Synesthesia - Chapter Thirteen
Nov. 28th, 2011 06:57 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dracoqueen22Title: Synesthesia
Rating: T (for violence and language and some gore)
Description: Ethan has lived with his gift -- hearing emotions as music -- his entire life. And he's learned to cope with it. But when a serial killer makes a home in his town, and he's contacted by different groups all wanting to make use of his ability, he finds himself dragged into the thick of things. And all he wants to do is be left alone.
[Back to the Beginning] [Previous Chapter]
“Ethan!”
His head throbbed. He smelled gasoline and burnt metal. He tasted blood. He ached, his body throbbed. It felt like someone had thrown him off a cliff and he'd hit every rock on the way down.
“Ethan!”
A warm hand cupped his cheek. Please, God, let him be all right.
Ethan groaned and relief rang in the air, like a chorus of female voices. No words, just a haunting melody.
“Open your eyes, Ethan, please. I can't carry you.”
It felt like something had sealed his left eye shut. Something wet and sticky. But he managed to peel open his right eye, recognizing Mel leaning over him, bleeding from a cut in her cheek. She looked worried, her eyes bloodshot.
“Can you move?”
He honestly hadn't tried yet. Ethan twitched and gasped as his left arm ached and his legs felt pinned by something.
“... No.” Ethan coughed, throat hoarse. “My legs...”
Mel disappeared from sight and in her absence, Ethan could see what looked to be twisted metal, jagged glass, and torn insulation. He looked down, found his legs pinned by the steering column. He could feel his toes though, wiggle them even, so paralysis wasn't high on his list of concerns.
His left arm, though, was crushed by the crumpled door. He couldn't move it no matter how hard he tried.
The smell of gasoline and fire grew stronger; he choked on it. Why the hell was it so hot? What the hell happened?
“Jaiden!” Mel's voice. “Ethan's trapped. Give me a hand.”
There was a low curse – irritation – and then the sound of scrabbling. Jaiden appeared but briefly in Ethan's line of sight. He was leaning in through the shattered window.
“Try pulling the--”
“I know,” Jaiden said shortly.
There was a pop and suddenly, Ethan jerked backward. The motion jarred his shoulder and he hissed. But there was more room on his legs now. He could probably slip them free – maybe.
“Grab his shoulders,” Jaiden said.
Ethan's voice wouldn't work fast enough for him to protest. He gasped when Mel grabbed him under his left arm, pain and nausea swamping his senses; bile crept into his throat.
Jaiden cursed, but Ethan blacked out again.
o0o0o
“We can't call the police!”
“We have to do something. Ethan needs a doctor!”
Mel and Jaiden were arguing. The sound filtered through a dim haze of consciousness. He peeled the one eye open again, staring up at a blue sky with a single white, fluffy cloud. He must have been lying on the ground because bits of stone were digging into his back.
“It's scrapes, cuts, and a dislocated shoulder.”
“You don't know that for sure.”
“Maybe not. But I do know that he'll go straight to a jail cell from a hospital,” Mel hissed.
Ethan groaned and tried to sit up, his left arm hanging limply at his side. The moment he did so, Melanie and Jaiden noticed, attention shifted from arguing over him.
“Ethan?”
“What the hell happened?” he demanded, mind spinning a thousand miles a minute, along with the dull throbbing of his skull. He tasted blood on his tongue.
“Taylor happened,” Jaiden said sourly. “I kept him from killing us but I couldn't save your car.”
Ethan glanced to the right, saw the twisted heap of metal that had been his Honda. His dad had helped him buy that car, damn it. And it wasn't the best of vehicles. It wasn't sporty or cool, but it was reliable. It had sentimental value. Goddamn it. Trust the Kinetics to keep on ruining his life.
“... My arm hurts.”
“I know.” Mel chewed on her lip, looking less bouncy as she glanced between Ethan and Jaiden. “It's dislocated. Look, Ethan, it's your call. We can either call an ambulance or you can go home and we'll patch you up.”
Funny how it was his call now that he was awake. Otherwise, they might have argued over his unconscious body until the decision was taking from them.
It was hard to think with his head throbbing and his arm aching though. Ethan knew what he should do logically. But logic wasn't serving him well right now. He just wanted to sleep, after getting on the outside of an entire bottle of Advil. He didn't have anyone to call for help, save his mother, and Ethan was loathe to put this burden on her shoulders.
Of course, reality chose that moment to intrude in the form of sirens in the distance, no doubt summoned by the billow of grey smoke that was rising in the sky. Some helpful citizen had probably worried about a forest fire or something similar. Ethan was running out of time, losing his chance to make a decision.
