Unfortunately, Ollie didn’t appreciate her butting in. The sound of glass shattering around the store had everyone ducking for cover. Nic didn't move. He saw the shadow circle the room in an angry rage. Ollie paused on the top of the counter. His chest heaved. “Did you bring me a pretty psychologist, Nicky? Is she going to solve the world's problems with kisses and Band-Aids?” His mocking voice was venomous.
“Take it down a notch, Ollie. She's trying to help.” The tattoo on Ollie's face emphasized the hard features staring down at his childhood friend. Nic was sure it was easy for Ollie to blame the friend who left him behind.
“Oh, I get it. Nic found himself a girlfriend.” Ollie’s sneer was heinous.
“It’s complicated, but Ollie, I have a son. He’s sweet and innocent, and he looks like us when we were kids.”
Nic hit the wrong nerve. He had hoped mentioning his son or their joined youth would tender Ollie’s heart, but the fire in his eyes seemed to grow brighter.
“We have no connected history worth remembering,” Ollie spit. He twisted into a shadow and took a final lap around the room.
Nic felt hopeless, realizing that Ollie would never let him help. He recognized the hatred, and he was ready to take on Ollie's wrath. He braced himself for impact.
Ollie turned back to human form in midair with his feet aimed for Nic's chest. The wind was knocked out of his lungs, and he landed with a thud on top of Rayley. She screeched as Ollie beat his old friend. She wasn’t the target of Ollie’s fists, but she couldn’t escape the brutality as the weight of Nic’s body pinned her down.
Taking advantage of Ollie’s distraction, Marcus ran over to the wall and pulled the fire alarm. A siren wailed and emergency lights flooded the pizzeria. Bobby and Vicki headed to Lorenzo and quickly untied him.
Nic did the best he could to block Rayley from Ollie's blows, but that meant exposing himself. He groaned in pain as Ollie's fist met Nic’s head and his foot stamped Nic’s ribs.
Zander tried to rescue his sister. He reached for Rayley, but Nic and Ollie were like a tornado of limbs. He couldn’t find an opening.
Jade reached behind the counter and grabbed one of Lorenzo's sauce pans. She lifted it over her head and ran toward the fight. She began swinging the cooking pan like a baseball bat, grunting with each movement.
Finally, the pan collided with Ollie's skull. He dropped to the ground unconscious. The room was quiet and still, except for Nic’s panting and the sound of fire truck sirens bleating in the distance.
Zander pulled his sister into a hug. “Are you okay?” She nodded her head.
Nic clutched his side and inched his way toward Ollie.
The door swung open and three broad-shouldered men strode in wearing navy suits and military caps. Their chests were covered in medals. One of them heaved a gun with a small tank over his shoulder and aimed it into the room. A burst of liquid shot from the end of the barrel like a fire hose. It doused everyone in the room.
“Nobody move. If you are a Rogue, the neutralizing agent will render you unable to travel by shadow. We have received notification that criminals are on the loose. Oleander Grey and Arsenic Black must come with us.”
A tingling sensation danced across Jade’s skin. She could feel the chemicals sinking in. Even though she had never turned into a shadow before, Jade could tell the agent was right. It was neutralizing something inside of her.
Her chest tightened as she wiped her eyes to clear the liquid. Nic was the father of her child. She couldn't let them take him away. She turned her alarmed face to Zander, silently begging him to help.
Zander stood up and liquid pooled on the floor around him. He gathered all the confidence he could muster. “Thank you for coming.” He thought he could win them over with a drop of honey, rather than a gallon of vinegar. He decided to play the part of helpful citizen. There was no point in fighting the agents. “What branch of law enforcement are you from, and why are you looking for these men?”
The agents flashed a badge that had an unfamiliar insignia of silver tubular flowers and read United States of America Border Control. “We work for the part of law enforcement that keeps you safe. That's all you need to know.”
“I am employed by Mayor Amy. I'm happy to help with your search. Perhaps you could provide more details. What do these men look like? We know many people in town. We can send you in the right direction.” Zander was trying to buy time.
The agents wouldn't budge. “I can't share confidential information. Where is Oleander and Arsenic?”
