They landed together in the center of the road.
As they grappled, Bry's crappy car rolled to a stop, parking behind the rolling pair. As I watched, Clyde had straddled Brett's body, his posture stiff, his arms before him, fingers twined like talons around Brett's neck.
Then the head-banging started.
I had noticed that was a zombie-trend.
All roads lead to head-banging, I thought, feeling shocky.
I heard Jade scream, “Caleb!” I saw her feet as she rushed over to me, my cheek pressed into the rough asphalt. My stomach rolled, I thought I was getting ready to toss my cookies.
She bent down and a pair of emerald eyes, wide-as-saucers looked into mine. “Oh my God! John, Jonesy... Caleb needs,” she looked at me in horror, the small hand I had held five hundred times covering her face, despair filling it, “a hospital.” I watched fat tears chase each other down her face.
I felt bad for her pain but I was using all my focus not to barf.
“Brett,” I croaked out, through a throat raw from abuse.
Jade smoothed my hair off my forehead, the tears running down and falling off her jaw, her lips trembling. “I'm so sorry.”
“Brett,” I repeated.
“What... oh.” She turned around and the kids parted.
Clyde was gone.
The Js rushed up, saw where I was looking and Jonesy said, “Clyde split.”
John grabbed my wrist with one hand and grabbed his pulse, depressing it with a thumb. He counted to himself. “Shit. He's erratic.”
He turned his head and screamed for Bry. The Weller kids came at a jog. “Did you pulse 911?”
“Hell yeah. Can't ya hear them?” Bry asked.
I could hear the pulse sirens wailing in the distance.
“They're coming, Caleb,” Sophie said, hanging onto Jonesy's hand like a lifeline. He stroked hers absently, not even aware that he was doing it. John had his arm around Tiff. Jade had her hands floating above me, not sure where they could land without it hurting me.
The Js looked at each other. “He's gonna need an Organic,” Jonesy said.
John nodded at Jonesy, no arguing that.
Jade covered her face as an ambulance arrived and ground to a halt, all the kids' bodies lying everywhere.
The last thing I knew were the paramedics landing on their knees beside me, their uniforms of red looking like flowing blood against a field of gray.
My vision narrowed and I folded into unconsciousness.
CHAPTER 15
I was in a fog of semi-consciousness, that place when you're clearly awake, but too asleep to respond. I heard voices. My Parents had shown up for the fun. I knew, because the smell alone told me I was in the hospital.
I cracked an eye open and everything spun around, gradually calming into stillness (pretty sure things aren't supposed to move unless you are). A nurse hovered over me, her palms making their toe to head trip again.
Without stopping she said, “He's awake, but don't touch him while I'm doing this.”
Two anxious faces sprung up and I had the need to laugh but my ribs felt attacked so I said no on that one. I turned my head a little and Jade popped out of the chair she'd been sitting in, rushing up to my side, her face telling me how much she wanted to touch me. She met the nurse's gaze over my body and she gave Jade an imperceptible shake of her head, not yet.
My parents had obviously not had just a cow but a whole herd. I am sure that Mom went ballistic when she was pulsed by whoever (please let it not have been Jonesy).
Jade looked like she was gonna bawl again.
“It's okay.” I turned to the nurse, Jezebel, of all names. “You're an Organic, right?” She nodded at me, her hand never stopping. Finally, she halted her movement with a final sweep of her hand.
The Js were standing off in the corner and I motioned them over, only the vaguest tweak from the ribs, I looked at Jezebel. “So...what's going on?”
“What's going on is that you have some very brave friends that responded quickly.” She gave John steady eyes and he blushed a fine, true red.
“What? Did you save me, bro?” I asked.
“Apparently,” John said.
“No shit?”
“Caleb...” Mom warned. Dad shook his head at her, I guess I got some slack here in the Gonna Die Place.
“Yeah, you went into...” Jonesy's face scrunched up and Jade rolled her eyes.
