Edgewood Series: Books 1 - 3 (80 page)

She exchanged a glance with Dr. Habush before answering. “I understand exactly what you’re saying, Russ, and believe me when I say we’ve weighed all the pros and cons in this matter. The team leader in charge of Operation Nadia has determined that the only way to get Nadia on this trip would be to come up with an excuse to forcibly remove her from the house. And that would require something like a faked abduction or accusing her parents of abuse. Either case would potentially create media coverage, something that would attract attention.” She shook her head. “We’re trying to minimize our risks here. Even having you three in attendance is risky, but your talents are so valuable we’ve opted to include you in spite of it.”

***

That night, when Nadia astral projected to me, I’d told her what Dr. Wentworth had said.
They really called it Operation Nadia?
she asked, pleased.
Wow!

As usual, I was in bed underneath my cotton sheets during this discussion, as relaxed as a person could be. Nadia was with me, both in my mind and as a presence, hovering, spirit-like alongside me. Sometimes I forgot that she was actually in her own bed on the other side of town. I answered,
That’s what she called it—Operation Nadia
. I pictured a team sitting around a table, plotting ways to get into Nadia’s house. I could believe they’d never encountered anyone like Nadia’s mother. She was a force.

Nadia must have read my mind, because she said,
I think my mom is on to them, because she’s noticed that we’ve suddenly had a rash of people offering different stuff besides the scholarships and academic achievement trips
.

Like what?

All kinds of things. One guy offered to demonstrate carpet cleaning, another company wanted to meet with my parents for a free session of financial advising. Then there was something about earning money from home doing something online, and they’d be happy to come over to show you how it’s done. It’s been nonstop. People come to the door, they leave brochures in our mailbox, they call. They’re unbelievably persistent. My mom has been really paranoid. She says that people are trying to get into our house to take over.

But is it really being paranoid, if she’s right?
I asked.

I guess not
. There was a moment of silence between us and then Nadia said,
I don’t really want to talk about her anymore. I want to hear about you and what you’ve been doing
.

So even though they swore us to secrecy, I told her everything about the meeting, that we’d be attending the Presidential Bash, that the president was in a coma, that the leader of the Associates would supposedly be at the Bash, and that the vice president was one of the evil Associates. The only thing I left out was the part about me being a target.

The part about the vice president disappointed her.
Oh no.
I always thought he seemed so nice
, she said.

Me too.
I remember when they’d won the election. The people of the Philippines were so proud that one of their own had come to power in the United States. Never mind that he was a third generation American, they still claimed him. He was a slight man, with wavy dark hair, and a thoughtful concerned look that made him seem gentle and kind. At least that’s how he came off in the media coverage of his public appearances. It just showed that you never knew about a person.

What else?

Um, I guess at the Bash I’m going to be escorting Layla and Jameson and Mallory are going to be going as a couple.

So you’re going to be her date?
she said.
I don’t think I like that
.

It’s not as if I like her or anything. I don’t even know her. It will probably be totally awkward. Plus, I’m just supposed to be making sure she’s safe.

Nadia sighed.
She’s so beautiful
.

I don’t think she’s all that beautiful. She’s like gigantically tall.

Some guys like that.

Not me.

Well, don’t fall in love with her.

Not a chance
. To deflect her worry I said,
I really miss you, Nadia
.

I miss you too. It’s killing me that I can’t go with you on the trip. I guess I was lucky to go to Peru, considering how my mom is.

There will be more trips in the future. We’ll travel the world together someday.

I would love that
, she said,
but someday seems like it will never come
.

I know.

I’ll try to astral project to you at night.

I said,
Then I’ll have something to look forward to every day
.

She sighed, a sigh that spoke volumes. It said that we shouldn’t be apart, that astral projecting wasn’t enough, that she was afraid this trip would cause us to grow apart.
I won’t be able to think about anything but you but you’ll be too busy to even think about me.

