When All Else Fails (A Push of a Button Novella)

Chapter One

Strong fingers wrapped around his neck and began squeezing. His lungs burned with the lack of oxygen, and he scrabbled at his attacker's hands. The man didn't budge. What now? He was unarmed and couldn't move the wall of muscle on top of him, especially not in his current condition.

The button.

Maybe for once it would be useful? Random was better than nothing. And everyone else on this planet operated under the motto, If all else fails, throw some magic at it. He didn't subscribe to that motto, thanks to a childhood of mishaps with said magic. His button rarely did him any favors, but, hey. A one in a hundred chance to live was better than no chance. He jammed his fingers into it.

For a moment, nothing happened. He choked for air, his fingers falling away from the button. Well, that was that. He stared up at the sky. This was the end, apparently. A black dot swam in the sky overhead. Another spot from the head injury and lack of oxygen? It grew closer and closer in his blurring vision until it clarified. A giant bird swooped down and grabbed his attacker by the head. The man screamed and released him to scrabble at the bird's talons. Blood dripped down the man's face, and the bird released him only to rake at his face with sharp claws.

Sebastian heaved himself to his feet. Pain lanced through his ribs, neck, and hand. But he forced himself to flee toward his family's estate. That bird could disappear any moment, knowing his button. Too randomized to be sure. Best to run while he could. Or limp as fast as possible in his case.

WHEN SEBASTIAN ARRIVED at his mother's front door thirty minutes after he should have, he could barely see straight. His nose had stopped bleeding, at least, but his head wouldn't stop pounding, and he almost wished he had died now. Then again, dying would mean he didn't get the chance to tell Viv that, for once, the button did something useful. The door swung open, and his mother gasped. "Sebastian? What happened to you?"

He tried to crack a grin, though given his battered condition, it probably came off as more of a wince. "I was experimenting with kissing the pavement. She didn't appreciate the attempt very much and gave me a broken nose in return. Last time I try that."

She shook her head. "Get in here, boy. I'll get the doctor. Was it the button again?"

He winced and shuffled inside, clutching his ribs. "No, actually. For once, it wasn't the button. This time, it was a psycho off the streets who tried to kill me."

"What's going on?" Viv's voice drifted around the corner. "Seb—" She rounded the wall blocking their view of each other and cut off, her hand flying to her mouth. "Skies above. Seb, what happened?"

"Vivian," his mother interrupted. "I'm going to grab the holo and get a doctor over here. Help him to the love seat in the sitting room, would you?" She eyed him. "Doesn't look like he can manage the stairs."

He could've kissed her for sparing him any more time standing. Any minute now and he was going to topple.

"Of course." Viv rushed over and put his arm over her shoulders.

"This the only way I can get any kind of attention from you?" He shot Viv a tight smile.

"Of course not, you ninny. I pay plenty of attention to you."

"Just not the date kind. Hey, speaking of..." His head really hurt, but why pass up a good opportunity to remind her? "I'm still holding out for that date. You haven't answered me yet."

She snorted. "Ask me out again, and Dane may add a few more broken ribs. I told you I'd think about it, but you know neither of them want us together."

"Yeah. Remind me why Dane gets to decide who you're with? Last I checked, your father didn't care who you dated." He eased onto the couch with her help. "But if he's going to give me a broken rib, I guess I'll wait until these heal. I'd rather not add to it."

Viv laughed and gave his good shoulder a squeeze. "My father does care who I date. He's warned me away from you because you're bad news, according to him. But don't ask me why."

He groaned. "Bad news? Well, I did kiss the pavement this afternoon. So maybe that's the problem."

"You always joke at all the wrong times, Seb." Her expression turned serious, and she settled on her knees, leaning against the sofa with a sigh. "He thinks you're the reason I don't agree with the regime, and if he had his way, we wouldn't even be around each other. He's afraid that the family name won't be able to protect me for much longer."

That was news. Any desire he'd had to make jokes faded. Her father blamed him for Viv's radical thinking? He might not help, but he certainly wasn't the root. "He thinks your view on life is bad, and it's my fault?" He closed his eyes. "Your old man needs a reality check, no offense. And what do you mean it won't protect you much longer?"

"I can't tell you here." She reached out and twined their fingers together. "Sorry, Seb. If I said yes right now, we'd both end up in trouble. They don't want the match."

"They?"

She just stared at him, and slowly the information made its way through his hazy thoughts. It shouldn't have taken so long to make sense. Did he have a concussion? He frowned then winced as it opened a cut on his forehead he hadn't noticed before.

His best friend sighed and rubbed his good arm, the only part of him that didn't seem to hurt right now. "Just rest and save those jokes for when the doctor knits those broken bones back together."

He opened his eyes and stared at her. "I can't rest. Someone tried to kill me, Viv. That's never happened before."

"We'll figure that out later." She smoothed his hair back and ran her fingers through it.

His headache didn't ease and neither did any of his other pains, but her touch felt soothing, and suddenly things didn't seem quite so bad. "Viv, why would someone want me dead?"

She continued stroking his hair. "Don't worry about it. Not now. Once you're back on your feet, we'll figure this out."

He nodded, but he didn't feel any better. She knew something. They both knew, at the very least, that something was very out of the ordinary. Lots of things had gone wrong in his life with a defective button, and he'd been in quite a few life-threatening situations by accident, but no one had ever tried to kill him. Who wanted him dead, and why? Was it all a misunderstanding, or did they really mean to kill him? If he was the target, life was about to get a whole lot more complicated.