Average Joe and the Extraordinaires (12 page)

Chapter
23

Making
Things Right

Kate was
walking down the hallway way too fast.  Joe could hardly keep up.

Joe:
“Kate, wait!”

Kate: “I
don’t have a reason to.”

Those
were the first words exchanged by them since the stadium and that made Joe
sad.  Mod looked trapped and bewildered as Kate pulled him along.

Joe:
“Come on, Kate!  Slow down!”

Kate: “Go
away!”

Joe could
hear the hurt in her voice.  She was trying to be tough, but her voice had
betrayed her and told that she was close to tears.  Mod looked from her to Joe,
then shrugged Kate off of his arm.

Mod:
“Stop, sis.  Wait for him.”

Both
redheads stopped in their tracks.  Green eyes stared into blue ones.  Kate
looked shocked.  She then looked like she wanted to slap him.  Joe finally
managed to catch up to Kate and Mod.

Joe:
“Kate, I’m sorry.  I just—”

Kate:
“Yeah, you’re sorry alright.  I had to leave my class again to stick up for my
brother when he had a perfectly good friend standing next to him doing
nothing.”

Joe: “I
didn’t know what to do.  I asked Fleez to stop, but he couldn’t control Dozz.”

Kate:
“You’re an idiot.  A completely dense, dim-witted, brainless, dolt-headed,
idiotic ignoramus.  My brother deserves a better friend than you.”

Mod:
“Kate, that’s not fair.  This isn’t about me and you know it.  You two need to
deal with your issues and stop using me as a shield.  I’m going to class now.”

Mod
walked away down the hall, leaving silence between Kate and Joe.  Once they
were done looking after him, Joe glanced at Kate and they connected eyes for a
second.  It must’ve been a second too long for Kate.  She started to run after
her brother.

Joe:
“Kate!  Please!”

She
stopped.

Joe:
“Mod’s right.  We need to talk.”

Kate’s
back was to Joe, and because of that he had to strain to hear her words.

Kate:
“It’s too late for that.”

Joe
walked up to Kate and put a hand on her shoulder.  She shrugged him off and
pushed him away.  Joe’s face was struck with confusion.

Kate:
“You missed your chance.  You had all this time to talk to me, but you chose
not to.”

Joe: “I’m
sorry, Kate.  I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry.  One million and one times I’m
sorry.”

Kate:
“Shut up.”

Joe: “I
am a worthless human being that deserves no pity.  I should’ve called you, I
should’ve written you, I should’ve visited you—”

Kate:
“But you didn’t, even after you came back.”

Joe was
silent.  Kate went silent.

Joe: “I
would have if I could have, you know that.  You and Mod are my two favorite
people on this planet, and that includes my parents and grandparents, sorry to
say.”

Kate:
“Really?  Well then why aren’t you treating us like it?  Even when you came
back you didn’t waste any breath on us.”

Joe: “I’m
sorry, it just took a while to adjust to being back.”

That was
true, Joe decided.  He hadn’t known why he’d avoided the world for so long
until he had just said it.  Once Beauty turned over a copy of the stadium tape
to the cops, it had only taken a few days for Joe to be set free and cleared to
return home.  He had cooped himself up in his house with his parents to avoid
danger and the media.  After that, he continued to tell his parents that he wasn’t
ready for school until the second week had passed and he had finally relented
to going back because he thought he’d die from boredom.  That whole time he
hadn’t contacted either Kate or Mod.  He had only talked to his grandparents
because they had called him.

Kate
shook her head.

Kate:
“For two weeks?  That’s insane, Joe, and you know it.”

It was
really selfish, he had to admit, but he didn’t know any other ways to deal with
the situation.

Kate:
“You know what I was doing for two weeks?”

Joe:
“Crying.”

She
looked like she wanted to slap him at that moment.

Kate:
“Yes, you big jerk.  That’s all I’ve been doing.  That, and waiting for you to
call me.”

Her face
was red with heat, and tears welled up and fell left then right from her bright
blue eyes.

Joe: “I
know, I … Kate, I’m sorry.”

Kate:
“You’ve already said that.  Is that all you can say?”

She
sniffled quietly to herself.

Kate:
“You still haven’t told us what happened to you in the stadium.”

