Sky Ghosts: All for One (Young Adult Urban Fantasy Adventure) (Sky Ghosts Series Book 1) (38 page)

Pain and Chad came closer, watching Dave in Jane’s arms, Chad with worry, Pain with a cold frown. Jane laid a cool palm on his forehead, and his eyelids trembled. Slowly, he opened his eyes and looked around groggily, stirring.

“Am I dying?” he wondered weakly, focusing his gaze on Jane’s tired black eyes.

She raised one split eyebrow.

“No, silly. It’s a minor wound, and we’re gonna head home soon,” she replied.

“We’re not there yet? Why did I think I heard Skull then?” He stirred again, trying to turn his head and look around the roof.

“Don’t move. Our fighters are here, they’re going to finish the Beasts. After that, we’ll head home. I’m going to pull out the knife now and bind up your shoulder. I’ll do it quick, but it will sting a little bit. Do you think you can handle this?”

Dave swallowed, taking a few seconds before the answer. It had to be done anyway, so he let out a shuddering breath and nodded,

“Yes. Okay.”

She produced a rubber band from an inside pocket, then wrapped it tightly around his shoulder. He held his breath, and she hesitated. She was used to fixing up Ghosts, but imagining how awful it was for Dave, never been wounded before, she felt unsure for a moment.

“Want me to do it?” she heard Pain’s stiff voice and swore inwardly. Sometimes she hated how her sister knew exactly what was going on in her head.

“No.”

She grabbed the hilt and jerked the knife free so fast, Dave only had the time to get surprised. The hurt came afterward, and he bit his lip so hard it bled as she fumbled in her pockets for a painkiller. She slipped a pill in his mouth then, and he swallowed it, breathing fast and shallow.

“Shh, it’s okay,” she comforted him and saw his hand reach out for something.

“Can you give it to me? The knife?” he whispered.

There was a question in her eyes as she looked at him.

“Sure, why?” She picked up the knife and put it into his hand – it was awfully cold and trembling, and a worry stirred in her head.

“I want to keep it,” Dave said, hearing his voice come out a little stronger now. He lifted his hand, looking at the knife. It was simple, pure steel, light and slim, but something made him want to save it. So he held it tightly in his shaking hand, fighting to stay conscious and see everything around him clearly.

Jane shifted under him, taking off her jacket and covering him with it. Her face was worried, and it made him worry a little more, but the only thing he said was “Thanks.” She smiled at him and switched her look to the roof.

There were about two dozen Beasts left, trying to break through the Ghosts’ rows and get away. Skull appeared on the other side, carrying two limp bodies in his hands. He dropped them to the roof and vanished in the darkness again. Chad sat down cross-legged next to his friend, watching the scene before him with thoughtful and exhausted eyes. He looked awful. The wild tangle of his hair was falling into his face, and his sweater was no longer beige but stained with dirt and blood, torn at a few places. He was turning something in his hands absentmindedly – Eugene’s knife, black and gleaming, and he stared forward without much expression, slouching his shoulders.

Feeling a little better now, Dave tried to get up so he could see what was going on, too.

“Help me up,” he murmured, and Jane supported his back as he sat up against the wall.

“You feel better?”

“Yes.” He nodded, wrapping himself in her jacket awkwardly – he still felt cold, but he knew it was because of the blood loss.

“Good. We’ll get you to Doc soon,” she said.

So far, none of the Ghosts were harmed, and half of the Beasts were already down. Pain remained standing in front of them, watching the roof with a wary look, her head up, her katana resting tip-down in both hands. She looked like a stone idol, all black and still against the dark-gray sky. Somehow her delicate figure instilled security in all of them, no matter how battered she looked.

Jane got up, joining her sister. The commotion on the other side of the roof got bigger as more Beasts joined the battle. Others were forced into it by Skull, who caught them in the air and brought them to the roof, not wasting time on finishing them himself. The fighters had split in groups, spreading across the roof. Skull showed up from below with his sword unsheathed and landed not far from the place where the four of them were waiting. He strode to the biggest group, sending his five fighters away to help the others. Skull himself turned out in the middle of a group of Beasts, who watched him cautiously, each one afraid to attack first.

