Slipping the Past

by D. L. Jackson

  “Nate Miller. I’ve been looking for you.” He shoved harder, embedding Nate in the plaster. Chunks broke loose and dropped to the floor, sending a cloud of chalky dust upward to mingle with the overpowering odor of garlic. “I have a few questions I’d like to ask.”

  Why did every reaper on the planet feel the need to polish the plaster with him? Ian yanked him away from the wall and slammed him over the railing, catching the middle of his back on the steel bar. Perhaps polishing a plaster wall wasn’t so bad.

  “You going to Mirandize me, or is this your way of picking up a date? If it is, your technique needs a little work.”

  Ian smiled and lifted him off the rail. “That’s it. Talk to me, kid.”

  Nate bit the inside of his cheek. Hopefully he hadn’t given the reaper everything.

  “So, Gabriel thinks if he keeps you separate, I can’t find her?”

  Nate shook his head.

  “Too late to keep quiet, kid. You should have listened to Gabriel and kept your mouth shut. I know everything. I know about your evidence. I know it all.” Ian yanked him nose to nose, his feet still dangling above the landing. “I’m going to destroy this evidence, every trace. Then I’m going to take your sister’s soul and stick it in a cell. Maybe I’ll tuck yours next to Gabriel’s in the Mariana Trench. You two can get cozy at the bottom of the deepest part of the ocean.”

  “What in the hell have you been eating? Have you ever heard of breath mints?”

  “Garlic linguini with sea scallops, red sauce, and a side of poi. They don’t go well with breath mints.”

  “Can I ask you something else?”

  “Go ahead. Think of it as a last request.”

  “What the fuck is poi?”

  “Good.”

  “Well, it smells like shit.” Nate turned his face away. “Why are you doing this? Why destroy the evidence?”

  Ian released his jacket and dropped him to the floor. “There are two reasons people reincarnate: love, or they’ve done something bad and will keep repeating the experience until they get it right. Jocelyn hasn’t come back all these times because she’s gotten it wrong. In fact, she’s gotten it right. She thinks she’s found her true love and this is her way of spending eternity with him.”

  “You still haven’t answered my question.”

  He shrugged. “I don’t enjoy the little trips. I’ve lived so many lives, the dreams storm my mind and hold siege to my sanity. I can’t do it anymore. I can’t take the voices.”

  “You’re telling me all this is Jocelyn’s fault, that because she keeps coming back for love, you’re stuck tagging along on the ride. Sorry, I’m not buying that. You said there were two reasons. If you haven’t come back for love, you’re coming back because you keep screwing up and you’re doomed to repeat ’til you correct the mistakes. You ought to stop blaming my sister and focus on what you’re doing wrong.”

  “It’s not that easy. I’ve been coming back for love, too.” He stared at the lights, then down at Nate. “I love her. I always have—always will.”

  “Why are you doing this if it will buy you a ticket back here? Let her go. She obviously doesn’t want you.”

  “I could never let her go, but I’m going to break the cycle. I’m not planning to kill her. I’m going to lock her soul away. If her spirit can’t reincarnate, all this will end and I will finally be free. Plus, that bastard won’t get to keep her. No, she won’t be powering some city. She’s special. I’m going to put her on my shelf.”

  “You’re crazy.”

  “Some call it that. Some call it genius.”

  Chapter Twelve

  “Hey, genius. Let the kid go.” Gabriel dropped onto the landing a few feet from them. He rose and straightened his coat.

  Ian reached down and grabbed Nate’s collar, yanking him to his feet. He swung them both around so the stair rail was at his back and the kid shielded his front. He stood at least ten feet away. Not a great distance, but enough for Saefa to do damage before he could free him.

  “I’ve got a warrant. When I’m done with him, I’ll get one for you. You’re supposed to uphold the laws of the land. Not break them and hide the fugitives you’re sworn to take in.”

  “Jocelyn has a reprieve.”

  “I wasn’t talking about Jocelyn.”

  He pulled his staff and pointed it at Ian. “I’m doing my job. I’m taking you in.” Yeah, he didn’t have a warrant, but after the DSLE heard his testimony of what he’d overheard, they’d be hard-pressed not to issue one.

