The Sankari Legends Book One: The Scars We Hide
Chapter Fifteen: Sabin

Some perks ofbeing able to change into any animal I want:

1) I can become any animal I want.

2) I can change into particularly largeanimals and sit on people’s heads when they annoy me.

3) I can change into very small animals andpeople won’t even notice I’m there.

4) It really comes in handy when, say, Ihave to sneak into a konna secret facility in search of the two idiot membersof my team who decided to get themselves captured.

In case it wasn’tobvious, I was really glad for number four at the moment.

I’d chosen aroute through the air ducts while Tyler, Emmalie, and Megan worked thehallways. Maybe that could be considered taking the easy way out, since it putme less at risk of being found. Especially when I chose an inconspicuous formlike a rat.

I didn’t know howlong I’d been running around through the ducts—a few minutes probably—when Ifinally caught on to a familiar smell coming in through the vents. It wasfaint, and I barely recognized it, but as I focused more in on the scent, Irealized what it was. Sunshine and saltwater. A fresh ocean breeze.

Alia.

She was here, andshe was down in the room below me.

Without reallythinking, I shifted out of my rat form and back into myself. I had theintention of pulling the air vent covering below me, but that wasn’t whathappened.

All of a suddenwith a resounding crash, I fell into the room where Alia was being held. Imanaged to twist in mid-air and land on my feet, trying to cover for thecollapsing vent blunder. I snapped my head up, scanning the room for threatsbefore making my way quickly over to an unconscious Alia. I sucked in a breaththrough my teeth. She was barely recognizable. Her body was littered with cutsand bruises; the right side of her face was swollen, colored black and blue.That wasn’t what made my stomach turn though. It was the burns. There were twoacross her stomach, one across her collarbone, and many more on her legs, eachseveral inches wide. The ones on her wrists and ankles were the worst though.They were an angry red, shiny and oozing, black and charred on the edges. Shewas wearing only shorts and a sports bra, feet bare and hair loose, looking forall the world like she was dead.

Oh Alia, what’ve they done to you?

What, you found Alia? Tyler’s voicesounded in my head. Great! Grab her andlet’s get the hell out of here.

Working on it Tyler, I grumbledbefore blocking his voice from my mind, a handy trick I’d learned a few yearsago.

My focus returnedwhen I heard a crash outside in the hallway. Barely undetectable to human ears,but my shifting abilities also help enhance all of my other senses so I couldhear it just fine. A fight was moving towards us. I had to get Alia out ofhere. I lifted a hand to shake her shoulder and then stopped. There wasn’t aspot on her skin that wasn’t injured, and I didn’t want to touch her and makeit worse. I leaned my head close to her ear and said,

“Alia, you needto wake up!” Nothing, just the slight rise and fall of her chest letting meknow that she was, thankfully, still alive. I leaned closer, my lipspractically touching her ear, and shouted, “Alia! Wake! Up!”

Her head jerkedand one of her hands flew up and hit me under the chin. My head jerkedbackwards but I kept my footing. Her eyes were still closed but her arms werejerking around. I lunged forward and grabbed her forearms and pinned them downto the table, trying to be as gentle as I could without letting her arms loose.

“Open your eyes!”Her head thrashed from side to side. “Please Als! Look at me!” I pushed downharder on her arms, fighting against her was she tried to get up.

Her eyes snappedopen and a loud groan escaped her lips. I looked down and saw that my hand wassqueezing tightly right on top of the burn on her left wrist.

“Oh hell,” Ijerked my hand back. “I’m so sorry Alia, are you...”

“Alec,“ shecroaked. “Alec.”

I reached my handout to her again, this time carefully touching the hand that wasn’t in a cast.

“It’s Sabin,Alia. I’m here to get you out.” Her eyes tried and failed to focus on mine,looking foggy and lost.

“Alia, listen tome, I’m going to get you out of here, but it’s going to hurt a little.”

“Sabin, why…” Shegasped as I scooped her up from the table she was lying on. Her body convulsedin my arms.

“Stop…” shegasped again, “Please just…” She shoved her way out of my arms and landed onthe floor in a heap, breathing raggedly, but looking more coherent.

I dropped to myknees beside her, but didn’t try to touch her again.

