“Why do you always take my gift?” Addy accused.
“I’m sorry,” I stumbled.
“Addy, Layla is learning and we are here to help, remember?” Quinn stated sharply.
“Yeah, well it feels like she is ripping a piece of my soul out of me everytime she does that to me,” Addy said with a southern accent Layla hadn’t heard before.
“That is good to know,” Quinn remarked.
“I can feel the energy inside me but when I let it expand it grabs for each of your gifts. It becomes a need and the next thing I know I’m holding onto them and it is difficult for me to give them back. I have figured out how to take your abilities when you are sleeping without hurting you,” I explained.
“When you take all of our abilities like the day in the field can you use them?” Olyvia asked.
“I’m not sure,” I replied.
“I’ve been contemplating since your arrival to the warehouse, if your gift is to take their gifts; what would be the purpose of that? It doesn’t make sense. I believe once you are able to center your gift you will be able to figure it out. Keep practicing and try not to grab anyone else's ability,” Quinn stated.
I practiced over and over again grabbing Lucy, Wes and Sally’s gifts and quickly releasing them. I knew they felt it each time and I struggled to control my emotions. It didn’t seem fair that everyone else knew their ability and had control over it. My body was covered in a thin layer of sweat. Time ticked by and I failed over and over. I knew my ability was to take their gifts but Quinn was convinced my emotions were getting in the way of my true gift. I was growing more and more unstable and decided to take a break. The group was being patient with me and this I was thankful for. I knew I was slowly draining the group. I could see it on their faces. I sat down in a plastic white chair and consumed a gallon of water. Silas and Gabe stood near me speaking to each other but they spoke quietly and I couldn't hear their conversation. The back door to the warehouse flew open and Mike came running out yelling for Quinn and me. I shot up and ran towards him.
“The red head is awake and needs to see you,” Mike exclaimed, he was winded from running.
Years of smoking cigarettes left him coughing and hacking uncontrollably. Hannah appeared from nowhere and handed him an inhaler. Mike grimaced first at his daughter and then at the inhaler, finally giving in and taking three puffs from the inhaler.
Quinn and I hurried into the warehouse and quickly made our way to Zola’s bedside. Zola didn’t look well, in fact her skin had turned a sickly grey color. Her eyes and cheek bones were sunken deep into her head and her lips were dry and cracked. The green speckles in her eyes were now laced with tiny red veins. Her body appeared to have absorbed in on itself, leaving skin drooping over brittle bones.
“My God!” I quaked, “What is happening to her?” I asked no one in particular.
“I am dying,” Zola choked out, as if there need not be an explanation for the obvious.
Even in her deathly state she managed to smile at me. The muscles in her face forming a weak smile.
“We need to get Olyvia!” I ordered.
Quinn doesn’t move and I feel anger start to boil like water in a pot left unattended on the stove.
“Olyvia has tried to heal her, numerous times in fact and it has not been successful,” Dr. Nickels remarked, standing next to me with his damn clipboard. Always taking notes and documenting everything. I didn’t know that it even mattered anymore but I kept that thought to myself for the time being.
“Layla, you have to get me back to my people, please,” she begged.
“Why would you want to go back to them?” I asked.
“Because I will die if I don’t,” she stated.
“I don’t understand,” I quaked.
“I am connected to my people like you are connected to your people. They will come for me and they will kill everyone. They are trained killers,” she explained.
“We can keep you safe,” I said.
“Safe? I was safe with my people. I told you to leave me and you didn’t listen,” her tone was harsh.
“We had an agreement and you broke it,” she added.
“I thought I was helping you. I thought you wanted to get away from them, from Dr. Mills,” I cried.
“I was helping you and your friends. I can’t escape the Dr. Mills because I will never leave my people. Please, Let me go before they come,” she begged.
“Ok, you are free to go because unlike crazy Dr. Mills we don’t hold anyone against their will,” I hissed.
I dropped her bed rail and assisted Dr. Nickels in disconnecting the wires and IV from her. She couldn’t sit up without assistance and I didn’t think she would make it back to her group let alone out of this room. Mabel and Quinn guided her into a wheelchair. The wheelchair came from the local hospital.
Greg joked, “Never know when one of these baby’s may come in handy.”
I guess he had been right. I thought we were wasting our time collecting so many supplies but now I was thankful. I guess Dr. Nickels knew what he was doing after all. Zola cried out in pain when I wheeled her out of the warehouse and guided her to the gate. I was shocked to see two army trucks at the entrance. People from the warehouse were scattered around the parking lot and were armed with weapons. I did a quick search for the twelve and found them at the gate.
“Layla,” Zola quaked, “I can’t help you anymore. You have to remember everything I told you. Will you do that?”
I stopped the wheelchair and knelt next to her, “I saw something when I touched your hand, when you were sick. I need to know was it real or did you do something to me?”
Zola regarded me for a long moment before responding.
“It was a vision from the past and it was real. It is my gift to see the past. You must have somehow connected with me. What did you see?”
“I saw you and your people when you were children. You were being injected with something and given the tattoo on your neck. There was a police officer there and a little girl,” I stopped not sure I wanted to tell her it was me. My father was the monster that stole all of her people and brought them to that hell.
Zola’s eyes widened with recognition but she remained silent. I watched her eyes focus at nothing in particular as the memories of her childhood raced around until she found the one she was searching for. Her head shook when the memory came front and center. She closed her eyes tightly and I could see the memory was painful for her.
“Bring me to my people,” She whispered, not opening her eyes. She rubbed her forehead like the memory was causing her pain.
“I’m sorry,” I said, thinking of all the things I wanted to apologize for. The part where my father took her or the part where I left her there and never told anyone what I had seen. I guess I couldn’t tell anyone because I hadn’t remembered but I still felt guilty.
We made it to the gate and my stomach turned inside out when I watched Dr. Mills approach. I wanted nothing more then to kill him. I regretted not killing him when I had the chance and here he was standing on the other side of the gate, grinning at me. His crazed smile ever present. Mike stood by my side and Quinn on the other. I hadn’t noticed them until Quinn spoke.
“Hello, my name is Quinn and you must be Dr. Mills. I have heard much about you.”
The doctor chuckled and said, “All good things I hope?”
I went to take a step forward but Mike gently held my arm.