I snuggled in closer. “Boring? Yeah right. You’re only the smartest kid alive. I’m surprised my grandpa hasn’t snatched you up to enlist you in his services.”
“He’s tried.” Ryan looked at me cautiously. He wasn’t sure how I was going to react and I could tell he was scared.
“What do you mean he’s tried?”
“You know how I get recruitment offers on a daily basis?”
“Yeah?” It was crazy how basically the whole world wanted a piece of Ryan. When someone tested off the charts like Ryan, it made him a very popular guy. He received job offers from every science research lab in the world. When he was eleven years old he figured out the missing piece of some unsolvable math equation that had stumped mathematicians for centuries. It’s no wonder Turner would want him.
“No. I don’t mean he tried to recruit me recently. He tried to recruit me when I was eight. Three years before I solved Trildion’s theorem.” Ryan paused, “Chelsan, Turner kidnapped me.”
I couldn’t say I was surprised considering what my mother showed me in her visions. Turner was ruthless and kidnapping kids to serve his interests seemed on par with what I knew about him already.
“He must have had access to my test scores. That was the first time I tested above the genius level. Some men in suits arrived at my house two days after I took the test and told my parents that I was selected for a special government program for the gifted.” Ryan paused.
“You don’t have to tell me…” I could see how hard it was for him to continue.
“No, it’s alright.” His face was determined. “Anyway, my parents asked me if I wanted to do the program and I told them “no.” When they told the men my answer they said it wasn’t an option and took me anyway. My mom was screaming, my dad tried to tackle them with a fire poker, but one of the men pulled out a gun and put it to my head. That stopped them in their tracks. I was shoved into their hover-limo and taken away.” Ryan swallowed hard.
“I’m so sorry.” I did the only thing I could think of to make him feel better, I kissed him gently. “How did you get out?”
Ryan took a moment to re-group then looked me in the eye. “I was taken to some sort of research facility. It was a giant single room with ten-foot ceilings and row upon row of computers and electronics. There were kids my age everywhere either on the computers or strapped into virtual reality gear poking the air in front of them like they were writing on a chalkboard or something. That’s when I met Turner. He came over to me and welcomed me to the facility. He said he’d been watching my test scores for a while and that this would be more of a home to me than with my parents.” He paused thinking, “He scared me more than anything, Chelsan. It was like I was talking to the Boogieman. He looked at me like he was the hunter and I was the prey. My instincts kicked in and I started to cry. I lied and told him that I had cheated on all my tests. I told him how I stole the tests from my teacher’s computer and memorized them, that was why I didn’t want to come here because I knew they’d find out about me. I couldn’t tell if I had convinced him or not, he just stood there staring at me as if judging whether or not I was telling the truth. I told him that I’d study hard and I’d try and prove that I could be smart. If I could memorize the tests then maybe I could actually learn what was on them. I hoped that by pretending that I actually wanted to be there, he’d believe my lies more. After staring at me for what felt like an eternity, he sent me back home. My parents and I were so relieved, and when I told them what happened they said I should mess up my schoolwork to back up my lie. Just to be safe.
“The men in suits came to the first couple of tests, waiting to see my scores. I made sure that I missed half the questions. Eventually, they stopped coming all-together and I felt safe again. I slipped back into my normal behavior and started to forget all about Geoffrey Turner.” Ryan took a deep breath.
“About three years later, I was in math class and the teacher put Trildion’s theorem on the board. He gave us all a crack at trying to solve it, not expecting any true results since we were all eleven and no one had solved it in three hundred years. But I just saw the answer, you know? That’s how things work for me. I see problems and equations and the answers just form in my brain as if they were already written down for me. My teacher flipped out. He called the news. I was the poster child for geniuses. They had a national dinner for me with the President and everything.
“That’s when I saw Turner again. He looked at me from across the room with such venom and hatred I nearly pee’d my pants. I was suddenly grateful for my teacher announcing the fact that I solved the theorem to the world. I think Turner would have taken me again if it had been kept quiet. The only interference we’ve had since is the government telling my parents in no uncertain terms that I was to go to Geoffrey Turner High. To keep an eye on me, I guess. I’m still scared of him. And now knowing what you told me about what happened to you and the exterminations, I don’t feel so ashamed about that anymore. Any sane person should be afraid of Turner.” He stopped and looked at me.
“I’m related to him. The man is a monster and we share the same blood.”
“You’re nothing like him. I’m telling you, I’ve looked into his eyes. That guy is as evil as they come.” Ryan cupped my face with his hands again and kissed me. “I just wanted you to know my history with him, and a little bit of who I am before you decide I’m a boring idiot.” And he smiled his disarmingly charming smile.
I smiled back, then a thought hit me. “What do you think he wants all those kids for?”
Ryan shook his head. “I don’t know. I’ve been trying to block it out of my memory for so long, I never really thought about it.”
