by Ryan Dalton
Across the room, an eight-foot-tall metal sculpture dominated one corner. Malcolm fixed his eye on it as he drew out the pocket watch. Opening the lid, he swiped across the glass face and brought the device to life. From the corner of his eye, he caught Winter’s mouth working silently as the holograms spun in the air.
“Wha—what?” she managed to say.
“Dude, what is that thing?” Fred finished for her.
“Just keep watching.”
Having practiced, Malcolm navigated swiftly through the menu system now. In a handful of seconds the watch was ready. He pointed it at the sculpture.
John finally unfroze his stare from the map. His eyes settled on the watch and sprang open like saucers. He half-stood from the couch. “Malcolm, where did—?”
Red energy burst from the watch and struck the sculpture. The familiar sphere sprang up and enveloped the tall hunk of metal, spun on its axis, and disappeared. The sculpture was gone with it. Goose bumps rose on Malcolm’s arms as the air chilled.
“Whoa!” Fred yelped.
He leaped over the couch, away from the watch and the missing sculpture. Winter collapsed stunned onto the cushions, staring agape at the empty corner. John came the rest of the way to his feet, eyeing the watch as if it were a snake.
“Where did you get that?” he demanded.
The lid snapped shut in Malcolm’s hand. “Counting down?”
Valentine nodded. “Twenty seconds.”
Malcolm faced his friends. “The man who attacked me was carrying this. With it, you can jump through time, teleport through space, or phase through solid barriers. We know because we’ve done it. That’s the truth.”
“Ten seconds.”
Focusing on Winter, he let his stare bore into her. “We didn’t do this to upset you. You deserve to know because he’s hurt you, too. Because whatever he’s doing in there, it can’t go on. And because we need your help.”
“Three. Two. One. Ze—”
A rushing cold breeze washed over them as the sphere’s glow filled the corner again. It spun and disappeared, depositing the sculpture exactly where it had been before.
Fred stood from his hiding place. “That. Was. Awesome!” Cackling, he vaulted the couch and grabbed Malcolm’s watch hand.
“And scary,” Valentine said.
“For sure, but still awesome!”
Winter shook from her stupor. Malcolm watched tensely as she rose from the couch and edged toward them. In her emotional state, would she accept what she’d seen?
Fresh tears spilled from her eyes. Reaching out, she pulled the twins into an embrace. Her face buried in Valentine’s shoulder and sobs came softly.
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”
Malcolm held on while Valentine whispered comforting words and stroked her back. His heart went out to her. Winter always worked hard to appear bulletproof. Her shield was convincing enough that most would believe it. Yet here she was, allowing them to see her so vulnerable. Despite her earlier words, it was obvious how she really felt about them.
Winter pulled away and wiped her eyes. “I said such awful things.”
Valentine shrugged. “Who hasn’t? We’re friends. Don’t worry about it.”
She smiled gratefully. “It actually kinda makes sense. This town hasn’t felt right all year.” Her eyes widened. “Patrick! The boy just vanished. Do you think, maybe . . .?”
“I think anything’s possible,” Valentine said. “Who knows what else this man has done, or who he’s done it to?”
Winter’s face went grim. “When we track this loser down, I’m going to have some serious questions for him.”
“Malcolm.” John approached with an outstretched hand. “May I see it?”
Malcolm set the device in John’s open palm. His hand quivered, as if he were afraid it might explode. He turned it over and over, examining every corner.
“This can’t be happening.”
“I know,” Malcolm said. “I about fell over when I realized what it does.”
“I passed out,” Valentine added.
John pushed the watch into Malcolm’s hands and backed away from them. “I need some air,” he muttered, and retreated toward the stairs.
They heard his footsteps ascend the spiral staircase and disappear through the front door. Valentine’s face was a mask of worry.
“He just needs time,” Winter said. “You know he’s been through some crazy stuff.” She rubbed her arms. “Did it get colder?”
