Dark Calling (21 page)

“Thanks,” Nick says quietly.  She doesn’t know if he means for helping him or for not questioning him.  She nods her head
unable to meet his gaze
.

Keely watches Nick
’s feet as he
pace
s
the small open space in front of the couch.  “While you think, I’m going to make food.”  Nick nods without looking at
her
.  She washes shrimp and cuts the tails off of them.  Places them in bowls with lettuce and several other vegetables.  She’s curious as she brings a bowl to Nick if he’ll actually eat it.  He takes it easily and finally sits.  Then he looks at it.

“Ugh.  Really?”

“Shut up and eat.”

Nick dumps the contents into her bowl and heads to the kitchen where he opens a can of beef stew, plops it into his now empty bowl and shoves it in
to
the microwave.

“That’s so gross.  Do you know how bad that stuff is for you?”

“Do you know
that I am not a rabbit?  I need sustenance.  Meat.  Protein.”

“Whatever.  Don’t be healthy.”

“I’m healthy.”  Nick takes his stew from the microwave and heaves himself down next to Keely.  “Why are you so obsessed about
it
anyway?”

“I am not obsessed.  I’m just health conscious.  There’s a difference.”

Nick grunts.  “You’ll ingest those stupi
d pills
,
but this makes you sick?
”  He spoons some meaty stew into his mouth.

Keely doesn’t even answer.  That is precisely why she worries so much about what she puts into her body, but there is no way she’s telling him that.  If she
did, he’d
tell her
not take the pills
and that
would just start another fight.  That’s n
ot something she wants to risk since he’s actually speaking to her
again.  Somehow, even if she didn’
t take the pills
, she still cannot see herself eating that stuff.  It looks and smells like Lively’s dog chow.

“So, do you have a plan yet?”

“Not really.
You got anything?” h
e asks, looking at her hopefully.

“Nothing.  I’ll call Bryon.  You call Lila, have her bring Dustin.  We’ll see what the five us can come up with
,
then we’ll take it to Mr. Giordano tomorr
ow. 
He’s sure to know more than any of us right?  I mean, he is a teacher.”

Nick nods as he fishes his cell from his pocket.  The two of them make their calls.  Only Nick is successful.  Keely has to leave a message for Bryon, stressing the importance of speaking to him immediately.

“Lila and Dusty are on their way.  No luck with Bry?”

“Nope.  Left a message.  I’ll send him a text too.”

Nick runs another search on twenty-two while they wait.
  It is more of the same and a lot that seems insig
nificant.  He glances through
everything anyway, just
to be safe.
 

Just as Nick
is beginning to get frustrated,
fe
eling as if he is going nowhere,
a soft knock sounds at the door.
  At the same time his phone vibrates with a text message.  Lila letting him know it’s her at the door.

“It’s Dustin and Lila,” Nick says, answering Keely’s question before she asks it.

“I’m going to try Bryon again.”

“All right, Icky.  We’re here.  What do you need from us?” Lila says as Nick let’s them in.

“Have you heard from Bryon?” Keely a
sks quickly before Nick can begi
n.

“I haven’t.  Not since yesterday,” Lila answers, then turns to Dustin.

“No, me neither.”

“We can’t get a hold of him,” Nick explains.

“Well, it’s not the first time,” Dustin grunts.

“Yeah, but at this point in the game, it is pretty careless,” Lila sighs.

“Yes, that’s true.”  Nick starts pacing again and Keely leans her head against the back of the couch. 

“You’re doing it again, Nick
.”

“Doing what?”

“Pacing.  Driving me nuts.”

“Sorry.”

Nick leans against the wall and squeezes his eyes shut.  It really is careless and stupid of Bryon not to be returning calls and texts.  Keely could have needed him.  She could have been in trouble.  And technically, Nick is his superior
on this job
.  Bryon is supposed to be there when Nick needs him.  Nobody on his team has ever done anything like this before.  And just like that, a little light clicks on in his head.  A light Nick doesn’t want to acknowledge, but cannot ignore.  Bryon is the traitor.  He must be.  A shiver runs down his spine and his eyes sting as if he could cry.  It can’t be true.  He must be wrong.  But what other explanation is there?
   

“What’s wrong?” Lila
demands,
worry clear in her voice and posture.

Nick opens his eyes and takes a deep breath.  He stares at Keely for a moment, trying to decide what he should tell every
body.  He knows this theory will hurt her the most.  She has already felt betrayed by Bryon.  He knows he will have to tell her soon, but he decides it will not be right now.  Right now, there are more pressing issues.

“Keely has agreed to meet with Apophis,” he says.  “This Friday.”  He pushes off the wall.  “On her birthday.”

“What?  Keely, you can’t do that,” Dustin scolds.  “He’ll kill you for sure.
  And it’s dangerous for all of us to go into a situation like that.  You need to stay out of trouble where we can better protect you.
”

“That isn’t important right now.  I think something happened to Bryon.  He isn’t answering his phone.  He hasn’t even text me back,” Keely explains in a rush as she checks her phone again for emphasis.  “I’m really worried.
 
He’s
never
not
text me back.”

“Bryon does this all the time,” Lila tells her.  She makes her voice sound light, unconcerned. 
“He’ll call later.  He’s probably hooking up with some girl right now.  Don’t worry.”

Nick and Lila share a look.  Keely is too distracted to notice, but Dustin doesn’t miss it.  His brows merge for a moment before turning back to face Keely.

