Mickey looked at me with a broken expression I could not properly describe.
’I’m so sorry, Matt.’
I looked away, concentrating on taking my apron off. A thousand thoughts were storming my mind, informing me of every horrible thing that was going to happen. In any other situation, I would be paralyzed by the chaotic mess of the future. I would have had to spend a lot of time thinking, analyzing and scheming to get this chaos under a semblance of control, to predict what was going to happen and find a way out.
But it was too late for that now. I was pretty sure that there was no way out, and maybe even no way through. The scale of the catastrophe was too large to control, and even trying was only going to debilitate me. The only thing I could do now was shut all those thoughts out and act without sparing even a moment trying to comprehend all the complications of what I was...
What I was going to lose.
Like...
’It’s okay, Mickey. Were you followed?’
It took a lot to stop that train of thought.
He shivered.
’Followed? N-no. I think.’
I folded the apron and put it on the cash register.
’Are you sure?’
Mickey fell silent.
’I’m not. But if they knew my location... I’d be dead already, right?’
Right. I didn’t know the exact situation, but it was easy to guess. There were only two possibilities: either the PA was after him... or Zero. In any case, no public place in the city was safe. The details were not that important right now. The first thing we had to do was to find somewhere to hide.
’Is it the Protectors or Zero?’
He flinched.
’The... the Protectors.’
Good. I mean, not really. Being hunted by a nearly all-powerful Agency was the farthest thing from ’good’ that I could think of, but at least it was a familiar threat. Throughout the years, I thought about how to flee from them a million times. Zero, though... if he had the same eerie abilities as his daughter, I could not even begin to think about how to avoid him.
’Listen, Matt. Let me explain...’
’Not now. We will talk later.’
I gestured for him to follow me and headed for the back exit. Mickey hesitated for a second and then followed me, looking at the floor as though he could not find the courage to face me.
Tough luck. We were in this together now, for better or worse.
Before leaving the coffee shop, I gave it a last look. Disappearing like that would get me fired for sure, right? I could not help but smile. Considering that my chances of surviving the day were minuscule, fearing for my job was really ridiculous. But still, it stung. I spent many happy days in this coffee shop. It was a shame to never see it again.
It and other things...
No, don’t think about it.
In the alley, I took out my phone and tossed it in one of the dumpsters.
’Do you still have your phone?’
Mickey nodded and produced a cheap phone from his pocket.
’It’s a burner. They can’t trace it.’
’Throw it away anyway.’
He wanted to say something, but then just nodded and dropped it on the ground.
’Matt, what are we doing?’
I started walking.
’We need to get you out of the city first. If we’re lucky, they did not cordon it off yet.’
’What if we’re not lucky?’
I looked at him and frowned. What was there to say?
’Don’t think about it. In any case, to do that, we’ll need money. So that’s where we are going.’
At the exit of the alley, I stopped and gave him a sign to wait.
My Ability extended into the street, once again tampering with the reflexive surfaces to give me a panoramic view of everything that was happening there. Maybe because of practice, or maybe because of focused calmness that took over my mind to hold the panic at bay, my ability to bend light worked better than ever. In a few moments, I held the complete picture of the street in my mind.
What I saw made my blood run cold.
The Protectors were approaching the coffee shop.
They were not the same ones that used to follow me around, but I recognized them by their carefully mundane, and yet distinct pattern of behavior.
It took me a second more to recognized them as the two foreign Protectors who worked for Mitchel. Back then, one of them aimed a gun at the back of my head. What will he do today?
I leaned on the wall, taking a few deep breaths. Mickey looked at me with worry.
’What’s wrong?’
Everything. Everything was wrong!
This was not supposed to happen to me!
I controlled my expression as to not frighten him. One look was enough to see that Mickey was at his limit: if he panicked or broke down, both of us would be finished.
’The Protectors are here. Listen to what I say and do exactly what I tell you. We are going to get out of here in one piece. Okay, Mickey?’
For a second, there was only terror in his eyes. But then, he somehow forced himself to calm down, believing me.
’Okay.’
His faith in me was as touching as it was misguided. I sighed.
Was I really doing this? Was I really going against the PA?
Deep down, I always knew that this day would come, but now that it actually did, the sheer madness of it all made my stomach churn.
Don’t think about it.
Just act.
It’s the only way you’ll survive.
I stepped out of the alley, Mickey following right behind me. I did not run or look around, acting laid-back and relaxed, as though taking a stroll. I took a turn and put my back to the Protectors, slowly walking away from them.
A second later, they noticed us.
A burning gaze full of killing intent drilled into my back. In the reflections, I saw them changing course and quickly approaching us. One was coming from behind, one from the side. And there, ahead of us, an unfamiliar man driving an old sedan suddenly accelerated, his eyes, hidden behind sunglasses, piercing me with cold determination.
The section of the street we were walking on was comparatively empty, but further down it was filled with pedestrians. If only we were able to reach them and get lost in the crowd...
No chance of that, right?
’Mickey, when I say it, run forward.’
The Protectors were nearly on us, their hands hidden in the pockets, no doubt clutching either guns or, best case scenario, tasers. But then again, was it really better to be taken by the PA alive?
The car was now almost in front of us, slowing down.
Back when Mitchel’s goons first approached me, I had no choice but to play by the rules, pretending to be an obedient little wraith despite their threats, guns and fists. But now things were different.
In a sense, it was liberating.
’Now!’
Mickey lunged forward, and at the same time, I let my Ability go. It burst out of me, spreading to its fullest, like a giant who was imprisoned in a small box for all of its life. For a moment, a profound feeling of relief flooded my body, making my head spin with exhilaration. For the first time in my life, I felt... powerful.
But it was all false, an illusion.
I forced myself to repress the desire to unleash that brute strength and used my well-practiced finesse instead.
The reflections throughout the street coalesced to shoot concentrated light beams in the eyes of the nearest Protector, blinding him. At the same time, the left tire of the car blew, and with a small push from me, it swerved out of control, flying past and rolling onto the sidewalk. The blinded Protector was hit by its bumper and flew back, crashing hard on the ground -- he was not seriously hurt, but would not be chasing us any time soon either. The driver was entangled in the airbags, cursing loudly.
The last Protector was in the process of pulling out a gun when our eyes met. The time froze for a second, and I saw sudden fear in his eyes. In the next moment, eight of my sixteen Affects crashed into him, pushing him down. His legs gave out under the pressure, and he fell with a short yelp. Sprawled on the concrete under the unbearable weight, he had to struggle just to inhale, let alone stand up or take aim.
People walking down the street rushed to their help, thinking that a car crash happened nearby.
By the time the Affects dissipated, the Protectors were surrounded by a small crowd of well-wishing civilians.
And Mickey and I were long gone.