by C. C. Bolick
Beneath pale skin that looked about as thick as sheer fabric, I felt a slight movement. A tiny pulsing, slower than mine but with the rhythm of a heartbeat. The hurt in her eyes forced me to step away. “I’m sorry.”
She shrugged. “It’s not a problem. I get that question often, but I usually don’t bother showing proof.”
I glanced to where Travis leaned against the desk next to Skip. Was he angry by the way I questioned his sister? Bars of light from the blinds covered his face but revealed nothing about how he felt. I put my hands behind my back. “I shouldn’t have asked such a stupid question.”
“You’re trying to figure her out,” Skip said, without looking away from the screen. “You’re definitely not the first. I haven’t figured out how the vampire thing works either.”
“She’s alive,” Travis said, his eyes on me. “She’s still with us and that’s all that matters.”
I swallowed. He was willing to take her in whatever form possible. I couldn’t imagine Alfie going through a transformation that made people question his pulse. One thing I was sure of: If Alfie ever turned into a vampire, I’d love him no matter what.
“I can feel the tension.” Skip turned on a light above us. “Maybe this will keep everyone from acting like we’re in The Twilight Zone. Really folks, you’re going to give me nightmares.”
Angel laughed and I joined her.
Travis smiled but didn’t laugh. “You’ve got something for us?”
“I’ve been working on the video from the day Lloyd died. I cleared up the image of the flash we saw in the seat next to him.” Skip looked at me. “I wanted you to see this before the other agents.”
Skip played the video of Lloyd’s wreck, taken from a bank at the corner of the street where his car left the road. Other than Lloyd, the car was empty. Skip slowed the video until a flash appeared. With a couple of clicks, he replayed the video, going over each frame until the flash began to resemble a person.
“A ghost?” I asked. “I’ve never believed in anything related to ghosts.” Glancing at Angel, I frowned. “You’re making me rethink those beliefs.”
Travis chuckled. “It goes against science. Miss Science here never believed vampires could be real before she met you. Ghosts might take a few weeks for her to accept.”
“A few weeks?” I slapped a hand across his chest. “Do you believe in ghosts?”
He hesitated. “I haven’t seen anything to make me believe ghosts could be real, but I try to keep an open mind.”
Open mind… Why was the thought of ghosts existing hard to wrap my mind around? I’d seen more in my last six weeks at the agency than I ever thought possible. “Give me proof and I’ll believe.”
Travis’s humor seemed to fade. I knew he was trying to keep the mood light since we were watching a video of the man who killed my mother. He squeezed my hand and I nodded.
The footage played even slower than before. A figure appeared in the seat next to Lloyd. Her face was a blur.
“A woman?” I asked. “Can you clean up the image more?”
Skip nodded. He typed on the keyboard and clicked a few buttons on the screen. The video seemed clearer and the woman’s face came into focus.
A chill shot through me. My eyes locked on the screen and I couldn’t move. No way was this person in the seat next to Lloyd.
“Is that…” Travis stared with a look of shock. “It can’t be…”
“Yes,” I whispered.
“Rosanna,” Skip said when no one else spoke.
“It doesn’t make sense,” Angel said.
Every eye was glued to the screen and no one heard the door open. The smell of Sylvia’s rose perfume hit my nose about the time Travis realized we weren’t alone. Both of us spun around.
“Perhaps Agent Dallas was correct.” Sylvia stood in the doorway with her arms crossed. “This arrangement has become informal enough you’re beginning to feel at home here.”
“Is that a bad thing?” I asked.
“It’s counterproductive.” Her eyes stopped on the screen. “You’re digging into something that deserves to stay buried.”
I put my hands on my hips. “This is about my mother.”
Sylvia shook her head. “Rosanna is dead. Nothing can change that fact.”
“But if the video shows her—”
“Shows her what, Miss Mason? Riding alongside Lloyd? Maybe grabbing the wheel and forcing him to crash? You don’t want that knowledge available. It’s better that no one thinks of her as a killer.”
