by A. Kennedy
“How does it make you feel that she’s missing?”
“Honestly, I have tons of emotions running through me right now.” Zac paused for a moment to catch his breath. He acted as if he was trying to hold back from crying, which made me want to puke. “I’m scared that she may be the killer’s next victim, or it may be too late. Can you give me a minute please?” He paused again. I rolled my eyes. The dramatic effects might work on everyone else, but it drove me mad.
“I understand. It must be really hard for you, sitting back waiting for the authorities to give you some kind of clue that they found her.” Nothing but true remorse came from the reporter. Of course, he would be thinking differently if he knew my side of the story.
After a moment of silence, Zac decided to nod and continue his distressing story, “Sir, it’s probably the hardest thing I’ve ever been through in my whole life. I was planning on taking her to dinner and asking her to marry me. I wish I could find the killer and show him how I really feel about him right now. I'll let the authorities take care of him, but as for my girlfriend, I’m putting together my own search parties. What kind of man would I be if I sat back and did nothing to help get my soul mate back in my arms?” The soul mate part really made me sick. I wish I could show him how I really felt about the killer, the killer who was on national TV and no one knew.
“If you get to see her again, what will you tell her?”
“I wouldn’t be able to speak I would be so happy. I would embrace her and let her know I will never let something like this happen again, never. And Windy, if you’re out there and you’re able to hear this, know that I’m coming for you, and nothing or no one will stand in my way.” The tone of Zac’s voice made me believe that he was coming for me, but I didn’t think it would be to embrace me or to confess his love for me.
Chapter 8
“We gotta get down to Tybee tonight,” Ryan said to Boa with a hint of urgency in his voice. “That’s the only place she’ll be safe right now.”
“What do ya mean the only place she will be safe right now?” Boa replied with irritation.
I sat on the couch with Boa while Ryan paced the living room. Each stride he took, I could feel my anxiety climb.
“They think Zac knows we have Windy, and he’s trying to turn the story on us, saying that we are the killers. If they catch us with her, we're as good as dead.” His brows knitted in concentration.
The thought of leaving made my stomach tie in knots. There was no way I could leave. At least, not without seeing my mom first. She was the only family I had left. I needed her and she needed me. She was probably already worried sick. Who knows what Zac has been filling her head with. She probably thought I was dead. “I–I can’t go to Tybee, Ryan. M–my mom,” I tried to control my speech, but pushing the words out was proving difficult. “I have to get to her. I have to make sure she's okay.” My stomach started to feel queasy again.
“Windy, we don’t have that kind of time.” I jumped at the tone of Ryan's voice. He spoke with the voice of a father scolding a child. He took a deep breath, realizing his mistake before he continued. “Doug, Renee, and Steve are on their way right now to meet up with us so we can head south.”
I balled my hands into fists and pursed my lips together. I could feel the emotions trying to take over, and I didn't want to start crying again. I couldn’t leave without making sure my mom was okay. My mom, who had been through so much, didn't deserve to be left in the dark. I glared at Boa and Ryan. “I need to see her.” I paused and tried to think of a threat the guys would take seriously. “If you want me to cooperate, then I need to do this. If we can't, then I promise you, you won't want to take me anywhere.”
Ryan stopped pacing. He studied me for a while before he finally spoke in a soft soothing tone. “I don’t know, Windy. We're already taking a risk having you here. Once Doug gets here, we'll see what he thinks and go from there.”
I nodded, knowing that the discussion was over. “Do I know Doug?”
“Yeah, he’s the guy you darted out the window from,” Ryan started grinning, “which in my opinion was pretty awesome.”
I rolled my eyes and arched my eyebrows. “You think jumping out of a window is awesome?”
“Well, considering you thought you were running away from, I don’t know, the bad guys. Your escape was a desperate one, and you laughed at danger right in the face. Yeah, I'd say it was pretty awesome. Almost like a scene from a movie.”
