See How She Runs (20 page)

“Hardy har har. It isn’t fair when you turbo
run. Puny human here, remember? I don’t come equipped with a super
flash speed accelerator," I said, trying to focus on running and
not drooling. Doing both would have resulted in me tripping over
something and face planting. No one wanted to see that.

We ran back toward the cabin. I put all of
my focus into running and tried to block out Kennan. I felt like I
was about to crawl out of my skin. I ran harder trying to release
some of the tension building in my body. By the time we reached the
cabin’s clearing I was winded and ready to collapse.

Ian ran over with some water and sat himself
on the wet grass. He patted the grass beside him inviting me to
sit. I was already drenched, so a little more water wouldn’t hurt.
I sat there sipping water and trying to get my breathing back to
normal as Kennan paced the yard.

“I am going to go for a longer run. You got
this for a while right?" Kennan asked, barely waiting for an answer
before sprinting back into the woods. Apparently, he had some
tension to run off himself.

“What are you doing to that poor, poor man
Izzy?" Ian asked.

“I have no idea what you are talking about,"
I said innocently.

I rested for a few more minutes, trying to
get my body back under control. Ian nudged me and told me it was
time for combat lessons. I decided to name it Scrapping for Seers.
Ian did not appreciate my brilliant course name, however.

He spent several hours moving through basic
stances and blocks. I asked him when I could learn an awesome
flying roundhouse. He, sadly, informed me that I had to learn the
lame stuff first. He said something about building blocks and
fundamentals.

Ian, it turned out, was pretty much just
like Kennan. He took our lessons quite seriously. I had to promise
to go through each stance every morning before breakfast. He said
it would help with muscle memory. By the time my lesson had
finished, Kennan still had not resurfaced.

“Should we be worried that he is not back
yet?" I asked Ian.

“Nah, he probably just ran up a mountain or
something," Ian said, without a trace of humor.

I just gawked at him as we made our way
inside.

“Well, shotgun on the shower," I said as I
sprinted toward the bathroom.

“You suck, Isadora!" I heard Ian call after
me.

I stopped dead in my tracks. “What did you
call me?"

“Isadora. It was what your dad wanted to
name you, but your mom liked Izzy better. Your dad refused to just
call you Izzy though so he called you Isadora to drive your mom
batty," Ian laughed at the memory.

“I wish she would have listened to him. Do
you know how hard it is to be an adult with a name like Izzy?" I
asked, but I knew that I would keep that name no matter what. It
was something of my mother’s that no one could take from me.

“Don’t think you are distracting me from my
shotgun call. That shower is mine buster," I said before turning
back to the shower.

After we both got cleaned up, we moved to
the couch and watched a movie on my tablet. Ian found the Count of
Monte Cristo and labeled it the only even remotely manly movie in
the mix. We sat there watching the movie for about an hour before
Kennan resurfaced. He came into the cabin dripping wet and looking
just as pent up as when he had taken off.

“Can we postpone that ward lesson for the
day?" he asked gruffly.

I just nodded as he moved his way toward the
bathroom. The shower kicked on and he came out a few minutes later
with a towel wrapped around his waist. I was hoping it would fall,
but no such luck. He grabbed some sweatpants and pulled them on,
followed by a t-shirt. He dropped himself into the closest chair as
Ian and I continued to stare at him.

“What?" he asked.

“Oh, nothing, we were just wondering if we
could go ahead and start with the memorial service. We have been
waiting on you there big guy," Ian said.

“Oh gods, I am sorry, Izzy. I totally
forgot," his eyes filled with remorse.

“It’s okay, we still have time. But I think
we might have to do it around this fire, because I really don’t
think we will get one started out there," I said, pointing toward
the now pouring rain outside.

“That would work just fine," Ian said as he
piled more logs on the fire.

We spent the evening sitting on the floor in
front of the fire exchanging stories of my mother. Both of them had
far more memories to add than I. I laughed and cried as a mother I
did not ever really get to know was honored. I was struck with how
much of an imprint she had left on both Ian’s and Kennan’s hearts,
and I wanted so much to be like her. I wanted to be able to change
people the way she had, and leave such goodness behind. I hoped
that I could honor her memory with my life.

We went to bed as the flames turned to
embers. I slipped towards my room, as Kennan followed close enough
to be my shadow. He leaned down as I reached the door and kissed me
on my forehead and then my cheek. He sighed deeply before
relinquishing his hold on me. I looked up into his eyes, awestruck.
I wanted so badly to kiss this man, but I knew he was holding back.
I did not want him if I could not have it all. So I stepped away
from him and whispered my good night as I shut the door.

**********

NINETEEN

The next few weeks passed without much
excitement. I continued working on my escape routes and my training
with both Ian and Kennan. Ian was like a drill sergeant during our
training, but would revert back to his jovial self immediately
afterward. Lessons with Kennan were torturous. I wanted to focus
and learn about wards and protection spells. My attraction to him
made that a rather difficult prospect. I was sure that we spent
more time restraining ourselves than we did with the lessons.

So the days went on. I found myself getting
stronger and my reflexes growing sharp. I went through all of my
hikes solo. I even managed to do the overnight hike on my own
without freaking out. We discussed where I would go if something
happened, and who to contact. I spent my days training and hoping
that whatever was coming, I would be strong enough to face it. I
went to sleep every night waiting for Xavier, but never finding
him. It wasn’t until four weeks later that I had another vision and
finally knew what needed to be done.

I was sitting in the living room after a
long day of training, debating Ian’s methods of instruction, when I
was struck by a vision. I heard a glass break and muffled voices as
my surroundings disappeared.

