The Revolt (The Reapers: Book Two) (15 page)

When I emerged from the garage, sweaty and
exhausted, I found Holly on the couch, alone.

I sat down next to her. “What’s it like at
Harvest One? Cat showed me the con game, but she didn’t tell me
much else about it.”

Holly sighed. “We don’t call it the con game.
We call it the job. We talk about it like it’s real, like we’re
really helping haunted people lose their ghosts. If I try,
sometimes I can convince myself that’s what I’m doing.” She took a
sip of coffee and grimaced. “I doubt they’ll put you on the job.
They’ll have you in negotiations or deletions, more likely. You’ll
probably have to take the occasional job, we all do, but it won’t
be your main gig.”

“Deletions?” I shuddered. I hoped Holly used
the word differently than Jed. Like something involving a pencil
and paper.

“Right, killing anyone who breaks the
rules.”

My heart froze, but I took a deep breath and
forced it into beating again by pretending I hadn’t heard what
she’d just said. “Who’d I be negotiating with?”

“The reapers. We need them to work with us or
we stop making money. A reaper does enough jobs and eventually gets
a pass.”

“A pass?”

“A get out of death free card. The
opportunity to live again.”

“The right to kill someone?”

She waved her hand in dismissal. “You’ll have
to get over that if you’re going to work for either corporation.
Especially when this war ends. There will still be some reapers on
our side, but we’re going to have to offer them the lives of
wealthier, more powerful people to
keep
them on our side.
The only advantage we can offer a reaper now will be a chance to
live in a non-reaper-run territory.”

“And, you’re okay with that?”

She glared at me. “What else am I going to
be? With my skills and my lineage, I don’t have any choice but to
work for a corporation. They’d never let me leave and, even if they
did, where would I go? I’m certainly not going to Varius with their
freaky mating game, and I don’t have any skills that would be
useful in the real world.”

“So Harvest One doesn’t mate skilled
people.”

“God, no. I mean, no one frowns at you for
sowing your oats or marrying a skilled company man or woman, but we
don’t force anything. There are no test tube babies at Harvest
One.”

“Only because you don’t have any geneticists
on staff,” Jed said. He walked into the room in sweats and a
t-shirt, sweat glistening on his face and neck. He’d clearly been
working out again and, since I hadn’t seen him in the garage, I
figured he’d been out for a run. Jealousy made me sneer, but he
didn’t seem to notice. He plopped down in the armchair. “It’s not
because you’re on some higher moral ground.”

“You Varius types always have to bring morals
into it. It’s about keeping our employees happy. You can’t deny
we’ve snatched a few of your best because we can offer them a
mating-free work environment.”

“They couldn’t have been that good if they
went to work for you.”

She laughed and leaned her head back on the
couch. “It’s a terrible system. Has it produced any super-skilled
people?”

“You know I’m not authorized to talk about
that.”

“Then the answer is no, isn’t it? You people
can’t resist crowing about your successes.”

Jed’s whole body tensed. “I have about as
much choice in where I work as you do, and you don’t have to lump
me in with the others like we’re all the same.”

She straightened and grew serious. “Yeah,
sorry about that. You know I don’t think of you that way.”

He grunted and relaxed.

The more I learned about the corporations,
the less I wanted to work for either one of them.

“By the way,” Holly said. “Angelica stopped
by while you were sleeping, Kelsey. She dropped these off for
you.”

She handed me a packet of papers and books.
“Looks like I know what I’m going to be doing until Caleb shows
up,” I said.

“Caleb? What—” she started.

“You need to find Tucker. I want to hear what
he
has to say about your date,” Jed said. I glared at him,
but he ignored me.

I concentrated for a moment. “Hey, Tucker,
you close by?”

Holly looked at me, eyebrows raised. “You
can’t seriously contact him that way, can you?”

I nodded. “Just him and Alice, though if she
shows up I know I’m in serious trouble. They have some sort of
connection to me.”

“You have two angels?”

“I guess. My Dad sent them both to me—”

“He told you that?” Tucker appeared and sat
on the coffee table. He was looking fine as always in tight-fitting
jeans and a blazer. “He wasn’t supposed to tell you that.”

“Yeah,
you
were supposed to tell me
that.”

