Powerless (Book 1): Powerless (42 page)

And when he felt like giving up he felt the physical presence of someone else. A hand was placed on his back from behind and without looking he knew who it was. A soft and familiar voice whispered in his ear “You will be alright!”

Fear turned into a
burning
rage
over
what had
been
taken
from
him
and
his
eyes
glazed
over
with
a
look
of
steely
intent. The hand that was placed softly on his back then tightened and gripped the back of his top and strongly flung Lee towards McKay
. W
ithout
hesitation
Lee bore down on
McKay
and
launched himself
through
the
air
at
him.

Immediately
McKay
was knocked
to
the
ground
and
Lee
began
to
hit
him
with
his
entire
might.
Sitting
on
top
of
McKay,
he
pulled
the
mask
off
his
face
and
snarled,
“No
need
for
formalities.”

Lee proceeded to unleash all the pain that was built up in him since losing his brother. Every time he hit him he had the fury of hell in his fists. He reigned down his punches on McKay; punching so hard he could not tell if the horrific noise of bone on bone was his hands breaking or McKay’s face shattering under the pressure of his might. Lee did not relent and did not tire
until
McKay's
face
became
almost
unrecognisable.

When
McKay
was
totally
incapacitated,
he put
his
hands
around
his
neck
and
began
to
squeeze
the
life
out
of
him.
McKay
was
kicking
his
feet
in
an
effort
to
shake
Lee
off,
but
his
grip
around
the
throat
of
the
man
who
killed
his
brother only
got
tighter.
Lee
began
to
feel
life
slip
from
McKay's
body
and
watched
his
eyes
roll
back
in
his
head.

Before
the
life
had
completely
gone
out
of
his
body
Lee
began
to
think
of
his
brother
and
the
man
that
his
brother
would
have
wanted
him
to
be.
Tom
would
have
wanted
Lee
to
be
forgiving
and
compassionate,
so
loosened
his
grip
from
McKay's
neck
and
stood
up
away
from
him.
Turning
and
looking
at
the
cabin
that
had
been
his
sanctuary
, he
now
knew
that
is
was
no
longer
safe.

He looked pitifully down
at
McKay
on
the
ground,
gasping
for
air
and
trying
to
get
life
back
into
his
body.
With
aggressive
intent
asserting
through
deep
breath
and
a
grimace
on
his
face,
he spoke.

“I
can
defeat
you,
no
matter
what
you
do.
You
see
how
easy
it
is
for
me,
you
are
nothing,
you
are
just
a
bully
and
I
will
haunt
you
for
the
rest
of
your
days.

Stay
away
from
my
family,
stay
away
from
me
and
I
won't
kill
you.
Go
near
them
and
you
will
not
live
to
talk
about
it.
I
knew
the
minute
I
saw
you,
you
were
evil
and
I
should
have
trusted
my
instinct.
Tom
would
still
be
here
if
I
did…”

Breathing
heavily,
Lee turned to see whose familiar hand had caressed his back and then launched him into battle. Turning,
he found no one there. He was alone.

Running
into
the
house
Lee
wrote
a
quick
note
to
Jennifer
and
his
father.
He grabbed
all
his
bags
of
gear
and
threw
them
into
the
car
that
his
father
had
recently
finished
reconditioning.
He looked
around
to
see
where
McKay
was,
but
he
had
already
disappeared
from
sight
and
with
that
Lee
sped
off
into
the
morning.

Jennifer
awoke
in
the
morning
to
find
the
place
in
the
bed
beside
her
where
Lee
would
lie
to
not
only
be
empty,
but
to
be
cold.
She
got
up
out
of
bed
with
a
banging
on
the
door.
She
went
to
see
who
was
there
waiting
for
her.
It
was
the
police
looking
for
Lee.

Jennifer
told
them
she
didn't
know
where
he
was
or
what
was
going
on.
The
policeman
let
Jennifer
read
the
newspaper
, which
was
tucked
under
his
arm.
As
Jennifer
read
down
through
the
lies
that
were
written
about
Lee
she
feared
for
his
safety.
The
police
stayed
for
a
while
and
questioned
Jennifer.

Satisfied
that
she
didn’t
know
where
Lee
was
they
took
their
leave.

Within
seconds
of
the
door
closing
behind
the
police,
there
came
another
knock.
Jennifer
went
to
the
door,
cursing
to
herself
as
she
expected
it
to
be
the
police
again.

“I
told
you,
I
don't
know
anything…”

As
the
door
opened
she
saw
Philip
standing
there
with
a
tentative
look
on
his
face.
Jennifer
implored,
“What’s
going
on
Philip?”

Philip
gave
no
reply.
Simply
handed
her
the
note
that
he
retrieved
from
the
cabin
where
he
went
expectantly
to
find
Lee. All
he
found
was
his
car,
the
letter
and
signs
of
a
struggle.
The
letter
read:

Dad
&
Jenny

I
don't
have
long.
I
am
safe.
Don't
worry
about
me.
I
have
to
go
to
keep
you
safe
from
what
is
happening.
I
will
clear
my
name
and
blow
open
everything
that
has
been
going
on.
I
have
plenty
of
money
and
I
am
taking
your
car
Dad,
they
will
be
looking
for
mine.
I
will
be
in
touch,
but
right
now
I
have
to
get
away
to
keep
you
safe.
Look
after
each
other;
you
are
all
that
I
have.
Love
always,
L
ee