by R. T. Lowe
“What you’re looking at,” Bill explained, using his cell phone to anchor down one side that kept curling up, “is a map of Ashfield Forest. It’s actually an old forest service map I’ve been updating for a very long time. The forest is divided into ten quadrants, which is an old state bureau of land management designation. Anyway, each quadrant is forty square miles. What you’re pointing at”—he nodded at Allison—“are facilities where something I’ve been searching for may be… hiding. I recently crossed out one site—the one with the X—because I concluded they’re not there. But these three circles here, here and here”—he drummed on the map with his forefinger—“are all possibilities.”
“What’s that have to do with the people getting ki—” Allison started to say.
“I’m getting to that.” Bill shifted the map a quarter turn clockwise. “Now these blue dots”—there were two—“represent the location of the bodies found last summer. And these dots”—there were seven, also blue—“represent the last known locations of the people still missing.”
“They’re all grouped together,” Felix noted, examining the dots as he tried to make sense of their relationship to everything else on the map. In some ways, it was easier to read than a standard roadmap, but the scale was confusing, and there was no legend to use for guidance.
“Except for these two,” Bill pointed out, using the knuckle of his little finger to rap on the blue dots a few map inches removed from the others. “This is Dobbs Highway.” With a quick vertical stroke of his finger, he traced the path of one of the bold black lines—this one tracked all the way across the map’s length from west to east. “It separates Ashfield Forest from this land over here”—he flipped a thumb sideways to indicate north—“which is still owned by the state. This is where Mia Vujicic told her friends she was taking her boyfriend Ethan Powers for some sort of birthday surprise hike in the woods. Mia and Ethan haven’t been seen since.”
“They’ve been on the news a lot.” Allison leaned forward over the map, practically obscuring Felix’s view of it with the back of her head. “I’ve seen missing person posters all over town with their pictures.”
Bill nodded. “So aside from them, there’s an obvious cluster in the seventh and eighth quadrants which I think is still significant despite the one anomalous event.”
Allison shook her head sharply, then turned to look up at Bill. “All these dots and circles are really pretty, but why don’t you tell Felix—”
“Do you need some ice for your face?” Bill interrupted. “I have some Advil if you need it. You have a lot of swelling. You should take something.”
“No,” she said, annoyed. “I’m fine.” She wasn’t fine. Her eye had swollen completely shut, and besides the pain (she’d told Felix in the car that her whole face was throbbing and aching badly), she was having problems with her depth perception and it was making her dizzy. When they’d come up the stairs to Bill’s office, they had to stop at the second-floor landing because she felt like she was going to throw up.
Bill sniffed the air. “What’s that smell? Do you guys smell something?”
“It’s our clothes,” Felix admitted, too tired to care about the stench. They’d given up on the idea of cleaning up at a rest stop when they realized they looked like participants in a chainsaw massacre. Instead, they came across a country creek—as winding and bucolic as a Thomas Kinkade painting—not far from the highway. They cleaned up in the icy waters, washing off the battle detritus, the blood, dirt, and some spongy stuff Felix found stuck to his hair that he was forced to acknowledge had once resided inside the dark-haired man’s skull. When they finished their impromptu nature baths, they’d changed into clothes even ranker than the ones they’d put on at the Cliff Walk parking lot. Felix had ended up ditching his old clothes, unsalvageable as they were, under a mound of pine needles in a grove next to the creek.
“Why are you stalling?” Allison demanded. “We stink. We get it. Now tell us what’s happening in the forest.”
Bill pressed his fingers to his temples and let out a heaving sigh. Then he gave Allison a long, exasperated look. “It’s not wolves. And all those people”—he swept his hand over the map—“they’re not missing. They’re dead. And their bodies will never be found.”
“I knew it!” Allison looked at Bill as if to say I would very much like for you to drop dead right now. “I knew you were lying about something.”
Felix shook his head and gazed out the window. What little light remained—gray, cold and depressing—was already dimming as dusk descended on the campus. The sun would soon be setting beyond Ferguson Hall and Stubbins Stadium. He hated the short winter days. “So what is it?” he asked wearily.
“I did it for your own good, Felix,” Bill said earnestly. “I was going to tell you at a better time. Please try to understand. You’ve been through so much this year. I just didn’t think it was fair to tell you about the… things… that are… well…”
“What is it?” Felix asked sharply. “The what?”
