Transparent

by Natalie Whipple

  Miles appears from the hall and leans on the kitchen table. “What’s the plan?”

  Seth starts to speak, but I talk over him. “We’re going to the factory. Get The Pack.”

  If Graham thinks I’ll lie down and trust him, he’s dead wrong.

  Chapter 34

  When Brady comes back with The Pack, part of me feels like hiding. Their voices fill the house, bouncing off the walls and warming the place up. Seth squeezes my hand. “Don’t worry. They miss you. I told them you needed a little space.”

  “Fiona!” Bea’s voice booms through the house. When she rounds the corner, glaring daggers, I’m fairly sure I should be worrying. I cower into Seth’s shoulder when she points at me. “You are so dea—wait, are you guys … together?”

  Seth glances at me, like he wants to make sure we are. I smile and give him the nod. He laughs. “I guess you could say that.”

  Bea lets out a sigh. “Well, finally! I was getting so sick of not telling you!”

  “Seriously,” Hector chimes in. “I was this close to ratting him out.”

  “Gee, thanks, guys,” Seth says.

  I groan. “You all knew?”

  They laugh, and I try not to feel stupid.

  “Yeah, yeah, whatever.” Carlos plops on the love seat, frowning. “So what’s with Brady calling us all over here? Please don’t tell me it was just to announce that.” He glares at our clasped hands, though it looks more like Seth is pretending to hold something. I wish I could see what it looks like to him.

  “Fiona’s brother paid us a visit tonight,” Seth says.

  “Duh, he’s right here.” Joey taps knuckles with Miles. “Nice shiner, by the way.”

  Bea slaps Joey’s arm. “Obviously he means the jackass, dumbass.”

  “What’d he want?” Hector asks.

  I take a deep breath and give them the whole story, everything from what I really did for my dad, to what Graham’s done to me, to Miles’s hack and what he found. “Sorry I didn’t tell you what I really was. I didn’t want you to hate me.”

  “Psh. Not your fault,” Joey says. “Not like we’re saints.”

  “We’re banned from the mall in Tucson,” Hector says.

  “And the bowling alley in town,” Carlos says.

  “Don’t forget the Saguro theater,” Bea says.

  They all laugh.

  I smile, deciding not to tell them that doesn’t really count, all things considered. Can’t burst their bubble. “So what do you think: trust Graham or not?”

  “Hell no,” Carlos says.

  “Who’s to say he’ll stop threatening you?” Hector folds his arms, thinking. “Sure, he could be separating you from your dad, but what if he plans on starting his own syndicate?”

  Miles raises an eyebrow. “Interesting theory, but I doubt it.”

  Bea frowns. “Don’t kill me for saying this, but I don’t know … he’s your brother. There’s something about that blood connection. You can’t throw out the possibility that he’s trying to do a good thing.”

  I sigh. “I know, but I need proof. I hate asking you guys—you shouldn’t be this involved—but I need backup.”

  “Anything,” Bea says, and they all agree.

  The eagerness in their eyes hits me. I still don’t get why they’d jump to put their lives on the line. Maybe they don’t fully understand. Maybe they really are crazy. “Why do you always say that?”

  And then, for the first time, Tony speaks. “Because we like you. Isn’t that enough?”

  I smile, wishing they could see it. “Yeah, it is.”

  After some preparation, we pile into Seth’s truck and Sexy Blue. The plan is simple: Drive out to the factory and find the Radiasure. If it’s there, then we know Graham’s telling the truth. If not, well, we’ll have to get him to leave by force. He can’t even handle Brady, let alone the rest of The Pack.

  “If Graham happens to show up,” I say as we bounce and bump over the desert, “jump him. He flies by emitting hydrogen, and he can only handle so much weight.”

  Seth puts his hand on my leg. “It’ll be okay. There’s no way he can take all of us.”

  “I’ll pound him if I have to,” Brady says.

  “Right.” I take in a deep breath, focus on the desert around us. It’s been a while since I’ve been on this side, and it brings up strange memories. When the broken strip mall comes into view, I realize how much I’ve changed since hiding there.

