When I get to school Monday, I thought I’d have to hunt Ameana down, but as it turns out, she’s standing by my locker waiting for me. Miku saw her first. I never told Miku what I did. I don’t think Reese did either.
She turns to me and says, “Hey, I forget to tell Rio something, I’ll be right back.” I look at her. She read the panic in my face.
She hugs me. “She won’t kill you. We need you. She might just maim you,” she jokes. I go from panic to terror. “Emmy, I’m just kidding. Go, get it over with.”
Miku disappears around the corner, and I head towards my locker. I never thought that I would pray for a Runner to interrupt me, but right now, they would be a welcome diversion. I look around, and wouldn’t you know it, not a gun-toting Wall Street guy around anywhere.
“Reese said you wanted to see me,” she says with perfect articulation.
“Yeah, I wanted to talk.”
She looks around and motions for me to follow her. She takes me to an empty classroom.
“Mr. Walt won’t be back for a while, he eats lunch in some café a few blocks away.”
I look at her curiously.
“We had every teacher followed. Rio said they all have souls, but we just wanted to be extra careful.”
“I guess that’s smart.”
“So, what is it you need?”
“I wanted to tell you what I did. I asked Reese not to tell you. I wanted to come to you myself.”
“I’m listening.”
“I kissed Marcus.”
“I see.”
“I’m so, so, sorry. I shouldn’t have done it. It’s just that I was so…. Look, I’m sorry. I just had to tell you.”
“And now you have,” she says plainly as she heads out the door. I stop her.
“Wait, that’s it? You’re not mad at me? You don’t want to kill me or anything?”
“I’d have to get in line now, wouldn’t I?”
“I’m so sorry.”
“Let’s not do this, okay?” She seems removed, like she is watching a movie.
“Please, yell at me. Do something. I totally stepped out of line. I had no right to do what I did. You should … be throwing me across the room or something.”
“I can if you wish.”
“Ameana, please.”
She bites her lip and closes her eyes. She’s trying to calm herself. I can tell. Only she really didn’t get upset, so I don’t understand why she would need calming down.
“I have to go, Emmy. Lunch is almost over. I don’t want to be late for my next class.”
I reach out for her and get a hold of her stylish jacket. “You don’t care about class.”
“No, I care about Marcus,” she snaps.
“I know, I’m so—”
“—sorry. I got that. Can we go now?”
“Yes, I just wanted to tell you the truth,” I say as she heads out the door. She stops dead in her tracks and whips her head to face me. Every single hair falls perfectly into place.
“What do you know about truth? You haven’t told the truth since I met you. You lie to us about not having a secret even after Rio says you do. And now you hunt me down all weekend just so you can lie to me.”
“I’m not lying. I kissed Marcus.”
“I know you did. Did you think he wouldn’t tell me? That’s not what I’m talking about. I’m talking about you standing here telling me that you are sorry you did it. That’s such bull. You have wanted him since the moment you saw him. Now you come and tell me about it? Why? So you can say ‘Hey, I did a bad thing, but I apologized, so I’m a good person?’”
“That’s not why I did it!”
“Then why? So I could absolve you?
“Well, I….”
“You want me to tell you it’s okay that you kissed my boyfriend because I’m an angel and I forgive? Screw you.”
I can’t bring myself to look at her. Her voice trembles with anger.
“I can’t leave you here alone. Let’s go.” With that, I follow her out of the class and into the hallway. We walk down to the cafeteria in silence, just the three of us: me, Ameana and my shame.
“Here, she’s all yours,” Ameana spits as she walks me over to where Miku and Jay are seated. She turns on her heel and storms out of the cafeteria. I sit down and put my head on the table. Jay says, “If you’re gonna piss off an angel, it shouldn’t be the one who can drop you fifty stories without ever touching you.”
Miku chimes in, “Yeah, it should be a weak and ineffective angel like Jay.” I can hear the smile in her voice. It’s not helping.
Mercifully, the school day ends. I have no idea what I learned. Classes had become a series of long drawn-out sessions of Charlie Brown-like speeches. Anyway, none of it would matter if we didn’t make any headway in finding Julian.
As I walk to my locker, I thought I would see Ameana again. But when I get to my locker there is someone waiting for me.
“Hey, Sara.”
“Hey, I’ve been calling you all weekend.”
“Yeah, I had my cell phone off.”
“You finally get a phone and you keep it off all weekend?”
“Well, I was kind of busy.”
“Busy doing what?”
