Gifted

By Fadhili Ogova

Before they understand what they can do, they are tossed into a world that doesn't want them to.

• Language: English
• Publisher: ComMattersKenya
• Release date: Jul 8, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201127039

Book preview

PROLOGUE

October 17, 2013

Crickets chirped cheerily among the tall grass surrounding the lake. Frogs croaked, camouflaged among the water lilies as dragonflies zoomed above the water surface. Some bubbles followed by an explosion rocked the papyrus patch spewing root fragments and mud from the bottom. One stem remained untouched; the intended one. It was protected by a force field.

No! No! No! Jerome muttered in desperation at his young son on the pier. Look. He concentrated and a contained eruption blew out the still-standing plant. It was the fifth demonstration that afternoon.

He looked around the lake and spotted a small log floating on the water; it was part of the previous week’s training with Dylan.

Blow that one out of the water, he said.

Dylan focused on the log, squinted his eyes, held his breath...

An explosion blew a small number of medium-sized rocks out of the water but a few yards away, the log floated on, oblivious of the matter.

Dylan turned away from his father’s gaze and ran towards the log cabin. He paid no attention to his father’s repeated calls for him to return. Jerome sighed and with sagged shoulders, trudged up the pier towards the cabin.

***

Jerome Hart had been from a noble family in Murmansk, Russia. His father, Elias, had been a senior member of the Elders High Court. His family had been among the founding members of The High Court itself and it was dedicated towards this end.

Jerome had been the black sheep of the family ever since he could remember. His brothers, Tony and Adam, were already Junior members of The Elders High Court. He had started nurturing ideas of free will ever since childhood as opposed to his father’s conviction of an authoritarian system that they now had. His betrayal was further aided by the fact that he was in love with a common gifted girl; Isabella Simmons.

On attaining the accepted maturity age on his twenty-third birthday, the first thing Jerome did was to elope with his childhood sweetheart, Isabella. He took a risk, abandoned his family, friends and home, escaping to the secluded area of Woomera, Australia, where he was sure he was beyond his former government’s radar. If he were to be found his future would pretty much be over.

Jerome had gotten married to Isabella and a year later they became the proud parents of Dylan Hart, who they had thought of as being a normal child until he attained twelve years of age, and at one time controlled the local shopkeeper into letting him have a chocolate bar- a rare delicacy- for free. And later, he controlled his mother into letting him off without punishment.

It happened more often to a point of Dylan trapping game by mind control. In addition, he discovered that his telepathy came in conjunction with the ability to sense emotions and draw away a life force. That stopped him trapping animals. Their anguish was just too much for his young heart to bear. Unknowingly, the fact that he could kill at will had qualified him to join the highest echelons of power; Senior Elder at The Elders High Court. And they could track him down now!

His dad stepped up his training in order to postpone this happening. The Elders could home in to his position through his power if he kept on taking lives and Jerome knew this. It was why he was preparing him for a confrontation he knew would come to pass. Dylan was a bright lad and had gotten firm control over most of his powers except the explosion issues. He had picked up on his telepathic powers and was now trying his best to gain hold over creating explosions. At this, Jerome thought he had failed to tutor him properly.

****

Isabella Hart turned from her cooking at the sound of Dylan banging the door and thundering up the stairs.

Anything bothering you, she shouted good-naturedly then slapped her forehead. Of course something’s wrong with him.

She sensed somebody coming up to the door. It must be Jerome, she thought even as the door opened to admit her husband. Still, she sensed somebody else for a second longer before the fleeting sense was gone. Isabella didn’t know what was wrong with her. For the past couple of weeks, she had been having an ominous feeling of being watched. She had confided this in Jerome but he supposed that she was just stressed. It could hardly secure her any comfort but the fact that they were secluded in their small town helped reassure her a little.

What is it? she asked, turning halfway towards Jerome.

I don’t know. One minute I was teaching him control, the next he came running in here nearly in tears.

Dylan was troubled. No doubt of that.

I: TARGET ACQUIRED

September 20, 2013

The Elders High Court was almost in session.

The Building was magnificent. All snow-white marble with frosted glass windows alongside huge crystal-clear ones that opened into The Elders offices. A brick red-tiled roof and state-of-the-art security system. Glass partitions divided several rooms and The Building contained two heated Olympic-sized swimming pools off its side. The Elders lived off the palm of luxury. And it was only their ordinary job.

