more than a little weird, but he’s so excited by it that I can’t stop it once it’s in motion.
“Let me focus,” Ellison growls as Deus leans forward and presses the barrel of his gun against Ellison’s head.
The look on his face tells me it’s not a joke and my entire body tenses as I register what’s happening.
“It’s an illusion, ignore it,” Ellison says as he turns his attention back to the happenings inside the house, not at all fazed by the gun in his face. I don’t understand how he can see through it when I can’t at all. I’m not used to being outmaneuvered constantly when facing someone.
Itreallylooks like Ellison is seconds from getting shot in the head, and that’s the moment the car bursts into flames.
I jerk back, not having the best track record with fire, and Lex looks absolutely panicked but Deus pushes him back down in his seat.
“They’re fucking with your head, my man,” Deus says. “Just enjoy the ride.”
“I don’t like this,” I growl.
“Ireallydon’t like this,” Lex says as he closes his eyes in an attempt to ignore the fire. It does seem to have less power now that I know it’s not real. And I can see that even as it reaches toward us, it’s not hurting anyone. The illusions rely on our reactions.
Ellison’s attention shifts back to us. “Okay… someone is moving out back. Deus, get him.”
“Don’t mind if I do,” Deus says as he gets out and turns invisible.
“They have a super inside the room, but I don’t think he’s our illusionist. I think he’s the brother of one of the men who died. He seems to have some kind of power pertaining to water… it’s hard to tell from here. Let’s go.”
August stays seated in the driver’s seat. “I know what Deus said is right but they’re still just… they’re innocent people wanting payback for how they’ve been wronged. We can’t hurt them.”
“Let me deal with them,” I say. “Simple as that. I promise you that I won’t hurt them.”
August takes a deep breath and gives me a nod. So with determination, I head up to the front door with the real Ellison and Lex behind me. When I try the handle, I find it locked so I kick it, planning on using my badassery to get into the house, but the door doesn’t budge at all.
“Fuck, that hurts, how do they do it in the movies?” I whine, waving my hand instead, which blasts the door open.
“They usually don’t have sticks for legs,” Ellison says, which I feel like is quite uncalled for when I’m in the middle of looking badass. I mean… come on, I want my first impression to be one of absolute suave amazingness.
I bust into the room and grab onto everyone, which is the woman from the door and a man who is holding Ellison the Second hostage. The moment we enter, Ellison the Second disappears as I jerk both people forward so they understand that I have control of their bodies right now.
“Get on your knees before I make you,” I growl.
“Landon, help!” August cries out as someone presses a gun against his head.
I shift my focus, and suddenly, Ellison grabs my head and aims it forward. “Illusion. Pay attention,” he says a moment before I get water slammed into my face. It feels like a hundred tiny icicles hitting me and stings like a bitch.
