by Jobe, David
“I’ll find you.” He gave a dry laugh. “Then I guess we better discover who is looking for me. You may proceed, Doctor.”
She moved around to stand at the side of the deceased man, pulling off one of her rubber gloves as she did. Doing so, she revealed a burned hand. Though her other remained unmarred by the fire that consumed most of the car, she confessed to him at the onset that she believed the ruined limb worked better for this. Jesuit suspected it was a coping mechanism, making the ruined one still feel useful, though she could do little else with it. She placed her hand on the man’s chest, above where the remains of his heart still lay. She gave a startled jolt that told Jesuit he had been correct, that her power would let her read the past of a dead person. “He’s talking to the coroner about the fire girl’s missing limb.” She gave a shutter. “What he is thinking about isn’t worth repeating. I’m glad this one is dead.” She took a deep breath, pressing her hand harder as if the connection took more push. “She’s a pretty one, and she’s not buying his story.”
“Can we move this forward?”
She opened her mouth to say something but gave a startled scream. “No need. The female coroner killed him. A fireball from her hand, just like the other girl.” She pulled her hand off and began fumbling for her glove, sweat beading the unburned side of her face.
“Please keep watching.” He stared down at the body. His mind racing over what the coroner having the same power might imply. Had they finally found someone with a duplicate power? It seemed highly unlikely that they would be looking for a missing arm and then the woman who has it suddenly having the same power. This woman had possibly cracked his codes, and that made her the most dangerous person on the planet at the moment.
Kim looked at him, hands frozen mid-movement. “Are you sure?” Her eyes imploring.
“Yes.” He felt no need to elaborate on it.
She swallowed hard but nodded. “It will restart where it started last time. I think. I’ve only read one person twice.” She didn’t need to say who that had been, and he wouldn’t be sharing her secret. She set aside her glove again, this time taking longer. He could understand why. She planned to stare into the abyss. She placed her hand on the corpse again, pressing even harder this time. “She really is pretty. I like her accent.”
Jesuit knew this was more for herself now than him, but he kept quiet. He saw her tense and knew she experienced the fatal blow.
“Even dying, his mind is filled with such sickness.” Her breathing became ragged. “I feel him slipping. He’s locked her in his gaze. She’s falling into his trap. He is going to try and get her to kill herself, but he can’t collect his thoughts enough.” She gave a cruel laugh. “It’s because he doesn’t have a heart pumping blood to his brain anymore.” A choking gasp. “They’re in the shadows!”
The door to the lab made the telltale noise of opening, drawing Jesuit’s attention. He could see the soldier with the scar on his face stepping in. He tried to remember the man’s name. All he could think about was the man’s former rank. Captain. It took Jesuit just a second to see the gun smoking in his hand. Captain raised his gun and fired on Kimberly.
“The shadows ar-!” The beautiful side of her face exploded as a bullet exited just below her cheekbone. She turned a milky white eye to him, the other lost to gore. Her mouth moved, but no words escaped her bloody lips. She dropped forward, her facing bouncing off the edge of the table before she vanished from sight.
Jesuit spun, making a flicking motion with the arm that held the gauntlet. It activated a programed response that he had been working on. A single layer of his shield flared out in a plane parallel to the floor. Unseen, the energy blade sliced through Captain’s neck without making a noise. The gun the Captain had been swinging toward him rattled to the floor at the same time the man’s head landed with a wet plopping noise. The body crumpled soon after. Jesuit shook his head. “You should always go for the most dangerous person first.”
He stared at the corpse for a short while, knowing it to be one of the team he had sent to collect the man who could command people. He would have to discover what had become of the rest of the them and the subject they had been sent to collect.
The door made its noise again. Jesuit looked up to see who had entered now and saw the barrel of another gun, this one held by another soldier in the team tasked with bringing in Stephen. As if to drive the point home, the glassy-eyed assailant managed to mutter, “Stephen said to tell you fucked with the wrong person.”
In the moment before the muzzle flashed, Jesuit gave the man a bored smile.
Chapter Twenty-Five
The Alien Returns
Julian sat at the head of a large table covered with pitchers of soda and boxes of half-eaten pizzas. Though his friends sat to either side of the table, joking and sharing stories that they had heard a thousand times before, Julian kept his eyes on the large window that flanked the front of the pizza joint there were in. Every time the little bell over the door announced another customer, his eyes would dart to the door to make sure it wasn’t either of the people he knew were out there looking for him.
“So, you ballin’ now, huh?”
Dance’s words broke his concentration, his eyes moving to one of his oldest friends. He smiled and shook his head. “Naw. Still trying to save up on that deposit to get my family into an apartment somewhere. The Chalice is cool and all, but if we get out, another family can get in. There are so many women there, there’s a waiting list to get in.” He sighed. “Mom just insisted that I take some of the money and spend it on something to make me happy.”
