Vintage

Hard Truths

Claire dropped onto the filthy stairs tears streaming down her face. Jade watched her rocking herself like her world had just ended. Jade was stunned… Claire never cried. She had not cried at mother’ faux funeral, nor would she cry during their childhood games. Jade didn’t realize that her tear ducts could work.

“Claire?”

Claire offered Jade her tear-stained face. “It was my job to protect you and Donovan. I failed… he shoved Kira… That’s not our brother…,” she mumbled sadly.

Jade rubbed her silky hair. “No, that’s not our brother… it’s that damn gene. I need you to pull yourself together. This isn’t working. I need you to act like the Ice Queen- not a weeping willow. Be my voice of reason, my big sister.”

Claire mumbled under her breath as she stared at an old wall.

This can’t be happening. She’s nuts. Donovan is evil, and I’m the sane one.

Claire and Jade jumped when they heard knocking on the glass. “Jade and Claire?”

Jade peered her head around the door and encountered a smiling Kira, “How did you know that we were here?”

Kira ran a hand along her nose. “It is that supersonic hearing of mine.” She whipped her head around, pushed the two sisters out of the room, and shut the door. Whispering, she told them, “Be quiet.”

Jade couldn’t restrain her curiosity. Using her powers, she scanned through the door. She watched Bart swiftly approaching Kira.

 He was a handsome devil, keyword: devil.

She bit her lip when Bart grabbed Kira’s face.

“Who were you talking with?”

“Myself,” Kira lied. “I’m just debating my options.”

Bart smiled sadistically at Kira. “I didn’t know you were Donovan’s bit on the side.  Raven promised me a few moments of your time. Alone to feel those curls.”

“You’re disgusting.”

Bart dropped his hand to Kira’s throat slightly applying pressure. A red flush crept over her body. Kira’s feet dangled in the air as he shook her slightly.

Jade ignored the voice of reason. She flung open the door, catching Barry by surprise, leaving him no time to think. She raised her heels and jammed one into his leg, causing him to drop Kira. Jade reached for Kira. “Run.”

Bart, the punk that he was, started yelling for help.  Jade scrunched her nose in disbelief. She delivered a few kicks to his ribs. “You don’t pick on girls. You don’t cry like a girl”

“Jade, stop it.”

Jade looked up to see her mother, no, she’s not my mother…, Raven or Iris, name of the moment, standing in the door with Donovan. Her white hand curved around a small silver gun. She motioned Kira and Jade to move away from Bart. Jade offered Kira her hand, hauling her from the ground, shoving Kira behind her.

Iris shook her head, “Just you.”

“Yup.”

“Well, maybe, Kira will have new thoughts about cracking the diamond.”

“No,” Kira muttered behind Jade.

“I’ll shoot her.”

Donovan stepped forward; he pushed Iris’s hand away from Jade. He ripped the gun from her grasp, tossing over his shoulder. “You will not kill my sister, Raven.”

Iris stared at Donovan in shock. “I need that diamond spilt, Donovan.”

Donovan looked over his shoulder. “We need to talk about your actions toward father, your abuse of Kira, and this, MOTHER!”

Jade stared in disbelief. Donovan was insane just like dear old mom. He walked carefully around Bart’s crumpled body, grabbing Kira from behind Jade and wrapping her into his arms.

“Darling, Jade is here. We can get Myron… the four of us. Just c***k the diamond.” Donovan lifted hair from her hot sticky face. His eyes narrowed when he spotted bright red marks marring her skin.

“What are these?”

Jade regained her bearing. She never let an opportunity to play Devil’s advocate pass. “Bart choked Kira… after he informed her that mother said that he could have her for a few moments.”

Donovan stroked Kira’s neck with his thumb. “I’m sorry… so sorry for this … Kira.” Tenderly, he released Kira. He stared at Iris with scornful eyes.

“Mother, you aren’t trustworthy. Kira was not to be harmed.”

Iris smiled saucily. “Bart wasn’t interested in the girl. He’s with me.”

Jade rolled her eyes. “You’re a cougar. Can this get worse?”

Donovan brushed the hair from his blue eyes. “Perhaps, I should just take the stone myself, Mother. I don’t need you. Never did.”

