The is the third installment of the Sadian Chronicles series.
After returning home four years ago, Marianna begins to feel safe again. The scars left from her encounters with Marcus slowly start to heal, although the memory of Dusk stays clear in he...
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Note: A portrait of Julia Donner I made with Daz.
She ran to the place where she parked her car. Julia followed her closely behind. She quickly unhooked her keys from her jeans and opened the back door. She uncovered the blanket to reveal to Julia a little boy.
"Momma," he said. "You come back. I scared you go."
"Everything's alright, Reese." Marianna hugged her son and helped him out of the car. "Julia," she said. "This is my son Reese."
Julia knelt down. "Well, aren't you a handsome little boy." Reese just acted bashful and hid behind his mother.
"So, Julia, can I give you lift somewhere?" Marianna asked.
"Sure," she said. "I'm headed to New York City."
The mention of that name sent Marianna into shock. "How did..."
"That is where you're headed, isn't it?" Julia asked and Marianna nodded. "The dreams you've been having, they're not just dreams. I need your help, Fanta."
"You?" Marianna asked accusingly "It was you."
"Not exactly, Fanta," Julia said. "I work at the Drell Institute, and right now there's trouble there. I only probed because I needed your help."
"You're a spotter," she said, which made her more annoyed then scared. Julia was no fighter, and there were plenty of Sadians out there who would kill someone like her and not think twice about it. "Julia, don't seek us out. It will only get you killed."
"I'm more than just a spotter," she said and Marianna became intrigued. "Fanta, I'm a Sadian, but my gifts are more passive than others."
"Not like mine," Marianna said and dark look came into her eyes.
"That's why we need your help," Julia said but Marianna turned away.
"No, I can't do that... not again," she said, thinking back to all the times she lost control of her emotions and others died because of it.
"I'm not anywhere near your level," Julia said, and there was a pleading look in her eyes. If this woman truly had an inkling of how powerful she really was she would be running for her life right about now. Doctor Everett Brown did as well, and that turned out disastrous. "Like I said my gifts are passive, so much so that I can walk among the Normals. You have more trouble with that, don't you?"
"Yes," she said asReese had crawled in the back seat of the car and drifted off to sleep. "I worry about him."
"That's understandable," Julia said, looking closing at the sleeping boy. "If you are Sadian, so is he."
"Yes, he is," Marianna said as she kept an eye on her son. "He's much more intuitive than other four year olds." She stopped for a moment thinking of her uncle who happened to be this woman's employer. "You mentioned the Drell Institute, and you wish me to go there."
"Please, you must help us," Julia pleaded with her. "One of the students has been kidnapped. Her name is Gina Morris, and she was raised at the Institute. She knows nothing of the outside world, and the man who took her isn't of this world."
"Are you talking about aliens?" she asked looking as if she couldn't fathom the idea. "I have no interest in the Drell Institute, or its problems in looking after its students. Tell Martin Drell he is on his own, because I have enough problems of my own."
Fanta walked away from Julia to the other side of her car. When she reached the driver's side, Julia spoke. "You can't walk away, Fanta. I know how much you want to help your people. This is your chance. Whatever your feud with Martin Drell is it can't take precedence over the saving of an innocent life. Please, I came all this way to find you. I see the compassion in your heart. Please, don't prove me wrong."
Fanta looked up and saw Julia's pleading eyes. "Alright, but my first priority is my son. I won't do anything unless I know he's safe." There was still one question lingering on her mind. "How do you know so much about me?"
"It's my gift," Julia said. "Accept for a few people at the Drell Institute, no one knows of my Sadian heritage, not even Martin Drell knows the full extent of my power." Marianna knew she had the upper hand in this and was just waiting for the right time to use it. "Please, keep my secret, and I'll keep yours." Fanta looked suspiciously at her. "Yes, Marianna, I know."
"How did you know my real name?" Marianna asked but in truth she could guess the reason.
"When I probed your mind I came across Josie," Julia said in a calm voice. "She is your mother, right?"
"Was?" Marianna said with a sadness in her eyes. "She's dead."
What Julia said about her powers had to be true. She hadn't given the woman her real name, and there's no way she could have known had she not probed her mind.
"No, she lives in you," Julia said with a look of optimism about her. "Being a mind jumper I can understand how she entered your mind. I also know that Martin Drell is your uncle. He still talks about you, but always with sadness. He felt so guilty about your death and your mother's. He'll be thrilled to know that you're still alive."
"No!" Marianna shouted quickly cutting her off before she could say anything more. Julia looked confused and a little frightened. Marianna composed herself and spoke again. "I need your word of honor not to tell Martin Drell who I am."
"But why?" Julia asked confused
"Because that's the way it is," Marianna said and opened the driver's side door. "If you want my help in this rescue mission then those are my terms. Now do you promise you won't say anything to him?"
"I promise," Julia said hesitantly
"Then what are we waiting for," Marianna said and entered the car.
She still didn't like this situation. What if he recognized her? If he did then she wouldn't deny it. Secretly she hoped he did. She wanted an explanation of why he had abandoned her, but no matter what excuse he came up with it would not be good enough.
After Fanta entered the car and unlocked the passenger's side for Julia. She started the car and drove off. New York was the destination, but Marianna feared what just may unfold there.
