AtlasBound

Reform

Isaac replaced his dust covered shirt with a sleeveless hoodie with a zipper, wearing a black tank top underneath, and a new pair of loose fitting pants with its complementary belt.

"What did you have that one bring?" Ryan spoke up
"Hm?" Isaac looked at Ryan, then to an old, ragged car rumbling down the highway, and turning towards them. Isaac's eyes widened.

"I didn't." Isaac spoke with a grim tone, quickly lurching for the two bags Ryan and Isaac had and tossed them into Ryan's tent. Isaac spun towards Louis, and he responded with tossing his bag in his tent.

"Doesn't look like cops."
"No, not cops, but could be far worse." Isaac mumbled, "Just in-case, we may need a cover. Louis, think you could do a smokescreen if we need it?"

I could just control the guy, Isaac thought, but if I caused this, maybe I should tone it down afterwards.

Reform

Isaac stuck his head out of his tent, the crisp desert air invading his tent.
"Clothes?" Isaac kept his eyes closed while holding tightly to the zipper of the door, "Clothes, clothes, clothes."

He turned his head towards the horizon, the sun barely glimmering as it began to crest above the line. He then turned his view towards the faint glow of the city

why so early

"Alright, I have an idea." Isaac zipped his tent back up and sat in the center of his tent, bundled up in blankets, and began to think of local clothing stores near where his apartment was. Isaac longed to be in his own bed, but he thought of the days of running around, while knees deep in mischief, daily.

As Isaac closed his eyes to think of where to get decent clothes from, he almost forgot,
"There's coffee and breakfast stuff in the small cooler in the truck!" He projected from his tent.

As he lowered his head, he blinked into a view of a person just a few blocks away from his apartment.
"This will work easier than expected" Isaac and the host said simultaneously. The host appeared to be a middle aged woman, an odd soccer mom haircut, and a large purse with nothing but a check book, a few platinum credit cards, and a bible the size of a small suitcase, dotted with rhinestones and gold rimmed. An uneasy feeling spread over Isaac as he noticed that the host was dressed almost too modest. A long, thick wool skirt, flats, turquoise studded jewelry, and a sweater top too warm and scratchy for Mid-September.

Fuck it, might as well Isaac thought to himself, walking towards the nearest outlet mall, a small clothing store with cheap clothes and accessories.

"Hello ma'am, if you have any questions, just holler." The unenthusiastic clerk chimed between gum popping clicks.
"Ma'am? Shit, right." Isaac quickly retorted as he adjusted the host's skirt in a form-of-habit feel. He had never had to adjust many articles of clothing, let alone a skirt. Most of the time, his clothes fit well enough to conform to Isaac no matter what.
Old habits die hard, I suppose

Isaac went around grabbing jackets, jeans, tank tops, socks, underwear, and just about anything they need or could need. Half way through, Isaac went from tossing clothes over the host's shoulder to snagging a cart while another shopper wasn't looking and filling the cart to the brim and more. The poor clerk at the check-out counter sighed and began scanning without even bothering to fold the clothes, and tossed them into bags. The manager standing nearby gave a slightly disgusted face to the host, but quickly forced a smile. The store had just opened, and was emptying everything.

The host looked at the manager and meekly smiled "Growing boys?"
"Sure, of course, I guess you wanna clear most of the men's area."
"668.35, ma'am." The clerk muttered as the host put all the bags back into the cart.
"Oh, of course." The host spoke, placing the last bag tightly, and pulled out her check book.
"UH, MA'AM, we don't take checks."
"Shit." Isaac muttered, the host speaking too.

The host pulled out a small platinum card with the phrase inscribed on it "Big heart, big hair, tease it to Jesus!" with a woman dressed from the 1960's with a massive beehive hairdo. Isaac sighed, and handed the card to the clerk.

The clerk made a loud annoyed noise, "We don't accept that card."
"You gotta be fu--, ok." The host spat as the host shuffled through the small card pocket. They were all the same brand.

"MA'AM, you're holdin' up the line." The clerk hissed
The host locked eyes with the clerk, "Then fuck you."

The host grabbed the cart and dashed for the door. As the manager began to step in-front of the cart, Isaac made the host grab the bible out of the purse and threw it as hard as the host could at the manager, hitting him square in the nose. The host ran past with the cart yelling "JESUS FORGIVES BITCH."