“Call my mother,” Ethan said, with much reluctance, and winced, the sun was too damn bright in his eyes. He rattled off the number to Jaiden and then closed his eyes, pain spiking behind them.
He heard the noise of a cell phone being dialed even as the sirens grew louder. No way was his mother going to get here before the fire trucks did. They were shit out of luck.
But the next thing Ethan knew, he felt himself lifted and shamelessly slung over a bony shoulder – it had to be Jaiden's. Mel was far too short to carry him. Ethan grunted, head spinning, but Jaiden didn't even offer an apology as he took off at just short of a run, crashing into the underbrush of the dense forest that crowded the road.
Stray branches slapped Ethan in the face. Something wet and warm was dripping down his cheek and he still couldn't see out of his right eye.
“This is fucking stupid,” Jaiden said; he must, Ethan realized, be directing his words at Mel, since none of this had been Ethan's idea in the first place. “They're going to realize that's Ethan's car.”
“We can say it was stolen.”
“... I'm beginning to wonder if you've thought anything out.”
“Yeah, well, no one asked you.”
Pain and dizziness quickly bathed Ethan in a much welcome darkness. If there was anything he wanted to miss, it was the sound of Jaiden and Melanie arguing like a couple of two-year-olds.
o0o0o
Ethan woke with a bitten off scream and pain striking through his left arm. He jerked, writhed, but someone's hand was pinning his chest down – a Kinetic if the resonating silence was any clue. His eyes snapped open – both of them this time, a marked improvement! – and his free hand shot out, trying to push away the source of his pain.
Fingers caught his wrist, stopping the motion. Ethan blinked muzzily, a blur of faces peering down at him.
“I'm sorry,” Jaiden said, and the hand removed itself from his chest. “I had to relocate your shoulder.”
“Was it missing?”
Mel snorted as fingers unlaced themselves from Ethan's wrist. “Funny guy. I didn't know you had a sense of humor.”
“That's the shock talking.”
Ethan's vision cleared. He could see Jaiden and Melanie, and felt the presence of others in the room. Not just any room either, but his bedroom at Darryl's house. He'd know those faded posters anywhere.
“Is he awake? Can we see him now?” His mother's voice, urgent and worried, floated through an open doorway.
Ethan stiffened, blood draining from his face. He was home while battered and bruised and his mother must have met Mel. Mel who probably couldn't keep her mouth shut if her life depended on it.
No. This was his own fault. He'd told them to call his mother. Somehow, his pain-fogged mind had thought that the only rational choice. He'd have to tell her the truth anyway. She deserved it by now, didn't she?
“Yeah, come on in,” Melanie said, heedless of Ethan's pending meltdown.
Ethan forced himself to sit up, unwilling to face this lying down. Motion made him ache and wince so the first thing his mother saw was him grimacing in pain. Her expression instantly melted with concern, the force of which flooded Ethan's ears.
“Ethan! Honey, are you okay? I told them you should see a doctor. Jaiden's nice, but there's no way he's qualified--”
He held up a hand to stop her tirade, knowing she could go on for hours if given enough fuel. “Mom.”
Hands searched him for more injuries – those in sight neatly bandaged. His mother's brown eyes were dark and troubled. She wouldn't hold his gaze.
“Oh my god, you're bruised everywhere,” she breathed.
“Mom,” Ethan repeated, the worry pounding through his skull with a heavy bass line and violin screech. Her touch was only making it worse.
Pain spiked and Ethan gasped, his head feeling as if it would explode.
“Mrs. Taft!” Mel said loudly and then there was complete relief. She must have pulled Jeanine back to give Ethan some breathing room. “You're hurting him.”
“How?” His mother sounded terrified, and now, she took more steps backward, hands held tightly to her side.
Ethan shook his head. “I'm fine,” he bit out.
“No, your control is shit right now,” Melanie corrected. “You can't block it out as well, can you?”
Ethan hated it when Melanie was right, an occurrence that was, of late, happening more often than he'd like.
“No,” he admitted hoarsely, and looked at his mother. “Sorry. It's not you.” He tilted his head to the side. “Well, it was you but not intentionally. You couldn't have known.” He was babbling. Great.
A warm, soft hand covered his, chasing away some of the pain and muffling the deluge of emotions rattling the walls and Ethan's ears.
“I've set up a damper for you,” Mel explained as she let go of his hand. “It should help, even if it is only temporary.”
“Thanks,” Ethan said, his mouth dry as his gaze fell away. He wasn't sure he wanted to see his mother's reaction. Thanks to Melanie he wouldn't have to feel it.
