by Lola StVil
“No one goes anywhere alone from now on,” I explain. “The Boundless are getting information from somewhere and they’re clearly one step ahead of us. That makes them dangerous. Now that the location of the second Soul Gem is known, demons are going to be roaming the town. And War himself might already be here.”
I glance at Sailor as I say this, Nexus’ words echoing in my mind. A member of the team is War. That’s what she said. Only Sailor and I know that though, and Sailor wisely keeps her mouth shut.
“I will not lose another team member like we lost Grace because she went off on her own,” I say.
No one argues, not even Sailor. Things must be bad for even Sailor to not insist she doesn’t need a buddy system in place.
“Jinx, Sunday, I need you two to find out everything you can about Boundless. Whoever is behind this has access to Sailor, because they must have followed her yesterday. Leave no stone unturned. We have to know who is behind this,” I say. “Ya-Ya, Aziza, go back to the cabin and gather up our weapons and anything else you think might be useful.”
“Useful for what?” Aziza asks.
“We’re going hunting,” I say with a cold smile. “Whoever did this to Sailor isn’t going to get away with it. Keep an eye out for any odd behavior. We’re looking for anyone acting shifty who could be a part of Boundless. And don’t forget if War is already here and just waiting for us to find the weapon that will end him, people might be starting to be influenced by him. His presence tends to makes people act irrational.”
I see Sailor eyeing me from her bed, her eyes slightly narrowed as she studies me.
“And what about me?” she asks.
“That brings me to how I convinced your dad to go to work today,” I say. “He isn’t in the least bit impressed with the doctors here because neither of the ones who worked on you could give him a satisfactory answer about what the hell had happened to you. They threw a few theories around—an allergic reaction to the sedative he used on you, some sort of seizure. They said basically they don’t know what it was but they think it’s over. Understandably, they would never work out the truth, but as your dad knows nothing of that either, he isn’t happy and he’s insisting they discharge you today. He’s waiting on the paperwork now. He made it clear you are not to leave your house. I told him I would stay with you so that he and Raven can go to work.”
“It’s a Saturday. Raven is a teacher. I guess she didn’t give up the modelling after all, huh?” Jinx says. “Or maybe she’s doing some other kind of work.”
“Jinx. Shut up,” Aziza snaps, looking at Sailor like she expects her to be offended.
Sailor doesn’t look in the least bit bothered by Jinx’s comment. In fact, she’s still looking at me.
“The teachers have that training conference, remember?” Aziza says. “Nexus was fuming because she thought she’d have to go, but then they said substitute teachers didn’t need to go.”
Jinx opens his mouth to fire something back, but Sailor talks loudly, getting us back to the actual conversation and stopping Jinx and Aziza from dragging out their bickering.
“Are you saying my dad is seriously okay with that?” Sailor asks me, her eyebrow raised.
“Not at first he wasn’t, but I promised to call him if anything happened. And I might have reminded him that I was the one who reached you when the doctors couldn’t,” I say.
She nods.
“Okay,” she says simply.
She looks surprised but pleased, and I think she likes that her dad seems to not only like me, but trust me.
“Nexus, before you and Mel start working on your task, I need you to cast protection enchantments around Sailor’s house and the diner. Just in case,” I say. “We need all the extra security precautions we can think of. And I need everyone to be extra vigilant twenty-four seven. Is that clear?”
They all nod and then just stand there looking at me. I roll my eyes and raise my voice a little.
“So don’t just stand there like a bunch of idiots. Get on with your tasks,” I say.
I turn back to Sailor as the rest of them start to move out.
“I know this is all moving kind of fast, but we need to get this sorted,” I say.
“I know,” she agrees. “It doesn’t worry me that we’re moving fast. I feel fine and we need to—”
“Oh no. No way,” I say, cutting her off before she can get any further. “I promised your dad you wouldn’t be leaving the house today and I meant it, Sailor. I’m not betraying his trust like that. You and I are staying put.”
“Fine,” she pouts. “But first thing tomorrow…”
“Yes, first thing tomorrow is a different story,” I tell her.
I still don’t like the idea of her being anywhere but safe at home tomorrow, but we can have that argument when tomorrow comes.
Adam comes into the room at that point, saving me from any further arguments from Sailor. He smiles at her as he enters and holds up a discharge notice.
“You’re officially free to leave,” he says.
He hands Sailor the sheet of paper and gives me a bunch of keys.
“Car and house keys,” he says. “The diner isn’t far from here and I can walk. I would prefer Sailor to get a ride home. You can drive, right son?”
“Yeah,” I say. “I just prefer to walk most of the time.”
“But obviously not this time,” I add quickly before he can think I’m planning on walking Sailor through the streets.
“Good.” He nods. “Straight home and you are not to leave before I get back. Got that?”
I nod.
“And if anything happens, call me. I mean it, Rye. Even if it seems like something small or stupid. Call.”
“I will,” I tell him.
“Are you sure you’re okay with me going in to work, Biscuit? Just say the word if you’re not and I can call them and let them know now.”
Sailor shakes her head.
“No, honestly, Dad, I’ll be fine. You go to work. Rye will take good care of me.”