“Never seemed like the right moment.” He
looked around. “Hey, Holly, how’s it hanging?”

She snorted. “Wouldn’t you like to know? Are
you seriously her angel?”

Jed stood. “I hate these conversations. It’s
like listening to someone talk on the phone.” He went back to his
room and closed the door behind him.

“So what’s up? Why have I been summoned?”
Tucker asked.

“Are you her angel? I’ve never heard of two
people having—”

“Holly, do you have to know everyone’s damn
business all the time?” Tucker asked.

“You better believe it. This is good shit.
I’ve never heard of anyone having two angels, especially not
someone as young as Kelsey.”

“What you willing to trade for that kind of
information?”

Holly considered it for a long moment. “I’ll
get you in on a top-level job. You’d be back in a living body in a
month.”

“Not interested. You know me better than
that.”

She shrugged. “Had to try. I’ll get you in to
Disney World.”

“No shit,” Tucker said, lust in his eyes.

“Can’t you just go there any time you want?”
I asked.

Holly shook her head. “It’s one of our best
paying gigs. We keep reapers out of Disney World, to make sure
everyone always has a happy time there.”

“I’ve never seen it, Kelsey. It was built
long after I’d died. I’ve always wanted to go there.”

“It’s really not—” I said.

“Shhh.” Holly put a finger to her lips. “I
think you’ll want to hear what he has to say, too.”

“I choose the day and I go with whomever I
wish, no questions asked,” Tucker said.

“Done and done,” Holly said. “Spill.”

“Don’t you want to get it in writing or
something?” I asked.

He shook his head. “Holly always keeps her
word.” He looked at her. “It’s a witchy thing Len put on me and
Alice to make sure Kelsey always has protection. It gets stronger
the more we know and care about her.”

She whistled. “That must have cost a
fortune.”

He shook his head, eyes glowing. “That’s the
best part and I’ll tell you, if you let me haunt a couple of folks
while I’m in Disney world.”

“No way, we could lose the gig.”

“I’ll make sure they’re happy,” he said with
a leer. “Plus, you know you’re dying to know more about Len and his
team. You think he’s
so
cool.”

“Shut up, no I don’t,” she said, but a slight
flush rose on her cheeks. “You may haunt two people for fifteen
minutes apiece. If you cause a scene or upset anyone, I’ll feed you
to Leonidas myself.”

“Who’s Leonidas?” I asked.

Tucker sneered. “An old friend. It’s a deal.
The spell allows me to hear Kelsey when she says my name, to know
where she is at all times, and to be able to cross any wards to get
to her. The witch who cast the spell is a
very
good friend
of Len’s. I believe she’s a member of his merry band.”

Holly just stared at him for a long moment
and then she seemed to decide something. “That’s not possible. The
witches don’t work with us, they never have. You must have heard
wrong.”

He shook his head and leaned forward,
lowering his voice to a whisper. “I’ve seen her, I saw her work a
spell. She’s for real and she seemed completely happy to be working
with Len.” He paused and scratched his chin. “You seem to forget,
Len’s not you. He’s sworn to stop the reapers from taking lives and
I guess the witches like that.”

“You suggesting the witches’ beef with us has
to do with our allowing reapers to take lives? Seems like a small
thing for the hate they have for us.”

“Small to you, maybe.”

“Don’t you start on me, too, Tucker.” She
shrugged. “You saw one witch working with Len, you didn’t see a
whole flock of them promising to be best buddies with him for all
eternity. I’d guess Len’s got something on this chick or he’s
screwing her.” She looked at me and winced. “Sorry, Kelsey.”

“Either way, the intel’s good, right? I get
my haunting?”

“Yeah, yeah. Of course.”

He turned his attention to me. “So, why the
summoning?”

“Oh, wow. For a few minutes there I thought I
was the ghost in the room,” I said, my sarcasm bordering on
bitterness. It bothered me that what I’d thought was a connection
between me and Tucker was a spell, and that he was here at the
behest of my father and not because he was my friend. I didn’t want
to get into it in front of Holly, though, so I tried to tamp down
my hurt and annoyance.

He rolled his eyes and waited for me to
speak.

“I have a date with Caleb tonight, and I want
you to back me up.”

“No. No. No. Don’t go out with him, please. I
can’t stand that simpering, psychotic asshole.”

