by C. L. Stone
And when we left, Silas took a different exit from when we’d come in. Better that way. Looking like we weren’t together at all. Who knew who was paying attention.
I tried not to hurry too much. However, at the Jeep, I jumped in, my heart beating wildly, waiting to hear it.
Not her.
Tell us it wasn’t her.
Silas nearly rocked the Jeep with getting in and slamming the door closed. “Got it?”
North was clutching the wheel, looking out, frowning. Suddenly he ripped off the glasses, tossed them at the windshield hard enough to crack the fake lenses and they clattered against the dashboard.
He leaned forward, pressing his forehead to the steering wheel.
“She’s lying to us,” he said grimly.
There was a surge deep inside me, a fear welling up that took over, threatening tears to my eyes.
Erica Lee. Kota’s own mother.
“You’re wrong,” Silas spoke in a low tone at him.
North didn’t lift his head, only movement was the shaking of his shoulders and the tightening grip at the wheel, as if trying to contain himself. “Every time. Every fucking day I’ve got on my list, she’s not been working. Even on days I know… that I remember… she looked me in the face…” He lifted his head and his cheeks were red, his eyes cold. “Every god damn time…”
I sat back in the seat, defeated, slumping down and letting my head roll back. I closed my eyes. Somehow, we had to know, and I regretted knowing. Maybe it still couldn’t be. Maybe she wasn’t Volto.
But it didn’t matter. She was hiding something. From all of us. From Kota.
And so far, what we feared the most, that she could be responsible for so much… so much of our own fearful encounters with a masked person. And we had no idea…
How could she…
And why?
Decelerando
(Slowing down)
Victor
The motel the other part of the team had settled for across town from where Mr. Buble had placed Sang and the others was small, run by a mom-and-pop team on the outskirts of John’s Island.
After too few hours of restless sleep, Victor woke up to someone shaking his arm.
Victor tried to force his eyes open, but it wasn’t easy. His mouth and throat ached being so dry. It was uncomfortably hot even with just the itchy white sheet over him.
More shaking at his arm. “What?” he mumbled.
“Quick, before he comes back,” he heard Kota asking. “Tell me if you’ve told him anything.”
Victor groaned and flopped over on the lumpy motel bed, only to discover not only Kota was hovering over him, but also Luke and Gabriel, so close he could smell sticky sweet sugar from their breaths.
Victor blinked hard and pushed a hand toward Luke’s face, which had been closer, nearly in kissing range. “Okay, guys, back up. What are you talking about?”
“Mr. Buble,” Gabriel said over top of everyone else trying to explain. His big blue eyes widened, and he pushed a forefinger at Victor’s chest. “Don’t play dumb. Did you say anything? Why is he saying you and Sang are about to team up tonight? Why did he insist it was you?”
“Get off of me,” Victor said, pushing Gabriel’s hand away and rubbing at his eyes. He was trying to wake up enough to remember even where he was, or what job Mr. Buble might have meant for this evening. The clock on the side table between the two beds said eight thirty. Victor had passed right out the moment they got in and he thought he’d get much more sleep than this.
“Also—” Gabriel slapped lightly at Victor’s exposed thigh. Victor jumped slightly away from him. “That’s for being a stupid head about the drugs and the drinking.”
“You already told me off for that.”
“I wanted to do it when you were sober. I didn’t get my turn yet.”
Victor sniffed and sat up on the bed, pulling away from the other three. “Can I just please wake up first? Are we having to go somewhere?”
“I’m already having to explain why we were gone most of the day yesterday and not helping Sang and Nathan when they were going through my mom’s room,” Kota said.
Oh yeah. So much had happened, it was hard to remember. Victor stood up, hovering on the carpet, lightheaded, likely from lack of sleep and low blood sugar. He was in the same T-shirt he’d been wearing… was this day two? The boxers were the same as well, and he was feeling grungy. Still, a shower might have to wait. “Catch me up?”
“Just tell me what you told him,” Kota said. He was frowning, clearly not worried about his mother. Maybe, like Victor, he doubted Sang’s and Nathan’s initial suspicions and was just waiting for clear proof it wasn’t her.
Victor frown. “I didn’t say anything, except he found me and her in Mr. Griffin’s bed when he came in to warn us about the cameras.”
They all paused, Gabriel shaking his head and frowning. Kota’s eyes shifted, like he was trying to come up with a plan. Luke combed fingers through his loose blond hair, the locks falling across his shoulders. They all appeared to be in various states of just waking up still, too.
Before they could respond to him, Victor continued. “I had to tell him we were dating. Since he’s in charge of her as a manager… and my manager, too, he was making sure I wasn’t taking any advantage of her. I had to say something. There was a news article or something saying I was with Brie, and it’s a lie, but he needed to know. But I just said we were dating. And—”
“That’s not bad,” Luke said. He scooted until he was sitting at the foot of the bed, on the corner, his stomach flexing as he sat forward a bit, leaning on his thighs. “It was going to happen eventually… I mean… Someone getting caught with her. And then what were we going to say? We’re just fooling around?”
