The Calling

by Kelley Armstrong

  "Good." He caught my gaze and held it for a moment, then looked away quickly and said again, "Good. Still up for talking about your powers? What you've been feeling?"

  "Absolutely."

  Unfortunately, any discussion of my powers led to thoughts of shape-shifting, which led to thoughts of Annie, which led to worry. Worry? Hell, no. Let's call it what it really was. Outright panic. If I even started thinking of it, my heart pounded and my mouth went dry.

  When I tried to skate over the subject, Daniel brought me back, and we hashed it out. Turning out like Annie wasn't a certainty--she was the only subject we knew who'd begun to shift. Growing up in a medical research town meant we knew all about side effects and outliers. Her case might be a one-off.

  And if it wasn't? Then we knew where to find the scientists who'd done this to us. We didn't trust them. We didn't want anything to do with them. Still...

  "If that happens to you, we're getting their help," Daniel said.

  "But--"

  He put his hand over my mouth. "No buts. If it happens to you, we go to them. We'll force them to fix you on our terms." A wry smile. "I can make people do things, remember?"

  I was sure it wouldn't be that easy. But having him say it? Be willing to take that risk for me? It meant a lot.

  We talked until ... well, until we weren't talking anymore. I suppose I fell asleep first. I dreamed of Rafe. I dreamed he was out there, in the forest, lost and hurt and calling me. Needing me. This time, though, I didn't bolt awake thinking it was real. Maybe I was just too tired. Or maybe, finally, I knew it wasn't real, couldn't be real, however much I ached to believe it.

  Next thing I knew, I was waking to Kenjii licking my face and Corey saying, "Now this is when I really need a camera."

  I'm sure that when I fell asleep, I'd been lying on my back, looking up at the sky as I talked to Daniel. But when I woke up, I was on my side, nestled with my back against him, his arm over me. I jumped up so fast I kicked him in the shins and he let out an "Oomph."

  Corey's laugh rang out through the silent forest. "Oh, come on. You guys looked so cute."

  "Cold," I muttered. "It got cold."

  "Then let's hit the trail and warm up," Corey said.

  EIGHTEEN

  AFTER ABOUT AN HOUR of walking, I started thinking maybe I'd cuddle up with Daniel again, just to make Corey laugh. The morning had started on a light note, but it darkened fast. The sky darkened too. We'd escaped the threat of rain on our first night, but now the black clouds gathering overhead said it had only been a temporary reprieve.

  The rain began as a light drizzle. Being part cat, I'm not keen on rain, but I've always liked a light one, especially on a hot summer's day, tramping through the woods or rock climbing, enjoying the cool mist on my face, the sweet fresh smell of it, the inevitable rainbow afterward. But this wasn't a refreshing mist on a hot summer's day. It was an icy drizzle that slid down the backs of our necks and plopped off the end of branches and froze our ears and soaked our shoes.

  "Can we stop?" Hayley asked.

  "If I see a sheltered spot, we'll hole up for a while."

  "Can we look for one? I have a blister--"

  "We all have blisters," Sam said.

  "We need to keep going," Daniel said. "We lost a lot of time yesterday."

  "What? Are we on a schedule?" Hayley said. "Is there a bus waiting to pick us up somewhere?" She sighed, then said, "I hate complaining."

  "So don't do it," Sam said.

  Hayley glowered at her. "You think I like being the whiner? If Nicole was here, she'd be complaining just as much. We're tired and wet and miserable, but I'm stuck being the one who says it while everyone else just hopes I whine loud enough so we all get to stop and rest. Maya and Daniel can't complain. They need to set an example. Unless Corey's in enough pain that he snaps again, he's going to tough it out. And Sam? Well, she's not even human, so she doesn't count."

  "Excuse me?" Sam said.

  "Face it, you're not one of those bendo-things. You're a robot. A cyborg. Probably an evil one, programmed to murder us all in our sleep."

  Corey snickered.

  "Yeah?" Sam lifted a fist to Hayley. "You want to try that one again, blondie?"

  Hayley looked at Daniel and me. "I rest my case."

