ExtraNormal (32 page)

“You are part nafarian. Just like me. But even that part of you is human.”

Jesse smiled like he might make a sarcastic remark, but instead suddenly groaned and clutched his ears. With his eyes closed against the obvious pain that had entered his head, he shakily put the car into gear. The moment the gear shaft was in drive, his body relaxed. He sighed with relief. “I think my dear brother wants us to get going.”

The car sped along our familiar route to my house. My mind raced with possibilities for getting out of this mess. I knew the Nreim government would never tolerate compromised genetics. If Dr. Alison couldn’t protect him…I couldn’t even finish the thought.

“Are you scared?” Jesse asked.

We were already sitting in the driveway. My mind was blank. “Terrified.”

“What do you think will happen when we te—?” Jesse suddenly bellowed with pain and pounded on the steering wheel. “We’re going. Just back off!” He said to the air in front of him.

I realized that my only hope for now was to put my faith in creepy Dr. Alison, which didn’t exactly fill me with confidence. But if she really was his mother, maybe she’d actually act like it. I jumped out of the car and ran to the house, pausing on the porch steps. “Has it stopped?”

“Mostly,” he said.

I planted my feet on the bottom step. “I’m not moving until it’s gone completely.”

The front door swung open. “Mirish—Mira. What’s happening?”

I turned around, then looked back at Jesse.

“It’s all right.” Jesse whispered, his face relaxing. “But we need to go inside first.”

“Daddy,” I said. “I’ll tell you everything in a minute. I need you to go sit in the family room. We’ll be right there.”

He held his place, giving Jesse a look of contempt.

“Please Daddy. It’s important.”

He looked to me. “You request too much. He cannot enter.”

I pushed him into the house. “Go sit. You’ll understand in a minute.” I went to my room—with Jesse following close behind—found my backpack, and pulled out the Gatorade bottle. I held it up for Jesse to see but spoke directly to Everett. “We’re taking it to the bathroom right now.” I turned on the faucet and dumped the contents into the sink. “See? It’s empty. Anything else?”

“I think I’d better do some searching,” Jesse whispered. “Just to be sure.” He glanced into the hall to make sure my dad wasn’t there, then stepped close, holding up his hands. “May I?” I nodded and he patted me gently, feeling in each of my pockets.

It was Dad.

I responded.

 Jesse searched my backpack, then returned to my room and opened each of my dresser drawers. Looked in my closet. Under my bed. “Satisfied?” Jesse said aloud to no one in particular. Then he nodded to me.

 “Dad!” I called, taking Jesse’s hand. We went into the family room where Dad was sitting at attention, tapping the arms of the chair impatiently. “Do you remember Jesse?” I looked from Dad to Jesse’s worried face and smiled affectionately at him. “He’s the one…I’ve…” I hesitated. My brain told me to speak, but my mouth wouldn’t cooperate. I couldn’t do this to Jesse…

“We’re dating sir.” Jesse spoke for me. He drew his eyebrows together, the pain obviously increasing, and turned his face away. “I mean to say…that we are in love.”

“Love?” Dad looked wearily from Jesse to me. “You believe you’re in love with this adolescent male?”

I gripped tight to Jesse’s hand. “I’m sorry Daddy.”

He shook his head with exasperation, squinting at Jesse.

I shifted my feet nervously. Looked from one face to the other.

 “Sit,” Dad said to Jesse. “Mira.” He nodded for me to sit next to Jesse on the couch.

“I suppose you desire to remain on Earth with him? Is that what this is concerning?”

“No. I’ll return with you tomorrow. Just like I said. I’m…I’m just tired of all the sneaking around and lying.”

“I see.” Dad leaned back, closed his eyes, and rubbed the bridge of his nose. “And you want me to keep this from your mother?”

“No. I want you to call her,” I said firmly. “Right now. I want to clear the air.”

“Since you’ve brought him here, she’ll be duty bound to report this to her…” His gaze darted to Jesse. “To her
employer
.”

“I know,” I said with less confidence. “I’m…prepared.”

“Are you? There will be a trial. With very harsh consequences. You’ve obviously violated many rules. Your mother will be humiliated. He—” his eyes glanced again at Jesse—“may be harmed.”

I could only nod and blink back tears, my throat swollen with emotion.

“The consequences to the boy will be determined by how much…information he has.”

I nodded again and swallowed hard over the lump in my throat. I wasn’t sure if I should admit that he knew everything or claim that he knew nothing. Everett hadn’t specified. He’d just said the Stones’ connections would protect him. “Just call Mom. I…I’m ready.”

Dad stood, shaking his head. “If you’d kept your silence another day…just one more day.”

“I’m really sorry.”

He paused with his back to us. “I know. You didn’t intend for this to happen. Excuse me while I converse with your mother.” He stepped out of the room and walked morosely down the hallway.

“Mira,” Jesse whispered, clutching my hand. “If you stream with me, can you see what I see?”

“Yes,” I said. “But Everett would know.”

“Do it.”

“What? I don’t think—”

“Do it now. Quickly.”

I hesitated. Everett could kill him. Or Lacey. Or anyone.

“Now!” he whispered in a harsh, insistent voice.

As much as I wanted to, I couldn’t refuse him. I opened a tunnel that easily slipped inside his mind. I went in search of his sight as though I’d been there a hundred times before. It only took seconds to see the glittering refractions of the sun sparkling in the water of the backyard pool—as seen through his eyes, not mine. Then with a gasp I realized that the pool was behind Dad—who was still in the chair giving Jesse a stern, disapproving look.

