Chapter Five
Istood in position once again, this time with Kevin facing me. The hot threads shooting up my veins somehow intertwined with his scent. I took a deep breath and transferred the heat to him, and this time, the colors changed into an explosion of lights.
He moved closer—his cologne intoxicating me—so I closed the gap, wanting more . . . and a mixture of purple and blue turned into lightning before shooting up to the sky. I felt the group’s collective fear before the power went out.
The cloud we unleashed erupted across the sky, consuming the atmosphere horizontally in a raging wave.
It all happened in an instant as the force erupted right above our heads and crashed back down on itself.
The problem was, it lingered a few seconds too long before returning into its own black hole.
Not ten minutes passed before the wail of ambulances and police sirens overpowered even my breathing.
The only thing keeping me grounded was the pounding in my chest. The power had returned almost instantly after the sky returned to normal, but whatever I did was enough to start a panic.
It only took a couple of hours for it to hit the news.
And so there I was on the TV screen once again . . .
“Officials have labeled this woman as dangerous. Witnesses report a massive power outage across Nassau County following a forceful explosion visible for miles—an event authorities believe was a targeted attack by Alexa Ryan. Law enforcement is using every available resource to track her down. It is our plea with the public: If you have any information regarding her whereabouts, please come forward and assist in this police investigation. Your information could be critical.”
Well, this is what happens when shit hits the fan, isn’t it?
Everyone went into panic mode, and the mess was too much to deal with.
And damn it, I was in the middle of it all because I was the only one whose identity they knew.
I missed the days when a hospital monitor and possibly mismatched underwear were my biggest problems.
According to the news, the authorities had narrowed down our location. I’d gone and done it. I’d put everyone in freaking danger, as if life wasn’t already complicated enough. I sat for a while, trying to give my breathing a chance to return to normal.
I was afraid but couldn’t let that hold me back. “Okay, I need to get out of here.”
Nick nodded. “We all have to get out of here.”
“No, I mean alone.”
“We’re also on their radar, and if they go house to house, they’ll find us. Some of the neighbors must have seen you over the years.” Nick placed a hand on my shoulder. “And there’s no way we’re letting you face this alone.”
“I’ll stay here,” Jenny said. “If no one answers, it will be suspicious.”
“No.” Annie stepped in and grabbed Jenny’s hands. “We can’t leave you here. They’ll know this is where Ryan’s been.”
“I’ll take care of it. I’ll tell them I just moved in or something.”
“Jenny, no. We can’t have you do that.”
“Yes. Yes, you have to.” She let go of Annie. “I will be fine and you have little time. Now go pack, regroup at the training center, and then follow Jay’s plan.”
Everyone turned to Jay. He stared at her quietly as she left Annie’s side and walked up to him.
“Uh—what?” He asked what we were all thinking.
“You have the answer. I’ve heard you going over the details in your mind.” Jenny gently caressed his cheek and smiled. “In case I don’t see you again, it’s been great meeting you,” she said softly.
“Same.” He looked just as puzzled as I felt.
Jenny looked at the rest of us. “I think his plan will work. Now, go. All of you. Get your things and get out of here.”