by Eros, Marata
The door wrenched open and Aunt Andrea stood there, anger making the planes of her face a brutal thing. As Jade and I jumped apart, her face flushed with high color, rosy under the glow of the light.
“Where the hell have you been?” Andrea asked, anger twisting her words into a snarl.
Jade jumped back, looking shocked and confused. “Ah... I pulsed you—”
“I wasn't going to get into it on pulse, but this boy”—she jabbed a finger in my direction—“is bringing you home too late. It's one twenty in the morning, and you're fourteen years old!”
I stepped back to stand next to Jade. A bulky figure appeared behind Andrea. Jade's dad.
Shit.
A look of terror came over Andrea's face. That was it, the drunk dad had made an appearance, and she was covering.
Jade's dad said, “Get your ass in this house right now. You and me, we got some talkin' to do.” If he'd been shouting, it would have been less threatening. But that soft voice promised bad stuff was going to happen.
“Is there a problem here?” Garcia asked, strolling up the steps behind us.
Sophie peeked around him, eyes like saucers in a pale face. I was betting she was familiar with old Daddy Dearest.
Garcia's hand hovered above the baton he wore on his utility belt, a whisper away from use. Jade's dad shoved Andrea aside, slamming her into the doorjamb.
“Jade!”she shouted in warning, clinging to the wood.
I heard the baton escape its sheath with a high whistle, at the same time that I threw myself backward, with Jade attached to my front. My arm was hooked around her waist, her dad's dinner plate sized hand, brushing the zipper of her hoodie as we flew, my body slamming into the grass behind us.
Every bit of air left my lungs in a single crush.
Slippery ass-monkey.
Garcia jumped off the steps and planted a knee in LeClerc's spine. He pressed the baton into the base of the guy’s skull.
Leaning down, Garcia said with soft menace, “We're taking a little ride, LeClerc. We're going to come to an understanding.”
“No we're not, pig!” LeClerc’s words were muffled by the grass he was being forced to eat. “She's my girl! She's gonna stop being with that boy! He's evil! A dead-lover! Satan worshiper!”
Right, that's me, a star in the basement.
“He's AFTD, in case you're too slow to understand,” Garcia said, losing patience. He got out his cuffs and slapped one on a thick wrist. He was reaching for LeClerc’s other arm when Jade's dad bucked hard, throwing off Garcia.
Moonlight slid off the loose cuff as it dangled from his wrist swinging it down toward Jade. As I rolled her away from that descending hand with my body, his fist connected with her side and she screamed. I let her go. She lay flat on the grass, putting her hands above her face in a defensive position that broke something inside me to witness.
Garcia's not gonna get to us in time.
I rose up on all fours between him and Jade, and he brought up both fists, obviously ready to pound me to get to her. I scooted back to get some distance so I could stand. Then, I leaned back on one foot and brought my other leg around in a roundhouse kick learned in my second year of judo. My heel connected, and his nose exploded with a satisfying crunch.
He staggered back, holding his face with both hands. “My nose! You broke my fuckin' nose!” Blood sprayed between his fingers.
Garcia jumped up, jerked LeClerc’s hands behind his back, and locked the remaining cuff. LeClerc’s frantic breathing caused a big bubble of snot and blood to grow from his nose, pulsing with each breath.
Jade moaned, her hair fanning out behind her, grass stains on her pink hoodie. My eyes burned with the need to cry. But I was the guy here and my Jade was hurt.
“Where does it hurt?” I asked, gently exploring her side.
She hissed when I touched her lower ribs on the right side. I pulled up her lightweight shirt and saw a terrible welt, bright red, in the shape of the cuff, with a grape-colored bruise, blooming at the edges of the mark like an obscene flower.
I looked up at her dad. “You touch her again and I'll kill you.”
He smirked, snot edging toward his mouth as his face was mashed against the ground. “You'll try.”
LeClerc smiled that nasty grin of his, the blood slowing to a trickle, his swollen nose like a clown's.