“No problem,” Mel replied cheerily, and oblivious to the tension, she hastily added, “We'll leave you two alone now. You're overdue for a talk.”
Mel and Jaiden abandoned him before Ethan could protest and he was left alone with his mother. Jeanine lingered several feet away as though terrified to touch him. He had no clue what to say and restlessly plucked at his old yarn blanket with his fingers.
“Ethan?”
“I'm an empath.” Well, better to blurt it out than say nothing at all.
His mother said nothing, probably startled into silence, so Ethan babbled on, anything to fill the uncomfortable quiet. “That means that I can sense emotions, though in my case, I hear them. It's like a real life soundtrack.”
For a long moment, the only noise Ethan could ear was the sound of their breathing.
“Can you hear me... now?”
“Yeah.” The fingers of one hand bunched in the blankets. “You're worried and scared... confused... guilty.” His gaze snapped up, focusing on his mother. “Why are you guilty?”
Jeanine swallowed noisily. “Because you're my son,” she said quietly. “You're my son and I never noticed, never guessed. I never even realized that you were carrying that burden.” Her eyes were big and brown, glistening with unshed tears.
“It's not that bad,” Ethan protested, feeling guilty himself. “I've learned to live with it.”
But that, apparently, wasn't reassuring because Jeanine choked on her next breath and covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes filling with tears.
“That's not the point,” she said in a strained voice. “Why didn't you tell me sooner, Ethan?”
For so many reasons, too. Too many to name, too complex and varied. He was protecting her. He was protecting himself. He had been a coward, afraid to see rejection in her eyes. Or worse, pity. He didn't want to be treated like a science project. He didn't want people to see him as a freak.
Ethan sighed; he had to say something. “I didn't want you to worry.”
“I worry more when I don't know what is going on,” His mother replied and she finally approached the bed, sitting on the edge of it. “Ethan, tell me what's going on.”
He winced. “It's a long story.”
“Right now, we have the time.”
So Ethan told her. There was no reason not to. He told his mother everything he considered relevant and even a few things that probably weren't. He explained all that he knew and what Jaiden had told him, as well as Melanie's story.
His mother was quiet the whole time, listening without judging, even when he fumbled over Adrayan's death. The truth as Ethan knew it, and what he suspected.
By the time he finished, Ethan fnally felt like he could breathe again. The weight was still on his shoulders, but the worry over his secrets had vanished.
All that remained was to wait for his mother to absorb the truth. She was quiet for several long moments and then, finally, reached out and took his hand. Ethan braced himself but whatever Mel had done seemed to be working still. His mother's emotions were a muted pulse in his ears, bearable.
“I won't lie and say I completely understand,” his mother said, holding his gaze. “But I am your mother and I do love you. Me – Darryl and Chrissy, too – we're here for you.”
Something thick and heavy in Ethan's chest cracked and loosened. “Thanks,” he said. “And I'm sorry to make you worry.”
Jeanine managed a light chuckle. “I think it's a requirement, that children worry their parents.” She sighed. “Then where do we go from here?”
“I don't know,” Ethan answered honestly. “What am I supposed to do?”
“My guess? Find the Valda Bomber before she finds you,” Jaiden said from the doorway.
Ethan looked up and found the Kinetic lounging against the frame. How long had he been standing there? And hadn't his mother told him it was rude to eavesdrop?
“And before the police decide that you are somehow to blame,” Melanie added, appearing in the other half of the doorway.
The both of them had been eavesdropping, probably the whole time, too, Ethan realized sourly. Too tired to put up a fuss, Ethan he ignored it.
“They're already suspicious. Even moreso since they found Ethan's Honda,” Jaiden added.
Ethan blinked. “Wait. What?”
“They were here this morning,” his mother explained. “We told them that your car had been stolen and we hadn't had the chance to report it because you'd gotten sick.”
“They'll want to talk to you later. So we need to make sure we got our stories straight,” Mel added with a smack of her lips and a pop of her chewing gum.
Ethan gaped. “How long was I out?”
“Adrayan's funeral was the day before yesterday,” his mother filled in for him, her voice soft in recognition of Ethan's loss.
He'd lost almost two whole days. He'd missed classes and work. Damn it.
“There's more,” Mel said, adjusting her glasses with the tip of one finger. “There was another murder yesterday.”
That sick feeling returned to Ethan's gut. “Who?”
“One of the professors at your school,” Jaiden explained. “It's almost like the killer is trying to set you up now. Before, it was random, now she's aiming for people connected to you.”
“She knows who I am,” Ethan replied, as though that were explanation enough in itself.
