Catalyst

  Ohhhh…dang. I gasped slightly as he took my hand and put it over his shirt front.

  "Why?" he asked. "Why is it doing that?"

  I gulped and said, "I don’t know. They beat fast for lots of reasons."

  He moved closer, his free arm going beside me on the couch. He inhaled deeply.

  "You still smell of…Jasmine." I could only nod. "All human females do not smell that way," he mused.

  "No," I agreed. "I put it on."

  "So you smell this way on purpose."

  "Yes, I guess so." I decided to change the subject. "Aren't you curious about what Lily did to you?"

  "Very. She's…precious looking. My body instantly wanted to protect her."

  "Yeah," I said and smiled. "Everybody is like that with her."

  "Is everyone like that with you?"

  "No, why?"

  "Because that's exactly how I feel about you," he said, his voice an awe filled whisper, "except worse. My need to make sure you are safe is doubled over more than once in comparison." His hand moved and I let him touch my cheek. I shut my eyes and felt his sigh against my face. I opened my eyes and he looked like a half-drugged man. "You are the light in a dark place. You are the water to my drought. You are everything I never knew existed and everything I wanted all at the same time."

  "Oh…"

  "This body…my body, very much wants to…put my mouth to yours."

  I was shocked into silence. I'd never had someone say those kinds of things with such conviction before. Oh…he was leaning forward. I couldn't let him kiss me. No…no…

  "No," I whispered and when I spoke, my lip touched his with the barest brush. He was that close.

  "Lillian," he groaned. His eyes opened and he watched me. "Please."

  "I can't let you," I told him. "I'm with Cain." He seemed confused. "We are…together. I love him. You only kiss a person that you're with… like that."

  "I've seen many people kiss that were not in love."

  "Yes, but not while they are with someone else."

  "But Cain isn't here right now with you," he reasoned and I realized that he really didn't understand. He wasn't trying to talk me into it. He was just genuinely clueless.

  "But I love him. And I'd never betray him."

  There was a pause. A pause that I knew was full of understanding.

  "So…your heart beats this fast…for him," he said finally.

  "Yes."

  "And not for this body, mine."

  "It doesn't matter about your body, Daniel. It's about you, who you are. That body is yours now. You decide what you do with it and what to feel. I'm sorry. It's not that I don't…like you. It's just that Cain is very important to me and I was with him first. I don't want you to leave. I want you to stay here and be safe but, you can't kiss me."

  "I can not put my lips on yours," he hedged with a slight grimace, "ever."

  I shook my head as an answer. He looked crushed and confused. He wanted to kiss me, didn't even know what kissing was really, and he was confused at the rejection and the want to do it. I felt about as useful as a teacher with no class.

  I tried for another way to explain.

  "For humans, we find one person who we want to be with in every way. Cain is that person for me. And he trusts me," I added.

  "I think I understand." His grimace intensified and he sat back on his heels though he kept my hand trapped to his chest. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you."

  "You didn't," I assured. "I'm fine. And I want to be your friend. We can figure out all this stuff together, alright?"

  "If you suggest it so."

  "Can I…can I have my hand back now?" I asked softly.

  "Oh," he said and looked down, "I'm sorry." He took my hand from his chest and held it in his hands. He turned it over and over in observation. "Your skin is very delicate."

  "Most girls are," I said easily.

  "I don't believe you. I think you are soft and sweet smelling because you are you," he said but it was gentle, like he was just making an observation and nothing else. Sherry came back then with a bowl tucked in her hands and he released my hand as he stood abruptly.

  "Thank you."

  "No problem," she said and eyed me kind of funny. Had she seen his little love display?

  "So," he eyed the bowl in his hands, "this is pea soup."

  "It is," she answered. "It's pretty good, but it's also all we've got so…"

  "No, I am most appreciative. Thank you for allowing me to stay and feeding me. I will try ardently not to be a burden. I will address your Merrick when he returns and guarantee him that I will do all I can to help your cause and your people."

  "Thank you, Daniel." He continued to stand there, as if awaiting instructions. "At ease," she said and started to laugh at her joke, but he actually spread his legs in an easy stance and one hand went behind his back. She balked. "No, Daniel. We are not your superiors here. That's not how we do things. If you want to eat, eat. When you want to sleep, sleep. If you want to leave, leave. We won't stop you and we won’t keep you here against your will. You are your own now; you're free."

