Arabella Read online

  “I thought this was supposed to be a standard recovery mission?” I glanced over my shoulder at Cole. Without another word, I reached inside of my utility belt – it was one of the few things I never left the building without because I didn’t trust the Horde bastards – and pulled out a few shock discs. The effects of the discs only lasted a few minutes, but a few minutes would be more than enough to help me figure something out.

  The Horde knew most of my powers by now, so I knew that whatever we were about to walk into would be far from easy. The smart thing to do would have been to turn away and walk away, but we’d already come this far. And honestly? I wanted to know what was on the hard-drive.

  What was it that my father and Mara were desperate to protect? And that the Horde were so eager to get their hands on? And perhaps, most importantly, how did Cole and I fit into all of it?

  Cole moved in front of me; his brows furrowed as he tried to make sense of my words. “It is. Why? What’s going on?”

  “Well, last I checked, standard recovery missions didn’t involve the Horde.”

  Tangled Web

  Six months ago...

  “You know, I used to think that these kind of movies were crap. Until they became my life,” I muttered, leaning back against the couch with the ridiculously large bowl of popcorn – which I had every intention of devouring on my own – accessible in my lap.

  “So you mean to tell me that you’re an Avenger now? When the hell did that happen? And where can I sign up?”

  “Sorry, you’re not cool enough to join us, buddy.”

  “In all seriousness though, Bell, how many times have you seen this movie now?”

  “A few times,” I said, shrugging. We both knew that had been a bullshit answer, but I wasn’t in the mood for him to give me crap. I spent most of my free time locked away in the Bilson Corporations building reading through my stacks of comics and binge watching movies on Netflix. Was it the best way to spend my free time? In actuality, no. I probably could of done something far more productive, but I liked to pretend that I lived in the fictional worlds that my comic books offered because those stories showed that it was possible to both be a hero and a person.

  They showed that it was possible to still be human underneath it all.

  “It’s getting late; I should probably get going before Mara flips.” Cole rose to his feet and reached for his black leather coat that lay folded atop the coffee table.

  Gosh forbid Mr. Perfect ever get a wrinkle in an article of clothing.

  “You do realize that you’re twenty-three, correct? You’re more than capable of making your own decisions, Cole.”

  “It’s not about that, Bel.” He slipped his jacket on as he made his way over towards the door that led out to the hallway.

  “Oh yeah? Then please, tell me, what is it about?”

  “Respect, Bell. Respect.” And with that, he closed the door, cutting off the conversation.

  Part of me wanted to run after him – after all, his living quarters were only three doors down – to bitch at him for acting as though I lacked the ability to showcase respect. But I was way too comfortable on the couch.

  So I decided to do what any rational person that had no intention of getting off the couch would do, I texted him. What the hell was that supposed to mean?

  Ah, there it is.

  Answer the question, ass-hat.

  Note to Arabella: I don’t think ass-hat is a real word.

  It is now. Now answer the damn question.

  Why? We both know the answer already.

  At that, I tossed my phone on the couch, choosing to ignore the dinging noises that filled the air with every unanswered text. Because I knew that he was right.

  We both did know the answer, and the only reason I was annoyed at him was because he had been right. I had a tendency to act childish at times and purposefully go out of my way to piss Mara and my father off, and Cole was always there to help rein me in. And as much as it pained me to admit as much, more often than not, I needed someone to rein me in.

  I was a walking disaster. Plain and simple. I was too stubborn for my own good; too hell bent on a life completely separate from my own, too closed off to form any real relationships with anyone outside of immediate family and Cole.

  I was a disaster, but I was a pretty damn awesome disaster. I mean, I did have super powers, so I couldn’t completely hate my life or who I was. There were some rather spiffy aspects of my life, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t hope for more.

  I remembered one of the last conversations I’d had with Gwen before the night that she died. I’d told her how I wanted to experience what the world had to offer outside of Bilson Corporations. She told me that it was normal to want more.

  “It’s human instinct,” she said. “To want more; to believe that the grass is greener on the other side, but that doesn’t mean your way of going about things is correct.”

  Many things haunted me in my life. The lives that I’d taken. Those that I’d changed. The choices I’d made. But nothing had haunted me as much as Gwen’s words that night.

  Bitter Pill, Part Two

  Six months and two days later...

  “That doesn’t mean your way of going about things is correct.”

  I’d made plenty of made decisions in my life, but none as bad as the decision to go on that recovery mission that night.

  I should have known that something was up when I took note of the location. The black market buyers usually stuck to business buildings – like McVeigh at Vesta Corp and Wilson at Covera Corporations – whereas, the Horde usually kept to the shadows.

  And the building we’d found ourselves in front of? It screamed Horde quarters.

  “You’ve got to be kidding,” Cole muttered. He leaned back against the wall beside the building entrance. “I think we need to get out of here, Bell. We don’t know how many Horde members are in there.”

