Chapter Eleven #2
I followed him to the living room, where Anali was running behind Jack, and Antonio was shooting a video of them.
“He’s so fast now,” Anali said, laughing.
“Be careful that he doesn’t tire you out before we continue training. Powers this time.”
“Good, I’m still so sore.”
Antonio nodded. “Facts.”
“You two will take turns training with Annie. Ryan, you get to practice with your new power. You can probably train yourself.”
“Yeah. I think I know the drill.”
“Dr. Ryder will take bloodwork during and after training.” He smiled. “So be on the lookout and do not harm that man!”
“Got it. What about you? What are you gonna do?” I asked.
“Nick has plans for combat training with Kevin. So I’ll let that be,” he said, looking out the front window, where the other three were having a heated discussion. “And I’ll assist Dr. Ryder while watching Jack.”
“Do you know how to change a diaper?” Anali asked.
“Yeah, I got this guy taken care of, I promise.”
“Better you than me, bro,” Antonio said.
“Yep, agreed,” Jay said, then walked over to stand next to Jack, who was playing with a toy near the door.
Antonio frowned. “What? Who volunteers for that kinda work, dude? It’s not like it’s your kid.”
Jay shook his head, mumbled something, and watched as the others came to join us inside.
Nick and Annie were quiet as they walked in, looking flushed. Kevin walked past Jay, bumping hard into him, and didn’t apologize. Almost like he wanted a fight, but Jay just grabbed Jack and left. Smart move, Jay.
I tried to get Kevin’s attention, but he avoided eye contact and went straight to the backyard. “What happened?” I asked.
“Just let it be.” Nick took off his sweater and adjusted his T-shirt as he cracked his neck. The brothers were about to let their fists do their talking, and based on previous moments like this, I did not want to be a witness.
Annie looked at us. “They’ll be fine. Let’s go.”
We followed her to our designated spots outside. We were all afraid to say anything after that, so we just got to work. She and the twins were just a few feet from me, so I caught Annie watching me practice every now and then.
“You’re concentrating too much.” Annie came closer. “You need to give in to the unknown rawness of your power.”
“I am!”
She shook her head. “You’re back to being the same ol’ amplifier.”
“Ugh. I don’t know how to do it again!”
“Stop trying to control it.” She turned to Anali and Antonio, who were watching us.
“Same with you two. Let it out. Whatever you think is impossible, I assure you it’s not.
It’s within you. Don’t worry about consequences.
” She pointed to her chest. “I’m telling the three of you that you’re magnificent. Now show yourself.”
“I can already astral-project myself into the future, but don’t know what else to practice.”
“Yes, Antonio. And that’s amazing. So if you have a handle on that, I’ll boost you and we can see what else is possible.” She turned to me. “Ryan, take a break. Help Anali and see if teaching her loosens whatever is blocking you.”
I felt like a wounded puppy. I took Anali a little farther away so we could concentrate with no one watching us. I needed to brush off my lack of progress and be there for Ana. “So, tell me. Exactly what can you do?”
“Nothing?” She raised her hands and let them drop. “Annie told me to concentrate on what I feel, but I don’t feel much, really.”
I placed both hands on my waist. “Well, that I can help with. Get ready to feel much, much really.”
This was something I definitely knew how to do.
My grip on Anali’s hands tightened as I channeled the sensation in my stomach, shaping it with my will. I let go of my control and allowed it to run wild. As the surge formed, I sent the command.
The dim purple light swam through my veins and drizzled into her skin. As shades of violet sparkled in her eyes, I knew mine glowed perfectly in sync. I took a step back, content with this moment of success.
I picked up a rock and then handed it to Anali. “Now concentrate on that particular spot. Try to send it there.” The location I was pointing toward was the deck’s edge, just a couple feet away from where we were standing.
After a few fails, she flung the rock at the ground and turned, trying to leave.
“Ana, come back.”
“I don’t think this will work. I’m not a teleporter like Kevin. You guys are expecting too much of me.” She let out a sigh of frustration and ran her fingers through her hair, letting it cascade down afterward.
“I’m sorry we’re pushing you.”
“No, umm.” She tilted her head, thinking. “It’s not that. I’m not like the rest of you. I feel like it’s all too hard for someone like me.”
“Ah, I see. Well. It’s not supposed to be easy. Just look at me and how much I’m struggling. I’ve been doing this for years and I’m having a rough time controlling the new stuff. But I’ll keep trying a little more before quitting.”
She shrugged. “I guess I expected that you amplifying me would work like magic.”
