Mania (5 page)

Six
Parker

“This … I think it's from my dad.” The spoken words felt like they'd vibrated out of me in some strange way.

I didn't look up, but I heard Finn whisper something to Mia and they both came out into the backyard and stood nearby.

My heart pounded in my ears as I carefully opened the yellow envelope and reached inside. My fingers closed around something smooth and leathery. When I pulled it out, the first thing I saw was the symbol of the Night Walker Society staring back at me: a skull and crossbones wearing two eye patches—the Blind Skull.

Dad had sent me his old wallet. I remembered seeing it as a kid, and the same symbol was on Jack's leather jacket. But why was I receiving this now? And how had Dad arranged the delivery when he'd been in the Takers' prison?

A small, folded-up paper fell out of the wallet and
onto my lap. I reached for it with trembling fingers and
carefully unfolded it.

Parker—

If you've received this, it means I haven't been able to prevent it from being sent. I'm sorry that I'm not there with you now. Know that I died fighting for you and your future. Ask for Jack at the Cypress Crest Trailer Park and tell them I sent you—he has all the
answers you need. Give him this note.

I missed you every single day. Never doubt that.

—Dad

Each heartbeat felt like it tore a new hole through me. Reading his words, his thoughts … realizing he'd always had some kind of plan in place for me to learn the truth. It meant more to me than I thought it would.

At the bottom of the page, the letter continued:

Jack—

It's up to you now. Tell Randall that I said it's time to begin. Trust Parker and no one else. It's time to tell him everything and for you to work together. He is your ally and it's time to act like it. You can do this.
I
know you can. Do not doubt yourself.

I'm sorry for everything I couldn't do.

—Dad

I gaped at the words. No wonder Jack was so bitter and jealous when we'd first met. The difference between the way Dad acted with me and with him was clear. It was obvious Dad had been afraid some enemy could get ahold of this letter and use it against him, but wasn't that what he'd been afraid of for Jack's entire life? This was just how it had always been between them.

And that made me abruptly sad for my brother.

I couldn't imagine how hard it must've been for Jack … to always know that Dad was his father but for Dad to never act like it. To see the way Dad talked about me and the difference in how he reacted to his two sons—it must've been hell.

But at least Jack got to know him. I'd have given anything for that simple chance.

“What did your dad say?” Finn asked, and I handed him the paper. He read it and passed it on to Addie and Mia.

I pulled out my phone and hit the power button. It hadn't rung, it hadn't vibrated, and it hadn't beeped … but I still picked it up and watched it like it could suddenly tell me what Jack was doing and if he was okay. I scrolled through the screens like doing so might tell it I was waiting. Like now that I'd touched it, the phone would suddenly have the information I wanted … but no, nothing.

Jack had to come back—the sooner the better—and read this letter. I wasn't sure if anything Dad had said to Jack here would help him with piecing together the new formula, but either way, he had to read it.

I pulled up a text box and sent one single message.

You need to come back.

“When do you think your dad sent this?” Addie asked.

“I'm not sure. Sometime before he was captured.” I stretched my neck to one side and then the other, trying to let go of the sadness that had seeped into me from the letter. “Being exhausted and Divided for so long had my dad pretty messed up. It sounds like he's been preparing for this a long time.”

“I'm sorry,” Mia said, and then she bent over to hug me.

I hugged her back, grateful my friends were here with me. I opened the wallet that still sat on my lap and looked through it, but it was empty. And as far as I could tell, except for the symbol on it, it was just a normal wallet.

“Do you think you should call Jack?” Addie rested her head against my shoulder again.

“I texted him to come back. I don't think it's something I should read over the phone, and also, he might see some kind of hidden meaning that I can't. Maybe he'll have an idea what Dad's message is about. For now, I guess we just wait.” I stood up, and Finn seemed to know I didn't want to discuss this anymore because he picked up the basketball and tossed it my way.

I dribbled the ball in the warm afternoon sunlight, focusing on the way it felt in my hands and how it bounced differently if it hit a crack in the cement. Anything that might serve as a good distraction. I didn't realize my friends had continued talking until I looked up and saw them all watching me.

