Tracker (7 page)

THIRTEEN

Jason

My day started out uneventfully. I had woken up when Alice left for work. Despite her attempt to be silent, I had heard her moving around the house as she made coffee and used the bathroom. The click of the door was enough to wake me completely, but I had no desire to get out of bed. The basement room was cool, and the blankets made a warm nest where I could hide from the chill. I fingered the fabric of the top blanket; it was a quilt, handmade. Possibly a grandmother or great-grandmother had made this quilt, lovingly and painstakingly piecing it together as a memento for future generations.

The room was like the quilt; slightly old-fashioned in its design. There was an antique roll-top desk in one corner, closed so I could only guess at the contents. On the walls were old photographs that were difficult to make out in the dim light that filtered in through the small window. A record player sat on an old dresser against the wall near the door, the records kept on a shelf next to it.

I wondered who had set up this room. It was unlike the rest of the house, which was more modern. Neither Alice nor Hannah had ever mentioned having a grandparent living with them, but it was possible that they had simply inherited the stuff and were unwilling to part with it for sentimental reasons.

My musing was interrupted when I heard Hannah moving around upstairs. I wondered if I’d be able to convince her to drive me to my alley to show the kids that I was okay. It was good that Dan had told them, but they distrusted him and would be happier if they could see me for themselves. I also wanted to see Sam to make sure he was okay after Mason’s goons had grabbed him.

My headache had subsided after getting some sleep, and I felt more clear-headed than I had since I’d woken up in the hospital. I groaned as I rose from the bed and stretched, reaching for the clothes I had next to the bed. Despite what Hannah may have thought, I’d definitely been knocked around worse than this before. Granted I’d never been shot, but I had concussions worse than this with no hospital visit to make sure I was okay. But if I had my way, she’d never know about any of that. After getting dressed, I went upstairs to talk to Hannah.

I squinted against the harsh glare of the sun as I walked into the kitchen from the basement stairs. It sent a spike of pain through my skull, but it subsided as I turned away from the window. The brightness dimmed and I realized that Hannah had seen my pain and closed the blinds on the window.

“Thanks,” I mumbled as I shuffled toward the table in the dining room. Hannah and Alice had always been nice, but this was the first time I’d spent more time than to have a meal at their house. I was feeling a little awkward about taking over their space.

“No problem,” she said. “Do you want some juice?” Without waiting for my reply, she opened the stainless-steel refrigerator and took out some apple juice. She poured a cup and grabbed some pills from the counter and set them in front of me on the table. “Take these,” she instructed.

“You’re kinda pushy in the morning, aren’t you?” I asked with a slight smile. “What are these?”

“Antibiotics,” she answered. “You were kinda out of it last night and skipped a dose, so take these and don’t argue,” she said strictly, but with the barest curve of a smile on her lips.

“Yes, ma’am.” I saluted her and took the pills with no further argument. After I had swallowed them I said, “I need to go outside for a minute and check on the kids.” Alice and Hannah’s house was not too far from the alley where the kids would be so I would be able to feel them moving around.

“All right.” Hannah had to agree. She knew I wasn’t asking permission, only letting her know where I’d be. “Go out the door next to the one leading to the basement, there’s a garden out there where you should be able to focus energy to see where the kids are.”

“Okay. I’ll be back in a couple minutes,” I told her as I rose from the table.

The garden was small, but well maintained. There was a row of daffodils around the four sides and in the middle were neat rows of different vegetables. I found a small patch of plain soil and knelt, digging my hand into the soft earth and sending a tendril of power in the direction of the alley. I can’t explain exactly how it works, but I was soon feeling the footsteps of Paul, Jeff, and Ginny. I also felt Alice heading toward them. Sam and Erin were either somewhere else, or they were simply standing still. Paul was pacing obsessively and Jeff was heading toward Alice.

I figured I could ask Alice later how the kids were dealing with everything, so I pulled my consciousness back and rose, brushing dirt off my hands as I walked back into the house.

