“What the hell are you doing here?”
Anger radiated off Cara as she stalked around the hut, her arms folded and her mouth pinched. My grandmother used to talk about people being spitting mad. I was pretty sure that would describe Cara right now.
“Hey, Cara.” I stood where I was, at the end of the path, and tried for a conciliatory tone. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to, um, intrude.” I glanced around, hoping to God I hadn’t interrupted anything gross between Nathan and her. He had disappeared from the clearing before I started down here, but I didn’t think he’d gone back to his hut.
“Then why are you here?”
I attempted a smile. “Look, I just wanted to tell you I’m sorry you’re upset about Joss and me being here. We really didn’t follow you or anything. I had no idea you were living on this commune. Hell, I didn’t even know the commune existed. If we could get our car fixed faster and leave, we would.”
Cara glanced away, grimacing. “Okay, fine. I get it. What else do you want?”
“Nothing.” I widened my eyes. “I don’t you to be mad. And...” I let my voice trail as though I were hesitating. “Billy and Nathan were talking this morning about Joss and me maybe staying longer, like after the car is fixed, even. I hadn’t planned on it, but you know, it’s pretty cool here. I was thinking we might give it a try. But I can’t do that, obviously, if you don’t want us to stay.”
Alarm and disbelief spread across her face. “Nathan didn’t say anything about you staying. What are you talking about?”
“He came up to us at breakfast. I guess he just wanted us to know it was an option.”
Cara blew out a breath through gritted teeth. “Look, Rafe, I don’t know what’s happened to you since high school. Maybe I didn’t know you as well as I thought, but I never took you for a nature boy. I don’t get why you and your new, um, girlfriend want to be here when you have the money to do anything in the world you want.”
As she spoke, I began to focus on her mind. There was a little less blocking in my way while she was talking—it was hard for most non-gifted people to keep up a steady guard while they were holding a conversation--and I worked to lay the groundwork for what I hoped would come next. Between the information I dropped on her and the subtle persuasion, there was a good chance Cara was going to be livid with Nathan. And that was just where I wanted her.
I backed away, hands in front of me. “Okay, Cara, I get it. You don’t want us here. I’m not sure I understand why, but you’ve made it clear. This is your place, and we need to leave. We will, as soon as we can. I promise.”
I turned and headed back toward the clearing, a small smile of satisfaction on my face. Now with a little luck and Joss in the right place, we might get the information we needed to finish this job.
I cut through the lodge and saw Nathan in the kitchen, going over papers with a few of the women who I knew were in charge of food and cleaning supplies. They glanced up at me as I passed but didn’t speak.
When I got back to our tent, Joss was gathering clothes. “Hey. We have our turn at the washer and dryer today, so I--” She stopped when she saw my face. “What?”
I let her see the memory of my talk with Cara. “Unless I’m way, way off, Cara’s heading for Nathan with guns blazing. And when people are angry, they have a harder time keeping blocks up. And they say things they might be more careful about normally. We need to be in the vicinity and hear what’s said. Both of us. You can monitor minds, I’ll just listen the old-fashioned way.”
Joss nodded. “Okay. I’ll do my best. But where are they?”
“Nathan was at the lodge when I came through, and I’m going to bet Cara is tracking him down now. Won’t take long, so we need to get over there now.”
“Great. You take the laundry. Doing it together gives us a good excuse.”
“Did we need an excuse to do it together?” I smirked and she rolled her eyes.
“Mind in the game, Brooks. The faster we finish, the faster we go home.” As we both bent down to scoop up clothing, she caught my eye.
I made contact this morning with a passing agent. He heard me, and I heard him. They know we’re in.
Relief flooded through me. Being out of touch with Carruthers had been more nerve-wracking than I’d anticipated. It was good to know they were keeping an eye—or rather an ear—on us.
The laundry room was empty when we got to the lodge. I dumped our meager pile into the washing machine while Joss measured out detergent.
Nathan is in room in the back. I can’t hear his mind, but I feel him. Ugh.