“Donovan, think about this.”

Donovan waved his arms around. “What can you do except heal plants? You’re nothing when Bart is hurt. You’re just using me,” Donovan snarled.

Bart noticed that he was currently ignored. He slithered towards Iris’s discarded gun. His hand grabbed the silver pistol as Donovan stalked menacingly towards Iris. Rolling on his side, he fired a shot.

Jade pushed Kira to the ground. Donovan’s head spun as the bullet moved towards his heart. Jade flicked her hand, and slowed the bullet to a complete stop.

Donovan looked desperately at his sister. “Get out of here, while I’m still in control, Jade.”

Jade stared in disbelief. She felt a hard blow on her back and crumbled into Kira’s direction. She smiled at Kira as pain traveled along her spine.

“Kira,” Claire called from the doorway. Kira offered Jade a weak smile.

“Cover your ears, Jade.”

“No,” Jade screamed, her arm stretching to grab Kira.

 Quickly, Kira moved away from her friend.  She realized that she couldn’t catch Kira; she needed to get to Donovan. Jade crawled to Donovan. She wrapped her arms around his legs, knocking him to the ground. Jade flinched when a shrieking pulse filled the room. The sound of cracking glass floated around. Bart walked toward Donovan and Jade with his hand transformed into a sharp blade.

“Bart,” Claire called. He turned his head slightly to stare at Claire. She flicked her hand; several sharp shards of glass flew into his chest. Blood spurted from his cheeks and neck as his body flopped around the room.

Kira sank to the ground, holding her throat. Claire rushed over and pulled Kira towards her, cradling her body. Her pale hand touched her damp face as Kira lay wincing in pain.

“Kira,” Claire whispered. “Oh god!" A trickle of blood trickled from Kira’s lips.

“Jade!”

Jade hurried over to a crouching Claire holding Kira protectively in her arms.

“What’s wrong with her?”

“Her gifts are killing her,” Jade said weakly.

Iris rose from the floor, her blonde hair haphazardly around her beautiful face. “Such naughty children. Now, you see why I left you… Just awful. Mummy, I want a drink… Mummy, I’m hungry. Mummy, are there bad things in the world? Yes, there are… me.”

Was she for real?

Jade opened her mouth to offer a sharp retort when the building shook. It sounded like a tornado landed on the roof.

“Mother Nature calling now? Not now!” Jade whined.

Donovan dove into Jade as a beam crashed towards her.

“Thanks, I think.”

Donovan looked at her sadly. “I’m losing control again. Get out of here. Tell Kira and Dad that I love them, and I’m so sorry…”

Donovan shoved Jade away as his face contorted. He ran back to Iris.

A sound like a freight train erupted in Jade’s ears as the roof flew away. She smiled when she stared at Luke’s enormous face smiling down at them. She noticed Kai sitting on his shoulder. Jade saw him toss something at Donovan’s shoulder.

Luke’s gigantic hand scooped Kira and Claire as he lifted them from the building. Jade sat with a heaving chest when a pair of hands grabbed her, lifting her off the floor.

Jade cried as she watched Will tossing a firebomb into the old funhouse. She could see nothing except large orange flames destroying her family. She slumped as Myron flew back to the Watcorp building.

“Jade?”

“Yes, Myron,” she responded weakly.

“I’m very angry with you.”

“Join the club, the membership is free and open.”

“It will be okay.”

“How, will it ever be okay?”

Closing her eyes, she attempted to relax in the cool night air as Myron flew over the city. His warm hands gave her strength. She wanted to cry, but was too confused and physically exhausted.

“Two showers in one night, that is a record Jade,” Claire noted.

Her sister slid next to her as they sat outside the infirmary. Barry and his team spent the last several hours working on Kira.

“Worse night ever,” Jade cried. “Our Donovan is still in there.”

“I know,” Claire whimpered.

Claire pulled Jade into her arms; she shifted until Jade head rested under her chin. “We’ll get him back.”

 Jade watched Kai playing with those stupid ladybugs. Luke stared into a starless night as Will leaned against the door. Evan sat in a corner watching them all.

Jade listened to Claire’s heartbeat for a while. Everything had changed in such a short time.

