His rumbly laugh filled the tiny car. “Brooke insisted on that. You know, you’re the only girl I’ve had in here besides my sister.”
“Good.” His hand brushed mine as he fumbled with the gearshift.
Five minutes later, he eased into the parking lot of the Riverdale Coffeehouse. Inside we were shown to a vinyl booth by the yellow-gingham-curtained window. The waitress penciled our order on her notepad and left us alone in the practically full dining room.
I bounced on the burgundy bench. Not quite the picture of freedom and rebellion I’d imagined. “Okay, what’s the scoop on Will?”
“You first.” He scooted forward, his elbows grazing the Formica. “Tell me what else happened in the tower.”
“Not much. Well, except one thing.” I stopped bouncing. “Shanda is really into astronomy. After the meeting she told me Nexis wasn’t using the telescope to check out the stars. They’re watching the campus.”
The waitress came back with our iced teas and Bryan pressed his lips together until she stomped off. “That sounds like the opposite of a star party. More like a stalker party, and Will’s got you in his sights. Honestly, that’s what scares me the most.”
Peach-flavored tea hit my tongue as I sipped, refreshing in spite of Bryan’s stalker party accusation. Jealous much? “Yeah, right, like they need me for anything. What’s so scary about him anyway?”
He gulped down his Coke, scratching his chin. “That’s the thing. I’m pretty sure he only wants you in his group because of your family.”
“Because James was the last president, or because Dad’s on the school board? My parents were the only reason I subjected myself to that meeting. I wanted to run for the hills. Literally.” For the first time I’d vocalized the truth, and now I couldn’t stop the dam. “I never want to end up like them, or James for that matter.”
“You won’t end up like your brother unless you want to.” Bryan’s hand crawled across the table, his fingers sliding around the amethyst ring my parents gave me as a sweet sixteen present. “But there’s more to it than that. It’s about your family’s legacy.”
Just then the waitress appeared with my sandwich and Bryan’s burger. He shut his mouth again until she left. Who was she gonna tell anyway?
I hoisted my sandwich high enough to cover my mouth. “What do you mean by family legacy?” I whispered behind the chicken parm, just in case it was actually as big a deal as Bryan imagined.
He hacked up a storm, almost choking on a fry. “You’re a funny girl, you know that? But we can’t discuss it here. We’ll have to wait until Wednesday, in the chapel.”
“Seriously?” A mouthful of marinara stuck to the back of my throat. I slurped down my tea as fast as it would flow. “What does your little group know about my family?”
“Sounds like more than you do, apparently. Believe me, the Guardians are no little group.” He glanced around the dining room. “Be sure to keep this to yourself, though.”
I nodded, lowering my voice like I was sure Nancy Drew would. “I won’t spill a thing about the Guardians, whoever you are. But you, mister, never answered my question. Why’s Will so scary?”
“It’s not just him, it’s his group. Nexis is more than a school club. They’re international and they’ve got scary plans. The justification behind them is even worse.” He folded his arms across his chest. “Will is their fiercest recruiter in several decades. He’s heartless, especially when he doesn’t get what he wants. The fact that he’s after you, so soon, really bothers me.”
I sucked down my tea until the cup emptied. Obviously, Will wanted me to join his super secret club, but why? And why did Bryan care so much? Jealousy could do weird things to people, even halfway normal guys. Besides, there was no way I could stop anything Will or Nexis had in mind. One little girl from Indianapolis? Sure, I wanted to make my own mark, but this was getting out of control. Whatever Will or Bryan wanted from me, they couldn’t both be good.
Chapter 10
With my pencil, I traced a feathery outline of the white image branded into my mind. Those delicate wings, so alive, so full of light in every shade. How could my simple drawing recreate their splendor? I smudged the edges with my index finger, but it only diluted the white, as if the wingtips were singed by the shadow. That’s not the way it happened, not in my mind. I ripped off the page and crumpled it in my hands.
It felt wrong to be so heartless, yet wrong to draw something untrue to what I’d seen. Could what I imagined somehow be real? It’d felt so real two days ago. But if it wasn’t real, then I needed to have my head examined. I chucked the paper wad into the trash.
