Absolute Zero (10 page)

“Naw. Nothing’s burning. Hey, Nate?” He turned to face me. “You should probably go. I’ve got to clean this place up before my bro gets home and busts a gasket.”

“Need any help?”

“No, we’re good. We’ll see you tonight. Okay?”

“You bet. Thanks for the smoothie.”

The door chimed. My nerves burst into a sprint, thinking someone else was going to try and drug us up.

Instead it was Zach. Once again my luck comes through for me.
Not
.

“What’s going on here?” Zach asked, his eyes wide.

Nate whirled around, then clenched his jaw. Wow, he truly didn’t want things to be difficult for me, did he?

“Hi. Zach. Nice to see ya!” I said, planting my hands on my hips. “Georgia, you were right, he
does
have brown hair. I’d forgotten.”

“I was just leaving. Nice to see you again, Zach.” Nate zoomed by him.

Zach jutted his chin toward Nate, but kept his gaze locked on me.

I looked away. I didn’t want him to see my flaming cheeks. Plus. I was upset enough that I had to really focus so I didn’t freeze anything. With the whole attack, Nate-Zach triangle going on, I was having a little trouble.

“See you later, Mandy.”

Oh. Add a little fire to the flame there.

“Hi, Zach.” I heard Georgia say.

I peeked back and saw that Nate was gone. Okay, one problem solved, now on to the next—the two popsicles in the prep freezer. I stomped around the corner and yanked the freezer door open. Sure enough, they were there.

“So. Who feels like talking first?” I towered over them, hands planted on my hips.

“Who are you talking to?” Zach rounded the corner, and his bottom jaw fell open. “Mandy, are you okay?”

“Just peachy, Zach. Nice to see you again. Wondered if you remembered where this place was.”

“Hey—”

I held my hand up. “One thing at a time.” I looked down at my hostages. “So. Who’s first?”

Silence.

“Andrey hire you to bring me and Georgia in?”

More silence.

I looked at Georgia, then Zach. Both shrugged.
Lot’s of help you are!

I refreshed their frozen restraints and led Georgia back to the front. “Okay. It’s nearly seven. Scott’ll be back any time now. Let’s just keep those losers here until they show up, okay?”

She nodded. “You okay?”

“Yeah. The dart missed me. Thank goodness I’m clumsy.”

“Clumsy?”

“Tripped on the doorframe, it made me fall forward, just as the dart splintered the wood above my head.”

Zach hovered a few feet away, arms over his chest, staring at the floor.

“I’ll try and pick up a little while you talk to Zach.”

“Thanks a lot,” I said.

“Just ask him what’s going on. He’ll tell you. Mandy he loves you, I know he does.”

“Well, he has a weird way of showing it.”

She slugged my shoulder, then scooted away.

I looked at Zach. He finally met my gaze, but only for a second. Seemed the floor was more interesting to look at. That probably wasn’t a good sign.

I stepped toward him. “So, stranger. What’s going on?”

“Are you okay?” He shoved his hands in his pockets.

“Dart missed me. I’m good. How was your day,
dear
?”

His eyebrows puckered. He hated my sarcasm. But really, it was the only way I knew how to handle my anger, and he was ticking me off, big-time. Bad habits were hard to break.

My feelings for Nate weren’t helping things either.

“So, haven’t seen you since Friday. No calls, nothing. Everything okay?” I tried to take all the sarcasm I could from my voice. I think I got most of it.

“Been busy.”

“Oh.” I strolled on over to a booth closest to me, near the front counter. “Sounds like I need to sit down.”

His face turned crimson.

“That bad, huh?” My palms went sweaty. “Okay, I’m ready. Let me have it. What’s going on?”

He stepped toward me, his stride no longer confident like I remember. The first time I saw him at school last year, I thought he was a god straight out of mythology or something. Hell, he’d taught me how to walk a little taller, more confident.

What happened to him?

“What’s going on, Zach? Seriously. Just tell me.”

He raked his fingers through his hair and tugged. It looked almost like it hurt him to take a step toward me but he did. He looked out the window behind me, then finally focused on me. He sucked in a deep breath, and I noticed I did too. “I’m sorry, Mandy. I can’t see you anymore.”

There. He’d said it. Although I was kind of expecting it, it still stung like a son of a monkey. “Why?”

He shifted his weight from one foot to the other.