And continued to bolt down the road to where Isaac had first infected the host.
There's gotta be a car near by. OH, damn, keys.
Isaac quickly dug into the purse, whipped out keys, and honked the horn. After finding the car in a small parking lot, a family size mini-van, the host slid the car door open and tossed bags.

"Ma'am." A stern voice spoke from behind the host, and the host turned to see a man wearing a "Park Mall Security" badge.
"Yes?"
"You wouldn't happen to know about an assault at a local clothing store, wouldya?"
"Whaaa? Me? I don't know any-" The host then punched the security guard in the throat and pushed him out of the way.

The host sat in the car, revved the engine, and peeled out of the small parking lot, leaving the guard staggering up and catching his breath. Driving down the road, Isaac noticed a small polaroid of the host, with a Yorkie and Chihuahua snuggled close, almost suffocating under a wool jacket.

Almost 45 minutes later, a loud honk pierced the calm desert morning, and the sound of rocks and pebbles flying across burning rubber and a peel out of a mini-van.

Isaac slowly got out of his tent and rubbed his eyes, nudging his foot on Ryan's tent and patting Louis on the shoulder, yawning,
"Clothes are down the road."

Reform

"We'll keep you around," Isaac reassured, "I won't lie, it's mostly to make sure we all have an alibi."

A couple of cop cars drove past the trio towards the city, "If something goes down, we gotta make sure we get our stories straight."
Isaac looked back towards the cops, one car in particular began slowing down. He blinked once and saw a birds eye view of the cop car from a vulture circling above a carcass. He blinked again and saw the interior of the cop car, hands frozen above a small keyboard and terminal on the dashboard.

"That truck, looks familiar eh?"
"No idea, I just wanna go home."
"Huh, something doesn't feel right about it."

"Shit, we need to get off the highway." Isaac began to slightly speed up and turn onto a dirt road hidden by brush and began driving into a random desert field.

"Whoa, where are we going?"
"Those cops, they're trying to track us. I don't think it matters a whole lot at the moment where we go." Isaac blinked back into the cops view.

"Nothing's pulling up, stupid computer's slow as shit."
"You got the license plate?"
"Yea, we'll do it at the station."

Isaac noticed the cop scribble the license on a piece of paper, a small cup of what smelled like coffee, a lonely cigarette, and the tiniest scratch on a wire connected to the computer, exposing a small slit of copper and a metallic wire. Isaac spoke through the cop.

"Mind if I bum the last one?"
"What? You don't smoke."
Isaac's eyes grew wide, he knew he couldn't say that he wanted to try or something similar because it would throw caution to the other cop. He began to think, and a thought, an unknown voice began recalling a woman criticizing and drunkenly patronizing a male voice.
Alcohol. Impotence. Lust. Sadness.
"I just need something to take the edge off, Bev is off the wagon again and she-"
The other cop raised his hand "Dylan, you gotta leave her. She's literally toxic. And a massive bitch."
The cop known as Dylan chuckled, "Yeah, I know."
The other cop grabbed a lighter from his pocket and lit the cigarette as Dylan rolled the window down. The piece of paper caught wind and flew out the window.
Isaac forced Dylan to smoke, drag after drag, then later tossing the butt out the window. The city limits sign passing by.
The computer was next.
"Y'know, I got the tests back. I have a good count of, um, soldiers." Isaac spoke through Dylan. How do I know any of this?
"Oh yea?" The other cop chuckled "Told ya so, it was her all along. She's blaming you for literally everything, even her cheating on you because she thinks you can't pop out a tyke."
Isaac made Dylan grab the cup for a drink.
"Dude, my coffee." The other cop seemed annoyed
"What? I'm thirsty." Isaac hated to do this, but had to fake a sneeze or something. As he began, the other cop drove into a pothole, making Isaac force Dylan to drop the coffee forward and onto the exposed wire, short-circuiting the computer, and blacking out.
"Are you kidding me? You made me spill the- Shit, the computers dead."
"Me? The hell are you talking about!"

