The Brightest Night (Origin 3)

We reached the doors and then, after warning Nate to remain quiet, we stepped out into the fresh air that did nothing to remove the lingering scent of mold. Luc led us to the right and we walked down the street, keeping close to the tower and out of the moonlight. I made out the cluster of trees we’d passed before and the space hidden within. There was an opening—

My skin erupted in goose bumps. My vision seemed to constrict and expand as instinct roared to life, taking over.

I moved fast—faster than Luc could’ve anticipated, shooting out in front of them. It was almost like when I’d seen Sarah. The Source seized control, but I was still there, and this time I was in the driver’s seat; it’s just that the Source was guiding my movements. My ears prickled, picking up a repetitive clicking.

Throwing out my hand, the word stop formed in my mind. It poured into the Source and then into the air.

They came to a stop inches from us. Over a dozen tiny cylindrical objects containing a bluish electrical charge in the center remained there, frozen all around us.

Nate gasped.

Stepping forward, Luc plucked one out of the space. His lip curled. “They’re the same kind of bullets April’s handler shot me with.”

Which meant they weren’t looking to kill any of us. They wanted us wounded, and that was actually worse.

“True story.” Luc picked up on my thoughts, signaling to me that this time was different from before. He hadn’t been able to hear my thoughts when I’d gone after Sarah. His fingers closed over the bullet as the Source swelled around his hand. He swept his arm through the air, and one by one, the modified bullets exploded. A second later, he lit up the air, sending the Source in every direction, and I saw the remaining officers. There were just as many, if not more, than the ones who’d come into the mall.

I was moving before I knew it, racing through the opening. Luc and Grayson were right behind me as I skidded to a stop, my eyes clocking the lowered weapons, sensing their willingness to fire once more.

“When will you guys ever learn?” Luc said, curling his fingers as if he were summoning them. The rifles went up and into the air, crashing into the tower behind us and into the trees.

These officers didn’t run like the others. They came right at us, pulling something small and black from their thigh holsters.

“Tasers,” Luc warned.

“Fun times.” Grayson shoved Nate back as he slipped into his true form.

“Get back,” I ordered, hoping everyone listened.

Dipping down, I slammed my hands onto the ground. The earth rattled and woke up with a deep, trembling breath. Geysers of dirt flew into the air, and then the ground expanded under my hands, rippling out in all directions, forming tunnels of churning dirt and grass.

There was a shout as the closest man jerked backward, his arm flying up. Electricity charged up the prongs of the Tasers as he hit the button in his panic. He went down, down deep, along with several others. I buried them under the thick, sandy dirt.

I didn’t think they were getting out.

Ever.

Rising, I caught sight of Luc catching one of the officers by the arm. A bone cracked, and the Taser dropped to the ground. Luc slammed his hand into the officer’s chest. The Source washed over the man. His screaming ended abruptly, just as the Source streaked across the area, smacking into another officer. Her pain-filled shout was drowned out as Grayson took down another.

I continued forward, the wind picking up around me as my eyes moved to the trees. Perfect, useful weapons. The Source guiding me, I spread my arms and hooked my fingers inward. Branches cracked like thunder, tearing from the trees.

Grayson and Luc knew what was up. They hit the ground like pros, Grayson taking Nate down with him. Not all the officers were fast enough.

The branches—now jagged, multiheaded arrows—hurtled across the clearing. They slammed into the men and then went through them, piercing shields, helmets, and armor.

The air smelled like metal as I lowered my hands.

Six more down.

Half a dozen left.

I scanned the grounds, looking for Morton and the child. An officer came straight at me, and I pushed with the Source. He flew backward as if the very hand of God had grasped him and he met an unhappy ending with some sort of cement wall that stood in the center of the park.

Where was—?

I spun, coming face-to-face with an officer who held a Taser mere inches from me. I had no idea what, if anything, it would do to me. I didn’t want to find out. The officer jabbed the Taser at me. Electricity fired to life—

I moved.

Or I thought I did, because the officer stumbled forward, the Taser firing harmlessly against nothing, against—