Sally Singletary's Curiosity (The Sally Singletary Book 1)

by J. M. Cataffo

  Yasif eyed the other agent.

  “Yaz! What the hell are you doing?” She tried desperately to break his attention.

  He turned to her, rage in his eyes, his chest rising and falling. This wasn’t the Yasif she knew. Part of her was shocked and disgusted, but another part realized the hurt he must have been in to drive him to this level of madness. She could see it in his eyes. He wasn’t himself; he wasn’t in control.

  “Revenge,” he said.

  Sally pleaded. “I know what they did to you was wrong, but this isn’t the answer!” She motioned toward the fallen man.

  “Why not?” he replied. “They humiliated me. Hurt me. Threatened to deport me and send me to some godawful prison!” He was crying again. “I’ve never been so scared in my life!”

  Her heart went out to him.

  “Think about what you’re doing, son,” Dawkins said. “You’ve just attacked a federal agent.”

  Yasif turned on Dawkins. “Did you hear the things he said to me?”

  Dawkins said nothing.

  Sally tried a different approach. “Yaz, I know you’re angry, but I need help.”

  His tear-filled brown eyes softened. He immediately dropped the poker and came to her without a moment’s hesitation. He untied her and she noticed his bleeding wrists. It was clear freeing himself had come at a cost. Once untied, she pulled him into a hug.

  She wasn’t sure if she needed the comfort, or if she was doing it for him. She felt his body shudder as he cried onto her shoulder. She glanced at the unconscious agent, blood already pooling on the floor. She held him tighter. Thompson had pushed him pretty hard.

  “You know I can’t let you get away with this, right?” Dawkins said, reaching into his pocket.

  “You will if you want information,” Sally replied with a glare, letting Yasif back away as he wiped his nose and sniffled, his head hanging.

  Dawkins paused.

  “I’ll get you the information you want if…” She held up a finger. “…you let us go.” She held his gaze before she added, “This is a one-time offer.”

  He considered. “Look, my partner went over the line, and I should’ve stopped him. I apologize for his behavior and I’ll make sure no charges are filed against you provided you relay to us any information you have on this case.”

  “Screw you!” Yasif screamed, tears streaming down his cheeks once again.

  “Yaz, relax. It’ll be okay.” Sally tried to calm him, then turned back to the agent. “Deal.”

  Dawkins nodded and took his hand from his pocket.

  Sally looked down at the other agent. “Will he be okay?”

  “He’s a tough guy.”

  “Do you have anything he can use for…you know…” Sally motioned toward Yasif’s wet jeans.

  Dawkins nodded and went into the bedroom and then returned with a pair of sleeping pants, dotted with small UFOs. “It’s not pretty, but it’s all I’ve got aside from underwear, and I’m pretty sure your friend doesn’t want those.”

  At first, Yasif refused, but Sally insisted he go change.

  Sally and the agent stood in silence for a time before she crossed her arms and addressed him. “What your partner did was uncalled for, and it doesn’t make me want to trust you at all.”

  “I know. I shouldn’t have let him get so out of hand. He’s still a rookie.” He paused. “We’re really not your enemy here, Miss Singletary.”

  “Then why did you kidnap us?”

  “We needed to get your attention.”

  Sally said nothing. After what they’d done, she certainly wasn’t ready to start trusting him.

  Yasif returned wearing the ridiculous-looking UFO sleeping pants, but she held her head high and made no indication to how silly he looked. He wouldn’t look at her, but she could tell by his frequent glances at Thompson that he felt guilty for what he’d done.

  Sally went over to him and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. “It’s over. You’re going to be all right.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

  IDRIC SAT IN HIS ROOM, his knees drawn to his chest, rocking back and forth on his bed. He didn’t know what to do with himself. If he went out into the halls, someone might recognize him and know he was part of Sally’s group. It was ridiculous, of course; none of the students had a clue about what was going on beyond a few eyewitness accounts that nobody believed, yet something had changed. The halls were quieter than usual and there was a tangible feeling in the air as though the other students were aware of something happening.

  He wondered how he’d gotten dragged into this mess, wishing he’d never gone into that chemical closet for supplies. Never had he imagined his life filled with so many of the strange and scary things he thought only a part of bedtime stories from his mother. But these creatures weren’t fictional monsters. They were real.

  Idric wanted to do something, anything other than sit by and wait, but until Jake got his message, he was stuck. Sure, he could go to classes and pretend everything was normal, but he doubted he’d be able to keep his mind focused on his work.

  Why hadn’t his parents ever told him these things were out there? They must have known. Maybe Yasif was right. What if these things were the danger his people had run from? If that were true, perhaps his parents hadn’t sent him there to hide. Maybe they needed him to be safe until he was old enough to fight. If that were the case, how could he be ready if he didn’t know how to use his gifts? He wished they’d taught him more. He’d always been told to keep his power a secret, that it’d be dangerous for him if others found out.

  Despite their warnings, he was glad he’d finally come clean about his magic. It was like having a deep dark secret he’d been forced to keep from the world. His magic was a part of him, a part of who he was. He liked it. It made him special, and since he’d been forced to use it, his abilities had begun to grow stronger.