“How are the kids?” Hannah asked as she looked up from washing some dishes. “Oh, there’s some cereal in the cupboard next to the fridge. Help yourself if you’re feeling up to eating.”

“Thanks. The three kids that I was able to check on were with your sister in the alley. I’m not sure where Erin and Sam are, but they could have been standing still.”

Hannah nodded, rinsing the last dish and setting it in the rack. “That’s very possible,” she agreed as she dried her hands and sat at the kitchen table.

I looked in the cupboard and chose Cheerios. Hannah had already set out some bowls and spoons, so I assumed she would be eating as well. I grabbed the milk out of the fridge and joined her at the table.

“So what’s on your agenda today?” I asked as I poured myself a helping of cereal. “I assume you aren’t just going to sit around and babysit me all day.”

She shook her head. “I have classes today, starting at nine. I have time to eat and grab my stuff, but then I have to get going. There are DVDs in the cabinet next to the TV. When we’re done with breakfast I’ll show you how to set it up, if you’re interested.”

“Thanks,” I said with a shake of my head. “But I don’t think watching movies is going to help the head any. I’ll probably just read or something. Don’t worry; I can entertain myself pretty easily.”

She shrugged. “No problem. Just let me know if you need help figuring it out.” I nodded my agreement, and we ate our breakfast in silence.

When we were finished, I cleared the dishes off the table and rinsed the bowls in the sink while Hannah got her textbooks and homework for her classes. “I’ll see you this afternoon. I should be done with class by about three.”

“Sounds good. Drive safely, Hannah.” I watched as she started the car and pulled out of the driveway. As she drove down the road, I glanced across the street and saw the police officers who were assigned to guard the house. I greeted them with a wave and a nod, then frowned as I noticed Alice’s car pulling onto her street. It was only about eight-thirty. She shouldn’t be done with work, and I knew she didn’t make frequent stops home during her workday.

My frown deepened and my anxiety level rose as I noticed three of the kids in the car with her. Erin and Sam were not in the car.

“What happened?” I demanded as soon as she stepped out of the car. Ginny’s face was smeared with tears, Jeff looked lost, and Paul looked ready to kill someone. “Where are Erin and Sam?”

Alice glanced down for a moment before meeting my eyes. “Someone took them,” she said.

“Mason,” I growled, clenching my fists at my side, anger surging through my body.

Alice gasped, the kids eyes widened in fear, and I realized the ground around me was surging and shaking. The rage had let loose my abilities, and I kept it going for a couple minutes to emphasize my wrath. “I’m gonna kill him, Alice. If he lays one finger on them…” I trailed off, body shaking with emotion.

“Jason, you need to calm down. Please. You’re scaring them,” she said quietly using her eyes to indicate the kids. They were staring at me, faces pale with a panic I wasn’t used to seeing from them. I took several deep breaths, trying to calm myself down.

“Are you okay, Jase?” Ginny asked walking hesitantly toward me.

“It’s fine, Ginny,” I said, trying to be comforting, but I was still forcing the power to subside. The ground finally stopped moving and I breathed a sigh of relief. It wasn’t often that the power got away from me, but it had happened. At those times it was like the power was trying to control me, using my anger to boost my abilities. Only rarely had I tapped into that power on purpose, the warehouse being the most recent.

“What does he want?” I asked. “He wouldn’t just take them; he’d want something in exchange, right?” I asked hopefully.

“I don’t really know,” Alice admitted. “Ginny said he wanted you out on the streets, but I don’t know. Dan called earlier; he said we have to get down to the station because there’s a message for you there. We should get the kids settled in here before we go. They won’t stay unless you ask them to. I’ll talk to the officer across the street while you discuss things with them.”

She left without waiting for me to answer, and I looked at Paul and the others. “What happened?”

“They grabbed Erin and Sam because they were closest,” Paul said. “I would have fought them, but they had guns and threatened to shoot them.” He sounded disgusted with himself but I shook my head.

