by J. A. Huss
“Hey, West?” Pax asks. “Can I see you for a second?” I watch Kat’s expression. “Outside?” Pax adds. And even though Kat should be focused on Ivy and Ellie, both of whom are asking a million questions about that scar on her neck, she’s looking at Corporate.
She’s lying. And it has something to do with West’s comment about recognizing her.
“Oliver?” Pax calls as he and West make for the door. “Come here for a second.”
Katya’s attention suddenly turns to me. “Be right back,” I say, following West and Pax out the back door.
When we’re safely behind the garage Pax says, “OK, Corporate, spill. What the fuck is happening here? Obviously Oliver is keeping secrets and can’t be trusted, so just get it out.”
I don’t even protest. Because I was keeping secrets.
“I know her, man. I’ve seen her at my house.”
“What fucking house?” Pax asks.
“My parents’ house.”
We stare at West.
“When?” Pax asks.
“Long time ago. Years.”
“How many years?” I ask, my voice low.
“Ten? Before the shit went down.”
“She’s only twenty-two, West—”
“I know. She was just a little girl. But I know it was her. I know it. My mom introduced us.”
Pax sighs loudly. “Why the fuck would your mother introduce you to an eleven-year-old girl?”
“You don’t even want to know.”
I grab West by the shirt collar and pull his face right up next to mine. “I really do, Corporate. I really fucking do.”
West shoves me in the chest, making me let go of his shirt. “What the fuck, asshole? Don’t kill the messenger, you dick. It’s not my fault her parents were scum.”
“If her parents were scum, why were they at your house?” Pax asks.
“Because—” Tori is leaning on the side of the garage only a few feet away. “They tried to arrange a marriage. Didn’t they, Weston?”
“What?” Pax asks.
“I recognize her too,” Tori says. “And not just from the bar. She was one of us.”
“Us?” I ask.
“Gori’s girls.”
I might be sick. How did we get here?
“I asked you straight up,” Nolan says, coming around the corner like he’s gonna kick my ass. “Straight the fuck up if you had anyone back from the past and you lied, you motherfucking dick. I left my home and came here, with my pregnant wife, because you assholes said it was safe. And now what do I find out? You delivered me to the fucking devil. Like a goddamned gift.”
“Just hold on,” Mac says, suddenly between me and Nolan. “Come on, OK?” He’s looking at Nolan.
“Did you leave my wife in there alone with that Silver bitch?” Nolan asks Mac.
“Ariel’s in there,” Tori says. “She’s fine.”
“Just hold up, you guys,” I say, trying to calm everyone down. “She’s not part of the Silver Society.”
“How the fuck do you know?” Tori asks. “I mean, really, Oliver. How the fuck do you know that?”
I take a deep breath and let it out. “I just do.” I really want to tell them the rest. All of it. But I haven’t even told Katya yet and shouldn’t she be the first to know what I’ve been doing? What my part is in all this?
“Great,” Nolan says, throwing up his hand. “He just does. I’m so glad we got that sorted. Mr. Match says it’s true, so it must be true.”
“Oliver,” Pax says calmly. “I get it. You must like this girl or you wouldn’t keep her a secret. But we have to be practical here. She’s your… your ghost.”
“Ghost?” I laugh.
“Ariel made the word up last week. Whatever you want to call her, she’s it.”
“So Ellie’s your ghost?” I ask Mac. “And Ivy is yours? And Tori is yours? And Cindy?” I laugh as I look at Pax. “They’re not the enemy, you assholes. None of the girls are the enemy. And besides, only Tori and Katya were girls from the past.”
“Exactly, Oliver,” Victoria says. “God, you are so stupid. I was one of those Gori girls, but I escaped. She didn’t escape.”
“She did,” I say. “You don’t know anything about her.”
“Neither do you,” Tori snaps back.
“I know a helluva lot more than you do. Which makes me the expert.”
“I want your story,” Nolan says.
