“Well, when we remodeled, I put most of the things from our closet down here. It was the logical place to keep everything out of the way. I guess when I moved things back upstairs, I overlooked the box this was in. Which box was it in?” she suddenly asked, peeking curiously at the boxes lining the shelving unit. “I might find other things I thought I’d lost.”
Jaden laughed, pointing out the requested box. Like a kid in a candy store, his mother pawed through the contents, little squeaks of delight escaping as she discovered items she had given up hope of ever seeing again.
“I imagine I don’t have to worry about sorting through that box?” he remarked dryly, watching her happy voyage of discovery.
“You imagine correctly. Maybe I should check the other boxes in case there’s more I’ve overlooked.” She set the box she’d been holding on a nearby table and returned to the shelving unit.
“That was why I was coming to find you. I wasn’t what we were keeping on these shelves and what we’re donating. Some seem to have sentimental value.”
His mother dragged bin after bin off the shelves, examining their contents, then murmured, “Yes, I can see how that’s a problem here. I’d forgotten all the stuff I had on these shelves. Why don’t I do this unit while you finish the rest of the room?”
“Thanks, that would be helpful. That leaves only the pieces in this corner, and then I’m finished.”
“So I see. You’ve had a productive morning.”
“Not that I had much choice, but at least I found my Clone gaming headphones, so it wasn’t all bad.”
“The ones you thought you’d lost?”
“Yeah. I’m psyched. Speaking of gaming, I have an idea I want to run past you and Dad.”
Briefly, he outlined his vision for the basement. He hadn’t even finished the bare bones when her enthusiasm sparked. Discerning her value as an ally when they broached the scheme with his dad, Jaden eagerly doled out more details.
When Jaden finished, his mom was almost as excited as he was. “Jaden, what a fabulous idea! I’m amazed we’ve never thought if it before.”
“You’ll speak to Dad then?”
“Sure. And Jaden . . .”
“Yes?”
“For what it’s worth, I’m sorry I didn’t give you a choice today. I should have given you some notice.”
“Thanks, Mom, I appreciate the apology. I forgive you. I shouldn’t have argued or yelled at you, so I’m sorry too.”
She beamed, hugging him before he could stop her. “You may be taller than I am, but I’m glad I can still hug you.” She grinned, knowing how he hated the hugs but tolerated them to please her.
“Any more chores after this before I go ‘play?’”
“No, thank heavens! We’re done until October.”
Jaden dispatched the remaining jumble in the last corner with alacrity. When he purged the final item, he sought his mother’s approval. At her confirmation, Jaden whooped.
Scrambling to leave the room, the feeling that he had forgotten something overcame him. Running his eyes over the area, he did a mental inventory. He had stacked the filled boxes near the stairs so he could carry them to the drone bay. His socks, which he’d yanked off when the temperature in the basement soared, lay on top of one box. His water bottle was . . . over there, on the table near the shelving unit. Marching over, he retrieved it, but the distinct impression remained that he still hadn’t found what he was looking for. As that thought crossed his mind, he spotted the medallion.
That strange sense of yearning overwhelmed him again. Unable to help himself, he plucked the medallion off the table. It hummed in his hand. He felt . . . complete. As though a void he hadn’t known existed had been filled. Like finding the long-lost piece of a cherished jigsaw puzzle, the medallion somehow completed the whole. Without knowing why or what would come out of his mouth, he spoke.
“Mom, do you mind if I keep this?”
Shock marked her face. “I thought you’d think it was a girly thing. Why do you want it?”
“I’m not sure. I just—well, this will sound crazy, but I feel a connection to it.”
His mother studied him. Jaden could almost feel desperation rising in him at the thought of her saying no.
“Alright, but I expect you to not lose it. That’s my only condition.”
Elation filled Jaden. “Thanks, Mom. I won’t let you down.”
“No, I daresay you won’t,” she murmured cryptically, turning so Jaden could no longer see her face.
