Jaes looked up at her from his project – deciphering The Doctor's notes in hopes of finding out how the drug worked. He gave her a soft smile. “Would you like to switch? Perhaps a fresh set of eyes would be useful. Plus, there are things I know which might make for a breakthrough.”
“But I'm supposed to know everything.” She couldn't help but feel defeated. There wasn't much she could provide for the team. This task was quite possibly the most important one she'd ever had, and she was completely stumped.
Still smiling, Jaes moved away from the table he was working at and came up behind her at the computer. “You have the capacity to learn and know many things, yes. But you are still learning. It's near impossible to know everything. These skills you desire to improve will take time and practice, studying, just like you would normally learn. May I touch you?”
She gazed up at him. “Excuse me?”
“May I touch you? I ask because my main ability is to give others a boost. This is a fairly common power on Altura. How it manifests is different for many people. Mine is through touch. I can enhance and then absorb the gifts of another. If I touch you, I can increase your capacity for learning, and connect our knowledge together. Then we might be able to gain access to the database,” he explained.
“Oh, I didn't mean to take you away from your project.”
“What's more important? Why are you so uncertain and insecure around me? I know we haven't gotten to spend much time with one another, but I do remember you having a bit more confidence than this.” He put a hand on her shoulder. “You have amazing talents. Don't second guess yourself. Please, let me help you, teach you.”
Cadence's gaze met his, and she nodded, taking in the sight of his hazel eyes. JD had hazel eyes as well, but Jaes’ were much gentler and warmer, which said a lot, since JD was the most kind and caring person she'd ever met. She could barely feel it when Jaes shifted his hand to make contact with the bare skin on her shoulder. There was a slight warmth to him, but it was almost as if he were afraid to touch her as well. She was about to ask him what next, when a shock jolted her body.
Gasping, her hands moved to the keyboard on their own, like someone else was controlling her. Flashes of places she'd never seen before appeared in her mind. Is this Altura? She wondered. Because the landscapes were not quite like any pictures she'd seen of Earth. Tall amethyst colored cliffs along a blue-green ocean, and trees adorned with fruits that reminded her of oranges only they were fuchsia.
“Yes,” Jaes said. “That's my home. Please try to keep your mind clear, or we'll be distracted from the connection. I have almost figured out the errors in your previous attempts.”
She did as she was told, emptying her mind of all thought, planning to save all of her questions for later. Once again, her fingers moved, flying across the keyboard with grace as she typed. It didn't take her long to break into the system of Orlando's cellphone provider, or rather, it didn't take Jaes long. The entire database was up and at her disposal.
“We need the locations of where he was before his phone was turned off,” she said. “All of that should be recorded here. He's got a data plan, so the cell towers would be constantly transferring data to and from his phone. There's bound to be something we can use.”
Jaes nodded. “I will write down the coordinates of the locations. We shouldn't linger long in the system. I'm not sure what kind of security they have and if it tracks where any invaders come from. It won't take long.”
She nodded, glad he had a better understanding of what to look for. If she'd been given the time, she would have known as well. Everything was a blur, so she couldn't focus. Instead she trusted Jaes to do what was needed, and absorbed all of the information he was giving her in the process. Like her brain was downloading everything he knew at a rapid rate.
Quickly, she logged out and shut down the computer. Cadence pushed the chair away from the computer, bumping into Jaes who was still behind her.
“I'm not sure I liked that,” she admitted.
“I am positive I did not, but it was necessary. I needed the knowledge you already had,” he said. “It will not happen again, if I can help it.”
“Thank you,” she whispered.
“You don't need to thank me. It will take me about five minutes to get these locations, and then we can go and find your friend.” He stepped away from her and crossed the room to go back to his table, where he pulled out a small device that reminded her of a miniature electronic tablet.
