Powers Ch. 05

She pushed off the ground and tried to break my hold. That wouldn't work. She was about to break her own arm. She had to tap out.

She screamed out in pain. There was a terrible tearing sound as our shields shaved against each other. I couldn't hold on anymore. I couldn't break her arm. She didn't tap out.

She pushed against me and I fell on the floor. Why didn't she tap out? Was she really ready to break her own arm? What kind of psycho does that? How was Eve turned into that kind of person?

Eve mounted me and there was tears running down her face.

"You're weak!"

There was disgust in her voice. Was it true? Was the reason I wasn't ready to break her arm weakness?

What kind of hell must she have gone through to be ready to break her own arm? Her Power must be so filled with confusing emotions.

I took in a taste and it was cold, dark, nothingness. Everything was just gone. It felt so wrong. I put in my love in that void. It quickly disappeared, so I put in more. For a split second she shone up, but it wasn't enough. I needed more Power. I took some of hers and I cleaned it up.

I did what I did for Em, slowly pulling out the emotions from her Power, giving her a bandaid. All while she ground and pounded me.

So what if I was weak. I had love in my life.

Eve's face glistened and it grew longer and longer between punches.

I killed my shield and pushed everything I had. Her glove lit up.

"I love you, sis. I'm so happy you're not dead."

I took every part of my being and I milked it dry for every tiny bit of Power I had, and I pushed it all into her. She lit up and the darkness closed in.

Her glove went away and she caressed my forehead.

"I love you too, stupid. Thanks for not breaking my arm."

A trickle of Power came through her hand and the fog lifted.

"Give them hell." Pain shot through my neck. Speaking was a bad idea.

"Or die trying."

I chuckled. That was an even worse idea but it felt good to hear our old fighting words. It was us against the world, and the world didn't stand a chance. Nothing could stop us, and only idiots tried. We were the Hanssons.

One second she was there. In the next she was gone. I rested my head against the mat and the lights were there. I wasn't a ranker, but I was something even better. I was a brother. No one could take that away from me again.

***

A deep beep brought me back, again and again this annoying beep. Could someone please turn it off? It's infuriating.

I cracked open an eye and my eyes were assaulted by a sharp yellow light. A gasp came from my right side, sending tendrils of pain through my brain.

Someone gripped my hand. "Mal?" I knew that voice, Em.

I tried to open my mouth and produce words. That was a terrible idea, and I was rewarded with another shot of gasping pain.

Abigail must have put me through the ringer. Hopefully an adult would stop her torment now. Wait -- no, that wasn't right.

"Eve?" My voice was a cracked husk.

"She's fine, she took care of everything. With your Power-Up she was strong enough to beat her master and capture all the Rebels. She's in the room next door."

"Water."

Em ran like a bullet but, sadly, a doctor came by and checked up on me. He asked a million stupid questions before I got my drink.

Em's eyes were carrying a heavy burden and she was hunched over where she sat.

I had done a terrible thing kissing her and leaving her like that. I had to fight to get the words out. My throat was sore and my head heavy.

"Em, part of me loves you..." She tilted her head and stared at me.

"... like a sister."

She gasped and pulled away, but I held on tight to her hand. I coughed and took a sip of water. There were tears in her eyes, threatening to spill over.

"A part of me wants more than that, but I'm..." How do I say it?

She tightly squeezed my hand and cut in,

"Confused? -- Unsure? -- What?"

"I'm scared."

"WHAT?"

"I know I'm not smart, but I'm not dumb enough to not notice what you think about me. You call it cute, adorable, or any other plethora of condescending terms, but what you really mean is stupid. I don't see why you would want a partner that can't challenge you intellectually, and I'm afraid I won't be enough. I'm terrified you'll be bored of me, and then where will I be? All alone, all over again."

"YOU'RE A MORON!"

Em stormed out and for a second I went to follow her but the pain gives me a better idea as she slammed the door.

Ten minutes later she comes back and I pretend to sleep. Awkward.

***

A scream pulled me back to reality. "Help!" Eve needed me. I rolled Em's head off my arm, and in the next second I was in the hall. There were two guys standing in full military suits.

One of them stepped in front to stop me. "You're not allowed to go in there."

I felt my anger ignite and everything slowed down. I was invincible. "You can't stop me. You have two choices, you let me in or I walk over your corpses."

There was a moment of hesitation in them before they put a hand on their knockout gas guns, like that would help them at this range. Idiots.

"We can't let you in."

There was a soft hum behind me and the white light was blinding. Em was in full gear ready to back my play. I was about to end them when her hand on my shoulder stopped me.

