Absolute Zero (20 page)

“Jasmine, pull over,” Georgia said.

“No. We have to keep going.”

“I need Mandy to…”

Her voice faded, and her body went limp, slouching into the seat. Her head tilted to the side.

“Jasmine. What’s wrong with her? Stop the car.”

“I don’t know. She didn’t say anything was wrong. She’s got some blood oozing down the side of her face. But that’s it.”

The car slowed.

“Georgia.” I shook her.

No response.

The car rattled as it went onto the shoulder and before it even stopped, I thrust open the door. I hopped out and ripped open Georgia’s door. I wove my arm under her neck and my other one beneath her knees and hoisted her up.

“Georgia. Georgia.” Her head tilted back, over my arm, eyes shut.

I set her down on the shoulder and touched her face. In an instant she was coated in ice. “Jas, how could you not notice she was hurt?”

“Hey, busy getting the car ready. I sped us to the apartment, got the car going, and she was fine. Said that when Andrey tackled her in the apartment he slammed her against the wall, she felt a few ribs crack, but that was it.”

“She was coughing. Maybe something got punctured?”

“Just give your ice a few minutes, it’ll heal her.”

“I wish she could heal herself. I’m scared I—”

Jasmine raised her hand and cocked her head to the side. “Shit. Someone’s coming.”

“Car?”

“No. On foot.” She leaned forward, turned to the side. “It’s Josiah.”

“Who?”

“Um, Nate.” She looked at Georgia. “Can you put her in the car like that?”

“Don’t know.” I stood side-by-side with Jasmine and faced the direction she did. “Let him come, I’ll freeze his ass to a tree.”

“I can’t believe Josiah is here. I—can’t—he’s stronger than me, Mandy. He might be stronger than you. I—”

A whirlwind of air rushed toward us, I felt the sudden air pressure change. I iced my hand down and pointed it to him. “Might have been nice to know you had a freaking brother, Jas.”

“I’ll explain more in a second. Busy getting ready to kick ass.”

“What are his powers?”

“Night vision, strength, and speed.”

“Makes sense.” The night at Thunderbird Trails, he’d navigated the darkness so easily. “Damn it!”

Jasmine tensed. Nate arrived, hair tousled and hands up. I stepped in front of Georgia. “Don’t make me hurt you, Nate.”

“Mandy, it’s not—”

I sprayed his mouth shut. “Lies.” I thought the word ice-bullets, and they shot out of my fingertips toward him, but he disappeared in a blur. Because it was dark, I had trouble tracking him. Jasmine zoomed by me and two blurs collided.

“Throw and freeze,” I said.

Jasmine turned a circle, and like a discus thrower, she launched Nate and my stream of ice met him while in the air. He landed with a thud. A human popsicle.

Oh, God. Did I kill him?

Ice crackled beside me and Georgia’s figure came into focus through the steam. She looked up at me, and I reached for her. She put her warm hand into mine, and I hoisted her up.

“Let’s go before he thaws,” Jasmine said.

“I didn’t kill him?”

“You sprayed me on graduation day, remember?”

“Yeah.”

“I punched right through it, he will, too, and I’d rather not be here when he does, thank you very much.” Jasmine rounded the front of the car and hopped into the driver’s seat.

“You okay?” I asked Georgia.

She ran her fingers through her hair. “Yeah. What happened?”

“You conked out on me, mid-sentence, girl. Thought you died or something.” I grabbed her and pulled her into a hug. “Please don’t do that again.”

“Andrey knocked me around pretty good.”

I guided her to the car but pulled her in the backseat with me. Jasmine could be chauffer for a while. I needed my sister close to me.

Settled in the seat, I glanced at the ice pile on the side of the road. My heart broke yet again. Stupid Nate. Or Josiah, or whoever the hell he is.

Tears stung, and I couldn’t hold them off. I covered my face, willing myself to wait to break down. Just wait until I got to a private room. I needed to stay strong. For Georgia.

“How’d you get away from Andrey?” Jasmine asked, as she looked in the rear view mirror.

I scrubbed my face and focused on my sister.

“He zipped me away through the back woods. Good call, Jasmine, on having a route set up.” She coughed. “Anyway, I woke up in his arms and flamed up. Singed him good. He tried to jab me with one of those needles but couldn’t get through my flame. He caught on fire. Unless he regenerates, he’s going to look pretty gross. At least his face.”

“He’ll heal,” Jasmine said.

