Earth Blend (20 page)

Percone: So, did you get our baby brother
back home?

Eli: Where is she?

Percone: How should I know?

Eli: Percone, please. Where is she? What is
she doing? I thought you could feel her emotions.

Percone: I can if I am tuned into them. I
can shut them off if I am bored.

Eli: Tune into them please, I need to talk
with her.

Percone: I tried, nothing. I can't feel
her.

Eli: What does that mean?

Percone: I don't know, it has never
happened before. I've called her, too, and she always comes...
except this time.

Eli: When did you last see her?

Percone: The other day, here. Playing with
her human.

Eli: Luke?

Percone: Duh.

Eli: How did she wind up with Luke?

Percone: She saved him from that
helicopter.

Eli: Why would she do that?

Percone smiled, he was going to enjoy
telling Eli this part.

Percone: Why because of you, of course

Eli: Percone, quit playing games.

Percone: I'm not playing games, dear
brother. She told me herself. She saved the human because she
wanted him to keep Julie away from you. Our sister has a strong
jealous streak.

Eli: I think you are lying.

Percone: Why would I lie when the truth is
so much more fun?

Eli: We have to find her. This man is
dangerous.

Percone: She's an Earthling, what can he
do?

Eli looked around the cave. He
determined that she must have kept Luke there. He noticed the vines
just outside the entrance.
The only reason she would let him go was...
Julie.

Eli got his bearings and took off running
in the direction of the apartments. Along the way he whipped out
his cell phone and called Gregg.

Percone followed, more out of curiosity
than anything else.

Gregg jumped up out of the chair when he
heard his phone ring. He saw that it was Eli and answered
quickly.

“
Yes, Eli, what's up? Did you find
him?” Gregg listened to Eli's winded voice. It sounded as if he was
running.

“
Where's Julie?
”

“
She should still be with her father.”
He said and froze when he saw Trevor standing in the bedroom
doorway. “Where's Julie?” He asked him

“
She went to work. Why?” Trevor
answered.

“
Huh, Julie.” Austin said, waking
up.

“
Did she go alone?” Gregg was shouting
at Trevor.

“
Yes. What's the matter, why is that a
problem?” Trevor was starting to panic.

“
Does she know about
Luke
?” Eli
yelled as he picked up the pace.

“
No, I never got a chance to tell
her.” Gregg was having trouble breathing as panic began to set
in.

“
Find her!” Eli yelled as he hung up
the phone. He had a sinking feeling they were already too
late.

“
What's going on?” Austin asked, fully
awake now.

“
Luke.” Gregg said, as he put on his
shoes.

“
Luke? Luke's dead. He died in the
helicopter crash.” Austin said. The panic in the room drove him to
jump up and put his pants on.

“
Apparently not. We have to find
her.”

“
Why did you not tell me this before?”
Trevor asked.

“
I only found out myself late last
night. I didn't want to disturb your time together. I was going to
tell you both this morning.” Gregg said.

Gregg opened the door and ran out into the
parking lot. Trevor and Austin were right behind him.

“
Who the hell are you and why were you
with Julie last night?” Austin asked Trevor as they ran.

“
I'm her father.” Trevor said,
catching up to Gregg.

“
You're supposed to be dead, too. Why
the hell is everyone who is supposed to be dead suddenly alive?”
Austin shouted, keeping pace.

“
If she were walking to work, she
would have gone this way.” Gregg said as he ran in that
direction.

Trevor followed but something made Austin
stop and scan the parking lot. He smelled something, a strange
odor. He moved swiftly to the back of the parking lot and saw a
body slumped against the wall. “Over here.” He yelled and ran over
to it. He didn't know whether to be relieved or upset that it
wasn't Julie.

Gregg and Trevor joined Austin. Gregg knelt
down next to the body and placed his hands on her. “She's dead. Her
neck is broken.” He said, but kept his hands on her. “She has
multiple, recently repair fractures. He was here. Luke did
this.”

“
How do you know for sure?” Trevor
asked, not that he was doubting Gregg.

“
I know. He injured the woman and made
Julie heal her, wearing her out so he could take her without a
struggle.” Austin said. He knew this was how Luke
worked.

Gregg stood and took out his phone to call
Eli. “I wished she had used her Carnage.”

“
What's Carnage?” Austin
asked.

“
It's one of Julie's abilities. She
has the ability to kill.” Trevor said, placing a hand on his
shoulder.

“
When did this come about?”

“
It was just unlocked
yesterday.”

“
Unlocked? What the hell? Does anyone
else realize that if maybe, just maybe, everyone was told the
truth, we wouldn't have all these problems?”

“
Did you find her?
” Eli asked

“
No, but he was here. There is a woman
dead in the parking lot. It looks like his handiwork.”

“
I'll be right
there
.”

Eli was almost out of the woods when he saw
Crysa's body. He skidded to a stop near it. Percone was right
behind him. He could tell that she was dead.

“
She's toxic. I can smell it.” Percone
said. “Guy's smarter than I gave him credit for.”

“
We have to alert Suron.” Eli
said.

“
That means all the secrets will come
out.”

Something made Austin look up towards the
woods. “There's Eli... and Percone.” He alerted the other two.

“
What are they looking at?” Trevor
asked.

All three men started quickly over to
them.

Percone sent out a message to Suron that
one of their sisters had been killed. He relayed the coordinates of
the location.

Percone: Looks like Austin is coming over
to meet his mommy.

Eli: Do you have no
conscience
? One our own is dead and all you can do is joke
around.

