The Gift

Chapter Nine-Rufus

We finally got to the stairs, and since we were one of the last people down, we were allowed to run down them as quick as possible. Since there weren't as many people on the next floor, we were able to let go of each other and run through the creepy halls more.

Finally, Cole stopped, and I ran right smack into his back, making me bounce off of him and fall back. I heard a gunshot right near us, and sparks lighting, and then running getting nearer towards us. They must have been on this floor.

Brett was the first to go into the door we were at, and then Cole held the door open while Chase helped me up quickly and then we all ran into the room, shut it, and Cole locked it. It was a small space, hunching all of us together. I had bad claustrophobia, and I knew this wouldn't work for long. But instead of complaining, I buried myself with the guys in fear, barely daring to breath.

Tears filled my eyes as I heard muffled voices right outside of our door. If we made any sound whatsoever, we'd be dead. How the hell were we going to live through this? 

The guys must have felt me crying--since I was smooshed against them!--so one of them wrapped their arms around me, and the other one rubbed my back.

"Shh, it's okay," I heard Cole's voice whisper so quietly I wouldn't have been able to hear it if it wasn't dead silent. 

But I guess the men outside did. Suddenly, the door was opening, and my eyes widened in fear as a gun was being pointed directly at my head, non of the other guys. I realized Cole was the one rubbing my back, but Chase was the one holding me. 

"Get up," I heard the man growl. I quickly obliged, abandoning the guys, standing up fearfully, and putting my hands up in defeat. I shut my eyes and whimpered pathetically as one of the masked men grabbed a fistful of my hair and dragged me further away from the closet. They boys jumped up to help me, but guns got pointed their way, freezing them in place as they watched me in horror. I knew what they were all thinking. I was new. I didn't know what I was capable of and how to trigger my Gift. But I knew how to defend myself. I needed to build time for my Gift to get to the point where it will be powerful enough to hurt these men. There was seven of them.

I started working up all the energy I had inside of me, bubbling it up. I squeezed my eyes shut tightly as I worked up the last bit. Everything the man was saying to me went in one ear and out the other. I concentrated for the last few seconds I had left, took a deep breath, and opened my eyes. The men around me were totally stunned, and so was Chase, Brett, and Cole. I thrust my hands out at them, and they went shooting backwards as sparks flew from the palms of my hands. But with as much force that I put into it, I got thrown back to, and the entire building rumbled and I fell back and skidded across the hallway floor.

The lights turned on and then blew out, with the glass flying everywhere around me. I groaned and looked towards the ceiling miserably. I whimpered and coughed, and tried to look around but I just got hurt worse. I heard the guys running to me, and suddenly I was laying on top of Cole's lap, and Chase was looking down at me worriedly. 

"There is bound to be more guys coming down here, we have to go," I heard Brett say. Chase looked up at him madly.

"We can wait. She's hurt--"

"Then pick her up, we have to go!" Brett snapped. Cole stopped looking at me sympathetically and looked up to scowl at Brett.

"Shut up, dude, alright? She will be fine in a few minutes, she just got thrown halfway across the hallway and made the entire building shake, she is just in shock," he told him. 

"We don't have a minute, Cole. In a few minutes, we'll be surrounded by more guys, in that awkward situation we were in just a few minutes ago. We need to leave now, or we will probably get caught," Brett said impatiently. I groaned and forced myself to sit up. I didn't want them to leave me, and Brett was right, we didn't have a few minutes. We had to leave right now.

"Brett's right," I said, and stood up weakly, and Brett helped me stand. "We have to leave. I'll be fine. Come on,"

And with that, we ran the opposite way of where the men came from, heading towards even more stairs. As we ran down them, we heard people coming up. I looked down and saw that the girl that did my hair and another girl was with her. I ran down the stairs with the guys and met up with the girls.

"Oh, dear, thank God you're alive! The building totally just went bazaar--!" the girl that did my hair said crazily, before I cut her off.

"That was because of me. We have to go, come on," I ran down the stairs, not letting the guys hold me back. Everyone followed me and we ran down the hallway. Good news is it was carpet instead of tile, so my heels didn't make noise. The stairs weren't carpet, though, so they made a lot of sound when I went up or down.

I stopped when we got to a door. A bad feeling lurked inside of me, telling me not to open the door. You'd be safer turning around and going down another hallway. But still, Rufus's men were probably right behind us.

I'll take my chances.

I busted into the room, and the first thing I was greeted to was more masked men. Great, just what I needed... One of the guys jumped and grabbed me, wrapping his arm around my waist while the other one covered my mouth, and he pulled me back. I heard a grunt rustling as the other guys went out to get the others, and then I heard a scream and I heard running. But then Chase and Cole were pulled in alone. Brett must have taken the other girls.

"Well, well, well. Look at what we have here." The man's voice drawled in boredom from the darkness. Right when I heard his voice, I knew he was trouble. I gulped and looked over at Chase and Cole. Their mouths weren't being covered, just their hands were being held back as the panted and glared daggers at all the guys inside the room.

"Such a pleasure to see you boys," the man came into view. Only two lamps were on, barely illuminating anything. But when he stepped into the faint light, I saw a young man, probably in his late twenties, with dark brown hair and light brown eyes. Just like in the movies, he had a nasty scar across his right eye. 

"It has been a while, hasn't it? Haven't seen you boys since you were just starting here as little boys. You must have a lot of control now, huh? I remember when you were so young...so stupid...if only I could have got to you before Joseph had, you'd be better. Greater, as a matter of fact. You boys had such potential. You were so talented without even trying. You had the looks, the rates, everything about you was perfect, and Joseph took it all away. Now you are just people with powers you will never use correctly." The man said sadly.

"And how would you have us use them?" Chase snarled at him.

"I can't tell you my plans, Chase," the man said, tsking. "But since you are no use to me anymore, I will let you go. I now have a new target." 

The man looked at me sweetly, with a smirk across his face. My stomach felt like it dived off a cliff, and I looked at Cole and Chase, who were now fighting against the men that were holding them back madly.

"Leave her alone," Chase gritted. "She didn't do anything to you."

"Nor has she done anything to you boys to make you fight so hard for her. Leave her be. She's mine now, boys," the man smirked and gestured to make the men get rid of Cole and Chase. Cole tried to stop them and he tried to fight against them to get to me, but it was too hard. A buff guy, compared to a teenager that looked like a stickman next to him? Cole and Chase looked pretty strong by himself, when I stood in front of him, but while I watched them get dragged out of the room by the men, they looked weak and scared. 

And then I was alone with the man.

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Hey! :) Seems like Chase and Cole got a bit close to Nichole, hm? Comment which character you like the best! :) Hope you guys liked it <3 

x.o.x.o!