“We have…” shesucked in a breath and winced. “Alec is here… somewhere, we have to replace him.”She swayed to the side and her eyes slid shut, then jerked back open as sherighted herself. Her eyes were clear, now burning into mine. She started tospeak again but I stopped her.

“Megan is alreadyout there replaceing Alec. She’s going to get him out, like I’m trying to do foryou right now.” I said, explaining slowly and trying to keep the desperationout of my voice. We were running out of time.

Alia shook herhead and tried to stand, which ended with her almost face planting and mecatching her to keep from jacking up her face anymore than it already was.

“I have to replacehim!” Hysteria had edged into her voice. “He’s all alone, I have to replace himSabin!”

“Alia!” I yelledforcefully, making her stop. “Listen. Meganis replaceing Alec. You and I are leaving here right now.”

I put my handsunder her arms and hoisted her up, setting her on the table, her head lurchingforwards to rest against my shoulder. I thought she’d passed out again, butthen she pulled back and stared accusingly into my eyes.

“I’m not goinganywhere with you,” she said. “How do I even know you’re the real Sabin? Youcould just been another one of the konna, trying to screw with my head again.Or maybe Brittany is just showing me one of her fear whatever-things.”

“Alia I promise,I’m not...”

“Prove it,” shechallenged. “Tell me something that only the real Sabin would know. And notsomething Brittany would be able to figure out from my fears.”

I tried not tothink about Megan’s sister using her takotpowers against Alia and Alec, or the fact that Alia had seen me in her takot visions. I wracked my brain forsomething that would appease Alia and get us out of here as quickly aspossible. Then, despite the situation we were in, a grin broke across my face.

“Do you remember,at yours and Alec’s tenth birthday party,” I felt mischief gleaming in my eyesand the memory came up in full force. “You told me that the party was boringand you also didn’t want to have to clean up afterwards, so we snuck off to thetree house and played truth or dare, and you…”

My grin expandedas I recalled all the details of that day. “You dared me to kiss you. Youdidn’t think that I’d do it. You just sat there all smug thinking that you’dwon, but then, Alia Lakelyn Parker…” I leaned close to her face, inchesseparating us, “I kissed you. Right on the lips.”

“And right afterthat, Sabin Nicholas Raider,” she quipped back, “I believe I slapped you acrossthe face.” She smirked up at me and continued, “Which I don’t think I’ll doright now, because I’d probably hurt myself more than I’d hurt you.”

I moved a handacross my heart, trying not to be alarmed at the fact she actually came closeshe was in pain. “I’m touched Als, Ireally am but we need to leave, now.”

I moved to pickAlia back up, but she held up a tired hand, “Let me walk, please.”

“No.” I saidfirmly. “You tried to walk a minute ago and about kissed the floor. I know youhate it but if you walk you’re only going to slow us down.”

Her face pinchedtogether and her lips pressed into a thin line, “I’m perfectly...”

“Fine? Were yougoing to say fine?” A voice said and Alia and I both jumped, I whirled around,my back to Alia, searching the room for the intruder.

“Uh, over hereguys.” I looked towards the wall of what I assumed had been a mirror, only tosee Megan standing there, tapping the… glass? Window? I saw her push a buttonand her voice sounded out again.

“Alec is here,and I see you have Alia. Who looks very not fine, despite what she was tryingto say.” I walked to the window and stood in front of it, searching for thebutton that would allow me to talk back.

“It’s the silverbutton, bottom row, third from the left.”

I located thebutton, pressed it, and spoke.

“Can Alec walk?”I cast my gaze to the back of Megan’s room and saw Alec sitting there, upright,looking a hell of a lot better than Alia did, even though that wasn’t sayingmuch in his favor. He still looked like crap.

“Yes,” Megan saidcurtly, “He can, but he’s not very stable mentally right now. It’s not going tobe easy getting him out.”

“Alia’s allhere,” I replied. “Mentally, at least. She just can’t walk.”

“Okay, well theintruder alarm has been going off for approximately three and a half minutes,”Megan said, her blue eyes flickering. “At eight minutes the facility goes intolockdown and there will be no getting out of here no matter how hard we try.”She scrunched her face up in a look of what I assumed to be unease. “We’re justgoing to have to force them out of here.”

“I’m sittingright here you know!” Alia yelled behind me. “And leaving right now sounds likea fantastic idea, oh great wonderful leaders. Now, do you think you can shut upfor a minute and do that?!”

