Rewrite Redemption (39 page)

Oh.

He narrowed his eyebrows in thought.
That’s the problem with our abilities. We need the tree connection for them to work for the most part. The faster we get to the aspen grove, the better. Because it’s connected underground, it will work like one big tree. We can shade quickly, because you’ve been there before. The root matrix has a kind of memory.

Maybe we should leave now while they’re asleep. The Indian, he’s cool, but the cowboys are bad news.
I looked down at the men.
  

He shook his head.
The meadow grass is really tall. I’m concerned about animals, mainly mountain lions. We’re too close to a water source. They hunt at night and I saw shapes moving in the meadow.

Something big?

Well, bigger than rabbits. Could just be deer, but I don’t want to chance it. It’s pretty dark out there. Hopefully, dawn’s not too far off. I say we go just before the sun hits the horizon. We can shade from the men, but the animals can track us by scent.

I felt a moment of fear at that thought. This wasn’t going to be easy. Then I remembered how high we were. I pointed down.
Regardless of the cowboys, we have to get down from this tree. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but there are no low branches.

I can get us down from the tree…easy deal. Watch this.
He climbed to a nearby branch.
Prepare to have your mind blown
.

Looking down at me, he stood on the limb and leaned against the trunk. Once he was stabilized, he closed his eyes and took several deep breaths. He just stood there for about a minute, humming softly to himself. Then he shook his hands, opened his eyes, and grinned.
You’re going to love this
, he said. He held his hands out, fingers spread, as if he was going to play the piano.

Energy radiated down from his hands, casting a gentle glow on the ground below. At first it was just a flow of slow and silvery filaments, falling softly to the ground. I watched in wonder. Then he flexed his fingers several times and waved his hands up and down. The energy began to build. With each wave of his hands, it got brighter and brighter, faster and faster, until he was shooting white-hot needles of lightening.

I was so mesmerized by the light show, that at first I didn’t notice. Suddenly, I realized…his feet were no longer touching the tree! Slowly, he began to rise. Then he just hovered there, in midair, like Criss Angel: Mindfreak. Only, we weren’t in a studio, and there was no way that it was a trick. He was really floating on air. I couldn’t believe it.

After about a minute, he opened his eyes and gave me a sly grin.
Pretty cool, huh?

I…how…I don’t know what to say. Are you sure I’m not dreaming?

He laughed and slowly floated back down on the tree limb. The energy faded.
It’s funny how this one seems to really mess with people’s minds. Traveling back in time…people can accept that. But air walking…that seems to push them over the edge. All the new Editor recruits are blown away by it. I know I was, the first time I saw it.

How the heck did you do that?

We can do some sick things with gravity,
he said.
You know how gravity attracts like a magnet. Well, we can push against it. That’s how you kicked the guy across the campsite and got up the tree. You used repulsive gravity without any training even. I’m impressed. 

So, I’ll be able to do these things?

He nodded.
Apparently, you’re a natural. You just need someone to show you how. You’re going to love it. I know I do. You have to watch yourself, of course. You can’t go letting anyone see you. But then you know about keeping hidden, I guess.

I do
. If I knew anything, it was that.

Some skills take longer to learn than others. Repulsive gravity is one of those. You have to be sixteen before the Regents will even let you begin. I’m still at a pretty low level, but I can float us down from the tree. Experienced Editors can walk on air and dart around and stuff. We can’t fly, but we can push against things, like how you jumped up this tree. It’s really fun. I’ll show you more when we get home. Right now, we need to figure out how we’re going to sneak out of here.

What’s the plan?

When they’re not looking, we drop to the ground,
he said.
We’ll be visible in the air, but just for a moment. I’ll carry you on my back. Once we’re on the ground, we shade again. Then we move to those rocks under the shade of this tree. See that cottonwood hanging over the rocks?

I nodded.

 The roots probably spread out a good thirty feet. We hide behind the rocks and wait until we can shade from it. That should cover us to the next set of rocks. Then we run like hell across the meadow to the aspens, hopefully, without being seen. As soon as we reach the grove, we’re safe.

I nodded, but inside my stomach clenched. Run like hell. Yeah, right. I couldn’t even run like heck. In the light of full disclosure, I filled him in on my lack of running skills and reminded him of my current footwear.

He just smiled. Then he showed me how to pull really deep into the tree’s core and then lock in the power, so I could store it like a battery. He thought I’d be able to boost my running capabilities long enough to get across the meadow.

Think I could store enough to get me through P.E.?
I asked, hopefully.

Depends on the location. It’s easier to hold on to power when you’re actually touching the ground, especially if you’ve just tapped a tree. Inside buildings, things are harder.

I’ll take anything I can get
.

He laughed, but then he looked down and cut the laughter off. Joe was still snoring, but Edgar had gotten up to stoke the fire.

The only flaw in the plan is getting down from the tree without them seeing us
, Constantine said.
We’ll be visible in the air.
This might be harder than I thought. Once they see us, we’re in trouble. We’re sitting ducks in the meadow. The guy that’s up doesn’t look too friendly. He must be the one you pepper-sprayed.

 He deserved it, the rat. He’s bad news. The other one is even worse. But you’re still shaded to them, right?

Yeah, only you can see me now.
He waved his arms wildly in the air.

Edgar, who was looking right at us, obviously didn’t see him. He just poked at the fire and scowled at me. He tossed a couple of logs on the fire and then he crawled back into his bedroll. Con was right. We had a problem.