I thought about it. “Actually, if that’s how you’re thinking it will work, can we do it one more time? I’ll keep amplifying you as you try to transport it.”
“Okay.” She searched the ground and picked up a pebble.
I felt the floor beneath me tremble as I pulled whatever energy the earth would give me. As I transferred the charge into her, she was able to make the rock explode. Not what we were going for, but it was something.
“I’m telling you I can’t do this.”
“She’s right, she’s right.” Dr. Ryder came running toward us with Jay following behind, baby in hand. “This young man is correct. I tested her blood reaction to her brother’s boosted blood, and I could see this young man is correct indeed.”
Antonio and Annie joined us.
“So they only work together? Wouldn’t it make it stronger and better if they could manipulate their different energies individually first?” I asked.
“Oh, no, no, no. You’d think so, wouldn’t you? But not for this young lady. Her brother, sure. But together is the key.”
“I’ve only been saying this the whole time,” Jay said. “Right, baby Jack? Tell them to always listen to Jay.”
“Jay!” Jack said.
Annie gasped. “That’s your first word? Jay, really?” She grabbed the baby and hugged him.
“Jay!” The baby giggled and pulled his mom’s hair.
“Sorry, Annie.” Jay blushed and cleared his throat. “But let’s test this thing, shall we?”
“Oh yes, yes. But may I offer adv— Uh . . . Well, I’ll offer it anyway, yes. When you’re both concentrating, I need you both to think about 12:30 p.m. That’s five minutes from now.” He handed a pen to Anali.
“Okay.” Antonio nodded. “So 12:30 p.m. today. That’s our goal.”
“And this young lady’s hand.” He pointed at me.
“My hand?”
“That’s the where. Be prepared,” Dr. Ryder said, nodding excitedly. “Now you should go ahead and amplify.”
I was still confused, but placed a hand on each of them, magnifying them both, then stepped away.
Antonio and Anali each grabbed opposite ends of the pen while holding onto their free hands.
I could see a transparent version of Antonio raised about an inch above him.
Almost like a ghost. Suddenly, a flash of what seemed like her ghost also lifted off her and immediately both were sucked into the rock . . . which then disappeared.
“Wow! Are those their spirits?”
“What is what?” Jay asked, frowning.
“You can’t see that? It’s like their spirits were hovering over their bodies,” I said.
“Uh—no?”
“Ah-ha! Great job, young lady!” Dr. Ryder nodded. “You can see their leftover energies. You could feel and see! How about that?”
I just looked at Jay, shaking my head. It was best not to ask Dr. Ryder anything else until it was all over. I turned to Annie, who was sitting far away, which I could only assume was to protect Jack.
She shrugged and said, “I don’t see it either, but I feel a wild storm of energy around me. Almost like it’s trying to suck me into its eye.”
“You want to go inside?” I asked, but she didn’t have a chance to answer.
At that moment, the solid versions of Anali and Antonio opened their eyes as it was happening, but to our dismay, their eyes were black and empty.
I got up to go see if amplifying them would help again, but Jay pulled me back.
“Do not touch them, young lady,” Dr. Ryder said, nodding at Jay. “A job well done for preventing any contact.”
“It looks like they’re breathing.” Their bodies seemed to function normally, except for the void in their eyes.
They remained standing, with one hand holding on to each other, almost like two demons.
I’d have said I was looking into the abyss of their souls, but I wasn’t sure their souls were currently with us.
A few minutes later their ghostly selves snapped back into them. And before I could say anything the pen appeared in my hands, feeling warm.
“12:30 p.m. in Ryan’s hand.” Jay laughed.
“What was that?”
“That was crazy!” Anali said. “It’s like we were here, but we weren’t. I knew what was happening, and we could communicate with each other.”
“It was so awesome!” I said. “But Ana, I still think your powers do work on their own. You said you would make things disappear, and they’d appear in the future, right?”
“Uh, I think so?”
“Yes, yes. They work,” Dr. Ryder said. “But for the purpose of our intentions, this is quicker training. The girl needed to feel she wasn’t carrying the load alone.”
“Ah, yes. I can see that,” I said.
“I’ve learned, young lady, that mind games are the catalyst in using powers successfully.” He raised his hands in triumph. “Indeed, they are. Can you believe it?”
I watched as Dr. Ryder left, chuckling to himself.
Jay caught my eye and shook his head. “The word you’re looking for is anyway.”
“Guys. We did it!” Antonio said.
“Yes,” I said. “Now let’s see if we can actually time-jump ourselves.”