A Shadow's Light BK 2 (15 page)

James turned to her and nodded, and once more held his index finger to his lip. He placed the pencil in his aching hands. They, like the rest of his body, were feeling the punishment of Test’s grip. With one last glance over his shoulder, he began to write.

Site 3

Alyssa chose
him

It was a simple phrase. Enrique stared at it for a solid thirty seconds, struggling to accept the reality of what it meant.

“What are you saying?” he whispered.

James let his head drop and then cautiously looked under his arm to the next room. The soldier was peering through the curtains and into the street. James went back to the paper to write another note, but before he could touch the tip to the paper, the pencil was quickly taken from him by Enrique.

Holding it within his fist, he snapped the pencil easily with his thumb. “Knock this shit off, James. What the hell is going on?” he demanded in a commanding whisper.

James replied in kind. “She knows everything about him, and she wants to stay with him.
He nearly fucking killed me and she wants to
stay
.” His whisper became filled with anger and the muscles within his neck tensed visibly under his skin.

Enrique gripped his arm tightly. “Why in the hell did you leave her there?”

“
Are you fucking serious
?” replied James with a jerk. “Look at me, Enrique!”

The soldier’s attention snapped to the kitchen, and at the sight of Enrique gripping James’ arm, he walked toward the room.

Quickly, Julie intervened. “It’s okay, sir. Everyone’s just a little keyed up.”

The soldier stopped, and with a nod replied. “I suppose that’s understandable. You folks try to relax. This will all be over soon.”

“Thank you. We appreciate your understanding,” replied Julie trying to appear comforted, though his words brought comfort to no one.

Enrique looked back down to James and relaxed his grip. “I’m sorry.”

James exhaled forcefully. “I am too, Enrique. You think I didn’t want to drag Alyssa out of there? His power is … it’s…” James began to tremble and his eyes flared wildly.

Chapter 17

The mid-day sun was glaring down upon them as they sat contemplating their next move. Test and Alyssa sat next to each other on the porch steps in a fog; neither of them willing or capable of offering a suggestion.

Test knew that they couldn’t stay. His trust in James was far from absolute, and he knew that the reality was they would have another visitor very soon.

Alyssa’s eyes immediately scanned her surroundings. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, angling her head slightly in concentration.

“No, he’s not, which is strange because he’d been telling me that he wanted to talk to you too.”

“Do you know how he works?” Test paused. “That sounds dumb, huh? What I mean is—how was he able to hit me? Why am I able to see and hear him sometimes, and other times he’s, well--a ghost?”

Alyssa giggled. “Because he is--
a ghost
.”

Slightly annoyed that she could find humor in the situation, Test glared at her. “Come on. You know what I mean.”

“I’m sorry, I don’t mean to laugh,” she replied. She closed her eyes and rubbed her temples, straining to find a logical way to explain things. “Well let me ask you this. When you’re mad, what happens?”

“I lose my temper?” he replied with a smirk.

“Now who’s being the smart ass?” She smiled back playfully. “Seriously though, when you get mad, you begin to glow and then get those pulses going down your arms, right?”

Test nodded.

“When you’ve lost control, the waves coming from your body get stronger, right?”

Test nodded again.

“And what are those pulses made of do you think?”

“Some kind of energy,” he replied, his tone now more serious and intent.

“Spirits use the energy of things around them to materialize. It’s like on those ghost hunting shows on T.V.; sometimes the batteries in their cameras or flashlights suddenly just go dead. Shortly after, something paranormal happens.”

Test listened intently as she continued.

“Basically, when you’re mad, or using your gifts, Cliff, or any other spirit for that matter, can use you as a source of energy.”

Test had heard of this before, but had never put two and two together. It made sense.

“So how was he able to hit me?” he asked.

She looked at him with a bewildered expression and replied. “You were probably putting out enough energy to power all of Saratoga! He could pull enough off of you to basically be alive again!”

“Seriously?”

“Yeah, seriously,” she replied.

“So why haven’t I been seeing all sorts of ghosts walking around?” he asked with his arms crossed, rubbing his biceps with the palms of his hands.

Alyssa looked at him with a wrinkled nose, squinting in the sunlight. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed or not, but when you get mad, you don’t pay much attention to what’s going on around you.”

Test didn’t like her answer, but knew she was right.

Alyssa continued. “Besides, you probably won’t see the spirits unless they want to be seen.”

“So is that how it works with you?” he asked.

“No, well, not really,” she replied. “Even if I can’t see a spirit, I can still feel them. I can sense if there is someone around.”

Test smiled in nervous excitement. “Is there anyone around now?”

She smiled back at him. “Why, are you scared?”

“No,” replied Test as he puffed his chest.

Alyssa rolled her eyes and nodded her head. “Since you ask; there is someone that’s been hanging around now and then, but I haven’t seen or heard them yet. I think it’s a guy, but I’m not sure. He never gets too close.”

“You sure it’s not Cliff?” asked Test.

“Yes, I’m sure,” she replied as she rolled her eyes. “I’ve been around Cliff enough now that I’d know him a mile away.”

“I wish he was here,” Test spoke unintentionally.

“Well, wishes are meant to come true sometimes, aren’t they?”

Test continued to stare off into the trees. “I haven’t had a wish come true…,” he paused, turning to Alyssa with a grin and placing her hair behind her ear. “Well, I haven’t had a wish come true for a day or so.”

“Good save,” she replied, “but I wasn’t fishing for anything. Cliff is here.”

Test jumped from his seat and scanned around frantically. “Where is he?”

“
Settle down, son.”

The words came from Alyssa’s mouth, but instantly Test knew the tone and rhythm. “Where is he?” he asked now in a calmer voice.