“He claims he’s protecting me from the
reapers here and, if I don’t go out with him, he’ll withdraw his
protection,” I said. I pulled a strand of hair into my mouth and
started chewing on it.

“This witchy warded condo is protecting you,
Kelsey. The reapers don’t give a shit what Caleb says.”

“He says they owe him for something
huge.”

“Even if it’s true, it only matters if you’re
going to leave the apartment, and you aren’t leaving the apartment.
The groceries are delivered and you have enough clothes.”

“Len’s sending a team to help me fight the
reapers here.”

“What!” Holly sat bolt upright in her seat
and glared at me. “That is not happening. You are not to leave this
condo and you are not to get involved in this war.”

“Kelsey, you aren’t ready—”

Anger boiled, warming my skin. It felt kind
of good, to be able to get angry and actually do something about
it. “I don’t really care what either of you think. I’m not going to
just sit here—”

“You don’t have to care what I think,” Holly
said. “I have my orders and I’m going to follow them. Just like
you’re going to do what I tell you to do—”

“I don’t work for you, Holly. And I’m pretty
sure I’m never going to.”

“Is Jed actually going to let you do this? I
can’t believe he’s going to sit here and watch you get yourself
killed, deleted, and do nothing about it.”

“I’m going to help her,” Jed said, his voice
calm, as he walked into the living room, a bowl of cereal in one
hand. “I don’t like it, but I think she’s right. We can’t just let
the reapers take over. Besides, I’m pretty sure if we don’t help
her she’s just going to go out and try to fight on her own.” He
looked at me, not a trace of a smile on his face. “As long as she
plays by our rules and doesn’t leave this condo, I’ll help
her.”

“You’re going to disobey orders?” Holly
asked, eyes wide. She glared at me. “What have you done with the
real Jed, and who the hell is this asshole?”

“Shut up, Holly,” Jed said. “I don’t have any
orders other than to keep myself and Kelsey alive. Varius
headquarters are a little preoccupied—”

“Too busy to ensure the safety of their
golden ticket? I highly doubt that.”

He shrugged. “What you think doesn’t really
matter. Kelsey and I are going to do this and we’d like your help,
Holly. Yours, too, Tucker, if you’re still here.”

Tucker leaned close to me. “Kelsey, you don’t
know what you’re getting yourself into. If you do this, there won’t
be any turning back. They’ll never leave you alone.”

A stone sank and settled in the bottom of my
stomach. If what Tucker said was true, everything I’d ever wanted,
every dream I’d ever had would no longer be within my realm of
possibility. I didn’t know whether he was talking about the
corporation or the reapers, but it didn’t matter. My life would no
longer be my own. I could grieve for that loss, but I couldn’t turn
my back on the bad that was happening outside my door. “Maybe they
never would have anyway,” I said softly.

Tucker nodded, acceptance and resignation
warring with sadness in his eyes. I guess he did sort of like me,
after all. “Tell Jed I’m in.”

“Tucker’s on board,” I said to Jed.

Holly scowled. “You two really don’t know
what you’re asking of me. I’m already on the shit list at Harvest
One. If anyone finds out about this, I’m screwed.”

“So we make sure they don’t find out,” Jed
said, with a smile that said he knew what her choice would be.

“Fine, damn it, I’m in. For now. Just don’t
expect me to stick around if my ass comes under fire. I believe in
every girl for herself.”

“We’d expect nothing less from you, Holly,”
Jed said.

“I’m going on your date, too,” she said.
“I’ll follow from a discreet distance, just to make sure he doesn’t
try anything funny. He might be looking for Jed, but he won’t
expect me.”

“Good. I’ll take all the back-up I can get,”
I said. “Right now, I’m going to go to my room and take a nap until
Caleb shows up.”

“You’re not going anywhere,” Jed said. “I
said I would help you as long as you don’t leave this condo.
There’s nothing Caleb can tell us that Tucker can’t find out on his
own.”

“Actually, I haven’t been able to find out
very much,” Tucker said. “The people running the takeover are
keeping their plans to themselves, behind warded and closed doors.
I think it would be a good idea to see if Kelsey can get anything
from Caleb. I’ve seen him go into those warded meetings, so he
might actually know something.”