Chapter 14
Esmie stared at her hands with her mouth open. They hadn’t transformed or held the same purple coloring to them which covered the area around her eyes. Yet in a moment of panic, she used them to move objects. Could she do it again?
“Hold on, did you say my first power to show? Meaning, I’ll have more than one?” Esmie’s gaze roved from her hands to Samson’s face. He nodded and her gaze went back to her hands.
“Why do you think she’ll exhibit more than one?” Leo picked up the tools from the floor. Samson helped.
“When our supervisors had us helping with the test subjects, I overheard two executives discuss how purple glass was created. They wanted it to have more than one power property so they wouldn’t need the other colored glasses.” Samson threw several of the tools in a sink to be sterilized.
“Executives? Like from a company?” Esmie took her eyes off her hands to pay better attention to the conversation. She could mess around with her powers later.
“Good catch, Quita. You are almost as smart as me.” Leo smirked at her.
Esmie rolled her eyes. “We’re not exactly sure why Andloor Capitol wanted glass made.
We have our theories but nothing concrete.
They tried several iterations, but none panned out.
Our superiors had us take a break from it for a few months.
Next thing we know, Genetronetics TMC is in the building overseeing our laboratories and inserting themselves into the testing.
Purple glass was introduced almost immediately afterward and the one with the most radiation,” Leo answered.
“One of our theories is this project became too difficult for the lab to manage, so they needed an outside company to keep the project going. Genetronetics would be the perfect company as genetics is their realm of expertise and they have a lot more resources at their disposal than Andloor Capitol. I’m sure there’s an NDA in place or something to keep the project under wraps.
The Capitol maintains control somehow so that Genetronetics doesn’t take off with the research and complete it on their own.
With the way they are involved in all decisions and research information, plus receiving some type of profit or incentive, it’s a win-win. ”
“A dangerous win-win.” Samson added.
“Are they who you are hiding me from?” Samson and Leo nodded in answer to her question, both faces mirroring each other with slight frowns and furrowed brows.
Esmie glanced at her face in a handheld mirror. She picked it up, moving it horizontally along her sightline. The deep purple shimmered in the low light, having spread to both sides of her eyes, appearing almost like a mask.
It reminded her of her Taino ancestors who would wear red paint along their eyes for spiritual protection.
From what she remembered they also used it for battle, camouflage, and ceremonial rituals.
Papi would read her stories about their ancestors and taught her some of the language, although she couldn’t remember most of the words anymore.
When Esmie was a tween, she wanted to connect with that part of her ancestry so much, she bought blush and red eye shadow to draw along her eyes just like the Tainos did.
She would create murals with their symbols, putting them up in her room and cut up her clothes to look like theirs, until Mamá found out.
She tore up the mural, threw out all of her makeup and cut up clothes then scolded her with her famous phrase, “Young ladies don’t dress or act like that. ”
“Since you’ve exhibited your first power, we’re going to need to train you to control it.”
Samson’s voice cut through her memories. Esmie set down the mirror, coming back to the present.
“How? Neither of you have powers, do you?” Esmie eyed each of them wondering if they had shown their powers before and she just hadn’t noticed.
“No, we don’t, but we have worked with enough subjects in the past to know how to help you.
Samson will help you more than I will as he has more experience.
He’s studied it more than I have and it seems to come natural to him.
I am mostly here for testing and moral support.
” Leo answered with a smile. Samson remained quiet, busying himself with drying the sterilized tools and putting them away.
“When’s my first lesson?”
“Now.” Samson threw a pair of scissors at Esmie. A flash of metal glinted in the air, spinning toward her then slowing down. Esmie threw her hands up to shield herself from the pointy object, willing it to not hit her. It clinked on the floor at her feet.
“Seriously? You could have hurt me!” Esmie dropped her hands.
“But I didn’t. Your powers usually work when protecting yourself from harm, or during an intense, stress-filled situation.
” Samson crossed his muscular arms over his chest. Esmie narrowed her eyes at him, avoiding the way his biceps flexed, sending butterflies in her stomach.
Leo spun around, coughing, most likely to cover up a laugh.
“Couldn’t you have shown me in a less dangerous way?” Esmie huffed.
Samson shrugged. “It wouldn’t have the same effect. At least it was a pair of scissors and not a more dangerous object. I worked with what I had. The more often you use your power, the better you will understand how it feels and how to control it.”
