Bite Marks

“Where’s Astral?” I asked.

“She’s watching the demon,” Bergman said. My eyebrows lifted. “She may be… different now. But she still works.” He cleared his throat. “Unlike my bug,” he added, half under his breath.

I said, “Just because we haven’t heard from the Odeam team doesn’t mean your bug’s failed. It could be—” I stopped, mostly because he wasn’t listening. His eyes hadn’t budged from the demon’s doorway. Judging by the gleam in them, he was imagining some complex, devious revenge. Hopefully it would require an invention that would keep him out of trouble until we’d found the Rocenz and sent Kyphas out of range.

When we were settled Vayl said, “Ruvin’s wife was retaken at the airport. Fortunately she was able to distract her kidnappers long enough for Laal and Pajo to escape to the plane, which is well on its way to New Zealand by now.”

Ruvin dropped his face into his hands.

“What the f—?”

Vayl stopped me with a look. “We should be able to free her as before, but now we must wait until after we have accomplished our mission.”

“This isn’t right!” I said. I shoved my hands into my hair and pulled, but it didn’t stop Brude from giggling like a first-grader who’s just been visited by Santa Claus. With Tabitha back in gnome clutches the chances for a high body count—and thus an increase to his army’s numbers—had just multiplied.

Because Ruvin would do anything the Ufranites said now. Which meant when the larvae hatched, he’d be there waiting, a walking breakfast buffet, instead of following our plan, saving his hide and NASA’s goodies as well.

As Brude danced around his throne room, which was quickly gaining form and color, Granny May murmured, No, Jazzy, something about this isn’t right at all.

I peered through my curls at Vayl and Raoul. They should be dangling at the end of their collective patience as well. Instead they sat staring at Ruvin, silent and… comfortable. Shouldn’t they be pacing?

Or at least pissed?

I looked over my shoulder. Cole had finished his business and come out to stand beside Bergman. They were always quick to point out Vayl’s questionable decisions. And this was a doozy. So where was the criticism?

Ruvin’s shoulders were shaking, so I guessed he was crying.

But Vayl. Well, he was a master at hiding his thoughts, so who knew? Another thread of doubt drifted through my mind. I caught it before Brude could get a whiff.

Huddle!

My girls gathered on Granny May’s front porch.

I’m questioning this scenario. But I know Vayl wants me to believe everything he’s showing me.

In fact, I think it’s vital that I do, or else Brude will suspect and then we’re probably all deeply screwed. So when I have a stray thought that might raise Brude’s suspicions, you four have to distract him. I’m counting on you especially. I nodded to Teen Me. In fact, I’ve been thinking…

there’s a place in my head where we might be able to lock him away . I swallowed dryly as I remembered it. You know the one I mean.

Tears sprang to her eyes as I reminded her. What do I have to do? she asked.

Get in his face when I start to have doubts about what’s real and what’s for his benefit. Then, when the time is right, I’ll give you the signal. You’re going to have to open the door. You’ll have to shove him in.

But… I’m trying so hard to avoid it. For me it’s only a few years in my future.

As soon as you close the door you can lock it. He’ll be stuck in there with the memories. And hopefully we’ll never have to open it again.

The parts of my mind that had survived Brude’s onslaught nodded grimly. When he noticed them talking and demanded to know what they were doing, Teen Me stomped down the porch steps, strode right up to him, shoved her chin practically into his sternum, and screamed, “You are such a prick!” Then she burst into tears and ran into Granny May’s house.

Brude held out his hands, baffled by her outburst. What did I do? he asked.

I shrugged. I guess your charm doesn’t work on the virginal ladies.

My Inner Bimbo spoke up, leaving the huddle to collapse into a wicker chair as she said, Hell, it doesn’t even work on the horny ones.

Brude stalked off, Granny May’s uproarious cackle poking him in the back as he went.

Now that Ruvin had returned, we couldn’t put off the next phase of our mission any longer. Luckily it didn’t require a full crew, just Vayl, Cole, Jack, and I. Which left Bergman, Ruvin, and the talking cat to guard Kyphas. Not a comforting combination. So we’d convinced Raoul to stick around until we returned. At which point we promised him he could get on with the rest of his evening.

Armed with every weapon I’d packed, including a blood-test kit designed for involuntary donors, I drove Ruvin’s Patriot through the cold, trash-littered streets of Wirdilling. The fact that he’d allowed me behind the wheel of his dream machine showed how much this latest development had crushed Ruvin.

Determined to make it right for him, Vayl sat silent at my side, his cane lying across his lap like a second seat belt. Cole took up the entire backseat, looking a lot more relaxed than the jumping muscle in his cheek let on. As he checked the sites of his Parker-Hale he said, “You know, I studied the pictures Bergman took of the primary school pretty thoroughly, but I didn’t see much in the way of sniper cover.”

“Some big eucalyptus trees are growing by the back corner along with a few pines,” I replied. “You should be able to find a comfortable spot there.”