Redux (The Variant Series, #3)

by Jena Leigh

  And who could say just how Declan would react to that news?

  No. It was better just to show up and deal with the fallout later.

  Alex cast her gaze back out through the windshield. The Charger’s headlights illuminated a short strip of freshly paved four-lane highway, lined on both sides by two short, continuous hills that bisected an otherwise flattened landscape. Aside from the occasional trees and patches of bushes caught by the glare of the headlights as they passed, the scenery didn’t offer much to look at.

  “How far are we from food?” she asked, her stomach rumbling at the thought.

  “That’s an excellent question,” said Aiden. “Why don’t you ask Nate the Nagging Navigator over there. He’s the one with the map.”

  Nate’s phone lit up again.

  “Next exit looks to be another fifteen miles down the road,” said Nate.

  “Is there food there?” asked Aiden. “Real food? The kind that doesn’t require a gas station microwave or, y’know, a hazmat suit?”

  Alex crinkled her nose at the prospect of another meal scrounged from the refrigerator of a small town Gas ’n Gulp. That turkey sandwich she’d eaten earlier hadn’t exactly been fine dining. Nor, she was fairly certain, had it still been within its sell-by date.

  So gross.

  Nate looked up from his phone. “You’ll have four fast food joints and a mom and pop’s to choose from. Happy?”

  Aiden smiled in the darkness and hit the gas, nudging the Charger up another ten miles-per-hour. “Ec-freaking-static.”

  Alex Parker was home again.

  Right place, she thought, wrong time.

  “So this is home, huh?” Aiden craned his neck to stare at the passing buildings as they drove the length of Bay View’s main drag, passing by the crowded Boardwalk on their way out to the suburbs. “It’s nice. Kinda like a beachside Mayberry or something.”

  She supposed it was something of a picturesque place to grow up—though when she looked at those familiar landmarks now, she didn’t see the memories she’d made during her childhood years.

  Instead, she saw Declan standing at the end of the pier, faded gray military jacket and a smirk, cool as can be in 85 degree weather. Storm clouds and lightning as the fierce winds of her own creation ravaged the Boardwalk. A fried espresso machine at Bayside Brews and short circuited registers at the surf shop. Masterson wearing Connor’s face at the Red Corner Gallery.

  She saw everything that was yet to come for the other Alex.

  Everything that she now hoped to prevent.

  They drove past yet another familiar storefront and this time Alex blanched. The faded gold lettering of the dark green sign read “Ballard’s Rare Books” in a familiar bold print. Mr. Ballard himself stood there in plain sight, alive and oblivious to his awful fate, arranging a new window display.

  She swallowed hard and leaned back in her seat so that she was forced to stare through the windshield at the road ahead and not at the passing businesses. Two minutes later, they made the final turn onto the familiar oak-lined streets of her neighborhood.

  Alex sat silent in the backseat of the idling Charger, its engine ticking over noisily as they rolled to a stop, one street behind the blue Victorian where she lived with her Aunt Cil.

  Where a far more innocent—far more ignorant—version of herself now sat waiting for a date with destiny. A date that this Alex was going to ensure never took place.

  For that, though, she was going to need a couple things.

  “Give me your hands,” she said.

  Nate and Aiden both turned to peer into the backseat.

  “Hands,” she repeated. “I want to make sure I’m ready for whatever happens next.”

  They exchanged a quick, wordless glance, before offering up a hand each.

  Three … Four … Five.

  She released them.

  “What can you sense, Alex?” asked Nate. “Anything?”

  Closing her eyes, Alex focused on the fading remnants of the jumping ability she’d absorbed from Declan a full two days earlier.

  It was all but gone now. She’d never be able to manage a jump in this state, even if she’d wanted to, but with a little effort she could still sense the energy field that blanketed the world with electricity.

  On the next street over, two anomalies caught her attention. One was coming from her Aunt Cil, most likely hard at work on her latest creation in her backyard workshop.

