Out of This World

  “All for one and one for all,” Des murmurs under his breath.

  Canejo smiles and adds, “Yes. Be bold, but don’t be foolish.”

  “I think we can do that,” I say.

  “Of course you can.”

  He stands up, and placing his palms together as though he’s praying, he gives us a short bow. “I must return to my students,” he says. “You can leave the tray where it is when you’re done with your tea. I’ll fetch it later.”

  We all scramble to our feet. He turns and doesn’t look back as he goes into the building, the glass door whispering shut behind him.

  “He’s a pretty cool dude,” Des says. “You know, for a horny old guy who doesn’t seem to get out much.”

  Marina and I both spew our tea at the same time and reach out to slap Des. He dances out of our reach, laughing. Donalita grabs him and gives him a fierce grin and a hug.

  I shake my head, take a last gulp of tea, and return the mug to the tray.

  “I’d better go see what Auntie Min wants from me,” I say. “You guys want to go to the rally first, or come with me?”

  “Come with,” Marina says.

  Des looks down at Donalita. When she nods, he says, “Yeah, totally.”

  I don’t know what I ever did to deserve their loyalty all those years ago when we first started hanging, but I’m so glad to have them.

  “This means a lot,” I say.

  We collect everything that Tío Goyo brought and stuff it into the backpacks.

  “We just have to make one stop along the way,” I tell them. “Everybody grab hands and don’t let go.”

  I take Marina’s hand. Once Des and Donalita are linked up, I call up the maps and highlight the route I took to get here from that red rock cliff with the big pine trees. I figure out that direct connection and then take a step forward. The dead city vanishes from around us, and next we’re all standing on the cliff, looking out over the canyons and forests, the sky impossibly vast and blue overhead.

  Des is looking a little green, but everyone else seems fine.

  “You okay?” I ask.

  “Yeah, pretty much.” He lets go of my hand and takes a couple of steadying breaths, looking around as he does. “What is this place, anyway?”

  “It’s one of those slow worlds I was talking about. We could spend the whole day here and only a few moments would pass by in our world, so we won’t be late for anything.”

  “But we’re not spending days here, right?” Des asks.

  His colour’s already looking better.

  I shake my head. “This is where Tío Goyo brought me before. I just want to clean up our campsite.”

  We do the same as we did in the world of the dead city: pick up what doesn’t belong here—blankets, kettle, mugs, food wrappers—and stuff it all into the other pair of backpacks. When we’re done, we’ve got four of them in a pile.

  “Give me a sec,” I say.

  I grab two of the packs in each hand and return my body to the earth, bringing them with me. For a moment my friends see a hawk hanging there in the air where I was standing, then I call up my body again, this time holding nothing. Donalita applauds with great enthusiasm.

  “Dude,” Des says. “That was friggin’ awesome.”

  “And a handy way to get rid of trash,” Marina says. “Where does it go?”

  “Back into the earth.”

  She smiles. “When this is all over, you should open a landfill business.”

  “It’d be kind of hard to explain where the trash actually goes,” I say. “And I’m not sure it’d be a great idea to do it on any large-scale basis.”

  “There’s that. When are you going to teach us how to do that hawk trick?”

  “I don’t know if I can,” I say. “And there’s way more to it than what you just saw.”

  “Plus you need magic tea,” Des says.

  “Plus we need magic tea,” I agree. “But I can ask Tío Goyo.”

  “Meh,” Donalita says. “The hawk uncles never give up their secrets.”

  “We’ll see,” I tell her. “Maybe when I have some time to actually relax, I can figure out how to teach you. In the meantime, let’s go find out what Auntie Min has to say.”

  Marina and Des both hold out their hands. I take them, make sure that Donalita is holding on to Des, then call up the maps in my mind.

  “I need to focus for a moment,” I say.

