ShadowChancer
Chapter 19
by MistThing, published on April 11, 2001
Leigh observed Grace, opening her mouth to answer, then hesitated, casting an odd look at Gabriel.
-"Salvation ain't comin' from me here, little rebel girl" - he spoke quietly, returning a green gaze.
-"Strangely, it is salvation that I'm after" - responded Leigh, strange softness sneaking into her voice.
Grace shot her a sharp glance. "What do you know exactly, mind reader?"
Zoe stood rigidly, her indifferent icy-blue stare covering the scene.
-"F*ck ..." - mumbled Joe - "the rabbit's outta its little rabbit-hole ..."
Hannah sniggered, tight-lipped.
-"These questions I asked you at Starbuck's, Grace ..." - Leigh started slowly - "I already knew the answers ... those questions were meant for Gabriel ... for you to straighten things out with him."
-"You're saying..." - Grace found it hard to control the fine tremor that got hold of her legs, and then took over her hands ... she crossed them over her chest, desperately shoving palms beneath elbows, hunching her back forward.
-"What's wrong, Gracie?" - Gabriel slid his hand gently over the back of her neck, down to Grace's shoulder. His light touch sent a violent shudder through her body, and he pulled her closer to him, taking her face in his hands. "What the f*ck is wrong with you people?" - he hissed - "Stop your mind-games, dammit! What're you doin' to her?"
-"Nothing ..." - Leigh answered softly, almost sadly - "Us, we're doin' nothing besides protecting you, guys ... you haven't told him everything, Grace ... haven't you? The key to the light, the key to heaven on earth ... you know where it lies, Grace ..."
-"Shut up ..." - whispered Grace violently, shaking her head away from Gabriel's touch.
-"What..." - Gabriel froze - "Sh*t, Grace, she's makin' sense to ya?" He laughed dryly, drawing his hands back, turning away from her. "I don't f*ckin' believe this ..." - he spun and faced Grace again, hands clutching into fists - "I don't f*ckin' believe you ... actin' this way. Hell, I don't think I know you anymore, Grace! I'm not takin' this sh*t lyin' down, I tell ya ..." He approached her again, his fingers cupping her white face. "Don't you push me away, Grace ..." - he whispered - "Don't you dare ... I'd do anythin' for you Grace, don't ya get it? But not this way ... I swear on my life, Gracie, I'm walkin' away ... I can't stand seein' you like this, not knowing what the hell's wrong, feelin' like a damn pawn ... I ain't no pawn, Grace!"
Grace stared at him wide-eyed, not moving. Her hand went up, fumbling for his. "You'd hate me ... so much ..." - she whispered hoarsely, the words cutting through her dry throat.
-"Grace ..." - he stared helplessly into her eyes, sounding almost lost - "You can't mean that ..."
Dazed, he leaned his head down, his lips pressing against hers, his palms sweaty on her face - - -
-"Holy Christ!" - exclaimed Hannah, abruptly jumping from her armchair - "They got us! I just sensed a disturbance, f*ck!"
-"How close?" - Leigh sprang for the door, listening, her mind spreading its invisible tentacles.
-"Damn freaking close!" - Hannah cursed - "I spotted them too late, they're probably using blur-jobs, they're using camouflagers, that's the only way they pulled this off!"
Joe laughed, throwing his head back. "This is a good one..." - he groaned - "Gotta hand it to P.S.I.O.N. ... Them sneaky, slimy bastards sure know their job ..."
-"Shut your face, you no-good as*hole!" - muttered Zoe.
-"How'd you like my hands on your neck, b*tch ..." - rasped Joe.
-"I'd take your ass any time ..." - Zoe faced him, gesturing him with her hands furiously - "Come here, little boy ..."
-"Stop!" - ordered Leigh, still at the door - "We must get Grace and Gabriel outta here! Hannah, are you handling them P.S.I.O.N.s for now?"
-"I'm tryin' ..." - Hannah whispered pale-faced, sinking down to the armchair - "They're putting on ... too much ... pressure ..."
-"Joe?" - said Leigh - "Don't you sense the levels of anxiety and hostility in here? Could be an outside manipulation. Do your thing ..."
-"Yes, ma'am ... on it already ..." - Joe closed his eyes - "You're right, they're pullin' emotion projection sh*t on us." He smiled faintly - "Feelin' any better? I'm holdin' them off for now ..."
Leigh focused on Zoe. "You take 'em ... get Gabriel and Grace out. Try that window that goes to the back, P.S.I.O.N. hasn't got it covered yet ..." - she closed her eyes, too - "They're bloody coming in from the front door ..."
-"Gabriel, Grace, over here!" - Zoe was already peering out from one of the room's two windows. Cold draft blew inside beneath the lifted window glass. Gabriel joined her, pulling Grace with him and glancing down inquisitively.
-"We're three stories high" - he pointed out, releasing a short laugh - "What, you wanna fly us down?"
-"No need for that kind of drama" - replied Zoe - "I won't risk your lives with cheap tricks." She gestured up, pointing to a painter's scaffold swinging on its ropes above them at the fourth floor level. The scaffold's wooden frame creaked softly as it jolted sideways in the wind.
-"We planned on having to move around non-telekinetics" - she said, watching the scaffold. It stabilized and sank down slowly, undisturbed by the air streams, balancing against their window ledge.
-"Hop on, I got it under control" - Zoe said pressingly, sneaking a glance to the room over her shoulder.
Gabriel helped Grace over the ledge and squeezed out after her, followed by Zoe. She leaned against the window frame from the outside, casting a last gaze into the room. "See you sometime" - she called.
Inside, the dense air had the sour smell of sweat and fear. Leigh was still standing stiffly close to the door, sweat beads glistening on her face. Hannah was folded into her armchair, eyes tightly shut, her lips moving silently. A narrow trickle of blood made its way down from her nose. Joe turned to face the scaffold, the effort carving lines into his face. "Yeah, see you sometime" - he whispered back, touching the brim of an invisible cowboy hat - "Now get the hell away from here ..."
-"I think I can hear them outside the room" - said Grace - "Noise ... they can simply break in now, can't they? Psychic powers or not..."
The scaffold slid majestically down on its ropes, hitting ground level. The three of them leaped out to the pavement, throwing themselves into a frantic run.
Grace stopped abruptly, looking back. "I think someone's observing us through your window!" - she shivered.
Gabriel hurried back, seizing her hand and dragging her forward vigorously, almost toppling her over. "No matter, Gracie!" - he called.
They were at the back side of the steel factory they'd passed earlier with Leigh.
-"Stop!" - panted Zoe, halting and pressing her hand against the burning pain in her side - "The bastards are closing in on us from both sides of the f*cken street!"
Gabriel glanced sideways at the narrow back street.
-"Sh*t, this lookin' bad" - he cursed softly.
-"Tell me about it" - Grace mumbled close to him, short of breath.
Rain started pouring down mercilessly, soaking their clothes.
-"We got no shielder" - muttered Zoe - "We got me , though ..."
She studied calculatingly the factory's outside wall. "Not too high ..." - she whispered, smiling strangely - "I can get you both over the damn thing ... can't move myself with you. Manipulating three live objects in free air is too much ..."
Gabriel hugged Grace tightly as the ground slowly moved away from their feet.
-"Nice ride, huh, Gracie?" - his lips were in her wind-tousled hair. He chuckled softly. Grace's fingers dug into his shirt beneath his soaking-wet jacket.
-"See you sometime!" - Zoe shouted below against the wind, reciting the Renegades' hopeless farewell - "Go for the front gate!"
Last update: October 25, 2007
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