“Crap,” I said. “How do we kill that psycho son of a bitch?”

“Stop his heart. Stab to the chest, cut his head off, anything that is so big he can’t heal quick enough to live.”

“Gross.”

“Sorry.” She shrugged.

“Where are we going?” Georgia asked.

“Zach’s,” I said.

“And why would we be going to his house?” Georgia asked.

“Andrey took you, knowing I’d do anything to save you. He might try and grab Zach. Don’t you think?”

“We need to get him,” Jasmine said.

I leaned forward and glanced at the speedometer. Nearly ninety-miles-per-hour. “Girl, you’re going to get us stopped.”

“I’ll hear the crackle of police radios.

I sagged into the seat and rested my head on Georgia’s shoulder. “Nate’s a freaking Agent?”

“Shit!” Georgia said.

“Yep. He lived at The Center, helped train me.”

“Wait. He’s only eighteen.”

“No he’s not. He looks exactly the same as he did when I was there. Saw him a bunch in the halls. Kept to himself. They had him in separate living quarters. But then, when I started learning to be an Agent…and they started me early, he taught me.”

“Wait. The same? What do you mean?”

“Same face, same size, just different hair. Like, the style and color and stuff. But it’s him. Can’t mistake those eyes. It’s Josiah.”

“And he knew your name. But how hasn’t he aged? I don’t get it.”

“Don’t know, but I’m going to find out. I hooked up with him when I was about twelve years old for training. He didn’t talk much, just took care of my training, which was computers, techy toys, and what you call the Rambo-stuff.”

“Figures.”

“You called him your brother,” I said.

“They called us all brothers and sisters because we were all freaks. He’s an off the charts genius. I mean, I’m smart and all, too, but he crushes me in the IQ realm, big-time. I remember him because I always thought he was so cute. That dimple, those dreamy eyes.” Jasmine laughed. “So, I worked with him from age twelve up until when I left. Never really even thought about it that he didn’t change much. Never learned about his story or anything.”

I closed my eyes, wishing this was all a nightmare.
Damn.
I was really starting to like him, too.

“How the hell did he end up in
our
apartment complex?” Georgia asked.

“You got me. Jess ran names of tenants and prospective tenants if I could find them and nothing looked out of the ordinary.”

“He’s a genius, so he probably has a cover for himself.” I rested my head back.

“He’s probably known about us the entire time, then.” Georgia combed my hair with her fingers.

Tears stung. A lump the size of Texas lodged in my throat. “And he’s probably working with Andrey.”

Georgia nudged my shoulder. “Crap, girl. We’re going to have to kill your boyfriend.”

Chapter 27

“T
ake a left on Wyzeta Street.” I yanked out my cell phone and opened a new text message.

Zach, Andrey’s after you. I’m here. Come to the end of your driveway.

“I just texted him.”

“What if he’s not home?”

“It’s midnight. That’s his curfew.”

“He has a curfew of
midnight
?” Jasmine laughed. “Man, that’d suck.”

“His folks flipped when he turned down State to go to school here. I haven’t even seen his parents since then because they refuse to let me come over.”

Jasmine turned to face me. “Look. I’m sorry about Zach. Really. And that chick he’s dating now, she’s nuts, I know. And I’m sorry you started dating Nate only to find out he’s Josiah and an Agent. You have shit-for-luck when it comes to guys.”

“Your sentiment is touching, Jas.” I rolled my eyes.

My phone vibrated.

On my way.

“He’s coming. Just keep him in the front seat. Are we going to your safe house? Scott’s there, right?”

“Yeah. About thirty minutes from here.”

Crap, I was going to have to sit in the car for a half-hour with Zach, my first love, but ex-boyfriend who’s dating my archenemy. I did have shit-for-luck, didn’t I?

Zach’s lean form came into view as he trotted down the driveway. But what freaked me out even more was the fact that Jasmine gasped, then thrust open her door and jumped out. “Zach, stop.”

She disappeared in a blur. Georgia and I stumbled out of the car just in time to see Zach snatched up by a blur, but was it Jasmine, Andrey or Nate? Damn it, everyone had speed but me and Georgia. I couldn’t tell who was who!

I sprinted toward where Zach last stood. I heard him grunt. A blur intercepted Zach about fifty feet down the street. Georgia and I ran. My heart cracked against my throat, making it hard to breathe.

More grunts followed. I saw Zach rolling into the middle of the street while Jasmine and someone wrestled off to the side. I saw a flash of silver. It was Andrey.

