Aftermath

by Sandy Goldsworthy

  Other words to describe TJ came to mind. Molly’s Boy-Toy was at the top of the list.

  Stop it! she scolded.

  When my verbal abuse got on her nerves, she envisioned slapping me.

  “What would you like me to call him?” I said aloud, so other students could hear me.

  “Stop. We broke up,” she said. Her human cheeks turned pink, as the girl in front of her turned around. “We’re just friends.”

  “Friends with benefits?” I blurted out. I shouldn’t have, I realized. Several people glanced at Molly.

  “I hate you,” she replied as the bell rang.

  “No, you don’t. You love me.”

  I shielded myself, as the teacher called the class to attention. No need for the other immortals to hear what I was thinking. I scanned the student body looking for TJ. He was in class. His thoughts were clear, minimal. No anger. He listened to the teacher and the material being discussed. It was like his comment to me no longer mattered. Except that I couldn’t get it out of my head. I wondered if he felt more than protection toward Emma. Maybe Molly knew that. Was that why she ended their relationship so soon after Emma got here?

  Molly sat in perfect posture, listening to the boring lecture, taking detailed notes. When she caught my glance, she rolled her eyes.

  Go figure. Still mad.

  I loosened my shield and thought, You’ll get over it.

  She sighed heavily and focused on the teacher.

  When the forty-two minute class finally ended, I felt as free as an escaped convict from jail. “Sorry,” I said as we walked out of class.

  “It’s all right,” Molly answered. “They need a little drama now and then. It keeps the gossip fresh.”

  We walked a few feet in silence. You really like TJ, don’t you? I asked in thought.

  Yes.

  More than you wanted to?

  She nodded.

  Then don’t be a fool. Get him back.

  Chapter 66

  Emma's Story

  Friday night.

  Drew planned a party. Hannah suggested a sleepover. And then, there was football.

  Ben was at our usual table in the library during study hall, but we weren’t alone. He spent the period working on calculus homework with ear buds in his ears. It was an easy assignment, so I didn’t have a reason to interrupt him. Not to mention my ego wouldn’t let me ask a stupid question.

  Claire, Courtney, and I met at Hannah’s house to get ready before the game.

  Aunt Barb was thrilled with my friendship with Hannah. I overheard her talking on the phone about it to Hannah’s mom.

  It was the first time I really felt part of the student body. The National Anthem played as we walked in. When Aunt Barb raised her hand to wave at me from the parent section of the stands, Lisa shook her head to stop her. A huge smile crossed both of their faces.

  The game started, as we found seats wedged in between some guys in front of us and juniors behind us. There was a definite social hierarchy here, and it felt good to fit in. Ben strolled in after us with some soccer players. I couldn’t help but watch him. He still made my heart skip a beat, even if he and Steph had a thing.

  Claire called to Ben, but by the time he made his way through the crowd to the student section, there was no seat by us. Conveniently, Stephanie found him, though I think she followed him. She grabbed his arm and clung onto it as they found a seat in the section beside us, a few rows closer to the field.

  For once, Molly wasn’t her sidekick. I almost said the words aloud when Claire did.

  “I thought they were inseparable.”

  “Me too,” I said and laughed.

  A few minutes later, Molly walked in with a blonde I hadn’t seen before.

  “Who’s she?” I asked Claire, pointing toward the stranger.

  “Huh. No idea.” She had a blank look on her face.

  Molly seemed to stay with the blonde. They were dressed for a night out, not for a football game in school colors like the rest of us.

  The blonde looked older with shoulder-length straight hair and bangs. She wore tight jeans low on her hips with a fitted, black jacket clasped at the waist. Even from the bleachers, I could see the sparkle of belly-button jewelry.

  She was incredibly attractive. Guys turned their heads, confirming my thoughts.

  Molly and her friend squeezed in with Ben and Stephanie. I watched the introduction and handshakes. For a second, I thought Ben glanced up at me.

  When I blinked, I realized he wasn’t even looking in my direction.

  Chapter 67

  Ben's Story

  “What are you doing here?” I asked through clenched teeth.

