“I was enjoying that bite of food!” Naomi told me.
“I’m sorry,” I replied.
Naomi sighed regretfully. “It’s only food.”
She held her arms out to me and gestured for me to come to her. I moved across the space and she wrapped her arms around me.
“Evil Dead?” I asked her as she held me.
“It’s better than watching the news,” Naomi replied. “Have you heard about those explosions?”
“Yeah, I heard,” I replied.
Naomi released her death-grip from around my back and held me out at arm’s length. She looked me over.
“You look different,” she told me.
“I am different,” I replied.
“That would explain it,” she said.
“Suppose so…” I agreed.
“I suppose you just didn’t pop in to check on me,” Naomi said.
“Well…” I said.
Naomi knew our visit was not a social call. She could tell from my expression. I could never hide anything from Naomi. She could also tell that I wasn’t just there to see her.
“Your mom, Sam and the kids are over at their place,” she added.
“I did come to see you, too,” I said. “To see all of you…and to ask a favor.”
“That sounds serious,” Naomi said.
“A little,” I agreed.
She sighed. “And here I was hoping for a regular, relaxing evening.”
“We’re sorry for scaring you,” Daniel said.
Naomi’s eyes widened as she realized the others were next to me. Daniel gave a half wave, while Alex moved in for a hug.
“Why didn’t you tell me they were here?!” Naomi demanded as she hugged Alex.
“Because you can see them,” I pointed out.
“That doesn’t matter,” Naomi said. “Manners are manners.”
“I’m not sure that makes sense…but okay,” I said. “Daniel, Alex and Spider are here.”
“I can see that now,” Naomi replied. “Speaking of ‘now,’ wasn’t your birthday yesterday?”
“Yes,” I replied.
“Happy birthday,” she said.
“Thanks…” I said half-heartedly.
Naomi put her arm around my waist and pulled me toward the sliding glass door that led out to the sandy beaches of Santa Monica. The night was not as far along as New York’s night. The time difference meant that there were still quite a few people wandering the beach and the boardwalk. My eyes took in every single person with fear and suspicion. To me, they were all out to get us.
Naomi turned right and led us through the sand to a house three doors down. This house was made out of the same stucco of Naomi’s house. It had a red roof and a large back deck, perfect for grilling out and watching the sunset over the water. The glass door was covered by a shade – to keep curious passerby from looking in. It was a security precaution that felt more like Sam than Ellen. The back deck already had hints of the pair living inside. Mess had started to accumulate – beach towels, flip-flops, bags were all piled around the door.
I could hear the not-so-subtle sounds of the kids inside. They were having an intense argument over who got to play on the PlayStation first. I also heard Sam in the middle of the argument, trying to point out how he was the adult, and he should get to go first. The kids were not buying it. They weren’t letting him win just because he was older. I did not hear Ellen, but I knew she was nearby, probably watching the argument joyfully. I could feel her. Her heartbeat drew me in.
Naomi walked across the deck and knocked on the door three times. The argument broke off and I heard feet cross the floor. Sam peeked out from behind the shade, saw us, and opened the door. His cautious glance had turned in to a smile. He immediately reached out and pulled Alex and me in to his embrace. His hug was tight. It was very different from the last time we had been reunited. He was joyful, excited. He actually seemed to radiate happiness.
Sam released us and gestured the others inside. The inside of the house reflected Sam and Ellen’s personalities. Everything was open and airy. There was not much furniture yet, but there was a sofa and a TV. The kitchen looked more used than I had been expecting. The counters mostly held Sam’s law books, a sign that Sam had been doing most of the cooking. The kids were in the living room. Cora and Ethan were on the couch, holding hands while Sprint and Twitch sat on the floor. Ellen was at a small, square table near the kitchen. She was eating pickles out of the jar. She held a pickle in her hand as we entered. It dripped juice on to the table as she stared at us. She was surprised to see us. Her face reflected her child-like shock. Seeing her again was bliss. The analytic part of my mind could not argue with the emotional part. It knew when it had been beaten. I was happy she looked so content. I was happy she was not one of the many people that had suffered because of the explosion. I went to her, wrapped my arms around her shoulders, and held her. She set her pickle down and moved to give me a proper hug. She held me even tighter than Sam had.
As I held her, I heard a faint ‘thumpthumpthump,’ like a tiny hummingbird using a jackhammer. It was strange and out of place. I ignored the sound, however. It was too happy to see her again to worry about wayward sounds. She pulled back and looked at my face. In that look she saw the change I had gone through, knew my pain, and realized I had come through it stronger than before. She held dueling emotions on that fact; worry I had changed too much and happiness I had not lost control. I was managing my anger; she knew a large part of it was because of Daniel. Her brown eyes told me a story of her affection for me. I smiled back at her, and she moved to greet the others. The kids welcomed us warmly, but I sensed their tension. They didn’t try to keep it from us. Their thoughts on being left out of the fight were loud and clear. Most of their anger was directed at Spider. He met their stares with a stare as determined as the ones being thrown his way. Before they could start with the accusations, he held up a hand.
