The Elite

Forty-One

Tass

Just before I reached the safety of the forest, a breeze of wind fluttered past me, going for Katrina's throat. I easily reached out and let the wind play over my fingers, absorbing it before it could harm Katrina, but it let me know our enemies were back up after the explosion.

However, all of us — including Aubrey — made it into the forest before anything bad happened. Now all we had to do was run and avoid getting attacked.

Only part of the way into the woods, Julian suddenly appeared from the underbrush, tackling me to the ground, his jaws opening to clamp at my neck. It was so strange that for numerous milliseconds, I froze before I took actions to stop him.

I grabbed his shoulders, holding him above me as he snapped his jaws and growled like he was a predatory animal. Thankfully, he wasn't as strong as one, so I could hold him easily. His brains was one of his best assets, even when he was fighting, but he clearly didn't possess them now.

"I think you're being controlled by Vili," I told Julian. "He gave you this simplistic primal personality."

Julian didn't change one iota, either not understanding or just simply not having the will to do anything about it. So, I took matters into my own hands and snapped his neck.

Part of me was horrified at that, knowing that I just killed my sort-of best friend once again, but I shoved that part of me aside. Julian had to die, for it would release Vili's hold on him. I couldn't think of any other way. I was killing him to save him. It was worthwhile, and I knew he could resurrect.

I also ignored the part of me that was scared Julian wouldn't rise from the dead again. It was his power to, so he would. He had to. There was no reason he shouldn't.

Even though it was stupid, I started worrying. Just like when I thought he was Shifter, I made the decision quickly, and only upon reflecting did I see how awful it was. Once again, I was overwhelmed by the urge to puke at the sight of his limp body.

The sound of a snapping twig caused me to whip my head around just in time to see a sharp, dagger-like ragged piece of metal exit the sleeve of Ezra O'Connor. I instantly extended my hand, hoping to use my right arm to absorb it. Instead, the metal cut across my arm, digging in deep as it whizzed past, creating a fiery line of pain as my skin opened up. Blue blood leaked out, dripping to the ground.

Ezra smiled cruelly at me. However, I noticed that although she was staring at my wound, there was no confusion in her eyes. For whatever reason, she expected my blood to be blue. Which was strange, for I hadn't expected my blood to be blue. Apparently Julian's was, but I hadn't assumed that mine was too.

"It's not very flashy — my power — but it's highly useful," Ezra said, pointing at my cut. "I can't be affected by Talbot powers, and I can give my immunity to objects as well. The scary part for you is that you can't absorb anything I throw at you."

"As much as I'd enjoy having a girl-fight with you, I'm sort of trying to aid Julian."

Admittedly, I was terrified of Ezra's power. Nothing I could do would work against her except conventional means. While years in a gang taught me how to fight like that, I didn't trust Ezra wasn't better. She had the toned physique of someone who was better to avoid.

Spying a hefty-looking rock on the ground, I quickly grabbed it and hurled it at Ezra. It didn't do much beyond clip her shoulder and send her off balance, but it gave me time to run to Julian, grab him around the abdomen, and drag him deeper into the underbrush.

After only a couple seconds, I paused, hiding in a clump of bushes, waiting for Ezra to run past. She was quiet, but I still heard a couple of twigs snap to know she passed our position.

I found myself looking at Julian, though, and the healing wound of his neck. Regret filled me for killing him, and for making it worse by dragging him. Harming by best friend was something I hated to do.

"Ugh," I said to myself, disliking my inner acceptance of the fact that he was my best friend. "Do you think he'd care if I shattered his nose in anger?"

"I wouldn't like it very much, that's for sure," Julian said, startling me.

I broke his nose anyway, mostly because I wanted to pretend like he was still just some guy I had to work with rather than my best friend. Maybe I felt some annoyance at him, but it was far from overflowing.

"Tass, have you ever seen an alien?" he asked after his nose was healed.

Julian's face had turned serious, and I found that I didn't like it much. I preferred the Julian who would make jokes in a light, happy tone. So, I tried to bring the funny.

"Technically, you're an alien, because I'm from Romania, and you're from Zagha."

Julian gave a small smile, but it quickly faded.

"I mean one from another stellar body."

"Stellar body?"

"Like another planet."

He stated it simply, without any sort of joke at my expense. That, most of all, gave me the impression that he was taking whatever this was super seriously.

"I guess," I replied. "I mean, I've seen Aubrey."

"Yes, but Aubrey looks like a Talbot — a human."

"Are you asking me if I've seen an alien that looks like an alien before?"

"Yes."

I laughed, expecting Julian to join along. It just all seemed so implausible that he was asking that. When would I ever have a chance to see a real live alien that looked different? Julian didn't laugh with me, however, so I quickly stopped. He was being completely serious.

"I never believed in aliens until Leon told us about Aubrey," I said, and then slowly asked, "Julian... have you seen an alien that looks like an alien?"

There was a second of pure silence before Julian finally said, "I think so."

Before Julian could elaborate any further, the plants all around us started to die just as Toxin stepped out from behind a tree, a couple of leaves stuck in her signature acid-green hair. I attempted to absorb whatever Toxin was doing, but it was difficult since it was tainting the air. So I decided to do the next best thing and started to run, Julian at my side.

We dashed through the forest, side by side, hoping to outrun Toxic. Still hearing her crashing behind us, I started to speed up, hoping she was already running as hard as possible.

Julian must have picked on this too, for he sped up, and switched directions. I ran after him. The pair of us ran all out, sprinting as fast as we could over the uneven ground and thick underbrush. I noticed that Julian started to outpace me, running faster than I was. In addition, after a couple minutes of full-out sprinting, I was tiring, but Julian still had enough energy to keep going.

The sounds behind us were fading away as we outlasted Toxin, running on, and on, and on... and on. My side was aching, and my body was screaming at me to stop, and there was still no end to the thick forest. Julian was far enough ahead that I was beginning to lose sight of him, but he wasn't slowing in the slightest. In fact, if anything, he was speeding up.

"Julian!" I yelled.

Or I tried to yell. Instead my voice came out hoarse, and it ended with me gasping for breath. Briefly disoriented from lack of oxygen, I tripped over an exposed root and went toppling to the ground.

I lay there, feeling pale and shivery, the color of the trees all around me blurring together, taking on strange shapes. My sight started to come back as I lay there, and my breathing started to slow back down to normal, but I still felt awful.

After a while, I began to feel pain in my right arm. I rolled my head to look at it, and saw the jagged cut that was made by Ezra's knife, blue blood crusting over it. I realized I should have tended to it, considering it was probably why I felt so utterly terrible. Chances were it was poisoned. I wouldn't put it past her.

I tried to sit up, but the world swam dangerously in front of my eyes, so I collapsed back to the ground, feeling rather sleepy. Part of me was screaming at me to stay awake, but I was just so tired, so I succumbed to sleep.