The Return of the Titans (3 page)

Justin watched them for a long minute. He
felt a stab of anxiety in his stomach. Something was not right
here. He looked around one last time and decided that it was time
to go. He doubted that the librarian could show him any other books
about Titans anyway. And he was really hungry now. Maybe Mrs. P had
left him a snack in the fridge.

He turned to go and then heard the squeal of
a chair sliding across the marble floor. He looked back and saw all
three men stand up at the same time. Each one was looking at him.
They said nothing, just pushed the chairs back against the desks
and began to move toward him.

Justin's stomach clenched. He turned and
started to walk toward the front entrance. As he left the building
and the afternoon sun made him squint after spending hours indoors,
he thought he heard footsteps behind him. He hurried down the steps
and turned toward home. As he walked he looked back at the library.
All three men walked out one after the other. They moved down the
steps and then stopped. All of them were watching him intently.
Justin looked away and started walking more quickly.

He glanced behind him every few minutes on
the walk home. The men were following him, he was sure of that. But
they weren't hurrying to catch up to him. If he increased his pace,
they increased theirs. When he tried slowing down to see what would
happen, they slowed as well. He was frightened but also
confused.

Why should anyone, let alone three people,
want to follow him? And if they wanted him for something, which he
didn't want to think about, why weren't they trying to catch him?
All he knew was that he had to get home where it was safe.

By the time Justin got to his building, he
was panting and sweating. He hurried up the front steps and took
one last look behind him. The three men were still behind him but
they had stopped at the corner of the building and just stood
there, staring. He watched them for a moment and then they moved
toward him. He turned and raced into the building, slamming the
front door behind him.

“What's the rush,
Justin?”

He jumped and gave a little yelp. Wilson
stood just inside the lobby entrance, his mop in one hand and a
dust rag in the other. He was wiping down the edge on the door
frame.

“Wilson!” Justin just
stared at the old man for a moment.

The man stopped cleaning and looked at the
teen. “You're white as a sheet, lad! What's going on?” He sounded
concerned.

“I...I was followed. Home.
From the library.” Justin felt dizzy with relief at being home and
seeing Wilson but he was also frightened.

“Followed?” The old man
dropped his rag and started for the door. “Followed by who? What
does he look like?”

“Wilson, wait!” Justin
grabbed his arm. “There are three of them. Don't go out
there.”

The man stopped and looked down at Justin.
“Three?” The boy nodded. “But why would three men be following you?
That doesn't make sense.”

“I know, I know. I can't
understand it either.” Justin swallowed and took a deep breath,
trying to calm down. “They were in the library and when I left, all
three followed me.” He shook his head. “And it's even weirder,
Wilson. They're all dressed alike and even look alike. I don't get
it.”

Wilson's eyes narrowed. “Dressed alike? What
are they wearing?”

“They're all wearing
brown, three piece suits. And they all have short brown hair. It's
creepy.”

Wilson turned back to the door, muttering
what sounded like curses under his breath. “Wait here, Justin,” he
said and slammed the door shut tight behind him as he headed
outside.

Justin stood under the dull glow of the
hallway light and waited. He was tempted to sneak out to the outer
door and see what Wilson was doing but he couldn't quite bring
himself to do it. So he stood in the lobby, shifting from foot to
foot and waited.

After what seemed like an hour but was only
a few minutes, Wilson came back in. He shut the door firmly and,
for some reason, left his mop leaning against the door, mop-head
up. Then he just stood there, looking at Justin.

“Well, what happened,
Wilson?” Justin asked eagerly. “Were they still there? Did they say
anything? What's going on?”

The old man held up his hand and Justin
quieted down. “Let's get you upstairs, Justin,” he said quietly.
“We should tell your mother about this.”

Justin was confused. “But what
happened?”

Wilson walked toward the stairs. “I'll tell
you and your Mom together, lad. Come on.”

