A.N. Thanks again to Stefi Delly, Cyan55 and ImbaPie for the reviews! :)
Massive thanks to my beta veiledgreyskies!
Chapter 29
I was sitting in the living room chair, with my legs tucked under me and a cup of coffee clasped in my hands as I waited for everyone to arrive. It was nine in the morning and Justin had decided the night before that everyone should be at our house early to go over the plan one more time to collect ourselves, and be ready for the fight.
I had dropped Brittany and Emily off at their house last night, saying a slightly emotional 'see you later' to Brittany when we parted. We both knew that her staying with her family was a good idea, and I promised her I would be okay, but it didn't mean that we were happy to see each other go, with danger so close on the horizon.
I heard the front door open and I looked up, seeing Caterina walk in first with John, Carter, Sasha and my father following behind her.
"Hey," I said as I settled into the chair more, tapping my fingers against my mug.
"Hi," Caterina sat on the sofa next to me. "How was the zoo yesterday?"
"It was good," I nodded, smiling at the memory. "It helped me clear my mind; I feel like I'll be able to focus better now."
"Good, that's what we need," she patted me on the arm in a way that let me know that she understood why I needed to go and clear my head.
"Where's Puck?" I asked, only just realising that he hadn't arrived with the others.
"Oh, he's still pretending that he's on Enzo's side at the moment, he'll be at the warehouse when we get there. It'll mean that he's already in the thick of it and he will be able to help us out easier."
I nodded, "So what's the plan?"
Everyone else entered the room and sat down, looking to Justin to speak.
"I'm going to enter the warehouse with John, Caterina and Carter, who will all be invisible, thanks to John. He can only keep it going for a limited amount of time when it's for someone other than him, so he'll distribute them in the best spots and then find his own. He has to be touching something to make it invisible, which is part of the reason it is only those three coming in with me."
He paused to take a sip of his drink and I nodded to show that I understood. He continued "you will be travelling in the car with us, but instead of entering the warehouse through the front doors, you will wait by the back entrance for Sasha to show up. She will drive part of the way and then walk the rest, so people looking will only be able to see one car."
"What about Enzo's men? Won't they see us waiting by the back door?" I asked.
"No. They'll all be inside, on the upper levels and dotted around so that they have the best vantage to attack. They wouldn't risk going outside and getting spotted."
"Okay, then what?"
"Once everyone's in position and you begin to hear the commotion, you'll go inside and surprise them, giving us the upper hand."
"Is that all?" I asked, surprised that they didn't seem to have a big, tactical plan that was sure to work. "How many of Enzo's men will be there?"
"We don't know, but we can guess quite a few, because he obviously knows about our powers. He will want to catch us by surprise, so having a large number of people ambush us would do that."
"But what about once we're inside? Are we just going to make it all up on the spot?"
"That's all we can do really, we don't know enough to do anything else. We've talked a little bit on powers and how we can use them to our advantage, but until we know the extent of what we're walking into, we cannot plan it in much more detail."
I raised an eyebrow for him to explain to me what was happening with that, as I missed that chat yesterday.
"Well I just explained how John will use his invisibility to the best of his ability. Carter's is pretty obvious as well; once we're in there, he'll be able to teleport to any spot that he needs to and take them by surprise. Sasha can dehydrate people; we don't want to kill people, but unfortunately it will be hard to keep that count at zero. She will try to get the right balance, so that they're incapacitated but alive. If things go bad then we'll lure them outside so she can use the rain and water out there to our advantage. I will try to turn some of Enzo's people to our side, but it's hard to use it completely effectively when there's so many distractions. I also have limitations and won't be able to do that to a lot of people. We'll just have to resort to physically fighting a lot of the time."
"What about me?"
"There's not much that your power can do in this fight. You'll be able to enter people's minds and anticipate their next move, to make it easier for you. If it gets hard, then you can do what you've done before to people and take a memory already playing out or one that they're thinking of, which will either distract them so that you can beat them or incapacitate them anyway, depending on the severity."
"Okay," I nodded, thinking it through. I knew that my power wasn't the most helpful when it came to actual fights, but I had hoped that I would be able to do more than that. I guess I was just like Caterina in that respect.
"Oh," I remembered, turning to my aunt. "Brittany and I were talking, and she realised something. It might not be anything at all, but it's worth looking into it."
"Yeah? What is it?"
"It's to do with what you said when you were training us; the reason you don't get as cold or exhausted as other people. You said that it's mind over matter…what if that's your power?"
