The biting air was glorious. It reeked of burnt rubber and garbage masticated by the machines of a nearby recycling plant. At least I thought so based on the little research I’d done on recycling plants.
“Ooh, you know how to charm a girl.”
“I don’t charm girls. I don’t do anything with girls.”
I threw a pointed look at our hands.
He laughed. “This? You’re not a girl. You haven’t been outside in almost two months. One of your best survival tools is the ability to blend in with the crowd. You act as if you’re a criminal.”
“Last time I checked, I’m wanted for murder.”
“What are you talking about? That was taken care of weeks ago. Watch it.” Jordy steered me around a frozen pile of dog poop in the middle of the street. “Jasper, do you know today’s date?”
“I don’t even have a window, so it’s only by the kindness of strangers I know whether it’s day or night. The days are starting to blur together. Watch your step.”
Jordy held back a gag as he jumped over the not quite frozen lake of excrement.
“Careful or you’ll wake the Golgothan.”
“Golgothan?”
My soul died a little at his lack of reaction. “Never mind. Where are we going?”
“To a local establishment that serves foods typically eaten in the morning hours.”
The temperature dropped as the gray skies intensified. Jordy put my arm through his and shrugged. “I’m warmer than you.”
“Hilarious and chivalrous. How’d I get so lucky?”
“What? Lucky to have such a badass trainer and protector? Yeah, you are. Do you think you can have a meal without freaking out?”
“Right. This is a training session.”
The heart-shaped fantasy bubble burst into a gooey puddle somewhere in the vicinity of the frozen poop lake. We got along so well that it was easy to forget that I was merely his responsibility, his job, and certainly not his friend. I’d been a foolish, dreaming child for allowing myself to think that Jordy cared for me.
I couldn’t think of anything to say, so I held his hand and tried to take in as much as possible. I’d been sequestered for so long that I’d forgotten that I was in New York City, albeit in a crappy neighborhood, but the City nonetheless.
As we waited at the intersection of the main street and a freeway, Jordy pointed out the distinctive landmarks of the area. The chop shops, junkyards, a drug den, and a whore house took over a single city block. If there were such a place as a den of iniquity, then I’d found it. Every vice was on display in all its seedy glory.
Mothers and children bustled down the streets garbed in cheap winter jackets that were broken, mended, and broken again. One child had a noticeable hole in his shoe. His mother took off her sneakers and traded with the grateful boy.
The near opulence of the Order’s compound was a painful contrast to the surrounding streets. I hoped that they provided for the community. If I found out otherwise, I’d organize a food and coat drive. My bleeding heart couldn’t take the surrounding suffering.
Jordy led me across the seven lanes of traffic. He stared down the owners of the cars who dared to inch closer to the crosswalk. My gut told me that I would have ended up a very dead Frogger if I’d attempted the crossing alone. Thanks to my protector my organs were intact and not under the wheels of those cars.
We turned down a side street and entered a restaurant with fogged windows. The place screamed “dive” with its chipped linoleum floors and wobbly tables. The two waitresses wore more makeup than I did on a good night out and clothes that were plastered to their curvy figures.
Jordy grinned at one of the waitresses and shooed me to a booth in the back. From what I could remember from my Spanish classes, I learned that he knew her well enough to ask about her family and tease her about something that made her blush. The waitress slapped his arm and sashayed into the kitchen. She called out that he needed to stop staring at her ass and instructed him to sit down with his friend.
She should have told him to sit down with his ward. I counted to ten and reminded myself to behave. It was my first outing, and I refused to ruin it because I was pissed off.
Jordy snapped his fingers in front of my face. “Hey. Where’d you go? I’ve asked you the same question three times.”
“Huh?”
“Freedom is getting to your head,” he said with a healthy amount of sarcasm. “I asked if you spoke other languages.”
I hoped that one day I wouldn’t blush with embarrassment. It was out of control and made me appear younger and less experienced. “Three years of Spanish. That’s it.”
