Cryostorm (Touch of Frost)

by Lynn Rush

  “It’s not like that, Amanda. I promise.”

  I glanced at Georgia. She nodded, encouraging me to pull my chair back to the table. My heart hammered. Indecision paralyzed me.

  “Mandy, stay. It’s okay,” Zach said.

  What did he know about anything?

  Tim and Jasmine both nodded as well. They believed him? Trusted him so quickly? I took one more glance at Jasmine, and she smiled as she gave a quick nod. “Look. If they even fart wrong, we’ll do some damage, girl. Remember California?”

  True. Between me, Jasmine, and Georgia, we had some serious power. But they had numbers, and I didn’t know what the other peoples’ powers were.

  I shook my head clear of the thoughts. No. I should trust them. They helped us. Nate was confident enough to come to them. I needed to get them to help me find Nate and cure him from whatever was compelling him to kill me.

  “So, how are we going to find Nate?”

  “Well, the storm is predicted to break tomorrow morning.” Brandon smiled. “How do you feel about being bait?”

  Chapter 31

  “Thanks for hanging with me.” I set my glass on the table in front of the couch. “I don’t want to hurry back to the room. Tim and Georgia need some alone time, you know?”

  Zach smiled. “Yeah. No problem. Happy to.”

  I stretched my feet onto the tabletop and sank down into the plush leather couch. I couldn’t believe how comfortable it was. Zach mimicked my actions, only from the oversized chair perpendicular to the couch. His long legs met my feet and he tapped them.

  “I still can’t believe I’m sitting here next to you. That night, when you and Georgia died, and my mom...” He shook his head. “I thought I’d died, too.”

  “But you didn’t believe it.”

  “Not all the way. My head did. I mean, I’d seen and heard the proof. Newspapers covered it. Funeral. Everything. I—” He shook his head. “I just couldn’t believe it.”

  “I’m sorry, Zach. I mean, about your mom. Never got to tell you that.”

  “Dad’s still in shock. I think the garage is closing soon. He’s given up. Sits around in a daze, kind of like I’ve been doing.”

  “It’s only been few months. Maybe he’ll get better.”

  “Maybe.”

  “Hey, Zach. There’s something I want to say to you, though.” I sat up. “Um. With everything that happened. You know, and how I contacted you. I—we—it doesn’t mean we can be together now. I—”

  “It’s okay. You don’t have to say anything.” He pushed himself up in the chair and drew a deep breath. “You’re with Nate now. I get that.”

  “You do?”

  He nodded. “Not liking it. Not really at all, actually. And I’m pissed he beat you up, but I get it. I’m glad you’re alive, Mandy. I love you. I can’t just stop that.”

  “But—”

  “It’s okay. I’ll be here for you.” He cleared his throat.

  “I’m sorry for everything, Zach. I really screwed up your life. I feel really bad.”

  “Don’t.”

  I huffed. “Yeah, easy to say. If I hadn’t taken your bribe for a date, none of this would have happened to you. You’d probably be off at State raking in the accolades for being a stellar runner. Dating some normal human chick.” I glanced around. Probably shouldn’t say crap like that too loud around here.

  “Yeah, well, whatever. This Mutant University seems okay, too.”

  “But you’re not a mutant, Nimrod.”

  “They’ll make an exception, I’m sure. I mean, it’s an accredited school. Just considered private.”

  I reached for my glass of Pepsi, then sank back into the me-sized hole I’d made in the plush leather.

  “You don’t trust them yet.”

  “Nope. Not entirely, but I do enough to see if they can help me find Nate.” He was all that mattered anyway. I’d stick it out here if it meant getting to find him sooner.

  “You think this bait thing will work?” Zach asked.

  “Not much else to try. And if it doesn’t, maybe we’ll be lucky to pick off a few Agents that might show up.” I shrugged. “That’d be fun, too.”

  “Oh, wow. You have changed.”

  “So, how’s Samantha?”

  “Okay, maybe you haven’t.” He shook his head. “I can’t believe you brought her up.”

