Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 88119 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88119 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
I flinched from the touch and immediately felt like a fool. Zach wasn’t going to hurt me. He gave me an encouraging smile before his fingertips tightened on either side of my head. The contact of skin to skin allowed images to scroll through my mind. They materialized behind my eyes like a vision, the same way they had a few days ago in the car. There was the memory of the day I was born in a windowless white room. Abel was holding my mother’s hand and beaming with pride; then a later memory in which my mother had me nestled in her arms. She was lying on a narrow bed in the same small but sterile bedroom, looking exhausted and sweaty. A little boy kneeled on the mattress beside her. His eyes were turquoise and he was stretching out his tiny arm to touch the baby’s hand. Abel sank down on the mattress beside them, looking almost as tired as my mother. The boy snuggled against him as Abel slowly, gently stroked a finger over my head until I opened my eyes. Turquoise, just like his.
I gasped, and Zach dropped his hands from my temples. Those memories felt so real, like a vivid dream, as if I was experiencing them right in that moment. It was almost too much, to finally see and feel what I’d longed for. Tears sprang into my eyes. “The boy, that was you. But how can you remember it so clearly? You were only two.” I knew, of course, but I wanted to hear him say it.
Zach relaxed as if he’d been dreading my reaction. “That’s part of my Variation. I never forget. I can store memories and replay them for others.”
“A few days ago, a memory entered my mind while I was driving. Did you do that?”
He lowered his head. “Yeah. I know it wasn’t okay of me to do it without your permission, but I wanted to show you what you were missing. I’d hoped the memories would convince you to join us. I wanted you to come to us acting on your own free will. Obviously that didn’t really work out how I’d planned. You are a tough opponent.” He chuckled, but I was lost in thought.
“You didn’t need to touch me then. Why did you do it now?”
“I usually need to touch people to use my Variation. The only person where that isn’t necessary is our dad, so I thought that might work with you too, and it did. Maybe it’s because we share the same DNA, I don’t know.” He paused, scanning my face, which probably still showed my confusion. “But it takes more effort if I don’t touch you. The memories now, weren’t they more vivid than when I wasn’t touching you?”
“Yes, but they were already pretty convincing the last time.”
“Yeah, our connection is pretty strong, but it’s definitely less exhausting if I’m touching you.”
“So they were real memories? Not fake?” Fear bubbled up in my stomach.
“Of course,” Zach said immediately. “I wanted to show you what I remember every day.”
Alec’s words came into my mind: about a Variant who could manipulate memories. Maybe the rumors had exaggerated the truth like they often do. “Can you alter memories too?” I asked reluctantly.
We pulled into a private airport and Luthor parked the car near the landing strip. Zach still hadn’t replied. He gave Jago and Luthor a nod, and both of them exited the car, giving us a moment of privacy.
Zach rubbed a hand over his face. “If I focus very hard, then I can alter memories. It’s very difficult to do, though, and I feel drained for hours afterward.”
I tensed. “But that’s horrible. You can’t just change people’s memories!” Alec had manipulated and monitored me with his Variation. I didn’t want the same thing to happen again.
“Some people ask me to change their memories. Many Variants have experienced horrible things in their life and think they need to forget to have a fresh start, and sometimes that’s really the case. If the past keeps weighing you down, it might be best to drop it.”
“So you’re telling me you never altered someone’s memories without their permission?”
Zach glanced out of the window. Luthor and Jago were waiting for us, their backs turned to the car. “On a few occasions, I had no choice. It was to protect myself and those I care about. I didn’t like it and it’s always my last resort. What would you do if it was your only chance at keeping the people you care about safe?”
I shrugged. “I guess I would do it. I don’t know. I’ve never been in that situation.”
“Sometimes I hate this life of secrecy, but as long as the FEA is hunting us…” He trailed off and nodded toward the door. “We should go now. Dad is waiting for us.”