Chapter Forty Four

                                    

                                          
*Kieran Reed*
                          
I tried not to cry when I saw the transport van. I don't know why it made me so upset. Maybe it just meant that all hope had finally been lost. There were only two others being transported with Katherine and me. I wish I was told why it was only the four of us. It made me nervous.
                          
It was the first of August. That's what one of the security guards told me, but it wasn't like he could be trusted. I really just wish I knew why it was only us.
                          
I looked down at the bindings on my wrist with a glare. If I could get them off, I could escape. The problem was that little needles were poking into my wrists, suppressing my speed. There'd be no way to get them off. They were glowing white, a signal that they were active.
                          
Katherine had normal cuffs on her. She wasn't a super, so there was no use in wasting resources. The other two supers with us eyed her warily before going back to sitting in silence.
                          
Katherine let out a frustrated sigh, continuing to struggle with the cuffs. The only outcome she was going to get was rubbing her wrists raw. I grimaced at the thought.
                          
"We're going to get out of this," Katherine whispered. "I see that glazed over look in your eye. Don't give up yet. If you give up, you're going to die in captivity. Do you want that?"
                          
I shook my head frantically, sitting up straighter as determination filled my chest. "No. I'm not giving up."
                          
The other two prisoners looked over at us tiredly. They didn't have the same fury filled expressions.
                          
"Help me get these off," Katherine ordered. I stood and moved beside her, wondering how I could help. The chains keeping my cuffs attached to the floor rattled as I moved.
                          
The van suddenly swerved as something suddenly made impact with it. I was thrown to the wall of the van as it flipped. I yelped, feeling like my wrists had been broken. Tires screeched, horns started honking. I stared above me with my head spinning as blackness started at the edge of my vision.
                          
Katherine was suddenly shaking me. I startled and tried to sit up. I glanced at her wrists, noticing that her cuffs had been broken. I felt my jaw drop. "How did you-"
                          
Katherine grabbed my cuffs and applied enough pressure to actually hurt me. I watched in amazement as they started chipping before they broke. Blood ran down my wrists, but I could care less.
                          
"You have super strength."
                          
"Get us out of here," Katherine ordered. "We don't have all day. Make sure you're going so fast that nobody can see us."
                          
I turned to see if we could help the others, but Katherine pulled me back. "They're dead."
                          
Coldness spread throughout my entire body, numbing my nerves. I started trembling until I realized I had a job to do. Grabbing the back of Katherine's neck so I didn't give her whiplash, I shot out of the van as fast as I could go. Within five seconds, we were in the middle of a park. I halted, then realized my shoes were smoking. I stomped the little fire out and looked around. The park was empty, but the quietness made it eerie.
                          
Katherine glanced up at me, looking a bit frazzled. She pushed her hair out of her face. "Do you know where Devin lives?" Without waiting for a response, she listed off his address. "Drop me off there. I can't risk people seeing me."
                          
I nodded, still out of breath. That was the most I had run in a long time. "I need a second."
                          
"We don't have a second!" Katherine snapped. "People are going to be looking for us. I need to get back to Devin and you need to get back to Blue-to Sabrina."
                          
I gritted my teeth. "Wouldn't that be the first place they would look?"
                          
"They won't harass Devin," Katherine replied.
                          
I grabbed Katherine again, running to Devin's apartment.
                          
I missed it. Running in the open, I mean. Being able to actually be free. To feel the wind hit my face and the sun on my skin and to breathe fresh air. Well, as fresh as it could be in the city.
                          
What I didn't miss was my regular clothes and shoes catching on fire. That was getting old quick.
                          
Katherine typed in the code in the keypad, then walked inside. She held the door open for me. "Do you want to look around the city for Blue Blur or something?"
                          
I bit the inside of my cheek, then nodded. "Yeah, sure. I hope Devin doesn't mind me stealing his clothes."
                          
Katherine snorted as I walked inside. "He probably won't notice they're gone. He has too many that he's only worn once or twice."
                          
I shrugged and quickly found Devin's closet. I stole a pair of black sweatpants and a gray shirt that was way too small for me. Before too long, five hours had already passed. We passed the time catching up on a reality TV show.
                          
Katherine was sulking. "Damn. Where is he?"
                          
As soon as she said that, Devin teleported in front of her. He screamed, noticing the two figures standing in his living room.
                          
"Wow. My ears are bleeding," Katherine said dryly.
                          
Devin gaped at her for a second before capturing her in a hug. "Wh-How?!
                          
"We had a chance to escape and took it," Katherine replied. "I couldn't have done it without Kieran."
                          
Devin turned to me, the light in his eyes suddenly dimming. "Kieran..."
                          
I cleared my throat. "Where's Sabrina?"
                          
Devin grabbed his phone out of his pocket, then stopped. "Her phone died when we were out looking for you. We decided to call it quits for the night."
                          
"So she's at home?"
                          
Devin shook his head. "I think she's visiting Lilith's grave."
                          
My chest squeezed. I looked down, trying to swallow passed the lump in my throat. "I...um...I need to go see her. I'll talk with you and the others tomorrow, okay?"
                          
Devin nodded. "R-"
                          
I shot out of his apartment, directly heading for a flower shop. I made sure to go fast enough that the cameras wouldn't be able to recognize me as I stole a bouquet of lilies. I'd come back and pay for them later.
                          
I ran the rest of the way to the local cemetery. Sabrina wasn't there. After some searching, I found Lilith's grave. My heart broke in two when I saw it. I had been dreading this part. The goodbye part.
                          
I set the lilies down on her grave and crouched with fresh tears in my eyes. "I'm so sorry. Maybe if I was there...I'm so sorry. You were like a mother to me. Thank you for everything you've done for me."
                          
I stood up and walked towards one of the exits. Sabrina probably went home. I didn't know how I'd explain my absence to her father or grandpa, but that was the least of my worries.
                          
I glanced over my shoulder, then froze. Disbelief filled me. Sabrina was standing over Lilith's grave, her eyes glistening. She was saying something but I couldn't make it out.
                          
I tried to speak, but no sound came out at first. Sabrina looked so different. It was overwhelming. But of course she'd be different after everything. I didn't blame her, but it still made me angry at how different things were going to be from now on.
                          
But that didn't matter, because I loved her and I would love her no matter what.
                          
"Sabrina!"