Page 2 of Dark Flame

“Fan!” said Alice quickly.

“Alice, you know I’m right. I don’t know how Phillip acquired this skill, but he can’t show anyone else. Is that understood, son?” Phillip looked sad and disappointed. He hoped his parents would understand, but they only looked at him as a freak. He nodded and turned to walk back into the bedroom.

“Wait!” said Fan with a slight smile, “Could you please put the bookshelf back?” Phillip looked at his father, a small grin curving the older man’s lips.

“You said…”

“I know what I said, young man,” smiled Fan, “but you did it; you put it back. And Phillip, you’re grounded for the next week. You should have come to us sooner and told us. If I ever find you doing that again, the punishment will be more severe.”

“Yes, sir,” he said politely.

As easy as breathing, the bookshelf lifted once more and was gently set back in place. Phillip turned and walked down the hallway to his room, softly closing the door to his bedroom. He focused on the dresser, moving it back to its original place, gently setting the large item against the wall.

They don’t understand me. This is the best gift ever! I could do all kinds of cool stuff. I could help people and… and… do all kinds of cool stuff!

It would be only a few years before Phillip thought exactly the opposite. His gift was a curse, and he didn’t want to show anyone. He wanted to escape.

Initially, he thought football was his way of not only using his size and strength, but it would also be his way out and a way to potentially use his gift without others noticing. But, when even his college teammates suspected there was something different about Phillip, he left the team and college. After traveling for a year, he saw an Army recruitment poster and thought, ‘Why the hell not’?

Six months later, he was in the middle of the worst firefight ever. Men were dropping like flies around him all because of some idiot decision by a commanding officer. It was supposed to be an easy in and easy out, but nothing in this place was ever easy. The large, armored vehicle lying on its side provided no cover from its current location. Phillip focused his attention on the vehicle and let it roll back and forth, finally coming to a stop in front of their group.

No one said anything, just looked back and forth at one another.

“Earthquake?” said Flip.

His teammates just nodded, but he knew they didn’t believe him. They had no way out unless they could get some serious firepower.

Looking to his left, Phillip noticed a big, muscled soldier with a weapon in each hand taking down enemies like ducks in a carnival. He watched as the soldier’s ammo ran out and then noticed three dead insurgents, their weapons lying near the bodies.

Looking around the area, he decided it was worth it. With just a flick of his head, the weapons were airborne and silently placed behind the other soldier.

“Hey,” he whispered, “hey, buddy! Look!” he said, pointing to the ground.

The man turned and looked at the neatly stacked rifles behind him. Not wanting to question the gift, he picked them up and immediately put them to good use.

Three more times, Phillip found dead insurgents and weapons that either he or the other men could put to good use. In a final burst of need to end their battle, he flicked his wrist, collapsing the building holding most of the insurgents. His teammates believed it was one of their mortars, but Phillip knew better.

Two hours later, Phillip headed back toward base, but not before the stranger caught up with him.

“Hey, man,” said the large man jogging toward him, a big grin spread on his face, “I don’t know what happened back there, but thanks. That was pretty spectacular. If you ever want to talk, I think we have more in common than you might think.”

“I don’t think so, man,” he said calmly, looking down at the other man. The man was big but not as big as Phillip. He easily had two to three inches in height on him and forty pounds of bulk and muscle mass.

“I understand. I’m Kane, by the way, Sgt. Kane Jackson.” The man extended a big, rough hand caked in dirt and blood. Flip looked down at his hand, back up at his face, and shrugged. Gripping his hand, he nodded.

“Phillip Cho, but they call me Flip.” There was something familiar about the man, although Phillip was certain he’d never seen him before, ever. Yet when their hands connected…

“Flip,” he grinned, “thanks, brother.”

He still held his hand in a firm grip, and the big man eyed him suspiciously but squeezed it. A million emotions flashed across Kane’s face, and Flip pulled his hand back quickly, feeling a sizzle of energy. It wasn’t sexual or filled with anything malevolent, just an unexplained zing that sent small bits of electrical current up his arm.

“You’re a good man, Flip. I hope we meet again.”

With that, Flip watched the big man walk back to his unit. They would see each other often after that, and now, here they were in Wyoming, chasing down pink fairy dust, witchcraft-like skills, and one very evil woman.

CHAPTER TWO

Nadine “Nat” Ellis

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