I looked out the window as I hit the start button on the machine. “And here comes Cara. God, does she look pissed.”
The door to the lodge slammed, and Cara stomped in. Joss and I stayed out of sight next to the washing machine, but we both heard her voice.
“Nathan? Where the hell are you?”
Another door—I assumed it was to the office where Nathan was working—banged shut. Joss lifted herself onto the top of the washer and crossed her legs. Her hair was in a pony tail, and in her faded jeans and sweatshirt, with no makeup, she looked younger, more vulnerable. I stood in front of her and joined our hands. She smiled, but I could see that her focus was already in the other room.
I was beginning to wonder if I’d be able to hear anything at all when voices began floating out above my head. I glanced up and grinned: the vent there had better sound than a real speaker.
“Nathan, what the fuck are you playing at?” Cara was more than just annoyed. She was seething.
“Settle down, Cara. What’s the problem?”
“Rafe and that girl are the problem, and now you’re part of the problem, too. Did you tell them they could stay here? Permanently?”
Nathan didn’t answer right away. When he did, there was an unfamiliar edge of caution in his tone.
“No, I didn’t. Billy asked me if they could, but I think that was his idea, not theirs. Why?”
“Because like I keep telling you, Nathan, they’re bad news. It’s no coincidence that the two of them are here. I knew Rafe in King. He comes from one of the old families there, and...” She trailed off. “Something is up there. He was friends with a girl I knew. My dad swore she was a witch, and thinking back, I’m not sure he was wrong. Weird shit went down around them. Both of them.”
Nathan laughed. “Cara, how can you say that when you know the truth? You see ‘weird shit’ go on around here all the time. What are you worried about?”
“That’s my point. What if they’re here to stop us? What if they work for a competitor, or some government undercover team? We’re close, Nathan. Ben said—”
“Ben isn’t here anymore.” Steel infused Nathan’s voice.
“He’ll be back.” Cara’s voice was confident. “He’s laying low until that mess with Remington dies down. But he promised me that we were going to change the world. We’re on the verge of everything. Ben won’t let us down.”
“He’s gone. I’m in charge of everything now.” I heard a stubborn petulance in Nathan. Yeah, there was some kind of rivalry, jealousy there.
“Then step up and act like it. The plan goes into action in only a few months. There’s going to be so much to do before then, and we can’t risk anyone getting in the way. I won’t let us fail in this. Those two...Ian and Carl said they’re blocking. No one can get a read on them, not even at night when they’re sleeping. That doesn’t make you wonder?”
“Cara...” I heard footsteps, and when his tone changed to one of intimacy, I made a face. Joss rolled her eyes and shook her head at me.
“I’m glad you’re passionate about our mission. When I think of the scared little girl you were only a year ago...and how far you’ve come...I’m proud. But you’ve got to trust me. I know what I’m doing. The last shipment comes in this weekend, and I’m sending a team out with distribution by mid-week. Everything is falling into place.”
“It’s so important, what we do. I don’t want to s
ee them get in the way.”
“They won’t. We’re being vigilant. And if it makes you feel any better, I don’t think they want to stay on here. Ian will fix their car, and they’ll be gone.”
“But what if I’m right, and they’re here to work against us? What are you going to do?”
Nathan’s laugh was a sinister bark. “I’ll do what I have to. Nothing is going to stand in the way of our future. The world’s going to burn, Cara, and we’re the ones lighting the match.”
There was a bump, as though a piece of furniture moved, and then silence. Joss got a funny look on her face and grabbed my arm.
Let’s get out of here and go back to the tent. This is something I don’t need to hear.
Once we were away from the lodge, Joss shook her head. “That was nasty. How old do you think Nathan is? Got to be pushing forty at least, right? Ick. He and Cara.” She made a gagging noise, and I was right there with her.
“So what do we know now? There’s a shipment, and a plan, and distribution. But of what?”
Joss sucked in her bottom lip. “Guns. Ammo. Explosives. Boxes of all that shit, and it’s coming from Chatham.”