Kissing other girls’ boyfriends….
“I had to help my mom out with a few things,” I lie.
“Well, I got your message, and I thought we could hang out tonight.”
I am about to say no as a habit, but then I reconsider. I should give Ameana some space. Marcus is avoiding me, so I should make that easier for him by not being around.
“You know what? Let’s do it. What time?”
“How about seven? We could go see the new Taylor Lautner movie. I heard he has his shirt off in like three scenes.”
“I’m there.”
“And I can tell you all about Jack.”
Great, I get to hear about her new boyfriend. Then when it comes time for me to talk about my love life, I can change the topic onto more pleasant things, like war and famine.
At that moment I was going to back out, but looking at the excitement in her eyes, I knew I had to go with her. And it wouldn’t kill me to be a better friend.
“Let’s meet in front of the McDonald’s on 42nd at seven, okay?” Sara says eagerly.
“Sure, sounds good.”
“And you can tell me about Jay and the other guys you hang out with now.”
I know she’s thinking about one person in particular.
“The gorgeous one, Marcus. The new senior, hello?”
“Oh, him.”
“Yeah, he was seeing a girl in his history class.”
“Wait, what do you mean ‘was’?”
“I saw them in the hallway having a huge argument. I think it’s over now.”
“When did you see them?”
“It was sometime after lunch. She really seemed mad.”
“What did they say?”
“I had already been late for gym twice last week, so I couldn’t stop and listen, but I heard her say something like, ‘It’s not sage.’”
“What does that mean?”
“Maybe I heard wrong. All I know is that they weren’t sitting together in class.”
“We don’t have classes with seniors, how do you know?”
“Joy told me. She’s in their history class.”
“Oh, no.”
“What? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, I just forgot I need to take care of something. I gotta go.” I sprint down the hallway.
“Don’t forget about tonight,” she shouts.
“I won’t, promise.” I run as fast as I can to find Marcus.
I literally run into Jay first. “Hey, baby girl, slow down.”
“Sorry.” I’m out of breath. He gives me a moment. “What is it?”
“I have to find Marcus.”
“This weekend with him wasn’t enough?” I look at Jay, shocked.
“C’mon. We’re a group of six angels with powers. And one of us can read guilt a country away,” he says.
“Rio told you?”
“He said your wave changed suddenly. You were feeling an abnormal amount of guilt. And you and Marcus were alone after dinner … .”
“Oh.”
“Not to mention the fact that Ameana is so livid she almost deboned Reese when he Blinked in and made a joke about all the girls lusting after Marcus.”
“I have to find him. It’s all my fault. I don’t want them to break up.”
“Really?”
“Not like this. He didn’t do anything. I was the one who was out of line, not him. I don’t want him to pay for what I did.”
“He can handle hold his own against Ameana.”
“Where is he?”
“He left.”
“Did she go with him?”
“Yeah, I think so. I told Miku I’d take you home.”
“You don’t have to watch me. I’m gonna be around people. I’m going out with Sara.”
“When?”
“Later today.”
“That’s later. Right now, I’m your escort home.”
I look at him, pleading.
“You don’t want to go home do you?” He knows me too well for my comfort.
“No.”
“You want to go find Marcus?”
“I have to make sure they’re okay.”
“That’s the only reason?”
“Yeah, what other reason could there be?”
He raises his eyebrows. I hate him for knowing me so well. “Okay, I’ll take you to the house.”
I give him a quick kiss on the cheek and say, “Thank you.”
When we get to the house, everyone but Marcus and Ameana are there. I ask and they say that they just stepped out. I look at Jay. He shrugs. I tell them I’m gonna take a walk to the park near the house. I ask to do it alone, but they say no. I didn’t think they’d let me, but I had to ask.
Jay is with me as we go down to the park. It was cold but not bitterly, so I could leave my scarf and hat in the house. I step on dead bark that the wind had ripped from the trees and thrown carelessly on the sidewalk. I keep my head down. I count the number of steps it takes to get to the park. Jay can tell that I don’t want to talk. And really, what is there to say?
When we get to the entrance of the community park Jay takes my hand. “Are you sure you just want them to be okay, I mean as a couple?”
“Yes, I told you that. I don’t want them to break up for this. It was my fault.”
“Well, good, then you can stop worrying; it doesn’t look like breaking up is on their agenda.” I follow his gaze to the two figures, kissing in the center of the park. They are flawless in every way.
