Interference: Book One Page 7

  “Well, not all of them.” Drake looked over at me.

  Fitz glanced back and forth between us. “Mercy, are you all right?”

  “Yes, I’m fine.” I shook my head. “No. No, I’m not fine!” I stood and began pacing the room.

  Fitz bobbed his head in understanding. “I want you to go lay down a little while, alright? You’ve been through quite an ordeal today.”

  I spun toward him, surprised. “You don’t want to hear what happened?”

  Fitz waved toward the door. “Drake can take care of the details. You get some rest.”

  He’s getting rid of me, I thought.

  A familiar tremble traveled through my body as the lights flickered overhead. “Look, I’m not that gullible. I know you want to speak in private, and that’s fine—but don’t think I believe we went through a normal, everyday mugging on the subway. That was not normal! What Drake did to those guys wasn’t normal! What I did . . .”

  “Mercy, calm down,” Fitz said.

  “Don’t tell me to calm down!”

  Drake pulled my body against his, wrapping his arms around me—holding me. The current that always pulled us together felt five times stronger right then, and I relaxed instantly. I breathed in and out slowly, the strong earthy scent of him filling my lungs. My body needed that . . . needed him.

  The office door swung open with a loud bang, and I jerked away from Drake at the sight of a rage-filled Cassie. Frizzy hair framed her fuming red face and she looked as though she could fall to the floor in a tantrum at any moment. “How dare you? How dare you try to steal my boyfriend!”

  “Cassie . . .” Drake tried to calm her down, but there was no use.

  “I don’t want to hear from you either. Do you have any idea how worried I’ve been today? When I heard during lunch that you’d left with Missy, I fell apart!”

  “At lunch? We’ve been gone since seven this morning,” I offered.

  Cassie’s eyes widened and a vein protruded in the center of her forehead as she breathed in, attempting to control her anger.

  “Mercy, go ahead and get some rest. We’ll talk some more during our next therapy session,” Fitz ordered.

  “I’m sick of being in the dark. If you don’t give me answers, I’ll find someone who will.” I stomped out the door without another word.

  . . .

  I opened the door to my room, and Nora sat huddled on the bed, as if stressed and worried.

  “Mercy! I’ve been tied up in knots. When Neela said you hadn’t returned, I pictured the most horrible things.”

  I stared at Nora, visibly shaken over my absence. I’d never had real friends before, and I struggled to trust the relationships as easily as they did. I seemed to always look for an ulterior motive to their kindness, or anticipate the day they would realize I wasn’t worthy of their close-knit group. I could fight it all I wanted, but something tied me to them. I prayed every night for it to hold strong, the bond fueling my determination to be a better person—to love harder.

  Nora wrapped her arms around me as my body trembled from all that happened. She held onto me for several minutes, and the fear and tension eased, replaced by a calm and warm sensation. Peace washed over me and my eyes closed, relaxed by her presence.

  She leaned back, studying me. “Better?”

  I swore the dark circles under her eyes were much worse than when I first walked in. “Yes. Thank you.”

  “What happened?” Sitting on my bed, she continued to hold my hand while I spoke.

  “I don’t know. We were cornered by these men on the subway. They threatened us. This is going to sound crazy, but I think Drake did something to them. Something like—well, something like a superhero would do.”

  “A superhero?” Nora’s face scrunched up with confusion.

  “I know it sounds crazy, but the boy has mad skills. I wish I could understand what happened. I spent most of the time on the floor with a severe migraine. Before it was over, something happened to me. It was like built-up energy released and stunned everyone.” I shook my head. “I promise I’m not making it up.”

  She grinned. “Of course you’re not. But I’m getting the feeling your fear and anxiety started before this. Am I right? There’s something else you aren’t sharing.”

  “How do you do that? How do you always know how I’m feeling or what’s on my mind. You and Neela both.”

  “We just know you, I guess. So tell me, what else has you shaken?”

