Awakening: Dead Forever Book 1 (15 page)

As I ramble, Dave asks, “Bobs?”

“You know, the goons. With the cheesy jackets.”

“Agents,” he says. “Association cops.”

Madison asks, “Why in the world would you call them Bob?”

“You know, what they wear, and their hair.
Black-on-black.
”

They both laugh. Dave says, “Yeah, that sure fits,” and tips his beer for another swig.

“But what about Jared?” Madison asks. “Think, Adam, there must be a clue. Maybe he only pretended to hurt you, so they’d think he was on their side, when really, he was saving you from something worse.”

“Trust me, there was nothing pretend about it. He enjoyed hurting me. And not much could be worse than what happened, or was going to happen.”

Dave asks, “Did you catch him talking to the Bobs?”

“Some.”

Madison says, “That’s a clue, Adam, right there. Think carefully, what did they say?”

“Something about reward, I’m not sure.”

They exchanged puzzled glances.

Dave asks, “What kind of reward?”

“They didn’t say. Whatever it was, he was impatient for it. Pissed even, when Bob said he had to wait until all was in order, something like that.”

Madison says, “Jared’s not greedy that way. It must be something else.”

“Maybe he turned on us to win his freedom.”

Dave chuckles. “Yeah, right. Only a well-defined, conformed freedom, with an approved structure. Get real, Adam. The only freedom they dole out is freedom from misbehaving.”

“What else could it be?”

We fall silent, pondering any possible explanation for Jared’s betrayal, but there is none. Dave and Madison have no answer, just as I do not. Only Jared knows. If only I could remember more, maybe, somehow, I might solve this puzzle sooner rather than later.

That’s what they call a wish.

* * *

Our depleted beers form a large pyramid growing in one corner of the deck. We’re all feeling loose, cracking jokes and laughing, the seriousness of it all having slipped away, probably lost somewhere in all those empties. I’m feeling no pain, that’s for sure, and caring less and less about Jared and his no-good deeds. No point in fussing over any of it, there’s good beer to be drunk.

Dave’s humor is in high gear, endlessly amused by his own ridiculous conclusions. Having exhausted his supply of jokes—all of which are completely stupid, though we do keep laughing—he wanders inside for more beer. Moments later, he appears on the other side of the screen door, holding a jacket.

“Look what I found in your closet.” He steps out and pushes the garment at me. “It’ll be cooling off soon. You might need this.”

Something’s not right. He has a big grin, like a joke is brewing.

I study the jacket. What? Black, the cheesy plastic kind the Bobs wear. “What the hell is that shit? I’m not wearing
that.
”

“Aw, come on, Bobby boy, it’ll look so good on you.”

“Ha-ha, Dave, real funny. I don’t think so.” I slap the silly sportswear away. “Get rid of that damn thing.”

What is that jacket doing in my closet? I’d never wear it.

Dave stands there laughing, cracking himself up real good, and now Madison is acting completely silly. She takes her pigtails out and flings her long mane to cover half her face, then bats her eyes like a wicked seductress stalking prey. Maybe she is, and I’m seeing the real Madison. Then again, maybe not. She bursts into hysterical laughter and makes goofy faces, none of them any sort of expression that would seduce me.

Dave returns to his seat. “Jared’s just a jackass. Fuck him.”

I certainly agree. “Yeah, fuck him. Fuck him with a big donkey dick.”

We all join in a roar of laughter.

“Yeah,” Madison says. “That selfish little prick, everything’s about him. Me me me, that’s Jared. Can’t even hold out long enough for a woman to—” She slaps a hand over her mouth, eyes wide. But she can’t take it, and bursts into a delirium of giggles.

“Oh?” I say. “So you did have a thing, eh?”

Her smile starts to wither. Now I’m the target of a hard stare. This could be painful.

Dave says, “The real question is, who
didn’t
she have a thing with.”

Us boys laugh hard, so much my side hurts.

Madison gets nasty, the bad kind of nasty, glaring at Dave. “What are you saying, jackass? You make me sound like a slut. I haven’t done you, so there’s one person.”

“Yeah, and why is that, Maddie? You don’t like me, or what?”

She pretends to be serious, but I can tell, it’s just an act. Like she’s upper class, nose held high. “Sorry, David, you’re just not my type. You don’t ring my bell.” She struggles to maintain the serious act, but it’s more than she can handle. She breaks out laughing, nearly in tears, and more of those goofy faces.

