Discovery (29 page)

“So you're leaving?”

“Not for long and not very far. We're going to try to use our powers to help Ben's battle strategy. But don't worry, Dave and I know all our mountain's great hiding places. I promise we won't be in any danger. And neither will you with Ben here.” Petra squeezed Grace's hand. “So, do you need anything before I leave?”

“No.” Grace felt numb with her thoughts. “But when you saw the fight, were … were any of the Misfits hurt or … or you know?”

Petra responded slowly, “I did not see any faces, if that is what you are asking.” She silently sat with Grace a few minutes before reaching into her pocket and pulling out a wadded up blue bandana. “One last thing. Last night I saw you were going to need this. I don't know why. I just know you do.”

Grace unwrapped the blue bundle and nestled inside was an antique wooden hair clip. It was crescent-shaped with two sticks running through it to hold hair in place.

“I bought it from some guy selling them at one of the Grateful Dead concerts Dave and I went to. I loved the way the flowers were so intricately carved on that large curved piece. Even the wooden sticks are decorated,” Petra said pointing to the clip's ornate design.

“Thank you,” Grace said still looking at the clip.

“You're welcome. Why don't we try it in your hair, Your Highness?” Petra stood over Grace and pulled her hair back through the wooden clip into a ponytail. “You know, dear, I don't have any children, but if I had a daughter, I would want her to be just like you.” Petra leaned down and gave Grace a hug.

Grace stood and hugged her back. “Thank you … for everything.”

“This will be over before you know it,” Petra said releasing Grace from her grasp.

“I hope so,” sighed Grace.

At that moment, Ben flew down the ladder with his undetectable speed. “Petra, it's time.”

Petra looked at Grace and smiled, “I'll see you later,” before she glided up the stairs leaving Ben and Grace alone.

The two friends stood on opposite sides of the small room, their eyes not moving from one another.

Grace finally broke the silence. “When you said ‘it's time,' does that mean they're here? Is the fight that Petra saw on the main road starting now?” she asked.

“Yes,” Ben nodded.

“What are we supposed to do?” Grace still stood there.

“You're going to stay down here away from everyone and everything and I'm going to keep watch upstairs,” Ben said matter-of-factly.

“So now you're in Guardian mode again?”

“Yes.”

“And so we aren't … you know?”

Ben's eyes softened a little. “Gracie, you are always in my heart but when I am acting as your Guardian, I need my head to be in control, not my heart. Do you understand?”

Grace's nod was barely visible.

“I need to concentrate on what's going on out there so I can keep you safe in here. I mean, if anything ever happened to you because I was distracted by, well — ” Ben shook his head as if shaking off a bad dream.

“I understand,” Grace interrupted softly. “Isn't there anything I can do?”

“No. Not without putting yourself in danger and I can't allow that. I've thought of every possible scenario and everyone here is working to keep you alive. Even Rebecca has shape shifted to look like you and is running around acting as a decoy. The least you can do is try to stay out of the way so the rest of us can do our jobs,” Ben stated bluntly.

“I'm sorry. I just thought if someone gets hurt or … you know, then maybe I could help with this Gift or whatever it is.”

“No way, Grace. We can't risk the Anti-Powers finding out about your power. You just need to stay here for now. I'll be back to check on you in a little while.”

“Where are you going?”

“I told you. I'll just be upstairs. Remember, sweetie, I won't ever leave you unless I know you are safe.” And then Ben disappeared leaving Grace alone with her thoughts.

• • •

She waited for him. She knew what she had to do. And while it was uncomfortable watching her neighbors valiantly but uselessly fight the Anti-Powers on the road below, blood was thicker than water. So she hid beside the cabin watching the battle and waiting to play her part for the Anti-Powers. Her heart raced with the anticipation of seeing him again. Of seeing them all.

“Your obedience impresses me,” a voice came up behind her.

Startled, she turned, almost stumbling over a rock. “You made it,” she gushed.

