by Drew Hayes
“Even if he were, I couldn’t talk to him yet either. But yes, it is hard.” Mary took a long breath and pulled her head up, readjusting her cloak so it was almost, but not quite, covering her face. “And there is still a lot of night ahead, so I’m just crossing my fingers that Alex is the worst fire I have to put out.”
“It seems a bit daring to try . . . whatever you’re doing . . . on Halloween. Given your group’s track record and all.”
“You think so? The way I see it, we’re long overdue for a bit of good luck on Halloween. This is just me trying to cash in on it.” Mary stood up from the couch and adjusted her outfit slightly. “Maybe you should do the same. You’re looking very eye-catching tonight, and I’m keenly aware that a few people have noticed.”
“Trust me, I know. Alex wouldn’t stop fawning.”
Mary let out a small, devious chuckle. “I wasn’t talking about Alex, but you’re close. In fact, I’d say you’re at the right table, if you catch my meaning.” As she walked away, she passed by Alex, and the two exchanged a furtive glance. Sitting next to him still were Will and Vince. Camille noticed something when Mary walked by—as her eyes naturally followed her friend’s path, they caught sight of another stare, this one observing her. Vince’s bright blue irises darted away the moment he realized he’d been caught, an action which made Camille blush.
Vince had been looking at her, and he was at the same table as Alex. Mary’s words still hung in Camille’s mind, lingering like tendrils of daring fog amidst the first rays of morning. They were overdue for some good Halloween fortune.
Maybe she’d try and grab a piece of that too.
86.
Nicholas had barely made it five minutes past the door when a short figure in a bright-red hood sidled up to him. The amber eyes peering out from under the crimson hood studied him carefully, then turned their scrutinizing gaze on his two companions. Only after the silent test was concluded did the young woman speak.
“A pleasure to make your acquaintance. My name is Mary, an old friend of Nicholas’s. And you are?”
Jerome acted first; formality was one of the many lessons that had been drilled into him for his role in the Family. He might not understand why this telepath was pretending not to know who they were, but it didn’t matter. His job was not to question why, it was only to follow orders. Nicholas had told them to play nice, that was all that mattered.
“Jerome,” he said, raising his voice to be heard over the ever-present din of bass coming from the dance floor. The area was still under-filled enough to where they could stand without being jostled, but the growing line outside the doors suggested that wouldn’t be the case for much longer.
“I’m Eliza,” Eliza announced, taking a step forward. If she’d hoped to assert some subliminal form of dominance with her height, she had chosen the wrong opponent.
“So glad you all could make it. I’d love to chat and get to know you better later, but I think I’d like to speak with Nicholas first. Why don’t you grab some drinks?” Mary’s voice couldn’t have been sweeter or more polite.
It also couldn’t have been clearer that she wasn’t making a request.
With a small nod from Nicholas, the others took their cue and headed to the bar, leaving him alone with his former dormmate. The duo shuffled slightly out of the way, leaning against a wall between a pair of unattended tables. This kept them out of line of sight for the reserved seating area, the dance floor, and a large portion of the bar.
“Well, any chance you were followed?” Mary asked.
“Not that I can tell. Nathaniel is good, but with my full attention, he shouldn’t be able to sneak up on me again. That said, my ego has recently been humbled, so I would appreciate it if you kept a mental ear open for him.”
“Already intended to,” she said. “But if he tries anything here, he’ll be in for one hell of a surprise. Half of our junior class is in attendance, and plenty of them can do serious damage, even without using abilities.”
“I highly doubt Nathaniel will make a move tonight. His last loss is too recent; Nathaniel is the sort to lie in wait and lick his wounds. Besides, a place this size presents too many uncontrollable factors. It makes for a poor environment to plan an ambush in.”
“Let’s hope he sees it that way too. I’d like to have one Halloween that doesn’t end in violence.” Mary shifted her position slightly, running her hands along the edge of her cloak. “So, are you ready to meet some old friends?”
“Don’t you mean go to my audition? Have no fear; I will make them all feel quite at ease with my presence here. How are we going to do this?”
“I’m going up to our section,” Mary said. “Once there, I’m going to tell them about you being here, and that your memories are still fogged. At that point, anyone who wants to leave the section and meet you will come with me. Those who don’t feel like reconnecting with an ex-program member will stay put, and you’ll respect that. If everyone comes, then you and your people can join us in our section. If not, you and yours hang out in the main part of the club. I’ll listen to everyone’s thoughts as the night goes on. If I think you can exist among us without causing serious problems or emotional turmoil, then the next steps will be yours.”
“A shockingly unfair arrangement, but given the amount of leverage you possess, I have no choice but to agree. What of Jerome and Eliza?”
“They stay with you,” Mary replied. “If they’re part of your world, then the people reconnecting with you need to know that. All cards on the table.”
“Funny, as I recall, you were never much of a card player.”
“Nicholas, you don’t recall anything. You just read that in a file.” With that, Mary walked away, red cloak bobbing amidst the sea of bodies as she made her way back to her friends.
