Chapter 12 I Learn About The Insurgence

"The head was just worried you wanted to sneak out so you could report locations and happenings to the other side." Mavis sat next to me handing me a mug of something steaming.

I've calmed down since what happened at their leader's office and then everything that happened right after we left. The four of us gathered in Jackson's room and sat in a circle on the floor, my back against his bed. My encounter with their leader and then Jasmine left a bad taste in my mouth and a sick feeling throughout my entire body. Mavis promised some answers as soon as we were done with the meeting and now here we are.

There was a part of me that no longer wanted the answers I was so desperate for. It seemed that wanting to know things and staying here would only get me into trouble. I was tired of being in trouble.

"That's honestly not even the part of the conversation I'm freaked out about." I set my cup down and sighed, "I mean she talked like she knew me, like she assumed my motives or something. She acted like I was some threat."

Mavis and Jackson exchanged looks but only Mavis answered, "Ayla, your parents really didn't tell you anything did they?"

"What were they supposed to tell me?"

She slowly nodded and sighed, "Okay. Well, there are very scary and powerful people that are interested in having you amongst their ranks."

I thought back to when that monster kidnapped me. I remembered his face molting and revealing a brand new face, the last time I ever got to see my friend was when an impostor wore his skin, and now it would be the first thing I think about when I picture him.

"Like... when that thing kidnapped me? He had silver eyes just like all of you," I asked cautiously careful to not possibly offend them.

Jackson nodded, "I don't know what his deal was, a shifter obviously can change forms just like what you said but cannibalism-" He stopped. "Well... it's out of the ordinary."

I shook my head, "None of this is ordinary. Up until a month ago I was just a girl in a house and now it's like I'm on a rollercoaster."

"Have you ever been on a rollercoaster?" Kyle asked which made us all look at him.

"Anyways..." Mavis changed the subject and met my eyes, "These important people, just like all of us and everyone here for that matter... all have powers and are members of a secret society known as the Insurgence. Everyone you see here chose to go against the Insurgence because of its corruption."

I gulped, honestly it wasn't the craziest thing I've heard and at this point I had no other reason to not believe it. However, what she said sent a chill down my spine, the hairs on my arms stood straight up. That was the final piece put in place of all the weirdness I've experienced and reaffirmed all these things that weren't supposed to be real. It was almost relieving to have a name for all of it.

"What do my parents have to do with this?"

Jackson answered this one, "A long time ago they were mixed up with the leader of the Insurgence, a man by the name of Martin Gence. After your kidnapping they took several precautions now that you were reintroduced into society since they were hiding you for so long, but they ultimately knew it would come down to you having to come here." Jackson sighed, "Your father asked me after the funeral to get you out of the house and bring you here."

My heart sank, all those stupid precautions they suddenly made me follow, even keeping me inside that house was... for my own protection? I thought of all the hateful things mother had said to me, all the times she... I shuddered. Somehow it was all to keep me away from this world.

"They never had the intention of you being a part of this world but... things sometimes don't always go according to plan." Jackson shrugged and stared down at the floor.

I took a deep breath, "Okay..." I dropped my hands from around my knees and sat up. "You guys all... have powers?"

They all nodded simultaneously.

Kyle grinned, "I blew your door off its hinges."

Mavis perked up, "You might have heard me mention something about visions and something called foreseers, well that's what I am. I can see the future."

Jack was silent for a minute before he locked eyes with me but I didn't give him a chance to speak.

"You can read my mind," I said amused.

He blinked, his skin turning red.

"I could tell when you and your head leader kept responding to things I wasn't verbally saying. I thought maybe it was just you assuming all these questions I had but after how your guys' leader called me out for making fun of her outfit... I connected the dots."

Jack pursed his lips and nodded, "Good job. Yeah, I'm a telepath. I can communicate telepathically with anyone and can read minds."

I nodded, "That's all cool. And you all got these powers from the Insurgence."

"But do not see that as a reason to be okay with being caught by them. They're terrible people, Ayla. They kill innocent people like Calvary for fun because they know they can. The power can easily go to someone's head and the process and trials are not worth being able to say you can read minds or tell someone's future-"

"Or knocking doors down," Kyle chimed in with a bemused smile.

Jackson looked back at me, "It hurts and it takes and it takes and it depends on the type of person you are going into it."

These people killed his family. He wouldn't say it but this is what he meant.

"We also have a way of communication. It connects all Insurgents and since Jack is a telepath, he can communicate with you despite you being human," Mavis smiled.

I raised an eyebrow, "Is that how I heard voices before I got here. Voices that weren't mine?"

Jack nodded, "All me. Sorry about that. It's called 'lurking.' It was also hard getting inside your head with all those mental blocks you have up which is why your body freaked out those couple times."

"Can you show me?"

'Since I've lurked to you before, it also actually closes up your mind to other telepaths so they can't read it. Kind of keeps you safe.'

I tapped my own forehead, 'Woah...'

Jackson's face lit up and he quickly looked away from me, tension in his shoulders.

"But why me?" I asked, "I mean how do people get into this? Are they like... hunting me? Do other people get to come here for protection too?" Did other people have connections to silver's like I apparently do?

Kyle hummed, "Well you are actually the first person we've housed here."

My eyes widened, "Then what's the point of being rebels or whatever. How are you helping anyone stay away from these people?"

Mavis giggled, "She is so, so smart." She gestured to me, "We've been saying the same thing for a loooooong time."

"Our leader didn't want to do that, you're a special exception," Kyle side-glanced at Jackson which told me there was something they weren't telling me.

"And if this goes well we can probably help more people," Mavis added.

I raised an eyebrow, "And what if it doesn't?"

They were all silent.

"If things get bad does that just mean someone came and took me... back to the Insurgence?" I glanced between the three of them.

Kyle finally nodded, "But we are going to do everything we can to make sure that doesn't happen. No Insurgent has ever broken in here and as far as we know the location is still a secret. The only person who ever leaves here is Jack and you get to stay here."

I couldn't help but frown a bit. I was trading being isolated in my house to being isolated here? For who knows how long?

"And... after this is all over... I just get to go home? Will my parents be um... fixed?"

Kyle tried to speak but Jackson quickly cut him off, "Yes and yes."

Part of me didn't believe him based on the sad look on his face.

I turned my body toward Jackson and took a deep breath, "You are the one who got me out of the gas station, I saw all of you at the funeral too, and Jackson you were the one talking to my father after the funeral."

He perked up, the sad look on his face dissolving. He nodded, "And I went to your elementary school."

I forgot that part since Jasmine had last brought it up.

"Should've known with the name Jackson and that same curly hair."

He gave a soft smile, "You can call me Jack, Ayla."

Mavis grinned and looked between me and Kyle before interjecting, "So, any other questions?"

I shrugged, "I'll ask if I think of any others."

She smiled and nodded, "Good. I'm glad we had this conversation and hopefully eased some anxiety. We really are here to protect you."

I thought of how the head of the base said they were risking their lives for me. Everything was such high stakes and I didn't want anyone getting hurt or worse because of me. Knowing that terrible people were apparently after me... hoping to make me one of them... The thought of having the same eyes as what took Calvary away from this world made me feel sick.

"Thank you for talking to your leader and convincing her to let me stay here and I'm sorry for trying to leave."

Jack shook his head, "We understand how overwhelming this must be. We've wanted to help targeted people for a while now."

"And thank you for risking your lives... I hope you guys don't have to."

They stared at me silently before Mavis stood up, a small force that exudes power. "We made our choice."

I smiled and stood up too, "I will be more cooperative from now on. Whatever you guys need from me I promise I'll try."