Sci-Fi Novel: An-Other World Episode 5

"He’s a breaker. Shoot him.” I move my head, gesturing to his partner. The blast of the gunshot deafens me for a second. The bullet whistles close by my ear and smashes into the criminal’s face.

I roll away. A large puddle of dark blood spreads on the floor. The body stops moving. Disoriented and trying to catch my breath, I turn around. The wounded robber stares in confusion at his gun. I scramble onto my feet and grab his weapon. He doesn’t protest, still being under my hypnosis, which may not last.

I slam the gun into his temple, knocking him out cold. Have I killed him or is he just unconscious? Whatever. Swaying, I walk to the Mr. Thompson’s body.
I kneel down and check his pulse, not really expecting to find one. Surprisingly, I feel slight pulsation under my fingers. I can’t believe it. How can anybody survive such a severe wound?
His shirt stains red in warm blood. “Someone call emergency!” I yell. “He’s still alive!” Nobody rushes to help. Nobody even moves. The customers and bank workers stare at me in stark utter horror.

“It’s all over,” I say. “You’re all safe. Now will someone please call for help?” People shudder at the sound of my voice and turn away. Some even cover their eyes. Suddenly I understand. They’re frightened and intimidated by me, having made me as a mind breaker.

“Hey,” I say. “This is just me. You’re safe. I won’t hurt you.” They don’t care. I’m now a monster to them, a blood lusting freak of nature. I hear sirens. Police are on the way. Somebody must have sounded a silent alarm. The cameras inside the building have recorded all my actions.

There are also plenty of witnesses, and these people know my name and address. Only now I realize the scope of catastrophic trouble I’m in. Feels like I’m standing at the edge of a great abyss. My life has just crumbled within a matter of minutes, everything going to hell.

As I think of my next move, a well-armed SWAT team arrives at the scene. Seeing two gunmen dead and the third sitting on the floor in a stupor, the team spreads around the room, covering everyone.

“Everybody stay calm and remain on the floor!” they order, holding their assault rifles ready. “He’s a breaker!” Tim screams, pointing at me. Darn Tim! He’s selling out everybody today. They surround me in a semi-circle. “Drop your weapon!” they order. “Face down, you’re under arrest!”

To most, just being a mind breaker is worse than any crime I could possibly commit. I’ve never felt so desperate and doomed in my entire life. Not knowing what action to take, I can only stare at all the gun barrels leveled at me. No choice but to drop the gun and get down on the floor. If you give up now, you’ll be dead, a thought swirls in my mind.

They’ll send you straight to Elimination where there’s no mercy for breakers. You’ll be imprisoned, tortured, and finally killed. A jolt of excruciating pain in my head blinds me for a moment. I shudder as I project my thoughts toward the team. Attempting to hypnotize multiple people at the same time is something new and untried.

I get the sense of tremendous power from within, triggered by basic survival instinct. “Let me go,” I hear my own rough voice. “Back off!” The officers still aim their weapons at me, but there’s an almost imperceptible change in their features. Eyes become blank, void of all expression. “Drop your guns,” I order, concentrating hard.

There may be too many of them. These guys are tough. I have to transfer my thoughts with all the force I can muster to break their wills. My head is foggy. I’m running out of energy. I begin to sway on my feet, risking a blackout. My nose bleeds profusely, splattering onto my shirt. The SWAT team stands unmoving. They’re still holding the rifles tightly.

Being too weak, I can’t back them up or make them drop the weapons. At least I’ve broken their will to shoot me. Their minds are cloudy, not perceiving reality correctly. Good enough to escape if I hurry. I take slow and unsteady steps toward the exit. The officers stand frozen like lifeless mannequins.

I walk between them, holding my breath and trying not to accidentally bump them. Anything may snap their mind out of the hypnosis. “Don’t move,” I say. “Keep still.” I feel their resistance. Some of the officers follow me with their glazed eyes.

Then each face begins turning my direction. Bad sign. They may shake off their trance at any moment. I need to get the heck out of here! Leaving them behind, I walk hurriedly to the rear door which empties into an alley behind the bank. Using the main entrance isn’t an option. My legs are shaky, but I must move as fast as I can. The pain in my head is making me sick.

I have to find the fire exit located somewhere in the back part of the building. Hopefully, the police haven’t blocked it yet. Sirens wail and I know that more are coming. I run along the hallway. It seems endless
Also Read Part 4
Also Read Part 3

@modernwestern

Image Source: https://pixabay.com/