Split Second (Pivot Point) (8 page)

Laila:
I think I sold myself short.

Eli elbowed me. “How come I can only read
your
mind? You’re not cheating, are you?”

We cut through the park and headed toward the gaming arena where I had asked Kalan to meet me. I only hoped she still needed that favor. “Why would I cheat?”

He sighed, somehow knowing that my lack of answer was my answer. “That’s not going to help me, so don’t.”

“Maybe you’re trying for the wrong ability. Have you ever thought of that?”

“My early indicators said I have a tendency toward Telepathy.”

“Yeah, well, maybe your early indicators were wrong. Do you
want to try some of my tracks and see if they feel right?”

“I had absolutely no traces of mind blocking.”

I knew this. I was just trying to make him feel better about his lack of progress. “Just relax. It will come when it’s supposed to.”

He kicked at the ground as we walked. “Or maybe it will never come.”

I sighed. “I have something for you. Remind me when we get home.” I hadn’t given him the program from Face because I wasn’t sure I could trust it. It was one thing to take a risk with my own ability, but to do it for him was completely different. But how could I screw up something that hadn’t even Presented yet? I’d tell him what it was and give him the choice.

“Hey, there’s Leonard,” Eli said as we got closer.

I followed his finger and saw his friend, Kalan’s brother. Kalan stood next to him. The only reason I had agreed to bring Eli here was because I knew she’d be here. “Have fun,” I said. “I’ll be over there on the bench. And don’t take all night. It’s getting late, and I’m not your taxi.”

“So what’s the definition of someone who drives me anywhere I want to go, then?”

I smacked him on the back and then shoved him for good measure. He laughed and ran off.

“Kalan!” I waved, and she looked my way, then came to join me.

“Hey. You wanted to talk?” she asked.

We reached the bench and sat down. “Two things. One, I
need a list of all the students and their abilities from the office. Well, actually, just one student in particular.” Kalan worked in the school office. I knew she could get it for me.

“Laila, it’s winter break. The school is on lockdown.”

“That should make it easier, then. Nobody there to ask questions.”

“The word
lock
is in lockdown for a reason.”

“What if I could get you the code to the office?”

“A code to the office is the least of my worries.”

I sighed and watched my brother and her brother step on the platform and get scanned into the game. A huge holographic three-headed monster popped up between Eli and Leonard. They immediately got to work fighting it.

“Whose ability are you looking for, anyway?”

“Connor.”

“Connor Bradshaw?”

“Yes. Do you know it?”

“No. Anybody else and I might’ve known, but Connor is . . . a loner.”

I growled. This was supposed to be easy. I would advance my ability. I would give Addie her memories back. I would stop feeling guilty. The end.

“So what’s the other thing?” she asked.

“Did you still want someone’s memory Erased?”

She took a gasp of air. Then she nodded twice, her eyes shining with held-in tears. I had thought long and hard about this. She was asking for a memory of herself back. I could do this
for her. But I wasn’t exactly one for charity. Of course I needed something in return.

“I’ll do it for five hundred dollars.”

She was quiet for a while, then said, “Three hundred and the list from the office. That’s the best I can do.”

I cracked my knuckles. I was the one who’d brought it up, but without the full amount, was it worth it? The tears in her eyes tugged at my guilt. What had happened to her? “Did someone hurt you?”

She wrung her hands together until red marks streaked her skin. “He doesn’t deserve to remember how much.”

Three hundred bucks. That was over half the money I needed for Face, for lesson one. Kalan was right. It was her memory. She was asking me to get it back for her, to help her, that was all. “Okay. Whose memory?”

Addie:
I would make a horrible spy.

I waved good-bye to Rowan and Trevor, then walked into the house. My dad wasn’t in the main room, so I knocked once at his bedroom door and walked in. The sink water in the bathroom was running. I sat on his bed and waited, arms crossed.

His keys, wallet, and cell phone sat on his dresser, reminding me he had recently taken something of mine. I moved the stuff on his dresser, looking for my flash drive. It wasn’t there. I went to his nightstand and searched through his top drawer, digging beneath a notebook. I didn’t like to invade my dad’s privacy, but I was angry about finding my grandmother’s grave and sick of the secrets my parents had been keeping from me. I wanted my DAA program back.

The handle to his bathroom door rattled, and I quickly shut the nightstand, empty-handed, and turned around. I’d have to find it later. I leaned back against the nightstand, trying to act casual, knowing that “acting” was impossible to do around a lie detector.