  "Hayley's right," I said. "About the complaining part. We're not on a schedule and the harder we push, the more exhausted we'll get." I waved to the west. "The redwoods seem to thin over there. We might find a grove of ferns for some shelter."

  We tramped over, and as we stepped from the thick trees, we all stopped and stared. Then Corey raced forward, arms raised.

  "It's a road. Oh my God. A road!" He dropped to his knees by the roadside. "Oww."

  Daniel helped him back to his feet.

  "The knee is good," I said. "But the knee is not completely healed. Be careful."

  "It's a road," Corey said, pointing.

  "A dirt road," Hayley muttered.

  "So? We've been slogging through the forest for two days. What do you want? A six-lane highway?"

  "That'd be nice."

  "Yeah, until you raced out, screaming for help, and got mowed down by a logging truck." He walked into the middle and turned, waving his arms. "It's a road!"

  I patted his back. "It's a lovely road. Now, which way do we go?"

  Corey looked one way, the brown ribbon extending into emptiness. He looked the other way, saw the same thing and his shoulders slumped.

  "Damn."

  Yes, finding a road did not mean finding civilization. Not right away. But at least it was a two-lane road, which was better than stumbling over one of the many dirt tracks leading into the bush ... and nowhere else.

  And, like I said, on Vancouver Island, if you want people, your best bet is always to head south. So that's what we did.

  The road wasn't as promising as we might have wanted. It was overgrown at the edges, and no hydro poles meant no nearby homes or cabins. But it smelled of diesel, and had tire tracks, so we knew it was still in use. At least no one was complaining anymore, and after a few minutes, the rain stopped.

  We'd gone about five kilometers when we rounded a bend to see a tiny roadside store with a gas bar.

  "Yes!" Corey said, pumping the air. "We are now, officially, rescued."

  "You think?" Hayley said. "I'm not seeing any vehicles."

  "Because it's out in the middle of freaking nowhere. They're probably lucky if they get three cars a day."

  "No, I mean transportation for the person running the place."

  Corey peered at the empty lot surrounding the small building. "Oh."

  The shack had one gas pump out front, and a diesel one around the side. The lack of a vehicle meant that unless there was a house nearby, no one was manning the place.

  "But it should have a phone," I said. "Or maps to show us where we are. Also, there must be cottages nearby if there's a gas bar."

  "Ha!" Corey said, spinning and pointing at Hayley. "Ha!"

  He took off at a lope. We followed.

  Corey stopped a few feet from the door. "Open weekends after Labor Day," he called. "What's today?"

  "Not the weekend," I called back.

  Corey walked to the barred window, then turned to us. "The window's filthy. I can't see anything."

  "How about we try the door?" Sam said.

  She was walking toward it when Hayley grabbed her arm and pointed to a window sign warning that the place was armed with security alarms and cameras.

  "Um, yeah," Corey said. "Which will bring the local cops. If we're lucky."

  "At this point, I'll take any ride out of here," I said. "Even handcuffed in the back of a police cruiser."

  NINETEEN

  THE FRONT DOOR WAS unlocked. A bell jangled as Daniel and Corey walked in, Hayley and Sam following. I took Kenjii under a tree and told her to stay. As well trained as she was, I knew she was very hungry, and the smell of food might prove too much temptation.

  "Hello?" Core
y was calling as I went inside.

  They'd stopped just inside the doorway and were looking around. It was your typical roadside store, crammed with non-perishable foods and items a cottager might need badly enough to pay twice the normal price. The place smelled of must and mildew, and the layer of dust on the cans suggested they'd been there a while. The dirty floor had a path worn down the middle, meaning it wasn't deserted--just not very busy.

  Beside the door stood a cooler. It was unplugged and filled with pop cans and bottles. A handwritten sign advised those looking for milk to check aisle two, for the powdered and canned variety.

  "No beer?" Corey said. "What kind of place is this?"

  "The kind that knows better than to leave anything that'll make it a target for kids like you," I said.

  Corey grabbed a Coke.

  "Hey!" Hayley said.

  "If they aren't here to man the shop..."