It did sound like something out of an action movie. I smiled, giving myself a mental pat on the back.
Boa got up from the couch. “I’m going to go pack my bags so we can leave. Y’all two can continue to flirt or do whatever.”
I noticed Boa said the word 'flirt' as if it were poison. Could he be jealous of someone I just met? Were Ryan and I not allowed to talk?
After Boa walked upstairs, Ryan looked at me and asked, “Do you want to come to the garage so I can show you something?”
Not sure what to do, I finally said, “Um, sure.” I took his hand and held on for support. We stepped outside into the dark and he guided me across the yard where a big structure stood. His garage was twice the size of his cabin. “What is in there?”
“What I am going to show you.” I could hear Ryan’s smile.
I rolled my eyes. “Well, that answers my question.”
Ryan just laughed. “You’re cute. You know that?”
I didn’t know how to respond. His remark made me feel awkward, and the last thing I wanted to be was cute. “You still didn’t answer my question.”
He squeezed my hand. “It’s a surprise. You’ll see when we get in there. By the way, how are you feeling?”
“Better. Like, a lot better. My head still hurts, but it’s not bothering me as bad.”
“That’s good,” he said as we stopped in front of the massive garage.
Ryan opened the door and flipped on the lights. I was shocked at the vehicles I saw. I would have never imagined that this guy, with his beat-up truck, would have such a collection. The first car I saw was an old black CJ-7 Jeep all fixed up. Next to the Jeep sat an old restored Corvette. Then, out of place compared to the older cars, was a newer model black BMW flanked by a black Chevelle. I felt my jaw drop at the sight of the collection. At the very end sat another vehicle with a car cover.
“Pretty amazing, huh?”
I nodded, stunned. “Where did you get them all from?” I’m not big into the older cars, but I did know a little, thanks to my dad. Restoring old cars was one of his favorite pastimes. He spent his weekends up to his elbows in grease and spent a fortune on parts. I remember him and mom having several arguments about the money he spent on his hobby.
“The Society has me keeping them. We have them for the ‘just in case’, kind of like tonight, but it’s not these cars I wanna show you.” He smiled, holding a precious secret in his eyes. “It’s the car with the cover over it. That's what I want to show you. It's the only one here that doesn't belong to the Society.”
“Really?” Ryan's excitement was contagious, and it was rubbing off on me. “What kind of car is it? Is it yours?”
Ryan didn’t answer. He walked over to the car and pulled the cover off a ‘67 Mustang Shelby GT500 that was a grayish metallic color with navy blue racing stripes. It reminded me of the exact same car my dad restored. He told me he remodeled it after the Eleanor car from an old favorite movie of his, Gone in 60 Seconds.
I could see how Nicholas Cage’s character felt as he walked around Eleanor. I was doing the same thing, taking in just how amazing she was. I could see my dad under the hood working and calling out different wrenches he needed for taking off and replacing parts. That was my job, getting the right tool for the task. He told me one day it would be mine, but shortly after he died, the car disappeared. I figured my mom sold it, trying to make sure we had enough money to survive.
I was in such a trance I almost didn’t hear Ryan ask, “Like it?” I looked up and saw that R
yan was studying me with his blue eyes that sent heat through my body.
“Yeah,” I whispered back, still elsewhere in my mind.
Ryan came up behind me and brought his mouth just to the tip of my ear, making my heart race, and then he whispered, “Good because it was your father’s, which makes it yours.”
I stepped to the side, away from his intoxicating presence. This car held my dad's heart. I didn't have anything of my dad's. Mom sold what she could and then put the rest in the garage, informing me to stay away and leave it alone. I looked up at Ryan and could see a happy grin play on his lips, one that didn’t poke fun at me. This grin told me he had something up his sleeve. “So, now that the owner of the car is here, can we please sit in it and see if it still cranks?”
I couldn’t help but laugh at his request. He was like a kid in a candy store bribing his mom, except I was just as excited as he was. “Where are the keys?”