Tears stung at my eyes. What had broken this once confident guy? Had I? Did I do something? Was he just sick of my freaked-out world?

“I just can’t. It’s not working out anymore. I—”

“Seemed to be working out pretty well on Friday night, Zach.” I stood up and took a step away. “So, within a couple days it changed? What about all this talk about having me to yourself for my birthday next weekend? What happened to all this ‘I’m with you, Mandy’ over the summer?”

“Mandy—”

“Is it because you gave up running at State to stay with me? I knew that’d bite me in the ass.”

“No. It’s not that.” His nostrils flared. He glanced over my shoulder again, then to the floor.

“Then why?” I stopped pacing and crossed my arms over my chest. “Has to be a reason. The whole Kelvin, Blaze, and Andrey thing too much for you? What? Tell me. I’m new to this whole girlfriend thing. Am I doing something wrong? Is it because we haven’t had sex yet?”

He looked out the window again, and I followed his line of sight. His Jeep sat in the parking lot, and I almost puked when I saw Samantha-freaking-Jones sitting in his front seat. Even through the store window I saw her white-toothed smile.

“You’re dumping me for Samantha?” My hands cooled down. Tears stung. “
Samantha Jones
, Zach?”

“That should free you up for Nate, then, huh?” He turned around and stomped out the front door.

My gut churned. The bile rose to the back of my throat. I wanted to look out the window and watch him walk to his Jeep, but I refused to give Samantha the pleasure. No way would I let her see me upset. Plus, I might shoot an ice-bullet at her.

No. I wouldn’t, but boy, I could feel it cooling down in the lobby of my brother’s store. I listened for the crunching of the rocks beneath Zach’s Jeep before I let the cold, hard tile crash against my kneecaps as I fell to the floor.

Tears streamed, my blood boiled and my pulse thumped against my ears.

My first true love just dumped me for my worst enemy. Okay, not my worst enemy, I’d give Andrey that honor, but my worst
girl
-enemy, Samantha Jones.

Chapter 14

“M
andy!” Scott’s voice registered in my brain.

I looked up at him, hot tears streaming down my face. He and Jasmine squatted next to me, and Georgia rounded the corner to join the little freak show.

“I’m okay.”

“I’m thinking not,” Jasmine said.

“What happened in here?” Scott asked.

“Where’s Zach?” Georgia glanced around.

“Everyone, just back off. Give me a second.”

I must have been looking pretty scary because they all took a step back, eyes-wide. Georgia’s skin was pink, probably warming the place back up for me. I’d done a pretty nice cool down.

“Jas. Can you go turn the sign to closed for me?” Scott asked Jasmine. “We passed Zach as we drove into the lot. What happened?”

“He dumped me for Samantha Jones,” I said, staring at Georgia.

Her eyes almost popped out of their sockets. “Samantha Jones?” Her voice had a distinct screech to it.

“Was that the wimpy blonde in his car with him?” Jasmine said as she approached.

“He brought her along to break up with you?” Georgia said through a clenched jaw. “Are you kidding me? Samantha Jones?”

“Mandy. Look. I know you’re upset about Zach, and I’m really sorry, but what the hell happened in here?”

“Georgia. Go show them our little guests. Jas, do you have any Agenty tricks to use on hired hands of The Center to get them to talk?”

“Agents are here?”

“Two showed up spraying tranq darts. One nipped Georgia but she flamed up quick enough to deflect it.”

I stood. The world looked a little tilted. Why was I so upset? I knew it was coming. No calls. Unanswered text messages. Hell, I was even scoping out Nate. I got what I deserved for having a wandering eye.

“Come on, Jas. I’ll show you.”

Scott gave me one more glance and gripped my shoulder with his warm hand. I nodded him toward Georgia and Jas. I followed a few paces behind. Felt like I walked upstream. My eyes burned as if I’d cut seventeen onions in a row.

Georgia pointed into the freezer. “There they are, Jas. You and Scott work your magic, I’m taking Mandy home.”

“First. Tell us what happened, then you can bolt. We’ll take care of things.”

“They only sent two?” Jasmine asked.

“I think they knew you were gone, Scott. Remember those cigarettes I found the other day? By the little fire?”

“Yeah,” he said, still staring at the two frozen guys. They watched us with big eyes.

“Well, with Jasmine gone, no one here to hear them coming, I bet they were watching us.”

“Probably,” Jasmine said.