“Well, I wouldn’t say I don’t recall anything,” Nicholas muttered under his breath as he watched her go. The memory of their fight in his mind, when she’d discovered his deepest secret in that subliminal church funeral, was crisp as the pain of a fresh wound. He knew Mary was more resourceful, surprising, and determined than her amiable facade might indicate. That, above all else, was why he was playing along with her game.
Thanks to the recovered memory, Nicholas understood just how unstoppable Mary could be when motivated.
* * *
“Hey Vince, do you want to go dance?”
Vince glanced up from his discussion to find Camille standing beside him, hands purposely stuck to her hips as she awaited an answer. It was bluster, pure and obvious, but it was still quite striking. She was beautiful, in her own way. And the longer Vince knew her, the more enthralling she seemed to become.
“Are you sure you want me? I’m not exactly the picture of grace.”
“And I’m hell in heels? I just feel like moving around a bit and checking out all the other costumes. Plus, I’m trying to work on getting outside my comfort zone, which dancing definitely is. Come help a friend out.”
“All right, but if I accidentally break one of your toes, don’t say I didn’t warn you,” Vince replied, rising from his chair.
“Maybe it’s time we all started thinking about getting some dance partners,” Alex said. He glanced about the section to see who was remaining.
“Why not try our luck with someone not in direct competition with us?” Will suggested. “There seem to be plenty of beautiful women who we won’t have to fistfight sometime in the near future.”
“The man makes a good point,” Alex said. He and Will stood up as well, though Alex paused to smooth out the various facets of his coat. “You two should probably go ahead. Will and I need to formulate a game plan. We can’t go out there without having proper wingman duties assigned.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about, and I’m probably better off not knowing,” Vince said, chuckling softly to himself. “Come on, Camille; let’s go try not to wound each other.”
“You ask for the impossible.” The two headed down the s
tairs and toward the dance floor. Alex watched them go, following the red-and-yellow striped hat carefully as it navigated through the growing crowd.
“So, what are these duties you need performed?” Will asked.
“We’ll get to that later. The real reason I had us hang back is because Mary’s on her way up, and we don’t want to miss what she’s going to say,” Alex explained.
“Shouldn’t you have stopped Vince?”
“No way,” Alex replied, permitting himself a sly grin. “He and Camille finally going off and doing something as intimate as dancing together is . . . well, not more important, but more pressing. Mary’s announcement will be here when he gets back. For now, let’s cross our fingers those two finally make some damn headway.”
87.
When Mary stepped into the seating area, she did a quick scan of those present. Angela and Chad were talking on a couch; Will and Alex were standing near the entrance, clearly waiting for her. She spotted Roy leaning on the side-railing, talking with Alice, Violet, and Thomas as he ogled girls in skimpy costumes. The rest, it seemed, were out getting drinks or dancing. That was okay for the most part, though she wondered if she should wait for Vince to come back.
“I don’t think you’ll get a point where everyone is present,” Alex said, answering her unspoken thought. “This seems like almost everyone who would care. Might be good to strike while the opportunity is here.”
“I suppose you’re right,” Mary said. She stepped the rest of the way into the section, moving to the middle of it, and then addressed her friends. “Everyone, could you come in close for a minute? There’s something I need to talk to you all about.”
Curious glances were exchanged, but the request was complied with as people wandered to within arm’s reach of Mary, who was taking measured breaths to stay calm. She wasn’t scared of speaking to a group, not after having been captain of a team for a year, but the proposition of what lay before her still conjured a minor aura of nerves. It didn’t help that the constant, dull thrum of music pounded against her head, reminding her of the days when she couldn’t shut the voices out. Mary pushed those thoughts away as she pushed away the fear and worry. This was not the time for getting caught up in her head. This was the time to deliver.
“I ran into someone a few minutes ago. Someone we all know, or, at least, used to know. Nick is here. Nick Campbell. He came back to Lander as a regular student after the expulsion, and he’s at this club tonight. His memories are still wiped and all, I just . . . I thought you all should know that he was here. I talked with him for a bit. He’s a little different—losing two years will do that—but he’s still the same guy he always was underneath. If anyone wants to meet him, I’m going to go visit with him some more in a bit.”
“Mary, you know the danger in what you’re doing,” Chad cautioned. “Those who leave the program often hold bitterness toward the ones that stayed. Outing former friends isn’t unheard of.”
“I know, Chad. That’s why I came here to tell you all like this, rather than bringing him over. Anyone who wants to take that risk can come with me, but I don’t think anyone will look down on someone for being cautious.”
“Count me in,” Angela declared.
“You barely ever spoke to Nick,” Chad reminded her.
“So what? Still seems like it might be fun. I’m always up for fun.”
“Then I suppose I should come as well, and see this fun for myself,” Chad said.
“I’ll go talk with him too,” Roy said. “To be honest, I always figured it was only a matter of time before he pulled something like this. Nick loves stirring shit too much to go out quietly.”
“I’ll go see him,” Alice said, her simple words belying the storm of emotions inside her. She didn’t like lying to her friends, didn’t care for pretending to know less about Nicholas than she did. That was why she’d kept her response so simple. It was one of the ways Professor Pendleton taught to mentally trick themselves: if everything you said was true, then you weren’t lying. All she did was agree to go talk to him, nothing untrue was uttered.