I told her that wasn’t true, but nothing I said helped her get past her insecurities. And then, thinking I was just making conversation, I made the mistake of mentioning how tan Mallory had gotten this summer. I guess I’d forgotten how girls are when you talk about other girls, or maybe I just thought that Nadia was beyond that. I’d been pretty clear that I wasn’t interested in Mallory, but as she explained, she felt trapped at home, and the thought of Mallory and me bonding over this trip made her insane. And then I’d said something like maybe we wouldn’t even survive the trip, which was not the smartest thing to say. Now she had something new to worry about.

To cheer her up, I told her I was coming to see her the night before we left. She said she’d be at her window at the appointed time.

As I headed to her house that night I thought about my stupid comment about Mallory and hoped my present would help with damage control. It was a serious gift, the kind you wouldn’t give a girl unless you were really crazy about her. I’d chosen it partly because I wanted her to have something to remember me by if I died, although I wasn’t planning on telling her that.

Once I got to her house we’d only be able to talk through her window. With me on the ground and her up above, it wasn’t as good as really being with her, but it was the best we could do for now. It didn’t escape me that we were like a fairy tale couple; she the princess locked in the tower, me the suitor on the ground. Her mother, of course, was the wicked ogre keeping her imprisoned.

As I walked, a breeze picked up. I was going into the wind, so my T-shirt and shorts clung to my front and billowed out in back. The forecast had been for rain and thundershowers. The air was heavy with moisture and I sensed conditions were right for electrical activity. When lightning appeared a few seconds later, it was impressive, a giant zig-zig that cut the sky in two. For an instant it was light as day. I hurried, not because I was worried about the storm, but because I wanted to beat the rain. Seeing Nadia with my clothing soaked and water streaking down my face wasn’t the look I was going for.

When I turned onto her street, I glanced at my phone, glad to see I would make it right on time. The boxed gift was a lump in the pocket of my shorts. I couldn’t wait to see her reaction when she opened it.

Her neighborhood was quiet at this late hour and the tall trees and full bushes provided perfect coverage for me. Hopefully her parents, like mine, were fast asleep. I approached the house from the side, and looked up at the window we’d used the last time. As expected, Nadia’s room was dark. I took a few steps back, pulled a laser pointer out of my pocket, and aimed it upwards. If I calculated correctly, it would land on her ceiling. I swiveled the pointer around and around, creating my own lux spiral show for her benefit.

Within seconds she came and threw open the window, then stuck her head out. In preparation for my coming, she’d taken the screen out so there’d be nothing between us. “Hey Russ,” she said, and my heart literally swelled with happiness. I was still getting used to seeing her without her hooded sweatshirt. Her dark hair fell freely over each shoulder, but she didn’t have it over her face anymore, so I got a full view of her warm eyes and huge smile.

“Nadia.” As satisfying as it was communing via astral projection, this had a different feeling. Less dreamlike, more real. Even though the wind whipped at my clothing and the air felt like rain, I was glad to be here, glad to see her in person. She pushed her upper body out the window and leaned over as far as she could, then reached down. Even standing on tip-toe with my hand outstretched we didn’t connect, but we tried. Both of us felt it. The gap between us was charged with longing.

She whispered loudly. “I’m so glad you came!”

“Me too.” I pulled the rubber-banded box out of my pocket. “I have a gift for you.” Off in the distance, a flash of lightning filled the sky.

“You do?” She clasped her hands together, clearly delighted. “You didn’t have to do that.”

“Well, I did.” I swung my arm back, prepared to toss it in air. “Ready to catch it?”

“Yes.”

I swung back and up it went, falling just out of reach of her outstretched hands.

She swiped the air but didn’t make contact. “Sorry,” Nadia said, giggling.

“That’s okay, it was a practice throw.”

We tried again, but this time my aim was off and it hit the side of the house before floating back down. The problem, I decided, was that it was too light. Plus, my throwing sucked because I was a little nervous. “Maybe if we tied it with a string you could swing it up to me?” she suggested.