Isaac blinked out mid argument. "Done."
"Wait, what are you talking about?" Ryan asked

Isaac eventually coasted to a stop. Empty desert. The thin outline of the city skyline in the distance, the highway miles away. He drove aimlessly into unmarked desert, a few trees spotted around.
He parked underneath a tree, "This could be good to have a makeshift cover. We should be good here, for now."

Reform

Isaac grinned devilishly, "With pleasure."
Isaac leaned up against the wall, next to Louis. He blinked a few times, like switching channels on a tv, he transferred view to view. One was writing a check for a fair amount, another was bagging items, and another cruising around a small aisle with outdoors equipment.

Let's start here

Isaac barely had to think about grabbing items off the shelf before the person he was, for what Isaac could think of as that of a parasite in a host, was grabbing some tent gear, spikes, a lantern, and then realized he couldn't carry it all. Isaac's instinctive actions were being acted out by the host. The man gently placed all the items in a pile on the shelf, and swiftly walked around the aisle and grabbing the nearest shopping cart while another customer had their back turned, and then proceeded back into the outdoor gear. Without missing a beat, the man grabbed the pile of gear and placed it in the cart.

"Do we need a tent?" Isaac asked
"More than likely" Louis replied
"Ok, well, what about..." Isaac began to list of equipment after equipment, Louis nodded or shook his head lightly as to not break concentration. With the cart nearly full of various gear, toiletries, and some clothes, the host moved into the food section and began grabbing bulk after bulk of various non-perishable food and bottles of water.

The host pushed the cart steadily towards the door, but stopped.

Can't make this too obvious

The host reached into his back pocket and retrieved his wallet, only to see a few crumpled ten dollar bills. Yet while inspecting the wallet, Isaac noticed a shiny card. A debit card. Despite being in the middle of nowhere, a little stroke of luck.

Isaac led the host to the cashier, and as he inserted his card into the chip reader, it asked for a pin number.
Ah hell

"Do you take credit through debit?" Isaac spoke aloud
"Do you t-take cred-d-dit through d-debit?" The host stuttered aloud

"No sir, only debit with debit." The cashier said through a mouth full of chewing gum.

"Shit." Isaac muttered
"What?" Louis quietly asked
"I don't know this guy's pin num-" Isaac was cut off as he saw the host type in four various digits.

Transaction approved.

I didn't tell him to- I don't even know-

"Well, alright." Isaac whispered
"What?" Louis asked somewhat annoyed
"He put the code in by himself."

Reform

"Liberate. Ok, I get it." Isaac sighed, "I know I've been overbearing."

Isaac walked towards the super center, the dramatic scenery change from the towering skyscrapers to the barren outskirts of the city.

"We all gotta control our abilities. So let's just start."

Isaac focused for a split second and his vision split into a few fractals, allowing his view to see through Louis' and Ryan's eyes. Both looking at Isaac for a bit, then looking at their surroundings.

"I see what you guys see."

Another fractal began to form, this time, it was far more blue. Isaac pointed his head down to get a sense of direction, and the fractal showed an overhead view of the super center. A birds eye view watching over the entire area.

"GUYS. Is there a bird flying above?" He asked with his head pointing straight to the pavement.
"I see the entire roof of the store, the cars. A rabbit in the brus- oh, nope. Not gonna watch the bird eat. Ok." Isaac blinked out.

Isaac could see through people and animal eyes. He had practiced watching through eyes while isolating the three in his apartment, just before bed or when the others were asleep. He had previously seen the few people on the boardwalk near his apartment, watching the sunset through stranger's eyes, or deep diving into the ocean in a scuba suit, but this was a new level.

Wonder if I could control animals too

Controlling people, even a little bit, required a fair bit of concentration. However, it was becoming easier and easier to use his ability. Controlling Louis days prior took barely enough, but now blinking into different views was as simple as a blink. His power was somewhat easy to practice with, but he wanted bigger. He knew he could expand to multiple views, but he wanted to test out his ability to control. Isaac wanted more.

"Well, you guys start. Not many people are here."

Reform

"Sleep." Isaac looked slightly bewildered, despite the fact he just controlled Louis with a finger twitch, "You make people sleepy."

Isaac walked over to the table of empty plates and sat, leaning back and tapping his fingers on the table, "That explains why Louis was asleep and why I just passed out. I mean, it could be useful."

He glanced towards Ryan, "IF you can control it and make certain people sleep. Like target drowsiness."