  I had a tendency to hide things from people—important or significant things. I couldn’t do that forever. I needed to rely on my friends, people that I’d never had before. I trusted Nora and Neela, and something inside pushed me to open up to them.

  “I walked into an empty alleyway to pick up trash and ran across an older man huddled by a dumpster.”

  “That’s awful.” Nora’s face fell.

  “He knew things about me.” I already felt like a crazy person talking about this. Now I had confided in a crazy person about my crazy visitor.

  Nora tilted her head. “He knew things? What things, Mercy? You can talk to me.”

  “He said I had to find myself. He also knew a private detail I’ve never told another soul.”

  “Can you tell me?” Her eyes widened, waiting for me to divulge my secrets.

  “Nora, if I tell you—you’ll think I’ve lost my mind.”

  She shook her head. “You have my word, that will never happen.”

  I knew she meant every word she said, but I still felt out of sorts discussing it. “I have a tattoo.”

  She stared, waiting patiently for the dark secret. “Ok, well. I have several friends with tattoos. I can see how it could be stressful, especially if you regret it.”

  “No, I don’t have a real tattoo.”

  “Mercy, I swear if you are playing with me right now. . .”

  “Look, when I turned thirteen, something changed. I felt different. These black spots under my skin grew darker. It didn’t hurt, just a burning sensation. Eventually, it turned into a tattoo on my shoulder.”

  “You’ve shown no one this tattoo before?” she asked.

  “No, never.”

  “Can I see it now?”

  I reluctantly stood up, pulling my shirt over my head. Taking a deep breath, I turned so Nora could inspect the ink.

  A gasp, then I heard the words, “Allegato” from her lips. Her small finger traced the outline of the flame, as I nervously waited. “Rage Fire,” she whispered.

  “Rage Fire? What are you talking about?”

  She snapped out of her daze and covered the surprised expression on her face. “It reminds me of something I’ve seen in a book. Very cool looking, Mercy. Are you sure you didn’t pay to have it done?”

  “No, I swear. What do you think it means?” I asked.

  “Who knows? Something tells me it will all make sense one day, though. So, let’s not stress about it, alright?”

  “How can I not? Nora, something is wrong with me. A darkness is building up inside and I’m terrified someone will get hurt.” I threw my hands over my face, and tears rolled down my cheeks.

  Nora stepped forward. “Mercy, listen to me. I know you’re confused, but I’m here. Okay? I’m not afraid of you.”

  I exhaled then met her eyes. “Maybe you should be.”

  7

  ⥈

  “Do you want to talk about it?” Neela asked.

  “No, but thank you. I love wallowing in my own pity.” This wasn’t a lie. “I’ll be fine, I promise.” Thunder rolled in the distance. “It looks like it might be a rough one,” I said, gazing out the window.

  Neela’s eyes focused on me, as if I were a puzzle for her to solve. “That’s what I’m afraid of.”

  Drake and Fitz were keeping essential details from me. If it had something to do with me, then I deserved to know. Hard rain pelted the windows outside the dining hall. The weather had been in sync with my mood lately.

  I’d taken one bite of m
y lunch and pushed the plate aside. I had to get out of there. “I think I may go downstairs to get a jump on tennis practice. The exercise may help my mood.”

  Neela nodded. “Yeah, okay. I’ll see you there.”

  Tension pulled at my muscles, my body humming with the need to hit something. Pushing through the stairwell door, Kellan hobbled toward me on a crutch.

  “Oh, no! What happened?” Please, Lord. Please don’t take my tennis partner, I prayed.

  “Don’t go worrying your pretty little head about me, Mercy. I’ll be back to kickin’ your fine butt soon enough. It’s just a sprain.”

  “Well, I’m glad to hear it, but I’m sorry we can’t play. I need to hit something in a bad way,” I grumbled.

  “I have someone lined up, Mercy. Try not to be too hard on em’,” Coach yelled across the court.

  “I’ll do my best.”

  Yeah, right. I changed clothes in the locker room and pulled my hair on top of my head so it didn’t get in the way. Stretching my neck from side to side, I swung my shoulders back and forth to warm up. I walked out to the court, finding Ren on the other side, smiling from ear to ear.

