OHMYGOD, OHMYGOD!!! I DO NOT own TDI or the TDI characters! OH. MY. GOD! So tense!
"Holy shit!" I screamed, everybody in the room cringing. My hands started shaking and it was hard typing back. Don't touch him. I'll do whatever you want. Just don't hurt him.
Good girl, the mystery man replied. Just meet me behind... He typed an address ...in Arizona and we can make this a party.
Screw you.
No lip or I kill him.
My lips started to quiver, and tears were building up in the brims of my eyes. I gulped, then replied, What time should I be there?
1:00.
You realize I can beat your ass into a quivering puddle of crap, right?
Don't worry your pretty little head, Princess. I'll come prepared.
You better. He didn't reply after that, so I jumped out of my chair and started screaming. "They're gonna kill Duncan! They're in Arizona! How am I gonna get there that fast?! They wanna kill me! I–"
"Courtney!" Sheri shook my shoulders. "What's happening?"
My breaths were getting shorter and shorter. "Someone's kidnapped Duncan, and they said that if I didn't meet them soon, they'd kill him!"
Everybody gasped and started yelling.
"My poor baby!"
"He's gonna die!"
"Oh, crap!"
Then the phone beeped again, making everybody shut up. I snatched it up and read the new text, sitting back down.
I'll be sending my new agent, D. You'll be dead in a heartbeat.
I gulped and closed the phone. New agent D? What's that supposed to mean? I glanced up at everybody. They were all shocked and scared, for Duncan and me. I stood and crushed myself into Sheri. What was I going to do? How am I going to get to Arizona, kick these guys' butts and save Duncan? Was I going to get there in time? How tough were this guy's "agents", or whatever? I'm only one super-powered teen. How could I stop them myself? Then, a random thought popped into my head. I knew one other super, but I couldn't possibly ask him to help. He was my friend, and friends don't ask each other to die with them. But then I started thinking...what if Chaz wanted to die with me? He loved a thrill, and was always up for a challenge.
I quickly pulled away from Sheri and lunged for my phone again, frantically scrolling through the caller ID to find Chaz's number. I hadn't spoken to him in six months, so I was hoping he hadn't moved. He actually lived in Arizona, close to the border to Utah. I pressed the green call button and waited anxiously for him to pick up.
I heard a very sleepy, drawn-out yawn, and then an equally sleepy voice said, "Yello?"
"Chaz! Are you awake?" I barked.
He sniffed and didn't say anything for a second. "Well, now, but can I ask who's calling?"
"It's me, Chaz. Courtney."
It sounded like he was scratching his face. Typical, annoying Chaz. Might be a nice friend for Duncan if he gets out of there alive. "Hmm. I know a lot of Courtneys. Might have to jog my memory, sweetheart."
I rolled my eyes. "You know..." I lowered my voice, embarrassed. "...the Courtney with the fire fists."
"Oh!" he chorused. "Courtney, babe! How long's it been, four, five months?"
"Six months, three days, actually," I said. "But nevermind that. I'm gonna ask you to do something that a normal friend wouldn't ask anybody to do."
"We aren't exactly normal," he pointed out. Even over the phone I could imagine the cute expression he was wearing on his face right now. Probably a smirk, wrinkles at the corners of his ooey-gooey chocolate eyes as he smiled. And his brown/blonde hair it probably still shaggy like I remembered it.
I nodded while Duncan's family watched me anxiously. "I know, but listen. My boyfriend disappeared a couple days ago, and we didn't think anything of it, 'cause...well 'cause he's a badass."
He laughed, trying to hold it back but had no success. "Wow, Miss CIT, ruler of the world, dating a badass? Nah."
"Shut up and pay attention!" I snapped. "I just got a text from his number from this mystery guy. He has him, and's threatening to kill him if I don't show up. He wants me to meet him in Arizona to try and save him..." I trailed off, not being able to help the couple lone tears that ran down my cheeks.