The tears running down my face are warm. Jay looks at me and says, “C’mon, the cold’s making you cry. We should get you home.”
I agree and take his hand and head home. Once there, I throw my stuff down and run into my room. The cold makes me cry long after I have left it.
A knock on my door wakes me. “Come in.”
My mom comes in and puts the phone to my ear. I’m still out of it. “Who is it?” I ask.
“It’s Sara. She says you’re late to meet her.”
Damn. Sara…movies…better friend….
I take the phone from my mom. “Hello?”
I look around my room. The alarm clock says 7:32 in bright illuminating red. I can’t believe I overslept.
“I’m on my way.”
“Never mind, just forget it,” she says.
“Sara, no. I took a nap and I overslept that’s all. I really want to go.”
“I’m not gonna wait another half an hour for you. We made plans and you stood me up. I didn’t go inside because I was sure you wouldn’t do that to me, but I was wrong.”
“I’ll take a cab and be there in ten minutes. I’ll pay for the movie too. And you don’t have to wait outside. Just go to the café down the street and get some hot chocolate. I’ll come find you.”
“Forget it, I’m going home.”
I try one last thing.
“C’mon, Sara, I’ve been dying to hear about Jack.”
There was a pause. “Well…okay, but hurry up.”
She hangs up. I knew that would do it. A girl can’t resist the chance to talk about her new guy. I am gonna listen to every mushy detail from how they met to their last date. I will be a better friend. I owe her that.
I hop in a cab and head to Times Square. Once there, I enter the café and immediately smell burgers. It makes my stomach growl. I realize then that I haven’t eaten anything all day.
“Emmy, over here,” Sara says calling me over to her table in the corner. I wave at her and head over.
“I’m sorry I made you wait. I was knocked out.” I take a seat across from her.
“It’s okay. I called Jack and told him I was waiting around and he offered to keep me company. Otherwise I would have been waiting all by myself,” she says, digging the knife in playfully.
“I promise you my firstborn if I’m ever late again.”
“That’s nice, but how about a really big tub of popcorn, extra butter?”
“You got it.”
“Anyway, I’m glad we met up. Now you get to meet Jack.”
“Really? Where is he?”
“He’s in the restroom. I can’t wait for you to meet him. He’s so cute and funny.”
“Great. Is he seeing the movie with us?”
“Yeah, there’s one starting in an hour. Jack already got us all tickets. He’s nice like that.”
She is beaming. She’s wearing mascara and a pretty shade of lipstick that I would love to borrow sometime. It’s nice to see her like this. And so what if I have nothing to report in terms of a guy in my life? I’m okay watching her be the focus.
“Before he comes back, let me tell you a little about him,” she insists.
“Okay, I’m ready to hear all about Mr. Wonderful.”
“His name is Jack O’Neal and I think I’m in love with him.”
“Really? I didn’t know you two were that serious.”
“He’s a junior at Claremont high. We met when I was waiting for you to take the bus home.” Her voice reached a fever pitch and I had to squeal right along with her.
“We sat together and talked about school and stuff. He had me laughing the whole way. Then, when it was my stop, he offered to walk me home.”
“Seriously?”
“I told you, he’s really nice like that.”
“Okay, so he walked you home. Then what?”
A male voice answered my question. “Then I asked her out and she said yes. And that’s why I’m the luckiest guy in the world,” Jack says.
I look up and see a tall guy with red, curly hair and green eyes.
He waves at me. “Hey, I’m Jack.”
“Jack, this is my friend Emmy.”
We shake hands. Sara continues, “I was just telling her how we met.”
“Did she tell you that I waited for days to get a chance to go up to her?”
“Wow, that’s impressive,” I say, smiling broadly at Sara.
“I should have gotten you a menu. The service here is kind of slow,” Jack says.
“No, it’s okay. I’ll go get one. You and Emmy sit and talk.”
She jumps up out of her seat and almost floats over to the counter.
“So, Jack, what is it about Sara that attracted you to her?”
“You.”
“No seriously, why did you approach her?”
“Lucy said it was the only way to get to you.”
A pool of ice forms in my stomach. I look in his eyes and the guy who Sara has fallen for is gone. He is still the same, physically, but his eyes are cold and hold no humor. His lips curl with cruelty and disdain. Before I have time to process what’s happening, Sara comes back and sits next to the Runner. I can’t take my eyes off of him. He puts his arm around my friend.
“The waitress is coming,” she says.
“I was just telling Emmy how you’ve been dying for us to meet,” he says with malice.
