Gone Series Complete Collection (45 page)

It was stretched, like it had been turned into dark, bloodred taffy. It wrapped twice around his body.

No.

Impossible.

Howard came rushing up first. “Has Orc shown up here?” But neither Caine nor Diana answered. Both were staring at Drake, who sauntered toward them, all his cockiness restored, no longer the ragged scarecrow who had wept when he saw the melted stump of his hand lying on the tile floor.

“Drake,” Caine said. “We thought you were dead.”

“I’m back,” Drake said. “And better than ever.”

The red tentacle unwrapped itself from around his waist, like a python releasing its victim.

“Like it, Diana?” Drake asked.

The arm, that impossible bloodred snake, coiled above Drake’s head, swirled, writhed. And then, so fast that the human eye could barely register the movement, it snapped like a bullwhip.

The sound was a loud crack. A mini–sonic boom.

Diana cried out in pain. Stunned, she stared at the cut in her blouse and the trickle of red from her shoulder.

“Sorry,” Drake said with no attempt at sincerity. “I’m still working on my aim.”

“Drake,” Caine said and, despite the blood, despite Diana’s wound, he grinned. “Welcome back.”

“I brought some help,” Drake said. He extended his left hand, and Caine shook it awkwardly with his right. “So. When do we go take down Sam Temple?”

FORTY

26
HOURS
, 47
MINUTES

“THEY’LL COME
TOMORROW
evening,” Sam said. “I believe Caine needs to defeat me. I think it’s an ego thing with him.”

They held the final council of war in the church. The same church where Caine had carried out his smooth takeover. The cross had been propped back up against the wall. It wasn’t where it was supposed to be, but at least it wasn’t on the floor anymore.

From the Perdido Beach kids there were Sam, Astrid, Little Pete, Edilio, Dahra, Elwood, and Mother Mary. Albert had been invited, but he was focusing on his plan for Thanksgiving, and on experimenting with the tortilla-burger. Representing the Coates refugees were three girls: Dekka, little Brianna the Breeze, and Taylor.

“Caine’s a guy who needs to win. He needs to win before he poofs. Or he needs to win before I poof. The point is, he’s not going to just accept us freeing all these kids from Coates and taking over Perdido Beach,” Sam said. “So we need to be ready. And we need to be ready for something else, too: tomorrow is my birthday.” He made a wry face. “Not a birthday I’m exactly looking forward to. But, anyway, we need to decide who takes over for me if . . . when . . . I step outside.”

Several of the kids made sympathetic or encouraging noises about how Sam maybe wasn’t going to blink out, or maybe it would be a good thing, an escape from the FAYZ. But Sam hushed them all.

“Look, the good thing is, when I go, so does Caine. The bad thing is, that still leaves Drake and Diana and other bullies. Orc . . . well, we don’t exactly know what’s going on with him, but Howard’s not with him. And Lana . . . we don’t know what happened to her, whether she left or what.”

The loss of Lana was a serious blow. Every one of the Coates refugees adored her for the way she had healed their hands. And it was reassuring to think that she could heal anyone who was injured.

Astrid said, “I nominate Edilio to take over if . . . you know. Anyway, we need a number two, a vice president or vice mayor or whatever.”

Edilio did a double take, like Astrid must be talking about some other Edilio. Then he said, “No way. Astrid’s the smartest person here.”

“I have Little Pete to look after. Mary has to care for the prees and keep them out of harm’s way. Dahra has responsibility for treating anyone who gets hurt. Elwood has been so busy in the hospital with Dahra, he hasn’t dealt with Caine or Drake or any of the Coates faction. Edilio’s been up against Orc and Drake. And he’s always been brave and smart and able.” She winked at Edilio, acknowledging his discomfort.

“Right,” Sam said. “So unless someone has an objection, that’s the way it is. If I get hurt or I ditch, Edilio’s in charge.”

“Respect to Edilio,” Dekka said, “but he doesn’t even have powers.”

“He has the power to earn trust and to come through when he has to,” Astrid said.

No one objected further.

“Okay, then,” Sam said. “We have our people in position and Edilio tells them when to go. Taylor, I know it’s going to be boring for you, and a little scary, too. Pick out a friend to go with you, trade off on sleep, but make sure one of you is awake the whole time. And keep practicing. Breeze, your role is critical: you’re our communications system once it starts. Dekka? As soon as we hear from Taylor, you and I move out.”

