by R. D. Brady
Lou sat up and slid her feet into her sneakers. Jump out the window?
She walked to the window that overlooked the back yard. The yard looked really far away.
Hitching up the window, she threw one leg over and looked down. This is not crazy, she told herself as she threw over her other leg.
Grabbing onto the ledge, she lowered herself over, holding on only by her fingertips. She let out a breath. Well, here goes nothing.
She let go. Time seemed to stop. She fell in what seemed to be minutes. As she neared the ground, she tucked. Rolling as she hit, she bounced up to her feet.
She stood still, her jaw gaping as she looked up at her window. Then a grin spread across her face. I just did that. She nearly let out a laugh but covered her mouth. Holy crap.
With a skip in her step, she vaulted the back fence and ran down the block. An Explorer sat idling at the curb. A tingle ran through her.
Lou picked up her pace and opened the door to see Jordan sitting in the back seat with Jen and Maddox upfront. She grinned. "Hi guys."
Jordan frowned at her.
Maddox barked at her from the driver's seat. "Next time, make sure we're the good guys before you blindly open a door."
Her smile slipped a little. "Uh yeah. Sorry."
Jen looked over her shoulder at her from the passenger seat, an eyebrow raised. "Welcome to your first day of training."
CHAPTER 28
They trained every night for three hours for two weeks. They kept the training simple: basic self defense moves and avoidance strategies. And Jen had to admit that Lou was a natural. She seemed to be able to almost sense what she or Maddox was going to do before they did it.
Henry had even come down to try his skill on her. She'd done pretty well. But Jen wasn't ready to sign off. Not yet.
"Everything ready?" Maddox asked Jen as he walked into the old manufacturing plant with Lou. The plant had been abandoned two decades ago due to financial problems. And no one had been interested in buying the place since then.
Jen smiled. "Yup."
Lou curled a bicep. "Well, bring it on."
"Oh, I see we're getting a little cocky," Maddox said.
Lou grinned. "Not cocky. Just confident."
"Well, we'll see how you do after tonight." Jen pointed to the path behind her that led between the giant machines. "Head down that way until you see a catwalk overhead. When you're under it, we begin. Same rules: find and capture."
"Yes, ma'am." Lou gave Jen a salute before she headed down the path with a skip in her step.
Jen crossed her arms watching Lou disappear, trying hard not to smile. She was really beginning to like this kid.
Maddox stood next to her. "The surprise in place?"
Jen nodded. "Yup."
"Think she's ready?"
Jen smiled up at him. "Nope."
CHAPTER 29
Lou walked down the path following its twists and turns. The plant was dark. Although she was feeling more confident in her skills, the place did leave her feeling a little creeped out.
Up ahead, she saw the catwalk. "Let the games begin," she whispered as she reached it.
Lou went still, listening to see if she could sense or hear anyone. Nothing. Lou moved forward slowly, sticking to the shadows.
A creak sounded from the catwalk above her, but she didn't sense anyone. She grinned. Hello Jordan.
Lou ran down the path. She leaped on top of a conveyor belt before jumping for the catwalk. Landing lightly in a crouch, she peered ahead and saw movement. She grinned. He was making this way too easy.
She sprinted down the catwalk. A shadow disappeared right at the end with a flash of blonde hair.
Gotcha. She ran for the movement and stopped. The catwalk dead-ended in an empty space, heavy with shadows. What the hell?
She spun hearing a clink of metal from below. "How the hell did you get down there so fast?" she murmured.
One arm on the railing, she jumped over the side. She landed in a roll and bounced to her feet.
A noise sounded to her left. Lou ran quickly along the path when a noise from her right pulled her to a stop. How did he get over there?
She chased noises for ten minutes - occasionally catching a glimpse of Jordan dressed all in black. But every time she thought she had him, he disappeared and reappeared across the factory.
Now she stood under the catwalk where she'd first started. Frustration rolled through her. This should be easier. Jordan was human - he didn't have her skills. How was he staying out of her grasp?
