"That mad son of a bitch." She closed her eyes. "This is going to play havoc with our work scheduling. I might have to twist some arms and call in some favors. I can't believe he's doing this. Is he insane?"

  "He's not coming alone," I added. "One of his agents is coming with him."

  "And that agent, oddly enough, is going to be your Resistance girlfriend."

  "Imagine my surprise when I found that out."

  She sighed and rubbed her temples. "You didn't put that idea in his head, did you?"

  "About coming here or about bringing her?"

  "Both."

  "No to both, actually. Star came up with that idea herself, and he said he needed to talk to you in person to see what help you need. What sort of help do you need, by the way? You never actually said anything specific at that meeting."

  "Anything he'll give us, at any price he asks." Her eyes finally opened. "If we can't protect you against Shade, maybe he can."

  "Speaking from the perspective of someone who doesn't want his friends, family, or self to die, I'm all for that idea. Let me know what I can contribute."

  "Even if you're the price?"

  "If I'm the price, what would be the point?"

  She smiled. "That's fair. I don't know. He could ask me for anything. If it keeps you alive, if it ends Shade's threat, it's worth it."

  "Why are you so intent on protecting me?" I asked. She looked at me and tilted her head. "I get that you're opposing Alistair, but wouldn't it be easier to just, you know, let me die?"

  She nodded. "It'd be easier. It wouldn't be right. You don't deserve to die just because Shade's pissed off that you beat the shit out of him." I grinned. "It's not right to hang you out to dry like this. And before you ask, yes, there's more than that. You're a symbol, now."

  "A symbol and a superior human. I'm getting all sorts of ego boosts today."

  "You're the rallying point for those who are fed up with Alistair's plans and motives. He made a mistake, Kevin. If he stood by you, Shade would already be dead, he'd score points with you, and he'd rally the Establishment around him. Instead, he's letting Shade operate openly and people are noticing. Our faction grew because we know that if he's letting you twist in the wind, what's stopping him from doing the same to anyone else? Everyone knows how important you are after that hearing."

  "And if I die, what happens?"

  "Alistair gets what he wants, we lose, he wins."

  "How do we stop him from winning?" I asked.

  She stood up and tightened her bathrobe before it could fall open. "Shade's afraid of you, Kevin. If Shade's afraid of you, Alistair is afraid of you. If Alistair is afraid of you, you have the potential to stop him. Better yet, they don't know how much potential you have. They can't risk open conflict until they know they have what it takes to beat you."

  "That's a lot to live up to."

  "Our primary goal right now is making sure you don't die." She smiled at me, showing her teeth. "After that, we can work on stopping him. Now, I have things to do. Get some sleep for me."

  "I'll try," I said as the connection between us faded. I turned and headed back inside. Even in the middle of the night, the hall lights were bright. Normally, even at this hour, I'd hear murmurs of conversations and noises from inside rooms. Tonight, silence ruled.

  I hesitated before opening the door to my room. Drew didn't say anything and I closed the door behind me, making sure not to let it slam. I looked up at his bed and saw a lump there. Something prompted me to check on him. I didn't think he'd try anything stupid, and I hadn't sensed any psionic activity, but I needed to make sure. When I lifted myself up to peer at him, I let a trickle of power light my eyes. He was breathing slowly but steadily. Tear tracks shone on his cheeks.

  I let the power go and stepped back down to the floor. After a moment, I tapped my power again and reached out for him. Dreams were simple to sense. I couldn't tell exactly what he was dreaming about, but I could make a good guess. With another trickle of power, I banished his dreams for the night. At least one of us would sleep well.

  Chapter Twenty Eight

  I leaned against the window and tried not to bounce with excitement. Less than an hour ago, Absynthe walked into my room like she owned it and said, "Get dressed. It's time to go to the airport." One quick shower and a change of clothes later, we were on the way. She drove calmly. I would have floored it the entire way.

  "Let me ask you something," she said, breaking the long silence. "Your friend, Max. We flagged him in the interviews and orientation tests, but we couldn't awaken him, no matter what we tried. You didn't use your more advanced powers, obviously, but what did you do?"

