by Jus Accardo
“Find Ava,” he said with a sigh.
“Right.”
“This is your call, Kori. You can head back home or come with me. Like you said earlier, this is your life on the line. You have every right to fight for it yourself.”
He held out his hand, and without hesitating, I took it. Goose bumps jumped to attention all over my skin. I believed in that meant to be crap as much as I believed in Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny. Still, I couldn’t shake the feeling of warmth, of an odd sense of comfort, as our hands rested against each other.
“They’re going to be looking for you. Maybe they think it’s for your own good, but this won’t just blow over. You have to understand the weight of your choice if you come with us. You have to understand that every decision has a price. One that might last well after this whole thing is over.”
That’s assuming we all survive that long…
I shrugged. “I’ve never been one to back away from a fight.”
His lips slipped into a grin. “I don’t doubt that, either.”
Chapter Fourteen
I hadn’t known him, but nonetheless, I felt guilty leaving Miles all alone. Stupid, since he was beyond my help. Except for Penny Bloom, Cade and Noah’s Tribunal were dead, but there was still a chance to save myself—and that couldn’t be ignored.
I’d let the commander know where to find Miles, then inferred that I would head back home without actually saying it out loud. Technically that made me less of a liar—at least in my opinion. Somehow I doubted the general would see it that way, but as long as I was alive to take my punishment, I could deal with it. The thought of losing my freedom didn’t seem like such a travesty anymore now that my life was on the line. We’d called Noah, and Cade arranged for us to meet him at someplace called the Doon.
There was a hulking rock formation on the left side of the car, the top of which jutted out above our heads like an awning. That, coupled with the trees and absence of light, made the scene look eerie. Like something out of a dark fairy tale.
Yep. The last thing the girl sees before some monster swallows her whole…
Still, creepy or not, it was beautiful in its own way, and I found myself itching to get my hands on pencils. Several shades of green and brown, accented by dark gray. On paper, I could make it something it wasn’t. Inviting and pure. On paper, I could turn it into something magical. That was the beauty of art. The thing my dad never understood. He fought against the world, making it safer for the people by using force. Tactical strikes and well-thought-out defense plans. I used something different. Something that, while not as direct as his methods, was still sorely needed. Art was my way of giving people hope. Supplying them with the knowledge that beauty still existed. That it was worth fighting for.
“So, why here?” The silence in the car wasn’t uncomfortable, really, but I think that’s why it bothered me. I’d always been somewhat of a lone wolf, and when we began bouncing from base to base almost once a year, I resigned myself to the life of a loner. It was something that didn’t bother me anymore. Except now, sitting here with Cade, I almost felt like I’d been missing out. Maybe it was because I didn’t have Mom anymore. My best friend and partner in crime. Or maybe it was something else…
“We come here because buildings aren’t static,” Cade said, pushing open the driver’s side door and sliding out. I followed his lead. “They change from world to world. But the landscape generally doesn’t.”
I followed, closing the door and moving around the front of the car to stand beside him. “What about the people? What are you like? In other places, I mean.”
“Pretty much the same. I mean, I’m not always enlisted, but my general personality seems to be consistent.” He rapped his knuckles against the roof of the car lightly and looked away. “There are always some differences, but most people have certain constants.”
“Constants?”
“Things that stay the same. Personality traits, hobbies, mannerisms…” He hesitated. “Relationships.”
“Relationships,” I repeated, wary. I wasn’t the Kori he knew, but that didn’t change the fact that every so often I’d catch him staring, almost longingly. If I had to guess, he didn’t even realize he was doing it. And, although I almost didn’t want an answer, I was morbidly curious. “Like yours and mine?”
“Yes…and no.” He sighed. “The same circles of people tend to exist on each world, give or take a few. Certain people just seem to gravitate toward each other. The relationships differ sometimes, but they’re usually there in some capacity.”
“I think I would have remembered meeting you.” I mentally kicked myself for the way I said it. Kind of like a chick version of How you doin’? “You know, because you’re so damn irritating.”
Oh, yeah, Anderson. Nice save…
“Like I said, the first thing Noah and I do when we arrive after a skip is look ourselves up. As far as I can tell, this time Cade and Dylan Granger were never born. It seems like my parents never got together.”
“And Noah?”
He frowned, and almost hesitantly said, “Records show Noah Anderson died at birth.”
I opened my mouth, then closed it. I tried to swallow, but there was a lump lodged in my throat. “Died at—he wasn’t born. I think my parents would have told me if I’d had a brother.”
Cade looked uncomfortable. He turned, focusing on the tree line with too much intensity.
“No,” I said, shaking my head. “It just can’t be true. Why wouldn’t they tell me?”
When he met my gaze again, he was sad. “Because really, what would it have changed?”
“What would it have—are you nuts? That’s something I deserved to know!”
“So, your parents should have told their small child that her brother died a year before she was born?”
“Maybe not when I was younger, but as I got older? Hell yes.” My head filled with images of the life I could have had. A brother…a partner in crime…a real friend. I pushed the thought from my mind, halfheartedly reminding myself that I wouldn’t have wanted a brother like Noah. Loud, stubborn, annoying. Insanely loyal…
He shrugged again. “Maybe they just ran out of time.”