  Auntie Min is easy to pinpoint, but she’s more than one world away. If I could just change to my spirit form, I could be there as quickly as a thought, but I have no idea what will happen if I try to bring other living beings with me. And I’m sure not going to experiment with my friends, especially given how Des felt a bit ill just getting here.

  So I map out the quickest route, then we cross briefly to another world, where I take a moment to express our respect and thanks for passage, and finally move us onward to our own.

  It doesn’t take long. Maybe half an hour after leaving the red rock cliff, we’re stepping out of the otherworld onto the bluff by Tiki Bay. I feel a shock of recognition as soon as the grass and dirt are under my feet. I’m not sure if it’s because this is my home world, or because it’s the first world. All I know is that between the scent of the ocean air and the feel of the ground underfoot, I’m more connected than I’ve felt anywhere else.

  There’s stuff I don’t like: the hum of electricity running through the wires along the highway, and a faint odour of pollution: diesel, gas, I don’t know what all. But the sky’s blue, the sun’s shining. And maybe So-Cal is too dry, and there’ll soon be fires up in the hills, and the Santa Anas will blow their smoke down to us here on the coast, but it’s home.

  My home.

  I didn’t even realize how much I missed it until right now. Auntie Min doesn’t seem surprised to see us, but we’ve no sooner arrived than we’re surrounded by cousins—at least thirty strong, mostly crows and dogs. Des drops my hand and makes a grab for Donalita, who’s already pulled her knife out.

  “Dude,” he says. “It’s okay. The dogs are on our side now.”

  “So they say.”

  “So say we all,” Auntie Min tells her.

  I recognize Lupe of the East Riversea Blue Dog Clan from when she pledged her allegiance to Marina. She grins at our appearance and salutes us—or rather, Marina, I assume—by bringing a fist to her chest. The other dog cousins follow suit— all except for one male standing behind Lupe with a woman who could be his twin. He’s staring daggers at Marina.

  His twin nudges him. “Don’t be an asshole, Jimmy,” she mutters.

  “Whose side are you on?” he asks. “She’s Chaingang’s mate.”

  “Look again,” the woman says.

  I realize that Marina and I are still holding hands.

  Auntie Min sighs. “Unfortunately, there have been some problems between the Ocean Avers and the dog clans,” she tells us.

  Marina’s hand tightens on mine. “We heard,” she says.

  “We also heard,” I say, “that the Avers didn’t start it.”

  Jimmy starts to move forward, but his lookalike grabs his upper arm and stops him. Lupe and a couple of other dog cousins step in front of them to block Jimmy.

  “Ana,” Auntie Min says without turning. “If you can’t get your brother to behave, would you please take him away?”

  “He won’t cause any more problems, Señora,” Ana says. Auntie Min raises her eyebrows and I almost smile, but I catch myself.

  “Has Lupe told you about Nanuq?” I ask.

  Auntie Min and Lupe nod at the same time.

  “So, are we going after Nanuq and the condors, or do you still want to save Householder’s life?”

  “What I want,” Auntie Min says, “and what we need to do aren’t the same. I don’t particularly care for the congressman, but if we can stop him from being killed today, we’ll be better poised to resolve other problems without bloodshed.”

  I nod. “We also met a jackalope n
amed Canejo, who says you’re a great warrior.”

  She smiles ever so slightly. “I am a warrior, yes. But a warrior knows when to go to battle and when to let diplomacy win her battles for her.”

  She holds my gaze until I nod to show that I understand.

  “So what do you want us to do?” I ask.

  “Join the others at city hall,” she says. “Locate the killer and stop him. The longer we delay, the greater chance this individual has of causing a problem that we’ll be dealing with for years to come.”

  “Okay,” I say. “Can anyone give us a ride to city hall?”

  Lupe steps forward. “Most of us walked or flew here, but I have access to a car down in the parking lot.”

  “Can you take all four of us?” I ask.

  She shakes her head. “It’s just a VW Bug.”

  “No problemo, dude,” Des says.

  I raise an eyebrow, but he’s not looking at me. He puts out a hand, palm up.

