Catalyst (27 page)

             
"Problem solved," I said and brushed my hands off. I took
one of them by the arm and dragged him into the bushes so no one would see him just in case they passed by. Billings did the same.

             
Then another one stepped out of the back
seat of their car
. Only he wasn't an enforcer
, h
e was a Lighter.

             
Crap.

             
"Quite a show," it muttered.
Then he smiled, and it was pure evil.

             
"Glad you enjoyed it," I said and felt Simon beside me as he moved to my side.

             
"Keepers," it muttered some more, "it's been too long."

             
"Not long enough," Simon said loudly and steadily.

             
"You know, I haven't seen a single Keeper since I've been back to this planet. It's a real treat to have two at once. Two kil
ls with one shot. And a Muse
?" He whistled. "Pretty
little Muse too. Just my luck."

             
There's just one of them. We can take him and get the heck out of here before any more…

             
When Jeff stopped I looked back up and saw why.
Four more Lighters had made an appearance; from where, I didn't know but
t
here they stood.

             
Five of us and five of them.

             
"Billings, got your stake?" I asked low.

             
"Yep, boss."

             
"Good," I replied and then lifted my hands.
I'd only ever done it that once
at the Mayor
'
s Manor. I never practiced it with the others, using work as my excuse.
When the reality of it was that I
hated it. I hated having power.
I hated having responsibility for something like that. In my opinion, people shouldn't have this kind of power all to themselves.  But it was mine, and nothing was gonna stop me from using it now.

             
As I felt the power come, just like before as it was summoned to my palms in flash of heat and tingles, I let it loose on the enemy.
The rel
ease was a boom of air and command
. They cowered to it against their will as they flung through the air. I felt a deep boned satisfaction at smacking the cocky smiles off their faces, no matter if it was with a power that I didn't enjoy.

             
I immediately started barking orders to Billings
and Simon. We were all armed. W
e needed to ambush them before they could regroup. We ran, the Keepers blurred and as soon as they stood back up from the ground and started to come at us, we were on them in a flurry.

             
Marissa slapped one in the fac
e, apparently telling him to lie
down, while Jeff staked him. I had to wonder if the lightning would call other Lighters. The next one was wise and ducked back to avoid her hands.
Mine grinned at me like he was having fun, so
I
kicked h
im in the face with a roundhouse
. He looked shocked that I'd moved that quickly as he peeled back around. So I grinned this time.

             
He came at me and man, they were strong and quick. But not unbeatable. The last time we'd fought Lighters, it was just like this; equal numbers and very little weapons. Lighters didn’t
usually
use weapons, which was strange. You would think that they'd wise up to technology and gain an upper hand, but I wasn't complaining
as I jabbed my palm into his nose. I felt the crunch of his bones and the blood that flowed down his face startled him as he looked at his hands. I used that lapse of awareness and pulled the stake -  I preferred to use the headless iron gold clubs myself - and rammed it through his chest.

             
The following burst of lightning that sprung from his chest was so forceful, it knocked me on my butt, but I still watched it in awe. I looked back to see Billings wasn't faring as well. His Lighter was winning
and laughing about it.

             
I got up and ran forward to stop him just as the Ligh
ter got a hold on Billings arm…
and snapped it like a piece of celery on Grandma's veggie platter.
While h
e howled and carried on
the Lighter was distracted so I stabbed him in the back, just like the traitor they accused me of being. 

             
I was ready for the lightning this time and pushed against the cold wind. When it stopped, I realized it was over. Billings was knelt on the ground, holding his arm and cursing over and over.

             
"Let me see it," I told him. He held it out and yelped when it swayed. It hung there like dead weight. "Dude, that's gross."

             
"Ah," I heard Marissa groan behind me.
She covered her mouth and looked at Billings
'
stumpy limb with disgust.
"I'm gonna be sick." Then she tripped and stumbled to the bushes and up-chucked the perfectly good lunch Sherry packed us. Poor gal.

             
"
Are you alright, sweetie?" Jeff asked and rubbed her back. She pushed him off, muttering
that
she was fine
, she didn't want him to see that.

             
I turned back to Billings. Simon had shrugged out of his over shirt
and was helping to wrap Billing
s
'
arm with it. Billings winced when Simon tied the arms of his shirt and pulled it tight.

             
"It's fine. I'll be fine," he told Simon and then looked at me. "Thanks, boss man. I would be broken in a few more places if not for you."

             
"
That's true," I replied and rubbed my lip thoughtfully
causing him to
scoff
and give me a droll look
. "Miguel's gonna have to add you to his
beginners
class when we get back. You're
a little rusty there, enforcer."

             
"Physical fitness wasn't exactly on the daily agenda back at the enforcer
'
s camp, ok?" he said defensively. "Cut me a break will you?" He held up his arm. "I'm an injured man."
             

