A Fistful of Destiny - Part Four
Lisya sat on her bed contemplating her thoughts. Jealousy wasn't one of the things she was familiar with. Most of the time nothing bothered her, perhaps part of being able to see into people's souls made her less of an emotional person. Often times she struggled to understand any kind of emotional pull toward someone, wondering if her gift had left her with a void in her own soul.
But Buba was different. With him she had felt wondrous, amazing things. Love being the single radiating emotion to seize her. Just when she was about to give up hope for a normal relationship, any kind of relationship, there he was in her life. Ever since she first met him and she read those swirls of attraction in his true-self, she knew he was the one for her. So maybe she was jealous. Why shouldn't she be?
The more she thought about it, the more she came to the conclusion that it wasn't jealousy so much as aggravation. Ten long months and Buba had never made a single move despite the fact that she knew he was attracted to her and had deep feelings for her, despite the fact that she'd given him about a million signals, still he hesitates and doesn't do anything. That more than anything ticked her off this night when his ever-familiar aura patterns started to shift toward Kate the same was they did toward her. Fear of losing him before she ever had him. He was too shy for his own good. So she would just have to make the first move.
A loud thud echoed against the door. Lisya's eyes darted up toward the sound, her otherworldly vision piercing through the wood as if it wasn't there. Two adrenaline-pumped males were tearing each other apart and one of them was so full of rage that his aura burned like the flames of the sun nearly blinding her. Her hand shot up, shaded her eyes and then it struck her like a blow to the stomach.
"Ben," gasped Lisya.
The knife pierced unnoticed through Buba's left side as he rammed into Greg. His hands seized hold of the name caller's neck and hurled him over Buba's head, clear down the hall, straight into Lisya's door. Buba turned, his eyes burned with untamable fury, blood oozed from his side and he dove onto Greg, fists flying. Each impact produced hallow, sickening thuds as Greg's face split and bleed, twisting into some kind of wrenched Halloween mask.
"I am not retarded!" Buba screamed. Each word was punctuated with an unstoppable fist of fury.
The door flung open and Lisya went for Buba. Her hands slapped against the sides of his face, palms pressing deeply into his temples. But the contact was short-lived. Buba flicked her off of him without a second thought, sending her into the wall directly to his right as his fists continued to hammer into Greg's rapidly mashing skull.
He wasn't there anymore, lost in a sea of hysterics from which he couldn't escape.
Think, Lisya, think. Time was running out for Lisya. If she couldn't stop this soon, Buba was going to kill Greg. Of that there was no doubt. The beast that had lain dormant in Buba's soul for so long was finally released and it scared her something fierce. Never in her life had she seen such ferocity and there was a big doubt as to whether or not she could contain it within herself.
She pushed to her feet, intent on trying to suck the anger from Buba's aura with her dying breath if that's what it took, however, she paused as her eyes landed upon the fallen knife as it lay on the floor a foot or so behind Buba.
Quickly, Lisya knelt in front of the knife and gathered it up. With her index finger, she wiped away the blood and started to draw a triangle on the floor. Don't let me down, Adara. She added a curved s-shape to either side of the triangle tip pointed toward Buba, placed a dot at each angle inside the triangle, then finished it off with a small square box directly in the center of the triangle. After tossing the knife away, Lisya lowered her head and slowly began to murmur in an ancient tongue rarely heard in these lands anymore. Each word grew sharper and louder on her lips, while the bloody symbol grew darker and darker. When she finished, she looked up, her eyes a solid shade of black, not a single speck of white was found.
Lisya hesitated as she lowered her finger toward the square box in the center of the triangle. "Forgive me," she murmured right before touching the square.
In front of her, Buba's head flew back, eyes sprung open, and a shriek of animalistic terror erupted from his lips. A stream of brilliant yellow light exploded from his mouth and eyes for all of two seconds, and then his entire body shuddered violently as if it was being ripped apart from the inside out.
Moments later, Buba turned to stone.
Lisya collapsed in exhaust where she knelt, her eyes clearing.
The small cluttered office was a picture-perfect image for the Society of Disorganization. In the center of it all, Haley Croft looked just as disorganized as her surroundings. Loose strands of light brown hair tickled at her cheeks as she rummaged through the stacks of folders in front of her. She knew the information she sought was here, somewhere. It was just a matter of finding it.