  "I did some research on PSInet when I found he was latent," I said. "I went through some of the easier techniques, but the one that worked was when I triggered his defenses over and over."

  She shook her head. "That's on our list. We go down a list that includes all the ideas on PSInet and then a few we came up with ourselves. The full treatment lasts for the first trimester. If we haven't awakened someone by then, we re-evaluate whether their potential is worth additional effort. Max didn't qualify. You put in far less effort than we did, and awakened him in a fraction of the time. How?"

  "You're asking me?"

  "Has he had any significant life changes in the time you've known him?"

  I thought about that. "Let's see. He reconciled with his family. He got a girlfriend. He quit smoking."

  "Smoking?" She nodded. "That could be it. Physiology is important."

  "Does that apply to everyone? If I smoked once, would I lose my powers for a while?"

  "We haven't made any definite link. I know a few smokers who use their powers just fine. In fact, I know a few people who made a game out of using their powers on various drugs." She gave me a grin. "You know what using your powers while on a trip feels like? It's beyond surreal."

  "I can't imagine you doing that sort of thing."

  "College is the time to experiment. Having biokinesis and a sober partner to watch you lets you take risks. I tried heroin when I was your age. Amazing experience. That first time is better than the best sex you'll ever have. Your uncle found out and put me through weeks of withdrawal in a minute or so. Worst minute of my life. Never went back. I'm surprised you haven't tried anything harder than alcohol."

  My head spun for a moment. This was more about Absynthe that I ever knew, or wanted to know. "Not really interested, but then again, I've never really had the opportunity."

  "I'm not encouraging you to do anything illegal, mind you," she said. "I'm just saying, do it now while you don't have responsibilities."

  I sighed. "I think that time's already past."

  She looked over at me for a moment before looking back to the road. "Sorry."

  We arrived at the airport and I got out of the car in a hurry. My mood had soured quickly and I wanted to meet them in a more positive mindset. "So, how long has it been since you've seen Todd?"

  "Officially? When he snuck out in the middle of the night and vanished." She followed me across the parking lot. We both walked as fast as possible without breaking into a run. The cold and wind were murderous. "Unofficially, I last saw him about three or four years ago. It was only for a few minutes. Not nearly enough time to talk."

  "I've been wondering this for a while. Why didn't you go with him?" She looked over at me. "When he left. You seem to be much more on his side than the Establishment's."

  "I ask myself that on a regular basis." We entered the airport and headed to baggage claim. It was just past noon and the place was busy, with two of the carousels spitting out steady streams of suitcases. "Loyalty, I would say. I was young and idealistic. I thought trying to change the Establishment from within was the right thing to do."

  "Doesn't work that way, does it?" I asked.

  "No. I should have followed my heart, not my head."

  "Your heart?"

  She froze and glanced at me out of the corner of her eye. "I do have one, yes."

  I hid my smile. "Just curious."

  "Keep your curiosity to yourself, young man."

  "I'll try. When are they arriving?"

  "Their flight got in a few minutes ago." She gestured vaguely at the arrival board. "They should be down soon."

  I fidgeted for a minute. "How'd he let you know when they'd arrive?"

  She glanced at me and smirked. "You think you're the only one who has secret means of communication? Mine's hidden a bit better than a cell phone under a garden paver."

  "That was spur of the moment!"

  "You aren't subtle."

  Anything else she was going to say was lost as she looked up at the escalator and tensed up as if danger approached. I followed her gaze, half expecting to see Shade staring down at us. Instead, Todd Green stood at the top of the escalator, looking back over his shoulder. She joined him a moment later and they rode down the escalator together.

  I didn't know what I should do. I wanted to maintain some sort of decorum in front of Absynthe. I didn't want to make a spectacle in front of so many people. I took a step forward and Star flung herself at me. I almost fell backwards, but she wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed me hard enough that I saw stars. I could feel my cheeks heating up as she finally pulled her lips from mine. "Hey, you," she said with a tiny smile.

