Hero Reborn (Keepers of Justice, Book 3) by Dee J. Stone

accident.”
    “ An…an accident?”
    “ Follow me, please.” Samson’s trying to hide his pain, but I hear it in his voice.
    Kale looks at me unsurely. I place my hand on his shoulder as we follow Samson down a small hallway and into a room.
    Tears fill Kale’s eyes. “Mom.”

Chapter Fourteen
     
    Kale rushes over to the bed where Cindy’s lying and flings his arms over her.
    Seeing her lying th ere makes me almost puke. She’s alive—I can see her breathing—but she looks dead. This is just like what happened last year when she was in a coma. A powerful telepath trapped her in her own mind and no one was able to help her. Until Kale got telepathy and went into her mind and freed her.
    X and I step closer to the bed. I don’t want to look at her, don’t want to see the reality of what’s going on. But my eyes can’t move. It’s like they think the harder I stare at her the faster she’ll wake up.
    “ Is she…?” Kale’s voice is muffled.
    Samson gently lifts Kale up and wraps his arms around him. “She’s alive and expected to make a full recovery.”
    Kale shoulders sag in relief. He pulls off. “What happened?”
    Samson strokes his wife’s cheek. A look washes over his face. Sadness mixed in with guilt and regret. His hand finds hers and he clasps it. “There’s a lot I need to explain to you.” He stands up. “Let’s sit in my office. Andrew, Ray, I’d like you to join us, please.”
    Kale bends down to hug his mom again. I inch closer to the bed and whisper, “Feel better, Cindy.”
    We follow Samson out. As we pass a room that has many chairs and looks like a conference room, I hear voices. Tranquility, twelve-year-old Speed, a teleport named Regina, Techno—a woman who can control technology—Stone, and sixteen-year-old Stone Junior are seated around a table.
    “ Look who’s here.” Tranquility heads over and hugs us. I feel my body relax and I’m elated, which is due to her calming ability. “Welcome.”
    “ Thanks,” Kale says. He scans around. The others wave and smile at us. “Are you guys the only survivors?”
    “ As far as we know, yes,” Samson says. “I’ve searched day and night. Cindy fled with me, and we’ve gathered everyone else over the past few days.”
    “ So there could be more,” I say, getting hopeful. “The guys and I searched, too, but haven’t found anyone.”
    Samson nods slowly. “I’m no t giving up. Kale, have you been using your telepathy to locate our members?”
    “ No. I don’t know who’s captured and who’s not so I couldn’t risk it, except when I tried to contact you.”
    Samson rubs his hand down Kale’s back. “Good. A smart choice.”
    “ It was X’s idea.”
    X waves his hand. “ You fled before the telepath sensed you in Freeze’s mind. We could have been captured by now.”
    Kale laughs a little. “ Just accept the compliment, man.”
    A small smile tugs X’s lips.
    “I’m very proud of the three of you.” Samson runs his hand through his hair. “I thought surely…well, never mind.” He grabs Kale in for another hug. “I’m so glad you’re all okay.”
    “ Why couldn’t I contact you or Mom?”
    Samson motions down the hall. “Let’s discuss this in my office. Or would you like to eat first?”
    We shake our heads. No way are any of us interested in eating right now. Even me, which is weird.
    We say bye to the others and make our way to the last room on the floor. Samson pushes the door open to reveal a small office. It’s less than half the size of his office back in the Tower. There are no windows or trophies. The place has an eerie feel to it. Foreign. A chill passes over me, even though it’s so hot and stuffy in here.
    Samson tells us to sit down. There is a tiny desk and two chairs. A couch lines the wall. The three of us take the couch as Samson lowers himself onto the desk chair. He doesn’t talk, just sits there with his head lowered.
    Kale says, “Dad?”
    Lowering his hand, Samson