Oh God.
Meri got up and began working her way through the people as fast as she could. One party of tourists blocked the gangway with a mini-Manhattan of various sized rolling cases.
‘Can I get past please?’
The women gazed at her without comprehension.
‘Meri, wait!’ Kel was gaining on her.
Meri climbed over the suitcases, ignoring the protests from the owners. She began to run even though she could see that she was out of carriages to escape through. She had to hope they reached the next station before he caught up with her. If she timed it right, she could be out and into the crowds before he knew what she was doing.
The train began to slow for Piccadilly Circus. Almost there.
‘Meri, just wait a damn moment. I can explain.’ Kel seized hold of her arm just as the doors opened. Rather than have it out in front of a carriage full of spectators, he hustled her onto the platform and pulled her down to take a seat on an empty bench.
‘Let go—let go!’ She slapped at his hand like she would a hornet.
‘I’ll let go if you promise to listen.’
Chest heaving, heart thumping, Meri nodded. She just had to get out from under his touch.
The doors closed and the train pulled out. Kel lifted his hand now she had no easy escape. The glow at his neck was fading, becoming the subtle lines she’d seen on Ade and Lee. She sank her teeth into her bottom lip to hold in a sob. She should never have lost it like that. He knew what she’d seen—she couldn’t plausibly deny it now. But why did he look so pleased by that?
He raised his hand to cup her cheek but dropped it when she jerked away. ‘OK, OK. Look, I know what you saw in the cinema, besides scary aliens of course. You probably think I’m a scary alien, now I come to think of it. It was unexpected for me too.’ He gave an embarrassed laugh. ‘Just…just trust me when I tell you it's completely normal and completely human. I’m going through a special kind of puberty thing; that’s why I’ve had a fever these last fews days. We—you—develop these markings when we reach full maturity.’ He pushed up his sleeve. ‘See: gone now. They only flare out at times of…’ he searched for the right words, ‘stress or exertion. That kiss, it kinda lit the touch paper.’
The markings hadn’t gone to her eyes. They were still right there, spirals of intricate lines like patterns on a seashell. She didn’t want to hear about this, but knew she had to listen. Know your enemy, Meri.
‘We suspected you might be one of us when you did that painting. Ade asked me to get to know you a little, see if I could establish what you were either way.’
‘What!’ She shot to her feet. ‘You’ve…you’ve been dating me as a favour to Ade? Well stuff you!’ Bleeding bloody hell: didn’t that make her feel stupid?
‘No. No! Feck, that didn’t come out right. I asked you out because I wanted to but I also wanted to find out if you are one of us.’ He grinned hopefully at her. ‘And you are.’
‘I am not one of you, OK? No markings—nothing.’ She shoved up her sleeve to show him. ‘I’m going home.’
‘You don’t have the markings yet but you will do. Eyesight like yours, the ability to see colours into the UV spectrum—that’s what people like us do.’
Meri decided flat out denial was her best of bad options even if he knew she was lying. ‘I can’t see anything. I’ve got a headache. I need to lie down.’
The next train rattled into the station. Kel took her hand. ‘I know it’s a shock. Don’t bolt. Please, just trust me. I can make it all right for you.’
Trust the people who took her parents from her? Never. Retreating into silence, regrouping, she followed him onto the train and didn’t speak a word as he chattered beside her about how great it was to find another one, how he’d been hoping she’d turn out this way even if he regretted the circumstances in which it had been revealed.
‘The guys are going to tease me about that for years,’ he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. ‘Most of us flare out first time when we’re exercising; only a few have the dubious honour of going that way when…well, anyway, Ade’s going to be so pumped that we’ve found another one of us. We don’t have enough girls in our population.’
She was sick of hearing about Ade. Everything revolved around him like he was a dictator and they his faithful troops.
They got out at Wimbledon and exited the station. Lights were on in the windows of the nearby restaurants and bars, showing ordinary people going about ordinary dates where they ate and chatted and no one turned into a glowing nightmare. Meri wriggled her hand from his. ‘Right, we’re back. Sorry you didn’t get to see the film. I’ll see you around.’
