Origin (Book 2)

Chapter 16

"I have the ability to adapt to any situation in the form of Metagor," Ben finished. "That's probably why I was working along with Sage for the Master. He thought I was valuable, in a way."

"Why couldn't you adapt to resist his mind control?" I asked.

"He was blocking my powers from doing it. Man, your dad has some real issues," he said.

"Tell me about it," I said. I didn't let my dad damper my mood, though. After losing Jake, I was glad I still had one friend left.

There was no other magic portal to take me where I needed to go, so I opted for a ride in Afterlight's auto piloted, super fast jet. I couldn't feel a thing, but the view of the ocean going by so quickly is really disorienting.

Cassie sat next to the prisoner, who we'd decided not to unmask until the others were around. He was wearing custom made cuffs that blocked his powers, and hopefully they wouldn't ever come off.

I was just waiting for Intel; I wouldn't stick around. It didn't take Cassie staring the obvious to realize that I wasn't welcome anywhere near them unless they needed my help. After I got what I needed, I'd be gone before they noticed.

Ben might have been a problem, but I would know that he was safe, and that's all that mattered.

That's how things work out, I guess.

"Are you seriously trying to go back to the place I just helped you escape from?" The voice made a reappearance in my head.

"It's not like that," I reasoned.

"Right," it said, unbelieving.

Cassie was completely ignoring me. In fact, she was ignoring both of us.

Her hands were held up to her temple. She was concentrating on something.

I let a small spark come to life in my fingers, holding it away from the expensive-looking technical equipment located at the front of the jet, behind the window.

I wish I could fly this fast. But, at least for now, I was stuck flapping sometimes bothersome wings that couldn't get me anywhere in the time I wanted.

"I'm not getting anything off him," Cassie said. "His mind is corrupted. He has no real cohesive thoughts that I can latch onto to try to read. It's as if he's some sort of zombie."

"One more reason to get him back to your base as soon as possible," I said.

"You make it sound like you won't be there for very long," she observed.

"Just an observation," I said.

Our jet was fast, but it was just another piece of technology. We still had a whole two hours left to go. Two hours filled with longing looks at Cassie, to say something I absolutely had to, and her avoidance from my gaze. My thoughts must have said enough.

The prisoner stirred in the back. He was waking up. If he broke out of those cuffs...

I jumped out of my seat and quickly tapped his hands. A simple set of handcuffs- two circles and a chain link- served as secondary protection against his strength.

"Someone's discovered a new power," Cassie said.

She wasn't there when I was fighting Sage and the others, so she wouldn't have known I could do that.