"No, no, no, Courtney," Chaz soothed when I sobbed once. "Don't cry. So what yer saying is...you need help?"
I nodded though he couldn't see me, just choking out a "Yeah" as I wiped my eyes. I sniffed, and continued. "The guy says he's got people who can kill me 'in a heartbeat'. Special agents and other supers and stuff."
"Where are you?" he asked.
"I'm at my boyfriend's house with his family."
"And yer just talkin' about powers like it's no big deal?" he said incredulously. "Are they retarded?"
Ol' Chaz could always put a smile on my face. That's one of the things I love about him. I grinned, saying, "No. I kinda...let loose a half hour ago. Lost control..."
"Typical, typical, typical," he muttered sarcastically.
If he were here I so would've punched him in the shoulder. "Sooo...can you do it?" I hated asking. But what else was I supposed to do? Leave Duncan to die, or go fight for him and die alone?
"Ya think my powers'll be useful?"
I scoffed. "Hell yes, they'll be useful. You're like one of the most powerful, in-control supers in the world. Having you fight with me would be an honor."
"Hmm." He thought for a second. "Okay, I'll do it."
"Oh my god, Chaz, thank you so so so so much! You don't know what I'd do without you! You're the best friend, ever! Thank you so much!" I kept on thanking and thanking him, and we made plans to meet in Phoenix.
"Oh, and Courtney?" he asked right before I hung up.
"Yeah?"
"Can I bring couple friends?"
I grinned again. "The more the merrier. Make sure they see that dying may be a result, here." I didn't wanna have to involve many more of our kind, but if they volunteered...
"Great!" he said enthusiastically. "Meet ya there."
"Great," I copied. "Bye. I'll see–"
"And Court?" he interrupted.
I sighed, though I didn't have any right being impatient with him. He was risking his life to save my boyfriend, after all. "Yeah, Chaz?"
He paused for a moment, and eventually said, "Love you."
That took me by surprise. Where had that come from? We haven't seen each other in six months, dated in twenty-three, and he says he loves me? "I, um, love you, too, Chazzie." Why not return the gesture? It's just...friend love.
He chuckled. "See ya then, babe. Oh, and happy birthday." The line went dead, so I hung up my phone. Was it the twelfth already? My god.
I glanced back up, and gasped when I saw the four sets of eyes on me. I had pretty much forgotten they were waiting for some kind of relief.
"Well?" Will demanded. "What're you gonna do?"
I was a little insulted. Just because I'm the one with the super-powers, I have to go rescue the dude in distress. I gave them all small smiles. "My friend, Chaz and his friends are going to try and help me save Duncan."
They all exchanged looks, nodding, then looked back to me when I continued. "We're going to meet in Phoenix then go on our rendezvous."
"Are they, uh..." Will looked for the right word or way to phrase it. "...gifted...like you?"
I nodded and shoved my phone back in my purse, also wrapping up a couple of those Choco-Raisin cookies in a napkin and shoving them in there. I didn't care if they made the inside crumby. I'd wash it later.
"What can they do?" Josh said with an easy grin on his face. I felt bad for Will and Sheri. All their sons could think about was the powers they wished they had. Honestly, sometimes it's just easier being normal.
"Oh, yeah!" Seth agreed. "Do they have fire powers?"
I shook my head as I retied my sandal straps. "I don't know."
Sheri was sobbing silently, just the intake of breath making a sound. I stood with my purse on my shoulder, and embraced Sheri in another giant hug. "It's gonna be okay, Sheri. Don't worry. It's gonna be okay."
She squeezed me and said, "It's more you I'm concerned about," she cried, pushing harder into me.
I frowned, burying my face into her shoulder. What would happen if I couldn't get Duncan out? I would be letting his whole family down. All of the sudden, a random thought popped into my head. Where's Dana? It seemed weird for her to leave before all the drama started like that. Duncan did always say she was a drama queen. Of course, he said I was, too.