Elders were carefully selected out of many potential kids picked on merit due to the talents they possessed but mainly due to their life-draining power. Not many gifted kids had this power or could control it essentially and they ended up going on a killing rampage and getting locked up in special chambers beneath The Building. Control was paramount. The hardest part was that use of this talent could be sensed and tracked down by The Elders. Nobody could hide from Elder Selection and this led to the ruin of many potential gifted kids. Not that The Elders cared. Their only care was that this great power should not be mastered by a rebel who would then use it against their supreme authority. They must stop that even if it cost their lives.

***

Liam Savage sat at his glass desk. A communication came in through the telepathic cable.

She’s here; do I send her in?

Liam turned away from his meditating. He could feel two heartbeats on the other side. Emotions surged. One; flustered and anxious. His secretary’s. The other: cool and composed. Too cool; No, cold...icy-cold.

Please do.

The door opened slightly then shut. Liam pretended he saw nothing. He could feel her across the room. Softly, she padded towards his trophy case. All glass. He could almost read her intentions. A quick movement and a sharp-edged emerald trophy levitated near the centre of the shelf. She materialized and he saw his aim was true. The trophy floated a couple of inches from her left temple.

Sympathetic ... and weak... she mocked Liam in a sing-song voice.

Well, I’m not a cold-blooded assassin like you are Miss Fang.

She laughed. Short and melodiously. She hardly looked the part of a murderer.

It seems you know something about me Mr. Savage, and yet the only information I have of you is as an Elder.

Formalities. In fact, I have a whole file on you. What you do isn’t supported by a major faction of our government. Yet I... we need your assistance in certain matters.

She was dressed in a red halter top and black denim skirt. Ankle length boots, chunky earrings and some mascara completed her makeup. A large blue sapphire glittered from the ring on her left pinkie. Fragile cheekbones, rounded brown eyes and full pink lips made her extremely attractive. Her hourglass-like body escorted most of her male victims to the grave gladly. If Liam didn’t know any better he might have placed her in the ‘model’ class.

He pressed a button on his desk and called up a fact file on her. It was projected holographically in the middle of his spacious glittering office. In addition to its mechanical voice, the computer chalked up diagrams, digits and words that flew across the room.

"Elsie Fang...commonly known as e-fang among business associates...

Place of birth: Iqaluit, Canada...

Date of birth: July 23, 1992...

Residency: undefined...

Nationality: American...

Education: BSc in Electrical Engineering, University of Tokyo, First Class Honours...

Occupation: assassin...arrested twice and freed on account of lack of evidence...

suspected victims: Elder Jordan Hugh, World Record sprinter Jamie Payes, Former U.N. secretary general Abdul Karim, international gemstone dealer Rob McAlister........."

Liam shut down the fact file and opened another window. It contained classified satellite footage on the assassinations. With the use of the infra red spectrum it showed a female form lurking around each murder site and in the last, Jamie’s, the satellite tracked this form to a parked Bentley where the form changed to one in the visible light spectrum. Without a mistake, Elsie was clearly identifiable. Composed and in no hurry to rush away from the crime scene two streets away.

Liam deactivated the projector and turned to Elsie. Miss Fang, I hope that this convinces you of the fact that your cooperation would be highly appreciated, he said sardonically.

Elsie seemed unfazed. Her heartbeat was steady and she looked out of the large third storey picture window.

Mr. Savage, let me first say that I personally view manipulators and blackmailers as being lower than the dirtiest scum on earth. I will do your...work... and I do not expect any pay for it. However you will pay by alternative means. Liam felt a warmth spread through his cruel heart.

Elsie turned to face him. She looked innocent and sweet but revenge bubbled inside her heart. Liam could feel it.

Target and location?

Liam hit a few buttons on the holographic touch panel on his desk subsequently printing out the hit list. Elsie scanned it raising an eyebrow.

Australia? Been long since I was Down Under. This should be interesting. Don’t call me; I’ll call you, she was at the door.

And Miss Fang...

She turned her head slightly.

I want them alive!

The door slid shut.

Liam spat in rage. "The silly stuck