They gave me a standing ovation, as I descended back to the grass. I had to halt them, as they rushed to embrace me and get a closer look at the merchandise. My wings had passed through Caduceus’ house without effect, and I had carried people without my aura catching anyone on fire, but I was still a bit leery. All I needed was to set my friends off like a bunch of roman candles, while I was showing off.
9
For a while after the show, we stayed outside, soaking up the cool night air and talking. Everyone was quick to praise my slick moves and spectacular performance. At first, I took it all in, letting them gush on me, making jokes and such to cover my prideful feelings. At one point, I looked over at my mother, and though I could tell she was happy for me, she wasn’t nearly as excited, as she had been when I first told her of my powers. I strolled over to her and put my arm around her shoulder. I had to stoop to do so; I hadn’t realized how much taller I was than the last time I had seen her. “What’s wrong, ma?”
“I just keep thinking about the responsibilities those powers represent.”
“I know, I remember the whole feather thing.”
“Are you getting smart with me,” she scolded.
“Of course not. It’s just, well, this evening isn’t about that. It’s supposed to be about having a little fun. You are enjoying yourself, aren’t you?”
“Yes, dear, I certainly am,” She smiled up at me. “Glad you’re back home, son. Do you think it’s for good?”
I thought about it for a moment. “You know what, mom, I think I might just be.”
“That makes this old woman’s day.” She put my other arm around her. “Don’t you forget: tonight while you’re having fun, it’s because of God. All your blessings are, but that goes double for these.”
“Yes, ma’am, I won’t.”
10
We had planned on going out for drinks to finish up Mace’s send-off, but mom insisted if we do any drinking we do it at the house and not on the road.
Stephen exaggerated his excitement, and said, “Hey guys, did you hear, did you hear, Kade’s mom said we could all sleep over. Tee-hee.”
Jessie threw a cushion from the couch, knocking him off balance. “Do you ever stop?”
He made a show of zipping his lips before tossing away the imaginary key.
Stephen and Mason made a quick beer run, while Jess and I helped bus the table and make the couch and loveseat into places for the guys to crash. While we performed the latter chore, Jess turned to me, and said, “Speaking of making a bed …”
“I know, hon. Sorry, but we already talked about this.”
“It’s your mom’s house, right? Well, would this help change your mind?” She placed my hand on her breast.
It took me by surprise, and I had to look around to ensure mom wasn’t nearby. “Babe!”
“Oh, relax, you old prude. Mommy’s in her room. Otherwise, I wouldn’t do this, now would I?” She leaned in for a decidedly passionate kiss while grinding against my leg. Instantly, I became aroused. I’m sure she felt it, too.
I kissed her back and allowed her to continue what she was doing for a second longer. It felt really, really good to be touched by her. It was yet another way I felt like I was home, but I just couldn’t. I had to tell her. “Jess, I love you, and I’m really, really ready to be with you, but I’m still a little awkward about this being my mom’s home. Plus, I sort of thought I would stay up with the guys and do a little male bonding. Reminisce about The Sisters a little.” I looked to her, pleading for understanding and approval.
“Sure, Kade. Do whatever you want to do, and I’ll be fine with it.”
“You’re upset.” Understatement.
“No, Kade, I’m fine.” White lie.
“Babe, I’m going to make it up to you, I promise. Just let me get Mason out of here, tomorrow, and I’ll take you on a romantic picnic out in the back field. We’ll find a place we can be alone and we’ll … get reacquainted. Won’t that be nice?”
“Okay, but you’d better bring some champagne. And some of that energy you were wielding around out there.”
11
The next morning came way too quickly. We had stayed up into the late hours of the night (early hours of the morning, whatever), talking about our time together as roommates. Almost the entire conversation was upbeat, but then Stephen had to bring up the mal-shaped wreath. Things started dragging from there. The tone softened and the alcohol started to kick in. The last time I remember looking at the clock, it was around three. I looked over at Stephen, and he was out, so Mason agreed we should get some rest, too.
I guess he was right, because here we were, rushing around to meet Mason’s early flight, and each of us was battling the most stereotypical case of hangover one could imagine. His flight was supposed to be leaving out of the gate at 7:25, so we were operating off of only a few hours of sleep, a few cups of coffee, and a cold shower each.
I kissed Jessie on the forehead and we headed out. Too bad mom hadn’t gotten up with us, we all could’ve used a big going away breakfast, I’m sure. We probably kept her up all night as it was, though. She wasn’t used to having company, and here she was with three rowdy drunks carrying on in her living room all night.
Getting into the car, I took a fistful of aspirin and passed the bottle around. Mason was sitting in the front with me, so I leaned over and gave him a punch in the arm. It was enough to send my stomach into my throat, and I decided it was probably a blessing in disguise mom hadn’t made any breakfast for us. “Are you sure you’re worth all this trouble,” I asked him, massaging my temples. He grinned and shook his head.
I took the bottle of medicine from Marks and fired up the car, and we hit the road. We were about halfway there when I remembered I hadn’t asked Stephen something. “Stephen, do you remember meeting Caduceus?”