  Her aunt’s signature was faint, but it was there all the same. Even though she’d worked for years to suppress her ability, Cil couldn’t hide the slight traces of her body’s effect on the surrounding currents without making a conscious effort. And after living peacefully in Bay View for so long, she had no reason to try.

  The second signature, on the other hand, shone like a beacon and radiated an emotion that ranged from impatience to outright fury.

  Declan had drawn so much energy into himself that even the weakest of jumpers would have been able to sense his presence. Alex was amazed her Aunt hadn’t already noticed him. She must have been completely consumed by her current project to have remained so utterly oblivious.

  Reckless, Decks, she thought. Masterson will be able to sense you coming a mile away.

  But then, maybe that was his intention.

  Alex opened her eyes.

  “They’re here,” she said. “Front of the house. I think they’re sitting in a car parked across the street.”

  Was that Declan’s plan? To stalk Alex’s past self until Masterson arrived? And if that was the case, how had her past self not noticed him already?

  “Li must not be here yet,” Aiden said. He shifted in the passenger seat, scanning their surroundings as though he half suspected the man to be lurking behind a nearby bush.

  Alex tried to think back to her memories of this time, desperate to recall ever seeing Declan or Li or anyone else that she would one day meet—desperate to recall anything that might prove useful.

  Nothing stood out.

  It was now Friday afternoon. If she was right, Bay View High’s spring break began the moment school let out.

  From what little she could remember of this time, she’d spent much of the following week with Cassie and Connor. There’d been a few beach days, some time spent shopping on the Boardwalk, the lake party mid-week…

  She blinked.

  The lake party took place on a Wednesday night. It stood out, because she’d been forced to lie to her aunt to skip out on their weekly pizza and movie tradition and escape to the party with Cassie and Connor.

  It also meant that they had less than a week before Alex’s powers began to manifest.

  What had Masterson said before? That the VX-2 would likely take less than a week to kick in?

  If Masterson wasn’t already in Bay View, he was sure to be arriving shortly.

  Alex looked to Nate, wondering when he was going to weigh in on what their next move should be. His mouth was drawn into an angry line and he was glowering at the house to their left as though he could see through it, to Declan and Trent waiting on the other side.

  Nate said nothing. Instead, he threw the car into drive and peeled out, the tires chirping noisily as he sped down the street and tore around the corner, barreling onto Alex’s road without regard for the attention they were likely to attract.

  Before Alex could open her mouth to ask him what the heck he thought he was doing, they were already screeching to a halt in front of her neighbor’s driveway and the black Honda Civic parked on the street in front of the home.

  Nate was out of the Charger in half a heartbeat.

  Alex scrambled to find the seat control on the driver’s side. It released with a dull click and she shoved it forward, stumbling out of the muscle car in the same instant a cold shiver trickled over her body, covering her from head to toe—someone had cloaked her from sight.

  The formerly empty Civic now held one very surprised Trent and one very, very angry Declan. He climbed out of t
he driver’s seat and slammed the door closed just as Nate reached the car.

  Declan never saw the punch coming. Nate’s fist connected with his jaw with a crack that made Alex cringe and sent the jumper reeling. Trent and Aiden leapt from their respective cars in response, but Alex was faster.

  “Stop!” she ordered, stepping in between them just as Declan righted himself and prepared to retaliate.

  Alex threw out her arms, the air around her hands rippling as she summoned her freshly absorbed telekinetic ability and sent both Nate and Declan sliding a solid four feet down the asphalt in opposite directions.

  “What the hell did you think you were doing, Decks?” Nate growled once he’d steadied himself. Aiden stepped in front of him and placed a hand on his chest, cutting off his path. “If this Li guy is even half as powerful as Alex claims he is, then what in God’s name are you thinking going up against him solo?”

  “Solo?” Trent dropped the hand that had been restraining Declan’s shoulder, and turned to scowl at Nate. “What—seriously? And what am I supposed to be, exactly?”

