Shinobi (A Katana Novel) (16 page)

26

A
n hour before we reached St. Louis, Kim told me he was feeling better and offered to drive. And as tired as I was, I let him.

As we drew closer to the city, his eyes flicked from the road ahead to the rearview mirror. I, on the other hand, kept my eyes locked on him. I watched for any signs he’d begun to suspect I was plotting against him. There was no way I would let him sacrifice himself for a chance to kill Sumi. But the problem was, I still hadn’t come up with a plan and with us drawing closer to St. Louis by the second, I was nearly out of time.

Oblivious to my worries, Rosie stuck her head out the back window and happily panted in the wind.

A pang of jealously twisted through me. How awesome it would be to be a dog—to have no worries other than finding a soft place to sleep and learning what time dinner would be served.

We passed a sign announcing that St. Louis was only thirty miles away. “We’re getting close,” Kim said. “We need a plan.”

“I agree,” I answered, even though I knew mine would have to go against his.

He tapped his thumbs along the steering wheel. “We can’t go to any place the Network might suspect we’d show up at. So your condo is off-limits.”

I nodded. “The same goes for your dojo and apartment. I’m sure they’re watching those places as well.”

“Yes.” His fingers continued to drum a taiko war rhythm on the steering wheel. “We need a place where we can assess the situation. A place we can regroup and wait for an opportunity to strike. So the question is, where is the last place they would expect us to go?”

I thought about that. With Whitley posing as Q, Quentin’s house would be out, and so would Drew’s apartment. Michelle’s house was probably being watched. So that left …

I smiled at Kim the same moment his eyes locked with mine. A knowing grin pulled at his lips.

“Braden,” we said in unison.

Kim turned his attention back to the road. He continued to drum the war beat as he drove.

I settled back into my seat, happy with our plan. It wasn’t that Braden wasn’t as capable a warrior as the rest of our friends, but his goofy demeanor and distracted tendencies made him appear less of a threat, even though I knew he was every bit as deadly as the rest of us. But because of his outward appearance, the Network would assume he’d be the last of the samurai we’d contact.

That didn’t mean we wouldn’t have to be careful. I was sure Sumi and Whitley were working hard to convince the rest of the samurai that I’d brainwashed Kim and we were coming to kill them. It wasn’t going to be easy to convince Braden I was really Rileigh, and it would be even more difficult to convince him if he decided to attack.

Hopefully, it wouldn’t come to that. We needed all the allies we could get. And let’s face it—Rosie wasn’t exactly intimidating.

Darkness streaked across the horizon like thick brushstrokes from a calligraphy brush. If Gene’s assumption was correct, with night approaching I had less than twelve hours to switch bodies with Sumi before the change became permanent.

I stared at Sumi’s reflection in the side mirror, her eyes boring into mine until I had no choice but to look away. As much as it would suck to stay trapped inside the body of my enemy forever, maybe I could learn to live with it—especially if it was a question of Kim’s life.

I chewed on my lip as I tried to come up with a plan to ensure Kim wouldn’t kill Sumi. But a half hour later, as Kim parked the car along a narrow St. Louis street, I hadn’t come up with an answer.

I rubbed my burning eyes and sucked in a deep breath. All my hours without sleep were definitely catching up to me. And now, more than ever, I needed to be on full alert.

Worried lines pinched Kim’s forehead. “How are you doing?”

“I’m exhausted,” I admitted. “But I know I have to keep going. It’s not like I can afford the luxury of a nap.”

He reached for my wrist and squeezed lightly. “Soon. This will all be over soon.”

His words caused a flutter of fear to stir inside my heart, because I wasn’t exactly sure whose end he was talking about.

“But first,” he continued, “we need a plan.”

I turned my head to the row of brick houses outside my window. Each house was an exact replica of the one beside it, distinguishable only by their landscaping and whether or not a chain-link fence crossed the narrow strip of grass separating the lots.

I recognized Braden’s house only because I’d been there before. It had only been a year since Q and I had gone to Braden’s house after we’d found out Michelle had disappeared. So the good news was, I knew the layout. “Did you see any suspicious vehicles when we pulled up?”

Kim shook his head. “No. But that doesn’t mean they’re not out there.”

