A New Beginning r-5

by Kevin Ryan

  For the first time in… maybe the first time ever, Kyle found himself eager to get back to work.

  Just after four thirty, Kyle went to get Max and Michael to help him push the van into a repair bay. Though they have been pleased by Kyle's news, they had left the diner reluctantly and then hurried back.

  Kyle understood. There was something odd in the air at Stonewall. And lately, that air seemed to be getting thicker. He was glad the guys were staying close to Isabel, Liz, and Maria. That thought moved his hands even faster. He grabbed the engine lift and wheeled it over to the van. Yes, if he hurried, he could get it out before Liz called to tell him to come down for dinner.

  Two hours later, when the shop phone rang, Kyle picked it up and knew it was Liz.

  "Dinner bell, Kyle," she said.

  Kyle smiled as he said, "I'll be right there.”

  Before he headed out, he took a quick inventory of his work. The engine was out of the van, and he'd even pulled the old timing chain… which hadn't broken so much as disintegrated in a number of places.

  He nearly trotted out the door. If he ate quickly, he would be able to get the new one in no problem and, if he was lucky, get the engine back in the van before it got too late.

  Kyle was the last to arrive. He came in excited and told them about the van.

  "I'll need a few days to get the van running well, but I should be able to get it started at least tonight," Kyle said.

  Max was pleased that it looked like they would be able to leave town in a week of less.

  "I want to thank you kids," Bell said as she brought out the first plates of food. "The place looks great.”

  Max smiled and said, "Actually, it looks much worse.”

  It did; they had scraped almost the whole outside of the building smooth, but there were now oddly colored patches everywhere. The diner now looked like a mottled mess.

  "Well… you'll get there," she said.

  "We will prime and paint the front tomorrow first thing, then we'll move on to the rest," he said.

  "Fine, fine," she said as she headed back to get more plates.

  When the food was all out, Bell came out and said, "Would you girls mind locking up? I have to go see my sister." She shook her head and muttered, "My good-for-nothing brother-in-law…”

  "Sure," Liz said.

  "Whatever you do, girls, don't marry a good-for-nothing lazy bum named Rex," Bell said.

  "We'll remember that," Maria said.

  Less than a minute later, Bell was leaving with Sam in tow. She stopped by Jimmy's table and said, "Come on, Jimmy. We'll take you home.”

  Jimmy looked up, his eyes rimmed in red, and said, "What if she comes?”

  "She'll know how late it is and know to go home. Come on. You need some sleep so you can come in tomorrow," Bell said.

  "Okay," Jimmy said. And he headed for the door.

  Then he turned and walked over to Liz. "I'm sorry about your friend," he said, quickly glancing over at the table. Was he looking at Max? "My what?" Liz said.

  "Sorry," he said, and turned to leave.

  Liz stopped him with a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Which friend?" she asked.

  Jimmy shrugged. Then he turned to go.

  Bell came over and took him by the arm. "Don't mind Jimmy. He says the strangest things.”

  An odd look crossed Bell's face. Liz wondered how much Bell knew about Jimmy's ability. Then Bell was all business again as she led Jimmy out the door with Sam in tow.

  As soon as the door closed, Liz turned to Max and said, "Oh, my God!”

  Max knew what she was thinking, but he shook his head. "It'll be okay.”

  "No it won't," Liz said, raising her voice.

  "Nothing is going to happen to me, or to any of us," Max said with more certainty than he felt.

  "Jimmy has never been wrong. He has some version of what I have. He sees things before they happen," Liz said.

  "Liz," Maria said, putting her hand on Liz's, "you pre- dicted the assassination attempt on yourself and our alien friends here twelve days in advance. Jimmy predicted spills in a diner. If you predicted one every day, you'd be right one hundred percent of the time.”

  "No, he has the same gift. Or something like it," Liz said.

  "I'll be careful," Max said.

  "Maybe we should talk about getting out of here," Liz said. Then she turned to Kyle. "If we had to go, could the van get us to the next town tomorrow?”

  Kyle was silent for a moment, and Max spoke before he could respond. "No," Max said. "We're going to stay and help these people.”