Joe: “If
I haven’t told you and Mod what happened yet, then you should know it’s for a
good reason.  You two are my closest friends.”

Kate:
“That doesn’t make sense.”

Joe: “It
does.  Trust me.  If anything happened to you I wouldn’t be able to live with
myself.”

Kate:
“What?”

Joe: “I
can’t tell you anything about the stadium.  It’s honestly to keep you safe.

Kate:
“Fine.  I gotta go.  I have … class.”

Joe
looked into Kate’s eyes, she looked back at his, then she turned and started
walking down the hall.

Joe:
“Kate!  I heard you on the radio.  You were crying, I could tell.  You were
hurting, I know.  I wish I could take it back.”

She
turned towards him again.

Joe:
“Kate I’m sor— you don’t deserve to be hurt like this.  You deserve much
better.  I don’t want to see you cry anymore.”

Kate:
“I’m late, Joe.  I need to go.”

She
walked off down the hall.  When she was comfortably out of Joe’s hearing range,
she whispered so low so that only she could hear.

Kate:
“Lunkhead.”

Chapter
24

The Plot
Thickens

The sun
was still out by the time Joe made it home.  Leaving school, he was free of all
the excess drama that had come from his attendance.  He had expected to find a
lot more peace of mind at school than he was getting.  Not much, but some. 
Between Fleez and Dozz’s antics, Principal Patrias’ threats, Kate’s emotions,
and his needy teachers, school had become a hundred times more stressful.  His
home was the only place he could find any sort of respite.

Today,
his house was once again empty, and he checked all the rooms this time just to
make sure.  Today his room door was open and there was no sign of any of his
new friends.  That actually disappointed him a little.  He settled down on his
bed and threw his books and folders on the floor and lay down.  He had no
desire to do homework, but he remembered the principal’s warning.  He
compromised with himself and decided to go to class early tomorrow to do it all
before first bell.

He was
tired from all of the day’s heightened emotions and started to drift to sleep. 
The cell phone Borland had given him woke him out of his near slumber, vibrating
lightly against the side of his left thigh.  Joe reached for the phone and
answered it.

Joe:
“Hello?”

A low
grumble faintly reached Joe’s ear.  He recognized it as Borland.

Borland:
“Tonight. Nine.  Get there early.  Be alone.  Toy Store.”

There was
only one toy store in town, so Joe knew which one Borland wanted to meet at.

Joe: “Okay.”

Click. 
Joe pocketed the phone and rested his head.  Slowly, and without realizing it,
he drifted off into a quiet and peaceful sleep.

He awoke
frightened and sweaty.  His heart was pumping like mad. Dream or nightmare,
whichever it might have been, he only had the feelings of it to rely on, and a
brief flash of images to remember it by.  He remembered seeing Kate and Mod
covered in red … red something.  Their faces and clothes were drenched in it,
painted with it.  There was fire too, lots and lots of heat and fire.  None of
that was what woke him.  No, the last thing he had seen was a pair of eyes,
silver and blue.  They wanted Joe dead.  He could tell that much.

He sat up
and checked his clock. It was already 8:47pm.  He had overslept by twenty-seven
minutes longer than he’d wanted. 
Why didn’t I just set my alarm
, he lamented.

He threw
on his shoes, a thin hoodie, grabbed his keys, then headed out.  He bumped into
his parents on the way out, but was in too much of a hurry to hear what they
were saying to him.  He told them he’d be back and rushed off to his car.

He made
it to the toy store parking lot with no time to spare.  A slim and ripped youth
sat on a motorbike, clad in leather pants, a white tank-top, and fingerless
black leather gloves.  He wore a vest over his tank-top and sported a pink mohawk. 
He looked like a member of Fleez and Dozz’s Team Badd Azz. He regarded Joe
through large orange-tinted sunglasses.

Mohawked
Youth: “Get ovah here, ya git’!  We don’ have time ta wa-easte!”

He spoke
with a strong English accent as he pointed towards his bike.

Mohawked
Youth: “Put on ye helmet an’ don’ toss it away this toime.  We need ta hide
ya.”

This
time?  That could only mean that this punk from 1984 was Beauty.

Joe:
“You’re looking very rock and roll tonight.  The mohawk brings out the color in
your eyes.”