Percone: If you really cared about her,
none of this would have happened. So, I'd be wise to think before
you speak, brother.

Eli turned to head off the three men.
“Please turn back, it is not safe. The body is contaminated.” Eli
said, trying to turn them around.

“
Is it Julie? “ Austin asked,
pushing Eli, trying to get past him.

“
No, it's not, just please
don't.” Eli said but Austin pushed past him.

Austin walked up and looked down at the
body. “Who is that?”

“
Don't you recognize your own
mother?” Percone asked.

“
Percone!” Eli shouted at his
insensitivity.

“
Crysa?” Austin said, looking
down at the prone form.

It was then that Suron appeared. He looked
down upon Crysa's body but did not touch it.

Suron: Who found her?

Eli: I did

Suron: Was this the position you found her
in?

Eli: Yes. Her body has not been
touched.

Suron made a motion with his hand and
Crysa's body rolled over onto it's back.

Suron: There is an entrance wound in her
abdomen. A toxin was introduced there. This was intentional. Do you
know who did this?

Eli: Yes. A human.

Suron: You have my permission to find him
and bring him to me to face consequences.

Eli: Thank you.

Suron: Who are these people?

Eli spoke the answer aloud so the others
could hear. “One of their kind has been taken by this human.”

“
I recognize some of them.”
Suron said, also speaking his thought out loud. “Is this the same
human that was involved in an incident before?”

“
Yes, sir. He has killed a human
in the parking lot as well.” Gregg answered.

“
I'm sorry we were unable to
help you the last time. This time he has taken the life of an
Earthling and he will suffer retribution from our Mother. You have
my permission to use whatever resources are necessary to bring this
man to me and save the one that has been taken.”

“
Thank you, Suron.”

Suron was about to turn back to Crysa when
he stopped and stared at Austin.

Austin felt Suron's eyes on him and averted
his gaze.

Suron: Look at me

Austin raised his eyes to Suron. It wasn't
until a split second later that he realized Suron had not spoken
the words out loud.

Suron walked over to Austin. “Place your
hands in mine.” He ordered.

Austin looked to Eli for help.

Eli nodded and closed his eyes.

Austin put his hands in Suron's. He saw the
images flashing in his head and knew what Suron was seeing and
hearing.

Removing his hands, he turned toward Eli.
“How long have you know about this?” Suron asked.

“
Not long.”

“
Why was I not told of
this?”

“
I was looking for Crysa to confirm
it, unfortunately it was too late.”

Turning back to Austin, he said, “You will
come with me, now. We will decide what to do with you later.”

“
I'm not going with you. I'm going to
help find Julie.” Austin steadfastly said.

“
With all due respect, Suron, the one
that was taken is very dear to him. He would be beneficial to us in
bringing her back and bringing the human to you.”

Suron thought for a moment and then turned
back to Austin. “Very well. Let me make myself clear. You will
return to me after this task is completed. Understood?”

Austin stared down Suron for a moment
before replying. “Understood.”

Eli, Trevor, Gregg and Austin all turned
and made a hasty exit toward the parking lot.

Suron turned to Percone.

Suron: Help me prepare the body for
burning. She is too toxic to return to the ground in present
condition.

Percone: I get all the fun jobs.

Suron: What role did you play in all of
this?

Percone: My hands are squeaky clean.

Suron did not believe Percone but would
wait and see what the findings were once all was said and done.

“
I didn't understand a lot of what was
going on, but valuable time has been wasted.” Trevor
said.

“
We have all the resources at our
disposal. We will find him and end this once and for all.” Eli
said. He walked up to the dead woman. “I know her. She was a
tenant. Mindy Walton, apartment 239. I can check her records and
see what kind of car she drove. He probably used it to get away.”
Eli raced back to his apartment, the others following closely
behind.

Once in his apartment, he said, “Trevor,
look in the file book on the end table. Look up Mindy Walton in
239. See what color, make and model car she drove. Austin, come
with me.” Eli said, entering his bedroom. Eli pushed aside his
armoire to reveal a door.

“
What is that?”

“
Come see.” Eli said, leading the way
down to his dirt room. He brushed off the loose dirt to expose a
root. “This is the Mother Tree's root. Place your hand on it here
with me and listen in.”

Eli sent out the message and orders given
by Suron that would gather all the Earthlings together. Trevor
called down the make and model to them and Eli relayed the
information. Now they had a plan of action.

“
That was amazing.” Austin
said.

“
Let's go rescue Julie.” Eli said,
confidently.

They turned to see Trevor and Gregg on the
steps looking at them in wonderment.

“
Let's go, we'll take two cars. Austin
will ride with me. You two follow. At some point we may leave the
car and take to the woods to join the others. Try and keep
up.”

Everyone got into their respective vehicles
and began their journey to save Julie.

Eli had relayed the information about the
possibility of Luke having a toxic weapon of some kind and to be on
the lookout. Excitement began to build as the car was located on a
major highway. They all sped off in that direction.

16. The Culmination

Darkness was all she could see. The
movement she felt attempted to lull her back to sleep. Julie fought
against it. Her hands searched around her, feeling for anything
that would give her a clue as to where she was. Fabric below her,
fabric above her, hardness underneath. She rapped upon it; metal.
Julie put all the things together; she was in the trunk of a car.
The event just before she blacked out came rushing back to her.

Julie remembered the scared woman next to
her. Luke kept breaking the poor woman into pieces and forcing her
to fix her. She hoped in her heart that the woman was okay, but her
mind knew better.