by Kai Strand
“Right.” Jeff trudged up the stone steps behind him. “Shouldn’t you gather some storm clouds or lightning before we knock?”
Set ignored him and banged the raven shaped knocker against the large wood door. The hollow sound reverberated inside the house, immediately followed by the barking of several dogs.
Jeff and Set looked at each other with raised eyebrows.
An old craggy voice yelled at the dogs on the other side of the door. “Shut your traps. Sit! Siiiit.”
The barking died away, and the door swung open, releasing the musky order of wet fur and dog food from within. An old man, stooped and shaky with age, peered up at them. His head cocked sideways in order to see, because he was bent so far forward under a hunchback. “Yes?”
“Igor, is Dr. Frankenstein home?” Jeff said and laughed.
At least a dozen dogs sat in a semi-circle around the man. A few growled through bared teeth. The largest one stood and took a couple steps forward. Jeff’s laughter died off. “Well, we found the dogs, at least.”
“May I help you?”
“Yes,” Jeff replied. “We’re looking for Mystic. She around? Or maybe she dropped off a friend, say in the dungeon, and left?”
The man frowned. Shadows settled into crags in his saggy skin, making him look a sickly gray. “Mystic?”
“Don’t play dumb, Igor. These are definitely her dogs. Where is she?” Jeff asked.
“These dogs are mine. No woman lives here, and my name is Wilson Rudder, thank you very much.”
Set turned and started down the stairs.
“Wait a minute,” Jeff cried. “These are the same dogs. I’m sure of it.”
“If you’re interested in the dogs, I have an hourly rate.” The man plucked a brochure from a stack on a small table next to the door. “Price list?”
“She rented them?” Jeff asked incredulously. “She rented your dogs and they happened to be trained in stealing my girlfriend?”
Mr. Rudder scowled. “What the dogs are used for while out on contract is beyond my control.”
“Look, we’re looking for my kidnapped girlfriend. You probably have Mystic’s billing info then. The least you can do is give that to us.”
“Let’s go, Polar,” Set hissed. “The guys not even a super.”
“But he can help,” Jeff growled.
Several dogs growled in return.
Jeff felt his temper rise and suddenly pictured himself under a pile of twenty or so dogs. He took a deep breath and thought of a tall, cool cup of water.
“Cash transactions only,” Wilson Rudder said. “I don’t keep any information on the clients.”
“Let’s go,” Set snapped.
“Fine!” Jeff spun and stalked away.
* * * *
“So you’re telling me that you lost control of your abilities because you were having a hissy fit?” Set asked. Even as he sucked chocolate shake through his straw, he managed a smug expression.
Jeff sighed, cursing whatever burst of camaraderie he’d felt that had made him share the incident at the house.
“I haven’t lost my temper since I was, maybe, ten.” Set laughed and reclined against the window, stretching his long legs across the booth’s bench.
“I told you it’s because of the balancing. It’s not like it’s my fault.” Jeff hated the way the sun streamed into the window and haloed behind Set’s head. Pretty boys really made him mad.
“Calm down, junior.” Set smirked at Jeff’s throbbing fingertips. “What’s the big deal if the balancing unbalances anyway? I’ve never really been a fan.”
Jeff didn’t answer. He hated having to agree with anything Set said.
A girl slid onto the bench next to Jeff and ran a hand over his thigh.
“Whoa!” Jeff said, jumping away from her and knocking an elbow against the window.
“What’s wrong, big guy?” the girl said. “Haven’t you ever met your match before?”
Set raised an eyebrow at Jeff. “I see how loyal you are to your missing girlfriend.”
“Shut up. This is all part of the out of control power thing. My… um… charm attracts them like flies to a dung heap.”
Set rolled his eyes and shook his head.
“A little help would be nice,” Jeff said.
“I am helping,” Set said and sucked on his shake again.
A breeze stirred around Jeff. It seemed to waft from under the table and swirl around him toward the ceiling. It was cold and damp, like it was filled with invisible fog. A dewdrop rolled to the end of Jeff’s nose and he wiped it off, noticing a smirk on Set’s face. “Couldn’t you have lassoed a warm breeze?”
