Codex

by Megan Fatheree

  “Oh, please!” Amorette laughed despite the situation with her phone. Hunter had a boyish way about him. It was refreshing after fighting with a stuck-up snob. “I don’t have to guess. I know you well enough to know what you made up.”

  “Oh, do you now?” Hunter pulled into the parking lot of a fast food chain.

  “I do.” Amorette leaned forward to read the large menu by the drive-through. “Just a meal, I guess. Burger, fries, drink.”

  Hunter nodded as he rolled his window down. He placed the order, plus his own, and thanked the employee on the other end of the radio. It took a bit of finagling for him to grab his wallet from his back pocket.

  Amorette giggled at the way he twisted and turned his body.

  Even in high school, he had been carefree and wild like this. Doing whatever he wanted with whoever he wanted to do it with. It hadn’t been Amorette very often, but she cherished the moments he spent with her nonetheless. Perhaps more so, because Hunter didn’t waste time on just anyone.

  Hunter flashed her a smile as he held his credit card out the window to the cashier on the other side. “Everything good, Mi Amor?”

  Amorette nodded, her smile splitting her face into the perfect mask of happiness. At least today wasn’t a total let-down.

  Part of her wanted to give in and let Hunter give her whatever he wanted, but her pride wouldn’t let her accept more from him than a simple meal. It wasn’t like she was dating him or anything. To accept too much would put her in debt to him for... ages. Knowing Hunter, he’d use that to his advantage.

  No, she had to take control of her own life, no matter how hard it may be.

  She didn’t realize how hard she’d been thinking about things until Hunter poked her arm. Amorette jumped and looked over at him. “What was that for?”

  “Food’s up, daydreamer.” He handed her a paper sack. His lips pressed together in a smile of understanding. As if he knew the crazy, whacked-out emotions racing through her head and strangling her heart.

  “Sorry.” Amorette pulled the bag open and snagged a fry from its packaging. “There’s been a lot going on lately.”

  “It’s okay, I’m just over here worried sick that you’ve had a brain aneurysm or something. Don’t mind me. I’m just your food source and a friend who thought he was close to you.” Hunter sighed dramatically, darting his eyes to look at her again.

  Amorette punched his arm. “Stop it. This is your ‘I’ll be a goof so she cheers up’ persona. Just be you.”

  “I’m sincerely worried, Mi Amor.” Hunter’s smile turned into a petulant frown. “You don’t say it, but I know something happened at home. Something beyond the phone. You wouldn’t have been crying on the street if it didn’t. I don’t want to see you hurt, no matter what you may think.”

  “You never cared this much during high school.” Amorette winced at the words that left her own mouth.

  She tried not to be mean or hurtful to others, but Hunter didn’t act this way during school. They were from different worlds, despite the fact he spent time with her when the others didn’t know.

  Hunter grabbed a fry of his own as he pulled back onto the street. “What do you mean? Of course I cared. I wouldn’t have spent my energy on you if I didn’t care. Why do you think that?”

  Amorette sighed and stuffed another fry into her mouth. “No reason.”

  “You always have a reason.”

  She couldn’t argue with that. Hunter knew her well enough to know she hid her true feelings with the intent of sparing others’ feelings. She didn’t want to hide with him. He seemed genuinely interested. “You could have stopped the rumors if you cared.”

  “I didn’t think you would want me to.” Hunter pulled into a small park and stopped the car. “I thought you’d be angry if I stopped the rumors. You usually want to deal with things head-on.”

  Amorette nodded, pasting on a smile at his automatic response. That was Hunter, always the logical one. Following his head and not his heart. “True. I deal with my problems by looking them in the eye. You’re a smart man for realizing that.” She patted his shoulder before she went back to her lunch.

  She and Hunter were silent while they ate, but the playful banter soon picked up again. How could it not, when Hunter was still attempting to cheer her up? Before either of them realized it, they had talked about nothing all afternoon.

  They were so intent on their conversation, in fact, that they didn’t notice the car parked on the street behind them. Nor the dark figure behind a distant tree.