Malcolm shared a glance with Valentine.
“Actually, we think that’s from the watch, too,” she said. “I haven’t seen any battery indicators, and this thing is doing powerful stuff.” She shrugged. “Maybe it pulls heat from the air and runs on the thermal energy.”
“I noticed the same thing outside the house when I snooped,” Malcolm added.
“Wow,” Winter said. “That actually makes sense.”
Malcolm smiled. “Who knows if it’s actually true. This is all like a weird movie anyway.”
Fred rubbed his hands together, a glint in his eye. “So, what now? We gonna pound this guy into next century?”
“One of the northern tunnels is on your property,” Valentine said. “First thing, you guys should see it.”
“Food first, though,” Winter said. “I need pizza therapy.”
The twins agreed, and they moved to the kitchen. Fred poured them all drinks while they talked about anything except what was really happening. After ten minutes, Valentine leaned close to Malcolm’s ear.
“Be back in a few.”
He nodded with a knowing smile, and a bashful grin reddened her face. She slid from the stool and left the kitchen, no doubt headed for the stairs.
The front door clicked shut. Valentine found John’s silhouette leaning against one of Fred’s cars, peering up at the sparkling night sky. She wandered toward the boy, gravel crunching underfoot. John’s head tilted toward the sound, and he slid over to make room.
Did he know it was me?
“The sky here is so pretty.” She stopped next to him and leaned back, mirroring his posture. “Never saw this many stars in the city.” John nodded, but said nothing. She slid closer, his scent filling her nostrils—earthy and clean, like the forest after a rain. “You okay?”
He stared at the stars for a long moment. “I didn’t anticipate that. I don’t know how to process it at the moment.”
“If it makes you feel better, I don’t either. Even Mal doesn’t, and he saw it first.” She brushed her arm against his and a thrill swept through her. “You were there for me when I needed it, John. What can I do for you?”
He smiled faintly. “I’ll be fine. This isn’t an everyday occurrence, that’s all. Makes you question things.” John turned, leaning his side against the car, and gazed down at her. “But I’m calmer with you near me. Right now, I feel as if I could hear the most insane thing and it would be okay.”
Valentine flushed, heat spreading across her face and chest. He was so close, she could feel his warmth on her skin. Deep inside, she longed for more of him. “When I’m with you, I feel quiet inside. Like everything bad hears your voice and just goes away.” She smiled. “It’s so peaceful.”
Does he feel this as much as I do? John’s eyes caressed her with tenderness and warmth and desire, and Valentine knew in her heart that he did. He glanced down at her neck, and his face lit up with recognition.
“I realized what you’re wearing.”
She touched the silver pendant, wrought in the shape of two interlocked hearts topped with a crown. “You did?”
“It’s a Luckenbooth pendant.” Shy embarrassment crossed his face. “I may have searched for it on Google. It said this was from old Scotland, often given as a betrothal gift. Yes?”
He cared enough to search about my pendant.
Valentine swallowed a lump and nodded. “My dad couldn’t afford a ring when he proposed. So he gave my mom this. She left it to me, after . . .”
“You treat it with so much love.” John’s eyes pierced her. “That’s wonderful.”
Valentine’s gaze slid to the ground. She wanted to drink him in until there was nothing left. The feeling filled every corner inside her, terrifying and beautiful and exhilarating. A few stray hairs fell across her eyes.
“What is it?” he asked.
She kept her eyes down. “It’s just that, when you look at me like that . . . you make me feel beautiful.” She drew in a deep breath. “I’m not used to that.”
Gently, John slipped his fingers under her chin. He tilted her face up and searched deep into her eyes. Into her soul. “You are beautiful.”
He brushed the stray hairs aside and his touch lingered on her skin. Her heart leapt and her stomach fluttered like a thousand butterflies.