Set shrugged. “This was the first to answer.”
The girl who had been pressed against Jeff seemed to wake from a dream. She blinked and then panic filled her eyes as she leapt out of the booth. “What are you up to?” she screeched.
Jeff shook his head. Tiny droplets of water sprayed onto the table and his shirt. He watched the girl bolt across the restaurant and apologize to the friends she’d abandoned.
“Dude, if you’re drawing humans without directing your ability on them, you’ve got problems,” Set said.
“I know.” Jeff wiped the layer of wetness off his arms and face and then finished his hamburger. “You can stop with the fog now.”
“Not unless you want more company,” Set said.
Jeff groaned. “Do you think the heroes will have better luck finding Mystic?”
Set smiled wryly. “We are no longer heroes and villains, remember?”
“Yeah, whatever. I’m just wondering if the EX-heroes have better resources or equipment for tracking bad guys.” Jeff frowned. Something needled at his subconscious. There was something he was missing in this puzzle.
“They probably do have better stuff like that. Villains don’t search for things,” Set said.
“I did. Before the balancing, I went all the way down to Mexico looking for Source,” Jeff said.
“That doesn’t count. You’ve never been a good bad guy.”
Jeff scowled. “Well, Mystic helped me.”
Set looked surprised. “She’s definitely a bad guy. Weird that she helped.”
Jeff slammed his hand down on the table, causing the patrons of the restaurant to cry out in surprise or choke on their food. “That’s it!”
“What’s it?” Set asked, looking thoroughly bored.
“Mystic’s a bad guy.”
“Yes, we know that. Her bad, you mad.”
“No, she’s still a bad guy.” Jeff leveled a significant look at Set.
Set sat up and spun to face Jeff, suddenly looking far from bored. “Bi-Polar, I think you’re right!”
Chapter 25
“Dad, I can’t be in class right now. It turns into a three ring circus when I’m in the room.”
Just then, the door to Frank’s office pushed open. Hans shuffled inside, his cheeks red and eyes downcast.
“What’s up, Hans?” Frank asked.
“I brought iced tea for your son,” Hans said. He handed a cold sweaty glass to Jeff, blushing an even deeper shade of crimson. “I put three packets of sugar in it, sir. I hope you like it sweet.”
Refusing the tea, Jeff leveled a look at his father. “Get it now?”
Frank curled his lip. “Everybody?”
Jeff nodded. “Even Mr. Bentley and old lady Washbuckle.”
Frank grimaced. “Okay, go. Go home. Straight home.”
Jeff strode to the door.
“Sir, your tea!” Hans called.
If anyone was going to be immune to his charms, Jeff thought it would be Set. Knocking on the door, he tried the handle, but it was locked. He knocked louder. A Pekinese at the end of a long leash perked its head up and sniffed the air in Jeff’s direction. The stooped old lady holding the leash did the same. Jeff knocked more insistently. At last the door swung open, accompanied by a few muttered oaths.
Jeff slid inside and slammed the door beh
ind him.
Set peeked at Jeff through heavily lidded eyes. His hair curled over the top of his head in a perfect dune on one side and was smashed against his face on the other.
Eyeing Set’s boxers, Jeff asked, “Did I wake you?”
Set ran his hand through his hair collapsing the wave cresting over his ear. He closed his eyes and absently scratched his bare chest. “Yes, you friggin’ woke me. Why the hell would I be up this early if I didn’t have to be?”
Jeff glanced at his watch and grimaced. It was eight thirty. Oops. “Don’t you ever go to school?”
“I only have a couple classes.” Set scowled. “Something’s different about you.”
Eyeing him warily, Jeff asked, “Like what?”
Set stepped forward, suddenly appearing awake, alert and annoyed. He sniffed the air like a bloodhound on a scent.
“Dude, you’re creeping me out,” Jeff said. His back was pressed against the door, so he slid sideways away from Set.
“You’re,” Set stepped toward Jeff again and inhaled deeply. His expression was a cross between confusion and euphoria. “I don’t know what you are, but you smell like a storm.”