His mother blinked, brow furrowing in confusion. “And you're sure the serial killer is a woman?”
“I heard her voice,” Ethan answered, not liking the reminder of that night. “I'm sure.”
“You didn't recognize it?” Melanie asked.
Ethan tossed her a glare. “No, I didn't. It would be a lot easier to find her if I did.” He didn't want to explain that fear, hysteria, and the sudden influx of dark emotions had contributed to the fact he couldn't recognize the voice. The only thing his frazzled mind could focus on was that the killer was female. That was it.
“Easy,” Jaiden said, holding up a hand, as if he recognized the rise in Ethan's temper, and he wasn't even the empath here. “We have to work together.”
“Then where does that leave us?” Ethan's mother asked, her eyes skipping between the two Kinetics and her son. “What do we do now?”
Mel smacked her gum. “We wait.”
“For what?”
“For her to make her next move,” Jaiden clarified, scratching at his chin.
Jeanine's eyes widened as Ethan's heart climbed into his throat. “You mean you want to use my son as some kind of bait?” his mother demanded.
Mel shifted uneasily. “I don't see where we have a choice. From what we've seen, she's set her eyes on Ethan. He's her target.”
“And she's working with Taylor,” Jaiden added. “Which means we've got two foes for the price of one.”
“What? When did that happen?” Ethan demanded. Clearly, he had missed something while he was unconscious.
“You were sleeping. You wouldn't remember,” Melanie said dismissively, flicking her hand through the air. “Besides, that's not the point. Ethan's not the only one in danger. Innocent people are dying, too. Innocent people were dying first, if you recall.”
Ethan's mother frowned. “I don't like this plan.”
“It's the only plan we have,” Jaiden replied. “We're not exactly amateurs. At least, I'm not.”
Jeanine sighed and squeezed Ethan's hand, looking much older. “I understand. Just be careful.”
“Trust me, Mom. I've no intention of dying,” Ethan said. And if a part of him wanted revenge for Dray, too... well, that was his secret to keep.
Dray was his best friend, his only friend, truth be told. His death was Ethan's fault, and Ethan would have to live with that.
But he wouldn't have to fail Dray as well. He would find the serial killer and he would end her.
“We're not going to let that happen,” Mel said firmly, for once sounding more mature and less like her playful self. “We're here to protect him.”
Jeanine glared, jaw firming with stubborn resolve. “And take him away as soon as this is all done.”
“Not by force,” Jaiden corrected, looking fidgety under Jeanine's disapproving stare. “It has to be consensual or it's meaningless. After this, if Ethan wants, we'll leave. But there's no guarantee Kryptos will do the same.”
“Yeah, they generally don't stop until their target is dead,” Mel added.
Jeanine paled. Ethan's face probably reflected the same ghostly pallor.
“In other words, if I want to live, I have no choice but to join one of you,” Ethan said flatly.
Mel and Jaiden exchanged glances, but it was Mel who answered. “Our groups are slightly different but we still can't continue to give away our services for free.”
Ethan sighed.
“For now, however, we'll worry about the larger threat. We can decide the rest later,” Jaiden added, and pulled a cell phone out of his pocket. “Which means I'll need to contact some back up.”
“I thought you said you could handle Taylor,” Ethan demanded as his shoulder started to throb again.
“I can,” Jaiden replied, searching through his contacts before finding the number he needed. “But not while he's teamed up with a hydrokinetic. I'm confident, not an idiot.
He turned out of the doorway, already pressing the phone to his ear. “Phil? It's Jaiden. Let me speak to Charlotte.” His voice faded as he disappeared down the hall, leaving Ethan no chance to eavesdrop in kind.
Ethan shifted his gaze to Mel. “Why do you think Taylor and the serial killer are working together?”
“A woman was driving the car that crashed into yours,” Melanie explained. “I didn't get a good look at her face, but considering the water that slapped us across the road, it had to be her.”
Ethan's brow furrowed. “Jaiden drove them both off?”
“I helped,” Mel retorted indignantly. “I gave them both something else to think about.” She tapped her temple with a wolfish grin.
A part of him didn't even want to know.
“Then what's the plan?” Jeanine asked. “We just sit around and wait?”
“No. Ethan goes about his business as usual and we watch him,” Mel said, which sounded pretty basic to Ethan. Did that even count as a plan?
He sighed, feeling oddly tired for having been unconscious for the past two days. “I really don't like this plan.”
Mel grinned and clapped him on the shoulder, making silence reign. “Don't worry. We won't let you die.”
“I feel so relieved.”
* * * *
a/n: Three more chapters to go! I do hope you enjoyed.