“No matter where we are, you are the first thing I see,” he continued. “And when I go to sleep, you are the last thought in my head. You make me—”
Valentine fell against John and locked her lips with his. His words cut off and they melted together like one being. With her eyes closed tight, his touch sent electricity through her. The earthy scent of him filled her senses, and his soft lips chased away every thought.
John leaned into the kiss and wrapped his arms around her waist. Valentine grasped his neck with her fingers and they pulled tighter against each other. She never wanted to let go, and in her mind the moment stretched into eternity.
Finally they parted. Valentine’s legs wobbled and her vision swam. She rested against John’s chest, not trusting herself to stand. He held her tight and stroked her hair, his soft breath caressing the back of her neck.
A giggle bubbled up from inside her. “Maybe we should go inside. They’re probably wondering about us.”
He chuckled. “I doubt it. They probably knew this was happening before we did.”
Valentine giggled again and hugged him tighter. She could feel his steady heartbeat, his presence wrapped around her like a warm blanket.
“Still, I suppose we shouldn’t miss all the excitement.” John leaned down to look her in the eye. “Shall we?”
Valentine nodded dreamily. After one more kiss—okay, maybe two—they released each other and wandered slowly toward the front porch. Mid-stride, John reached out and their fingers interlaced.
They stepped through the door together.
Chapter 15
Flashlight beams stabbed through the darkness. Malcolm swept his Fenix across trees and hills, searching for a swathe of scorched earth.
“Hey, see that?” Winter’s flashlight pointed up an incline, at a stand of young trees. “Those look different than the rest.”
“Let’s check it.” Fred leapt up the hill with the rest of them in tow.
Malcolm glanced at Valentine and smiled to himself. She hadn’t released John’s hand since they’d left the house, and she practically glowed when he looked at her. It warmed Malcolm’s heart to see her happy. If there was any order to the universe, she would stay that way.
Breaking into a jog, Malcolm caught up with Winter and Fred as they neared the top of the incline. Something had been nagging at the back of his mind.
“Fred, I’m curious.”
“Yeah, man?”
“Val told me you’re playing for a scholarship.”
“That’s the plan, dawg.”
“I’m just wondering why. Don’t take this the wrong way, but aren’t you . . . ?”
“Rich?”
“Uh, well, yeah.”
Fred snorted. “Same thing my dad says. ‘You don’t gotta do this, son. Where you wanna go? I’ll write a check.’” He tossed his hands in front of him, as if pushing the idea away. “Please. A man’s gotta do somethin’ for himself. He buys what I want, lets me have parties and stuff.” He looked pointedly at Malcolm. “But gettin’ into college—I’m gonna do that on my own. Ain’t gonna run to daddy for everything.”
Malcolm nodded. “Wow. Good for you.”
Fred shrugged it off. “Way I roll.”
They reached the top of the incline, and Malcolm saw that Winter had been right. “It is different here, but I think we’re too late to see anything.”
“What do you mean?” Winter said.
“He’s right,” Valentine observed. “All the trees around here are big and old, except for this patch. And see the rectangles in the grass? It’s new sod.”
“Aw, man!” Fred said. “Stupid landscapers musta fixed it already.”
“Which means the tunnel is probably under a bunch of dirt and grass,” Winter lamented.
Malcolm nodded. “Yeah. I wonder if—”
A low, rolling rumble rose from beneath them. The ground shuddered, leaves whispering as they danced on shaking branches, and birds took to flight with alarmed caws. The friends stared wide-eyed at each other.
The earth bucked under their feet and Malcolm danced quickly to the side, struggling to keep his balance. His shoes caught on each other, and he fell to his hands and knees.
The tremors stopped.
“Whoa,” Winter said. “We never get earthquakes here. Never.”
“Then perhaps this is for the best,” John said as everyone regained footing, except Valentine, whose dancer’s balance must have kept her upright. He held up a defensive hand when they all stared at him. “As a warning, I mean. You all seem eager for the adventure, and I understand that. But do we have the slightest clue what forces we are toying with?”