  “No offense, Trent,” said Nate, shaking his head. “But if you two really think you can take the guy out and protect the other Alex by yourselves, then you’re just as much of a freaking idiot in the future as you are in this time, Declan.”

  “Why do you think I left my Alex with you, Nate?” Declan countered, edging forward. “I might not stand a chance at stopping Li, but dammit, Nathaniel, you were supposed to be smart enough to keep my Alex out of this. Smart enough to keep her safe. Instead you’ve dragged her right back into the middle of all of it!”

  “Alright. That’s it.” Alex sent out another pulse of energy, forcing Declan and Nate apart again. “I’m right here, you morons. Stop talking about me like I’m not. And for God’s sake, Declan, when are you going to stop acting like I’m still just some helpless girl in need of your protection? I’m perfectly capable of defending myself.” She pointed toward the house. “And I have every right to be here to help save her from what’s coming. Instead, you took that decision away from me and left me stranded in Seattle!”

  “Not stranded enough, apparently,” Declan mumbled, directing a rather pointed glare in Nate and Aiden’s direction. Gingerly, he rubbed his thumb across his split lower lip, smearing the blood in his attempt to wipe it away.

  Alex chose to ignore the comment. “I’m here and I’m not leaving until this is over, Decks. You’re stuck with me. So just suck it up and deal. Now, has there been any sign of him?”

  Declan glowered at her, but didn’t answer.

  Trent, thankfully, was more obliging. “Nothing yet,” he said. “Everything’s been pretty quiet.”

  Frowning, Alex scanned the full length of the tree lined street, but found nothing out of the ordinary.

  On either side of her, Declan and Nate were still staring daggers at each other.

  “It won’t be quiet for much longer,” she said. “If he’s not already here, he will be soon.”

  They needed to stay on their guard. If those two couldn’t shelve the testosterone match and focus, Masterson was going to slice through their group like a knife through butter.

  “Truck,” said Trent. When at first no one reacted, he tried again, shouting, “Move!”

  A red truck took a sharp turn onto Alex’s street and barreled straight toward their surprised—and still invisible—congregation.

  The five of them managed to hustle out of the way just in time for the truck to blow past as it made a second turn into the Victorian’s driveway.

  “Someone’s in a rush,” Aiden mumbled.

  “Is that who I think it is?”

  Alex gave a start. Declan had moved silently to her elbow and leaned down to whisper the question into her ear.

  “If you think it’s Connor,” she whispered back, “then yes.”

  Declan narrowed his eyes at the truck. “We need to get inside the house,” he said in a low tone.

  “We… what?” she stuttered.

  Declan moved closer and Alex could feel the heat of his breath on her neck. “It wouldn’t be the first time he’s tricked us with Connor’s face.”

  The Red Corner Gallery. Her aunt’s big show. Masterson showed up using a Mimic’s ability and disguised himself as Connor while the real version of her ex was partying at the lake across town.

  The disguise had worked perfectly.

  It wasn’t until after he’d disappeared into the crowd, nearly twenty minutes later, that Alex realized who it was she’d actually been talking to.

  Reaching out, Alex took hold of Declan’s wrist, sliding her fingers beneath the cuff of his gray jacket until she was met with the warmth and familiar tingle of his bare skin. He raised an eyebrow, but made no comment.

  As her jumping ability refreshed, she was able to sense her surroundings with more clarity, and Connor—or the man that might be posing as Connor—read completely human.

  If it was Masterson, either he hadn’t absorbed a jumping ability yet, or he was highly skilled in the art of concealment.

  She was banking on the idea that this Connor was the real Connor, judging by the reckless driving and the familiar stride as he moved with purpose toward the front door.

  Still. Declan had a point.

  Masterson was bound to be arriving soon, and it would be foolish to let the past Alex out of their sight until all this was over with—though she couldn’t say she liked the idea of allowing one or more of the boys to eavesdrop on her past self. Lord only knows what she might say or do while assuming she was unobserved.

