Twenty Four
As we drive away from the flaming house and the mess I created, I’m conscious that it’s my fault those people no longer have a place to live.
It’s my fault if any of the police officers died, and it’s my fault that our old home, and everything we wanted to hold on to, is destroyed with it.
Arielle tosses me the water bottle I’d left in the front seat. It hits my lap harder than it needs to.
“Drink up,” she says. “Get the smoke out of your throat.” She pivots to Fox. “Drive to the fourth nearest dealership. We need to switch cars, and Phil might think to search the car places closest to here. Your vehicle’s too recognizable now.”
“Will do.” He gives a sad sigh.
Ten minutes later, Fox pulls into Mickey’s Dealership. A place that’s open at midnight on Halloween is likely sketchy enough to allow Arielle to ditch the vehicle and pay in cash for another, no questions asked, all while she wears soot-covered couture.
Fox and I wait outside while Arielle speaks with who’s in charge. Fox pats his car. “I’ll come back for you, baby,” he promises.
Next, he turns to me. “You alright?”
“Yes,” I say. “I guess so.” When I find him still looking at me, the truth escapes. “I think I need sleep and time to let this sink in.”
“You and me both,” Fox agrees. “In case you care, I figured it out.”
“Figured what out?”
He gives a dismissive wave. “About Bridges being evil and Arielle protecting you. She set you up to find her, right? Here we are, arsonists and abettors. Regular outlaws. Fascinating stuff to be caught up in.”
“Totally,” I say when I can manage to. What would Fox say if he knew Phil has powers? Would he still think it’s fascinating?
“I won’t ask how your house blew up,” Fox adds, stretching his arms behind him. “Plausible deniability and all.”
“Right.” My stamina still hasn’t recovered from the explosion, and I lean against the car for support.
Fox gives me a nudge. “Chill. It was a joke. Looks like someone needs to sleep.” When I don’t respond, Fox replies, “Brynn will be happy to see you both. And Jamie never shuts up about you.” He smirks. “This will be fun.”
“Your little brother does not have a crush on me.”
“You’re mad because he’s the first person who ever did.” Fox reaches for my elbow and puts his other arm around my waist to support me. We hobble to where Arielle negotiates with a yawning woman.
“Just when I was warming up to you, Fox.”
“Get real, Madeline. You’ve been warming up to me all night.”
His statement makes my heart drop as I remember the reason I’m even with Fox: Dark Static wouldn’t have me, in more ways than one.
I suppose this officially rules out Fox as a candidate for Dark Static.
Which leaves Aaron as my single remaining guess, unless I can find more options.
“ I wouldn’t be sure that you know my real identity.
I can’t say if you’ve ever met him” Dark Static once said, and perhaps he was telling the truth.
Fox halts when Arielle tosses him a set of keys. He hands me over and ventures into the parking lot to find his new toy. “NO FREAKING WAY,” he shouts when he finds it. Guess he likes it.
“How come you’ve never bought me a car?” I ask Arielle while we wait for him to pick us up.
“If buying you things would make up for the last three years, I would buy you a million cars.”
“Couldn’t hurt…”
Arielle laughs brightly, “Alright. I’ll get on it.”
An engine hums as Fox speeds his new and improved car up to us.
Arielle had bought him a completely different vehicle than the one he was driving before.
This one is navy blue, slicker and faster looking, and is likely electric.
Also, it doesn’t stick out like his former SUV had, which is probably what Arielle aimed for the most.
Fox jumps out and holds the door for me, barely containing his excitement.
“I doubt the cops will try to follow us anymore,” he says, sliding back into his driver’s seat.
I settle into the seat behind him and Arielle stares out the passenger side window.
Arielle knows things, and if I had to guess, I’d say Arielle knows more about Capital City’s conspiracies than D.S.
does, like about Phil’s powers. I wonder if she’ll share some extra information with me.
“The only issue is that the police saw you,” adds Arielle. “The ones who might still be alive.”
“Did they?” Fox asks. “Or did they see an SUV with no driver and a license plate covered up with a t-shirt?
“Nice.” Arielle nods. “Good thinking.”
Fox sniffs. “I’m going to miss her so much.”
Our moment is interrupted by a police car pulling up behind us.
“No,” says Arielle. “This is not happening.”
“Don’t worry,” says Fox, meeting my wide eyes in his rearview mirror.
He pulls to the side of the road and Arielle rushes to climb into the backseat, next to me.
We duck beneath the seats, and I hope the windows are tinted enough that the officer won’t be able to see through them.
If she catches us, she’ll turn us over to Phil, and we’d be as good as dead.
“Is something wrong, Officer?” Fox asks when the police officer approaches. She’s breathes hard, as if the reason she’d pulled us over was life or death.
“No, son, your driving is fine,” she says. “I only wanted to ask if you are aware of the lockdown this city is under, effective about an hour ago.”
“Lockdown? No, Officer, I just got out of my friend’s Halloween party.”
“Figured,” says the police officer. “In that case, get home as soon as you can and stay there. No one is permitted to drive anywhere until Mayor Bridges authorizes it.”
“Did something happen?” Fox scratches his head, and I’m impressed at his acting. He almost makes me believe he doesn’t already have the answer to his question.
“City’s started underground testing,” replies the officer, “And the roads won’t be safe for the next few days. Are you in school?”
“Yes, sir.”
“If this lasts until Monday, ride your bike. Now, this time I’m going to let you off with a warning, but if I see you driving out here again, you’ll receive a fine of up to $5,000.”
Fox gives a low whistle. “Thank you,” he says, then adds, “Hey, is it safe for you to be out here?”
Point Fox, I think. Always playing his little games.
“I hope so. It would be ironic if Golden Ace had to come save an officer from an accident I’m supposed to stop, huh?”
Fox chuckles. “Yes,” he says. “Yes, it would.”
The police officer walks to her cruiser and drives away. After counting to fifty, Arielle climbs into the front seat.
No one says it. No one has to. The lockdown isn’t because of “underground” testing—it’s because Phil doesn’t want Arielle or me to leave the city. If we’re forced to ride our bikes around, people can identify us.
On the rest of the drive to Brynn’s, a lightheadedness spreads through my brain, making my limbs and heart slow and heavy. Exhaustion fills my bones. I always feel a little sick in cars, but tonight my carsickness is amplified, probably due to the exertion of escaping the police.
I fixate on the back of Fox’s seat. Magazines of models are stuffed into the front pocket, and I scoff, especially since they had to have come with the car. Truthfully, Fox could date those models if he’d wanted to. Fox Levine, Mr. I-can-do-everything.
I can too. I think. I have superpowers. The next time we swim together, Fox, prepare to eat my bubbles…
My stomach lurches for the umpteenth time that evening. Even when I used my powers to swim the fastest I ever had… Fox could still swim faster.