∞ The Tethered Ones ∞

Chapter 29

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• Liberty •

As Liberty rushed forward, the Defective snarled at her once they locked eyes. "Look at the whore. Coming to die for your dirty lover."

Vikram fumed. "Shut the hell up!"

The man's laughter echoed in her skull. "You've come to die with her? Perfect, because I think I've broken her."

Vikram circled him, keeping an eye on his every move.

"Giving her a black eye felt so good," he taunted. "I wonder how she tastes. Only you would know."

Launching at him, Vikram reached for his shoulders and threw him several feet back with one powerful push from his hands. "I'm going to kill you."

The Defective rolled on his back, nearly choking on a laugh. "You think you can take me, Babar? No one is stronger than me. Even someone like you."

"Babar!" Vikram's howl of anger roared louder than whatever the defective was saying, and he smashed his fists, causing him to fly. The ground beneath them trembled, and Liberty fell onto her side. She managed to raise herself onto her elbows, wincing. Each motion, no matter how light it was, sent sharp stings through her veins.

Streaks of light danced around the men under the night sky, and then they exchanged blows. Bright, orangey balls of electricity formed on the tips of the Defective's fingers, shooting passed Vikram and slamming into trees. The world turned bright and gold. A ball of fire shot toward her as embers cracked in the air, dwindling before striking her flesh. Each strike sent the ground into motion, knocking trees down, and blowing out windows.

The light shot between Vikram and the Defective, fizzing out as it reached her, knocking her unconscious. Warm hands gripped her shoulders and lifted her. "Liberty, talk to me," Max begged. "Say something."

Her throat was sore, and her words couldn't come out.

"Oh, shit!" he yelled. "We have to take her to a hospital!"

Then she felt cold hands touch her limbs. "Libby, baby." Elizabeth. "What did that monster do to you?"

"Ms. Carlyle, please step back," Max instructed. "She has been burned."

"My baby!" Her mother screamed, her tears falling from her frail face and landing on her daughter's shoulder. Elizabeth pulled her into her thin arms and yelled at the Defective. "I hope you burn in hell!"

He chuckled and turned from the battle at the same time Vikram did. With one look, a bolt of lightning shot straight for them, knocking her mother back. She screamed out in agony and rolled to her knees, glaring at him.

Off to the side and out of nowhere, Faisal sprinted forward and struck the Defective in his chest, causing the man to slam against a tackling dummy.

The Defective howled in horror and grabbed Faisal by the throat, then tossed him into the stadium. Turning, he reached for Max's neck and smashed his fist against his left cheek. Darkness swallowed, causing him to crumble to the ground in a twitching heap.

Vikram screamed as he yanked himself up and charged forward, tackling the Defective into a boiling rage. It was so fierce it burned the trees behind them. His wrath was so potent, fire erupted everywhere and branches shook as leaves resembled macabre rain.

The air cracked with virtuosity, and Liberty felt it in her bones as she staggered to her feet, sucking in a deep breath. Blood trickled down her nose, landing on her white blouse. She shook her head. She wasn't going out like this, and neither was them.

Adjusting his legs, Max stood on his feet and charged forward.

Catching up to them, Vikram looked at Liberty and stuttered, "What . . . what are you doing? Go back."

"No, I'm staying with you."

She took a look at the scene as Vikram — who can start fires with his mind, and Max, a trojan ready to beat the ever-loving snot out of the Defective — squared their shoulders, ready to tear him to pieces.

The Defective pulled his arm back, preparing for another stream of energy. A tree snapped behind their head, and Max bolted, crashing into the light when the man's neck was turned. Darkness enveloped around them, and a scream — a piercing scream that wasn't hers reverberated in the field. And then Liberty went flying, soaring above everyone's bodies. The sky was rolling, stars and the moon, over and over. Her entire world shimmered when she hit the ground, landing on her right side.

A body crashed next to her. A limp, tiny arm fell over her stomach. Elizabeth. Liberty thought she had stayed under the bleachers, but she was spotted by the Defective.

Her mother's body was cold — so cold it was scaring Liberty that she was dying in her arms. Her eyes turned white, and sorrow cut through her like a thousand razor blades slicing her skin. She wasn't moving, but her chest was heaving, soft and shallow. Distracted, Vikram bounded to his feet and made a fatal mistake.

"Don't do it, V!" Max had said.

The Defective reared his arm back and a blast caught Vikram on his spine. He went up, spiraling into the air, rolling in circles. He then landed an inch from their feet, and then the Defective chuckled, flickering in and out.

"This is the most fun I've had since I was created." He stepped forward and glared at them. "I'm going to pick you off one by one even if it's my last breath. You don't stand a chance."