“What—”
“Don’t play with me, Shrike,” Nolan says. “I’m not in the mood. I want to know what you were doing that night all the shit hit the fan back in college ten years ago, and I want to know it right now.”
“I’d like to know that myself,” Mac adds. “I’d like to know why you took the heat for Allen-slash-Brutus that night, Oliver. Because you and I both know he was there when that girl was and you weren’t. You didn’t show up until later.”
Fuck. I expected this. I knew I’d have to give them something. But I’m definitely not ready to do that now.
“Come on,” Pax says, putting a friendly hand on my shoulder. “It’s time, Oliver. It’s time to come clean. Just tell us what happened that night. You have to be the final piece of the puzzle.”
I look at Pax. Then Mac. Then West and finally my gaze lands on Nolan. “I saw my sister that night.”
“Cindy?” Tori asks.
“No,” I say, looking straight at Pax. “Rory.”
“I thought she was dead?” Tori asks.
“So did I. But I saw her. I know I saw her. Allen was there and he was being weird. I mean, the guy was weird. I think we can all agree on that. No one in the house liked him. But the girl disappeared in a crowd. And Allen, for whatever reason, was stuck to me while I searched. Like he was helping… but he wasn’t helping. Like he was watching me.”
“I’m not really following,” Mac says. “What’s this have to do with telling the police you were there instead of Allen?”
I look at each of them. Wondering what they’ll think of me when the whole truth comes out. Then decide I have no choice because there’s no denying what’s happening right now. The Silver Society are coming for us. We are in the middle of the game and the only way out that doesn’t include lots and lots of prison time is winning.
“I think that was Rory. I’m gonna say that right now. But I don’t think she was there for me.”
“Why was she there?” Tori asks.
“I don’t know.” I really don’t know. “But Allen was there, and he saw me, and he said, ‘The cops are gonna show up later. You’re gonna say you were with her.’ And before you ask me who ‘her’ is, I can only guess it was the girl who made the accusations. But in my head I kinda associated it with Rory. ‘I was with Rory.’ Allen continued. He said, ‘They will be looking for five people and you’re one of them, Shrike. Because if I end up being one of them, that girl you just saw is dead for real.’”
“And you agreed,” Pax says.
I nod. “I didn’t even know what was going on. The cops came up to me and started asking if I was with her. And I just said, ‘Yeah.’ That’s the only thing I ever said to them. ‘Yeah. I was with her.’”
Chapter Twenty - KATYA
“So,” Ariel says, taking a seat at the kitchen table next to me.
“So,” I say back.
“You’re kinda young,” Ivy says.
“Right?” Cindy laughs. “Wow, I’m so glad you’re practically jailbait.”
“Cindy,” Ariel says, a note of irritation in her voice.
“What? I’m tired of being around all you old people. And Ivy’s preggo, so she’s no fun. No offense, Ivy.”
“I get it,” Ivy says, taking the seat across from me.
I’m starting to feel a little cornered. I didn’t think they’d be so intimidating.
“I’m sensing that there’s more to your story here. Kat, is it? Oliver likes to call you Kat?”
“Kat is fine,” I say, straightening my spine. “And yeah. I
mean what’s happened to me in the past eleven years can’t be summed up in one conversation. Obviously.”
“Uh-huh,” Ariel says.
“Stop it, Ari.” Cindy is pointing her finger at her sister. “I mean it. She came to us for help. Don’t chase her away.”
Ariel barely acknowledges Cindy. Instead she looks me straight in the eyes. “Is that why you came? For help? You think… what? We’re all in this together?”
“We could be,” I say.
“Uh-huh,” she says again. “Lucio Gori Junior. He did that to your neck.”
“It’s awful,” Ivy says. “I can’t even imagine. I’m really not used to all this excitement. I’m just a boring girl who decided to seduce Mr. Romantic one day. So, honey”—she reaches across the table and takes my hand in hers, gives it a squeeze—“if you need help I’m on your side.”
Well, that’s nice. “Thank you,” I say.