  We stood in my attic conference room. My heart pounded with the anger I held back for hours since the voluptuous woman appeared as Molly’s sidekick at the high school game. If I were human, I’d be on the verge of a heart attack.

  “Darlin’, why are you so angry?” Bianca touched my arm.

  “Before you get upset, Benjamin, I invited her,” Molly interrupted.

  My jaw ached and my blood pressure rose, as I turned to glare at Molly.

  “Molly’s right. I wouldn’t have come unless you needed me. And clearly, you do.” Bianca’s flirtatious smile crept in, as she leaned toward me.

  “Seriously, Molly? You invited her?” I couldn’t believe the betrayal I felt.

  I shielded Bianca and tethered my thoughts to Molly. You knew how I felt about bringing her in. You knew I had this under control, and yet, you called Bianca in?

  She hung her head in silence.

  Bianca realized we were in conversation that excluded her. She tilted her head at me, and then finally spoke. “Would the two of you like some privacy?”

  “Yes,” I answered before Molly ever looked up.

  Tears already formed in Molly’s eyes when Bianca slipped into the portal and out of the room.

  “I had to. You don’t understand. You don’t realize what Victor is capable of.”

  “Molly, I appreciate that. I appreciate your concern and your care. But I don’t appreciate you going behind my back and arranging a new partner for me when I’ve told you how I felt.” I stared at her. I couldn’t’ recall ever being this angry—as a human or an immortal.

  “Bianca comes highly recommended, Benjamin. Pete thought she would be a good fit.”

  “Right, a good fit. You know how she is. You’ve seen her with humans. She has no regard for them. She has no respect for others, including you,” I said louder than even I expected. I paced the length of the room and then returned to where she stood, solemn and weak. “And, frankly, Molly, I don’t have time to babysit her, look for Victor and the hybrids, and try to have some relationship with Emma. Maybe you need her, but I don’t.”

  I stormed out of the house without giving her a chance to reply.

  ***

  I shouldn’t have, but I went to Drew’s party. It was what was expected of me and with my time so limited, juggling between all of my responsibilities, I had to. When I got there, the party was in full swing.

  Emma had a drink in her hand, as she talked with Hannah and Claire. The girls looked pretty comfortable, sitting cross-legged on the couch. Eavesdropping on their conversation, I knew they weren’t talking about anything that mattered. Not to me, anyway.

  I took a shot of vodka when Trent passed it to me, and a second one before handing it to Lucas. To my surprise, Lucas shook his head and waved his hand to pass. TJ mumbled something under his breath about Emma that no one heard, but I was able to hear his thoughts. Lucas was trying to impress her, I learned.

  Great. I didn’t need that today, too. I chugged the equivalent of another two shots and gave the bottle to TJ.

  Claire buzzed into my thoughts. She’s not that into Lucas.

  Not into him, or not that into him? I retorted. Ah, never mind.

  Umm… so where’s Molly and who was she with at the game?

  Bianca, I answered. She’s
with Bianca. I’m sure they’ll make a grand entrance sooner or later. The words barely came to mind when they strolled in, looking more like porn stars than high school students. Guys gawked at them. Their thoughts were louder than the girls’ giggles.

  Molly and Bianca mingled, while Stephanie loitered near me and Drew played bartender.

  When Emma finished her beer, Lucas brought her another. After a shot and another drink, my blood pressure rose. What was Emma doing?

  I beelined toward her. I couldn’t help myself.

  “Emma, you’ve had enough,” I said.

  Benjamin, settle down. Molly’s thoughts pushed through my barrier.

  “Hey, man,” Lucas interrupted. “Just one more.” He stood eye to eye with me.

  “I think she’s had enough.”

  Benjamin, stop. You’re making a scene.

  “I think she can make up her own mind,” Lucas retorted. His piercing eyes were a weak attempt at intimidation.

  Don’t do this, Benjamin.

  “And I think she’s had enough.” I stood my ground, fists clenched by my side.

  Lucas raised his hands to my chest to push me, as Emma yelled, “Stop it!” She stepped in between us, placing her left hand on my chest, and her right on his. With her touch, I was able to download her feelings, the pain my behavior caused her and the disappointment she suddenly felt in me. She said she was fine and wanted another drink. Looking me in the eyes, she told me it was none of my business.