  That must be why he was now able to sense the collective convergence around the school. He could feel the rising suspicion and confusion as well as the students’ fear of something none of them understood. He had a taste of true freedom and he liked it. How could he go back to the mundane life of school?

  Idric gathered up things he thought would be useful. He wasn’t taking any chances. Whatever these things were, they were dangerous. He pulled out the chest where he kept the majority of items given to him by his parents. What was once a pile of useless junk, was now a treasure trove of immutable objects. Until he’d learned he could use them with his magic, he’d always dismissed them as useless trinkets. Now he knew better.

  He filled a backpack with as much as it would hold, throwing in a couple books his parents had left for him containing basic spell work. It was all he had to go on, for now.

  “Attention, students.”

  Idric spun as though someone were standing behind him before realizing it was just the intercom.

  Mrs. Padilla’s voice echoed through the halls outside his room. “It has come to our attention certain rumors have been going around school that have caused quite a bit of panic. The administration staff would like to reassure you that none of these wild accusations are true. We are all saddened by the events surrounding three of our students and their choice to abandon their education and friends.”

  Abandon? Idric was puzzled by her choice of words.

  “I assure you the rumors you’ve heard are quite exaggerated. Our beloved math teacher, Mrs. Conley, did not kidnap the three students in question. She has returned to us, and to further allay your fears, I present her to you now.”

  Mrs. Conley? How could it be? Sally said she had seen her vanish with the boys.

  “Students,” Mrs. Conley said.

  Idric nearly choked, shocked to hear her harsh voice.

  “I understand your confusion in light of the strange situation surrounding the three students who have run away from their responsibilities. I pursued them for a time, to determine why they would leave, but I am confident it is not their intentio
n to return.”

  Silence for a moment. Idric went to the door in a bit of a haze. He peered into the hall to find three other boys just outside, their faces just as stunned as his own.

  “Is this for real?” Idric asked.

  One boy shrugged.

  Another answered, “Yeah! I saw her go into Padilla’s office just a bit ago.”

  “Thank you for that,” Mrs. Conley continued. “Mrs. Padilla would like to have a few more words. I will see you all in math class.”

  After a moment of silence, Mrs. Padilla came on. “While we are saddened by these events, please understand we are taking every necessary action to ensure students at this school are safe. As a part of that promise, we must ensure that communication within the school remains unencumbered with rumor and hearsay.

  “As wonderful a resource as the Hidden Lake Investigator has been, it has become clouded with unsubstantiated input. As of this moment, the Hidden Lake Investigator will be taken offline. We will put in a new system that will allow the administration to give you only the information that will enrich your school experience and not distract you from what is most important—your education.

  “From this point forward, the use of the Hidden Lake Investigator has been disabled. All social media outlets have been blocked until further notice. We understand your need to know what is happening to your fellow students, but we encourage you to look to our new system for any information you need. Any attempt to communicate about the events that have taken place here at the school is prohibited. Anyone caught spreading rumors or false information will be sent in for disciplinary measures.” She paused, as if for effect.

  The other boys in the hall made motions of disgust and displeasure.

  Idric just listened.

  “We dislike these measures, but find it necessary given the situation. I also regret to inform you that Sally Singletary and Yasif Zerriouh have been expelled for creating an unsafe environment and spreading rumors and untruths in an attempt to sensationalize their news site. They have created a potentially harmful environment for our students. We are sorry to see two of our brightest minds taken in by sensationalistic motives. We hope that you will join with us as we strive to bring back the state of excellence for which our school is so well known.

  “Thank you for your attention. Should you have any questions, please come see us in the office.”

  Idric felt as if the oxygen had just been sucked out of the air. He’d been at the school long enough to know this was unprecedented. Of course the others would just take her at her word, not knowing what she really was.

  The Hi-Li screen above went black for the first time since he’d set foot on campus. A few moments later, the familiar format was replaced with the school’s logo. A new feed popped up, giving highlights from the headmistress’ address and reminders of the new rules.

  “This isn’t right,” he said aloud.

  “What do you mean?” an older boy asked.

  “That’s not what happened. This isn’t what’s going on.” Idric glanced back and forth at nothing in particular as he spoke.

  “Dude, it’s just the rules, okay? No biggie.”

  “You don’t understand.” Idric looked the boy in the eyes. “Something is wrong with Mrs. Padilla.”

  “Something’s wrong with you, kid. Mrs. Padilla’s fine. Just a bit stressed. I mean, she thought one of her teachers was a kidnapper.”

  One of the other boys laughed. “As if!”

  “It’s good to know Mrs. Conley’s not a perv, even if we do have to put up with her in math!” another boy joked. “Maybe those boys just wanted to run off and live together in some faggy commune.” They all laughed.

  “That’s not true!” Idric shouted.

  The first boy turned. “Look, man. Chill, okay? At least now we can get back to our lives.”

  Idric was at a complete loss for words. The announcement swept everything under the carpet, making it look as if Daniel, Billy, and Shayne had run off together. Now none of the other students would believe the things he’d seen. The only real proof they had was the picture in Yasif’s phone.

