39. Thunder

After Marcie and Adam "rested," they didn't talk to each other. They didn't even look at each other if there was such an opportunity. Marcie no longer delved into books in search of magic, now she is constantly practicing, trying to forget their conversation. Training helps her get distracted for a while, but then everything comes back.

Adam became more silent. If before he hardly spoke, now he spoke only a couple of words a day. Such a change was not difficult to notice. Ann and Sasha noticed this the very next day, because Adam was silent and cold, and Marcie had red eyes and a tired look.

For a while they just watched, thinking that everything would pass. But a week passed, everything remained as before.

At one of the strength management training sessions, Ann stood next to Adam and watched her friends diligently trying to control the force.

" What happened ? " – she crossed her arms over her chest and asked with an unwavering gaze

"Nothing happened. What are you talking about? " - he turned his head slightly

"There's thunder between you and Marcie. You don't talk, you don't look into each other's eyes, you don't even want to stay in the same room for a long time. What happened between you two? "

"...nothing. They just reminded me who I am and why I'm doing all this. "

".....you are telling the truth, but there is also a lie in it. " – she turned her head to him

" What did you and Marcie talk about that day ? After that day, a lot of negative emotions come from you. Anger, Hatred, Fear, Desolation, Despondency and many others. "

"Tsch, I hate your empathy " – he turned his head away from her

Empathy, the ability to read the emotions of another being. Ann has recently awakened this ability, but is getting old not to use it. After all, when using it, the emotions of a friend are superimposed on her emotions, which creates a huge load on her.

Adam strictly forbade her to use this ability, for two reasons.

First, it's dangerous for her.

Second, it's dangerous for him. After all, she has empathy, can feel his emotions, and he didn't want that.

"What happened has passed. It was between us personally, so mind your own business. We'll figure it out ourselves somehow. "

Adam walked away from her to the other end of the playground. But even so, Ann could feel his emotions. Chaos, Fear, Sadness, Longing, Loneliness and Anger at yourself.

Mrasi felt the same, but one emotion was the most. Pain. She was in pain, but not physically. Something was gnawing at Marcie from the inside, but she didn't tell them anything. She just smiled and laughed it off.

Ann and Sasha's eyes met. Sasha shook her head desperately. Apparently, the same thing is on her side. After a moment's thought, Ann nodded her head decisively.

If they don't want to be nice, they will force information out of them. Adam doesn't work out, then Marcy remains.

Sasha also nodded, after which she continued to train with Marcie.

(Sorry girlfriend, but it's for your own good. Ann looked sadly at Marcie.

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Marcie's eyes slowly opened. The last thing she remembered was going into the room and then fainted. Through her closed eyes, she could see the faces of Ann and Sasha, who were sitting opposite her.

And when her eyes fully opened, she realized what position she was in. Her body was tied to a chair, and her friends were sitting opposite and looking at her.

" What 's going on ? " – she tried to get out but it didn 't work out

When she tried to break the rope, she failed. The thief was covered with a red glow, after which she squeezed her harder in her arms.

" Girls ! What are you doing ! "

Sasha stretched out her hand and transferred some of her strength to the rope .that she could restrain Marcie. Ann, on the other hand, sat with her arms crossed while her glowing blue eyes closely followed Marcie.

"Marcy, listen. We're worried about you. "

" Yes ? And that's why they were stunned and tied up?! " - Marcie's eyes glittered green as she desperately searched for a way out

"Girlfriend, we're worried about you. You've been moping for more than a week, but don't show it. "

" And what?! Can 't I mope in peace already ? " – Marcie growled

Anne got up without a word and walked over to her. She put her hand on her head and it glowed blue. Marcie looked at Ann carefully.

"Marcy, you have two ways. Either you tell us yourself, or we'll get into your memory. "

"....you won't do that. You can't. "

"I can. Yes, I can. My power is connected with emotions, through them I can count your memory. " - Ann looked at her

"Please don't force me. I don't want that. "

Sasha stood next to her and took Ann's hand in hers. Marcie couldn't hold their gaze and lowered her head. Soon, tears began to fall on the floor of her room.

" Marcy ! " – Ann raised her head

" ~~I can't~~ ~ ~ "– Marcie's eyes filled with tears

" ~~ I can't! "

"No, you can! Marcie, look at me. " – Ann took her face in her hands and lifted it to herself

"We're here. We're your friends. Have you forgotten? " – she reached into her pocket and took out an old photo

There were four people in the photo. Three girls and a teenager in front. They hugged from all sides and they were all smiling happily. There was a postscript under the photo [BFFS ].

"We are best friends. In happiness and adversity, we will always support you. Have you forgotten our vow ? "

"Mh... mh... no..."

"Then please tell us. Ann gently wiped the tears from her face

"Yeah...."

Marcie nuzzled Ann's shoulder for a while, then calmed down and began.

"Do you remember me saying that this Adam is our Adam? "

"Yes. You've been furiously trying to prove it for days, and then you gave up. " – Sasha snorted

"Yes. For a while I really thought I was crazy. But now, now I have proof. " – Marcie looked at them

" And which ones ? After all, if you remember, according to your words, his skin is like amphibians. So he can't be human. "

"Pfft, Sasha, you naive fool..."