Jade rolled from Claire’s embrace when Barry entered the waiting area, blood splattered against his surgical greens-Kira’s blood.

“Barry,” Jade asked as she felt Kai’s strong hands on her shoulder.

“She’ll live. However, her throat and ears were severely damaged... more than I estimated during my previous exams. I don’t know if she’ll hear or speak again.”

Kai caught Jade as the stress finally took a toll on her body.

Hours later…………

“Is this a private party or can anyone join?”

The occupants of the meeting room looked warily at Jade, her auburn hair hung loosely around her face, dark smudges under her eyes.

Myron rushed from his seat to help her to the meeting table. His hands felt warm. “You should be asleep,” he whispered in her ear.

“Is she up?”

“Not yet, Barry induced a medical coma. “

“Why can’t he just heal her...?”

“I don’t know.”

Myron slide next to Jade; he covered her dainty hand with his. Their fingers interlinked and she tugged his hand until he leaned over. “I’m sorry," she whispered into his ear.

He lifted her hand, and brushed his lips over it.  “Me too.”

“Stop that now,” Charles admonished. “Not during working hours. That’s my daughter.”

Jade and Myron flushed in embarrassment. For once, Myron didn’t jump away, but smiled and placed his large hand over Jade’s and offered Charles a knowing look. Charles nodded in approval.

This is just too much. This is like living in a parallel universe, a wacky parallel universe.

“If the dating game is over, I suggest you continue, Kai.”

Kai tossed a bunch of metal ladybugs on the shiny table. “These are my babies. That’s how we were able to find you. I planted them on Kira. You know ladybug, ladybug, please go home… your house is on fire. Your kids need you… that nursery rhyme?" Kai asked questioningly.

Everyone stared at him. He shrugged. “Anyway, they are homing beacons.”

“Kai, did you toss one on Donovan?”

Kai nodded.” I know his location. The bug looks like a bug. So people ignore it. We can go get him.”

Kai is absolutely brilliant. Not good at presentations, but brilliant.

Will brushed his blonde curls behind his ears. “Donovan jogs ever morning before sunup… I’m betting that mutant Donovan will follow the same pattern. I’m suggesting a small extraction team… Myron and Jade.”

Charles stared at Will. “Why?”

“Well, Charles, Luke needs to protect Kira. Kai, Evan, Elena, and I have to rewrite the security codes for Watcorp. Barry needs to have everything ready to treat Donovan.”

Claire smiled tightly. “Yes, Luke must guard Kira. He’s special as the blow up man.”

Luke grinned. “Would you like to see me grow? Is that a new outfit… just for me?

 Jade noticed Claire wore an airbrushed T-shirt with tight dark rinsed jeans.

Silence covered the table as the team members attempted to discover if Luke was being fresh.

I need a nap. No time for bickering.

Jade sat up. “Treat Donovan?”

Charles looked over at his youngest daughter. “Barry has an experimental cure for the mutating gene. Donovan needs a small dose when you capture him, and Barry will introduce the rest when he arrives home. I’m driving you. Myron will fly Donovan back to Watcorp. Any questions?”

Everyone looked around.

“Jade and Myron, I’ll meet you at 05:00 sharp. No funny business tonight.”

“Dad!”

Jade turned to leave the room.

“Jade.”

“If you ever attempt another rescue mission with Claire, I’ll murder both of you. I have the right to eat my young.”

Jade smiled weakly. “Understood.” Claire shrugged. She was much too annoyed with Luke to argue with Charles. She wanted to smack the grin off his handsome face.

Jade watched Kira sleeping; her dark lashes resting on her brown cheek bones. Kira appeared lifeless. Jade eyes’ flickered over to the heart monitor.

“He’s so sorry for everything. He helped us… he’s not bad. He’s sick...”

Jade stroked her fingers. Sadly, she curled herself into a ball next to Kira’s small legs.

“It’s a good thing that you’re short. I need you. “

Myron decided to watch Jade talking to Kira. He wouldn’t interfere as she made peace with Kira’s condition. Myron loved Jade; he knew that she had a good heart. She didn’t listen. She could be annoying. That’s part of loving a person, the good and the bad. Jade had oodles of both.