High Place
I felt really bad. Cade was right. Zack deserved our respect and more than that. I, of all people, should know that. How could I have let that slip my mind for even a second?
"She's right." Syl said quietly, voicing my thoughts.
I looked at Krit, hoping that he would agree. I loved Zack and I really liked Krit and I really did not want the two of them at odds.
"I know." Krit said, nodding slowly, "It's just...sometimes...I just can't take it, you know?"
"It's okay, Krit." Syl said.
"If I were Max I would have gotten away with it." Krit snorted, "He always let her get away with anything."
"I wouldn't be so sure about that." I muttered, my thoughts still elsewhere, "But if you had been anyone but you, you might have gotten off easier."
"Oh?" Krit asked.
"Think about it. Do you really think Zack's stupid enough not to notice the two of us?"
Krit stared at me.
"He is going to kill me." Krit stated.
"No, he won't. I won't let him." I said, smiling at him.
"Oh, thank you." Krit said sarcastically.
"Guys. We should probably think of an apology or something for when Zack gets back 'cause we're really gonna get it this time." Syl interrupted.
"We're really, really sorry, please don't kill us?" I offered.
"That's a start." Syl agreed.
***
I exited the building into the slight chill of the night. It made me shiver momentarily. Zack's scent was impossible to follow thanks to his motorcycle.
"Damn." I said out loud to myself.
I would just have to think like Zack. I looked around. The streets were deadly quiet which was rather odd. Then, I saw it...
We had all collapsed, almost as one, onto the ragged sofa in our apartment. Krit, of course, sat in the middle. Syl I exchanged a look, then both sighed and put our heads on each of his shoulders. Krit smiled.
"It's almost creepy when you two do that." he commented.
"We practice." Syl replied.
"It's very difficult." I added.
"I'll bet." Krit said, rolling his eyes, "You know, maybe we won't have to worry about it too much. Maybe Cade will have calmed Zack down enough that he'll only give us a little lecture and then we'll get right down to the problem. It could happen."
"Could. But what are the chances it will? Zack holds a grudge pretty well. And that was a pretty stupid move to pick a fight with him, Krit." Syl said.
"I know, I know. Heat of the moment, what can I say?" Krit sighed.
"It's okay, Krit." Syl repeated.
We exchanged another look.
"We still love you." we said together.
"Alright, stop that." Krit protested, "It's very odd. No more."
"Alright, alright." Syl said, standing up, "Well, if we're all gonna die, then I'm gonna have ice cream before I go."
"You and ice cream." Krit complained.
"You want a spoon or no?" Syl shot back over her shoulder.
"Yes, please!" Krit said quickly.
"Thought so." she said smugly.
***
It took me about twenty minutes to reach the building on foot. It glowed in the dark cityscape, tallest by far, the words DayTechCore Inc. were illuminated in red lights. I noticed a motorcycle parked next to a tree. I had been right, Zack was here. I looked up, sizing the building up. The only obstacle was the guard I could see through the window. He sat at his desk in the lobby, and seemed to be watching TV. I could tell that from his wild arm gestures and from the way he appeared to be talking to his desk. I went about the task of scaling the building...
"They've been gone a long time." I worried out loud, "Cade should have found him by now."
"Calm down. She's probably talking to him somewhere. Or something else." Krit said.
"Or something else." Syl repeated with a snort.
She dipped the spoon in the tub again and carefully stuck a large spoonful of ice cream in her mouth.
"I just don't want anything to happen to him and the last time I saw him we were having a fight." I said.
"It's Zack. Nothing's gonna happen to him." Krit said, then paused.
I could tell he was thinking about how they had almost lost him to Manticore recently. He visibly shook it off and smiled reassuringly at me.
"Don't sweat it." he finished, sitting down on the sofa again and throwing his arm around my shoulders.
I snuggled against him happily.
"Thank you, Krit." I said softly.
"Any time." Krit replied.
"Oh, break it up." Syl complained, raising her spoon into position to throw ice cream at us.
"Don't shoot!" Krit cried.
So, of course, Syl sent ice cream flying at him. It hit him right in the nose.
Krit licked some off.
"Cookies in cream?" he asked.
"Bingo." Syl agreed.
"Lucky for you I like this kind." he replied.
I gave him an accusing look when ice cream dripped off his face and onto my jacket. Before he could reply, a napkin hit him in the face.
"Gee, thanks, Syl." he said sarcastically as he wiped off his face and then wiped off my jacket, "There. All better."
"But now it'll be sticky." I complained.
"Oh, for the love of..." Krit muttered.
He took my arm and licked the spot on my sleeve where the ice cream had been, then he wiped it off again. I gave him a disgusted look.
"Ewww."
"Well, it won't be sticky." he replied.
"But now it's got Krit spit." Syl called, "And that rhymes. Nothing good can come from things that rhyme."
"You stay out of it." Krit replied.
"Don't make me reload, Krit." Syl warned.
"All hail the ice cream queen." Krit joked.
"Don't forget I'm also the queen of Popsicles, Creamsicles, and frozen yogurt." Syl added.
"How could I forget?"
***
It took me a bit to climb the tall building and I was slightly winded by the time I reached the top. Zack's back was to me and I remained silent as I pulled myself onto the building, deciding I would surprise him. I crept up behind him and leaned against his back.
"Boo." I said quietly.
