The agents moved in, restraining everyone. Lucy fought, as did the others, but the tea hadn't just stripped them of their para-powers, it had weakened them physically. She was about as effective as a kitten fighting a pit bull.
The room spun and Lucy's head felt wobbly. She looked at Hunter, whose face registered betrayal and anger.
Simmons ordered her men. "Get that drug out of Luke's system. And give him something to make him more... complacent."
That bitch.
Simmons didn't want their help; she was arresting them. And because of Hunter... well, because of the sphere, she would force Luke to kill hundreds of children. That would destroy him.
Robyn cried and Drake raged. Father Patrick slumped in his chair. Agents pulled him up and dragged him out of the room. Simmons didn't want their help.
Luke continued his protests. "I won't do it."
"Oh, I think you will." Simmons walked up to Lucy, who was being held by two agents. She lifted Lucy's chin up harshly and then squeezed her neck. She winked at Luke. "I know you will."
Chapter 117 - Drake
Drake sat in a pen under the harsh light of the sun, surrounded by his friends. Well, they weren't really his friends, and Luke and Sam were missing from the group. Lucy looked as miserable as he felt.
Long metal poles had been dug into the ground and erected with wires to keep them together. A guard stood outside with a gun poised and ready. Robyn wept softly as Norm held her. Greg and Gary held hands and stared out at nothing. Mary slumped in a corner by herself. Hunter and Lucy huddled together and whispered back and forth animatedly.
The only people who had stayed near Drake were Father Patrick and Toby. How could these animals lock up a kid and an old priest?
Father Patrick placed his hand on Drake's. "Don't give up, Son. The light shines brightest after the darkest hour."
"I just need to get Ana and Sam back." He'd already told everyone about what happened to Sam, and how Steele had altered his mind. They hadn't judged, not really, but Drake felt responsible. If he'd been strong enough, Steele wouldn't have been able to control him in that way. "I came back to help, and all I did was make things worse."
"Not so," the old priest insisted. "Evil prospers when good people do nothing. You've taken a stand. The doings of this group are not your fault. I've always seen greatness around you, and I know you have a higher calling. You are meant to give something incredible to the world—you and Sam both. Don't give up now. You just have to think—" He gestured to the cell. "—outside the box, as it were."
He'd tried, but without his para-powers, what good was he?
Enough of that. That's what started this mess to begin with. Drake refused to sit around feeling sorry for himself. Plenty of people without para-powers beat fate and survived against all odds in extraordinary situations. If they could do it, so could he.
He felt the drug still in his system, pushing him to weakness, so he did the only thing he knew to do: he dropped to his hands and did as many push-ups as he could. Before losing his para-power, he'd always kept in top physical shape. He'd been a fool to let go of that after everything happened. No more. With or without powers, Drake would be the best version of himself he could be. He'd save the woman he loved and their child. He wouldn't let them down again—even if Sam never wanted to be with him again, he'd be there for her and Ana in whatever way they needed.
Sweat soaked through his shirt as he pushed himself. After fifty, he stopped and rested, pulling off his shirt to dry off the moisture.
In the corner, Toby sat, quiet and sad. If it hadn't been for that kid, Drake would probably be dead now.
He walked over and sat next to the boy, wrapping an arm around him. "Thank you. This time, you saved me."
Toby scowled. "So what? Like it helped. Your girlfriend got captured. And you didn't tell me you had a baby. Man, that blows. They got both your girls. We need to bounce from this shithole, yo!"
"You're right. We do." He stood and walked to the tall bars. They weren't thick. If he had his para-powers he could snap them, but he didn't, so it was time to think outside the box. "You know what else you were right about?"
"What?"
"Every hero does need a sidekick."
Toby smiled. "See, the hero learns."
Drake smiled as an idea came to him, one inspired by watching too many Jackie Chan films. "You don't get it. You're the hero, Toby." He looked down at his sweat-soaked shirt. "Hey, Mary, come over here?"
She glanced side to side, then walked toward him. "What do you need me for?"
"I need your shirt."
She stepped back, clutching her silk clothing. "No way. I'm not undressing... here."
Drake grinned. "You can have my shirt. Don't worry."
She paused, then slipped her blouse off and snatched up Drake's shirt, putting it on in a split second.
"Thank you." Drake rubbed the blouse over his body, covering it in sweat, then spun it into a coil and tied it around two of the bars.
This just might work.
Chapter 118 - Lucy