My side ached from hitting the dumpster, but I raced after Gram anyway. But she had just enough of a head start to stay ahead of me. Damn, she was fast for an old lady. A loud explosion rocked the ground like an earthquake. A large cloud of smoke shot into the air along with tiny pieces of shrapnel. I watched in horror as my grandmother disappeared into the smoke. I yelled after her, “Gram, come back, its not safe!”
My throat tightened as I fought off a coughing fit. Debris fell to the ground like metallic snowflakes. One large piece clawed my arm like a cat but I didn't care. I wiped the blood off and pushed further into the thick black cloud. With my gun held high, I ran blindly forward. I couldn’t let Gram get caught again. Death Moon couldn't kill her, as she was already dead, but she could torture her, or worse, hand her over to Palmer. Through the smoke I spied a small outbuilding. Maybe Gram wised up and hid inside? Only one way to find out.
I gripped my ray gun tightly as I approached the building. A large chain held together with a padlock was strung between the door handles. Gram definitely wasn’t the person inside. I pulled on the chain to see how hard it would be to open the door. A man’s voice cried out. “Help me.”
Every horror film I’d ever seen flashed through my brain. This could be a trick. I’d open the door and bam; I’d be killed by one of Palmer’s men. But something in my gut nagged at me.
I held the gun up and shouted. “Who are you? I’m armed and not afraid to use it.”
The man’s voice was louder this time. “Taylor? Is that you?”
The voice was familiar, but one I hadn't heard in a longtime. Everything in my gut told me to break down the door. A putrid stench poured out of the cracks in the boards of the building. I held my breath and zapped the chain. Pulling open the door, I saw a man chained to a chair. He was slumped over so I couldn't see his face at first. When I moved closer, I sucked in a breath. His face was battered and drawn, but I recognized it immediately.
“Austin, is it really you?”
Chapter Nine
The Prodigal Teammate Returns
Austin sat fidgeting in his chair as I looked for something to cut the chains. ”Taylor, I can’t believe you found me.”
Bile rose up in my throat from the putrid smell. I fought back the urge to throw up as I scrounged through the garbage-strewn room for something sharp. “Hold on, I’ll get you free in a sec.”
At the back of the shed I found a pair of rusted hedge clippers. It took three tries but I finally managed to cut Austin loose. Wrestling the chain from his hands, I noticed Austin had to be at least ten pounds lighter than the last time I’d seen him. Blood splatters dotted his dirty blue shirt. His eyes no longer held the same sparkle. I could only imagine what horrible torture he’d been through at the hands of Palmer and his men.
“Austin, what happened to you? Where have you been all this time?”
“Taylor, you still have endless questions.” He took a deep breath. “Can you help me stand up?”
I put his arm around my shoulder and pulled him to his feet. His legs shook so violently he must have been bound for days. Of course, the fact the room smelled like a dumpster should have been a clue. “Do you know how long you’ve been here?”
“I think at least a week. They moved me around so much it’s hard to remember.”
Strange. Why did they feel the need to keep stashing him in different places? The angel search party looked for him for two weeks straight after he disappeared, but found no clues. It was like Austin never existed. Celery and I had given up hope of ever seeing him again.
The bile in my throat rose again when I got a whiff of his sweat-soaked shirt. “Do you think you can walk?”
“Yes.” He took a few steps then his legs buckled. He gripped the table and pushed himself up then he rubbed a little devil charm around his neck for luck. “I can do this.”
His good luck charm must not have been working because I had to practically push his body to get him moving. Thankfully, with every step Austin took he grew a tiny bit stronger so we finally made it out of the building. The smell lingered on his soiled clothes. I needed to get him someplace safe so I could find Gram. We moved slowly toward the barracks. I waved down one of my father’s men. “Can you take my friend to safety? Clean him up and get him some clothes?”
The Katran officer dressed in a black and navy uniform nodded. “Yes. Of course.”