It wasn't enough damage to satisfy me.
“Caleb,” Garcia started, “... what did you say?”
Andrea and Sophie had their arms twined around each other as my eyes met Garcia's.
“He said he'd kill me, you dumb-ass! He's the one you should be arresting, the zombie-lover!” LeClerc shouted.
“I didn't hear that,” Garcia said, trying for neutral and missing by a kilometer.
Garcia smiled and started hauling Jade's dad away, who shouted over his shoulder at Jade, “Keep your head down, girlie, get away from that loser.”
“Look who's talking,” Garcia said.
“Can I help you get up?” I asked Jade.
She nodded, and I gently helped her to her feet.
Brett jogged over from the direction of his house. “What happened to Jade?”
I couldn't believe the night I was having. There must have been a trouble-find-me beacon flashing above my head.
Sophie answered before I could tell him off. “It's her dad, Brett.”
Brett nodded. “Yeah, I saw him in the cop car,” a range of emotion swam across Brett's features. “What did he do to her?”
I didn't think he deserved an answer, but I remembered that his father was just as bad, so I decided to give him the benefit of the doubt. “He was pissed because she was with me.”
“Yeah, he wants her with someone normal.”
“Like you?” I scoffed.
“Maybe,” he admitted.
“Stop, both of you,” Jade said, her face pinched.
Brett and I stared at each other. I could taste the trouble we were gonna have trouble in the future; like smelling rain right before it pours.
I made myself turn away from him, gently towing Jade inside the house. As we stepped onto the porch, I heard Sophie whispering with Brett.
Andrea led us into the family room, and Jade walked stiffly to the couch. Pivoting, we lowered her together as Andrea propped pillows behind her. I looked around and saw a smiling Jade in every corner, photos framing her childhood.
“Don't look at those,” Jade said. “They're dumb.”
“Nah... you look cute,” I said.
She gave me a dopey smile.
Garcia poked his head through the door. “I hate to do this to you...”
“It's okay,” I interrupted. “I can walk home.”
“I just can't have you in the car, as it is, he's fighting it.”
I could hear Jade's dad, hammering his feet against the inside of the car door.
A prince of a guy.
I bent over Jade and gave her a kiss on her forehead. She grabbed a fistful of my shirt, jerking my mouth down on hers, kissing it softly.
“There,” she said. “ Now you can go.” She smiled through a wash of tears.
I followed Garcia out of the house and down the path that led to the front gate.
He paused just inside the gate. “Did you mean what you said earlier?”
I could have pretended I didn't understand what he meant, a purposeful misunderstanding, but I didn't. “Yeah,” I said finally. I glanced at the car. Jade's dad was slamming his feet against the back glass. “That gonna hold?” I asked.
“Yes,” Garcia looked at me, taking my measure.
He reached out and squeezed my shoulder. “You're a good kid, Caleb. Don't worry so much about what you'll be. Just keep doing the right thing, and you'll get where you're meant to go.”
He went to his cruiser and opened the front passenger-side door. Onyx flew out, giving a single bark at the cruiser and a parting growl then bounded over to me.
Stroking his head, I couldn
't say I blamed him.
CHAPTER 33
Onyx peed on everything vertical the entire way home. Mom must have been watching through the window because she opened the door before I even got on the porch. She gave me a bone-crushing hug. I glanced over her shoulder at Dad.
“Garcia phoned,” he said. People didn't phone anymore, but my parents still used the expression. “And I think it's time you came clean with us, son. He let us in on a plethora of disturbing occurrences.”
I nodded, disentangled myself from Mom, and followed them inside. I walked over to the couch, and Onyx jumped up ahead of me.
“No. Down, Onyx,” Mom said.
Onyx obeyed immediately, hopping down to lie on the floor, giving mom the big-eye.
I sat down. My eyes burned with that grainy and itchy feeling. My parents looked tired, too.
Dad studied me for a moment. “I think it goes without saying that you won't be having quite as much leash in the future. We know there were extenuating circumstances. Garcia said something about Graysheets?” Mom asked.
