Urban Fallout (hold)

(3.2) Starr Boulevard

“I won't tell anyone,” Snow hurried to add on. “None of us will.”

“I know that. It's just... I don't know what I'm doing.”

Saying it now, Jamie could barely stop himself from bursting into tears. The boy had showed him the end of the world, then he'd given him the responsibility of stopping it. Him. What could he do? Jamie felt as if he was drowning, and the only thing saving him from falling off of the deep end completely was the fact that it didn't seem real. He'd been so high last night it was possible for him to tell himself he'd just imagined it all. But here Snow was, shattering that little fantasy.

“What if I'm the wrong person.” Jamie cradled his head in his hands. “I don't know how to do whatever it is he wants me to do.”

Jamie's bright red hair bunched around his fingers, and he rocked back and forth a little. Snow slid an arm around him, letting her cheek fall between his shoulder blades.

“I've seen you do it Jamie. Unbelievable as it is, you are who that boy was looking for.”

Jamie clutched his head even tighter.

“But you don't have to do this alone. The three of us are just as much a part of this as you are. And we can do it together.”

“No we can't.” Jamie removed Snow's arm from around him, letting his head fall back against the couch. “What in the world makes you think that we're going to be able to do this?” he asked. “Whatever 'this' is.”

“Come on.” She elbowed him. “Yes we can. We're special, Jamie. We've been chosen for this... for this... quest!”

“It's not a game!” He rounded on her. “This isn't a game. Not anymore. When we were in that place, that place of ruins, I felt something.”

“What?” Snow couldn't help but get excited, thinking about Jamie's power.

“I don't know.” He cradled his head in his hands again. “I don't know, but it scared me.”

There was a muffled sound from the other room. They'd woken Lance.

They managed to get out of the house without Lance's parents seeing Snow. It was pretty easy actually. No one was awake when they went upstairs. Lance left a note, saying they'd gone out for breakfast.

“They're going to think something's up,” Lance said, as he locked his front door with the push of a button.

“Why?” Snow pulled the next door open.

“The fact that we're up before twelve.”

They laughed.

The air still held the morning chill, at eight o'clock. The courtyard of Lance's apartments was completely empty, but out on the road there was already a fair deal of traffic. The group figured they actually would get breakfast, as they all tried to get a hold of Yamir.

“Maybe I should call him,” Lance suggested.

Jamie and Snow had already tried what—collectively—had to have been more than five times, but they did not object.

The three of them went to a little brunch place that served a massive plate of eggs, and the other breakfast essentials, for only seven bucks. They all ordered without looking at the menu.

Snow checker her phone.

“Anything?” Lance asked.

She shook her head.

They ate greedily, Jamie surprising them all by taking his coffee black. His exhaustion had just began to rear its ugly head, and he refused to allow it to consume him. He'd drink coffee until it burned a hole through his stomach. All three of them were burnt out, and they fell into a comfortable silence as they ate, staring, dead eyed, down into their food.