  "Hey yourself," I said. "You look a little different."

  She stepped back and touched her hair. "I thought it was time for a little change." The long curls that hung halfway down her back were gone, replaced with straight hair that just barely brushed her shoulders. It still sparkled in the light, though. "Do you like it?"

  "I do like it," I said. "It's cute."

  "Thank you," she said, giving me another kiss. "It's so good to see you again. I've missed you. It's lonely out there without you."

  "Even with all the responsibility you have?"

  "Even then." She looked over at Todd and I heard her giggle. I looked over to see Absynthe's arms wrapped around Todd and her face buried in his shoulder. I grinned. "I didn't expect to see that," she whispered.

  "I didn't have any idea," I whispered back. After watching them for a few more seconds, I cleared my throat. Absynthe jumped backwards and shook her head. Todd frowned, but something in the way he held himself told me the frown wasn't aimed at any of us. "Good afternoon, Uncle Todd," I said.

  He blinked and looked toward me. "Good to see you again, Kev. Your face is a little red."

  "Must be the weather. It's cold out there."

  "Sure." He smiled and made a gesture between Absynthe and Star. "Alex, meet Sarah. Sarah, Alex."

  "Nice to meet you," Star said, offering her hand.

  "Likewise," Absynthe said. They shook and I saw a smile creep across Absynthe's face. It wasn't like any smile I'd seen before. She looked happy. Genuinely happy. "Let's get your luggage and get out of here. It's going to be a long day and we have a lot of things to talk about."

  Todd smiled. "I imagine we do. No luggage, we don't expect to be here long, just one night."

  "That's all?" Absynthe and I said it at the same time. "I hoped to get a little more time with you," I added.

  Star nodded. "I feel the same way, but it's dangerous enough to be here at all. Remember what happened during my last visit?"

  "Especially for me," Todd added. "Alistair's had a kill on sight order against me for years."

  I shuddered. Of course he would. "So how are we going to do anything? The safehouse?"

  Absynthe shook her head. "No. I have a plan. Do you think any of Alistair's people know what Todd and Sarah look like at this moment? As long as they don't use their powers, they're just like anyone else, and I know for a fact that we don't have the resources to deep inspect everyone entering campus."

  "We're bringing them to Ripley? Are you serious?"

  "It's certainly risky," Todd said. "But I think I know what you're thinking, Alex. I like it. Let's go."

  We jumped in Absynthe's car. Todd took shotgun while Star and I climbed into the back seat. She sat close to me and rested her head on my shoulder. Instead of heading directly back to my dorm, we pulled into the parking lot of a shop just off campus. "You two should walk from here. It's safer for us to split up. My people are doing the majority of the campus security today, but I don't want to take unnecessary risks."

  "Got it." I got out of the car, Star following me. "Where are we meeting?"

  "Admin," she said.

  "Right under his nose?"

  "He's off campus. Stroke of luck."

  I nodded. "Got it. See you there."

  They drove away and Star took my hand. I led her toward the nearest edge of campus, but then reconsidered and took a parallel street for a bit. She didn't say anything, just looked at the stores and buildings as we passed. Her hand was warm in mine. Christmas decorations decorated each street in shades of red, green, and white. Everything seemed peaceful and calm as we walked through Troy.

  "So what do you want for Christmas?" she asked as we crossed a street to get to the campus proper.

  "You?"

  "Good answer." Her hand squeezed mine. "It's my answer too. Doubt it'll happen. But it would be nice."

  "It would be." I squeezed her hand back. Christmas would be back at my dad's place. Mom might show up.

  Some relatives might stop by for a few minutes, but most of the time, it was just the two of us. We didn't bother with a proper Christmas dinner most years. Chinese was our go-to.

  We crossed the campus to the administration building. My heart hammered as I pushed the doors open and I resisted the urge to tap my powers and scan the area. If Absynthe had misjudged the situation, we'd have agents coming out of our ears any time now. If we fought back, that would be the end. There'd be a civil war in the Establishment and I knew we wouldn't be on the winning side.

