Girl Takes Up Her Sword (8 page)
“I suppose he’s about the same size,” said Michael. “They’re cousins, of course. But the face, the eyes, his nose, he’s not at all like George.”
A look of panic flashed across her face, her eyes darkened.
“So, he’s my uncle, or something?”
“Technically, a cousin, but sort of like an uncle,” said Andie.
“He’s nothing to you, Chi-chan. Your father hated him, never wanted anything to do with him.”
“Who is he to Meacham, then?”
“He’s an assassin,” Michael explained. “One of the most dangerous men who ever lived, I think. He’s Meacham’s main enforcer. Cold, ruthless, efficient. He probably enjoys killing. But here’s the part you may not like to hear: Connie was his assistant, his partner for years.”
The room went silent for a moment.
“I don’t like the sound of that,” Andie said finally. “I’m not sure I want to have her in my house anymore.”
“I couldn’t have gotten the kids back without her help,” Emily reminded her. “It wasn’t just the Coast Guard cutter. She prepared me for the whole ordeal.”
“Someday, you’ll have to tell us how you first met her,” Michael observed.
“You know, after the attack on the estate last year, it was a pretty hairy time. I met a lot of ‘interesting’ people. Let’s just leave it at that, for now. But maybe you can tell us why Meacham and Walker were
really
here today.”
From the look on Michael’s face, Emily could see this was going to be a difficult subject to hear.
“He’s still looking for a way to get your mother, of course. And he knows she’s here. I’m sure he really is feeling some pressure from Burzynski. But all the old imperatives are still in play. Once he learns of the Koreans’ success with the clone, he won’t be able to let go of that idea. And if he doesn’t know about it already, he will soon. But I don’t think that’s why he brought Walker along.”
They all stared at him, waiting for the other shoe to drop.
“He’s looking for me, isn’t he?”
“Yes. I think so.”
“But why now? Who does he think I am? He can’t know about the accident with the virus.”
“He knows who your parents are. I think that’s what matters to him right now.”
“You know, I could feel his presence, Walker’s, when they got here. His mind, or his heart, whatever it was, it
felt
like he was looking for me.”
“Like telepathy, you mean?” asked Andie.
“Nothing as spacey as that. Let’s see, how can I explain it? You know how we meditate in the dojo at the beginning of class? It’s kinda like that.”
When she looked up, she saw the incomprehension written across all their faces. This was going to be more difficult than she thought.
“Okay, so when I meditate with Sensei, if I really let go of everything, I find myself in this place inside, somewhere. I don’t really know where it is. But it’s always the same place. It’s like I’m walking through a shady grove, and then a sunny meadow. There’s a stream and a waterfall. When I’m in the meadow I feel my dad. His spirit is always there, waiting for me. It’s the peaceful place inside. In a fight, I try to find that place. It helps me focus.”
“That’s beautiful,” said Andie.
“There’s a cave behind the waterfall. When I enter it, the darkness envelops me, carries me down to the bottom of the world. I feel the way it loves me. Mom, it’s you. When I’m there, I feel you. When I fought Ba We in Kamchatka, that’s where I found the strength. You gave it to me, Mom. I couldn’t have done it without you. The two of you are always with me, deep inside.”
“Oh, my beautiful girl,” Yuki gushed and put her arms around her.
“How does Walker fit in?” asked Michael.
“Well, when I got back, Sensei and I were meditating together, and I let him follow me in, you know, inside my meditation. I’m not sure if this makes any sense, but he was able to walk through the meadow, following after me. He saw the stream and the waterfall. But when he saw me, he said it was like looking at the sun, like it hurt just to look at me. When it was over, he was exhausted by the effort, which is a bit odd, since meditation is usually restful.”
“Is that what Walker was doing?” Michael asked. “Was he inside your... I don’t know what to call it, your meditative dreamscape?”
“Yeah. I think so.”
“But you weren’t meditating when he was here, were you?”
“No. But I’m sort of always partly in that meadow. It’s so comforting there.”
“I don’t blame you,” Yuki said. “I wish I could see it with you.”
“It’s not dangerous, is it, letting him in like that?” asked Andie.
