Different (28 page)

"I think the bitch busted something,” Blake muttered as the car sped off. “It feels like a couple of ribs are broken."

"We'll get these two locked up first and then we can get the doc to take a look at you.” He turned to look at Mary who shrank away from him and he laughed. “Don't worry Mary. I'll be taking a real close look at you personally."

"What do you want?” She asked and flinched when he put his hand high up on Mary's thigh, and half under her skirt.

"Well, besides getting better acquainted with you.” He slid his hand higher up as far as it would go and Jay could see it moving underneath the material of the skirt. Mary's hand flew down and caught his wrist, but Jay could tell it was only a token resistance. Mary was far too terrified to try and stop him let alone put up any real fight.

"What we want is for your friend the freak here, to lure out the other freak, a boy who I thought I'd killed fifteen years ago, just like I thought I'd killed her.” Russell threw back his head and laughed. “Then we'll have us a breeding pair!” He winked at Mary, “I bet you never knew that these freaks lay eggs."

Squad cars almost completely surrounded the Mallard ranch and Adam turned to Rebecca. “Let me get out of the car here. I must get to the ranch and find out what's happened.” He didn't tell her what he feared, that Jay-be-free and her cousins were dead. Murdered by the same man who'd killed Ben and Eve.

"Don't be silly Adam,” Rebecca said. “You haven't a chance of getting past all those police officers, as well as the sheriff's men. Not to mention the FBI. And they're so hyped up that they'll probably shoot anything that moves!"

"Rebecca, please!” Adam put his hand on her arm. “I have to know what's happening back there!"

She looked at him, and he could see the indecision in her eyes. “I don't know Adam. I know you can do things that most people can't, but they'll be using electronic surveillance cameras and all the other equipment at their disposal. Those people don't play games Adam. They'll shoot first and ask questions later."

Rebecca was right, Adam knew that, and he also appreciated the fact she had deliberately avoided saying that he could do things that
normal
people couldn't. He sat back into his seat and scanned Dr. Maylor's memory cells for his knowledge of electronic surveillance equipment. It was very impressive, though it was over fifteen years out of date. Adam guessed that today's equipment would be even more sophisticated. Most of security systems however would still be activated by sound or by movement, which triggered the cameras and alarms as light or sound waves were broken.

"Rebecca, turn the car around we're going back to the ranch!” His tone caused her to automatically step on the brakes and she'd started to turn the car before she spoke.

"But they've already told us that they we won't be allowed to go there."

"No they told you, Rebecca, now let them tell me!” He met her stare and apparently satisfied with what she saw there, she completed the turn and headed back the way they'd come.

The barriers and the police cars with their flashing lights at the entrance to the ranch's driveway were still in place. Rebecca brought the car to a halt. A cop in uniform frowned as he walked over to them with one hand on the butt of the revolver hanging in its holster from his belt.

Adam opened his door and got out. “You'll have to move those cars,” he said quietly. “We're going to the ranch."

"I'm afraid I can't let you do that boy!” The officer said, shaking his head. “Now get back in your car and get out of here!"

"My sister's staying here, with our cousin, Scott Mallard, and her friend, Mary and I want to see her!"

"Sister?” He looked at Adam and then nodded. “I'll need some ID to get the ok from the house. What's your sister's name?"

"Jay-Be-Free Mallard. I'm Adam Maylor. We were both adopted by different families,” Adam said. “Detective Chief Superintendent Carlyle of the Nottingham Police is driving the car, and she brought me here because someone tried to kill Jay in Britain."

"We think that the man who tried to kill her will try again,” Rebecca said, lowered her window and passed her ID and passport to the officer.

"You just hold on here while I check this out, if this is right there are some folks down there who'll want to talk to you.” The officer walked over to his car and using his hand set, started to talk and Adam tried to quell his growing impatience.

The man who came out of the house to meet them was smartly dressed and in his thirties, Adam thought, and he appraised them thoughtfully as they got out of the car.

"I'm Jack Howard, FBI and I don't know what you're trying to pull here, but Jay-Mallard hasn't got a brother!” He turned to Rebecca. “I'm having your ID checked out until then I'm placing you both under arrest..."

