Contractor (26 page)

it."

"Big words coming from a guy that

cooks and washes dishes."

"We’re even taking over traditional

women’s roles," Daniel replied. "Is there

anything men can’t do?"

"Funny. Just don’t forget that you’re

expendable."

Daniel chuckled. He was really starting

to like her. Rachel rubbed her knee, then

smiled, then started laughing.

"What?" he asked. "Laughing at your

own wit?"

"No, just that I was…kinda…" She

smiled at him. "You have a way of making

sad things not seem like such a big deal."

"No one’s told me that before."

"Well, it’s not before anymore, is it?"

Daniel felt a smile tug on his lips.

"Yeah. I guess not."

"Rachel!" They both looked up. Eleanor

swept into the lobby of the police station

with a suite of black-suited men behind her.

"Are you ok?"

"I’m fine."

"…are you sure?" Eleanor clasped her

in a brief hug. "I heard…it wasn’t something

so easily brushed away."

"Daniel kept me company," Rachel said.

She glanced at him. "He’s quite the

gentleman, when he tries. Really hard."

"You injure me so," Daniel said.

Eleanor ignored his presence. "Let’s get

back to the dorm. I want to hear about

everything."

"…I thought we could give him a ride,

too?"

Eleanor made a face like she’d just

chugged lime juice. Daniel had to stop

himself from reaching for his phone to take a

picture. "…I suppose…that could be

arranged," Eleanor mumbled.

Daniel stood. "It’s fine, I’ll walk. We

wouldn’t want to contaminate Lady Astor’s

limo with anything as commonplace as

myself."

Rachel shook her head. "But it’s over

three miles to -"

"If Mr. Fitzgerald wants to be a stubborn

ass, let him," Eleanor said.

"Finally she comes out and says it,"

Daniel said. "How long did that one

marinate?"

"I generally don’t insult people right to

their face, unlike some."

"It’s a proud habit of mine," Daniel said.

"I’d rather be called an ass up front than

suffer through your passive-aggressive crap."

Eleanor ignored the bait and turned back

to Rachel. "Let’s get going."

"Wait. Info for you two." He leaned

close. "The police gave themselves away by

being too hush-hush. I looked some things up

on the internet. This is actually the second of

the same kind of murder." He leaned back. "I don’t want to cause a panic or something, but

encourage your friends to stick together."

Rachel nodded. "I’ll do that."

Daniel rubbed his forehead. "This

whole thing is strange. Campus murders are

always blown out of proportion as soon as

something gets hold of them, right? This is

different. And the murder itself…" He trailed

off. Rachel looked worried. Even Eleanor

was paying attention to him. It wouldn’t do

them any good to be freaked out. He sighed.

"Well, just be careful, is what I’m saying."

"Insightful, aren’t you?" Eleanor said.

"Leave it to the police, detective."

"Far be it from me to advise Miss

Astor." He looked at Rachel. "Stay safe."

"Are you sure you don’t want a ride?"

Rachel asked. "It’s late."

"It’s early. I’m a night owl." He waved

over his head and stepped around the suits.

The men shifted to let him pass. "I’ll call you

later."

The glass doors slid open. Just as his

shoes tapped the sidewalk, he heard Eleanor

mumble something that sounded distinctly

like disapproval at Rachel for having given

her number to him. He bounced down the

road with a cheery smugness.

****

Daniel waited his usual hour after Jack

turned the lights off, resting on his bed and

fiddling with his phone. On top of needing

less sleep, he was pretty sure his night vision

was getting better.

After an hour of searching, he wasn’t

able to find anything else on the two

murders. He passed the time with a few

games of Sudoku. When he was sure Jack’s

breathing had evened out, he slipped out

from his covers.

The light clicked on. Daniel leapt about

five feet in the air. "I knew it." Jack was sitting upright. "What are you up to?"

"…uh…bathroom?"

"You’ve been getting up every night and

coming back early. I’m a light sleeper.

What’s going on? And don’t shit me."

Daniel slumped into his desk chair. He

sighed. "The thing is…"

"What? You can tell me."

"I’ve got chronic insomnia," Daniel

said.

"…are you serious?"

"It’s not a joke!" Daniel shouted.

Jack shrunk away. Daniel struggled to

keep his face angry. He had a feeling he

might be discovered, so he’d prepared the

cover story in advance. It wouldn’t work if

he didn’t put on a good performance, but

yelling at his friend wasn’t something he was

thrilled about.

"I get stressed out easily," Daniel said.

"There’s been a lot going on, and moving

into college…it’s kicked up again."

"I had no idea," Jack said. "Why didn’t you say something?"

"…when I was younger, it got really

bad…I’d be really out of it. A few times I

even had hallucinations. My parents wanted

me to stay in school though, so I got made fun

of a lot. Bullied." Daniel looked away. "I

was keeping it under wraps because I didn’t

want history to repeat itself. I wanted college

to be different."

Jack slid his lower body down off the

bunk and fell onto his feet. He sat in his chair

across from where Daniel leaned on the

bedpost. "…that’s why you said that stuff,

before? About wanting to change yourself?"

"Yeah."

"What’s it like? Do you still

hallucinate? Um, if you don’t mind me

asking."

Daniel snorted. "I’ve never really told

anyone about it…but I guess you should

know. It’s mild right now, but I only get a

couple hours sleep each night. I get up

because it’s frustrating. Sometimes if I go out

and take walks, it helps. Mostly I end up

beating my head against the wall, but it’s

better than nothing."

"Man." Jack sighed. "Seriously, I

wouldn’t have known if you hadn’t told me.

Are you tired all the time?"

