Elementals [Four Elements Personified]

Chapter 15.5 ~One Step Ahead~

~One Step Ahead~

            Talia stood very quietly peeking out the door. She glanced back and forth between Janna and him. He was mad as usual, with his sweaty palms opening and closing madly while his hands flew all about him in the air. Talia didn’t like her situation, and she really missed her family. But she did at least like Janna and she wanted to hug her that particular moment. Even though she didn’t fully understand why Janna chose to be with him, Talia’s young heart achingly went out to Janna as she took in his awful anger with her head hung low. Dark curly strands of hair covered most of her features, concealing a tear that had slipped loose down her face.

                “Dammit Janna why didn’t you lock the front door? That cabin was supposed to be our freaking hideout. This could ruin everything!”

                “I didn’t think to—”

                “Exactly! You didn’t THINK.”

                “Sorry.” She mumbled.

                “Sorry doesn’t cut it.” He glanced at the door and Talia let a small gasp escape as his eyes locked onto hers. She quickly shut the door. “THAT’S RIGHT PUNK STAY OUT OF THIS.” He screamed.

                “Tyson, please calm down a bit.” Janna rose from the single chair and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.

                He slapped her hand away. “What?”

                She breathed deeply before continuing, hoping he wouldn’t directly look at her face. She didn’t want him to notice the small tear that had leaked down, which she dare not wipe away for fear of more unneeded anger. “There’s nothing we can do about it now. We just have to plan around their actions and try to stay one step ahead like always. Your dad can help—”

                “No. Don’t tell him yet. He’s going to be ten times more pissed than I am when he finds out Lupe and Cheyda saw you.”

                Janna sighed again. “I know. Sorry.”

                “Quit saying that. And wipe that damn thing off your face.” He modeled on his own cheek by wiping across it with his thumb.

                Janna did as she was told. “So the next thing I think Cheyda is going to try to do is going to try to attain Revelation, but…”

                “But what?” Tyson asked hastily, gesturing for her to hurry up and continue talking. He absolutely hated when her sentences just trailed off slowly.

                “I don’t even know if she can do in her current mental state.”

                “What do you mean? Having Revelation will help her get through that.”

                “Yes but as your dad explained it, it will be the hardest with our siblings and Zen and Jacobi because they did not grow up with the knowledge and leadership of the previous Elementals. They have no clue about our own history. And do you really think it’s possible for them to make it through Rebirthing with…”

                Tyson clenched his hands together until his knuckles beamed an ethereal white color. “Janna. Don’t. Just. Drop. Your. Sentences. Like. That.” He commanded through gritted teeth.

                “Well with Sharon being gone?”

                Tyson shook his head in an agitated manner. “Yes of course. But of course things would have gone a lot smoother if somebody hadn’t been spotted in our private cabin.”

                Janna looked up at him. She stared fiercely into his hazel eyes without blinking. “Tyson, drop it. I’m not the one and only reason that those four are going to have a hell of a time becoming actual Elementals. Yes I realize my appearance will have more of a negative emotional effect on Cheyda, which in turn will make it harder for her to attain even Revelation, but that one little thing is not going to be the deciding factor in how the final events will play out.”

                Tyson stared at her quietly. He was both turned on and annoyed by how intelligently Janna talked. Finally her reasoning won out and he cleared his throat in the best form of apology he could muster. “Fine. One of us needs to tail them without tipping off my dad of the fact that the girls saw you. We need to find out when they’ll start trying and getting Revelation.”              

                Janna gave him an amused shrug and small laugh. “Ok, right between me getting pinned with Talia’s kidnapping and you blatantly stabbing your sister, good luck finding a good candidate for the job.”

                “Dammit.”

                “We’re going to have to tell your dad, Tyson.”

                “Shit.”

                “Don't worry, we’re going to be one step ahead of them, that’s what he wants the most anyway. He'll realize it as soon as his anger dies down.”