More updates to come!
[Next Chapter]
Rating: T (for violence and language and some gore)
Description: Ethan has lived with his gift -- hearing emotions as music -- his entire life. And he's learned to cope with it. But when a serial killer makes a home in his town, and he's contacted by different groups all wanting to make use of his ability, he finds himself dragged into the thick of things. And all he wants to do is be left alone.
[Back to the Beginning] [Previous Chapter]
---------------------
Chapter Thirteen
---------------------
Chapter Thirteen
---------------------
“Ethan!”
His head throbbed. He smelled gasoline and burnt metal. He tasted blood. He ached, his body throbbed. It felt like someone had thrown him off a cliff and he'd hit every rock on the way down.
“Ethan!”
A warm hand cupped his cheek. Please, God, let him be all right.
Ethan groaned and relief rang in the air, like a chorus of female voices. No words, just a haunting melody.
“Open your eyes, Ethan, please. I can't carry you.”
It felt like something had sealed his left eye shut. Something wet and sticky. But he managed to peel open his right eye, recognizing Mel leaning over him, bleeding from a cut in her cheek. She looked worried, her eyes bloodshot.
“Can you move?”
He honestly hadn't tried yet. Ethan twitched and gasped as his left arm ached and his legs felt pinned by something.
“... No.” Ethan coughed, throat hoarse. “My legs...”
Mel disappeared from sight and in her absence, Ethan could see what looked to be twisted metal, jagged glass, and torn insulation. He looked down, found his legs pinned by the steering column. He could feel his toes though, wiggle them even, so paralysis wasn't high on his list of concerns.
His left arm, though, was crushed by the crumpled door. He couldn't move it no matter how hard he tried.
The smell of gasoline and fire grew stronger; he choked on it. Why the hell was it so hot? What the hell happened?
“Jaiden!” Mel's voice. “Ethan's trapped. Give me a hand.”
There was a low curse – irritation – and then the sound of scrabbling. Jaiden appeared but briefly in Ethan's line of sight. He was leaning in through the shattered window.
“Try pulling the--”
“I know,” Jaiden said shortly.
There was a pop and suddenly, Ethan jerked backward. The motion jarred his shoulder and he hissed. But there was more room on his legs now. He could probably slip them free – maybe.
“Grab his shoulders,” Jaiden said.
Ethan's voice wouldn't work fast enough for him to protest. He gasped when Mel grabbed him under his left arm, pain and nausea swamping his senses; bile crept into his throat.
Jaiden cursed, but Ethan blacked out again.
“We can't call the police!”
“We have to do something. Ethan needs a doctor!”
Mel and Jaiden were arguing. The sound filtered through a dim haze of consciousness. He peeled the one eye open again, staring up at a blue sky with a single white, fluffy cloud. He must have been lying on the ground because bits of stone were digging into his back.
“It's scrapes, cuts, and a dislocated shoulder.”
“You don't know that for sure.”
“Maybe not. But I do know that he'll go straight to a jail cell from a hospital,” Mel hissed.
Ethan groaned and tried to sit up, his left arm hanging limply at his side. The moment he did so, Melanie and Jaiden noticed, attention shifted from arguing over him.
“Ethan?”
“What the hell happened?” he demanded, mind spinning a thousand miles a minute, along with the dull throbbing of his skull. He tasted blood on his tongue.
“Taylor happened,” Jaiden said sourly. “I kept him from killing us but I couldn't save your car.”
Ethan glanced to the right, saw the twisted heap of metal that had been his Honda. His dad had helped him buy that car, damn it. And it wasn't the best of vehicles. It wasn't sporty or cool, but it was reliable. It had sentimental value. Goddamn it. Trust the Kinetics to keep on ruining his life.
“... My arm hurts.”
“I know.” Mel chewed on her lip, looking less bouncy as she glanced between Ethan and Jaiden. “It's dislocated. Look, Ethan, it's your call. We can either call an ambulance or you can go home and we'll patch you up.”
Funny how it was his call now that he was awake. Otherwise, they might have argued over his unconscious body until the decision was taking from them.
It was hard to think with his head throbbing and his arm aching though. Ethan knew what he should do logically. But logic wasn't serving him well right now. He just wanted to sleep, after getting on the outside of an entire bottle of Advil. He didn't have anyone to call for help, save his mother, and Ethan was loathe to put this burden on her shoulders.
Of course, reality chose that moment to intrude in the form of sirens in the distance, no doubt summoned by the billow of grey smoke that was rising in the sky. Some helpful citizen had probably worried about a forest fire or something similar. Ethan was running out of time, losing his chance to make a decision.
