Power (Book 1)

Chapter 35

Mrs. North approached from the other side of the lawn. "I told you no," she repeated. "Why didn't you just listen to me?"

"You're crazy," I said. "You won't even give your daughter the help she needs to get better."

"I can take care of her at home," she said. "You have no idea what's really going on, Jay."

"Enlighten me," I said.

"Cassie can't go to the doctor because they'll find out about her alterations."

"Alterations?" I said. "What kind of alterations?"

Mrs. North looked at me, not saying a word. Her mouth was shut, a thin line that told me she didn't want to spill her secrets. But I was still hovering in the air, and she hadn't let me go, so I was still in danger.

"Years ago, before Cassie was born, we had her tested, just like every other unborn baby. She checked out healthy, but there was a problem. Her powers were already manifesting- inside of me, before she was even born. The doctors hadn't ever faced a case like that before, so they were split on what to do about it. Kill it, or let it live?" Mrs. North chuckled, recalling the memory. "They argued amongst themselves for a while, but in the end, they settled on letting it grow and deciding what to do with it once it was born. And when my little baby Cassie came out, she was the sweetest little thing. I couldn't have been happier."

Then, her tone grew bitter. "They took her from me right after her fifth birthday. I had no idea what was going on. I just thought she was in for a mandatory checkup, but when I took her in, they snatched her up and she was just gone."

I was seriously debating how much of this story I should actually believe. After all, Mrs. North, who had seemed like such a nice person at first, was now holding me ten feet in the air against my will.

"That still doesn't explain to me why she can't go to the doctor."

"Because they will take her again," Mrs. North said. "The only reason they gave her back to me in the first place was because I threatened to sue them if they didn't. Now, they have a liable reason to take her away, and this time, I won't be able to get her back."

Tears started to stream down her face. "I can't lose Cassie again," she sobbed. My feet gently came to rest on the ground.

Mood swings, much?

"How else do you suggest we help her?" I asked her.

"I don't know," she said.

I called Jake to tell him what happened. He didn't pick up. I would have to talk to Cassie in person.

"Look, Mrs. North, I have to make sure your daughter is okay," I said gently, not wanting to get hurled across the lawn again, "so I will make sure she goes to the hospital. But I'll also protect her. No doctor will take her as long as she's under my watch, I promise." I slowly approached Mrs. North to see f she was alright.

A vise-like grip began to form around my neck. I fell to my knees, clawing at my throat so I could breathe.

"Please..." I struggled to say. "Killing me...won't solve anything. But...I will make sure...nothing happens...to Cassie."

The grip intensified for a short moment, then eased. "If you let anything happen to my daughter, next time, I won't stop," Mrs. North said, her back still turned away from me.