  "But Max, you are in danger," Liz said. He knew how badly Liz wanted to help out here. But she was also con- cerned for him and the two desires were now at war inside her.

  "We're going to help Jimmy. And we don't know any- thing about what Jimmy saw. Maybe he saw me get… hurt leaving town," Max said.

  "But most likely, he saw you facing whoever it is that is hurting people in this town. The monster from Isabel's dream," Liz said.

  "We're out here to make a difference. You said it your- self," Max said, and before Liz spoke, he added, "If the danger was to you, what would you do?”

  Liz nodded. Then she turned to Michael. "You'll keep him out of trouble?”

  Michael didn't smile or joke; he just nodded and said, "Yes.”

  "I thought you were the one who didn't want to take any chances in this town," Liz said.

  Max nodded. He thought about his own sister and his friends. "I changed my mind," he said finally.

  "We still don't know if there is anything we can do," Michael said.

  Isabel shook her head, "I haven't been able to contact her again. She may be awake or drugged, or out of it, or…”

  "I don't think so. I saw Jimmy go to her funeral and she hasn't… turned up yet. But I think we're running out of time," Liz said.

  "Another vision?" Max said.

  "A feeling," Liz said.

  "I don't know what else we can do, besides keeping our eyes open," Michael said.

  "Then I guess we keep our eyes open," Max said.

  "Are we even going to consider the possibility that… well, what Gomer said," Maria said.

  "That the girls were taken by aliens?" Michael said.

  "Isabel did see a monster in the dream," Maria said.

  "And you said that monsters were metaphors," Michael replied.

  "I know, I'm just saying that we should consider the possibility," she said.

  "I don't think so," Liz said. "What are the odds of us running into aliens out here?”

  "Isabel?" Maria said.

  Isabel shook her head and said, "I don't know. The dream was awful, but that monster was like no alien we've ever seen. It just doesn't seem likely.”

  "I agree," Max said. "We're dealing with a psycho or maybe a small group, but we have no reason to think any- thing else. Either way, we do the only thing we can and keep our eyes open.”

  "I read a thriller about a kidnapping in Texas," Liz said. "The kidnappers are caught something like ninety-five percent of the time.”

  That got Max's attention. "That's good," he said.

  Liz nodded. "The problem is that eight-five percent of the time, the victims don't make it.”

  Another spell of silence descended on the table.

  "If I stay up late, I might be able to patch the van up so that we can make a quick getaway tomorrow," Kyle said.

  "No," Max said. "We're in this for the long haul and we're going to need the van in good shape. Do it right and take the time you need. We'll leave when we're ready and can get far away from here. Besides…”

  Max turned to Michael, smiled, and said, "When it starts to go down in the street…”

  "We don't leave until it's finished," Michael replied.

  Max heard a sharp intake of breath and then, Smack! "Ow," Michael said, rubbing his shoulder where Maria had struck him.

  "This is not a gangster movie!" Maria said. "And it's just as well. They ten
d to end badly, Mr. Sonny Corleone.”

  "It was just a joke," Michael said.

  "Not a very funny one," Maria said.

  Kyle rose, explaining, "I'd better get back. I want to at least get the engine back into the van.”

  "Be careful," Max said.

  "Always," Kyle said as he left the diner.

  Everyone remained silent. Kyle wondered if they were all thinking the same thing he was: that there wasn't much time left before…

  He wasn't sure what was coming, but he was certain that it was coming quickly. Like Liz said, it was a feeling.

  17

  When Kyle approached the garage he was glad to see that there was no sign of Gomer's pickup. He was also sur- prised to see movement through the office window. He caught a flash of blond hair. Dawn.

  He entered the garage quietly through the large door. Kyle hadn't seen her enter the shop area since he had started at Johnny's. With any luck she would just go whenever she was done.

  Back at the van, he was glad he had already rigged up the engine on the lift. He was getting tired after the long day. And he was slowing down after eating, as well. Max had said they were in this for the long haul. There was no point in staying up all night to work on the van.

  He would have a long enough day tomorrow.