Jade felt a pang of hope. Perhaps they didn't know what Nic and Ollie looked like. She stepped forward, sloshing liquid around her feet. “Sorry, we don't know those people. Is it possible that you have the wrong location?”
The agents didn't buy it. The pizzeria was a mess. It was obvious that they were at ground zero. They crossed their arms and gave Jade a pointed stare. “We aren't leaving without Oleander and Arsenic.”
A giggle escaped Ollie's mouth from his splayed position in a puddle on the floor. Everyone's eyes turned to him. He laughed harder, his body convulsing from the fit. “You got me! Game over. Oleander out.”
Two of the agents stepped over the broken glass and fallen furniture to get to Ollie. They clasped cuffs on his wrists, and he continued to laugh. “I always loved the feel of these hydro cuffs on my skin. It’s like an expensive piece of jewelry that you can never take off.” The group knew it would be pointless to step in. Ollie had already given up.
“Arsenic Black, you're next,” the agent said. The room was silent. No one dared to move. Drops of liquid descending from the tables and counters were the only sound in the room. Jade’s heart raced in her chest. There was no way to protect Nic. He would have to give himself up.
Bobby stood up, breaking the stillness. “I'm Arsenic Black,” he said. Jade gasped, and Vicki covered her mouth. The agents either didn’t question Bobby’s confession, or they didn’t care. They just needed to send two male suspects to the other side.
“Let's go,” the agent said, motioning for Bobby to follow. “The local police will be here shortly.” The agents put the hydro cuffs with a pulsing liquid on Bobby’s wrists. He turned back to give his sister a parting look, hoping his face could convey everything he wanted to say.
* * * *
Chapter Eleven: The Thanksgiving Eve with a Happy Ending (Sort Of)
One Year After Ollie Showed Up
Age: 29
Jade rushed out of the bathroom in Zander's apartment as the baby cried in her bassinet. “Don't worry, baby girl. Mommy is here.” She was three months old with blue eyes and dark hair. Jade picked up the little girl and cradled her against her chest.
She smiled at the white baby bed with pink trim. It sat next to the queen size bed she shared with Zander. She remembered another morning six months ago when she laid with Zander’s arms wrapped around her round belly.
She had pointed to the corner. “That corner would be perfect for a bassinet. I won’t have to go far when she’s hungry in the middle of the night.” She had taken a beat before glancing up, worried what Zander’s reaction was going to be.
Zander’s face had broken into a wide grin. “Let’s go to the store right now.”
Jade had pushed herself on to her elbows. “Really?”
“If it means you are moving in, I’m dead serious.” Zander had leaped to his feet with excitement. “I wasn’t sure you wanted to leave Woodpine.”
Jade had spent a long time thinking about where her life should be centered. “Your job is based here in the city, and I want to be with you. Plus, Woodpine is a short train ride away. I think Kelvin would enjoy exploring a new place when he stays with us.”
“So, you’re moving in?” Zander had asked.
Jade had laughed because Zander’s happiness had been contagious. “Yes.”
Jade had moved in the following weekend. The bassinet and a twin bed for Kelvin had been setup the same day. Jade kissed the baby’s head wi
th a smile. She’d never regretted her decision.
“Do we need to pack an extra outfit for Lotus? She has a knack for getting dirty.” Zander pulled a suitcase from the top of the closet. They were going to Woodpine for the weekend.
Jade cooed in the baby’s ear. “Do you hear that, little Lotus? Daddy is making fun of you.”
Zander walked over to Jade and Lotus. He couldn't help the smile on his face. Another year had gone by, and what a year it had been. Jade had given birth to their beautiful baby girl, and their relationship had blossomed and flourished because it was built on trust and happiness.
Zander wrapped his arms around Jade and Lotus, feeling grateful. Their daily reality was far from average—Jade shared custody of Kelvin with Nic, and Jade's brother Bobby was trapped on the Isle of the Lost—but Zander loved his life.