“We should. I’ll tell Jason, maybe he knows something.”
Ryan looked away, his face suddenly distant.
“What’s wrong?” Oh boy. He thought he could handle Turner being my grandpa, but I bet he couldn’t. What happened to him was too traumatic.
“Do you like him?” he asked quietly.
What?
“What?” I had no idea what he was talking about.
“Jason Keroff. I know you had those holo-pictures of him before you actually met him, and he obviously likes you…” Ryan trailed off.
I covered my mouth to hide my laugh.
Ryan didn’t find it funny at all. He started to sit up in Nancy’s bed, preparing to leave.
I quickly grabbed his arm and pulled him back down so we were forehead to forehead again. “No. I don’t like Jason Keroff. I only started liking him to keep my mind off of you.”
Ryan eyed me suspiciously, but I could see the relief in his eyes. “Really?”
“Yes, really.” I played on his guilt strings for fun. “I mean, after you ignored me as soon as I didn’t need tutoring anymore, what was a girl to do?”
Ryan kissed me again. The kind of kiss that makes the hair on the back of your neck raise and your toes tingle.
I pulled away. “And how did you know I had holo-pics of Jason anyway?”
Ryan’s face turned red. “When I met your mom. I could see inside your bedroom. They were kind of plastered everywhere,” he teased.
“Stalker.” I smiled.
“You know it.” He kissed me again.
We heard a noise outside Nancy’s bedroom and he pulled away.
“Better go.” Ryan snapped up from bed and headed for the window.
“Nancy won’t mind. Stay.” My mind was still numb from his kiss and the last thing I wanted him to do was leave.
“She wouldn’t, but her parents would. Better to come through the front door.” As if he couldn’t stop himself, he ran over to me and gave me a quick kiss. Then he leapt to the window and opened it wide.
And he was gone, out the second floor window before I could say good-bye.
I wanted to giggle uncontrollably from the amount of excitement pumping through my veins. Ryan really liked me. For once in my life something was actually going my way.
The do
or opened and Jason Keroff walked in.
Lame.
Me of three days ago would have killed for this moment, but a lot can happen over a seventy-two hour period, and seeing Jason there was a cruel wake-up call to last night’s events.
“School. Come on. You’re going.” Jason was barking out orders with a grin. It was rather irritating.
“School? Are you joking? Where’s Nancy?” I groaned and threw back the poofy comforter that was the down fluffiness of perfection.
“I’m right here.” Nancy came in like a goddess. Her hair and make-up looked as if she had stepped out of a fashion magazine and her outfit of jeans and a tank fit her like a glove. I noticed she was wearing the sandals she bought the other day when we were at the mall.
When I saw her, I wanted to tell her everything that just happened with Ryan, but Jason was there so it would have to wait. I ran across the room and hugged her as hard as I could. She nearly fell over from the force and smiled.
“Good to see you, too.” Then she pushed me away and smacked me on the arm.
“Ow.” I massaged the place where she hit me.
Nancy waved her finger in front of my face in a threatening manner. “Don’t you EVER try and leave again! I don’t care if you think you’re saving the world! We are a team! I knew the risks from the beginning and I don’t care, got me?!”
“I didn’t want any of you to get hurt,” I said rather sheepishly. I felt like I was being grounded or something.
Nancy placed her hands on my shoulders, making forced eye contact with me. “Promise me.”
A warm feeling of relief and comfort overwhelmed me for a second. Nancy was the very definition of a best friend. And I knew in that moment she’d risk her life for me. Frankly, she already had, just by being near me.
“I promise, Nancy, geez.” My lungs were suddenly squeezed of every last drop of breath as Nancy crushed me in one of her bear hugs. She let go and I gasped for air with a genuine laugh.
“We were so worried. You should have seen Ryan, he was a crazy man trying to find you.” Nancy rolled her eyes.
Hearing about Ryan made my stomach churn with excitement. I wished he didn’t have that kind of control over my mental state of being, but there was nothing I could do about that. I just had to come to terms with the fact that Ryan made my head spin. Waking up next to him was like a dream. He genuinely liked me. Oh boy, there went the stomach again. I had to stop thinking about him.
“And this guy.” Nancy nodded her head toward Jason who was now sitting on her bed. “He’s a complete waste of time. What was he thinking getting you all shot at like that?” she said it in an almost flirtatious way.
To my surprise, Jason smiled back at Nancy with just as much flirt as she was giving. “I got her out safe, didn’t I?” Jason stood up from the bed, eyeing Nancy with interest.
That’s when I flipped out. “You got me out safe? Me? Was that when you were huddled in a ball? Or when you were sucking your thumb until I made all the men with guns go away? Was that when you saved me?”
Jason’s smile didn’t budge. He even looked at me like he was endeared by what I had to say. “I didn’t suck my thumb.”
“Might as well have,” I mumbled angrily under my breath.