"Huh." She sat back in her chair, folding her hands over her stomach. "No, I don't think that it is. We would have realised by now if that's the case. It is a good idea though."
"How can you be so sure?" Justin asked. "We've never tested that on you; it could very well be your power, and it would be fantastic if it was."
"Why would it be fantastic?" she asked, turning to look at him. "Is it not plausible that I am a good fighter simply because I have the skill and worked hard for it?"
"No, that's not what we were saying," he shook his head. "You're amazing, of course you are. Having a power wouldn't take away any of that; it wouldn't remove the hard work that you put in to being such skilled fighter. All this would mean is that your mind is that much stronger and can override your body's natural responses, which would mean that you'd have to be more careful and learn to know when you are actually too cold or exhausted to function. It would just make you stronger."
"I know, I'm sorry," she sighed. "I just…you know how disappointed Dad was when we realised that I didn't have a power. How hard I had to work to please him."
"He was never disappointed in you though, Cat." He looked around, seemingly remembering that we were all there, and she did too.
Caterina cleared her throat. "Well, we don't have enough time to figure that out now, we need to leave soon, but I will make sure to keep an eye on myself, okay? I won't let myself die," she grinned.
Justin stood up, clapping her on the shoulder as he passed her. "We better get ready to go now. We'll leave in twenty."
We exited the car, Justin opening the back door to make it look like he was picking up a bag of guns, when he was instead letting out an invisible Caterina, John and carter. I closed my door and waited for him to walk around to me, glancing around as I did.
It wasn't a very big building, in terms of what you'd imagine a warehouse to look like. It was around the size of two normal houses and overall didn't boast any look of significance on the outside. The few windows that the building did have were boarded up, preventing anyone from being able to see outside, which meant that they couldn't watch us. There were faded posters, peeling off from wear and tear, that advertised discounts lining the walls of the building.
There weren't any other buildings around, but there was a little car park, which is where we parked. It was close enough to the building so that we could escape relatively quickly if we needed, but it was far away enough so that it wouldn't accidentally get damaged from the fight.
Justin reached me and grabbed me by my forearms gently. "Good luck and be careful. Remember what we've planned."
"I will. Good luck to you guys too," I told them, knowing that they were around us somewhere and could hear me. I felt a tap on my arm and I smiled slightly, nodding in their direction before taking off around the side of the building.
I kept on the lookout as I moved, making sure that there was no one patrolling the building. I had instructions to text Sasha once I was at the door, to let her know that it was safe and wasn't being guarded. I got there and looked around, seeing nowhere that anyone could hide.
I sent the text and waited, seeing Sasha arrive two minutes later. I smiled and nodded at her, letting her step in front of me so that she could open the door on our cue. Thirty seconds later we heard shouts, so we nodded at each other and she twisted the handle, both of us hearing it click open at the command.
I heard her let out a sigh of relief, glad that Puck had done as he had promised, before she nudged it open and walked ahead of me, a gun held in her outstretched hands. We all needed to have an advantage, and this was Sasha's protection, or at least even footing, because the majority of Enzo's men would have guns and she couldn't form water, only manipulate water that is already present.
She ran straight in and took down two men that had their backs to us straight away, knocking them unconscious and then rounding on another before anyone had realised that we were here. I watched on in shock, but then when it became evident that she needed help, I rushed to her aid.
I was surprised by the number of people in there; it looked like all of Enzo's forces were in this one building, but I couldn't actually see Enzo anywhere. I looked around after I had helped Sasha out, which admittedly was probably more of her fighting skills than mine, and tried to find my father, so I could ask him what he thought I should do.
He wasn't anywhere in sight, and I spun around in a circle, looking for my aunt or someone else I could talk to. A force sent me sprawling to the ground and I only just managed to bring my hands out in front of me to catch me on the stone floor. I winced as I rolled over, gripping my wrists, and saw a man dressed all in black standing over me, gun aimed at my head.
"Come on Missy, you're coming with me," he grinned, cocking the gun up to indicate that I should rise.
I glared at him and tightened my jaw, refusing to move. I knew that he wouldn't shoot me, because those would be his orders, and I needed him to get closer to me before I could successfully make a move.
He cocked his eyebrow at me, but then huffed and leaned down, as if to grab my arm to yank me up. I grabbed his gun and pulled, at the same time I felt a force push him to the right of me. John's smiling face appeared over the man for a second, winking at me before turning invisible again.
I nodded at him as I spun around and jumped onto the man next to me, who was sprawled on the floor on his stomach. He tried to move and dislodge me, but I brought the hilt of the gun down onto the back of his head before he could. I felt his weight sink into the floor and I rose, looking around me again.