Her attempt to flee was thwarted when he took her elbow and pulled her towards a taxi. ‘I’ll take you home.’
‘I haven’t got carbon credit to spend on that.’
‘Humour me. We’ll put it on my account.’ Kel handed the driver his ration card and gave the address of Ade’s mansion.
‘Yeah, I know it. My best customers, you guys,’ said the driver out of the side of his mouth as he chewed on a nicotine stick. The electric vehicle zipped up the hill with the softest of whines.
‘That’s not my address.’ Resentment was mounting in Meri’s chest. She had every right to go home if she wanted. Kel might have to report in to Ade but she certainly did not. The whole set up in the mansion was wacky, like some cult nestled among the normal citizens of Wimbledon.
‘Let’s go there first. We can walk the rest of the way to your home like the other night.’
‘You can let me out at the next corner,’ she told the driver.
‘It’s OK, mate, keep going,’ countered Kel. ‘Meri, just give me five minutes. It’s the last thing I’ll ever ask you to do for me.’
As if. Meri did not want to walk into the fortress even for five minutes. ‘Why do I have to go to your place?’
‘Because there are things you need to know and it’s best if you hear them there. It’s not a conversation to be had in the back of a taxi.’
‘So after five minutes I can walk straight out again?’
Kel put his hand on his chest, pale blue eyes sincere. ‘I promise. You did before, remember?’
‘Fine. Whatever. Let’s get this over with.’
The taxi dropped them at the gate and Kel entered the code on the touch pad, keeping a wary eye on her.
‘We need this security because Ade’s in danger from our enemies,’ he explained. ‘It’s not a trap or rigged to keep you inside.’
‘Please, I don’t want to know.’ Meri bunched her hands in fists in her jacket pockets.
‘You have to understand. We’re not the bad guys here.’
Tell that to her parents. ‘Five minutes. I’m starting the count right now.’
Kel smiled. ‘That’s all it’ll take, darling.’
‘Don’t call me that.’ Entering the house, Meri wanted to scream, to shove the sculpture on the hall table right through the peril-coloured stained glass windows.
‘OK, I’ll park that for now, until you’ve calmed down.’
‘I am calm!’
‘Yeah, right,’ Kel muttered and led her into what looked like a recreation room: sofas, big screen, bar area, table tennis table at the far end. Most of the inhabitants of the house were gathered in there, some reading or doing school assignments while plugged into their own music, a couple playing on handheld screens, others watching football on the massive curved wall television. Kel smiled his reassurance but to Meri it felt like she was in the scene in the classic Indiana Jones film when the heroine is dropped into a pit of snakes wearing a flimsy white dress.
‘Four minutes,’ she whispered.
‘I’d better make this fast then.’ He whistled to gain everyone’s attention. ‘Hey, guys!’
The screen muted, ear buds were removed, as Kel’s friends took in the fact that he’d brought a guest home. Lee moved between Meri and the rest of the people in the room.
‘What�
��s she doing here?’ he asked Kel.
Ade got up from the sofa where he’d been sitting in front of the football game. ‘Meri, didn’t expect to see you tonight. Thought you two were at the cinema?’
‘It didn’t work out. Instead of aliens causing all the trouble, I kinda had a flare out,’ admitted Kel, flushing a little as his friends whooped and applauded.
‘Man, that must have been awkward!’ laughed one guy, shaking his head apologetically at Meri.
‘Scared the crap out of her. But there’s no doubt she saw.’
Ade slapped Kel on the back. ‘Pretty hard to miss the first flare. So, you’re a spiral like your dad?’
‘Yeah, running true to the Douglas DNA.’ Kel rubbed his forearm.
Meri folded her arms, hands kneading her elbows, wishing she could disappear. If they could see UV, why couldn’t they perceive that the markings were still there? She could see each of their different patterns. Ade had an interlocked design like a tortoise shell; Lee the rosette spots of a leopard; Swanny a leaf pattern.