  "I don't know what that means, either."

  Though Sherry didn’t know what he was talking about with the 'either' she still got the gist. There was lots that Daniel didn't understand.

  "Well, we'll make sure you understand then. I'll make it my mission."

  "I am your mission?"

  "Absolutely. So, go on and eat. Then we'll get you settled into a room."

  "Ok," he replied and walked slowly to the stairs. He sat on the edge and glanced at her as he took a sip of soup from his spoon. His eyes flashed a little and the corner of his mouth lifted in a wanna-be smile. Then he plowed through it.

  Sherry turned to me and put her hands on her hips. Her short self looked flustered and every bit the mother hen she was pegged to be. "He kissed you?" she hissed.

  Yikes…

  Lousy situation

  Chapter 18 - Merrick

  "Well, we may as well hunker down for the night," Miguel said, but didn't move to do so.

  "Screw that, man," Josh replied. "I'm not tired. And I think I can lift little Miss Keeper here up into this air conditioning shaft." He threw some chunks of wood and a sheet of metal to the side. "Right here." He stood up on a cinder block and held his out for her. "Come on, Kay. You'll fit perfectly."

  "You want me to climb in there?" she squeaked. I looked at her. Kay wasn't scared of anything and right then, she sounded the most human I'd ever heard.

  "Yeah. You climb through and make sure it's clear. If it is, you can call to us and we'll come through too. Or you can look for another way out."

  "Ok," she said and smoothed her hair. "Of course, yeah."

  "Wait," Miguel said and you could tell he was about to blast the whole thing. "What can Kay do once she gets up there? No offense, but you're not exactly built for fighting, if you get my drift."

  She turned to look at him and I knew. Crap, Miguel.

  "I am a Keeper," she said, her voice shrill and demanding and I stood back to enjoy the show. "I am a guardian and have been so for thousands of years. I was the Keeper for soldiers and blacksmiths and good men and women of worth. I was Keeper to Joan of Arcadia for goodness sakes!" Miguel's eyes got wide and he leaned back and she came forward. She poked his arm with her finger. "So don't you dare think for one second that I can't handle some human endeavor just because I'm in this body. Climbing through a vent is nothing compared to what I've been through."

  "Ok, ok. Jeez," he groaned and rubbed his arm. "Is everybody smoking the wiffy when I'm not looking or what?"

  Danny and Celeste laughed, then Josh, then me and even Kay. We were wound tight, it was true. Kay gave him an apologetic smile and then accepted Josh's hand to lift her to the vent. Kay was the slimmest and slightest person of the bunch and he lifted her easily. He had to put his hands on her rear to hold her up. He grinned and winked at Miguel as he said, "Been working out, Kay?"


  "Watch it," I growled and he laughed, not a bit scared. I rubbed my neck and tried to think. If this didn't work, we'd have to find another way out.

  "I think I've got the latch," Kay groaned as she strained. "Just a little…more."

  Josh hoisted her higher, she flipped the switch and the door swung open easily. She grabbed the inside ledge and wiggled her way inside with Josh's help. She leaned back in to say, "Celeste, stay with Danny."

  "Duh," Celeste muttered.

  "So I'll see if I can get out. And then we'll figure a way to get out the rest of you."

  "We're fine here," I told her. "Guard your way, sister."

  "And you, brother."

  And then she scampered through the tunnel. We could hear her and then we couldn’t. I knew she was fine though. Kay was just as fierce as the rest of us.

  "What does that mean?" Josh asked. "Guard your way?"

  "Guard you in all your ways," I answered. "It's what Keepers say to one another. It means be safe and do your job, basically."

  "And you're all related?"

  "No, why?"

  "You called her sister, she called you brother."

  "We are sisters and brothers in our kind. We are not related in the sense that you are referring to though."

  "So, how do you procreate?" he asked and I saw Miguel and Danny's ears turn our way.

  "We don't," I answered and gave him a look that said not to touch that subject.