"I mean, the three of us for sure have potential," Isaac's mind was racing at this point, "Sleep, control, and explosions."

"Hey now" Louis spoke out

"Sorry, let me reiterate," Isaac looked at Louis in the eyes, "You. Go. Boom. NOW imagine if we actually practiced and you could control your ability!"

Isaac grew a grin from ear to ear, "We could do so much more than what our lives are now. I mean, hell, Ryan could do good at a hospital that deals with insomniacs. You could be prime for construction demolition. I could be good for - well, something with people."

"However," Isaac began to rescind, "We need to be careful. Obviously."

He looked at Louis with a worried twinge, then back to Ryan with with a slight frown.
"Maybe we shouldn't go out and about with crazed abilities. We need to control it first. Whatever we have. Whatever we can do. This is bigger than us. All of us."

Isaac put his hands in his lap, "Guys, I think we may be bonded for a while."

Reform

"Three."

Ryan and Louis' eyes were directed at Isaac.

"Three people. The same day. Different gifts." Isaac said leaning back in his chair, gently stroking the table in a circular motion.

"That could explain a thing or two." Louis began as he slowly nodded his head, and Isaac pushed his plate forward.

"This morning at the boardwalk, and all of those people standing still. Probably me. The girl standing still, despite the-" Isaac looked at Louis, then to Ryan, "... in the warehouse. I know that was me."

Ryan stared at Isaac as Louis shuffled lightly in his seat, "However, the most interesting thing is that whether I concentrate or not, I can see things. Like, it can be anything, or anyone, but it's not my sight."

"So you can see through other people's eyes?" Louis asked

"I think so, like, my own sight kinda splits into a web, but I can still see what I'm doing perfectly fine. I just see, or know, what the person is doing. That how I stopped the girl from attacking me."

"A girl atta-"

"BUT," Isaac cut Ryan off "It's what she did that's the interesting part. I was getting ready to try to fight, I'm not the best, but I'll try. And as she was a little quicker in her pace, I focused on her, and then I saw what she was seeing, which was me in a fighting stance. It's bizarre, I know."

Isaac breathed in deep, "But I saw myself, and I knew I couldn't take them both, but then she clothes-lined him. Flat on his back."
He shifted in his chair a bit, "It's not a coincidence for someone I didn't know, and she didn't know me. Whatever I can do, it has to do with people."

Isaac's eyes grew wide and then glanced at Louis, "Hey, I wanna try something." He said as he scooted his chair back and walked behind Louis.

"The hell?" Louis spurted

"Don't worry, I don't think it hurts." Isaac took a deep and almost instantly, his vision turned into the fractals and he began to see what Louis saw. Quick glances around the room, Isaac's eyes never left the back of Louis' head.

"Stop looking at my stuff on my shelves, you already knocked them over!" Isaac laughed

Without saying a word, Isaac lifted his hand, and lightly twitched his index finger. Louis' left arm fully extended outward, then relaxed. He twitched his pinky finger and Louis' right arm twisted to the point where it was noticeably not under Louis' own control.
Isaac blinked and was back in his own vision, Louis' body relaxed.

"I'm so sorry, I won't do it again." Isaac sincerely spoke as he ran his hands through his hair, half surprised with himself.

Reform

Isaac slowly came to, and lifted himself up off the floor. He looked up to see Louis jolting up and the window wide open.
"I guess I was more tired then I thought?" He asked, not necessarily asking anyone, just to the open so that someone would answer.

He rubbed his forehead and stuck his head out the window to see Ryan sitting on the fire escape, looking sluggish.
"Hey, I'm about to make food. Close the window when you come back in, a storm is coming."

Isaac patted Louis on the shoulder as he made his way to the kitchen and grabbed a handful of ingredients out of the fridge.
Hope no one's allergic to anything, I mean, well, it'd be better than everything else going on

Simple burgers, nothing too extraordinaire, but ones that have gotten plenty of praise from dates and friends, so why not. As Isaac chopped and mix everything he needed, the fractals began to fade into his view, but were more refined. Instead of the smokey frames that seemed to cloud more than what he could actually see through them, it was more like a shard of glass with a border separating the different views. One blink, and he was looking over the ocean holding someone's hand. Isaac finished the patties and tossed them on the stove, while placing a small pot of oil on the stove next to it. Another blink, and he was staring at a computer screen with thousands of characters splattered in green text. Isaac grabbed a few plates and tossed the toppings and condiments onto the small island next to the stove, while tossing french fries into the oil. One more blink, and they were having a drink in a bar, and the last was staring towards the city, leaning against a metal rail.