Bill tucked his hands into his armpits and looked at them steadily, his expression hardening. “I don’t know everything we need to know, but what I do know is this: They eat what they kill. They’re vicious. They’re strong. Fast—invisibly fast. They’re smart. They’re pack hunters. They’re not animals but they’re not human either. I don’t know their numbers. I believe Lofton created them. And we need to stop them before he uses them for whatever he’s planning.”
Felix turned away from the window, his anger rising up to his throat. “You lied to me! I asked you straight up. And you lied.”
“I thought it was the right thing to do.”
“Brilliant,” Allison said with disgust. “How the hell could you do this to him? He trusts you!”
“And what do you mean stop them?” Felix asked, his voice calm. His anger had no legs. He was too tapped out to sustain any emotion.
“That’s what I’ve been searching for.” Bill turned and went to his desk, the floorboards creaking under his feet. He sat down on the edge, his back brushing up against a green-shaded banker’s lamp, and pointed toward the map. “That’s what those red circles there are all about.”
Allison nearly stubbed her nose into the map, tilting her head so that her working eye was directly over Roman numerals VII and VIII. “What are you talking about? The buildings?”
“Yes. I have a theory. I believe Lofton keeps them somewhere, at least during the night. If we’re talking about significant numbers—and I think we are—then the building they would require must be significant in size. If we can locate where they shelter, we can take care of them—all of them—in a single surgical strike.”
“So you need to go into the forest?” Felix’s eyes shifted to the map.
“We need to go into the forest,” Bill corrected. “And soon. I don’t know what Lofton has in mind, but given the frequency of the attacks and the fact that the last two were killed outside Ashfield Forest, I think we need to act quickly.”
“How quickly?” Felix asked reluctantly, unsure if he was prepared for the answer.
“Spring.” Then Bill paused for a second and added: “At the latest.”
“Spring?” Felix choked out. He stared blankly at the window without really seeing anything beyond it as the meaning of that word settled in, working its way into his exhausted brain.
“Well this is just fantastic!” Allison snapped at Bill. “It’s not enough to send Felix into Lofton’s forest. You were planning to do it without telling him that there are monsters out there eating people.”
“You haven’t been listening to a word I’ve said!” Bill snapped back, his face reddening in anger. His expression sank for a moment and his eyes dropped slowly to the floor, embarrassed. He slipped his hands into the pockets of his heather gray slacks, then took them out and crossed his arms uncomfortably. He moved a few paces toward them, his gaze directed at Allison. “I was going to tell Felix,” he said in a low voice, “but not until
after the break. It wasn’t something I wanted to burden him with just yet.” Then he turned to Felix and said softly, “I really am sorry about not being completely truthful with you. But you must know I only have your best interests in mind.”
“Brilliant.” Allison’s eyes shone with fury. “You’re seriously unbelievable.”
Felix wasn’t sure what to do with any of this. He’d just had an all-out battle with four Protectors—and killed them. If that wasn’t awful enough, he’d also killed Harper. Or at least, he thought he’d killed Harper until Riley changed back into a guy. And for a few horrifying moments, he thought Allison had died. And now Bill was telling him that in the very near future, he would have to go into Ashfield Forest to kill monsters.
How much more of this can I take? Felix looked around the room, trying to clear his head. Everything was coming at him in waves. It was like a ten-headed mythological beast that couldn’t be killed—every time he lopped off one of its heads, two more just sprang up to take its place. An object in the corner captured his attention: His winter jacket was draped across the back of a chair. He’d left it the last time he was here—the night he watched himself kill his parents. The images of that night flashed through his mind, and he felt the dread and the sorrow stirring inside him. He felt hot. The air was thick… and smoky. Sweat began to roll down the back of his neck. He was out of breath. He needed to get some air.
“You okay?” Bill asked him, seeing the consternation on his face.
Breathe, Felix told himself. Breathe. He stood silent, looking down at his feet, determined to pull himself together. When he raised his head, he managed a nod, and tried to be convincing about it. But from the skeptical look on Bill’s face, he gathered that he wasn’t very successful.
Bill smiled sympathetically at Felix. Then he turned to Allison and said accusingly, “See? This is obviously too much for him right now. Which is why it would’ve been better to discuss this after the break.”
“Sure!” Allison replied with bitter sarcasm. “Let’s just conceal the truth until it’s more convenient for you. That makes perfect sense. It makes as much sense as throwing Felix into the woods with a bunch of monsters.”