The boy followed Wilson up the stairs. He
was totally confused but he didn't say anything. He knew how
stubborn the old man could be, so he knew he'd have to wait until
Wilson decided to explain.

When they reached his apartment, Justin
opened the door and Wilson followed him in. The sound of the TV was
echoing down the hallway as usual. The boy smiled slightly. The
sound of home. He looked at the old man. “Come on in, Wilson,” he
said and walked toward the living room. Wilson followed, saying
nothing.

“Hey Mom,” Justin said as
he entered the room. She smiled at him and then looked puzzled as
she saw the janitor.

“Good afternoon, Miles,”
she said and then looked at her son. “What's going on,
Just?”

Justin turned to Wilson who walked past him
to the sofa. He stood over Justin's mother for a moment. The boy
couldn't see the man's face but his mother's expression turned from
puzzlement to alarm. Then the old man knelt beside the sofa,
reached out and took her hand. Justin just stared in surprise.

“Mrs. McLeod,” he began
but she interrupted him.

“Miles, we've known each
other for over a decade. Since when have you called me Mrs.
McLeod?” She smiled at him gently, although she still looked
afraid.

Wilson sighed. “Julia,” he said and she
nodded. “Justin was followed home today, from the library.”

She looked from Wilson to Justin and back
again. “And?” she said.

“They were wearing brown
suits. There were three of them.” Julia's face turned white and
Wilson nodded. “The time has come.”

“But I'm not ready,” she
whispered. “Justin's not ready. It's too soon!”

“I know, Julia, I know,”
Wilson said sadly. “I don't know what's happened but...”

“Wait a minute!” Justin
walked over and stood beside Wilson. “What time has come? What are
you talking about?”

“Just a second, sweetie.
Please.” His mother reached out and took Justin's hand. Then she
looked at the old man. “Where are they now?”

Wilson shrugged. “They saw me and left.
Quickly. But they will be back, in greater numbers. I've sealed the
building against them but...” He shrugged.

“It won't hold,” Justin's
mother said with certainty.

“No Julia, it won't hold.
I have to get him out of here. Now.”

She nodded and sighed. “Give us a moment,
will you?”

Wilson nodded. “Of course. I have to fill
the bathtub anyway.” He stood up more quickly than Justin thought
he could and left the room, heading for the bathroom.

Justin watched him leave then looked at his
mother. “He's having a bath? Now?”

Julia smiled. “No, Justin. Now listen to me.
We don't have much time. Here, help me to sit up please.”

Justin took her hands and gently pulled her
to a sitting position. She patted the sofa beside her and he sat
down.

“I know you have a
thousand questions, Just. We don't have the time to answer them
all. But what's happening has to do with the changes you've gone
through.”

“You mean like not being
hurt easily?” he asked.

“Yes that, but other
things as well. Things you probably haven't even noticed. Like the
fact that you never get sick. Haven't you wondered about
that?”

He stared at her. “Sure I do, Mom. Remember
when I had the flu that time? I thought I was going to die,
seriously.”

She shook her head. “That was over two years
ago, sweetie. You haven't had so much as a sniffle since you turned
twelve. There are other things as well, but we don't have time to
list them.” She squeezed his hands. “What I'm saying is that you
are different. And you aren't the only one. There are others out
there, like you, who are also changing.”

Justin was becoming more confused. “Okay, so
I'm different. So what? Everyone's different, Mom. Why should those
guys be after me just because of that?

His mother sighed in frustration. “Sweetie,
I don't have time to tell you. Oh, I wish I'd been able to explain
earlier. To get you ready. But we thought we had time. And now,
there's no time left.”

The boy opened his mouth to ask who this
'we' was that his mother kept referring to, when suddenly he heard
a low boom. The room shook slightly. “Huh. Sounds like someone had
an accident outside,” he said.

His mother shook her head just as another,
louder boom echoed through the apartment. The room shook again,
more violently. At that moment, Wilson hurried into the living
room.