‘Congratulations.’ Ade put his hand out to Swanny. ‘You owe me fifty.’
‘What? Swanny, you didn’t think I’d be a leaf like my mother, did you?’ asked Kel.
Swanny sighed but his act was undercut by his wide smile. ‘I lived in hope, bro, now I’m out of hope and out of pocket.’
‘We’ll break out the champagne later but I guess we’ve some explaining to do to Meri.’ Ade turned to her.
Meri felt like her mind was undergoing an emergency evacuation, all thoughts streaming to the nearest exit. ‘Actually, I really just want to go home. I don’t want to hear any more about this. I’m not one of you, as I told Kel. I won’t say anything to anyone though, so you don’t have to worry about that.’
‘Sweetheart, I’m afraid it’s not that simple.’ Ade pointed to the picture which had been hung on the wall behind the table tennis table. ‘You did that—you can see that?’
‘I can’t see anything right now but a loads of badly placed blobs. You should chuck it. Look, I’ve got to go. Kel, you promised.’
‘What did you promise her?’ asked Ade.
Kel reached to stroke the back of her head but she ducked out the way. ‘I promised her she only had to come in for five minutes. She’s pretty spooked.’
Lee came to Ade’s side. ‘She knows too much already, sir. We can’t let her go until this is settled and she understands what’s expected of her.’
Panic levels soared again. She should never have trusted Kel even this far. ‘You can’t make me stay!’
‘We can. Ade’s your prince now. You’re under his authority.’
‘Like hell I am! This is so bogus!’
Ade clicked his tongue in anger. ‘You’re going way too fast for her, Lee. This has all been dumped on her with no preparation whatever. Shut the hell up. In fact, you’re dismissed for the night, OK?’
Lee left the room with a poisonous look at Meri.
‘Sweetheart, what you saw at the cinema on Kel’s skin—that’s all completely natural. We’re a small group of humans who have developed some specialized characteristics way back, an evolutionary distinction like red hair being found among the Celts or almond shaped eyes among some Asian peoples. What’s different for us is that only a few can see it so we can live pretty much under the radar—a society within a society. It does give us great definition in eyesight and a few other advantages which I won’t go into right now. It’s nothing to be scared of.’
‘Then why do you lock yourself away in this fortress?’ she asked, not really wanting an answer. ‘Five minutes is up, Kel.’
Ade held up a hand to stop her marching out. ‘Good question. Because, while very few know of our existence, we do have one very powerful enemy—a kind of natural predator I’d guess you’d say, if we’re using Darwinian language—and we have to protect ourselves against them.’
‘I’ve already said I won’t tell anyone but I insist on going home right now. You can’t keep me here. Even if that pissy-cat Lee thinks he can.’
Ade tapped his lips thoughtfully. ‘Ah, so you did see Lee’s markings at the Tee Park gig. I wondered. I thought you might be too far away.’
She had been too far to get a clear view then but not now, not with everyone’s markings right there before her eyes in their T-shirts and rolled up shirt sleeves. She had to be more careful. ‘I thought it a special effect of the lights or something.’
Ade rocked on his heels a second, hands dug down in his jeans’ pockets. ‘Look, OK, I get that you’re freaked out. You’re right: we can’t keep you here, not without your guardian calling the police and getting us into deep shit. Go home tonight and think about it. Let it settle. But remember: it’s natural and one day soon you’ll get your own markings. I don’t suppose you remember what your parents were?’
‘My parents were good people.’
‘I meant what markings they had?’
Meri pressed her lips together and shook her head.
‘No matter. It’ll become clear all too soon. Kel, see she gets home safely.’
Kel slipped his arm around her, moving quickly so she couldn’t duck again. ‘Come on, darling, you’re free to go as I promised.’
‘Party when you get back, Kel, OK? And just one more thing, Meri?’ Ade’s tone demanded that she listen.
She paused in the doorway, looking back at her schoolfellow in what she understood now was his court. ‘What’s that?’
‘I’m holding you to that promise not to tell anyone, OK?’
