Altruist (The Altruist Series Book 1) (10 page)

Just then, footsteps thunder down the stairs and Cate, Asher and Willa come into view just as Maggie and Emzire reappear. “Katie, you remember Adam and Miranda, don’t you?”

Cate, still weary of Eliath and Shoshanna, immediately walks towards Miranda and wraps her arms around her. “Of course! That ice trick you gave me to break in new shoes has completely changed my life!” Cate laughs and steps back.

“Good!” Miranda smiles as she gazes intently at Shoshanna. “I’m so glad I could be of help.”

Cate glances at Eliath’s hand on Shoshanna’s arm, her expression is that of surprise, confusion and worry. “Is everything okay?” she asks.

A brief moment passes, though painfully slow, before Adam breaks the silence, “Everything is fine, Katie. More importantly though, how are you doing? Your parents said you haven’t been feeling well, you’re doing better now, yes?”

“Yes, much better. Almost ready to head back to school.” Cate smiles.

Asher kicks is shoes together and with as much sarcasm as he can muster, he muffles, “Yeah, I’m not.” At this the room laughs slightly. “Well we spent all of break in that musty attic!” he adds.

“What were you guys doing up there? I’ve been up there plenty of times and there is absolutely nothing of interest,” Emzire says through laughter and embarrassment.

“You’re right about that one, Mr. Quill!” Willa exclaims. “No, but we did find this cool book up there—” She starts but is interrupted by Cate and Asher’s glares.

“Book?” Miranda inquires. “Anything decent? I love reading old books.”

“I’m not sure,” Cate says disappointedly. “We haven’t been able to read the text. It’s just a bunch of meaningless symbols in no particular order.”

“I see…” Adam says. “Well that’s just too bad.” His attempt at mimicking a somber mood is slightly off and Cate clears her throat on nervous instinct. “When you are feeling better, our son Dante is still interested in getting together with you. It would be a huge help to us if you wouldn’t mind showing him around sometime.”

Without giving Cate time to agree, Miranda takes a small card from her purse and quickly jots a few lines on the back, then hands it over to Cate. “That’s our address, feel free to drop by any time. We’d love to have you.” She smiles. It’s cheap and plastic and Shoshanna hopes that Cate is smart enough to realize it.

Eliath, noticing that Shoshanna is at her breaking point with this façade, gestures to shake Emzire’s hand. “We better be off, but I do hope you’ll accept our invitation for next weekend?”

“Yes, of course,” Emzire affirms. “We’ll be there.” At this Eliath and Shoshanna see themselves out and close the front door behind them.

“Shoshanna, breathe. You have to relax.”

“I want them away from her, I want them away from her now,” she pleads in anger as a tear of pure frustration trickles down her face. Eliath wipes it away with his thumb and forces her to return his stare.

“They’re getting desperate Shoshanna. There is no way he would send them, third tier captains, if he weren’t getting nervous. That,” he pauses, “what they’re doing in there, is purely tactical scouting, nothing more. They ARE planning something, but it’s not tonight.” He takes her hand. “We will make our move tomorrow.”

Chapter 10

Monday comes and I pass from class to class barely aware of my body’s autopilot movements. A nagging flow of questions floods my mind and all I can think is,
I need answers.
Thankfully class is near its end and as soon as the bell rings, I grab my books and head to my locker. Hurriedly spinning the numbered ring, I hear the clicks to freedom, 23,
Student Ambassadors is going to have to wait today
, 13,
I have to get over to Abel’s house and speak with them
, 7, CLICK. I place my books but before I can lock them inside, I hear an unfamiliar voice.

“Lucky number 19.” I turn and see a tall, slender boy, with flawless skin and fiery auburn hair adorning his head. “Your locker number, lucky number 19,” he reiterates.

“I wasn’t aware that 19 is a lucky number,” I say with a sigh. If this is his attempt at getting to know me, I don’t have the time or patience today.

“It’s my lucky number,” he says, smiling.

“You’re Dante, right? Adam and Miranda’s kid?” I’m hoping to cut his flirtation short and help him get to the point.

“Yeah, I see my reputation precedes me.” His cocky tone confirms my assumption.

“Your red hair is a dead giveaway. You look exactly like your parents.”

“Ouch, that’s not exactly what a guy hopes to hear.”

“I don’t know, if your parents are good looking then I guess it isn’t a bad thing to hear at all.” I give in to the conversation for a brief moment before realizing that I don’t have time for this.

“So you’re saying my parents are good looking?” he laughs. His playfulness would be a welcome change had I not already had so much on my mind.

“No, I’m not saying that, that would be a weird thing to say about anyone’s parents.” I close my locker and begin to walk away, hoping that he’ll catch on. My hint fails and he follows anyway.

“I was wondering if you wanted to go get something to eat and hang out for a bit today.” His tone is a bit too pleading and I find myself wondering if this kid has any friends. I almost wish I didn’t have anything to do today.

“Oh, I’d love to but I can’t today. I have a Student Ambassadors meeting and I have to make sure to catch a ride home with my friend, Asher. The meeting won’t let out until around 7 and then I have to get home to work on an English project.” My reason for refusal is probably more than he needed to hear but I’m hoping he sees that my apology for not being able to join him is sincere, since I think it almost is actually sincere. Getting away from everything would have been nice for a day but for whatever reason my desire to speak to Abel is greater than my desire to run away from the situation.

“No problem. Hey, maybe some other time, yeah?”

“Sure.” I shrug and he promptly turns down a side hall. As I watch him walk away for a brief second, I notice how firm his posture is. It’s a strange thing to recognize but among the masses of slumped over adolescents beside him, it’s easy to see.

