Chapter 26

 

ANYBODY WHO KNEW me well would know that I didn’t get visions. Having dimmed burdens meant that I thought I would be free of all the fire and fury of nasty flashes and dreams for a while too.

And that’s kinda what they were. Three different types in my experience. The flashes—like ripples of thoughts, emotions, things that someone was going through. The deep flashes—like I was living the experience with that person—and then there were the terrifying dreams.

I knew what most people thought. Well, all those things sound a lot like visions.

I didn’t see it that way. I got a snippet or two, sure. I got flashes and pictures but I wasn’t my mother. She was welcome to the scary stuff. Actually, I kinda found myself feeling for her a little bit. I didn’t know how she wasn’t locked in an institution.

On rare occasions I had seen something that might be construed as a vision to somebody else. When that happened, I thought a lot about my mother. I thought about how strong she must be to bear that weight on her shoulders.

Getting one vision was bad enough but getting one vision and a flash in the space of a few minutes was not in my rule book.

I was meant to be free of it all.

It was unfair and downright mean.

Real mean.

A week after the mid-terms, I was running my guys through their usual regime. Everybody was buzzed at passing and a new belief had filled them. There were some furtive glances and hushed whispers about the kids who’d been taken away.

Tension built throughout Caprock but to their credit, my group was using it in a positive way. That same tension was poised to bubble over into panic. I hoped my group could keep focused on what they could do and forget what they couldn’t fix.

I’d been busy during the week, trying to help Frei not to freak out herself. Her guilt felt heavy around her whenever I stood near. It was hard to know how to make that better. I hoped that the people she’d contacted helped those who were in Crespo’s grasp.

In class, the kids were all on their bikes, me on mine, spinning. I can tell you now that I hated spinning. I’d rather row or cycle like a normal person. I hated the noise the weird bikes made. I hated feeling like if I slipped, I’d chop my toes off. Then there was the size of the things. I looked like I’d stolen a bike from kindergarten. All I needed was training wheels and tassels and I would be good to go.

On our third “climb” I felt my stomach drop as if I’d fallen out of bed.

Kevin. Miranda. Tied up. Taken. A hand on Miranda’s shoulder. Its wrist bore a gold Rolex watch. Blue face. White gold. Distinctive.

“You okay, Miss Samson?” Jed shouted over the buzzing. “You need a break?”

He was being a cocky jerk. I shook free the picture and flashed him a smile. My fingertips were white on the grips. “For that, let’s all keep climbing.”

I glanced at Miroslav on his recumbent bike but he gave me a thumbs up. I could always count on his support.

The rest of the group let out groans, muttered snide remarks Jed’s way, and glared at him. Jed responded by fixing his gaze on me. “Beat you to the top.”

Ever the jock. It was hard not to like him.

I pushed it, enjoying the feel of the sweat trickling down between my shoulder blades.

Another picture.

Smash.

I hit the floor.

“Miss Samson?”

I snapped open my eyes. I’d been out. I didn’t know how long for. Jed was over me, face ashen. I hauled myself up. The room swayed as I did. My neck shot pain right down to my fingers and toes. My heart launched into a sprint. I held onto Jed and turned to Miroslav.

“Sit down. I need to think.”

The rest of the group looked at me and at each other. I didn’t have time to explain. I’d passed out. Why? I needed to remember.

Bam.

I hit the floor a second time. This time my whole body shook. I blinked up at the ceiling. Ouch.

“Jed, keep everyone inside. Keep together.” I hauled myself up and launched into a sprint. I didn’t turn to see if he nodded. Instead I hurtled out into the sun. Heat sucked the air from me. I ran. Legs burned from it. Frei. I hauled myself up the porch to her building and burst through into the icy cold corridor. Left. A long row of rooms. Right. Much the same. In front. Double doors. She’d been in there before. Climbing. I cradled my head.

“Come on, where are you?”

Rope smells filled my nostrils.

I ripped open the double doors. Climbing wall. Girl on the floor. Frei over her. She met my eyes as I ran over to her.

“Saw it happen.”

