Cade's point of view:
A few days later I find myself standing in front of the house of Julia Lancaster, a seemingly immaculate little structure untouched and foreign to the storm damage around it.
"Alright Cade, you are to search Julia's house to see if you can find the box of powers. Leave no corner unturned; if any of the other men at the homes of Cassia, Susan, Adam, Kyle, or Peter find anything, I'll alert you at once. Get searching," Will says to me, nudging me towards the front door before he turns to go investigate other parts of the city.
The whole situation seems funny to think about in the least, knowing that Will has an entire police force out looking for this box of powers when Adam is the one that holds it hostage only a few feet beneath the main building in the city.
I gaze up at Julia's house, the house of a girl that is no doubt being tortured at the moment. I feel that I don't deserve to be in the presence of this house, knowing that it's something that Julia once found sanction in that now stands vacant. I don't want to be anywhere near it.
But remembering the act I must give off for Will, I take a deep breath and turn the doorknob and enter the house, surprised to find it unlocked.
I step inside, immediately surrounded by a feeling of emptiness at this sad little house. Elegant furniture that faces a fireplace adorns a simple living room, rich hues of dark red in a large rug and warm, cinnamon colored walls must've once given the place a feeling of coziness, but the room feels sad when there's no one to occupy it.
It's perfectly tidy, but dust has already begun to settle over the furniture and picture frames set up.
I gaze at the pictures on her walls, seeing group photos of Julia, Cassia, and Susan, one large photo of the entire group together, a few pictures of what I deduce to be Julia's family, a couple scenic photos from the once thriving woods nearby, and numerous pictures of Julia and Peter together.
Feeling pity pang in my chest, I quickly move on to the kitchen and away from the untouched living room where I know the box won't be.
Again, a room perfectly tidy with black granite countertops without one stain and cabinets with every dish placed in a specific spot and order.
A vase of forget-me-nots sits on the corner of the counter, long-since wilted and likely a gift from Peter, which would make the name of the flower painfully ironic.
Strangely, I find a broken glass on the kitchen floor and a half-dried puddle of orange juice next to it, furrowing my eyebrows at the odd sight.
Whoever was last here must've left in a hurry.
I dare not touch it, for I want to get in and out of this house as quickly as possible without disturbing anything.
I move away from the kitchen and venture upstairs, this seemingly cozy little house surprising me with how vast it actually is on the inside.
I feel stupid for even being here, for I know where the box is and that Will is likely to never see that thing again. I hate how I have to be invasive in order to tell him with a straight face that I searched every room of her house.
Swallowing my resentment, I approach a singular room at the end of a long hallway that I deduce to be Julia's, opening the door slowly and regretfully walking in.
The space is vast, bigger than any other room in the house; the walls are a strange mixture of a very light blue and soft green, giving off a feeling of safety almost. The bed is unmade with the sheets strewn out from under the mattress and half sprawled onto the floor, indicating the sleeper was likely a victim of nightmares.
A huge stack of books lies untouched on the corner of a dresser, the titles varying from things like Powers 101, Knowledge for Imbeciles, Healing for Imbeciles, Truth for Imbeciles, The Theory of Power, and Patience is Key, all with a sticky note pasted to the cover from Adam insisting Julia read these.
The sight makes me laugh.
Framed pictures cover almost every inch of wall space, once again photos of Julia's friends and family.
I see some photos of Cassia, her unequivocal grace and beauty prominent even in just a frozen moment of time. Even if she doesn't trust me yet...God, I like that girl.
I make a point to remember to visit her and the others tonight, my worry for them growing more each day that Will sends out police to investigate all corners of the city.
Deciding that enough of the house has been investigated, I find Julia's closet and grab a few items of clothing for Cassia and Susan, knowing that they've been in the same clothes since the storm and deciding that Julia likely wouldn't mind. A jacket here and there, a couple pairs of jeans, and the like. I'll get some fresh clothes for Adam and Kyle later.
I stuff the clothes inside a bag and leave Julia's room, heading back down the stairs and leaving this sad little house, the emptiness finally enough to drive me back outside into the ruin.
I'm so relieved to be breathing in fresh air that I don't even notice Will until I've bumped into him in the driveway.
"My apologies, sir," I say to him, straightening my posture immediately as I've been taught as a cop.
"Quite alright, Cade. That was a quick search of the house, I trust you...haven't found anything?" Will asks me, eyeing the bag strapped to my back with the clothes inside of it.
"Negative, sir," I respond, wanting to get out of the situation before he asks anything else.
"Then I'm sure you won't mind me checking that," he gestures to my bag, and I drop my head as my face reddens, grudgingly handing him the sack of clothes.