“Of course. Did you doubt me?”

“No. I … I'm just glad to see you.”

“And I you.” The corner of his mouth curled up as if he was trying to smile but was unable. “Where is she?”

“In there.” She pointed to the cabin, her aquamarine eyes now glowing with brighter tints of green. “In the basement.”

“When did your eyes start to turn?”

“Right after I delivered the box to them.” She could tell the prince was pleased.

“So, you are ready?”

“Yes.” She looked at the battle scene below. The bloody bodies of her former friends were starting to pile up. When she saw Rebecca's lifeless body sprawled out on the side of the road near Ted's store, her friend's blue eyes vacant of any soul, she knew Ben's battle plans were starting to disintegrate. “You are taking me with you, aren't you? To see Father?”

“I said I would, didn't I?”

“Yes.”

“Then my word should be good enough. Now, show me to Grace.”

• • •

The stone floor was so cold, she felt its iciness creep through the thick soles of her tennis shoes. Her constant pacing did nothing to warm her, and Grace knew her chills were more likely generated by nerves and not necessarily by the frigid floor below. She had only been alone about an hour but Ben's absence made everything feel worse. Without him, she could not even think straight right now. Knowing what was happening on the main road below, knowing it was happening because of her, was too much. In her mind, the basement walls appeared to be moving inward, crowding her, seemingly crushing what little stale air remained in the room. She needed to get out of there. She needed Ben. And just when she thought she would smother in the room's oppressiveness, Ben slid down the ladder. He landed inches from her pacing path and his closeness immediately calmed her.

“Hey, came to che — ,” he stopped. “Grace? What's wrong?”

“Nothing. I just want to know what's going on out there. Is everyone okay? Are … are you okay?” Her nerves pushed out the words with rapid breaths.

“Yes. Everything seems to be going as expected … I mean, we're holding our own and I'm sure DJ will return soon with reinforcements.” Ben paused. “Why are you trembling?”

“When you didn't come back … I thought … ”

Ben shook his head and pulled her close. “Well, you need to stop thinking.”

Grace closed her eyes and melted into Ben's arms. “I thought you were in Guardian mode.”

“I am. But I can't have my assignment losing it on me, can I?”

“No. I'll be fine now. I just needed to know you were okay.”

“I'm fine.” Ben started to release his hold on her.

“No.” Grace nuzzled her head closer into his chest. “Please just hold me a few minutes longer. I just need to feel us for a moment before you go back upstairs.”

Ben kissed the top of Grace's head. “Just us,” he whispered.

“Right,” Grace sighed. “Just us.”

They stood in each other's arms. Muffled battle cries from the road below attempted to invade their thoughts but the sounds barely passed through their moment. For that moment there was no battle, no Anti-Powers, no Family, no Gift. There was just Ben and Grace.

But unfortunately their moment was short-lived.

“Ben! Are you down there?” Star's frantic voice broke into their private thoughts.

Ben instantly released his hold on Grace and she saw in his face that he had reentered Guardian mode. “Yeah?” he shouted toward the stairs.

Star's face appeared in the shadow at the top of the stairs. “Ben, we need you! Dave's in trouble!”

“What? What do you mean Dave's in trouble?”

“He's hurt. Real bad. And they have him surrounded. We need you.”

Ben looked at Grace.

“Go,” was all she said.

Stay with Grace or save Dave. Ben's mind raced, looking for alternatives. There were none.

“Star,” he directed. “You stay with Grace and if you see anything out of the ordinary, anything at all, you get on that front porch and glow like you've never glowed before. With my powers, I'll see you wherever I am. You got that?” His eyes were stern.

“Yeah, I got it. Please hurry. They have him at the community center and it looks like Dave's in a lot of pain.”

Ben turned to Grace. “I promise I'll be back. Star will take care of you.” He squeezed her hand and then disappeared up the ladder.

Grace looked up at Star who still stood at the top of the ladder. “Want to come down?”