“I don’t like you two being on your own tonight,” Scott said.

“Too bad. I’m not staying here,” I said. Too close to Zach.

“If they’d wanted them, they would have sent more than two Agents, Scott. This isn’t right.”

“Then what are they trying to do?” Scott kicked the shoe of one of the guys. “Huh? What are you trying to do?”

“They’re keeping tabs, I think. Doesn’t make sense to send only two,” Jasmine said. “Mandy, Georgia. I’m coming to your house and to get that place bugged. I’ll put up some equipment so you can see what’s coming your way.”

“Now?”

“Tomorrow, first thing. I’ll work on these guys and see where I can get with them. We’ll have Jess help.” She looked at the creeps on the ground. “You know, hack into their lives, find out where it’ll hurt most for them to push.”

I stood watching and listening, but I felt detached. Like I looked through a fog at the people around me. I’d been dumped. Sure, I never should have had him. I mean, he bribed me for a date. He’s gorgeous. Prom-king-type.

And I’m me.

“Okay, tomorrow, Jas. Mandy, we’re going. Come on.”

I vaguely remember Georgia leading me to the car. How could I not remember her bringing me to my brand-spanking-new-to-me car Scott got us for an early birthday present? Cherry-red, 2008, Acura.

“He broke up with you to go out with Samantha? And brought her along while he did it so she could watch?”

“She didn’t come in, just watched from his jeep. And she wore a big-ass grin, too.”

“Samantha Jones?”

“I’d rather you not keep saying her name if you don’t mind.” I rested my head back and squeezed my burning eyes shut. The sun had set, but the sky still held on to some of the pink and orange light. The jagged shadows of the trees zoomed by as Georgia drove.

The white lines down the center of the road blurred into one long line. I looked out the side. Part of my reflection caught in the window. The pale dashboard lights cast a green tint over my face. Pretty much how I felt.

“Are you okay? What are you thinking?”

“Not real sure what to think. I mean, I saw it coming I guess. No calls since our steamy night Friday night. Then before Friday night he was iffy a few days, blaming it on his family keeping him away from me. Yadda-yadda.”

“But what was that about him wanting you for a birthday surprise? I mean, hot one second, talking about future stuff, then cold, ending things for stupid Samantha Jones.”

“Can I ask you something, Blaze?”

“Anything.”

“Did it suck this bad when Dan stopped calling you?”

“At least Zach officially broke up with you. Dan just fell off the face of the earth.” She glanced at me. “And yes. It ripped my heart out with a dull spoon.”

“Why does it hurt so bad? I mean, I was totally scoping on Nate anyway.”

“I know. But still. Zach’s Zach. I mean, that’s tough. First love and all.”

“I should be more wigged out about the two Agents that tried to grab us today, shouldn’t I?”

“Maybe,” Georgia shrugged.

“Scott rented our apartment under different names. Jess helped him set it up. Maybe they won’t find us up there?”

Georgia shifted in her seat. “I’m starting to think they can find us anywhere, Kelvin. I’m living in a freaking fantasy world thinking anything will ever be close to normal for us, aren’t I?”

“We aren’t exactly normal, are we, sis? But it was really nice not having to hide what I am to Zach. Any other guy I’m going have to hide. That gets
sooo
tiring.”

She reached over and squeezed my thigh. “You know what? Let’s just have some fun tonight. Nate’s got a party going on. We’ll hang out up there so we’re not alone. No Agent’s going to crash a college party, if they can even find us.”

My stomach clenched as Zach’s words rang through my brain again, but they were quickly followed by Nate’s, telling me he liked me. “Nate does seem sweet, doesn’t he?”

“Does he have a brother?”

I laughed.

“Hey, you laughed. See, it’ll be okay.”

“Love sucks. Maybe I’ll just have a wild fling with Nate instead? You know, just hook up and not get all emotional about him?”

Georgia looked at me sideways. A pair of headlights flashed into our car as it passed by, and I saw her disapproving glare.

“Good thing fire doesn’t shoot from your eyes. I’d be crispy right now.”

“I know you, Mandy. You wouldn’t be happy with one night stands.”

“Ah, hell. I could never have sex with someone I didn’t know.”

“Good.”

“It was a fluke Zach liked me anyway. You know?”

“No it wasn’t, girl. Can I tell you something and you promise not to get mad and freeze the entire car?”