The last bell rang, and I shoved my sketchpad and pencils into my bag. Maybe I was going crazy, seeing strange things like angel fights, shadowy wraiths, and an old man praying. With my fingertips, I grazed over the familiar bump under my mass of dark hair. Could it be my head injury from seven months ago, or something else? Something bigger than I could fathom in my own little world?
The mad end-of-the-day rush carried me down the cobblestone path from Salinger and across the quad. I fought against the flow all the way up the steps into Trenton. If only I could push back the image I’d seen in Harlixton’s class, the bearded man, kneeling, with black and white and gray swirling around him.
I trudged around the halls like a reluctant mouse who didn’t really want to find her way out of the maze. On the left I found a door with a golden plaque that read Mr. Harlixton. Rocking back on my heels, I fiddled with my sweet-sixteen ring, wondering if I really wanted to go in. The temptation was too great, so I peeked my head into the closet-sized room.
The balding man arched back from the stack of papers in front of him. “Miss McAllen, please take a seat.” He gestured to the only chair in the cramped room not piled with books or folders. “Do you have any idea why I wanted to see you today?”
I scooted the chair in front of his wide desk. “Because I’m behind in Western Civ. My dad really wants me to get into Yale, and I have to keep up my grades. So I’ll take any help you can give me.”
His pot-belly dented into the desk. “Is that all your father said to you? He hasn’t told you anything about Genesis six or any groups on campus?”
I inched back in my chair. “Not really, except for Nexis I guess. My parents both really want me to join.”
“Interesting.” His office chair squeaked as he shifted his weight. “Why do you think that is?”
I shrugged. Maybe he should have a couch in here or at least an easy chair if he planned to offer therapy sessions. “I don’t know. I always assumed it was because of my brother.”
“Yes, that’s probably it.” He unhooked his glasses from his ears. Then he whipped out a white handkerchief, rubbing the smudgy lenses. “I’m still surprised your parents never told you more about Noah or the flood.”
“Why would they?” I cocked my head at him. This was getting a little weird.
He folded the handkerchief into a neat triangle, then placed the glasses back on his face. Papers swished across the desk as he angled forward, eyes trained on mine as if the whole world were about to end. “Because you have a significant choice to make, right here, on this campus.”
I froze under his beady-eyed gaze, still as a deer in his headlights. “What do you mean?”
“There are two groups on this campus.” His words poured out slowly, like he didn’t want to spook me into running for the woods. “They believe diametrically opposite things about the passage we discussed in class on Friday, about the sacred stones, and how they should be used. Both are backed by strong supporters of the school. So unfortunately, Montrose has been forced not to take sides. These groups recruit members for their cause. You, little lady, are the highest priority for recruitment by both groups.”
“Me, seriously?” Oxygen seeped from my lungs like a deflating balloon. I gulped in stale office air. “Why would Nexis and the Guardians want me?”
“Good girl, at least you know who’s after y
ou now.” His deep voice hit a grave note.
“After me?” I sputtered. “But why me? I’m nobody.”
He shook his head. “Unfortunately for you, that’s not true. Trust me, I wish I could tell you more now, but you probably won’t believe me. I don’t think you’re ready yet.”
Could he be any more cryptic? His blank expression held a hint of kindness, like he told the truth as best he could. But the questions assaulted my brain. “You can’t tell me all of this and leave me hanging. Please, give me something I can use.”
“Fair enough.” His elbows clanged on the desk, his voice low. “First, I’d send you to the chapel study group to get you caught up on your history.”
“I was there last week.” I squinted across the desk at him. Why did I think he already knew that?
“They meet once a week, but you can certainly go on your own and do your own research.” The way he emphasized your own made it sound like a command, not a suggestion. “Focus on Genesis and Noah. You’ll figure out your place in all of this soon enough.”
That last part hit me in the gut. If I had to figure out my place in the Nexis/Guardian tug-of-war, the sooner the better. Before someone else figured it out for me. “Is that all?”