“And you bought these fools pizza?” Dance chuckled, scooping up another pepperoni slice and taking a bite “Could have gotten you some new shoes. Then again, you wearin suits now, right?”
Julian laughed. Had it been anyone else, he would have worried that the jokes were an indication that someone was jealous, but Dance wasn’t like that. He hung with you whether you were down and out or living large. Once he decided you were a friend, he accepted it for all it was. “When I do some of my work. Someone like me showing up unannounced and looking street might not make the next assignment.” His eyes darted back to the door again as the bell chimed. A young lady walked in, looking around for a place to sit.
Dance followed his gaze, then looked back at him. “You think they might come here?”
Julian nodded. “I don’t think either one of them will consider a crowd much of a deterrence.”
Roberto spoke up. “Then they will find out real quick that they should have.” He cracked his knuckles. The entire table nodded in agreement, all ten of them. All of them friends from school. All of them football players on the team he used to belong to, before the world got twisted up.
Julian looked at all the varsity jackets lining the backs of chairs.
Dance caught this too. “Still think it’s dumb they wouldn’t let you play anymore.”
Julian shrugged. “It makes sense. Who wants to play a game where you have no chance at? Just give Blinko the running back the ball, and he’s instantly in the end zone. I’ve played a few games where we got our butts handed to us because the team was so much better. At least with them, I knew we could just step up and get back in the game. Plus, my job keeps me too busy for practice anyways.”
“Or school,” Roberto muttered into his mug.
“Hey, hey. I am still taking classes. Just online. It only took a few times of walking down the hall being called freak and reject before I just decided there was a better way.” He shook his head at the memory.
“Will’s been doing that his whole life, but he still shows up.” Dance smirked down the table at William.
Will responded with a single finger but didn’t turn his gaze away from the pretty girl he was talking to.
“Not like it matters. You were kind of slow on the field anyways. At least this career could be more lucrative. You ever thought about teleporting other things? Like rich people, or priceless artifa
cts? Am sure some snob would pay extra to have his precious Bentley whisked to his vacation home before his plane even leaves the tarmac.” Dance consumed another slice of pizza.
Julian’s gaze went back to the door. “Yeah, I thought about it, but then realized I knew nothing about how to make sure I was doing it legit. Suppose the guy I teleport to another country is a wanted terrorist? Or that Bentley is bumper to bumper cocaine? Besides. I like helping people when they really need it, not because they are trying to overcome some inconvenience.” He threw a glare at William.
“I have detention because I was late!” William shouted back, his eyes still on the enamored woman before him. “Don’t think I’ll forget that either.”
“I was in the middle of moving a dying man to an out of state hospital.”
Dance dropped his feet from the chair next to him and leaned in. “Do you ever check up on the people you ‘move’?”
Julian nodded, pulling out his phone. “My tech friend, Mac, set me up with an app where the people I help, the police or paramedics can check in with the patients I transfer.”
“And?”
“Sometimes my help wasn’t enough.” Julian stared at the empty plate before him.
Dance clapped him on the shoulder. “But for some, it was the difference. Do they tell you that in your app?”
Julian nodded.
Dance smiled at him. “And that is why they call you the Angel of Mercy.”
“Thanks, Man.”
“No problem. Do you think you could get me a meeting with the Angel of Death though? Does she still rock that leather outfit?”
Julian laughed. “She’s quite in love with Mac, man.”
“Cuz she hasn’t had the joy of Dance, duh.” He threw out his trademark grin.
“I’m sure. I-” Julian looked up to see that a woman with long red curls had moved closer to the table, standing a few feet away from the group but staring at Julian with a hesitant look on her face. “Can I help you?”
She gave him a radiant smile and stepped forward. “Do you remember me?”
Julian’s face broke out into a wide smile. “I recognize your voice. You’re the one who came and got me when I was at Father Holland’s church.” He stood up and moved to stand by her, offering his hands. “Nice to finally put a face to the voice.”
She took it and smiled. “Yeah. I wanted to come by the hospital and see how you were doing, but the whole time we were flooded with runs. There must be something in the water with all the people getting hurt these days.”
Julian nodded and realized he had been holding her hand longer than was customary. He let go and slapped his hand to his side. She looked at it, then her own and a red tinge appeared on her thin cheeks. Julian cleared his throat. “You are a long way from your home. What’s up?”
“Have you spoke to Father Holland recently?” Her voice warbled when she said the old man’s name.
“Not since last week. He was ranting about how hard it was to get alien blood out of his wooden floors and how if I was any self-respecting alien that I would come down and help him scrub.”
“Did someone just call you an illegal alien?” Dance asked, looking up from yet another piece of pizza.
