Frostbite (Touch of Frost) (27 page)

Jeez, Scott chose Arizona. Right in California’s back-freaking-yard. I kicked my feet against the chains.

“Andrey has watched you the last few days and learned a little about your life in Trifle. You settled in well there, didn’t you? Does anyone know about your powers?”

“Can I get some water? If I’m going to be a guest at the ranch, you could at least give me that.”

The person behind me shuffled. Water dribbled. Thick-neck-guy stepped forward. His hand disappeared behind me, then returned to view, holding a paper cup. He brought the drink closer, then hesitated.

“Now, behave, Mandy.” A prick bit at my neck. “I don’t want to have to inject you.”

For now, I would behave. Those darts gave me a massive headache and serious cotton mouth. Once I had some fluids in me, I’d be able to think straight.

I hoped.

The cool liquid quenched my parched throat. Water never tasted so good. I gulped it all down, then the creep stepped away from me quickly. I winked at him, but then he evaded my stare.

Yep, he was scared.
Good.

The door swung open, and the clipboard toting bun-lady strode in. I looked behind her hoping Zach followed.

No such luck. Where were they holding him?

The door slammed shut, its echo bounced off the sterile, white walls. The woman glanced over my shoulder and nodded. I really hated the faceless person. This was already getting old.

I clunked my head against the headrest and resigned myself to the fact that I was stuck.

For now.

THIRTY-THREE

B
linding light yanked me out of unconsciousness. I lay horizontal, and some idiot flashed a light in my eye. I shook my head.

“Get off me with that.” I shrugged my shoulder, intending to lift my arm, but of course, the familiar sound of clanking metal echoed in my ears. I despised that sound.

The light disappeared.

Through the residual spots, I glanced to the window. Night had fallen.

I tried to remember how many times it had gotten dark since I’d arrived here. Four maybe? Five? My brain was mush. I was surprised I even remembered my name let alone trying to figure anything out.

Man, I missed Scott, Georgia, and Zach. I even missed Jasmine a little. Mostly for her speed, hearing, and strength. They would come in handy right now. But the fact that the
Coats
just happened to find us at her super-secret hide out…yeah, that didn’t bode well for her and her loyalty to the Hillman clan.

The fog in my head began to clear. A young guy packed up my wheelchair while a wrinkled, old nurse watched him. No one else around? Where was the needle-toting nightmare bun-lady?

“Hey. Can I get some water? You keep doping me up, I think I’m growing cotton in my mouth.”

“Go on. I’ll take care of it.” The nurse shooed the tow-headed kid out of the room, and he bolted, giving me a quick look.

Was I that scary? Probably looked like a maniac. I hadn’t seen a mirror in days. Or showered—well, that I remembered anyway. Who knew what they did to me while I was out. I didn’t even want to think about it.

Then again, maybe the kid was scared because of what Jasmine said about my being pretty powerful. Maybe it was true? The last time I faced the
Coats
, I’d frozen them faster than I ever had.
Focus, Mandy
.

I zeroed in on Zach’s face, Scott’s amazing hugs, and Georgia’s beautiful smile. I loved those guys. They were my only family. I needed to be strong for them.

The nurse shuffled to me and reached for the pitcher of water next to my bed. She rested her leathery hand on the guardrail, like she needed to steady herself.

Stupid move.

I cranked against the metal clamps and wrapped my icy fingers around her tiny, frail wrist. She flinched, knocking the water over.

“Don’t touch any alarms or I’ll freeze you so fast, you won’t know what hit you.”

Puffs of white spewed from her mouth as she tried to speak. It might have been the lighting in the room, but even her lips were blue.

Energy coursed through me, sending a heated tingle through my chest and stomach. I was stronger. This was easier to control.

What had they been doing to me in here?

“Where’s the guy I came in here with?”

She shook her head. Her body vibrated beneath my chilling touch.

“Tell me.” Frost worked its way from my hand onto hers. She’d have frostbite in seconds if she didn’t talk.

“Let him-
m-m-m
go.”

“They let Zach go?” I eased up on the chill factor. “Why?”

“Orders. Do
n-n-n
ot. Hurt. Boy.” She tugged, but I held tight. She was my ticket out of here if Zach really was safe.

“What about my brother, Scott?”

She shrugged. “Only you and the boy
w-w-w-
were there.”

“How’d you find me?”

“Just a nurse…don’t…know.” She gasped for breath.

“How do I get out of these things?”

“Can’t.”

“Again with the lies.” I cooled down again. “You must have some keys.”

“
N-n-n-
n
o
clear-
r-r-r
-ance for key.”

“How, then?”

“Freeze and
s-s-s-
strength together. Still a…prototype.”

I’d guessed right. No wonder they knocked me out every time I turned on the cold. They’d only told me my strength couldn’t get through them. Steel can’t stop cold
and
strength. If it was steel. Or maybe metal in general. Too bad I didn’t pay more attention in school.

While I held the nurse with one hand, I curled my fingers forward and touched the metal clamp around my wrist. Freeze and tug, freeze and tug.

Distant voices silenced me. I glared at the nurse and cooled her more, silently telling her to not say a word. The sounds faded, and I went to work.

An alarm blared. The nurse shivered from the frost creeping up her arm.

“Code Blue,” rattled the speakers above me.

Yeah, blue. For ice maybe? The woman collapsed. Probably hypothermia. I yanked my arm as hard as I could, and the metal snapped.

Time to multi-task. I touched the clamp pinning my left hand to the bed, then shot ice from my free hand to the restraints around my ankles.