“Don’t get ahead of yourself, Ivy.” We all turn to look at Ariel. “She’s Oliver’s ghost.”
“I’m not a ghost. I’m an ex… girlfriend.”
Ariel screws up her face. “Oliver doesn’t have girlfriends.”
“Well, we dated for like six months four years ago. I think that counts.”
“Oh, my God,” Ivy says, counting on her fingers. “Were you underage? That’s kinda hot.”
“It’s stupid, is what it is,” Ariel says. “Like my brother needs that kind of attention?”
“He’s my brother too,” Cindy says. “I think it’s hot. I started stalking Paxton when I was thirteen.”
“You’re sick,” Ariel says.
Cindy just nods her head. “Damn right. And he’s just as sick as me. We’re peas in a pod.”
“I just think it proves how much Oliver likes her,” Ivy says. “I mean, to take a risk like that? After… you know.” She sighs and closes her eyes for a moment before opening them back up and saying, “Nolan took a risk like that for me too. I think it’s sweet.”
“Mac took a risk with me too.” Ellie was looking out the front window during this conversation. Like she was lost in thought. But now she comes over to the table. “And really, if any of us are a ghost, it’s probably Tori. Her and West’s story. Jesus. Talk about drama.”
“I don’t think it’s sweet,” Ariel says. “I think they’re a bunch of dumbasses who think with their cocks.”
“That too,” Cindy says. “But they’re our cock-thinking dumbasses.”
“Welp,” Ellie says. “We might as well get started on the plan while we wait for Tori to come back inside.”
“She’s not part of the plan,” Ariel says.
“Oh, I think she is,” Ellie says. “If she knew Lucio Gori Junior, then she knows Lucio Gori Senior, Ariel. She can be the bait.”
“Bait?” I ask.
“Just a figure of speech Tori came up with,” Ellie says. “She was the bait, but you know… I think our little kitten here might work better. They’re expecting Tori to do something. She’s wild and unpredictable. Tell me, Kat. Are you known for being wild and unpredictable?”
“Not really,” I say, letting the answer come out without thinking.
“See,” Ellie says, taking the seat next to Ariel at the table and folding her hands in her lap. “She’s perfect. She’s exactly who we need.”
Ariel sighs, still staring at me. “I don’t trust you.”
I stand up. “Look… maybe it was a mistake to come here. Just tell Oliver I had to go to work. And I need a day to myself to think.”
Cindy grabs my arm so quick, I startle. “Sorry,” she says, letting go. “But wait. You can’t just walk out now. My sister isn’t someone who trusts people easily, that’s all. Meet us tomorrow. We can all have a good long think and then see the situation with new eyes.”
“Good idea,” Ivy says. “I’m sure whatever the men are doing outside will require a nice long think as well. At the very least we need enough time to stop them from going forward with whatever stupid plan they come up with next.”
“Ain’t that the truth.” Ellie laughs. She looks at me. “We’ve decided to cut them out of this little problem we find ourselves in and take the reins.”
“Men.” Cindy sighs. “They really are a bunch of cock-thinking dumbasses.”
I consider their offer for a second. It would be nice to have people on my side. And these girls all seem capable in their own ways. I mean, five more people to help me dig my way out of this fucking hole I’m in? How could I say no to that?
“OK,” I say. “I’ll meet you tomorrow.”
“We can have coffee at the theater,” Ariel says.
“How about we don’t go to the FoCo Theater?” Cindy says. “The last thing we need is Sparrow sticking her nose into things.”
Everyone looks at Ariel for an answer. “Fine. We have an old building on Mason Street just behind Shrike Bikes. My dad’s been renovating it for years, but he hardly ever goes over there. And he’s so busy preparing for the Zombie Run this weekend, he won’t be there tomorrow for sure. How about noon?”
I nod. “OK. I’ll be there.” And then I walk to the front door and let myself out.
I exhale deeply and take an equally large one back in to steady myself as I open the gate and start walking up the street towards downtown.
I can’t decide if what just happened is on plan or not.