  [Episode 4]

  Unfortunate, Redefined

  IT WAS LATE WHEN AMORETTE finally stepped out of Hunter’s car and in front of her own home. At least, what she thought was her home.

  A host of expensive-looking cars trailed down the street, all parked and empty. A heavy, bass thumping sound echoed from inside the walls of the abode before her.

  “Looks like someone’s having a party,” Hunter commented through the open passenger window. “Be careful, you never know what kinds of people show up to these things.”

  “It’s probably the neighbors two doors over. They’re always inviting people over.” Amorette shrugged. It wasn’t the first time someone had thrown a midnight party around here.

  Hunter frowned and shut his own car off. He stepped out and up onto the sidewalk. “Forget it, I know too many of these cars. I’ll walk you in.”

  “You really don’t have to do that.” Amorette held up a hand to stop him.

  Hunter was never one to be easily dissuaded. “I know you can take care of yourself. I know that better than anyone.” He tucked his fingers around hers, tossing in a boyish grin for effect. “But humor me this time.”

  Amorette narrowed her eyes at him. Only Hunter would assume the position of protector so openly and suddenly. She didn’t think anyone said no to him ever in his life. But she wasn’t about to complain. Especially since she’d been crushing hard on him since sixth grade. Pretty much since the moment he acknowledged her existence. Besides, he’d been a good friend today.

  “Fine,” she finally gave in. “Let’s go.”

  Amorette pried her fingers from his grasp and marched toward the building before them.

  The music was ten times louder when they reached the door and a hundred times louder when Amorette pushed the door open. Lights flashed and bodies moved in tandem to the beat.

  Amorette, slack-jawed, ventured farther into the room. It was difficult to side-step some of the people, easier for others. Either way, she recognized many of the strangers in her home. The ones who ignored her during school. The ones Leah and Lucas thought they befriended. All more masked than the one before.

  Leah looked up from the group of girls around her. Her eyes widened. At first, Amorette thought it was because of something she did. Until she looked behind her and saw Hunter close by.

  Leah’s eyes narrowed in the petulant way Amorette knew well. She flipped her hair once and stepped away from her clique. “Well, well, well, if it isn’t the little wanna-be. Did you come home so you can rat us out later?”

  Amorette didn’t flinch. Leah threw words like daggers. The surest way to avoid them was to hide behind a shield.

  Leah tossed her hair again and pressed past Amorette to sidle up to Hunter. “Hunny...” she swayed her shoulders, her voice a sickeningly sweet timbre. “I didn’t know you’d come. I would have waited.”

  “For what?” Hunter extracted his arm from Leah’s grasp.

  “To start the party. It’s not a real party without you by my side.” Leah pouted and moved to wrap her hands around his bicep again.

  Hunter side-stepped her and shook his head. “I only came in to make sure Amorette got home safely.”

  Leah’s jaw tightened and then released to allow her slimy smile back on her lips. “Oh. Amorette. I almost forgot.” Leah snatched a glass of something alcoholic from a nearby table. “Even if you are a rat, might as well take a drink or two before you disappear.”

&nb
sp; Amorette didn’t trust the look in Leah’s eyes, but she wasn’t about to back down. She took the glass with a single nod. She had never been much for drinking, but holding the glass wouldn’t hurt anyone.

  “Go on. Don’t be a killjoy. Take a drink.” Leah smiled sweetly and held her hands up. “Promise I won’t try anything this time.”

  Amorette glanced around at the clique of beautiful, rich girls who began to gather around the trio. One drink wouldn’t kill her. With a sigh, she lifted the glass to her lips.

  Movement in her peripheral vision caught Amorette’s attention a split second before she saw the cause. Lucas nonchalantly shoved Hunter sideways. Hunter stumbled and hit Amorette’s arm.

  The glass hit Amorette’s nose first. It spilled half of its contents down her face and shirt before it slid out of her grasp. The glass shattered against the floor.

  “Mi Amor...” Hunter stared at her wide-eyed, as if even he couldn’t believe what happened.

