Timesurfers (16 page)

“The Naitanui I saw yesterday?”

Austin nodded.

“So he’s a
500
year
old wizard?”

He nodded again.

“And the Elias guy is now rebuilding his
army?”

“There are unconfirmed reports of that.
Mortez overthrew him a few years ago. She’s Jonah’s commander.”

Cate’s jaw dropped. “Mortez is a woman?”

Austin’s eyes sparkled. “We’re an equal
opportunity
organisation
.”

“Why are Mortez and Naitanui at war?”

“As Naitanui explained yesterday, he’s
committed to a history untainted by magic, regardless of whether
it’s good or bad. Mortez focuses on a history that gives her
maximum control. It’s been a long and bloody dance.”

“Is Mortez a wizard like Naitanui and
Elias?”

“She’s not a pure blood like them, but she
has wizard blood.”

She folded her arms and contemplated him for
a moment. “Do you have wizard blood?”

“All Timesurfers have magic in their blood.
Most of our non-time travel magic has been lost or diluted over the
years. Elias and Naitanui are the only pure blood wizards left.
There are other pure blood wizards around who aren’t Timesurfers,
but they keep well hidden. Elias in particular is always on the
lookout for a wizard to corrupt or blackmail. The rest of us are
mutant wizards with varying degrees of wizard blood.”

Cate chuckled. “Mutant wizards. You don’t
think that sounds a tiny bit funny?” She shouldn’t laugh. But come
on.

“No.” There was no amusement in his voice or
his face.

“Okay.” Cate fixed a serious look on her
face. “So you’re a mutant wizard.”

“People in glass houses shouldn’t throw
stones. You have magic in your blood. You seeing all the changes
and your powers are remnants of magic.”

Her fingertips turned white as she clutched
the edge of the bench. “My
powers
?”

“Your
awakening
of
Brittany and ability to compel Rafe are your powers beginning to
develop.”

A migraine threatened behind her left eye
again. “Do I know you in the future?”

Austin screwed up his face. “If you’re who I
think, I
may
have seen you once. You
aren’t a big
socialiser
.”

Excellent, she was so unmemorable, Austin
wasn’t sure if he’d seen her. “Jonah knows me.”

Austin shrugged. “Or he may want you to
think
that.”

“Like reverse psychology?”

“Exactly like that.”

“Jonah is with Mortez. So if he
does
know me it’s highly likely I’m with
her
in the future. I chose the evil team.” She dragged
her hands down her face. That couldn’t possibly be right.

“I don’t know if evil and good are the right
way to look at Mortez and Naitanui. Mortez does break the rules
Naitanui holds so dear which sometimes saves lives. Other times not
so much. Mortez is also big on using time travel for personal gain
and rectifying what she determines to be wrong.”

The second hand ticked over on the silver and
white clock above the door. When it had completed a full
revolution, she broke the silence. “Naitanui said he couldn’t
confirm who I am because
someone
was
cloaking my identity with powerful magic. It’s more logical Elias
the 500 year old wizard would be responsible for that. Not Mortez.
I might have chosen him.”

“That’s an enormous and dare I say it
unfounded assumption.”

“I’m not an evil person. I wouldn’t be with
Mortez.”

“Jonah is the most decent, noble and brave
person I know. Choosing Mortez doesn’t mean you’re a bad person.”
Austin squeezed her shoulder. “You can go round and round with this
stuff for days and get nowhere.”

“Maybe my destiny is to unite all the
Timesurfers. That would save them having for choose between Mortez
and Naitanui.”

“That’s not a destiny. It’s a fantasy.”

“This is horrible. I’m going to be second
guessing every single decision I ever make. I’ll go insane. So
unless that is your plan, I need to know what you want me to do so
we can all move on.”

“I
can’t
say
anything more. The magic won’t let me. It’s your birthday tomorrow,
right?”

She blinked at the monumental change of
subject. “Yes.”

He placed his index finger under her chin and
tilted her head until their eyes met. The world fell away, and a
delicious warmth swirled through her stomach. His warm cheek
brushed hers as he whispered close to her ear. “Instead of us
getting a coffee this afternoon, let me take you on a real
adventure. I’ll pick you up at five tomorrow morning.”