“I'm sorry, I'm distracted. What did you say?” I took a shot and Finn grabbed the ball after it went through the hoop. Addie walked over and draped an arm around my waist.

“It was nothing. We were just discussing whether there's anything we want to do tonight. Are you tired?” She gave me a quick sideways glance before her cheeks flushed a little.

I realized what she was referring to, and I hoped the others didn't notice. The last couple of nights in her dreams, we'd spent a little more time making out than having her actually help me sleep. It was one of the unforeseen hazards—and perks—of your amazingly hot girlfriend also being the Builder who helped you sleep and kept you alive.

“A little.” I cleared my throat and sat up straighter. The truth was that yes, I was feeling kind of tired and would have to find some self-control so I could get at least
some
sleep in Addie's dreams tonight. “You come up with any ideas?”

“No … ” Addie and Finn said simultaneously.

“Nothing that we can all agree on,” Mia added.

“Not surprising.” I gave them a half smile and stopped trying to avoid the subject we were all thinking about. “I'm worried about Jack and this formula crap.”

“Our searches for information aren't exactly panning out, and he's still not answering many questions,” Finn said. After making a shot, he turned to face me immediately. “What else can we do to help?”

“I don't know.” I ran my hands through my hair, which I'd let grow out a little longer over the last couple of months. It curled at the back of my neck, and I tugged at the ends, using the little jolts of pain to try to focus my mind on finding an idea that might get me somewhere.

The truth was that what I wanted to do was exactly what Jack
didn't want
me to do. I'd been sitting here all day trying to figure out how to not piss him off and somehow be helpful at the same time. Maybe it just wasn't possible. Maybe I had to give up on keeping him happy. Deep down I knew it was fear that drove me. I was scared that if I made him angry he might disappear again, the way Dad did. The way he had done before.

But I couldn't live like this forever, and I didn't want to.

Brothers were supposed to make each other mad sometimes, right? I guessed now was as good a time as any to see how my big brother was going to react when I did just that.

“I can't sit here and wait for the Takers to attack us again. We know they're going to—we just don't know when, where, or how. I don't want to be here waiting for it to happen, no matter what Jack says.” I looked at my friends, and although the fear in their eyes mimicked mine, none looked like they wanted to argue with the idea of taking action. “We have to do
something
. I'm just not sure what.”

Mia spoke up suddenly, her voice surprisingly firm. “Maybe we need to start by figuring out what
they
are doing.”

Ever since she'd begun meeting with a psychologist a few weeks ago, Mia had really started coming out of her shell. But it still surprised me sometimes. The psychologist had recommended she try taking painting lessons again. Painting had brought out a new spark in her, which was so nice to see.

Addie put her hand in mine, looking nervous. I felt the same way. Especially because every scenario I could come up with to figure out what the Takers were doing left me feeling cold inside. “How could we find that out?”

Mia shrugged. “I don't know, but your side can't be as powerless against the Takers as it seems, can it?”

“I seriously hope not.” My voice sounded grim. “We have to be able to do something to fight back.”

“I'm not sure.” Addie's grip on my hand had tightened so much it was cutting off circulation. “Jack said you were safest here. He said you were helping him here.”

“He said I was helping by moving his motorcycle.” I sighed and looked at Addie. I hated seeing fear in her eyes and knowing it was because of me. But that fear would never go away until this war with the Takers was over. We could pretend that the Takers weren't out there all we wanted, but it wouldn't make it any better. “This isn't just Jack's fight. I have to help … and I'll do everything I can to stay safe, but I am not going to just sit here and do as I'm told. Not anymore. I'll come up with some kind of plan. I'm going to help.”

Addie still looked scared, but she squeezed my hand tighter and then exchanged a look with Finn and Mia, who nodded. Finally, she turned back to me and said, “Then whatever you decide to do, we're in, too.”

Before I could utter my first word of argument, she cut me off. “Don't even start. If there's anything the last year has taught us, it's that our odds are infinitely better when all four of us work together. Don't try to stop us.”

The breath I'd been planning to argue with sputtered out of me, and I laughed. “All right then.”

Addie grinned, but the look on Finn's face was anything but pleased.

“I was just thinking … ” Finn shuddered and then gave me a pointed look that told me that whatever he was about to say, he really didn't want to be saying. “Jack might not be willing to talk to us about the Takers and everything yet, but he isn't the only one we know with answers anymore.”