Cadence shook her head as she watched him work. “That's not what I was thanking you for. I meant for not wanting to do it again, but also for saying you needed what I already knew. Both of those things mean a lot to me.” She almost continued, wanting to explain why she felt that way, but decided to hold back. It wouldn't be professional of her to talk about her emotions so bluntly. If she had been with Alan, then maybe she would have elaborated, but Jaes was different. She barely knew him, even if he seemed safe enough.
Briefly, he lifted his gaze from his tablet to meet hers. “I respect you.”
“And that means a lot.”
“All right, we are ready. There are only two other places he went to the day he last used his phone. Do you by chance recognize either of these addresses?” Jaes walked over to her and showed her two different addresses placed on a map that had the bare minimum of details. It showed major roads, where there were houses and businesses, and the occasional park. One address was close to Lunar Falls high school, and that was an area she was only vaguely familiar with. The map showed a neighborhood. Cadence shook her head, but then pointed to the second location on the map. She was pretty sure it belonged to a cemetery. The way it appeared on Jaes's tablet suggested as much – a large green area between the highway and a smaller road.
Cadence tapped the spot on the screen and jumped a little when it enlarged. “Sorry, I didn't realize it would do that. But this place I know. The other I think belongs to a friend's house.”
“This is the last place that was logged before he came back home, assuming he came back home. But it was in his house that his phone was turned off,” Jaes explained. “We shall go here then, if you think the friend is not worth investigating?”
“I'm sure they are, but I'm also not sure what to say to them. We might find a clue or something.” She shrugged and went to grab her purse and coat. “There's a bus going that way. It'll be here in about ten minutes, so we should probably hurry if we're going to catch it.”
Jaes lifted an eyebrow. “A bus?”
“Yeah. How else did you think we were going to get there? Are you comfortable enough with your teleportation abilities to do it?” she challenged.
“No, a bus will do. You do not have your own personal transportation? I thought that was common for those your age to have?”
“My family doesn't have the money for more than one car.” She walked briskly with him out the door. They exited the Apartment, and she shivered once the wind swept past her. She pulled her coat up around her face to protect it from the dry air. She glanced over at Jaes and noticed how comfortable he was despite the lack of clothing he wore. I need to ask about their planet and how it is that they can all wear practically nothing when it's below freezing out.
He laughed. “You're staring at me.”
“Just noticing you're not dressed in a way that you'll blend in. Anyway, no matter what you may see or hear when you're on the bus, don't say anything, okay? It's best if we don't draw too much attention to ourselves. Hopefully it won't be busy. It's getting kind of late on a weekend, so it's kind of hard to say.”
“I promise, no one will notice me. In fact, I can become invisible to all of them but you,” he said.
Cadence glanced over at him again. “Do that. It'll be easier. Especially since I don't think I brought any cash to pay for you. I don't want to steal, but...”
“I understand. Do you have money for yourself? I believe I have some on my ship. It wouldn't take long to retrieve it.”
> “Thank you, but I'm okay. I have a pass. It's easier, since I use the bus a lot.”
He nodded. “I have made myself invisible now, and I promise to not take a seat that another individual can use.”
She couldn't help but smile. Jaes was indeed one of a kind.
* * * * *
They both gazed up at the open gate of the cemetery. The lighting was dim. Cadence couldn't think of the last time she'd gone to a graveyard in the middle of the night. It'd been a long time. The cemetery grounds were a lot larger than she had anticipated. Hopefully they could find some kind of a clue even if she had no idea where to begin.
“We will travel further in. Closer to where the exact location was triangulated from the cell towers,” Jaes said. He gently grabbed her arm to urge her forward. “Are you afraid?”
She shook her head. “I got over my fear of the dead a long time ago.”
“That is both good and sad at the same time.”
“Why is that?”
Jaes's gaze went to the ground in front of him as they walked briskly down the path, deeper inside. “It is good because we shouldn't fear the dead. After all, they can't do anything anymore. But it's sad because we tend to not be afraid of the dead once we lose someone close to us, or we become more jaded to the world. It takes a special kind of innocence to fear what we can't see.”
