Chapter 2

Chapter 2

“…and the response was unwelcome.  The Abusers felt wronged by the Protectors.  They thought that it was their right to use their gifts—no matter what the cost to non-elementals.”

Elemental History class is a lesson in torture.  Having to listen to this lying drivel is difficult.  Being forced to say nothing is starting to cause me physical harm.  I punched a mirror after class on Monday because Professor Anders made me want to push her off a bridge.  She acts like she knows what she was talking about, but her versions of things are so skewed.  With propaganda like this, its no wonder this civil war has been raging for nearly two decades.

“Yes, Amber.”

Great, kiss-ass Amber has something to add.  If there is one person on campus I hate more than Sam Mason—its Amber Watson.  She is that girl in every high school who runs for student body president and wins.   This somehow makes her think she is cool, but the only reason anyone voted for her was because it was between her and the perpetual nose picker.  She is tolerated here, but not loved.  She also has a raise her hand ratio currently at 5:1 in my estimation.  For every one time someone in class decides to answer a professor, her hand has waved wildly in the air begging to be call on five more times.  It’s sort of pathetic really.

“Don’t Abusers see how they hurt non-elementals by using their gifts against them?”

“That’s a very good question Amber.  Abuser’s actions are not inherently evil, but many of the acts they use their gifts to accomplish create an unleveled playing field.  Using the water element to give shrimp boaters an unfair advantage, or using air to slow someone down in a race.   Abuser’s biggest sin, though, is not that they use their gifts against non-elementals.  It’s that they continually break the laws of the elemental coven.  We are in a civil war with Abusers.  No because they are evil, but because they are greedy.  To answer your question, Amber, I think many of them do not understand the harm they can cause to the non-elemental world.”

There is a murmur of assent among the class.  I slouch down in my seat, frowning.  I hate this class.  Two weeks into school and I’m unsure how I will be able to stomach much more.  I close my eyes and picture Jason coaching me through this.

“It won’t be easy,” he says, eyes imploring me to understand.  I stare into them intently, wanting to show I’m paying attention.  I can’t help but notice the color.  They are grey and a little dull today.  A sure sign he’s tired.  Mom has been working him too hard.  He spends his days training me and his nights on patrol.  It shouldn’t be my boyfriend’s job to prepare me for my mission, but Jason is more than your average sweetheart.  He’s my everything: my boyfriend, my best friend, my trainer, and my protector.  I would be nowhere without him. 

“Delilah,” he says sharply, snapping my out of my thoughts.

“I get it, I swear.  They’re gonna go heavy on the us hate.  I can handle it.”

“Can you?” he presses.  “This is serious, if you can’t…”

“Then what?” I ask, because there isn’t another option and we both know it.  We’ve both beseeched my mother to change her mind but she is set on this.  The fact that she is sending me must mean it’s vital.  I try to feel exceptional and above my training class because she has selected me for this task, but all I really feel is dread.  I’m not ready and Jason knows it.

 When the bell finally rings I am the first out of my seat—second only to Amber who rushes to fall in step with me.

“I love Elemental History,” she gushes. 

I want to punch her.

“Yeah, it’s great,” I lie. 

“I can’t wait until I graduate and get to join the warrior elementals.  It’s going to be amazing.”

I nod absently, not sure what to say.  Perhaps if Amber had any real power her fervor for Abusers might worry me.  We had occasion to touch accidently and I could sense her air ability was relatively weak.  With practice she might become moderately strong, but I could put her down in a heartbeat.  It is hard to find her anything but annoying. 

“I’m getting a study group together if you think you need help with the class.  I’ve noticed you’ve been quiet and I thought—“

“I’m not interested”

“—that you could use some help.  Since I did really well in Professor Ander’s class last year, I thought I might be able to help.”

“I’m all set.”

“Are you sure, Delilah?  Because you’re so quiet in class and you don’t hang out with a lot of people.  I just though…”

“Well don’t,” I answer smoothly, unable to keep my façade in place one moment longer with her.  “Don’t think about me at all.” 

I pick up my pace and head back to Sky Hall.  Amber’s gaze burns into my back, but I easily ignore it, reminding myself once more that I’m not here to make friends—especially not with a bunch of fascist authoritarians. 