             
"Yeah…" I looked at it and grimaced as blood dripped for the makeshift bandage. "It's not very aesthetically pleasing to look at is it?"

             
"Bite me," he grumbled. I laughed and helped him up.

             
"
Come on, Chuck," I joked. "Let's get you in the van."

             
"Hardy har har."

             
"You two are very hard to keep up with," Simon mutte
red as he helped me put Billing
s
in the back
seat. "I can barely
think let alone process what you two are constantly yakking about."

             
"It's a skill, for sure," I rebutted sarcastically.

             
Simon sighed and shook his head. He made his way to the other side of the van and we heard him yell, "Let's go. I'm too old for this."

             
We laughed. I looked at Billings and told him, "Well, Simon says let's get going."

             
"Where to now, boss?
"

             
"We should probably take you home, Billings. I think that arm t
akes precedence over looking for homeless rebels
."

             
"
I agree," Jeff chimed. Marissa was leaning on his shoulder, looking green and spent.
"Plus, Marissa isn't feeling well."

             
"I don't
agree
," Billings argued. "I'll be fine. My arm's not going anywhere. It'll be there when we finally get home. Just throw me
a
couple Ibupr
ofen and I'll be good as new."

             
"Oh," Jeff said loudly, "is that what Chuck would do?"

             
I l
aughed so hard. Billings too, s
o hard he snorted.

             
"Jeff made a funny!" I told him. "I'm proud of you, man."

             
Marissa agreed saying, "Yeah, that was a good one."

             
"I have my moments," Jeff spouted and smiled out the window.

             
"Ok. So compromise," I suggested. "We go home
,
but hit a few spots on the way. Are we a go?"

             
"Go," Billings said hastily.

             
"Go," Jeff said.

             
"Go, I guess," Simon answered begrudged.

             
"Go it is. Simon says," I joked and Simon's brow lifted to me in the mirror in utter confusion and loss.

Caught Red Handed

Chapter 21
- Sherry

             
"What were you thinking?" I asked softly. "Cain is out there and-"

             
"I didn't kiss him," she said and turned red. "He tried…but I didn’t let him."

             
I sighed in relie
f. The last thing Cain
needed
right now
was another woman cheating on him.

             
"I'm sorry. I know it's none of my business, but Cain is like family to me. I don't want to see him get hurt, again."

             
"I'm glad he's got you looking out for him, Sherry," she said dryly.

             
"I said I know it's none of my bus-"

             
"No, no. It's fine." She chuckled to herself about something. "I really am glad. I never thought that
it was possible to just be a friend with a guy before." She shook her head and swallowed. I wondered if she was thinking about Mitchell. "I have no idea what I would have done if Mitchell hadn't come for us
and brought us to you
. If we were stuck out there all by ourselves… I know I freak when Cain's gone
,
but this is good. This is right and we have to do this. We have to help the ones who have no one else. Mitchell won't have died in vain."

             
"Of course he didn't," I told her. "None of them did.
We're gonna get them, I don't doubt it." I felt my jaw tighten thinking of Mrs. Trudy. "Merrick, Cain, Miguel, Jeff - they won't let
Malachi win."

             
"So…" She looked at me closely. "What do you think about what Lily did?"

             
"I have no idea." I rubbed my heart charm in between my fingers.
There was an ache deep in me. One of happiness and the possibilities of Lily and one of sadness that a child could have such power. "I don't know what to think, really. I wish Merrick were here. He would know what to do."

             
"Doubt it," she spouted. "He's probably jus
t as clueless as Max and Ryan." I wondered if people would treat her different now, like they had with Marissa. Scared to touch her… It must have been on my face what I was thinking because Lillian touched my arm and said, "
Don't worry. Lily is still the
same sweet
little girl she was when you put her to bed."

             
"I know. I just…she was so calm and giddy about it all. It was a little creepy," I admitted.

             
"Yeah," she agreed and twisted her lips as she wrapped her hair around her ear with her fingers.

             
"Acceptable sustenance," Daniel said as he came up behind Lillian. "Thank you, Sherry."

             
"Um…Thanks? I guess?" I muttered.

             
"Did I say something wrong?"

             
"No," I laughed. "No, it's just gonna take some getting used to; you being so proper."

             
"Proper," he mused. "Proper is bad I assume.
I will try hard to not be so…" H
e sighed. "I don't understand what that means.
I don't understand what anything means anymore,
"
he growled, his silver eyes flashing a black for a split second before going back. I inched back at seeing it and he noticed. "I'm sorry. Please don't be frightened of me. It's just so much to learn, so fast.
I feel more like an outsider and someone who doesn't belong
more
than I ever thought possible,
"
he said sadly.