He nodded toward the house. “Your mother isn’t home yet, is she?”
“Any minute now. Why? What do you know about my mother?”
“I know she works for the U.N.I.V.E.R.S.E., and I know she’d recognize me for what I am.”
I tapped my foot impatiently. “What are you doing here? What do you want with my mother?”
“Not your mother. You. My dad’s in trouble, and I need your help.” His deep voice made my brother’s seem prepubescent.
“I don’t even know your dad. How could I possibly help?” Not that I wanted to.
“Would you sit down, please? And listen?”
With a grunt, I folded my legs and sat on the wooden slats. “I’m listening.” The cold from the wood immediately permeated my jeans and made me wish I’d grabbed a coat.
Better prepared in his leather jacket, Leo turned to face me. “My father is on trial with the Oversight Committee. In two weeks, he’ll be banished to the other realm for crimes he didn’t commit.”
Banishment to the other realm was irreversible. Leo would never be able to communicate with his father again. From what I knew about the trials, his father didn’t have much chance of being found not guilty. My dad could rant for weeks about the lack of civil rights for genies. “What crimes?”
“The last five people my father granted wishes to have all had their lottery tickets cloned. Half the winnings went to someone else. So basically, someone stole half of the money.”
I nodded. When people asked for a million bucks, or more frequently, a billion, we delivered winning lottery tickets to them. My mother’s office handled most of the deliveries. In the past we’d used a lot of inheritances or forgotten stock certificates, but with a lottery in every state, we’d started going with the lottery angle.
“You’ve heard about the thefts?” he asked.
“No. Nobody tells me anything.” Mom shared just enough information to allow me to do my job. “Was it only the tickets delivered to his clients?”
Leo nodded. “Just his. And he didn’t do it.”
“He’s your father.” I tugged my sleeves over my hands. The thin sheen of sweat had turned icy. “Would you really admit it if he had stolen the tickets?”
The glow in Leo’s eyes flared with his intensity. “Yes. My father isn’t an angel. But he’s not a thief. He’s been framed.”
God, he was beautiful. I know it was partly that whole genie animal magnetism thing, but he was more than eye candy. He was like soul candy. Just sitting there with him made me feel good. Focus, Jen. Focus.
“Why would anybody frame him?”
“I don’t know. The people who claimed the winnings, the ones with the cloned tickets, all had ties to my father's past. None of them remember claiming the money, and none of them have the money now.”
“How in the world do you think I can help?” I braced myself because he could only be here for one thing—access to my mother’s office.
“I need to know who’s framing my father. I need to find out who had access to the information about those deliveries.”
“I don’t have that information.”
“No.” He closed his eyes for a moment before opening them. “But your mother does. You could slip into her office and tap into those files.”
I stared at him like he was nuts. My mother would see that as the worst sort of betrayal. “You think I’ll do that for a complete stranger? Just because you’re an older, sexy guy?”
A hint of color rose in his cheeks at my inadvertent compliment.
“I don’t even go for the bad boy type.” I’d had a minor crush on Derek, but he just wanted to be a bad boy. Leo was the real deal, from the wrong side of the tracks. Forbidden. And smokin’ hot.
“All I’m asking is that you think about it. Don’t bust me to Ian. Let me hang around and do the Armpit Hostages thing until you’re ready to help.”
“And if I’m never ready?”
He glanced down at his hands. “At least I tried.”
He wouldn’t just let it drop. We both knew it.
“Think about it, Jen. If someone is dirty, your mother could be the next one he targets. Or you. Wouldn’t it be better to know what’s going on?” He paused for a moment to let that sink in. “At least ask your mother who has access. What could that hurt?”
“I don’t know.” I was curious about who was monitoring me. I could probably find a way to ask.
“What are you doing after school tomorrow?” Leo asked.
“Why?” Now, I was starting to shiver from the cold.
“I want to show you something.”
