by J. D. Cavan
“And here, you’re gonna need this.” Luca handed Charlie a phone.
“What’s this?”
“It’s a phone, Charlie,” Samantha said, chuckling.
“I know that,” Charlie replied.
“They won’t be needing it anymore,” Luca said. “I snatched it off the ground.”
Charlie noticed it was Hank’s phone. “A dead guy’s phone, creepy,” he said.
“They won’t cut the service for a while, and you’re gonna need it.” Charlie nodded his head and thanked Luca, then glanced back down at the phone.
“I guess I’m going to need some phone basics,” Charlie said sheepishly to the laughter of Luca and Samantha.
* * *
AS THEY PULLED into Vancouver, Charlie sat quietly in the truck. He watched the traffic go by and wondered what he’d be doing if he actually had walked out of the motel room, stormed out for good. He wasn’t a huge fan of Luca, but Samantha—she would’ve been hard to leave. He could see why Luca would do anything for her.
Frustratingly, he also knew he really needed them, just as he had needed Hank and Bill. The idea bugged him, but having no memory of his life put him at a distinct disadvantage, particularly since there were killers after him.
“So if your theory’s correct, which I still question, serial-killing zombie assassins are after us and number four is next. Do I have that right?”
“Yeah,” Charlie replied, now getting used to Luca’s style of mockery.
“So I guess we’ll just wait around for another serial-killer surprise?” Luca said with more sarcasm.
“I don’t know,” Charlie mumbled. He was even doubting his own theory now, and Luca was making him feel stupid. But then he stopped doubting himself and feeling dumb, and got angry instead. “Okay, we know they aren’t exactly human, and we know they can be killed, and we know three are gone, which leaves four more.”
“Thanks, Sherlock,” Luca blurted.
“Cut it out, Luca,” Samantha said, checking her phone map for directions.
“Alright, seriously then, are there any clues you’ve noticed, Charlie, as to who they are or why they’re coming?” Luca asked.
Charlie checked his mind for a minute and thought some things through. “Not much. Lang had seven hunting knives, which I failed to notice as a clue, and he told me something.” Charlie paused for moment. “I was half out of it; I don’t know if it was even true—”
“What, Charlie? What is it?” Samantha asked.
“He said he knew me, a long time ago,” Charlie uttered.
“I take it you don’t remember him?” Luca said more than asked. Charlie just shook his head sadly back and forth. He felt terrible about himself again. No helpful memories, killers after him and zero clues why.
“We’re two minutes away from her place,” Samantha cut in, changing the topic. “Get ready, Luca. It’s not every day someone comes to your house claiming to be your brother. This is going to be tricky.”
“You’re right, turn around, this is a bad idea,” Luca told her.
“Nope, you’re going through with it. We’ll be there to help you.”
It was a pretty house, with flowers outside the windows and on the front porch. The three of them walked up the front steps and knocked on the door. It opened and a young girl dressed in ripped jeans and a T-shirt answered. She was very tattooed and pierced, and she had light brown hair with dyed blue streaks that matched her eyes. Charlie searched her features; she did look a little bit like Luca. She smiled when she said hello, but then searched each of them with her gaze.
“How can I help you?”
Luca stepped forward and stuttered, “I—I got a call, umm… I’m your half-brother. My name is Luca.” She looked as if she was going to say something but stopped. Her mouth dropped open, and she squinted her eyes.
“Who called you?”
“An old foster mother of mine.”
“Who are they?” The girl motioned to Samantha and Charlie.
“My friends. I wasn’t going to come by. I didn’t want to bother you. But believe it or not, we weren’t far.” There was a long pause at the door.
“Okay, come in,” she finally said.
They sat at a table in her kitchen and Sarah poured them coffee to drink.
“Do you remember me?” she asked, looking at Luca knowingly. Luca put his head down and shook it.
“Not really, no,” he replied.
“I remember you.” She smiled. “Do you remember our mother? You couldn’t have been more than four years old when they took us away from her and separated us.”