  Well, if he pushed a little, he could wrap up the work in maybe an hour. He would have the engine set and bolted into place by then. He could take care of the finish- ing work tomorrow.

  About an hour later, he tightened the last bolt on the last engine mount. Then he decided to clean up and join the others.

  As he closed up the engine compartment, he realized there was something different about the air. It smelled…

  Cool hands reached around and touched his face, then covered his eyes.

  The air smelled nice.

  It was Dawn. "Guess who?" she asked, laughing.

  He placed his hands on hers and held them there for a long moment. Then he gently pulled them away. Without thinking, he realized that he was smiling. "I don't know… Dan," he teased as he turned around.

  Her eyes flared in mock anger for a second, then she smiled.

  "Oh, it's you," he said.

  "Yes, it's me," she said. Then she just looked at him silently.

  "Working late?" he asked, his voice rough. Surprisingly, he found that he was nervous.

  She shook her head. "Dan's Web site. You're going to have to help me with that," she said.

  "Maybe tomorrow… or…," Kyle began.

  "I didn't mean tonight," she said. "I'm sure we can come up with something better to do tonight.”

  Kyle's throat went dry. She watched him with a look of mild amusement on her face.

  "What do you think, Kyle?" she said.

  As it turned out, Kyle found that his mind was com- pletely blank. Then all he could think of was how good she smelled. What was that perfume? he thought.

  And then she was moving. She leaned into him and put one hand around the back of his neck. As she pulled his head down, she extended her own neck.

  Then she was kissing him. Soft and then open. For a moment, Kyle felt it. Sweet relief. This was exactly what he had wanted from the first second he had seen her sitting at her desk. There were no aliens, no Special Unit, no bullets slamming into his chest, no secrets… only her. And she was sweet.

  For what seemed like a long time, Kyle lost himself in her. He kissed her firmly, and she answered back even more forcefully. This was what he needed. He wasn't a monk. And Buddha's Middle Way did not ask him to be.

  Dawn was what he needed… but what he wanted was…

  Isabel.

  Not Dawn.

  When the realization hit him, it did so with a sudden force that he felt in his stomach. He pulled his mouth away from hers. For a moment, she pulled him back with her tight grip. Then he was free again, pushing himself away gently but firmly.

  "What is it, Kyle?" she asked, a light still on in her eyes.

  "Ah… I can't, Dawn," he said weakly.

  She glanced down and smiled at him again. "I know for a fact that isn't true," she said. She was still smiling, but the smile was getting tighter by the second.

  "I like you. I really like you, but I won't be staying in Stonewall," he said, gaining more confidence in his own voice. The light in her eyes was almost completely out now. The look on her face hardened.

  "I didn't ask you to, did I?" Dawn reminded him.

  "And the van's full. I can't take anyone with me," he said.

  Her eyes cold, she said, "I didn't ask you to do that, either.”

  "I'm sorry, I…," he began.

  "I know, you can't," she said sharply.

  "Please understand," he said.

  "Understand what?" she asked.

  "I mean, I do like you," he said.

  Her cold stare told him that she was expecting some- thing more. From him. But how to explain? How could he explain that it meant more to him to sit next to Isabel than it did to kiss her? How could he explain that he would rather talk to Isabel than… anything with her. Isabel was an impossible situation. She was still married, and up until days ago had been living happily with her husband. She wouldn't care what Kyle did with this girl.

  But he would care. It would matter to him.

  He couldn't make Dawn understand all that that. And she probably didn't really want him to try.

  "I'm sorry, I really am. But there is someone else in my life," he said.

  He saw a brief flash before the side of his face exploded into red.

  Smack! His hand was touching his cheek before what had hap- pened registered on him. As he rubbed the place where she'd slapped him, she began shouting.

  "Then why have you been playing with me, Kyle?" she said, drawing his name out like it was a curse. He thought she was overreacting. He felt compelled to try to calm her down.

  "I…," was all he could say.

  "This whole time, this whole game!" she said, her voice getting louder still.

  Kyle kept silent. He had nothing to say. At least, there was nothing he could say that wouldn't make things worse.

  "You've just been playing with me. Having a good joke at the local girl's expense!" she railed.

