Earth(23)

"Gentlemen – this is the CEO of the building company for Utah's first nuclear power plant." Shawn circled the man, then stopped in front of him, bending down to the captive's eye level. "What are you doing in Utah, rather than your posh headquarters in New York?"

The man cleared his throat, eyeing the rest of the group. "I was here when Daybreak hit." He looked around. "Who are you? What do you want with me?"

Shawn didn't answer his questions. "And so you decided to hang out; mooch off the Mormons."

"I…I…" the man stuttered, then trailed off.

"Understandable. Most of them were more than prepared for an event like Daybreak."

The man sighed. "I've been tied to this chair for days. I am sitting in a puddle of my own piss and I am thirsty as hell. What do you want?"

Shawn stood, moved behind the CEO, and massaged his shoulders. "I want to know where you have been storing all the supplies for your new facility."

"Why would you—?"

Shawn's fingers, digging into the CEO's wiry muscles, cut him off. "Let's just move past the bluffing stage, shall we? You said you're thirsty?"

Shawn stepped back and nodded to the Water Elemental. He opened a bottle hanging from his belt loops. Small droplets appeared in the air, joining together to form a fist-size globe of sloshing water.

Every last Water at The Seven had more control than that, Clay thought.

The CEO's eyes shifted from the globe of water to the Elemental. "What are you?"

Clay slapped his forehead. Wrong thing to say.

The Elemental's stare went cold. He reared his hand back, then forward, shoving the water straight down the CEO's throat.

Clay stepped forward, hands extended to help. Shawn pushed Clay back. Clay swallowed hard as Shawn's eyes bore into him. They almost glowed blue in the dark storage room.

The CEO gagged and choked. Every time he managed to expel bits of water, it was redirected right back into his mouth. With one hand still on Clay's chest, Shawn checked his watch. "Stop."

The Elemental extracted droplets from the CEO, but it wasn't fast enough. His face was going white.

"I said stop!" Shawn shouted at the Elemental.

The Elemental narrowed his eyes in concentration, and extended both hands using physical motions to pull the water out. Sweat beaded on his forehead. The CEO went limp.

Shawn pushed the Elemental out of the way, and pressed his hand to the CEO's pulse. "Alive," he nodded. He slapped the CEO hard across the cheek. The man jolted awake, and took a deep breath.

Clay let out a sigh of relief. The CEO's eyes darted around the room, as if he had just woken up from a nightmare.

"Welcome back," Shawn said. "Where are you keeping the storage supplies for your nuclear facility?"

"We…we don't. There was a chance the permits wouldn't be approved. It wasn't worth the risk."

"Bullshit!" Shawn turned on him and the CEO leaned back in his seat. "You suits had enough money to push anything through. Although…there are always shortcuts to be had." He tapped his chin. "What were your planned shortcuts?"

The CEO furrowed his eyebrows. "I don't know what you mean."

"Hmm," Shawn mumbled. "You've met our Water."

The CEO automatically leaned away from the Water.

"Wanna see what our Fire can do?"

Flames lit up the room.

The screeching sound of metal against metal made Clay cringe as the CEO backed his chair away.

"Fort Calhoun," he said in a panic. "Nebraska. Right on the Platte River. It was being decommissioned, and we arranged to have a majority of the parts and materials refitted for ours."

"Now we're talking," Shawn said, rubbing his hands together. "How far did it get?"

"The first—" he cut off, leaning away further as the Fire came closer. "Can you get that out of my face?"

The Fire backed off.

"The first shipment was ready to go, but then…"

"Then what?" Shawn looked like he wanted to strangle him.

"Then Daybreak. The shipment is probably still sitting there on the river."

The Fire released his element, and the tension in the room dissipated.

Shawn turned, putting his arm around Clay and escorting him out. The Air and the Water followed. Heat licked at their backs. Shawn paused. "You, too!" he yelled over his shoulder.

Clay tried glancing back, but Shawn kept a tight grip on Clay's arm.

The heat had gone away when the Fire followed the group, but the man was left behind – still tied to the chair. Clay hesitated, indecision racking his brain.

"You with me?" Shawn asked.

Now is not the time, Clay thought. "Yeah," Clay followed Shawn and the rest of the group outside.