To Have Faith

Chapter 27 : Undercover Escape

My legs collapse under me.

My stomach roils, head pounding in a way it hasn't in years. All mixed with the sudden disorientation of being in a different time and place than I was a mere second ago with no warning at all.

I gag, but have nothing in my stomach to throw up; just the acidic taste of bile in the back of my throat before I can swallow it back down.

Time travel without a capsule is truly a nasty thing.

"Well, well, well. We finally meet." Says a too smooth, nasally voice. Only announced by the clack of her heels.

Slowly I look up with dead, tired eyes.

"But, oh, you do have so many names to choose from..." the eye-patched woman sneers through her dark lipstick, "The Lost Child, The One Who Saves, The Harbinger of Death. Child of Darkness, Storm's Bane, so many others... and of course, your own personal monicker: The Faith."

"What do you want." I state flatly. Not even bothering to pick myself up off the floor. Completely spent.

"Actually, it's what we don't want. Mainly, you." She drawls icily, "Silence will fall, and we can't have an Abomination like you changing any more events than you already have."

I can't help but snort at that. Letting out a dry, humorless laugh that makes the lady frown.

"Take it away." She tells her two lackeys, who step forward.

Soldiers. I note dully.

"According to the scans, this one is still partially human." She continues with a wave, "Have the medics suspend the mutation and slow down any of the resulting symptoms. We don't have any need for her, unless our first subject fails."

The guards nod, stepping forward to drag me off.

I don't say a word, just staring at the cruel, heartless woman with dull eyes that barely show the disgust and hate I feel for this organization, and particularly for her.

I can't get caught. I don't want to lose what I have all over again.

I don't want them to cut me open.

Before either of the soldiers can reach me, I brace myself for the pain, and rip off my bracelet.

Immediately there's a lurch of aching, pulsing pain. But I also feel stronger, my head clearer and more focused. Everything is that little bit brighter. Sharper. More colorful.

Before the soldiers can react, or even register what's happening, I lunge forward, using self defense my dad talked me through, but I've never tried— from another lifetime.

Hit using your palm, not your fist. It causes more damage.

His nose makes a painful crack. I try not to think about it.

Stomp on the arch of the foot.

Knee where it hurts.

The first guard is down before he can comprehend what's just happened. Everything is moving in slow motion, and yet I can feel every millisecond.

Yep, the weak looking girl, who looked like she could barely stand— let alone fight— just went on the attack.

I take his gun. It's large, I don't know what type, but it's an automatic.

All I have to go off is playing Halo and Metal Gear with my brother, and later, the illegal game downloads Mels got on my phone: when she and Rory decided to build a phone-compatible game system and tv— way ahead of their times.