Catching the Catchers

Chapter Twenty-Nine - The Disbelief

           

The man who stood before me was not Cole by any means. While he had the outward appear of him, everything about him screamed danger and villainous. This was completely different from the time where Katherine had made him act like one inside the arena.

            "No..." I whispered, feeling the tears well up in my eyes. "T-this wasn't possible."

            "But yes, it was, Taylor," a very familiar voice said from behind me. I didn't even have to turn around to know it was Katherine.

            "We can't die yet," I glared at her as she walked over to Cole and put her hand on his shoulder.

            "Yes, that is correct," she agreed. "However, there are flaws in every system and it is up to your intelligence to work in your favor."

            "So, you're saying he isn't a real Catcher?" I tried.

            She chuckled, and the Catcher version of Cole even had the audacity to smirk, radiating a confidence that was not attractive.

            "Oh, I'm definitely a Catcher," he spoke, sending shivers down my spine. It was not his usual warm and inviting tone, but instead icy and dark.

            It didn't make any sense. I saw the process of becoming a Catcher. I saw the life leave Jenny as she turned. But yet, those in the Big Six couldn't die just yet. There was something there that didn't make any sense and I tried my hardest to use my powers to see if this was a façade, some kind of mind trick by Katherine but I couldn't pick anything wrong out of it.

            "Cole," I tried, looking his straight into his pitch-black eyes. "It's me, Taylor--"

            The moment I took a step towards him, a ball of fire came hurdling towards me. It hit my left shoulder, causing a cry of pain to escape my mouth as I flew backward from the force of it all. It quickly dissipated but not fast enough because it still caused a painful bubbling of now burned skin. I stared up at Cole in horror who just gave me a cocky smirk.

            "Don't come near me," he warned, making Katherine and Grant laugh like this was some little game.

            Sophia ran to my side and helped me to my feet. I could barely take in her kind hospitality as I was still shocked by the situation.

            "This has to be an illusion," I said, the tears now coming down my face. "This can't be real."

            The Catchers and their leader laughed in front of me, mockingly and tauntingly. I remembered back to the Placement Exam at Supernatural Abilities, how Sophia had trapped me into a pretend world. Katherine had to be doing the same thing to me.

            I placed a shield inside my head, blocking anyone from getting in and messing with me. I didn't feel the familiar presence of someone intruding, but still expelled the shield from me. When I reopened my eyes, I was still there, and Cole was still a Catcher, making my heart sink into my chest.

            "Why?" I asked softly, looking Katherine straight in her rainbow eyes. "Why would you do this to him?"

            "If I can't kill you, I might as well break you," she answered. It was crazy to think that I came to be, down a lengthy line of members, from her. She did not represent my family at all. I was ashamed to say that I even had my powers and my blood from her. She was a monster, the face of pure evil, for creating such an unnatural kind.

            I didn't think as I held my hand out, unleashing a huge force from telekinesis while Katherine laughed with Grant. She didn't see it coming and was slammed into the wall. Before she could retaliate, Cole was on me, his now pitch-black eyes angry as he tried to hit me with his fire.