Another object, this time a pair of large clamps, soared toward her head. Esmie ducked, placing her hands above her as she crouched low. The clamps hung in the air over her head. Samson grinned at her from his corner of the room. Was this a game for him? Oh, she would play his game and win.
Esmie concentrated on the object, pretending she was holding them, then pushed forward with her hands directing the clamps at Samson.
They shot straight toward him. He ducked in time, his hands over his head, almost as if he guided the clamps away from him.
Must’ve been a trick in the low light. Esmie stood and smirked at him.
His dark eyes were wide for only a moment, then he clapped his hands. She frowned.
“Very good. You’re catching on faster than I’d hoped.
Your brother was right. You are very intelligent.
” Samson grinned at her. Esmie’s cheeks flamed.
She couldn’t tell if he was insulting her or not.
Before she could come up with a retort, Leo grabbed her arm, placing stickies on her biceps and collarbone. She tried to swat him away.
“Stop using your powers until I can put these on and get some data logged,” he admonished before placing two small stickies on her temples. Satisfied, he went back to his computer, clicked on some keys then pointed at her.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Esmie loved her brother, but he was getting on her last nerve right now. Between him and Samson, she wasn’t sure who was the most irritating.
“Use your powers. I have the nodes on you now so I can see what’s going on in your system and psyche.” Leo glanced up at her, then back at the computer.
“Didn’t you hear the all-knowing Samson?
I can’t use them at will, yet.” A tray whistled through the air.
Esmie stopped it mid spin. It floated in the air.
If she could guide the clamps toward Samson’s head, maybe she could set the tray back down on the counter.
Esmie envisioned the tray moving toward the counter.
It did. She motioned with her hands for it to set down without a sound where Samson originally picked it up. She sighed from the exertion.
“I didn’t say you couldn’t use them at will. I said it would take practice to control them and from that little stunt you pulled, you are getting closer.” Samson placed tools in the tray, sending Esmie an appraising look. Not able to stop herself, she smiled, warming under his gaze.
Leo grinned. “Perfect! Samson, come see the data.” Samson strolled over to Leo, his eyebrows furrowed as they both analyzed whatever was on the computer.
Voices rose and fell in the distance. Esmie’s entire body tingled.
Snippets of conversations sounded in her ears.
Two male voices filtered through the many.
“11L25”, one said. Her ears perked up. “Let’s talk there,” the same voice said.
Her heart raced. Wasn’t that the office they were currently in?
“Guys. We need to go. Now.” Esmie glared over her shoulder at the closed door.
“What?” Leo glanced up from the computer.
“I said we need to go.” The urgency in Esmie’s voice caught both of their attention.
“Is someone coming?” Samson strutted away from Leo and started cleaning up the area. Leo stared at him in confusion.
“Yes, and they will be here very soon.” Esmie walked to the door, creaking it open to peek out. No one was in the hallway, but she could hear the voices getting closer. Esmie turned back to her brother who inserted a USB into the computer.
“Give me a minute. I need to wipe this computer.” Leo clacked at the keys in rapid motion.
Samson fixed the space to make it appear as if no one had been there.
Esmie went back to search the hall for another exit.
A door faced her across the hall. She ran out and tried to open it, but it was locked.
The badge swipe for entrance was next to it. She went back into the room.
“Does anyone occupy the offices in this hall?” she asked them.
“No, hardly anyone comes here except those with a high clearance.” Leo answered, still typing away.
“Samson, can you badge open this door?” Esmie stood at the threshold pointing at the door across the hall. Samson followed her and tried his badge. It beeped and an LED node on top of the swipe blinked red. He sighed.
“No, this must be a highly restricted room because of need-to-know. We only have access to a certain level based on our job criteria. This is outside of Leo’s and my level.”
“Hey Leo, are you done yet?” Esmie hissed.
“Almost.”
The voices rose. Samson’s eyes widened. He poked his head in the office.
“Aye, Leo. We need to leave otherwise we’ll be in serious trouble.” Samson returned to the hallway hands clenched at his sides, as if he was about to go into battle.
“Okay, done.” Leo yanked the USB out, grabbed a case of instruments, and ran into the hallway.
“Too late.” Esmie whispered. At the end of the long hallway, two tall men appeared, both wearing dark suits and ties. The men’s heads were huddled together, speaking in low tones. Leo, Samson, and Esmie were trapped in the hallway with nowhere to go and a lot to answer for.