I went through the whole story. I was so exhausted afterward that my bones ached. I'd never wanted to sleep so badly in my life.
Mom rubbed her eyes. “Well, we can't solve all of this in the middle of the night.”
Dad had his eyes closed, chin resting in the fist of his hand which was balanced on a knee. “Dad?”
He opened his eyes, bloodshot lightning running through them. “Mom's right, but one thing that keeps nagging at me is this EMP phenomena.”
Mom and I both rolled our eyes. Unbelievable! I had nearly been kidnapped, and Dad was dwelling on the electrical snafu.
Mom sighed. “Okay, enlighten us, quickly. What is an EMP?”
“Electromagnetic pulse,” Dad said.
“Like pulse, pulse?” I asked.
“No. Not like our pulse technology, but related. Think on this: what caused everything to stall? The helicopter, everyone's pulses, Garcia's police car?” Turning to Mom, he asked, “How long has it been since our house was compromised?”
Mom thought about it. “A month.”
“That's what we need to address. It's the one puzzle piece that doesn't fit.”
Mom frowned. “Are we safe?”
“For now. I think they'd be fools to attempt to reacquire him anytime soon. Anyway, we can talk about this tomorrow.” He slapped his knees, standing. “Let’s all get some sleep.”
I suffered through a last hug from Mom and Dad.
Onyx and I climbed the steps to my room. As I opened the door, Onyx nudged it aside and jumped up on my bed. He circled to find the perfect dog spot then settled at the foot.
I kicked off my shoes, got undressed, and climbed under the covers.
I was so tired that I was wide awake. It made no sense but that's the way it was; I'd tried to stay awake so long I had gone over the line.
I hung over my bed, digging in my jeans pocket and slid out my pulse. I flopped back on my bead and sent a message to Jade.
Caleb: Just so you know, I love you .
I knew that she was probably asleep, but she'd wake up to my words glowing on her pulse.
It'd be the first thing she saw.
I started to drift off just as Mom came into my room pulling up the covers until they were just under my chin. She hadn't tucked me in for years. I was in the twilight of sleep, just as you're sinking under into unconsciousness but awake enough to be aware.
Her breath was warm on my face as she kissed my forehead, my thoughts ending as sleep pulled me under into dreamless oblivion.
CHAPTER 34
I woke up, feeling as if I'd been in our washing machine on spin cycle for a couple of hours. I squinted at the glowing numbers on my computer monitor. One o'clock!
Onyx crawled up and gave my face a lick. I absently petted his head. I heard Mom downstairs in the kitchen. Surprisingly, I wasn't that hungry. I powered up my pulse and messages came in:.
Jonesy: Pulse-me, zombie-master.
John Terran: We need a plan... like yesterday .
Jade: I love you too.
I tackled the easy messages first.
Caleb: Jonesy, you moron, stop talking about stuff on the pulse!
Jonesy: Okay, don't get your boxers in a twist!
John joined the chat, and we all agreed to meet at the hideaway at three o’clock.
I pulsed Jade next.
Caleb: How's your side?
Jade: It's okay, sore.
My hate for Jade's dad bloomed anew.
Caleb: Is your aunt pissed at me, or can we get together today with the Js?
Jade: No, it was an act. My dumb dad showed up and started hassling her about where I was . I overheard my aunt talking to Garcia on the phone today, Dad’s in jail. He’s in extra trouble for resisting arrest.
We talked a little while longer then pulsed off.
I was still trying to play it a little cool with Jade, but it was getting harder by the day. More and more she was the center of my world, I orbited her.
***
I dismounted as my bike was slowing coming to a jog beside it, the Js already in view by the dump's gate.
“You guys got your bikes too?” I asked.
“Yeah, they were at our houses this morning when we got up,” John said.
“Mine, too. Maybe Wade brought ’em,” I said.
“The other cop?” Jonesy asked.
“Yeah, Gale's partner,” John said.
