Kyle:
Watching what was happening, one would think I would be happy to see Tyrin not standing a chance- but I was terrified. Jessica had never used this much power before- I didn't even know she HAD this kind of power. The only time she had come even close to something like this was years ago. That time the power knocked her out, burned her skin, and temporarily crippled her when she woke. This time...
I crawled out of the window of the overturned car, glass getting stuck in my skin several times, but I didn't care. Finally out of the vehicle I started moving slowly to her. Looking around, I didn't see Tyrin anywhere.
I carefully reached out a hand as I approached, "Jess?" I asked. She looked back at me, the energy around her disappearing. She smiled genuinely, burns covering her face. "Jess...?" She was crying... so was I.
She dropped to the ground. "Jessica!" I screamed, at her side in a second. She was a mess, hair frayed, skin burned. She smiled up at me, trying to limply reach up to me. "XAO!"
The adolescent pharaoh was next to me in short order, himself covered in several cuts and bruises. "What in the world was that?" he asked.
"Don't know... Xao your deals- you're still a trickster god right?"
"I... they won't listen to me after all this time. We would have to go to the council itself-"
"How far?" I asked.
"There's an outpost about seven miles from here." I gently petted down Jessica's hair as he answered.
She had been my best friend for over thirty years. "This... this is way beyond even pharaoh drugs, which we don't even have anymore. I can't lose her... I can't... Xao I can't... whatever we have to do... I'll do it... I'll do it."
"What's a trickster?" came the voice of Bart behind us.
I looked back seeing that Jaden had managed to get everyone else out of the cars.
Xao swallowed. "It's what I am," he replied. "A community of pharaohs that combine incredible technologies to make deals with humans, giving them anything they want for anything we want. The power borders on magic... Kyle, I don't even know if we can undo something like this..."
"But we should try right?" Bart asked.
"We will," Xao stood up, himself shaking. "We don't have much time. Everyone say how they're doing right now!" he demanded.
"Nadine covered me with her body when the car was flipped," said Judith. Nadine staggered to her feet but nodded. "She seems alright."
"I... I'm not doing so hot..." Allen said, just laying on the ground.
"DAD!" Jaden ran over to him.
Xao quickly ran over to Allen too. "Stomach wound- it's deep... this isn't good... There's a payphone about half a mile from here." Xao stood up, dancing like he was going to run away. "Jaden, you and Nadine flip the back car back over, put your legs into it. I'll get the werewolf society on the horn... Jessica's in worse condition. Load her into the car... who's in good enough condition to drive?"
"To be honest, I'm a little beat up too," Nadine said. "Having a heck of a time seeing straight. Jaden?"
"Guys I'm only fifteen..." Jaden said back. He looked over at Jessica. "For her... I... well I have driven in a parking lot a few times, how much harder can it be?"
Xao disappeared in a blur of colors.
I put a hand on Jessica's chest, her heartbeat was weak. For a while, she looked at me, but soon enough it seemed even that was straining her, her eyes looking away as she closed them. I hugged her close. "Hang in there... please hang in there Jess..." Tears were streaming out by this point. "What... what was that? What did you do?" I knew she couldn't respond, but I had to ask.
"Everyone who's not injured get over here!" Nadine yelled as she moved to the rear car. She and Jaden put their hands against the side of the car, Bartholomew even put his poorly bandaged and near frost-bitten hands on it as well. "Kyle!" Nadine yelled at me.
I just hung my head and bit back a sob saying, "I'll just be in the way. The strength of a five-year-old is not gonna make the difference in flipping a car."
"What about your magnets?" Bart put in.
"You have a great imagination but... that's a dumb idea. There's nothing in the area to move over the car to flip it with a magnet... I'm sorry guys... I'm just useless. Just some kid."
Allen coughed, "want a competition on that front?" I didn't respond. Allen held the wound in his stomach and spoke up again. "Guys, spin both cars on their hoods so they're parallel," I heard creaking and heard grunting as the human and two werewolves strained to comply. "Kyle, can you magnetize both sides of your projectiles?"
I gently laid Jessica's body down. "Hang in there, please," I said again. I didn't think there was much I could do, but if there was anything... I stood up. "Technically."