“Austin, I’m going to leave you here. You can trust this man. I’m going to get Cel.”
He looked up at me with sunken eyes. “Celery is here too?”
I gave him an encouraging smile. “Yes, she is. We’ll be team Galaxy again.”
***
I spent two hours looking for Gram, and finally had to admit I needed help. So I headed back to the palace. After a long bubble bath and a major session with a luffa, I felt like myself again. Time to see if Father had any luck finding Gram.
As usual, Father sat cross-legged on his Persian rug. “You look so much better.”
“Any word about Gram?”
He shook his head. “No. But I have a search party scouring the area.”
“Thanks. I’m really worried about her.”
He gave me a weak smile. “Don't you have some good news for me?”
I sat down next to him Japanese style. “Why should I bother to tell you? You read my mind the second I walked in the room.”
“True. But I want to hear it from your lips. To get the full impact of your victories and…”
So he was stroking my ego to cheer me up. “Fine, I found Austin. My missing teammate from the Cloud Nine Contest.”
“You must be pleased. I know you always wondered what happened to him.”
“Both Celery and I have. He’s a mess. Palmer really worked him over. So did his scuzzy Skater Boy friend, Blaine.”
Father’s eyes grew wide. “I doubt he would call him a friend now. I understand why Palmer kidnapped Austin. He didn’t want you to win the contest. He knew you would find out I was your father.”
“Why would he care?”
He took a deep yoga breath. “Because he knew we would team up against him.”
I gave him a smile. “He was right about that.”
A look of concern spread across his face. “My daughter, your grandmother’s disappearance is not your fault.”
With a mind reading Father I could no longer avoid the elephant in the room. “I should have stopped her.”
My father held out his hand. “My daughter, what could you do? Your grandmother is driven to avenge her death.”
“I think the woman had a hand in mine, too.”
He nodded. “You said she was present at your final moments.”
“I’ll say. Her face was the last thing I saw before I…”
“Rest assured we will find your grandmother. For the moment her signal is being blocked from our GPS, but Mr. X is working on a new device as we speak.”
I hung my head. “I can’t believe she’s missing again.”
“Don’t worry, she will not be gone long.” He stared deeply into my eyes. “I promise Mr. X and I will find her. I would prefer you focus on fixing Heaven.”
“But Father, how can I focus on anything…”
He cut me off. “So tell me of your other news.”
I didn’t want a fight, so I dropped the subject for now. “Yes. I forgot there is another bit of good news. I found out we have ten days before Palmer launches the mothership. Plenty of time to come up with a plan.”
Father smiled. “I love your newfound confidence.”
I gave him a weak grin. “I know it won't be easy. We can't destroy the mothership because you need it to find the Katran a new home.”
“Precisely.” He wove his long fingers together. “But I have told my people we may have to make the ultimate sacrifice to right our wrongs. Once we fix Heaven we will slowly decline.”
Goosebumps formed on my arms. “Surely you don’t mean you will die.”
He stro
ked my hand. “It is only as a last resort. I made a promise to you and I plan to keep it.”
How had things gotten so out of control? First, I’d had to choose between life or death. Now I had to choose between Heaven and my father and his people? My head throbbed.
Father kissed my hand. “My daughter, please do not concern yourself. Mr. X and I are doing everything in our power to bring a happy conclusion to this situation. But first and foremost, we must find your grandmother.”
“If Palmer touches a hair on her head he’s dead.”
“Palmer’s fate was sealed the day he became a traitor.” Father handed me an earpiece. “We will keep in close contact.”
I nodded and put the device in my ear. “Good. What about the one where I can listen in on Palmer’s conversations?”
“Mr. X is working on a new version. It seems Palmer is trying to block his communications from us.”
That explained why the earpiece faded in and out the last time I used it. “Great. Let me know when it’s ready. It’s the best way to track Gram.”
Father closed his eyes. Someone was communicating with him. “Your dinner is served. Eat well. You need to build up your strength. A big battle is coming.”