Adam smiles at Sailor. A warm smile that she returns.
“I’m so proud of you, Sailor. How you came to a new town and just embraced it. I’m happy that you have made such great friends. Friends that obviously care a lot about you.” He glances at me and then looks back at Sailor. “And a respectful young man who clearly thinks the world of you and was raised right.”
I wince slightly, his reference to me being raised right making me think of my parents again. I push the thoughts away. I need to be completely focused on Sailor and her safety right now. I won’t let her or Adam down.
Adam digs in his pocket and pulls out a can of mace, which he hands to Sailor with a wink.
“Just in case you need to protect Rye,” he says.
She takes it and giggles. Her smile is so beautiful, so pure, and her carefree giggle even in the face of all of this makes my heart hurt. I can’t help but wonder what her life would look like if she wasn’t the Paradox. Have we broken her and ruined her life by entering into it and putting all this responsibility and danger on her head?
I mean it was clear that before the team and I entered her life, she wasn’t exactly what you would call happy. She was angry about coming to Whisper, angry about her mom. But at least she and her dad had each other and were close. Now I can see the strain behind their once easy laughter. The caution behind their words.
Are we responsible for that? I certainly don’t think discovering she’s the Paradox and having to lie to Adam about things for his own safety has helped their relationship, but I can’t help but think that Raven’s appearance in their lives has caused more damage to their relationship than we have. But if Raven is part of Boundless, then that’s on us too.
The door to Sailor’s room opens and a nervous looking nurse comes in.
“Are you really sure about this, Mr. Monroe?” she asks.
He nods his head firmly.
“I’m sure.”
“And you know the risks of an early discharge?”
“Yes,” he says coldly. “And I feel like they are minimal compared to the risks of leaving her here.”
“Then I won’t try to talk you out of it,” the nurse says.
Adam relaxes slightly at that and some of the tension leaves the room. The nurse holds out a small paper bag and Adam takes it with a questioning frown.
“It’s just some pain meds in case Sailor needs any. And I know you had a bad experience, Mr. Monroe, but I want you to know that if anything happens or Sailor relapses, you are more than welcome to bring her back here. Or alternatively, take her to the hospital in the next town. Please don’t feel like there aren’t options.”
“Thank you,” Adam says tightly.
The nurse scuttles back out and Adam hands me the bag. He grins at Sailor.
“You’ll be okay with super Rye here. He had more success in treating you earlier than these morons ever could. Now I really do have to dash. Remember. Call me.”
I nod. He kisses Sailor on the top of the head and leaves. Sailor lets out a sigh and shakes her head.
“I figure he’s lost all faith in medical science,” she says.
I smile. “Yeah. Supernatural curses and symptoms can do that to a person.”
***
I pull the car up outside of Sailor’s house.
“Rye, look. The door is open,” she says, nodding towards the house.
She’s right. The front door is ajar ever so slightly.
“Maybe Raven didn’t pull it all the way shut when we were leaving last night,” I say. “Everything was kind of a rush. But just in case, I’m going to go check it out. I want you to stay here, okay?”
I get out of the car and Sailor follows me.
“What did I just say?” I demand.
“And what did you say at the hospital? Buddy system, remember? No one goes anywhere alone.”
Great. Now she decides to listen to me.
I roll my eyes and push the keys into my pocket, stepping closer to the house. Sailor is beside me. As we reach the door, I push her behind me and push the door open the rest of the way. A power ball flies toward us. I know I could dodge it but I only have a split second to think and I’m not sure if Sailor sees it. If she doesn’t and I dodge it, it’ll hit her. I grit my teeth and let it hit me in the shoulder.
It burns like holy hell, but I stay focused. I turn to Sailor even as she’s trying to ask me if I’m okay, and I push her back out the door and slam it shut before she can do anything about it. I don’t like the thought of leaving her out there alone, but it’s certainly safer than it is in here right now.
She bangs on the door with her fists.
“Rye? Rye? I know you can hear me. Open this door right now,” she shouts.
I ignore her and she keeps banging on the door. Abruptly the banging stops and I wonder what trick she’s going to try and pull, but I don’t have time to work it out right now. Two demons have appeared in front of me in the hallway.
They look like normal men except for three things: their skin is bloodred, tiny blue flames flicker where their fingertips should be, and their teeth are a full set of jet-black fangs dripping with yellow venom. So yeah, normal.
I stand tensed up, facing the demons, waiting for their attack. One of them takes a half step forward, but rather than attacking, he raises his hands, showing me they are empty. It doesn’t mean much from someone who can throw power balls from his hands, but it’ll buy me some time.
“We have no interest in you, God. Move aside and give us the Paradox and you will live,” he says.
Somehow, this angers me more than if he had attacked. He is talking about Sailor as though she’s nothing more than a bargaining chip. I clench my jaw and shake my head.
“Not a fucking chance,” I say. “Prepare to go right back to Hell, motherfucker.”
I start running as I speak, and the demons do the same. We come together in the center of the hallway. Power balls fly at me and I duck and dodge. I pull my knife out and use it to deflect a power ball that’s coming right at my face. The demons have covered the length of the hall and they’re almost on me. I swipe out with my knife and I manage to make a cut across one of the demon’s arms. He roars angrily and reaches for me.