What if we create a diversion?
I asked.

Works in the movies,
he said.
What do you have in mind?

Technology. The reason I got caught in the first place was that Lex’s phone alarm buzzed. I must have set it by accident, fumbling around. Her phone was in the mix of things I picked up, on my way out of the bunkroom. I grabbed everything in reach. That’s why I’m dressed so…okay, the elephant in the room. Admittedly, I dress strange, but usually I wear my own clothes. It’s because I try to keep a low profile, you know, because of my secret.

Hey, I understand about being hidden, and I know what it’s like to have a secret. Even so, I can’t imagine how hard it’s been all these years, having no explanations for all the stuff that’s happened to you. Lex told me all about it. The fact that you’ve held it together the way you have is impressive

You must have done something big to get her to spill. She does not trust easily.

I told her I could bring you back. She’s crazy worried.

I bet. They always stress when I’m gone.
I hoped they were okay. I grabbed my key and rubbed it for luck.

You guys are really tight, aren’t you?
He asked.

She has my back and there’s nobody I trust more. We’re family, her, Ipod and me.

Yeah, so she said.
He looked serious all of the sudden, with his eyebrows kind of drawn together. He looked away and ran a hand through his hair. I felt a waver in his energy. It pulled away a little.

She’s okay, right?
I asked, suddenly concerned.
I mean, other than being stressed about me being gone?

Yeah. At least, I assume she is. She was when I left. Well, she was before I got pulled into the vortex. I don’t exactly know how she reacted to my disappearing.

She knows my secret, so the disappearing itself wouldn’t be over the top. But she’ll be freaking not knowing what’s going on.

I’ll time our return so that it’s close to the time I left. She won’t have to wait long.
He sat down on his limb and leaned against the tree trunk.
Anyway, the diversion?

 I have Lex’s phone—rigged for sound. We can use that. This has to be pre-electronic. They’ll freak.

Excellent.
We should get it as far from us as possible. Too bad we don’t have a rope.

I thought for a moment.
We can make one…at least one strong enough to hold the phone.
I pulled out the folded piece of sheet from my hammock and started tearing it into strips.

He came back down to my branch and sat across from me.
Can I help?

Sure,
I said. Our being together was going really well. I couldn’t believe it. And I was just flowing with it…like a normal girl. Wait till I told Lex. I smiled at him and handed him some strips.

He started tying the strips together.
Excellent,
he said again.
We need a way to hold the phone so it won’t slip off
.

Oh, I know what we can use,
I said, picturing the inside front pocket of Ipod’s jeans. I could cut the white lining out. It would work like a little pouch. I stood up on the branch and held a higher one for support. Without thinking, I undid the cloth belt that was holding the heavy jeans on my skinny hips. The pants dropped to my ankles, and I stepped out of them.

Grabbing the jeans, I looked up to see Constantine staring at me with his mouth open. It took me a moment. But then I saw the whole thing through his eyes. When I realized what I’d just done, I felt my face flush. Then I just stood there, frozen, in my thin, cotton pajamas, holding the stupid jeans in my hand, and not saying a word. I couldn’t freakin believe it. I was like one of those people raised by wolves. I needed a handler. I didn’t know how to behave in mixed company.

He coughed and cleared his throat.

I’m wearing layers,
I said, finally.
I knew I had pajamas on.
I want to cut off a pocket to hold the phone.
I flipped the white lining out to show him.
Besides, I can’t run in Ipod’s jeans. They’re way too big and bulky. I—

Hey, don’t worry about it,
he said, laughing softly.
Sorry, I don’t mean to laugh. It was just a little out of the blue, that’s all. I’m not complaining. Forget about it. Show me what you have in mind. What really matters is getting home.

Yeah,
I said, grateful to him for changing the subject.
Here, take this.

I handed him the backpack and concentrated on emptying the pants pockets into it. I cut a front pocket off the pants, made a series of slits around the top of it, and threaded a thin strip of cloth through them. I stuck the phone in the pouch, pulled the drawstring tight, and tied it to our rope. I whirled it around a like a lasso.
See?
I said, finally looking him in the eyes.

Nice,
he said.
If I ever get stuck somewhere, remind me to take you with me
.

Yeah, I’m a regular Survivor contestant.

Seriously, this is a kick-ass idea. I can throw it hard with this…get it really high. They’ll go crazy not being able to find the source of the sound. They’ll head for cover, which is perfect since we’re going for the open meadow. I’ll try for that big pine right above the skinny guy.
He pointed
. The music will be amplified by the rock wall. They’ll freak.

I nodded, feeling somewhat vindicated.

Seriously,
he said.
This rocks.
We’re out here in the middle of nowhere with practically nothing, and you’ve had all kinds of good ideas. I was blown away by your hammock. I like smart girls. They’re great to have around when you’re stranded in time.
He smiled and ran his hand through his hair.

I smiled back at him this time. He was kind. I really liked that.

He organized the playlist while I added length to the rope. Then we just sat and talked, about him, about me, about everything. I told him about my mother and what it had been like all those years not knowing what was going on with me. I told him the history of my tree, how my great grandfather, Charlie, drove over the hill into Boulder and saw a spot of red from miles away. How he tracked down that spot and bought the land because the tree was so beautiful.

We talked about how I’d appeared in front of Ipod and Lex after years of that never happening. He said that was an anomaly for sure, but it probably had to do with them having traces of my energy from me healing them.