She nodded and turned back to the kid. Wide-eyed, staring up at the ceiling like I’d done.

“She was pushed.” Frei’s tone sounded heavy with a hurt from deep inside her.

“Neck,” I mumbled.

She nodded. “There’s nothing you can do. They’ll just take her outside.”

Shock flew through my system. “What?”

Frei’s eyes were warm, she stroked the kid’s forehead, speaking to her in another language. “Broken neck. They won’t pay for that. All we can do is stay with her until they arrive.”

Tears threatened to rumble out from me so I took deep breaths. I looked up to the ceiling and put my hands on her, praying that I could fix her.

I needed to fix her.

“You can’t,” Frei whispered as the other kids left us, not even casting a backward glance in our direction. “It hurts you.”

“I don’t care.” I shut my eyes. Held my hands there but nothing. No heat, no movement.

“I guess we now know what burden was taken away?” she whispered, tears cracking her voice.

I kept trying, over and over but nothing would budge. I met the girl’s eyes. “Do you want my help?”

Frei touched my arm, drawing my hands away. “She doesn’t speak English.”

Tears rolled down my cheeks. “Won’t they at least examine her?”

Frei nodded. Her eyes misted. She cleared her throat as if trying to regain control. “A medical team will do a quick check here but they’ll find what I did and follow protocol.” She stared up to the ceiling for a moment as if to compose herself. “To them, she’s worthless.”

“Not to us she ain’t.”

Frei looked back down at the girl and talked to her once more. She sounded so soothing, so gentle. The kid was comforted by her, I could feel that. She felt safe with her.

“Why did they push her?”

Frei’s eyes grew icy and she flicked her gaze away. “My arrogance long ago.”

That answered everything for me. “Sawyer.”

She nodded. “His group, yes.”

Bitter and demented. That’s what Harrison had said. I added coward to that. He’d used kids to do his dirty work. “Does she know . . . does she realize?”

Frei shook her head, smiling at the girl. “I told her it’s just a precaution. All falls need to be checked out. She’ll be fine.”

The medics strolled in and Frei forced me to move back. They took their time, not out of care but more to answer the tick-box form they had on their tablets.

Frei stared into space, frozen. I knew that look. I’d worn that look. I glanced from the medics to the kid and back to Frei. I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t let them carry her outside and kill her.

The guy who looked like he was in charge got up and said something to another one that sounded like, “Outside.”

I stepped forward, not caring if it was protocol or not. The kid was not being put down. “I will pay to fix her.”

Frei and the medics turned around and stared at me.

“Get her to the best hospital and get the best doctor. Fix her. I’m paying.” The words were rolling faster than my brain could keep up. My mouth had taken over again.

The medics exchanged looks but the senior guy shook his head.

“Do you want it in writing?” My voice sounded more dangerous than I’d ever heard it. Even Frei lifted onto the balls of her feet with it.

“You’re not eligible,” the senior medic said.

“Ain’t I?” My voice got deadlier. “I ain’t no slave. She’s worth nothing to you now.”

They whispered amongst one another. I glanced down at the kid, trying to show her that I was on her side. If I had to beat every one of them to get her out, I was not losing her.

“She’s no good to you. Saves filling out all those forms.” I sounded so sure of my words. I had no idea what was going on.

The senior guy pulled out a pad from his back pocket and started scribbling.

“Done.” He tapped the bottom with his pen.

I stared down at it. They had forms for selling kids. I took the pen and signed.

He nodded, ripped off the sheet of paper, and the team launched into action.

“Any of these chumps speak her language?” I asked Frei, unsure what she was thinking. Her face was stoic.

She shook her head.

“You do though.”

She nodded.

“Can you translate for me?”

She nodded again.

As the crew attached all manner of restraints to the girl, Frei followed me over to her. “You’re gonna get help now. They’ll look after you.”

I turned to Frei who blinked a few times before turning to the girl and speaking.

“When you get there, someone is going to take good care of you but you can’t tell others what happened here.”

I turned to Frei as she translated.