For months, Zander had watched with trepidation to see if Jade’s affection changed, but she never wavered. The spots and shadows didn't subside, but Zander recognized that Jade was in a better place. She had built an inner strength that she wore as her new armor. It wasn't a mask to hide her true self. It was her internal hardiness and might shining through to the outside.
Jade nuzzled into Zander's neck. Over the last year, she’d rebuilt her world with Zander. The new version felt just right. Instead of being defined by her relationship, it was another facet of herself. She was strong and unique. She was a mother, a lover, and the daughter of a survivor from the Isle of the Lost. She loved all parts equally.
Zander was correct; Jade saw every spot and shadow. Nothing went unnoticed. However, the clarity she had for her own identity allowed her to be courageous. Instead of causing her to fear the unknown, she was hopeful that each spot was her brother Bobby, keeping an eye on her. Jade was thankful for her brother’s sacrifice in place of the father of her child. She hoped to one day thank him in person.
After receiving the news that Bobby was taken to the other side, Ms. Miller seemed to crack. Jade remembered the day she broke the news. Jade had returned to her mother’s house in the early morning. She had stepped into the house and had seen her mother bent over at the kitchen table.
“Mom.” Jade’s voice had quivered.
Mrs. Miller had stood up quickly. Her bloodshot eyes had searched Jade’s. “Where’s Bobby?”
Jade had grabbed her mother’s arms to steady her. “They took him. The PMI took him to the Isle of the Lost.”
Mrs. Miller’s legs had given out, and Jade had steered her back to the chair. Sobs had wracked her body. Jade knew that her mother had spent decades protecting her children.
“Mom, listen to me.” Jade had cupped her mother’s tear streaked cheeks in her hands. “One day, he will come back to us. I promise you.”
The sadness that followed Ms. Miller like a rain cloud weighed on Jade. Zander, Nic, and Jade alternated dropping by with her grandchildren, hoping it would raise her spirits.
“I'd like to make a quick stop in downtown Woodpine before we go to your mom's house,” Zander said, trying to make his voice sound nonchalant. He busied himself with the suitcase zipper.
Jade eyed him over the baby's head. It was an odd request. “Okay.”
“I don't want to go in,” Vicki said from the passenger side of Rayley's car. She had her arms across her chest. Her lips formed a straight line.
“Me either,” Rayley said.
Rayley's eyes were wide as she looked through the front window at Lorenzo's Pizzeria. Lorenzo had received insurance money to fix his store. The inside had been renovated and upgraded with new booths, ovens, and counters, however, no amount of redecorating could stop the flashbacks when Rayley stepped inside.
Last year’s Thanksgiving Eve had felt like a science fiction horror movie about a psycho killer on the loose with special powers. Seeing the crazed look on Ollie's face and the manic way he moved as a shadow was etched in Rayley's brain forever, and to make it worse, she felt like she saw his shadow everywhere.
The local newspapers had covered the truth up and called it a robbery, saying the bandits had managed to get away. Rayley knew that wasn't true, but the rest of the town believed every word, and that didn't sit well with her either. What else in her life had been a lie?
“I haven't been back since the incident last year. I can't bear to be inside, knowing it was the last place we saw Bobby.” Vicki’s voice cracked.
Rayley didn't want to go in for a different reason. Since the night that they were on the hunt for Ollie, Rayley's eyes had been opened to a world she hadn't known existed. Now, she saw spots and shadows everywhere. There were shadows in allies on her way to the train station. Spots danced in the corner of her vision as she sipped tea at work. She even heard voices in empty subway stations late at night.
The overwhelming fear began a year ago in this very location. Somehow, she had managed to get on with her life, but the numerous times her heart raced or the hairs stuck up on the back of her neck were enough to send her running. She kept the fear to herself. Zander and Jade had enough going on with the new baby, and Vicki was depressed for months after Bobby left. It didn't feel right for Rayley to share her burden.
“Zander wanted us to meet here.” Rayley took a deep breath, accepting her fate for the next hour. She didn’t want to disappoint her brother. “Let's go inside.”