“...respiratory arrest,” she finished.
He snapped his fingers. “Yeah, that!”
Mom said, “This was a very near thing, Caleb. And I, for one, am not going to make light of it.”
Jezebel glanced at my parents, nodding. “Your friends got you help in time, but you were greatly compromised: three fractured ribs, a punctured lung, internal bleeding, a concussion.” She looked at me.
“But ya fixed him, right?” Jonesy said, the finer details of The Incident completely lost on him.
She smiled at his enthusiasm. “Yes, but there is some residual...” she looked up, thinking, “repair that will need to take place. His body will still need to recuperate. I just gave it a huge head start.”
Jezebel tucked the hospital linen right underneath my chin in a manner so similar to my mom's I looked at her and Mom smiled back at me. Tears stood in her eyes while Dad held her against him.
“Listen, guys,” Dad started, “I think we need a moment with our son.”
The Js and Jade nodded and left, Jade giving me a glance over her shoulder mouthing, I'll be here.
I nodded.
Jezebel said, “I'll be back in,” she looked at the pulse-clock on the wall, “twenty more minutes.”
She left in a blur of white and Mom, who'd been brave that whole time, let the tears she'd been holding fall.
Dad turned her into him and said, “Shush, he's alright. He's okay, Hun...”
She pulled away. “He almost wasn't though, Kyle.”
Dad looked at me over her head. “Garcia paid us a visit right after you left. You just missed him.”
Mom turned. “He went over everything in great deal. And Caleb, he wasn't painting a pretty picture of you.”
Yeah, I'd been getting that from him.
“But, in view of what transpired today...I'd have to say that the burden of proof is on him. Those kids are obviously the problem. You don't go and gang-beat one person and be taken seriously.”
“As a point of fact, I have a call in to each one of the parents and have filed a formal complaint, with Garcia,” Dad said.
Go Dad.
“There is a point which troubles me,” Dad said, his finger up. “The Js said that Clyde showed up.”
Just talking about my favorite zombie coming to play!
Mom frowned. “What's so funny, Caleb?”
“I think there's some internal monologue going on...?” Dad asked, a smile on his face.
Sometimes I dug Dad, he just got me.
“Yeah,” I grinned.
“Huh,” Mom huffed.
“Anyway, I didn't actually raise anything. I didn't have time, they took me down from behind.”
“Cowards,” Dad ground out uncharacteristically.
Mom swung her face toward him.
“You don't nail someone from behind it's...” he tried to explain.
Jonesy walked in. “It's against Guy Code.”
Dad nodded his head. “Correct, Mr. Jones.”
He bowed, getting that twinkle in his eyes. “I have a plan for Righteous Retribution.”
“No,” we all said in unison.
He looked foiled but not beaten. I hoped he didn't get together with Gramps and cook up a Solution. Gramps was very talented in that area.
“Go on,” Dad said. The Js and Jade came back in my room.
The door opened and suddenly there was the Weller duo and Alex. Christi was nowhere to be seen. Well, thank God for small favors.
“So, I was just trying to defend myself.” I shrugged my shoulders, while
I was lying there, remembering. I took a shaky breath. “They were holding me...” I took a deeper breath, letting it out slowly.
I wasn't gonna cry in front of Jade.
“Clyde, he was just there. At first, I just saw something off in the distance, then, when it came closer, I saw it was him.”
They all looked at me.
“He gave them a chance. He really did. Except, when Carson kicked me again. Well, I guess he took it personal.”
“Personally,” Mom corrected absently, rubbing her arms like she was cold.
None of us were, but there was a good case of the creeps running around the room.
“So you didn't 'call' him?” Dad clarified.
I shook my head. “Not consciously.”
John said, “I think we should all be asking ourselves what happened to Clyde.”
Silence filled the room and my stomach fell into my feet, I'd never laid him to rest!
“Ah, does this mean we have an errant zombie running loose?” Mom asked to no one in particular.