“A little bit, but I didn’t want to remember her or anything anyway—just bad memories. My first real anyone in my life has been Samantha.” Sarah smiled at Samantha, then shook her head almost as if to thank her for taking care of Luca. Charlie knew what she was thinking next.
“I’m a latecomer,” he said, shrugging his shoulders. “They’re letting me tag along.”
“That’s not true. Charlie’s an integral part of our team now, with things going on that we can’t even begin to explain,” Samantha said.
“Come on, Sam, don’t freak her out.” Luca shook his head at her.
“No, cool, that sounds interesting. I want to hear.” Sarah smiled pleasantly again. There was a silent and awkward pause after that.
“We should go.” Luca stood up. Charlie could see he’d reached his point, so he got up and so did Samantha.
“One second, are you staying around here?” Luca put his head down. “You don’t have any place to stay, do you?”
“We’re not here looking for any handouts,” Luca replied.
“And even if you were, you’re my brother and you’re staying here. I have an extra bedroom. Sam, you can sleep there tonight, and the boys can sleep down here in the living room. I have the most comfortable couch in the world.” She pointed to her living room, which had a big front window and pretty plants and flowers everywhere.
“You do have a really nice house,” Charlie said.
“Thank you, Charlie.” They smiled at each other. “I’ll be honest with you. I’ve been through some bad times. Tears seemed to form in her eyes. “But for the last year I’ve really worked hard and gotten myself together. I don’t have much, but I’ve worked for it—and to find my brother now…” She seemed overcome with emotion. Samantha nudged Luca toward her and he finally moved, putting his arms around her. The two embraced.
At dinner that night Sarah told her story of addiction and troubled relationships from before she’d gotten her life in order. She had a good job now at an art museum and was a struggling artist herself. She’d shown them some of her paintings in the back room of her house, which was a small art studio. Charlie thought they were pretty amazing, landscapes and portraits and depictions of famous places and scenes.
“With all I’ve been through, I just try to stay positive now. I’ve told you about me, so tell me about you,” Sarah said. Charlie glanced at Samantha and Luca.
“I’m glad you asked,” Samantha replied. “Because it’s kind of messed up.”
“Now you’ve got me really interested!” Sarah poured some more water for everyone.
“It has just been some bad luck,” Luca interjected, putting more salad on his plate while he glared at Charlie. Charlie got the familiar guilty feeling again, like he was a lost soul clinging onto Luca and Samantha for help. Sarah raised her shoulders and shook her head slightly in confusion.
“Charlie...” Luca said. “Go ahead, it’s your story.” Charlie wasn’t exactly sure he should be sharing any of his life with anyone, particularly someone they had just met and didn’t really know. But in a sense, he also felt he kind of owed it to Sarah to tell her. They were staying at her place for at least one night and could be putting her in danger.
Charlie went on to tell her everything—waking up in the Yukon without a memory, finding Samantha and Luca, and how Samantha claimed he had come to her in her thoughts to save h
er, all the way to his dream about Jack, and even his Serial Seven theory. Sarah listened intently while Samantha and Luca gobbled down the rest of their dinner.
“Wow!” Sarah started laughing. “I definitely couldn’t have predicted that story.”
“I know it’s hard to believe—seems made up,” Charlie said quickly and apologetically. “I wouldn’t be insulted if you asked us to leave right now, or just me. Lang tried to kill me well before I ran into Samantha and Luca.” He felt Luca staring at him, and Samantha must have noticed.
“We’re in this together,” Samantha interjected.
“Well, I don’t scare that easily.” Sarah chuckled and then smiled at Charlie. Charlie felt his head spinning again. It started to pound and he rubbed his temples.
“Charlie, are you okay?” Sarah asked.
“He’s fine,” Samantha replied, as if she was protecting her own child, or a pet. “He’s been through a lot.”
“We’ve all been through a lot, Sam,” Luca said and it got totally awkward.