“Right.” I surveyed the parked cars, looking for anything out of the ordinary. Unfortunately, with only a single dim streetlight and my lack of danger premonitions, there was no telling who could be lurking in the shadows. “We can’t just ring the doorbell. We should take a quick assessment—find out what kind of situation we might be walking into.”

“Agreed.” He gripped the door handle. “Do you want high ground or low?”

As tired as I was, the least amount of ground to cover, the better. “High. What about Rosie?”

We both glanced behind us at the dog grinning and thumping her tail.

Kim frowned. “It’s a cool night. She should be fine in the car with the windows rolled down. Hopefully this won’t take long.”

Hopefully was right.

“Let’s go.” He opened the car door and stepped out onto the street. I did the same, making sure to close the door as softly as possible. I hunkered down against the car until Kim crept along the vehicle and joined me. He looked down both ends of the sidewalk before motioning to the corner of the house, indicating which direction he would take.

I nodded.

He set off in a sprint, and I stayed close at his heels. He paused at the edge of the house, leaned over, and laced his fingers together. I only had to put my foot in his hands before he launched me into the air. Landing on the roof in a crouch, I glanced over the side and gave Kim a thumbs-up.

He nodded before darting into the backyard.

From my new vantage point, I surveyed the entire street. Except for a yellow lab who eyed me curiously several yards over, the street remained empty of life. Still, my heart hammered inside my chest, warning me that things were seldom as easy as they appeared.

Keeping low to the shingles so as not to call attention to myself, I crept along the roof to the back of the house.

Once I reached the apex of the roof, I had a clear view of Braden’s empty backyard. The only movement came from a rusted swing that swayed lazily in the wind. Wherever Kim was, he was doing an excellent job at staying hidden.

I cleared the apex and climbed down the other side until I reached the roof’s edge. I swung my head over the ledge and peered into Braden’s window to find it dark and empty. I pulled myself back up on the roof and frowned. If Braden wasn’t home—where was he? With Sumi? I sank back on my heels. With time running out, we needed to find him. Kim and I didn’t stand a chance without allies.

A car door slammed shut from somewhere nearby.

With a gasp, I flattened myself along the shingles, muttering a silent prayer that we hadn’t been followed.

Another car door slammed, followed by the sound of voices in conversation. I heard the metal gate squeal open, and the voices moved into the yard below.

With my pulse racing, I debated what to do. Any movement might draw attention to my location. I had no choice but to remain as still as I could.

“I still can’t believe Sumi kidnapped Kim.” I recognized Michelle’s voice. A second later, she appeared below me. She walked to the wooden deck and sat on the steps.

“We don’t know for sure that’s what happened,” Braden answered. He, too, appeared below me and sat beside Michelle.

She shook her head, her auburn curls bouncing like springs around her head. “Of course that’s what happened. Dr. Wendell said Kim was chasing after her when she escaped, and he never reported back to the truck.” She shrugged. “What else
could
have happened?”

“I don’t know.” Braden leaned forward, propping his elbows against his knees. “This whole situation … Doesn’t something feel
off
?”

Michelle chewed on her lip before answering. “Yeah … I didn’t want to say anything around Rileigh and Dr. Wendell because I didn’t want them to think Sumi was messing with our heads again. Do you think that could be it?”

“Maybe?” He sighed. “I know it sounds crazy, but I’ve had this really bad feeling ever since Sumi and Whitley were
captured. I can’t explain it. The only thing that makes sense is if Sumi
did
mess with our minds. Do you think we should tell the others?”

“I don’t know.” Michelle tipped her head back to the night sky and I held my breath, praying she wouldn’t glance in my direction. “Rileigh’s been so … ” She was quiet a moment, as if searching for the right word. “Stressed,” she said finally.

Braden nodded. “She definitely hasn’t been herself, that’s for sure. Maybe she’s just worried about Kim?”

“Maybe … ”

A small wisp of hope fluttered through me. If they had doubts about the situation, maybe there was a chance I really could convince them I was Rileigh.

Michelle turned to Braden. “Thanks for letting me stay with you tonight.”

Braden wrapped an arm around her shoulder and drew her against him. “Of course. If what Doctor Wendell says is true, and Sumi really is headed back to St. Louis to kill us, I’m not going to let you out of my sight.”

