Deep Into the Game (S.W. Tanpepper's GAMELAND, Book 1)

Chapter Seven

Kelly’s clothes have stopped dripping by the time we get back to the car. We stop and wait for him to dump the water out of his shoes and wring his socks and shirt out. While we do, we see the cop from earlier walking past us down below. He’s clearly checking to make sure we’re gone, but he doesn’t look up, so he doesn’t see us.

Micah complains about his seat getting wet, so we just hang around and talk about nothing much while Kelly dries off some more.

“Do you really think we could do it?” Ash asks. “Do you think we could actually get to LI?”

I look out in the direction of Long Island, past the edge of the parking structure, out past the tunnel opening. I can’t actually see it because there’s another building in the way, but I can feel it out there. I shrug. Nobody answers.

Micah and Ash eventually drift away with their heads bent over the tablet. Reggie seems uncomfortable around us, so he trails along after them.

I turn to Kelly and smack him on the arm. “You scared the crap out of me, Kelly Corben.”

He inhales, clears his throat. “I didn’t jump, Jess.”

“What? You fell?”

“I was pushed, Jessie. Somebody pushed me. I’m pretty sure it was Reg.”

“He wouldn’t do something like that!”

“How can you be so sure?”

“He’s your friend, Kelly. Our friend. He’s not—”

Kelly wraps his goose-fleshed arms around me and I squirm from the coldness of his skin and his clamminess, but he holds me ever tighter and won’t let go. “Maybe you’re right,” he says. “Maybe I just slipped.”

But he doesn’t sound at all convinced. He sounds like he’s humoring me. But I’m not amused. I give him another long, hard look.

He closes his eyes and leans his head back against the wall. I want to smack him again, but how can I? Something deep down inside of me knows what he said is possible. He and Reg have always been competitive. Micah’s always been the alpha male in our gamers’ club. The other two accepted that long ago, leaving open the question of who was second.

Boys! I think. Why’d it always have to be about power?

Thankfully, Micah returns a moment later. He asks where Ashley and Reggie are. He’s ready to leave.

“I thought they were with you.”

He shakes his head. We’re all thinking the same thing.

“Idle hands do the devil’s work,” he mutters, rolling his eyes. “I wonder where Reggie’s hands are idling right about now.” He holds them out, illustrating exactly what he means so there’s no question.

“That’s disgusting! We’re in a parking garage.”

He laughs as he opens the car door and leans in to push on the horn. I stifle the urge to tell him to stop. He doesn’t even seem to care that we’re not supposed to be here.

“Ash!” he shouts. His voice echoes in the otherwise empty structure. “Reg! Come on, you pervs. Time to go!”

Two or three minutes later, the pair comes jogging over. Ashley’s face is flushed, and Reggie’s got his usual smile plastered on his face. Before any of us can say anything or tease them, Ash frowns at us and says, “Don’t even think it. We kept our clothes on. We were just doing a little scouting.”

We get back into the car. Kelly sits in the front this time, since he’s still damp and nobody wants to sit next to someone who smells swampy. Ashley gets the hump this time in back, between me and Reg. I sit behind Micah, but I study Reggie’s face for any indication he did what Kelly says he did. But there’s nothing there.