I saw Caterina and rushed over to her, the gun still in my hand. "Enzo isn't here," I rushed out, mindful of the fight still taking place.
"Yeah, I noticed the same thing. What are you thinking of doing?" Her eyes were darting around us as she spoke, not stopping in a single place before moving on. I could tell that her mind was focussed on the fight.
"I thought that I could look into someone's mind, find out where he is, and then take off to find him."
"Okay, you find that out and meet me outside at the back door in five."
"Why?" I asked.
"I'm going to come with you and help you. I'm not going to let you go into that alone and Justin has his hands full with this. We aren't the only ones with powers here; they're distant relatives of ours. They're twins and have telekinesis. They're not that dangerous, but still enough to need Justin and the others to stop them. I am not majorly needed in this fight and will feel better that you have someone with you. We never know, this could be another layer to the trap."
I nodded and looked around, deciding not to ask anything about our distant relatives at that moment. If she said that they weren't anything to worry about, then I would trust that she knew what she was talking about and wouldn't lie to me.
I remembered the man that I had knocked out before, and realised that he would probably be the easiest person to try to get information from; he was already unconscious, and his mind would be wide open so I wouldn't have to worry about fighting him or protecting myself while trying to find what I wanted.
I smiled at her and moved back the way I came, finding that there were no new people in that area and that the majority of the fight seemed to be at the front of the building. When I reached the man, I crouched down and entered his mind, still making sure to keep an eye out for anyone approaching me.
It was easy to find out about Enzo, considering that he had been thinking about him and the mission nonstop for the last few days. Enzo had arranged to stay at home, away from the fight.
It amazed me how he had so many people following and looking up to him, considering how much of a coward he seemed to be in real life. He only ever sent his employees into the danger, deciding that he himself would stay home, safe and relaxed.
I exited that man's mind and then left through the back door, peering around before I stepped completely outside to make sure that none of Enzo's men had found their way back there. It was clear and I moved outside and let the door shut behind me, moving down the building a few feet so that I was resting against the wall.
I waited two minutes and then the door opened again. I readied myself for an attack, just in case, but it was only Caterina and Puck.
I watched them in surprise, raising an eyebrow at Puck. "What are you doing here?"
"I heard Caterina telling your father that you were leaving to find Enzo and I decided that three people would be better than two. They don't really need my help there anyway; I just feel like I'm getting in the way more than anything else. At least this way, I can put my knowledge to use."
I nodded and accepted his answer, thankful that he was joining us. If the amount of people that were here were anything to go by, the house was sure to be swarming with guards and guns.
We took off toward the second car that Sasha had driven, knowing that we had to leave a car closer to the building for Justin and the others just in case they needed a quick getaway or if someone was badly injured, that car would be their only choice.
We had been driving in silence for a while when Puck started talking. I was driving the car, because I knew the way the best, Puck was in the passenger's seat and Caterina was in the back.
"What's the deal with you and Brittany?"
I looked at him out of the corner of my eye, urging him to continue.
"I mean, obviously you're going out; girlfriends, or whatever. Everyone at school knows that. But like…why?" I turned my head to look at him, staring blankly before turning back to the road. He quickly backpedalled, holding out his hands in a placating gesture. "That came out wrong. I don't really know what I mean, just that it seemed to come out of nowhere. She's the chick that Rico was after though, right?"
"She was," I answered tightly, surprised that Puck had actually managed to be that astute.
He seemed to realise that he wasn't going to get any answers with those questions and changed track slightly. "I do think that you're both good for each other though. I don't know what Brittany was like before she moved here, but you were completely different. She's changed you for the better, and I think that it's great that you're together."
"Where is this coming from?" I asked.
"I dunno," he shrugged. "I guess that I just wanted to try to make up for the way I acted and everything that I did."
I nodded as I pulled up to the house, the gates hanging wide open with no guards around. "Where is everyone?" I asked.
"Oh, he had everyone go to the warehouse. He knows how dangerous you two are and didn't want to risk anything."
"And you're only just telling me now?" I glanced at him, that car still idling before the gates.
"I forgot," he said guiltily, shrugging apologetically. "But you can drive right on in."
I nodded and followed his instructions, parking at the side of the house. We all stepped out and walked around to the garage, but found that it was locked shut. I sighed, even though I wasn't surprised by it, and Puck stepped in front of me, walking up to the front door with his gun aimed out in front of him.