  It was then I realized I went too far.

  Chapter 68

  Emma's Story

  “What the hell was that about?”

  Leave it to Hannah to be the first to speak after the uncomfortable incident that caused TJ to pull Lucas outside and for Ben to leave.

  “I, ah… I don’t know. One minute Lucas is getting me another drink and the next Ben is telling him I had enough.” Even as the words flowed from my mouth, I found them hard to believe. My hands shook when I reached for the beer Hannah handed me. I was never the center of attention before, and I definitely never had two guys act like that around me.

  “Just drink,” Claire said under her breath. She tipped her bottle of hard lemonade into my beer. I took a sip and attempted to return the bright smile on her face, but I couldn’t. After Hannah rejoined the group in the living room and whispers of Ben and Lucas filled their conversation, I asked Claire what was up.

  “I have noooo idea. I haven’t seen Ben like this. Ever.”

  After a few minutes, everything went back to normal. Someone turned up the music, and Drew handed out shots. TJ and Lucas came back inside, and Molly introduced us to a foreign exchange student, Bianca. She explained where Bianca was from and how long she was staying, but I was too distracted to pay attention.

  I couldn’t figure out if Ben liked me, or was just a jerk. While everyone got drunk, I got sober. Not that it was a bad thing. I was suddenly uncomfortable. After a visit to the bathroom and a break on the deck, I joined Claire at the island.

  “There you are!” Claire’s smile could light a cavern.

  Lucas came up beside me and placed his hand on mine. “Hey, sorry about that,” he whispered over the loud music.

  I turned toward him and found our faces inches apart.

  I wondered if I was as red as I felt. My heart started to pound in my chest. I knew he would kiss me if I wanted him to. I just didn’t know what I wanted.

  “It’s okay,” I said, but it was clear he didn’t hear me.

  He leaned closer, his lips nearing mine before he turned his ear toward me.

  I caught my breath and repeated the words I whispered earlier. I watched him nod, but he didn’t remove his hand until Drew gave him a beer.

  Chapter 69

  Ben's Story

  I awoke on the leather couch in the attic conference room.

  My neck was stiff and my head pounded—the disadvantage of being in a human body. I sat up, stretched, and applied pressure to the webbed area between my thumb and forefinger on my left hand. The dull ache at the crown of my head began to vanish. Tilting my head from side to side, then from front to back, relieved the pain in my neck. Though only the physical strain went away.

  I still felt the tension I created with my behavior the night before. It was something that replayed in my thoughts over and over again, which was why I crashed on the sofa instead of going to bed.

  After leaving the party, I met Jorgenson for a nightcap. Actually, I strolled into Rusty’s Anchor for a drink, and he intervened. It was the first time Pete Jorgenson came to earth in decades.

  “The pitfalls of being a handler,” he said when he sat down beside me at the bar. “I go where you lead me.” He ordered tequila from the bartender I previously compelled to serve me since I didn’t bother to use a disguise.

  There were only a few people playing pool and a young couple shooting darts when I got there at midnight. The place cleared out by that time, even on weekends. Jorgenson warned me not to go in, not to act like an angry, foolish human. His orders were direct and firm but I shielded myself, blocking out his unwanted thoughts. It was bad enough having Molly’s comments floating in and out, I didn’t want to hear it from him, too. However, blocking him meant I left him no choice but to hunt me down himself or alert the commander that I went rogue.

  I was being stupid, and I knew it. Being in human form for extended periods of time tended to warp reality for us immortals. Our emotions heightened and our behaviors mimicked that of the earthly world inhabitants. We got so wrapped up in the human lifestyle that we lost sight of the bigger picture, of our world and our mission. It was why most agents’ contracts were limited in duration.

  This was something that never happened to me.

  Jorgenson and I drank until closing time. He admitted sending Bianca, despite my dislike for the woman.