I stared at her. “How do you know?”
“You were right about them dropping their guards. Well, at least Cara did. Nathan maintained, but that doesn’t surprise me. Cara’s pretty new to the game, relatively speaking. What I saw in her mind...it was all kinds of weapons, piles of it. I think Ian picks it up, and then they store it here until they send it out.”
“But who are they sending it to?”
“That’s the million dollar question, isn’t it? But I got a little glimpse of the so-called plan. Picture chaos. Riots. Explosions, fighting...I would say all over the country, but I can’t be sure. I couldn’t isolate location in Cara’s thoughts. But she’s hyped about the anarchy, I guess.”
“Fuck.” I closed my eyes, leaned against a tree. “We need to get this back to Cathryn and Harley. Let them figure it out. There’s nothing we can do to stop them right now by ourselves.”
“But we don’t have a car or any way out. We’ve got to sit tight and play the game until we can get out. We don’t have a choice.”
“I know.” I wracked my brain, trying to think of another answer. Joss wrapped her arms around my waist and leaned into my chest.
“It’ll be okay. We’ll just keep our head low, and we won’t mess around with anything--”
“Rafe? Joss?” Ian stepped out of the trees onto the path. “What are you two doing out here?”
Before I could open my mouth to come up with an excuse, Joss blushed and smiled. “I’m sorry, Ian. You caught us. We were waiting for our laundry to be ready to move to the dryer, and I was getting, um, hot. I convinced Rafe to come out here with into the woods.” She dropped to a whisper. “There’s something about these tall trees and being outside that really does it for me, you know?”
Ian’s face went blank, and then turned red. “Ah, no. I mean, okay.” He turned to me, as if by not looking at Joss he could un-hear what she said. “I just was looking for you because your clothes are finished in the washer. I’m next, and I wanted to get a load in as soon as possible.”
Joss stepped away from me. “Okay, thanks. I’ll go transfer them.” She turned to me and shook a finger. “Now don’t go anywhere. I’ll be right back.”
We watched her go, and I wanted to smack the admiring look off the other man’s face as he kept his eyes on her denim-covered ass. Pervert.
He finally looked back at me. “Yeah, I want to get everything done as soon as I can. I’m definitely making the trip to town over the weekend.”
I nodded. “Hey, cool. You want me to come, too? Lend a hand?”
“Ah, thanks but no. But if you want to pay for the gas and give me some money for the parts, that would be good.”
“Okay, sure. I’ll make sure I get it to you.” We stood that way a few seconds, in an awkward pause, before Ian seemed to shake himself awake and tell me he was heading back to the laundry room.
“Do you think Ian heard us talking?” I asked Joss later, when we were back in our tent, folding a small pile of warm, clean clothes.
She shrugged, but her face was sober. “I don’t know, but I’m so ready to get out of here.”
***
IAN LEFT ON Saturday morning as planned, taking along with him most of the cash I had on me.
“You’re not planning anything nefarious, are you?” I asked him as I handed him the envelope of bills. “You know, with me giving you all this money? I’m not bankrolling something illegal?”
His eyes widened and his mouth dropped for a split-second, and then he grinned and wagged his head.
“You had me going there for a minute! No, I promise, just a supply run and a stop at the garage. No wine, women or song on this trip.”
He winked at me and turned to leave, climbing into a large white transport van. I watched him pull away, wishing Joss and I were getting out, too. The air was colder, and it almost felt like snow. Or how I imagined it might feel like before a snow storm. I’d never lived any place where snow fell. It might be cool to see real flakes, I thought.
I wandered back to the clearing, which was usually empty this time of day. Cara was sitting by the fire, bundled up with a hoodie and knit cap. She looked up at me, her animosity thinly veiled.
“Hey, Cara.” I sat down near her. “Cold today, isn’t it?”
“Mmm.” She had a stick in her hand, and she poked the fire.
“Feels like a long way from King, doesn’t it?”
