The Light, the Dark and the Ugly (22 page)

Ted was happy then. That's why it was strange when he momentarily pictured Natalie on top of him instead of Erica. Though he'd never admit it, the reverse had happened multiple times when he was dating Natalie. The image flickered away almost immediately, and Erica seemed to catch the look in Ted's eyes.

"You okay?"

He licked at his lips. They tasted like hers. "Yeah, of course." Ted pulled her close and she laid her head on his chest. "You don't have to worry. Cause I'm not going anywhere."

She relaxed into him. But Ted didn't feel at ease in the slightest. He was more confused than ever.

Chapter 35

Natalie squinted and looked into the man's eyes. The dark soul who'd rescued her from the troll-like creature looked nothing like the gang member Ted had sent 50 feet in the air before smashing into a parked car. Everything from his height to his hair color was different from the man who'd killed a nurse and was blown up along with undead drama teacher Mr. Farraday in a police van. But one look into his eyes told Natalie that he was telling the truth.

She took a deep breath, still shaken by that whole almost-being-eaten-by-a-monster incident. "Why not let that thing kill me, then?"

The man who would be Stucky sheathed his crossbow and walked to Natalie's side. She was torn. Stucky had tried to kill both Ted and Erica, but he'd also just saved her life. It was getting tougher and tougher to figure out who was trustworthy in this place.

Stucky smiled. "As hard as it is to believe, we're on the same side now."

Natalie raised her eyebrows. "And what side is that?"

Stucky brought his hand up to one of the bruises on her face. She half-wanted to tear his fingers off, but she figured she wouldn't last long after that.

He sighed. "The side that wants to kill the people who did this to you."

Natalie stepped back. "You're a dark soul. Why would you want to hurt the General?"

Stucky motioned for Natalie to follow him. "Just trust me. Come this way."

Natalie folded her arms and planted her feet on the ground. "Trust you?" She gave Stucky her best scowl. "Your buddy Nigel stabbed me in the back and almost killed Ted. Saving me from one itty-bitty troll isn't enough to convince me."

Stucky cracked another grin. "Itty-bitty?"

Natalie looked over at the collapsed beast before returning her gaze. "Fine. It's huge. I still don't trust you. How do I know you aren't going to take me right back to Generalissimo?"

Stucky held out his hand. "Because we're plotting to kill him this week."

Natalie wanted to resist more, but her stomach knew she couldn't hold out much longer without some assistance. Besides, the enemy of her enemy might be her friend if he could get her a few square meals. Stucky came through on that front almost immediately, when he treated her to roasted meat and some kind of vegetable dish at a hole-in-the-wall restaurant a few blocks away. She figured it was better she didn't ask what kind of animal the meat came from.

After her stomach thanked her with a boost of endorphins, Natalie felt better than she had all day.

When she saw Stucky's dish remained half-finished, she snatched it and spoke with a full mouth. "I know I never had the pleasure of meeting you on Earth, but I saw your picture plenty of times. Why do you look so different?"

The Stucky she'd seen on the news was short, squat and a Philadelphia boy through and through. The guy who bought her a midnight snack was built more like a light post than a bulldog.

Stucky wiped at the corner of his mouth with a piece of cloth. "You know how your protector has lived over a dozen different lives on Earth?"

Natalie swallowed a mouth full of meat. The salty goodness was sublime. "That's what she tells us."

Stucky leaned forward. "Dark souls who inhabit humans come back to the Realm of Souls as well. After they die, they just show up here within the city walls."

Natalie took a glance down the closest alley. "Does that mean I should expect Nigel and the Torello twins to walk down that street any minute now?"

Stucky's face grew solemn. "Because they were killed with the sword, the three of them died on every world."

Natalie munched on the last remaining scrap of food. "Forgive my lack of mourning. After all, they did try to kill me."

Stucky nodded. "Understood."

Natalie gulped down some water. "So you hop from here to Earth, take over someone's body, and you get a one-way ticket back when you die?"

Stucky passed one of the napkins toward Natalie. "The crossover isn't exactly a hop and it takes a great deal of energy on our part. But essentially you have it right."