“I’m sorry for leaving you here without giving you much of a choice,” Spider told them. “It was necessary, but it wasn’t right. It won’t happen again. I swear.”
They thought that through. They weren’t eager to hold on to their grudges. Forgiving Spider was easy. He was their brother.
“Fair enough,” Sprint said.
Spider let out a long breath. The conversation was going better than he had expected.
“There’s something else,” Spider said.
“What?” Ethan asked.
“Eli…he’s back,” Spider said. “He’s working with Serenity, and they are helping the Saints.”
The feeling of forgiveness in the room shifted. They were eager to forgive Spider, but they were not so eager to forgive Eli. His abandonment had come with a higher price. He had left them under more selfish circumstances, had done a lot of damage. Spider had at least left the kids in the care of people who could give them a normal life – as normal as Naomi and Ellen could be – if only for a little while.
“And you’re letting him?” Sprint asked.
“Not my call,” Spider said.
“It’s my fault,” I admitted. “He was part of a deal to get Daniel’s parents out of prison.”
“And did you get them out?” Ellen asked.
“Yes,” I replied.
“Good,” Ellen replied in relief.
“What’s the favor you wanted to ask us?” Naomi asked.
“You guys heard about the explosion in New York and the other explosions around the world?” I asked.
“Yes, of course,” Sam replied. “They say it’s a terrorist.”
“It’s Marcus,” I said. “He’s finally starting to show his hand. We think he has more planned. I’d like to take you somewhere he can’t find you…just until we can figure out what he’s doing and stop him.”
They stared at me. I could hear their thoughts. Ellen and Sam were reluctant to leave their new home. They were just finally starting to get stable again. The kids were reluctant to be stashed somewhere els
e where they missed all the fun. Naomi was thinking about her work and, strangely, the pickles on the table. She wanted one.
“We’re going to go where the Saints are,” I said to the kids. “And it’s not up for negotiation,” I told Ellen, Sam and Naomi. “Before I think about stopping Marcus, I have to know you’re safe. It’s that simple.”
Ellen looked at Sam for his opinion. He gave a slight nod. I heard his thoughts welcoming the chance to spend more time with Alex, outside of a visit between one mission and the next. I wasn’t sure if he knew how much seeing the missions would make him aware of how dangerous they really were.
“Do we have to leave now?” Ellen asked.
“Yeah,” I agreed.
“Can we at least pack?” Ellen asked.
“One bag each,” I said.
“Seriously?” Naomi asked.
“As serious as I can be,” I replied.
Naomi shook her head and moved back through the back door, to collect a bag from her house. I glanced at Daniel, and with a nod, he followed her out through the door. I heard Naomi start talking to him as they walked. Their conversation was friendly and warm, the type of warmth I expected from both of them. The others started moving as well, collecting things they thought they might need. I saw Spider walk over to the kitchen where a radio was sitting on the counter around Sam’s books.
“Can I take this?” Spider asked Sam as Sam tried to figure which book he wanted to take the most.
“Yeah, sure,” Sam replied in a distracted voice.
Sam picked up two heavy books and weighed them in his hands. Undecided, he finally stuck them both in his bag.
It didn’t take them long to pack. Ellen was first to be finished. She was packed before the others could figure out what they wanted and what they didn’t. She was a pro at quick moves on the fly. She had spent her life living out of a duffle bag – we both had. I regretted the fact that I had to force her to give her normalcy so soon after finding it, but I wasn’t going to take any risks. Marcus had a way of complicating things – I did not want her death to be a ‘complication.’ I was not sure what my new body would do if such a thing happened. I would not be able to control my reaction.
When everyone had their belongings, and Naomi had returned from her house, I held out my hands. Only Spider, Daniel and Alex knew what I meant. I had forgotten the others did not know about my new ability. Naomi was the only one who reached out unquestioningly.
“It’s easier to explain by showing,” I said. “Just touch me.”
Their faces hesitant, they did as I told them. Before anyone could break free or start giggling, as Ellen was on the verge of, I pulled us in to the place in-between. The weight of them was a warm one. My whole family was in the dark with me. I just hoped I was doing the right thing by pulling them out of their lives.
I landed us on the platform at the very top of the stairs. Ellen, Naomi, Sam and the kids all fell to the ground with our landing. They had not been prepared for the dizziness or the feeling as if they had stopped moving suddenly. I had forgotten to warn them. I helped Ellen to her feet. As I did, she started giggling.
“That was ridiculous,” Ellen told me.
“I know,” I said.
“Can we do it again?” Naomi asked.
“Maybe later,” I replied.
Ellen and the others finally realized what we had landed on. They took in the vine-made platform as well as the rooms. They saw that they stretched far out of sight and were impressed. Watchers peeked out of their rooms to find out the source of the noise. The Watchers took in the new arrivals with curiosity. My family’s faces were full of wonder at the sights in front of them. I heard them trying to figure out such a thing was possible. They could not come to terms with the world I had presented to them. Sam, for one, was speechless. He was used to courtrooms, not rooms of vine.
Reaper was waiting for us on the platform. He had not moved far. Next to him were Margaret, Jackson, and River. Reaper looked at my family then at the rooms.