She rolled her eyes. “King...what a place. Wasn’t exactly my favorite town. Not a lot of good memories.”
“I’m sorry. I guess I was part of those not-good-times?”
She pressed her lips together. “No, you were okay.” The fire sparked, and Cara’s eyes followed an ember that floated into the air. “It was supposed to be a new start for us. After my little brother died, and my dad...he needed that new start. And it was all going fine until that day in the clearing with Tasmyn. And Nell.” She glanced at me, eyes narrowing. “You didn’t know Nell, though, did you? She was gone before you moved to King. Well, she was wild. A real bitch. Or maybe a real witch.”
I nodded. “I’ve heard stories.”
“My dad saw what she was doing to Tasmyn, and at first, he was just glad we saved Tas and Michael. But then I guess it started to fester in his mind, like, what was Tas doing there with her? What was going on? He started to tell my mom and me that evil was happening in King. He said people could do things, weird things. It was awful.”
“I remember how hard that was on you.” I had seen a little of her father before they left town, and I knew even then he wasn’t quite right. There was a look in his eyes that made me uneasy, like he had looked into me and seen something rotten.
“You didn’t know the half of it. I hid it as long as I could.”
“What finally pushed him over the edge?” I knew, of course. I could still see him out there in the lake, trying to save Tas by drowning the sin out of her. But I was curious how Cara remembered it after I’d erased her memory along with her parent’s.
She shook her head. “I don’t know that it was any one thing. I just know I came home one day...” Her forehead wrinkled. “I think I had been with you. What were we doing? Anyway, I got home, and my mom was packing up, saying we were getting out of town. My dad was just sitting there, staring. We had to drag him into the car.”
I laid a hand on her arm. “I’m really sorry, Cara. That sucks.”
Her lip twitched, but she didn’t answer.
“We missed you, after you left King. The rest of senior year wasn’t the same.” Okay, that wasn’t exactly accurate. I hadn’t thought much about Cara after Tas broke up with Michael, and she and I had started...whatever it was we had together. But no need for Cara to know this. And I wasn’t lying that the rest of senior hadn’t been the same.
“Yeah, I bet.” Her mouth twisted. “
I used to think about all of you, back in Florida, while I was struggling to keep my family from disintegrating, keep my mom sane.”
“That must have been hard. I’m sorry, Cara.”
“When I got down here, that’s when my life really began. This is reality. What happened before was just what I had to get through, to get to this.”
I took a deep breath. “Cara, are you really happy down here? At this commune? With, um, Nathan?”
Her head jerked up. “What are you talking about? Haven’t you been listening to me? I was in hell before, Rafe. Pennsylvania, Florida, wherever...it was hell. Now I’m where I belong. I’m meant for Nathan, for what we’re going to do together. He saved me, he and...” She snapped her mouth closed. “You couldn’t understand. Go find your bimbo girlfriend and get out of here. The sooner you leave, the happier I’ll be. You only bring back the pain. Get away.”
As if she couldn’t trust me to leave, she jumped up out of her chair and stalked off, around the lodge and out of my view.
I picked up her stick and nudged a log in the fire, let it spark and flame. Cara was lost. There wasn’t anything I could do to save her, any more than I could have rescued her father from his madness a few years back.
“Hey, stranger, want some company?”
I glanced up in surprise as Joss walked toward me. She had on one of my sweatshirts, and it hung on her shoulders, down to mid thigh, over her tight jeans. There was an expression in her eyes, a light and almost contentment as she looked at me. It was the total opposite of what I saw in Cara’s face.
“Hey, yourself. C’mere.” I held out my arms, and she slid onto my lap, melting into me like another piece of a puzzle I hadn’t quite figured out yet. I buried my face in her neck, breathed deep of the cinnamon and orange.
“You know you smell like potpourri, right?”
She tilted her head. “I do? Is that good?”
“It’s very good. I’ll never smell it again without getting turned on.”
She smiled, shaking her head. “Like I’ve said before, Rafe, turning you on isn’t the problem.”
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