“No.” Mr. Harlixton scraped his chair back and stood up. “You need to be very careful. Don’t believe everything these people tell you, especially about your brother.”
“My brother, really?” The words clanged in my ears as I rose to my feet. I racked my brain for all the things James had ever said about Montrose, but I couldn’t remember anything specific. “What do you know about him?”
“Just be careful.” He nodded toward the exit as a honey-blonde girl waited in the doorway. His voice crescendoed and his lips curled, almost like a smile, but not quite. “Okay, Lucy? I’ll see you next week, same time.”
“But—” When his eyes hardened, I clamped my mouth shut. “Next week then.”
“Good luck.” He called after me as I squeezed by the girl on my way out, her green eyes slicing into me. Colleen, from the Nexis meeting. No wonder Mr. Harlixton had ended the conversation.
How much did she hear? Those catty eyes glued on my every move, like she saw right through me. A chill crept up my neck. With a slight nod in her direction I booked it down the hall, gunning for the nearest exit.
Nexis or Guardian? I had no idea which side to choose. Harlixton pretty much vetoed all the hopes I had of not taking sides, being my own personal Switzerland.
* * *
A rosy hue lit up the wooden altar of the chapel sanctuary. I tiptoed to the nearest hand-carved pew and kicked back to watch the stained-glass sunset. Evening rays slanted through the multi-colored panes, splashing the room with faded light. A mosaic waltzed across the floor tiles, the entire formation an intricate dance more spectacular than each piece on its own.
“Beautiful, isn’t it?” At the sound of a male voice, I stiffened and turned. Bryan rested his hand on the back of my pew. “You ready?”
“I could watch this all day. Can’t you guys meet out here instead?” The world made more sense here in the chapel—next to Bryan. Less overwhelming. So peaceful I never wanted to leave.
“Hey, good idea, for another night. We’ve gathered up some books in the library that you’ll want to see.” He tugged on my hand and I followed him down the cold tiles.
“Why do I have this funny feeling? Like there’s some big secret about my family and it’s not good?” My questions clashed together like cymbals, one on top of the other, echoing down the hall. I cringed. “What a mess,” I whispered to my shoes. I always blurted out my ramblings, even the intensely personal ones. This time, it felt okay, like he’d understand.
“You decide your own destiny, good or bad.” He swung open the library door. It creaked on its hinges.
I scrunched up my forehead in the way Mom hates. She insists I look like a worried bulldog, but seriously, what a strange thing for him to say.
I opened my mouth to object, then clamped it shut. Maybe I could at least wait and hear him out before I made my decision. I tripped over the door jamb and crashed smack dab into his back. “My bad.”
“C’mon, it won’t be that awful.” With his palm he steadied my elbow, leading me to the table by the lead-paned window. Piles of books littered the tabletop. Dad would love this, all the antiques and old books.
The redheaded trio of Lenny, Laura, and Felicia made Brooke’s dirty blonde hair stand out even more. She stared back at me as I eased into my chair.
“Where’s Tony?” I glanced around the shelves, but the dark-haired Italian didn’t slink out from behind the shadowed stacks.
“Soccer practice.” Laura answered from her seat next to me. With tiny hands covered in hospital gloves, she flipped through the gilt pages of a decrepit book. “He may show up later, but tonight is really all about you.”
“Goody, another weird old book,” my mouth blurted out on its own again. Perfect. I faced the window and inhaled a deep breath. Something big was about to happen. I could feel anticipation hovering in the room whether I was ready or not. Outside the sky darkened into shades of blue and gray. The uneven glass painted the clouds with a watercolor glow. “Okay, whatever it is, please be gentle.”
Bryan angled his chair toward me, his knee inches from mine. “How much has your family told you of their beliefs about the flood?”
I chewed on my lip, raspberry lip balm smacking my tongue. Was this a trick question? It felt like a pop quiz. “Not much, just the usual Noah’s ark Bible story. Why?”