Jeff held a hand out in front of himself to keep Set at least an arm’s length away. He didn’t trust the mischievous glint in his eyes. “What do mean I smell like a storm?”
Set shook his head then shook it harder as if clearing it. He grimaced and took a couple steps back. “I don’t know. You just smell like the air before a big storm.” He spun on his heel and walked down the hall. “It’s creepy. Stop.”
Jeff watched him disappear down the shadowed hallway. “Yeah, like I know how,” he mumbled.
“Leave,” Set yelled from his room.
“Anything new on Oci?” Jeff called back. He thought he heard a rumble of thunder and knew it hadn’t come from outside, where the skies were clear and blue.
“Not yet.” Set stepped into the hall, now wearing jeans and pulling on a t-shirt. He stopped just outside his door. “What about your heroes? Did they find anything out?”
“No, I’m not even convinced they’re working on it anymore.” Jeff paced back and forth in the entry. “Why hasn’t Mystic demanded a ransom or something? You don’t thinks she’s…” Jeff froze and looked at Set, who hadn’t moved out of the hallway. “…done something to Oci, do you?”
Static snapped in the air around Set as his expression darkened. “Could you please not call her that.”
Jeff felt the impact of Set’s word choice like they’d been physically thrown at him. “Please?”
Rubbing a hand over his face, Set growled. Wind blew down the hallway and eddied in the living room. “Polar, you are irritating beyond belief. There is nothing new. Get out of my house. Don’t come back. Use a phone.”
“But I thought we could brainstorm.” Jeff saw Set close his eyes and clench his jaw at the word storm. He finished weakly, “Come up with new ideas, maybe.”
“Email me, if whatever the hell’s going on with you doesn’t short out the computer.” Set drew in a shaky, frustrated breath and clenched his fists. “Get out before I ask you for a date.”
“Oh!” Jeff spun toward the door. He glanced over his shoulder to offer some parting comment, but Set looked ready to throw a lightning bolt at him, so he darted outside.
Chapter 26
“Police report that the looting encompassed three square blocks around the Hoopsters Arena. The riot broke out last night after the Hoopsters lost their quarterfinals playoff game by one point. Rioters claim the officials made bad calls throughout the game. The chaos eventually spilled out into surrounding neighborhoods, one of which has a family owned pizza parlor. Last night at approximately 9:30 pm, the Mendez family was just leaving Adventure Pizza when an angry pack of basketball fans found them. All four family members, including three-year-old Manuel Mendez and seven-year-old Layla Mendez were pulled from their car. When 42-year-old Jesus Mendez tried to defend his family, the rioters beat him severely while his wife and young children watched, and then set their car ablaze. Mr. Mendez is reported in critical condition at the county hospital this morning.”
Jeff turned off the television, but stared at the blank screen. “What’s going on?” he mumbled.
His phone rang, reminding him that he still hadn’t changed the ringtone. “Yeah.”
“Hey, it’s Source. You called?”
Jeff filled Source in on his ever-growing charms. Source had the decency to make a shuddering noise over Set.
“Wait, so Set said you smell like a storm?”
“Well, like before the storm. I don’t even want to know how that could be an aphrodisiac for him,” Jeff said.
Source repeated the shuddering noise. “Well, I’ve got to get to class, but I’ll stop by after school and we’ll work on this. There’s something niggling at my brain. We’ll figure it out.”
“Dude, I hope so. I can’t spend the rest of my life locked up inside.” He eyed the walls, cracked and crumbled from when he lost his temper. “We need to figure this out fast.”
Bored out of his mind, Jeff spent the day doing some of the more productive things he didn’t always make time for. He cleaned Pucker’s fishbowl and watched her eye the clean sparkling surface as if she didn’t trust water she couldn’t see. He spent an unusually long time searching for a new ringtone for his phone. Feeling he’d make Mother happy, but not deny his angst, he chose Dazed and Confused by Led Zeppelin. He washed every pair of jeans he owned. The washer screamed out in rebellion twice during the spin cycle, since he’d apparently overloaded it by washing them all at once.