“It’s a decent start.”
“Is there a chill in here or is it just me?”
Jordy’s face became a cool mask of indifference as he slid to the end of the booth. He positioned himself to see the entire restaurant. “I’m not feeling anything, but I trust your instincts. Keep alert.”
“It’s nothing weird. I’m just cold. So, ah, um, do you speak other languages?”
“I’m not a fan of the romance languages in general, but Spanish is a necessity. I’m also not doing business with the French these days. My Russian and German are passable, and my Farsi is atrocious.”
The other pretty waitress came by with our menus. She listed the morning’s specials in rapid-fire Spanish while leaning on the table to show off her cleavage.
Hurt her. Kill her. Burn her and everything she holds dear. Destroy her.
I jumped up and asked for directions to the bathroom. My hands shook as I locked the door behind me and leaned against the small porcelain sink. This was the second time that She had encouraged me to, oh, murder someone.
“What the hell was that?”
My reflection in the stained mirror above the sink said nothing. The smirk on Her face made me twitch. I wished I could have reached through the mirror and choked Her psychotic ass.
“Oh, come on. Don’t ignore me.”
She threatens what is ours.
“Ours? Holy hell. Do you have a crush on him? Are you jealous?”
Outside, someone knocked lightly on the door.
“Jasper,” Jordy asked softly. “Everything okay?”
I glared at the flickering image of a young woman with short black hair, hard features, and flat eyes. It wasn’t the first time She had played this game, but my defiance was brand spanking new. “You’d better behave.”
Or what?
“Jasper?”
The growing protectiveness in Jordy’s voice snapped me back to reality. She might have been staging a coup, but I refused to relinquish ownership of my body and consciousness. I couldn’t, not when she threatened to kill someone over pettiness.
“We’re so close,” I begged Her. “Once we master what we need to know, we can go after the people who killed our family. Don’t ruin it and get us tossed into the brig. Please.”
She hovered on indecision for several long beats then nodded slightly. My evil imaginary twin made herself scarce.
“Yeah, I’m good. I’ll be out in a second.” My vanity kicked in. Without Her games, I could see the embarrassing mess I’d become on the blustery walk. I ran a hand through my wind-mussed hair. The little makeup I’d applied was intact, so I washed and dried my hands.
“Jasper? Do you need me to come in? TALK TO ME.”
I opened the bathroom door and shook my head. “Jeez, dude. Can’t I use the restroom without you listening? What’s next? An ankle bracelet?”
Jordy’s eyes were flat, and his voice had a deeper resonance that chilled me to the bone. “Are you injured? Did anyone hurt you?”
“No and no. My full bladder isn’t cause to sound the alarms. Jordan, listen to me.”
He said nothing.
“Nothing happened. No maniacal killer is waiting in the kitchen. Step back from the edge, Jordy.” I caressed his cheek and smiled. “You’re doing a great job at keeping me safe. The creatures that lie in the abyss of the
bathroom trashcan are terrified.”
He breathed through his nose slowly, deliberately, until he regained control. “Thank you.” He kissed the back of my hand and led me back to our table. It was now covered in what must have been every dish on the menu. “I wasn’t sure what you liked, so…” Jordy shrugged. “Here ya go.”
“As long as it’s edible, we’re good. Beggars can’t be choosy.”
Cleavage came back and spoke in a slow, deliberate English. “You are Jordy’s little sister? Cousin?”
“No, I’m not.” It was hard to maintain that polite chatter when She was dying to play or murder. She wasn’t picky. Nor was She willing to wait much longer. I kicked Jordy under the table.
“Ow. What was…” He narrowed his eyes and threw a pointed look at my hands. They weren’t glowing yet, but I suspect he knew it was a matter of time and discipline. “Nadia, this is my friend, Jasper. Esto es nuestra primera cita. Le traje aquí porque ella quería tratar la mejor comida puertorriqueña en la ciudad. Estoy tratando de impresionarla.”