  Saefa tipped his head back and laughed. “You’re not going to get a warrant? You better go to DSLE with a lot more the hearsay.”

  “I heard enough of your conversation.” The bastard knew damn good and well he had.

  “Who do you think the department is going to believe? Me, or the Enforcer who’s hiding fugitives? I’ve got proof. Your credit chip shows the purchase of clothing, medical treatment—which, by the way, is how I found Jocelyn at the hospital—and booking rooms, like the one here. I knew you and that torch-top were going to eventually bump into one another. I only had to sit back and wait.”

  “You think you’ve got it all figured out, don’t you?”

  “Perhaps. Question is, can you do anything about it? The way I see it, you can help your little buddy here, or you can help your poor, blind girlfriend, who you left downtown. Yeah, I know about that, too.” He tapped his head. “You can’t be in two places at once, so choose.”

  “Why don’t we settle this on the roof? If you think you can take me.”

  Saefa clucked his tongue. “You know I’m a reader. Why are you trying to play on my ego by baiting me?”

  “Not playing on your ego. I have a great desire to kick the crap out of you.”

  “That you do. But you also hope to get me away from Nate, so he can run. Let’s make this interesting. Let’s all go to the roof.” He wrapped his arm around the kid’s throat and seized his hair with the other hand. “You know I can snap his neck before you can get to me.”

  Gabriel nodded, not taking his eyes off Nate. “But that’s also called homicide and I can get a warrant for that.”

  “Resisting arrest, and it’s in the line of duty.” Saefa tightened his arm, making the kid’s face red. “Besides, I don’t think your girlfriend would forgive you if you let him die.” Gabriel wasn’t sure if Nate could breathe, or if he wanted to keep his thoughts silent. Whatever it was, the kid wasn’t talking.

  “By all means, lead the way,” Gabriel said.

  Saefa swung Nate around and opened the door. “I’ll take the elevator.” He backed through. “See you on the roof. Maybe.”

  The door slid shut. Why couldn’t he be the one who could read someone by the energy their voices projected? He had no clue if the dickhead headed for the roof, or if he would kill Nate first. He might do both, or neither. Regardless, Gabriel was certain of one thing. If he followed him onto the elevator, he’d kill the kid. He’d have to take a chance that Saefa wouldn’t abandon Nate and go after Jocelyn. Who knew what his next move was?

  Damn. He should’ve kept his mouth shut.

  Gabriel teleported to the roof.

  He didn’t have to wait long. Saefa dragged Nate by the collar within a few feet of where Gabriel stood. One thing was certain. Saefa’s visit to Nate tonight wasn’t about the kid, it was about getting him to come after the kid. He was the target and didn’t have to be a voice reader to know that.

  “Saefa.” Gabriel nodded and dropped into a fighting stance.

  “Very good. You caught on before I expected.” He shoved Nate over to the side and away from the door, where he could see him if he tried to run. He pulled his coat off and tossed it behind him. Yanking his staff off his back, he spun it and gave a satisfied grunt. “I’ve never used one of these on an Enforcer.”

  One hit from a Ki-staff could stop a heart and eject a soul from the body. They made the task of collecting the energies easier. Each staff was unique to the Enforcer an
d his abilities. Some could reach into the mind and cause heart-stopping fear, others pain, with the same effect. Gabriel’s staff intensified the force of the kinetic energy he mastered, projecting it onto the person he struck. Ian’s absorbed energy. Since Enforcers never fought each other, the clashing of Ki-staffs had never been an issue.

  Until now.

  “I always wondered what it would be like to duel with these.” Ian began to circle. The energy around him danced in a neon storm. Brilliant reds flashed like lightning. Gabriel turned with him, keeping his eyes on the giant.

  “Then quit with the chatter and let’s get down to business.”

  Saefa rushed forward. His staff came around in a brilliant scarlet arc. Gabriel ducked, the hair on his head ruffled, and sparks tickled his scalp. He brought his staff full circle, sweeping at his opponent’s feet. Ian jumped, avoiding the attack by doing a back flip, putting himself out of reach. He dropped into a low fighting stance and tucked the staff under one arm, extending it just past his fingertips. His other hand he pressed palm out, facing Gabriel in a defensive posture.