Source called Jeff as he left school. “Polar, I think I’ve got it, but I have to spend some time working on it. I’m going straight to my dorm room so I can tinker around with the idea.”
“What’s your idea?” Jeff asked, but Source had already hung up.
The front door swung open and Mother and Sandra walked in, chatting merrily, which caused a bolt of irrational anger to course through Jeff. He closed his eyes and counted to ten. He’d only hit three when Mother interrupted his thoughts.
“What on earth happened here?”
The timber in her voice set Jeff on edge. He opened his eyes and saw her eyeing the demolished living room. “Oh.” His anger abated and he suddenly felt like a little kid waiting to be scolded.
“Jeff’s got some issues, Mom,” Sandra supplied.
Mother trained her cold gaze on him, clearly doubting his issues were innocent. As quickly as her angry gaze snapped to him, it thawed and was replaced by a sympathetic and loving expression that scared the crap out of him. He took a step backward.
“What’s wrong, hon?” Mother asked, moving toward him.
Sandra’s eyes went round and big in panic. “Mom, get a hold of yourself.”
Jeff walked backward to the bottom of the stairs. “Mother, I almost destroyed the house. Aren’t you even a little mad?”
“Sweetie, you’ve been under so much pressure since the balancing. Why don’t you lie down on the couch? I’ll make you some hot chocolate and snickerdoodles. Your favorite.” Sarah sidled toward her son. The sway of her hips was as uncharacteristic as her smoldering gaze.
Sandra stepped between her mother and Jeff. “Run!”
Jeff slammed himself into his bedroom. He shoved his pile of clean jeans in front of the door and then set his dresser on top of it. He realized it was useless. Mother could break through that easily if she wanted, but he didn’t know what else to do.
Fifteen minutes later, Sandra knocked lightly on the door. “I think she’s okay again. She seems kind of freaked out, though.”
“Good. I’m completely creeped out,” Jeff said through the door. “I don’t get it. How come you aren’t affected? Or Source? I kinda thought family was immune.”
“I don’t know. I hope it doesn’t change for me though. That was so gross.” Jeff thought he heard Sandra sigh. “You’re going to have to stay in there, I think.”
&n
bsp; He let his forehead thump against the wall. “Yeah, I think you’re right.” He eyed the window, knowing he could escape through it, but to what? More of the same waited for him wherever he went. He was stuck in his room. He said a silent prayer that Source really was onto something, because eventually a door, a few walls and some window glass might not be enough to protect him.
“If you’re in there long enough, I’ll fly your dinner up to your window,” Sandra offered.
“Thanks, sis.”
Chapter 27
Jeff must have fallen asleep, because Source barging into his room yelling, “I think I got it!” didn’t quite gel with the conversation he was having in Spanish. He blinked a few times and the office around him evaporated and was replaced by a very dark version of his bedroom. As his eyes adjusted to the lack of light, he slowly realized the explosion he’d just heard had actually been Source and Sandra shoving the dresser out of the way as they barreled into his room.
He rubbed his face trying to fully orient himself. “What time is it?”
“Two in the morning. Here put this on.” Source shoved an air freshener into Jeff’s hand.
“Why? Do I smell?” He squinted at the rectangular object and realized it emitted a quiet whirring noise.
“What? No. It’s a deionizer.”
“There’s no way to put this on.” Jeff turned the object over and then back again. “How exactly am I supposed to put this on, Source? And on where?” Jeff pretended to hang it from an ear like a gaudy earring.
“Oh, forgot that part.” Source deflated as if the lack of a clip were the most important part of the design.
“That’s fine, I’ll just hold it. Let’s go try it out.” Jeff bounded out of his room and down the hall to his parents’ bedroom. Without knocking he swung the door open. “Mother wake up.”
Sandra ran in after him. “Sheesh, Jeff.”
Sarah bolted upright, hands in defense position and glowing a bright white. Next to her, Frank rolled slowly into a sitting position, running a hand through his disheveled hair.
“Whoa, Mother. Dial down. It’s just me,” Jeff said.