“Yeah, like you were getting a bunch of people’s reads or visions and thoughts,” Hendrix added.
“I never thought of that,” Rocko agreed.“That’s possible, and it would make sense.I need time to sort through and put it all together.However, I’m positive about one thing: no survivor is safe if this group is allowed to carry on with their plans.”
Now that Griffin had mentioned it, Rocko had a chance to think things through logically.The images were all jumbled and nonsensical, and perhaps they came from more than one person.How the hell was he going to put the pieces together?
“I want Mary and her family moved to the compound until we can ascertain how close the threat is to them,” Apollo ordered.
“On it,” Griffin said.“We’ll have them moved to one of the larger trailers by tomorrow.”
“I agree that would be safer until we can get a better handle on this situation,” Rocko said.“We’re not sure how organized they are or how big, and if they took Tom, then they surely know about Mary and Asher.”
“I’ll reach out to Brick and his team to make them aware of the situation.The more people who have eyes on this, the better,” Apollo said.“For now, I need you to rest and sort through everything you’ve seen and heard.You have the key to whatever the hell is happening rumbling around in that head of yours.”
Rocko chuckled.“No pressure at all.”He already knew how important this was, and the gravity of the situation wasn’t lost on him.
Apollo pulled him close.“Sorry, babe.I’ve never been one to sugarcoat anything.”
“I respect that, even if I want to punch you right now.”
“Thank you for your restraint,” Apollo said with a grin.
“You’re welcome.”
***
By the time they’d arrived back at the compound, Rocko’s head was pounding so hard he could barely keep his eyes open.He headed up to Apollo’s bedroom to lie down and sort through all the raging images racing in his brain.Renee offered to help with his pain, but Rocko didn’t want anything to potentially affect what he’d seen, heard, and felt.He’d take the pain even if his skull felt like it was splitting open.
In the visions, one moment he’d be sitting in the truck; the next, he was watching two men lift a suspiciously body-shaped bag out of the back of a cube van.Then he was thrown back to a construction site, pouring thick cement into a deep pit.The two other men walked over and tossed the bag into the pit, and he watched as it was swallowed up by the concrete.He looked around, trying to identify the area while praying it wasn’t Tom’s body in that bag.
Shit.Considering he was new to the area, buildings and landmarks that would mean something to the people living there meant nothing to him.A restaurant sat roughly a block down the street, but it was closed, and the sign had been shut off, so he was having difficulty reading its name.However, it did have a distinctive arch over the door.It was shaped like a wave.
Rocko threw his head back in frustration, tearing at the buttons of his jeans as if fighting for freedom.By the time he managed to take off his jeans and shirt, Rocko only had the energy to crawl onto the covers and lie staring at the ceiling.Suddenly, he was transported back to the storage yard behind Levy Construction, where he scanned the area.It was daylight, and he noticed three figures on the opposite side of the yard.He immediately recognized Tom from the pictures Mary had brought over.He was standing by his work truck, unloading tools and joking with the other two men.They seemed to be coworkers and were friendly enough.
“When do you think we should make our move?”someone asked from behind Rocko.
He spun around, heart pounding, to find two older men standing inside the open bay door.One redheaded, the other blond.
“Do we know what his abilities are?”the blond asked.
Rocko glanced at the names embroidered on their blue work shirts.The redhead was Gerald, the owner, and the other was a man named Tony.
“I saw him with my own two eyes redirecting a wooden beam from falling on Jake last week,” Gerald said.
“So, telekinesis for sure, so we’ll have to get the jump on him,” Tony said.
“Yes, to be safe.We don’t want the freak to get the drop on us or give him the chance to alert his other mutant friends,” Gerald agreed.
“These abominations need to be wiped off the face of the earth.”
“Agreed.No regular folks will be safe until they’re exterminated.”
Rocko heard the venom in Gerald’s voice and felt a chill work its way down his spine.These two talked about survivors as if we were rabid animals out to kill and maim the masses.It was typical: fear what you don’t know and try to destroy it anyway, instead of learning about it.
“My father wasn’t safe,” Gerald said.
“Yeah, sorry about your dad.He didn’t deserve what happened to him, no matter what that chick claimed,” Tony said.
That got Rocko’s attention.Gerald’s father was killed by a survivor?He’d have to get Ace to track down the police report.
