The Hybrids (chapter 4)

Chapter 4

Lamar

As we get back in the elevator I’m stunned. When I looked up and saw the demon like creature in the middle of the paper white room, it was like all time just stopped and shocked can’t even begin to explain what I felt when I saw that thing, all scaly, grey and slimy. It made me feel like a small child with its size alone. I can’t stop thinking about what Sarah said about it talking. I don’t understand, all it did was hiss, and I was closer to it than she was. This just seems bad, he claimed her, what does that mean!? How can he claim her, he has no right to stake his claim on her, she is a person for Christ sake! Before I know it I am seething with anger. By the time the elevator dings that we are above ground now, I am so angry that I have to fight to keep my face passive, even though I am sure Sarah knows what I am feeling as she can smell me. While that fact alone should make me feel awkward, it only makes me feel even more connected to her. This revelation brings a small smile to my lips spite my anger. Suddenly, now that we all have left the cramped elevator and are walking, I have the urge to wrap my around her shoulder to try and comfort her. After all she just discovered her next set of abilities.

With the rationale of trying to comfort her after all of these revelations, I walk beside her and put my arm around her shoulder and walk side by side with her, hoping she doesn’t pull away. I try my hardest to be casual about it but that isn’t very easy with me just meeting her a day ago. We are walking on the sidewalk, Marco, Demitri, and Dylan all ahead of us. Thank god because I really don’t want to hear Marco’s crap again like earlier. I can’t believe him, bringing that up in front of everyone. I may have lived my whole life with them but I don’t need all of them in my business.

We are all walking along the sidewalk, I had been so lost in my thoughts that I hadn’t realized that we had already gone five blocks and were coming up to subway. Marco goes ahead and holds open the door and stands off to the side while Demitri and Dylan walk through. When Sarah and I go to walk through I drop my arm and grab her hand. I see the look Marco gives me and decide to ignore it. He can scowl at me all he wants, I am not going to feel guilty for holding her hand and trying to make her feel better. I suddenly hear Marco respond silently to my thoughts “You need to give her space. What are you playing at little brother?” I respond to the thought he sent to me with frustration, “ I am not going to let her feel insecure because some demon basically said that she was his new slave, I am not playing at anything, and I am only your little brother by a matter of minutes so stop playing that card. We are both 24 so you are no wiser than I am.” I follow Sarah in and block off my mind from my brother. The others are oblivious to our mental conversation and I really don’t want to deal with my brother’s ominous warnings.

I am taken out of my thoughts when Sarah tugs on my hand and starts talking to me, “I hope you guys have money because on account of my kidnapping I left all my money at home.”

My ire starts to ebb as Sarah’s attitude comes back full force and I smirk. I think about what she said and my humor turns into concern when my brain registers the word kidnapping. I respond to Sarah’s question warily and softly so that the others can’t hear me, “To answer your question, yes I have money to pay for your lunch, and we didn’t kidnap you. We couldn’t leave you there on the forest floor and you needed medical attention to see if there were any injuries due to you blacking out. We never mandated that you stay at the facility and you are free to leave anytime you want. Although I have to say if you do leave I would be very sad.”

At my response she looks up at me and stares, I can hear her racing thoughts going through and analyzing what I just said.

What did I say wrong? I didn’t mean it literally, doesn’t he know that? What did he mean he would be very sad if I left? See, this is the issue, I never understand the underlying meanings of the things people say. I don’t know maybe he is just trying to comfort me or maybe it’s something deeper . . .

When I hear the mention of something deeper I block out her thoughts. I am not going to be that intrusive. She continues to stare at me until I finally get her attention and tell her to order something to eat.

“Ok, is there any price limit on what I can choose or is it basically just what I want?” she states matter-a-factly like the thoughts that she had racing through her mind didn’t exist.

“You can choose whatever you would like to eat. Don’t worry about it.” I respond

I drop her hand as she starts to walk forward to the line and follow her, as I already have my order in mind.

. . .

Sarah

We are all sitting in a booth and Dylan has pulled up a chair. Dylan and Demitri are conversing animatedly about something while Lamar and Marco seem to be following along with their conversation and adding in their own comments every once in a while. I am sitting with the wall to my left and Lamar to my right. Demitri is across from me and I am just surprised by the speed he is talking. He seemed to calculating and silent when I woke up and now it’s like a totally different person. Marco is between Demitri and Dylan, who is sitting at the end of the table with a chair he scavenged from a different table. The weird thing is that Marco is staring at me. Why do they always send curious stares my way, it is so unnerving. I mean seriously, I am a person, a normal 23 year old who is having a life crisis and all they can think to do is stare. I meet his stare and wait till he looks away and takes another bite of his sandwich. At least I don’t have to wait long, as he dropped eye contact as soon as he realized he had been caught.