I am in week two of classes and not even remotely close to getting my job done.  It was supposed to be faster than this.  By the end of the week I should have taken care of Mason.  I tried, heaven knows I did, but it’s hard to catch someone like Sam Mason off guard.  I only have one shot at this too.  If I mess up and he realizes I am after him, he will raise the alarm on me and I will be stuck.  While he is my first mission, my secondary mission is to stay in good standing with the school.  Getting someone on the inside of this academy was nearly impossible.  Now that I am a part of the student body, I am the eyes and ears to my family.  To the Abusers

Abusers.  I want to spit in Professor Ander’s face every time she uses that word.  It is just so…derogatory.  I have heard the term before, of course, but they say it here like that is what we go around calling ourselves.  Abusers.  It just grates on my nerves that anyone even thinks that of us, let alone calls us that.  We are freedom fighters.  We are those who stand between the Elemental Council and absolute power.  If anyone is an abuser, it is the power hungry council—the Protectors.  Why can’t they see that?  All these rules and restrictions are just a ploy to keep the strong in line.

Fuck.  It is comical that they even called themselves that.  Protectors. Who do they think they are protecting?  They are a bunch of fascist pigs that want to impose rules and sanctions on people who they have no right putting rules and sanctions on.  I hate it here.  Hate how they kept patting themselves on the back for all the good they’ve done.  All the Abusers they’ve killed.  They are sick.  I can’t get this job done fast enough.

Sam is the problem.  I haven’t been able to get him alone.  I’ve practically stalked him, but people constantly surround him.  Mostly his friends though quiet a few women flock to his side.  I’m not sure why, but seeing all these girls throwing themselves at him is almost as annoying as being called an Abuser.  Almost.

I am finding a lot of things out about Sam.  Things I read in his file coming to life before me.  First, he is way into sports.  He is always at practice for football or archery. I don’t think a day goes by without him heading to some extra curricular activity.  Second, he is popular.  Popular might not be a strong enough word.  It is like he is the center of the school’s universe.  He is the sun and they are just planets and moons orbiting around him.  Third, he is a jerk.  If there is any person in this place I’d like to kill besides Professor Anders, it is probably him.  He is arrogant and snobbish.  I hate guys like that.

I drop my bag off at Sky Hall and grab my gym stuff.  Right about now Sam will be getting out of Fire Combat training and will be heading to the gym for some cool down weight lifting.  Who does that?  Fascist Pigs, that’s who.

I change into gym clothes and head out to the gymnasium.  While every elemental dorm has their own training ground, the central gym has state of the art everything. From treadmills to a huge weight center—even a giant rock wall.  It is a place where every elemental comes to work on their body strength.  Cambridge Academy turns out warriors.  Even losers like Amber Watson spent hours in the gym, getting their bodies in shape for the ongoing war. 

Finding my usual elliptical, I get started, setting the machine to the mode I like best.  The elliptical isn’t my favorite piece of gym equipment, but it gives me a great view of the weight area that Sam uses, and is mindless enough that I can do recon on him right as I work out.  It is pretty much the only part of my day I enjoyed. 

I don’t slow my stride as a group of guys saunter into the weight area from the men’s locker room.  My eyes swept across the entourage.  Mason stands at the center of the group, putting weights on the barbell.  Around him Jerry Sanders makes jokes at the expense of just about every person currently in the gym.  He is the funny guy.  Moderate ability with fire but lacking discipline.  Markus Samson is an air user like me.  He is weak, but what he lacks in elemental ability he makes up in raw physical power.  He could snap me like a twig and I have been in training my whole life.  He is a problem.  As long as he is around, I will have trouble getting to Sam.  Franklin Wash is the fourth member of the group.  He is water and he is powerful.  He is also girl crazy—almost as much of a playboy as Sam himself. 

I study the four men.  Most are second year students so just a year older than me.  Jerry may be twenty—there is a joke that he was held back a year in high school.  I don’t doubt it.  His intelligence isn’t exactly off the charts.  But the rest are like me—young and ready to give their lives to the cause.  We just happen to be on different sides of the war.

I notice Jerry glance over at me.  I focus on the mirror behind them, watching myself as I power on the elliptical.  In my tight yoga pants, sports bra and tank top, I am showing off.  My mom had always told me to use what assets you have.  My ass is an asset—no doubt about it.  Jerry seemed to think so.  He isn’t the fish I’m trying to catch though.  His eyes linger on me for longer than is appropriate.  He leans down and says something to Sam.  A joke—at my expense I am sure.  Mason looks up and stares at me for a moment.  I try to ignore his piercing gaze.  It is difficult, but I manage.  After a moment, he shakes his head and continues getting his weights ready.  Who knows what that was about.

A few more minutes of horsing around and then the guys are in the zone, lifting weights, spotting each other.  This could have been my old school.  The focus and determination is so familiar.  I try not to think of that—of the friends I left behind—of Jason.  I frown.  Why did I have to think of Jason?  It is the second time today.

“You have to go, Delilah, you know you do.  It’s you or no one.”