  “Yeah, well…”

  “Jasmine and Jess did scare her pretty good. But since you’d—um—died, she didn’t have much to hold over me anymore.” He shook his head. “I should have trusted you with what she was blackmailing me with. I’m sorry.”

  I nodded, and we sat in silence for a while. Not sure how long, but the light began to dim indicating nightfall was quickly approaching. I glanced at Zach sitting to my right, watching me, and I smiled. “I’m going to head up.”

  “I’ll walk you. I’m sharing a room with Tim, so I’m sure it’s safe for me to go back, too.”

  “Zach?”

  His gentle, steel-gray eyes bathed me in warmth as his gaze swept over me.

  “Thanks,” I whispered. “For everything.”

  With that finally said, it felt like I’d had closure on the Zach thing. Now if I could just get my current boyfriend back in the picture without giving him the chance to kill me.

  Chapter 32

  “Okay, so you think he’ll show?” Georgia strolled beside me smack down the middle of the main square in town.

  My heart sagged. “I hope so.” People bundled up in their tundra-wear waddled around, snow crunching beneath their weight. “But there are so many people here. He won’t show up now.”

  “Keep walking, Amanda,” Brandon’s voice chimed in my ear. I’d almost forgotten I was wearing an earpiece. “Go through the main area like we discussed. Then toward the end of Main Street, there are some empty buildings and vacant lots. And remember, he might already be here, watching.”

  Great.

  “Thanks for coming with me,” I said to Georgia.

  “Sure.” She grabbed my hand, and I tilted my head to the side so it rubbed against hers. “You see anything?” she whispered to me.

  “Nope. And we’ve been walking for over thirty minutes. Mind sending some warmth my way?” I glanced at her.

  She squeezed my bare hands. She hadn’t even bothered putting gloves on. Show off.

  “If he doesn’t show, we’ll head up to GEM and regroup there, okay? We’ll figure it out.” She winked as she spoke.

  Probably to remind me that she wasn’t buying what she said. If Nate didn’t show today, Jasmine, Tim, Georgia, and I were bolting. We’d get Nate on our own. Brandon didn’t seem too invested in him other than studying him.

  We moseyed down the street, finally nearing the end of town. The people thinned out considerably, but quite a few still wandered around. Tourists, carrying maps and cameras mostly. Who wouldn’t want to come visit this place? It was stunning with all the trees, mountains, and newly laid snow.

  A winter wonderland for them, but a personal hell for me.

  Each minute I was away from Nate had me feeling more angry and sad. Angry at The Center. Sad because I missed him. His smile. His touch. His kiss. At least Zach had stepped down, gracefully—well, mostly gracefully. Didn’t need that added onto everything. I had enough guilt to carry when it came to him, but with his constant pawing and pining it was worse.

  He must have seen my dedication to Nate. For that I was grateful.

  We reached the edge of the town area. Straight ahead lay a snow packed road to God knows where. To the left, the interstate. To the right there was the path around the last building. It, as the previous one, was abandoned. Probably a former gas station by the tall awning constructed in the middle of the lot. The roof sagged from the weight of the snow, and I could see why it’d been boarded up. Totally not safe.

  “Looks like a bust.” I swung Georgia’s hand. “Shit.”

  “Let’s do a loop around this old, crickety thing, maybe he�
�ll still show.”

  I glanced to the sky. The noon sun beamed and had chased away the remainder of the clouds that tried to spit more snow on the already heavily coated ground. Had to have been about three feet with piles from the snowplow topping five and six feet.

  We crunched our way down the sidewalk—er—snowwalk, and then around the back of the building. No path, just a sea of snow as the yard. Two deer popped their heads up and looked in our direction. They were creeping outside the cover of trees, sniffing the air.

  Georgia and I stopped, and she pulled in a sharp breath. “Beautiful.”

  “I think I know what’s going to be in your sketchpad next, huh? In between Tim’s pictures.” I scanned the area, then focused on the animals. With the grace of a swan, they leapt back into the cover of the trees.

  “Amazing,” she whispered.

  I released her hand and iced mine down. “Want to mess around a little?”

  “Now?”

