Industrial Magic
Page 57
Give me your shirts, I said.
They stared at me, uncomprehending. I was about to ask again when I saw the shock in their eyes and realized they hadnt budged since wed begun.
Have you called for help? I said.
Call? Seans voice was distant, confused.
Nine-one-one or whoever. Somebody, anybody, just call!
I have it, Lucas said. Take over here.
We switched places. I put my hands over the boys chest and leaned forward to pump, but his skin was so slick with blood that my hands slid off. I stabilized my balance and pushed his chest, counting fifteen repetitions.
I pinched the boys nose, bent over his mouth, and exhaled twice. Lucas gave instructions to the dispatcher. I pumped the boys chest again. The blood seemed to have stopped flowing. I told myself I was mistaken. I had to be.
As I swiveled back to his mouth, Lucas took over chest compressions. I leaned over the boy. As my lips touched his, something hit me, a full-bodied smack like an airbag going off. For a second, I was airborne. Then I crashed backward to the pavement. Pain ripped the breath from my lungs in a ragged gasp and everything went black for a split second.
I recovered just in time to see a blond man dive at me, face twisted with rage. Before he could reach me, Lucas slammed into him, knocking him to the ground. As I scrambled away, the blond mans hand shot up, fingers outstretched toward me, but Lucas pinned both his arms down, which for a sorcerer was as effective a power-buster as gagging was to a druid. The man struggled but, as he quickly learned, Lucas was a lot stronger than he looked.
My sonshe was
Trying to save his life, Lucas said. Weve called an ambulance. Unless you know CPR, let us
The screech of tires cut him off. An unmarked minivan whipped into the parking lot. Before it even stopped, two paramedics leapt out. I tried to stand, but the force of the blow had set my stomach wound ablaze. Lucas knelt beside me.
Can you get up? he asked.
Im trying, I said. Doesnt look like it, I know, but I am trying.
He put his arms around me and lifted me gingerly. We cant do anything here. Lets get you inside.
As Lucas stooped to put my arm around his neck, I saw the blond man kneeling beside the boy, gripping his hand. The crowd around him parted and Thomas Nast walked through. The old man stopped. He swayed. Two or three men lunged to steady him, but he pushed them away, walked over, looked down at his bloodied grandchild, and dropped his face into his hands.
With the scene unfolding outside, the courthouse was empty and still. Lucas led me to a sofa in a back room and helped me lie down. Once I was comfortable, he slipped out, spell-locking the door behindhim. Moments later, he returned with a paramedic. The man examined me. He found my stitches strained but not burst, and advised bed rest, painkillers, and a formal checkup in the morning.
When the man left, I forced myself to acknowledge the obvious. If the paramedic had time to look after my minor injuries, that could only mean one thing.
He didnt make it, did he? I whispered.
Lucas shook his head.
If wed called sooner
It didnt matter. By the time we got to him, it was already too late.
I thought of the boy. Savannahs cousin. Yet another member of her family shed never met, didnt even know existed. And now, he didnt.
A commotion in the hall cut my thoughts short, the thunder of footsteps and angry voices. Lucas started a lock spell, but before he could finish, the door banged open and Thomas Nast strode through, Sean at his heels, eyes red.
You did this, he said, bearing down on Lucas. Dont tell me you didnt.
Lucass hand shot out and waved a circle as he murmured the words to a barrier spell. Nast hit it and stopped short. Sean caught his grandfathers arm and tugged him back.
He didnt do anything, Granddad, Sean said. We told you that. Lucas was doing CPR on Joey, then had to call for help, so Paige took over.
Nasts face contorted. This witch touched my grandson?
To help him, Sean said. Bryce and I didnt know how. They were there and
Of course they were there. They killed him.
No, Granddad, they didnt. Bryce and I followed them from the courthouse. We were right behind them the whole time. They didnt do anything.
The door opened again and two men came in. The first waved a notepadour notepaddropped in the parking lot.
This is yours, isnt it? he said to Lucas. I saw you writing in it during the trial.
Lucas murmured an affirmation and reached for the pad, but the man snapped it out of his reach. Sean Nast snatched the pad from behind and peered at it, then glanced up at us.
You were preparing an appeal, Sean said. You didnt think Weber did it.
By then all the Cabal CEOs, including Benicio, had crowded into the small room, and Lucas had to admit we had questions about Webers guilt, which led to the obvious question of why no one had been apprised of our suspicions. Lucas would never lower himself to I told you so even when so richly deserved. I might have filled in the blank had Benicio not done so himself. His admission won him no brownie points for honesty, and the other Cabals jumped on him, accusations flying.