The blaring alarm echoed in my brain. They probably had heat sensors in my room. Sometimes I was dumber than a box of rocks. At least I’d found out Zach and Scott were safe, so now I could do some serious damage to this place on my way out. Hopefully, my powers would cooperate.

But if how I handled that nurse was any indication, my powers might be working more
with
me than against me now. That thought both encouraged me and freaked me out. I didn’t know how long I’d been here or what they’d done to me. What if they manipulated my powers or…no I needed to focus on getting the hell out of here.

Voices in the hallway grew louder. They were coming here to stab me with more needles or darts, no doubt. I intensified my ice, then kicked my legs free. Frost clouded the window and glistened on the bars. I leapt off my bed and slammed the door to the room shut.

Shit.
No locks.

I stepped back and sprayed the door. Within seconds, an ice block a foot-thick barricaded the door. No one would get through that sucker.

Well, unless they had someone like Georgia to melt it.

Crap. Maybe they did.

With one hand still shooting ice at the door, I lifted the other to the window and sprayed streams of slush. I wasn’t one to pray, but I blurted out a plea anyway, “God, please help me.”

I stopped the flow and checked things out. It looked like an igloo in front of the door. Pounding vibrated through the thick block. I might have heard someone cussing.

I curled my fingers around the bars protecting the windowpane and pulled. Cement crackled, but the bolts securing the metal bars cracked off. Steadying myself with a step, I tossed the steel trap to the side. Hopefully, the frost on the windows made it brittle enough to break through.

I kicked. Didn’t even budge, but it sure stung my bare feet.

I froze my fist and started hammering the stubborn glass. “Come on!”

Finally it cracked. That was all the encouragement I needed. I called another layer of ice on my fist, and with every bit of strength I had, gave the window one last beating.

Ice and glass sprayed over me as I fell to the side. Hot pain seared my calf. I hobbled up and stepped toward freedom. Damn, a shard of glass stuck out of my leg.

I fisted the object protruding from my skin and pulled. I couldn’t hold the scream back. Sizzling heat shot up to my thigh and a wave of nausea toiled in my stomach.

No time to heal though. I had to get out of here.

The unconscious—or dead—nurse lay on the floor. A twinge of guilt crowded my heart.

No! I had to do it.
I refused to stay here and be a pincushion for the rest of my life. I glanced through the hole I’d made. The moon spilled a spotlight on the grounds. Lamps lined a paved path. Guards would probably come soon. They had to have heard me kick through the window, and then there was the ear-piercing alarm sounding.

I crawled through the small space and stepped onto the ledge. Cold cement chilled my bare feet. Acidic wind morphed my hair into whips, lashing at my eyes.

Two stories. Sure looked further than I thought it would. Soft snow streamed from my open palms to the ground below.

And I jumped.

A cool draft ripped through my flimsy hospital garb as I fell through the air. Thankfully I landed on my feet, but my injured leg caved on impact, and I went rolling. Rocks and twigs embedded into my bare arms, sending tendrils of pain over my shoulder and to the base of my neck.

Get up, Mandy. Get up.

I pushed myself to my feet. A massive building loomed behind me, and a grove of trees lay ahead of me.

“Now what?” I whispered.

I took off in an awkward hobble-sprint across the yard. Distant growls kick started me into a full-on sprint.

Crap, I hated dogs.

I kept up my blundering run into the pine trees. But by the time I breached the trees, I had to stop and catch my breath.

The building lit up. Spotlights flashed over the grounds. The rhythmic chop of helicopter blades sliced through the air.

Are you kidding me?
A helicopter?
Definitely didn’t have time for a healing cocoon of ice.

The thought of wandering aimlessly around the desert, or the woods, or whatever lay beyond the trees freaked me out. I’d be an easy target. But they’d find me if I stayed in these woods long. Especially with dogs tracking my scent. Blood oozed from my cut feet and sliced calf, which didn’t help things.

“What do I do?” Tears stung at my eyes as panic started to take control no matter how much I worked to stamp it down.

Snarls and clanging chains ripped me out of my indecision. I turned and sprinted, whispering silent prayers the entire time. I wasn’t so sure it’d make a difference since God and me hadn’t been on speaking terms much since Mom and Dad died. But it didn’t hurt to try.

My foot caught a root and hurled me forward. Branches snapped as my palms met the ground. I managed to roll over every sharp rock in the entire forest.

Someone whisper-yelled my name.

I stilled my movements and held my breath.

“Mandy?” It came again, stronger this time.

I didn’t recognize—wait, yes I did. “Jasmine?”

The leaves around me whirled, and the next second, the tiny brunette stood over me.

I scooted back, but she reached toward me. “I think it’s time to get out of here!”

“Get away from me. You—they—your hide out!” I couldn’t spit the words out my mind was spinning so fast.

Jasmine froze, her eyebrow quirked over her left eye.

“Where’s Zach? Scott and Georgia?” I gulped down my nerves.

“Your brother and sister are waiting for me by the car. Zach’s fine back at the hotel. Come on. We have to go. Right now.”

“Take me to them.” I’d confront her betrayal once I saw Scott and Georgia.

With the effort of lifting a baby, she hoisted me into her arms, then took off running. Good thing I wasn’t one to get carsick, because it felt like she sped me down the autobahn. After only a few seconds, the human speedster put on the brakes, and my body rammed against her iron-like arms. She plopped me to my feet.

Shaky legs held me up on the gravel shoulder of a single-lane road, flanked by darkness on one side and a rocky cliff on the other.

Scott and Georgia paced next to a car I didn’t recognize.

“Mandy!” As Georgia ran to me her skin glowed pink, and her neon-nails flickered.