  “Come on, baby,” he says. “Do your thing.”

  Donalita jumps up in the air where she changes into what looks like a pebble. Des snatches it with a quick move and gives it a kiss before he sticks it in his pocket.

  He laughs at the look on my face. “You’re not the only cousin with moves,” he says.

  I’m not alone in my surprise. Everybody except for Auntie Min is just staring at him, trying to figure how they did that. He cocks his head, grinning, and gives me a wink, then turns to Lupe.

  “So what are we waiting for? Let’s boogie,” he says.

  I try to concentrate on what’s going on around me, but my mind is overloaded with confusion, like some endless game of brain ping-pong—this thought, that thought bouncing back and forth—until I feel like my head might explode.

  Last night …

  Finally being with Josh was so right that I can still feel my body and soul humming along to the same vibration as his.

  When he kissed me I just got lost in it. There was just us—a boy and a girl, perfectly in tune, making the best music ever. Everything else went away. All my worries and problems. Wildlings, otherworlds, the rally, my relationship with Theo, Mamá’s inevitable freak-out when she finds out what I am and where I’ve been.

  After all that went down in the past couple of weeks, I thought I was over Josh, that we’d never be able to repair the damage to our friendship, and any possibility of being more than friends was gone forever. Josh had never looked at me like that, anyway.

  Theo did, and he made sure I knew it. I was vulnerable, and he made me feel special and protected in a way that I needed. Sure, I had serious reservations because of his gang affiliations, but I was hoping we could somehow work that out. Deep down, I think I wanted to save him from that life. Move away and start all over. I think he wanted that, too.

  But now everything has changed and I realize it’s more like Theo was just a placeholder. Which is awful. He’s going to think I was never serious—just a tease leading him on.

  The horrible thing is, I can’t quite convince myself that it’s not true.

  This morning I felt all tingly and happy until reality started creeping back in and I realized that I’m a cheater—and a lot like the skank I once accused Elzie of being. Why else would I just drop everything as soon as Josh opened himself up to me?

  But then I think about what Josh said to Canejo: I just realized in the past few days that I’ve been letting her slip away for as long as we’ve known each other. I won’t make that mistake again. The only reason I’d ever walk away now is if she said go.

  He was talking to Canejo, but he was looking right at me. He wanted me to know he meant it, that this isn’t some temporary thing for him.

  Just as it’s never been for me.

  But Theo. When he finds out, the tough gangbanger he is won’t let any feelings show, except for maybe anger. He’ll be hurting and alone behind the new wall that he’ll build to hide his disappointment. He’s had so many letdowns in his life. I don’t want to be one more.

  So what can I do? I’ve known since we were kids that Josh was the boy I wanted to be with forever. Even when I dated other guys and he dated other girls. Even when Elzie came along.

  “Earth to Marina,” I hear Des say. “Are you with us, dude, or what?”

  I start out of my reverie and focus on the here and now.

  We’re in Lupe’s VW Bug on the Pacific Coast Highway, coming into Santa Feliz, Josh and Des squished into the back because Lupe insisted that I ride in front with her.

  “Sorry,” I say, then add the understatement of the year. “I was distracted for a second. What were you saying?”

  “Josh thinks we should go with the buddy system once we get to city hall—you know, pair up—and we thought you might rather be with me, or Donalita, instead of Josh.”

  I sit up a little straighter. “Why wouldn’t I want to be with

  Josh?”

  “Hello? Because Chaingang will be there, dude.”

  “Well, I can’t just avoid him forever.”

  “Yeah, but we’re supposed to be focused on keeping the congressman from getting killed, so maybe now’s not the time to let Chaingang know that the surf ’s not up for him anymore.”

  “Why can’t you call him by his real name?”

  “Because he’d probably rip off my head if I did. We’re not exactly BFFs.”

  I turn around in my seat. “What do you think, Josh?”