“I know.” I instinctively circled my birthmark. “I will do everything I can win.”
He squeezed my hand as I got up. “Despite how it seems, Palmer is not as clever as you think. He will make a mistake and you will gain the upper hand.”
***
Austin looked like another person after taking a shower and donning his usual black skinny jeans and Skater logoed T-shirt. He sat ramrod straight in a red throne chair shoveling down a huge plate of food. He put down his fork and motioned for Celery and me to join him. I was happy to see a bit of the sparkle had returned to his eyes. “Good to see you guys again.”
Celery and I pulled up out our chairs and sat down. The cherubs flew into the room with our food. I breathed in deep the aroma of melted cheese and butter. Nothing screamed comfort food better than mac and cheese. Celery licked her lips at the sight of her plate piled high with garlic fries and a portabella mushroom burger. Despite being worried sick about Gram, my stomach churned at the smell of food. Celery dove into her plate. I dug in, too, totally ignoring our guest.
Austin cleared his throat. “I said, good to see you guys again.”
I chomped down my mouthful of cheesy goodness. “Right. Sorry, Austin. We’ve had a crazy day so we’re starving.”
He laughed. “I can see that.” Austin pointed to his plate piled high with potato salad and a triple-decker hamburger. “I really missed the food here. Palmer’s men fed me military style k-rations. Took all the fun out of eating food.” He picked up his hamburger and took a huge bite. “Yum.”
Celery put down her fork loaded with fries. “Why didn’t you try to escape?’
Austin choked on his mouthful of hamburger. He quickly chewed it down, then glared at Celery. “So the small talk is over. Okay?”
“I’m sorry, Austin, but you can understand why Cel is a bit curious. It’s been three months since we last saw you.”
“I get it.” He took a big sip of his Coke. “I did try to escape the first week after they snagged me. But the cost wasn’t worth it.” He rubbed an ugly red scar on his wrist. “After a couple of torture sessions, I just didn’t care anymore.”
Celery hissed. “Did your bestie Blaine join in?”
Austin hung his head. “Yes.” He took another big sip of Coke. “He was the one who ordered my kidnaping.”
Ouch. Skater Boy buds no longer. “Why would he do that to you?”
“Because he’s a dick.”
Celery laughed. “That’s for sure. Do you think it was because he was jealous of you?”
Austin twirled his fork on the table while he thought of an answer. “No. He was jealous of you guys. He knew you were smart and could win so he figured if he kidnapped me it would put you at a disadvantage. Maybe throw you off your game.”
I knew what he said had to be true, but there was more to the story. “Why would Palmer help Blaine with his petty BS?”
Austin’s back stiffened against the throne chair. “Their goal was the same. They wanted Team Galaxy to lose the contest.”
I nodded. “That makes sense. But why is Blaine helping him invade Earth?”
His eyes grew wide. “You know about that?”
Celery slammed her fist on the table. “Of course we do. We know they are close to launching the mothership, too. I bet you don't care what happens to Earth.”
He knocked over the catsup bottle. “I swear I had nothing to do with it. I don’t want them to destroy Earth any more than you do. I want to go back to my old life, too.”
“Technically you can’t go back. You didn’t help us win the contest.” I leaned in next to him. “But maybe I can cut you a deal if you give us some information.”
My earpiece clicked on. “Smart move, my daughter.”
Austin bit his lip. “They kept me locked up the whole time. I only saw Blaine and the guy who tortured me for fun. I don't know much.”
Celery glared at Austin. “I’m wondering why they didn’t let you go after we won the contest. They had no reason to keep you after that.”
She had a point.
“Blaine never told me you guys won. I totally lost any sense of time. So I had no idea I’d been captive for three months until you told me. After a few weeks it all became a blur.”
I felt like a total heel for asking him questions after what he’d been through. But Celery had other ideas.
“So Blaine never told you anything about what Palmer was up to?”