I decide it is. I decide it went just the way it was supposed to.
I decide that even if I just majorly fucked it all up, I don’t care. Because I cannot do this on my own. I need those girls on my side if I want to win this game.
Chapter Twenty-One - OLIVER
“Where’s Katya?” I say, when our little outside talk is over and we file back into the kitchen.
“She said she had to go to work,” Ariel says.
I squint my eyes at my sister. “Did she? Well, she doesn’t work, per se. So I find that highly suspicious.”
“What does she do?” Pax asks.
“Never mind. I’m gonna go find her.”
“She said she needs some time,” Ellie says. “Said to tell you that. You know. Space, Oliver?”
I look at her. Then Ariel. Then Cindy and Ivy.
If Victoria was in here with them, I’d have an easier time thinking they were lying. But Ellie? She doesn’t strike me as a liar. “She did?” I ask.
Ivy nods. “It’s a lot to take in. Meeting people who have your dark moments in common.” She gazes at Nolan affectionately. I want to roll my eyes at them and their common dark moments.
“How do you think she found you again, Oliver?” It’s Ellie asking but I’m looking at Ariel.
“She’s the one who left, not me,” I answer. Ariel shakes her head just the tiniest bit. But I know what she’s thinking. That look says, We might have a problem. And by we might have a problem, she means we might be going to prison.
I know that look well, but it’s been a good long while since we were this vulnerable.
Hook-Me-Up is a real dating site. Ariel came up with the idea when she was in high school and we papered Colorado State University with flyers about it, since it’s practically next door to Shrike Bikes.
A dating site is a good way to collect a lot of personal information about people. You get photos, hobbies, occupation, and if not straight-up daily schedules, at the very least you get patterns. Lots of patterns.
You also get credit card info.
We aren’t stealing money, though. We’re compiling data, which is just as valuable. We sell that data. Emails and shit. But that part of it is all legal.
Not everything happening over at Hook-Me-Up is legal.
The first time I heard the words ‘dark web’ it came out of my mother’s mouth.
I remember being so intrigued because the conversation went something like… Five can get that from the dark web.
Could get what? should be most people’s first question.
But mine was… That motherfucker is holding out on me. He has a
secret about computers and he’s not sharing it.
I went to Ariel, since we’re the closest of all my many cousins and siblings and we were both really into coding back then. And she said she’d heard of it, but didn’t use it because people who frequent the dark web were part of the underbelly, and did we really want to be considered underbelly?
Ariel and I aren’t evil. Or Five, for that matter. But being able to code things, or break into things using code, well, it makes you more powerful than you’d be without that skill. It makes us different than most people.
A little darker. A little dirtier since you can live underground.
And if you want to find the dark side of anything it’s not that hard when you know how to write the perfect code.
Cindy got in shortly after. She’s a snooper, that one. And she’s tenacious. Most of what she uses the dark web for is pretty innocent. She finds clients on the Hidden Wiki. She’s basically just doing job searches.
But Ariel and I are not as innocent.
And I have a very sick feeling that Katya is back because of what Ariel and I do on the dark web.
“We gotta get to work too,” Ariel says. “Two of the servers are down and we’ve gotten like a thousand complaints from people who are afraid they won’t get laid tonight. So you go handle that and I’ll smooth things over in customer service. OK?”
Aside from my new paranoia about Katya, something is not right here with Ariel and the girls. I can feel it. They are up to something. “Fine,” I say, heading towards the door. I’d rather figure it out without all their faces staring at me.
“Can we expect you for dinner tonight?” Cindy calls out. “At the condo?”
“No,” I say. “Fuck that.”
I can hear all the girls giggling at my reaction as I close the door behind me.
I get in the Camaro and drive slowly home, checking all the side streets to see if I can spot Katya.
But I don’t see her. It’s not like her place is far, so I’m not exactly panicked about that. And I was outside for like twenty minutes talking to the guys. So I can’t really blame her for taking off. I’m sure Ariel was just delightful company.