Natalie wondered if Razellia's village was low on fuel, funds, and food because of the dark souls' efforts to take over the Earth.

She took the napkin and wiped her mouth. "Okay, whatever. That still doesn't explain why you want to kill the General. He's the leader of your army. Isn't that some kind of treason or something?"

By the look Stucky gave at their surroundings, Natalie could tell she'd spoken a bit too loudly.

Stucky stood up. "I'll explain everything on the way to the headquarters."

Natalie wished she could let things digest a little more, but she stepped away from her chair as well. "The headquarters for what?"

Stucky's eyes lit up. "For the rebellion, of course."

Natalie took the dark soul at his word, though she got nervous as he led her down a nearly pitch-black passageway just a few blocks from their meal. She could barely see, even when Stucky snagged and lit a torch from the wall. The smell of death was unmistakeable, though. It was obvious that while it might be some secret headquarters now, they were descending into what used to be a tomb.

Natalie tried to keep her voice low so it wouldn't echo as much. "So, did the General cut you off in the parking lot? Stiff you on a paycheck?"

Stucky didn't look back as he continued to point the torch forward. "He had me killed."

Natalie took a deep breath, though she immediately regretted getting the extra stench in her nostrils that came with it. She coughed. "Bummer. I guess that van accident wasn't exactly accidental."

He turned and shook his head. "The General always has his own agenda, and it's one he's unwilling to share with the people who put their lives at risk."

Natalie smirked. "Their multiple lives."

Stucky ignored her. "If he isn't willing to share his plans with the people who do his dirty work, then we're gonna have to find someone else to make the plans."

Natalie wondered if being part of a good, old-fashioned coup was safer than wandering the streets with hungry tolls lurking around. She didn't have much time to ponder the question, as they soon came upon two men standing guard in front of a stone gateway.

One of the guards gave Natalie a curious look. He was wide-jawed and his eye-sockets seemed stretched to accommodate.

His face contorted into a smile. "Why, if it isn't Natalie Dormer."

Natalie furrowed her brow. "There are more people who know me here than in Treasure. I don't know how I feel about that."

The wide-faced man extended his hand. "I've led a lot of lives, but my Farraday memories were the most flamboyant."

Natalie tried not to think about Farraday's hands around Jennifer's neck as she completed the handshake. Farraday opened the doors for her and Stucky. Sound rang throughout the cave, and Natalie was forced to cover her ears. From what she could tell, the noise combined training, partying and general conversation, but it was too cacophonous to distinguish any of the three. There were a lot more people inside than she expected, though she knew her expectations were essentially useless at this point. Most of them passed by Natalie and Stucky without acknowledging them. Natalie wondered how many of the dark souls in this cave had killed a human before. Stucky helped them weave through the crowd as they gained entry to a smaller room that cut off most of the sound.

There were only three people inside, including a woman who seemed to be leading a presentation of some sort. On the front end of the room, there was a map. Natalie hadn't spent much time in the castle, but she was sure that's what the map represented.

The woman had slightly sunken cheeks, but she had the eyes of someone who shouldn't be messed with. She did not look happy to be interrupted. "I don't have time to meet new recruits."

Stucky smiled. "She's not a new recruit. She's a former hostage of the General's and your newest team member."

Natalie didn't remember agreeing to be on any kind of team, but her stomach reminded her she didn't have much choice. She stood in place while the skinny but muscular woman looked her over. Recognition flooded the woman's eyes. "Ah. Natalie. How wonderful it is for you to join us."

Natalie realized there was only one likely candidate left to go along with that persona. "Sandra."

Sandra bowed. "In the flesh. How well do you know that castle?"

Natalie recalled her efforts to trace as many steps as she could within the dark soul stronghold. "Well enough. Why?"

Sandra's grin was close to maniacal. "Because once we get inside, you're going to help us kill the General, once and for all."

Chapter 36

Dhiraj looked into the rear view mirror and studied the man with the gun. He was in his 50s, judging by the gray, wispy hair on his temples and the worn but not-too-wrinkled sides of his face. His eyes were frazzled, though he held his gun hand extremely steady. While the man who'd murdered Jennifer's dad had been brainwashed by Kable, Dhiraj had the feeling that the guy holding them hostage knew exactly what he was doing. A few minutes after starting the car and taking directions from their captor, they were back on the highway.