  I’m finally learning how to fight for myself. I’ve learned that I’m worth fighting for.

  The headlights make it hard to see anything not directly in front of us, but the sky still shimmers with stars. I can’t help but smile at them. I’m small, but not alone. I’m surrounded by people who care about me. And strangely, they make me feel more important than anything ever has.

  We park in front of the factory and hop out. “Spread out. Go in twos.”

  “Right.” Brady grabs Bea, and I’m glad, since she’s the smallest and most vulnerable. “You’re coming with me.”

  Bea smiles wide, happily holding on to Brady’s arm. I can’t believe I didn’t notice sooner how much they care about each other. “No complaints here.”

  Seth takes my hand, and Miles follows closely behind. The Pack pairs up evenly. I have no idea what to look for, but we start with the biggest tumbleweeds and pieces of scrap metal. Not surprisingly, there’s nothing there.

  “How much is supposed to be here?” Seth asks.

  “At least a whole crate.” Miles pulls up a piece of metal.

  Seth whistles. “That’s a lot, isn’t it?”

  “A good three million bucks’ worth, at least—maybe up to five,” Miles says.

  “Sick, huh,” I say. Radiasure … Dad still takes a pill every day. He’d never say it out loud, but sometimes I wonder if he doesn’t think he’s strong enough, even with a power like his. One time, I overheard him saying to Graham, “I’m not all-powerful. I’m only half-powerful. My ability doesn’t even work on males.”

  Some people never have enough control, I suppose.

  “There’s nowhere to hide anything here!” Seth says after searching for fifteen minutes. I must admit I expected him to find it easily. But it is night, and I don’t think he can see through darkness very well. “It’s bare—”

  “Hey! Over here!” Brady calls from the opposite side.

  We rush over, my heart racing more from hope than from the jog. I can barely make it out in the dim light, but it looks like Brady is in some kind of hole.

  “Underground, of course,” Seth says, as if he actually feels stupid for not thinking of it sooner.

  I nudge him. “You can’t get ’em all right.”

  “Don’t remind me.”

  “I only noticed because I’m so heavy,” Brady says as he steps down deeper. “It sounded hollow when I walked over it. Looks like there’s a smaller hole. There’s no way I can fit.”

  “My turn!” Bea climbs into the hole and disappears under the dirt wall closest to me. After a lot of cursing, she emerges with a box.

  Relief fills me as I take it from her. I lift the lid, and the blue glow shines from the glass bottles. So Graham had a plan, and it was actually a good one, too. “He wasn’t lying. He really did mean to help us.”

  “Doesn’t matter now, does it, Fifi?” Graham’s voice sends a shiver down my back, and I whirl around. I drop the box when I see he’s not alone.

  He sets another man on the ground, a man I can recognize even in the dark. He saunters into the beam of our flashlights, completely at ease. I wish I could move, but my legs won’t cooperate.

  “Well, well, isn’t this a nice surprise.” My dad’s smile is just as I remember, all silk and honey, but never reaching his eyes. “It’s been a long time, sweetheart.”

  Chapter 35

  We stand there, staring at each other. It can’t be real—my dad is not here, not seeing all my friends’ faces, not putting the puzzle together.

  But, ma
n, he looks good in that leather jacket.

  I shake my head. He’s definitely real if I’m thinking creepy thoughts like that, and it’s only a matter of time before I’m high on his scent and not thinking straight. I take Seth’s hand, hoping that’ll keep me focused. He squeezes too hard, but even that doesn’t get a sound out of me.

  My father takes a step forward. “You didn’t say good-bye. How do you think that makes me feel?”

  I almost apologize, but I choke it back down. I’m not supposed to feel bad for leaving him. Or am I? “W-what are you doing here?”

  “What do you think, idiot?” Graham seethes. “After everything I—”

  Dad pulls out his favorite silver gun and points it at Graham. “Traitors don’t get to talk.”

  “Dad, let me—”

  Dad pulls the trigger, and Graham lets out a primal scream. Clutching his leg, he crashes into the ground. A small pang of guilt hits me, and it grows as I watch my brother suffer. Brady hurting him was one thing, but Dad shooting him means something totally different.

