Age of Aquarius

by Tawdra Kandle

  “Fine.” I reached for the worn doorknob. “We’ll do it your way, but in ten hours, when you’re dying to get out, just remember I told you so.”

  I swung the door open and stood aside to let the ladies go ahead of me. The old RV creaked a little, rocking as we stepped into it. I came last, slamming the door shut. At the small table just within the entrance, Tasmyn sat with Michael and his mother.

  “Well, isn’t this just adorable?” Zoe glanced around. “Like one of those sweet tiny houses, you know. I’m just addicted to that show.” She popped open the miniature oven that was built into the wall. “Oh, my, look at this. We could bake cookies while we . . . uh, make our plans for saving the world.”

  “I think there’s a bedroom in the back, too.” Marly Sawyer stood up. “Why don’t we go check it out, Zoe? I’m sure these four have a lot of catching up to do.”

  The two older women moved toward the rear of the RV, and Tasmyn sighed, shaking her head.

  “That wasn’t at all awkward or obvious.” She hesitated a minute and then slid out of the booth into the narrow space next to it, rising to her feet. She opened her arms and reached toward me. “Rafe. I’m really glad to see you again.”

  Out of instinct, I wrapped her into a tight hug, while a small part of me was waiting to feel that same intoxicating spark that I’d been addicted to once upon a time. But there was nothing, just a sense of nostalgia and maybe a little bit of happiness at seeing an old friend again.

  The truth was that I’d forgotten how good a friend Tasmyn had been to me before we’d taken it further. We’d always had a fairly easy rapport; we’d laughed at the same jokes and enjoyed the same types of books and movies. Seeing her now, I realized how much I’d missed that aspect of our relationship.

  “I’m glad to see you, too.” I released her grinning. “You look good, Tas. Good for a witch, anyway.”

  She rolled her eyes. “I’m not a witch.”

  “I’d beg to differ.” Nell spoke up. “Like it or not, Tasmyn, it’s what you are. I can feel your power. Well, let’s face it, I always could, even before you were willing to admit it.”

  “Nell.” This time the emotion in Tasmyn’s voice was raw and deep. “I can’t tell you how happy I am that you’re awake. And alive.”

  “Me, too.” Nell’s tone bordered on humor, which was unusual for her. “On both counts.” She paused. “I heard you came to see me in the hospital, when I was in the coma. Thank you. I don’t think many people visited, and sitting next to vegetable girl couldn’t have been a very good time.”

  “It was the least I could do.” Tasmyn reached her hand to touch Nell’s arm. “You saved my life that day, Nell. Marica wanted to kill me, and you kept it from happening. Thank you.”

  Nell nodded. “It only seemed right, after I’d tried to bleed you out in the woods that day. Call it my way of making amends.”

  “But it nearly cost you your own life. I can’t tell you how much that means.” Tas leaned her back against the edge of the table. “I do have to admit, though, that it’s kind of weird to see the two of you together. I’m not sure I could’ve called that one.”

  “No one was more surprised than me,” Nell agreed. “But he’s not half-bad for a reformed man whore.”

  Tas laughed, and Nell even cracked a smile. I gave an exaggerated sigh of long-suffering martyrdom.

  “So happy I can give you two ladies a giggle. You know I live to serve.”

  “Oh, poor beleaguered Rafe.” Nell slid her hand into mine and squeezed. “Doomed to be trapped in a motorhome for many, many hours with two of your ex-girlfriends and your current one. Sucks to be you, buddy.”

  “Two of my exes? How do you figure?” I frowned.

  Nell reached into the neckline of her shirt and tugged out a small silver box pendant. “Joss is here, too. She’s attached to this necklace, and when we get to wherever we’re going, Zoe and I will . . . reconstitute her. But technically, her essence is right here with us.”

  “Great. You girls just have fun at my expense. Don’t worry about me or my feelings.” I dropped onto the bench seat across the table and offered a hand to the guy sitting on the other side. “Hey, Michael. It’s good to see you again.” When he shook my hand, I added, “Congratulations on getting married, by the way. I heard about it through the grapevine.”