He cursed quietly under his breath. “You scared me.”

I didn’t say a word. I didn’t have to lie about how angry I felt.

He sat down on the bed and patted a spot next to him for me to join him. I stayed where I was.

“So your grandmother is buried here.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m not going back there. She’s my mother. I wanted her here.”

He wasn’t going back. That thought stopped me for a moment. It had been my original thought as to why he’d had her moved here, but I still couldn’t believe someone, especially my dad, would want to leave the Compound forever. “You’re not going back?”

His determined gaze softened. “If you need me to be there for something, I will be there. But other than that, this is my home now.”

I nodded. That admission alone made the divorce so much more real to me. “I didn’t see Grandpa’s grave. Why didn’t you bring him here as well?”

He looked at his hands. “That one might take awhile.”

He should’ve told me this before. “You thought I’d be angry?”

“It’s not that.”

“Then what? Because I’m trying my hardest to understand why you wouldn’t tell me this.”

“It’s complicated.”

“No, not really. You open your mouth and you say, ‘Addie, I’ve decided to move my parents’ graves into the Norm world, where I can see them on a more regular basis.’ It’s easy.”

“Did you want me to tell you that before or after I dropped the divorce announcement on you?”

I opened my mouth to speak and then closed it again with a sigh. He was right. It was complicated.

“Am I forgiven?”

My mind flashed back to the Tower and the scar-faced man with the tablet who said I had two family members on the Outside. Was it possible he meant my grandma? “If that’s the whole truth, then yes.” I met his eyes. “Is it?”

“Yes.”

“Seriously, Dad, I can’t stand finding things out like this. If there’s anything else, just tell me. I promise I can handle a lot more than you think I can.”

“I know.” He grabbed my hand and squeezed.

“I’m glad you have her here. I know you and grandma were close.” I squeezed his hand back. “Like us, right?”

He smiled. “Right.”

I stood to leave but then remembered what I had been sitting on, his nightstand, and what I had been trying to find inside it. “What about my flash drive? Why did you take it?”

“You don’t need that.”

“Why?”

“I promise your ability will develop perfectly naturally without it.”

I sighed. “Fine.”

Only it wasn’t fine. I wanted that DAA program. When I got to my room, I pulled out my phone and dialed my mom. It was a little late, but I figured she’d be okay even if I woke her.

“Hello,” she answered after the third ring.

“Hi, Mom.”

“Addie,” she said with a happy sigh. “How are you?”

“I’m okay. Just found out about Grandma tonight.”

“Yes, your father called me a little while ago. I’m sorry we didn’t tell you. It’s just been kind of an ordeal.” She must’ve noted my lack of reassurance, because she added, “There really was a reason. We wanted to wait until both graves were approved for the move, and then your dad was going to take you to see them.”

“Why hasn’t Grandpa’s grave been approved?”

“Because he was a Bureau member, and there are more strings to pull if a person held the title of agent.”

“Oh.” I had almost forgotten that my grandfather worked for the Bureau. There were a lot of things I didn’t remember about him. He had died ten years ago in the line of duty. I was sure the Compound didn’t want to let go of a hero, even if he was a dead one. I glanced at my closed door. “Dad took my flash drive.”

“I know. I’m trying to talk to him about that.”

“What does he have against it?”

“He’s always thought natural development was the best.
We’ll figure something out soon, okay? Why don’t you get some sleep?”

“Okay. Good night, Mom.”

“Good night.”

An hour later, I lay in bed staring at the ceiling, my brain buzzing. It wouldn’t let me rest.
Two relatives have left the Compound
, the man in the Tower had said. He had used the word
left
. As in, of their own will. That couldn’t possibly be referring to my dead grandma.

Scar-Face had slipped, and he knew it. It was hard to believe my dad had lied to me again, to my face like that, but it was the only thing that made sense. So who else was living out here? Someone related to my dad? Was it possible he had a sibling or something? I got up and listened outside my dad’s door. The deep, even breaths of sleep reverberated through the thin wood. Unlike Laila’s dad, mine was a very light sleeper. I had to try anyway.

The knob turned smoothly, but the hinges protested with a loud squeak as I pushed open the door. I paused, holding my breath. His breathing was still even. The thick carpet pushed between my bare toes as I stepped into the room. His phone still sat on the dresser. I just wanted to see the list of contacts he kept stored in it. All I could hear was my heart pumping blood in a swooshing rhythm. I tried to keep myself calm. I didn’t need my ability acting up right now.