“But he murdered her,” I said.
“He had too much to drink,” Sylvia said. “It was a tragedy. When you father drank, he could have killed any number of people by getting behind the wheel. Lloyd deserved to go to prison for his actions, but do you really want people to think Rosanna had a hand in killing him? That’s if people can get past the shock that she’s out there somehow existing in the afterlife.”
“If she’s out here,” I said. “I want to know.”
Sylvia pressed her lips into a thin line. “I considered Rosanna a friend. If you cared about your mother, you’ll let this go.”
“Let this go?” I asked. “I don’t even know what ‘this’ is. I wasn’t awake when she died and her body was so damaged Dad never let me see inside the casket.”
“I can’t promise you many things, but Rosanna is dead. She was cremated, but her ashes were interred at a cemetery in Florida. I can have her remains exhumed and order testing to see if any DNA is found within the ashes.”
“Mason would never—” Travis started.
“I’m the director of this agency,” Sylvia said.
Angel drew a breath. Skip and Travis stared at each other in shock at the force of Sylvia’s words.
Sylvia turned to Angel and lowered her voice. “I need you to prepare for a mission at a high school in Virginia.”
“Now?” Angel asked.
“You’ll leave within the hour.”
Skip pushed back from the computer. “You’re sending her away?”
“People are dying in a small town and there are reports of children at this school shape-shifting into animals. Angel is the closest thing this agency has to a paranormal expert and I think her gifts will be useful to determine what’s really going on there. A team has been assembled to assist with the investigation.”
“What about me?” Skip asked.
In the silence that followed, only the internal clicking of the computer could be heard. Travis glanced at me but returned his attention to Sylvia without making a sound.
Sylvia sighed. “We have to stay unified, now more than ever. You’ll go with Angel.”
Groaning, Skip leaned over the desk. “You’re sending me away, like you sent Tyler.”
“Don’t forget your brother betrayed this agency. If not for his actions, Travis wouldn’t have almost died. He wouldn’t be cursed with powers he didn’t ask for.”
“Where did you send Tyler?” I asked.
Everyone looked at me, but no one said a word. Sylvia’s face held pain, as did Skip’s. Travis moved to distance himself from me, slow enough that no one caught on but me.
Sylvia glared at me and then turned back to Skip. “I’m not sending you away. Since you and Angel repeatedly insist you’re a team at this agency or nothing else, then you both must go. I need Angel on this assignment and the sooner you two solve the case, the sooner you can return and be useful here.” She pointed at the screen. “Except when it comes to this investigation. I want that footage on my desk before you leave. Destroy any copies you’ve made.”
Would Sylvia bury any possibility that my mom somehow still existed?
“I guess this meeting is over,” Travis said. “Let’s go so Angel and Skip can prepare for their trip.”
Sylvia looked over all four of us before leaving the room.
I reached for Angel’s hand. “Don’t go.”
“You heard Sylvia,” she said. “That woman doesn’t understand the meaning
of the word no.”
“But I need you to help with my powers.”
Angel shook her head. “You don’t need me, Rena.” She tapped my forehead. “You’ve got everything you need up here.”
“It will be lonely here without you.”
“You’ve got my brother to keep you company.” She held out a hand for Travis and he stepped forward to hug her, close enough that the bare skin of their faces touched. Angel jerked back with a laugh. “You’re not catching me again.”
Travis laughed as he stepped back. “I wanted to see how long you’d last before your face turned red.”
Despite her healing abilities, the thought of touching Travis made me inwardly flinch. Touching Travis for more than a few seconds could kill me. The thought tore my heart to shreds. My palms tingled and I balled my hands into fists to hide the blue sparkles. I couldn’t let them see me lose control.
Travis and I could never be together.
I thought of the serum that could make his powers disappear. Would he take it for me? Would it be fair to ask?
