My Brother’s Keeper

Lontreal Wiseman-Farmer

Able studied the room he was in. The walls were made of steel, and covered with screens, and knobs. He was sitting in a comfortable office chair, at a very large round table. The other chairs were occupied by the heroes he was here to talk to. The table its self-was a very large holographic image of the entire city of St. Louis. The ceiling was very high up, at least 100 feet, and the center of the ceiling was made of a shiny glass he had never seen before. While Able was wondering what makes glass shine like that, Lontreal and Jacob were deciding exactly what they were going to do about him. “How the hell did he find this place?” Jacob whispered furiously. He was pretty sure the Able didn’t have heightened senses but, in this line of work you can never be too sure. Lontreal shook his head and whispered back “I have no idea, and he refuses to tell us”

“This is a government facility, did you threaten him with jail time?” Asked Jacob.

“He said he knew who was responsible for Maddie, and that he was here to help.”

“Well! Why are we all sitting here like a bunch of assholes. If he is going to help then he should help!” Jacob directed the last part of the statement, at Able who jumped in his seat startled by the sudden outburst. “Excuse Jacob, he is just very worried, as we all are.” Said Kelsey. Kelsey was sitting to the right of Able. She was wearing a pink long-sleeved shirt, with jeans. Able liked her the moment he saw her. Her biracial background gave her a creamy complexion. She had a very friendly face, with her light brown freckles to match her even lighter brown skin. She had soft brown eyes and short brown hair. “Can you just explain to us how you found us, and how you plan to help Maddie?”

Able stood up and looked around at his audience. His black sweater and black pants seemed to absorb the light around him. “My brother was the one who put your friend in a coma. Me and my brother were born a long time ago, in a tiny village. This was long before recorded history. My brother dared me to race him past the village borders. I knew I shouldn’t but he was my older brother and I wanted nothing more than to make him happy, so I chased him very far out into the desert. As we were running the sky darkened and something hit the ground in front of us hard. The ground exploded and launched me and Caine into the air. When we hit the ground we were lying next to a glowing white stone. We seemed to be unharmed, except for our clothes that were almost completely burned off. Caine grabbed the white stone and we ran back to the village. Lucky for us the stone falling from the sky distracted everyone, and we were able to change clothes.”

“Caine buried the stone outside our hut, and every night we would go out and play catch with it. As we grew the stones glow lessened. Every year it seemed to be a little less bright. When I was about 20 I seemed to stop aging. So did Cain. I had also become the healer of my tribe, and I seemed to be able to heal any wound. One day Caine got into an argument with the tribe elders about Caine only hunting and making food for himself. Caine got lost control of his temper and grabbed the elder by his arm. The elder, whose name I can no longer remember, started to die slowly in front of the whole village. Caine seemed to have gained the ability to create diseases, and infect as many people as he wanted. Caine fled the village and I followed. We stayed together for a while but Caines violent nature was starting to get the best of him, and I was more concerned about healing. Before I left we made a rule. I would not heal anyone he has infected, and he will not infect someone I have healed.” Able finished with a weary sigh. “I have always kept track of him, but last month he disappeared and I couldn’t find any trace of him. Then my contact in the city told me of your friend Maddie and a man named Jax. I knew Caine was involved when he described the condition Maddie was in.”

Elijah cleared his throat loudly and raised an eyebrow. He was sitting on the left side, and a lot further away than Kelsey had been. “I don’t mean to rush you but how did you find out about Maddie? Who is your contact, and considering your pact with your brother how do you plan to help us?” Elijah asked these questions with the calm tone he knew was needed in order to keep this civil. He could see that Lontreal, and Jacob were getting tired of just listing. Able nodded towards Elijah. “I understand the confusion, I just thought you might want some background.” Able looked back towards the skylight. “My contact is a girl by the name of Jessica. She has somehow gained the ability to see events going on in the world, without being there. Her ability only works in real time. She cannot see the future nor the past. And she can only see a person, she has touched before, and she can see a place she has been before. During one of the many assaults on this city, she came into contact with Lontreal. Because she touched him she can now see and hear him anytime she wants.”

Lontreal flew across the room and lifted Able into the air and pulled him very close to his face. This happened so fast Able didn’t even notice until he was in the air face to face with him. “What the hell do you mean she can see, and hear me whenever she wants?”

“Lontreal calm down-” Able raises his hand, and Kelsey halts her protest. “She told me about Ashley” Able said. “She told me you did everything you could, and that it wasn’t your fault.”

“I know it wasn’t my fault, but that was a moment between me and her. No one else.”

“There is nothing I can do about it. I didn’t order her to spy on you. She did that of her own free will.” Lontreal slowly landed on the ground and released his grip on Able’s shirt. “Will you heal Maddie? Please, we would forever be in your debt.” Asked Elijah after everyone had retaken their seats. “I’m sorry but if I heal her then the agreement will be broken and Caine will be free to kill all those I have healed who are still alive, said Able. “I can heal all of you and add you to my computer, and upload you into the database we share so that he cannot kill you all.”

“Can you at least tell us where your brother is?” asked Elijah

“No. I will not help you kill, or lock him up. However, I will take a look a Maddie and see if there is anything you can do yourself to save her.” Elijah nodded and said “Kevin, Morgan would you mind taking him to see Maddie please. Morgan and Kevin stood and walked towards Able. Morgan was very pale with blond hair. She wore a white cotton shirt, with white cotton pants. Kevin was white as well, but nowhere near as pale as Morgan. He wore a blue shirt, with cargo shorts. As they were leading Able to the medical center Lontreal, facing away from them said, “You know your brother is a murderer, and instead of putting a stop to him you make a deal. You allow him to kill innocent people, while you make yourself feel better by healing a few. He is your responsibility. You should stop him.” Able stopped mid-stride, turned his head to the right and said, “Ashley was just as dangerous. How long until you stopped her? And if your hand wasn’t forced, would you have?”

Able was lead to a black door at the end of the medical hall. “We had to place her in isolation because with her telepathy she sends images directly into your brain of people who have died.” Said Kevin. Morgan opened the door and started to walk through when Able touched her shoulder. “It’s ok. I can do this alone. Trust me, I won’t hurt her. Able walked through the door and was instantly bombarded with images of people dying. Some of them quick, some of them slow. There didn’t seem to be any kind of order to it. Just random image after random image. Able raised his hand and a white light shot out and covered Maddie. Able recalled the light and left the room as quickly as he could with his head in his hands. “Are you ok?” asked Kevin. Able stumbled forward and fell to his knees. “I saw people I know. I think she got into his head when he did this to her. She pulled out all of his murders. There are more than I remember.” Kevin shook his head and walked away. Morgan helped Able to his feet. “Sorry for the boy’s behavior. They hate to lose, and this is the worst form of losing.” Morgan said something else but Able wasn’t able to hear it over the alarm that started to blare. “Damn, not another one.” Said Morgan.

“Another what?” Able asked.

“Another attack. Welcome to St. Louis, Missouri. The show me state