Vicki felt a wave a sadness wash over her as she passed through the pizzeria's front door. Patrons filled the store, chattering with their friends and family. She didn't share their happiness for the long holiday weekend. She missed Bobby, even if they hadn't been together when he left. He would always hold a special place in her heart. She planned to tell him that the next time she saw him…whenever that would be.
Vicki and Rayley sat down in a booth and were silent. Rayley was on high alert, looking in every direction for something or someone ready to attack her. Vicki dropped her chin in her hand with a huff.
“Aww, check out Nic and little Kelvin,” Vicki said, her misery temporarily forgotten at the sight of her favorite toddler.
Vicki thought a tough guy covered in tattoos holding the hand of a chubby-faced toddler looked sexy, but Rayley couldn't help but squirm. All she could think about was that Nic came from the other side. Rayley didn't know much about the people where he was from, but something about them wasn't right. She felt a chill down her spine countless times each day because of people like him.
Vicki opened her arms. “Hello, Kelvin. You are so big!” Kelvin gave Vicki a baby-toothed smile and ran into her arms. Nic watched his son embrace Vicki. He’d seen the look of terror cross Rayley's face when he entered the pizzeria, and he crossed his arms as she struggled to hide it. It wasn't the first time she made him feel like an outsider.
“Do I get the same warm hello?” Marcus asked Vicki, coming into the pizzeria unnoticed. He was used to that by now. After last year’s horrific events, he vowed to blaze his own trail, far away from the people who forgot he was even there, but he didn’t want to break a promise to Zander.
Vicki put a stiff smile on her face and obliged, giving both men a hug hello. She didn’t have anything against Marcus, but his lack of finesse when speaking to the opposite sex rubbed her the wrong way. Rayley didn't get up from the booth, opting for a wave from where she sat. The odd grouping shuffled their feet as they looked around for Zander and Jade.
“Hello!” Zander called from the entrance, breaking the awkward moment. Immediately, the tension lifted. Jade hurried behind him with the baby in her arms and a content grin on her face. Rayley finally relaxed when she saw her niece's beautiful face. All drama was forgotten when she was in Lotus's presence.
Vicki snaked her arm around Zander's waist. “She's a charming flower, Z. You did good.”
Marcus reached out to shake Zander's hand. “I echo Vicki's sentiment. She couldn't be more perfect.”
Jade leaned down to kiss her son and show Kelvin his baby sister. Kelvin kissed Lotus's nose gently. Jade looked at the faces of the people she considered f
amily and felt at peace. A small tug on her heart was a constant reminder that her brother wasn't with them and her mother had been somber since he left, but she would hold tight to the present company.
After the influx of Mercury gang members and the raid by the PMI, Woodpine had finally returned to regular life, and Jade had, too. She felt sturdy with Zander and her children, and she refused to let crossing Rogues or the PMI upend her world.
Zander lifted his hands. “Enough cooing about my baby. I asked you all to come for a different reason.” He motioned for everyone to take a seat. Rayley, Vicki, Marcus, Nic, and Kelvin squeezed into the booth, but Zander kept a hold on Jade. She passed Lotus to Rayley.
“Without re-living the details, last year was a particularly unsettling night for all of us, and that bugs me. Thanksgiving is about being thankful, and this year, I'm hoping to change our luck.”
Zander continued, “Each of you are an important contributor to the happiness of my life. We are intertwined and connected. I wouldn't be the person I am today without you. That is why I wanted you here for this moment.”
Zander gave Nic a sober look. He wanted to convey the importance of his part in Zander's story. It wouldn't have existed in its current heart-warming form if Nic hadn't been in it. Nic nodded his head once that he understood, and Zander looked back at Jade.
“Jade, you are the embodiment of everything I want our daughter to be. You are courageous and selfless. You are independent and loving. You are genuine, and you are mine. I love you.”
Zander bent down on one knee and pulled out a velvet box. Vicki gasped and Rayley put her hand over her heart. “Jade Quark Miller, will you marry me?” Zander opened the box revealing a diamond ring.
Jade's eyes spilled over with tears. “Yes, yes, yes!”
Zander jumped up and wrapped his arms around his fiancé. He spilled his own happy tears, feeling unfettered joy.
All Shadows Eve Page 15
