04-04-2019, 05:23 PM
The last shadows of sleep were chased away by Natalie’s urgency. The tone of the room was smothering; Jensen’s chest tightened uncomfortable long before anyone spoke. Identifying Jessika as his wife was a pain that delved deep. After last night, their marriage was nothing but a piece of paper. What hope he had of reconciliation curled to the ash they would all choke on soon.
He knew none of the circumstances that Natalie described. As the details burrowed deep like devouring parasites, he found his own stomach turned sick. The words blurred faster than comprehension minded their passage until abstract recognition shaped an idea of the consequences inferred.
Jay was a soldier, and in every possible way the exact opposite of Jensen. Yet when he watched the man around others, hovering protectively alongside loved ones, ready and willing to sacrifice anything for their sakes, Jensen found himself shaking his head with disbelief. ”I don't understand.. How could he get himself captured? Jessika’s head of security did what?” He put a hand to his head like the gesture would contain the swirling thoughts. Cayli’s face streaked tears, and his heart ached for the fright that gripped her by the spine. Cancer? Danger? Fear? Suddenly Natalie’s note made sense, but he couldn’t let anything happen to any of them.
He could go to Jessika right then and demand answers of this security guard, but a horrifying connection suddenly synapsed, and he buried his face in his hands as a result. Dear God what a mess. What do I do? How do I help them?
Cayli’s demand sparked an awakening. He hurried to her side, kneeling low to her level. “We will find him. I will find him, I promise.” A squeeze of her hand found her skin cold, and Jensen pulled the powers of the Gift to grasp. He generally did not touch anyone with the Gift’s healing embrace without their consent, but Cayli was sick with fatigue and horror. What descended upon her should feel like a warm embrace and flush of all that ailed her body. Some color returned to her cheeks moments later, and Jensen proceeded to approach Natalie to do the same if she would allow his hands to cup hers.
When he turned back, it was to anchor the stormy seas hurling them adrift. “I will talk to the Carpenters, but you know that they loathe the CCD. I have no gift for politics, but there’s something about Jessika you should know, though. I don’t think we can trust her after all. It is my fault for bringing you here. None of this would have happened if it weren’t for me. That man you described – Axel you said? – I think they’re um—” he glanced at the teenager hanging on every word, ashamed to say it in front of her. Hopefully Natalie understood. “Jessika is hours away from announcing that Texas has legislation to secede from the United States. If we do not get out of the state before then, I fear we will be political hostages. The state lines will lock down and the only possible passage out, Ascendancy’s help or otherwise, will be to bribe our way into Mexico, and the Carpenters will be in even greater danger. We have to find Jay and get out of here as soon as possible.”
Natalie was a lighthouse in the storm, but even lighthouses took a beating by the sea. If nothing else, he would reassure her that they were together in this. "How do we find Jay?" He asked only for an idea to spark his eyes. He looked over one shoulder. "Confront Axel?" The man was a mountain compared to Jensen, but the powers of the gift gave him strength. "I don't think we should tell Jessika anything is going on yet. She's very, very smart, Natalie. I am worried that she not only knew about all this, but that it's the reason she was so welcoming of all of us in the first place. She has plans for me, too."
He knew none of the circumstances that Natalie described. As the details burrowed deep like devouring parasites, he found his own stomach turned sick. The words blurred faster than comprehension minded their passage until abstract recognition shaped an idea of the consequences inferred.
Jay was a soldier, and in every possible way the exact opposite of Jensen. Yet when he watched the man around others, hovering protectively alongside loved ones, ready and willing to sacrifice anything for their sakes, Jensen found himself shaking his head with disbelief. ”I don't understand.. How could he get himself captured? Jessika’s head of security did what?” He put a hand to his head like the gesture would contain the swirling thoughts. Cayli’s face streaked tears, and his heart ached for the fright that gripped her by the spine. Cancer? Danger? Fear? Suddenly Natalie’s note made sense, but he couldn’t let anything happen to any of them.
He could go to Jessika right then and demand answers of this security guard, but a horrifying connection suddenly synapsed, and he buried his face in his hands as a result. Dear God what a mess. What do I do? How do I help them?
Cayli’s demand sparked an awakening. He hurried to her side, kneeling low to her level. “We will find him. I will find him, I promise.” A squeeze of her hand found her skin cold, and Jensen pulled the powers of the Gift to grasp. He generally did not touch anyone with the Gift’s healing embrace without their consent, but Cayli was sick with fatigue and horror. What descended upon her should feel like a warm embrace and flush of all that ailed her body. Some color returned to her cheeks moments later, and Jensen proceeded to approach Natalie to do the same if she would allow his hands to cup hers.
When he turned back, it was to anchor the stormy seas hurling them adrift. “I will talk to the Carpenters, but you know that they loathe the CCD. I have no gift for politics, but there’s something about Jessika you should know, though. I don’t think we can trust her after all. It is my fault for bringing you here. None of this would have happened if it weren’t for me. That man you described – Axel you said? – I think they’re um—” he glanced at the teenager hanging on every word, ashamed to say it in front of her. Hopefully Natalie understood. “Jessika is hours away from announcing that Texas has legislation to secede from the United States. If we do not get out of the state before then, I fear we will be political hostages. The state lines will lock down and the only possible passage out, Ascendancy’s help or otherwise, will be to bribe our way into Mexico, and the Carpenters will be in even greater danger. We have to find Jay and get out of here as soon as possible.”
Natalie was a lighthouse in the storm, but even lighthouses took a beating by the sea. If nothing else, he would reassure her that they were together in this. "How do we find Jay?" He asked only for an idea to spark his eyes. He looked over one shoulder. "Confront Axel?" The man was a mountain compared to Jensen, but the powers of the gift gave him strength. "I don't think we should tell Jessika anything is going on yet. She's very, very smart, Natalie. I am worried that she not only knew about all this, but that it's the reason she was so welcoming of all of us in the first place. She has plans for me, too."