Origin (Book 2)

Chapter 3

I yawned loudly. Jake elbowed me in the ribs, shushing me to be quiet.

It had been over an hour, with no show of the van or the people inside. I was getting ready to call the whole thing off and go to bed.

"Everyone okay out there?" I mentally asked.

"I'm good," Sage replied. I watched the telltale white lightning shift from each side of the house every few seconds.

"We're alright," Cassie said.

I stayed quiet, looking along the street from my view on top of the house. It seemed oddly dark out here.

"Are you sure we should be waiting for them to come to us?" Jake asked.

"Yes, I am," I said.

We waited.

The moon shone bright above, casting its full glow on us. I looked up at it and wondered why it looked so dark below. The street lights were dimming, but they were like that all the time.

"Cassie," I called out.

"I'm here," she said.

"Is Blink with you?"

"He's fine."

"Can I speak with him?"

She hesitated, as if she was holding back. "He doesn't want to talk."

"Cassie..."

"Don't worry about it, Jay. Everything's fine back here."

"Alright," I said.

I slid down the roof and landed on my feet in front of the front door.

"Where are you going?" Jake asked me.

"I need to talk to Sage," I answered.

After taking a quick look around, I made my way to the side of the house so I could speak with her.

Why wouldn't Blink talk to me? Or, probably more accurately, why couldn't he talk to me?

I kept watch while I attempted to wait on Sage to come around the corner.

I started tapping my foot. It was taking her too long to come around here. The reason I let her cover both sides of the house was because I thought she was fast enough to do it.

Suddenly, an arm went around my neck.

It took me off guard. Panic instantly clouded my mind, all rational thought out the window. I gripped and clawed at it, trying to pry it from my throat. My vision was going blurry, and my eyes were filling up with tears.

I backed up and slammed my attacker against the wall of the house. I heard a grunt, but his clutch tightened on me.

I finally got a grip and pulled up and over my head. I flipped the attacker on his back and pinned both of his arms down with my hands.

He was wearing a black jacket, black pants, and leather gloves. He also wore a ski mask that had holes cut out for the mouth and eyes.

"Who are you?" I asked angrily.

"The question is, who are you?" he said in response.

I picked him up by the arms and slammed him against the wall. "I won't ask again." I squeezed his arms to the point where he must have been in pain.

I saw him grimace. He felt it.

"Okay, okay! Look, I'm taking off my mask..."

I carefully released one of his arms so he could take off the mask.