  It means Graham had almost pulled off his plan, and I just ruined it.

  Suddenly the reasons why he wanted to help us don’t matter like they did before. He put his neck on the line for me, for Mom. Dad might actually kill him for this. As much as I hate Graham, I never wished him dead.

  “It was a brilliant plan, though, son.” Dad stands over him, and Graham sounds like he’s crying. “Bringing me this close to them, using the perfect decoy—that takes guts, smarts.”

  When he points the gun at him again, my voice finally wells up inside. “Stop!”

  Dad’s attention snaps to me, and he smiles. “But Graham missed one thing, didn’t he, sweetie?”

  I shrink back, unsure of what I should do. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “He didn’t realize what a pain in the ass you really are.” He takes a step forward, the gun now at his side. “How headstrong …” Another step. “Rebellious …” And another. “Independent …” He reaches his hand out, finding my shoulder and then my face. “How hard to control, just like your damn mother.”

  I can’t find air as I search his dark eyes, and The Pack’s words are muddled against his perfect voice. His fingers are soft, forgiving. I must have caused him so much trouble. What did he do all this time without me? What if he missed me? What a horrible daughter I’ve been, leaving him. Maybe if I apologize he will forgive me. I want him to.

  Seth pushes his hand away. “Don’t touch her!”

  I gasp at the sound of his voice. What am I thinking? It’s Seth who cares about me. Seth would miss me if I left, not just my ability. I hold on to the thought. “Dad, just take the Radiasure and go. I don’t want to have to hurt you.”

  He laughs. “You? Hurt me? How?”

  “I have no problem hurting you.” Brady steps in front of me, and The Pack surrounds me from the sides. Thank goodness I brought them; otherwise this would have been over already. I watch Bea, worried that my dad already has her under his spell. She stares at him, but her glare is hard and unwavering. Hopefully that means she’s trying to resist.

  Dad frowns. “You’d let these punks beat up your own father?”

  It does sound pretty heartless, but I focus on Seth’s hand in mine. “Yes.”

  “Tsk, tsk.” He takes a step back. “Perhaps I should have sent you to finishing school.”

  “What do you want us to do, Fi?” Carlos whispers to me.

  I gulp. I wish it was an easy answer; it should be. My dad is alone, and he was stupid enough to shoot his ride. I can’t think of a time he’s been this vulnerable—and he knows it. I can tell by the way he stands, right hand tightly gripped on his gun. But he’s still my dad. And more than that, wouldn’t beating or killing him make me a fledgling syndicate boss? That’s the last thing I want, to become like him.

  “Just … restrain him,” I finally decide. “Watch for the gun.”

  “Carlos, there’s rope in our truck,” Seth whispers.

  “Got it.”

  The boys tense around me. I can feel them preparing for the worst. Dad won’t hesitate to kill—never has, never will. But if we can tie him up, maybe we can work out a deal or turn him in or something. At least I could get away and clear my head, so I can make a real decision.

  “Go!” Brady yells.

  Carlos goes for the truck, and everyone else charges, save Seth. He pulls me toward the nearest brush, while my senses fill with the commotion. The Pack yelling. The feel of dirt flying up at the footsteps. The sight of my friends throwing themselves at one of the most powerful men in the West.

  Dad doesn’t move, doesn’t even go for his gun, and I swear I can see the gleam of his crooked smile.

  My blood chills. Something is wrong.

  That’s when I notice Bea has stopped. She stares at my father. Then she opens her mouth.

  The noise is unlike anything I’ve ever heard, a sound so loud and horrible it feels like my brain might explode. It warbles at a high pitch, completely inhuman. I cover my ears, but it doesn’t keep them from burning. The Pack stops cold, crumbling from the pain.

  I close my eyes, sure my eyeballs might pop out if I don’t. I had no idea Bea could do that, and there’s only one reason she would. The noise stops, but my ears still ring. I check them for blood.

  “He just misses his daughter! Is that any reason to tie him up?” Even Bea’s normal voice hurts now.

  “That is a lovely gift, dear.” My dad unplugs his ears. “Where did you learn it?”