  Daniel reached into Corey's back pocket. He plucked out his wallet, took out a still-damp twenty and put it on the counter. Corey grabbed for it, but Daniel gave a look that made Corey withdraw his hand.

  "Fine," Corey said. "Drinks and snacks on me, apparently. Chow down, guys."

  "I'm a little more interested in finding a phone," I said. "And figuring out if that open front door means someone's here."

  "Nah," Corey said. "They were so eager to get out of this dump that they forgot to lock up Sunday night."

  "Hmm."

  I walked behind the counter. Tucked beside the cash register was a folded newspaper. Beside it rested a paper cup of coffee. I touched the cup.

  "Cold?" Daniel said.

  "Not hot."

  He reached over, pulled off the lid, and stuck his finger in the coffee.

  "Warmer than room temperature," he said. He flipped over the paper to check the date. "Today's."

  "I don't see a bathroom," Corey said. "Maybe he's outside, taking a leak."

  Kenjii let out a sharp bark.

  "Sounds like someone found him."

  He walked to the front door. When it didn't open, he put his shoulder into it and pushed.

  "Um, try the handle," Hayley said.

  "Um, there isn't one."

  Corey was right. It was the kind you pushed open from the inside, in case your arms were loaded with supplies. He hit it harder. It didn't budge.

  Daniel went over and they both heaved on it. The door groaned, but didn't open.

  "Is anyone else getting concerned?" Hayley said.

  My pounding heart said yes, but I struggled to stay calm. "Look for another exit." I walked toward the back. "Corey? See if you can get a window open."

  "How about a side door?" Sam said. "There's one right here, behind--"

  She swore and jumped away from the window.

  "It's a trap," she said, backing into the middle of the room.

  "What?" I walked behind the counter and found the door. Beside it was another filthy, barred window. Beyond that, I could see two human-size shapes.

  I cleared a spot on the glass. "They might not be--"

  I could make out Moreno and the woman I'd seen at the cabin. Behind them, a third person was trying to tie Kenjii to a tree. She'd been muzzled and was stumbling a little, as if she'd been tranquilized, but she still fought against the rope. Moreno went to help.

  "Kenjii," I whispered.

  A loud buzzing sound made us all jump. I found a radio tucked under the counter.

  "Hello?"

  "Maya. I should have known you'd be the one to pick up."

  My hand gripped the radio tighter as I recognized the voice. "Who is this?"

  "I think you know."

  I moved to the front window. He was there. He lifted his free hand and smiled. I pulled back from the window.

  "My name is Calvin Antone," he said. "But what's important isn't who I am, but what I am, to you."

  Daniel moved closer. He could hear Antone. They all could. I thought of lifting the radio to my ear, but I knew that wouldn't help.

  I walked back to the counter, taking shelter behind it.

  "What are you doing to my dog?"

  "We're taking good care of Kenjii. We just didn't want her to get hurt trying to protect you."

  I twitched when he said her name. I didn't want him knowing that. He had no business with her or with any part of my life.

  "Maya?"

  "What?"

  He sighed. "All right. We'll pretend you haven't already guessed. You're my daughter."

  Daniel's eyes widened. I looked away quickly.

  "Did you hear me?" Antone said.

  I didn't answer.

  "I'm your dad, Maya."

  "No, Rick Delaney is my dad. If you're saying you're my biological father, then fine. You can be that. But my dad is Rick Delaney."

  "I'm sure you feel that way--"

  "No, it's a fact. He raised me and--"

  "And he's done a great job. I'm grateful to him and your adoptive mother. But you've reached the end of what they can do for you. You're part of a world they know nothing about. You understand that, don't you?"

  "Are you sure? I saw a subject list for Project Genesis. There's a Delaney on there. Elizabeth Delaney."

  "A common enough surname. She's no relation to your adoptive parents. She was a half-demon--"

  "Was?"

  "She's dead, Maya."

  I felt a pang of grief for this girl I hadn't known, one who shared my name.

  He continued, "The Edison Group killed her. That's what they do when things go wrong. In the first wave of any experiment, there are bound to be problems. But to take such extreme measures? That's unforgivable, Maya, and I won't let that happen to you. To any of you." He paused. "Serena will be the only subject they kill in Project Phoenix. You have my word on that."