  “You can’t even drink properly?” Leah’s laugh was a mere huff of indignation.

  Something hit Amorette against the side of her head. She looked down to see some sort of hors d’oeuvre lying in the spilled alcohol.

  Leah stalked in a half-circle behind Amorette. “You should clean up your own messes. You’re not even good enough to hang out with us, so I don’t know why you bother trying.”

  “Harsh...” Lucas clicked his tongue as he appeared out of the crowd, a girl on either arm. “Not untrue, but harsh. I suppose we should at least offer her the opportunity to make up for it.” He tossed another hors d’oeuvre in Amorette’s direction. “Clean it all up like the servant you are.”

  The tears brimmed in Amorette’s eyes as she looked up at Hunter.

  Hunter reached out a hand to steady her, but it was already too late. The damage was done. Amorette spun on her heel and raced back out the door.

  She should have known better than to engage with Leah. She should have known better than to bring Hunter into the apartment. Leah and Lucas would never leave her alone. Not after that. She couldn’t stay there with the ringing laughter and the curious stares. She wasn’t a monkey in a zoo. She refused to let anyone treat her as such.

  Amorette’s steps moved faster and faster, until she was racing down the sidewalk in no particular direction. She had no plans, other than the one desire at the forefront of her mind. Get away.

  “SIR?” COLLINS BOWED his head. “I’m sorry. We lost her.”

  Eadric studied the head of security who had, surprisingly, taken the initiative to show up at Eadric’s door at this hour. He didn’t have to ask who it was they lost. He only had them tailing one woman at this point and time.

  “Lost her how? Where?”

  “We didn’t expect her to come flying out of the building so fast. Our response time wasn’t up to par.” Collins held out a tablet with the video already cued on it. “If you review the footage from the camera we installed, I think you’ll see that there was an inciting incident.”

  Eadric wasn’t quite sure what hidden meaning lay behind Collins’ eyes, but he wouldn’t question it. He snatched the tablet from Collins’ hand and tapped it to start the recording.

  They had chosen a good angle for the camera, at least. He could see the entirety of the living room, all the way down the hall to Amorette’s bedroom door. His focus, however, quickly turned to the juvenile delinquent marching across the floor in too-high-heels.

  The scene wasn’t pleasant. Starting with some idiotic boy and ending with another who didn’t even have the guts to follow Amorette out. Eadric paused the recording before he became any sicker to his stomach. He handed the tablet over again.

  “It’s unacceptable to lose her. Find her again and keep sending me reports. That girl... has the potential to be someone very special someday.” Eadric straightened his shoulders.

  He couldn’t let sentiment wear him down now. She wasn’t his and that wasn’t why he was doing this anyway. That friend of hers annoyed him, that’s all.

  “It won’t be so simple.” Collins straightened his jacket. “I’m afraid, Sir, that we have no idea where she might have run to.”

  “Has that ever stopped you before?” Eadric rolled his eyes. “Listen, Collins, you’re the best head of security I’ve had to date, but if you fail this mission I won’t ever forgive you. Find the girl and keep an eye on her. Lives depend on it.”

  Collins shot Eadric a look that said he thought he was being far too melodramatic. However, he didn’t hesitate to dip a bow. “Yes, sir.”

  “You don’t sound so convinced.” Eadric lifted his chin. He was already in a bad mood today. He didn’t need any more reason to act out.

  Collins shrugged his shoulders and offered a small, tight smile. “I don’t understand what’s so important about this particular girl, is all. In all the time I’ve known you, I’ve never known you to chase after a woman. Especially not one so insignificant.”

  “Then look again. Insignificant isn’t exactly the word I would use to describe her. There’s more at work here than you know.” Eadric waved his hand dismissively. “Go on. Locate her. Do not return until you have.”

  This time, Collins dipped a bow and disappeared out the door. Right where Eadric wanted him.

  Eadric let out a frustrated roar and kicked at a potted plant.

  This girl shouldn’t be so difficult to keep tabs on. As far as that went, if Codex knew about her or the book in her possession, they should have made a move by now.