Bill was working his jaw, gritting his teeth. Then he closed his eyes for a moment and exhaled slowly through his nose. Felix recognized it as one of the relaxation techniques he had taught him after he set Allison’s room on fire.
“I can’t believe you kept this from him!” Allison persisted, her face flushing so much Felix worried that her nose and lips were going to start bleeding again. “And you”—she whirled on Felix—“I can’t believe you’re so calm. You should be pissed at him!”
“I’m too tired to be pissed,” Felix muttered after a moment’s reflection. “I wish he hadn’t lied, but I understand why he did. If he’d told me about this earlier, I don’t know if I could’ve handled it. It’s not like he’s trying to kill me.” He glanced at Bill doubtfully. “Right?”
“I promised Elissa—your mother—on her deathbed that I would look after you. I didn’t make that promise lightly.” Bill’s face seemed to age before them, his voice husky, raw. “I knew what… I knew… I understood that making that promise would result in certain… consequences. And I accepted them. All of them. And as much as I want to keep you safe, we’re going to have to take some calculated risks. But believe me, I’m doing everything in my power to prepare you and protect you. Felix, your life is more important than anything in this world. If you die, we’re all as good as dead. You’re the Belus, after all.”
“I’m the Belus,” Felix repeated vaguely. “That reminds me. One of the Protectors told me that I’m not the one. What’d she mean?”
“I don’t know,” Bill said too quickly, shaking his head. “You’re not the one? I have no idea what that means.”
“You’re lying!” Allison pointed an accusing finger at Bill. “That’s a lie. You confess to one lie and then you lie about something else!”
“I assure you I am not lying,” Bill said solemnly, placing a hand over his heart.
“Then why would she say that to me?” Felix asked.
“It doesn’t mean anything,” Bill told him. “The one? The one what? Sounds like gibberish to me. It could be a… tactic of some kind. Psychological warfare. The Protectors might be trying to get inside your head. Maybe they’re trying to make you doubt yourself.” He shrugged. “That’s the only explanation I can think of.”
Allison checked her watch. “That’s about all the psycho-babble crap I can take for one day. My mom’s going to be here soon.” She started for the hallway and looked back at Felix. “You coming?”
“Yeah. Oh—hey Bill, you mind if I borrow your car during the break? I didn’t think mine could make it here and back so we just took yours.”
“Sure,” Bill replied absently, as if he hadn’t been listening. “I’ve got a spare.”
Felix moved toward the door.
“So you won’t be going together, then?” Bill asked.
There was a hitch in Bill’s voice that gave Felix pause; it sounded like he was implying something. Felix stopped next to Allison in the doorway. “I’m going back to Cove Rock,” he said.
“And you’re going home?” Bill said to Allison.
She nodded.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.” Bill stepped closer. Felix could see that his eyes were rimmed red. It looked like he hadn’t been getting much sleep. “The Protectors have tried to kill you twice—both of you—and they’ll try again. And even if Lofton isn’t aware that one of his Drestianites paid you a visit, the fact that you killed him complicates matters exponentially.” He regarded Allison thoughtfully. “I think you should spend the winter break with Felix. You’ll be far safer if you’re with him.”
She laughed derisively. “I don’t think my parents will go for that.”
“Would your parents rather you be alive and with Felix or dead and living at home?” Bill’s expression was grave. So was his tone. He wasn’t offering up a suggestion.
The office went quiet.
“He’s got a point,” Felix said to Allison. “If they come after you when I’m in Cove Rock, what’ll you do? If something happened to you”—he dropped his gaze to the floor—“I… I don’t… I don’t know what I’d…” He looked up and stared into the one eye that was still visible. “I can’t do this without you, Allie. I need you.”
She bit down on her lip, her face twisting in pain, and forced her wounded eye to open. Then she stared back at him. Her dazzling green eyes, so full of passion and tenacity, softened all at once. “Oh geez.” She smiled hesitantly, her lips actually twitching up at the corners. And this time, she didn’t wince. “You’re probably right. Shit. I can’t wait to have that conversation with my parents.”
Bill cleared his throat to get their attention. “If either of you need anything—anything at all—call me. Get some rest. You’re going to be very busy next semester. I expect it to be quite… eventful. And be careful. The world’s a hazardous place for the two of you. There are powerful forces out there that want you dead. They’re all dangerous—extremely dangerous.”
With one foot out the door, Felix turned to Bill, a crooked smile slowly creeping across his face. “So am I.”
END OF BOOK ONE