“Direction-less?” John said.
“Righteous!” Jonesy air-pumped a fist.
“Wonderful,” Dad said, scrubbing his face twice in a row.
Garcia poked his head in the door. “May I talk to Caleb now?”
Dad gave him a look I had a hard time identifying, then he nodded. Mom and Jade came to the opposite side of my bed.
The notebook cleared his shirt pocket and I was back to kinda hating him a little. I hadn't liked the way he'd given the gang equal treatment. I mean, I knew that I'd raised the Dead Team, but only when things got squirrelly with the Torch Team. Choices, choices...
“Let's get right to it, Caleb. The Organic said that you have about ten minutes,” Garcia said.
Let's.
I gave him raw, accusing eyes, they were the only ones that I could. I was pissed, I was hurting still and felt like he hadn't taken it seriously enough when the thing happened at Jade's.
“Okay, I got it. I know I should have understood the danger level a little better.”
Mom humphed. He looked at her and Dad watched Garcia watching Mom. I don't think the Fam was too keen on Garcia right now. Gee, I wonder why? I was going to pull up a chair, let him just try to take on Mom, he couldn't back her into a verbal corner if his life depended on it.
“Alright, let's recount what happened,” he said.
I told him and he listened, asking questions in key places.
“So, now, it's my understanding that you unconsciously raised,” he looked at his notepad, “Clyde,” tapping it. I nodded confirmation. “And he is...” and he spread his arms wide.
“Somewhere?” Jonesy answered logically.
Garcia pointed his pen at Jonesy. “You-quiet.”
John covered his grin with a hand and Jonesy looked hurt. He thought he'd offered a solid explanation.
“Wait a sec,” Jade said. Everyone looked at her. “This is so-not important.”
Garcia raised his eyebrows, clearly, it was.
She shook her head. “No, Caleb got hurt. Wherever Clyde is, I don't know. But right now, Caleb needs protection. Those boys... They could have killed him,” she said.
“They almost did,” Bry said and Tiff nodded.
“Just wish we'd been a little earlier,” Alex mourned.
I shook my head. “No guys, it would've been a replay. They were all about making me suffer. It was individual. Personal.”
“I guess you've been taking self-defense,” Garcia quizzed.
“Yeah.”
“Why?”
Was he serious?
“After last year... I just wanted to be more prepared. I can't always count on the undead to have my back.”
Even though they did.
“I'm talking to all the parents involved. Some will be easier than others. This type of bullying...” Garcia began
“I think it's more than 'bullying',” Mom said.
He nodded. “You're right. If they'd been over eighteen, they'd be in jail right now.”
“Yeah, what gives on that? Don't they have to take a vacation in Juvie?” Bry asked.
He shook his head. “They'll have pulse monitors.”
“Nice,” John said.
Mom released a big breath.
That was awesome, if they came within fifty feet of me it would be auto-police pulse.
Garcia held his hand up. “Don't get excited yet. Both Carson Hamilton and Brett Mason are under sixteen.”
“No,” I said. “That bozo is driving,” remembering the flip-off session at Gramps, “he got held back. He's sixteen.”
Garcia frowned. “He told me fifteen.”
“He's just smart enough to be evasive,” Bry said shrugging.
“And he's hanging out with older kids,” John said.
“Water seeks its own level...” Mom said.
Garcia looked around the room and said, “I need you other kids to clear out, except you, Miss Weller.”
They trooped out, Jonesy gave me the thumb signal for pulsing later, and I nodded.
“I want to address the case right now. The new developments.”
“I have a question first,” I said.
He waited.
“Why did the pulse give a proximity warning?”
“Who were you on pulse with when it gave the alert?” Garcia asked.
“Jade.”
“She's Empath, right?”
I nodded.
“From what I understand, an Empath would be linked to you on some level because of the viral nature of the pulse.”
Dad nodded, he was following. I was struggling.