They stared at me, uncomprehending. I was about to ask again when I saw the shock in their eyes and realized they hadnt budged since wed begun.
Have you called for help? I said.
Call? Seans voice was distant, confused.
Nine-one-one or whoever. Somebody, anybody, just call!
I have it, Lucas said. Take over here.
We switched places. I put my hands over the boys chest and leaned forward to pump, but his skin was so slick with blood that my hands slid off. I stabilized my balance and pushed his chest, counting fifteen repetitions.
I pinched the boys nose, bent over his mouth, and exhaled twice. Lucas gave instructions to the dispatcher. I pumped the boys chest again. The blood seemed to have stopped flowing. I told myself I was mistaken. I had to be.
As I swiveled back to his mouth, Lucas took over chest compressions. I leaned over the boy. As my lips touched his, something hit me, a full-bodied smack like an airbag going off. For a second, I was airborne. Then I crashed backward to the pavement. Pain ripped the breath from my lungs in a ragged gasp and everything went black for a split second.
I recovered just in time to see a blond man dive at me, face twisted with rage. Before he could reach me, Lucas slammed into him, knocking him to the ground. As I scrambled away, the blond mans hand shot up, fingers outstretched toward me, but Lucas pinned both his arms down, which for a sorcerer was as effective a power-buster as gagging was to a druid. The man struggled but, as he quickly learned, Lucas was a lot stronger than he looked.
My sonshe was
Trying to save his life, Lucas said. Weve called an ambulance. Unless you know CPR, let us
The screech of tires cut him off. An unmarked minivan whipped into the parking lot. Before it even stopped, two paramedics leapt out. I tried to stand, but the force of the blow had set my stomach wound ablaze. Lucas knelt beside me.
Can you get up? he asked.
Im trying, I said. Doesnt look like it, I know, but I am trying.
He put his arms around me and lifted me gingerly. We cant do anything here. Lets get you inside.
As Lucas stooped to put my arm around his neck, I saw the blond man kneeling beside the boy, gripping his hand. The crowd around him parted and Thomas Nast walked through. The old man stopped. He swayed. Two or three men lunged to steady him, but he pushed them away, walked over, looked down at his bloodied grandchild, and dropped his face into his hands.
With the scene unfolding outside, the courthouse was empty and still. Lucas led me to a sofa in a back room and helped me lie down. Once I was comfortable, he slipped out, spell-locking the door behindhim. Moments later, he returned with a paramedic. The man examined me. He found my stitches strained but not burst, and advised bed rest, painkillers, and a formal checkup in the morning.
When the man left, I forced myself to acknowledge the obvious. If the paramedic had time to look after my minor injuries, that could only mean one thing.
He didnt make it, did he? I whispered.
Lucas shook his head.
If wed called sooner
It didnt matter. By the time we got to him, it was already too late.
I thought of the boy. Savannahs cousin. Yet another member of her family shed never met, didnt even know existed. And now, he didnt.
A commotion in the hall cut my thoughts short, the thunder of footsteps and angry voices. Lucas started a lock spell, but before he could finish, the door banged open and Thomas Nast strode through, Sean at his heels, eyes red.
You did this, he said, bearing down on Lucas. Dont tell me you didnt.
Lucass hand shot out and waved a circle as he murmured the words to a barrier spell. Nast hit it and stopped short. Sean caught his grandfathers arm and tugged him back.
He didnt do anything, Granddad, Sean said. We told you that. Lucas was doing CPR on Joey, then had to call for help, so Paige took over.
Nasts face contorted. This witch touched my grandson?
To help him, Sean said. Bryce and I didnt know how. They were there and
Of course they were there. They killed him.
No, Granddad, they didnt. Bryce and I followed them from the courthouse. We were right behind them the whole time. They didnt do anything.
The door opened again and two men came in. The first waved a notepadour notepaddropped in the parking lot.
This is yours, isnt it? he said to Lucas. I saw you writing in it during the trial.
Lucas murmured an affirmation and reached for the pad, but the man snapped it out of his reach. Sean Nast snatched the pad from behind and peered at it, then glanced up at us.
You were preparing an appeal, Sean said. You didnt think Weber did it.
By then all the Cabal CEOs, including Benicio, had crowded into the small room, and Lucas had to admit we had questions about Webers guilt, which led to the obvious question of why no one had been apprised of our suspicions. Lucas would never lower himself to I told you so even when so richly deserved. I might have filled in the blank had Benicio not done so himself. His admission won him no brownie points for honesty, and the other Cabals jumped on him, accusations flying.