  “He’s not coming. We’ve been walking for almost an hour.” A snowball formed and hovered above my palm. Her eyes flickered orange, and she took off running into the middle of the sea of snow.

  I cast a quick look around. “We all clear, Brandon?”

  “What’s going on?”

  “Any humans around?” I flicked my other hand up and conjured a snowball.

  “No, but—”

  “Then it’s time to play.” I tossed a snowball, and it thumped against Georgia’s back.

  Her flames ignited, but as I threw the other one, she streamed heat from her hand, and it vaporized. My heart hammered as I called my powers to the surface, icing my body in its armor. I glanced around, looking. Waiting. Hoping my little playtime distraction would lead Nate out.

  Georgia streamed lava-hot streaks at me, so potent it melted through my ice enough to where I had to up the chill factor.

  “Nice!” I stumbled.

  On the backside of this run-down building, a green, paint-peeled, door hung crooked on its hinges. Both windows beside it had been busted out. Only darkness remained inside.

  “What are you guys doing?” Brandon yelled into my earpiece. I think it rattled.

  “Just letting off some steam,” Georgia said as she sprayed me again, this time with flame.

  The ice sizzled off my skin and it almost hurt. Close to a burn.

  “Dang, girl,” I said. I showed the ground my palms and blasted. Instantly ten feet in the air I had a bird’s eye view. I tilted my palms forward so I went back. My feet landed on the soft, snowy roof, and I cut the stream.

  From this angle I had a perfect spot to cover Georgia with snow. Hand pointed out front, I opened a stream. It shot out well over thirty feet and rained down on her like a tsunami.

  She flamed up, slowing the build-up of snow, but outside the ring of her heat, the snow piled around her. I scanned the area again. Nothing. Quiet. Beauty.

  But no Nate. I looked to where I’d been standing before I jumped up here and closer to the door I saw something brown. Rectangle. With sprinkles of color on it.

  Oh my gosh. M&Ms. I cut my stream of snow and checked the area again.

  Georgia flamed up and burst through the mounds of snow that had formed around her. “Holy hell, girl, that was wicked,” she said through her flaming mouth. The crackle of the snow and ice melting beneath each step she took reverberated against the building and the trees.

  I leapt off the roof, guiding myself down with the snow streaming from my palms and landed right next to the M&Ms.

  Georgia was still fifty feet from me, so I quick grabbed it and showed her my back. With shaking hands, I flipped it over.

  Just you. Back here. 4pm. ~Nate

  “Shit.” I shoved the bag in my pocket.

  “What? You see something?” Brandon asked in my ear.

  “No. Got some snow in my shoe.” I kicked my leg for effect. He had to be watching, right? Did he see me put that in my pocket? “Just had to grab my glove quick. Playtime’s over.”

  “So, you give?” Georgia’s voice was close.

  I whirled around. “Yeah. You’re too strong for me.”

  She lifted a thin, auburn eyebrow at me and smiled. “Never thought I’d hear you say that, but I’ll take it.” A grin filled her face. “Feel any better?”

  “Yeah,” I said and glanced around. “Much. Brandon, are we done here? Any sign of him?”

  “Naw. Come on in. Let’s call it.”

  I nodded and looked at Georgia. “Ready or not, here we go.”

  Chapter 33

  Georgia clicked the door to the bathroom shut, and I bolted up. I threw a glance at the clock next to the bed. Almost four o’clock. I cranked the door open and peeked out.

  Dim hallways. The power had been restored, but with only a window at the very end, to my left, it was still pretty dim. I stepped out and clicked the door shut. Hopefully Jasmine wasn’t around to hear me. My heart clamored to get out of my chest. That should have been a hint for me to back out of my decision to meet Nate.

  What if it wasn’t really Nate who left the note? Was he sane now? What would happen when he saw me? What would we do? I should tell Georgia and Jasmine at least.

  No. It was easier for me to sneak out on my own, otherwise Brandon would be all over us.

  I crept toward the stairwell at the end of the hallway. Stairs down, then out the side exit to the side lot. Hopefully I remembered how to get to the main town area and back to that building. I shoved my hand in my jacket pocket.

