Dr. Buchanan puts his hand on Jim's shoulder, knowing it wasn't the fire that had put Zack in this coma, but unwilling to tell Jim that. "He's going to be fine, buddy, I promise. He's taken worse damage on our training days and healed perfectly."
"True enough," Jim says, blinking back his tears.
Chapter 5
From his perch on the branch of a pine tree, Zack looks out over the forest, searching for any movement that might give away his target's position. After a couple of minutes, he finally spots his target. He communicates with Olivia, who appears in ghost silhouette next to him.
This is getting too easy, she says as she peers at their target in the distance.
Don't get too cocky. You know The Cannon always has a trick or two up his sleeve.
I think old age is catching up with him. The last two training exercises were too easy too, she repeats.
Seriously, don't overestimate him, Zack says, as he starts focusing and gathering energy from within. He only takes a trickle from the environment; too much would cause a cold spot his target might detect, since it's a warm spring. I want to keep our winning streak going.You still have eyes on Dad, right?
Yes, looking at him as we speak, Olivia says. Her ghostly silhouette vanishes.
Zack jumps down from the tree and dashes toward his target.
After their parents found out they had powers, Jim confided in the family physician, Dr. Buchanan, trusting in his ability to help Zack and Olivia learn how to control and use their unique abilities. Zack and Olivia have spent every summer of their childhood since training in Buchanan's complex outside of Port Jervis. Today, on Zack's fifteenth birthday, they celebrate by training on one of his favorite activities — Earthling vs. Azhalian.
Zack finds Buchanan leaning against a tree trunk, drinking from a canteen. The doctor is wearing his own invention, a magnetic headband that prevents Zack from reading his mind. Works way better than a tinfoil hat.
Buchanan looks up, drops the canteen, and sprints in the opposite direction. Zack smirks; no Earthling, not even one wearing the exoskeleton armor Buchanan is wearing, can outrun him. Zack easily covers the distance, and as he extends his hand to grab the doctor's shoulder, Buchanan spins around and smashes his gloved hand into Zack's chest, flinging him backward into a white pine, cracking the trunk. Buchanan draws the laser shotgun from the holster on his back, and sends a stun blast toward Zack that shatters the pine that had backstopped him, putting it out of its misery. Eyes narrowed, Zack had planted his left hand in the ground and released a quick pulse of energy that pushed him to the right just in time to avoid the shot. He leaps to his feet and starts gathering more energy, pulling from the surroundings this time, when a falling net enwraps his body.
Well, that's new. Zack heats up his hand to melt the cords until he breaks free. He stands and looks in all directions, but the doctor is nowhere to be found.
Sis, they're using new weapons. I lost The Cannon!
Got it. Olivia breaks the communication and strikes. She dashes out from her hide and heads directly toward her target, her Dad, extending a force field that freezes him in place. "Got you!" she shouts. A second later, she realizes she's been tricked — it's a hologram. Before she can react, she's sprung upward in a net. She frantically tries to get free, but she's wrapped up too tightly. Telepathically, she cries for help from her brother.
Calm down, just heat up the ropes, Zack replies. You'll melt right through.
Olivia closes her eyes and relaxes. She follows her brother's instructions, and in seconds the cords break and she falls to the ground. Zack, I'm out. Are you headed to the base?
No, but you are, Zack responds as he sprints through the forest. If they both reach the base, we lose. And trust me, we're not losing.
❖❖❖
"John, I'm minutes away from the base," Jim says through the walkie-talkie. "Is everything set? Over."
"It's ready. Zack should be here any minute now. I'll let you know when he's captured. Over."
Jim smiles. For the past two years, they've been unable to defeat his kids in any of Buchanan's training exercises; but their losing streak will end today. They went to great lengths to acquire top-grade, milspec exoskeletons on the dark market — full-armor suits that boost strength, endurance, and speed, comparable to what the UN Special Task Force uses to hunt rogue Azhalians.
Jim hears the crunch of leaves nearby. He powers up his shotgun and looks around as Zack drops from the tree and lands a couple of feet in front of him. "You're not supposed to be here!" Jim says, surprised.
"Not going to lie, Dad. I'm impressed you made this interesting again, but it's over."
Jim aims his shotgun and fires a stun blast. Zack dodges the blast by turning sideways and dashes toward his father. He makes a hard stop when he sees that Jim is wearing the same type of robotic glove as Buchanan. Zack shoots an energy pulse directly at the glove, and Jim runs for cover. He hides behind an oak tree and presses the distress signal on his watch. He looks around the oak tree, but he can't see Zack. He creeps backward, looking left, right, and above.
Zack sprints out from a brush-lined gully toward his father. Jim turns and aims his gun, but Zack grabs it before he can pull the trigger and tackles his father to the ground. Zack pins his father's arm and squeezes the robotic glove until it cracks and breaks into pieces. "Oops! Broke your new toy! Sorry, not sorry."
Jim stops struggling and lays his head against the ground. There's no way he can overpower his son,