“He’s right in front of you,” answered Alyssa.

Test looked straight ahead, but could see nothing. He closed his eyes and forced the fire within him to burn. Slowly and nearly hidden in the sunlight, the familiar red pulses of energy began to flow down his arms. He reached out with his right hand and forced the pulses to grow stronger.

“
I’ve missed you, son
.”

Test heard Cliff’s voice with his own ears. It was jarring to him after all this time. He could feel the tears welling up in his eyes. “Damn,” he replied choking back the tears. “I’ve missed you too, my friend.”

Cliff’s silhouette slowly began to fade into view. He was the Cliff that Test remembered; the old man from the convenience store. Test began to lose focus and the pulses began to fade.

“Whoa, don’t let me go there young man,” said Cliff in a fading voice.

Test instantly reacted and forced the pulses back to their previous intensity. “Why can’t you talk to me; you know, in my head like you used to? Why haven’t I heard from you sooner?”

Cliff let out his typical brash chuckle as he pushed his glasses up on his nose. “I guess sometimes the powers of the living don’t always translate in death.”

Alyssa giggled. “He’s not too sharp today, Cliff. You’ll have to forgive him.”

“This boys got lots of days of not bein’ too sharp. Oh well, at least he was sharp enough to finally hook up with you!” Cliff replied.

Test pulled up his sweats with his free hand and fidgeted uncomfortably. “Are you two done?”

“Oh, quit being so sensitive,” replied Alyssa as she patted him on the leg. She could feel the energy trying to push her hand away.

“Where have you been?” asked Test, suddenly somber.

“I followed James.” Cliff’s demeanor suddenly took a change.

Test looked at Cliff in amazement. He looked just as he remembered him. With a somber smile, he asked, “What happened, Cliff?” He lowered his head. “I’m sorry that I left you. I should have been there for you.”

Test felt Cliff’s touch on his shoulder. “Raise your head up, son. You ain’t got nothin’ to be sorry for. You did what you had to do. Weren’t nothin’ you could’ve done to stop my dyin’; ya hear?”

Test looked up and met Cliff’s smile with one of his own. “I’m glad you’re here.”

Cliff nodded and replied. “Me too; now, what do you…” Stopping mid-sentence, the smile on the old man’s face melted.

“What’s wrong?” asked Test.

Alyssa and Test watched as Cliff’s transparent gaze turned away from them.

“Oh no,” said Alyssa.

Cliff muttered. “What are you doin’ here? What do you want?”

Test looked between the two of them, confused at the questions and sudden fear within the both of them.

Alyssa stood. “I know who’s been hanging around.”

“Who?” asked Test.

Before Alyssa could answer, another figure began to gradually come into view. This figure was larger than Cliff and stood over the old man menacingly. With speed much faster than the eye could see, Test felt a sudden and crushing pain in his jaw that sent him careening backwards onto the porch.

“Rob, no!” screamed Alyssa.

Test’s mind rang numb for a moment. ‘
Did she just say Rob?’
he thought to himself. Flat on his back, he lifted his head to see the shadowy image of Rob standing over him. Instantly, Test became enraged.

He quickly threw his right arm forward, shoving a pulse straight through Rob’s silhouette. No sooner than he released the pulse, he received another crushing blow, this time to his ribs.

“What do have to say for your self, Johnston? You little piece of shit! Did you really think you could get away with it, with killing me?”

Test looked into Rob’s eyes and swelled with hate. Again he threw his arm forward, and once more the pulse delivered no affect other than Rob delivering a clean kick to his side. In the distance, he could hear Cliff screaming.

“You got to shut it down! Control it! You can’t beat him tha…”

Cliff’s voice disappeared. Suddenly all was still, and as Test painfully rolled onto his side, he saw Alyssa frozen at the foot of the steps. The pulses of red light continued to flow down his arms, but with decreasing intensity.

“Wh…,” Test coughed. “Where did they go?”

“He took him,” Alyssa answered mournfully. “He took Cliff away.”

Test sat up to scan his surroundings and could see nothing. “Where did…” Test began, but his speech was interrupted by what felt like a truck smashing into his chest. The force of the blow sent him flying through the air, his head colliding violently with the railing on the porch. The light of the afternoon sun began to fade around a single focal point of light. He could no longer see Rob, but before he lost consciousness, he heard him one last time.

“Good night, fucker.”

And then it was dark.

Chapter 18

Enrique turned from James and glared at the soldier standing in the next room. He had the plan set in his mind, but the lone soldier presented a severe complication.

“What are you thinking?” asked James.

Enrique answered with a whisper. “We have to get to the cabin; you and me.”

“How do you propose we do that?” answered James gesturing towards the soldier.

“He looks young, don’t you think?”

James looked to the soldier. He did, in fact, seem to be a young man, perhaps in his mid twenties. “Yeah, I guess. So what?” he replied.

“I’m thinking that maybe he’d like to be a hero.” Enrique took his eyes off of the soldier and looked down to James.

“I’m not following you,” James answered.

“Think about it. Put yourself in his place. Your entire unit is out capturing the most wanted and dangerous being on the planet and you’re stuck guarding the family. That wouldn’t eat at you a little bit?”

“I guess,” answered James. “Maybe?”

“What if you found out that you could catch the fugitive all on your own? Would you jump at the chance to be a hero?” Enrique asked with a raised eyebrow.

James began to nod his head. “We could take him to number three.”

As Enrique turned back towards the soldier, Julie grabbed his arm. “Now wait a minute,” she said tensely. “I’m not gonna have you two go out risking your neck.
I won’t have it!
” Her tense voice had suddenly boomed in volume.