“Right here.” He jingled the keys next to my ear.
“I’ll be taking these.” I took the keys from him as he slowly lowered his hand toward my cheek and gently rubbed it over the bruise. I winced from the sharp pain while blushing at the affectionate touch. I felt confused, and I knew I shouldn’t feel any way toward Ryan.
I walked over to the driver’s side of the car, my body shaking with adrenaline. I slid into the seat, placed the key in the ignition and turned. I heard the engine sputter, trying to come alive.
“Give it gas,” Ryan said as he slid into the passenger seat.
I turned the switch again, this time with my foot on the gas pedal. The car took a moment, but it finally turned over and the roar of the engine revving up sent chills up and down my spine.
“How many lessons on controlling the wind have you had?” Ryan asked.
I was studying the gauges and looking around the car, trying to get familiar with the hot rod. “Not many. My dad taught me until I was eleven, but after he passed, I tried forgetting I could control the wind. I’ve done a good job until the past couple of days. Why?”
“Look outside.” Ryan laughed at the sight.
My eyes widened at the sight of dust flying around the car. I knew the phenomenon was my doing because I could feel the air pulsating on my skin. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, trying to control the elements around me. The prickling on my arms died down, and I opened my eyes to a dirt-covered hood.
“Windy, you're amazing,” he said, awestruck.
I gaped at his comment. “How? I didn’t even know I was controlling it until you pointed it out.”
He shook his head at my modesty. “To have so few lessons and then to try to forget what you’ve learned, what you can do now is amazing. Had I done that, I wouldn’t be able to control water again without going through extensive training.”
“Is that just you, or all Manipulators?” I studied Ryan, not really believing what he was telling me.
“That’s all Manipulators. Every now and then one will be born that has the natural ability to control the element like you do, but 99 percent of us have to be extensively trained to use our powers.” He paused for a moment, looking at me with a twinkle in his eye. “I think your dad knew you would be a natural before you were born.”
“Really?” I couldn’t help the excitement from hearing about my dad. “How do you know that?”
“Uh, it’s just a hunch, that’s all,” He thought for a moment, not sure how much to tell me, “I–um, really don’t know for sure.”
Ryan put his hand over my hand, leaning over toward me. He was so close that all I had to do was turn my head slightly and we would have been nose to nose. I was stiff, not wanting to move. His intentions were unclear and he was causing butterflies to float in my stomach. Before I could move away, he whispered, “I think we are being watched, darling.”
I blinked and was happy for the distraction. I looked around until my eyes fell on Boa. “How long have we been out here?”
“Not long, maybe fifteen minutes, but apparently long enough to make him want to look for us.”
I turned the car off and got out.
“Well, did y’all two have fun while I was getting stuff packed?” Boa asked with arms folded across his chest and eyes throwing daggers at us.
“Oh, Boa!” I ran over and wrapped my arms around his neck. “Isn't this wonderful? This was my dad's car. How exciting is it that it’s now mine?” I hugged him tighter as his arms wrapped around me.
“It's awesome for you, Windy.” He pulled away from the hug and looked down at me. He sighed deeply, “As a friend, Windy, I’m telling you, you can’t be with him.”
“What? Can't be with who? Ryan?” I was humiliated that Boa even made the statement.
Boa glared at Ryan. “Yes, Ryan.”
I laughed. He was being ridiculous. “Boa, for one, you can't tell me who I can or can't be with. And two, my almost-fiancé just tried killing me.” I shook my head disappointed in Boa's overreaction. “I'm not ready to jump into a relationship, so stop being so protective and know that I am an adult, and I can handle myself.”
Boa sighed and nodded. He squeezed me before releasing me completely. “So what vehicles are we taking?”
“The BMW and the Shelby,” Ryan said.
Boa nodded and started to walk away, “Let's finish getting ready then.”
Chapter 9
“Windy, we don't have that kind of time,” Ryan said, frustrated that I was still arguing about going to see my mom.
