Endgame (Book 3)

Chapter 8

"Don't trust this man," Zero said in a far corner of my mind that Cassie and the others couldn't hear. He said it seriously, like he had made the mistake and regretted it.

"I don't."

"Okay, okay, okay," I said, waving my hands in front of me and walking forward to the man. "Before this escalates any further, I want to at least hear you out. So..." I rolled my hand forward, giving him his cue.

He tilted his head upward in a sign of superiority. He was talking to a child, after all. (I wondered if I could be considered an eighteen-year-old in a sixteen-year-old's body, thereby not making me a child.)

He took a moment to decide something, then outstretched his hand for me to shake it.

Honestly, I wanted him to introduce himself as Peter, my fake uncle from the dream world. It made logical sense. I could mark another person off of the 'missing persons list of people I used to know' in my head.

Instead, he said, "I'm the person who's been watching you and your family from the beginning."

I refused to shake his hand, just in case he was a metahuman and had a killer touch or something.

"Um," I said, glancing at Sage. "The beginning...?"

"Since before you were conceived, and Sage was a little girl," he said. He waved at her as he spoke her name with a friendly smile.

"Sorry, I didn't catch your name," I said. Was he trying to distract us? "I should probably know you, but can you refresh me a bit?"

"I never gave it." He sighed, making his intentions clear. "Okay, then. Since you want to get down to business, I'll tell you why I'm here. I need her...and her."

First, he pointed at Ms. Loving, then at Sage.

"Why do you need Sage?" I asked.

"Do you not see what state this city is in?" he said, probably rhetorically.

I didn't defend her, but only because if I had, I would have had to blame Ms. Loving for the whole thing.

"They're both under arrest, and my officers are willing to use force if necessary," he said. "Further action may be taken if necessary."

"Further action sounds fun," I said cheerily. "Why don't we skip to that?"

In one second, I had all the guns in a pile in front of me. Next, I melted them using electricity.

Sierra smirked. Cassie glowered at me.

"You're provoking them," she said.

"Sorry about that," I said. "I just felt the jackass coming on, and I just had to- you know- let it out."

"It's okay," he said, as playfully as I did. He took a couple of steps back. "I have to let something out, too."

He reached behind him and slid open the cargo door. Inside the copter, a humongous roar sprang forth, reminding me of one particular hulking, ugly, spiky monster that just wouldn't stop coming back.

"Check him off my list," I said quietly to myself.

"All of you, get out of here!" I said without turning around. I was all work now, no play. "He's back! It's Meta-!"