But he was too engrossed in the medallion to pay attention to his mother. Gripping the precious piece like a lifeline, he bounded up the stairs two at a time until he reached the top floor of their home. Entering his room, he loped over to his dresser and poked around in the top drawer until he found the wrist wallet he had stashed there earlier that morning. This indescribable need to have the medallion close to him made the wallet the perfect place to store it. Gently, he stowed the medallion in the tiny pocket, then strapped the wallet to his wrist.
Satisfied, Jaden leaped back down the stairs to the basement, indirectly getting his aerobic workout for the day carting filled boxes from the basement to the rooftop drone bay and then flitting back to the basement for more.
Twenty minutes later, sweaty and starving, he entered the kitchen and made lunch. With his sandwiches on a plate in one hand and a brimming glass of orange juice in the other, he flopped down at the kitchen table and tucked in. He’d already devoured his second sandwich and was standing at the counter making a third when his mother joined him.
“Want one?”
His mother shook her head. “Thanks, but I have a salad in the fridge.”
She retrieved her salad, and they enjoyed an agreeable, albeit late, lunch, discussing layouts for the gaming room, what furniture and equipment they could repurpose, and what pieces they would need to buy.
“We should get a budget worked out for this if we’re going to persuade your father it's viable.”
“I’ll get that squared away this afternoon while the ideas are still fresh. Then we’ll have all the information before Dad gets home.”
“Good. Oh, and you’d better include lighting. You’ll need decent lights down there.”
“Great point. I’ll add those to the list.”
Ten minutes later, Jaden lounged in front of his interface, staring in dazed fascination at the vast assortment of light fittings. How do I choose? After another ten minutes of paging through countless options, he decided a ballpark figure would have to do and made his best estimate.
Two exhausting hours of internet shopping later, Jaden had assembled a complete list. Tallying the total cost, he grimaced. He should cut back on some things, or his dad would decline based on the bottom line alone. Thinning the list took another thirty minutes. Satisfied with the revised total, Jaden printed the proposed budget and went looking for his mother.
He’d just finished going over the list with her when his PAL’s melodic tunes announced a call from Markov. He tapped his CC. “Hey dude, what’s up?”
Markov’s ruggedly handsome face popped up on the virtual screen, and his voice came back, deep and filled with humor. “What’s up yourself? Looks like you have cabin fever.”
“Yeah, had to spring clean for my mom this morning and then spent the afternoon working on a summer project, so I haven’t exactly had time to enjoy my day yet.” Jaden wandered back to his room while he chatted.
“Then here’s a proposal I’m sure will brighten your day. I was thinking of having the group over tomorrow for a VR games marathon. You in?”
“What a question! Who else is in?”
“Stovan, Tarise, and yourself, so far. Shianna’s away for the weekend with her family, so she won’t be there. I still have to call Bree. We can’t have a session without her or her snacks!”
“Make sure you convince her. It won’t be the same without those appetizing little morsels she concocts. And remind her I still owe her a whipping on th
e race cars.”
Markov snorted. “Yeah, that’s right. She gave you a driving lesson last time. I have to see a repeat of that! I’ll bribe her to come if I have to, but it’ll make an odd number of contestants. Not so easy to set up the competition when we have five players.”
Jaden thought of Kayla. “Well, if it’s an even number you’re after, there’s this new girl in town. I met her at the park yesterday. I could call and see if she’s interested. She’s fun to be around. And next time we need a fourth for our arrowball game, she’d be the perfect choice.”
“Hmm, sounds like someone I should meet. Sure, bring her along if she’ll come. Around ten?”
“You’re on. Looking forward to it.”
Jaden clicked the link closed and then commanded the call to Kayla. His eagerness to talk to her surprised him.
When she answered on the second ring, he smiled. “Hey, it’s Jaden.”
She grinned back, a mischievous light in her eyes. “Hi. A moment ago I was thinking of calling you for that rematch, but the weather’s supposed to be grim tomorrow.”
“How do you feel about a VR games marathon instead?”
“Sounds tempting. Where?”
