I know this is a really short chapter, but the next one is really long, and Adam's being a butthead and not letting me post them together!
Seriously!
This is my story, right? Well, mine and Aiyana's.
So I should be the one to say when it gets posted.
Right?
Logical?
But no, he won't allow it!
Ah, well. Just wait. One of these days he'll go away on a vacation and I'll show him!
In the meantime, enjoy!
Chapter 24: Dr. Heckyl and Mr. Jive
“That was surprisingly easy,” admired Derek.
“I know,” agreed Cass. “I didn’t think we’d get through the border that quickly.”
“So, time to fess up,” Derek continued.
“Oh,” said Cass.
“Damn right. Did I complain when you bundled me into this ancient, petrol-powered heap? No. All I asked is that you tell me what was going on, and you said you wouldn’t until we were in Texas.” He gestured to the terrain speeding past. “We’re in Texas. Time to talk.”
“I don’t know –” started Cass.
“A deal’s a deal,” insisted Derek. “Talk.”
“I was going to say, I don’t know where to start,” Cass spat back. “It’s…complicated.”
“Then tell me the simple version, if there is one, and if I’m confused, I’ll ask questions.”
“I might not be able to answer them,” countered Cass.
“Fine, whatever. Just talk, okay?”
Ten minutes and forty kilometers later, she said, “And they’ll meet us tonight.”
“I wish you hadn’t taken my comm,” said Derek.
“Huh?” Cass was thrown off by the apparent non sequitur.
“Well, if Kendra is heading into HLC, I would have liked to give her a better goodbye than the one at the house.”
“I would have too,” agreed Cass.
“And you’re sure that there’s no comm in this car?”
Cass laughed. She hadn’t told Derek about the remarkable capabilities Kendra had fitted into the Veyron. Aiyana wasn’t sure why. Maybe because the car was Kendra’s, not hers, and she didn’t want to spoil the surprise. Or perhaps it was the disdain Derek tried to hide for the old car. In any case, he didn’t know most of the car’s abilities.
“No, no comm. I have the burner code, but we’ll have to pick up a burner of our own between here and Houston.”
“Why don’t we do that now?” asked Derek, reasonably. “You’ve been driving for a while, with just the one stop. Don’t you need a break?”
Cass considered it. She wasn’t used to driving, though the Bugatti was surprisingly easy to handle. And Derek, well, he was almost as bad as Kendra about waiting. This might be his way of helping. All these thoughts flashed through her mind.
“Maybe,” she finally agreed. “But we can’t take long.”
“No,” said Derek definitely. “We can’t.”
In a few kilometers, they pulled off and found a roadside shop that looked promising. “May as well fill up,” said Cass. “At these speeds, we only have about ninety minutes of fuel when we’re full.”
“I’ll take care of it,” offered Derek. “Show me how?”
Aiyana showed him the routine, Derek complaining, laughingly, about the smell of the hydrocarbons, then she stepped into the store. When she returned, he said, “My turn,” and went in as well.
She was waiting behind the wheel when he reappeared and walked over to her side.
“Hey,” she said. “Wrong side, goofy!”
“No,” he disagreed, reaching in to cup her neck. “It’s the right side.”
She leaned into his hand. “I’ve missed this.”
“Yes, I’m sure you have,” he replied.
She looked up at him, confused.
“Sorry, Cass.” His other hand moved quickly and pressed the injector into her neck. “But I can’t let you ruin everything I’ve worked for.”
“You…you…” Her eyes widened in shock.
“Off you go now.”
Aiyana’s vision went black.