“Cool,” Dekka said.

“We’re going to win this,” Sam said.

They all got up to leave. Astrid stayed behind. Sam tapped Edilio’s shoulder. “Listen, man, if you can find something useful for Quinn to do . . .”

“I’m on it. He’s not a bad shot. I have him on top of the day care with one of the machine pistols.”

Sam nodded, patted Edilio on the back, and watched him leave.

“Quinn with a machine gun,” Sam said. “I’m asking my friend to shoot people.”

“You’re asking him to defend himself and defend the prees,” Astrid said.

“Yeah, that changes everything,” Sam said sarcastically.

“What do you want me to do?” Astrid asked. “You haven’t given me a job.”

“I want you to find a safe place and hide there till it’s all over. That’s what I want.”

“But—”

“But . . . as of tomorrow afternoon, I need you up there.” He pointed upward.

“In heaven?” Astrid asked with a grin.

“Follow me.” He led Astrid and her brother to the steeple. The lattice panels were still knocked out, just as Drake had left them. The lights of Perdido Beach looked eerily normal from up here. Many houses still had lights on. The sparse streetlights were lit. The yellow McDonald’s sign was brilliant. A breeze stirred carrying the smell of French fries and pine needles, salt spray and seaweed.

Two sleeping bags had been laid out in the snug enclosure. A pair of binoculars and a kid’s walkie-talkie lay next to a paper grocery bag.

“I packed you some food and batteries for L. P.’s game in that bag. I don’t think the walkie-talkie works very well, but I have the other one. You can see almost everything from up here.”

It was a tight space. Little Pete immediately sat down in a dusty corner. Astrid and Sam stood awkwardly close together, crowded by the bell.

“Did you leave me a gun?”

He shook his head. “No.”

“You’re asking everyone else to do terrible things. You’re just asking me to watch.”

“There’s a difference.”

“Is there? What?”

“Well . . . I need you for your brains. I need you to observe.”

“That’s lame,” she said.

He nodded. “Yeah. Well. You haven’t been trained to shoot. You’d probably end up shooting yourself in the foot.”

“Ah,” she said, not convinced.

“Listen, I know this is crazy, but maybe you should think about Quinn’s idea, you know, of getting L. P. to zap you to Hawaii. Or whatever. He has the power. In case things don’t work out . . .”

“I don’t want him to zap me away somewhere,” Astrid said. “I don’t really think it would work, for one. And for two . . .”

“Yeah?”

“And for two, I don’t want to leave you.”

He laid his palm gently against her cheek, and she closed her eyes and leaned into him. “Astrid, I’m the one who’s going to be leaving. You know that.”

“No. I don’t know that. I’ve prayed for it not to happen. I’ve asked Mary to intercede.”

“Mary Terrafino?”

“No, duh.” Astrid laughed. “You are such a heathen. Mary. The Virgin Mary.”

“Oh. Her.”

“I know you don’t really believe in God much, but I do. I think He knows we’re here. I think He hears our prayers.”

“You think this is all some master plan of God’s? The FAYZ and all?”

“No. I believe in free will. I think we make our own decisions and carry out our own actions. And our actions have consequences. The world is what we make it. But I think sometimes we can ask God to help us and He will. Sometimes I think He looks down and says, ‘Wow, look what those idiots are up to now: I guess I better help them along a little.’”

“I’ll gladly accept the help,” Sam said.

“Just the same, I wish I had a gun.”

Sam shook his head. “I hurt my stepfather. I hurt Drake. I may have killed Drake. I don’t know. And I don’t know what’s going to happen next. But here’s what I do know: When I hurt someone it makes a mark on me. Like a scar or something. It’s like . . .” He searched for words, and she wrapped her arms tight around him. “It’s like my knee, where Drake shot me? That’s all healed up, thanks to Lana, like it never happened. But me burning Drake? That’s inside me, in my head, and Lana didn’t heal that.”

“If there’s a fight, others will feel that hurt.”

“You’re not others.”

“No?”

“No.”

“Why?”

“Because I love you.”

Astrid was silent for so long, Sam thought he must have upset her. Yet she never loosened her hold on him, never pulled away but kept her face buried in his neck. He felt her warm tears on his skin. And at last she said, “I love you, too.”

He sighed with relief. “Well, we got past that.”

But she didn’t join in the nervous laughter. “I have something to tell you, Sam.”

“A secret?”

