X Element

The Getaway

Danny didn't hold back. He let his power loose. He imagined Vincent raising his hands and placing a bid of 25 million dollars. At this point the largest bid was 18 million and counting. But nonetheless, Danny made his bid for 25. He then pushed the illusion on every single soul in the room. The effort made him grunt. It felt like trying to fit a couch through a door with one hand. But he did it. At that moment, what everybody saw was Vincent Drew putting up his hands and offering a bid for 25 million dollars, but he changed Vincents clothes in their minds and even his face, so he wouldn't be recognized as the one who did it.

There was silence throughout for a moment. All heads turned to their direction, then the auctioneer, still recovering from the unexpected bid eventually said "Sold!, to the gentleman in the silver suit".

Danny let go and sighed in exhaustion, beads of sweat were forming on his forehead. "So many people at once", he gasped, "It was not easy".

"Don't make a scene, and unless you actually plan on paying that 25 million, you're not done yet". Linday said.

The auctioneer slammed a mallet on his podium, "well ladies and gentlemen that concludes our auction for today. All winners please proceed to the back room for transaction proceedings.".

The back room was a small, dimly lit room that had only a table with a laptop sitting on it and a hypersense card reader. A device that could scan digital information of any kind as long as it was on a card. But there was no sign of the element.

The auctioneer was waiting for them, along with one of the guards at the entrance. The auctioneer tried his best to smile but it was obviously forced, like he was about to deliver bad news with a smile. Danny stayed back. He could make Vincent look like someone else, but that was all he could manage for the moment. The stress of making a hundred and ninety seven people all see something that wasn't real at the same time was taking its toll on him.

The auctioneer welcomed them. "And you are?", he held out his hand towards Vincent for a shake.

"I'd rather not say", Vincent shook his hand.

"Ah yes, I completely understand".

"Can we get down to business?"

"Well, I am most sorry, but there seems to be a bit of a problem", The auctioneer said.

"What kind?", Vincent asked.

"I just got off the phone with a collector and he has given me an offer I can't refuse".

"Better than 25 million?", Danny couldn't help himself, "That must be some offer".

The auctioneer took a good look at Danny. "Yes, well, I guess that would all depend on how much you believe my life is worth".

Danny understood, he had been threatened. But by who?

"Now, if you wouldn't mind, could you please leave".

'Oh well, we tried'. Danny was about to turn back when the auctioneer spoke again. "Sorry but you look familiar. You wouldn't happen to be Daniel..."

"What can you tell us about the person who gave you this offer?". Linday cut in.

"I'm no novice to these arrangements, the less I say the better".

"My boss was willing to drop 25million dollars for the element. Instead we're leaving with wasted time and a half baked apology. You owe us this much"

The auctioneer shrugged. "He had a Russian accent. We spoke over the phone".

Linday nodded.

"Thank you for your time", Vincent said and turned to leave.

Danny went for the door, but before he could open it, someone from the other side did the same to come in. And guess who it'll be, none other than Stripes himself. The drug dealer froze when he saw Danny. Danny, in his mind, couldn't help but laugh at his sutuation. 'You i***t, you goddamned i***t. Of all the worst possible luck'.

Stripes elbowed Danny back into the room and brought out a gun. Three more goons came in and followed their boss' lead.

"You again!, what the hell are you doing here".

The auctioneer was surprised. "What is the meaning of this Mr. Carmen".

"Quiet you, and get the boss' stuff packaged. Now, what are these three doing here?".

The auctioneer went under the table and produced a small silver container. "They placed the highest bid on the gem, rightfully, it should be theirs but...." He didn't finish. "That's Daniel Essen, CEO of Acrix industries. I don't know about his companions though".

"That's enough, I don't care. Just show me the goods". He opened the case carefully, inside it was another glass container which held the element. "Good, good, now..." He faced Danny squarely, "I knew you were no good from the moment I saw you...yeah, you're coming with me. That'll show the boss I'm not crazy".

Danny was wondering what he should make them see this time, Linday supplied the answer.

"The lights." She whispered.

"What?".

"Make the lights go out".

Danny smiled, it was so simple and so obvious, he was ashamed of himself for not thinking about it first. It was a bit harder than he expected, but he imagined total darkness, and then made them see it.

"Hey!, what happened to the lights". Stripes complained.

They slipped out. By the time they got back to the cool night air, Danny was already having a slight headache. When they got back to the car, Linday was looking surprisingly pleased.

"What are you so happy about?" Danny demanded, "That went to hell, they recognize me now, and on top of that we didn't even get your stupid element".

Linday held up the small glass cube that housed the element and smiled.

"You stole it!. Jesus Christ!". Danny stumped his foot, "Now, they're gonna come after me to get it, goddamn".

"Your frustration is understood, but they won't be coming anytime soon. I left a decoy, that gives us time to prepare."

Danny was so surprised, he didn't even know what to say.

"Why would you have a decoy in the first place", Vincent asked, squeezing the steering wheel".

"In case things got dicey, a backup plan was needed".

Vincent wasn't convinced, "You meant to steal it from the start. We were merely a means to your end. I was your entry, Danny was your distraction".

Linday didn't reply immediately. "You both played your parts well." She got out of the car. "Well, hating me is understandable, but the reality now is, you need me just as much as I need you. Stay in touch". And with that she was gone.

"Well, that could've gone worse". Danny tried, but Vincent didn't oblige him. He had a stern stony expression and remained silent staring out the windshield.

"Don't act like its a joke, its not!. This is serious. Don't you realize what this means!. They know us, okay, they recognized us, they'll come for us and we got nothing but the lady with the weird name that lies to us as easily as she blinks. They'll start coming after us and the people we care about for what she has. We're done for!. Get it?, finished!".

Danny sighed, "You're wrong, Vince. I covered you up in their minds. All through. It wasn't your face they saw, it wasn't even your clothes".

"What?, what about you".

Danny chuckled, "Not enough juice in the tank. Turns out making over a hundred people see something that isn't there can take a lot out of you".

"You bastard", Vincent didn't seem to know how to react to the new piece of information. "Now you've made me feel all guilty".

"Who knows, maybe that was my intention the whole time?", Danny winked.

Vincent started the car. "Now what?", he asked.

"I need to see someone, someone who might not want to see me". Danny replied.