“What’s wrong?” Travis asked as he stared into my eyes.
With a smile, I walked into the hall. “Nothing.”
“Rena,” Angel called from behind.
I spun and she ran toward me. “What’s wrong?”
“Whatever happens, don’t trust anyone here. The agency will always do what’s best to save lives.”
“Isn’t that what’s best for me?”
She shook her head. “You’ve got a lot to learn about this place. Don’t let it change you and don’t ever let Hannah touch your skin.”
I nodded. As if someone wanted this power.
Skip pulled what looked like a tube of lipstick from inside his jacket. “Since we’re leaving, I want you to have this.”
The bottom of the tube turned but the top didn’t open like lipstick. “What is it?”
“A listening device,” he said. “You hold one end up to a door or any medium that obstructs sound.” He took the device and demonstrated on the nearest wall. “Put your ear to the other end and it amplifies the sound. Turn the bottom to select your level of amplification. Just remember it’s a log scale. You don’t want to bust an eardrum.”
“You invented this?” I asked.
“No, I hocked two from the R&D lab last week. Don’t tell anyone you’ve got it.”
“Skip gets us all the goodies,” Angel said. “You’re officially in the outcasts of Earth Under Fire club. Don’t abuse your membership.”
I smiled and hugged them both. “You guys are great.”
“Be careful,” she whispered in my ear.
Chapter Nine
When I woke the next morning, I felt the loss of Angel as if I’d left Wynder all over again. It didn’t seem to matter the day I jumped into Travis’s car and rushed out of the town where I grew up. I had no idea leaving my best friend would carve a permanent hole inside of me.
Travis met me for breakfast before Sylvia’s morning meeting. When I mentioned any topic from the last twenty-four hours, he changed the subject to the food. Or the weather. A TV next to our table showed an interview with Senator McCall. He waved a hand and the TV went dark.
“Do you think my mother could have killed Lloyd?”
“All I know is Sylvia doesn’t want us to investigate the possibility.”
“Could we… Do you think we should investigate ourselves?”
He took my arm in a firm grip and stared into my eyes. “Leave it alone, Rena. Sylvia sent Angel and Skip away for a reason. If we keep going, one of us could be next. We shouldn’t be talking about this.”
“I can’t forget what I saw on that video,” I whispered. “How can you expect me to stop asking questions? It’s not that easy.”
“Trust me, I know. I’ve been searching for my dad for twelve years. You’ve got to be careful.” Travis released me and reached for his egg sandwich. “Do you think any of the doctors might be the one?”
I blinked. How could he change the subject this fast? “I’ve only met them once.”
“We’ve got three weeks to decide and this choice has to be right.”
“Why don’t you interview them?”
Travis finished the sandwich and wiped the last of his hash browns through a blob of ketchup. “Sylvia doesn’t want me to influence your decision.”
“Why does my opinion matter to her?”
“Sylvia likes you.”
I dropped my fork. “Now you’re talking crazy. Sylvia has never liked me.”
“I’ve known Sylvia my whole life. She likes you.”
“How can you tell?”
“You’re still here, aren’t you? You’re not locked up on the isolation floor. She’s taking a risk by letting you roam the base when your powers aren’t in check.”
“Maybe she knows something I don’t.”
“Maybe.”
“When Dad told me about the interviews, I told him Sylvia hates me. She knows I’ll fail. He told me to prove her wrong.”
“That I would like to see.” Travis checked his watch. “I’ve got to go. Sylvia doesn’t forgive people who are late for her morning meeting.”
“Is that why you always wear a watch?”
“I don’t trust the automatic clocks. Skip messed with my phone once and almost made me late. He thought it was funny. I didn’t.”
“Do you think they’ll be back soon?”
“I hope so. Wait for me after the meeting?”
“Sure.” As Travis walked away, I thought of my next interview with the doctors, scheduled for that afternoon.
If only Sylvia would tell me what I was supposed to be looking for.