“You did right. If you had fought them, they could have taken you along with Erin and Sam. I’m glad you’re okay.”

Paul looked relieved, as if he had thought I’d be mad at him for letting something happen. “Once they knew that we wouldn’t fight them, they told us to tell you that Mason wanted you to come out and play. I don’t think he knows where you are yet. You should stay here until you’re recovered, Jason. Let the police clean up their own mess,” he spat angrily.

I shook my head, understanding the anger, but also knowing I couldn’t follow his wishes. “I can’t do that. Mason will kill them if he doesn’t think I’m following his demands. Besides, he knows about my abilities. He could make life extremely dangerous for all of us until he’s off the street.”

Paul shook his head, and the other two stood and listened intently to our exchange. “You shouldn’t have to—”

I cut him off. “I don’t want to live in fear, Paul. I can help lock him up, and I can help find Erin and Sam. I need to go with Alice. It's my decision, so please don’t blame her. She wants to keep us safe. You need to stay here with Jeff and Ginny. There will be a guard across the street, but I want you to keep your eyes open. If anything happens, call Alice. I’ll have her leave her cell number and work number by the phone so you can call.”

“Okay,” Paul agreed, still sounding reluctant, but he would follow what I wanted. Paul was loyal to a fault, and was constantly seeking my approval. I was only about three years older than him, but he looked up to me. “Be careful, Jase,” he pleaded. “I can’t watch out for them on my own.”

I knew he would try. “Let’s get into the house. You guys can shower while you’re here, and maybe even get haircuts. Try to enjoy it.”

Paul nodded, and the three kids followed me into Alice’s house. Alice had already finished her conversation with the officer across the street and gone into the house. “There are some sweatpants and T-shirts you guys can use if you feel like showering and changing into something clean. We can wash your clothes when Jason and I get back.” She looked at me. “We should go,” she said urgently.

We left the kids to figure out where things were, and I reluctantly climbed into Alice’s car. What message had Mason left me, and why did Alice now seem so urgent when before she’d seemed less concerned? “Did you hear something else?” I asked hesitantly.

She looked at me, eyes full of sympathy and sorrow. Her normally smooth voice was hesitant as she answered. “Dan called while I was across the street. They found Erin.”

FOURTEEN

Alice

The news had devastated Jason. When I’d said we’d found Erin, my voice had made it clear to him that she was already gone. His face had gone white and he was swallowing convulsively, trying to hold himself together. Any anger he felt was at the moment drowned out by his sorrow, and I dreaded the need for him to formally ID Erin’s body. She had been under his protection, and he would think he’d failed her. In truth, it was my fault the children hadn’t been protected. He had been too out of it last night to figure out they might be in danger, but I hadn’t been.

Jason didn’t say a word as we drove to the crime scene. He wouldn’t be officially consulting on Erin’s case, but he might be able to feel echoes, or whatever it was his powers allowed him to do. It could be that he would be able to feel the vibrations of someone he had previously encountered and would at least point me in the right direction. Hopefully whatever evidence was collected at the scene would correspond to what Jason could potentially find.

“Jason?” I kept my voice low and gentle. He didn’t respond just stared out the window, tears flowing silently down his pale cheeks. “Jason,” I tried again, “I’m so sorry.”

I stared at my hands holding the steering wheel as I stumbled over words I didn’t want to say. “We need you to ID her,” I finally got out.

He gave a slight nod, but remained silent. I could see his fists clenched at his sides and his jaw was set. It appeared as though anger was about to rise to the forefront of his emotional roller coaster ride. “What do I tell the others?” he questioned softly, turning to look at me for the first time since I’d told him. “I’ll have to call her so-called mother too, I suppose,” he added bitterly.

“I—” I stopped and looked at him in surprise. “You know how to contact her mother? How?”