Austin pushed his half-eaten hamburger away and tried to stand up. “I’m tired. Can we finish the questions tomorrow?”
I helped him up from his chair. “Sure.” I stopped one of the cherubs bringing in dessert. “Can you see he gets back to his room?”
The cherub nodded and held open the door for him. Austin turned toward us. “Good night.”
“Get some sleep. See you tomorrow.” I plopped back down in my chair and took a big bite of my mac and cheese. Food equaled comfort in Heaven.
Celery glared at me. “Are you crazy? We had him right where we wanted him. Tired and confused.”
“Jeez, Cel, you act like he’s the enemy instead of a friend and former teammate.”
“He’s been with Blaine and Palmer for a long time. You think he’s the same cool Skater Boy we knew?”
My heart told me he was, but Celery seemed convinced otherwise. Could her hatred for Blaine be clouding her judgment? Or could my soft spot for Austin be clouding mine?
Better to change the subject to something much more pressing. “I’m willing to hear him out. But I’m more concerned about Gram. When is Palmer going to play his hand? He hasn’t even sent a ransom note.”
She leapt out of her chair, ran around the table, and gave me a hug. “I’m sorry. You have to be totally freaked out. But I’m sure your father is working on it.”
I knew she was right, but it didn't make me feel any better. “I just feel like I’m a lousy granddaughter just sitting around doing nothing.”
“T, I’m sure your father doesn’t want to risk sending you to find her. You could be next.”
The thought made me lose my appetite. I pushed the rest of my dinner away. “I wish it was me.”
The plodding sound of familiar footsteps echoed from the hallway. There was no mistaking who belonged to the sensible shoes—Mrs. Schwartz. She entered the dining room with her Helmet listing slightly to the right like the tower of Pisa. She had an air of triumph as she strode next to me. “I have a present for you.”
Grr. This was no time for presents. “Great.” I pointed to the buffet table on the far wall. “Put it over there.”
She straightened her Helmet. “Certainly.”
With a wave of her pointer, a glowing blue cocoon floated into the room.
“That’s my present?”
> A smirk spread across her face as she held up her pointer. “Abracadabra.”
Celery sucked in a breath as the blue cocoon vanished and she saw the person lying on the console table. “T, isn't that the woman your grandmother was chasing after we won the contest?”
I clung to the wall. “O.M.G. It’s Gram’s murderer!”
Chapter Ten
The Unthinkable
How the tables had turned. Here I stood in the Temple of Truth and I’d become the facilitator. Sweat poured down my neck as I stared into the face of Gram’s killer. Father had granted me the opportunity to interrogate Death Moon. I was flattered he trusted me enough to be in the same room with her, let alone ask her questions that could make or break our fight with Palmer. I knew Father and Mr. X were watching in another room somewhere, so I forced my arms to stay put instead of lunging for her neck. It made me sick to think I’d have to negotiate with someone so evil. But if I ever wanted to see Gram again, I had no choice.
Death Moon sat fully conscious in the gold sphinx chair. She held her chin out like she was ready to be served tea. She ignored the fact that her arms and legs were anchored to the chair with laser beams. If she moved they would burn through her skin and cut to the bone.
I stood in front of Death Moon trying to do my best Mr. X impersonation. “You will first answer my questions about Palmer and his plans. Then you will tell me what you have done with my grandmother. After you have answered all the questions to my satisfaction, you will receive the pardon you requested.”
She grinned making her crescent-shaped scar look more like large wrinkle in her cheek. “Sure. Although I don't know why they sent a child to do a man’s job.”
I balled my fist, trying to fight the urge to deck her. As much as I didn’t agree with Fathers decision to grant her amnesty, I knew I had to ignore her and prove to him I was up to the task. “We know that Palmer is planning an invasion of Earth. Do you know where he intends to land?
Her upper lip curled in a crescent shape to match her scar. “So Palmer was right. Your intel is pathetic.”
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