“I don’t know. But I can’t imagine trying to close it off. Openness to others is like the whole meaning of meditation. It’s really
who
I am.”
“Could you see him?” asked Michael.
“I’m not sure. I certainly felt him there. He’s a dark presence, sort of scaly. But I wasn’t really looking for him. I think the brightness must have been uncomfortable for him though. Maybe that’s why he stumbled.”
When she stopped speaking, the room fell silent for a moment as the rest of them tried to digest what they’d just heard.
“You know, there’s someone else I come across in the meadow. When Sensei’s here to train the kids, and we meditate together, I see Stone. He’s so happy to be there with me. I hear him giggling and playing. The light doesn’t seem to bother him. And sometimes it even feels like he’s speaking to me. He calls me Ama.”
Yuki stared, wide-eyed, at her daughter. The look of astonishment gradually gave way to a mother’s affectionate gaze.
“Ama.”
She paused to let the name sink in, as if it struck some deep chord.
“You are my perfect daughter. Maybe more than I ever understood. Have you told Sensei about this.”
“Yeah, probably. But he doesn’t know who Stone is, don’t worry.”
“I need to speak to him next time he’s here, maybe sooner.”
Chapter
10
The Valedictorians
Monday morning, toward the end of World History, Emily was summoned to the Principal’s office. Her steps echoed through the empty halls. She’d been in this position before. “What now?” she thought. More videos? Another one of Amanda’s schemes? Or just more intrusive solicitude from the Assistant Principal, Mrs. Abernathy. If there had been a real crisis involving her family, Ethan would have texted her directly.
Sitting on the bench outside the office, she found Teddy Wilchuk and Steve Bristow. This was certainly an odd pairing, if they were here on the same errand she was. Just Teddy and she’d think it was about the video he showed her at the prom. But what could Steve have to do with that?
Once they were inside, Mrs. Fredericks gave them all the good news.
“Usually, the valedictorian is chosen based on cumulative GPA. But this year, we have a three-way tie.”
“So, what do we do now, wrestle for it?” Steve asked merrily.
Emily laughed, Teddy cringed.
“I don’t want it that bad,” he said. “You guys should have it.”
“Don’t be silly, Teddy,” Emily said. “Steve’s just joking. We’re all gonna share it.”
“Of course, you’ll all be co-valedictorians,” Mrs. Fredericks said. “Assuming you maintain your grades over the next few weeks. But I hardly expect any surprises in that area. The only question is how you want to handle the valedictory address at graduation.”
“I really don’t want to do that,” said Teddy, now deadly serious.
Emily looked Steve up and down for a moment. He would definitely be comfortable giving the speech all by himself. That’s obviously the scenario Amanda would prefer. And she certainly had no great desire to speak in front of her class.
“Why don’t we write the speech together, the three of us,” she suggested. “We can decide the rest later.”
Mrs. Frederick thought this was a great idea. Teddy assented warily, perhaps suspecting some scheme to get him to speak in public. Steve was all in favor, even enthusiastic. “He’s not at all like Amanda,” Emily thought. “But she is definitely not going to like the idea of Steve sharing this with me.”
Out in the hall, the mood was convivial, all the tensions created by their mysterious summons now dispelled. As far as anyone else might know, they belonged to a secret society. The notion tickled Teddy most of all, who would not otherwise find himself in their company. Euphoria led him to think any topic of conversation was now permitted. He may have been mistaken.
“Hey, Emily, that video I showed you at the prom—it’s no longer available online. Someone must have taken it down.”
She was relieved to hear it. Maybe Luther had persuaded the gang to take her advice.
“Don’t worry, though,” he continued. “One of the guys in A/V managed to save the source file, and we may be able to set up a new website for all of your videos.”
“Whoa,” said Steve. “Is this the video Amanda showed me the other day of a girl fighting a bunch of bikers? She said it was you, but I didn’t believe it. It’s not really you, is it?”
Emily looked at them both darkly. Teddy already had his smart-phone out and was playing the video to confirm it for Steve.
“Teddy, put that away. Do you think this is just a game? That video is dangerous. People were seriously injured that night, and worse things might happen if you post it again.”