**********

I was back at the bridge collapse, only this
time there were two images. One superimposed over the other. I
tried to remember what was happening and stood still long enough to
get my bearings. This time it was easier to recognize the vision
for what it was. I took in my surroundings, and saw in one vision a
gaping hole where a bridge once stood, and the other held a bridge
that was free from traffic. The latter had construction vehicles
parked all around with detour signs for any oncoming traffic.

I tried to focus on the scene of the ruined
bridge and remember what my mother and Kennan had taught me. I
looked in all of the cars for a newspaper, cursing the new digital
age with each failed attempt. Finally, I reached a car that had a
paper folded under a briefcase. I saw the date was a mere week
away. I looked for anything that might help me know where I was and
saw a sign on the bridge saying it was the Bidwell Bar Bridge. I
looked further to see if I could find any signs indicative of where
this bridge might be. I found a sign saying highway 162. Well, that
would probably be enough information.

Just as I was about to pull out of the
vision, I saw Xavier standing on the other side of the yawning gap.
He looked at me and smiled, and I did the most unladylike thing I
had done in a long time. I flipped him the bird before pulling
myself out.

**********

“Izzy, are you okay?” Ian asked, sounding
shocked.

“Yeah, I am fine. I just had a vision. I
know where Xavier expects to get his next big pay check. Well, at
least I have a general idea and time. I also know we can stop it,"
I said as I looked down at the shattered coffee mug on the
floor.

“Dude, is it always like that?" Ian asked
Kennan, still freaked out.

“Yeah, with her it is. But I think it has
something to do with the way she sees things. I had to go in the
last time and drag her out. It is intense, man," Kennan said.

“Sitting right here, you know?" I asked.
“So, does anyone want to know my master mind plan?" I asked,
thrumming my fingers together like a maniacal super villain.

“Sure, what do you have?" Kennan asked
hesitantly.

“Well, we know that Xavier gets a chunk of
his money from insurance scams that result from disasters. I am
thinking we should interfere with his little profit scheme on this
one. I have the basic information of where the bridge is, I just
need to look up some specifics. Then we can contact the highway
department and pretend to be inspectors or something and report the
problem," I said, realizing that as a mastermind plan went it kind
of sounded cheesy.

“Well, that could work. But you know that
you can’t change it all of the time, right?" Kennan asked,
concerned.

“It was a double layer vision. I think we
are good on this one. Plus, I really just want to piss your brother
off," I said with a smirk.

“Okay, well you are going to need an
internet connection to figure out all of the information you need.
Just try and keep to high traffic sites. Otherwise, they might pick
up on your intentions," Kennan said, running his hand over his
face.

He got up and walked over to his bag,
pulling out a little gadget that would provide me with WiFi to do
my research. I spent the next few hours tracking down all of the
phone numbers and credential information I would need. The guys had
gone outside to train with one another and I decided to check my
email. Not that there would be much there, but maybe I had gotten
something.

There were about a thousand spam messages in
my inbox as well as a message from Mike. I had been so worried
about him and could not wait to read what he had to say.

Dear Izzy,

I ran. I am safe. I am in that place that
makes me happy.

Mike

Relief washed over me as I took in his
words. In typical Mike fashion, he kept it to the point. I knew
exactly how to find him. I was sitting on the couch doing a
stationary happy dance when the guys ventured back in.

“Mike’s safe," I practically squealed at
Kennan.

“How do you know that?" Kennan asked,
suddenly wary.

“He sent me an email," I said, confused.

“You checked your email. Are you stupid
Izzy, or do the visions just cloud your judgment?" Kennan
practically screamed at me.

“I don’t understand. What did I do?" I
asked, panicked.

“They are probably tracing your email,
Izzy," Ian said calmly, and without a trace of his usual humor.

“They might not have looked. We will just
wait it out and see what happens. I need you to log out and hand me
back the adapter," Kennan said calmly and detached.

“Man, they probably gave up on that avenue
weeks ago. I wouldn’t worry about it," Ian said, trying to convince
himself as much as Kennan.

“I, I didn’t know. I didn’t even think. I am
so sorry," I sputtered. Anxiety washed over me and I felt something
in the air shift.

I looked up at both of the men, trying to
see if they had felt the shift but neither of them seemed to
notice. They had started speaking in Gaelic so that I would not
understand. I sat back on the couch, sinking into the cushions and
cleared my mind. It was time I went for a walk in the fog to see
what was happening.

As soon as I popped in Xavier was there.

**********

“
Gotcha," he said with a knowing
grin.

“
You have to catch me first," I said,
full of bravado.

“
I don’t think that will be terribly
difficult. I am sure my brother will once again be unable to pull
the trigger. I, luckily, don’t suffer from those same emotional
contrivances," he said with a sneer.

“
You know, I don’t have time for this. I
wanted to see if you had found me, and you have. I don’t know how
long it will take you to get here, but if you think you will find
me, you are out of your mind. Oh, and I hope you enjoy the little
surprise I have coming your way," I said with a wink as I pulled
myself back to the present.

**********

“Okay, Izzy, this is the plan," Kennan
started, obviously not aware that I had been gone. “We are going to
wait it out here. Tonight Ian and I will do some scout runs around
the perimeter to make sure they haven’t found us. Then tomorrow we
will head out.”

“Well, I think we should go ahead and alert
the highway department so that we can make sure the road gets
fixed. That way those people don’t have to die. I don’t want that
on my conscience," I said as I started to form a plan myself.

“Alright, Ian will take care of that and I
will head out and do a quick sweep," Kennan nodded toward Ian, all
efficiency, before heading out the door.

“What are you thinking, Izzy?" Ian asked
suspiciously.

“I was just thinking about how much of a
moron I was to not even think about them tracing my email," I said,
hoping that he would believe the load of bull I was trying to
sell.

“Okay, well. I better hop to it. I have to
put on my best road condition inspector persona. It may take a
while to get into character," Ian said with a regal stage bow.