“Now she agreeswith me,” I muttered under my breath. I looked over at Megan and stated simply,“I’m right behind you.”

She nodded andturned towards Alec as I walked back to Alia.

“Als I’m going tohave to pick you up. I’m sorry, but you’re just going to have to get over itand let me help you.”

She glared at meand said, “Fine, but just this once, and if you ever tell anyone else aboutthis I will personally see to your death.”

I heard someonesnicker in my head.

Way to go, man. It was Tyler. Irealized that I’d been so preoccupied with Alia, I hadn’t been focusing onkeeping Tyler out of my mind. Great. Oh,and that part about you kissing her at the birthday party, gold…pure gold.

Tyler if you ever say a word about it I, along with Alia, willpersonally see that you die in a very painful way. I mean it.

Whatever man, he was still laughing. Just try to make it out alive, yeah? I needto tease you about this when you get out.

Can do, I thought back, refocusing on thesituation at hand.

Alia was stillsitting in front of me, face angry and set with a determined grimace.

“Ready?” I asked.

She gritted herteeth and squeezed her eyes shut.

“Get it overwith,” she said lowly.

I moved one armbehind her upper back and one behind her knees, trying to be as gentle aspossible, and to not touch any of the cut or burns as I lifted her high againstmy chest, her bare skin prickling where it touched mine.

She let out atight breath, and a quiet whimper with it. I felt like a terrible person. Aliahad the highest pain tolerance I’d ever seen anyone display, so seeing her inthis state bothered me a lot more that I let on. I turned towards the door andshe sagged in my arms, head rolling to rest against my shoulder. I could feelher quick choppy breath on my neck. She was burning up - I could feel the heatradiating off her skin through my shirt. The door opened and I saw Megan standingthere with keys in one hand, and Alec’s arm slung across the other shoulder. Ifollowed her out into the hallway, trying not to jostle Alia too much. As wepassed the door I assumed lead to Alec’s room, I noticed a guard lyingunconscious on the floor. Megan’s handiwork, no doubt. I didn’t dwell on thattoo long as Megan led us to the end of the hall.

“Where iseveryone?” I panted slightly as we paused at the corner. Alia wasn’t as lightas one would think.

“Tyler andEmmalie must have done something to help draw their attention away from us.”Megan said as we took off again. She pulled Alec’s arm slightly and pulled himcloser against her side as his steps started to drag. “Emmalie told me that wehad two minutes tops before we have company.” She looked behind us, then backahead. “And that was forty five seconds ago.”

“Then lets move,”I said quickly.

I jogged aheadand rounded a corner, looking around for any konna, my guard up. I stopped andturned back to Megan,

“It’s clear, comeon!”

I heard Megan talkingquietly to Alec, urging him to go faster. We had one more hallway to go downand then we could go out the door at the end. At least in theory that’s what wewere going to do, according to the plan Tyler had placed in my head, but thatall fell through when about halfway down the hall at least half a dozen konnaburst in, looking directly at us, ready to attack. Megan quickly dropped Alec’sarm and yelled,

“Stay back!”

She pulled two ofher handguns out of her holsters and started firing at them. She hit one in theleg and grazed another’s arms before they dove to stand in the doorways, takingcover from her bullets. She moved up and continued to fire, shouting back at me,

“Anytime you’dlike to help feel free!”

I rolled my eyesand did something that made Alia swear and me wince. I flipped her upright inmy arms and flung her over my shoulder, wrapping her arms around my neck.

“Don’t let go!”Her legs curled around my waist and her arms had a death grip on the front ofmy shirt.

I ran forward,grabbing the hunting knife from my belt and charging towards the konna.

I ducked into thefirst doorway and swooped down, almost falling on my face with the added weightof Alia on my back, but I quickly adjusted and righted myself. I grabbed thekonna by the front of the shirt and flung him out into the hall and heard a shotgo off as he crumpled to the ground. I sprinted down the hall to where theother konna were hiding. One jumped out, with a knife of his own, and startedslashing at my chest. I dodged, slower than normal, but still able to miss hisblow. I ducked low under his arm, and twisted around as he whirled back with ajab aimed at Alia’s back. I raised my knife as I turned around and the bladesunk into his back. He fell to the floor. Two down four to go. I heard two moreshots from Megan’s direction and another body hitting the ground. Three down.