  "The Edison Group didn't kill Serena," I said. "If they wanted to, they'd have managed an accident a lot more believable than a champion swimmer drowning in a still lake. I don't know what happened in Buffalo, but it's different here. You guys are the only ones killing people."

  "We have not--"

  "Rafe Martinez? Mayor Tillson?"

  "Unfortunate accidents--"

  "Caused by your team setting my forest on fire and kidnapping us."

  A pause. "You're upset, Maya. Nicole told us you were close to Rafe. I'm very sorry, but we're here to help you now."

  I snorted. "Right. That's why you locked us in here."

  "I am here to help you. You're my child--"

  "No, I'm a teenage girl who happens to share your DNA, which you donated to an experiment."

  "Is that what they told you? I was supposed to be your father, Maya. Apparently, your mother didn't see it that way. She took you and your brother, and I've been trying to get you back ever since."

  I flinched at the mention of my mother and twin brother, but pushed it aside. "You don't work for the St. Clouds. They're the ones--"

  "Who promised me I could be a parent to my children, then robbed me of that right after I found you again. Yes, I found you. I'm the one who tracked you down in Oregon. Then the St. Clouds set up a phony job interview for Rick Delaney and decided you were too attached to your adoptive parents. So they moved your whole family to Salmon Creek, while keeping me on the line, promising I could be part of your life as soon as you were ready to know the truth. It took me awhile, but I eventually figured out that was a lie. So I left."

  "And took your story to a rival Cabal. Sold us out. Told them where to find us."

  Silence. Then, "You've figured out a lot, Maya. You're a very smart girl." A small laugh. "I'd like to say that means you take after your father."

  "No, I take after my parents. The Delaneys."

  I turned off the radio, and looked at the others, who were staring at me.

  "There isn't another exit, is there?" I said.

  "Got a trapdoor over here." Corey waved us into the storage room. He pulled aside a filthy carpet. The trapdoor had been secured with a padlock, but he'd manage
d to pry the whole latch off.

  "Does it lead anywhere?" Daniel said.

  "No. It's just a hole where they stash the beer and smokes. Big enough to hide in, though."

  Daniel shook his head and we walked back into the store, where the radio was buzzing again.

  "If you don't answer that, he's going to come in here," Sam said. "They all are."

  "And if she does answer, they'll come in anyway," Daniel said. "He was hoping she'd lead us out peacefully, but obviously that's not happening."

  "I could fake it," I said.

  "He'd know you were up to something."

  They talked--Daniel, Corey, and Sam. I was having trouble concentrating. That damned buzzing radio didn't help. I went behind the counter to see if I could turn it off. As I picked it up, the newspaper fell to the floor. It flipped over and a headline caught my eye.

  Bodies of Local Teens Recovered.

  Before I could take a better look, Daniel said something about causing a distraction.

  "That's probably our only hope," I said as I straightened.

  "The question is how to pull it off."

  He told us his idea.

  "No," I said when he finished. "Absolutely not. No one sacrifices themselves for this."

  "We don't have time to argue," Daniel said. "I'll be fine--"

  "But we won't," Sam said. "We need you to get us out of here. It has to be someone else."

  "And you're volunteering, right?" Corey said.

  Sam opened her mouth, but nothing came out.

  "Thought so." Corey turned to us. "I'll go. Play the hero for a change." A forced smile. "I hear chicks really go for that kind of thing."

  "It should be me," I said. "That ... guy. He wants me. I can distract--"

  The crash of breaking glass had us all hitting the floor. Another crash as a second window smashed, glass tinkling. Shouts sounded outside.

  I looked up to see brown liquid running down the wall under the broken window. Some kind of solidified gas? Sedative?

  No--the window had been broken from the inside. A pop bottle lay on the sill, cola dripping down.

  That had been Daniel's plan. Smash the windows. Then, after our captors raced around the front, thinking we were trying to escape, he'd run through the side door and pretend to be the last one out--that the rest of us had already made it to the woods while, really, we were hiding inside.

  I leaped to my feet in time to see the side door swinging shut.

  "Who--?" I began.