  “Hey there, hot stuff. Are you ready for some of this action?”

  “Ren, I don’t want to hear any whining when I finish with you today.”

  He grinned. “Bring it, Mercy. I’m ready.”

  Ren was so not ready. I won three sets straight. He never had a chance. The match was so easy, it did nothing to calm the rage within. The rain fell harder, and Neela stared out the window, her eyes narrowed on the storm clouds above.

  Coach Rogers yelled, “Next up! Dunivant, get out here.”

  He had to be joking. I looked over at Coach with an expression he knew all too well.

  “Shut it, Monroe. I’m running out of options for you today.”

  Cassie strutted toward the other end of the court with a smirk the size of Texas. She could swing—Daddy, no doubt, paid for lessons at the country club. But it wasn’t enough to score on me. Plus, the girl couldn’t run without falling.

  “Cassie, are you alright? You’re favoring your right shoulder,” Coach called out.

  “I’m fine, thank you for asking Coach. I’ll get Drake to rub it for me tonight. He gives the best massages.”

  Don’t hit her. Don’t hit her. Don’t hit her. I whispered the words to myself over and over, attempting to control my temper.

  “All the stress Missy put me under a couple of days ago caused horrible knots in my shoulders. Drake spent all night rubbing them out. He is such a doll.”

  A heavy pressure built inside my head, and I shook off the tension. Thunder rolled overhead, and my grip on the tennis racket became uncomfortable. I welcomed the bite of pain in my palm.

  Neela paced back and forth, uncomfortable. “Cassie, that’s enough. You’ve made your point.”

  “Who asked you, Neela? Everyone knows your family abandoned you because they couldn’t stand you. When’s the last time you had a visitor? Hmm?”

  Neela’s fists balled up at Cassie’s words, but she controlled her anger. She did better than me.

  Unfortunately for Cassie, she continued talking. “I care as much for you as I do for Missy. Trash. Both of you.”

  The ball sailed past her once again, and she spun toward me growling, the hate and bitterness obvious. Cassie once again regained her composure as she positioned herself to serve the ball.

  “No wonder Drake said you were a circus freak. A crazy, unstable, fat, unattractive freak.” Her racket smacked against the ball, her words fueling the force behind her serve.

  Several things happened at once. I threw my racket to the ground, full of disbelief and hurt, as lightning struck overhead. The loud boom shook the building, and the lights shut off, along with my sanity. Dim sunlight shone through the gray clouds, illuminating Cassie’s sneer. My palm flung out in front of me and stopped the tennis ball mid-air. I heard gasps and my name being called, but my focus never wavered from Cassie.

  Her words cut me. It didn’t matter if they weren’t true. My heart wanted Drake, and she threatened any chance I had with him. The possessive part of me wouldn’t back down, no matter what anyone said. I had lost control.

  My head throbbed and a flush worked its way up my neck, as she grinned at my obvious hurt. All of the resentment and hate built up over the years came surging forward, and with one flick of my wrist, the ball propelled itself toward Cassie’s face. The loud crunch of a broken nose echoed throughout the tennis court, and blood splattered her pristine white skirt. Her mouth opened as if a scream filled the air, but I heard nothing except the pounding of my heart.

  My gaze traveled to the tennis racket lying on the ground, and I forced it up, launching it toward her face, not yet satisfied that she had learned her lesson. A satisfaction stirred within as I watched the racket spin in slow motion to her side of the court. I ignored everyone and everything around me. The head of the racket nailed her in the mouth, causing broken teeth to fly out in front of her. It wasn’t enough. She hadn’t learned. How far would I have to go until I felt relief?

  A steady hand came around from behind me and pulled me against a hard body. Drake softly whispered in my ear, “That’s enough, Mercy. Let go of the anger and breathe.”

  Drake broke through the storm, and I looked around at what I’d done. My body collapsed against his as he held me up. I was a monster.