“Great job,” Aliahissed in my ear. I could hear her still trying to hide how much pain she wasin. “At this rate, we may get out of here in body bags. Remember what Megansaid? Eight minutes? We may have three minutes left now.”

I cursed under mybreath. Tyler was rattling options off in my head, which didn’t help. Megan wasshouting some of her favorite choice words while firing shot after shot at thekonna in our path. Alec was trailing behind her cautiously. I could tell hestill was struggling to grasp what was real and what wasn’t at the moment.Brittany must have done a number in his head.

“Sabin, can’t youfreaking shift into something big and scary to get these jerks out of our way?”Megan yelled at me.

Not with Alia onmy back I couldn’t. I ran through what I could do in my mind, desperate for asolution. Alia was right; we had to get out of here. But what could we do?Megan and I were doing our best to get us out, but with Alia and Alec in theshape they were in, it just wasn’t enough.

“Sabin, let mehelp,” Alia said quietly. She’d lost the sarcastic bite and for once actuallysounded sincere. “I can help.”

“Alia, you’re inno shape to fight,” I answered, taking down another konna as I did. More justkept pouring into the hallway. “Besides… I know what they do when they captureand torture people. You’re powers are probably sedated, which means you can’thelp that way. And since you can’t walk, hand-to-hand is a no-go either.”

“Then get me adamn gun,” Alia demanded.

Megan dodged ashot from one of the konna guards by ducking into a doorway next to us. Shequickly loaded a new clip into one of her guns and handed it to Alia.

“Here!” she said.“We’ve got maybe a minute to get out of here, or else we’re all screwed.”

We took off withan almost renewed sense of purpose. Megan kept a firm hold on one of Alec’shands, making sure he kept up with us. Alia shot down konna after konna, andeven though she was a crappy shot, her efforts definitely helped. Soon, we’dmade it to the exit.

Only to replace itblocked by a tall, muscular, dark-skinned guy with a look of murder on hisface.

“Tyrone,” Alecsaid. It was the first time I’d heard him speak since Megan had shown up withhim, and I was shocked to hear how broken his voice sounded.

I noticed Megansqueeze Alec’s hand—whether to comfort him or to restrain him, I didn’t know,but I didn’t care because at that moment Alia decided to push herself off of myback.

She stumbled whenshe landed on her own feet, but managed not to fall this time. Instead, sherighted herself and stepped in front of me.

“Alia,” I said.“What are you…”

“Tyrone, get thehell out of our way,” Alia said firmly.

“Aw, how cute,”Tyrone said. “You actually think you have the strength to go against me?”

“I know I do,”Alia said.

“Oh, really?”Tyrone smirked, raising an eyebrow at her. I could hear Megan readying her gunto fire. Even Alec shifted into a fighting stance. I braced myself for thefight that was coming.

I remembered whatAlec had said about Tyrone… about the weird anti-energy stuff that had knockedhim out earlier. I couldn’t be sure, but I had my growing suspicions about hisability—most of which were based on dreams Nicki had told me about. Either way,I wasn’t eager to see this guy in action.

As it turned out,I didn’t need to. After a few heavy seconds of fixing him with her most intenseglare, Alia threw her arms in the air with an ear-piercing scream. Despite thefact that her powers were under sedation and she shouldn’t haven’t been able touse them, Tyrone was lifted off of his feet and thrown through the wall behindhim and into the outside air. He was covered with a pile of rubble from thewall and didn’t seem to be getting out of that anytime soon.

We all stoodstaring at Alia in shock for a few seconds, until I realized that she wasswaying on her feet. I barely managed to catch her before she fell to theground.

“Hey, easy,” Isaid, pulling her back up into my arms. “You really over did it there.”

“Sorry,” shemurmured, her eyes closing. “I just really… hate that guy.”

“How the hell did she do that?” Megan asked, hereyes wide with surprise. “Shouldn’t she still be under the power sedation?”

I shook my headand looked down at Alia in my arms, who was now unconscious, but breathing steadily.She had a small look of triumph on her face.

“I don’tunderstand it anymore than you,” I told Megan. “But now isn’t the time to worryabout it. We need to get out of here.”

“My thoughtsexactly.”

I turned aroundto see Emmalie and KC standing to our side. Emmalie was grinning broadly, whileKC just gave us a slight nod.

“Come on,” she said. “Let’s get you guys back.”