  Alex sighed.

  “Technically,” she mumbled. “It would be the first time he tricked us with that face, but you’re right. We should probably find a way in. Just in case.”

  “What are you two whispering about?” asked Nate, stepping closer and keeping his voice down to avoid drawing Connor’s attention.

  “We need to go in,” said Declan.

  “In?” Aiden echoed in a strangled voice. “What do you mean, in? In where? The house?”

  Trent was wearing a similarly troubled expression. “How, exactly, do you suggest we do that without getting caught? Invisibility doesn’t actually make you disappear, genius, it just makes you impossible to see. The second one of us sneezes, or coughs, or lets one rip, we’ll be screwed.”

  “Maybe we should split up,” she suggested. “If I absorb Trent’s ability, I can…”

  “Won’t work,” interrupted Declan.

  “But I…”

  “You’ve never borrowed it before, have you?” he asked. The question was rhetorical. Declan already knew that she hadn’t. Before she could reply, he said, “And we don’t have time to work out the kinks. It’d take at least a day to train you, and we can’t risk you going in there and accidentally letting the ability drop. We’ll be made in no time.”

  “So you’re suggesting that all five of us go in at once, with only one shade working to keep us hidden?” asked Aiden with a skeptical lift of his brow.

  “That’s exactly what I’m suggesting,” said Declan. “If we have a problem, and half the group is stuck outside and unaware of what’s happening, then what? No. It’s better to stick together.”

  The front door of the house finally opened. From where Alex stood, she couldn’t see who had answered.

  When Connor stepped inside and the front door closed again, she turned to assess Trent. “How long can you keep us hidden?” she asked.

  Trent shrugged. “With a group our size, I’ll need to take a break every fifteen or twenty minutes, or else the illusion will start to fade,” he said. “Thirty seconds minimum to recharge and we’ll be visible for all of it. We’ll have to be out of sight, or in an empty room or something. And I’ll only be able to keep that cycle up for a couple of hours at most. After that, it’s nosebleed city.” He looked down and plucked at the faded Ramones logo on his chest. “And this is my favorite shirt.”

  Aiden was shaking his head, clearly worr
ied about their plan. “This is never going to work.”

  Alex was in agreement, but knew by the dogged expression on Declan’s face that unless they could come up with a better plan, and fast, it was the one they’d be rolling with.

  “Sure it will, Aiden,” said Declan. He was still staring at the house with determination. “Just got to have a little faith.”

  Twenty-Three

  Just gotta have a little faith, Aiden.

  This plan will work just fine, Aiden.

  Yeah, he thought bitterly. About that…

  Aiden hoisted himself up and onto the dresser, sliding into a seated position with his back to the mirror, ready to kiss the talented soul that had designed such a solid piece of furniture. The sudden movement barely jostled the glass behind him.

  To quote John Grayson, their choice to sneak into the backyard and enter through the Victorian’s back door had resulted in a “truly spectacular cock-up.” If the Grayson patriarch had been there to witness his team in action that day, he likely would have been apoplectic at the sloppiness and miscommunications that abounded the moment they stepped inside the house.

  At first, their decision to duck in via the kitchen door seemed to have been a stroke of coincidental genius.

  The dark-haired teen who appeared earlier in the evening was already on his way back out the front door, and two female voices accompanied his as he made his way back outside. Their path into the house seemed free and clear.

  Led by a slow-moving, but surefooted Declan, the group moved silently through the kitchen and into the living area. There they finally caught sight of the once disembodied voices and Alex promptly froze in place at the sight of her past self.

  Seriously. Aiden had seen marble statues with a better range of motion.

  Which immediately proved to be something of a problem. Their Alex seized up in the middle of a doorway and failed to notice the sound of the kitchen door opening and closing behind her, or the shuffling movements of someone walking straight in her direction.