Wasn’t it dark then?

“Dress warm.” His thousand watt smile sent
her pulse through the roof. He called Naitanui, and
disappeared.

She was hooked. Just like that. She needed
Austin in her life more than air, Rose or no Rose.

***

The rest of the day passed uneventfully. After four
exhausting periods of her considering hundreds of possible futures,
the final bell rang. She ignored Zach calling her and strode to her
locker. Wrenching it open, she stopped abruptly. Inside was a
miniature hot air balloon with a wicker basket full of rocky road
chocolate. A note propped in the wicker basket read,
“Can’t wait.”
She did a little happy dance as she
reread the message. They were going ballooning. Was it possible to
explode with happiness or excitement?

“What’s got you dancing?” Eve peered into the
locker.

Cate slammed the door. “Nothing.” She wanted
this to be just between her and Austin.

Eve shook her head and returned to packing
her locker. “How goes it with Austin?”

“What do you mean?” Cate concentrated on
pushing the cuticles on her nails back.

“Don’t insult me,” Eve said. “I see this
thing
you two have going on.”

“There’s no thing.” In true best friend
tradition, Eve was displaying excellent intuition. “I’m pretty sure
he has a girlfriend.”

“What? No!”

“I do like him.” Saying it aloud was a
relief.

Eve grinned devilishly. “Likey lots,
methinks.”

“Methinks you likey Rose lots.”

Eve’s grin disappeared. “Would you be weird
with that?”

Cate laughed. “Absolutely not!”

“For real?”

“Of course.” She hugged Eve’s tiny shoulders.
Whether Eve dated boys, girls, or both made no difference to Cate.
Rose might not be the best choice though. “Are you sure Rose
doesn’t have a boyfriend?”

“I asked her flat out if she was seeing
anyone, and she said no.” Eve’s eyes glowed, her delicate facial
features animated as she spoke.

Had Austin actually said he
was dating Rose?

“Oh, look.” Eve closed her locker with a
clang. “It’s raining godlike men—I see a weapon of mass seduction
headed your way.”

“What?”

“Jonah at two o’clock.”

Chapter 13

Immortals

A
trail of glazed eyes and slack jaws followed Jonah.
The girls, and a few guys, had that dazed
I’ve-been-hit-over-the-head look. In a movie this was the perfect
moment for a slow motion walk in. He wore a black velvet jacket
that reached just above his knees and a grey and black scarf. His
athletic build guaranteed he could sweep you effortlessly into his
arms without the worry he might stagger under your weight or
possibly drop you. While not often required, it made for some
awesome fantasies. He exuded sexiness with each confident
stride.

Oblivious to the stares, he slouched against
the lockers. “Hey, Catherine.”

“Hi.” He’d called her Catherine again.

If Eve noticed the “Catherine” reference, she
ignored it. “I have to get straight home. Mum’s waiting to chew out
the few bits of my butt I have left after this morning. Can you
look after Cate for me, Jonah?”

“I will happily escort Cate home.” Jonah ran
a hand through his perfectly tousled chocolate locks. “We could
grab a coffee on the way.”

“Umm...sure. That would be cool,” Cate
stammered. “Nice scarf.”

Jonah chuckled, and his beautiful face
relaxed. “I wore it just for you.”

“Cate! Wait up!” Zach pushed his way toward
them.

She groaned. “I can’t be held responsible for
what I’ll do if he doesn’t leave me alone.”

Jonah gave her a rueful smile. “He can be
trying.”

Zach’s eyes flickered toward Jonah as he
spoke to Cate. “I’ll pick you up at six tonight for the monster
trucks.”

“Give me strength! We are done. Do I need to
send you a text? Is that the only form of communication you accept
now?”

“All right.” Jonah’s quiet voice demanded
they listen. “Zach, go home.”

“But...” Zach’s face was pinched and
drawn.

“Do as I say.” Menace shimmered from every
word as it left Jonah’s mouth.

Zach’s mouth moved but no words came out.
“Fine!” he said after a few moments. “But you are
not
the boss of me,” he mumbled and huffed down the
corridor.

“Are
you the boss of
him?”