He shrugged. “All the kids told me about their homes and how to contact their parents. They figured if something happened, their parents might be interested to know. From what they’ve told me, most of them wouldn’t care. But I guess I need to tell her that her daughter is de— gone.” His voice cracked, not allowing him to say what he knew was true. “That part should be easy enough. Her mother kicked her out. But how do I tell the people who actually care about her?”

The look on his face morphed from disgust at how Erin’s mother treated her to such a profound sadness that I almost broke down for him.

How would he tell them? Ginny and Jeff looked up to Erin like an older sister, and she worked directly with Paul to keep the younger kids happy whenever Jason wasn’t around.

“I don’t know,” I admitted, choosing not to comment on the situation with Erin’s mother. Once again, Jason did not respond. I assumed he hadn’t really been looking for me to have the answer, but that didn’t stop me from feeling guilty. I couldn’t help him. It was not a feeling I enjoyed.

We arrived at the scene and Jason’s face lost any remaining color, becoming nearly as white as the gauze covering his wound. There were two police cars, an ambulance, and the medical examiner’s truck already on site. Dan’s car was there as well, and I saw him standing by the M.E. as the man examined the body. Jason and I both got out of the car and Jason bolted toward the girl. Two of the police officers restrained him as he nearly collapsed sobbing when he realized it really was Erin’s body lying there, beaten and bloody.

Dan’s face was full of sympathy and regret. I knew mine was the same. We both felt there should have been something done to protect the kids, but we had no idea Mason was going to strike this quickly. Jason gave up struggling against the officers and sagged to the ground. He suddenly began to pound the dirt with his fists and the ground began to shudder under the power of his sorrow. “Jason, stop!” I ran to him and pulled his hands away from the ground before he ripped them apart.

Everyone had stopped what they were doing when the ground began to shake, hopefully not connecting the event with Jason’s pounding. “Now isn’t the time,” I told him gently.

“You’re right,” he said clearly, his voice devoid of the sorrow that had plagued him only seconds earlier. He knelt again and I started to reach for him as he once again placed his hands in the dirt. This time, however, he did not pound them in anguish, but dug them in gently. He sat for a moment, staring with glazed eyes at nothing, as he—I assumed—accessed his abilities, then rose and walked toward the car. He didn’t give Erin another glance.

The other officers and the M.E. were staring after him, only mildly surprised by his extreme shift in mood. All were experienced enough to know that each person reacted differently in the face of tragedy. Dan was looking at Jason’s retreating form thoughtfully, and I wondered if my partner was making some connections Jason wouldn’t want him making. It seemed unlikely that Dan would figure out that Jason could control the earth, but Dan was a good detective and could potentially make the correlation between Jason’s extreme reaction and the earth shaking around him. The ripped up floor from the warehouse had not yet been explained to anyone either.

“Is he okay?” Dan asked as he came over to join me.

I shrugged helplessly. “I can’t really say,” I admitted, watching Jason climb back into my car. I needed to talk to him to find out if he had felt anything as he’d knelt in the dirt, but I needed to find out what had happened. “He’s obviously going to take some time to recover, but I can’t say how he’ll react short-term. I doubt he’ll sit around waiting for us to find Mason.” Dan simply nodded his agreement and followed as I walked to Erin’s body.

“How was she killed?” I asked, hoping for her sake that it had been quick. Her hair fanned around her head in a halo of blonde, her blue eyes stared sightlessly at the sunny sky, and she was fully clothed. The clothes were covered in blood, and she had a gaping wound on her neck.

“The M.E. says the cut on her throat was post-mortem. There wasn’t enough blood to indicate that she was alive when it happened. She has several lacerations on her torso, but he says he’ll have to get her back to autopsy to find out for certain what cause of death was.” Dan spoke matter-of-factly, but his face still showed his sympathy both for the young girl and for Jason.

“All right,” I said. “I have to get Jason back to my house, but I’ll meet you at the morgue later to hear what the M.E. finds out.”

Dan agreed and glanced at my car. “Hey,” he said in surprise, “where’s Jason?”

“Wh—?” I turned and looked at the car. The passenger seat was empty.