"Good, I want you to stick one on the frame of the lead car facing the second car and the other on the far frame of the second car in the same place. If you can, I want the magnets sticking them to their host vehicles to be strong as you can make them. As the others heave, increase the strength of the magnets on the two cars so they attract each other."
"They'll just slide into each other..."
"Kyle, I don't think even werewolf strength is enough to flip a car. You have to think of something," Allen said. "I'm doing the best I can with a freaking wounded-"
I interrupted, not wanting Allen to focus on describing his own wounds. "Got it... sorry..." Allen stopped talking. I closed my eyes. I felt myself falling inside my own mind like I was sliding down into- I didn't know what. I had to grab something to pull myself up. I had to get control. Everyone was counting on me. Control, I needed control. I clenched my fist- I would get control. "Everything is gonna be okay guys. And um... thanks for the kick in the pants, dad..." He held up a thumbs up, still lying on the ground. I looked around. I breathed deep, tightening my fists, and stood up straight. I pointed. "Jaden, is Xao's satchel still in the lead car?"
Jaden checked and brought it out. "He has metal stakes in there. Toss me two," I said. He found them and tossed them to me quickly.
Bart turned and looked at me with wide eyes. "Wait! You looking to make a fulcrum?... Wait- pivot point..." he walked away from the cars and started scratching his chin, his eyes traveling left and right looking at the cars.
I gave a slight nod, not sure why he needed to know. I shot over to Nadine's car. I pulled up one of the stakes in my right hand and sent an electric charge to my arm and sent the stake into the ground in front of the upper frame of the car at twenty times normal human speed- it stuck in the frozen pavement like it was topsoil. I planted a second across from it in line with the first along the edge of the hood of the car. I then planted the other two in like fashion by the hood of the other car.
I started pointing out what was needed. "Put your shoulders into this. We're using those stakes as pivot points like Bart pointed out-"
Bart quickly put up his hands. "STOP!" Everyone looked at him. "Picture it in your mind..."
I rolled my eyes. What could this little boy really think? He needed to shut it and let everyone else work. I was about to snap but thought better- humoring him might be faster than starting a fight. "Um... picture what?"
Bart sighed. "Yes, the stakes will work as pivot points, the magnets pulling towards each other if they're powerful enough, but energy will always take the path of least resistance. The energy has to fight less gravity if it pulls the cars towards each other sideways. Your pivots can work both to turn the cars or flip them, which turning would be easier." Bart ran over to the cars. He sounded confident enough- and the theory wasn't wrong I had to admit. He ran between both cars. The boy then pointed at each of the cars and held a hand to his head. He squeezed his eyes shut. "Think... think..." He raised his left finger, pointing at the car on his left. "We can't just plant two more stakes... can we... is it really that simple?"
I closed my own eyes. "If the magnets are straight across from each other most of their force will be pulling straight towards each other, so yeah, just putting down two more stakes will keep them from just turning the cars towards each other." A part of me was kicking myself for wanting to silence him earlier, but I didn't have time for that.
"If the stakes are too close they'll just turn anyway, they have to be as far apart as they can be..."
"But if they're too far away they'll just rip the roofs apart by placing too much stress on the frames as single points."
"How many more stakes do you have?" Bart asked.
I looked into my bag. "I mean they're surprisingly useful we have a number of them... but let's be serious, I don't care if the top frames are messed up. Nothing to do with the function of the vehicle ya know?"
"I guess... just really want this to work." Bart sighed.
I nodded. "Yeah..."
Bart continued. "I still think we have to tie the wheels of the cars to something so when they're on their sides, they don't just slide off the stakes then slide towards each other... I see no trees so..." I waved for him to continue. 'Honestly, he has good ideas, but he sure is slow with them!'
Judith finally spoke up. "Hey I'm not a geek like you two but, would an upturned piece of pavement do?" She kicked a large jutted-out piece of stone. "This seems pretty sturdy."
"You sure it won't move?" I asked, looking at the concrete slab.