"What are you...! "

"He tricked you around his finger. Do you really think that if he could move you thousands of miles ahead without straining, then a simple illusion is a problem for him? " – Sasha closed her mouth

"He used an illusion to deceive me and you. And that's when I started to suspect him. "

" And what ? What's next? " - Ann squeezed her shoulders a little

"You won't take my word for it. You need to see this. Look into my eyes...."

Sasha and Ann looked into Marcie's eyes. Her eyes immediately turned green. They felt like they were being carried away somewhere. Their eyes closed and silence fell in the room.....

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Blinking, the three of them found themselves in Newtopia Park. Marcie was already untied and holding hands with Ann and Sasha.

"Marcy, where are we? "

"My memory. It turns out I can show people my memories. " she looked away

At a distance from them, Adam and she were sitting.

"Here, look. "

In an instant, they were near the scene of events, as if the world had moved closer to them.

{ " YOUR BROTHER IS DEAD ! " - Adam shouted furiously and turned to her

"Your brother died when he was betrayed! His heart hardened, and then broke into thousands of pieces that you will never collect! " - he waved his hand

"You smashed him, broke him, accused him and threw him like a rag doll! Betrayed, lonely, broken, he wandered through the empty streets and cried. " – he stopped and got under his helmet to wipe the phlegm from his eyes }

Sasha and Ann looked at this one with indescribable emotions. Guilt, all that could be seen in their eyes.

{ "All his tears dried up that day. It wasn't Adam who woke up the next day. It was the other one. A cold, unfeeling, calculating tyrant who will never repeat the mistakes of the past!."}

The memories were interrupted. The picture froze in place, give silence to their thoughts.

"Wait..." – Sasha clutched her head

".....so then you.."

"I was not mistaken. " - Marcie shook her head sadly

She approached Adam's silhouette and gently stroked his helmet.

"He's my brother. " – she turned to them

"The one we betrayed and the one who will never forgive us. "

Silence fell. Each of them was thinking about his own. But they had one thing in common, guilt before Adam.

"Marcy, let's go, now. " - Ann's hands tightened and her eyes filled with blue

"No, that's not all. " – Marcie ran her hand through the void

The picture began to change. It was like a movie, running in accelerated mode. Soon another picture appeared before them.

A dark office, lit only by the light of a small lamp in the corner. A man was sitting at a table in a dark room. He slowly sorted through the documents, sighing every now and then. Putting them aside, he leaned back in his chair and sighed, opened one of the desk drawers.

From it he took out a photograph, the same one that Ann had. Under the light of the moon, he gently ran his hand over the image. A sad smile appeared on his face.

[ KNOCK ! KNOCK ! KNOCK ! ]

There was a knock on the door. Adam immediately hid the photo in the table and assumed a serious look.

{ " Who has come to me at this hour ? Come in! "}

A man entered the room. He was hairless, wearing a leather jacket with a picture of a rose on it. There was a snake tattoo on his bald head, and he had a scar under his eye on his face.

{ "Boss ! Here is today's countdown on the " same " case. " – the man handed him a folder with a document and sat down on the sofa

"Oh, it's you, Max. Well, live then. Is there anything interesting? }

Adam opened the folder and fell out on his desk....their photos ! There were Ann, Sasha and Marcie, as well as a lot of text attached to them. He carefully read each line.

{ "No, as always. They have a quiet and peaceful life. "

" Problems ? " – Adam looked out from under the document

" Solved on the spot. The blonde was molested by some jerk, he doesn't bother anymore. The Taiwanese woman is doing well, she is still engaged in gardening. The problem is the Asian woman. " - Max lit a cigarette and handed the pack to Adam

" What 's there ? I asked you to write in the counts. " - Adam took out a cigarette and lit it from Max 's lighter

"Your encouragement is needed here. Her family started having problems. On the robot, her father's boss changed and he began to cut staff, her father got into a hot hand. "

" Why were fired ? " - Adam blew out smoke and looked at Max

" For a bad job. So it is written in the official countdown. "

"Good. " }

Adam put out his cigarette, then rummaged in the desk and took out an empty paper. He quickly wrote something, then put it in an envelope and handed it to Max.

{ "Give it to Johnny, he knows what to do. "

"Got it, boss." – Max took the folder and headed for the exit

" And I 'll tell him that I didn 't overdo it ! Last time I had to figure it out ! The main rule of our gang...."

"We are the Rose gang. We have spikes. We hurt them, but we don't kill them. "

"That's right, now get the fuck out of here! I still have a lot of work to do. " }

Only Adam was left in the room. He looked at the moon while smoking cigarettes and grinned.

{ " And so it always is. I have to clean up after you all the time. What in this life, what in a past life. " }

The image stopped. Ann and Sasha's faces were full of surprise.

"He never forgot us. " – they turned to Marcie, she was standing in tears

"He kept an eye on us all the time, even when he hated us. And from this...." – she clutched at her heart

"...this makes it even more painful for me. "

The whole space spun sharply and they were thrown into the real world.

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They abruptly opened their eyes and embraced Marcie.

"I do not know what we should do..." – Marcy hissed to them

"I have no idea. He doesn't want us to know that he is him. Even if all three of us come to him, he will deny everything. "

Marcie looked at them. On the face of each of them there were tears that could not be left.

" What should we do ? Girls, what should we do? "

Three souls. Each is different, unique. But now they had one thing in common. A feeling of great guilt and pain that tore them apart from the inside. It started raining outside with thunder. Into their hearts, a storm has come.