The Calling
Page 33
Okay, I said. I guess I can believe that Nicole doped me, if she just thought it would encourage me to get with Rafe. But killing Serena? Trying to kill me? Over a guy?
Have you forgotten how she acted after the crash? How she ranted about you and Daniel?
Her father had just died.
So it did seem out of character to you. Right? Not a side of Nicole youve ever seen? Well, Ive seen it. I saw it when I first moved in with the Tillsons. She was used to being an only child and all of a sudden, she wasnt. She started stealing things and blaming me. Spiked my orange juice once, hoping Id go to school drunk. I couldnt prove any of it until I found her planting clinic meds in my room. I caught her off guard and she lashed out and it was just the kind of paranoid talk you heard after the crashhow I was stealing her parents, how Id probably killed mine. Ugly, crazy talk. Then, a couple of hours later, she came into my room crying, saying she was stressed out over exams and shed been taking cold medicine and she didnt know what happened to make her act like that, but she was really, really sorry.
And you believed her.
Of course I did. She was totally freaked out. I started thinking she wasnt responsible for the missing stuff, that Id made a mistake about vodka in my OJ. Sure, shed planted the drugs, but you know how stressed she got over exams. Add cold medicine and it could push her over the edge. So I let it go. But Ive caught glimpses of that Nicole a few times since. I dont know whats wrong with her, Maya. Maybe its mental illness. Maybe its whatever drugs they have her on. Maybe its a side effect of the experimental stuff. But shes not stable. Thats why
She took a deep breath. Thats why I didnt want to go back for her. I feel bad about it, but we cant. Shes dangerous.
Kenjii perked up. She looked to the left, then tore off.
Daniels coming, I said. I thought fast. We cant tell him.
He should know.
What? That we suspect Nicole killed Serena? That she tried to kill me? Over him? Shes gone, so Im safe. Hes safe. And if he thinks Serena died because of an accidental drug side effect, then Im going to let him keep thinking that as long as possible.
She paused, then nodded. Okay, youre right.
Daniel appeared, Kenjii at his side. He looked from me to Sam.
All clear, I said. Sam and I were just discussing what her parents told her. About everything.
I looked at Sam. She hesitated, then nodded. Right. You should know, too. Its not much but you should know.
Daniel nodded, then said to me, Did you see anything?
I shook myhead. I could see a lot better from the hilltop. Were still heading in the right direction, but I couldnt spot the road.
Lets keep going then. Sam? Talk and walk.
Sams story was similar to Rafes. Like his mother, her parents had left the experiment. In her case, though, that had always been the plan. Many of the parents hadnt been real couples. To ensure the best results, the scientists had performed in vitro fertilization using men and women who both carried the latent genes. But Sams parents met during the initial screening process, and fell in love. Neither of them had any interest in living as experimental subjectsthey just wanted their child to be a benandanti. So they played along up to the point where Sam was conceived and her DNA was modified to reactivate the gene. Then they bailed.
As Rafes mom and mine found out, though, the St. Clouds werent willing to let them go.
Resurrecting extinct supernatural types isnt a public service, Sam said. The St. Clouds run a business. They hire supernaturals and thats how they get the advantage on human corporations, though they still have to compete with the other Cabals.
Daniel nodded. The guy who left a message on Mina Lees answering machine said something about double-crossing a Cabal and paying the price. So thats what these corporations are called?
Sam didnt respond.
Right, I said. So its a big secret and youre not going to confirm. Now move on.
Theres no secret, I guess, Sam said slowly. Only She turned to face us. You guys probably feel like you got ripped off. Lied to. Betrayed. But Im not sure thats such a bad thing. Imagine being four years old and moving to a new town, being told that now you have a new last name and you cant tell anyone the old one. Then youre five and youre moving again, and you have another name, and the other kids go to school, but you cant. Then youre six and you move, and youre talking to a nice lady at the park and she calls you by your old name and you forget you arent supposed to answer to it. She tries to take you, but your parents stop her, then your dad goes after her, and you arent sure what he did to her, but youre pretty sure it was bad. And that night youre in a hotel, with all your toys left behind, and you hear your mom crying about how they almost lost you, and you know you cant ever, ever slip up again.
She surveyed our faces. Try living like that, and I bet youd become really careful about everything you say, too. I bet youll think that maybe, just maybe, growing up in a nice town, with everything you ever wanted, isnt such a terrible thing. Maybe youll think the lies werent so bad.