Dave looked at the sisters with worry and asked in a weak voice, “Why are you standing here? Shouldn’t we help him or something?”

Pain glanced at her sister, the corner of her mouth twitching.

“Oh, no.” She sheathed her sword and crossed her arms, taking a watchful stance. “You don’t interfere when Skull is having his fun,” she answered patronizingly, giving Dave a look over her shoulder.

He glanced again at Skull, who stood surrounded by a dozen Beasts.

“So you guys are gonna just stand and watch??”

Pain looked at her sister again with a question in her eyes.

“I’d like to watch.” Jane shrugged.

Pain nodded in response, “Yeah, me too.”

Dave stared at them, baffled. Chad only arched his eyebrows in a bemused way, turning his gaze to Skull.

The giant was brandishing his machete in the middle of the steel-bristled huddle, blood spilling and splattering all around him. He looked like Gulliver among Lilliputians due to his enormous height and long limbs, but for such a big man, he moved surprisingly swiftly and struck with accuracy, as if he had counted all his steps and blows in advance. It looked almost like dancing, as if they turned out at some dark-humored theater where Skull was playing the main role while the diminishing crowd of Beasts around him was only completing his movements. He never paused, never hesitated, never missed anyone’s blow, performing his deadly art as smoothly as a composer might play an intricate composition on his piano. His blows were quick, and it looked like he managed them with ease, though from their effect one might imagine that it was only possible due to his great strength. Every now and then, some of the attackers would lose their limbs if they weren’t fast enough, and one by one, they were falling aside, giving horrible outcries of pain, enclosing their ruthless director in a chorus of terror. Though at first he was almost invisible from behind the tightly gathered crowd, now they all scattered, afraid to come near him. But it didn’t really help, because this morning nobody was going to escape their fatal fate.

Chad and Dave watched in amazement as one of the attackers backed out until he seemed to be out of Skull’s attention while he was busy with beheading some huge guy. The escapee moved away from them until he reached the edge of the roof, but suddenly something hurled through the air, and a short knife hit him in the nape. He froze, then staggered a step back, and collapsed to the ground. Skull didn’t see any of it, because he was already chopping on another enemy. He didn’t pay attention to the pool of blood in which he was standing in his heavy boots, either. It seemed there was no clean gray color of the roof around him, as it was all bathed in red, none of which belonged to him.

The sisters watched him with profound admiration, following each of his moves with the eyes of professionals.

“Oh, my…” Pain sighed, starry-eyed. “Could you just… marry me?”

Chad’s eyes went round as he glanced at her sideways with a wry smile. Jane caught his look and grinned.

Skull finished his work, wiping his sword on the edge of his coat. The sun was already rising behind his back, casting bright red glow onto the roof and turning him into a huge black silhouette against the lightening sky. Suddenly, there was a movement behind his back: one of his enemies got back on his feet, wounded and unsteady. He straightened up, holding his sword in a shaking hand, and Skull didn’t seem to hear or see him, proceeding on putting his machete back in the scabbard. Only a couple of steps separated them, and Dave’s heart skipped a beat – he imagined the Beast’s blade protrude from Skull’s chest, his face a mask of astonishment. But the sisters seemed calm, watching him without a word. The Beast coughed and spat blood, making Skull turn around slowly. The giant regarded him from above with something close to boredom. The Beast was missing his left hand, trembling with weakness and anger. There was a ragged hole in his jacket, right where Skull had driven his blade through a minute ago. He reached out slowly and plucked the sword out of the Beast’s hand, sending it skittering across the roof. The Beast froze, only now realizing what he had condemned himself to. He opened his mouth, as if to say something in his defense—

And then Skull grabbed his legs from under him, swung him head down in his grasp, and smashed him against the ground. It all happened in one moment; a hideous sound of cracking bones resounded off the roof as his victim became a limp form in his hands. Even the sisters shuddered, unhitching themselves off their spots and stretching their weary arms and bodies with yawns, like two cats. The sky was brighter with every minute, and Chad could see the wide-eyed face of the Beast as Skull discarded his body to the ground. He swallowed hard, unable to move or blink, while Skull strode to them casually, his face no different from how it usually looked after he had had a nice breakfast. He came up to the superstructure and pointed at the door with his chin.