Will opens the bag, his grey eyes twinkling with amusement and confusion at the contents. "Acquired a fondness for women's clothing, have we?" He asks, giving the bag back to me.
"No sir, I'm dropping them off at the dome to give to those without a home. Figured they might need it," I say, trying to lie effectively even though my face is as red as a tomato.
"We're not here to be charitable, but do what you want, Cade," Will says. "I'm beginning to fear that we'll never find the box, however. Nobody's found anything at the other houses, and there's been no sign of Julia's friends since the day of the storm. If I don't find that box, I might as well start digging my own grave," he adds, pulling a flask of alcohol out of his back pocket and taking a swig of it.
"I'll make sure we have that box if it's the last thing I do," I lie to him, the smell of the alcohol making me want to plug my nose.
"Oh shut up Cade, we'll never find it!" Will shouts, his temper becoming too much for him to contain.
A nearby tree explodes from his power of destruction, a power that does not belong in the hands of Will.
The power of destruction shouldn't even exist, and if it must, it has be retained by someone who can control their emotions; not the alcoholic that Will is. I sometimes can understand Henley's hatred for him.
"I think I'll just, um, get back to work...patrol the city for a while and see if I can get a few civilians to calm down," I tell him, wanting to get away before he destroys me next.
****************
Long after the sun has gone down and everyone has taken off for the night, I find myself standing in front of the steel door under the earth that closes off Cassia and her friends from the rest of the world.
With the bag of clothes slung over my shoulder, I take a deep breath and raise my fist, knocking on the door.
I knock three times, the sounds disrupting the eerie silence and ringing in the air. Everything's so quiet that I can hear those behind the door draw in their breaths in fear.
"Cassia, it's Cade," I say at last, and then I hear someone approach the door.
When the door opens, I am greeted to the sight of a very sleep deprived doctor, with bags under her eyes and her blonde hair a tangled mess pulled away from her face. Her white lab coat is stained with debris from the storm, and she's so weak that she has to lean against the dirt wall for support.
"Hey Cass, looking beautiful as always," I try, but it only provokes an eye roll from her.
"Didn't expect you back for another week or so," she grumbles, allowing me in the little room where the rest of them wait.
Despite Cassia's attitude, my spirits immediately lift when I enter the room, most likely due to the happy little brunette in the corner.
"Oh do perk up, Cassia, he's the only visitor we get around here. Sure makes me happy," Susan beams at me, provoking an additional eye roll from Kyle who watches over Adam's shoulder.
"Well, Will's in panic mode; he's got his police searching houses left and right. He even had his top men look for the box of powers in all of your homes today. I was assigned to search Julia's house; nothing to report to Will obviously, but I brought you ladies some clothes from her closet since I figured that you hadn't changed since well...everything that happened," I say, handing the girls what I found from Julia's closet.
Susan readily accepts them, but when I give Cassia a pair of jeans and a long-sleeved shirt, she just stares at them in sadness. A tear runs down her cheek.
"Sorry I didn't get anything for you gentlemen, but I'll see if I can acquire some clothes to fit you the next time I come," I say to Kyle and Adam, and they nod their heads in appreciation.
Suddenly noticing the box and the bright assortment of powers displayed, I take an interest and walk over to Adam.
"Any luck identifying these powers?" I ask him.
"Oh, identifying them isn't the problem; Will had most of these labeled to begin with, but it's figuring out what they do that's tricky. There's so much more chemistry and science that lies behind the development of a single power than I had ever imagined: a power isn't just the essence of a desired force, but it's a mutated gene that is transplanted into the power-wielder which immediately latches onto their DNA and gives them their ability. Now powers aren't made to be hereditary of course, but there are certain bonds with the atoms inside the powers that I have to probe and divide in order to figure out what they do. The more destructive powers react violently to how I test them, but the ones not designed for destruction have little resistance to my tests. I've identified a few powers that are more destructive that I've put off to the side for later use, but there are also a few that have me perplexed that will require further testing," he rambles.
I furrow my eyebrows at the complexity of his words, glad that he is gifted enough to understand something that I never will be able to.
"In other words, Adam will have all the powers sorted through by the time we're thirty," Susan smirks, and everyone laughs.
Except Cassia.
"Cade, can I talk to you?" She asks me, walking out of the main room and into one of the tunnels, prompting me to follow.
We walk until we are out of earshot from the others, and Cassia simply turns and looks at me.
"What is it? I came back, I brought you clothes, Adam is making progress with the box of powers, Susan and Kyle seem okay...so what is it?" I ask her.
Cassia's face drops and she clutches the bundle of clothes still in her arms, tears now free- flowing.