“Call my mother,” Ethan said, with much reluctance, and winced, the sun was too damn bright in his eyes. He rattled off the number to Jaiden and then closed his eyes, pain spiking behind them.
He heard the noise of a cell phone being dialed even as the sirens grew louder. No way was his mother going to get here before the fire trucks did. They were shit out of luck.
But the next thing Ethan knew, he felt himself lifted and shamelessly slung over a bony shoulder – it had to be Jaiden's. Mel was far too short to carry him. Ethan grunted, head spinning, but Jaiden didn't even offer an apology as he took off at just short of a run, crashing into the underbrush of the dense forest that crowded the road.
Stray branches slapped Ethan in the face. Something wet and warm was dripping down his cheek and he still couldn't see out of his right eye.
“This is fucking stupid,” Jaiden said; he must, Ethan realized, be directing his words at Mel, since none of this had been Ethan's idea in the first place. “They're going to realize that's Ethan's car.”
“We can say it was stolen.”
“... I'm beginning to wonder if you've thought anything out.”
“Yeah, well, no one asked you.”
Pain and dizziness quickly bathed Ethan in a much welcome darkness. If there was anything he wanted to miss, it was the sound of Jaiden and Melanie arguing like a couple of two-year-olds.
Ethan woke with a bitten off scream and pain striking through his left arm. He jerked, writhed, but someone's hand was pinning his chest down – a Kinetic if the resonating silence was any clue. His eyes snapped open – both of them this time, a marked improvement! – and his free hand shot out, trying to push away the source of his pain.
Fingers caught his wrist, stopping the motion. Ethan blinked muzzily, a blur of faces peering down at him.
“I'm sorry,” Jaiden said, and the hand removed itself from his chest. “I had to relocate your shoulder.”
“Was it missing?”
Mel snorted as fingers unlaced themselves from Ethan's wrist. “Funny guy. I didn't know you had a sense of humor.”
“That's the shock talking.”
Ethan's vision cleared. He could see Jaiden and Melanie, and felt the presence of others in the room. Not just any room either, but his bedroom at Darryl's house. He'd know those faded posters anywhere.
“Is he awake? Can we see him now?” His mother's voice, urgent and worried, floated through an open doorway.
Ethan stiffened, blood draining from his face. He was home while battered and bruised and his mother must have met Mel. Mel who probably couldn't keep her mouth shut if her life depended on it.
No. This was his own fault. He'd told them to call his mother. Somehow, his pain-fogged mind had thought that the only rational choice. He'd have to tell her the truth anyway. She deserved it by now, didn't she?
“Yeah, come on in,” Melanie said, heedless of Ethan's pending meltdown.
Ethan forced himself to sit up, unwilling to face this lying down. Motion made him ache and wince so the first thing his mother saw was him grimacing in pain. Her expression instantly melted with concern, the force of which flooded Ethan's ears.
“Ethan! Honey, are you okay? I told them you should see a doctor. Jaiden's nice, but there's no way he's qualified--”
He held up a hand to stop her tirade, knowing she could go on for hours if given enough fuel. “Mom.”
Hands searched him for more injuries – those in sight neatly bandaged. His mother's brown eyes were dark and troubled. She wouldn't hold his gaze.
“Oh my god, you're bruised everywhere,” she breathed.
“Mom,” Ethan repeated, the worry pounding through his skull with a heavy bass line and violin screech. Her touch was only making it worse.
Pain spiked and Ethan gasped, his head feeling as if it would explode.
“Mrs. Taft!” Mel said loudly and then there was complete relief. She must have pulled Jeanine back to give Ethan some breathing room. “You're hurting him.”
“How?” His mother sounded terrified, and now, she took more steps backward, hands held tightly to her side.
Ethan shook his head. “I'm fine,” he bit out.
“No, your control is shit right now,” Melanie corrected. “You can't block it out as well, can you?”
Ethan hated it when Melanie was right, an occurrence that was, of late, happening more often than he'd like.
“No,” he admitted hoarsely, and looked at his mother. “Sorry. It's not you.” He tilted his head to the side. “Well, it was you but not intentionally. You couldn't have known.” He was babbling. Great.
A warm, soft hand covered his, chasing away some of the pain and muffling the deluge of emotions rattling the walls and Ethan's ears.
“I've set up a damper for you,” Mel explained as she let go of his hand. “It should help, even if it is only temporary.”
“Thanks,” Ethan said, his mouth dry as his gaze fell away. He wasn't sure he wanted to see his mother's reaction. Thanks to Melanie he wouldn't have to feel it.