Dhiraj's hands shook slightly on the steering wheel. "Pretty neat trick, sneaking into the back of the car like that. Where'd you learn to–"

"YouTube. Enough talking."

Dhiraj glanced up to the rear-view mirror. "I think you should at least tell us why–"

"Not here." The man's eyes darted around the vehicle. "Not here."

A few minutes later, Dhiraj caught Jennifer looking at him out of the corner of her eye. She didn't look particularly scared, though he wished he could do more than steal glances at her. Jennifer made a slight motion to the side with her shoulder. When she repeated it again, Dhiraj understood. With the wonders of nonverbal communication, Jennifer told Dhiraj to swerve the car hard to the right, so she could try to disarm the gunman. He sighed and gave his head the slightest of shakes. There was no way he was going to put her in any more danger than she was already in. Before long, the man in the back caught wind of the silent conversation and tapped his gun against the back of the driver's side chair.

"Enough." The man didn't seem angry or scared. He just seemed to know that what was going on couldn't be allowed to continue. "Next exit on the right."

When Dhiraj followed the direction, he assumed the man had made a mistake. Within a mile, the town they'd exited into seemed to fade away. It went from several houses along the road, to two, to one. And then there was nothing but grass and trees.

Dhiraj nodded to the kidnapper. "Where are we?"

The man's eyes were stoic. "Not here."

Several directions later, the van bounced along a gravel road. Dhiraj wondered if the man was taking them far away from civilization to execute them. Then again, if he'd wanted them dead, he could've taken care of it in the parking lot outside Mrs. Crammond's residence. Dhiraj had to believe that the man wanted them alive.

They came upon an abandoned house. At least, from the outside it seemed so run down that only squatting raccoons and squirrels might be able to call it home. But Dhiraj's first impression was wrong.

When the man had the keys in hand, he stepped out of the van and kept his gun trained on Jennifer. She exited first, and then Dhiraj.

Dhiraj placed his hands on his head like instructed and walked forward at a leisurely gait. "Great house you've got here. Really puts Norman Bates' place to shame."

Jennifer kicked him in the ankle and spoke under her breath. "Can you please not insult the guy with a gun at our heads?"

As Dhiraj's adrenaline built, he coaxed out a smile. "I'm not kidding. It's really homey."

Jennifer grumbled as they reached the front door and went inside. The house looked a little better from the inside, though not by much. Paint peeled from the walls and the wooden floor had more than a few warped boards sticking up at strange angles. At least Dhiraj didn't feel like the place was poised to collapse on them at any given moment.

Once they'd gotten all the way inside, the man told them to turn around.

He kept the gun straight ahead. "Now, strip to your skivvies."

Dhiraj and Jennifer shared a glance.

The man aimed the gun at Jennifer's face and looked Dhiraj square in the eye. "I need to know if you're wearing a wire. Would you rather I see you half-naked or that your girlfriend gets one in the forehead?"

Dhiraj didn't hesitate, and while he could tell Jennifer wasn't exactly enjoying herself, she removed her clothes as well. When the man was satisfied he wasn't being recorded, he not only let them dress back up, but he lowered the gun as well.

The man gestured to a beaten-up couch in the corner. "Sit. Get comfortable."

The first command was easier than the second. Dhiraj could feel a couch spring digging into his lower back.

He raised his hand, and Jennifer shot him a dirty look. The man rolled his eyes and pointed toward Dhiraj.

"Can we ask questions now?"

The man grunted. "Mine first. Why were you visiting Mrs. Crammond?"

Before Dhiraj could speak, Jennifer cut him off. "We're doing a report on the building collapse."

The man appeared to throw a minor temper tantrum before pointing the gun back at Jennifer. "No more lying from here on out! I know who you are. You aren't even in school anymore."

Dhiraj stood up, which got the gun pointed back in his direction. "You're right! We're sorry." He looked to Jennifer for advice and she nodded. He did the same back. "We need to find out more about Adam."