* * * * *
I waited for Travis in the area outside of the conference room. Through the glass, the meeting seemed calm. When the door opened and agents began to leave, Travis stood and walked to where Agent Dallas collected the folders in front of her. Even with the door open, I couldn’t make out his words. Sylvia stood and walked toward them.
Dad stopped in the doorway and turned around. I jumped to my feet and followed him inside the conference room.
“You’ll leave her alone,” he said.
“Or what, Agent Payne?” Agent Dallas asked. “Are you going to use one of your powers against me? Maybe all of them?” She motioned to Sylvia. “That was a threat junior here just made. Did you hear him?”
“I heard.” Sylvia stroked the silver chain that hung from her neck.
“Is threatening fellow agents allowed in your meetings now?”
“Agent Payne,” Sylvia said. “Step away from her.”
Agent Dallas gave him a look that said she’d won. “Back away junior.”
“Don’t call me that.” Instead of backing away, Travis got in her face.
“You’re only here because of your dad,” she said. “If Noah were still alive—”
“My dad’s alive,” Travis said, his voice frigid.
“That’s what you want to believe.” Agent Dallas stepped away from him and turned to Sylvia. “Tell him what really happened to Noah Payne.”
Sylvia’s grip on the chain tightened. “This isn’t the time or the place to have this discussion.”
Travis slammed his fists together and the room began to shake. I reached for one of the chairs to keep from falling. It rolled and almost got away from me.
Dad pulled out his gun. “Stop this, now.”
“Donald!” Agent Lockhart stepped in front of Dad’s gun. “That’s not necessary.” He put a hand on Travis’s shoulder and the shaking stopped. “Emotions are running at full throttle today. Can’t we take it down a notch? We’ve got a perfectly good conference room and there’s no need to destroy it.”
Agent Dallas flashed me a smile. “Yes, we wouldn’t want to have to redecorate like we did the last time.”
Anger filled me. “If you know what happened to his dad, why not tell him the truth? I’m starting to think no one here knows.”
Her smil
e died. “I have orders.”
I thought of how Tyler was forced to leave the agency and wondered if they’d pushed Travis’s dad out in the same way. “Did he betray the agency? Is that why he left?”
Agent Dallas reached for my hands and exposed my palms. “None of this scares you, does it? Why have a breakdown with Senator McCall?” She looked at Travis. “You’re still trying to protect him, aren’t you? Well, Sylvia, who’s going to protect us when they can’t get over the obstacles between them?”
“This meeting is over,” Sylvia said.
Reluctantly, I filed out of the room along with everyone but Sylvia and Travis. She kept him inside for fifteen minutes with the door shut.
“I’m sorry you heard that,” he said when we were alone.
“But not sorry for the way you treated her.”
“Agent Dallas has been ready to step between us since the day you arrived. She never liked me before you came. I’m guessing she likes me even less now.”
“Will Sylvia be mad?”
“I can’t help that.”
“You don’t want to get locked up like Hannah.”
“Seriously, Rena. How are they going to lock me up? I’d like to see Sylvia try.”
I glanced over my shoulder as we climbed into the elevator. No one was listening. We were safe for now.
“Sylvia gave me the day off, without pay.” He laughed. “As if I’m worried about the money.”
“Everyone needs money to survive.”
He stopped the elevator. “My dad could see the future.”
“So?”
“He invested every dime he made working for the agency in technology stocks. He left the money in a trust for me, along with directions on when to sell and drop the money into mutual funds.”
“What are you saying?”
“If I didn’t want to work, I wouldn’t have to.”
“Then you’re rich.”
Travis put his arms around my waist, careful not to touch my skin. “When you arrived, I told you we’d never have to worry about money.”
“You said I’d never have to worry about money. There was no we.”
“Now there’s a we.” He slid a strand of hair behind my ears. “Don’t worry about what Agent Dallas said. Nothing will come between us.”