“You can take whichever one you want that’s unoccupied. Make yourselves at home,” Reaper said.
No one replied. They were still taking in the sights. I knew they would be okay. The fear in my chest had subsided.
“We should go check on your people now,” I told Reaper.
Reaper nodded.
“It should be a small group, as there might be a lot of people we need to pick up,” Reaper replied.
“I understand,” I said.
“Me, you and Daniel,” Reaper added.
Margaret, Jackson and Alex all started to protest. Reaper held up his hand.
“Alex needs to go to Han and Beatrice and get tested, to see if she picked up that virus they think was in the bomb,” Reaper said. “Margaret and Jackson, I need you two to get with River and work on an attack plan. We’re going to find King and Preacher soon, and we need to know the best way to focus our forces.”
“I do so under protest,” Jackson said.
“Noted,” Reaper said.
“You think I was exposed to a virus?” Alex asked.
I forgot that we had not shared that particular piece of information with her.
“We’re not sure,” I said. “That’s why you need to see Han and Beatrice.”
Daniel pulled the vials out of his pocket.
“And give them this, please,” Daniel said to Alex.
Alex didn’t look happy about us going without her, but she didn’t protest. Neither did Spider. He was holding Twitch’s hand and looking at the room Eli was still locked away in with Serenity. He wanted to be there with them in case they saw Eli. He wanted them to have a measure of a buffer. It was a choice I approved of.
“Where first?” I asked Reaper.
Reaper thought about it. He carefully kept his expression neutral, though I saw an uncertainty in the depth of his eyes. He had two separate priorities – that of a leader and that of a friend. I could tell he wanted to get Preacher and King home first, but I could also tell he thought them the most capable of looking after themselves. There were less experienced Saints out there, who needed to be brought home before the Seekers hunted them down. Reaper held out his hand and put a city street in to my mind. It was a street I was only vaguely familiar with, a street in Seattle. Daniel grabbed my other hand and, together, we left the others to figure out their place in the group.
The street was quiet; the night had brought a calm hush to the city. Despite the calm, I felt a dawning of preternatural awareness. It was an awareness that alerted me to the fact that something was off about our surroundings. Something was wrong. Reaper and Daniel were also aware of the feeling. I could see it on their faces. It was a subtle whisper against the night that suggested somewhere near someone was in trouble. I looked to Reaper for a clue to the feeling. He was looking up. I followed his gaze but saw nothing. Reaper looked at us again, and gestured up without a word. Daniel and I nodded, and we followed him to a ladder on the side of the building. Reaper jumped up to it easily, making his quick way up. Daniel and I followed after him. My body had no trouble jumping distance between the ground and the ladder. It was something I would not have managed before.
The top of the building was typical; hard concrete and a short ledge separating the top from the long fall down. It was empty, deserted. I scanned the roofline but there was no sign of people on any of the roofs across from us. Reaper moved to the opposite side of the building and looked down. His body language immediately changed. Daniel and I hurried over to see what he saw.
Two groups were in the middle of an alley without windows. One group was larger – better armed than the second group. Seekers. With them, were zombie-Watchers, who looked only barely contained by the Seekers. The other group was Reaper’s people. Despite being outnumbered and outclassed, the Saints were prepared to die fighting. My heart started to beat quicker at the sight of them. Their bravery impressed me. With the raised tempo of my heartbeat came new emotion in my chest. I was angry, I wa
s tired, and I was done letting Marcus bully us. We had spent too long hiding from him. It was time to fight back. It was time to show him his actions would not be tolerated.
Without thinking, I moved to the ledge and let gravity work its magic. I fell swiftly to the hard ground and landed between the two groups just as the Seekers were preparing to attack. The pavement cracked with my hit. Both groups looked at me in shock. Neither had noticed our arrival – they had been too focused on the impending violence.
“Leave now, and I’ll let you live,” I said to the Seekers.
The Seekers looked me over once then laughed at me. Their laughter made rounds in the alley. I was not the sort of threat that worried them. I shrugged once at the laughter and let the anger move through my body. It was more controlled anger – emotion that focused my abilities and talents in a productive way.
“I warned you,” I said.
I pulled the knife out of my boot and moved to the twenty or so Seekers with grace I was still getting used to. I felt the training the historian had pounded in to me work its magic subconsciously. I did not have to think about my movements, they flowed naturally.
I met the first Seeker with a flash of blade against flesh. My knife cut in to him before he could wipe the smirk off his face. The other Seekers lost their mirth as he fell to the earth. I moved on to the next one before the man had even hit the ground. I moved from one Seeker to the next. My attack was swift, to the point. I was beyond fighting fair. Time felt stopped. There was nothing but everything, and the feel of my body dancing through the enemies in front of me. None of the Seekers I faced used their talents. They were young. The shock held them in their place. The zombie-Watchers were the easiest to face. I blasted them out of my way with fire. Their shrieks filled the air. The last living Seeker held up her hands as I reached her; her face was full of terror. I was angry, but my necklace burned a reminder in to my skin. Compassion. She deserved it, even if she would not have returned in kind.
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