Detonate

Chapter 14

Apparently the whole gang of misfits had decided to come, tripping over themselves trying to get out of the van as soon as it stopped.

“So, couldn’t wait to come crawling back huh? Miss us?” said the blonde brother, Peter.

“Sure, that’s it.” She replied.

“So who’s the mystery guest?”

All six of them had made a semi-circle around her now.

“Peter, cool your jets,” said Melanie. “Are you alright?” She looked pointedly at Kate.

“Yes, I’m fine. This guy pushed passed me in Melbourne, he…” Kate couldn’t think of a nice way to say captured me and dug my grave. “He was there where I was being held. Two big goons were chasing him. We lost them. But he’s pretty banged up.”

“Are you sure you weren’t followed?” Mason interjected.

“I’m sure.”

“That was reckless, what you did.” Kate didn’t know why he was reprimanding her. These kids were the ones who gave her the big spiel about helping others in the first place. It made her angry.

“I don’t even know why I helped him. But I did. Now his cough is starting to scare me. I didn’t know what else to do.”

Melanie looked straight at Elaine. Kate didn’t know what that look meant, but Elaine’s face turned red and she avoided Mel’s gaze. Turning back to Kate, Mel just asked where he was.

“Just down there.” Kate gestured towards the path just as Toby started to walk towards them. He had a sideward smile and looked at them all sheepishly.

“Hi,” he managed to say before all hell broke loose.

Everyone in the Scooby squad just started talking at once.

“What? No way-

“Nu-uh, not after-

“Hell no-

“Why him, he-

“Enough!”

Only Melanie tried to calm them all down. Mason just shook his head.

“Mel, I don’t want him here,” he said to her.

“You know I couldn’t get through to check this out. I’ll just call back in a bit and see what he says.” Kate had no idea who they were talking about. She was just going to ask when Mel cut her off.

“What’s your name?” she said sternly.

“Toby,” he couldn’t meet her eye exactly, and was looking somewhere to the left of her ear.

 “I think the last time we met you gave me this.” She lifted he fringe to show a straight scar just below her hair line. “Why should we trust you?”

“I’m really sorry about your head. Maybe this was a bad idea. I’ll go.”

Kate was at a loss.

“Wait,” said Melanie.

“Mel, let him go,” Mason urged.

“Mace, we need all the heads we can get.” She said tenderly back to him. Kate felt like she was intruding on a private moment. Mason, paused to consider it, and then turned towards Toby.

“Would you consent to Annie reading you?”

Toby’s body said no, but his mouth made the word ‘yes’.

“See what you can find,” Mel said to the group. “I have to make a call.” And with that she turned her back to them and pulled out her mobile, holding it tightly to her ear.