Julian waved the man’s comment away.
“Someone’s getting deported!” Someone at the table yelled.
“Good luck making that stick with this one.” Someone else added, and the whole table burst into fits of laughter.
Julian led the woman away from his rowdy friends. “Sorry, er, I don’t know your name.”
She smiled and offered her hand, then thought better of it. “Emilie” She gave a sigh. “Someone attacked Father Holland and the Father wants to see you.”
Julian’s heart dropped. He nodded and motioned for her to follow him. He stopped and reached into his pocket, slapping a wad of fives down on the table next to Will. “Please tip the waitresses handsomely.”
Will looked up with a smirk, and it was then that Julian saw the name tag of the woman he was chatting up. “Then what do I do with the money?” He gave a wink, to which the waitress chuckled.
“Buy a bag for your face?” Dance asked.
Julian smiled at everyone, though no bone in his body felt like smiling. “Be back soon.” He led Emilie off to the sounds of a table commenting on how redheads are the devil in their best television personality impersonations.
Outside Julian surveyed the landscape. “What hospital?”
“North. Same one you were in.” She placed a hand on his shoulder. “Jump to the parking lot. It’ll make sense once you get inside.”
“I can take you with me.”
“I need to get my car back there though.” She dangled keys before him.
“I’ll bring you back for it. Please. I need you to lead me there as fast as possible.”
She nodded and stepped close, wrapping an arm around his shoulder. “Do your thing.”
Julian almost told her that all they needed to do was hold hands, but he decided that he could do it later. Much later.
A flash of white and they were standing in the parking lot of a building he had hoped never to see again. He had never been a fan of hospitals to begin with.
“Follow me,” Emilie said with a voice that fluttered. She took his hand and led him through the snaking hallways of the hospital, finding an elevator removed from the public area. A short ride up and it deposited them on the sixth floor. As the door slid open, he found himself staring at two armed and uniformed officers.
They took a look at her and then him. “Is this him?” One of them asked.
Emilie nodded.
The officers both stepped forward, offering their hands. “It is an honor to meet you. Our boys in blue up north can’t seem to talk enough about how much of a help you have been. We want you to know that we’ll have four officers on this floor at all times while Father Holland is here. If anyone tries anything, they will have to deal with us first.”
Julian blinked and shook their hands. “Thank you. I’m not sure I am worth all of this.”
They both grinned, but only the taller one spoke. “Truth be told, it’s only partially because of you. Father Holland is a favorite in this town. He’s a bit off in his ways, but there has never been any doubt he was here to help any and all.” He leaned in to whisper, “even aliens who crash and bleed all over his floors.”
Julian choked and then laughed. “I’m going to have to hear about that for a while, aren’t I?”
“Indeed you are, Mork.”
“What?” Julian asked, but Emilie tugged on his arm to pull him down the hall. He heard the other officer say, “He’s like sixteen, dude. How did you think he was going to get that reference? Is that even on reruns anymore?”
“Shut up.”
Julian walked past two more officers that stood guarding the door to Father Holland’s room. Each gave him a respectful nod as he passed. “This is so weird,” he whispered to Emilie.
She smiled at him. “You’re a hero. You’re gonna have to get used to it.” “He’s an alien. He doesn’t understand our primitive culture, Emilie.” Father Holland set his Bible down on his lap and gave Julian a warm smile. Bandages covered most of his head and wound over one eye. Julian could see blood seeping through just above the eyes. “I’ve done worse at a bake sale, don’t you worry.”
Julian swept in and gave the old man a hug. “You’re a terrible liar.”
“Am not!” He hugged Julian, but winced and sat back.
“You wanted to see me?”
Father Holland nodded, his face growing stern. “I want you to teleport me somewhere.”
“Anywhere.” Julian had already started planning the jump.
“Heaven.”
“I’m sorry?” Julian felt an emotional punch to his gut.
“I want to see what it looks like before I spend any more time investing in retiring there. You know, get a lay of the land before I purchase a house.” He smiled wide.
“Not funny.” Julian frowned.
Father Holland gave a chuckle. “I’m doped up, sue me.” He leaned in close. “Actually, I’m not sure I should tell you. But, considering what the man said, I think not telling you would be a sin I couldn’t wash my hands of. The man who beat me wanted me to tell you something. He said to meet him at my church tomorrow at midnight. Something about no shield or he finds someone else you care for and finishes what he started. And that you owe him a truck.”
Julian sunk in his seat. He felt the warm hand of Emilie find his shoulder and squeeze. “This is why superheroes have secret identities.”
Father Holland waved his hand. “Doesn’t seem to work for them anyways. Mainly because the fools always give it away to the wrong person. What? I read comics too. Look, Julian, you aren’t going to meet this psycho are you?”