“Shall we? I’m going to gather and count everybody inside.”

Chad shoved Dave with his shoulder numbly, and he snapped out of his shock, shivering and looking at the giant with revulsion profound on his face.

“Man, you’re disgusting!” he accused him, shaking his head disapprovingly and standing up with caution, his hand on Chad’s shoulder for support.

Skull shrugged and opened the door.

“I didn’t ask you to watch,” he justified himself in a placatory tone.

Dave only gave a weak snort. And then they went through the door, followed by a few dozen fighters and leaving only their dead enemies behind.

Two days later a big black SUV was waiting for Pain, Jane, Chad, and Skull by the Ghosts’ Headquarters doors. They came out dressed in their usual gear, finally looking well-rested and healthy. Chad was the only one standing out among them in his white T-shirt and gray pants. He still hadn’t been home, and his sweater and jeans were ruined during the battle, so he just wore what Jane had given him on his first day there.

They were heading to his father – the adoptive one, Richard – and Skull was driving them there. The road was long, but there wasn’t any choice. They had to come to him during the day, not just drop out of nowhere at night, and they couldn’t fly in daylight.

It was bright and hot outside, and the yard was quiet and serene – Pain couldn’t care less. She flung herself into the backseat, her face gloomy with a deep frown. Her mood had been like this since the battle. During the day, she was mostly silent, and nobody risked talking to her. Chad gave her worried glances every now and then, but Jane was the only one who had figured out the reason behind it and kept it to herself.

She hurried Chad to get into the backseat after Pain – he made a face but obeyed. Then she got inside and closed the door.

Skull started the car without a word, driving them out of the yard. The building stared back at them with its broken windows. He had got the clean-up team to clean the yard of debris, but they hadn’t replaced the windows yet. Peter had been asleep when everybody returned. They decided there was no reason to wake him up, so the sisters and Chad were dismissed, and Skull made himself busy instructing the clean-up team and restoring the order on the floors.

They had left Dave in the infirmary. He got some painkillers, stitches, and sleeping pills, lying on a bed next to Marco, who was still unconscious. Doc said that the wound wasn’t dangerous, but deep, and it would take a few weeks for Dave to recover.

Then they headed to their room. Chad paused at the threshold when he saw the mess Pain had made, but she only muttered, “I was hurrying”, slipped inside, and disappeared behind the bathroom door. One by one, they showered and went to sleep just as another summer day in the city began.

That day Pain woke up at seven in the evening and stayed in bed for a long time, staring at the ceiling with a scowl until Jane stirred and asked what time it was. They came down right in time for supper, though in the middle of it Pain heard that Marco came around, and rushed to the ground floor, shouldering aside the diminished crowd in the canteen doors. Jane and Chad decided to give them some time and came down later, bringing some snacks. They found her perched on the bed, telling Marco the story of that night in a low voice with Dave eavesdropping beside them and making ironic comments now and then, which made Pain frown and glance at him with irritation.

Of course, Marco was upset that he had missed almost everything. He shot fierce glances at anybody who would near his bed, and was even worse than Pain when it came to talking. The only two people at whom he wasn’t mad, apparently, were the sisters. The others got their portions of flying things, mean jokes, and slaps. Doc even threatened him with a shot of sedative, though he knew Marco too well to be serious.

He got a little calmer by the time they left the infirmary, though. Chad, Jane, and Pain were already at the door when he called for Pain, his tone serious for a change.

“Babe!”

She looked at him with a question in her eyes. He was gazing back at her, reclined on his bed, his eyes smiling and grateful.

“I owe you another one. You know that, right?”

She only shook her head slightly and left the infirmary without a word, her face strained again.

Somewhere about that time, Ryan came around. There was a cast on his right arm and stitches on his head, but aside from that, he only had a concussion. Doc said there wasn’t any danger, but Ryan needed to stay in bed for a week or so. Those who saw the way the door had landed on him were surprised by his survival, but later he explained that he had used a shield right before the impact, and so it was cushioned a little.