“He watched our house last night,” I said.
Jonesy whistled. “You must rank pretty high.”
I shook my head. “Nah, you heard Garcia. He wants to bust the Graysheets bad. I think he's just being careful because they've targeted me. But we've got even more problems than government psychos.” I told them what had happened with Jade's dad.
John shook his head. “What a turd.”
“He should be flogged,” Jonesy said.
Jade rode up a few minutes later. After we had the whole got-our-bikes-back conversation again, we hid the bikes and went into the hideout.
“I can't believe your parents let you come,” Jade said. “Aren't they worried?”
“My dad has a plan to relieve some of the pressure and expose them. I shrugged. “Also, I gave up the hideaway.”
Jonesy face-palmed.
John glared at me.
“Look,” I said, “I kinda had to. If it makes ya feel any better, I just said it was somewhere in the dump.”
“It's kinda bad that the cops know about it, too,” John said.
“And Brett and Carson,” Jade added.
“Yeah, what the hell is with Brett?” Jonesy asked. “He got a death-wish?”
Jade lowered her head.
I put a hand under her chin. “This isn't your fault, you know.”
She nodded, a lone tear sliding down her face. “It would be easier on you guys if I wasn't a part of this.”
John said, “Ah, Brett has nothing to do with you.”
“Yeah!” Jonesy said. “He's a wet asshole without help from anyone.”
Jade laughed and the sadness passed.
“Knock-knock!”
We jumped.
“What the hell?” Jonesy said.
Jade said, “It's Tiff and Sophie. I pulsed them to meet us here.”
Jonesy smiled. “Oh, Soph! Great!” He ducked his head. “I mean... I'm glad they're okay.”
Riiiiggghhht.
Tiff and Sophie came first, with Bry bringing up the rear. His face looked really bad.
Jonesy said, “Wow, those gnomes really tore you up!”
Tiff's eyes narrowed on Jonesy.
John gave Jonesy a sour look. “What did your parents say?”
Tiff rolled her eyes with a smirk. “They think he needs anger management help.”
Jonesy barked out a laugh. “Are you kidding?”
“No. Remember, it's Bry's job to get the shit kicked out of him every time we go to a cemetery,” I said.
“Everyone has to do their part,” John said.
Bry laughed. “You guys are okay.”
I filled Bry, Tiff, and Sophie in on the fun at Jade's house last night.
“Sounds like that guy needs to be flogged,” Bry said.
Jonesy threw out his hands. “Great minds think alike.”
They high-fived their mutual awesomeness.
We finished talking then trooped down the tunnel. I stepped out of the freezer last and closed the door.
When I turned around, Brett and Carson were there.
Bry looked around at our expressions. “What? Did someone die?”
“Nah, but we have history with these two,” Jonesy said.
“Okay, I'm feeling ya.” Bry gave the two a hard look.
Brett asked, “Who's he?”
“My brother,” Tiff said.
Carson and Brett gave Bry a good look, taking in his height and bulk.
“John?” I asked.
“I know,” John responded.
“He your pet Null now, Hart ya homo?” Carson laughed.
“We could exchange insults, Carson,” John said, “but we're kinda busy, so why don't you piss off instead?”
“That works,” Bry said.
Brett peered at Bry. “What happened to your face?”
“Who cares?” Carson said. He turned to me. “I've decided to call a truce.”
I couldn't have been more shocked if he’d pulled a pink elephant out of his butt. The girls burst out laughing. It sounded that ridiculous. Carson glared at us and clenched his fists.
Bry stepped forward.
Carson looked at him and licked his lips nervously.
Coward.
“Don't even think about it.” His battered face somehow made him look more menacing.
Carson stuck out his chin in a show of bravado. I thought like it looked like the sweet spot for a punch. “I was just sayin' that most of us will be at KPH next year, and I thought we could just… avoid each other.”
I thought it over for a moment. I didn’t trust him, but I supposed it was worth a shot. “Okay, I can do that.”
Totally want to anyway.