“I’ll think about it,” I said. I may as well let him plead his case. I’d already agreed to let him hang around, and that alone could get me in huge trouble.
“Thanks,” Leo said. Then he stood, and squeezed his large form through the hatch.
I watched him walk to the front of the house and then slipped down the ladder.
I’d never kept anything important from my mother. Helping Leo would be a really bad idea. So why was I thinking about doing it anyway?
Chapter Two
Mom gave me a sharp look when I slipped into my seat at the kitchen table. Both my brothers had already started digging into the chicken, mashed potatoes, biscuits, and cole slaw Mom had picked up on the way home.
Sean, my younger brother, was pretty much a dirt-covered freak obsessed with poop and farts. So far he seemed to be controlling nature’s urges long enough to gnaw on a chicken leg.
“You’re late,” Ian said, around a mouthful of mashed potatoes.
“You’re talking with your mouth full,” I snapped back. Leo had me flustered. I’d never broken any rules before. I grabbed a biscuit and the container of mashed potatoes before the human garbage disposals could hog them.
“Where were you, Jen?” Mom asked, filling her glass with water and ice. “I called and called.”
“Sorry, Mom. I was out back.”
My father leaned back in his chair. “Jen, your brother says you two are having an argument.” He’d hung his blazer on the extra chair like usual, but he still wore his shirt and tie.
“If you mean the backstabbing brother who won’t let me play in his band? Then yes.”
“Dad, it’s a total drag having her around all the time. We found this guy, Leo, and he’s perfect. He fits our image. He rides the sweetest Harley.”
Leo rode a Harley? Now that I thought about it, he did have the bad-boy-in-black-leather look about him what with the five o’clock shadow and, you know, leather.
“Wait just a minute, Ian,” Mom said, “I thought you agreed to give Jen a shot.” Mom shared my coloring and my temper.
“He says I can't be in the band because I'm a chick.”
“You are a chick, and you don't fit our image!”
“I can’t believe the sexist drivel you’re spouting.” Ian was pushing the wrong buttons for my dad, the civil rights attorney.
“Is he a better drummer?” Mom sat down and reached for some chicken. “I highly doubt that he is.”
Thanks for the support, Mom!
Ian just grunted and gnawed on his chicken.
“Your mother and I will have to discuss this, Ian,” my dad said.
“Whatever,” he mumbled through his food.
Ian knew they wouldn’t force him to let me play. And his argument that I would miss practices and shows was unbeatable. I’d have genie duties, and I’d miss out. That’s exactly why I’d never auditioned for any of the drummer positions on RokrGirlz, the Atlanta email loop for female musicians in high school and college. Leo wouldn’t because he wasn’t working for the U.N.I.V.E.R.S.E. yet. Not that he intended to keep playing with them.
Ian’s band was my only real chance. Maybe I should help Leo so he’d get lost.
Suddenly, I wasn’t very hungry. I dipped a biscuit in some mashed potatoes and tried to choke it down.
After dinner, I typically spent time on the phone with Alex before I di
d my homework, but Alex wouldn’t answer my call tonight. So I needed to email an apology and cross my fingers that she bothered to read it. Then I’d do my homework. After that I could try to figure out this situation with Leo.
Whatever was going on with his dad couldn’t be worth risking my future. Could it?
If only Dad hadn’t pounded all those ideas into my head about civil liberties and the harsh inequality of the genie justice system. Dad always told Mom that he wasn't spending his whole life fighting for fairness just to have his daughter live a life with no rights. As a genie, I was bound by genie rules, and the whole innocent-until-proven-guilty thing wasn’t exactly in line with the thinking of the U.N.I.V.E.R.S.E. Genies were held to be dangerous and powerful. My great great grandmother had lived her life confined to a bottle. I had freedom, to some extent. But breaking rules or committing crimes would get me banished to the other realm. I’d never see my friends or family again. I wasn’t too clear on what the other realm was like. I just knew it was genie jail, for life.
