He froze. His heart was beating slowly, taking a shift in gear and going faster and faster. He said to himself:
What does she mean? Why is my heart beating this fast? Did I do something?
Fist clenched, eyebrow furrowed, Raymond yelled. "What do you mean you're in him?"
Her face carved in a ridiculous smile, grinning, she spoke softly. "Ask him; he should know what I mean."
The two guys turned to Derick, who looked dumbfounded. Larry was the first to speak.
"What does she mean you should know?"
Derick's reply was accompanied by a pale, apologetic face. "I swear I know not of what she's saying. He looked at Raymond. Don't tell me you believe what this sick lady is saying."
Ponytail's reply was sharp. "Obviously not. His stare went straight to Jean. Speak up."
Jean, grinning, pushed back her dark falling hair. Her brown eyes were lit, and she pulled closer to the screen—lips glued to the screen, she said. "Come kiss me, Derick."
[Narrator]:
What level of rage bait is this?
She pulled away, rubbing her lips. "Ugh, don't be mean. Larry's and Raymond's faces were tightened in anger; Derick was as if he were lost in a park. She called out. "Okay, let me clue you in."
"From the day I made contact with you at the zoo, I've been in your mind. Derick was shaken; he tried to speak, but Jean hushed him. I'm not done talking. " She added.
"I know what you want to say; my powers didn't affect you. Your mind is tough. A devilish grin spread across her face.
"It's tough, not gonna lie. I've been forcing it manually and recently have learned a lot about what I can do. Listen, Derick, no matter how hard you try to keep me out, as long as I have made contact with your mind, I will forever be there; a part of me has made its space in there, waiting to take over anytime."
[Narrator]:
Nah, that's one hell of a broken superpower. They're fried.
Derick shook his head in disbelief. "No… no, I will never give in to you."
Grinning, she teased, "Ooh, that's what you think. Give in or not, like I said before—I'm in you."
The screen of the tablet went black. No one spoke. Everyone in the room was swallowed by the silence left after the call.
Gloria and Richy sat with worry and dried-up tears on their faces. The boys, on the other hand, were two pissed and one lost in thoughts.
Gloria cried out. "Please, save our daughter."
Raymond, upon hearing this, became more annoyed. He hit the table forcefully before he snapped. "Why would we save your daughter, your murderous daughter, your daughter that wants to kill the innocent? Why would we do that, huh? Answer me."
The old, pale-faced parents of Jean said in chorus. "Because she herself is innocent."
Raymond shook his head—not accepting what he heard—laughed, and then fired. "Innocent? You call that deranged lady innocent. He stopped speaking for a moment. His tone dropped, he said. How sure are we you two aren't in on this?"
"No, I swear they aren't," Richy answered. Gloria backed him up. What he said, you think at my age with the amount of white hairs I have I will get up on my ass and say the next thing I want to do for the little life I have left is to bring havoc to a place I grew up in."
Raymond didn't answer, but Larry did the talking, he said. "We're in a messed-up world; no one can be trusted. What Raymond said is true, but I believe otherwise. He let out a breath. The little findings we made and the beans' confirmation that there's someone she's working for—do you know anything about her so-called boss?"
Richy answered. "Yes, we have things that can help. A little smile crept out of Larry's face. Richy added. We talk only if you promise to bring back our daughter."
Larry turned to Raymond, who looked away from contact with Larry and turned back to the old couple, he said. "There are things I can and cannot promise; it's a fifty-fifty situation."
Richy and Gloria gave no reply—it angered Raymond; he planned to go at the old couple. Derick pulled his arm back and begged. "Wait, can you two please leave me alone with both of them?"
"What? Why?" Raymond hollered.
"It's fine," Larry urged. "Let's give him a moment."
Raymond excused himself before Larry could—who eventually left also. Derick and Jean's parents now had the room all to themselves. Gloria rubbed her eyes, whilst Derick grabbed a chair to sit.
The usual tone in which he speaks wasn't there; it's like he changed to a different person in a matter of minutes. He was reserved.
"Okay, you said you'd help if we promise to bring your daughter. They nodded for yes. Okay then, tell me what you know about the person she answers to."
With a shaken and cracked tone, Richy spoke:
"We can't say his name, for he had allowed our daughter to use her powers to shut us up from speaking of his name—the moment we say his name, one way or the other, we would end our lives."
Derick shut his eyes a bit before saying. "Okay, go on."
"He made her charm herself." Richy murmured.
Derick squinted his eyes, puzzled by what he heard. "How? I don't understand."
"She saw her reflection," he revealed.
"Still puzzled," Derick said. "Meaning."
"The other side of her took over." Richy explained.
While the explanations went on inside, Raymond and Larry stood outside the building, waiting for their friend.
Raymond, still annoyed by the whole situation, kicked the car's tire.
Larry retorted. "Whoa, the car did nothing wrong."
Moments later Derick came out of the house. In his hand was a knife; his two allies looked shocked.
Larry asked. "Why are you with a knife?"
Derick answered, smirking. "She said she's in my head, right? I trust my regenerative abilities.
He raised his hand swiftly, drove the knife into his head—and then dropped to the floor.