Ran out of time…
And there it was again. Time. Mankind’s mortal enemy. Always working against us, skulking in the shadows, waiting to steal away minutes by the handful until only a precious few remained.
I didn’t know how to respond, but thankfully, I didn’t have to. Noah picked that moment to come jogging into view. “You both okay?” he huffed, stopping by a large rock to catch his breath.
“Yeah.” Cade nodded. “What did you find out about Ava? Is she—?”
Cade was cut off by the sound of rolling tires and scattering debris. He took a step back, positioning himself in front of me as two large SUVs skidded to a stop in the dirt a few yards from where we stood. “Shit.” Whirling on Noah, his lips twisted into an angry snarl. “Seriously? You let them follow you?”
Noah gave it right back. He jabbed a finger violently in my direction. “They wouldn’t even be looking for us if you weren’t so obsessed with my sister’s fake.”
Simmons extracted himself from the black SUV and stalked forward, never taking his eyes off me. The way his shadow loomed in the glow of the truck’s headlights was just about as ominous as his expression. I swallowed, holding my ground, and stepped out from behind Cade.
“Sir, if you’ll just—” Cade started.
“Do not finish that sentence, son.” Pointing to me, he said, “Get in the back of the truck. Now. Before I restrain all of you.”
I knew better than to talk back to an officer, but I couldn’t help it. He was wrong and, by dragging us back to the base, would probably be condemning me to death. “If you would—”
“Now!”
I bit down hard on the inside of my lip and started for the car. The look of unadulterated fury in his eyes left no room for argument. Cade was right. This would hang ove
r my head for a long time. The level of shit I’d gotten myself into was going to bury me. That was, if Dylan didn’t manage it first. But staying wouldn’t work, either. The general had backup. If I resisted, there was a chance he’d hurt Cade and Noah, thinking he was doing what was best for me.
I didn’t look back at the boys as I pulled open the back door and lifted my right foot to slip inside. I didn’t really think anything of it when I heard footsteps slapping against the ground, or Cade’s voice telling the commander that this was a huge mistake. No, what got my attention was the rage-filled howl that Simmons let out, followed by the SUV shuddering violently back and forth.
As I turned, the driver cursed and struggled with his seat belt, but Noah was faster. He rammed his elbow up, catching the man right beneath the chin, following through with a brutal right hook. The driver’s head snapped back, then fell forward, missing the horn by inches.
I stumbled from the back seat in time to see Cade overpower Simmons, snatching his gun and turning it on him as the driver of the second SUV got out of the truck.
Dad had known the commander nearly my entire life. He and his family had joined us for everything from holiday dinners to mini vacations. He was an army man through and through, and I knew the only way Cade got the better of him is because the old-timer had underestimated him.
Simmons backed up a step, moving protectively in front of me. The gesture almost made me feel bad about what I’d put him through the past few days. Almost. “Easy, son.”
“This is not a sign of disrespect, sir. But you’re not equipped to deal with Dylan. You won’t be able to stop him.” Cade nodded in my direction. “You won’t be able to save her.”
“I don’t know how things work where you’re from, but threatening a superior is a serious offense.” Simmons kept his voice even, but the underlying fury behind the words was crystal clear.
“That’s not what this is,” Cade responded. He leaned to the left and, meeting my gaze, nodded slightly. “Again, your call, Kori. Stay or go.”
What was I supposed to do here? Simmons was doing only what he believed to be in my best interest. But, a not-so-small voice in the back of my mind told me this wasn’t in my best interest. He might think it was, but so far, from what I’d seen, Cade was right. They couldn’t deal with Dylan. Not because they weren’t equipped, but because they didn’t know him. Cade and Noah had an inside line to his specific brand of insanity. They didn’t understand his motivations. If there was any hope of getting this thing off my arm, then there was really only one choice to make.
I sucked in a breath and stepped out from behind the commander. “I’m sorry, sir.”
Taking that first step was hard, but I did it. I put one foot in front of the other, and started forward. Didn’t get very far, though. The commander cursed and grabbed my arm. “Where’s your head at, kid? Do you really think your father would approve of you disobeying a direct order?”
I whirled on him. The buildup of anger and fear I’d been keeping stashed away since this whole thing began, exploded. “First off, I’m not one of your soldiers. You can’t give me orders.” His eyes narrowed and he opened his mouth, but I kept going. “But I think my dad would approve of me doing the right thing. And right now, the right thing is to make sure I don’t end up dead.”
“This is not the way to do that, Kori.”
“It is,” I insisted, taking another step away.
Simmons eyed me, then settled his gaze on Cade. He let go of me and held up his hands, seemingly relaxing a bit. “Then we’ll work together.”
Relaxed or not, I could see it in his eyes. It was all an act. He was lying. Saying whatever he thought I wanted to hear to get me to come back to the base with him. I didn’t know what to say, so I didn’t say anything. I simply shook my head and crossed the small clearing to Cade’s side.