Tears burned in Liberty's eyes, her cheek nestled against her mother's face. Vikram tried to move, but he collapsed, his face contorting in agony.

"It's over," the Defective continued. "You're all finished. We'll find you and kill you."

Before anyone could reply, he swished through the trees and disappeared into the darkness. Shocked and unable to comprehend what just happened, Liberty's words got stuck in her throat.

"What . . . do we do now?" Elizabeth asked taking a long, steady breath.

Turning toward her, Max replied, "We fight."

• • •

Once the others had left to make room in the Tahoe and Durango, it was just Liberty and Vikram on the field, sitting between the goal and the ten-yard line.

"Lib," he whispered, sending shivers through her. He was perched against the metal post, and her body was nestled against his chest. His heart thundered violently, drumming at the same rate as her, in perfect sync.

Everything around them seemed . . . peaceful, aside from the trees that were burning. "How . . . how did you do that, Vikram? You started a fire with . . . with your mind."

"Let's talk about it some other time." He paused, his voice weak, dry. "You need to rest. You've been through a lot and shouldn't strain yourself."

"But we need to go," she said. "More of them could come back."

He lowered his head to her. "Then we'll fight. And I'm not talking about you joining in, Lib. God knows you've taken a beating."

The hand that had been broken didn't ache as much. She turned her face, her cheek brushing his. She stared at the fiery blaze that unfolded behind them, and then her gaze dropped to the ground where they fought the Defective. The only trace of him was the burned holes he'd left in the ground.

"Why do you think he left?" she croaked, a tear sliding down her face. "I thought he'd kill us."

Vikram buried his head in the crook of her neck and breathed in deeply. "I'm just glad you didn't die, Lib. I was so scared. God . . . I . . ." He paused, wiping the sweat off his brow with a dirty palm. "I almost killed him. I would have, and I didn't. I was so worried about you. This shouldn't have happened. He shouldn't have laid one finger on you, baby."

"It's okay, Vik. I'm a survivor."

He shook his head, staring into her eyes. "That's not enough. He was strong, and you're not like us. We —"

"No, Vikram Rahul!" He closed his mouth when she called him by his full name. "I may not have superpowers, but I am strong and capable of holding my own. I'm not a child."

He released a sigh. "I know that, Lib. That's not what I meant."

"Good."

After a moment of silence, he asked, "How are you feeling?"

"Sleepy."

"Really? Aren't you hurting?"

She scoffed. "I guess that's what my fiancé was really asking."

"Baby, you fought someone tonight that you weren't prepared for, and he burned you. I'm worried and wonder if you need to go to a hospital."

She was thinking the same thing, but she knew she had to tough it out. They'd get caught, and that was the last thing they needed. "I'll be okay after some medication and if you could change my gauze. I'm pretty sure there is a first-aid kit in the Tahoe."

He smiled. "I believe there is."

She watched in silence as Vikram's eyes traveled over her face and down her chin, making their way to her mouth. His finger traced her skin, his thumb sliding over her lips. "I think, for now, and since you don't want to see a doctor, it would be best if we find out where Amir and Luna are. Hopefully, they're safe, and he could check you over from a distance. Look at your injuries and everything."

She nodded, and then said, "There's also Faisal. He went to the same medical school as his cousin. And there's Max and Colin, who are trained paramedics. We have a few medical professionals around us."

Vikram snickered. "That we do, Mrs. Rahul."

She stilled as his hands drifted around her face, removing the smudges their battle had left behind. A tumble of black curls shifted over his brows and a smile spread across his lips, reaching his eyes, deepening them into a  rich, chocolate shade. His fingers skimmed across her cheeks and his head tilted. She couldn't help but think about what he called her again as his mouth touched her lips. There was an immensely tender quality to his gentle kiss. It reached inside her skin, sending her emotions into overdrive. It was sweet, intimate, and hypnotic. He'd kissed her like that before, but this kiss was more of a declaration of his love for her.

With her head tipped back, he explored her lips as if it was the first time they'd ever kissed. Their actual first kiss didn't happen until six months into their friendship, and little did either of them know, that their world would change. And it changed for the better.

Their lives were always destined to . . . entwine.

Vikram finally pulled back and kept his eyes on her. "He didn't break you," he whispered.

"Nope. He tried, and he failed." Liberty's eyes moved over every inch of his weary face. "How are you feeling? You took a few blows yourself."

He snorted. "The Defective was no match for me. Or any of us, actually."

She took a breath. "What now?"

A slow, exhausted sigh escaped his lips. "We go to New Orleans."

• • •

It literally hurt her right side as she was squished between Cami and Vikram in the Durango.