“But Adam does,” he says. “How’s that work?”

Madison reels in the giggles and sets a new stage, that of a hungry lover lost in a dreamy fantasy, her smile yearning, misty eyes fluttering. “Adam’s another story. He’s a studmuffin. All he has to do is touch me and I get shivers all over, I just do, and every night when I dream of us making love, over and over, he won’t stop touching me, or kissing me, and I just have to
scream!
” She demonstrates with a squealing cry that pierces the night.

That’s it, she’s gone too far.

“Madison—stop it.”

Dave stops laughing. Madison, too, is surprised by my sudden change of tone, and halts her lustful performance. Both are silent and staring at me, hanging on my next words.

“You’re giving me a boner.”

Dave howls so hard he falls off his seat. Madison doubles over with arms wrapped around her tummy, gasping between snorting shrieks of laughter. I can’t keep a straight face for another second, and bust up along with them.

Beer is great fun. Where did all the safeties go? Washed away, the tiny voices that warn,
No, don’t say that!
The guards are down, I might say anything. So what? I’m one hell of a funny guy.

Hurried footfalls pounce the steps leading up to the deck.

“Hey, guys, what’s going on?”

It’s Matt, coming to join us. The moment he speaks, we break out laughing.

“Are you guys drunk or something?”

Dave pretends to be serious. “No, we’re telling jokes.”

We fall silent and Dave pulls a tight grin. This should be good.

“Yeah,” he says. “Jokes about you.”

Everyone laughs, except Matt.

“Aw, man, you guys
are
drunk. You’re all a bunch of lushes, for crying out loud.” He finds a seat and doesn’t appear all that happy, but he is staying, so we must not be too drunk.

I raise and rattle my beer. “Hey, Matt, want one? You know, time to be a real man.”

“Yeah, right. Looks like I have some catching up to do.”

I try getting up but Madison stuffs me back down. “Relax,” she says. “I’ll get it.” The screen door slaps shut after she steps inside. Now’s my big chance, her momentary absence the perfect opportunity to gossip about her love life.

“So, Matt, how about you?” I ask. “You know, Madison, eh? You ring her bell?”

Dave is mid-sip, can cocked way back, and he nearly chokes. He rips the can from his mouth and sprays.

Matt is horrified. “You sick pervert.”

The screen door slaps shut. Madison is back.

“Who’s a pervert?” she asks.

Dave holds in a fit of laughter. He’s close to losing it any second.

Matt aims his disgusted glare at Madison. “Adam, that’s who. No wonder you like him. His mind’s in the gutter, right next to yours.”

“Why?” she asks. “What did he say?”

She hands Matt a beer, and another to me. Matt says nothing, shaking his head, then cracks his beer open and has a taste, and just keeps shaking his head.

I say to Madison, “I asked if he rings your bell. You know, have you done him.”

Dave can’t take it—his laughter erupts.

Madison goes sour, hands at her hips. “Adam! He’s my brother.”

Overwhelmed by a wave of embarrassment, I don’t know what to think. No wonder they fight like siblings.

Dumbfounded, I ask Matt, “She’s your
sister?
”

His stare leaves a trace of doubt. He glances at Madison, then back to me. “I guess you could say that.” With caution he adds, “You sure have a lot to remember.”

“Yeah, no shit.”

Matt probes further. “And why is that, Adam? Why are you so resistant to—”

Madison springs forward and covers his mouth.

“To what?” I ask.

Dave gets annoyed. “Maddie, it doesn’t matter. Let the little wiener talk.”

Matt rips her hand away and glares at Dave. “Listen here, Mister Fancy-pants, I’m tired of you calling me names.”

“I wouldn’t call you names if you weren’t such a scrawny geek.”

Matt lunges at Dave.

I grab Matt’s arm. “Hold on. Resistant to what?”

He spins around. “Recall. You’re a big pussy that everyone has to baby, because oh, you poor thing, it might
hurt
to remember the truth.”

“What truth?”

“Figure it out, dumb-ass!”

Dave chuckles. “Now who’s calling names?”

Matt resumes his assault, slapping Dave across the chest, to which he acts more annoyed than threatened. “Back off, wiener-brain.” Matt ignites with pansy fury. Dave dances around the deck evading him, and laughing.

Madison chases after them. “Stop it, both of you.”