  Idric returned to his room to finish packing, his mind racing over what he’d just heard. Had Mrs. Conley really come back? He bet not. It was more likely whatever was on the speakers was another shape-shifter, perhaps even the one who had attacked them at Sally’s mother’s apartment, which meant there were now two at the school. How many more were out there, waiting?

  A text from Jake let Idric know they were on their way, which was good, because he didn’t want to be there anymore. Hidden Lake had changed. It wasn’t the same place it had been only moments ago. He no longer felt safe at the school.

  He made his way toward the back of the school as more rules and “friendly reminders” flashed on the screens. He pushed open the back doors and walked out into the humid Georgia air. He’d wait outside for Jake to arrive. The thought of remaining inside that building made Idric sick to his stomach.

  CHAPTER FORTY

  “I REALLY WISH YOU’D RECONSIDER.” Jake didn’t want to get out of the van. The station had called Lani and she had told him she needed to go. He’d already gotten used to having others around and the thought of being alone again made him nervous.

  “If you need something, you can call me,” Lani said. “I just can’t risk my career on this, Jake. I’ve got a job to do.”

  “I know, but this could be important.”

  “I’m sorry, Jake.”

  Jake wanted to argue, find some way to convince her not to leave, but her mind seemed made up. He closed the door, stepped back, and watched her pull away.

  “Where’s she going?” Idric came up behind him.

  Jake didn’t answer. He turned toward his car. “Come on.”

  Idric set his bag on the floorboard as they climbed into the Honda.

  “What’s going on?” Jake asked, picking up on the kid’s urgency.

  “I’ll explain on the way,” Idric said. “I just want to get away from here.”

  Idric filled him in as they left the school.

  “How are we going to find them?”

  “Well, hopefully my tracking spell hasn’t faded.” Idric opened his backpack and pulled out a wooden box. He set a long tear-shaped stone on top and held his hands above it. A cloud of light converged, lifting the rock into the air. It remained suspended as a sphere of energy formed around it. It began to spin, moving in all directions, until finally it slowed and settled into place. “Go that way.”

  Using the stone as a sort of compass, Jake followed Idric’s instructions until they reached a small weekly-rental hotel. They pulled into the parking lot just as Sally and Yasif emerged from one of the rooms.

  Yasif’s wrists were bleeding as he got into the back seat, but Jake decided it best not to press, given what he was wearing instead of his jeans.

  Idric filled the rest of them in on what happened at the school, this time including the part about Mrs. Conley.

  “Mrs. Conley was on the intercom?” Sally looked tired, her hair disheveled, her face a bit pale.

  Idric nodded.

  “Another shape-shifter?” Jake asked.

  “I’m pretty sure,” Idric said.

  Sally told them what had happened with Division 51. Yasif remained silently staring into his lap. Jake noted she neglected to mention Yasif’s wardrobe choice.

  “So they don’t really have a clue, do they?” Jake commented.

  “I don’t think so.” Sally smoothed out her hair. “I don’t think they know much more than we do.”

  “But why would they be investigating something like this?” Idric asked. “I still don’t get it. This doesn’t seem like a government thing.”

  Sally shrugged. “I guess the government really is interested in paranormal events.”

  “Maybe these things have infiltrated more than just the school,” Jake offered.

  Sally shrugged. “Perhaps.”

  “Well, we obviously ca
n’t go back to the school right now.”

  Idric nodded agreement.

  “The switching station?” Sally asked.

  “Only place we have that’s secure,” Jake said.

  “That filthy place?” Idric wrinkled his nose.

  “Better than nothing,” Jake replied.

  “Okay, we’ll go to the switching station and regroup. I also think we should check out the address you guys found. Try to figure out how Genome Synergistics fits into the equation,” Sally decided.

  “It’s all the way out in Arkansas. That’s a pretty long drive,” Jake said. “Hopefully my car will make it.”

  Sally cast a glance.

  “It was a joke!” Then he suggested they stop off at the nearest Walmart to pick up some supplies.

  Yasif remained just as quiet as they entered the store. He left the group, presumably to get a few things he needed. Jake came up beside Sally. “You okay?”

  “Just a little worried about Yasif,” she replied. “He’s not himself.”

  “Hey.” He put his hand on her arm. “The guy’s been through a lot. Give him a break.”

  Sally nodded, then set off for some food while he loaded up on cleaning chemicals for the station. Idric darted for the candy isle and then met them at the register. By the time they’d finished, they each carried an armload of bags to the car.

  The rest of the day was spent making the switching station more livable. They’d bought a couple folding chairs, and Lani had apparently dropped off a table. When evening arrived, they’d managed to clean out the two rooms upstairs and turn them into decent enough places to sleep.

  As before, Sally took one of the rooms and the boys took the other. Jake had never been to so happy to see a bed. He was glad the day was over and to have the team around him. Idric slept on the couch downstairs, being the only one small enough to fit on it. Yasif took the mattress on the floor, and even though he remained silent, having someone else nearby was comforting.