  “Thanks.” He glanced up at his wife. “She’s all I ever wanted, you know? There was a time when I thought it wasn’t going to work out for us, but . . .” His voice trailed off, as all of us were acutely aware that during that time he referenced, I was the one dating Tasmyn. Had I mentioned the uncomfortable history between the four of us?

  “Water under the bridge,” he finished. “And here we are now, all on the same side, fighting the good fight.”

  “About to, anyway.” Nell joined me on the seat as Tas sat next to Michael. “Anyone have any clue about where we’re going?”

  Tasmyn shook her head. “Not a one. Cathryn was locked up tighter than Fort Knox. I’d think if anyone would have insider info, it would be you two. You work with her pretty closely, don’t you?”

  “We’re both full time agents.” I nodded. “I came on board the fall after we graduated high school, and Nell joined the next year.”

  Tasmyn’s forehead drew together. “The fall after high school? That’s weird. I started working for Carruthers right around the same time.”

  “I know.” I smiled. “I was at Harper Creek when you were there one day. Cathryn didn’t want us to be aware that we were both operatives, but I saw you drive up in the Mustang.”

  Realization spread over her face. “I remember that day. I’d come in to see Zoe without letting Cathryn know, and she flipped out when she saw me. I felt something was off the entire time, and when I left, I was almost positive that I sensed you nearby.”

  “Funny how our paths have all crossed so many times,” Nell mused. “It’s enough to make you wonder about destiny.”

  “Serendipity.” I threaded our fingers together. “And here we all are.”

  “Nell.” Tasmyn leaned forward, dropping her voice. “I have to ask . . . how do you feel about Cathryn involving Marica in this?”

  My girlfriend’s face shuttered. “I know that having her on our side is going to make us stronger, and so I can understand why Cathryn felt the need to bring her into this. And Cathryn is careful. If Marica were still completely out of control, I don’t think she would have risked it.” She hesitated. “But if I’m being honest, I’ll admit that the idea of seeing her again doesn’t exactly give me a warm fuzzy. We didn’t part on good terms.”

  “Well, neither did we.” Tas folded her hands on the tabletop. “I agree about trusting Cathryn, but at the same time, I don’t plan to be alone with her.”

  “That’s probably a good idea.” Nell smiled slightly. “Are you living in King?”

  “Just outside town. We expanded the nursery my parents’ own, and they brought us on as co-owners. They like to travel quite a bit now, so Tasmyn and I run the day-to-day operations while they’re away.” Michael squeezed his wife’s shoulder.

  “Do you ever hear from Amber?” Tasmyn’s best friend in high school had been a shy girl who was aware of Tasmyn’s ability to hear minds. While I hadn’t known her very well, she’d always struck me as a loyal friend.

  “Yes, every now and then. She works for a big IT company, and she travels around quite a bit. I never know where she’s going to be when she messages me. But she loves what she’s doing, and she’s dating a really cool guy.”

  We chatted a little bit more about people we all knew, catching up on the news from King High School, until the door opened again and Lucas, Jackie and Veronica appeared. Lucas seemed to be a little shell-shocked, and Jackie was glancing around with amused interest.

  “Well, isn’t this just perfect?” She grinned at us. “I got Veronica to admit that we’re going to have a hell of a long ride, so buckle up, kiddies. The fun has just begun.”

&nbs
p; By the time we’d been on the road for an hour, I’d figured out that this RV slept six. The last time I’d checked, fourteen was a hell of a lot more than six.

  “How’s this going to work, exactly?” I sat down on the floor next to the seat where Cathryn had planted herself as she skimmed through her tablet. “Veronica won’t commit to where we’re going, but she did say that we’ll have a couple of overnights. How are we going to sleep when we’re squeezed in here like sardines?”

  Our fearless leader spared me a quick glance. “This isn’t the Ritz, Rafe. And it’s not a long-term situation. We’re going to be driving around the clock, changing drivers in shifts, and so we’ll sleep in shifts, too. There’s the bed in the back and then the bunks across from the bathroom. That means four people can sleep at a time. That works.”