  “Excuse me? You bitched about me being late, and now you want me to run home scared because we don’t know what’s on the other side of that door? Not happening, bud. I’m here. We’re doing this. And then I’m going to be sure to give Mara hell the moment we get back home.”

  “Arabella.” I could sense the annoyance in his tone, but I drowned it out.

  When the full name came out? It was Cole’s way of admitting he didn’t agree with me. Then again, when did he? “Don’t try and talk me out of this. We’re here to get the hard drive, and we’re going to get it. Either you’re going to follow me in there, or you’re going to wait out here. Either way, I’m not waiting around here any longer.”

  “Always so reckless,” he groaned.

  “Always so safe,” I responded. “Some risks are worth taking.”

  “And are you sure that this is one?”

  I shrugged my shoulders as I neared closer to the door. “I’m not sure about anything right now, Cole, but I know that I want to know what’s on those hard-drives. If it concerns us, don’t you think we deserve to know what information they contain? And better yet, why the Horde sought one out?”

  “Maybe,” he countered. “But maybe there’s good reason Mara and your father have kept that information from us.”

  “Really? Please, feed me your bullshit excuse for why they’ve hidden that information from us, Cole, because I’d really love to know.”

  At that, he rolled his eyes, not that I blamed him. I was pissed, and he knew it, but I’d crossed the line from being pissed to just being a plain ass. Not that I would ever admit that aloud. “You don’t get it. The air is buzzing with thoughts, all filled with visions of death and pain. If we walk in there, Bell, there’s a damn good chance we’ll be walking to our deaths.”

  As a Super, I was expected to risk my life to protect those of innocent people. I was supposed to see to it that I operated out of pure selflessness. But at that moment, faced with the possibility of death and discovering the truth, I’d decided to give into my selfishness.

  “Lik
e I said, some risks are worth taking.”

  Part Two:

  Origins

  The Truth of Project X

  At the Horde quarters...

  I knew that this was a bad idea.

  And yet, I allowed myself to go through with it. Like usual.

  Maybe I should have listened to Cole when he warned me against this plan.

  “Really? Now you decide to consider my opinion?” Cole arched his brow at me as I glanced over at him. “A bit too late for that one now, don’t ya think?”

  “Shut it, would you?”

  “Fine, but just know that this conversation isn’t over.”

  I wanted to scream at him, but the approaching Horde members moving towards the center of the room, away from the shadows and into the lights? They kind of made it impossible to fight with Cole.

  “Distractions are deadly.” My father’s words replayed in my head as I crouched down, the shock discs already well within my grasp. “Let’s get this over with, shall we, boys?”

  One of the Horde members lunged forward, his face hidden behind a red cotton mask, his eyes and mouth covered with black bits of fabric. It was hard to take the fools seriously when they looked like bad Deadpool cosplayers.

  Before he could grab hold of me, I spun around and launched one of the shock discs at him, hitting him in his side. Maybe it was the cynic in me, but I couldn’t help but to smile as he fell to his knees in pain, a shrill scream escaped through his lips as he clutched his side.

  The shock discs might have been tiny – no bigger than a Pog – but they did the job well enough to buy me some time.

  I had shot one glance at Cole over my shoulder before I took off across the room. I knew that it was only a matter of time until they caught on to me, given that they had been well aware of my abilities, but I was desperate to locate the hard-drive, and I hoped that Cole would have been able to keep them busy for a bit longer.

  Just a bit longer, Cole. I wasn’t sure if he’d be able to hear my thoughts projected among the others – honestly, I’d never really bothered to ask him in detail just how that little talent of his worked – but I hoped that he would.

  I noticed a swift movement out of the corner of my eye as I neared the desk at the back of the room. “What the?”

  A Horde member circled around me, an electric baton in his grasp. “You will surrender if you know what’s good for you.”

  Well, that was a new one. The Horde had various gadgets, most of which had been crafted using stolen technology from Bilson Corporations, but the bright pulsing charge that illuminated from the baton was enough to tell me that I was in trouble. Because I knew damn well that hadn’t been a weapon developed at Bilson Corporations.

  I might have had powers, but I was far from invincible.

  I could still feel pain, and I knew the kind of pain those things could result in with limited advancements. And the baton that the Horde member had within his grasp? It looked like it had undergone nearly as many upgrades as I had, and that was a terrifying thought, because I knew the amount of testing sessions it took for me to become the weapon that I was.

  “Well then, it’s a good thing I don’t know what’s good for me then, huh?”

  A hand slammed against the small of my back, forcing me forward as Cole sped up beside me. For once, I found myself grateful that he had the ability to mirror my powers, because I knew I was going to need his help - which, although it shouldn’t have bothered me, it did.

  “Really? That’s what you’re concerned about right now? Your pride taking a hit? In case you missed it, Bell, I’m pretty sure we have more pressing matters to take care of first.” Cole moved behind me, pressing his back to mine.

  I presumed that most people would have found such an action to be reassuring, but honestly, I found it to be nothing more than frustrating. And that actually kind of pissed me off, because I knew that my pride and naivety made it difficult for me to accept help when a normal person would have accepted it without issue.