“No problem,” Mel replied cheerily, and oblivious to the tension, she hastily added, “We'll leave you two alone now. You're overdue for a talk.”
Mel and Jaiden abandoned him before Ethan could protest and he was left alone with his mother. Jeanine lingered several feet away as though terrified to touch him. He had no clue what to say and restlessly plucked at his old yarn blanket with his fingers.
“Ethan?”
“I'm an empath.” Well, better to blurt it out than say nothing at all.
His mother said nothing, probably startled into silence, so Ethan babbled on, anything to fill the uncomfortable quiet. “That means that I can sense emotions, though in my case, I hear them. It's like a real life soundtrack.”
For a long moment, the only noise Ethan could ear was the sound of their breathing.
“Can you hear me... now?”
“Yeah.” The fingers of one hand bunched in the blankets. “You're worried and scared... confused... guilty.” His gaze snapped up, focusing on his mother. “Why are you guilty?”
Jeanine swallowed noisily. “Because you're my son,” she said quietly. “You're my son and I never noticed, never guessed. I never even realized that you were carrying that burden.” Her eyes were big and brown, glistening with unshed tears.
“It's not that bad,” Ethan protested, feeling guilty himself. “I've learned to live with it.”
But that, apparently, wasn't reassuring because Jeanine choked on her next breath and covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes filling with tears.
“That's not the point,” she said in a strained voice. “Why didn't you tell me sooner, Ethan?”
For so many reasons, too. Too many to name, too complex and varied. He was protecting her. He was protecting himself. He had been a coward, afraid to see rejection in her eyes. Or worse, pity. He didn't want to be treated like a science project. He didn't want people to see him as a freak.
Ethan sighed; he had to say something. “I didn't want you to worry.”
“I worry more when I don't know what is going on,” His mother replied and she finally approached the bed, sitting on the edge of it. “Ethan, tell me what's going on.”
He winced. “It's a long story.”
“Right now, we have the time.”
So Ethan told her. There was no reason not to. He told his mother everything he considered relevant and even a few things that probably weren't. He explained all that he knew and what Jaiden had told him, as well as Melanie's story.
His mother was quiet the whole time, listening without judging, even when he fumbled over Adrayan's death. The truth as Ethan knew it, and what he suspected.
By the time he finished, Ethan fnally felt like he could breathe again. The weight was still on his shoulders, but the worry over his secrets had vanished.
All that remained was to wait for his mother to absorb the truth. She was quiet for several long moments and then, finally, reached out and took his hand. Ethan braced himself but whatever Mel had done seemed to be working still. His mother's emotions were a muted pulse in his ears, bearable.
“I won't lie and say I completely understand,” his mother said, holding his gaze. “But I am your mother and I do love you. Me – Darryl and Chrissy, too – we're here for you.”
Something thick and heavy in Ethan's chest cracked and loosened. “Thanks,” he said. “And I'm sorry to make you worry.”
Jeanine managed a light chuckle. “I think it's a requirement, that children worry their parents.” She sighed. “Then where do we go from here?”
“I don't know,” Ethan answered honestly. “What am I supposed to do?”
“My guess? Find the Valda Bomber before she finds you,” Jaiden said from the doorway.
Ethan looked up and found the Kinetic lounging against the frame. How long had he been standing there? And hadn't his mother told him it was rude to eavesdrop?
“And before the police decide that you are somehow to blame,” Melanie added, appearing in the other half of the doorway.
The both of them had been eavesdropping, probably the whole time, too, Ethan realized sourly. Too tired to put up a fuss, Ethan he ignored it.
“They're already suspicious. Even moreso since they found Ethan's Honda,” Jaiden added.
Ethan blinked. “Wait. What?”
“They were here this morning,” his mother explained. “We told them that your car had been stolen and we hadn't had the chance to report it because you'd gotten sick.”
“They'll want to talk to you later. So we need to make sure we got our stories straight,” Mel added with a smack of her lips and a pop of her chewing gum.
Ethan gaped. “How long was I out?”
“Adrayan's funeral was the day before yesterday,” his mother filled in for him, her voice soft in recognition of Ethan's loss.
He'd lost almost two whole days. He'd missed classes and work. Damn it.
“There's more,” Mel said, adjusting her glasses with the tip of one finger. “There was another murder yesterday.”
That sick feeling returned to Ethan's gut. “Who?”
“One of the professors at your school,” Jaiden explained. “It's almost like the killer is trying to set you up now. Before, it was random, now she's aiming for people connected to you.”
“She knows who I am,” Ethan replied, as though that were explanation enough in itself.