He clasps my wrist in his hand and the little blue flames enlarge and encase my arm like a blue sleeve. I can feel my energy levels plummeting, and it hits me, too late, that these are Zavin Demons, a kind of demon that can drain a person’s energy with their touch.
He’s still gripping me and I can feel myself getting weaker as the other one stands behind him, firing power balls, being careful not to hit the other demon. I have to get my arm away or I’m done. I try to pull my arm free but his grip is too strong and the power balls flying at me are distracting me.
I remember my knife and I bring it up and swipe it down in a vicious arc, severing his hand at the wrist. The fingers loosen and the hand falls to the floor with a clonking sound. The demon howls, holding up his stump, looking at it in almost comical surprise as blood spurts from it.
I watch, fascinated, as the skin begins to reform and grow over the end of his wrist. His hand doesn’t regenerate, which is something, but he’s not going to bleed out. A power ball comes at my face and I duck down just in time. I hear a crashing sound as it hits the wall behind me. Plaster dust rains down and I cough as I breathe it in.
The one-handed demon comes at me again, and I move back slightly to avoid the groping fingers on its remaining hand. If it catches me again, I’m dead. I lunge toward the demon, stabbing out with my knife. It jumps back and I miss my kill shot, but I have it worried now. I can see the panic momentarily flit across its face when it sees me fighting back. It’s not used to taking on gods. On a mortal, that one touch would have been enough to sap their entire energy reserves and drop them.
I keep advancing, swiping at the demon with my knife. It backs up and ends up in the living room. I am still in the hallway, standing just outside of the living room door. I have my back to demon number two now, not an ideal situation, but each power ball it throws causes a whistling sound and I can anticipate where it will hit and move accordingly.
The demon I am facing fires a power ball at me, and I jump into the air, leaping over the power ball and coming to land close to the demon. I kick out as I fly through the air, catching it with a good kick to the side of its face. It goes down with another angry howl, but it springs back to its feet almost instantly and runs towards me. It stretches its hand out towards me and I take a step back. I trip over something and I feel myself falling.
A loud crashing sound comes from the kitchen as I fall, and the demon that’s towering over me turns to the other one for a second.
“Check it out,” he commands.
He turns back to me. I try to push myself to my feet, but he puts his foot on my chest, holding me in place.
“Now you will see what happens to people who get in my way,” he says with an evil grin.
He begins to lean towards me. My knife has fallen from my hand and I can’t reach it. I raise my arms, ready to punch him when he gets close enough to me. Before he gets there, a scream of agony rings out from the kitchen. The demon and I both freeze, our attention focused on the kitchen door.
The door slams open and Sailor appears. She’s holding the head of a demon in her hand at her side, holding it by the hair. The demon standing over me turns in her direction. He growls with his foul teeth; Sailor doesn’t seem in the least bit fazed by him. She looks him straight in the face and I can see disgust and anger there, but I don’t see any fear.
“You made a mistake coming here, Demon,” she says. “And now you will leave like your friend.”
She tosses the head toward us, an almost casual underhand throw, and it bounces off the demon’s stomach. He screams in anger and turns himself fully toward Sailor. I see my chance and I pus
h myself to my feet as two more demons come running down the stairs.
“We couldn’t find the Soul Gem,” one of them says.
His words trail off as he sees the scene before him. They pause for a second, and then all hell breaks loose. The original demon turns back to me, his eyes alight with venomous anger. The other two throw themselves over the bannister and come to land in front of Sailor.
I have to get to her.
She’s outnumbered and she doesn’t know what these fuckers can do. I punch out at the demon in front of me. My shot catches him square in the nose, but it seems to make no difference to him.
He just keeps on coming, his arms flying all over. Power balls rain down from every direction, and in the back of my mind, I can’t help but wonder how long the ceiling will hold as the house takes a huge battering.
I start to slowly move to my right, knowing I need to retrieve my knife. These things are taking time to kill, and a punch in the face just isn’t going to do it. I try to get around him but he sees where my vision is focused and blocks me.
I glance up at Sailor as he swings at me and I duck. She’s fighting the other two demons like she was born to do this.
She was born to do this.
I can see it all over her. The training has finally paid off, and the Paradox inside of her has been awakened. Watching her in action, ducking and bobbing gracefully, waiting for her moment to take down the demons, I’m starting to think it’s not her that needs help. I keep fighting the demon in front of me, who is far from giving up, but my eyes are on Sailor.
I watch as she throws herself to the ground and rolls to one side. She jumps back to her feet behind one of the demons and she reaches out with both hands. She clamps her hands on the sides of the demon’s head and twists it. A sickening crack tells me she snapped its neck. It crumples to the floor as she releases it.
She jumps back from the other demon, who is screaming obscenities at her. She pulls her dagger out of her boot and stands facing the oncoming demon. The demon I am fighting has allowed itself to become distracted by the death of another of its friends, and I take my opportunity. I jump to the side, squat down, and snatch up my knife.