She couldn't hear anything and the machines towered above her, making it hard to see. Lou leapt to the top of one and jumped from container to container. She crouched down low and scanned the room.
Where was he? For a human, he moved really fast.
Up ahead she heard a movement, as if someone had stepped on a grate. She smiled. Got you now.
Moving silently, she climbed down the machine, making her way to the spot where she'd heard the noise. If she was right, he was over near the giant turbine. Another creak of metal had her moving faster. She smiled.
Hunched over, she made her way quickly down the path. She stopped at the end of the aisle. Hidden by the machine, she paused, straining to hear. Nothing. But then, a scuffle sounded. She peeked out. He was twenty feet away, his back to her.
She stepped out ready to sprint over and take him down. But a piece of metal tapped her on the back. "You're dead," whispered a voice.
The man behind her grabbed her by the shoulder and turned her around.
She stared at him in disbelief. "What the hell?"
CHAPTER 30
"That was completely unfair," Lou yelled.
Jen crossed her arms over her chest. "How was that unfair?"
Lou spluttered. "They're - they're - they're twins."
Jen raised an eyebrow, nodding to where her brothers sat drinking some water. They saluted her with their water bottles. "Were you not aware of the existence of twins in the world?"
Lou ran her hands through her hair, looking like she wanted to yank some of it out. "Of course I know twins exist. But first you give me humans, and then you give me identical humans. It wasn't a fair test."
"Why not?"
"Because I wasn't ready. I wasn't expecting that."
Jen used her height to tower over Lou. "Exactly. You weren't ready and you got sloppy. You saw your target and you didn't think there might be another danger."
"But, I mean, what the hell's the chance I'm going to go against identical twins?"
"I don't know, Lou. What's the chance you're going to go against lab created gigantic leopards? Because you know what, that's what my friends faced when they went up against these guys."
Lou reared back. "What? You're kidding, right?"
"No, I'm not." Jen was relieved to see fear cross Lou's face. Lou had been taking this all way too lightly. "You need to understand what you might be up against. You are never safe. You can never let your guard down. You can never be cocky. You think this was unfair? Just wait. You haven't even begun to see unfair."
Jordan walked over. "Lou, you've been doing really well with training. But Jen's right. You need to always be on guard. You can't be so focused on the prize that you forget about the threats - even when the prize is within reach. Actually, especially when the prize is within reach. That's when you need to be even more vigilant."
Lou sighed, her shoulders slumped. "I know you guys are right. It's just . . . I don't know." She scuffed her shoe along the floor.
Jen put a hand on her shoulder. "It's just you thought you were doing well. And now you feel like you're not. You have been doing well. But my brothers here, well they've been doing this for years. You've had weeks."
Jordan nodded. "And even then, I could have sworn you had me back at the catwalk. It was really close."
"How did you get away?" Lou asked.
Jordan grinned. "I dropped into a corner of shadows, pulled my hood over my head, and h
eld my breath. You walked right by me."
"Seriously?" Lou grouched. "That's how I missed you?"
Jordan shrugged. "Sometimes hiding in plain sight works. You were expecting me to keep moving, so I decided to stop moving. If you're in a tight spot and your enemy expects you to do one thing, do the opposite."
Lou nodded. "Yeah, okay."
Maddox put an arm around her. "You're doing good, kid. But this is just a reminder: the bad guys don't play fair. So don't expect them to."
Lou nodded.
Jen watched her - still not sure this was the right thing. Lou had been doing well but she was just a kid. She wasn't ready for this. Jen also knew that part of Lou was latching onto the idea of finding Charlotte's killer as a way to avoid dealing with Charlotte's death.
Lou glanced at Jen. In the dim light, she looked so young.
Jordan tapped Jen on the shoulder and gave a barely perceptible shake of his head. He knew Jen wanted to try and talk her out of it again.
She sighed. God I hate this.