“Are you kidding? I didn’t say anything, because I was just enjoying busting your chops over your screwball story, but I really did meet him. He came to me about that Josh kid, certain Van Parson had done him in. It wasn’t him, though, because Van Parson was moderating the talks between Perry and Adelard at the time. But it doesn’t add up. That chick said it had been the ambassador that had done it, and you say it wasn’t him, either.”
“The more I think about it, I don’t think it was either of them; I think it was probably the Dark Monk I mentioned. I think he’s some sort of shape-shifter, or maybe it was mind control or something.”
“Kade, that’s something else, man.” Stephen perched his elbows on the backs of our seats. Using the rearview, I met his eyes. They were the most sober eyes I had ever seen. Something had woke him up, and I wasn’t a hundred percent sure I wanted to hear it.
“What’s that,” I prompted, anyway. He really looked like he needed it off his chest.
“That Dark Monk you were talking about. Kade, I think I might have seen him.”
I swerved in into the other lane. “You what? When?”
“He came in one day with Van Parson’s goon squad. This was prior to Van Parson’s purchase of Statue Security. Prior to my being fired.”
I had to interrupt him. “Did you just say Van Parson bought Statue Security? And the hits just keep on coming.”
“Right. When the guy came back out of that meeting, he had his glasses off, and he looked at me, Kade. He looked right into me with those same snake eyes you described. It was the single most horrible thing I’ve ever experienced.”
“He was pretty horrible in my dream about Mao and Jessie, too.”
“Wait, what,” Stephen asked.
“Mao,” Mason repeated, “You mean she was in this sex dream of yours?”
“Bro was holding out on us,” Stephen said, leaning back in his seat. “So, now that the womenfolk ain’t around, let’s hear the rest of it.”
I was caught. I had slipped up. Thank goodness Jess wasn’t with us, or she would really think something was up with my not going to bed with her. “Alright guys, I’ll tell you,
but not a word to Jessie.” They assured me they wouldn’t say a word, and I used the rest of the drive to fill them in on the omitted details.
When I finished, Marks said, “Oh, man, that’s so smokin’ hot.”
“Except for the part where he’s in bed with an old dude with white hair, right,” Mason prodded him.
“Well, I mean, yeah, but the rest is so smokin’ hot! Kade, you don’t have a thing for this girl. Do you?”
When I didn’t respond right away, Mason said, “Oh, man, you don’t do you?”
Stephen had to have his say again, “Dude, you stole Jessica away from me, and now, all of a sudden, you go and get amnesia and start having feelings for this Asian girl? That is so not fair.”
“First of all, I didn’t steal her from you. None of that matters, anyway. I’ve got my memories back. Besides, Mao is out there with Caduceus, and I’ll never see either of them, again. End of story.”
Another light bulb popped on over Stephen’s head, and he said, “Kade, I think I might’ve seen this girl before.”
“Whatever, Stephen.”
“No, I’m being serious here.”
“You don’t even know how,” I said.
“Listen to me. I remember when they found her dad. It was darn near the exact time they decided my services wouldn’t be needed any longer. Guess they were trying to cut all of their loose strings. Guess I’m lucky I didn’t end up like him, huh?”
That convinced me, so I asked, “And the girl?”
“Oh, yeah, I never actually saw her, just a picture. Some internal emails came through talking about his murder and what a shame it was. Said they were trying really hard to locate the girl – Mao – and if any of us saw her we were to report it, immediately.”
“Yeah, I’m sure they were so worried ‘bout her well being,” Mason speculated.
“Yeah, I bet,” I agreed, taking his meaning.
“Cute girl. Really hope she gets to set things straight,” Marks said genuinely.
We pulled to the curb at the airport and Mason gathered his bags to head out. Because of security measures, they no longer allowed us to park close to the door, so I felt a little bad for just dropping him off like that. “You going to be alright,” I asked, “Want us to walk you in, maybe carry some of your bags?”
“Nah, I told you to just drop me off and go, didn’t I? I’m an enlisted man. I think I can handle a few bags and a few extra steps.”
I grinned at him, wanting to tell him how good a friend he was, how good a person. I didn’t want to embarrass him, though, so I chose to say the one thing I hoped conveyed everything else: “Thanks for looking after my mom these past years.”
“It was a blessing.”
“Don’t forget to write,” Marks said.
“Every chance I get, Stephen.” He turned to me, “Especially, if I hear anything new about Van Parson or whatever.”
“Well, you just be careful. Don’t go out there trying to stir up trouble.”
“I hear you. Guys, they just called my flight, so I’m gonna have to run if I’m going to make it by final boarding.” He leaned on the car and placed one arm through the front window and one through the back, taking both Mason’s hand and my own. “I love you, guys. You’re my brothers.”
We nodded, tearing up. I had been worried about embarrassing him, but he said it, anyway. “We love you, too,” I answered.
“Yeah, get out of here, soldier boy,” Marks replied.”
We watched him as he ran inside the airport, wondering if we would ever see him again.
As fate would have it, I would see him again. And may God help me when I did.