  I couldn’t believe he’d chosen M&Ms to leave me his message. He must be in his right mind, then. Maybe he figured out what was controlling him.

  But then if he had, why all the cloak and dagger?

  Unless he found out Brandon’s team was Agent friendly. Shit. Maybe I should tell the gang then. My brain fought with itself each and every step I took down the stairwell. Only three stories, but still.

  No. I’d go and check it out. If everything was okay, Nate and I would come back together. I thought that mostly to convince myself but it didn’t work so much. I shoved my hand into my other pocket and fingered the two tranq darts I pilfered from Brandon earlier today.

  Came in handy he was deaf on one side because I’m not the best thief. Plus, he was distracted packing up. Plan was to leave tomorrow morning, first light, since the roads leading to the school were predicted to be open.

  Hopefully I wouldn’t be needing these darts, but, better to be safe than sorry.

  I burst out the heavy, red door and into the cool air. The sun was nearly gone behind the tall trees, though it was still light enough since it wasn’t even four o’clock yet. But it would darken soon. My stomach clenched at the thought. Every instinct told me to go back, but I fought it. I needed to see this through. Trust that Nate was in a sound mind to have written that note.

  Pulling my stocking cap down low, I broke into a jog. Each step closer to my destination brought even more tightness in my stomach and chest. Fewer people on the sidewalks this time, which was probably because the temperature was starting to take another nosedive as the sun dipped behind the tall trees.

  I glanced around and all seemed secure. Then why didn’t my heart stop smashing against my chest? I wanted to yank Nate into my arms and kiss him silly. The jog helped get my blood moving and warm me up, which was good, because I couldn’t get more wound up if someone paid me a million dollars.

  As I approached the end of the town square area, I slowed down and glanced around. Just a couple more blocks, and I’d be to the building. I slid my gloves off and looked around again. Pretty quiet.

  I kept my pace quick as I walked, my breath billowing out in front of me as I drew in deep breaths, trying to calm myself. The corner of the last building came into sight and I rounded it. The same sea of snow, minus the dents we’d made in it earlier today messing with our powers, lay out before me. I stayed to the path and headed toward the back.

  Scanning the area in all directions, I made my way forward. “Nate?
” I followed the path to the right, where I’d found the M&Ms, but everything was silent. Still.

  With the snow covering the ground, the limbs of most of the trees, and even most of the wall of the building next to me, everything was silent. Felt like all the noises vanished. Sucked out from the earth.

  I stopped where the shoveled path ended.

  In the next instant, Nate’s blurry face approached. His hands pushed against my chest and my back met the brick wall of the building behind me with a resounding thud. I didn’t understand how my whole chest hadn’t caved because his momentum was so great.

  I squealed at the impact and felt his cool fingers curl around my neck.

  “Nate. No. It’s me. Mandy.” I squirmed, trying to get my arm between us. He had me pinned with his entire body. “Wait.”

  His were still the beautiful brown color, but blank. Glassy and fixed, but a little red light in his left eye. Like a dot. His arm pressed against my chest, his other hand around my neck, while his legs immobilized mine by their sheer size.

  “Wait. Nate. It’s me, Mandy. Your girlfriend. Nate—” I coughed. Couldn’t help it. I thought my Adam’s apple was falling down my throat into my windpipe.

  I pushed with all my strength, but I couldn’t budge him.

  But I could hit harder.

  I iced down my hands to the thickness of a sledgehammer. Maybe a good rack on the brain would knock whatever it was driving him loose, and at the same time let me get some air. I lifted my hand to pound him, and he turned his glazed glance to the side for a second. But it was long enough for me to ram my iced fist into his temple.

  I swore I heard something crack. Could have been the ice on my hand, but whatever. Nate loosened his grip as if surprised I’d hit him so hard. He shook his head, still gripping me, just not as intensely.

  I swung again, this time my ice mallet clipped his cheek. He stumbled to the side, but still held on. He looked at me, confused, and My Nate’s eyes flickered to life.

  “Nate. Nate. Hold on. Fight it. It’s me, Mandy.”

  “You shouldn’t have come.” He shook his head. “I can’t hold on for long.”