“Markov, a friend of mine, is having it at his house. There’ll be a group of us, all friends of mine from the LC. Well, friends from childhood actually, but longtime friends. Markov’s family has a mind-blowing gaming room, and if Briley comes, we’ll have snacks to die for.”
“Now you’re speaking my language. Tell me more.”
Jaden gave her the lowdown, followed by Markov’s coordinates. When Kayla had all the relevant information, Jaden spotted Kayla’s paused game in the background, and talk turned to gaming. They chatted about existing games and then discussed a new one being released the following week before eventually ending the call.
Leaning back in his chair and lifting his arms over his head in a stretch, Jaden felt the warm glow of the medallion through his wrist wallet. Lowering his arms, he unstrapped the wallet and removed the medallion, gazing at it. It was mesmerizing. Like the girl he’d just spoken to.
Eyes traveling idly over the intricate details carved on the front of the medallion, he wondered about her. There was something about her—some link or tie he couldn’t quite put a finger on. His mother called him for dinner, interrupting his musings.
Not wanting to part from the medallion for even a second but also unwilling to wear the wrist wallet to dinner, Jaden opted for storing the precious trinket in his pants pocket and dashed downstairs.
Entering the kitchen, Jaden greeted his father, gauging correctly from his expression that his mother must’ve already mentioned the gaming room. Jaden could guess the topic of tonight’s dinner conversation.
As if in protest, the medallion seared its way through his pocket directly onto his skin, its intense heat brazenly broadcasting its presence. Jaden shoved his hand into his pocket to yank the burning disc out. But before his fingers reached it, it had cooled again. Confused, Jaden shook his head to clear it. Did I just imagine that? Clarity hit with hurricane force, driving the air from his lungs with a whoosh.
Yeah, there’s unfinished business alright, but it’s so much more than just the gaming room. It’s something to do with Kayla and me and the fact that we’re being hounded by some bizarre creature only we can see. And this curious medallion is part of the equation too. What in the world is going on?
Chapter Twelve
Saturday came, gloomy and overcast as predicted. The air drooped, heavy and brooding, sulking because the sun hadn’t come out to play. Undaunted by the bleak sky threatening doom outside her bedroom window, Kayla sprang out of bed, excitement and nerves mixing uneasily in her stomach at the thought of meeting Jaden’s friends. She hoped they were as friendly and normal as he was. Forming connections would be so much easier. Perhaps that explained why she was glad he would be there too.
From what Jaden had told her, Markov had quite the setup. Consulting the map of Daxsos the previous evening, Kayla discovered Markov lived in one of the more affluent communities. Recalling that fact made her nerves flutter again.
Pushing thoughts of meeting new people from her mind, Kayla made her bed and dressed and undressed several times, dissatisfied with all her choices. Agitated, she reverted to her standard uniform of jeans and a trendy t-shirt, then scampered to the kitchen in search of breakfast.
Although she wasn’t hungry, she forced down her customary yogurt and granola. Against all odds, she’d discovered a full stomach helped her cope better with her anxiety than going hungry. Shoving in the last mouthful, Kayla glanced at the kitchen clock. Eight forty-five. She had an hour to kill.
Restless, Kayla marched to the bathroom and washed her face. Picking up her toothbrush, she applied toothpaste, then strolled to her room as she brushed. From the doorway, she surveyed the interior before wandering over to her desk, drowned by her jewelry-making supplies.
The craft had begun as a way for her and Grailynn to pass the time while they sat and shared secrets in the afternoons after school. Grailynn, fanatical about creating her own custom jewelry, had shown Kayla the basics on one of their first afternoons together.
At first, Kayla just fiddled around with the wire and beads. But then she finished her first piece, and the proverbial bug bit. The more jewelry she created, the more others recognized her talent in design. As they did, demand for her work grew. Thanks to her website, her hobby had grown into a helpful source of income.
Kayla sifted through her supplies, contemplating the orders she had to fill this weekend. Now was not the time to get started. She would get sucked in, become absorbed in the details of each piece, and only resurface midday—way too late for her gaming appointment.