Teddy paused it and Emily grabbed his wrist. When she twisted it towards her, he squealed a little. She looked at the frozen image on the phone and noticed Luther looming in the background.
“So it is you, then?” Steve asked.
“Teddy, please don’t post that video online again. I went to see the bikers to get them to take it down.”
“Holy crap,” Steve said. “You actually went to see those guys?”
“Yes. To protect them. But I can’t protect you and your friends if you put it online again. Please, just leave it alone.”
“What do you mean, protect them?”
“I’d rather not go into that. Those guys made a mistake that night by the lake, and it cost them, dearly. But they don’t deserve to die for it. And your friends don’t want the same sort of trouble. Please, Teddy, just don’t.”
The urgency of her plea shocked both boys. Teddy was shaken, and his wrist hurt. He pulled out of her grasp and scurried down the hall. Steve just stared at her, his face full of half-formed questions. She wasn’t sure what to say to him.
“Look, Steve, I’m sorry about that. Yes, that was me in the video.”
She waited to see what he would say. He opened his mouth, but nothing came out.
“I hope Teddy’s friends have sense enough to take my advice.”
“Emily, what is going on with you?” he finally asked. “I’m sorry. Maybe it’s not any of my business. I hardly know you. But the whole thing sounds really strange. I mean, you seem like a nice person, but you’re so quiet no one knows anything about you. And then this video circulates of you going all ninja on a gang of bruisers. And now, it’s like you want it to be some secret fraught with mysterious dangers.”
“I guess it does all seem a bit too strange. But could you just do me a favor and not make a big deal about that video?”
“But why? It’s amazing what you did.”
“No. It’s hideous. The whole thing was horrible. And the others who were there, I’m sure they don’t want to be reminded of it.”
Emily regretted that last remark as soon as it left her mouth.
“Who else was there?”
“Fine. You want to know who was there? Can’t you guess? The guys who usually hang around with me.”
“Melanie, too?”
“Yeah, her, too. You know how sensitive she is. Do you want to make her relive all of that?”
“No, I guess not. I see your point. She wasn’t hurt... or anything, in the fight, was she?”
“No,” she replied in a very small voice. “I ran those guys off before any of my friends could be hurt.”
“Mum’s the word. I promise. I’ll talk to Teddy, too.”
They looked at each other in silence for a moment. Clearing the air was certainly a tiring business.
“Why don’t we each sketch out a speech,” she said, finally. “And we can compare notes next week. How does that sound?”
“Okay with me. Can I ask one more thing, before the bell rings? What’s going on between you and Amanda? She won’t tell me, but whatever it is, it seems pretty serious.”
Emily thought for a moment about how to respond. What would be diplomatic in this situation? Steve seemed like a reasonable person, even if Amanda didn’t. She didn’t want to get in between them.
“I don’t exactly know. Maybe I just rub her the wrong way. I’m sure on some level she’s a good person... but she’s done some nasty stuff to me. And I don’t know what I did to deserve any of it.”
“Does this have to do with the sext that went around a while back?”
“Yeah, there’s that. But can we just let it drop? If you go poking around, it’ll probably make things worse.”
“I’m gonna have to find out sooner or later.”
“Then ask her about it, or ask Melanie. She knows all about it, too. But don’t blame me if it blows up in your face.”
~~~~~~~
“You’re kidding. Valedictorian.” Wendy said, once they were all sitting together at lunch. “What kind of grades have you been getting all these years?”
“Oh, shut up. What kind of grades do you think she’s been getting?” Wayne roared.
Wendy punched him in the shoulder, and then joined in the laughter. She leaned over and hugged Emily, along with Melanie.
“It’s co-valedictorian, guys,” Emily said through a little blush.
“Who’s the other valedictorian?” Danny asked.
“Teddy Wilchuk, you know, the kid who does all the A/V stuff, and Steve, Amanda’s boyfriend.”
“Way to go, Steve,” said Wayne.
“Teddy I could probably have guessed,” said Wendy. “But who would’ve expected Steve to be such a good student.”
“People can surprise you,” said Melanie with a smile.
“Well, if he’s so smart, what’s he see in Amanda?”
