Over My Head (Wildlings) (28 page)

I let my Wildling gaze focus on the spot where something's out of place. It's an old adobe building. There's a yard with some brush and scraggly trees. I don't see anybody. As I let my gaze go up the side of the building, I catch a glimpse of the top of some guy's head. Metal winks.

My body seems to know what to do before my brain can react.

I tackle Des and we both go down behind a parked car. Something pings sharply off the pavement, right where we were just standing. If we hadn't moved, one of us would have been hit.

"Dude!" Des says. "Did somebody just shoot at us?"

He starts to sit up, but I push his head down.

"Seems like it," I tell him.

"I didn't even hear the shot."

"Me, either."

Which means two things: that the sniper has a silencer, and that Solana was right when he warned me that the guys from Black Key Securities might be coming after me. Danny said they were in protective custody, but that was obviously a lie or they wouldn't be out here shooting at me.

Another bullet pings off the hood of the car behind us before ricocheting away into the distance.

"Dude, how did you even know that guy was there?"

I tap my head. "New tracking device," I say. "Somehow I've got, like, a GPS in my head. I'm still getting used to it."

"As if your other superpowers weren't enough. Dude, I am so jealous."

"Can I borrow your phone?" I ask.

"Who're you going to call?" he asks as he hands it over. Before I can answer, he goes right on with, "Man, does this have to do with the Kings?"

"I doubt it."

I close my eyes so that I can recall the business card Solana gave me the first time we met at the end of the pier. I never could have done this before I became a Wildling. Imagine if I could put this souped-up memory bank to use in school. I'd ace every course.

Once I have the digits, I thumb them into Des's phone. Solana answers on the first ring.

"Yes, Mr. Wilson?" he says, which throws me for a loop until I realize he's got call display and thinks it's Des.

"It's me," I say. "You need to get here right away. Some guy's shooting at us and he's got a silencer on his rifle."

"Where are you?"

"Are you really telling me that you don't have a tracker on this phone as well?"

I hear a siren start up in the background.

"We'll be right there," he says.

I close Des's phone and hand it back to him.

He looks incredulous. "Somebody's got a tracker on my phone?" he says.

"Don't look so surprised. Every phone's got GPS now. The police can trace any one of them, so long as they're turned on."

"You called the police?"

"No, the FBI."

Des nods like it's an everyday occurrence.

"I wonder if the guy's still there," he says as he starts to have a look.

I pull him down and a bullet cuts the air where his head just was. It bounces off the grill of the car behind and whizzes between us. We both wince at the ugly sound.

"Remember my GPS?" I say, putting a finger to my temple.

Des just nods and stays down.

My senses tell me the guy's still in place. I can pinpoint precisely where he is.

"Give me your phone again," I say.

When Solana picks up, I describe exactly where they'll find the shooter.

"Stay on the line," I say when I hear the approach of a siren. "Okay," I add. "He hears you coming and he's on the move."

"Jesus!" Solana says. "Just stay put and let us deal with this. Don't start following him."

"I'm not. It's—like an uncle thing.
Los tíos
, right?"

"Huh?"

"He's off the roof, but he's still on the move. So, unless he can fly, he's made his way down to the lane that runs behind the building."

"You don't move," Solana tells me.

"Wouldn't dream of it. He's heading north now. Moving fast. I think he must be in a car."

"What make?"

"I can't actually
see
him."

I hear Agent Matteson curse in the background and I know why. The shooter's car has merged with other traffic. There's no way they're going to find him now.

Solana's alone in the car when it pulls up to where Des and I are now standing on the sidewalk. Even though I know the shooter's long gone, I can't get rid of the little warning prickles in the back of my neck.

"Where's Agent Matteson?" Des asks. "I thought you two were joined at the hip."

"I'll be sure to tell him you said that."

"He's on the rooftop," I say. "Where the guy with the gun was."

Solana nods, staring at me like I've got a third eye or something. "That's right. He's looking for shell casings. You're both okay?"