And he blinked back to his view, and placed the finished burgers and fries to the side. He could see through numerous eyes, and still control his own actions. He can control numerous others, and his own actions.

What are the chances that three strangers meet within the span of a day or two, meet under odd circumstances, and the oddest of things happen.

Thunder began to roll over head.
Isaac shrugged and sighed, "Food's ready. If you want."

Reform

As Louis began explaining, Isaac walked to his room and into the bathroom. Grabbing a tank top, jeans, and a towel from the closet, and proceeded to shower. Through out the shower, Isaac was thinking about how his migraines were gone. He'd been plagued with them for years, but it made him realize that one the rare days he didn't have a migraine, did he subconsciously control someone to relieve the pressure? Those days were rare and few, but a blessing when the pain subsided. Now the pain was no longer a problem, and he was aware he could control people, and see what they see.
Isaac stepped out and dried himself off, threw on his clothes and wiped the fog off the mirror.
There was some chatter, and a gradual silence. He didn't hear Louis or Ryan talking. No doors opening or closing, and the T.V. was still off.

Now is a good time to try out something.

Isaac looked deep into the mirror, breathed in, exhaled, and stared into his reflection's eyes. His vision began to shift like he was looking underwater, and then he saw a dimly lit room. Looking through eyes that were looking at Louis, slowly talking then slumping his head forward.

Isaac blinked back into his own head, "Shit."
He walked out quickly into the living room, "Ryan-" Isaac let out a massive yawn, "Why is-" Another yawn, "Dude-" and Isaac fell to the floor fast asleep.

Reform

"With the inferno finally under control, the search for the men suspected of setting the fire is now underway-"
Isaac turned the T.V. off with the remote, "Maybe T.V. wasn't my best suggestion."
He looked back up at Louis and stood up, "You only gotta explain to him, but when we have time."
Isaac went to the kitchen to wash his hands, and retrieved the beer that Louis had placed on the coffee table and paced around the room, but not as anxiety-ridden as Louis had appeared to be. Tapping one finger against the beer bottle, Isaac would glance outside the window through the curtains. The clear night sky was obscured by heavy clouds, rolling thunder, and the wind carrying the faint sounds of the city down the streets.

Great, back in the spotlight. Well, not me at least.

A lone lamp and the overhead lights of the stove top illuminated the penthouse. The fact that Isaac could still suture up a wound in near darkness impressed him, but not enough to ignore the issue at hand. He began thinking of how his fight at the warehouse was abruptly ended, but not by the explosion. During that moment, he thought of hitting the guy in the throat, but as he thought it, the girl had clothesline him. Isaac controlled her, he had to, it wasn't just a coincidence, nor the first time.
If I can control one person, put a group in a trance, and see what others see, what else could I do? Who- no, how many can I control?

Isaac let out a long winded sigh and chugged the last of his beer, "Well we've all had a hell of a day, and I'm about to hop in the shower. Food is a thing we should do to. So while I'm showering, there's plenty in the fridge so help yourselves."

Suddenly, a stinging sensation surged around Isaac's elbow, and as he looked down, a part of skin was red, tender, and burnt.
I knew I couldn't have been that lucky.

"I hate to take control, but with all due respect, I'm gonna make a sturdy suggestion." Isaac said grabbing the other beer from the table and tossing it towards the man on the couch.

"And that is?" Louis asked.

"Well, doctor," Isaac sarcastically belched out, "Your face is now plastered on the news, you say your place burnt down, and so did some of the industrial park. SO you don't have many places to go."
Isaac then realized how harsh he sounded, "You can take the guest bedroom. If not, then you do what you do."

He then turned to the man still sitting on the couch, trying his best not to be heartless, "And you, whatever your name is, can take the office, there's a couch there and bedding in the closet. However, same rule applies. You can stay or leave, but you won't leave until we explain what happened."

Isaac tossed the bottle into the trash clear across the room. "Any objections?"