“This isn’t about adventure, John,” Malcolm returned. “It’s about defending the town.”
“I appreciate your intentions, Malcolm. However, you have only fragments of knowledge. Have you considered that interference may turn things worse?”
Malcolm knew John was right. The twins had managed to uncover a few details, but the big picture still eluded them. Without real facts, none of his arguments would seem logical. So for now, he’d just have to go with illogical.
“I know you’re trying to protect us, but you haven’t seen what we’ve seen. It doesn’t matter how big this is—I have to try.”
Valentine squeezed John’s hand. “So do I. This is our home now, and something’s very wrong here.”
John studied the ground with a sigh. He stroked his chin, deep in thought.
“Don’t punk out on us, dude,” Fred said. “We need one sane person in this group.”
John chuckled before looking at Valentine and squeezing her hand back. “I’ll remain with you, but I will speak up if this goes too far.”
Valentine smiled and nestled closer to him.
“So, what’s next?” Winter asked.
“I guess we could find another tunnel,” Malcolm said.
“Do we really need to?” Winter shrugged. “I believe you saw something real. That’s good enough for me.”
Fred and John nodded their agreement. Malcolm cast a questioning look at his sister. Of anyone, she’d witnessed by far the most.
Her brow furrowed in thought. “Some of them may be different, which could tell us something. I’d hate to miss any clues. There should be one in the northern hills, by an old warehouse. “
Malcolm agreed. “I want to know everything we can, so let’s start with that. Can your driver keep quiet, Fred?”
“Uh, thing is,” Fred began. “See, I thought y’all were stayin’ overnight, so I sorta sent him home.”
The group stared at Fred in stunned silence. Winter punched him in the shoulder.
“Moron.”
“So we’re stuck here.” Malcolm’s shoulders fell. “Things are getting worse. I don’t think we’ll have many chances to do this.”
Fred’s eyebrows raised. “Well, I could—”<
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“No!” Winter stopped him. “I know that look, Fred. No way.”
He flashed an innocent face. “What, girl? I’m just sayin’. You got a better idea?”
Valentine looked from one to the other. “A better idea than what?”
The north end of town gave way to tall, rocky hills. Fred charged a huge black SUV—one of his dad’s many vehicles—up a steep, winding road toward their destination. Malcolm squeezed the armrest in a death grip as they tore around another sharp curve.
The road cut into the hill and snaked between large, flat plateaus that dotted the hillside. Climbing higher, the group passed everything from radio towers to high-rent vacation condominiums built to take advantage of the view. Tonight, they aimed for a spot near the top.
“Found it!” Fred veered off the main road and jammed on the brakes. The wheels kicked up a shower of gravel and dust, skidding to a stop inches from a tall chain-link fence. “Slammin’ directions, Val.”
“Fred, you moron!” Winter snapped. “You’re not a secret agent. Quit driving like one.”
“You’ll live.” Fred threw his door open. “Come on, I wanna see this thing.”
The rest of them climbed gingerly from the vehicle. Malcolm wondered if they were shaking as much as he was. “First time I’ve ever wanted to hug the ground. I can’t believe we’re doing this.”
Valentine stopped beside him, hand-in-hand with John. “This seemed less stupid back at his house.”
They gathered at the fence’s wide gate and peered onto the property. The flat, two-acre expanse was ringed on three sides by the gray metal chain links. The fourth side was a sheer rock face that rose into the sky.
Behind the fence sat a one-story building with corrugated steel walls, discolored and sagging with neglect. The faded Veidt Industrial Storage sign hung askew near the door. A water tower perched to the right of the warehouse. It might have been impressive if not for its obvious lean, or the faded and pit-marked exterior.
“So, this is why we risked fiery death at Fred’s hands,” Winter said. “Not so impressive.”
“I’m pretty sure it’s the place, though,” Valentine said. “See the black streaks everywhere? They could’ve come from lightning. And the way the building sags there at the corner—maybe that was the center.”