  The room became hazy, as though it was out of focus. Broken teeth slowly floated from the floor and put themselves back together, secure in Cassie’s mouth. My racket spun backward toward my side of the court and laid where I first tossed it. Droplets of blood gathered together from the bright white skirt and flowed like a stream back into the broken nose.

  Cassie’s mouth closed, the sobs no longer screeching through the air, and her nasal bone snapped back into place as though it never happened. The ball sailed back toward me from the previous serve. I glanced around the room, convinced it was all a dream. Elise stood there with her palm out, turning her hand counter-clockwise.

  Then, it hit me—she had somehow turned back time. Cassie stood frozen in place—as if unaware of the events at hand. Everyone else watched as Elise reversed the damage I’d done. The room began to spin, and I felt myself losing consciousness. My vision began to fade and everything went dark.

  . . .

  Water dripped down the side of my head, the cold sensation causing chills across my skin. I blinked against the bright light, as sharp pains shot through my temples.

  “Mercy? Can you hear me?” Nora asked.

  “What happened?” I tried to sit up, but I’d never felt so weak.

  She placed her hand behind my back and helped me raise forward.

  “Would you like my take or Cassie’s? Because mine is much more interesting than hers,” Neela called from across the room.

  “Um, what . . . what did Cassie say?”

  “She smoked you on the court, and you couldn’t handle it. You apparently faked passing out to get Drake’s attention.” She smiled.

  “And your take?” I asked.

  Her expression turned soft as her eyes and mouth relaxed. “We have a lot to talk about, Mercy,” Neela responded.

  She knew I was different. Just like I knew there were others here that were different. Neela, Drake, Ren, Elise, and I suspected Nora as well. How many others?

  “We want to help you, but Fitz asked to speak with you first. He feels as though you deserve an explanation from him,” Nora whispered.

  I nodded. “Fitz is right.”

  Neela stood from the bed. “I’m going to the kitchen, see if I can find you a snack. I’m sure you need it.”

  “Thanks, Neela.”

  I wasn’t sure if the kitchen run was an excuse to get away from me, but I hoped not. These were my closest friends, and I needed them.

  “Stop worrying,” Nora called out.

  “How do you know I’m worrying?” I squinted my eyes suspiciously.


  “I think you know by now.”

  I threw my hands up in the air. “You’re a superhero, too.”

  Nora grinned. “Not so much a superhero, but I have gifts—like you.”

  “You knew before today, though, didn’t you? About me?”

  “I knew the moment we met. We can talk more after you speak with Fitz, alright? He was adamant about speaking with you alone.”

  Loud screaming throughout the hall interrupted our conversation. What sounded like hitting, kicking, and fighting echoed down to our room. Nora and I both stood to investigate. We peered out the door to find Dr. Lee, along with Stella, wrestling a teenage boy down to the ground.

  “You don’t know what you’re doing! They’re coming, and you have to protect everyone! They’re going to kill you all! Listen . . . Listen to . . . me.” His voice faded as his body relaxed.

  Stella pulled a syringe from his arm. They had to sedate him—he was bound to hurt someone. Dr. Lee glanced up, frowning at the sight of us gawking.

  “Go back to your room, ladies. We don’t need an audience. This fellow has been through enough.”

  Nora and I shut the door, both letting the scene in the hallway sink in.

  “What was that about?” she asked.

  I shrugged. “I think we have a new patient at Fremont.”

  . . .

  The next day, I stopped by Fitz’s office three times, but he seemed to always be occupied. He promised he would find me after his meeting that day so we could talk. I sat frustrated in the lounge, unable to focus on anything else. Energy coursed through me like never before, and I struggled to sit still in the activity lounge.

  “Are you going to the track with me today? The fresh air will be nice.” I asked.

  Neela looked up over her book, then glanced toward Nora. “Are you talking to her or me?”

  “You.”

  “Why not her?” she asked.

  I felt as though the answer was obvious. “Because she won’t go. I have a chance with you since Kellan will be there.”