“It makes it more complicated,” Kota said. He flustered a bit and sat on the opposite bed, right before he fell back, looking up at the dingy, drop-in ceiling of the motel room.
“You’re just jealous he beat you to it,” Luke said.
“No, I’m not,” Kota said quickly.
“Well, I am,” he said. “I should have thought of it first.”
Gabriel karate chopped Luke on the head. “Stop that.” He refocused on Victor. “Mr. Buble ratted out Lillian’s team to the Academy initially. I don’t know if anyone told you.”
Shock reverberated through him. “What?”
“When they were younger,” Gabriel said. “Liam said he suspected Mr. Buble wanted to date Lillian, too. Only as he was getting to know her, and Liam and his team were trying to date her too, he told the Academy what was going on.”
“And made it harder for them to stay a team and graduate,” Kota said. “Eventually they did, and Mr. Buble’s been mostly solo within the Academy since. Lillian didn’t think he’d make a big deal about us, but Liam believes he might hold resentment. He might hold back her graduating, like what happened to Lillian.”
Victor smirked, put his hands on his hips and shook his head. “You can’t be serious. She’s not even fully a member yet. She still has that initial tryout phase. You think just because we finally get to the bottom of the high school job, that she’ll graduate with us?”
Kota seemed to hesitate, as did the others. The favors for the job they were doing should cover her to be a member in no time. Only she might be months away from getting to the point where they would count.
“No,” Victor continued. “It might take time. Plus, it’s not about who she’s dating. It’s about whether we can get the job done even through tough times, like if she were to break things off with one of us.” He remembered what Mr. Buble said last night and became more animated by the idea. “Don’t you see? That’s all we have to prove. That we can be professional and complete jobs. If we can prove that, it won’t matter to them. They want us happy and content because content members can focus on the work and doing better for everyone. They’re not here to tell us what to do. Especially now that Li
llian and her team are together and have proven it can work. It won’t be as bad.”
“It took them a long time,” Kota said quietly. He sat up, looking at Victor. “They challenged them, put them on two person jobs…”
“So?” Victor felt sure of this. It was time they all got past it. Were they in this together or not? “What if it takes longer? What if it takes a couple of years? Are we sure about us or are we not? It’s not like they’re separating us.” Victor reached out and nudged Kota on the shoulder. “You were the one complaining the other day you’ve yet to really take her on a solo date.”
Kota rolled his eyes. “A job isn’t a date.”
“Practically is one with how we work,” Victor said. “Or it can be, depending on the job.”
“It’s fun when we go,” Luke said.
“You’re not supposed to take her on your jobs,” Kota said.
“I can take a minder,” he said with a sly smile. “Remember?”
“Minder is not someone who breaks into places with you.”
Gabriel made a very loud raspberry. “Damn it, everyone shush. Losing the point here. I claim the next Sang job date.”
“I think Victor got that,” Luke said. “Remember? Something they’re going today or something?”
Gabriel rolled his eyes and jumped off the bed. “Then I get the next one. Is there a weekend one? I want that one. I’ll pick up all the two people jobs from now on. Rack up some favors and some time with her.” He skirted the bed and headed to the bathroom, shutting the door behind him.
“I still don’t know,” Kota said.
“Where’s Mr. Blackbourne?” Victor asked. He was confident in his decision, but Kota usually took persuading. Mr. Blackbourne was the best choice to convince him to agree to things. He explained it better. “Do we have time to go see him?”
“He’s at the school.” Kota picked up his phone out of the bed and checked the screen. “I think you’re supposed to go soon. We don’t have time to see him.”
There was a metal-on-metal scratching at the door and a moment later, Mr. Buble entered, new shirt, new pants. Despite the fresh clothes, he was looking tired, with dark circles under his eyes. He’d likely had less sleep than Victor had gotten. He carried in packages of fruit, hardboiled eggs and a muffin in clear plastic containers in one arm as he entered. “Good morning, gentlemen.”
“Mr. Buble,” Victor interjected before anyone else could start. He went to him, offering to help with the takeout boxes and place them on the table while Mr. Buble closed the door. “Is the job with Sang today something Kota can handle?”
Mr. Buble tilted his head, surprise illuminating his eyes behind the glasses. “Do you have something else to do?”
“I feel like I can be more help with Mr. Blackbourne… and I’m a little tired after last night.” Admitting doubt about being able to keep up wasn’t what Victor really wanted to do. He’d prefer a day with Sang.
To prove this would work, to make sure they were on the same page, he had to be the one to go and talk to Mr. Blackbourne. To show Kota it wouldn’t be too bad, Kota could have a day with Sang.
“It’s up to you,” Mr. Buble said. “Miss Sorenson had requested for a retry at earning your favor. She felt it necessary to do a little more.” He turned to Kota. “The next task is very simple. However, I’d prefer she took the lead in whatever way. You’re only there to accompany her as being alone right now is not permitted. We want her to feel she earned her favor.”
Kota double-checked with Victor, silently asking him if this was okay.
Of course it was. He wanted to go, he really did, but… this was important. In the long run. Victor offered an encouraging wave of his hand, urging Kota to take the job.
Kota replied with confidence after that reassurance. “I’m ready to take her.”