“I’d say, and you’d all probably like to get some decent rest.” Sarah’s words cut the tension.
“Yes, it’d be great to sleep in a bed, in a real house!” Samantha said gleefully. The group got up from the table and helped Sarah clear it.
“Listen, I’d love to have you join me tomorrow night for an open art exhibition at the museum. My supervisor, the director of the museum, will actually be showing some of his work.”
“Cool, I’ve never been to a museum art show before,” Samantha replied.
“Thanks, but I own one pair of jeans and I’m pretty sure they won’t let us in—”
“No you don’t,” Samantha interrupted Luca. I took the liberty of grabbing your valet outfits, the ones you couldn’t wait to get off before we ran.” She smirked.
“Good, then it’s decided. We’re all going. And Sam, I have the cutest black dress for you to wear,” Sarah said.
Before going to bed Charlie walked out on the front porch to join Sarah, who had been reading a book in the night air.
“I like Vancouver. I can see why you live here, not that I have a lot of reference for comparison.” She nodded her head pleasantly at Charlie, then rested her book on her lap as if contemplating something.
“There’s something about you, Charlie. I can sense it. I do Tarot card readings, and I’m kind of psychic.” She stopped for a moment. “You have an innocence.”
“That’s because I have no history of myself. It’s like I’m experiencing things for the first time all the time.” Sarah nodded her head understandingly as he spoke. “I do get Luca, though. I’m bad luck,” Charlie said. It was forever on his mind.
“No Charlie, I think you have to turn that around. You mean something important to Sam and Luca.” Charlie gazed at Sarah for a moment. If she’d been through anything close to what Luca and Samantha had in their lives, he couldn’t tell. She had the sweetest smile he’d ever seen and he felt completely comfortable in her presence.
“That’s what I’ve been telling him,” Samantha said, startling both of them. She had obviously been listening at the door and walked out on the porch, her hair still wet from her shower. The moment felt really weird all of a sudden. It was silent, and he couldn’t help but try and read Samantha’s thoughts. He was inside Samantha’s mind and could tell she was going back and forth in her thinking. He heard her clearly, nastily saying, Who do you think you are? about Sarah, and then, She seems like a really nice person. Let it rest, Sam. Charlie still couldn’t believe it was real. Maybe he was making it up, and it was what he thought Samantha was thinking, not her actual thoughts.
“Well, I’m headed to bed. I can say it’s been really cool meeting both of you.”
Sarah went inside and upstairs before Samantha turned back toward Charlie.
“She’s almost too nice,” she muttered before leaning on the porch railing to face him.
“She seems okay to me,” Charlie replied.
“Number four, Charlie. I’ve been checking around her place but haven’t seen any clues, not that we’d even know what to look for.”
“I was too, and didn’t see anything either,” Charlie admitted.
“I knew it!” Samantha blurted, and they both broke out in laughter.
“Shush…” Charlie glanced behind him and into the house.
“I did see a wooden spear standing up in the corner of the living room,” Samantha said.
Charlie rolled his eyes. “It’s a piece of artwork. She has them all over the house.” Samantha smirked at him devilishly. “I don’t think we should be jumping to any conclusions about people anyway.”
“But we shouldn’t risk anything either,” Samantha asserted, while Charlie nodded his head in agreement. It made a lot of sense, what Samantha was saying, but on the inside Charlie was confused. Samantha was a mystery to him. It must have been all over his face, because she picked up on it.
“What’s wrong?” she asked. Charlie hesitated for moment, tempted to blow it off and tell her it was nothing, but decided to tell her the truth.
“I honestly don’t get you. One minute you’re fearless, and the next minute you’re worried about number four.”
She seemed annoyed by his comment. “I’m not afraid of dying, if that’s what you’re wondering about. I haven’t had the kind of life that’s made living all that fabulous.” Charlie looked at her blankly, because she still wasn’t making any sense. “I’ll spell it out for you, Charlie.”