  “Molly begged the commander not to send her,” he said. “When Commander E asked my opinion, I couldn’t think of anyone better suited than her.” He poured two shots of tequila from the bottle and handed one to me. “And I’m not sorry about it.”

  Disgusted, I knocked back the caramel-colored liquid. My human body soaked up the alcohol like a sponge cleaning up a spill. Bianca Beringer was a good agent. No doubt she would be a great agent, someday. I just didn’t want to be the one to help her reach that goal.

  “You don’t like her because she scares you,” he said with a chuckle.

  His words cut into me like a knife. I tried to shield my thoughts, but the alcohol and anger lessened my powers, and I slipped. He was right. Bianca scared me. She was sharp, witty, and most men found her irresistible.

  “I’m not interested in Bianca Beringer,” I told him.

  “So you’ve said.”

  “I’ve turned down her advances.”

  “I know.” Jorgenson poured another round of tequila.

  “She just won’t give up,” I said and drank the shot he pushed at me.

  “Bianca always gets what she wants.”

  “Not this time,” I answered, though we both knew that wasn’t true. Bianca was attractive and determined. If I was being truthful with myself, she was the only woman that turned my head in the eighty-plus years since I lost Elizabeth. Now that I found Elizabeth in Emma, I couldn’t risk losing her again.

  Jorgenson was kind after he read my thoughts about Bianca. He suggested I take a few weeks off. “To regroup. You’ve been here a long time. Longer than most agents. You could use a little time off,” he said. Despite how great that sounded, we both knew it wasn’t a good idea. Victor was lurking in Wisconsin and me being the only agent in centuries to have identified his essence, I couldn’t leave. Not now. Not until he was caught.

  Victor was suddenly my priority, and Bianca was the best operative to assist me.

  ***

  Commander E’s call ended the pity party my human side celebrated.

  “Benjamin,” his strong voice hailed. An image of the dark-skinned man ap
peared in a hologram over the conference table. “What the fuck are you doing?”

  I stood at attention. “I apologize, sir. I got out of hand.”

  “You’re damn right. Under no circumstances do you break protocol like you did last night, son. You can’t compel the whole town because you’re pissed off.” Commander E sat at the mahogany desk in his office.

  “I understand, sir.”

  “And I can’t afford to have Jorgenson flying all over hell to pick up the pieces from your mess! You’re not the only field agent he handles.” He clenched his hand into a fist and pounded on the desk. A crystal golf ball jumped with the impact.

  “Yes, sir. I understand. I apologize, sir.”

  It wasn’t the first time Commander E admonished me in my years on the job, but it was the only time I saw him this angry. I wasn’t myself. Letting my heart lead me to and around Emma was screwing up my career.

  “Your priority has shifted to Victor Nicklas and the gang of hybrids in the Midwest. Another one surfaced this morning outside a nightclub in Chicago. I need you to get your head out of your ass and do your job. If you want to spend time with Elizabeth or Emma, or whatever the hell she calls herself in this life, don’t let it interfere with your priority.”

  “Yes, sir. I understand. Thank you,” I answered.

  “Benjamin,” he said and leaned forward in his seat, his forefinger firmly pointed in my direction. “If she begins to interrupt your progress on this case, I’ll have her contract cut short. Do you understand?”

  “Loud and clear, sir.”

  Before I finished speaking the words, Commander E shut down the link and his hologram disappeared.

  There was no other choice. I had to refocus.

  Chapter 70

  Emma's Story

  “I can’t believe Ben told Lucas you had enough to drink last night.”

  Hannah’s words still rang in my head, as I drove home the next morning. “I didn’t realize he was so parental,” she said. It was the topic of conversation hours after Ben left the party and again when the girls woke up at the sleepover. I was relieved when Hannah shushed the subject in front of her mom, as she flipped pancakes for breakfast.

  No one understood what got into Ben, not even Claire.

  ***

  Aunt Barb was sitting at the dining room table when I walked in a little after nine o’clock. Her hair was up and her glasses were low on her nose. It was a familiar look for a Saturday, I realized. Papers were scattered on the table, alongside plastic bags filled with small parts. I guessed they were screws or bolts for whatever was inside the two large boxes on the living room floor.