Free Axiom Theory: Book Four of the Shadow Series by J.M. Pierce Page A

asked as she snapped her fingers, “What was his name?”
    “Dawson,” Test replied.
    “Right, Dawson,” she continued as she turned to Test. “You and the misses stay here, play house, and wait for us to contact you.”
    “Maybe I should go with you , Lauren,” said Cliff. “I know what Dawson looks like and Iku knows where the twins were last. Makes sense, don’t it?”
    Nodding his head emphatically, Prim answered. “Yes. It makes perfect sense. Good idea, Cliff.”
    Still standing in the doorway, Lauren rolled her eyes. “ Sure,” she mumbled under her breath. “Stroke the old man’s ego a little.”
     
    Test stood hastily from the couch. “Seriously? I’m just supposed to sit here and wait?”
    Though Iku remained silent, the other three answered in unison.
    “Yes.”
    Wanting nothing more than to jump out of his skin, Test took a couple of deep breaths and forced himself to smile while avoiding eye contact with anyone. “Okay,” he stated through clenched teeth. “If that’s what you need me to do, I’ll do it.” Looking to Lauren who occupied the only exit out of the room, he quickly diverted his gaze to the exterior wall. Taking two steps forward, he phased to the other side and slipped through the wall without saying a word. Once outside, he re-materialized and took a deep breath. Throwing his head back, his voice roared through the air with the ferocity of an explosion. “Damn it!” The words drew out long and loud as they echoed through the mountains. The second his breath left him, he crouched down and triggered the internal switch, releasing all of the pent up energy that had swelled inside.
    With earth shattering force, he exploded into the air, sending chunks of dirt and rock scattering in every direction.

Chapter 12
     
    It seemed like a lifetime since Test had allowed his powers to be free of control. He rocketed into the cloudless sky, going higher and higher until, when he looked below, the world looked like a scaled model. He allowed himself to roll forward and free-fall for several seconds, closing his eyes and taking several shallow breaths as the sensation of weightlessness took him over. As the wind rushed over his ears, he tried to clear his mind, but the words and sentiments of the conversation he’d just left clung to him tightly.
    With a guttural scream, he looked up and pulled his body beneath him, releasing another gigantic pulse that propelled him back up into the sky. He looked down and to his right and saw a clearing surrounded by trees on all four sides. Lining himself up, he shot towards the clearing like an arrow released from its bow. Harder and harder he pulsed, propelling himself faster than he’d ever gone. As he approached the ground, he pulled his legs in front of him, pointing them to the ground as he splayed his palms out to his side. He knew he was coming in too fast, but he didn’t care. Within twenty feet of the earth, he released a pulse equal to that of which sent him skyward in the first place.
    The impact was massive, creating a dust cloud that reached high above the tree tops. Test found himself on one knee with both palms resting on the barren, moist, subterranean earth. He looked around as clods of dirt fell from the sky and did nothing but breath e. His chest heaved as the glow of energy continued to blaze through his shirt. His palms continued to emit their electric blue brilliance as if anxiously awaiting the next opportunity for action.
    With a glancing thought, he knew that the others were going to be pissed, but in the present , it didn’t matter. His dimmer switch had never worked properly; his anger was either on or off. It seemed that no amount of time could teach him to control his emotions.
     
    ****
     
    As Alyssa and Aiden approached the house, she noticed the crack in the living room window and could hear the door rattling on its hinges. A decorative sign that hung next to the door fell from its nail as they