“I never thought of it that way,” she said softly. “In my case, it's because I've lost someone.”
“Someone close?”
“My father.”
“I'm sorry to hear that.”
She smiled. “Thank you. It happened a long time ago. At first, I was afraid to go see him, and then I realized that if he was there, then how could there be only bad spirits who live in these kinds of places? And that's assuming they've stayed behind.”
Jaes nodded, showing he was listening but didn't say more. He looked down at the tablet in his hands before pointing ahead of them to a group of mausoleums and a chapel building. “I don't mean to interrupt but that is where the last solid signal was picked up in this area.”
Her pace quickened, partly because of the cold but also because they were closer to possibly finding an answer. When they arrived, her heart sank at the sight of crisp clean snow all around her. The only footprints to be found were on the path. She searched around her, desperately, wanting to find something.
“This can't be a dead end,” she shook her head. “I refuse to believe it!”
“Can you think of a reason why he would want to come here?” Jaes asked.
“No!” Tears of frustration pooled in her eyes.
He grabbed her shoulders and gave them a squeeze. “Take a deep breath and calm yourself. Look around you carefully. The smallest of details could speak volumes.”
Taking in a deep breath, Cadence closed her eyes for a moment, knowing he was right. She had to focus. What did she see around her? Snow, lots of that, but she noticed how it was disturbed slightly by the entrance to one of the mausoleums. A small pile was near the entrance of one, caused from the door opening and closing. She moved closer to it, wanting a better look, and read the family name over the frame.
“Heeton,” she whispered. It seemed familiar to her. Where had she heard it before? “I think there was a kid at my school once who had that last name. I mean, there are some common ones, but not this. There's only one person I've heard of who's had it.” Think, where do I recognize it? Why is it ringing a bell? Who at your school did it belong to?
Jaes typed on his electronic tablet. “According to your internet, and the website for this property, the mausoleum holds an individual by the name of Dallas Heeton. Is that helpful?”
“Sort of,” she said. Then she gasped. “Yes, it helps a lot.” She grabbed the door and was grateful that it was unlocked. In fact, upon further investigation she saw a small padlock left open and hanging off the side of the door handle carelessly. She slowly pulled it open, the fresh snow on the ground creating some resistance.
“There was a guy at my school once with that name. I'm pretty sure. Like I said, it's unique. He died, and he was friends with Orlando,” she explained. The pieces were slowly starting to fall into place. She'd always wondered why Orlando had gone from perfect jock to perfect Goth overnight. It never once occurred to her it might be because he had lost a close friend. Dallas had been good at being invisible. If he didn't have such a unique name and sad story, she would have forgotten about him completely. Does that make me a bad person?
When she opened the door and saw Orlando lying on the floor, curled underneath a pile of thick blankets, a few tears trailed down her cheeks. She rushed to his side and checked to make sure he was in fact alive. He was asleep, his breathing heavy, and he didn't appear to be injured in anyway – only thin.
She shook him a few times. “Orlando...Orly! Come on, wake up!”
He groaned and pulled away from her. “Go away, Nia. We can talk later.”
“I'm not...” Cadence frowned. “It's me, Cadence, Slick. Wake up, and we can take you back home.”
It took him a moment, but eventually his eyes opened and his glossed over gaze settled on her. “I can't leave. He's not back yet. He'll wonder where I went. I have to stay. It's not done yet.” His words came out slow and slurred, heavy breaths in-between each phrase. “And I'm not sure I can...”
“Not sure you can what? Leave? What's going on?”
Orlando shook his head and lay back down. “I just need to sleep.”
“No you need to get up. Your sister is worried sick about you. We all are.”
He grunted.
Cadence gave his arm a firm tug. “What is wrong with you? Snap out of it, and wake up!” It took some effort, but she was able to get him to open his eyes again. “Orlando, look at me. Are you drugged? Hurt? What's happening?”