“Good thought. Do you have some string?”

“No.”

Both of us were grinning now. This was the most ridiculous thing ever. The thunder rumbling in the distance seemed to mock my failure. But it also gave me an idea. “Can you take the screen off your other window?” I said pointing around the corner to the bedroom window facing the street. The porch roof jutted out just below the window. If I could get on top of it, we’d be close enough to touch. I’d also be visible from the street, but hopefully no one would notice this late at night. There was only a light mist in the air now. If I waited too long it would start raining and I wasn’t looking forward to losing my footing and falling off a wet roof.

“Sure I could take the screen off.” She glanced over her shoulder. “Why?”

“I think I can get up there. Just take it off, okay?”

Nadia looked puzzled, but she trusted me and went to work on the other window. I saw her fumbling with the screen and I got ready, putting the box back in my pocket and waiting for the next round of lightning. I’d never told Nadia about my ability to achieve lift-off by shooting electricity at the ground, so she didn’t have a clue as to what I was about to do. Mitch and Will didn’t think this particular ability had any practical applications. Ha! If I could eject myself onto the porch roof and get close to Nadia it would be the most practical, best application ever.

I watched in anticipation as Nadia lifted the screen out of the window and lowered it into her room, then stuck her head out facing me. She lifted her finger to her lips to remind me to be quiet. I saw a flash of lightning close by, and waited for what I really wanted. Thunder. Luck was with me. The next time it thundered it boomed loudly, shaking the earth and providing the perfect cover for the sound of a teenage guy landing on a roof. I released a short burst of electricity out of my palms and rose in the air, overshooting the roof by about three feet, then coming down with a thud. I landed in a crouched position, and struggled to keep from sliding toward the edge. Fortunately the thunder still raged, covering the noise. Below, on the ground, the grass smoked where I’d lifted off. In the morning the scorch marks would make it look like lightning had hit the lawn.

“Whoa!” Nadia’s eyes widened in astonishment. She extended a hand and guided me toward her. My heart pounded at her touch. Our time, I knew, was limited. I wanted to fit in everything I wanted to say and do. Just in case I never saw her again.

I knelt in front of her and put my hands on either side of her face. Our noses met and I took in her smell and her touch. “You’re really here,” she said, and then blushed. “That sounded stupid. What I meant—”

“I know what you meant.” I leaned in and our lips met, Nadia kissing me with such passion, it took my breath away. It was completely right. I was on a roof in the middle of a thunderstorm and there was nowhere else I’d rather be.

Nadia pulled away, but we were still close, I saw tears in her eyes. “This, right here, right now. This is the best moment of my life,” she said.

I swallowed. This was the best moment of my life too, but there was a lump in my throat that kept me from saying so.

“Do you believe in fate?” she whispered.

“I’m not sure.”

“Well, I do,” Nadia said. “I believe in it enough for both of us. I think we were fated to see the lux spiral, and get superpowers, and meet. What were the chances that the one person I’d fall crazy madly in love with would be the only person in the world who could heal my face? I mean, really—what were the chances?” She leaned in again and planted a forceful kiss on my mouth, like she was trying to leave an impression. “I’m telling you, it was fate. We’re destined to be together.”

I nodded, and images surged through my brain: every moment I’d spent with Nadia since we’d first met behind a dumpster at the industrial park. My first impression wasn’t good, frankly. Lurking underneath her hood, she seemed like a character in a comic book. I never got a handle on what she was really like until the day I was outside of the frozen custard shop and I saw her at a table next to the window being berated by her mother. When her mom got up from the table, she saw me and put her hand on the glass. Instinctively, I’d placed mine on the other side, over hers. We’d connected that day. After that it was a journey of discovering who she really was, and I liked everything I’d discovered. She was grateful that I’d fixed her face, but she’d done more for me than she’d ever know.