Joe
laughed, and even the punk couldn’t hide his grin.

Mohawked
Youth: “Don’t worry your pret-ey lit-el ‘ead ‘bout that one.  Neh-ow let’s
‘urry it up!”

Joe put
on his helmet and climbed up on the bike behind the kid.  They drove off into
the night on Beauty's now-pink bike, going probably three times the legal speed
limit.  Beauty drove a few towns over and they arrived at a park.  Joe could
hardly see his own two feet as they walked through the grass.  Beauty led the
way.  She was just a shadow in front of Joe, and at some point had become a
girl again.  Joe couldn’t tell when she’d transformed, but could tell that she
was in her normal form.

They
walked past the playground and to the baseball diamond.  Then passed that up
for the bleachers.  That’s where they found Borland, in a gray suit to match
his hair.  He was sitting on the stands, apparently waiting.

Borland:
“Took you two long enough.”

Beauty:
“This one looks to have overslept.”

Joe:
“Sorry.”

Borland:
“It makes no nevermind.  Were either of you watched?”

Beauty:
“We wouldn’t be here if we were, but Joe might’ve had a tail before we met up.”

Joe: “No
way!”

Borland
ignored Joe.

Borland:
“Are you sure, Liandra?”

What did
Borland just call her?  Liandra?  Who was that?

Beauty:
“I’m not certain.  If there was a tail, they left as soon as they saw me.”

Joe:
“Your name’s Liandra?  How come you never told me?”

Beauty:
“You never properly asked.  Besides, I like Beauty a lot better anyways.  I
think it fits perfectly.”

Joe:
“It’d be rude to call you anything other than your name … Liandra.”

She
smiled at that, which caused Joe to blush.

Borland:
“It’s okay, as long as they didn’t make it here, but we’ll have to take note of
them soon.  Now come up here.”

Joe
walked behind Beauty, a.k.a. Liandra, up the steps of the bleachers to Borland,
who was near the middle.  Once they were settled, Borland spoke up.

Borland:
“I must first thank you, Joe, and commend you for your bravery in deciding to
stay and help us.”

Joe: “No
problem, Mr. Borland.  My mom and pop always taught me to do the right thing.”

Borland:
“They raised you well.  Your help will take us a long way, but to a certain
extent puts you in a little danger.  I’ll do my best to protect you—”

Liandra:
“As will I.”

Joe:
“Thank you both.  But if I’m in danger, what about my family and friends?”

Liandra:
“No harm should befoul any of them, but I’ll be around should someone try.”

Joe: “I’m
not quite sure what befoul means, but thank you.”

Borland:
“That’s all well and good.  Now I must ask you both an important question. 
Have either of you seen or had contact with my girls, Melissa and Dahlila?  Dahlila
hasn’t contacted me and I’m starting to fear that they’ve been … recaptured. 
There aren’t too many places they could’ve gone.  Alone, they don’t have much
of a chance.”

Liandra
spoke up first and fast.

Liandra:
“I haven’t come across your girls.  Once they’re safe and sound, I’ll let you
know.”

Borland:
“How about you, Joe?  Have you seen either of them?”

Joe was
hesitant, but luckily Beauty—er—Liandra seemed to sense that.

Liandra:
“He hasn’t either.  He told me earlier.”

Liandra
and Joe exchanged looks and Joe followed her lead.

Borland:
“Is that true, Joe?”

Joe: “Yes
sir, yes it is.”

Liandra:
“He tells it true, Borland.  I’d know if he was lying.”

Borland
looked resigned.  He looked like the old man he was for the first time.

Borland:
“It can’t be helped, I suppose.  I just wish that my old badge could do
something, like helping find these girls.”

Joe:
“It’s okay, sir.  Together, both of them can make it for as long as they need
to.  Both are smart and much craftier than most people, from what I’ve seen.”

Borland
couldn’t help but grin at that.

Borland:
“You’re a smart boy.  I taught Dahlila how to fight, and she’s a natural
survivor, and that Melissa girl ain’t no slouch either.  To survive what that
girl has survived, a person has to have incredible willpower.”

Joe:
“Yeah, they’ll be okay.”

Borland:
“I pray you’re right.”

