“There’s a van pulling up right now,” Jaxson stated as he looked behind us.
“We’ve got to move, now,” Will said decisively.
“You should stay here,” Jaxson put his hand on my knee.
“No, I’m going,” I said emphatically.
“She should come,” Troy stated. “Nelson wouldn’t have her helping in his class if he didn’t have confidence in her abilities.”
Will turned to me. “If you’re ready?”
I nodded, and I could hear Jaxson let out a sound of disappointment.
As we stepped out of the Land Rover I felt this weird buzzing throughout me. It was like I could feel the energy around me.
Jace flinched and I grabbed his hand to squeeze it, not realizing the moment I did I was opening the door once more. “They are so afraid and desolate,” I whispered in shock.
He nodded and said quietly. “Since our connection I feel it more acutely. It never was this way before. A faint feeling but never this strong.”
I gasped, and I followed the guys. Will took point and he pointed Troy and Jaxson towards the van. He motioned for Remy, Jace, and I to follow him to the trailer. Once we got to the trailer he held his hands up and I watched as the door swung inward.
We entered the trailer and I had to fight the rising panic. This trailer was bigger than Heidi’s, but it wasn’t much different than what I was used to. Dirt, trash, and clothes were strewn everywhere. The smell of pot, alcohol, and mold lingered heavy in the air. Drugs were scattered over various surfaces.
A drugged-out female came stumbling out of one of the bedrooms and before she could even open her mouth to raise an alarm, I focused in on her. “Don’t say a word, not a word. Go sit down on the couch and don’t move.” I compelled her. I didn’t even have to concentrate that hard before she did my bidding.
Will gave me a smile and a thumbs-up. Remy and Jace squeezed my hands simultaneously.
A high-pitched scream erupted from one of the back bedrooms and we took off running towards it.
I didn’t know what I expected but it wasn’t the sight of Tom poised half naked over a girl not much younger than me. She was completely naked. I froze in panic. For months, he tormented me in my dreams. I never thought I would ever have to face that monster again. I felt sick and angry all at once.
“Stop now,” I compelled him as tears of anger and pain coursed down my cheeks.
Remy grabbed him by the neck, like he was nothing more than a rag doll. I could see the rage burning in his eyes.
Jace grabbed a blanket off the floor and handed it to the girl. He was talking in soft, smooth tones and I knew he was calming her through his empath ability.
Will moved out of the room towards another door.
“Not alone,” a small voice whispered in my head.
“Pops, stop,” I called out to him in panic.
Somehow, I knew that voice belonged to someone in this trailer and they were reaching out to me.
Will stopped and looked at me quizzically.
“There are more than two people that had the children.” I said urgently.
He seemed torn between believing me and wanting to find the other children.
I felt a searing pain in my head and I collapsed to my knees. In my head, I got a vision of a man not much older than me standing protectively over four younger children. He looked like he wanted to call out, but his mouth seemed sealed shut.
In the distance, I heard commotion and my focus began to waiver, but I knew it was important to hang on. I knew I was looking through the eyes of the child that had called out to me. Even though the room was dark, through the street light streaming through the window, I knew it was a younger boy as he casted his eyes down and I could see his dirty, torn jeans, and beat-up sneakers.
“Who is with you?” I called to him in my head.
I saw his head jerk up, like he hadn’t expected me to answer him back. His eyes lit up on a man that had tattoos running up and down his arm, a bald head, and body piercing everywhere.