Lee was waiting in the hallway to see them out. ‘He’s letting her go?’ he asked Kel.
‘Yes, of course.’ Kel smiled reassuringly down at her.
‘That’s not procedure.’
‘It’s what needs to happen now to make this right for her.’
‘And when was it our job to make this about her rather than Ade?’
‘Lee, please.’
‘All right. I’ll back down for now as it’s Ade’s direct order but I’ll be watching her. See you around, Meredith Marlowe.’ Lee released the locks on the front door.
Not if she had anything to do with it, thought Meri, pushing past him.
Kel was in two minds whether it was a good idea to leave Meri while she was so distressed, but his presence was obviously making it worse. On the doorstep, she ducked out of the good night kiss he wanted to give her, body language screaming that she’d prefer him at a distance—at least a million miles. All he could do was give her what she wanted.
‘Take it easy, OK? It’s really nothing to worry about, Meri,’ he promised as she closed the door. He could hear the drum of her footsteps climbing the stairs as fast as she could go. He dug his hands in his pockets, a little depressed by this, anticipating how much repair work lay ahead if he wanted the relationship back on track. ‘Good night to you too.’
Keep watch or go? Knowing Swanny, he’d send a team to keep an eye on her as a freaked out newcomer was a clear security risk. Besides, Kel was expected back and Ade had promised a party. Kel had been to Flare-out parties before when a housemate had gone through his change but never had a chance to take part. There was no point waiting here on the step like a stray cat she wouldn’t allow in.
With a last glance up at the lit windows of Meri’s flat, Kel jogged home. He was passed by Tiber and Jiang in one of the cars, heading out on the watch detail he had anticipated. They tooted the horn and he waved. As the only two late developers in Ade’s house who had not yet got their markings, they’d drawn the short straw and would miss the party.
‘I’m back!’ he called, chucking his jacket on to the newel post in the foyer, too rushed to take it upstairs as per regulations.
‘In here, Kel!’ called Ade. The guys had been getting things ready. The furniture in the club room had been pushed back, the music turned up, and food and drink laid out. They gave him a wild round of applause as he entered.
‘Yo, let’s hear it for the spiral-back!’ hooted S
wanny, who usually acted as Master of Ceremonies on these occasions.
Ade jumped on a sofa, taking his favourite role of baiter. ‘But do we believe him?’
‘No! yelled the others. ‘Flare out! Flare out! Flare out!’ Each stripped off their tops and began taking mock punches and slaps at each other.
‘We need proof!’ bellowed Ade, beating his chest where the turtle back marks were just beginning to glow.
‘Oh God, I think I’m gonna need another drink if we’re doing it this way,’ said Kel.
‘And it’s gotta be champagne!’ Lee popped the cork on the waiting bottle and let it spray over Kel. Swanny and a couple of the others grabbed Kel’s shirt and pulled it over his head.
Kel downed a swig of champagne direct from the bottle and passed it on. The music went up a notch, trash rock with a driving beat. Turning off the main lights, Lee hit the switch for the UV lamps hidden in the ceiling. Immediately, they picked up the beginnings of the flare out from some of the guys who like Ade who were already pumped up by the dancing and scuffling. As Kel bundled into the middle of the crowd, one tiny part of him looked at this chaotic scene with an ironic detachment. They were like a bunch of primitives not far off hitting each other over the head with a club as part of some male bonding ritual; mostly, though, he was seduced by the atavistic pleasure of thrashing about with his best mates. This time he would be with them when they all went glow-bal.
Pushing through the bodies, Ade grabbed him round the neck. ‘Where are these markings then? Or do you need a big sloppy kiss to get revved?’
‘Not from you, mate.’ Laughing, Kel threw Ade off in a neat pitch and tumble move.
‘With no green-eyed girl to get you flaming, it’ll have to be the old stand-by of FIGHT!’ With that yell, the others took Ade’s word as a signal to come at Kel. Well aware of his skills, they didn’t hold back. He sent a few flying over the sofas until Lee and Swanny got him pinned.
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