Liberation

Chapter 25

Henley's point of view:

"You are sure this will work, right?" Will asks as we squat down behind a boulder a mere inches from the flames, charred and still smoking.

I made him give everyone a dusting of the essence of the power of transparency, enabling us to make it through the fire.

"It's one of the powers from my society. Of course I'm sure," I tell him. "Now, shall we review the plan once again?" I ask, wanting no mistakes when we get in.

"Yes. Find Peter and destroy Julia," he says simply, causing me to lightly bang my head against the rocks in response.

"No, you dim-witted fool!" I say sharply. "Yes, we are to find the boy, but remember how we changed the plan! Getting to the boy is means getting to Julia, but once we have her, I don't want to destroy her, not yet. There are still some things that I need to know, questions that she can unlock the answers to. She is to be captured and taken with us. Understood?" I demand.

He nods his head, embarrassed by his forgetfulness. I swear the only thing he is good for is developing new powers. Other than that, he's useless.

I peer out from behind the rock, looking at our police hidden as well as they wait for my call.

Gazing above the protection of the rock in the slightest, I can make out figures on the other side of the fire, staring back at us.

I dart my head back under the rock for fear of being seen, and then turn to Will.

"Let's go over what we're up against: we've got Susan, a girl with the power of joy; not a threat. Cassia, a healer, not a threat. Kyle, another healer and not a threat either. Adam's threat is his mind, but his power is not lethal. Peter's power isn't a threat either, but his strength makes him a decent opponent. But he is not to be harmed. The only threat we have is Julia, but she won't hurt Peter when we turn him against her," I say.

"What about the people controlling the fire and their own police? What about them?" Will asks.

"We'll be transparent long enough to throw them off guard and attack. After that, all that matters is getting Peter and Julia," I say, smiling to myself. "And once we have them, everything will fall into place," I finish.

A few more minutes pass by, the only noise being the quiet cracking sound of the transparent barrier, the flames eating away at it. Any moment now and it will collapse.

More and more time passes, and then suddenly I hear it: the faint shattering noise that says the barrier is destroyed, leaving only the flames.

I make a signal to the chief of police to let him know, and then I turn to Will.

"It's time," I tell him, and we both turn invisible on cue.

Slowly we creep up to the fire, and I can actually see Adam through it.

As well as Peter.

"On my count, we rush in," I say, and assume a stance.

"One..."
"Two..."

I take in a deep breath, ready to unleash all of the rage and revenge that I've hoarded for the past three miserable years.

"THREE!"