Chapter Fifteen - Attack

01 spent days wondering what state his female doctor was in. It was evident that he had done something to her, but that was largely due to the fact that she had had a fit. But he did feel something - whether it was a twinge from his older abilities and past followers, or her rising ability connecting itself to him he was unsure. Either way, he knew she would not be able to harm him when she got back - if she got back.

None of them ever could. Whether they survived or not. 01 was, in terms of his own assembled army, safe.

***

Lovers struggled for peace when they came under attack. Lisa and Will were these lovers. After Will's escapades attacking Naomi there had been problems. They had argued, as many couples tend to do. But while Lisa was angry, Will was only too happy to see her. The dilemma was driving him crazy.

"Lisa, wait!" he shouted. She looked scornfully at him. "I... I have something I need to tell you." He looked down at his feet. "I was attacked, Lisa. I was threatened. I had to attack her. I had to kill her. They told me too."

"Who exactly? And what could they have possibly threatened you with? What could make you willing to hurt someone!" She was furious with him, evidently.
"I don't know who they were. But it doesn't matter as far as I'm concerned. What they said they'd do... what they promised me... I couldn't decline."

"And what was so important that you 'couldn't decline!'" She was breathing hard, angrily.

You.

Her lip quivered. He couldn't look at her. He wanted to... but the entire thing frightened him. It didn't matter anyway. She grabbed him tightly, hugging him. She cried on his shoulder - he wasn't sure why. "I'm sorry Will. I really am..."

***

Naomi and Edel found themselves meeting for the first time in their lives that didn't involve them having to run away. It was a pleasant experience for them, despite the topic of conversation. They had come to discussing Emily - it didn't take long for them to realise that she was one person they both had some acquaintance in Carl. From there they moved to his ill-fated partner.

"How was she... you know... when you saw her last?" Naomi asked.

"She seemed okay. She's stable. Carl's a mess though. First the cells... then Emily. And he told me he has some memory loss from before the cells... I think it's all finally getting to him." Naomi let out a depressed sigh. "Hey, don't blame yourself. Carl had his problems long before Emily. Long before you did anything."

"You think so?"

"Naomi, you can't go blaming yourself on everything. Carl told me everything. All he wants is Emily back. And I'm sure he'll understand your reasons."

Naomi took solace in that. She knew why she had done it to Emily, but she was never too sure how Carl would react. "So... what do we do about those guys in black?"

"Not too sure. We need to get Emily back to normal. That's priority. And getting those two home," she said, gesturing to the other room where Lisa and Will were talking. "We can't keep them with us through this."

"Is it safe to let them go?" Naomi asked. "I mean... they might be taken."

"Or worse..." Edel remembered the hospital, the ferals. "There are people that can do worse than just capture them. They tried to get to Emily a couple of days ago."

"Then we have to make sure that they're okay. Or keep them with us for now. We'll get in touch with their parents... pretend to be the other's mother or something. Then we'll get them home when this is over."

"This is really messed up," Edel exclaimed.

***

Craig Mitchell was, and always had been, a curious person. But he was also very kind. And when Craig had discovered his healing ability, he knew he had to do something with it. But having had to flee his home town, Craig was now looking, of all places, on the internet. There were many mysterious powers at work, he knew. And they led him to people with abilities like him - bad people. He was very cautious of them now. But he also knew that he could not avoid a person in need.

Craig Mitchell was looking for danger.

***

Jimmy Wilkes worked seriously, yet with a carefree attitude, in a school. He cared very much for his job, his students, workmates and friends. He had yet to realise the ultimate potential he had, for his ability was yet to reveal itself to him. But Jimmy always knew when something was happening. And he had a sneaking suspicion that someone had been at his car.

He ran out of the building quickly, expecting to find some students messing. Instead he saw a piece of paper billowing in the wind attached under his wiper.

"Deal with Anne Judge and Ciarán Heller. Use whatever methods you see fit. Do this, or you pay the price. Don't expect us to leave them alone afterwards."

Fearfully he looked around. He sensed someone watching him. It worried him. And when finally his eyes caught sight of a man, he ran away with astonishing speed.

Jimmy Wilkes had been found by the men in the black suits.

***

Anne Judge worked alongside Jimmy. They had a comfortable relationship, although she posed as a much more serious person. She was the disciplinarian. She was the one that students would listen to and know she was serious.

Some students came running past her. Angrily she turned to them. "Gentlemen!" she called. She knew these students. They stopped on the spot. Third years usually did. "Now," she said calmly, yet assertively, "Please tell me what the rush is."

"No rush, Miss," one of them said.

"Mr Murphy, do not attempt to lie to me." She didn't want him to get in trouble. She knew he was a good student. "Just, tell me why you were running in the halls, Liam." She didn't need him to answer. The very moment she had finished talking a gang of fifth years came running around the corner. They froze on the spot. "Move along," she said to Liam Murphy and his friends. "Now, gentlemen," she addressed the fifth years. It was an all-boys school. Everyone was 'gentleman.' Even if they weren't exactly gentlemen. "Do you mind telling me what you were doing?"

"We were just messing," one of them said.

"Just messing! You're never just doing something!" The lights flickered overhead with sparks of electricity. "Bloody things..." she muttered to herself. “No more of it," she warned them.

Plebeians...

***

When Ciarán Heller discovered his ability it had caused some trouble. Now, months on, he was struggling to gain control over it. He had seen footballs, coins, doorknobs... everything... explode upon his touch. It was enthralling, but dangerous.

Come on, focus.

He held the cent coin in his right hand tightly between his index finger and his thumb. He stared at it fiercely. He willed it to happen. He put everything he had into making the coin explode.

And finally it lit up lightly, a green light shining from the points where his fingers met it. And when he threw it into the air it exploded. The metal disintegrated as the light expanded. It became hot in a moment. The explosion was enough to do anyone damage.

But more importantly Ciarán had learned control.