He sounds like my mother, which is strange.  Jason and my mom don’t agree on anything.  It would figure this mission is the one thing they can approve of together. 

“There are other air users,” I contend.  “They are better fighters.  They’re battle ready.  I’m not.”

“You are.  You have to do this Dee.  You have to be the one to stop them.  No one else is as strong as you.  It’s what you were born to do.”

When this is over, I can be with Jason again.  He is the only reason I came here in the first place.  He got me to understand how important this mission is. 

“You look deep in thought,” a voice to the side of me spooks me out of my memories. 

I nearly jump out of my skin, steadying myself on the arm holds of the elliptical.  I turn to see Sam Mason standing just to my right, grinning up at me with that smile he uses to fool every girl on campus that he’s a good guy. I’m not buying it.

“Can I help you?” I ask, my voice sharp and cool.  My thoughts have been so focused on Jason, I hadn’t noticed Sam noticing me.  That is a serious slip.  If he suspected anything, I would be dead by now.

“I’ve seen you at the gym every day, but I don’t know your name,” he replies smoothly.  My sharp rebuke has done nothing to knock the wind out of his sails.

“Okay.”

He waits for me to offer my name, but I don’t. 

“Oh come on, don’t be like that.  A girl like you is too pretty to be nameless.  If you don’t tell me your name, I’m going to have to start calling you beautiful.”  His smile widens.  I try to keep the horror out of my features.  For most girls, that probably gets them hot.  His charm doesn’t work on me though.  I know what he was. 

I shake my head and focus my attention forward, getting my stride back. 

“Alright, beautiful.  I will figure out your name though.  Trust me.”

Sleeze. 

He heads back to his friends who were all waiting patiently for a report back.  Markus ruffles his hair after he tells the story of how he’d been shut down.  Jerry cast a glance at me that promised he’d be next to try. 

The thought makes me want to vomit.

Don’t get me wrong.  It isn’t a lack of looks, or even a problem with personality—although I wasn’t exactly into man-whore—it is who they are.  They are the enemy.  They are everything I’d been trained to hate.  I doesn’t matter how charming or good looking they are—they are the bad guy.  I will never see past that.

The boys stay for another hour before heading out.  I get off the elliptical and do some stretches to warm down.  Showering and changing into jeans and a new tank top, I grab an iced coffee from coffee and juice bar and head out of the gym, back to Sky Hall.

I don’t make it far before I hear his voice.

“Beautiful!”

I turn before I can think twice about it.  A grin lights up his face. 

“Maybe that is your name.”

I turn and kept walking, but he jogs to catch up with me. 

“I’m Sam.  My friends call me Mason though.”

“Pleased to meet you, Sam.”  By my voice, no one would buy that I was pleased to meet him.

“Can I walk you to your dorm?”

“Do I have a choice?” I ask.  He has just sort of started walking with me.  I should take this as a sign.  Make friends with him and then get him alone so I can take him out.  But just his presence sets me of edge.  I glance around to see if we are alone, but we aren’t.  Taking him down will just have to wait I guess.

“You could run away.”

“I could.”

“Are you going to?” 

I don’t respond, just kept walking and wishing I had my knife with me.  Mother said I had to use it, that I need it to do the job correctly.  I didn’t argue with her about it.

“Hey,” he says softly, reaching for my bare arm.  In his attempt to gently slow me down, something else happens.  I have always been able to tell someone’s ability through touch.  Not everyone has that ability, but it is common enough that no one blinks twice at it.  What happens when Sam touches me is different.  I can feel his power—which is extraordinary and nearly knocks me over.  But more than that, I can feel Sam.  Feel what he is feeling.  Instinctively I know that the emotions and thoughts suddenly overthrowing my own senses belong to him and him alone.  I don’t even question that.  Thoughts fill my brain. 

Who is she?  Why have I never heard of her.  She’s—

He breaks off contact suddenly and our eyes lock.

“What just—“

“How did you—“

I shake my head.  “I have to go.”  I turn and speed walked to my dorm.  Sam doesn’t follow and I thank the gods for that.  Whatever just happened, it wasn’t right.  I’m terrified.

That night as I lay in bed, I go over in my head what happened.  I felt what he was feeling—I am sure of it.  My heart races in my chest.  Had he felt me too?  Was that even possible?  Maybe I’m just imagining it?  I’m a good people reader.  I can often ascertain emotional states with mere glances.  Perhaps I am just reading into it.  His ability is powerful—the most powerful I’ve ever felt.  Perhaps the shock of it…I don’t know, had messed with me?

For the first time since I arrived here, I feel truly afraid.