Jason scuffed my head like I was a five-year-old. “You saved my life and I thank you very much for it. Are you happy now?”
I remembered what he had started to say before our attack last night: I know what he did to you…. “You said you knew what Turner did to me last night! Did you mean it? What did he do?” I was charged with excitement.
“Oh yeah that.” Jason motioned around the room indicating that it may be bugged. “I can’t remember.”
My heart sank. I’d have to wait until later, until we could talk in a secured location. It was so strange that people could actually be listening to our every word. And if Nancy’s house was bugged, then I had to assume they had heard everything I said to Nancy and Ryan for the last two days, which meant Turner would know about my power. And he’d have heard the conversation Ryan and I just had. I should have known better. I really hoped Jason was wrong.
Jason saw the panic in my eyes and leaned in to whisper. “I have something with me that will let me find the bug. Leave it to me, okay?”
Nancy must not have liked the intimacy of our conversation because she stepped in to say, “Get ready for school, Chelsan. We have to leave in ten minutes.”
“I’m not going to school! You’re both insane!” I was still a little panicked by the whole situation. That’s when I noticed all of Nancy’s holo-pictures of Jason were mysteriously absent from her wall. “I see you took all of your…”
That was all that came out of my mouth before Nancy shoved her hand over it to shut me up. “Seriously, get ready.”
I pried her hand away and crossed my arms in a final attempt to keep my ground.
Nancy shook her head and looked at me seriously. “Chelsan, it’s the best place for you. We have to keep you as public as possible. School is the safest place you can be right now.”
“Did you guys discuss all this while I was sleeping?” I had to admit it made sense, but for some reason I was grumpy and more than that, I was just plain scared. If it were up to me I’d hide in Nancy’s closet all day (probably where she hid all of Jason’s holo-pics). Keep you as public as possible… It made me think of Ryan and what he told me about staying in the public so Turner couldn’t kidnap him. I decided to tell Nancy and Jason everything right there. If my grandpa were listening it wouldn’t be anything new.
Nancy seemed way more interested in the fact that Ryan had snuck in to be with me (like a true friend would) but Jason’s face scrunched with worry and what’s worse… recognition.
“I’ve heard about those although there’s never been any proof. Conspiracy theorists call them I.Q. Farms. I’ll find out what I can.” Jason’s brain was already spinning with a plan.
Nancy grabbed my arms and shook me lightly in exaggerated exasperation. “Now get ready. My mom is making a special breakfast for that loser.” Nancy hid a smile.
“And this loser is very hungry, so I’ll see you two later.” Jason winked at Nancy and strode out the door with a confident swagger.
As soon as he was gone, Nancy nearly screeched with excitement. “Did you see that? He totally digs me.”
Her excitement was infectious and I cracked a smile. “He definitely perks up when you’re around. I think he’s scared to death of me. You should have seen how he flipped out when I …” I didn’t know if I was ready to tell her what I had done last night. I was suddenly afraid she’d never want to see me anymore.
“He told us everything, dork. You don’t have to hide anything from me to protect me. I’ve told you before, we’re in this together, okay?” Nancy gave me a quick hug and a reassuring smile.
“It was pretty crazy.” I sighed in relief and made her lean over so I could whisper all the details I could remember about the incident last night, including the fact that the less flesh corpses had, the harder they were to control.
Nancy whispered back, “You should write that down for Jason. Give him something more to go on.” Nancy walked over to her closet and tossed a pair of jeans and a t-shirt on her bed. “Wear that. My wardrobe is officially yours. And if you don’t tell me every single detail about Ryan showing up in my bed, I’m going to have to kill you.”
“Thanks.” As I changed into the outfit I gave Nancy a play by play of this morning. She squealed in all the right places and high fived me when I told her that he liked me ever since he tutored me last year.
Nancy eyed me up and down as if inspecting a piece of meat. “Perfect. Ryan and Bill will be at each others throats by noon.” My eyes must have grown round with horror because Nancy shook her head. “I’m kidding! I just meant that you look great.”
“I think you should know; Jason is at least seventy-years-old.” I wanted to tell her before she started liking him too much. Most people didn’
t care about age differences since almost everyone looked the same age anyway, but I wanted to give Nancy a heads up just in case it bothered her.
“Actually, he’s ninety-five!” From the way her eyes lit up, I guessed Nancy didn’t care at all. “It’s so romantic. I always wanted to be with an older man and Jason is… well… he’s perfect.”
“You certainly insult him enough.” I smiled at her doey eyes. I’d never witnessed Nancy liking anyone before, mainly because no one would go near her on the account of being my friend. Seeing her so fired up about someone was nice. It made me feel like life was normal, even if just for a second.
“We’re just flirting. He knows I don’t mean it. Besides, I think he likes it. What a freak,” she said with a grin that had no signs of leaving her face any time soon.
The Riser Saga Page 15