“Which means that she was getting some residual danger impressions from thought processes in proximity to you physically,” Dad elaborated.
“You mean, that their intentions were transmitted to Jade and she somehow 'told' the pulse there was danger. That I was in danger?” I asked.
“Essentially, yes.” Dad agreed.
So, Jade kinda tried to warn me without knowing it.
Cool.
I didn't think that was gonna be covered in her Empath core class.
“Does that clear it up?” Garcia asked.
“Yeah.”
“That's a nice feature,” Dad said.
“Keeps crime down,” he agreed.
I just bet it would. Thinking of all the losers trying to lurk, sneak and creep. Made all the skulking around a little tougher. Nice.
“So, you two kids are aware that Nulls have been identified as the target group of the killings,” Garcia said, getting back on track.
We nodded.
“This is a critical break through. We're pulling all the missing kids reports and cross-referencing Nulls under eighteen, to identify possible victims.”
“Smith will be in touch. There will be more bodies, eventually. We're all hoping that we don't have fresh bodies turning up. Unfortunately, this type of killer will murder until stopped. We have to presume that he is still planning and executing this target group. You kids need to be vigilant. Smith reported that he visited the Terran house so they are aware that John is under watch.”
We nodded, they knew. I swallowed and heard a dry click. After my close call, I didn't like to talk about John and others who might get hurt. I just felt like we were all sitting ducks.
“That's all for now. You have a two-week respite to not worry about that group.” he paused, looking at me significantly.
“Wait a minute. They have pulse-monitors for two weeks then they're scot-free?” Mom ranted.
“It's the maximum we're allowed by law. They're minors, Mrs. Hart,” Garcia said.
“Kyle...” Mom implored.
Dad gave a hard look at Garcia. “I'm not happy with this as a resolution. What if,” he looked at me lying pale and recovering in the hospital bed, “those young men try to gang up on Caleb again? When there isn't an Organic on shift, at just the opportune moment, with a high enough level? This one happened to have su
rgical expertise.”
Dad ran a hand through his hair, pacing. “There's no way for this to end well. If they enter my home with intent to harm my son, I will not treat them like minors, Sergeant Garcia. They will cease to be children; they will be criminals. Period.”
Garcia's eyes narrowed into slits. “You're not circling vigilantism, Mr. Hart?”
Dad thought about it, eventually nodding. “I will not willingly let my family come to harm, Sergeant. It's not going to happen. I will defend them to the best of my ability. I'd be more than happy to reiterate this stance to whomever cares to hear it. I am American. This is my child. He will not be defenseless against this threat.”
“Fine, duly noted. You understand my hands are tied. This is the fullest I can maneuver or prosecute. I will also be speaking with the families, making them aware of the transgressions against Caleb and what the ramifications will be,” Garcia said.
They looked at each other and something shifted inside me for my dad then, a physical reaction. I always knew on some level that he loved me I just never realized how much.
CHAPTER 16
The Boy smelled strangely...the Dog sniffed him and sensed injury...an injury which was healing. The Dog sniffed more deeply; several injuries. He wagged his tail, he sensed something had cleansed the injuries; making them smell “old.” The Dog did not know what that may be but was deeply relieved when the Boy returned, that horrible feeling of doom slipping away at his arrival.
“Yes, yes, I'm glad to see you too.” As I was petting Onyx, I noticed he was acting weird, taking big lungfuls of my smell. Probably smelling that gross hospital. Eau de Sick.
“I have supper ready too,” Mom said.
Great, I was starving. I'd missed school, had to spend the night at Camp Sick and was finally home. Friday loomed large with a hang session at Gramp's place tomorrow. The Organic said she'd worked me over but I still felt stiff and sore. Just think how I would've felt if she hadn't? Better not to dwell on that too long.
“Okay, Mom. How much longer?”
She looked at me critically. “Do you need to do something?
The Death Series, Books 1-3 Page 52