  Then again, you’re not normal, I reminded myself.

  “Okay, Bell, can you stop having conversations with yourself now? It’s making it pretty fucking hard to focus on what’s going on.”

  “You don’t have to listen,” I snapped. “Last I checked, I didn’t invite you into my head. If you don’t like what you hear, don’t listen. It’s as simple as that.”

  “Except I don’t get to pick and choose what I’m able to hear and you know that.”

  I chose not to answer him as the Horde member with the baton moved in closer, the blue light illuminated the baton giving it a menacing presence as he neared closer to me. “It’s going to take more than that to take me down, bud.”

  “And you believe me to not know this?” He narrowed his eyes at me as he extended the baton out in front of him. “Do you know what is on those drives that your family is so eager to hide? Have you ever found yourself questioning what they valued your lives at?”

  “I know what my life is valued at, you jackass. Now, if you don’t mind, I’d like to get this over with. I do happen to have a life, and last I checked, it didn’t include you and your gang of psychopaths.”

  I readied a shock disc in my hand, waiting for the right moment to throw it at the Horde member, knowing that I would only have one shot. That was the thing with the Horde. They threw their disposable team members at you right out of the gate. They saved the experienced killers for last.

  I knew that going up against him could result in my death, something that would have sent a sane person running towards the nearest exit, but I wasn’t a sane person, and I was far too pissed off to miss the chance for a fight. “Are you sure you don’t want to back down? I won’t get mad if you bail because you’re fearful of getting your ass handed to you by a girl.”

  “This is a fight you won’t win,” he answered, his voice more menacing than it had been before. “I know your moves, your fighting style. I know your faults, your weak-spots. I know how to take you down with a single blow, and do you want to know how I know?”

  I rolled my eyes and went to throw a shock disc at him, eager to shut the fool up when Cole’s fingers curled around my arm, pulling me back. “Arabella,” my name was a mere whisper on his lips as his eyes locked on mine, full of fear.

  As obnoxious as Cole could be, I had to give him credit. He’d never shown an ounce of weakness. And he certainly never made it a point to say my full name unless he was trying to convey something very important. “Care to explain why you just stopped me from zapping this jackass?”

  Cole lowered his head and closed his eyes, taking a brief moment to collect himself before he finally answered. “I saw what he was thinking – what was on those hard-drives. I know what Bilson Corporations is trying to hide, and I know what the Horde wants with that information, and Bell? We need to get the hell of out here. Now.”

  “You’re going to have to elaborate a bit more than that, Cole.” There was no way in hell I was going to leave without securing the hard-drive. Not for Mara and my father. For myself.

  I needed to know what was going on.

  Hell, I deserved to know what was going on. If my life was worth risking, then wasn’t that enough of a reason to warrant me hearing the truth?

  Cole lowered his hand to mine, entwining his fingers with mine as he spoke. “We have maybe ten seconds before these guys tear our insides out, and I’m not much in the mood for dying.”

  Even as he tried to make light of the situation, I could sense his fear as if it were my own. But the difference between Cole and I? I knew how to shut myself down; I knew how to close myself off from the rest of the world, to be the weapon that I’d been designed to be.

  I had learned long ago that fear was nothing more than an illusion. It could only break you if you welcomed it in. Which was why I had made it a point to close myself off from the rest of the world.

  “I’m not leaving without the hard-drive,” I finally responded. My eyes locked on the Horde me
mber as I neared closer towards him.

  “Your fearlessness fascinates me.” The Horde freak lifted his mask partially to reveal the lower portion of his face. An intimidating grin tugged at the corners of his mouth as he extended his hand forward, the baton still firmly within his grasp. “You know very well that I can easily kill you. You’ve seen what my men did to your sister. You know what we’re capable of, and yet, you stand before me.”

  I opened my mouth to speak but decided against it at the last second, knowing very well that the jackass was trying to get to me. Keep it together, I reminded myself.

  “Let’s cut to the chase, shall we?”

  “If you insist.”

  “What’s on the hard-drive, Freakshow?”

  “Freakshow? Now that’s hardly fair, after all, I’m not the result of multiple scientific experimentations,” the man answered.

  I stood still, my eyes locked on his, studying his every movement, waiting for the slightest movement. “Everyone has a telling move,” my trainer’s words replay in my mind as I study my subject. “Wait for it to make your move.”

  The Horde jerk repositioned his arm in front of him, the pulsing baton casting a blue tint upon his face. Most people wouldn’t have taken that as a sign, but I’d fought off enough Horde members to know when one was about to attack.

  Making sure to keep my movements swift and accurate, I spun around and tossed the shock disc at the baton, hoping to disable the dang thing. The look of surprise on the bastard’s face as he dropped the baton to the ground was enough to make the beating that was sure to follow worth it.

  “Now, you’re going to tell me where that hard-drive is, and then I’ll happily leave you all to your business.”

  “I don’t believe that will be happening, Arabella.”