She shrugged. "We can't have a screw up I guess so- everyone plug your ears." Everyone obeyed her, me motioning Bartholomew to go ahead when he hesitated. She apparently did not need to cover her own ears.
She turned back to the slab of upturned road, filled her lungs with air, and unleashed a torrent of sound so powerful even with my fingers stuffed in my ears I still felt ringing. Around her snow and debris flew away. I had no idea what this was doing to Jessica's ears, as she was unconscious but... not like that wouldn't be the least of her worries.
The bare slab stayed put. Judith shrugged again.
Bartholomew and Judith tied the wheel to the rock as his fingers weren't doing too well still.
Bart gave me a thumbs up.
I saw no other stumps so I tied a rope from the wheel on the other car to one of the stakes under it.
I shot to the right side of Nadine's car and then the left side of Allen's car planting magnets on both frames opposite each other. "Okay, now get the magnets carrying side higher than the other side of each vehicle- at the same time- yes you're gonna have to split up."
Nadine looked at her cut-up arms. "I might have one good push in me like that kid, but it's not lasting long."
"Two seconds, all I'm gonna need," I said emotionlessly, trying to give the impression I wasn't falling apart as I looked over at Jessie's completely un-moving form again. The two werewolves got on opposite sides of the two cars across from each other and braced themselves against the cars. Bart and Judith split up, Bart asking and Nadine confirming that her son was stronger than her. So Bart went to help Jaden, Judith helping Nadine. "Okay, on three... one" they both put their backs square against the cars, Bart and Judith both putting in a right shoulder. "Two..." Both bit their lips and grabbed under the back passenger window on their side. "Here goes- THREE!" They both heaved.
Bartholomew cheered even as he pushed against the weight. "C'mon guys, we can do it!" I held my magnatron in front of me, ready to turn the magnets to full power.
"No one is wearing metal right?" I asked quickly.
"We're not stupid- Kyle stay on task!" Jaden shouted.
'Well... you can't blame me for thinking it can you kid? You're a baby compared to me, gotta tell you guys everything or... I... wow, I'm kinda being a brat- shoot back to it-' I thought. "Higher...higher..." I turned my dial quickly- "Get clear!"
Both werewolves jumped away from the vehicles as the opposite sides of both were pulled towards each other and BOTH cars were turned onto their wheels as I quickly disengaged the magnets. Only Nadine's car didn't have an engine that had been smashed by Tyrin's pulse weapon, but still, I chose to look at it as an overachievement.
I waved for Jaden and Nadine to join me, which they did right after Nadine gave Bart a congratulatory quick noogie. "Alright let's organize this," I said. "Nadine, you stay with your husband, that's obvious. And Jaden will drive the working car."
"You need Xao to get to the tricksters- how about Bartholomew comes with us?" Nadine put in.
I shook my head. "No dice. You have to take Allen to a doctor right away. Myself and Jessica always looked like two dumb kids, no one would suspect us of anything- Xao was pushing it, but even then. However, if you and Allen are caught with a missing kid this stuff could blow up very quickly. Last thing we need is to worry about elements of the secret societies being exposed here. I understand you guys can get doctors from the societies to work on dad, but what are you gonna do, hide the kid the whole time?"
She nodded. "Sound enough reasoning. And Judith?"
"Well, doesn't matter where she goes so... may as well be with you, limited seats in the car and all."
Nadine shook her head. "I don't think so. Agents of the societies will come and pick me and my hubby up. We'll be fine. But you guys grounded those leprechauns and who knows if Tyrin is coming back. Out here in the middle of nowhere-safety in numbers. Judith has always been a decent fighter."
I looked back at Jessica. She was all that mattered, my fellow, my friend. What would she want? She loved these people and- didn't I love these people...? I was fast, skilled, experienced, and powerful. In any given battle, I could find many ways to at least survive, but the others... if Jessica survived, what if I had to explain losing someone? "Xao and I are probably better fighters than anyone here- better powers anyway... I'm starting to want everyone who isn't a pharaoh to go with you."
"I'd say Allen could beat you up even with his stomach wound, but that's beside the point," Nadine said with a cocky smile. "If you're taking Bart, you'll have two liabilities. Him and Jessica. You're taking the teens and that's the end of the debate."