Zack jumped.
"Only you could pull that on me." he complained.
"Thank you." I replied, "Now why are you up here?"
"To think." he replied, turning back to gaze out over the city.
I followed his gaze. I could see why this was a nice place to come think. It almost felt like you were above all the problems.
"About what?" I prompted gently.
"Ty. And Krit." he said, separating them even in his sentences.
"And?"
"I don't like it."
"Well, that's obvious."
"He changed her." Zack continued.
"You changed me. That's not always a bad thing." I replied.
"That's different."
"How? You made me realize I was a person. How can you know that Krit doesn't do that for Ty?"
"Ty knows she's a person."
"Zack, honey, you need to let go."
"No!" Zack was suddenly angry, "I won't. You are all my family and that's all that I have ever had. Nothing can make me let go of that. Nothing."
"Well, at least calm down about it. Don't kill Krit, that's all I'm asking." I said, backing off.
Zack was just going to have to get used to the idea of his sister being with someone in his own time. I couldn't change that, there was no point in trying.
"Zack." I pressed.
"Alright. I won't kill Krit. Just yet." he added when he didn't think I was listening.
"Alright. Now, come on. We have to get back. We still don't know what they called us here for in the first place." I reminded him.
Zack nodded and allowed me to coax him over to the edge of the building. We both climbed down, jumping the last few feet to the ground. I slipped on behind him on the motorcycle and hugged him from behind. He recognized the gesture as more than just a move to keep my balance and gave me an appreciative glance over his
shoulder. I smiled and laid my head against his back as we drove back to the apartment.
It really had been a long time. Over forty minutes now. They should have come back already.
"I need some fresh air." I announced.
"Can I come?" Krit asked quiet enough that even Syl wouldn't hear.
"Yes." I replied, just as quiet.
He followed me out the door and down to the street. With a sigh, I leaned back against the building, breathing in the night air. What was it about night time that made the air different?
"Ty, I don't want to get between you and Zack..." Krit began.
"You're not." I interrupted.
"But..."
"Krit, Zack's my big brother and I will love him until the day I die, but he can't be everything for me." I said.
Krit just stared at me. I closed my eyes so I couldn't see him.
"I don't want to get you in trouble."
I almost smiled.
"Little late." I said.
"I'm serious, Ty. I know how close you two are and I don't want to be the reason for you not being that close anymore." Krit insisted, "Zack's an asshole, sure, but he's your brother. And he's our C.O. And he's Zack."
"He's Zack." I agreed, "But you're Krit."
"You realize how little sense this would make to anyone else?"
He was avoiding the topic. I opened my eyes to look at him.
"It's not anyone else." I said, "And besides, we haven't done anything wrong. We haven't done anything period. Zack has no grounds for his behavior."
I closed my eyes again and took another deep breath.
"Ty?"
"What, Krit?"
My eyes flew open when I felt Krit kissing me. It was a light, quick kiss. Very sweet. He rested his forehead against mine.
"Maybe I should keep away from you for a while. You know, while Zack's here." he said softly.
"You might be right." I told him, enjoying the moment too much to move.
"He has an uncanny ability to kill romance, doesn't he?" Krit said, smiling slightly.
I felt the now familiar sensation of my cheeks reddening as I blushed. Krit smiled wider, kissed my cheek and stepped back.
"We better get back inside. With our luck they'll come through the window and find us gone." he said.
"Alright." I agreed.
Neither of us moved for the door. Not until we heard the hum of a motorcycle engine in the distance. We both jumped and hurried inside.
***
Zack parked the motorcycle and we slowly headed up to the apartment. I kept a hand on his arm, silently reminding him to keep his cool.
I raised an eyebrow at the scene in the apartment. Krit and Syl were sharing a tub of ice cream. Ty was some distance away, sitting on the couch with her arms around her knees. I wondered what had caused that arrangement.
I took my hand off Zack's arm. He looked happy enough when he saw that Krit and Ty had distance between them. I closed the door behind us, then leaned back against the wall, crossing my arms. Zack joined Ty on the couch.
"I'm sorry." he said slowly as if it took a lot of effort to say those words.
"Me, too." Ty agreed.
"Us, too." Krit and Syl both chipped in.
"Now. What's the problem?" Zack asked.
I smiled. Now he would act like the whole thing had never happened. That was Zack for you.
"Oh, that." Krit said.
I sat on the arm of the couch, listening
"Well, it's not exactly a full-fledged problem yet, but it could be. When we got here, we all got jobs, right? Ty works at a fast food place. Scores us food sometimes. I worked at a department store. They suited me up in a tux. That sucked..."
"Yeah, ask him what he did." Syl interrupted, "Besides flashing that, what did Mrs. Hastings call it, "award winning smile"." Syl grinned.
"Well?" I pressed.
"Ladies' shoes." Krit mumbled.
"Very manly." Zack teased.
"Okay. Well, anyway,' Krit said firmly, "Syl worked at this place called DayTechCore. She was a secretary."
"We've seen the building." I said, glancing at Zack, "Pretty fancy."
"I'm surprised she could see over the desk." Krit remarked.
"Hey!" Syl cried, punching him in the arm, "Anyway that's where I found this."
Syl held up a piece of paper for us to see. It was a bank transaction from DayTechCore to a familiar place. Manticore. A shiver ran down my spine.