BROTHERS’ KEEPER
1
“If you won’t do it for him, then do it for your dear ol’ brother. After all, isn’t that what family is for?”
Aesculapus had wanted him to sync his house with their destination: the asylum. If he didn’t do it, Aesculapus had threatened – promised, no doubt – to commit wholesale slaughter on his entire neighborhood. Caduceus had no delusions Aesculapus wouldn’t follow through with it either. He had no idea why his brother was involved in Van Parson’s schemes, nevertheless, he was. That made him an enemy, brother or not.
Could he give up the strategic advantage his secret cabin in the woods afforded him? It was his sanctuary. More than that, it was a very special and potentially dangerous place. No one had placed him in charge of those woods, yet he still viewed himself as their caretaker. He had felt the inevitability of confrontation over his mystic realm for some time now. He must defend it.
So the question was, then, what was the worth of those woods. Was it worth his life? Possibly. Worth the lives of his neighbors, though – the lives of innocents?
He had no desire to make such a choice, yet here it was, laid before him. Thankfully – or perhaps not so much, depending upon one’s perspective – the choice was quickly taken away from him.
“Old fool, you’re wasting valuable time, yours and mine.” Richard Van Parson grumbled. “Your family feud grows very tiresome. Now, stop playing games and just use the powder”
“But where’s the fun in that, hmm?” Aesculapus hissed.
“I couldn’t give a rat’s hairy ass about your fun. Quite frankly, you creep me out, and the sooner I gain my goal, the sooner my men and I can part company from you.”
“Yes. Okay. Fine. Okay. Have your man use the powder if it pleases the court.”
“Bishop: the Red Devil, did you bring it?”
“Yes, sir.” Bishop answered. He reached into the inside of his suit jacket, retrieving a small vial of what looked like cayenne pepper.
“Excellent. Now, let’s make this canary sing.”
As Don Bishop approached, Caduceus thrashed about, but with his arms pinned in Talmage’s vice-like hands, his struggles amounted to no more than a nuisance for the evil quartet. Bishop stopped to the right of the restrained man and loosened the lid of the vial. “So, tell me, do you think you’re will’s stronger than this,” he asked.
Ignoring Mr. Bishop, Caduceus turned to his brother, instead. “Brother, why? Why would you do this? I thought we had, finally, redeemed our relationship.”
“Hey, big guy, you’re dealing with me now. You’re dealing with the devil, and you’re not strong enough to beat him.” Bishop interrupted.
“I’ve no doubt with whom I’m dealing, and as for my willpower … I’m not sure what you’ve got there, but you’re getting absolutely zero cooperation from me.”
“We’ll see.” Bishop poured some of the red powder into his palm, and offered it to Caduceus. “Care for a whiff?”
“I respectfully decline.”
“Oh, come on. Smell’s good,” coaxed the lawyer. When Caduceus made no attempt to take him up on his offer – and no surprise there – Bishop decided to change his approach. He leaned back, inhaled deeply, and then threw himself forward, exhaling violently.
A red sandstorm engulfed Caduceus, who redoubled his efforts to break free. Intuiting what was about to happen, he sealed his mouth and nose, refusing to exhale the clean air from his lungs.
“Holding your breath? Well, that won’t last too long,” Bishop boasted.
“Make it take even less time, Mr. Bishop.” Van Parson instructed.
“My pleasure, VP.” Bishop cranked a dial on his gauntlet and placed it against Caduceus’ stomach. “Not enough to hurt you, but more than enough to knock the air from your lungs and force you to take a breath before the powder dissipates.” He fired a shot, causing the predicted chain reaction. Almost instantly, their prisoner’s fight drained away, leaving him a gloss-eyed puppet, ready to be bent and molded as they saw fit. Smiling in approval, Bishop asked, “See, doesn’t it smell lovely?”
“Aye, I reckon it does please the ol’ senses,” droned Caduceus.
Richard Van Parson suddenly stormed to Caduceus’ side, knocking his yes-man to the ground in the process. Grabbing their now-malleable prisoner by the chin, he positione
d him for eye contact. “Now,” he demanded, “you will tell us how to sync to your brother’s house and you will do so, immediately!”
2
That had been three days ago.
Sitting on the cold floor of his cracker-box cell, Caduceus tried to recall the foggy details of the days between then and now. As far as he could deduce, he obviously had wound up cooperating. Currently, he was, more likely than not, occupying a cell, somewhere deep on his brother’s compound. It was dank and the air had a charnel house stench to it. He was a little on the hungry side, but not starving. Someone had been taking care of him, since his arrival. So, that someone had decided not to kill him. Yet. What happens next?
“I wait,” he said to the eight-by-ten enclosure. “I wait and see.” Then, a little quieter, he added, “And I don’t let them blow anymore of that crap into my face.”
3
He had gotten bored with the floor some time around mid-afternoon, judging by the light filtering in from the cinderblock-sized hole at the top of the wall, so Caduceus had moved on to the foot of his generously provide cot. Once you swept the cobwebs and dust bunnies away, it was rather quite lovely, really.
Forging Truth (The Truth Saga) Page 25