I looked down the hall where Dad had gone. I looked to my hand—holding Jesse’s in his lap. I squeezed it—to give him a warning—then pulled it away. The hand in Jesse’s vision remained. “How long can you keep that up?” I whispered.

“I don’t know. But you have to hurry.”

“I can’t just leave you like this.”

“Go,” he insisted. “Hurry.”

I hesitated, then jumped to my feet.

If Dad were actually sitting in the chair, the only thing Jesse would have to simulate would be my leg and my hand on top of his. He’d only have to pretend to look at me occasionally.

Dad opened the bedroom door.

I grabbed his arm and pulled him forward. I paused with him at the threshold to the family room.

He gave me a blank stare.

I shoved him into the room.

He collapsed into the chair, staring after me.

I used two fingers to point from my eyes to the empty spot on the couch next to Jesse. Jesse remained motionless. I wanted to say goodbye and wish him luck but didn’t dare distract him.

I dashed down the driveway, stopping myself at the curb. My feet danced frantically while I waited and watched in both of the directions that Mom could come from. We had to stop Everett, that was obvious. And the Stones. And we only had a few minutes to do it before Jesse lost his ability to fake his vision—assuming he hadn’t already. I heard my mother’s Saab a block away and broke into a run.

The car came around the corner and screeched to the curb. Mom was dressed in a white linen suit. Her hair tumbled in soft wisps around her face. She tipped her sunglasses. “What’s going on?”

I pulled open the door and jumped in. “You can’t report anything I’m about to tell you to the agency. Not until it’s all over.”

“Mira. You can’t just make demands like that…”

“Say ‘yes’ or I’m getting out right now.”

Mom’s face was riddled with confusion—a look not often seen on the woman. “I…I don’t…” she stammered.

“Mom.” My voice was as stern as I could make it.

“Okay,
yes
. Talk to me.”

“Somebody—I think it was Rameer—sent some files to Geery. We used them to figure out that the Stones really are as nuts as you thought. And I think there’s a leak in the agency. That’s why they sent the files to us. But Everett
is
their son, and he’s been torturing my…my friend, Jesse. He’s at the house right now with Dad, faking his thoughts to make Everett think I’m there with him. We have to stop them before Jesse loses control.”

Mom blinked, looking dazed. “You have proof of all this?”

“Of course.”

“Well then we need to work fast.” She tapped the steering wheel. “Can you reach Geery?

I nodded. “I hope so.”

“Tell her to find Rameer asap.” She yanked on the steering wheel and gunned the engine, pulling a u-turn.

I gripped the dashboard and opened a stream to Geery. “Tell her to ask him if he can give a target sight estimate on the mole,” Mom said.

“Right. Okay,” I muttered, repeating the phrase to myself.

“And then I need to see that evidence.”

“Got it,” I said, trying to ignore the sudden throbbing in my head.

When Geery answered the stream, I was met with Judy Garland’s voice:

Apparently my voice was harsher than usual, since Geery didn’t argue.

Mom screeched into a parking space at the curb in front of the high school.

Geery responded.

“Do you have it?” Mom asked.

“Uh, yeah.” I said to Mom. I streamed to Geery.

Geery replied.

Mom had her gaze on the road in front of the school, studying passing cars. I opened my memory of the ordeal in the janitor’s closet, surprised by how brief it had actually been. Most of Everett’s confession implicated Jesse of having mixed genetics. He must have known I’d never willingly offer that information.

“I need something right now,” Mom said, her gaze still on the road.

“Here, try this,” I said, Everett was speaking
: They love Earth. They just want to help it rise to its potential. Introduce the genetics that will help it advance as it should.

Mom silently reviewed the clip, her eyebrows furrowed together. “Is that all you have? He could be talking about anyone. That could be a school play.”

“I have more. It’s…a strong case.”

 Mom gave me a sideways disapproving look. “What did Geery say?”

“Uh…she’s working on it.”

 “Let me know the instant you hear something. And I’m going to need that other evidence.”

“Okay,” I said, though I hoped Mom wouldn’t ask again. “You know we can’t let anybody at the school see us. Anybody at all. They’re using students to watch.”

“Yep,” she said.

“You have a plan then?”

“Uh huh.” She was silent another moment. “Okay, here we go.”

A van pulled to the curb. Mom got out and approached it. I put my hand on the knob, prepared to join her. I was relieved, however, when Mom put a hand up, telling me to stay put. While I waited, I opened a stream to Dad to check on Jesse.

Dad streamed.

Mom tapped on my window. “Okay, let’s go.”

A woman had gotten out of the van and was walking to the school office, her hips swaying rhythmically, high heels clipping on the sidewalk.

“What’s going on?” I asked, closing the stream.

“Just stay close to me. And try to look natural. We need to get behind those trees without anyone noticing us.”

I seized Mom’s arm and walked in step with her.

I asked.

Mom glanced back at me and smiled.

I marveled.

She glanced back at me again.

The hand that clutched Mom’s arm was clammy. I wiped it on my shirt then put it back. I suspected she could tell I was being deceptive. I doubted my skills were good enough to hide a whopper of a lie like that one. Especially while making direct contact. But I didn’t have time to worry about it. I asked.

Great.
Hopefully.
Just what I wanted to hear. We stepped near the base of a large tree about a hundred feet away from the office.

“Stay here,” Mom whispered. With her back to the office door, she walked casually to a tree several feet away. she streamed.

I had more questions. Like what in the world we were going to do if Everett came. But I followed orders and sent a stream out to Geery.

Her answer was the opening strains to the Pink Panther theme music.

Geery replied.