I said goodbye to the Michaels, jumping back into my mom's car speeding home. Okay, I actually sped this time. I didn't care which cops saw or how many tickets I got. I needed to get home asap and pack. I flew past stop signs, not even bothering to check if there were any oncoming cars. I wouldn't get that scraped up, anyway. It would delay me, though, so I should stop being stupid and be safe.
When I pulled into my driveway, I nearly forgot to put the car in park before jumping out and running inside. But I did, then jumped out and ran inside, leaving the door wide open and flying up the stairs.
"Courtney!" my mom snapped. Daddy was at work, so she had been alone in the house when I blew through. "What in the name of God do you think you're doing, scaring me like that?"
I couldn't say anything to her yet. I'd have to wait till I was fully packed and right by the door. I didn't know if I was saying goodbye or goodbye forever. There was a big difference. I threw open my closet door and whipped out a couple of purple suitcases, tossing a few day's worth of underwear and socks in the bottom of the big one. I grabbed some random jeans and tops, dropping them on top. I guessed I wasn't going to want to lug around the suitcases after a minute, so I put them back, grabbing a big, purple backpack instead. I shoved the clothes in the bottom of the bag, hoping Mom would just stay downstairs and I could sneak past her in a minute. Nope. Guess the universe just didn't want me to win, today.
Mom was charging up the stairs. "Courtney? Courtney Marie Castillo! I demand to know what's going on this instant!"
I tripped over to my door and slammed it, locking the handle just before she turned it. She banged and shouted as I packed the more important things: my grandmother's lucky necklace she had given me right before she died when I was seven, two photos (one of my family and one of Duncan's), and last but not least, the skull Duncan had carved for me on the island. I held it tight for a minute, then set it in the backpack, pushing it to the bottom in between clothes. There was no point packing any weapons, I thought. Not like I had any, anyway. I hesitated with the necklace, deciding to put it on instead of packing it.
"Court-NEEEEY!" Mom screamed, grabbing the knob on my door and shaking it.
I sighed, glancing around my room for the last time. Then I cringed. Hopefully it wasn't going to be the last time. I grasped the doorknob and pulled the door open, Mom falling backwards and hitting her head on the railing near the stairs. I gasped, my hand immediately going to my mouth. "Are you okay?!"
She rubbed the hurt spot angrily, baring her teeth and slowly standing up. She tried to look fierce, but having her be four inches shorter than me wasn't helping. "What...the hell...is going on?!"
I took a deep breath and pushed past her, down the light carpeted stairs. "I have to go."
She chased after me to the first floor. "What?! Where are you going?!"
I shook my head, running into the kitchen and shoving some energy bars into the front pocket of my bag. "I just have to be somewhere."
She scoffed at me, hands on her hips. "You can't just up and leave! You're seventeen years old, and I'm still in charge of what you do. You're staying here!"
I looked up at her and remembered what Chaz had said. My head snapped over to the calendar, and indeed, it was the twelfth. "Not anymore."
She grudgingly followed my gaze, gasping when she saw the date. "Oh, my..."
"I'm eighteen today, and you can't hold me back anymore." I shoved about five bottles of water in the pack, too, barely being able to zip it. I had to leave it a couple inches open.
Mom was staring after me as I ran to the front door, exchanging my wedges for some durable tennies. Then she sprinted up and caught my arm. "Courtney! Please don't leave! At least without telling me where you're going, first!"
I sighed again, standing and pulling her in for a quick hug. "I have to go save someone." I bolted out the front door, sliding over the hood of the car. I ran around the front of the house, relieved that Mom wasn't trying to follow me. I got about fifteen houses away, then called information to get a taxi to drive me to the airport.
When I got there, I went to baggage and gained a funny story to tell my kids someday. They were going through my bag when they found that wooden skull. I just blushed. "My, uh...boyfriend made it for me." They shrugged, continuing to check my stuff. Good thing I hadn't brought any weapons. I hadn't've even thought about the metal detectors here. Oooh. Close one. This was certainly going to be an experience I'd never forget.
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