  She tips her chin up. “I used to cry like that as a baby. My parents had to wear earplugs until they could teach me not to.”

  “A natural talent, of course.” He holds his hand out to her. “I’m so glad someone here understands me.”

  She smiles when she runs into his arms, and he caresses her hair. “My brothers can be total dumbasses. I’m so sorry.”

  “Not to worry. It seems you taught them a lesson, beautiful.”

  We slowly pick ourselves off the ground, backing away from my Dad. He has Bea. Every bad thing he’s done to me … that could easily be her fate. Or worse. What do we do now? I’d hoped she could resist the lure long enough to get out of here, but I’d forgotten how easily most women fall.

  Don’t panic. Don’t panic. I’m so panicking.

  Brady stays out front, his eyes filled with horror. “Trixy, you need to come with me right now.”

  She glares at him. “You were going to kill him, weren’t you?”

  “You know I would never.” He holds his hand out. “Beatrix, please. I beg you.”

  Her eyes go wide, a split second of recognition filling them, but then she hardens. “Why should I?”

  “Because …” He falls to his knees.

  My dad laughs. “I think, my dear, that he’s trying to say he loves you.” He runs a finger along her cheek. “But he doesn’t, does he? Not like I do.”

  “He pushes me away,” she says. “Always just friends, even though I’ve been there for him through everything. I’m not afraid of his strength, but he doesn’t believe me.”

  “I do love you!” Brady punches the ground, and the shock wave vibrates under my feet. “I just don’t want to hurt you! You know better than anyone what I can do. Just the smallest mistake and … I can’t hurt you.”

  Tears fall from Bea’s face, even though she looks angry. “Well, you do. Every minute hurts. All I ever want is you, and you never cared, not really.”

  “Bea …” Brady slumps forward. “Stop this. You’re not thinking right.”

  “Cruel boy.” Dad hugs her. “Don’t worry. I would never do something like that to you. You’re too special.”

  “Bea,” Joey says. “C’mon, we’re your brothers—you know you can trust us.”

  “Yeah,” Hector says. “We love you, too.”

  “You can’t leave us,” Tony says. “We’re family.”

  Bea frowns, as if she’s searching for more justification
s. “But I’m always on the outside. The only girl. Always treated differently.”

  “That’s not true and you know it!” Carlos says.

  She does know it; at least she would if Dad weren’t here.

  Dad catches her gaze. “There are lots of girls where I live. And they would love you like a sister.”

  “Dad!” I can’t take it anymore. Watching him do this to Bea makes my whole life too clear. He never stops spewing lies. That’s all I have to remember and I’ll be fine. “Stop. Right now.”

  He raises an eyebrow. “And why should I? This is finally getting fun. Your friend is quite beautiful, and useful, too.”

  Standing tall, I convince myself I can do this. “Me and the Radiasure—all you have to do is give her back and promise no one here gets hurt.”

  I know he’ll take the deal; as powerful as Bea is, there’s only one of me. The Radiasure is icing on the cake at this point, though it’s technically already his. Dad’s eyes gleam, as if that’s what he planned all along. “Sounds fair.”

  Seth tugs at my arm. “Are you insane?”

  My heart aches at the thought of leaving him, but it’s the only way they’ll be safe. “Trust me, okay?”

  His eyes glisten as he pulls me closer. “He’s tricking you, too. You can’t leave.”

  “He’s not, I swear. You heard him—I have some resistance. I’ll figure this out.” I kiss his cheek, savoring the slightly rough feel of it. “I know what I want now. I want you to be safe and happy—same goes for everyone. I’ll come back, promise.”

  “Fiona …”

  “I know. I don’t want to, either, but you can’t say I’m not doing the right thing.” I give him one last hug. If I don’t go now, I won’t.

  “I hate you,” he whispers.

  I smile. “I hate you, too. Also, we’re stealing your car.”

  Seth shakes his head as he hands me the keys. “You better bring it back.”

  “I will.”

  As I pull away from Seth, everything feels wrong. It hurts deep in my bones, but I savor it. This is real. I can’t forget that.