“C’mon, Wendy,” said Emily. “She’s Melanie’s friend, so I’m sure she’s got her good side. I just wish she’d show it to me.”
“What are the perks of this new position?” Billy asked.
“We have to come up with a farewell address to give at graduation. I think that’s about it.”
“Do you know what you’re gonna say?”
“Right, Billy,” Wendy snorted. “She just found out about it like an hour ago. You think she’s already written it?”
“I suppose the occasion kinda shapes what we can say. You know, thanks to teachers and friends, encouragement to everyone to seek some new adventure. We’re getting together next week to put something together.”
The sounds of a commotion made their way across the room. Wendy noticed it first and nudged Emily to turn her head.
“Amanda looks pretty upset,” Wendy said. “What do you think the problem is?”
“She probably just found out who the other valedictorians are,” said Billy.
“The way she’s yelling at Steve, I think it’s more serious than that,” said Wayne.
Emily glanced over at Melanie, who looked increasingly uncomfortable.
“I can’t believe it,” they heard Amanda yelling. “Does she have to ruin everything?”
Steve spoke in softer tones, inaudible from that distance. Amanda was not so easily appeased. With a squeeze of her hand, Emily caught Melanie’s attention, offered her a little bit of comfort, and tilted her head toward the other end of the room.
~~~~~~~
Amanda was relieved to find Melanie standing next to her. Steve looked up at the two of them and smiled unconvincingly. She put a hand on her friend’s shoulder.
“It’s not my fault, Mel. Tell him.”
One look at Melanie’s face told her she wouldn’t go along anymore.
“We should just tell the truth. It’ll be so much easier that way.”
Amanda’s eyes were hard and dry as she looked at Melanie.
“What truth?” Steve asked. “Tell me.”
“If you just talk to her, you’ll see, it’ll be better. Please, can’t you do this for me, Amanda?”
“That’s asking too much, Mel. I’m not gonna grovel to her.”
“Will somebody tell me what the hell’s going on?” Steve asked.
Melanie gave Amanda an imploring look. When she didn’t respond, she turned to Steve and just started speaking.
“There was no sext, Steve. We made it up, the two of us. Amanda took the pictures in the locker room one day after PE. I tried to trick Emily into an embarrassed look for the camera, while she was getting dressed. It was just a nasty scheme to humiliate her, because she was an outsider and we wanted to keep her out.”
“And she’s not mad at you over it?” asked Steve.
“She’s not like that. She loves her friends, and Wayne likes me, so she forgave me, you know, probably because he asked her to.”
“But why would she forgive me?”
“She’d do it for me.”
Amanda wavered as she thought about Melanie’s plea. She could guess how much it would mean to her. But the thought of humbling herself in front of Emily was distinctly unpalatable.
“What if I don’t want to be her friend? Things were so much simpler before she showed up.”
“Amanda, she grew up here just like the rest of us,” Steve said. “She didn’t just show up.”
“I don’t care. She was nobody for all those years. And suddenly, this year she’s like everywhere I turn. I can’t stand it. She just better stay away from me.”
She looked for some glimmer of support in Melanie’s face, but saw only perplexity. Steve was dumbfounded. A frustrated groan and she stomped off.
Just outside the double doors she came across Emily, who appeared to be waiting for her.
“What? Are you stalking me now?”
“What have I ever done to you, Amanda?”
“Maybe you’re just crowding me. Did you ever think of that?”
The question seemed to sink in. At least, Emily said nothing for a long moment, as if she were weighing the justice of Amanda’s complaint.
“Well, I’m sorry you feel that way. That hasn’t been my intention... at least not often. I suppose there were a few times when I didn’t mind annoying you. But I really tried to stay out of your way at the prom. And when all those stupid toasts kept happening, I put a stop to it.”
Amanda listened impatiently to Emily’s little confession. Maybe Melanie was right. It was almost like
she
was apologizing, even though she had been wronged, as if she didn’t care about any of it. “It’s like I don’t matter at all,” she thought. But this was even more infuriating than all the rest, since it implied she was above everything Amanda cared about.
“Thanks for that, I mean at the prom.” The words left a sour taste in her mouth. She walked off without saying anything else.