She smiled and nestled her head against his shoulder. “You don’t think I can handle myself?”

“What?” Braden looked down at her. “You think I want you here so I can watch over you?” He snorted. “Did you consider maybe I want you here to protect
me
?
”

Michelle laughed.

“But as powerful as Sumi is,” Braden continued, “I’m even more afraid of your dad. He’s not going to kill me, is he?”

“Relax.” Michelle shook her head. “He’ll never know I was here. I told him I was spending the night at Rileigh’s.”

Braden nodded and leaned back on his hands. “That’s good.” He was quiet a moment. “I just wonder how long we have to worry about Sumi. With all the Network guys here plus us, she’d have to be pretty stupid to come back.”

Not stupid,
I thought.
Just desperate.

“Maybe she’s desperate.” Michelle echoed my thoughts, sending a chill spiraling down my back.

“Desperate for what?” Braden answered. “If it’s Kim she’s after, isn’t he with her?”

“That is the question, isn’t it?” She shook her head. “Kim is all she ever wanted. If she has him, what on earth would she come back here for?”

“Dunno,” Braden answered. “It doesn’t make sense, does it? I just wish Kim would contact us. I’d feel a lot better knowing he’s okay—even if he is under mind control.”

Just then the bushes in the back of the yard made a soft rustling noise. A second later, Kim pushed through and stepped into the middle of the yard.

Michelle gasped and Braden scrambled to his feet.

I clasped my hand over my mouth and swallowed my own startled cry. Was this really the right time to reveal himself? Then again, it wasn’t like we had the luxury of waiting for the perfect moment. I just hoped he knew what he was doing.

Before they could say anything, Kim raised his hands. “I’m fine. And, no, I haven’t been brainwashed.”

“Kim! Oh my God, I’m so glad you’re okay!” Michelle ran to him and threw her arms around his waist.

“Um, babe?” Braden grabbed Michelle’s arm and pulled her away from Kim, putting several feet between them. “We don’t know for sure that’s really
our
Kim.” He gave Kim an apologetic look. “No offense.”

Kim frowned. “Of course it’s me.”

“Well,
yeah.
” Braden rolled his eyes. “But how do we know Sumi hasn’t brainwashed you again? If you were brainwashed, of course you would say you weren’t brainwashed. That’s kind of the point of being brainwashed, isn’t it?”

I fought the urge to smack my palm against my forehead. Leave it to Braden to complicate things.

Kim blinked in confusion. “I really don’t—”

“Besides,” Braden continued, “if you are brainwashed, how do we know you aren’t here to kill us?”

Michelle’s eyes widened as if she were considering the possibility. “Are you here to kill us?” She straightened her posture, shifting her weight to her back foot—a stance that would let him know she was prepared to fight.

Kim smiled. “You are wise to be on guard. It lets me know I’ve trained you well.” He held his arms wide and turned a slow circle. “As you can see, I am unarmed.”

Braden made a face. “Dude, that doesn’t mean anything. Your entire body is a weapon.”

Kim’s smile grew wider. “Yes, it is. So you should also know that I’ve been here, watching you since you arrived. If I had any murderous intent, I could have executed it a dozen times now.”

Braden and Michelle exchanged uneasy glances.

Kim shook his head. “I hate how Sumi’s powers have created mistrust between us. I am in trouble, and need you two on my side now more than ever.”

“What kind of trouble?” Michelle asked. “Is Sumi nearby?”

Kim glanced up, meeting my eyes in a silent plea to remain quiet awhile longer. I motioned him to hurry. He nodded once and turned back to Michelle.

I said a silent prayer he would get them on our side. With their help, we were sure to convince Drew, and possibly even Dr. Wendell. Then Sumi would be the one in trouble.

The thought made me grin.

But no sooner had my lips curled into a smile than a stabbing pain erupted in my shoulder. I flinched and glanced down, only to find a tranquilizer dart lodged below my collarbone.

Oh, crap.

I whirled around and looked for the shooter, but already my vision was hazy. Everything more than a couple feet away became a blur of color. I knew I should signal Kim, but a wave of tingling warmth flooded through my body and my arms became too heavy to move.