Liberty couldn't exactly let the group know she was in pain, because then they'd argue with her about going to a doctor. Even though, Faisal and Max had looked over her injuries. Vikram kept changing her gauze pads, and she swallowed the necessary pain medication when needed. She felt miserable and didn't want to express it. She was trying not to become a burden on anyone.

Speeding down the same highway she drove for NASCAR on, she shifted her gaze between the back of Max's head and Faisal who sat up front with him. The rest of their group was in the Tahoe, and Raul and Colin were taking turns to drive. Sarah was sitting next to her grandparents.

Wincing, Liberty grabbed a can of soda from the cooler and went back to staring into complete darkness. No traffic. No cops. No hassle. They'd stopped to get a couple of sandwiches from a convenience store, and Cami and Faisal practically scarfed theirs down. There weren't many sandwiches left by the time she wanted one.

They sure eat a lot.

"Did you want this ham and cheese?" Cami offered, staring at the last sandwich with such longing that Liberty was beginning to think she and Faisal needed to have a serious talk. Her eyes had never left the food in her hand, even when he turned back to check on her.

"No, thank you," she replied, curling against her fiancé.

Eating while everyone stared at each other and made strange noises with their mouths was a bit uncomfortable. She was used to it back in the cabin. But this was an eight-hour road trip and different this time around.

The chatter in the car was minimal. Max kept his radio on low and everyone's eyes were peeled for any sudden reappearances of Defectives. He said that he was certain they were the ones after Sarah and not just the organization. BARDA had sent agents to spy on them, but the Defectives were out for revenge. And Liberty figured it had something to do with Luna. They had ambushed Dr. Kim's home, and Max's contact said that Luna kicked their ass.

Damn right. Luna is a beast.

She smiled, wishing she could see her sister in action. Even Amir. She'd heard that he looked like Rambo in the middle of a war.

No one spoke much about the Defective they encountered. As far as they were concerned, he may think twice before coming after any one of them again. Vikram's abilities grew further, and Max and Faisal were strong enough to take others down.

Over the last couple of hours, she'd come to a certain understanding of her actions. It was a level of shaky acceptance and she knew her recklessness could have cost people their lives. She had to swallow her pride and never go rogue again, but it was difficult for her. It was either the Defective, or Sarah.

The douchebag had to go.

Lost in thought, Cami nudged her leg, gaining her attention. "Are you okay? Do you need us to stop and check on your injuries?"

If she had a dollar for every time she was asked that question, she'd have enough money to buy a brand new home. It wasn't like she didn't want to be pampered, because that was the best thing in a group of friends, but her mind was focused on getting to their next destination. Enough things were going on in the world, and stopping a few times for her would slow them down. She was not putting up with it.

When she looked up, Faisal and Cami were staring at her. Lovely.

"I'm fine."

Neither of them looked convinced. But Faisal still smiled a little too brightly. "We're here for you if you need us. We've got your back."

"I know."

Cami gave her a soft smile. "I'm wondering how you're handling everything. You were a warrior. I hope we'll never see that defective again."

"Do you think we will?" Liberty asked.

"Possibly," said Max, glancing in the rearview mirror. "He moved in ways I've never seen before, and he was fast and forceful. I'm sure he was injected with several serums in the hospitals, and some of them could have enhanced his abilities."

Vikram popped his knuckles next to the window, shaking his head. "If I ever see that imbecile again, he's going to wish we'd killed him." Liberty reached for his hand, threading her fingers with his as he continued. "I'll burn that man from the inside out. I dare him to go after my family again."

"Did anybody get his name?" asked Cami.

Max snorted. "No. Let's name him. How about . . . Dolthead?"

Vikram chuckled. "Wow, Max. Very original."

"Is his name important?" Liberty shifted uncomfortably in her seat and her skin itched. She wasn't sure how long she could sit there and hear them name the man who assaulted them. He didn't deserve to be thought about, and he was scum. "Let's focus on something else."

"You're right, Lib," Vikram said. "We have roughly seven more hours to go and we'll be in Louisiana. And I don't believe anyone is following us."

"That we know of," Liberty murmured. "They can cloak themselves now."

"Can you tell if our group is still behind us?" Cami settled back in her seat.

Max's eyes shifted from the mirror to her. "They're back there. Raul made sure the bright lights were on."

The two of them started talking, making plans for where to stay until they reached the city. Liberty began drifting off once it turned eleven o'clock. With a yawn and a stretch, Vikram snuggled her to his chest, and she was finally able to fall asleep, in her safe place, in her sanctuary.

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Ah, yes. Vikram, Liberty, and the crew had a battle. Vikram unlocked another ability, and he and Lib's private moment in the middle scene is an introduction to their spin-off. Yay! #vikerty