Mr. Buble seemed compliant with this. “Then if you’ll come with me, after breakfast of course. I’ll take you to her.” He looked to Victor. “In the meantime, I would require you later this evening for the other job we’ve been working on. I have a solution. And we still have a house to find.” He looked to Luke and then to Gabriel as he came out of the bathroom. “Would you two join Victor with this project? You should be able to narrow down some options to look at. Everyone stays together.”
“Right,” Luke said. “No problem.”
“A-okay,” Gabriel said. “We could look at house options until you need Victor for your job.”
With a plan in place, Victor’s spirits lifted. This could work out, he was sure. They snacked on the fruit and food Mr. Buble brought to tide them over until they planned breakfast and who would take what vehicles. While he listened to the others talk, he was lost in his own thoughts about everything that had happened.
There was also the mask he now had tucked into a backpack. Volto’s mask. While the others were trying to disprove it was Erica, he was ready to focus on actually tracking the real Volto.
When he got a chance, he went to the bathroom with his cell phone and sent a message.
DEPTHAFFECTION: Any word on the stuff that was stolen?
He wasn’t sure DepthCrawler would even answer, given he was responding very late last night. The response was slow. When did he sleep? Maybe he woke him up.
DEPTHCRAWLER: 809809.03908.f780980.0890jf
It was a location number. A dark web search produced a forum post, and from the onset, it looked like someone just selling off their stuff.
LETTGO789809: This trunk is too heavy, was my grandmother’s. Haven’t opened. Everything of hers still inside. Asking $25000 obo
A photo was included of the trunk that was stolen, closed. He wondered if they truly didn’t open it, and thought they were idiots if they didn’t.
Amateur, that was clear. This wasn’t Volto. Whoever posted the ad knew enough about the dark web to sell stolen goods through it, and enough not to open to show the items that someone could identify and claim what was inside perhaps. What was stupid was selling it very quickly instead of hanging on to it for a while, when people weren’t likely looking for it anymore.
He had a gut feeling they were connected to Volto somehow. It wasn’t going to be too hard to convince an amateur to come out and tell them who told them to rob Nathan’s house.
Victor double-checked his connection was untraceable where he was, and then sent a message using a different nametag than he used with DepthCrawler.
JACKPOD287990: Half.
LETTGO789809: What?
Yes. Amateur. Likely just watched a YouTube tutorial on how to navigate the dark web and didn’t know anything about it.
Which probably meant negotiating wasn’t going to go well. Still, he should try.
JACKPOD287990: $20000
LETTGO789809: OK. We’ll take it. Can you send it now?
JACKPOD287990: At drop-off. I want to see it in person before sending.
LETTGO789809: OK. Let me give you a time and address.
It was several minutes before LETTGO789809 responded again. A quick search of the address he left made it clear the location was a public parking lot of a concert venue.
Victor rolled his eyes just as a loud banging on the bathroom door shook him out of his thinking.
“Ready yet?” Gabriel called into him. “What’s wrong? You sick in there?”
“I was going to shower,” Victor called to him. He flushed the toilet and was just about to turn the water on, despite not having clothes here. He just wanted a rinse.
Before he could, Gabriel called to him again. “We need to get going.”
Victor groaned. No shower.
He sent one more message, just agreeing to LETTGO about his location, even if it was stupid. Public parking lot drop-off with stolen goods? Likely to be a lot of cameras in the area. What an idiot.
Victor told LETTGO he’d get back with him on a better time. He couldn’t just take off when he needed to go talk to Mr. Blackbourne.
&nb
sp; Did they dare try to get this guy arrested for theft? Would it lead to the police finding out about Volto and then further to Sang and everyone else?
He might have to ask Mr. Buble. He didn’t want to, but he was worried that pushing this too far on his own would create terrible results. He probably should have checked in with someone before responding. Locating the trunk was one thing, getting it back… It would get tricky, especially if they had to ask about Volto.
Maybe they wanted that…
He remembered Mrs. Ruiz. She’d said something about being young and wanting to be the hero.
Maybe that’s what they needed. To step back and finally let the police handle it.
If only it didn’t mean the likelihood of exposing Sang…
Come Prima
(As before, typically referring to an earlier tempo)
Sang
We’d barely left the parking lot of the hospital when Kota rang my cell phone.
I was too stunned while looking at his name glowing on the screen, perhaps because we checked up on his mom… like maybe he knew we were here and he wanted to know immediately the answer.
I touched the surface, answering. Not doing so might worry him further.
My heart was beating wildly in my chest. “Hello?” I said timidly through gritted teeth, meeting eyes with Silas and North as I did.
“Where are you?”
I made a face, frantic, not wanting to be the one to tell him. I hadn’t fully figured out how.
“With North and Silas?” I offered, although my voice cracked at the end.
North mouthed to me. Don’t tell him yet.
I agreed. Not just yet. He knew we were going to check up on information about Volto and his mother. All they had was a timeline for his mother. Maybe they should report to Mr. Blackbourne first, figure out the next step.
Kota spoke. “Can you have them meet us downtown?” He gave an address. “You and I are heading out.”
