Created (Talented Saga) by Sophie Davis Read Free Book Online

But Cadence had helped Erik rescue his family. There was no way I’d be able to live with myself if I gave up the opportunity to repay the favor.
    Janelle was already brushing past Frederick, Crane, and Erik to assume the lead.
    “Go. I’ll be right behind you,” I told them.
    Crane was reluctant at first, but I’d put enough force behind my words that he soon complied. I waited until all four of them had reached the next landing. Then, I placed my hand on the cold stone wall and opened my mind. I felt a strong buzzing deep within. The prisoner was calling for help. “My name is Randy Choi. Please don’t leave me here,” he screamed over and over again.
    His cell was not close to the stairwell the way Erik’s had been. Rather, it was deep within the maze of hallways. As much as I wanted to free him, navigating through the prison would take too much time, and I was unwilling to leave Frederick, Erik, and Crane without backup.
    I made a snap decision. One that I wasn’t even sure was possible. I would try, though. Concentrating every ounce of energy I possessed on my telekinetic powers, I closed my eyes, envisioned blowing a hole from where I stood, through tons of stone, concrete, steel, and whatever else, to Randy’s cell. Power, hot and electrifying, traveled from my mind, down my shoulder, until it reached my hand. It burst forth from my fingertips and into the wall with a sharp crackle and pop. The air seemed to still for just a second before a terrific explosion of stone and concrete erupted beneath my touch.
    I stared down at my hand, shocked and relieved that the gamble had paid off.
    “Talia?” Crane screamed in my head. “What happened? Are you okay?”
    “Fine, Ian,” I sent back. “I’m on my way up now.”
    The rubble and dust settled, and a gaping hole now stood where my hand had been moments earlier. Slowly, a dark form materialized in the blackened depths of the opening. The closer it came, the larger it got. I didn’t move, even though I knew I was wasting time. Finally, the person was close enough that the stairwell’s dim light illuminated his Asian features. I swallowed hard.
    “Randy Choi?” I asked, knowing full well he was. I’d have recognized him from his personnel file even if he hadn’t been chanting his name along with his plea for rescue. He had a dark, scraggly beard that covered gaunt, sunken-in cheeks. His gray jumpsuit hung loosely on his too thin frame.
    “I’m a friend of your sister,” I added for good measure. Not that I truly thought he cared who rescued him as long as someone did, but I hoped the news would light a fire under his butt and he’d move a little faster.
    “Cadence.” His voice was hoarse, most likely from the combination of screaming for the last however long and disuse.
    I nodded and offered him a small smile. “Yeah, Cadence,” I said. Then, I turned and headed for the roof, calling over my shoulder, “We need to hurry.”
    Randy fell in step with me halfway to the next landing. His legs were much longer than mine, but I was still surprised he was able to move so fast. I doubted a four by four cell allowed for any type of exercise and judging by Randy’s pallor, he hadn’t seen the sun in quite some time. I refrained from comment. I didn’t want to waste any breath talking.
    Two flights later we reached an open door leading out onto the roof. It was propped open with cinderblock, and warm air was blowing in from outside. Absently, I noticed that this door, too, was devoid of a handle. I considered that, and filed it away under things to worry about later.
    I stepped through the doorway first, followed closely by Randy. Frederick had Erik strapped to him, and Crane and Janelle were busy securing the two of them into a harness so that they could be hauled back into the transport plane hovering overhead. Crane looked up when he heard us exit. When he saw Randy, he nodded to him. Whether the two men actually knew each other, I had no