Guess he healed fast.

Jasmine squealed and flopped to the ground, motionless. Andrey zoomed toward Zach. I sprayed my ice at the blur, but it moved so fast, I couldn’t quite get him. I went to freeze the road, but another blur zipped by me and stopped in front of Zach.

It was Nate.

He leaned forward, shoulder first, and hit Andrey’s blur. Head on. Andrey bounced off Zach’s human shield, but Nate barely even moved. Just a little stutter-step back to keep his balance. Andrey jumped to his feet.

Georgia shot liquid heat at him while I froze the ground around him. He vanished in a blur.

Did he freaking have cleats on or something to run over my ice?

I pointed toward Nate. “Get away from him. Zach, come here. Now.”

Zach glanced at Nate, then to me.

“I won’t hurt him, Mandy,” Nate said, hands up to surrender. “I would never hurt him.”

“I’m supposed to believe that?
Agent
?”

Zach approached Georgia and me. I glanced at Jasmine, she still didn’t move. Attention back to Zach. He bled from his arms, shoulder, and side of his head. Probably from when Andrey tackled him.

“Mandy. Please, just listen.”

“By the way, it’s
Amanda!
” I turned on the cold. “Georgia. Watch Zach.” I moved toward Jasmine. “Nate, if you move an inch, you’re done. Okay?”

“Please. Just lis—”

“Shut up!” I screamed. It stung my throat I yelled it so loud. I wanted to burst out bawling and throw a tantrum on the ground, but I had to get to Jasmine.

Nate glanced in the direction of Zach and Georgia. She flamed her hands and stepped in front of my ex-boyfriend.

“Zach knows about your powers, yet he has none?” Nate asked.

I made it to Jasmine. She lay on her side, in the middle of the sidewalk, arms flopped out to the sides of her body. Luckily none of Zach’s neighbors decided to take a midnight stroll. I brushed my finger against her bare shoulder, and ice crackled around her. We needed her conscious to get us to the safe house.

Nate looked again at Zach and Georgia. “Why does that man want Zach if he’s human and has no powers?”

“That man? Like you don’t know who
that man
is.” I stood from Jasmine’s ice-covered body.

“I assume he’s an Agent?” Nate glanced at Jasmine’s glistening body. “What are you doing to her?”

“For someone who’s an Agent, you sure don’t know much,” Georgia said. “She’s healing her, you idiot.”

Nate gasped, and his eyes widened as his stare penetrated the darkness. “You’re The Daughter?”

“
The Daughter?
” I yelled. “What the hell are you talking about? You—you’re—I.”
Damn it
. I couldn’t even get my words out.

This hurt way more than I could have ever imagined. I knew I’d been falling for Nate, but I hadn’t realized just how
hard
I’d fallen.

Jasmine’s ice crackled, and I saw movement beneath the crystal ice. “G, can you melt her so we can get out of here?”

Georgia snuffed the flame from one of her hands and grabbed Zach’s, keeping her body between Nate’s and Zach’s. She came in behind me and held her hand close to the ice. It melted and Jasmine hopped to her feet. She glanced from Nate to me.

“What’s going on?” She inched her way to me.

Why did everyone stand behind me? Like
I
knew what I was doing.

“Jasmine. I’m
not
an Agent.”

“Oh, please. You were a professor there.” Jasmine laughed.

“You’re right. I was. But I left just after you did, and I took a couple people with me as well.”

“What?” I asked, and he stepped closer. “Just stay right there, buddy.”

He stopped and shoved his hands in his pockets. “I swear. I won’t hurt you. I saved Zach for you, Mandy. I knew you wouldn’t want any harm to come to him.”

I glanced at Zach. His stare bore through me.

“I mean you no harm. I just—jeez—I just had no idea who you were.” He raked his hands through his hair. “You’re her daughter, aren’t you? Sarah’s daughter.”

Hearing my mom’s name cut my heart like a knife. Nate’s voice, the sincerity in his eyes, his… No.
Stay tough, Mandy.
I steeled myself against my emotions. I was strong now. I wouldn’t fold like I used to. I would take care of my family. Georgia, Jasmine, Scott, and apparently Zach.

He’d been sucked into my world. Despite him having ripped my guts out with a spoon when he broke up with me, I had to keep him safe.

“Look. Can we go somewhere and talk?” Nate asked, as he scanned the area. “Jasmine, I’m assuming you have a safe house set up?”