  Luckily, Absynthe and Todd were waiting near the entrance. "Took you long enough," Absynthe said. "I was starting to worry."

  "I took a longer route, just in case."

  "He's learning," Todd said.

  Absynthe rolled her eyes and led us up the stairs to the third floor, the same floor as Alistair's office. We walked away from his office to the opposite corner of the building. My heart continued racing. If this floor held more Establishment staff, someone would spot us for sure. She stopped at a door without a nameplate and knocked. "Yes?" called a muffled voice from within.

  Absynthe beckoned to me and pushed the door open. I peeked around the corner. My mom sat at a desk overflowing with papers, folders, and assorted pens. Her computer monitor had sticky notes all over the edge. There were a pair of chairs in front of her desk, but they also held stacks of folders. It was so unlike how she acted I didn't know what to say. "Good afternoon, Patricia," she said.

  "Absynthe, this better be good. I am busy today. Overly busy. Alistair leaves for a business trip and expects me to pick up his paperwork slack? I don't think he's done anything in three days. That man is ridiculous." She gestured at the papers strewn across her desk and finally looked up. "Oh. Kevin?"

  "Hi, Mom."

  She stood up from her desk. "Absynthe! I thought I told you never to do this!"

  "Even after the trial?" Absynthe asked. "Your secret's out, Patricia. No need to hide anymore."

  She sighed and sat back down. "I suppose you're right. Good afternoon, Kevin. What can I do for you two?"

  "We have an urgent matter you need to deal with," Absynthe said. "A couple of special guests have information that we need to act on immediately."

  "Unless it's a matter of life or death, it can wait until next week. I'm leaving for Boston tomorrow and will be there until Monday. I have this stack to finish up today. I have this stack to finish up tomorrow. I don't have enough time in my day to deal with this." She gestured at her desk. Absynthe didn't respond and my mom sighed. "Fine. Can they be done in ten minutes or less?"

  Absynthe shrugged. "Probably."

  "All right. Come on in."

  Absynthe and I walked in and stood to the sides. Todd strode through the doorway, head held high, and a huge grin crossing his face. Star stepped in right behind him. "Afternoon, Pat. How are you?"

  Mom jumped up again and her face turned white. Her jaw moved without sound for a moment before she pointed across her desk at him. "What are you doing here? There's a kill on sight order against you! She's supposed to be bringing me your head, not your living body!" She pointed at Absynthe. "And he's not supposed to know about you at all!" Her finger pointed at me.

  Todd let out a chuckle. "Alex is actually the one who contacted me."

  Absynthe studied the ceiling. My mom let out a deep breath through her nose. "I'll deal with her later, then."

  Todd reached behind him and pulled Star out to the side. "I'd also like you to meet my aide, Sarah."

  Star's face held hints of red matching her hair. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Parker," she said. "I hope you're not too upset with our interruption."

  "No, though I really should be. It's been a long time since I've seen my brother." Mom sat back down and clasped her hands on top of her desk. "Kevin, please shut the door."

  I shut the door, making sure not to slam it, and leaned back against it. "I've missed working with my little sister," Todd said. He stepped forward to lean on the back of one of her chairs. "Though I'm disappointed Alistair's still running the show here. I was hoping you'd stage a coup before now."

  "We've held his most dangerous ambitions in check. These days, he has more opposition than ever, as evidenced by your sudden appearance in the lion's den. Todd, you know I can't guarantee your safety here."

  "I know."

  "So. This isn't a social call, and I do have work to do. Why are you risking your life coming here?"

  "We're here about him." Todd jerked a thumb over his shoulder at me.

  "What about him?"

  "He was attacked two days ago." My mom looked past Todd and glared at me. I spread my hands wide. What was I supposed to do, not tell anyone? "To be blunt, you don't have enough trustworthy people to protect him."

  "No shit," my mom snapped. "You think I don't know that? I've begged Alistair to keep him safe. I've offered to contract work out to anyone under the sun, on my own dime, but he refuses. Too much of a security risk, he says. He says that, even after Shade's people attack right here, on campus! And then he goes on vacation!"

 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35