Crimson Reef ✔ A Superhero Origin Story

Chapter 14

Where is he now? Is he safe? I need to get out. I need to find him. I need to help him. What was Jeremy going to say before Josh stopped him? Mechanical... My eyes wander around the room before it landed on the mechanical board I was studying before I realised I was stuck.

I study it closer, looking for a switch or a flap or anything really. Nothing. I kicked it out of frustration, then a couple more times just for the fun of it. A sound came from the board, almost sounds like the clinking of cogs turning and the board moved.

I don't know what I expected, but it wasn't this. It's just steel, normal rig steel.

I really need to start therapy, I can't believe I chose you, 'just normal rig steel'?

No lead. I'm so happy to hear your voice, that I'm just going to let that slide! Where is Benji? Lead me to him!

He's down the passage, 3 doors to the left. Hurry!

I turn towards the iron bars and the coral reached them before I needed to think twice. I flicked my wrists backwards and almost in slow motion the iron bars flew back over my head, clanging loudly to the floor.

I flung the door open and a whole team of security guards greeted me at the door. Their jaws slack, what a sight I must be to them wearing a jacket and work boots with my black silk lingerie. But, I didn't hesitate this time. My coral extended and grabbed the first two they could reach and threw them into the others, they all tumbled over like bowling pins.

If I wasn't in a hurry, I would have stopped to laugh at them stumbling around, I flew past them running down the passage. There was no time to waste.

First door.

Second door.

Third door. I hesitated then. Unsure of what I might find. The footsteps running down the passage after me, chose for me. My coral flew through it, I held my breath and walked through the hole it made.

There he was. My Benji. He looked up at me, his face betraying every emotion. I ran over to him and threw my arms around his withered body, tears streaming freely down my face.

"Nataline?" He whispered, his voice raspy, unrecognizable.

"There's no time, Benji," I whispered back, grazing my fingers over his face, trying not to notice his sunken in eyes, "we need to get out of here!"

"Wait," he said, falling down when I tried to help him up, "You go."

"Benji, there's no time to argue-"

"I can't control my ability the way you can," he whimpered, "Just go!"

I hesitate then, fear was radiating off every inch of him.

You can control it for him. Take away his fear. Give him confidence. Just concentrate.

The security team was outside the door. Time was up. The coral covered the door as thick as I could manage, buying some time.

"Trust me," I whisper to Benji as I grab his hand, trying my best to remove the fear and give him confidence. It was working. Maybe too well. I could feel the fear crawling through my body. I froze.

"No! Not again!" Benji shouted, pulling out of my grasp, covering his ears. My focus turns to him, worry etched on my face.

"What's wrong?"

"It's that voice again!"

"That voice? You mean the ocean? What is she telling you?" He stops wiggling and frowns down at me.

"You hear her too?"

"Yes, she talks to me too," I shrug, "what is she saying?"

"She said I don't just control oil, I can control carbon."

"Do what she says, Benji," I encourage him, "it's gotten me this far."

His frown furrows deeper and I can see the wheels turning in his head. Then he put his fingers under my chin, gently lifting it, and kissed me.

It was the kiss I have been waiting for. Since the first time electricity flew through our touch. My soul swirled up high into the sky and fireworks exploded. Time stopped.

When he pulled back, my body almost ached in denial. My lungs seem heavier, I breathed in a couple of deep breaths before it returned to normal. My eyes catch his, he looked at me closely, almost like he was assessing my reaction.

"Come," Benji whispered as he pulled me out of the room. My eyes take in the unconscious security team slumped over each other in confusion.

"What happened?" I asked softly, he didn't seem to hear me as he pulled me up the stairs. Everyone we passed was slumped over in their chairs, on the floor, over counters. I followed him blindly.

When we reached fresh air it hit me. There was almost no air inside there, that's why I struggled to breathe. That's why he kissed me. I stop running then. He stopped in front of me and face me, his face clouded with confusion.

"Why did you kiss me, Benji?" I asked quietly, not waiting for him to answer before I continue, "To help me breathe while you fill the room with carbon dioxide?"

"Well, yes," he hesitated, his soft green eyes searching my face, "Nats, there's no time right now, we need to go."

He barely finished the sentence before we were surrounded by a group of security guards. How many of those do we have?

Anger surging through my body, my coral seemed to have a mind of its own. Men and woman flew left and right as they were slung. My mind barely registering the bullets flying past us as we ran to the helicopter pad.