Kayla needed something small to keep her occupied. Something that would only keep her busy for about forty-five minutes. Her eyes caught on the precious medallion on her dresser.
Dumping her toothbrush, she collected the medallion. What is this ridiculous feeling that buzzes through me every time I touch it? Squinting, Kayla visualized designs for a casing. Then caught her breath. Yes, that’ll work. It won’t damage the medallion, and I’ll be able to keep it close.
Kayla skipped back to her desk and sat down. Using her pliers, she bent a length of silver wire, forming a shallow, cradle-like shape. Placing the medallion in the semi-formed cradle, Kayla checked it for size, making minor adjustments to allow for an exact fit. When the cradle was perfect, Kayla removed the medallion, switched on her soldering iron, and melded the rings together. Then she rechecked the sizing.
Satisfied, she grasped the loose end of the wire still dangling from the cradle and twisted it in an intricate design to create a delicate yet sturdy stem, flowing out from the cradle. At the stem’s tip, she forged a tiny, reinforced three-pronged claw and then wound the wire back down on itself, reuniting it with the base. Kayla used the medallion to measure the claw for accuracy, then soldered the metal end from the bit to the base, securing the metal finger in place.
Calculating her distances around the octagonal contours of the medallion, Kayla repeated the first claw’s pattern another seven times. After securing the last claw, Kayla slipped the medallion into the cradle, testing the fingers. Perfect!
Removing the medallion one last time, Kayla worked the wire’s loose end pushing it up through the various layers. She fashioned an elaborate, unbreakable loop at the apex of the frame to connect the frame to a chain. The circle completed, she soldered the end and cut off the excess wire.
Excitement made her fingers tremble as she settled the medallion into its cradle. Operating her small handheld vise, she bent the claws around the smooth edges of the medallion, attaching it to the base. Then she admired her handiwork.
Not bad, not bad at all. The lovely cradle didn’t do justice to the exquisite medallion, but they made a handsome pair. As she reached into her jewelry box for a suitable chain, she checked the clock. Spittlebugs! It’s 9:50. I’m late!
> Slipping the medallion onto the chain, she clasped it around her neck, admiring the eye-catching ensemble in her mirror. But she had to move. Tucking the priceless piece under her shirt, Kayla grabbed a sweater and raced upstairs to their rooftop landing deck, shouting goodbyes to her parents. She punched in the coordinates, waited for the ’pod to connect to the AutoNav system, and reclined for the ride.
As the ’pod lifted, Kayla donned her sweater. The soft fibers caressing her head reminded her of her hair—a bird’s nest. Why didn’t I check that before I left? Scratching around in the cubby below the steering seat, she found a brush and scraped it through the tangles. With order restored, Kayla returned the brush and stared out the window. Did I wash my face? Yes, I did. Sheesh, stop fussing! Relax and focus on the scenery.
Kayla glanced out the window and saw an older section of Daxsos. Most homes were converted early twenty-first century structures. Flat landing decks had replaced their original angled roofs so homeowners could berth their transports. Tempered steel beams hugged the corners, serving as supports for the solid decks.
They configured the decks themselves with two drone bays—one for deliveries and one for collections, flanked by a room serving as both the transporters’ maintenance room and the home’s primary entrance.
Around the deck’s outer edges, flattened against the sides of the house, were the hydraulic pads. Homeowners could raise these to accommodate guest ’pod hook-ups: essential for preventing too many guest ‘pods on the home’s street level, a violation which could lead to citations for hindering street traffic.
Closing in on Markov’s coordinates, the older homes gradually merged with more contemporary glass and steel ones. Then they transitioned into an entirely new area.
These homes had superior landing sites, with several ’pod pads studding their perimeter instead of the usual two or three. Entry into the house was separate from the maintenance room. Swanky service elevators served the drone bays. All indicators Kayla was almost at her destination. Her ‘pod beeped arrival, making Kayla jump. Sneaking a glance out the window, Kayla noticed the elevated landing pads, ready for the guest ’pods they expected to host.
Destiny Series Boxed Set Page 8