Suddenly, I feel a tug on my backpack followed by an exhausted Asher’s tired voice. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you! Student Ambassadors has been moved to Mr. Mendel’s room.”

“Yeah, about that, I’m not going.” Asher appears utterly puzzled, knowing how my dad’s been on my case about extracurriculars all term. “I need to go see Abel. I know you will understand why this is more important. Will you cover for me?” I ramble, walking towards the blue double-doors ahead.

“Yeah, okay. Do you want me to go with you?” Asher’s offer is genuine and though I want to shout ‘yes’, I know it’s something I need to do on my own.

“I’ll be okay, just tell Mr. Mendel that I wasn’t feeling well or something.” I press my body against the metal bar that opens the buildings door and without looking back, shout, “Thanks Asher, I owe ya!”

These days running ignites a feeling within my bones unlike anything I’ve ever felt before. The hill that Abel’s home sits atop is about 10 miles from school and by the time I reach the path leading to his door, I realize it’s not only the first time I’ve stopped but that it’s also only been 24 minutes since I’ve left the school parking lot.
That can’t be right, my watch must be off
. Cautiously I knock on the red door, still unsure about whether or not I should be here. Silence.
Maybe he’s not home yet
.

Turning, I begin to walk away from the quiet home, but then I remember how Eliath and Shoshanna seemed to have absolutely no issue coming over to my house the other night and suddenly I find some much needed boldness. Marching back to the red door, I pound my fist ferociously against the knotted wood. As my arm comes down over and over again, my head leans against the door as well. It’s not until I feel wetness on my cheeks that I realize I am crying.
Why am I crying? I need to know what is happening, please someone tell me what is happening to me, PLEASE!
Answer this damn door and tell me!
My foot starts finding a place near the bottom of the entrance as well and upon the third kick, it suddenly opens and Eliath catches me as the weight intended for the door hits him instead.

“What’s wrong, Cate? Are you alright?” His tone is calm but I find it more irritating than if he were angry with me for what I said to him the last time I was here. I want to yell and scream and demand that he tells me everything he knows but before I ever get the chance, the blackness comes, and I am somewhere else.

###

“Catherine? Catherine, wake up. They’re coming.” I open my eyes to see the face of the boy who has become my everything, the only person I trust with my life. “Catherine, they’re nearly here, you need to go with Theo and Linc. They’ll take you away from this place.” His voice is crisp and I want to stay here and hang onto his words forever but before I get the chance to linger I feel my body being lifted. I am light in these arms. “I won’t see you again until Aliah has fallen. Stay safe, I love you.”

###

“Cate? Cate, dear.” My ears awake from the grogginess of unconsciousness before my eyes. Blinking to sync the pair of senses, a jolt of panic races up my spine and I begin to shift my weight upwards. “Calm down, Cate, you’re safe. Eliath and I are right here next to you.”

Suddenly, I remember not only where I am, but more importantly, why I am here. Again, I begin to shift, trying to force myself into alertness, though tiredness soon runs over me and I sink into the sofa again. My intention for this visit was not friendly, though lying here now, in the one place I should feel tense, I am strangely at ease. Shoshanna’s words begin to ring true and I do feel safe. I find the energy to muster, “Who are you? And don’t tell me what you’ve told everyone since stepping into this town. Tell me who you are, really.” My sight focuses on the seriousness in their eyes and I know they know what I’m getting at, the answers I am so utterly craving.

Shoshanna drapes one arm around my shoulders and with the other she helps raise my torso so that I am once again at one with gravity and sitting upright. She then settles against the cushions to my left. Eliath is at home in the white leather chair opposite me. Though he hasn’t said a word, I feel the cogs turning in his mind at whatever it is he is about to tell me. After months of questions, here I am, finally about to be shown the blueprint for the puzzle I’ve been desperately trying to piece together.

“Cate,” he begins, his voice is rough yet sincere, as if he is both scared and prepared for the words to come. “What I am about to tell you may prove difficult to grasp, but I promise, every single word of it is not only true but also imperative to your survival, to all of ours. And by the end, you will know in your heart that the unbelievable is real and that everything I have told you is accurate.” My stomach drops and though the anticipation is enough to stop my blood from flowing through my veins, I feel a lump of fear lurch deep within my stomach and I wonder if perhaps I should have never come here at all. My desire to know the truth about myself and these people is overwhelming and I simply nod my head. I feel Shoshanna’s hand, cool and steady, clutch mine as he begins.

“There was a time when all who walked the Earth feared the Heavens. So much so that humanity focused on little more than satisfying their Creator. Their days consisted of worship and sacrifice, adhering to a strict code of laws at all times. And though the world was calm, safe, many of the simple joys that were meant for humanity were soon forgotten. The will to make a life for oneself, to enjoy the freedoms that were promised to them, to make something of the world that was theirs alone, those tendencies where lost. The intentions for the human race had been altered and so in an effort to change the fate of humans, a man was created, though he was so much more than any one man before him. He embodied everything, all of life’s pleasures that had been ignored. A true catalyst of free will whose purpose was to infuse the idea of self-preservation and thus ensure the future of a beloved people. His name was Aliah, and he was blessed with amazing abilities. Armed with the capacity to make other’s feel worthy of something different, something more than what they always thought life to be, hundreds of thousands trekked continents to be near him. However, as years passed, time would prove that the world was too much for Aliah, his freedom shifted into greed and he became without loyalty, corrupting the world while simultaneously being corrupted by it. His ability to comfort and allow others to forget their worries turned into the ability to deceive, to manipulate for his own needs.”