"I think you'd better ring this number first,” Rebecca said, removing a card from her pocket and handing it to him.

He looked at it briefly and shook his head. “You can ring your attorney later..."

"That's the private number of the British Prime Minister, Roger Thompson,” Rebecca said quietly. “Adam is related to Jay, and she and I are friends."

"Detective Chief Inspector Carlyle?” A younger man in his twenties his unruly fair hair brushed to one side emerged from the house. “Jay's told me about you. I'm Scott Mallard, Jay's cousin.” He turned to the FBI agent. “I'd like to talk to them while you check out that number. We don't want to create an international incident here, do we?"

"Well, all right, but I'm going to have to search them for concealed weapons first.” He walked towards Rebecca who held her arms out from her sides while he patted her down and apparently satisfied he repeated the procedure on Adam.

Adam watched him walk into the house before speaking. “I'm Adam. Jay is the daughter of my two best friends who, like me, were born on the Devil's Footprint, in England. Where is she, what's happened to Jay?"

He looked at Adam thoughtfully. “Jay and her best friend Mary were kidnapped this morning. Although they took Mary too, I can't help feeling that it was Jay they were after."

"Yes, because they know about her, know that she's different, like me!” Adam said, bitterly. “Why can't they leave us alone?"

Understanding dawned on Scott's face. “You can do the things Jay does? You're a chameleon too!"

Adam frowned. “A chameleon? No, I have great strength and speed but I'm not a chameleon, at least I don't think so."

Scott explained Jay's dramatic demonstration and the events leading up to the abduction.

Adam turned to Rebecca. “I need to see where it happened! I need to stand where she stood. It's important!”

Rebecca glanced at Scott who was about to speak when the FBI agent came out of the house and strode towards them.

"All right your story checks out, now would you mind telling me what the hell's going on here?"

Adam shrugged and told them his story and Rebecca outlined the attempt on Jay's life by the killer known as the Death Dancer and their belief that the killer would try again.

"The man who killed my people was Russell Downey and he worked for Matheson Chemicals.” Adam said. “The description Scott has given of the kidnappers makes me think that the older one was Downey."

"No, you must have got that wrong.” Jack Howard said. “Russell Downey is the personal bodyguard of Henry Matheson who will be sworn in next week as the Vice-President of the United States. If they'd been involved in anything like this it would have been found out. Matheson admitted on television that his company leased the land in the UK, but they stopped financing the project over thirty years ago.

Apparently this Scientist Maylor continued his activities without their knowledge for another ten years.

"It was Russell Downey who murdered the children.” Adam said, “I..."

"Listen, you have no way of knowing that, you were only a kid and I'm sure that the killer, who ever it was never mentioned his name. Now did he?” Adam dropped the argument it would be pointless to try and explain that he'd absorbed many of Dr. Maylor's memories. He knew he was right but what he couldn't understand was why Downey hadn't killed Jay when he had the chance? Why kidnap her? It didn't make sense unless they were going to use her for something?

"Do you still want to look at where it happened?” Scott asked? “Is that ok?” He turned to the FBI agent.

"I suppose so. My men have finished at the scene.” He grinned at Adam. “Stay close to them, son. I haven't the time or enough men to search for a lost kid."

Adam pressed himself back against the tree that Jay had hidden behind, inhaling the scent of her that seeped from the ancient bark. He willed himself not to be seen and felt himself absorbing the slight rhythm of the tree.

"That's amazing Adam!” Rebecca's voice brought him back and he looked at his hands ... hands that appeared to be covered in bark. Reluctantly, he stepped away from the comfort of the tree and watched his hands slowly return to their normal colour.

"Did my face change too?” Adam asked still amazed by this new ability that he possessed, he unlike Jay, had kept his clothes on.

"Yes, you were invisible except for your clothes.” Scott said, “But it's weird because when I stepped over there to take a look at you from the side it was even harder to see you. Your clothes and body didn't show in profile at all, it's as though you'd been absorbed into the trunk of the tree!”

