Fourth Generation

XVI: Not Again

I turn and watch a flashlight flick up and down as the man rushes towards me. He slows down when he nears and shines the light into my face. Instinctively I shut my eyes and turn my head away. Grabs Winnie's ID card he yanks it off my neck and moves his flashlight to it.

"That's not yours," I hiss, reaching for it.

The man pulls it away. "Apparently, it's not yours either." He flicks the light back into my face. "I knew you were suspicious. I haven't seen you before, and it's far too late for a maid to be running around in the dark." He picks something from my pocket, and my heart begins to drum. He takes a step forward, "Show me the back of your neck."

"No." I retort and retract backwards.

The man grabs my arm and drags me towards him, "Cooperate, or I will make you wish that you had."

"Let go of me," I argue, fighting his grip. He throws me to the ground and presses his knee into the centre of my back. My heavy breath pushes and draws the blades of grass from my face. My vision begins to blur as every joint in my body pops as I resist his grip. "I work here!"

He jerks my hair aside to expose my neck, a comprehensible click of a chip reader echos from behind me. My hands become clammy, and a shiver shoots down my spine as I crane my head back so he can't "read" my chip.

"Stop fighting me!" He snarls and grips my hair before slamming my head into the ground. Blood leaks from my nose as he thrusts the reader to the back of my neck. Adrenaline rush through me as a swarm of burning energy encapsulates my body.

No... not again! I can't control it.

The man gasps and chokes on his breath as his strength is drawn into my body. My muscles thump and pulse with power.

"Get off of her!"

I turn my head to watch Amell spring towards us, eyeing the chip reader. He will see the monster I am, the damage I can do. What if I hurt him too? No one is safe. I thought I had control over it, but I don't. It controls me.

I shove the unconscious man off of my back, and he flops over unconsciously. His skin is grey and leathery, his breaths shallow and his life slipping away.

I stumble to my feet as my brows furrow. Amell rushes to me before noticing the guard's infirmity. He checks for a pulse and looks up at me in shock.

₪ ₪ ₪

"What happened to him?" Leila takes my hand in hers.

I hastily pull away and hug my torso avoid their interrogating eyes. I sit on the counter of the kitchen as Amell dabs the dirt from my face and hands me a cloth for my bleeding nose. His expression is relaxed as he focuses on keeping the grime and my hair from my eyes.

"I did..." I whisper and shake my head. "It's not the first time it's happened either."

Milly rummages through the freezer and grabs a bag of ice before handing it to me. "Hum... I assume you are the Misty Phantom then?"

I press the ice to the bridge of my nose and wince, "The misty what?"

"The Misty Phantom." Milly pulls an article from underneath her arm and hands it to me. "The accident three years ago. That was you, wasn't it?"

I look down and read the headline: SIX DEU OFFICERS AND A TRAIN RUNNER DEAD.

I stare at the picture below of police tap and blue and red lights illuminating the boxcars. Amell pulls the cloth from my face to wash it as I remain silent. Relinquishing the newspaper, I whisper, "That was me."

Leila's eyes stretch into circles, and she leans in, "They thought foul play was involved, but there wasn't enough proof since they had no suspects, no murder weapon and no known cause of death."

Amell leans on the counter, "You sucked the life out of them. Leila did a huge project on the Misty Phantom murders and had a million theories."

Leila blushes and smacks Amell on the arm, "Shut up!"

Milly clears her throat, and her children immediately freeze. "Elysia," she tilts my chin up and coxes my gaze to hers, "I like you, but I need to know the truth. What happened that night?"

I never talked about it aloud, to acknowledge what happened that night three years ago. I look down and sigh with a shaky breath. I haven't dared breathe his name since his death.

"His name was Conley. I met him while train running. We fell in love and were going to run away together." I pause, thinking of him. His warm heart and determination to give me a better life despite my reluctance. "We took a risk and robbed a few houses at night, stealing mostly money so we'd have enough to start a new life together." I could feel their eyes bear into me, and I shift uncomfortably.

"Keep going, darling." Milly rests a hand on my knee and clutches it.

I swallow and close my eyes to avoid the tears welling. "I was selfish and young. I thought leaving some money with Irvin and Sam would make up for me leaving them. I was naive and didn't understand anything- especially what I was capable of." I open them to look at Milly, "We were caught by the DEU while robbing a house and were chased to the trains. But when we got there, we were outnumbered. They pinned us to the ground and used chip readers to scan our IDs, except I didn't have one to scan. The betrayal on Conley's face was heartbreaking. I was helpless. They held guns to our heads as I screamed and begged for them to stop. I pleaded for them to spare Conley, but they didn't care. So, I closed my eyes and when I opened them... they were..."

I put my hands to my face to hide my tears and fractured soul. I can't say it, I can't do it. I suck in my sobs, hating the pity in their eyes.

Milly's arms coil around me as she pets my hair. She cradles me in her arms and rocks back and forth. "It's okay. It was out of your control."

"I didn't mean for it to happen," I whisper and shake my head as it buried into her neck, "I'm a monster."

"You are not a monster," Amell murmurs under his breath.

"Mrs. Sanders, I am dangerous. I shouldn't be here."

"No. This is the reason you should be here." Milly counters, "You will stay and train. Your powers will be honed and perfected before we send you out with the rest of the Defects. We have to ensure you will have complete control in order to protect everyone."

I pause and pull away, dabbing my tears away, "Is the guard okay? Will he remember?"

Milly sighs and brings her hand to her face, "We won't know anything for sure until the morning. At the moment, he looks like he's stable. But if he wakes up or not is unclear."

"What happens if he remembers?" I keep my gaze to the floor.

"We will cross that bridge when we come to it." Milly brushes my cheek and smiles softly, "I will take care of you, Elysia. You are special."

My eyes move up to hers, and she pulls away. "Come, Leila, it's time for bed."

"Mom," Leila groans, "I'm 20. I don't have a bedtime."

Milly's eyes dart from Amell to me and back to Leila. "You will see Elysia in the morning. Let's leave them be to talk it out."

Leila peers back at me before giving me a quick hug, "Have a good rest El." She pulls away and takes my hand in hers.

Amell clears his throat and glares at her. "Leila, go. I need to talk to Elysia in private."

Rolling her eyes, she lets me go and disappears out of the kitchen. I turn to Amell as he runs his fingers through his hair before down his face. His stress is undoubtedly detectable.

"I'm sorry..." I whisper.

"Stop talking."