Lou looked up. A smile returned to her face. "Okay. Let's go again. Best two out of three?"
Jordan nodded. "I'm game."
"Me too," Mike said as he walked up.
They all looked to Jen. But Jen kept her eyes on Lou.
"I've got this," Lou said.
Jen knew Lou was talking about more than the exercise. She nodded. "Okay. Let's go again."
CHAPTER 31
Two nights later, Henry stretched out on the couch in his home office. He'd made another trip to Detroit. Ostensibly the trip had been so Danny could check the tracker. But Henry knew he could have had someone else do that. He had wanted to see that Jen was okay.
And she was for the most part. But he knew it didn't sit well with her to string Lou out as bait, even if Lou was the one who'd put herself on the hook. He couldn't blame her.
But from what little he knew about Lou, he could tell she was committed. If they didn't help her, she'd try to go after them herself.
He shook his head, trying to focus on the papers in his hand. He should be looking over the contract with the Venezuelan group that he was supposed to sign.
He placed them on the coffee table next to him after reading and re-reading the opening paragraphs a few times. He closed his eyes. Five minutes and I'll get right back to them.
Danny shook his shoulder a while later waking him. "Um, Henry?
Henry looked at Danny and then wiped his eyes sitting up. "Hey Danny. What time is it?"
"Close to midnight."
Henry rubbed his face. "I must have fallen asleep. What are you up to?"
Henry noticed for the first time how pale Danny was. He scooted over on the couch and gestured for Danny to take a seat.
Danny did - a file in his hand.
"What's wrong?" Henry asked.
Danny handed him a folder. "I found something out."
Henry took the folder but kept his eyes on Danny. Danny stayed quiet, so Henry opened it. Inside were police reports on four separate homicides in the last six months and a list of the teenagers they'd liberated from the second camp. Four names were highlighted.
Henry looked up. "I don't get it. What is this?"
Danny swallowed. "I'm not entirely sure. But it seems that at the same time some of those guys were recruited, there were murders in their neighborhoods."
"Okay, horrible but that happens. Some of these kids are from some really violent areas."
Danny nodded. "I know but look at how the victims were killed."
Henry scanned the reports. All the victims were middle-aged women. They had been found sitting in a chair in their living room - even though none of them had been killed in the chair - with their throats cuts and dozens of stab wounds.
Henry stared at Danny and he saw the eight-year old boy he'd met seven years ago. Without Danny saying a word, Henry had known how unhappy he was, how rough he was having it at home.
Once Henry had gotten to know Danny, he'd promised himself he would give Danny a safe home - a place where violence wouldn't touch him.
Henry stared at the reports in front of him. And now the boy he'd promised himself he would protect from danger was showing him evidence of a serial killer at work.
Henry cleared his throat. "I'm sure it's just a coincidence."
"A coincidence? Henry, these murders all happened in different states. But they all happened when someone was recruiting. Statistically, the likelihood that these are not related is nonexistent."
Henry sighed, knowing fighting Danny on facts was an effort in futility. "I know. I know."
Danny bit his lip.
Henry watched him. "Is there more?"
"Yeah. The last murder in that file was after we raided the last camp. Which means the killer is still out there." Danny handed Henry another sheet of paper. "And this is a homicide on the same night that Lou's sister was killed."
Henry took the sheet knowing what he was going to find. Catherine Pearce, age fifty-four, had been found in her living room with her throat cut and over a dozen stab wounds to her chest.
He looked up at Danny as dread spread through him.
Danny nodded. "I think you should call Jen."
CHAPTER 32
Jen paced the living room floor of the suite. "She's okay," Maddox said from the couch.
Jen nodded but kept pacing. "I know."
Jordan had called a few minutes ago to say he'd picked up Lou and was on the way. And Jen trusted Jordan. She knew hell or high water he'd keep her safe. But still, Henry's news had scared the hell out of her and she'd been on edge ever since.