His mother blinked, brow furrowing in confusion. “And you're sure the serial killer is a woman?”
“I heard her voice,” Ethan answered, not liking the reminder of that night. “I'm sure.”
“You didn't recognize it?” Melanie asked.
Ethan tossed her a glare. “No, I didn't. It would be a lot easier to find her if I did.” He didn't want to explain that fear, hysteria, and the sudden influx of dark emotions had contributed to the fact he couldn't recognize the voice. The only thing his frazzled mind could focus on was that the killer was female. That was it.
“Easy,” Jaiden said, holding up a hand, as if he recognized the rise in Ethan's temper, and he wasn't even the empath here. “We have to work together.”
“Then where does that leave us?” Ethan's mother asked, her eyes skipping between the two Kinetics and her son. “What do we do now?”
Mel smacked her gum. “We wait.”
“For what?”
“For her to make her next move,” Jaiden clarified, scratching at his chin.
Jeanine's eyes widened as Ethan's heart climbed into his throat. “You mean you want to use my son as some kind of bait?” his mother demanded.
Mel shifted uneasily. “I don't see where we have a choice. From what we've seen, she's set her eyes on Ethan. He's her target.”
“And she's working with Taylor,” Jaiden added. “Which means we've got two foes for the price of one.”
“What? When did that happen?” Ethan demanded. Clearly, he had missed something while he was unconscious.
“You were sleeping. You wouldn't remember,” Melanie said dismissively, flicking her hand through the air. “Besides, that's not the point. Ethan's not the only one in danger. Innocent people are dying, too. Innocent people were dying first, if you recall.”
Ethan's mother frowned. “I don't like this plan.”
“It's the only plan we have,” Jaiden replied. “We're not exactly amateurs. At least, I'm not.”
Jeanine sighed and squeezed Ethan's hand, looking much older. “I understand. Just be careful.”
“Trust me, Mom. I've no intention of dying,” Ethan said. And if a part of him wanted revenge for Dray, too... well, that was his secret to keep.
Dray was his best friend, his only friend, truth be told. His death was Ethan's fault, and Ethan would have to live with that.
But he wouldn't have to fail Dray as well. He would find the serial killer and he would end her.
“We're not going to let that happen,” Mel said firmly, for once sounding more mature and less like her playful self. “We're here to protect him.”
Jeanine glared, jaw firming with stubborn resolve. “And take him away as soon as this is all done.”
“Not by force,” Jaiden corrected, looking fidgety under Jeanine's disapproving stare. “It has to be consensual or it's meaningless. After this, if Ethan wants, we'll leave. But there's no guarantee Kryptos will do the same.”
“Yeah, they generally don't stop until their target is dead,” Mel added.
Jeanine paled. Ethan's face probably reflected the same ghostly pallor.
“In other words, if I want to live, I have no choice but to join one of you,” Ethan said flatly.
Mel and Jaiden exchanged glances, but it was Mel who answered. “Our groups are slightly different but we still can't continue to give away our services for free.”
Ethan sighed.
“For now, however, we'll worry about the larger threat. We can decide the rest later,” Jaiden added, and pulled a cell phone out of his pocket. “Which means I'll need to contact some back up.”
“I thought you said you could handle Taylor,” Ethan demanded as his shoulder started to throb again.
“I can,” Jaiden replied, searching through his contacts before finding the number he needed. “But not while he's teamed up with a hydrokinetic. I'm confident, not an idiot.
He turned out of the doorway, already pressing the phone to his ear. “Phil? It's Jaiden. Let me speak to Charlotte.” His voice faded as he disappeared down the hall, leaving Ethan no chance to eavesdrop in kind.
Ethan shifted his gaze to Mel. “Why do you think Taylor and the serial killer are working together?”
“A woman was driving the car that crashed into yours,” Melanie explained. “I didn't get a good look at her face, but considering the water that slapped us across the road, it had to be her.”
Ethan's brow furrowed. “Jaiden drove them both off?”
“I helped,” Mel retorted indignantly. “I gave them both something else to think about.” She tapped her temple with a wolfish grin.
A part of him didn't even want to know.
“Then what's the plan?” Jeanine asked. “We just sit around and wait?”
“No. Ethan goes about his business as usual and we watch him,” Mel said, which sounded pretty basic to Ethan. Did that even count as a plan?
He sighed, feeling oddly tired for having been unconscious for the past two days. “I really don't like this plan.”
Mel grinned and clapped him on the shoulder, making silence reign. “Don't worry. We won't let you die.”
“I feel so relieved.”
a/n: Three more chapters to go! I do hope you enjoyed.
More updates to come!
[Next Chapter]