I realized what he was saying instantly and understood his reluctance. I'm pretty sure no one would look forward to working with the person who'd taken over their body for several days. “Chloe.”

Addie and Mia both looked hesitant, so I tried to convince them. “I know … but she really is the only option we haven't tried yet. Isn't it worth at least asking her?”

Finn stared down at his feet, but the girls reluctantly nodded.

“Great. Anyone have any way to get ahold of her?”

Addie and Mia both frowned, but Finn closed his eyes and groaned. “I think I remember it … ”

He grabbed my phone and punched in a contact entry and number under the name “Body Snatcher” before stalking away and muttering, “I don't want to talk about it.”

Right after I sent a quick text to Chloe, my phone chimed with an incoming text. I hoped it was from Chloe or Jack, but Mom's smiling picture popped up instead.

The message was short, sweet, and gave me an entirely new distraction to focus on.

We need to have a talk about Jack. I'm heading home for a bit. If you aren't home, meet me there.

Seven
Jack

Chloe tensed when I pressed the button and the puzzle box hissed. Something inside had diffused, and the sound was followed by the click of a latch being released. The front corner of the box rose slightly, and then all was silent.

I waited a full minute for some sort of secondary trigger to engage, but I heard nothing. Moving my body low against the bottom of the pit, I peeked into the small gap below the corner of the lid, releasing each breath from my chest as slowly as possible to be sure not to disturb anything.

I stayed there for several minutes, shifting my position by mere inches, just as Dad had taught me. Patience and diligence kept us safe. That was how we stayed alive.

Be careful.

Be in control.

Always.

The third time I heard Chloe sigh behind me was also the first time I saw the shimmer—the slightest shining bit—in the empty air near the edge of the box. Chloe got to her feet behind me but I barely noticed, my attention drawn to one square inch of apparent void.

“Come on, Jack,” Chloe grumbled behind me. “It's a box. You chose the right button and it unlocked. Pick the damn thing up already.”

“Shhh … ” I said, watching the almost-invisible wire intently, trying to figure out where it attached so I could disconnect it.

Chloe abruptly reached over my shoulder for the lid of the box, and the tips of her fingers passed straight into the tripwire before I could stop her. It looked like she felt the resistance from the tripwire just before I grabbed her wrist. Her lips formed the smallest expression of shock. A split second of regret shone in her eyes before I chucked the box out of the pit as hard as I could and pulled her down into the dirt with me.

The booming shockwave tore across the ground toward us. Chloe and I were showered with dirt, rocks, shredded pieces of paper, and bits of carved wood from the box. We ducked down low in the hole as the secrets I needed rained down around us in hopeless chaos. A few flying bits of jagged wood sliced the side of my face and I wrapped my arms tighter around my head.

The world settled back to normal and I stood up slowly to take in the destruction. There was nothing left. Anything that could have helped me had been destroyed. My jaw clenched and I swore as I stared at the dark scar on the ground where the box had exploded.

Then anger pumped like a living beast through my veins. I wanted to grab her, to hurt her for what she'd just done. Instead, I forced myself to hold perfectly still until I could calm down. Until I could be sure I wouldn't do something I might regret. I heard Chloe coughing beside me, but for once, she didn't speak.

I hadn't even thought about whether to pull her down and save her. It was pure instinct. I hadn't needed to consider it, and there wasn't time. It's what Dad would've done for me, so it's what I did.

And Chloe was lucky for that, because if I'd had time to think about it, I might've thrown her out of the pit with the bomb she'd just set off. It might have been the better option … for both of us.

I recoiled inwardly at the thought, but it sounded crueler than it was. In reality, it might have been a kindness. At least then I wouldn't have to see her sitting at the edge of my field of vision, a mixture of horror combined with the dwindling of all hope printed plainly across her face.

At least then I wouldn't have to confirm for her that she'd just ruined the only chance I had of saving her life.

“I … I'm so … ” She didn't finish, but her eyes were wet and she was blinking rapidly. “I didn't think … ”

Unless interfering with my plan had somehow been her intention to begin with.