Peter summoned the sisters and Chad to his office later that evening. He had been brought there at his request, not willing to stay out of work. He managed it from his room, stubbornly not letting Skull and the others deal with it. He listened to their story and congratulated all three of them – to Chad’s surprise – on the crushing defeat of their enemies. Then he made some plans for their next step.

“I don’t have enough words to express my feelings about what you two did, going there and inspiring everybody to follow you,” he said, shaking his head.

“It was Skull who gathered so many people,” Jane put in.

“Yes, he turned out pretty good at managing, huh? Who knew! But anyway, I’m very proud of you. And Chad? Breaking through the shield, how did you even do that? I’ve heard of one case like that, but I thought it was just an urban myth. I wonder if this was exactly what Michael had in mind, if he knew about this after-effect of the late Initiation…”

He quickly switched to their future rather than to dwell on the past and suggested them going to Chad’s father in two days so he could talk to him about Michael. The news was a surprise to Peter, and the fact that even he didn’t know that Michael had a son only proved how seriously his father had been protecting Chad. He told them to go to Richard’s together: some of the Beasts had fled, and now they were lurking around the city, so it wasn’t safe for Chad to go alone.

And so they headed there, seated in the backseat of the SUV. Peter had sent Skull with them just in case some of the Beasts were tracking them after what happened. Dave had stayed in the infirmary, but he didn’t seem unhappy about it. He had plenty of attention from the nurses and some female fighters, who were happy to listen to the story of defeating Eugene over and over.

Chad looked out the window, trying to remember anything connected with Sky Ghosts from his childhood and failing. Everything was perfect, simple and familiar. He couldn’t recall any unusual guests in their house or how he got that tattoo on his neck; anything that stood out from his father’s life or personality, any of his friends who could be Ghosts. Nothing. His father always said that Chad looked more like his mother, but he was sure he got from Richard his curly hair and green eyes. He could swear they looked alike. And now he was practically torn between his memories and the reality.

When he was a kid, his father showed him a photograph of his mother. It was old and dingy, but it was the only one left, as he had said. Now Chad could only guess who she was. Some old love of his? Some stranger whose picture he stole at a photo shop?

He exhaled, turning to look at Skull’s tattooed head that towered above the headrest. The giant was humming to himself along with the radio, the road stretched out before him, and all that Chad saw was an image of him breaking that Beast’s spine. It wasn’t helping, considering his already edgy mood, and he envied Jane who was already napping with her head on his shoulder. He wished he didn’t have this awful conversation with his father ahead, wished he could postpone it, like a visit to the dentist. It was childish, he knew, but all of this at the same time was just too hard, everything changing, like the very essence of his life was slipping away from him. If only everything could be turned back to the way it had been…

He broke off the thought. Maybe his previous life was safe and simple, maybe he didn’t have to deal with awkward, scary explanations with his father, be a part of something dangerous, risk his life and see people dying, but his life was dull, this much he could admit. The job part was fine, he felt at the right place there, but everything else… He was bored most of the time. Bored and out of place, seeing life pass him by, people finding happiness in things he wasn’t even interested in. Okay, who was he kidding, this was about one particular person. If none of this had happened, he would have never met Pain. Only because of her, the organization seemed like the only place where he belonged now. So maybe all these bad sides of his life’s transformation were his payment for the chance of meeting her? He grunted inwardly. Well, in this case, he wouldn’t say he minded.

He glanced at her slouched figure – head in hand, she gazed dully out the window, following the blurry landscape with half-slitted eyes. She seemed to press as close to the door as possible. Was she avoiding him or something? Since that horrible night and the battle, she hadn’t exchanged a word with him, and her mood was worse than he had ever seen. It was depressing, just seeing her like this, frowned and awfully silent. It was like someone had put a sack of sand on his shoulders, and it grew together with his back. The reasons behind her mood were unfathomable for him, but one thing he knew for sure: one more day like that, and he would explode. She would tell him what was going on even if it meant that he would have to shake the truth out of her. Or maybe he was just overthinking it. It was Pain, she didn’t need a reason to make everyone around her miserable. Chad remembered the dialogue between Marco and Dave that he overheard at the infirmary.

