All discomfort forgotten, I spit in his face. "Why do you want her?" I heard Drake moving around behind me and prayed he didn't make this situation worse than it already was.
Steele took a napkin and dabbed at his mouth as if we were at a freaking tea party. "She's the key. You both are."
I remembered my dream, the Seeker's memory of me being brought home as a baby. Steele had said I was perfect, that I was the key. Apparently, I wasn't perfect enough, if he still needed Ana.
He walked over to the crib, picked up my Ana and cradled her. She fussed and cried, but he ignored it. "With Grunt, I was able to enhance powers, even transfer them successfully, but only the basic ones: strength, speed, physical manipulation, appearance. The powers this baby possesses are beyond that, the next evolution of paranormals."
I wanted to dig out his eyes with my fingers and pull out his trachea. How dare he touch my baby? How dare he use her like this? I struggled against Adam, trying to escape, but he was too strong and my leg bled and hurt. Still, I wouldn't give up, not with Ana just a few feet away, crying for me. I could feel her fear and confusion, her dislike for the man who held her.
"You better hope she is okay, because if you have harmed even a hair on her head, I will make your death long and painful. You're going to die either way, but I can make you wish for death, Steele, and I will." The words may have sounded like empty threats, but I had a mother's conviction on my side. I wasn't bluffing.
Drake joined the fray by running toward Steele, who pointed his gun at Drake. "I've made some alterations. Don't make me make more."
Drake froze. 'What's the use? I can't even hurt him or allow him to be hurt. Useless. It's over. I've failed.'
No, failure was not an option. I wiggled in Adam's hand. "He's hurting me."
Steele looked up, as if he'd forgotten I'd been dangling there. "Of course. Grunt, put her down."
Adam did.
And I made a mad dash for my baby. It had all clicked. When I'd taken Drake's powers, we'd been touching, and I transferred them to Ana. If I could reach her, maybe connect with her in the same way, I could shut down her powers so that Steele could no longer use her. Would no longer need her.
I yelled to Drake. "Run!" I hoped he would escape as I tackled Steele, who dropped his gun as I touched my baby.
But just as we connected, something shot up from the ground and attacked me. The tiles from the floor popped up, rising like a ceramic tidal wave and separating me from Steele and my baby.
"No! Ana!" More tiles popped up, creating a prison around me.
Drake had run, but toward me rather than away. A tile shot at his chest, knocking him back, but he kept moving forward.
Steele pulled the baby away and nodded to Adam. "Good work, Grunt." To me he smiled. "It's not time for you to hold your baby yet."
And then that final puzzle piece came together, and I knew what he wanted us for. I turned to Drake. "Run! Get out of here! I'll be fine."
Drake stood, hurt and exhausted but refusing to leave. His thoughts jumbled together—memories of the three of them together, pain, regret, love. He wouldn't abandon them, even if it killed him. A stain of purple formed around his pocket and his thoughts revealed that the last of his drugs had shattered when the tile hit him. He had no more power. He couldn't help if he stayed; he'd only get himself killed.
Another tile flew at him, but something pulled him out of the way. A form shimmered in the empty space.
Toby! Dear, wonderful Toby. "Get him out of here. Now! Please!"
The invisible boy pulled at Drake and tried to get him to the door, but Toby was a small kid and didn't have the strength to physically coerce Drake to do anything, especially when Drake resisted.
Tiles flew at them and Toby helped Drake dodge them while I slipped into his mind. He had just enough power left to connect with me one last time. "You have to go. If you don't, he'll capture us both."
'I don't care. I can't leave you ever again. I promised.'
"I know, but I need you to, Drake. Don't you understand? He'll kill you. He doesn't need you, but Ana and I do. We need you to save us, but you can't do that here, right now. I've finally figured out his end game. He wants me to take Ana's power from her... and give them all to him. If you don't leave, you'll be dooming us all to death after he gets what he wants. Go! Go so you can save our daughter. If you love me at all, go!"
He and Toby left.
Chapter 115 - Lucy
"Arm the bomb," said Simmons. "You'll have fifteen minutes to get out, more than enough time."
Lucy sat in front of the weapon with its tangle of wires, frozen. How could she do this? "There are still children in the facility. Sam's been captured." She shook her head, tears streaming down her face. "We can't detonate this."