"I miss Julia...and Peter, no matter what's become of either of them by now. I'm scared that Henley's going to kill them, I'm scared that someone's going to find us down here, and I'm terrified that you'll betray us," she weeps despondently.
"You really need to learn how to trust. As I've mentioned before, if I wanted any of you dead, I would've gone and reported you by now. I'm trying to keep you guys safe and alive down here until Adam decides that you're all ready to go and take back the city. What more do I have to do to prove myself that I'm on your side?" I beg.
She shakes her head, stray strands of blonde falling in her face. "I don't know...I need to return to my normal life. I need my healing school with Kyle, and I need to be a doctor again. I want to go home."
"Cassia, nearly half the city up there is destroyed. Even if you guys defeat Will and retake the city...even if Julia somehow messes up one of Henley's experiments and ends her, nothing's ever going to be the same anymore. Things will be different after all this is over, and once you understand that, you might be able to accept what's happening," I tell her.
She's quiet for a moment, looking back up at me with blue eyes flashing.
Wanting to obviously change the subject, she asks, "I don't suppose you've found Evelyn and her family, have you?"
"I haven't had the chance to look for them yet, but I'll do my best. Maybe they're at the dome somewhere," I offer, and Cassia begins to have a small twinkle of hope in her eyes.
"If we could just find them and then get Adam to finish with the box, we could take back the city from Will. If we could just get that much done, then the war's half over. We could go and save Julia, the fight would be over, we could rebuild the city, our lives would be normal again," she rambles on and on, so desperate to return to her normal life of simplicity that's it's driving her mad.
"Hey, slow down, one thing at a time," I say, warily putting a hand on her shoulder to steady her. "I'll do my best to find them, but until then, I encourage you to exercise patience. This is gonna take some time."
Cassia slowly nods her head in disappointment, but I know she'll be okay. She'll learn to accept the way things are.
"Well, I suppose I've probably stayed my welcome a bit longer than expected, so I should probably go back up. I'll check on you guys again when I can," I tell her, turning to head back out of the tunnel.
But before I can get far enough, I feel Cassia take my hand and pull me back for a moment, wrapping her arms around me in a very tight hug.
"Um, Cassia?" I ask, not sure what to do.
"I don't know if I ever said thank you for taking care of us, so this is my way of showing appreciation," she admits almost embarrassingly.
"Oh Cass, you're learning to trust people! I'm so proud! You're making progress!" I say excitedly, wanting to see how long I can wear on her nerves before she kicks me out.
And my statement does just that, for she quickly lets go and nudges me back towards the exit of the tunnels.
"That never happened, and if you ever bring it up again, I swear I'll deny it," Cassia tells me trying to sound threatening, but even I can tell she's trying not to laugh.
"Fine by me; I still know the truth. Goodbye Cass," I say with a smirk, turning on my heels to leave before she kills me for calling her that nickname she so despises.
*****************
I climb back out from the ground and carefully set the stone back in place that covers the hole to their hiding place, looking all directions about me to make sure that no one saw. Not that it would matter though since Will set a curfew for the remaining citizens that would've sent everyone in their homes hours ago.
It's pitch black out tonight with no moon, the only lights being the small stars up above and the occasional street light that miraculously still works.
After putting the stone back, I quietly tip toe away from the sight trying to be as quiet as humanely possible. If I'm ever caught, it would be not only my funeral, but everyone down there as well.
Nothing seems out of the ordinary tonight as the entire area is deserted with people gone to bed already, but yet something doesn't feel quite right.
Again I scan my surroundings, and also again I find nothing.
"I'm going crazy," I whisper to myself, taking one of the back alleyways that will lead me to the dome, which is where I've been staying since I got here.
I look behind me one last time, but this time, I see something that causes my stomach to twist itself into knots and make me sick.
The headquarter building is still in my view, and at the foot of it, Will stands eyeing the stone that covers the tunnel hole very suspiciously.
He puts his foot on it and nudges it, the stone wiggling a tiny bit from being the only one not cemented in the ground. "Odd," I hear him whisper to himself.
He bends down, and for moment I think he is about to try and lift it, but someone suddenly interrupts him.
"Sir, we've just received a call from your sister. She says that it's urgent," a guard calls from the doors of the headquarter building.
"What in the name of powers does she want?" I hear Will grumble to himself as he leaves the stone alone, walking back up the steps and back inside.
I let out a huge sigh of relief and slump against one of the nearby walls, unaware that I hadn't been breathing that entire time.
"Dear Lord, what am I going to do?" I ask myself aloud and gaze up to the sky, wishing the heavens would provide me with answers.
If Cassia and the others aren't safe down there, they won't be safe anywhere.