“Why did you come?” With immense effort, I kept my tone as flat as I could.

“I … I told you … ” She shifted away from me, looking uncomfortable.

“No. Why did you
really
come? What did the Takers send you to do? Slow me down? Make sure I would fail?” I moved over until she was sitting in my shadow. For the first time ever, Chloe was nearly cowering. She was afraid of me. She should be afraid. I took several deep breaths, deliberately restraining myself, keeping my anger in check like I'd been taught to do. “I will
never
agree to even
try
to make Eclipse again, whether this new formula fails or not. You know that, right? You know that whatever you're trying to pull just ensured the destruction of you and every other Taker?”

“Believe whatever you want to about me, I don't care. I came because
I want to help
.” She jumped to her feet, her anger abruptly matching mine.

“
That
was your idea of help?” I growled. Her hair moved from my breath on her face.

She lifted her chin, determined not to show her fear. “Hitting the wire was an accident and I'm sorry—but I'm not ready to give up yet. Are
you
?”

I didn't respond. There was no need. She knew what she'd done. I walked toward the car. Not that I had anywhere to go now, but I had some water bottles in the back and I needed something to drink.
If
she was telling the truth … then she could probably use a drink, too. If water was our only option, then so be it.

When I came back with the bottles, Chloe was kneeling in the debris, crouched so far forward it looked like she was trying to smell the earth. For a moment, I thought she was crying, but then I saw her hands moving right below her face.

“What are you doing?” I sat her water bottle on the ground beside her and twisted the top off of mine.

My phone chimed in my pocket. I pulled it out and groaned. Parker's message was cryptic. I hoped whatever he wanted was important. When I put the phone away, Chloe finally answered my question.

“I think … I think I might have something.” She looked up at me, but her face was guarded like she was afraid to hope again. In front of her was a pile of the shredded paper she must have gathered from the box. A couple of larger pieces were in her hands, and they shook as she held them out toward me.

I squinted and knelt beside her, trying to make out the words I could already tell were repeating over and over. I was ready to dismiss it as part of Dad's plan to mislead whoever set off the explosion, but then I thought of the gravity of the task he'd given me. He wouldn't have wanted what he'd written to be lost forever just because some Taker had gotten here before I could. I focused on his words, in that handwriting I would never be able to forget.

The second's skull contains the key—
The second's skull contains the key

My mind locked on the words, trying to decipher their meaning.

Chloe's phone went off, and when she read the message she laughed and held it out to me. “Your brother sure is persistent.”

This is Parker. I have questions and I think you might have the answers I need. Can you come over?

I laughed softly and shook my head. Persistent was the perfect word to describe him … sometimes to a fault.

“I'll answer him in a minute.” Chloe tucked the phone back in her pocket.

I nodded but kept my eyes on the shredded papers she still clutched in her other hand.

Chloe read the words aloud, and then asked, “What does it mean, Jack?”

“I think it means we can still find the answers we
need.” I stood up and stretched my back before putting on my sunglasses. “It's just going to be a lot harder now.”

“I'm sorry.” She got to her feet beside me and this time looked me straight in the eye. “That was stupid. I should've waited.”

I looked back at her, surprised by her sincerity, and realized that despite going through two explosions together, I knew very little about her.

As I turned back toward the van, I responded. “You're right. You should have waited, but I'm not ready to give up either.”

“Where are we going?” She picked up her water and jogged to catch up, then climbed into the passenger seat.

“My brother wants us to come back, so we're going back.” I glanced over at her and said, “Besides, you know how it refers to ‘the second' in the message?”

“Yeah?”

I shoved the van into gear and put my foot on the gas. “That's what my dad used to call Parker.”

As I gripped the handle to Parker's front door, I hesitated. Since I'd left with all of my stuff this morning, I technically didn't live here anymore. A pang of sadness hit me at how much of my family was gone. I was like a plague—anyone who got too close wound up dead. Given this, Parker and his mom were probably safer without me around. I shook off that morose train of thought and jabbed in the doorbell.

I heard footsteps, and when the door opened I was surprised to see Parker's Mom, Mrs. Chipp. One thing I'd learned while staying with them was that she really wasn't home very often, at least not nearly as much as she wished she could be.