“They're trying to get in,
Julia. I have to get him out of here.”

She nodded and looked at Justin intently.
“You have to go with Wilson, hon. He will send you somewhere safe.
Somewhere that these men can't find you. You will have all your
questions answered there. And I will know you're all right.”

He shook his head. “No way, Mom. If there is
someone breaking in here, I'm not leaving you alone. They might
hurt you.”

“Justin, it's okay. They
don't want me. They want you. And they won't hurt me because I
don't know where Wilson is sending you.”

“What? But then how do you
know it's safe?”

She looked at the janitor. “Because I trust
Miles. And so should you.” The room shook a third time and Julia
pushed her son toward Wilson. Justin stood up and looked back at
her. “When things are safe, you can come back, sweetie. Hopefully
it won't be too long.” She stretched out her arms and Justin bent
down and hugged her. She felt so tiny and frail in his arms. He
didn't want to let go. But after a moment, she relaxed and pushed
him away gently. “Go now, sweetie. Be good. And be safe.”

Wilson took his arm and led him toward the
hallway. Justin looked back at his mother.

“Love you, sweetie,” she
said with a sad smile.

“Love you, Mom,” he
answered, almost a whisper. Then Wilson pulled him from the
room.

To Justin's surprise, they didn't turn
toward the main door but instead went down the hall to the
bathroom.

“Um, Wilson? If we have to
leave, shouldn't we be going that way?” he asked, pointing toward
the front of the apartment.

“No, Justin. We would run
into those men if we went that way. They are already in the
building.”

“What?” Justin stared at
him, bewildered. “How can you know that?”

The old man shook his head and they entered
the bathroom. The big cast iron tub was full of water. Justin had
always loved that tub. It was big enough and deep enough to relax
in no matter how far he could stretch out. Now he just looked at it
in puzzlement.

“Okay Justin, I want you
to stand up on the edge of the tub. Grab the shower curtain so you
don't slip in.”

The boy stared at Wilson for a moment, then
shrugged and stepped on to the tub.

He balanced himself on the edge of the tub
and then watched as Wilson leaned his mop against the wall and
fished in his pocket for something.

Wait a second, Justin thought. Didn't Wilson
leave that mop downstairs?

The question faded from his mind as Wilson
pulled what looked like a round, shiny black stone out of his
pocket and handed it to the teen.

Justin looked at the stone curiously. It was
oval and smooth with small veins of yellow streaking across it. On
one side, a curious symbol was etched into the surface. It looked
like a circle with three lines coming out of the top and a cross
sticking out of the bottom. He held the stone and stared at
Wilson.

“I want you to know
something, Justin,” the old man said seriously. “I won't let
anything happen to your mother.” He reached out and picked up his
mop. At that moment, they heard a crash and Wilson turned quickly
toward the front of the apartment. He looked back at the boy.
“Count to three, then jump into the water.”

Justin just stood there, balanced on the
edge of the tub. “What?” he asked.

“Damn it, lad, just do
what you're told. Please! ”

“Okay Wilson. But for the
record, I think this is crazy.” Justin's mind was whirling in
confusion. They heard a crash against the front door
again.

Wilson grinned. “I know lad, I know. Now,
I'm going to head them off.” He gestured at the tub. “Get a move
on. And take care, Justin. It's been nice knowing you.” The old man
gave a brief wave then hurried out of the bathroom.

Justin just stood there baffled, and tried
to think. What is going on? He looked down into the water. Why does
he want me to jump into a tub? This is nuts. There was a third
terrific smash on the front door. Justin was so startled, he almost
fell into the water. Suddenly he heard Wilson shout. It sounded
like a howl of rage. Then his mother screamed “Miles! No!” The hell
with this, he thought and twisted around to step down from the
bathtub. His foot slipped on the edge of the tub and he felt
himself falling. He saw the water and tried to turn so that he
would land on his back. He hit the water with a loud splash, and
kept on falling.