  “Okay.” I lowered my voice. “Do you have any idea about our destination?”

  Cathryn frowned. “I have a vague notion of the area of the country, but I asked Veronica not to tell any of us the exact spot. It’s safer that way.” Her forehead creased.

  “Is there something else you’re not sharing with us?” I’d known this woman long enough to figure out her tells. She was usually the coolest of cucumbers, seldom letting anything the rest of us did ruffle her unflappable feathers. But something was worrying her now. I could see it in her eyes.

  “There’s no sense sharing it. We already know that just by aligning ourselves on this side of the fight, we’re accepting that we’re in danger. I don’t know if we’re at risk while traveling or if we actually managed to fly under the radar as I’d hoped, but I’d rather be safe than sorry. If something happened and we were attacked on the road, it’s possible that one of us could be taken. If we don’t know the exact destination, we can’t be forced to give it up.”

  “The Hive agents would kill us either way,” I agreed. “We’d be useless to them without that knowledge. I assume that’s also why you haven’t laid out the plans we’ve been formulating to the group at large.”

  “Exactly.” She nodded. “Once we’re within the parameters of the safe house, we’ll discuss all the pieces and how to put them together.” Her fingers worked the small silver ring she wore on her right hand.

  “What’s going on, boss lady?” I kept my voice low, too. “I won’t say anything.”

  “I know you won’t.” Her gaze darted to the front of the motorhome, where the three O’Casey brothers were clustered. Daeglan sat in the other captain’s chair next to Lucas, who’d taken the first driving gig, while Seamus and Cillian were sprawled—as much as one could sprawl in a small space—on the floor near their brother. They were deep in conversation, catching up after being apart, I guessed. I envied their sibling connection. Being an only child had never felt like a disadvantage, but then again, I’d never known many big families. I wondered what it would feel like to have that kind of support and comradery.

  “I thought the same thing when I met them in Ireland.” Cathryn followed the direction of my attention and apparently, my thoughts, as well. I’d gotten used to veiling my mind around her, much as I had around Tasmyn once upon a time, but every once in a while, I slipped.

  “Sorry,” she added now. “You were broadcasting there. But being only children can be a little lonely, can’t it? And yet, at times like this, I’m relieved not to have one more connection to worry about losing.”

  “Are you really worried about losing people?” Immediately, I sought out Nell with my eyes. She was still sitting at the table with Tasmyn and Michael, though Zoe and Veronica had joined them.

  “Of course, I am. I’d be insane or stupid if I wasn’t. Under the best possible outcomes, we circumvent the Hive performing the ritual again and we stop them. But even that holds so much risk that I can’t imagine we’d escape completely unscathed.” She shook her head. “I’ve been tempted, so tempted, to ask the precogs what happens. But I know better.”

  “You could ask, and they could tell, but time is fluid and influenced by the smallest daily decisions.” It was the party line Carruthers embraced, and I’d learned it early in my tenure there. “I know. But still, there’s that lure . . .”

  “Right.” She nodded and bent her head closer to mine. “Five of our operatives at large have failed to check in during the last twenty-four hours. One missing wouldn’t necessarily alarm me. Two would be worrying. But five . . . that’s too many for it to be mere coincidence. I have to look at it as an attack.”

  “Do you know what happened to them?” I knew that aside from the agents who worked openly for Carruthers Initiative Institute at Harper Creek, the Institute maintained a huge network of gifted people who reported occasionally on situations and people of interest to Carruthers. Over the course of the last year, Cathryn had begun requiring daily check-ins, out of concern for their safety.

  “No. I’ve contacted a few people I trust to ask them to investigate, but it might be a while before I hear anything. Meanwhile, though, I’m operating on the assumption of the worst-case scenario, which means that the Hive is preparing to act. If they’ve hit some of our operatives, we’d be next on the list.”

  Heaviness fell over me as I considered all those we’d left behind as well as the people I cared for who were with us in the RV.