"Let me, I got the control to only knock them out."

Not killing people sounded like a better alternative, so I filled her with power and she jumped past me.

They were powers, but nowhere near fast enough to be a threat. Em dealt with them in a flash and I walked over their popped bodies.

Eve was straining against her restraints as a mad scientist with a needle stood over her.

"I said I didn't want to be disturbed!" He threw one quick glance at me and his shield lit up the room. I took a step forward and the coward took one back. With my next step he ran into the corner. Cowering.

I reached out behind me, taking back my energy from Em and stealing as much as I could from her in the process. I looked Em in the eye and then pointed towards the Rat before I stepped up to Eve.

"I'm here, it'll be okay. I'm here, you'll be fine."

When I got to Eve's bed I reached out and pumped all that energy into her. Her eyes flew up and her latest cry died on her lips. Her sky blue eyes looked into mine. Her taunt muscles relaxed, a slow smile spread, her hands trembled as she reached out to grab my hand.

"Thank god you're here." The relief was so apparent, I couldn't help myself.

"I didn't know you were into this kinky shit."

"OHH FUCK YOU! GET ME OUT!"

A memory triggered, I had yelled that.

"Hey, sis? Do you remember when I was ten and you trapped me in the tent?"

"No." She whispered out as her face turned ghostly pale.

"Are you sure?" I reached out and ran a tendril of power down under her sole.

"Nononono, NO!"

"Oh, yes. Payback's a bitch." I shot a whisper of power up her side and she spasmed as she laughed.

"No, please, no! I'll do anything!"

"I pleaded, but that didn't stop you."

Em looked at me funny, but a smile spread. She had older siblings, she understood. Payback was rare, and every chance was sacred. No matter how fucked up the situation.

I would have killed anyone if they messed with Eve like this, but she had done far worse over the years.

I let a tingle shoot up her neck and then went full force on all the major tickle zones. She tried to push back the energy, or to take control of it, but it was desperate attempts and quickly dismantled.

Her chain rustled as she tried to throw me off. Her screams for help were more desperate than before, and I felt a laugh bubble up.

Em's eyes grew into tea cup size and she stared intently over my shoulder.

"I wouldn't recommend laughing at stronger people, son. They might just take offence." The Corporal stood leaning against the door frame dressed in his full military suit. Alex, Abigail, Mary and the principal all peeked in the room from behind him.

Oh! Shit!

This was bad!

"Officer, arrest them!" The pipsqueak in the corner stepped forward and commanded with full authority. The principal took a step and looked down at him like you would look on a bug under your shoe.

"Dr. Radcliff, how nice to see you out of your lab, I didn't give you permission to be in this room though, so scurry along. Shush, just go."

The rat ran away with his tail between his legs.

"That goes for you two, too." The principal pointed to Em and I.

"I'm not leaving my sister with you!"

"Yes you are." His calm confidence was infuriating.

"Or what? You're going to knock me out again?"

There was a deathly silence before a shrill scream caught our attention.

"Again? GEOFFREY, what does he mean with AGAIN?" (AN: Last American 5 member is named Geoffrey if you don't remember. I don't know why I didn't name the principal long ago. Oh well.)

Mary's glove shone bright enough to light up the whole room and stung my eyes. Damn, she had some serious Power.

Alex stepped in between them and his energy pulsated with a threatening sky pink. "This isn't why we're here. You're wasting time." He walked up to Eve, sank down to her level and looked her in the eyes. "We need to know everything you know about the Rebels. The faster the better. Before they have time to find a new place to hide."

Mary took me and Em out of the room. I tried to protest but there was no point to argue, she was Powerful enough to force her will into the world.

***

The next day found me sitting in a living room by a fire with the people I cared about gathered around me. My sister was back. Everything was good. As moments go it was one I wanted to last.

If only I had known...

///// /////

I hope you enjoyed part 5 the end of Powers book 1.

I'm really, really busy with work next week so I'm going to release a story or two I worked on together with friends in lit Chat. They are porn stories. Then next is a pure urban fantasy story, that I have no idea what to call but yeah. When that's done I'll hopefully have Leafy book 2 figured out and know how to fix that story. I don't right now, I really fucked the ending of Leafy book 1 up. If I can't solve it, I got Powers book 2 planned out already. Hope you'll enjoy it all.

If you have any questions leave them in the comments and check back for my answer.

All feedback is appreciated and I can take whatever you want to say. I also know this story isn't good yet, but it's mine and I like it.