"Sort of." Daniel recited the testimony

he’d found online. "I’ve lived with it for a

while. You get used to it. It feels like the

crash after a sugar high. You just want to lay

down and sleep, but it doesn’t come. My

brain’s on switch is stuck."

"That’s awful."

"Preaching to the choir," Daniel said.

"So…now you know. Mind keeping it secret

for me?"

"Sure, sure," Jack said. "Lips are

sealed."

"Thanks."

They were quiet for a few seconds. Jack

leaned forward. "You know…I was bullied

a lot too."

"…you were?"

"Yeah. I’m…heh. I never told anyone

this either." Jack rubbed his wrists. "I’m

small, you know? Genetic lottery screwed

me over, I guess. It’s always made me a

target. And I’m kind of a loner. That’s why I

didn’t have any friends. When you said that

stuff, about changing…I believed it, you

know? I thought maybe this was it." He

snorted. "But you’ve got a chronic disorder.

I’m just a little short. The hell do I know?"

"…nah," Daniel said. "We probably had

it about the same."

"Maybe." Jack looked up. "I’m glad I

met you, Daniel. I’ve…shit. I’ve got friends.

There it is. It’s the first time in my life I

don’t feel like I’m on the outside. Coming

back to the dorm feels like coming home.

Everyone’s…" Jack wiped his eyes. "All the

guys are happy to see me. You know what a

difference that makes? People, just…happy

to see you."

"Hey. You ok?"

"Yeah." Jack sniffed. "…my mom…my

dad died when I was young. My mom was

always really strict. She thinks I’m a loser.

Nothing I ever do is enough. Her son should

have been a basketball star or a football

player. Her son should be big and strong.

Her son should be bringing home girls and

changing the world, not…not playing video

games…doing math for -" Jack’s voice

choked on a high note. A tear rolled down

his cheek.

Daniel got up and hugged Jack. It was

the only thing he could think to do. "I’m

sorry."

"…shit," Jack said. "I feel like…that all just kinda…"

"I think I understand," Daniel said. "You had to tell someone before it broke you in

half."

"…pretty much. Yeah."

"I’m glad you trusted me enough."

Daniel stood and looked out the window. It

was pitch black. The glare from the light

obscured the view. They passed a moment in

silence.

"The only thing was the travel," Jack

said. "She wanted me to be worldly. She had

this idea that I was going to be a politician. I

liked going around and learning about

different places. Our trips were the only

times she wasn’t scowling at me." Jack

looked at his cluttered backpack, taking in

each sticker and pin. "They’re my memories,

you know? That’s why I started the

collection. I guess…I don’t know. I wanted

to feel like I was holding on to something.

But I don’t need it. Not anymore." A smile

broke through the sadness in his eyes. "I

don’t have to live trying to make her happy.

I’ll live for me. A little while ago, I don’t

think I could have even thought that. But I’m

changing. I’m getting stronger."

Daniel sat back in his chair. Felix came

to mind. And then his father.

Daniel saw himself again, a few weeks

after his mother had died. Pounding on his

father’s door. Trying to get him to answer the

phone, begging him to give them money for

food. And being ignored.

Jack’s experience might be worse than

his—rather than apathy, he received too

much attention, was forced to constantly

jump at a bar that was teased above his

hands. Was this their world? Struggling not

to be as screwed up as their parents?

But it wasn’t their parents fault, not

entirely. He remembered his constant

annoyance with everything around him. His

rejection of the hands that reached out for

him. Mr. Griggs tried to help him out, hadn’t

he? Tom and the rest of the nerds could have

been his friends if he’d cared to make them.

How much of that grey misery was own his

fault? How long was he going to blame his

dad, blame other people?

When was it he realized he hated the

way he was living, the self-imposed

isolation of a cynic? Maybe when he’d

protected his brother. Maybe when after he

got to know Mrs. Faldey. Maybe when Jack

and Jensen and Mark slapped him on the

back. Maybe when Rachel had patiently

waited for him to talk about his mother. To

open up a little.

"If you ever want to talk," Daniel said,

"just let me know."

"I will. Thanks."

"Sure." Daniel stood. "I’m gonna get

some air. Probably until I feel tired enough

to sleep." Daniel snorted. "Which is usually when it starts getting light out."

"Alright. Guess I’ll see you."

"Don’t let the bed bugs bite your balls

off."

"Right," Jack said. "Gotta watch out for that." The light flicked off. Jack jumped up

into bed. Daniel left the dorm.

He had two copies of his makeshift

armor, now. One was in his room, tucked

under his bed. One was in a secluded nook

on top of the parking garage. It helped speed

things up whenever his room was occupied.

As usual, he had to scry a bit to avoid

Eleanor’s black suits. They were like flies

buzzing around the dorm every night. They’d

gotten even more paranoid after the murder.

There were about a dozen of them, now, up

from six the previous week. Who the hell

was she?

He snuck into the parking garage, then

out to the roof. He’d been working on the

design of his suit, adding smaller plates to

protect his joints and the backs of his legs.

He even had a helmet. If he ran into anyone,

his identity would be protected—that, and

his head.

He lifted the chest plate. The rubber-

backed steel and Plexiglas was pretty hardy,

but it wasn’t much to look at. At the moment,

it was black and matte grey. Maybe he

should get some spray paint, come up with a

color scheme. But then, it was already more

or less the colors of urban camouflage.

There were magicians in the city, and

plenty of them. He could feel their magic

flash and burn in the distance every day.

They worked through downtown

systematically, killing Vorid as they went.

Daniel kept to the suburbs, clearing out areas

they hadn’t reached or that still had a few

stragglers. His speed lent him a large