Have you forgotten how she acted after the crash? How she ranted about you and Daniel?
Her father had just died.
So it did seem out of character to you. Right? Not a side of Nicole youve ever seen? Well, Ive seen it. I saw it when I first moved in with the Tillsons. She was used to being an only child and all of a sudden, she wasnt. She started stealing things and blaming me. Spiked my orange juice once, hoping Id go to school drunk. I couldnt prove any of it until I found her planting clinic meds in my room. I caught her off guard and she lashed out and it was just the kind of paranoid talk you heard after the crashhow I was stealing her parents, how Id probably killed mine. Ugly, crazy talk. Then, a couple of hours later, she came into my room crying, saying she was stressed out over exams and shed been taking cold medicine and she didnt know what happened to make her act like that, but she was really, really sorry.
And you believed her.
Of course I did. She was totally freaked out. I started thinking she wasnt responsible for the missing stuff, that Id made a mistake about vodka in my OJ. Sure, shed planted the drugs, but you know how stressed she got over exams. Add cold medicine and it could push her over the edge. So I let it go. But Ive caught glimpses of that Nicole a few times since. I dont know whats wrong with her, Maya. Maybe its mental illness. Maybe its whatever drugs they have her on. Maybe its a side effect of the experimental stuff. But shes not stable. Thats why
She took a deep breath. Thats why I didnt want to go back for her. I feel bad about it, but we cant. Shes dangerous.
Kenjii perked up. She looked to the left, then tore off.
Daniels coming, I said. I thought fast. We cant tell him.
He should know.
What? That we suspect Nicole killed Serena? That she tried to kill me? Over him? Shes gone, so Im safe. Hes safe. And if he thinks Serena died because of an accidental drug side effect, then Im going to let him keep thinking that as long as possible.
She paused, then nodded. Okay, youre right.
Daniel appeared, Kenjii at his side. He looked from me to Sam.
All clear, I said. Sam and I were just discussing what her parents told her. About everything.
I looked at Sam. She hesitated, then nodded. Right. You should know, too. Its not much but you should know.
Daniel nodded, then said to me, Did you see anything?
I shook myhead. I could see a lot better from the hilltop. Were still heading in the right direction, but I couldnt spot the road.
Lets keep going then. Sam? Talk and walk.
Sams story was similar to Rafes. Like his mother, her parents had left the experiment. In her case, though, that had always been the plan. Many of the parents hadnt been real couples. To ensure the best results, the scientists had performed in vitro fertilization using men and women who both carried the latent genes. But Sams parents met during the initial screening process, and fell in love. Neither of them had any interest in living as experimental subjectsthey just wanted their child to be a benandanti. So they played along up to the point where Sam was conceived and her DNA was modified to reactivate the gene. Then they bailed.
As Rafes mom and mine found out, though, the St. Clouds werent willing to let them go.
Resurrecting extinct supernatural types isnt a public service, Sam said. The St. Clouds run a business. They hire supernaturals and thats how they get the advantage on human corporations, though they still have to compete with the other Cabals.
Daniel nodded. The guy who left a message on Mina Lees answering machine said something about double-crossing a Cabal and paying the price. So thats what these corporations are called?
Sam didnt respond.
Right, I said. So its a big secret and youre not going to confirm. Now move on.
Theres no secret, I guess, Sam said slowly. Only She turned to face us. You guys probably feel like you got ripped off. Lied to. Betrayed. But Im not sure thats such a bad thing. Imagine being four years old and moving to a new town, being told that now you have a new last name and you cant tell anyone the old one. Then youre five and youre moving again, and you have another name, and the other kids go to school, but you cant. Then youre six and you move, and youre talking to a nice lady at the park and she calls you by your old name and you forget you arent supposed to answer to it. She tries to take you, but your parents stop her, then your dad goes after her, and you arent sure what he did to her, but youre pretty sure it was bad. And that night youre in a hotel, with all your toys left behind, and you hear your mom crying about how they almost lost you, and you know you cant ever, ever slip up again.
She surveyed our faces. Try living like that, and I bet youd become really careful about everything you say, too. I bet youll think that maybe, just maybe, growing up in a nice town, with everything you ever wanted, isnt such a terrible thing. Maybe youll think the lies werent so bad.
