Unworldly (Completed 2016 version)

Chapter 19

My stomach sank, and I sighed as they put my mother on the line. I glanced around the room. "Well, it was fun while it lasted," I admitted, slipping my hands in my pockets for a moment, nodding as I looked around. "Humans," I chuckled. "Always so paranoid and vexed. I suppose that's the only reason you've made it this far."

"We've won," the angry man in charge boasted. "Again. Give it up."

I spun the metal ball again and sighed, a nasty little laugh on my face just to intimidate them. But after a moment, my face fell angry. I threw the metal ball a few feet in the air and slammed it back into the wooden dance floor — it splattered like wet paint, leaving a splatter-shaped splotch of hardening metal with a handprint in the middle, just stretching my abilities out. As soon as I stopped, I wouldn't be able to move metal for a while — those guys would make sure of that.

"Fifty seconds."

I can't just stall, this isn't something I want to taunt them to be late on. If Mom got tasered or worse, while her mind was still recovering, she could have very severe brain damage.

So just to top it off, I left my hand in the print it made in the splotch, and used that contact — with my other hand urging the metal onward — to make the farthest lines of the metal splatter crawl across the floor to the walls, then creep up the walls like honey flowing backwards, weave itself around the trusses on the ceiling, and leave a message.

Something they wouldn't be able to take down.

I had liquefied the metal when I splattered it, and when I was done, a shiny silver-colored lettering scarred the ceiling.

ALPHA

I'd left my mark on the Drop — one that would leave as standing proof I was there. Something no one could deny. I stared directly into the nearest security camera — what would later be staring into the eyes of every curious internet user who'd watch my livestream.

"You done now?" the boss asked me, clearly unimpressed.

"For now," I said. "Good luck containing me. Not even my own planet could."

"Get on your knees and extend your arms."

I glanced around, hesitant.

"You've got ten seconds."

"Fine," I said, and slowly took one knee, watching those around me closely. I've gone soft. I've been soft. But the agents always found ways to be even more heartless than me. If I cooperate, they still might let me be their only hostage.

Once I was on a knee, I slowly raised my arms the way they wanted me to do it, this time as well as the last few times. Out to the side, so they can lock my hands.

But they didn't move.

"Both knees, this time," the man demanded.

I glanced around, swallowed, and got on both my knees.

"Eyes down."

I turned my face to the floor.

"Secure."

Immediately, seven men burst from the ranks and grabbed me, holding me down. Two grabbed me by the shoulder and upper arm on each side, two others grabbed my elbow and wrist and pulled on me as if it would make me hold me arms out better. One came behind me, grabbed me by the hair, and forced my head down even further, while the final two came up last and put a diamond exoskeleton glove over my hands to keep my fingers and wrists from moving. They put it on loosely but quickly tightened it, and I clenched my teeth in fury and pain, until I soon couldn't feel my hands as my circulation was cut off.

"Retrieve."

The agent at my head immediately blindfolded me, while the agents at my hands put a cylindrical diamond cuff over the gloves that made them even more secure, one that covered from my forearm to my fingertips, and rounded off at the end. It made me feel like a stick figure, like someone put a tall drinking glass over my hands, except that it fit perfectly. Maybe too perfectly.

I heard the man walk up to me. I could sense it too, but I noticed he tried to make it dramatically slow and menacing sounding as he clicked his boots on the floor.

"Nice to have you back, Alpha," he hissed.

"Can't quite say the same."

"Quiet, you are only to speak when addressed."

"I was," I retorted flatly.

"I didn't ask you a question did I?"

"I'm pretty sure it was a statement."

"That would be 'no, sir'."

I didn't reply.

"Answer me!"

"F*cking fine... No sir."

I sensed him raise an eyebrow, but didn't say anything for a moment. "Take him out," he ordered his men. "We're done here. Let's go."

The seven men roughly yanked me to my feet and towed me towards the room's external door. My back to the equipment room, I could still sense it as an armed agent went to open the door to where Theresa still hid.

Damn it, this is where I'd metal-bend a distraction or something...

Just as he turned the equipment room knob, I used my unnatural strength to throw off the men holding me, some men getting several feet of air in their landing. It didn't take more than a few seconds for more men to rush towards me to replace the fallen ones, including the snooping agent closest to Theresa, who'd left the door ajar in his hurry.

They shoved a taser into my side, and I clenched my teeth against the shooting pain as I faltered, but didn't completely collapse. Startled at my strength, three others reached to taser me second, but I shoved two off, creating as much of a ruckus as possible.

I sensed a spooked Theresa dart out of the equipment room and duck through an unguarded door unnoticed, carefully stopping it from slamming. Good, she made it.

The man in charge circled back around to my front, though I could only sense it thanks to my blindfold. "Pull anything like that again, and I'll order that Mrs. Harker be shot, you little worm."

"Come on sir, you can do better than 'worm,'" I encouraged him.

The agents were in no mood for debate. I could feel the barrel of a tranquilizer in my back, and my wrists cuffed to the wrists of an agent on each side, pulling on me, so I couldn't run.

The angry agent in charge kicked me in the stomach with his hard-toe boots and ignored me. "Retrieve the security camera recordings," he ordered one of his men, who ran towards the main office.

It's a damn good thing I have them running live. Ha, suckers.

The head officer indicated for his men to resume transporting me with the flick of his hand, so they shoved my head down and dragged me off, consistently tripping me, not letting me catch my footing to avoid any attempts at throwing them off again.

I felt the warmth of the sun on my skin as I was taken outside. Damn it, get out of here! I thought desperately to the handful of teens I sensed milling around the parking lot, though luckily they ran when they saw us leaving the building.

I sensed a big truck disguised as package delivery loitering in the lot, surrounded by several black cars and SUVs.

"Your vehicles have metal in them," I laughed at them. "I'll have your axle broken by Indiana!"

"Really? Is that so?" he asked rhetorically, having his men pause before loading me up. Forcefully grabbing the collar of my shirt, he hissed, "Prep the truck, this thing needs to learn a lesson."