  “You’re spry for a big bastard.” Gabriel rolled his shoulders.

  Saefa grinned. “Warming up.”

  “Is that what you call that? I thought you were trying to figure out how to use that Ki.”

  Gabriel caught Nate in his peripheral vision, sliding along the edge of the knee-wall, trying his best to get to the door. Before he could open his mouth to warn the kid, Saefa swung his staff.

  An explosion of brick, dust and ice blasted the kid’s face. Nate jumped away from the wall as he yanked his staff off the crushed brick. “Stick around, kid. You wouldn’t want to miss the fun.”

  Nate swallowed and glanced from Gabriel to Saefa and back. “What are you waiting for? Take him out.”

  “Take him out?” Ian laughed and turned on Nate. “Don’t try to sneak off again or I’ll knock the soul right off your bones.” Ian pointed his staff an inch from Nate’s face, then whipped it around and lunged at Gabriel, who spun out of the way. His coat swirled with him, drawing a blizzard of blue sparks with it.

  “Get out of here, Nate!” Gabriel yelled.

  “Go ahead, kid. Try it again.”

  Nate froze in his tracks, standing next to the edge of the roof. Gabriel countered and the staffs collided. Both reapers disappeared inside an explosive light. The blast washed over Nate, knocking him over the wall. His scream disappeared in the clap of thunder that boomed across the skyline. In a split second, he caught a handhold of railing with one hand, his fingers of his other hand hooked into brick. His feet dug at the side and met the ice-glazed brownstone. Pushing up and slipping his arm over the railing, he held on using the crook of his elbow. The rubber of his soles slid across the surface. He glanced down, then back up, where he could see the light show. Nate swung a leg, doing his best to catch the railing, failing over and over. Below, over one- hundred-twenty stories, the street. From this height, even the buses looked like specks. Snow dusted his face and lashes as he looked up. “Gabriel. A little help.”

  “Busy.”

  Another booming sound as the staffs collided again. Vibrations of energy rippled over the edge, shaking the building. Nate sucked in a deep breath and pulled up with his arms. He managed to catch a foot on the edge of the brick wall. He glanced down at the street again, tugged with his arm and leg, but exhaustion left him hanging. “Gabriel.”

  “Not now.”

  “Crap.” He huffed and pulled again. Brick bit into tender skin where his jacket had bunched up on his waist. “Not like this. I’m not going down like this,” he yelled and pulled up again, skin scraping free, sticking to the brick. A trickle of blood ran down his side, renewing his motivation.

  Nate pushed up with his free foot, catching the lip of a stone that projected from the building’s face and shoved his body up ’til he straddled the wall. “You’re not killing me that easy.” He sucked in a breath and turned to the fight. Both men moved like liquid energy, flowing with a grace and speed that barely registered to his eye. “I’m okay now. You don’t need to worry.”

  “Good. I wasn’t.” Gabriel ducked, avoiding Ian’s staff. It screeched like an enraged cat as it cut through the air and brushed against his energy.

  “Good?” Nate sat up. “I almost took a gainer over the roof and you say good?”

  Gabriel brought his staff up, colliding with Ian’s. Another explosive blast and both men flew backward, sliding across the snow- and ice-covered roof. Gabriel came to a stop when he hit the knee wall next to Nate. He rubbed the back of his head and glanced up.

  “I thought I told you to get the hell out of here?”

  “Yeah, I’ll get right on that.” He eyed the door behind the Psycho Reaper. Saefa waggled his finger.

  Gabriel growled and drew his knees to his chest, snapping up to his feet. He glanced around for his Ki-staff and found it about fifteen feet in front of him. He ran for it, diving when he realized Ian was doing the same. He caught the staff and rolled, missing Ian’s Ki as it slammed into the spot where he’d just been. He spun around, weapon in hand, and faced off with Saefa.

  “Now would be a good time, Nate.”

  Gabriel and Ian circled, neither taking their eyes off the other. Nate studied the door again and slowly climbed to his feet while Ian’s back was to him. He crept along the edge, barely daring to take a breath.

  Something beeped from Ian’s pocket. He reached in and pulled it out, staring at the device in his hand. With a flick of the wrist he tossed it at Gabriel’s feet. “Gabriel Solaris, I have a warrant for your arrest.”