  Why did he have to be so noble? Why did he insist on keeping her under his protection? There were many better things he could do with his time.

  Then again, it wasn’t his time spent on her. Mostly. Only his resources. Eadric retreated toward his room, with a stop in the kitchen for a bottle of water.

  He hadn’t cued his monitor all day, but his tablet rested nearby. It only took a few clicks to bring up side-by-side screens. One, her home. The other, the bookstore. One still held a host of inebriated rich kids. The other sat dark and empty.

  “All right, little mouse, where did you run to?” Eadric sighed and dropped the tablet onto his bed.

  It wasn’t a question that would be easily answered. Nor would its answer come in the timely manner Eadric hoped for.

  “HI! WELCOME TO THE Nook!” Amorette blew a strand of hair out of her face and threw a smile over her shoulder. “Is there anything specific I can help you with?”

  The man who stepped through the door was handsome. Dark hair framed bright eyes, his stature spoke of money. No one walked with such good posture if they didn’t have to.

  He spared Amorette a cursory glance before a smile curved over his lips. “I’m not here for books.”

  “Are you aware you walked into a bookstore, then?” Melodia’s voice sounded detached.

  Amorette spun her head to see Melodia buried nose-deep in a romance novel again.

  “It’s not the store that attracted me.” The man turned to face the counter. “But rather its proprietor.”

  “That’s a shame. Would have been nice to sell some books today.” Melodia barely glanced up at him. She licked an index finger to turn the page before her. “Just my luck, I guess.”

  The man blinked as if flustered by her indifference. He shot that killer smile down at Amorette. “Would you excuse the two of us?”

  “Don’t bother, Amy.” Melodia chimed in immediately. “He won’t be here long. Just keep organizing.”

  The man stepped around Amorette and stalked closer to Melodia’s perch. “It is a shame. That’s the tackiest book I’ve ever seen a woman read.”

  “You’re right. It is a shame.” Melodia slammed her book down on the counter. “Those are the tackiest pick-up lines I’ve heard in my life.”

  “Compliments are tacky now?” He shook his head.

  Amorette could feel the steam shooting from his ears. Melodia had, somehow, riled this customer in odd ways.

  “I only wanted to treat a beautiful woman to l
unch. Is that so bad?”

  “There are plenty of beautiful women waiting for a Lothario like you.” Melodia waved a hand at him. “It shouldn’t take you long to find one.”

  “L-L... Lothario?” He looked so stunned, that Amorette thought he might pass out. “Are you... rejecting my offer?”

  “Romeo and Juliet. Act one, scene one, line forty-one.” Melodia sighed and snatched her book off the counter. “If you’re not here to purchase a book, leave. We’re very busy today.”

  The man looked around him as if customers might appear out of thin air. “You... it’s not...” Speechless, he turned for the door. He only stopped to look down at Amorette. “I’ll be back.”

  “Of course. We’ll be happy to assist you at the next opportunity.” Amorette shot him a brilliant smile, hoping to make up for Melodia’s sharp refusal to serve him or date him.

  The man smiled and offered a short nod before he marched through the door. Amorette watched him fume all the way to his vehicle.

  She turned to look at Melodia. “You didn’t have to be so mean. Or quote Shakespeare at him.”

  “I didn’t quote. I referenced. He thought I was a stupid blonde.” Melodia snapped her book shut and huffed. Her eyes wandered to the spot where the man stood moments before. “Do you know how annoying that is? Especially coming from someone attractive like him. Ugh! The nerve.” She folded her arms defiantly.

  Amorette grinned as she stood to her feet. “Mel... do you, by chance... like him?”

  “I don’t even know who he is. Don’t be absurd.” Melodia shook her head. Her gaze traveled back to Amorette. “What? Don’t look at me like that. Get back to work. We have lots to do.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” Amorette giggled.

  She had known Melodia long enough to know that her acting out said more than her indifference. It was her personality. She couldn’t admit things outright, yet she did all the time. One only had to be watchful.