We got to the door and Puck glanced at us, all three of us nodding before he pressed down on the handle gently, letting it swing open the tiniest bit. It made no sound, and as we made our way in we couldn't hear anything, the house was eerily silent. He raised an eyebrow at us in question before continuing on, stopping in the middle of the foyer to look around, finally giving a shrug, asking where to go.
I looked to the door of Enzo's study and nodded at that, knowing that that was where he usually stayed during the day and night when he was at home. Puck turned around and headed for the door, checking that I was right behind him and Caterina was behind me before opening the door and bursting into the room.
I followed and found Enzo sat behind his desk, watching in shock as the three of us entered the room. He had one heavily muscled bodyguard with him, who quickly jumped to his feet and headed for Puck as soon as we entered, knocking the gun out of his hands straight away.
He and Puck started fighting, exchanging and dodging blows, but it looked like Puck was losing. When he received a particularly hard punch to the face, throwing him down to the ground, Caterina jumped in to help him, kicking the man in the back of the knees so that he also tumbled to the floor.
I turned when I heard a noise behind me, but I wasn't quite quick enough. I felt a searing pain in the back of my shoulder and cried out, falling to one knee and clutching my arm as the knife that had been plunged into me was ripped back out.
I thought back to Caterina's possible power; mind over matter. I could do that. If I didn't, I would most likely die, and I wasn't willing to let that happen just yet. I channelled all the strength that was gathered in my mind, and brought it to the forefront, everyone in my head coming together to form a type of barrier around the pain in my shoulder. I could tell that it would only last for a limited amount of time, but if I used that correctly, it would be immeasurably helpful.
I spun around and kicked out at Enzo's legs, knocking them out from under him and sending him to the floor next to me. His knife, tinted with my blood, clattered out of his hand and I wanted to grab for it but I didn't have enough time, because Enzo was already trying to stand.
I rolled over and pressed my forearm over his throat, trying to restrict his breathing, but apparently failing as he just grinned at me. He struggled under me and I threw an elbow into his ribs, my other arm still across his throat as I struggled to keep him in place, but he dislodged me with a swift punch to the face.
I fell sideways, cursing myself and the fact that I seemed to have forgotten all of the things I had been taught about defence and fighting, but managed to scramble up, grabbing Enzo's knife from the floor as I stood.
He rose too and surged toward me, not noticing that I held the knife in my hand. I was shoved up against the wall, his hands around my throat, but I swiftly brought my knee upwards, gripping his shoulders and spinning us around so that he was now against the wall, my knife at his neck.
We both stopped moving, waiting to see what I would do, and I hesitated. No matter what he had done to me, I didn't want to kill anyone, let alone the man that had raised me as his daughter for seventeen years.
I pressed it a little harder against the skin of his neck, but quickly pushed myself away from him, breathing deeply. He moved away from me a little bit, stepping to the side, and I kept the knife aimed toward him, but did nothing else to stop him.
The silence that enveloped the room lead me to believe that Puck and Caterina had won their fight, considering that I hadn't already been attacked from behind, but I didn't turn to look. Instead, I entered Enzo's mind, figuring that if I wasn't able to kill him, I would at least know if he was planning anything.
Maybe I could do what I had done to Rico. Justin could control him so that Enzo would formally stop his side business, so that no one else could run it when he was gone, and then I would change and remove all of his memories. It would be harder than what I had to do with Rico, of course, but I would find it so much more fulfilling.
I was still in his mind, listening in to his thoughts and I froze when a particular one struck him. He knew what I was planning; he could see in my eyes that I wouldn't kill him, and he knew what we had done to Rico. He didn't want that to happen to him – he would rather die.
I saw it a split second after he thought it, but that wasn't long enough for me to even move or tell people what he was going to do. He tore a gun out of its hiding place underneath his desk and raised it to me.
A shot rang out, but it didn't come from his gun. It hit him in the chest, and then two more quickly followed, making him fall to the ground, blood pooling around him as he lay there.
I stood in my place in shock, not quite believing what had just happened. He knew that as soon as he would raise a gun to me, the others would kill him; he died because of me.
I felt my mind and power failing, the pain in my shoulder rushing back to the forefront of my mind. I staggered and gripped onto the desk a few paces from me, feeling hands grab my arms either side of me, two voices asking if I was alright. I could only nod before my vision went black and I felt myself go limp in their grip, trusting them to look after me.
A.N. Please review and let me know what you thought! There's only one chapter left, the end is so near.
I uploaded a short one-shot on here a couple of days ago, if you want to check it out! :)