“Make time,” I hissed. “Or I'll walk out of here and go by myself.” I stood, ready to walk out the door.
Ryan rubbed his forehead, looking up at the ceiling. “We have to make it quick. In and out. Say hello, quickly explain what's going on and then out the door.”
I glared at him, making sure he wasn't about to change his mind. “I can do that.”
From behind, Boa whispered, “Why don’t you rest until they get here?”
“I wish I could, but I can’t.” I turned to Boa and sighed, “My brain won’t stop to let me rest.”
“What about eating something? I can fix you anything you want—I did go to school to become a chef.” He winked at me.
I shook my head. I didn't feel like eating, but I did feel like changing. I glanced down at the oversized clothes a stranger had put me in while I was unconscious. “Do you have any extra clothes that I might be able to fit into?”
Boa was silent for a moment. “We can go rummage through my clothes and see what we can find.”
“Sounds good to me.” I followed him up the stairs to his room.
Boa’s room was bare, much like the room Doug had me in. There was a bed and a dresser. The only thing personal was a lonely picture sitting on top of the dresser. “Last time I was in your room, you had posters all over the walls. They were of your favorite rock bands.”
He laughed as he shuffled through his shirts. “And I'm sure you still have posters of your favorite boy bands all over your walls.”
I laughed and blushed at my adolescent obsessions.
“Here, see if these might fit you.” He handed me a few shirts. “We try to keep our rooms bare for the ‘just in case.’”
The shirts he handed me looked too big, but I didn’t tell him that. “Oh. Just in case you have to up and leave, like now?”
Boa continued to dig for other clothes. “Well, that, and the just in case someone comes in and kills us they won’t be able to find any personal information on us, like family or friends.”
The lifestyle that Boa had decided to live scared me. He was living in danger all the time, and he knew it. My presence alone put him in danger. I swallowed, trying to get rid of the uneasy feeling that prickled the back of my neck. “Who's in the picture?” I pointed to the picture frame. Any subject was better than the possibility of death.
Boa picked up the frame and smiled at the captured memory. “You remember my younger sister Kate, right?”
“Of course!” I beamed at hearing a familiar name.
“How could I have forgotten Kate?”
“It’s her, right before she went off to college.” He handed me the picture frame. Kate had really grown since I saw her last. I was still amazed at how much she and Boa looked like twins, oval faces with big eyes and broad smiles.
“What college is she going to?” I asked.
“Savannah State.” Boa gave a wide smiled.
“Really?” I couldn’t hide my excitement. “Do you think we will be able to see her when we go down to Tybee?”
“I don’t see why not, but first we're gonna have to ask the Nazis.”
“The Nazis?”
He laughed before he said, “Yeah, Doug and Ryan.”
“Are they that bad?” I asked.
Boa’s expression hardened. “Windy, in the Manipulator world you’re worth more than you know. They will do everything to protect you and keep you safe from any possible harm, down to the point they won’t let you on the beach for fear of a shark attack.”
The extreme protection felt overbearing and made me realize how small I was. “Boa?” I said in a high whisper.
“Yes, Windy?” He took a step closer to me.
“You know where my house is.” I whispered now that he was closer to me. “Why did you not tell the others where I might possibly be?”
Boa looked up at the ceiling for the answer. Finally, he looked back at me. In a serious tone he said, “This doesn’t get repeated to anyone, not even Ryan. Understand?”
I nodded.
“I had a hunch that you still lived there or at least your mom did. The Society doesn’t know that I knew about you years ago.” He placed both his hands on my shoulders, “The Society is cracking. Things that shouldn’t be going on, are. I wasn’t sure if finding you would better the Society or make it worse. Until I knew for sure you would be safe, there was no reason for me to reveal anything to them. And there was the strange fact that your address was missing from your file, your mom's file, and your dad’s. According to the council members, your family’s files are the only ones like that.