“So, now that that’s resolved, what’s this about you being a complete moron and trying to sacrifice yourself?”

“He has my parents,” Keely seethes.  “I don’t understan
d why none of you get that.  I am fully aware of how stupid it is.  I know Apophis has no intentions of letting me get away.  But if there is even the slightest chance that it will save my mom and dad, I have to do it.  So now that we got
that
out of the way, help me come up with a plan.”  Keely crosses her arms in front of her and looks at each of them, one by one.  “
I understand if you don’t want to get involved.  It is risky, but
I’m doing
this with or without you.
”

“She’s impossible,” Dustin grumbles.

“Completely,” Nick agrees.  If he weren’t terrified of losing her, Nick wou
ld respect her
bravery. 

“There’s not a lot we can plan.  Pandora is huge.  And all those underground tunnels…  It’s too risky
, Keely
.  You need to try to change the meeting,” Lila interjects.

“I agree.  There are too many places we could lose you. Far too many hiding places.  We need a place we can secure.”  Nick moves to sit next to Keely.  “We need to pick the place and time.  I think we should try for the day time as well.  Apophis is weakest in sun light.”

“The park is open and
public.  Plenty of sun light,” Dustin suggests.

“That’s good.”  Nick nods his head.  Looks at Keely.  “Give me your phone.”  He sends t
he text: CHANGE OF PLANS.  TOMORROW
, NOON, HUNT PARK, then closes his hand around the cell phone as he waits for a response.

In the minutes following, everyone remains eerily quiet.  There isn’t even the s
ound of their breathing.  They all
must be holding their breath in anticipation.
  Keely’s stomach churns.  She feels like she could be sick.

The lights flicker several times before going dark.  Keely pulls her legs off the floor.  Grips the arm of the couch.  Her ears strain to listen.  Nick
’
s hand finds her almost immediately and squeezes her fingers.  She moves
closer to
him.  Could it be Apophis?  She’s sure they must have
made him mad.  Is he
her
e to collect her
now?
 
This is his game and they didn’t follow the rules. 
What will be their punishment? 
A dozen different
scenarios run
through her mind in the seconds it takes the others to respond.

“Keely, don’t let go of me, no matter what.”  Nick tightens his grip on her and she grabs hold of his shirt with her other hand.

“Flashlight?” Dustin asks.

“Kitchen.  Top drawer
,
all the way to the left.  I don’t know if the batteries are any good.  If not, there are more in the drawer
,” Nick directs.

“Lila?”

“I’m here.  I’ve got Dusty by the belt.”

“Stay with him.”

“I am, believe me.”

The phone rings in Nick’s hand, startling them all.  It sounds louder than usual in the dark and quiet basement apartment.

Nick puts it to his ear, lighting one
side of his face in a pale blue
glow.  “Hello?”

Keely can feel her heart pounding in her head.  She can hear it, thundering in her ears.  Her whole body trembles uncontrollably. 

“Hello?  Who is this?”

Sweat beads across Nick’s forehead.  Trickles down his neck.  The hand holding on to Keely is moist.  “I said who is this?” he demands. 

Keely can hear that Dustin has made it to the
kitchen
.  She can hear him fumbling around in the drawer.  She tells herself it will only be a few more seco
nds until there is light.  H
ears the empty click, click as he attempts turning it on to no avail.

“Hello?  What do you want?”

Keely’s breathing begins panting out of her.  A chill runs down her spine and she shivers, despite the heat.  There is something so familiar…  She turns her head, eyes bulging as they dart across the darkness.  Just as she smells it, something brushes the side of her head as if stroking her hair.  She means to scream, but her mind is still stuck back on the stench.

“Cigar,” she shrieks and jumps off the couch, losing Nick’s hand.

“Keely?” Nick calls frantically. 

“He’s here, Nick.  He touched me.  Can’t you smell it?  The cigars.  He’s h
ere.”  She
feels her way to the wall
wishing she hadn’t let go of Nick.

A noise to her right makes her spin.  She tries to look for any movement, but it’s
too dark.  S
he can’t see.

“Stay where you are.  I’ll come find you,” Nick whispers.

Keely spins again at the sound of his voice.  She is disoriented now, having no clue where she is.  Something sweeps across her back
and she whimpers.

“It’s all right.  I’m coming,” Nick says.

Keely falls to the ground.  Covers her head with her arms.  Tries to make herself small.
  This is much too tiny of an apartment for it to take Nick this long.
  Another swipe across her back sends a wail rushing through her lips.  It feels like her back is burning, as if she has been brande
d
and she cannot bare the pain.  She screams through clenched teeth. 

There is another click and light shines across the room just as hands
clamp down on her shoulders.  Keely doesn’t have a chance to scream again before she is shoved to the side.  The light shakes and moves, but Keely sees Nick fall to the ground beside her.  Hears a grunt of pain.  Someone is screaming.  Somebody else is shouting.  Keely covers her ears.  Though she tries, she cannot close her eyes.  She stares at Nick as the light bobs back and forth across him.  Then there is a moment of
complete silence before the room is illuminated with a blinding white light.  By the time Keely has blinked her eyes, the powe
r is back on.  The darkness replaced with the soft yellow glow of the lamps
.

Keely looks around her.  Pulls herself over to Nick.  There is a rip down the front of his shirt.  A long gash across his chest.  Without thinking, Keely rips the rest of his shirt away and uses it to stop the bleeding.

“Nick,” Lila murmurs as she drops to her knees beside him.