There was
silence.

Liandra:
“Now, as for the real reason for this secret gathering.  You might want to get
comfortable, gentlemen.  I had a handful of reasons for being in the stadium
the day of the explosion. For one, I made it.”

Joe and
Borland: “What!”

Liandra:
“What?  There were no fatalities from the bomb.  The only casualties were
caused by the men in black suits.  I didn't know they would be so desperate to
use guns in a public stadium.”

Borland
fumed and brooded quietly as Liandra told the rest of her tale.  Joe’s mouth
was stuck wide open.

Liandra:
“Now, as for the why …  I was there to find out the dirty dealings of Stevinn
Blonsky and his circle, and to get your girl Dahlila out.”

Joe: “But
there was another guy there besides Blonsky; he seemed scarier.”

Borland:
“Yeah, the gray-haired man you told me about.  You said he was calling the
shots up above on the field.  Liandra, what do you make of that?”

She
looked disinterested.

Liandra:
“Probably some no-name stadium pencil pusher.”

Borland
seemed to be studying her the whole time she talked.

Borland:
“You’re a terrible liar.  Who is this guy?”

Joe
interrupted.

Joe:
“Grabas is what Melissa called him.  She said she’s definitely a bad guy too.”

Borland:
“When did she say that?”

Joe
cursed his idiotic mouth.

Joe:
“When we came up on the field.”

Borland:
“So who is he, Liandra?”

Liandra:
“I’m getting there, don’t rush me now.  As I was saying, I had met the blonde
girl, Dahlila, after I had crossed paths with the both of you, Borland.  You
never told me what you two were doing there.”

Borland:
“And I don’t plan on it.”

Liandra:
“Come on, I’m spilling my guts to you here!  Besides, you owe me.  I saved your
girl.”

Borland:
“I don’t owe you anything but I am grateful and my reasons for being there
aren’t exactly top secret.  Even Blonsky knows it by now.  We were there
investigating Blonsky.  He’s been transporting a lot of heavy stuff around this
city and we wanted to know what.”

Liandra:
“Stuff like people right?  And some weird chemicals.”

Borland:
“Yeah, how did you know?”

Liandra:
“We’ve probably been pursuing the same beat.”

Borland
looked at her icily and rubbed his chin.

Liandra:
“What’s going on with that Melissa girl?  Why was she there?”

Borland:
“I don’t know.  We got a tip that she would be a part of one of the shipments
going to the stadium.  It was hard to believe that anybody would try to ship
people illegally into a public stadium like that.  It was my first time hearing
that a kid was involved in this savagery so we pursued Blonsky extra hard.  Nothing
turned up from all that so I started to doubt the tip.”

Liandra:
“Then your girl disappeared?”

Borland:
“Yeah.  What happened to her?”

Liandra:
“She infiltrated the stadium one night, the same as I.  We were both dressed as
security and both there to see what was going on.  After going down the
elevator, none would come up to any of the upper floors, and that’s when we
knew there was more to the stadium than what was on the surface.  Part of the
cargo was people both old and young.  We saw them being herded into the
elevator.  They kept them in shipping trucks until inside.  I had to stop
Dahlila from pouncing down on the guards when one group was marched in.  I
think she might’ve seen the girl you were looking for.  I convinced her that
nothing would be gained from going any further that night, and so we both
left.  I was glad that my mission was still intact until I saw her go in the
next night—”

Borland:
“Without my permission.”

Liandra:
“When I didn’t see her come out I knew my plans would be jeopardized.”

Borland
scoffed loudly.

Liandra:
“And I was right.  After that, they doubled the security detail and changed
their operations.  Nothing else was coming in, but I noticed that they hadn’t
taken anything out yet, and so figured I still had a chance to find what I was
looking for, and if possible I could rescue that girl.”

Borland:
“What exactly were you looking for?  I want the truth.”

Liandra:
“Whatever Blonsky and his associates had buried down there.  I didn’t know
what.  I still don’t fully know what the purpose of that area is, but after
rescuing Dahlila I learned a few of its secrets, mainly that it’s an excavation
site.”

Borland:
“And what are they excavating?”

Liandra:
“Don’t know, but if they want it then I want it.”

Borland:
“You sound like a thief.”