*Adrik*
“Not specifically, but I know of its existence. I still have friends that are very high up in very strategic organizations. They’ve talked about it before,” he said.
“Is it still going on?” she asked.
“No, not for at least ten years now. There was a kid that escaped one night. He must’ve killed 15 people to get out. They got nervous and shut the program down, thinking that he would come for them.”
“That was Ivan,” she said.
“Really?” Vitaliy asked, clearly surprised.
“Really. He told me all about it. If you can find the doctors that used to work there, I’ll happily kill them myself,” she said. I could feel her anger come to the surface as she thought about what was done to Ivan when he was younger.
Vitaliy put his opposite hand over her hand that was still holding his arm as we walked. He stopped and turned to both of us. “How do you control that?” he asked, completely shocked. I knew he was referring to her anger, but she was at a loss. It wasn’t at nuclear levels, so she likely hadn’t even noticed.
“Control what?” she asked. She looked between us, trying to figure out what he was shocked about.
He took her hand once more. “Your anger. You feel like a raging inferno right now,” he said.
I chuckled. “This is nothing, which is why she’s confused as to what you’re talking about. She’s keeping it under wraps because of you. But I bet if we turn to look, Ivan will be worried about her. He can feel it too,” I said.
Vitaliy turned to look behind us. I could tell by his expression that Ivan had moved closer to us. I turned to look and sure enough, he was closer, ready for whatever she needed. She looked as well, signaling to him that she was okay. We could see him relax and return to the others.
“How?” Vitaliy asked.
“We’re not entirely sure. Adrik can feel everything I feel now and same for him. I feel everything he feels. Even when we’re apart, we can still feel each other. It’s partly why they found me and Ivan so quickly. When Ivan and I were taken, I started to be able to feel his anger, which is how it started with Adrik. Then I panicked one night and Ivan was able to feel that too. He isn’t able to feel everything yet, but I expect he will eventually. But all of them have an awareness of me, especially when it comes to protecting me. They don’t need to see me to know exactly where I am,” Sephie said.
“Ivan felt your fear the other night, solnishko. He said he would need to be admitted to an asylum if he felt things as strongly as you do,” I said.
“I agree with Ivan,” Vitaliy said.
She cut her eyes at both of us, shrugging her shoulders. “This is how I’ve always been. I don’t know any different.”
“What about the other two?” he asked.
“We’re not sure. They haven’t shown any signs that we know of yet, although Stephen is very adept at breaking people’s minds already. It wouldn’t surprise me if it had to do with that whenever it happens,” I said.
“That’s a useful skill to have,” Vitaliy said.
“I think they’re both closer to figuring it out, but there’s still something holding those two back,” Sephie said.
Vitaliy looked at her thoughtfully. “You know what it is on at least one of them, don’t you?”
“I have my suspicions but I try to not pry in people’s heads without their permission. Stephen has a very dark spot in his past. I’m sure it has to do with whatever that is. Viktor is still mourning, even though he tries to pretend like he’s not,” she said.
“His wife, no?” he asked.
She nodded her head. “He’s still heartbroken. He hides it well, but he’s still working through that pain.”
“He will for a while. It’s not something you easily get over. I still have days where it feels like my heart is breaking open because I miss her so much,” he said, moving away so we wouldn’t see the tears in his eyes.
Sephie stepped toward him, placing her hand on his arm. When he turned his head toward her slightly, she hugged him. I watched my father, who never showed any emotion other than anger, crumble in front of me. He clung to her like she was his lifeline. They stayed silent for several minutes, until finally his hold on her loosened. She stepped back slightly, but kept her hands on his shoulders. “You’ll find her again and you’ll get to fall in love with her all over again. She sacrificed this lifetime for Adrik, but the next will be the reward for that.” She was quiet for a moment, then she said, “you know she’s still around, right? You can still talk to her. She watches over you. She always has.” She glanced at me, then turned back to him. “She says she misses you too and that you’ll always be her luchik.”
He inhaled sharply, looking to me. “Did you tell her that?” he asked.
“Tell her what?”
“That’s what your mother used to call me,” he said.
“I didn’t know that. I can barely remember her.”
Sephie smiled sweetly at him, stepping away from him to me. “She told me, Vitaliy. Don’t ask me how. It’s never happened before and it might never happen again, but she just told me to tell you that.” Sephie was quiet for a second, then she laughed. “She might’ve also just told me to tell you that she was right and you should’ve listened to her.” Sephie looked up at me, grinning. “I like your mother. She’s fun.”
Vitaliy laughed. I’d seen him laugh more in the last two days than I’d ever seen him laugh in my entire life. He cursed under his breath, looking at Sephie with a look of wonderment in his eyes. “You would’ve loved her. You’re very similar. I’m surprised she didn’t have you yell at me for not knowing she was watching over me.”
“You weren’t ready to know, Vitaliy. Now you are. She can’t be mad at you for what you didn’t know,” she said.
He glanced between Sephie and I. “I admit that I did doubt your mother was right when she told me you would find the absolute perfect woman, but she was definitely right,” he said.
“That’s why she’s stuck with me,” I said, pulling her to me.