Being the youngest ever assigned to the project had made her somewhat of an outsider, but that was okay with her. All her life she remained secluded, opting for a more private approach to life. She was a genius, after all, and not many people could compare to that. When she did get out, the people she interacted with didn't really do much for her. So instead she preferred to stay locked away, doing something more productive with her time.
Now, though, reality was starting to break through. This experiment was getting carried away and she was beginning to regret her part in it all. They wanted to shun her because she was young? Fine with her. She was still the smartest person here, and she was still going to show them just how wrong they were.
Aha! She found it. With a jerk that sent files tumbling over the desk and scattering to the floor, Haley lifted the memo triumphantly and glanced over it.
To: Project Leaders
Subject: Species 12d
It has come to our attention that several of you are encouraging interaction with the test subjects. This will not be tolerated. There is to be no communication attempts. These things are not people and they will not be treated as such. Least we forget what happened with Species 1. That mistake will NOT be tolerated again.
If these actions continue, you will be arrested on site and detained until you can be returned back to our world and you will face criminal charges. Including the death penalty.
Pshaw. As if these people deserved to be treated like animals. She's had enough of this. Time for a change all right. She crumpled the paper and tosses it aside, then slipped out of her office.
It didn't take long for her to find the corridor she was looking for. As she strode down the hall, her lab coat flapping around her legs, she set herself with the determined will of a woman on a mission. There would be no stopping her. Not this time.
When she found the cell she was looking for, she skidding to a halt then turned toward the occupant and nodded. "I'm Dr. Croft," she said, a slight tremble tried to enter her voice but she swallowed it.
"You? A doctor? How old are you? Twelve?" the occupant said.
Ugh! She made a rude noise and tossed her hands into the air with frustration. "I'm risking my life coming here and what do you do? You insult me! And I'm sixteen, okay!"
The large man stepped toward the barrier between them. Haley's eyes scanned that mysterious, metallic arm of his with wonder. There were many strange things in this world, that she couldn't deny. But using these people as lab rats... no, she couldn't be a part of that anymore. Even if they were rude to her.
"What do you want?" he asked.
You. She blinked and shook her head, clearing her throat. "I want to help you escape. There's no time to explain things right now, but you need to go. Quickly."
"Why?"
"What's the matter with you?" Haley couldn't believe this. What kind of prisoner asks why when someone offers to help them escape? "I'm letting you go. Isn't that enough?"
"Not if this is some kind of test. Which is damn sure feels like. What do you do? Let me go; meanwhile, all the hidden cameras watch me to see what I do? Nice try, girl."
This was ridiculous. The longer she stood here and argued, the closer she came to being caught. Time for action. "Wait here," she said as she turned to walk back down the hall.
"Wait! If you are really letting me go, release the two on either side of me, as well. I'll need backup because I can't leave without my sword."
Sighing, Haley stormed down the hall. This was getting too complicated. She took a right, then came to a halt in front of a hooded figure.
"Open cells 5, 6, and 7. Authorization Croft-Beta-Z."
The hooded figure mumbled incoherently, its head nodding faintly.
She returned in time to see two men and a woman emerging from their cells. "Quickly, this way." She ordered, turning once again back the way they came.
Down the hall they ran, passing several of those cloaked figures along the way. As they approached the end of a narrow hall, she came to a halt and looked back. "Okay, the exit is right around the corner. Two guards, though. You should be able to stop them." Before the man with the metal arm could protest, she continued. "I'll get your sword for you. About a mile from here you will come to a small pond. I'll bring it to you there. Go, now."
The man looked at her in doubt. She could read those thoughts for sure. His opinion that this was some kind of scam was growing even stronger with each passing minute. She didn't blame him.
"That'll be hard," he said. "Only I can touch the sword. Surely you didn't forget what happened to the others that tried to take it?"
That's right! Shit. Haley frowned. But before she could say anything, someone else spoke up, someone that wasn't there.
"Hey, numbnuts, I can make it so she can touch it, too."
"Who said that?" Haley asked, eyes wide.
The man glanced at his arm, then shrugged at her. "Don't worry about it. Get the sword and meet us there. I'm trusting you despite my better judgment." And with that, he motioned to the others and headed around the corner.
Haley stood there a moment, lips pressed tightly together, listening.
"Hey! You three don't belong-"
The struggle wasn't much of a struggle. Two bodies slammed against the wall, echoing down the hall, then the door flew open and closed a few moments later.
Haley peeked around the corner at the fallen guards, then took off back the way she came. Getting the sword would be a challenge, but she could do it. Or she'd die trying.
To be continued...
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