For a few seconds, his pupils became more focused, and his eyes locked on hers. “She gave him my life, but he left so I won't be hurt anymore. I think it might be too late. My body is tired and weak. I can't stand. It hurts too much, and I'm cold.”
“Jaes,” Cadence pleaded. “Is there anything you can do?”
The alien moved closer. “I know of the girl who has used her powers against you. She has tried to steal your life and give it to another. The pain and weakness is deterioration of the body. There is a medicine on my ship that will aide in the restoration process, but first we need to get you to a safe and warm place.” He put a hand on both her and Orlando. “If you trust me, I believe I can teleport him back to his home since it is a place I have been to several times. That would be the best spot for recovery given the circumstances.”
Cadence made eye contact with him and nodded. “I trust you.”
With a loud bang and a puff of smoke, the three of them teleported out of the mausoleum. She expected them to arrive inside of The Apartment. After all, that was where Jaes went the most. When they arrived a few feet away from the front door of the mansion, Cadence was quite surprised. She grabbed one of Orlando's arms and hoisted it over her shoulders.
“Help me lift him up,” she said.
“I can...” Orlando mumbled.
“No, you can't,” she said sharply. Jaes went to the other side of Orlando, and together they were able to lift him from the ground. Carefully, they carried him to the front door. She rang the bell then started to feel around Orlando's pockets to see if he had any keys on him.
Orlando grunted. “Key's in a brick. Right side of the door, three up from the ground. It−” The door opened revealing a middle aged man. Orlando's head lifted slightly. He drew in a sharp breath when he saw who was on the other side. “D...Dad?”
The man rushed forward, wrapping his arms around Orlando who winced from the touch.
“Gentle,” Cadence urged as she tried to keep her friend steady. The man stepped back, and his gaze wandered over Cadence and Jaes before settling on the alien.
Risking a glance at Jaes, she noticed the young man's body stiffen and his free ha
nd raised in a salute. “S-sir,” Jaes said.
“At ease, Junior,” the man said gently. He moved to take Cadence's position under Orlando's weight, which she gratefully relinquished. Orlando wasn't a big guy necessarily, but he certainly packed a lot more weight than it appeared. Either that or she needed to do a lot more heavy lifting to gain some muscles.
She let the two men in, holding the door so they could get inside with ease, and watched as they went up the stairs. Rather than follow them, she lingered in the marble entryway. Jaes knew Orlando's father. He'd addressed him with a military title. Something was going on, but it wasn't the right time to ask.
Chapter Twenty-Two
JD slept like the dead after the mission ended. He curled up into his hotel bed as soon as Alan dropped him and Angela off. Both of them went right to sleep despite it being daytime. He didn't know what time she had awoken, but he slept until dinner. The most his sister would say to him was that Alan was coming back for them at around nine that evening, so the two of them went out for dinner at a nearby fast food joint before coming back and vegging in front of the television. He showered sometime during then as well, but for a while he felt like he was on auto-pilot.
“You still haven't told me what happened,” he said. Something about his sister was off.
She let out a heavy sigh. “Not much to tell. We broke in, separated so we could fight off a group of bad guys while at the same time securing the compound. I did the latter. Right before more bad guys busted in, we left the same way we had come in. I tried to warn you.”
“And you said the bad guys were using us too,” he said.
“Right, because...” She shook her head. “You're going to think this is stupid.”
“No I'm not. I don't think anything you say is stupid.”
“Liar!”
He scowled. “Okay, fine, maybe I think it sometimes, but I'm serious. I'm not going to think it now. Please?” He widened his eyes and pouted a little, trying to guilt her into telling him.
“Fine...” She took in a deep breath. “It seemed too convenient to me. They had a trap waiting for us, right? Something to try and distract us from getting the place secure, and yet we got it done. My team leader seemed to know too much, and I got this impression the bad guys wanted us to think we got through safely so they could get to you guys and whatever it was you were looking for. It was too easy, you know? And my team leader came off as cool, but something about him gave me the heebie-jeebies.”
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