The woman snatched up our empty water glasses and stomped away, going over to the counter to refill them. Upon her return, she slammed the glasses in front of us, sloshing water onto our dishes. She told him off for bringing his girlfriend here after flirting with her for months.
I tried to ignore their heated argument and focused my attention on the fried goodness in front of me. The plate of fried eggs, cheese, and salami, called to me. I was a food junkie, and this salty, greasy mess was my reward for months of steamed vegetables and portion control.
Jordy snorted with disbelief. “If you don’t know the difference between flirting and getting ready to meet your family, then I can’t help you.” He held her gaze until Nadia shuffled into the back room.
“Great way to get me banned. Why did you tell her we were on a date?”
“Two people going out to enjoy a meal and pleasant conversation sounds like a date to me.”
My temper begged to be released. I wanted to shout at him. It wasn’t kind to suggest that we were on a date. My last date had been a week before the explosion. I didn’t miss the guy, but I did miss the thrill and butterflies that went along with it.
I shifted on the creaky seat and positioned myself diagonal from him. Pretending that my attention was focused on the food wasn’t too much of a stretch. Ignoring him was more difficult. Once he picked up on my polite disinterest, he shrugged and ate in silence.
I kicked him. Rather, I tried to kick him, but he caught my foot with one hand. “Let go of me.”
“Stop trying to hurt me. It’s an exercise in futility.” He speared a sweet plantain and held it out to me. “Try it.”
“Will you let my foot go? I want to finish this stupid exercise and go home.”
He chuckled. “Honey, you failed the exercise twenty minutes ago. I know why you went to the restroom.”
I was speechless.
“I’m having a meal with someone whose company I happen to enjoy. I fail to see why you’re acting like I killed your puppy.”
“You knew? You knew and you didn’t help?”
“Nope. Try the damn plantain. It’s a side dish, but I always take some home for dessert.”
“Why?”
Two people with a complicated relationship were tricky on the best of days. Two people who had supernatural abilities and were pissed off with one another put everyone around us smack in the middle of a danger zone. My fingers tingled as I contemplated ways to hurt him.
“Because the plantains are tasty. I enjoy eating them. What is your goddamn problem?”
“You.” I freed my ankle from his hand by holding up my right hand. I curled my fingers back and slowly raised the middle one. The tip was bright as an LED light bulb. “You’re my problem. Since we’ve arrived, you’ve toyed with the emotions of every woman here. I don’t know what game you’re playing, but I’m out.”
I slid out of the booth and marched off with pride stiffening my spine. Jordy could have rotted in hell for all I cared. The personal boundaries were clear with everyone except him. Dakarai speculated that Jordy was unsure of how his efforts would be received. That Jordy was five years older concerned them both. Mikael, on the other hand, thought that Jordy wasn’t sure what he wanted and didn’t know how to behave.
My thoughts carried me back to the train station. I hesitated for a moment before finally descending the stairs.
✽ ✽ ✽
The last time I’d been in Manhattan, which was the previous summer, Jude and I spent the day at Chelsea Piers. From the moment we’d arrived, everything had been a huge adventure. The batting cages were pathetic opponents. Rock climbing had been a breeze. We’d impressed on the basketball courts when we won three out of four games. My ball handling skills were par none.
Just as we were deciding to go home, we had stumbled upon the parkour course. The sport seemed to have been made for us. Jude had used his ability to cushion our falls and to give us forward momentum. We’d known then it was cheating, but that only pushed us harder. I was lighter, faster, and more strategic. Jude was athletic grace personified. Our crowning achievement had been getting around the town square without touching the ground.
I’d been so lost in my thoughts that I’d ended up standing outside of Chelsea Piers. The parkour room didn’t open for an hour, so I walked to a spot overlooking the Hudson River. It should have been tranquil, but the river’s choppy waves and grayish water were better suited to a good brood.
My life had devolved into the crappiest and most depressing supernatural sitcom of all time. Girl blew up the school. Girl’s family died. Girl got kidnapped and had a bad case of Stockholm Syndrome. Hilarity ensued.