“Nexis believes your family is descended straight from the line of Noah’s firstborn son, Shem.” Lenny’s deep voice did nothing to calm my nerves. Neither did those strange words.
“Say what? How can you possibly know that?” I combed my fingers down the length of my hair, twirling a long strand around my pinkie. “What, because I’ve got dark hair and dark eyes? We’re not even Jewish, I don’t think.”
Laura rubbed my shoulder with her tiny fingers, like there might be more to come. “It has nothing to do with what race you are. It’s more of a specific covenant with God, the one in Genesis six to be precise.” She inched the yellowed book toward me.
A black and white drawing of a man in a robe stared back at me. He was kneeling before a great beam of light. I blinked, then blinked harder. The picture was unmistakable.
It was the same as the vision I had in Harlixton’s class. The caption read Noah’s Covenant.
“Covenant.” The word whispered in my ears over and over again, like it came from somewhere in the room. I glanced from the stacks to the turret, even out the window. No one lurked in the corners or in the shadows. I closed my eyes, and the whispers stopped.
When I opened them, everyone stared at me. I probably had some wild, rabid look on my face right about now. Great, now they just thought I was nuts. At this point, I’d say the same about them.
“Okay, so there’s some kind of covenant. What does that have to do with me?”
“Firstborn descendants of Shem are marked. They’re supposed to have special gifts.” Felicia thrust another book at me. “No gift is the same. Some know things, like the difference between good and bad. Some have premonitions.”
“Wait a minute.” I stared straight into her green eyes, almost like Colleen’s, only less catty. “I’m not even the firstborn.”
“But your dad is, so that makes you a descendant of the firstborn.” Her voice lowered to a whisper as one polished nail landed on a drawing in the book. “One appointed firstborn has the most powerful gift of all.”
My lungs froze in my chest, as if waiting to breathe until she finished her sentence. Dare I look at that picture? I forced my gaze down to the drawing in front of me, similar to the one Laura showed me first. This time the man had wispy shapes of light and shadow swirling from his eyes.
I lowered my lids, and the vision came back to me. In full color. It was the exact same image—in my mind and on paper. And
it was too much.
I opened my eyes. “Technically, if you believe the Bible, then every person on earth is a descendant of Noah. So how could I be the direct firstborn descendant of Noah’s firstborn son? The odds are like one in three billion.” No way, it couldn’t be me. I couldn’t stare at it any more. With a flourish I pushed it away.
Bryan jammed his hands over mine, rough but gentle, sliding the book back toward me. “This is a rendering of an ancient prophecy. That once every century, when they turn eighteen, one appointed firstborn descendant of Noah will have the power to see the unseen.”
The drawing came alive in front of me. A beam of light shone from the book straight into my eyes. When I turned to Bryan, the same white light backlit his face, only in a dimmer form. A halo almost, highlighting his profile. It burned my eyes, but I couldn’t look away. Could he be creating that light, or was I losing it again?
I pointed at a paragraph about the descendants of Noah. The words jumbled together. “The unseen, what does that mean?”
The halo moved with him as he dipped his head to meet my eyes. “It’s from the Bible—Ephesians chapter six, among other places. It refers to the unseen battle between heaven and hell.”
That had to be it. A sudden shiver raised the hair on the back of my neck. Maybe it was all real, the vision I saw at Hard Rock. Was it some kind of supernatural battle? “Whoa, you’re kidding, right? That’s the gift, the power to see angels and demons? Creepy.”
“Yes, very creepy, if used the wrong way.” Laura’s index finger drew a line under a passage in the book, but the words still didn’t make much sense.
Wisps of cold wove their way under my skin. The world around me stood still. And suddenly it made perfect sense.
I turned to Bryan. “So you’re saying Will thinks I have some kind of power and he wants to use it for Nexis?”
“You, and future generations.” He nodded around the table, the light behind him fading. “See what I mean? Very perceptive.”
“That’s so stupid. I’m the middle child,” I screeched like a terrified bat. “If that’s what they actually believe then they should be after James. Wait, is that why he’s in Europe?”
The Nexis Secret Page 9