Adam shrugged and then he had a sudden even stronger scent of Jay from somewhere on his left. He found her clothes hidden under a bush and pulled them out and handed them to Rebecca.

"Hadn't we better decide what we're going to do?” she asked. “Is there anyway you can locate her Adam?"

"No, but if Scott's got a computer, we could list all the properties Downey and Matheson own or have interests in and check them out."

"I'm afraid I can't allow that!” Jack Howard and three other men were pointing pistols at them.

"What's happening here, Jack?” Scott asked advancing angrily towards the FBI agent, but he stopped when Jack levelled the pistol so it was pointing at Scott's chest.

"My orders are to take you to a Russell Downey's cabin in Montana.” He grinned unpleasantly. “You're going to join the girls."

"Don't be stupid! The Prime Minister knows where we are,” Rebecca said.

Jack nodded. “No, he knew where you where. Unfortunately, you disregarded my advice and left. You'll simply disappear. Now, I need the boy alive. Apparently he's valuable merchandise, but you two,” he gestured to Rebecca and Scott with his pistol, “are expendable and my orders are to kill you if you give us any trouble."

Adam thought fast. “I need to take a leak,” he said, and walked towards the tree before anyone thought of stopping him. Two of the men positioned themselves on both sides of him and a few yards apart from each other. Adam, unzipping his pants, walked behind the tree. Neither of the men followed him and he guessed that they were satisfied that if he moved more than a few feet away from the tree, they would see him. Tearing off his clothes Adam balled them up and pushing them under a bush, he pressing his back against the tree, he became.

"Hey, come on kid, what's taking you so long?” Jack sounded impatient. Adam glanced down at his body and even he had difficulty seeing it, it was almost as though his flesh had melted into the tree.

"Get him back here!” There was concern in Jack's voice now and Adam heard the men approaching from either side of the tree. He wondered if his eyes had changed too but decided not to risk it and squinted through half closed eyes.

"Where the...” The man who looked fat but Adam guessed was muscle-bound looked at the other agent. “Shit,” he said. “Where the fuck did he go?"

"What's happening back there?” Jack was getting impatient, Adam thought.

"He's gone Jack!” The muscle-bound agent stood a foot away from Adam and seemed to be looking straight through him. “The little bastard's gone!"

Adam saw Scott and Rebecca shepherded into view by Jack and the other agent. Jack looked all around him and then up into the branches of the tree.

"He must have climbed up there somehow,” he said. “Move back and see if you can see him.” Jack pressed his gun against Rebecca's ear and the click of the hammer seemed ear splitting to Adam.

"You get back down here kid, or I'll blow her head off, I'm not kidding, now get back down here!"

Adam was afraid for Rebecca but he remained motionless because he didn't think the agent would risk killing Rebecca or Scott while he was free. Not even Jack would kill someone while there was a witness running around loose.

As Jack turned to peer up into the branches, Rebecca was also turned and she looked directly at him and winked, “No!” she mouthed silently and Adam felt some of the weight of his decision to remain concealed lift a little.

"He's not up there, Jack!” The muscle-bound man said. “I don't know how he did it but he must've made it to those trees behind us!"

"Right you and Frank, take these two to Russell's place. Dope them because we don't want them causing any trouble on the way! Raoul, you get every damned agent in the area over here, I want this entire area sealed off! Use the State Police, and call out the National Guard. I want that boy! Now move!"

Janine was frozen and shivering as she curled up in the bottom of the life raft; it had taken all her remaining strength to set it right and then drag herself up into it. She had half expected the sharks to burst through or overturn the frail craft in order to get her, but except for an occasional bump when one of the creatures investigated it, Janine had remained unhurt.

She had no idea how long she had been drifting, it seemed like hours and her watch had stopped. She was hungry, weak, wet and knew she would soon begin to feel the first effects of the hypothermia, which would probably kill her.

The throb of an outboard motor roused her from her stupor; she raised herself and peered over the edge of the raft. A small inflatable was bobbing towards her and behind it a large yacht lay anchored. One of the men in the dingy spotted her and waved, Janine managed to raise her hand in reply before she slid back down onto the raft's floor.