"We're fine."

"
Now
can I convince you to get off the street and go somewhere safe?"

I shake my head. Solana's cell rings before I can say anything.

"There's nothing." My Wildling hearing lets me pick up Matteson's voice. "Some scuff marks, but no casings."

"If he's from Black Key, he's a pro."

"The kid all right?" Matteson asks.

"Yeah, but he's still being stubborn," Solana says. "Want me to come pick you up?"

"Nah, I'm good."

Solana turns his attention back to us. "Will you at least let us drive you somewhere?"

"Can we use the siren?" Des asks.

Solana shakes his head. "What are you, twelve? Not a chance."

 "I've met some more of your uncles," I tell Solana. "They don't seem to like giving straight answers."

"That sounds about right."

"I also ran into Danny Reed. He told me what your Bureau Chief's planning."

"I know. It's unfortunate. But he doesn't have any choice. Not with Congressman Householder coming to speak at that rally. By going with the registration idea, the Chief thinks he might be able to forestall the quarantine that Householder and his people are demanding."

"What rally?" Des asks.

"Humanity for Humans."

"I never heard of it," I say.

"It's happening this weekend," Solana tells us. "In the parking lot of the mall."

"What's happening?"

I turn to see that Matteson has joined us. It's interesting that he didn't set off any little warning
pings
in my head. I guess I really do trust him.

"The rally," Solana tells him.

Matteson snorts. "You mean the crapfest."

"This registration thing that your boss is rolling out," I say. "Is it even legal?"

"That's for Congress to decide," Matteson says. "Personally, I don't think they can make it stick. If they could, every gang member and mobster would be in custody by now."

"I thought the Black Key guys were already locked up," I say.

"Some are, but not all—the operative word being 'some.' As you just found out, that means it's dangerous for you to be out in the open."

"I'm not hiding."

Solana nods. "Will you at least start carrying your phone again?"

I give him a look of mock surprise.

"What?" I say. "The uncles won't tell you where I am anymore?"

"What uncles?" Matteson ask.

Solana gives me a pissed-off look and sighs.

"I'll tell you later," he says to his partner before returning his attention to me: "Carry your phone."

"I will. I just haven't been home yet to get it."

"So go. Now."

I nod.

Speaking of phones, Des's starts to ring in his pocket. He pulls it out and checks the call display.

"We're gonna have to motor," he says as he brings the phone to his ear.

I hear Cory giving him the time and place where we're meeting with Auntie Min.

"We'll be there," Des tells him, though he's looking at me with a question in his eyes.

"I'll go," I tell him.

"Go where?" Solana asks.

I smile. "It's private. You've got a tracker on Des's phone, so you'll figure it out. But you won't be welcome."

"Kid," Matteson says. "These gangs are just going to bring you more trouble. Your buddy Chaingang is only going to keep you around until he gets whatever it is that he wants from you."

"Tell me something I don't know," I say.

But I don't agree.

"Come on, Des," I say. As we start walking away, I call over my shoulder, "Thanks for chasing that guy off."

Solana is still frowning. Matteson just shakes his head.

"Who are these uncles the kid was talking about?" I hear Matteson say.

Des and I keep walking.

Chaingang

J-Dog would laugh his ass off if he could see me right now, and I don't want to even think about the guys back in juvie. But I don't care. Sitting here on this bench with my arm around Marina is pretty much the best thing that's happened to me since we first kissed. Better. Because neither of us are pretending this time.

Not that I ever was.

I know it's not going to be easy, but I don't care about that, either. We can work this out. I'll do whatever I can to make it work.

But first we have to deal with all the crap the rest of the world is throwing at us.

"Sounds like Donalita has a crush on you," Marina says when we finish up telling each other about our days. "Should I be jealous?"

Oh, crap. Why did I have to bring up Donalita's flirting?

"It's not like that," I start, but then I see her smile and I let it go.

