James wasn't sure how to do this. He had let this get way too far.

He stood in front of the mirror, adjusting his bow tie until it was straight. He tugged on his black jacket and stood as straight as he could, trying to present himself better.

But how could he present himself better when his heart was breaking on the inside?

James turned his back on his reflection, too disgusted to look at himself. He walked over to his apartment window and looked down at the bustling street below. He could see the people, as small as ants, wandering about on the sidewalk outside the apartment. Suddenly a sleek limo pulled up to the curb and parked itself. It was time.

And James was far from ready.

"I can't do this," he said out loud to himself, his voice cracking halfway through the sentence out of grief. "I just can't."

A knock sounded at his apartment door. Even though every part of him felt like it was going to break apart, he knew he had to remain strong. He couldn't let his enemies see him weak.

James opened the door. Standing in front of him were two buff security guards, their hands crossed across their chests.

"Time to go use your gift," said the guard in a deep gravelly voice.

"Okay," said James, trying to keep his voice steady.

As the guards led him to the limo that waited for them outside the apartment, James couldn't help but think back to when the tragic event had occurred; the tragic event that had landed him where he was now.

"We're almost there!" stated Kendall as they neared the gate.

James looked up, sweat running down his face, only to see that Kendall was right. The gate that surrounded Los Angeles, the city of broken dreams, was mere feet away. They were mere feet away from freedom. They were mere feet away from keeping their gifts to themselves.
Logan and Carlos were a little ways ahead of both James and Kendall. James had tripped on a rock a while back and twisted his ankle so he was lagging behind. Kendall was running with him, not willing to leave him behind.

Just as they were about to reach the gate, huge spotlights hit them with their beam. The enemy had found them.

"RUN FASTER!" screamed Kendall.

Each step pained James more than the last. He wasn't sure how much longer he could possibly last. Kendall wrapped his arm around James and started to drag him toward the gate.

"Don't give up. We will get there," promised Kendall. "We'll soon be free."

Logan and Carlos had already managed to pull back part of the gate and crawl through to freedom. They were both on the other side of the gate, encouraging Kendall and James.

Kendall and James reached the gate and were about to crawl through to freedom when shots sounded from behind. James screamed out in pain as a dart hit him in the shoulder and paralyzed him. He became dead weight in Kendall's hands. Kendall dropped him because of James's sudden stop.

"Go Kendall! I'll be fine!" said James as he laid there on the ground.

He could hear heavy boots clomping on the ground behind him and knew that the guards would be where they were at any minute. There was no way that Kendall would be able to get him through the gate in time while he was in this state.

James could see the hesitation on Kendall's face; Kendall's emerald eyes shifting back and forth between freedom and James.

"Go," said James. He couldn't bare to see Kendall caught too.

"Fine, but I will come back for you. I promise," said Kendall.

Then he turned his back on James and crawled through the gate, running away into the distance with Logan and Carlos as the guards descended upon James and brought him back to a living nightmare.

The drive seemed endless. James felt for sure that he'd die before he even got there. When they finally pulled up to the huge white building, which was surrounded with security in black suits identical to his, he took a deep breath. His heart was thumping a mile a minute in his chest.

James was led up the steps and inside the monstrous building. The huge hall seemed to just build the tension inside him. He was led through the huge oak doors and into the arena.

The crowd that had gathered to see him use his gift was huge. Every seat in the arena was filled. James walked up the steps and onto the stage, staring out at the crowd. He stood in front of the microphone and took a deep breath. James knew what he had to do. He had memorized the dreaded deed. He couldn't believe that he was about to do this to another group of innocent people.

James took one more deep breath and then began to sing.

"You feel lost,

lost in the sea of life.

But there is one thing,

one thing that will anchor you.

Our great country will keep you safe.

They will help you find your voice.

You'll never be freer than you are now.

This place is your home for life."

James looked out at the crowd as they all nodded in agreement to what he had just said. James frowned in saddness. This was not freedom. This would never be freedom. The society was using James's gift against the innocent citizens. James's voice was so beautiful that it persuaded anyone to do what he sang. The society was using James's gift for their own vain purposes.

James was scanning the crowd to look at all the brainwashed people when his heart leapt into his throat.

No way. This couldn't be happening.

Sitting in the middle of the crowd was someone that James was not expecting to see

Sitting in the middle of the crowd, brainwashed like everyone else, was Kendall.

And there was no way to save Kendall.

For if he did, both of them would die.

AN: Reviews will determine whether this story is worthy of future development. Thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed it!