“I wasn’t sure of it, so I didn’t say anything. It’s hard to separate it from IQ. Intuition is usually just the name we give to heightened but normal perception that takes place below the level of conscious thought.”

“Uh-huh,” he said, using his dumb-guy voice.

“For a long time I wasn’t sure it was anything other than normal intuition.”

“The power,” he said. “I was wondering if you knew. Diana said you were a two bar. I kind of didn’t want to, you know, force you to think about it.”

“I suspected. But it’s weird. I touch a person’s hand and I sometimes see what looks in my mind like a streak of fire across the sky.”

He held her out at arm’s length, the better to see her face. “A streak?”

She shrugged. “Weird, huh? I see it as bright or dim, long or short. I don’t know what it means, I don’t have any control over it and I haven’t really tried exploring it yet. But it feels like I’m seeing some measure of, I don’t know, significance or something? It’s like I’m seeing a person’s soul or maybe their fate, but in highly metaphorical terms.”

“Highly metaphorical,” he echoed. “Your power is the power of metaphor?”

That at last earned him a smile and a shove. “Smart-ass. The point is, I’ve known from the start that you were important in some way. You’re a shooting star across the sky, trailing sparks.”

“Do I shoot right into a brick wall tomorrow?”

“I don’t know,” she admitted. “But I know you’re the brightest shooting star in the sky.”

Computer Jack woke and felt her soft hand over his mouth. It was dark outside, but the room was bathed in the blue glow of a computer screen. He could see the outline of her face, her dark hair. Her eyes glittered.

“Shh,” she cautioned, and put a finger to her lips.

His heart was already pounding. Something was wrong, no question.

“Get up, Jack.”

“What’s happening?”

“You remember our deal? You remember your promise?”

He didn’t want to say yes. He didn’t want to. He had always known that whatever Diana wanted, it would be dangerous. And Jack was more terrified than ever.

Drake was back. Drake was a monster.

Diana stroked his cheek with her fingertips. He felt a shiver go up his spine. Then, just ever so softly, she slapped his cheek.

“I asked if you remembered your promise.”

He was mute. Too confused to be able to find his voice, too aware of her beside him, too terrified of what she might want.

He nodded.

“Get dressed. Just your clothes. Nothing else.”

“What time is it?” he temporized.

“Time to do the right thing.” Her soft mouth twitched a wry smile. “Even if it is for the wrong reason.”

Jack climbed out of bed, very, very glad that he had found a pair of pajama bottoms to wear. He made her turn away and dressed quickly.

“Where are we going?”

“You’re going for a drive.”

“I only drove once and I almost ran into a ditch.”

“You’re a very smart boy, Jack. You’ll figure it out.”

They crept from the room into the darkened hallway. Down the stairs, careful, careful. Diana inched the outside door open and looked at the courtyard. Jack wondered if Diana had an excuse ready if someone stopped them.

The sound of sneakers on the gravel of the driveway was amplified in the foggy night air. It was as if they were trying to make noise. Like each step was delivered with a sledgehammer.

Diana led him to an SUV parked haphazardly on the grass. “The keys are in it. Get in. The driver’s seat.”

“Where are we going?”

“Drive to Perdido Beach. And it’s not we. Just you.”

Jack was alarmed. “Me? Just me? No, no, no! If I go, Caine will think it was all my idea. He’ll send Drake after me.”

“Jack, either obey me or I’ll stand here and scream. They’ll come and I’ll say I caught you trying to escape.”

Jack felt his resistance crumble. It was all too plausible. She would do it, and Caine would believe her. And then . . . Drake. He shuddered.

“Why?” Jack pleaded.

“Find Sam Temple. Tell him you escaped.”

Jack gulped and bobbed his head.

“Better yet, find that girl, Astrid.” Diana recovered some of her mocking attitude. “Astrid the Genius. She’ll be desperate to save Sam.”

“Okay. Okay.” He steeled himself. “I better go.”

Diana touched his arm. “Tell them about Andrew.”

Jack froze with his hand on the key. “That’s what you want me to do?”

“Jack, if Sam blinks out, Drake will turn on me, and Caine won’t be able to stop him. Drake is stronger than before. I need Sam alive. I need someone for Drake to hate. I need balance. Tell Sam about the temptation. Warn him that he’ll be tempted to surrender to the big jump, but maybe, maybe, if he says no . . .” She sighed. It was not a hopeful sound. “Now: go.”