  “What charges?”

  “Aiding and abetting. Told you I’d get one. Fresh off the processor.” The cube opened and a holo image of the warrant floated between the two men. “Now I can legally kick your ass.”

  Gabriel ran his fingers through the warrant. The image shivered. “Better add resisting arrest to that.”

  “I think you just gave me a hard-on.”

  “Anyone tell you you’re a sick bastard?”

  “All the time—but first—the kid.” Ian spun around and slammed Nate in the chest with his staff. A hard electrical jolt lit his body and he flew backward. “I warned you.”

  The air whooshed from his lungs and his body ignited with energy, lighting up like a Christmas tree.

  As Nate catapulted over, Gabriel tucked his staff on his back, took three steps, and dove after him. The reaper hit like a linebacker. He latched hold of Nate’s jacket and yanked him in. “This better work,” he growled. Both tumbled end over end, plummeting for concrete.

  “What better work?”

  A burst of light swirled around them. Nate tried to scream, but the sound was forced back down his throat by the rushing air. A huge vacuum ripped at his skin as if a giant was trying to suck his body through a straw. He swallowed, doing his best to ease the pressure in his ears as they dropped. The world around him roared and the night air cut against him, slicing at his face. His clothing snapped around his body, beating against flesh and muscle, each pop a painful sting.

  He’d heard somewhere that it wasn’t the impact that killed someone, it was the fear of it that stopped their heart. Many were dead before they hit the ground. They never felt the impact, never felt the pain.

  Nate watched the ground close in. They weren’t slowing. They were still falling and he hadn’t had a heart attack yet. Realization sparked through his brain. No, he wasn’t one of the lucky ones. He was going to feel the impact and yes, it was going to hurt. He slammed his eyes shut.

  Gabriel tightened his grip. “Hang on. This might get a bit hairy.”

  Nate glanced down again. He grabbed at Gabriel’s lapels and stared him in the face. I don’t want to die. He focused on the ground again. “Oh God.”

  Twenty feet and closing….

  Chapter Thirteen

  A loud thud and, “Oomph,” Gabriel groaned.

  “Nice landing,” Nate said. “Now get your carcass
off me.”

  “Don’t complain. You’re alive.”

  Jocelyn’s head snapped up. She rose from where she huddled. Energy crackled in the air. “Thank God.” She rushed over. “You teleported.”

  “Yeah. Whoo hoo.” Nate sat up and rubbed his shoulder. “And let me be the first to say I never want to do that again.”

  “Be glad we did. It could’ve been worse.” Gabriel grabbed Nate by the collar and pulled him to his feet. The landing was a little rough, but at least they’d survived. For a moment, he’d questioned if he could do it, but Nate’s intense fear in the last few seconds gave him all the energy he needed. He didn’t have time to think about a soft landing. He might have shifted them a few feet before hitting the ground, but there had still been an impact and the kid seemed to take the brunt of it. “You okay?”

  Nate nodded. “Bruised, but breathing.” He eyed Jocelyn and his eyes narrowed. “You got your sight back.” He shifted his gaze to Gabriel. Anger oozed from his expression, but not one bit could be picked up in the tone of his voice. The kid was good.

  “Yes.” Jocelyn fidgeted and adjusted the scarf she’d tied over her eyes. Gabriel braced for the inevitable, “Don’t touch my sister.”

  Instead, Nate reached into his pocket and tossed her a pair of black glasses. “I carried them around.” He eyed Gabriel again. “Just in case.” He silently mouthed, “I’m going to kick your ass.”

  Gabriel raised a brow.

  “Thanks.” She pulled off the scarf and slipped the glasses on. “And just for the record, I can read your energy. Don’t think I don’t know what you two are saying to each other. I’m not blind.”

  “Yeah, we know. You see differently,” Nate and Gabriel said in unison.

  Jocelyn snorted. “Now would one of you care to tell me what happened?”

  “Later.” Gabriel scanned the area around them. “Come on.” He snagged Jocelyn’s arm and moved her down the street. “Saefa’s going to notice Nate isn’t splattered all over the sidewalk. I don’t think he anticipated I’d shift him out of that fall, but when he figures it out, he’ll come.”