Chapter 13

I took a seat beside Eugene at his computer station. He passed me various printouts, I glanced over walls of texts but stopped at a picture. I think it was me, it was a mug shot. He passed me what looked like a list. I skimmed over it 'VANDALISM… PETTY THEFT… some of the crimes were listed several times ….shit was getting worse … GRAND THEFT AUTO…

ATTEMPTED MURDER "what the fuck!?" I dropped the paper and looked up at Eugene who was taking in my shock.

"These records were buried deep in the DUP database, I had to do a lot of digging to find them," Eugene announced.

I rubbed my temples, hands a little shaken, was this really who I was?

"I think they planned to release these records," Eugene said "you know to add to the anti-conduit propaganda."

"Eugene I …" I paused and took a deep breath I couldn't believe what I was reading "I don't remember any of this."

Eugene struggled to find a reply or rather one that would comfort me but then he tried "I got rid of it all – there are only these physical copies now. I've pretty much dismantled the entire network – well not before adding in a few adjustments."

I didn't reply, I wanted him to elaborate.

He took the hint, "I reprogrammed the scanners."

"You … what?" my words fell out of my mouth in disbelief.

"They have no way of identifying new conduits now and Delsin says he's found a way to activate potential conduits."

"When you say you reprogrammed?" I tried to keep my tone calm "what exactly did you do?" I knew the answer.

"I switched the responses." Eugene's answer was casual as if he was blissfully unaware of the countless innocent casualties his little hack had caused.

"Do you have any idea what you've done?" my teeth clenched.

Eugene's eyes widened – the same fear he displayed for Delsin – I didn't want that. I relaxed as best as I could manage "I saw people at the bunker trying to enter – they were all identified as conduits," he paused "the DUP gunned them all down," my eyes locked with his, "countless. Innocent. people."

Eugene looked to his feet, he did appear to be showing some remorse but I didn't understand him - he seemed like a reasonable, intelligent guy with incredible power that I'm sure could be put to better use – why would he use it to hurt these people?

He croaked as he tried to find words "the DUP killed them. I've never killed anybody."

I glared at him, "but you surely knew this would happen."

"Delsin has a plan," he gasped "the DUP are the bad guys here, they didn't have to open fire, they're the real terrorists and now everyone is starting to see them for who they really are." These words didn't sound like Eugene's thoughts and I didn't get the slightest ounce of conviction from them.

"Hey asshole, back off!"

I darted out the way, narrowly avoiding a neon bolt that left my chair smouldering where my head was rested only seconds ago. I looked up to see a girl surrounded in pink neon light with a furious face.

"Fetch!" Eugene scrambled to his feet "Fetch! It's ok he's with us!"

I stood and held my hands out to demonstrate my surrender. Fetch allowed her power to drain away and cocked her head in my direction.

"I'm Aiden Miles," I announced "Delsin brought me back here after…"

"I know, I was there," she announced flippantly "I took off though – I don't like travelling you know, I get car sickness."

I raised my brow – so how in the hell would travelling by car make someone who could bolt around at ridiculous speeds, travel sick? Urgh whatever, then I remembered something "hey," I started "it was you who stole the recording!"

"Oh yeah?" she crossed her arms "and?"

I frowned "and … why?"

She shrugged, "Delsin asked me to."

What was with these guys? If Delsin asked them to jump off a bridge - err bad example but why in the hell were they so obedient to his destructive cause? I wanted no part of it.

"Ah awesome!" Fetch knocked along the crate "looks like our delivery arrived, where's Delsin – we need to crack this thing open."

"We should wait for Delsin." Eugene announced.

Fetch lifted her finger and concentrated her power into a thin neon lazer – she pointed it at the crate.

"or not …" Eugene rolled his eyes and adjusted his glasses.

I just stood by waiting for Fetch to reveal the contents...

but something was wrong –

there was a loud beep and then ….

Boom!

Next thing I knew, I'd been launched through one of the blown out glass windows and was hurtling toward the ground, I quickly corrected my position and cushioned my fall with gravity – landing safely on the floor below just in time to see the space needle come crashing down like a stack of dominoes. I watched anxiously – I saw no neon and no video.

A dust cloud was thrown up all around and I coughed "Eugene!" I yelled scrambling through the debris "Fetch!"

Shit – there was no sight or sound of them but as I panned the area with my eyes I could see that the explosion had attracted the attention of the DUP.

I had to find them.

I quickly set about moving huge boulders of concrete with my powers – where could they be!?

The DUP was getting closer...

I heard a cough - I saw a hand. I frantically threw debris backward – the DUPs were closing in.

Shit! It was Eugene and he was trapped under a large shard of glass – it had impaled his arm and he was covered in blood, he looked bad.

I didn't have glass powers, I had to be very careful to remove it – I attempted and Eugene cried out. Shit – where the fuck was Delsin?

I could do this! I could do this!

I shook my hands and fingers and clenched them, gripping the glass in my gravity – careful not to shatter it and I began to pull…. slowly, cautiously.

The DUPs opened fire and it rained glass, showering us both in shards.

Dammit, I turned and thrust the frontlines backward with gravity – there were too many and I was being pelted with bullets now.

My powers were waining ... everything was becoming ... dark, the loud blasts were dimming out

– my powers were failing -

I couldn't keep this up for much longer. I had no choice, I fell down and gripped Eugene by the arm and I managed to rip him from the rubble but as always – the first contact with a new conduit brought about an overload in their powers.

I fell onto my back and closed my eyes. Flashes of Eugene's life invaded my mind – bullies, abuse, torture, Augustine, Curdun Cay, Hank, Fetch … a van, freedom… Delsin, Augustine … And then nothing – I think I passed out.

Then I came to.

The area was levelled – no more DUP, just the charred smouldering remains of the aftermath of it all and Eugene was laid out beside me, unconscious. As my vision cleared and I sat up, I became aware of Delsin's presence – he was pacing, holding his head – looked to be in some sort of panic – what the hell happened?

"Delsin," I coughed weakly "Delsin."

"Shit, Aiden" he gripped my hand and pulled me to my feet "what happened?"

"I could ask you the same man!"

I shook my head, my healing abilities were taking their sweet time to kick in, "Fetch?"

Delsin shook his head and paced some more, "I searched everywhere, Miles."

"Eugene?" I glanced to him.

"I got here just in time to see his power in overdrive," Delsin sighed "I had to…"

"What?"

Delsin considered his words, "calm him down."

I frowned, what did that mean? Then I remembered back to Morris – the same thing had happened. I activated Morris and Delsin swooped in and somehow paicified his power, stealing it in the process but subduing him all the same – I mean that was a good thing right?

"Dammit!" Delsin kicked through a large concrete boulder.

Fetch. I looked around, almost every boulder had been reduced to rubble – there was nowhere she could have been.

"The crate!" Delsin yelled out "it was that damn crate wasn't it?"

I nodded.

"They knew we'd go for it," Delsin gritted his teeth "they're gonna pay!"

"We need to get Eugene outta here," I sighed.

"We have another place down the street," Delsin replied "follow me."

Delsin had already hovered away carried in concrete, leaving me to deal with Eugene. I lifted him with gravity and placed his arm over my shoulder and carefully drifted us in Deslin's location. We passed into what looked like abandoned offices, the room we entered had more computers and monitors – just how many lairs did Eugene have? I set him down on a chair, he was unresponsive.

"Think he's ok?" I asked.

"Yeah, yeah … he just needs to sleep it off," Delsin replied "come on let's get out of here for a bit."

I wasn't sure we should be leaving Eugene like this but Delsin had already left.