“Hi Jack!” She smiled and held the door open, but there was still a bit of hesitation behind her expression.

Ever since Parker had told her everything about Dad and who I really was, she'd gone out of her way to be kind, but there was still that knowledge in the back of her mind that I was her husband's kid with another woman. From the couple of times I'd watched her dreams since she found this out, it seemed like knowing that Dad had left my mom to be with her had shaken her a little. She felt both guilt and some jealousy, which was probably normal …

Or, at least, I guess it would be normal if we could use that word to describe anything about our situation.

“Hi, Mrs. Chipp,” I said as I walked in, and Chloe snuck in behind me, keeping her head tucked low. I couldn't help but notice that Parker's mom didn't even acknowledge Chloe's presence. She'd had a hard time even letting her in the house at first, knowing Chloe was a Taker and what she could do, but Parker and I had convinced her that we'd keep Chloe from causing any more damage.

“I said you could call me Emily.” Mrs. Chipp put on a fake-stern expression that softened as she smiled. “But do whatever feels comfortable.”

She placed a hand on my shoulder. It caught me off-guard and my spine stiffened a little, unsure of what to expect next.

“I'm really glad you came back. I wanted to talk to you today, but then when I talked to Parker, he said you'd left.” She glanced behind me at Chloe, who took the hint and scooted past us to wait. It was hard not to feel bad for her, even if she was a Taker.

“Yeah. I'm hopefully only stopping in for a few minutes. I just need to talk to Parker about something.” The conversation felt uncomfortable already, and I wasn't sure why. I wondered if I should assure her that I'd be out of their way soon. I'd definitely already overstayed a normal welcome at their house.

Her hand dropped from my shoulder. “Do you have to go?”

That wasn't a question I'd been expecting, especially not from her. “I … have something I need to do.”

She nodded slowly and brought her eyes back to mine again. She already knew enough about me to understand there were things I wouldn't—and couldn't—tell her. I wasn't certain which details Parker had given her, but she knew our dad had given me a job to do. And that was really all I wanted her to know for now—from me, at least.

“Okay. Well, what I was hoping is maybe when you're done, or when you feel ready, or whenever, really … ” She shifted back and forth on her feet in obvious discomfort before finally blurting out, “Would you like to stay with us permanently?”

My eyes blinked and my mouth opened, like it knew it was supposed to respond but my brain wasn't supplying it with anything to say. I wasn't prepared for this. She wanted me to
live
with her and Parker? Here—in an actual house without any wheels on it? In a place where you didn't already have a plan for where you would go when you next had to run? My palms began to sweat at just the thought. The idea sounded at once like both heaven and hell. I couldn't give her an answer, though, because I honestly didn't have one.

“I don't … ”

“Please don't answer right now,” she said, like she could read my thoughts. “Just say you'll think about it?”

I straightened my shoulders and tried to act like this wasn't the most difficult question I'd ever been asked. “Okay, I will.”

She smiled widely this time and then abruptly hugged me. It took me a few seconds to recognize that I knew the correct response to this action and awkwardly hugged her back. She laughed lightly into my shoulder and then pulled away. “I know we still don't know each other very well, but as far as I'm concerned, you
are
family. Parker is your brother, and you know what he's going through, being a Watcher too. I'm not like you two … it's hard for me to understand. I spoke with Parker about it and he agrees. We need you. You should be here with us.”

“I … thank you.” My throat felt tight and those were the only words I could get to come out.

Parker's mom squeezed my arm and then turned toward the kitchen. “I'm heading out to do a showing, but I'll grab Parker for you. Come in and have a seat.”

I stood for a moment in the empty entry and was surprised when my balance skewed slightly and I had to steady myself on the door frame. Wow … it had been awhile since I'd been this sleep deprived. I'd lost track of how many nights I'd been without a Builder, but it had obviously been too long. I needed a Builder by tonight. I decided to call Libby as soon as I was done talking to Parker and tell her I was heading to Cypress Crest next. I knew she would leave with me if she could; she always did. We'd grown up together. When I needed her, Libby was there—always.

Once I'd regained my equilibrium, I shook my head and straightened, relieved no one else was here to see me. This was definitely one of those moments of weakness Dad warned me to never let anyone see.