  “I think I’ll stick to calling him Chaingang, too.”

  “Ha ha, not very funny. You know what I mean.”

  He smiles. I can tell he’s been in his own reverie about last night and is still floating in the afterglow. “It’s your call,” he says.

  “No, what do you think?”

  “I’d rather be with you, but it could get awkward and Des is right. We need to stay focused on what we’re there to do.”

  Lupe reaches across the console and places a reassuring hand on mine for a second. “Members of the Blue Dog Clan are in the crowd,” she says. “We’ll make sure he doesn’t hurt you.”

  “Theo would never raise a hand to me,” I tell her. “What I’m afraid of is him being hurt and upset when he finds out. And I don’t want him finding out before I have a chance to talk to him myself.”

  “Then go with Des,” Josh says. “Donalita can come with me.”

  “I’ll be there,” Lupe says, “as soon as I find a place to park.”

  Parking turns out to be the least of our problems. A dozen blocks from city hall the streets are so choked that we decide to abandon the car and continue on foot. Lupe pulls over into a back service lane, kills the engine, and everybody gets out except for Des. We all watch in fascination as Des takes the pebble out of his pocket. He taps it on the window and suddenly he’s got his arms full of Donalita. She lets herself fall across the rest of the back seat and grins at us.

  “Ta-da!” she says.

  “Just what we need,” Josh mutters. “Another clown.” But he’s smiling as the two of them squeeze out of the back of the car at the same time.

  “I’ll see you later,” Lupe says. “Good hunting.”

  She takes off before I can thank her for the ride.

  “Let’s go,” Josh says. “Donalita, you’re with me.”

  “Really?” She shoots Des a pouty glance.

  He gives her shoulder a light bump. “It’s because of Chaingang,” he says. “Marina wants to wait till this is all over before telling him.” He points two fingers at us. “These two can’t hide their goo-goo eyes when they’re together.”

  She nods, but fixes me with a serious look. “You’d better keep him safe,” she says.

  Josh laughs and gives her a little push toward the busy street. “You need to work on your people skills, coati girl,” I hear him tell her as Des and I follow.

  “I have great people skills,” she says. “Ask anyone. Well, not the javelina boys, but they’re always rude first. But anyone else …”

  Josh nods
. “Uh-huh.”

  “It’s true. I once charmed a whole pod of killer whales with nothing more than a smile and my good manners.”

  “I can see why they’d be disarmed,” Josh says. I can hear the laughter in his voice.

  “Is she always like this?” I ask Des.

  He grins. “This is her good behaviour.”

  “Sounds like you guys make a good match.”

  He shakes his head and looks at Donalita’s back. “Dude, I don’t know what we are,” he says.

  “But you like her.”

  He nods. “Probably too much for my own good. I don’t expect her to stick around. I mean, she’s such a free spirit, why would she?”

  “I don’t know. But if you want her to stay, you’d better make the effort.”

  They reach the street before we do. Donalita turns and wiggles her fingers at us, then dances to catch up with Josh, who’s already crossing in between the bumper-to-bumper traffic that’s now in gridlock.

  Des and I stay on this side of the street. “How about you, dude?” he asks. “Are you making the effort?”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  He shrugs. “Don’t get me wrong. I’m over the moon that you two are finally together. But I don’t want to see either of you hurt.”

  I feel the tiniest chill crawl up my spine. “It’s a bit scary,” I admit. “But it’s also Josh.”

  “A new Josh,” Des says. “Not the one we grew up with. This one has a mountain lion living under his skin and some kind of weird-ass GPS in his head. He can navigate between worlds and he can turn into a hawk. Hell, he can put out pheromones and who knows what else. Maybe there’s even stuff that hasn’t shown up yet.”

  “He says he doesn’t really turn into a hawk—that’s just how we see it.”

  “Whatever. The point is, he’s Josh, yeah, but he’s a lot more now, too, and it seems like every time we turn around, somebody else has plans for him.”