I logged onto my laptop and signed into my email to touch base with the outside world. Wow. RokrGirlz had fifty posts today. Something big must have happened on the loop.
I opened a post at random.
Saxygirl had written: Jen. What gives? LOL. Breakdown lately?
Huh?
I clicked on another post, hoping for an explanation. What had I done?
DrumMermaid said: Girl. I thought this site was drug free.
Drugs. Breakdown? Me?
With a growing sense of panic, I scrolled down to find the original post. From me, last night. At about the time I’d taken my shower.
Apparently, three hundred of the people I most respected had received an email from me saying: Dude, I’ve got to stop farting in here. My room stinks!
My heart skipped a beat. Dear God, no! Classic Sean. My blood boiled in anger.
My little brother was so dead!
“Mom!” I screamed at the top of my lungs. “Mom!!!!”
For some reason, my mother doesn’t jump when I call her. Something about she’s not my servant. So anyway, I headed downstairs to find her. “I’m going to kill him!”
Mom and Dad must have been watching television in the family room because they were almost to the hall when I made it down the stairs.
“We’re still discussing the issue with Ian—” my mom said.
“Not Ian. Sean!”
My parents shared one of those, what-have-they-done-now looks.
“He sent an email to the RokrGirlz loop from my account. The loop has three hundred members. And they all think I emailed them that my room stinks because I fart so much in it.”
Mom groaned.
The corners of Dad’s lips quirked slightly before he caught himself.
“This isn’t funny, Dad!”
“You’re right, dear,” my dad said in his calming mediation voice. He’d ditched his suit for jeans and a t-shirt.
“He is so going to pay for this,” I informed them with a furious glare.
My mother shook her head. “Now, Jen. We’ll take care of the situation.”
“Good. Take care of explaining to the doctor in the emergency room why he got a pounding.”
“Jennifer. You know we don’t condone violence.” Dad wasn’t smiling now.
Sean apparently couldn’t ignore his curiosity anymore. He appeared at the top of the stairs with a self-satisfied smirk.
I started to go after him, but Mom grabbed my arm. “We’ll take care of this.”
Sean disappeared down the hall. Probably locked in his room.
“You’d better punish him forever. He should be grounded until he’s twenty. Or at least until he grows some facial hair.”
“That would be a long time,” my mother joked.
“Go email your friends about what happened,” my dad suggested. “I’m sure they’ll understand. Half of them probably have little brothers.”
“Not all parents are that cruel,” I snapped.
Dad gave me a warning look.
“We’ll talk to you after we handle Sean,” Mom said.
“I want retribution,” I said.
“We’ll see.” My dad patted my back as they went around me and up the stairs.
Thirty minutes later, I was still sitting cross-legged on my bed, staring at my laptop, and trying to figure out a way to explain what had happened without sounding like a total loser freak. I mean if I had sent the email because of some kind of breakdown or drug problem, I would totally claim my little brother had done it. Who wouldn’t?
Was anybody going to believe me?
I could really use Alex’s help about now. She was my closest friend. We ran with three other girls, but they all had boyfriends who took up all their time. Alex worked harder than I did at staying friends with all of them. I wasn’t going to share any of this with Kelsey, Briana, or Maggie.
Here goes nothing. I typed “Guys, I’m so sorry. My little brother is such a freak. I forgot to log off last night and he sent that repulsive email just to embarrass me.”
I hit send, not entirely satisfied with my explanation.
Then I waited for some replies.
Saxygirl said: OMG. That’s too funny! So glad I don’t have a brother.
GraceonBass emailed: Ha ha! Can’t wait to hear what you do to get him back.
I relaxed finally. They believed me. Good.
Mom knocked on my door and pushed it open. “Got a minute?”
“Please say you decided to follow that eye for an eye thing and let me embarrass him in front of his friends.” I was thinking of messing with a pair of his tidy whities before his friends came over to make it look like he’d pooped his pants. They’d tell the whole school, and he deserved it.