  It had been a long time since he had seen a girl truly angry. And even longer still since he had been on the receiving end of that rage. It was unsettling. "I'm sorry," he said again. He knew it was lame.

  Apparently she did, too. She was still angry, but some- thing was changing. Her eyes were beginning to get red.

  Uh-oh, he thought. Angry was better.

  As she started to sob, she turned and stormed away. Kyle let out a long sigh, glad it was finally over.

  But before he had taken another breath, Kyle heard Gomer's voice.

  "Dawn," he called out. Kyle could hear concern in his voice.

  Gomer stepped into the garage. He didn't even glance Kyle's way and said, "Your dad said that you told him not to pick you up. I just wanted to make sure you got home okay.”

  Yeah, and make sure she didn't work too late with me here, Kyle thought.

  Dawn didn't respond, she just kept walking across the shop floor toward him. When she was just a few steps away, Kyle could see that Gomer had finally seen her face.

  "What's going on here?" he asked, looking first to Dawn, then to Kyle.

  "We were just talking," Kyle said.

  Then he saw Dawn's shoulders shake and heard her first sob. Gomer looked both surprised and confused. Great, Kyle thought.

  When Gomer looked at Kyle again, Kyle saw that some- thing else was brewing there.

  "You," Gomer said, glaring at Kyle. Kyle saw that the only thing that kept Gomer from coming after him was Dawn falling into Gomer's arms. Whatever control she had fell away, and she sobbed openly into his chest.

  "What did he do to you?" Gomer asked.

  Kyle had thought Gomer sounded dangerous before, when he had trapped Kyle under the car. But now Kyle knew that Gomer had
just been playing then, because now he was hearing what Gomer sounded like when he was really dangerous.

  Well, Kyle had faced bigger and tougher guys on the football field. He could be pretty dangerous himself.

  And he wasn't stuck under a three-ton car now. Kyle felt a shot of adrenaline race through his system.

  Gomer was holding Dawn, but looking up at Kyle with murder in his eyes. Buddha only knew what he was thinking.

  When Dawn's sobs began to subside, Gomer pulled back a little and said to her, "What happened here?”

  "Nothing," she squeaked. "I just want to go home.”

  "Sure, in a minute," Gomer said, completely disentan- gling himself from Dawn. He immediately headed for Kyle.

  Kyle squeezed the fist on his right hand into a ball, ready. He was tired of running, and decided that he was going to give Gomer a surprise. It was almost too bad that he and Gomer would be getting into it over Dawn. Though Kyle knew that he had done nothing to her, Gomer didn't.

  Kyle was tired of being a victim. Nevertheless, if Gomer kept his head, Kyle wouldn't make a move against him.

  But it looked like Gomer was going to make the first move. Without stopping, he reached out with both hands and shoved Kyle hard.

  Expecting it, Kyle didn't hesitate. He stood his ground and shoved back even harder. That surprised Gomer. The fury in his eyes dulled a bit, and uncertainty began to dawn there.

  "What did you do?" Gomer said.

  "Nothing," Kyle said. "At least nothing to Dawn. Touch me again and I will take you apart, though." Kyle saw that Gomer was buying his bravado. The uncertainty in the bigger man's eyes was growing.

  "Dawn, did he hurt you?" Gomer asked, not taking his eyes off Kyle.

  There was a long pause, and then Dawn said, "No, he's just a jerk. Take me home, Gomer.”

  Gomer studied Kyle for a few seconds, and then began to back away.

  "You're lucky," Gomer said to Kyle, trying to sound tough.

  Kyle felt a rush of satisfaction. He had won this show- down, and had done it without striking a blow. Maybe Gomer wasn't much of an opponent, and this hadn't been much of a contest, but it still felt good to win one… to win something. As Kyle watched Gomer help Dawn into his pickup, he felt his body relaxing slowly. Rather than wait- ing around, he decided to lock up and go see the others. He would have plenty of time tomorrow night to work on the van. He pulled the large shop area doors shut. They were the old-fashioned kind that opened from the sides instead of the newer ones that opened up and down.