Part 16
Shiva wondered if she should be concerned when she noticed Lina walking into the high school with Nolan and Ara. What was up with *that*? Unless Nolan was on some sort of - of undercover operation. But that made no sense. Lina was a Daybreaker, she knew who Nolan was so undercover wouldn't work. Even more disconcerting - Malachite was waiting at her locker. Shit she thought, remembering she was supposed to have disposed of Ara for him.
She'd given Valarie the address of the Daybreak safehouse where Ara was supposed to be staying. Valarie had been gunning for weeks with her vendetta that Ara was the one responsible for Trey's death. And that was another weird thing she couldn't get out of her mind. Trey not being dead. She hadn't seen him that morning, nor heard from him since he'd shown up a few days ago. What the hell was he playing at?
She couldn't concentrate on her school work, she was far too distracted with her own thoughts and making sense out of puzzles more complicated than a rubix cube.
So she was more than a little surprised when Valarie joined her at lunch. "Let's talk strategies," she said, unwrapping a tuna sandwich.
"Strategy?" Shiva asked.
"This whole Ara business. It's dragging and getting on my nerves," Valarie said, looking evenly at her as if this should be the most obvious thing in the world.
Shiva didn't comment, considering for once she actually agreed with Valarie. "What's up with Nolan and Lina?" she asked, nodding over at where they sat together in deep conversation on the other side of the cafeteria.
Valarie shook her head. "Who knows? Who cares? If Nolan is deserting us, then let him. It's not like anyone will miss him."
Shiva frowned, not liking the coldness in Valarie's voice, reminding her of the girl's single-mindedness. Again, she decided not to make any smart remarks. "Okay, so you were saying something about strategy?"
Valarie nodded. "You have Spanish with Ara last period, right?"
Shiva nodded herself. "Yeah."
"Get her back to the warehouse. We'll dispose of her there."
"How the hell am I supposed to do that?" Shiva asked incredulously.
Valarie finished her sandwich. "Just do it."
She walked off. Shiva lost sight of her in the crowd. Not that she would have jumped up and run after her. Once Valarie made up her mind there was usually no changing it. If she had an idea, then she would see that idea through no matter how stupid it might be.
As she trudged back to her classes that afternoon she couldn't help feeling sorry for Ara. The girl hadn't actually done anything wrong. She'd been turned against her will only to find herself thrown in with the monster responsible even though he had now switched sides. At first she had agreed to get rid of the girl on principle as she was just another unwanted leech. Since then, she'd started to have seconds thoughts. Question was, now what did she do about it?
* * *
Shiva wondered if she should be concerned when she noticed Lina walking into the high school with Nolan and Ara. What was up with *that*? Unless Nolan was on some sort of - of undercover operation. But that made no sense. Lina was a Daybreaker, she knew who Nolan was so undercover wouldn't work. Even more disconcerting - Malachite was waiting at her locker. Shit she thought, remembering she was supposed to have disposed of Ara for him.
She'd given Valarie the address of the Daybreak safehouse where Ara was supposed to be staying. Valarie had been gunning for weeks with her vendetta that Ara was the one responsible for Trey's death. And that was another weird thing she couldn't get out of her mind. Trey not being dead. She hadn't seen him that morning, nor heard from him since he'd shown up a few days ago. What the hell was he playing at?
She couldn't concentrate on her school work, she was far too distracted with her own thoughts and making sense out of puzzles more complicated than a rubix cube.
So she was more than a little surprised when Valarie joined her at lunch. "Let's talk strategies," she said, unwrapping a tuna sandwich.
"Strategy?" Shiva asked.
"This whole Ara business. It's dragging and getting on my nerves," Valarie said, looking evenly at her as if this should be the most obvious thing in the world.
Shiva didn't comment, considering for once she actually agreed with Valarie. "What's up with Nolan and Lina?" she asked, nodding over at where they sat together in deep conversation on the other side of the cafeteria.
Valarie shook her head. "Who knows? Who cares? If Nolan is deserting us, then let him. It's not like anyone will miss him."
Shiva frowned, not liking the coldness in Valarie's voice, reminding her of the girl's single-mindedness. Again, she decided not to make any smart remarks. "Okay, so you were saying something about strategy?"
Valarie nodded. "You have Spanish with Ara last period, right?"
Shiva nodded herself. "Yeah."
"Get her back to the warehouse. We'll dispose of her there."
"How the hell am I supposed to do that?" Shiva asked incredulously.
Valarie finished her sandwich. "Just do it."
She walked off. Shiva lost sight of her in the crowd. Not that she would have jumped up and run after her. Once Valarie made up her mind there was usually no changing it. If she had an idea, then she would see that idea through no matter how stupid it might be.
As she trudged back to her classes that afternoon she couldn't help feeling sorry for Ara. The girl hadn't actually done anything wrong. She'd been turned against her will only to find herself thrown in with the monster responsible even though he had now switched sides. At first she had agreed to get rid of the girl on principle as she was just another unwanted leech. Since then, she'd started to have seconds thoughts. Question was, now what did she do about it?
* * *