“Not exactly. Your father and I grounded him from internet, TV, and video games for a month.” She sat in the jade green desk chair with a tired sigh.
Excellent. He’d be miserable. “That will just give him more time to get into trouble,” I pointed out.
“Yeah. We thought of that. That’s why he’s doing ten book reports.”
Sean liked to read. “That isn’t so bad.”
Mom smiled and a wicked glint reached her eyes. “Your father decided he should read some girl books. Esperanza Rising. Little Women. Nothing with a boy protagonist.”
My lips broke into an evil grin. My brother hated reading girl books.
“All in the interest of a well-rounded education,” Mom said with a wink.
Yeah, right.
Dad poked his head in. “Is the wounded party satisfied?”
“Yes,” I answered. “I hear Princess Diaries is a good read.”
My dad winced. “We’ll see. We want to punish him, not break him.”
I wisely refrained from commenting.
After my parents left, I moved my laptop to my desk and cracked open my American government book. I had to write a couple pages of essays. As I wrote about the reasons for the separation of powers, I couldn’t help thinking that there was no separation in the genie world.
The U.N.I.V.E.R.S.E. was an acronym for Unity, Nature, Integrity, Virtue, Ethics, Reason, Society, and Education. The Directorate of the U.N.I.V.E.R.S.E. was like a think tank of brilliant philosophers throughout time. They swore an oath of loyalty and were not allowed to pursue any self-interests. Ghandi, Thomas Jefferson, Socrates, and five other honored thinkers from history were given new lives and immortality in return for serving on the Directorate. They were to serve the interests of people, humans and genies alike. They monitored genie activity to make sure we didn’t abuse our powers.
They also provided the karma points for deserving people. When a person had accrued enough points, I or someone like me, appeared to grant them three wishes. I didn’t think it was such a bad use of genie magic. Each of the Directors had a department of genies who worked with them. There were also a large number of non-genie descendants of the people who had negotiated the Treaty of the Bermuda Triang
le. The treaty had freed us and started the alliance that had become the U.N.I.V.E.R.S.E.
Since the Directorate was all powerful, there was plenty of room for abuse of power. That’s why the eight were so carefully chosen from various times, religions, and countries. Assuming none of them would be dishonest.
I thought about Leo. If he was right about his dad being framed, someone, somewhere, had been corrupted. I’d love to ask my mother about his father, but I wouldn’t have an excuse for asking. The U.N.I.V.E.R.S.E. was tightlipped about its activities.
When I finally finished the essays, I logged back onto the Internet to check on the RokrGirlz situation.
Baitbreath, who I’d already noticed was more than a little strange, asked if Sean played any instruments. She thought Sean would be a great addition to their band, Brattitude.
“He can burp the ABC’s,” I typed. “But that’s about it.”
As I closed my laptop, I told myself that even Baitbreath didn’t want a brat with no talent.
I pulled the wireless adaptor out of the USB port. I’d stash it in the bathroom drawer while I showered. Sean couldn’t access the internet on my laptop without it. I wasn’t taking any more chances when it came to that little monster.
Chapter Three
I got out of bed earlier than usual so I could catch my mother alone. She always drank two cups of coffee and read over some reports before she left in the morning.
I threw on some jeans and my favorite blue hoodie. After my usual routine in the bathroom—face, hair, teeth, blush, lip gloss—I was ready to try to get some information out of my mother. I really was curious who had access to those reports, and it was a question Mom might expect me to ask.
I wasn’t just doing it because Leo wanted me to. I was not that kind of girl. You know, the kind who drops everything for a guy. Of course, I’d never imagined a guy like Leo existed. An über hot male genie.
Mom sat at her place at the kitchen table. She pushed aside her report and looked at me over the top of her reading glasses. “Hi, honey. You’re ready early.”
The Karma Beat Page 2