A knock sounded at the door halting her ruminations.
"See? There she is." Maddox crossed the room and opened the door.
"You're sure this is safe?" Lou asked as she walked in, Jordan behind her.
"Yes. Come on in. Breakfast is already here." Jen studied Lou. There were some dark circles under her eyes, but overall she looked good. Her clothes were clean and there was an energy around her.
"I'll be down the hall if you need me." Jordan pulled the door closed. Jen knew he was going to be by the elevator, making sure no one entered the floor. There were also two other Chandler operatives stationed at the hotel.
"Hey kid," Maddox said.
"Hey coach," Lou answered heading straight for the table and taking a seat. "Man this looks good."
Jen sat down across from her. "Aren't they feeding you over there?"
Lou nodded, picking up her fork. "They are. I'm just really hungry lately."
Maddox took a seat at the table and picked up his fork. "It's your abilities. It's like a growth spurt. You're burning off calories faster than you can replace them right now. It'll slow up in a few years."
Lou nodded. "Hey fine by me."
Maddox looked at Jen and nudged his head toward Lou.
Jen shook her head.
Lou looked between the two of them. "So what's up?"
"What do you mean?" Jen said, stalling.
Lou gave a little laugh. "You know I know you guys at this point, right?" She pointed her fork at Maddox. "Maddox here looks like he wants to tell me something and you look like you're going to throw him out of the window if he says anything."
"Actually, it was going to be through the wall," Jen mumbled.
Lou stabbed at her pancakes. "Ha - I knew it. So spill."
Jen sighed, knowing she had lost this battle. "Okay. I got a call from Henry last night." Jen explained about the women who had been killed so far and their connection to the recruits.
Lou's appetite seemed to diminish with every word Jen said. Finally, she pushed her plate away. "Man, those poor women."
Jen nodded. "Now we need to decide if we pull you out because-"
Lou jerked her head back up. "Wait, pull me out? Why?"
"Didn't you just hear what I said? Someone's killing people while recruiting," Jen said.
Lou shook her head. "Yeah but they're not killing nephilim or Fall
en. In fact, whoever is killing them seems to have a specific type - a type which is not me."
"True," Maddox said.
Jen glared at him.
"Which means I'm not in danger," Lou continued. "Other people are. So I'm not getting what's changed."
Jen shook her head. "We don't know that for sure. All we know is that these murders and the recruitment are connected. It's not safe."
Lou let out a laugh but there was no joy in it. "Safe? Do you know what my life was like before all of this? I lived in one of the worst neighborhoods ever. Crossing a war zone was safer than walking to school. My mom was killed. My sister was killed. I'm only here because of my freaky abilities or I would have died that night in the park. I've never been safe."
"But you can be safe now. We can keep you safe," Jen said.
Lou shook her head. "And what about the other kids, huh? The other ones like me who get targeted and don't have you backing them up? Who's going to keep them safe?" Lou looked at Maddox. "You agree with me. I know you do."
Maddox held Lou's gaze for a moment and then turned to Jen. "I do. The guy who's targeting these people, he's not going to stop just because Lou gets tucked away. If we're lucky, we can catch him as well as find the training camp."
"See?" Lou said. "This is the best course of action. And before you say anything, I know it's dangerous but I choose to do this. I choose to help."
Jen wanted to strangle her and at the same time she was so proud she could burst. "Lou, I can't ask you -"
Lou cut her off. "You're not asking me to do anything. I'm telling you that I'm staying here. I'm doing this. You try to take me away and I'll just run."
Jen looked at Lou who met her gaze without blinking. She had to admit, the girl had courage. But Jen couldn't help but feel responsible. She never should have mentioned anything about this killer. It only seemed to increase Lou's resolve.
"Jen, I want to do this. I need to do this," Lou said.
"Lou, these people - " Jen shook her head trying to figure out a way to convey in a few words just how dangerous they truly were. "They're just- they're evil, Lou. I don't want you around that."