I took the ten more steps to his phone and swiped it up before
I could talk myself out of it. Then I swiftly walked out into the hall. I let myself recover for a minute and then took the stolen phone to the living room.

I slid my finger across the black screen, and four empty boxes appeared like a slap to the face. Oh yeah, password. Laila had made it look so easy when she’d stolen Poison’s number from her dad’s phone a few weeks ago.

What number combination would my dad use? I started with the four corners and the screen flashed red. I tried my birthday. Nothing. Then his birthday. And holding my breath, I tried my mom’s birthday. It didn’t work, and the phone locked me out for fifteen minutes. Great. This could take all night.

I was right. Two hours later I still couldn’t figure out the stupid password, and I had already fallen asleep twice on the arm of the couch. Now I was locked out again. I leaned my head on the arm and rested my eyes for just a minute. When I opened them again, the gray of early morning tinged the living room. Was I really going to have to wait until he decided to come clean?

I replaced my dad’s phone and went to bed.

Laila:
Is a guy touching my shoes a good enough reason to kill him?

The next day, Kalan showed up at my house. I opened the door, expecting her to say she’d changed her mind about wanting me to Erase someone’s memory. Instead she handed me an envelope. I looked inside. “Cash? You don’t want to use your card?”

She looked over her shoulder, then said, “It’s less traceable this way.”

I felt as seedy as my dad in that moment, and a shudder went through me.

“The list is in there too, but it’s not my fault Connor hasn’t claimed an ability.”

“What?” I pulled out the list and flipped through the pages
until I found Connor Bradshaw. Next to his name it stated, “Unclaimed.”

“Maybe he doesn’t have an ability.”

My eyes shot to hers. “Of course he has an ability. He’s Para.”

She bit on her thumbnail. “Maybe he wasn’t born with the potential to develop one.”

I gave a single laugh that sounded shakier than I meant for it to. The statement touched a nerve. “Have you ever heard of that happening to anyone?”

“No. But I looked up his transcript, because I thought maybe I’d be able to tell his ability from the classes he’s in.”

“And could you?”

“Not really. He does awful in his Para classes but aces all his Norm classes. That boy has issues.”

“Obviously.” I refolded the list and shoved it back into the envelope. Useless.

“Anyway, I fulfilled my half of the bargain. Here’s your half.” She handed me a piece of paper with a name, address, and date on it. “His bedroom is on the second floor, second window on the right if you’re looking at his house from the front.”

“Parents? Siblings? Are they around a lot?”

“Yes. He lives with both his parents and has two sisters.” She shrugged when I sighed. “Good luck.”

“This won’t have anything to do with luck.”

She smiled. “And that’s why I asked you in the first place.”

I stared up at his window. He had just shut the blinds. Mike Petty. We were in the same science class. He seemed nice
enough, but whatever. In and out with as few people involved as possible—that was the easiest way to Erase a memory. That meant no parents, no siblings.

The tree in front of his house seemed climbable had I been in the habit of climbing trees. I looked down at my feet. Why had I worn my heeled boots again?

I walked up to the tree and gave it a little kick with the pointy toe of my boot. The lowest branch was reachable, so I grabbed hold and tried to hoist myself up. My shoes slid all over the bark.

This wasn’t happening with shoes on. I unzipped my boots and pulled off my socks, leaving them at the bottom of the tree. The cold grass seeped into the bottom of my feet, causing goose bumps to form on my legs. I took a deep breath and reached up. Two scraped palms, one cut ankle, and many breathless curses later, I was perched on the branch closest to his window. I tapped on the glass.

Mike’s face appeared, and I waved. He opened the window. “Laila?”

“Let me in before I fall.”

He powered up the screen and reached out a hand for me. I let him help me inside.

“What are you doing here?” he asked once I stood inside his room. It was littered with clothes and smelled like moldy grass.

“I needed the winter break homework assignment for science.”

“And you couldn’t have called?”

“That would’ve been easier.”

He laughed and gave me a once-over.

“If you’re done looking, get it for me so I can go.” It would’ve been so much easier if his back were to me—if he were looking through his backpack or something. That way I could spend a little time rooting around for some older brain paths. The easiest memories to Erase were the most recent. Kalan wanted three weeks ago. I would have to count backward for that.

