Two Sides Of A Coin

17~Charles

Moving...

Rolling...

Bumps...

I don't let my eyes open. There's a tight pressure in my head, making my brain feel too large for my skull. The rest of me... didn't feel anything at all. Not even my arms. What's been done to me? I resist the urge to open my eyes and look. They probably had taken it out of me anyway. Wait, who-

The man.

His face is imprinted in my mind. The smirk beneath the helmet. The helmet... if Erik found that... I don't let myself continue the thought. I sense the presences in the van. There is a man, then the cloudy persona of the one in the helmet. I can feel he's there, but I can't find him. I also suspect that the only reason I could feel him at all was because I knew he was there. I consider the events that had occurred at the base. My anger flared again, when I thought what he had done to Moira. I hate that guy.

I tickle into the mind of the other man. I pull out the location we are driving to. It's a solid base, built into a mountain range. I have to get this information to Moira and Erik. They have taken me to gain access to my powers, and that can't happen. I am unable to move my fingers to my temple, which makes the process even more difficult. Still, I concentrate hard to expand out of the van. I lift above the Earth, traveling fast, and focus in again at Moira. Her and Erik are standing near a man, by a house adjacent to a grassy field. The man seems to be struggling with something, whether internal or external I can't tell. His face shows signs of a recently-taken punch. I fill into Moira.

"Moira, listen to me, I can't keep this up long. This is the location of where they're taking me." I send her the location. "They want me for my powers, and if they get them, horrible things will happen. You and Erik need to stop them from using the powers. Moira, I-" I lose the connection and slam back into my own mind. I hadn't been able to recover since this adventure started, so I was already weak, plus I was inhibited by whatever they had pumped into me. My eyes are still closed, and I can feel we are still moving. After collecting a few moments of rest, I reach into the mind of the man. Using him, I turn to look at the driver. As I had predicted, Helmet Man is at the wheel. We were coming up to a sharp curve. I have to think quickly of what to do. If I hurt him in any way, we could drive off the cliff. If I tried to threaten him, he would drive off the cliff himself, killing us all. If only I could get into his mind... I have to remove his helmet. I abide my time, waiting for another stretch of straight road. Still in the guard, I scooch forward in my seat while he focuses on the turn, and as he comes out of it I take action. I put my hands on either side of the headrest and make contact with the cool metal. He is already slamming on the breaks, and puts it in park before I have time to remove the helmet. Being in a van, he spins to get out of his seat and crouches towards where I am. He pulls out his gun and shoots the guard.

I can feel the bullet pass through my own heart, and gasp for air. The pain I had been feeling now seemed inadequate compared to the shot that should have killed me. I open my eyes and see the guard slumped over, leaning against the side of the van. Still breathing heavily, I look at Helmet Man. His eyes are full of malice, and his face of fury.

"Do not test me. If you decide to try again I promise you the result will be the same." He turned around again and got back in the driver's seat. Dread, sorrow, and guilt consume me. I caused that death. I tell Erik to be careful, and then I get someone killed. Someone just doing their job. I'm as bad as they are.

Similar thoughts keep me company for the rest of the drive. I try, but I can't think about anything else. I am overwhelmed. It is only when we are pulling through a heavy-duty gate that I remember there is reason to panic. I don't know what they will do, but I assume torture, sedation, and eventually killing will be involved. In the moment I care not for my pending mortality, only for the hope that Erik and Moira arrive before they have the opportunity to use my blood.