“I will sit this one out,” Thomas told the group. He looked at the ground, not wanting to see any reaction in their eyes. “While Nick and I were friends, we were not tremendously close. I don’t begrudge him a new life here at Lander; however, I have too much on my own plate at the moment to add another risk. I’m sorry.”
“You have nothing to feel bad about,” Violet said, softly placing a hand on his wide, muscular shoulder. “That’s a smart decision. So smart, in fact, that I’m copying it and staying put with you.”
“As am I,” Will added. “Give Nick my best, but I’m afraid it seems unnecessarily dangerous to interact with him anymore.”
“Makes sense,” Alex agreed. “But I’m going to say hi. If his memories are sealed, it isn’t that dangerous. And I kind of miss that wild-minded jerk.”
“That’s everyone here then,” Mary said, noting each person’s decision. “Would one of the people staying tell Vince and Camille when they come back from dancing?”
“I’ll do it,” Thomas volunteered. “I believe I can explain it to Vince in the easiest way possible.”
“I don’t doubt that. Okay then, everyone else ready to go say hello to an old friend?” Mary asked.
“Sure, let’s get this show on the road,” Angela said, hopping out of her seat in a motion that might have left her chest exposed if she were wearing a more modern bra with less coverage. “We have to knock out the big reveal before the inevitable bar fight.”
“Bar fight?” Alice asked.
“Yeah, Chad filled me in about you hooligans and your Halloween havoc. Two throw-downs in two years? Seems to me, we’ve got decent odds of a threepeat.”
“For everyone’s sake, I dearly hope you’re wrong,” Mary said. Inwardly, she reminded herself to do another mental sweep when walking everyone over to Nicholas. If their bad luck was going to strike again, Nathaniel Evers seemed a likely agent for it to use. She began walking toward the stairs, indicating that the others should follow.
“I just don’t understand you guys; fate goes out of its way to give you a battle-rich tradition, and you try to avoid it. Kids today, no appreciation for the finer things in life.” Angela still followed Mary, despite the grumbling.
“If we can get through this night without a punch being thrown, I’ll consider it a rousing success,” Alice said, heading to the stairs.
“Now, I wouldn’t go that far,” Roy said, following as well. “I mean, I’m not saying I want a full-out brawl, but it is still a party after all. A little scrapping would liven things up.”
Angela turned to Chad, and jerked her thumb in Roy’s direction. “New plan: when I’m not around, follow his lead. I like the instincts on this one.”
Chad merely shook his head and continued walking, wondering if perhaps his plan to liven up his life hadn’t succeeded a bit more than he’d intended.
88.
Vince and Camille’s attempt at dancing was unsurprisingly awkward. Despite both being in peak physical condition, neither was entirely gifted when it came to holding a beat. This says nothing of the overall discomfort they felt at the proximity most other dancers had to their partners; people who were dancing so close it was often hard to distinguish them as separate entities. Modesty and nerves compelled them to maintain at least some distance between their bodies, crush of the crowd be damned. After about two songs, Camille made a motion for Vince to leave the dance floor, and he happily obliged.
He followed her, only a bit curious to see she was going off in the direction opposite of the seating area where they’d left their friends. A few minutes’ walk from the dance floor, Camille located an open two-top table with chairs that were so tall it took her a bit of effort to climb into one. Vince slid into his own easily, his own height being adequate, if not considerable.
“Already tired?” Vince asked. It was easier to talk here, away from the booming sound of the dance fl
oor. He was impressed by the acoustics of the club: as loud as the music was for the dancers, it immediately died off to background noise when one entered the main club area.
“Not tired, just not having that much fun,” Camille replied. “Sorry about that. Sometimes, I try to push myself into new things, just to get out of my comfort zone. I shouldn’t have dragged you along.”
“I’m glad you did. I can be a little stuck in my ways too. It’s good to shake things up. But I don’t think I want to do that kind of dancing.” Vince gestured vaguely in the direction of the floor they’d left, not really pointing at any couple in particular. He didn’t need to get specific to convey the message.
“That was . . . a bit much,” Camille agreed. “I might like to try a different kind, though. The two-stepping wasn’t nearly as bad.”
“Think they’ll play any country?”
Camille glanced around at the steel, mirrors, and upscale décor. “I’d guess probably not.”
“Should we go back to the seating area, then?”
“We could, or we could just sit and see if they play something else. There is a spectrum of music between country and . . . whatever this is,” Camille said. She was thankful for the excessive makeup her costume had demanded; it hid the worst of the blush she could feel burning in her cheeks. She’d come so far with Vince, but every now and then, the simplest things could set her off. Then again, lying in wait, hoping for a slow song wasn’t really all that simple, if she were honest with herself.
“I like that idea,” Vince said, flashing Camille a grin that threatened to spread the blushing to her ears. “It’ll be nice to sit and chat. I feel like I see less of you and Alex since the team . . . since last year.”
“We work together,” Camille reminded him.
“Yeah, but our schedules are so different, we rarely get the same shifts. Besides, we both stay busy, so it’s not like we get a lot of time to hang out.”