“And if I’m not done looking?” He took a step toward me.

I rolled my eyes. “Not happening.”

He took another step forward.

“Ugh.” I gave a frustrated sigh. “Seriously?” With an ability like mine, knowing how to make someone unconscious in under ten seconds came in handy when I needed time to get away after an Erase. I should’ve just used it right away.

I let him reach me. Even let him put his arm around my waist, then I pinched hard on the pressure point between his neck and shoulder, enhancing the effect with my ability to cut off brain connections, and he went down. I might’ve tried to soften the fall, but he deserved it.

I didn’t have to touch a person’s head to Erase their memories, but it made it easier. And because I had to concentrate a little harder for this one, making sure I got the right path, I placed my hands on his head. Three weeks ago. The short-term memories buzzed around, and I felt past them to the stored memories. It may have been harder to find and Erase long-term memories, but it was easier to cover them up. People generally didn’t notice when they forgot what happened on a certain day several weeks ago. It didn’t strike them as weird. Whereas if they lost the last
five minutes, that was odd to them. I performed both kinds of wipes on Mike, because he couldn’t remember I was here.

I opened one of the magazines next to his bed and placed it next to him. Hopefully, he’d just think he fell asleep reading. It was why I’d waited until night to do this, so his brain would trick him into thinking he just forgot.

I took one last look at Mike’s unconscious form and then looked back at the window and my scraped palms. I should’ve held out for the five hundred dollars. I stepped out onto the branch, reached inside his window, and pushed the button to lower the screen. As it powered down, I held on to the branch above me and walked toward the trunk. When I reached it, I sat down to try to swing to the ground. That’s when I saw Connor standing at the bottom of the tree, holding my boots.

“I thought these looked familiar,” he said.

“You keep track of my shoes?”

“Mike is a customer.”

“That doesn’t explain the shoe fetish.” I sat on the branch. “Make yourself useful and catch me.” Without waiting for his answer, I pushed myself off the branch. I thought this might give me a clue as to what his ability was. The momentum of my fall knocked him over, but he softened my landing.

“Ouch,” he said, pushing me off and getting back to his feet. He brushed off his pants. “For someone who doesn’t trust me, you had no problem flinging yourself at me.”

“Flinging myself? Please. That didn’t require trust. I landed on you. It required aim.” I made sure to look at his face as I said,
“Besides, I figured, with your ability, I’d be fine.”

His face gave away nothing, not even a hint of surprise or confusion. So did that mean he had an ability that would help him in a situation like that? What ability would that be? Time Manipulation? Maybe he could speed up his reaction time to things. I once heard of a guy who could increase the blood flow to his muscles, making himself stronger when he needed to. Maybe he had an obscure ability like that.

“You and Mike, huh?” He nodded toward the window.

“Ew. No.”

“Then what?”

“None of your business.”

Connor moved to the tree and reached up to the lowest branch.

“What are you doing here?” I asked. “Tracking me again?”

“Like I said, I have a delivery.”

“Might want to wait. He’s not exactly up for visitors right now.”

Connor climbed the tree like he was in the habit of climbing trees. I pulled on one boot and zipped it up, then used the tree to balance while I pulled on the other. I walked to my car, but before I had the chance to get in, Connor called out.

I turned to see him standing at the base of the tree. “What?”

“What did you do to him?”

“He’s fine. I’m surprised he’s not up already. Just a little pressure point.”

“Is he going to remember you were there?”

He knew my ability? Anger flared up in me. “Who told you?”

“You’re not exactly secretive about it,” he said and walked toward his motorcycle. I shoved him in the back and he whirled around and grabbed my wrist. “Don’t start what you can’t finish, princess.”

“I finish whatever I start.”

He smirked then, like he was humoring a child.

I ripped my arm free from his grasp and controlled the urge to kick him in the leg like a four-year-old might. “How come I can’t Erase your memories?”

His humoring smirk was gone, replaced by fiery eyes—the first look of anger I’d ever seen him display. It was more intimidating than I thought him capable of. “You’ve tried to Erase my memories?”

As if he didn’t know. He had easily blocked my attempt. “Go die, Connor.” I turned and walked to my car, slamming my door shut. Why did I let him get to me so much? Maybe because he was the only guy I’d ever met who none of my abilities worked on—not my memory Erasing or my looks. He was the only guy I couldn’t control.