  "Are you aliens or angels?" he asked some more as he looked into big bins and tubs that were in the middle of the room.

  "I am neither of those human words."

  "Dude, you are way cryptic right now."

  "I am what I am. I'm not a word that your human mind can come up with or comprehend. Just call me guardian or Keeper or better yet, Merrick, and that'll be fine."

  He thought about that for a minute, his jaw working back and forth. Then he finally said, "Racine's gonna be seriously pissed that I left when she comes out of her flu coma."

  "Yep," I agreed. "She probably will be. If you were my Special, I'd be seriously pissed," I said and gave Danny a pre-emptive look. He laughed and shook his head.

  "So, Keepers can die like everybody else can? Like she could die from the flu?"

  "Yes," I answered. "We are human for all intents and purposes."

  "Huh," he muttered. "That sucks."

  "Are you worried about her?"

  "Kinda." He stuck his hands in his pockets. "She's a nice lady."

  "Hmm. Well, she'll probably be fine. Ok," I looked around, "let's help Kay out and try to see if maybe there's a trap door or something somewhere."

  "Yeah," Miguel said and immediately started to rummage, eager for something to do.

  "So," Josh asked as he tossed some debris aside and felt along the walls, "if you can't get your freak on to make little Keepers, then how are there so many of you?"

  "Freak on?" Miguel asked. "That's all you've got?"

  "Hey, I found-"

  I turned to Josh when his voice cut off and he was nowhere to be seen. I blurred to where he'd been and he was gone. When I felt along the wall, it gave under my hand in a large square right at my waist level. I pushed it and leaned in to see that it was chute. A laundry chute. Dang. That's what those bins and tubs had been. This was some kind of dyeing plant. I called down to him, but heard nothing.

  "He slid down," I told them.

  "I'm going after him then," Miguel said and attempted to move me.

  "We don't know where that leads," I told him.

  "To the laundry room," he said sarcastically.

  "Ha ha. We have no idea how far it goes or to where-"

  "Hey!" Josh yelled and the echo in the chute hurt my ears it was so loud. "Hey!"

  "Josh!"

  "Yeah. I found a way out. There's stairs down here, come on down!"

  "Bugger," Miguel said. "That kid's getting on my last nerve, but at least he found a way out. Let's roll."

  "But what about Kay?"

  "Here." He took a piece of paper and pen from his pocket and wrote "We're down here" on it. "See, we'll stick this is door of the chute. Problem solved, mate."

  "You just happen to have a pen and paper in your pocket?" He shrugged. "Alright, I guess that'll do. Danny and Celeste, come on."

  Miguel climbed down the chute with no qualms at all and even squealed on the way down…like it was fun. Humans.

  "I can't leave Kay," Celeste complained and then I showed her the note. "Ok, but if something happens we're coming back for her."

  "Of course. I'm not one to leave someone behind."

  "Let me go first, babe," Danny told her. "Then I can catch you."

  "Aw, you're so sweet, baby," she said through a sigh and I took a breath to keep from grumbling.

  "Ok, let's a move on. Go, Danny," I urged.

  He went through and then Celeste got up in the chute mouth. She looked back at me and smiled.

  "Don't be scared, Keeper."

  "Thanks, Celeste," I said dryly, her laughter carrying up to me as she let go and shot down the chute. I settled myself in the hole and let the edge of the door catch the note so it would stay. Then I let go and hoped that Kay would find us and that this was a way out.

  When I reached the bottom, they were all standing around gawking at something behind them. I looked around Josh to see crates. Crates and crates marked as guns and explosives…and can goods. I felt my heart pitter-patter in response. In was like a beacon or light was shining on them with angels singing in the background.

  But where did they come from? Who did they belong to? Was this someone's hideout after all and we'd destroyed it, albeit unintentionally? It had to belong to someone and the Lighters wouldn't keep things like that here.

  I suddenly had a very bad feeling about it all and a desire to get out that place.

  "Guys, this isn't good. Let's go."

  "What?" Josh said. "We can't just leave this stuff. We can use it!"

  "And how would we get it back to the store? Jeep's full and this stuff belongs to someone. We'd be taking their stuff that they've saved and who knows who they fought for it and it wouldn't be right."