Noah came up behind us. When I glanced over my shoulder, I saw that, for the first time, he was looking at me with something other than disgust. There was sadness in his eyes, but also pride. “If your general is anything like ours, he’d be proud of his daughter for fighting for her life.”
“He wouldn’t want her in harm’s way,” the commander said, tight-lipped. Realizing that we weren’t going to play along, he’d lost his neutral expression and had settled on furious. “He’d want her safe. He’d want her with his people.”
“We are his people, sir.” Cade pushed Noah aside and took a step toward Simmons. He aimed the gun at the commander’s car and, after a moment of hesitation, fired off two rounds. One shot to each front tire.
I jumped, and Noah snickered. Cade lowered the gun then, after hesitating, removed the clip and set the weapon on the ground between them. “If we don’t deal with Dylan, she isn’t safe.” He took a step back. “None of them are safe.”
Simmons was furious. His shoulders rigid and jaw clenched tight, there was fire in his eyes. “And what’s to say I don’t stop you?”
Cade sighed, then dug in his pocket. He held up something shiny and thin. “Because of this.”
Simmons cocked his head but said nothing.
“See, where we come from, technology is far more advanced than it is here. We’re at least three decades ahead of you in some aspects.” He wiggled the thing in his hand. “This will stun you for at least an hour. If you try to stop us from leaving, I’ll have no choice other than to use it.”
Simmons was normally the master of cool. Really, the guy was like ice. You never saw him sweat, never saw him lose his temper. Cade, though, was cracking him. The commander narrowed his eyes, clenched his jaw, and after a moment of hesitation, stepped aside.
“I’m sure you know that once you leave this clearing I’m going to call in reinforcements. They will hunt you down, and the punishment will be harsh.” He leveled his gaze at me. “That goes for you, too, Kori.”
“I’m not a soldier, sir. What I’m doing, simply disobeying my dad’s orders and going off with two boys I barely know, is nothing more than simple teenage rebellion. That’s hardly an act of treason.”
He couldn’t argue with that, so he focused on Cade again. Knowing the commander, he thought he could scare him into handing me over. Bully the boys into doing what he wanted. “The consequences of these actions are going to come back on you, Granger. There’s no scenario where this ends well. For anyone involved.”
Cade’s shoulders shook with a laugh. He turned and held out his hand to me as Noah made his way around us and started for the path.
For some reason, this felt like a turning point. One of those moments you remember for the rest of your life—no matter how long that actually ends up being. The threshold of something…be it good or bad.
He tugged me into motion. “There won’t be any consequences,” he said over his shoulder. “We won’t be here long enough.”
Chapter Fifteen
“So I have to ask.” I leaned back in my seat and scanned the room. We sat huddled in the back corner of a small dive called Metro’s. The music in the club was loud and it smelled like cheap perfume, but it was safe—I hoped. We’d crossed over the town line, and this was probably the last place Simmons would think to look for us. “What was that thing back there? The weapon you threatened Simmons with?”
Cade’s expression lightened a bit, and the corners of his lips tugged up—just a hair. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small silver disk. “A watch battery that’s been in my pocket for the last year and a half…”
I blinked several times, then picked up the small thing. It was true. The deadly weapon was nothing more than a watch battery. I let out an unattractive snort. “The Commander of Fort Hannity had been taken down by a watch battery. This really should have been documented on YouTube…”
“So…” Noah cleared his throat and slouched back in his seat. “I couldn’t dig up much on the Harris family, but I did get an old address for Ava’s father. Doesn’t seem like they live there anymore, but it’s a place to start.”
&nb
sp; It was eleven p.m. on a Sunday night, so the place wasn’t as crowded as it could have been. Finding a table hadn’t been hard, and getting in had been a breeze. An extra twenty to the freakishly tall bouncer at the door and we waltzed through without having to show ID. The boys had even ordered beers without being carded
Noah pushed his beer away from the edge of the table and tapped the tabletop hard. “With the Tribunal dead, Dylan might head to Ava himself. With a little digging, he could find the information just as easily as I did.”
“And there goes our bargaining chip,” Cade added with a scowl.
“Then we just need to get there first.” I downed the rest of my coke and fixed them with my best hard-ass stare. “Because I have no intention of dying.”
“The old address I have for Harris is about five hours from here, in Westchester,” Noah said with a yawn. “My vote is that we hole up for the night, catch some z’s, then get a fresh start in the morning.”
“It’s been a long day,” Cade agreed. “I’m just gonna hit the bathroom and we’ll go.”
He slid from the booth and disappeared around the other side of the bar. Noah watched him go, then went out of his way to position himself so that he wasn’t facing me. I got that he was probably hurting, but enough was enough. “Why the hell do you hate me so much?”
At the sound of my voice, his shoulders stiffened. For a minute I was sure he’d simply ignore me. But after a few moments, he turned slowly and pinned me with a stare that sent a shiver down my spine. “I don’t hate you. I don’t think anything of you at all, honestly. You’re no one to me. A ghost. A shadow of someone else.”
It wasn’t so much his words, but the way he said them—with loathing and barely contained poison—that made my heart thump faster and caused a lump to form in the back of my throat. It shouldn’t have bothered me at all, yet it did. “Then why are you helping me?” I managed.