She stopped just outside, turning her head to address me. "Not much we can do for a concussion. Take some aspirin when the pain gets bad; in time it will heal."
I stood up from the cot. "I mean, what about my powers?"
Thunder rolled overhead like an ominous warning.
Now she turned to face me full on, and cocked her head. "You said powers, not power."
Chapter 31
No More Tears
Sabrina left in a rush, leaving the tent flaps unzipped. They fluttered in the strengthening wind. The low buzzing of tattoo guns ceased all at once. Layla and Sheri wiped down their instruments and stowed their now empty jars of ink.
"Are we done?" I asked.
Layla looked up at me, putting away the last jar. "It's all gone."
"Oh, right," I said, furrowing my eyebrows. "Can you get more?"
Layla rubbed the back of her neck. "Not unless we come across a very talented Earth to sniff out Iron Oxide, Cadmium, and the dozens of other metal salts used to make ink."
Both of their eyebrows went up. I did just declare myself to be an Earth.
"Sorry – power problems, remember?"
Sheri mumbled under their breath. "Figures - Earths can't do all that much, anyway."
I don't think I was meant to hear it, but I answered anyway. "We can do enough."
"Like?" she asked. It wasn't a challenge, more like a distracting conversation for her as she placed her tattoo gun back in its case, perhaps for the last time.
Layla stepped forward, bandaging up the side of my face. "Keep these on the next couple of days. We'll find you and check back in – see how they are doing."
I nodded, then addressed Sheri's question. "I can tell you where Marissa is, right now. And I can send help for her and her sister."
Sheri turned around, putting her hand on her hip. "Okay, I'll bite. Where is she and how can you send help?"
Layla answered before I could. "She is probably with your friend Clay, where you sent her."
"No," I shook my head, standing up. "No – she's with the prisoners. They're all running. And…" I closed my eyes, concentrating. "They aren't being followed. Clay probably has the guards distracted."
Sheri and Layla stopped what they were doing, staring at me.
"How can you know that?" Sheri asked, her hand dropping from her hip.
"It's an Earth thing," I said.
"Maybe we should go see," Layla glanced at Sheri.
Sheri nodded, slowly. "Just in case she needs help."
"Okay," Layla said. She zipped up her bag and pointed at me. "You – you take care of yourself, and those tattoos."
Sheri followed Layla outside, and I followed Sheri.
"If you find them, they need to go northeast. Tell them Alex can help!" I yelled after them.
Layla waved her hand over her shoulder, acknowledging me as her pace quickened.
"Thank you!" I yelled louder, but they were already over a hill.
I grabbed my backpack and raced for the perimeter of Erika's camp. It was difficult to establish, now that most of the tents were rolled up. I had been keeping tabs on the only non-magical person the past few days; Alex. They were still nearby, and so far each of the patrols had missed them. I paused, making room for three large guys pulling a truck bed with no cab. Crops and vines stuck out the top and hung over the side.
Behind them were barrels, each pushed on a dolly. As one came near, the top blew off. The convoy stopped as everyone raced to catch the apparently irreplaceable lid. I stepped toward the barrel, peering inside. A pile of gold and brown curly hair sat on top of rotting vegetation. Erika doesn't waste time.
The lid was replaced, plunging what was left of Kaitlyn into darkness and stench. I swallowed hard, and continued my sprint, reaching out for Alex as I went. I found him, much closer than he had been before. And Susan and Bee weren't with him.
Oh God, I told myself. Something went wrong. A strong headwind picked up, working against me; like running through mud. Despite the wind and rain, my skin felt like it was on fire. The elements scraped across fresh wounds as my physical exertion stretched them tight.
I crashed through a set of bushes, and ran right into Alex. We both bounced back and hit the ground, hard. I pushed myself up, straight into the barrel of a pistol. Alex turned off the safety with a steady hand.
I glanced up at him. "You haven't had bullets in that thing since D.C."
"Oh my God – Kaitlyn?"
His other hand replaced the pistol. I took it and he yanked me to my feet, embracing me in a bear hug. "What did they do to you?" His hands ran through my hair and over the gauze covering my tattoos.
I winced, pushing his hands away. "Nothing, I did this to me. I had to change my appearance."