“Yeah, spell it out for me.” Charlie felt insulted, condescended to, and definitely intimidated by her intelligence.
“I’m not going to let them win, it’s a matter of point and principal. Whoever these Serial Seven are, we’ll beat each one. Anything that comes at you, you come at it harder.” Her eyes seemed to cut through him as she spoke.
“Every day in the Yukon, I was afraid, afraid I wouldn’t make another day. You’re not afraid of anything.”
“Yes, I am. I’m just not afraid of dying, that’s all.” She turned away from Charlie and glanced out at the street.
“What are you afraid of, then?” Charlie asked, finding the courage in himself to press her.
“I’m not going to give you that one, Charlie. You figure it out,” she replied. Samantha pulled her wet hair over the top of her head and it fell in front of her face while she combed it out. Charlie tried, but he couldn’t pull his eyes off her. She finally peeked up at him through her long hair and grinned. Whatever it was that scared her, it wasn’t open for conversation.
He forced his mind for moment, and tried to read her thoughts. But he had no luck. He must have just been way too distracted by her. “I can hear things… people talking sometimes in my head.” Charlie couldn’t believe he’d told her. “I’m probably just crazy.”
“Well, I know you’re crazy but that doesn’t mean you don’t hear people’s thoughts,” she said with a funny look.
“You’re not taking this seriously. I honestly should’ve left when we were at the motel. You don’t need me around.” Charlie stood up and was about to move toward the front steps, walk away down the street and just leave. All of it was just too confusing for him. But Samantha stepped in front of him, pressing her body against his.
“Just chill, Charlie,” she whispered to him. He felt his face flush red hot and his chest start to rise and fall. She moved in closer to his face. He could smell her hair, a soft fragrance of some kind, and could feel the heat coming off her body. He thought for moment she might kiss him. Hopefully he wouldn’t pass out or make a fool of himself again. He’d never kissed a girl before, at least that he could remember.
“Can you read my mind now?” She stared into his eyes. He could barely catch his breath and his body felt like Jell-O. She finally turned away and walked back into the house.
* * *
CHARLIE WAS BLOWN away by the museum’s art show. It was like some kind of red-carpet celebrity party with everyone dressed up and arriving in expe
nsive cars. Bright spotlights outside the museum lit up the huge columns that ran up and down the front entrance. Sarah had explained that it was a fundraiser, one of the city’s most talked about, and her boss, Jamie, just happened to be showing his art.
They arrived in a taxicab and all climbed out of it. Charlie thought Samantha looked incredible, like a celebrity. She had dark makeup around her eyes that made them shine out, almost glowing and lighting the space around her. Her hair was up high on her head, showing off her long neck. She had heels on, which made her even taller, and she must have stood over six feet. He could hardly tell it was Samantha, and when he tried to talk to her, his mouth dried up. He stuttered and swallowed hard, and never actually got a word out. She caught him staring at her a couple of times and he felt like a total idiot. Sarah rushed them up the steps and into the main room.
“Wow!” Samantha said as she looked up at the ceiling of the museum. Charlie thought it seemed like it reached up to the stars.
“The food is in back. It’s the best from all the best markets in town.” Sarah motioned and they followed her to the many buffet tables. Charlie was stunned; he’d never seen so much food in one place. Shrimp, lobster, clams, little sausages in rolls, someone slicing the most delicious-looking steak he’d ever seen—and that was just the start of it. The smells were incredible. It wasn’t just the freshness of the foods, but the scent of pastries and cakes emanating from the dessert tables.
The group gobbled down the many fine foods while Sarah seemed to be socializing with some people from the museum. She finally returned with a young, very well-dressed man on her arm.
“This is my boss. Jamie, please meet my brother and his friends,” she announced.
“It’s a pleasure to meet all of you,” he said politely. He had a finely kept beard and a level of confidence Charlie had never seen before. “Your sister—let me tell you, Luca, your sister is an amazing artist!” he announced.