“When you’re all squared away, it’s up to you what you do. I just bought your ticket out of here but it’s up to you to cash it and go enjoy your life.”

Frei again stared at me. She cleared her throat and told the girl the rest as the medics hoisted her up.

“You’re free,” I whispered to her, smiling down as Frei translated. “Make it count.”

Frei’s voice cracked, tears pulsed down her cheeks. The girl searched my eyes and hers showed that although Frei had reassured her, she’d known. She’d known what they’d do.

The medics took great care as they wheeled her out and the second the door shut behind her, Frei’s shoulders shook as she started to sob. I put my arm around her and she turned and buried her head in my shoulder.

“God bless you,” she mumbled over and over.

“He has. If I can fix it, I will.” I chewed on my lip. “I just need you to . . .” How did I tell her to call my mother? “You need to tell her to go fetch the girl and check on her.”

Frei met my eyes. I knew she understood.

I squeezed her tight, wishing I could squeeze the pain from her. “If I could give every cent I have and free these kids, I would.”

She clung onto me. “I know.”

“That’s the whole point of suffering anyhow, right?” I said, guiding her out of the building to our villa. The school bell rang and Jed and my group spilled out into the sunshine. Most of the students turned and watched as a helicopter roared up and swung into the clear blue sky. Amazing what care they provided when money was involved.

“Is there ever any point to suffering?” she asked as I led her inside the villa and over to the chair she loved so much.

“Yeah, it helps you understand what it feels like, what it takes to survive it, and how you can help others who are hurting.” I shrugged. “Stop them giving up.” Frei stared up at me with such a lost look. “You can’t always take the hurt away but you can be there to help.”

“Are you talking about me or her?” she asked in a strained, quiet voice. I poured her a drink and added ice.

“Both. You suffered so you’re facing it to help others. That made you ask me. So, even though the kid’s got healing to do, she’s got something she never dared hope for before.” I smiled. “So you’ve helped her get freedom because you suffered, see?”

Frei took the glass. “You did that, not me.”

“Nope. I just paid her medical bills.” I showed her the paper. “They’d written her off. It’s just a form declaring I’d cover the expenses.”

Frei took it. “You played them. You waited until they assessed her . . .”

I held up my hands. “I ain’t that quick.”

“It was incredible.”

It was a stroke of inspiration that came from desperation. “Turn the situation to your advantage by presenting the person negotiating with an option. Make it appear as though it is the only plausible cause of action.”

Frei’s mouth dropped open. “Did you swallow the textbook?”

“No, I listened when you were talking. You’re a great teacher.” I was surprised I remembered it word for word but Frei had drilled it into me during CIG training.

“Either way, Lorelei, I don’t think I’ve ever wanted to hug someone this much.” She got to her feet and did just that.

“You’re just pleased that I got enough ice in your drink.” My cheeks burned up as she hugged me. When she let go, I rubbed the back of my neck.

“That too.” Her eyes twinkled. She strolled back to her chair and picked up the glass.

“You think she’ll recover?” I asked. The injury had felt serious. No matter what freedom she now had, she was pretty beat up.

“That depends on her body and a lot of other odds. She’ll need the best care.” Frei sighed. “Which she has now, thanks to you.”

“Least I could do.” I turned to the fridge and wondered if I stuck my head in it if it would calm my throbbing cheeks down.

“Aeron?”

I stopped at the fridge door and risked glancing her way. My face was on fire as it was. I weren’t great with compliments. “Yeah?”

“You’re not so bad, you know that?” She smiled and lifted her glass in a toast. “To a recovering free-woman.”

I pulled out a bottle of water and matched her toast. “Let’s hope she gives my dear mother a hard time.”

Frei’s chuckle said more than words ever could. She’d opened up to me, let me in, and the relieved smile on her face said that she wasn’t regretting it. She was happy not just to be a survivor anymore, not just a leader, or anyone else but just plain old Ursula Frei.

Funny because it felt as though, in this place of all places, she realized that she had friends. More important was that no matter what this place had thrown at her, she’d beaten them.

Just like the girl, she was free and that was definitely worth a toast.