I folded my arms. Maybe she had a point, how would we even maneuver carrying Jessica at the same time? We needed numbers to stand our ground. I was just so scared to lose someone today and it felt inevitable. I had to control this somehow... but no means of doing that was coming to mind.
My mind started to race just thinking. I had known Jaden since he was four. What if he got hurt too? And Judith I had known for six years. I clenched my teeth. "I- fine." I spat out. "But they better hold their own, I can't babysit. If they get in trouble don't expect me to-"
The woman with her husband laying possibly dying on the ground and offering her only son to me as protection suddenly had me in the air by my throat. "Finish. That. Sentence... I dare you."
I pulled myself up the best I could manage. "I- I'll take good care of him," I choked out. She set me down. I looked over at Allen, then back to her. "Sorry... I'm not the only one scared here."
"That only makes it worse," Nadine said. "My son isn't a pawn."
"I-" my blood was still pumping fast, but from the agitation, not from any fear of Nadine.
"I'll accept it was a slip of the tongue. My trust is a privilege, child."
I nodded, looking down. I bit my lip and looked around. Jessica, Xao, Jaden, Judith... they were all becoming my family. Even this pride couldn't make me forget that. I had known all of them for so long- I couldn't send any of them to safety? Really?
"Now we're both panicking, let's not push each other's buttons... hubby is the calm one out of the two of us Kyle, you have no idea how hard this is for me."
I nodded again. "Look, go to dad... see if you can move him to the shelter of the other car... everything is going to be okay... I promise." If we had to fight those leprechauns with a child and a nearly dead teammate- how did I figure on that?
I didn't really. I was just saying it... still, if there was anything in my power I would make it a reality that everyone would be okay. I would control every detail if I had to.
"I know you can't back that up," Nadine said.
"Well..." I bit my lip.
"There's a reason I pray kid." She walked back to her husband.
My blood was pumping faster and faster. I looked around- realizing me getting hyped up wasn't serving a purpose right now. I swallowed my feelings. Sure, I had managed to keep it together but I did not like my own thoughts or some of the things I had said. I ran back over to Jessica. She looked so fragile. I gently put my arms under her and started trying to carry her to the car, just barely able to lift her. I then saw two legs in front of me. Arms folded Jaden looked down at me. "Are you serious?" he asked.
"I just feel like I have to be the one who... I don't know I just-"
He shook his head. "Sit down, I'm carrying her."
"But she's my friend- for thirty years... and-"
"SIT!" Like a dog, I sat.
Bartholomew looked at my precious friend. "Can I help?" he asked.
"I can carry a seven-year-old, Bart," Jaden almost snapped. He gently picked her up, holding her like a baby, making sure to balance her head. Bart backed up a little, holding his hands to himself, clearly wanting to do something. Jaden sighed. He looked off into the distance. "You wanna help?" Bart nodded.
"I just want everyone to be okay," Bart said, with such sincerity it nearly brought a smile to my face just hearing him.
"Go get the door, I'm putting her in the back, you help me steady her. We're gonna put her in Judith's lap." Jaden nodded to his girlfriend.
"I can get the door-" I started but Jaden shot me a glare.
"You are going to stay there and calm down," Jaden said flatly.
"But-"
"You had the tools to turn those cars over the whole time and you almost sat the whole thing out... thank God we had a man not even half your age and an eleven-year-old. Kyle, I am panicking. I need you in my corner and in your right mind. So just sit there and calm down- that's all I've got right now." I nodded and stayed seated. "Please work with me."
When he was out of earshot, I repeated, "Please work with me," right back, holding my hands together, staring at them.
As the group slowly moved Jessica into the car, I sat, fighting the urge to tearfully go back to the "good times" in my head. Our arrival to earth, training, Jessica naming us the Globe Tracers, Jessica's many jokes, her laughing and dragging me around by the hand- I felt like crying like a baby and slamming my fists into the snow in an absolute fit.
That tension I had felt when I tried to get control... a part of me wanted to go back to it. I felt much better than this- even if it felt like it might not be good for me.
Xao appeared back in the area.