The person that really has me puzzled is Lamar though. What does he mean by I would be really sad if you left. I mean, yes I have feelings for him, but if all of the hints that he is dropping mean what I think they do then I am lost. First, there is the scent thing, which first of all, weird. His scent changes every time his thoughts do. The only issue with that is I can’t read his thoughts so I am left with all these scents that I haven’t been able to categorize and it’s really frustrating. Then there are all the different times he hugs me, puts his arm around me (weather it was around my waist when I blacked out or around my shoulder when we were walking) and holds my hand. I don’t know if it’s him trying to comfort me or if it’s for his comfort. Then there are all the auditory cues, like when his heart sped up when we left the facility, and then it slowing down again when he put his arm around my shoulder. I would have demanded to know what he was doing if he didn’t calm down instantly when he put his arm over my shoulder.

I am instantly pulled out of my thoughts when Lamar asks, “You ready to go?” Still slightly distracted with my thoughts, I respond absent mindedly, “Yeah, sure.”

Lamar gets up and moves to the side to let me get out. I slide across the booth and slide my feet out and stand up when I realize someone was saying something to me. I look up and look around at the four guys that are staring at me again. I finally say, “What?”

“I asked if you were ok, you just looked distant.” I hear Lamar respond.

Gee I wonder why I think about saying but instead say, “Yeah, I’m fine. Question though, when can I go home. I do have a life you know, or I did before all hell broke loose.” I look skeptically around the group looking for which one was going to respond. To my surprise they all stilled and looked wary. Suddenly curious and apprehensive of the answer I boldly ask, “I can go home right?”

Finally after several minutes of standing in the middle of Subway, Demitri responds boldly, “Honestly, that’s not up to us. The lab coats up working at the facility have to talk to their boss and give you the ok, to be frank though, I personally would like you to work with us, you said yourself, you don’t have any family left and you live in the woods because you don’t like people and I think that the job would suit you.”

I ponder over Demitri’s formal words when finally I hear someone else start to speak

“We could probably continue this talk at the facility. I’m sure the conversation could wait till then and I would like to sit down and considering we are done eating the staff would probably prefer we let someone else take our table.” Marco says bringing me out of my thoughts.

I respond, “Yeah, I’ll think on the way. If I do stay though, I need to go back to my house and deal with a few things.” thinking about the assignment I was on at the time and my animals.

“Ok.” Dylan says with excitement that seems ill-placed at the time. He walks over to the door, opening it and stepping to the side, and says, “After you.” With excitement still in his voice.

I am the first to move and I walk out the door heading straight for the facility Why am I here and why would I need clearance to go home. That is just bull shit. I mean seriously, It’s my life I shouldn’t have to get permission from others on when I can go back to the home that I bought with my own money. I live an independent life and have my own responsibilities. I was doing just fine, I had my reptiles, my undercover work, and I was comfortable with the life that I built for myself in the Rocky Mountains.. Then I get sucked into the black hole of my parents fuck ups and I am left with having to deal with the government and them wanting to experiment on me. Then because of them I have been “claimed”. That’s just great, it’s the bloody icing of my malicious, gory, birthday cake. I doubt it’s a coincidence that I got chased by a mythical creature on the eve of my 23rd birthday.

I am suddenly stunned when I hear a mental response to my thoughts.

“Happy belated birthday.” A strangely familiar voice responds to my inner monologue. I had been walking slowly while thinking. I look up when I hear the voice and immediately notice that Demitri, Marco, and Dylan are ahead of me and I can feel Lamar at my side. I involuntarily stiffen and stop. Lamar stops also and turns toward me. We are staring into each other’s eyes when I hear him in my head again

“It’s ok just keep walking and I will explain, if we just stop here they will notice, and I have things that I want to talk to you about.” Lamar said in my mind after a few moments.

I start walking again, this time more wary of my surroundings. Lamar falls in step beside me, hands in his jean pockets and looking straight ahead. I can tell he’s apprehensive about me knowing this about him. I hear his heart beat ever so slightly increase. I suddenly realize that we are getting into the elevator already.

“Why don’t you let me get rid of these guys, I can show you to your room and I will explain there. It will be a lot easier and less awkward.”

How do I respond through this telepathy thing? I think, not realizing that he can hear all my thoughts, until he suddenly responds,

“You merely have to think things, I have only ever had this connection with my brother but now we are connected because you are an empath. If you hadn’t grabbed my hand last night, then I wouldn’t hear your thoughts, but now I am attuned to you and it’s ten times more potent than my connection with my brother.”