  "Are you taking the piss?" Miguel reasoned, in his strange roundabout way of saying 'Are you for real?'. "Where are they? Maybe they left in a dash and couldn't carry it all or something."

  "It wouldn't be right. We're leaving it," I said harder to make sure they understood I wasn't looking for a discussion. "Now, come on. Let's put these stairs to use that Josh was bragging about."

  "What luck," Josh mused as he began to take the steps two at a time. "I was feeling along, saw the chute behind the wall, pushed a little too hard I guess and wham!" he yelled and slapped his hands together. "Straight down the chute." He opened the door at the top and it welcomed us into a hallway that went up a few stories. He grinned back at us. "You can all thank me later for saving your backsides."

  "Oh, we’ll get right on that," Celeste said and giggled as Danny lifted her onto his back to take the stairs. I took up the rear of the group and once again found myself hoping this led to somewhere safe and no more trouble was to be had.

  When I got through the door I listened to Celeste and Danny gabbing about nothing as we scaled the steps.

  The stairs were made of rickety wood that groaned and pressed under our weight. A split second before I told Danny to put Celeste down, that I didn't think the wood could hold them both like that, he fell. They both did. They went straight through a step that gave way under their weight. I blurred up to them and grabbed Danny's hand as it passed the last inch of wood. He somehow managed to snag her hand out of the air as she fell too. They dangled three stories up above the concrete floor we'd just been on at the bottom of the laundry chute.

  "Hold on," I told him though I knew it was stupid to say that to people in these situations. What else could they do but hang on?

  My conscience buzzed loud and alert in my ears for my charge, but I could still hear Celeste whimpering a
nd crying beneath me though I couldn't see her face. I was too far down myself, having stopped my descent down with them by grabbing a piece of a step in one hand and hooking my foot under the ledge of a step below me. Even with my Keeper strength, I wasn't going to be able to just pull them out when I couldn't even pull myself out. And Kay wasn't there to help me. Crap.

  "Help me, Josh," Miguel said behind me. "If we can pull Merrick up then we can get-"

  "No," I told him. "Danny won't be able to hold Celeste while you jerk me and him up like that."

  "Ok, then," Miguel said easily and launched himself off the rail of the steps. Before I could think of what he'd just done, he was dangling beside me by one arm. He had a hand on one step and reached the other out. "Come on, Celeste."

  "I can't," she barely breathed but it carried in the air. "I can't, I'll fall."

  "Look at me," he told her. "Look at me." Danny was grunting and I couldn't see Celeste still, but I guess she looked at Miguel because he went on. "Good on ya, good on ya. I'll get you, I promise. I won't let go. Come on. Reach for me, Celeste."

  "I…."

  "Go, baby," Danny pleaded with her. "It's ok. Go."

  I saw her slender arm reach out, but wasn't close enough. She confirmed my thoughts when she said, "I can't reach."

  "Let's swing her," Danny suggested. "I'll swing her your way."

  "No," I said. "What if Miguel misses? I can hold on all day if I need to until we figure something else out."

  "But I can't," he groaned low in a hiss meant for me. "She's slipping. Come on, Miguel. On three, I'll swing her your way. Celeste just reach out and take his hand and let go of mine at the same time, ok?"

  "I don't know if I can," she said hysterically.

  "Yes, you can. Do it, babe. Miguel, you better catch her or so help me," he growled. Miguel nodded. "Now," Danny said and then counted as he and I swung her back and forth. It made me sick to watch it; their bodies swaying over a concrete slab that would mean their death. I prayed this would work. When he got to three he swung her hard, grunting, and as soon as Miguel had her hand, Danny let go. She screamed, but Miguel had her. Danny lay limp in my hand and muttered, over and over, "That was so close. Too frigging close."

  "It's alright, Danny," I told him as I looked over at Celeste. Miguel was just then pulling her up into his arms and she clung to him as he shhed her and tried to calm her. He held her close as he reached out and caught the edge of the steps with his foot. He told her to reach up and grab the railing. She did, but her hands were shaking so badly I was worried about her ability to hold on. But she did. She pulled herself up and then we did the same thing with Danny. I swung him to Miguel and he gripped his hand and then guided him to the edge.