Matt whirls on her. “And you! How about what
you
should be telling him.”

She halts. “You know I can’t.”

Matt grumbles, “You mean,
won’t.
”

“Tell me what?” I ask.

“Everybody calm down,” Dave says. He coaxes Madison to join him, and they step inside. The screen door slaps shut and their muffled voices leak through.

More secrets—bullshit. I start for the door but Matt cuts me off. He stares at me like it’s the last time we’ll ever see each other. “Adam, please. I’ve admired you for so long, but now . . .”

“What is it, Matt?”

“Think about what you’re doing. And remember who you are!”

“I still wish one of you would just tell me.”

His gaze drops. “No, Adam, it doesn’t work that way.” He looks me in the eye and squeezes my arm. “
You
have to remember, that’s the only way. I just wish you’d hurry up.”

“Why?”

He steps back. “You’re like a reformatted data brick. Makes it blank like your memory, but you know how it works.” He glances past the screen door at Madison, inside and out of earshot. “I shouldn’t even be telling you this much, but screw it, here goes. Like a data brick, the files aren’t deleted, just the directory entries pointing to them. You know what happens when new data is added before undeleting files you want back.”

I do know, but not how or why I would. “The new data is stored in any available space, marked available when a file is deleted, or the whole brick is formatted.”

“Overwriting the old data, making it gone for good.”

Dave and Madison step out. She’s jubilant and he’s apprehensive. She hurries down the steps. “Let’s go. He’ll be here in a few minutes.”

“Who?” Matt asks.

Dave shuffles toward the steps. “It’s okay, Matt. We’re going for a ride.”

Matt is reluctant, but he follows, and farther down the steps, Dave whispers more to him.

I’m not going anywhere. “Dave, you don’t approve.”

Halfway down the steps, he turns back. “Adam, come here.”

Matt continues around the house, following Madison. I join Dave on the steps.

“Listen,” he says. “Maddie suggests we go out, you know, cool off. We’re all getting a little tense, right?”

“But you don’t think it’s a good idea.”

“Maybe not the best, but better than this. We’re supposed to have fun tonight, not all this bickering. Wouldn’t you agree?”

His cheesy smile could be more convincing.

“So where are we going?” I ask.

“Just out to have some drinks, no big deal. Come on, it’ll be fun, just like the good ol’ days.” Down two more steps, he turns back. “Oh, but promise me one thing. Watch yourself around Maddie, okay?”

“What do you mean?”

“Don’t let her take advantage of you.”

My feet remain glued to the steps. “Don’t mess with me, Dave. Tell me what you’re
not
telling me.”

“Okay, I’ll tell you.” He climbs to my side. “Look, you have a lot to remember, right? Maddie thinks seeing things will help, that’s all. Sound reasonable?”

“Sure, but I’m still stuck on you not liking it. Why?”

He ponders that a moment, then looks me in the eye.

“Because, we’re doing
her
idea, not mine.”

* * *

In the alley behind the house, a taxi is waiting. Our friend Jerry. Madison leans into his open window and says something, then hops in back with Matt. I slide in next to her, and Dave sits up front.

After a maze of residential streets, we climb an onramp and merge with freeway traffic. Ahead, a string of taillights leads to our destination, a sprawling cityscape. Not exactly an enormous metropolis, but still a sight. Tall buildings reach for the sky, forming a checkerboard of panes aglow, contrasting the soft night.

Along the way, my friends argue over where to go, and Jerry has plenty of his own ideas, but Madison shoots down every last suggestion that Dave and Matt have to offer. The girl knows what she wants, and she’s going to get it. Jerry’s brand of nightlife appears to win her interest, as he gives a review of every club in town, and one of his favorites might fit her scheme. At any rate, his enthusiasm leaves no doubt, the place is totally boss, dude.

Evening traffic moves swiftly and soon we’re cruising along a major boulevard flanked by tall buildings. Jammed in with other vehicles, the flow thickens, and the congestion allows me an opportunity to see the sights. Shops and restaurants display colorful, vibrant signs, and people crowd the sidewalks. A lively bunch, their fashion reaches to every end of the spectrum, some dull and baggy, others snug and dazzling, along with every hairstyle imaginable. Though fashion may vary, the people share one aspect—all are smiling, talking and laughing, bright and alive. Everyone is upbeat, like a party is going on.