“Look, she’s got her name for a reason, you should always keep it in mind. If you ever show that you don’t want her to do something, she will do exactly that. Not because she really wants it, no; there are very few things she actually cares about. She just likes making people miserable because otherwise she’s too bored. She likes to push buttons, you know? But as soon as you realize that, it’ll get easier to be around her. She used to annoy the crap out of me when we met, she’s really talented at that. But I just stopped reacting to that when I understood the reason behind her behavior, and she switched her attention to someone else in no time. So stop trying to find a reason for her hating you, because she doesn’t. You’re just good to make fun of because you react at her puns,” Marco explained to Dave, sounding like a loving parent talking about his troubled teenager daughter.

Just a few days ago, Chad would have laughed at Marco’s words about her not hating them. But at that moment he only agreed in his mind, remembering how honestly mad she got when that Beast threw the knife at Dave. She cared, maybe in her own way, but she really did. She followed them with no chances to win, and it was practically a miracle that they returned home alive. All the attitude aside, she was ready to give her life for those she was meant to protect. It was in her blood, bones, and soul, it drew her after them even when there shouldn’t have been any strength left. Just like Jane, she was a true bodyguard, and the destiny she had chosen was the only one she could have had.

Time passed surprisingly fast, and when Chad finally began to doze, they already pulled up in front of Richard’s house. The place seemed abandoned to Chad since he had moved to New York. Maybe it was because he didn’t belong there anymore, at least in the way it was before. It needed renovation, and he had been saving up for it, but not very successfully. The grass was sun-burned and withered around the house, the door hung open carelessly, and not a single soul was visible outside.

Jane stirred at Chad’s side with a yawn.

“Do you want us to go with you?” her sleepy voice sounded as she raised her head to look around the front yard.

He stiffened. On the one hand, he didn’t want to freak out his father showing up with the last people on Earth he would like to see Chad with. On the other, deep inside he was glad about it. It was his little revenge, a way to get back at Richard for keeping his past an ugly secret for so long. And also, he didn’t want them waiting in the car like strangers. He already felt like he had known them forever, and after the last two weeks, he owed them everything. They had saved his life a dozen times; his father could live through a little inconvenience of inviting them inside and letting them hear what he had to say.

Richard showed up on the porch, looking at the car with a frown. He couldn’t really see them through the tinted windows, and Chad stared back, his face strained with worry. A minute passed; Jane glanced at him with troubled eyes.

“So what?”

He sighed.

“I think we all should go,” he answered and opened the door for her.

She gave him one more worried glance before sliding off her seat. The air outside was scorching, as usual in July, the sun blinding her and making her gear burn her skin in a minute. Richard took in her appearance, startling slightly, but his face shone with comprehension finally. Chad had told him earlier on the phone that he was coming for a talk, but he didn’t want to explain anything over the phone. Now, by one look at Jane, Richard seemed to understand everything.

The house was big and old-fashioned, with a wide porch and two rocking chairs next to a small round table with a stack of newspapers on it. They all looked shabby – the front yard, the house, the chairs, their paint cracked and dingy. There was a big garage next to it, with two old trucks waiting for repair in the driveway. Jane couldn’t see what was behind the house, were there any animals? A garden? But she supposed yes.

Richard stood on top of the stairs, squinting at them. He looked about forty-five, his hair brown and curly like Chad’s, but tinted with gray here and there. He wore it even longer, and it was pulled behind his head with a band now. He was wearing frayed blue jeans and a dark-blue flannel shirt with rolled-up sleeves. Jane couldn’t tell what was so alike about him and Chad, but something was definitely there. Maybe it was his posture, the way he held himself, slouching his shoulders a little, his hands in the pockets. Besides, he was about the same height, and his face, too, was tanned and weathered. She had to remind herself again that he wasn’t Chad’s real father. She looked Richard in the eyes, and he looked back at her, his eyes wary.