I know exactly what that smile means. She's getting a kick out of seeing me flustered because I'm the big bad Chaingang who never loses his cool.

"Relax," she says. "I'm kidding. What we really have to do is figure out how to handle
this
. Us."

I nod. "What's your take?"

"Well, no public displays that could get back to Mamá—this'd kill her, and I'd never get out of the house again."

"Okay."

"What about your brother and the other Avers?"

"It's none of their business, but I supposeif they found out, it could get back to, you know, school, and your sister, which would get it to your mother."

She nods. "Except she doesn't talk to my mother, but I get your point. She'd definitely tell my dad."

"What about Josh and Des?" she adds. "I'm not so into keeping secrets from them, especially Josh, but Des isn't exactly known for being discreet."

"Your call. I've got no problem with them knowing, so long as Des can keep a lid on it."

"How about my friend Julie?"

"I'm okay with that. I'd like to introduce you to my grandmother, but you've got to promise me no joking about how I'm trying to jump you into the gang or anything like that when we see her."

She smiles. "Like I'd do that."

My phone rings. I'd prefer to ignore it, but I know I probably can't. I check the call display and see that it's Cory.

"Go ahead and take it," Marina says.

I nod, but I have to make sure she knows what this means.

"If we get any deeper into this," I tell her, "we could lose control over everything and things will never be the same again. Your mother finding out about us will be the least of your worries."

"I know. But it's Josh. We can't just abandon him."

"He's already outted himself to the Kings. We're not far off from the whole world knowing what he is. When that happens, it won't be long before they know who we are, too. Guilt by association."

She pulls back and looks at me. "Are you saying we shouldn't get involved?"

I shake my head. "I just want to remind you what's at stake. There's no turning back after this."

She swallows hard and says, "Do it. Answer."

I press Talk.

"What's up, bro?" I ask Cory.

"You know where that is?" I ask as I stow the phone back in my pocket.

Marina shakes her head.

"It's just south of Tiki Bay—you've surfed there, right?"

"But there's nothing on that headland."

"Kinda the point," I say. "Private. No one's going to drop in uninvited. Can you come?"

I like the way her face goes when she's thinking. Hell, I like everything about her.

"It's early to be sneaking out," she says.

"Maybe you could say you're going to your father's? Get Ampora to cover for you."

"Like that'd ever happen."

"Tell her she owes you."

"She'll just laugh."

I shake my head. "No, she won't. Tell her like it's already a done deal. The only reason she gets away with the crap she does is because she plays on your guilt. She disses you, threatens you, just give her the hard stare, no budging. The only tough part is, you've got to be prepared to back it up."

"And if that doesn't work?"

"It'll work. You've already shown her today that you can play hardball. Just lay it down like you mean it and she'll cave."

"But I do feel guilty. She didn't deserve the heavy treatment I gave her today. I totally blew it."

"But look at how she treats you. No wonder you misread her. She's always playing the tough little gangsta chick. The best thing you could do for Ampora is to give her a dose of her own medicine. Talk her own language and maybe she'll finally start listening to you."

Marina shrugs. "You make it sound so easy."

"It's not so much easy, as looking at the world a different way. Act like you're in charge, and nine times out of ten, people just accept it. Why do you think I get to sit on my ass on a picnic table outside the school every day, but I don't get expelled? Part of it's that I'm not making trouble and they know I could—especially if I call in my brother. But most of it's because I'm not entertaining any other options. I put out a 'this is the way it is' vibe, and they let it ride."

She smiles. "Yeah, but that's
you
."

"Don't kid yourself," I tell her. "Ampora knows she owes you, and I'll bet under that hard-ass mask of hers she feels just as guilty as you do. For some people, being pissed off is the way they deal with their guilt."

"Okay," she says. "I'll give it a shot. But first I have to jump in the surf so that Mamá knows I actually came down here."

"We've still got some time before we have to meet the others," I tell her. "Ride a few waves. After the day you've had, I'll bet you need it."