“Sara, it’s getting late. Maybe I should call it a night. I’ll take you home since I’m the one who made you stay out so late.” I try to sound casual, but my voice cracks.
“What? No, we’re seeing a movie. It’s not that late, Mom,” she mocks.
“No, but we should head to the movie theatre.”
We get our coats. All the while Jack keeps his hand around Sara’s waist. What she takes as a sign of affection, I know to be a threat. If I run, he’s going to kill her. I can’t allow that to happen.
We walk out of the café, and he takes us through the back alleys. When Sara complains, he says he hates crowds and this is a shortcut. She doesn’t like it, but she doesn’t want to appear disagreeable.
The whole time we’re walking, I’m looking for Jay or Reese. Once Rio sees my onyx color wave, they would be the first ones to get to me.
A slew of questions swirl around my head. How could a Runner be so young? How long has he been watching Sara to get to me? Is he taking me to the Akons? Is he taking me to Lucy? What is she going to do to me? Will he let Sara go if I promise not to put up a fight? Where are the Guardians?
We stop two blocks later, behind a back alley with a huge dumpster. It reeks of trash and gutter water. A rat scurries across our path and disappears behind the dumpster. The wind picks up causing Sara to go cozy up closer to the Runner. I cringe when I see how comfortable she is with him.
“Stop right here.” He stops walking.
“What are you talking about?” Sara is upset in addition to being confused.
He turns Sara’s arm until it twists behind her. He holds her in place.
“Stop, Jack. What are you doing? This isn’t funny, let go of me.”
“Sara, it’s gonna be okay. I promise, I won’t let him hurt you,” I reassure her.
She doesn’t understand what’s going on, but it hits her that whatever is happening isn’t good. She panics and tries to fight him off.
“Move, and I’ll break you arm.”
“Jack, you’re really hurting me.”
He takes something out of his pocket that looks like a CD. He throws it at my feet. It’s black and hovers a few feet above the ground in front of me. It grows to the size a large Frisbee. It continues to spin at an unbelievable speed. It sounds like a whip cutting through the air.
“Get on,” he orders.
“What is it?” I ask.
“It’s a Port. You step on it and it takes you straight to Lucy.”
“Let her go first.”
He takes out a knife and puts it by her throat. “I’m not gonna tell you again.”
“Emmy, get on the stupid thing,” Sara sobs.
“How can you do this to her? She’s in love with you.”
“You’re the one who’s gonna make me cut her throat.”
He pierces her skin with the point of his blade. Drops of blood trickle down her pale throat.
“Please, stop. Please,” she sobs frantically.
“Get on.”
“Emmy, help me,” Sara pleads.
I’m trembling. My legs feel like they’ve been filled with lead. My hands are blocks of ice. I can’t take my eyes off Sara. Her face contorts in shock and desperation.
“Get on it, Emmy, please,” she cries.
“You promise you’ll let her go?”
“Just as soon as you step on the Port.”
I go to put my foot up on the Port, when a figure swoops down and takes me into the air.
“No!” I scream.
“It’s okay, I got you.”
I look up and find Marcus’ face looking fearlessly back at me.
Jack is livid and shouts at Marcus from the ground. “You bring her back here, or I’ll cut this girl’s freaking head off and leave it for the rats.”
While he rants and raves, Miku and Rio sneak up on him from either side. Jack sees them and holds Sara as a shield in front of him. He carefully backs himself into the wall so no one will approach him from behind.
“Get any closer and she’s dead. I swear.” His eyes shift back and forth between the twins.
Jay and Reese are on the rooftop above him. Rio points to the center of his chest and beats on it twice. Marcus sees him and grits his teeth. Why doesn’t Jay or Reese just take the Runner down? As if reading my mind, Marcus speaks to me.
“He’s not a Runner. He’s a Pawn. That means he has a soul. We can’t take him.”
“Then take me back down. I’ll trade myself for her,” I shout back at him.
“That can’t happen,” he says.
He addresses Jack. “Let’s work this out, okay? Let Sara go and I will let you walk out of here with the same amount of limbs you came in with,” Marcus offers.
“I’m not leaving here without the girl,” Jack says.
“Not gonna happen,” Marcus states plainly.
Jack looks at his situation and decides to up the ante. He stabs Sara in her side. She lets out a blood-curdling scream that fills the cold night air.
“No!” I scream, almost in unison with her.