“We both report to Mortez, but I’m directly
responsible for Zach. Let me get that.” He took her backpack and
waved his arm as if to say “ladies first.”

She hesitated. “If you ordered Zach to stay
away from me, would he have to?”

“Yes.”

“Good to know. Monster trucks!” Cate rolled
her eyes. “I’d like to run over him with a monster truck.”

“I would be completely on board with that.”
Jonah’s eyes sparkled. They didn’t have the mischief in them
Austin’s nearly always had. Jonah was masculine, pretty and
angsty
.

She resisted her strange urge to skip
alongside Jonah. Just barely.

“How was your day?” he said.

She shrugged. “Austin gave me a bit of
background on mutant wizards, and I had a mini breakdown because
all things point to me joining the evil Mortez in the future.”

Jonah quirked his eyebrow.

“No offence.”

“None taken.”

She massaged her temples. “I’m so
confused.”

“Don’t be a victim. You’re in control of your
future. Own your decisions and live with the consequences.”

That was easier said than done.

Everyone was taking advantage of the winter
sun, lounging at the alfresco tables that lined the street. They
remained oblivious to the two mutant wizards strolling along the
path. Either Jonah didn’t see the stares and hear the comments, or
he was excellent at ignoring them.

“Austin wouldn’t tell me why he was back
watching me.”

“That’s because he can’t.”

“Can
you
tell
me?”

Jonah gave her a superior sideways look. “I
may work for a different person, but we’re bound by the same
magic.”

“That sucks!” Her shoes slapped against the
pavement as she slunk along next to Jonah.

“Want to go and bang some drums?” Jonah
pointed to the Neon Posse.

“I’ve never been there. I’m game if you are?”
She hurried across the street and started down the wooden stairs.
The steps vibrated under her feet with every drumbeat. A black
tunnel lined by ghoulish freckles of glowing, fluorescent paint
stretched in front of them.

Jonah grabbed her hand when she hesitated.
“Stay or go?”

She took the last three steps in one leap.
“That’s AC/DC playing. I’m in!” She walked backward, hauling Jonah
with both hands. His smile faded the second before her head cracked
against something hard.

“Sorry. Sorry,” a familiar voice
muttered.

“Eve!” Cate exclaimed as she steadied
herself.

Eve stood wide-eyed, like a startled deer
paralysed
by a
spotlight.

“I thought you were going home. What are
you
doing
here
?”
Cate asked.

“I was...I am...” Eve shook her head and
pressed her fingers to her temples. “I
am
going home.” She waved a silver purse in her hand. “I left this
here last night.”

“You were
here
last
night?”

“I always come here on Thursday night.” Eve
elbowed Cate and smiled. “I have to get going or I’ll be chained to
my bed until I’m fifty. Have fun.” She hurried away.

It didn’t matter what altered time line thing
was going on, Cate would have known if Eve had ever come to the
Neon Posse. She knew everything about Eve. They had no secrets.
“Come on.” She marched into the darkness.

The noise crawled inside her head. A dozen
people dressed in paint-splattered overalls bashed at drums on a
stage. Fluorescent paint misted every time someone pounded a drum,
drops of colour hovering in the air. Some exploded like super slow
motion photography. Paint cascaded onto the drums from an overhead
dispenser.

Clusters of people pressed into the dark
corners. She couldn’t make out any faces, but there was a definite
mind-your-own-business vibe. A brunette in the corner was openly
salivating over Jonah.

“BAR!” Cate pointed toward the far
corner.

Jonah
signalled
the barman for two drinks. Without
discussion, the barman set down two glass pots layered with brown,
white, and green. Jonah gave the barman a twenty. “Keep it,” he
yelled.

“You’ve been here before?” Cate eyed the
drink. Orange bubbles floated through the layers. A small bead of
apprehension lodged in her throat. She was in a strange place, with
a virtual stranger and an unknown drink. Those were some serious
red flags.

“First time.” Jonah downed his drink and
pointed to a makeshift sign tacked behind the bar.

Java shots

Caffeine, wheatgrass, and
chocolate.

Nothing else.

DON’T ASK!

Cate waved at the barman, who slid two more
drinks her way. “No! Come here.” She signalled him to come
over.