I weighed my options. Fleeing to Mexico and drinking Coronas on the beach would have been fabulous. But there was one tiny hiccup. I would’ve had to watch my back and prayed the boogieman never found me. My distant family and friends would have never taken me in, not after the murder charges.
The Order was my best chance of staying alive.
The gray skies turned stormy and, as I’d predicted, hail began to pelt me from all directions. I got up and ran past the entrance to the parkour course straight to the taxi stand. I was starting to believe in signs, and this screamed, “Get your ass home because danger is coming, dumbass.”
Jordy was waiting outside when my car pulled up to the Order’s entrance. After he paid the driver, he offered me a hand and escorted me inside. I remained silent because I didn’t know what to say or how to apologize for my tantrum.
Once we reached the Tower’s elevator, he took my face in his hands and searched my expression for something. Whatever it was, he didn’t find it. He let go and stared at the doors.
“I’m sorry,” I said. “This morning was complicated and frustrating, but those were my issues. I shouldn’t have argued with you.”
His silence grated on my nerves. My biggest pet peeve was being ignored. Back in the day, a whole three months earlier, disregarding an apology was cause for a brawl. I’d once given Jude a black eye for avoiding me for two days. Unfortunately, I knew that pounding Jordy in the face was wishful thinking.
By the time we arrived at my door, I was glad to be rid of him. Jordy was an assassin with the emotional maturity of an eighteen-year-old. No wonder people speculated about him. Communication was not his strong suit.
Jordy cleared his throat. “Meet me downstairs tomorrow at five. We’re going to try something new. If you’re available, I’d like you to sit in on the advanced weapons class during the afternoon. I’ve considered moving you to a group setting instead of individual tutoring.”
“Oh. Yeah, sure. Thanks.” I opened the door and tried to smile. “Goodnight, Jordy.”
“Jasper,” he said, “don’t worry about today. As you said, it’s complicated. We’ll talk about it, eventually.”
I gave him a crisp salute. “Right. See ya bright and early, boss man.”
✽ ✽ ✽
Jord
y’s private gym was the perfect place to play. He’d amassed a collection of barriers, blocks, trampolines, and swing ropes most trainers would have envied.
He must have known what I was doing, but he never brought it up. Perhaps he understood how important parkour had become to my emotional well-being. It might have been my reward for not complaining about the brutal hours I spent under his tutelage.
Friday nights were the best. The gym cleared out early, and Jordy disappeared no later than ten at night. I’d spend a couple of hours bouncing off walls and perfecting my tumbles before dragging myself to bed.
✽ ✽ ✽
My head pounded from the noise coming from Dakarai’s apartment. He was hosting a dinner party for his friends. I hadn’t been invited, not that I was bitter or anything. It was partially my fault. I’d retreated into myself after the disastrous breakfast with Jordy. Not even the lure of the holidays could budge me once I retired for the night.
It was New Year’s Eve, and the entire Order was one giant celebration. Dinner had included an early ball drop for the little ones and a chaperoned dance for the teens. Then there was the gala. From what little I’d gleaned, the Order threw a black-tie affair for any adults who wanted to enjoy a snazzy end of the year. I told myself that I didn’t want to celebrate the beginning of a new year without my family, that I didn’t need friends to be happy, and that becoming a part of the community was a bad idea.
I didn’t believe any of it.
My window of opportunity was dwindling. I’d counted the number of guests who went in and knew he was waiting for one more person. Only then could I safely sneak out of my room, down the elevators and into the least visited corner of the compound. I re-tied my trainers, checked my gym bag and tucked my hair under a ball cap.
Finally, the last person arrived and knocked on the door adjacent to mine.
“I’d wondered if you’d make it. I’m glad you’re here,” Dakarai said. I could imagine the boyish grin and energy he exuded.
“Sorry about that,” Jordy said. “I’ve been running late all day. Is there still time?”
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