Blood soaks through her jacket and spreads quickly. The dark red liquid drips carelessly on to the ground. I lunge toward her but Marcus’ inhuman strength holds me back.
I pull, punch and claw at his grip, but it doesn’t loosen. My body flails in every direction, hysterically. Every inch of me screams to be set free.
I’m several feet in the air, and if Marcus had let me go, I would most likely break something in the fall. But I couldn’t care less. It’s me Jack wants and if that’s the only way to save Sara, I’m willing.
“Emmy, no,” Marcus says.
“You can still help her, Emmy. Don’t let her bleed to death. Come save your friend,” the Pawn calls out to me. “You promised to help her.”
“Let go of me,” I scream and punch Marcus so hard the pain from my almost-healed hand flares up. There’s a dull ache running up my arm. One of my shoes falls off and plunges to the ground. I twist and wriggle myself so hard my shoulder pops out of its socket. The pain is immense but it doesn’t stop me from trying to break free.
“Emmy, no,” Marcus barks as he effortlessly holds me to his chest.
“Let me go.” My whole body trembles. It’s no use. Marcus’ hold on me is unyielding. Jay and Reese don’t yet have an opening to attack the Pawn.
Sara has passed out, her body limp in Jack’s hands. He holds two fingers against the side of her neck to take her pulse.
“She’s still alive, Emmy. But I don’t think she’ll make it unless you help her. I thought you were her friend.”
I look up to face the angel who holds me. There’s no more screaming from me. My voice is nearly gone. I beg him softly as my tears spill over. “Please. Please. Please let me go.” Concern furrows his brow; his eyes are pained as they look back at me. But his grip doesn’t change.
“Oh, well. Guess you don’t care about her after all,” the Pawn says, faking concern for Sara.
He lets her drop, and she hits the ground face up. He holds the knife above her body. “It’s your fault she’s gonna die, Emmy. Remember that,” he says as he plunges the knife into her chest.
I scream helplessly as I watch it happen. Jay and Reese finally have an opening to intercept him. They attack Jack just in time to stop him from striking her. Jay picks him up and throws him across the alley. Reese promptly Blinks him to what I hope is hell.
Finally, the steel arms of the First Guardian loosen around me, but not completely.
“Let me go!”
“Not while we’re still in the air,” Marcus says as he swoops down and places me safely on the ground.
I catapult over to Sara. She’s lying face up, still and soundless. Rio, Jay, and Miku look on as I kneel down beside her.
“Call 911,” I order them. They look at each other. It seems they’re having a conversation I can’t hear. “Call 911. Hurry!”
Jay says my name with care. “Emmy….”
I don’t want him to talk to me. I don’t want to hear what any of them have to say.
I just want them to get help.
“Miku, call someone for me, please?” I beg her. She takes the same tone as Jay.
“Emmy…”
“Please do something,” I beg her.
“She can’t, Emmy,” Marcus says.
“Shut up! She’s okay. She just needs some help. Please, somebody help!”
I shout out to anyone, everyone, in New York City. If the Guardians won’t help, maybe someone else will.
Meanwhile, Rio follows a wave that is invisible to the rest of us. Alarmed, he calls out, “Akons in thirty.”
That’s when I remember the one person that can dispute the lifelessness in her face.
“Rio, what color is she? What is she feeling?” I ask. Just then Reese reappears without the Runner.
“Reese, take Emmy back to the house,” Marcus orders.
“Akons in twenty seconds.”
“What color is she?” I demand.
“Take her home. Now,” Marcus orders Reese. He Blinks next to me and tries to pry me away from Sara’s body.
“No. Leave me alone.”
“Emmy, we can’t fight them with you here, it’s too dangerous. We have to go,” Reese explains.
But I won’t let go of her body. I clutch her close to me. Reese could have pulled me off, but he’s afraid of pulling too hard and hurting me.
“Akons in fifteen.”
Miku asks, “How many?”
“Too many.”
“Rio, what is she feeling?” I rage at him. He finally replies.
“Nothing, she feels nothing.”
I lean over her body. My hand strokes her face. She looks up at me. The girl who couldn’t stop smiling, the girl who found love, lay broken on the ground.
I cry over her body. Wave upon wave of sadness envelops me. I talk to her. “I’m sorry I was late. I’m so sorry.”
“Akons in ten seconds.”
Jay calls out my name as if I can’t hear Rio’s countdown.
“Emmy….”
“I don’t care.”
Reese addresses Marcus, “I can’t Blink more than two people.?