  Cathryn sighed. “I know. Believe me, I know.” She looked over her shoulder at the table. “But we’ve got a lot of power on our side, too. Nell . . . I honestly don’t know if we can understand even a fraction of what she can do. Zoe believes she’s only tapped into the shallowest of waters when it comes to her true abilities. And Tasmyn’s got some firepower, too. The problem with her is that she still holds back. She’s grown, yes, but in so many ways, she’s still that same girl who was afraid of what she could do. Being told to hide your gifts can have long-lasting effects. Part of what we’re hoping to do as we prepare to fight is to convince Tasmyn that she is called to exercise her talent.”

  “Do you think having Marica with us—assuming she and her guardian make it over here safely—will be a help or a hindrance there?” I thought of Tasmyn’s relationship with the Romanian witch, who’d been the first one to encourage her to develop her power.

  Cathryn shrugged. “Hard to say, but if Tasmyn can’t get past her hang-ups, we’re going to need Marica even more. She’s a loose cannon, for sure, but she’s also eager to use her power again. I don’t deceive myself that she feels any loyalty to me or to our cause, but we’ll be keeping an eye on her the entire time.” She hesitated. “How is that going? Your, uh, reunion with Tasmyn?”

  I shifted my attention from Nell, who was listening to Veronica tell a story, to Tasmyn, who was leaning against Michael as she, too, paid attention to the vampire. “It was . . . fine, actually. Easier than I thought it would be.” I smiled ruefully. “I think part of me was afraid that I’d see Tas again and realize that I still had feelings there. But I didn’t, aside from nostalgia and friendship. I remembered that we used to have fun before our little fling came between that.”

  “And Nell seems all right with her, too?”

  I snorted. “Nell and Tasmyn had worked out their differences long before now, even if they hadn’t seen each other. Tas is still grateful to Nell for astral projecting herself into the Marica crisis that day and saving her life. And Nell appreciates Tasmyn visiting her in the hospital. They’re so healthy about it that it kind of makes me ill.”

  Cathryn smiled. “Those two women are more alike than they’re different, though both would call me crazy if I ever said as much. But you loved them both, and you’re a fairly astute judge of character, Rafe. Wouldn’t you say I’m right?”

  I’d never considered it, but now I did. “You might be. Maybe Tasmyn is who Nell might have been if her parents had stayed together and her mother hadn’t gone bat-shit crazy. And Nell is who Tas might have been if her parents hadn’t made her hide what she can do.”

  “Destiny and fate are funny things.” Cathryn sounded thoughtful. “Speaking of destiny, I had a mess
age from one of our scholars before we left Harper Creek. They made more headway in translating the text about the vessel. They said the vessel will be protected by two mighty warriors. One will be mortal and the other will be immortal, or timeless, at least. She’s a woman, as we knew, and she has been guided by destiny to this role from birth. The exact translation was something like, ‘set apart from early days’. She will be guided to meet ‘those to whom she is called to be joined at the point of great need.’ When Veronica heard that, she was excited—she said it indicated to her that the vessel will find us once we’re at the safe house. And there was also something about joy, although they hadn’t figured that out yet. Maybe that the vessel was filled with joy or will bring joy?”

  “Isn’t there a Bible verse about joy? Something about crying at night?” I wasn’t religious in any way, but we were taught at Carruthers to use the Christian Bible as a reference text at times, particularly when it came to areas of an apocalyptic nature.

  “‘Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.’” Cathryn quoted the verse exactly. “Psalm 35.”

  “Hmph. Well, whoever this chick is, I hope she’s planning to make herself known soon—and to us, not to the Hive. If they get their hands on her, advantage definitely shifts to Team Bad Guys.”

  “All too true.” Cathryn stood up, stretching her back. “Thank you, Rafe.”

  I quirked a brow. “For what?”

  She smiled again. “For being one of my very truest and most trustworthy friends. You know, the day Joss brought you in, I thought to myself, this is never going to work. You were too brash and arrogant, and you were still hurting too much over your past. But Joss and Zoe told me that if we gave you time and understanding, you’d end up being one of our best agents. They were both correct.” She touched my shoulder. “But I never expected that you’d also become one of a very few people with whom I’d trust my life and my secrets.”