Star glanced behind her before answering, “Sure. For a minute.” She climbed down the ladder and surveyed the small bare room. “Real ritzy Waldorf-Astoria you got here,” she smiled.

“Yeah,” Grace smiled back. She could see why guys were attracted to Star. There was something about her that made you want to like her.

“I hear you're an orphan,” Star stated abruptly. She stayed near the ladder, her face half hidden in the corner's shadows.

“Yeah. My parents and brothers were killed in a car wreck when I was four.”
What a weird way to start a conversation
, Grace thought. “Do you have any family?”

“Yeah. But I haven't seen them in a while.”

“Oh.” Grace had no idea where this conversation was going but something in her gut told her it was going the wrong way. She casually stepped back, placing the bed between herself and Star.

“Obviously, the Misfits like to stay hidden so we don't get many visitors.”

“Oh, yeah, right,” Grace nodded.

“But luckily, one of my brothers has found his way here.”

Grace crinkled her brow.

“Brother, dear! Come on down!” Star called to the top of the ladder.

Star's brother appeared on the ladder and Grace's gut lurched. She clutched the bed rail to steady herself.

“I think you two know each other,” Star smiled as she stepped out of the shadows, her newly green eyes glowing.

“Grace, darling, where have you been?” Gregory's smile matched his sister's. “We've been looking everywhere for you.”

Surveying the lanky man with the ponytail standing in front of him, Tom noted how low his apartment's ceiling hung. It was bare inches above the visitor's head and Tom was almost, but not quite, intimidated by the man's height.

“Are you sure about all this?” Tom asked. “I mean … how did the Anti-Powers know where you all were? The mountain's supposed to — ”

“Cooper's dead.” DJ's bluntness stemmed from his impatience, not out of any callousness. “On the way here I found him cut up on the floor of his store. Looked to be a couple of day's old.”

“A couple of days?” Tom's voice cracked.

“Yeah, so I don't mean to be rude and all, but we really need to get going. Time is not our friend here.”

Tom shook his head. “I told the Council that we needed to get up there and get them. All this could have been avoided! They gave some silly excuse about Misfit territory and passport documentation. Even the Council leader thought Grace would be safe there while they followed their stupid protocol. I mean I even gave the Council my dad's old map to the Misfits.” Tom said mainly to himself.

“Look, I'm sorry they didn't listen to you then but do you think you could make them listen now?” DJ gestured to the front door.

“Yeah, we're going to make them listen.” Tom waved his hand and the door instantly sprang open. “Come on. It's time I had another face-to-face with our stubborn Council leader.”

• • •

Ben crouched behind a thick, old boxwood and pushed his back against the log wall. The community center's windows were slightly higher than most — something about the humidity controls for the artwork within — so Ben was hidden below the window listening, rather than watching, for any sign of Dave's struggle inside. But despite his superhuman hearing, Ben heard nothing. No voices. No scuffles. Nothing.

Just dead silence.

Staying low, Ben made his way around to the front of the community center and crept up to the front door. He listened again.

Still nothing.

Slowly, he cracked open the door and peeked into the dimly lit great hall. Not seeing anyone or anything, he slid through the door and braced himself, back against the wall. He scanned the large room and there, crouched down in the far corner, was Dave.

Ben glanced around again before stealthily skirting the perimeter walls of the room to reach his old friend. “Dave!” he whispered.

Dave looked up. “Benjamin! What are you doing here?” Ben noticed Dave did not bother to lower his voice.

“I thought you were hurt? I thought they had you surrounded?” Ben's instincts kicked into overdrive.

“Surrounded? What are you talking about?” Dave slowly stood up, rubbing his left shoulder. “I'm not hurt. Petra and I were up at the clearing trying to see like you wanted us to and I slipped, fell, and popped out my shoulder. No big deal. I've done it before. We got it popped back in and Petra went in the back here to get me some ice.”

“So the Anti-Powers aren't here?”

“No! The only Anti-Powers I've seen were down on the main road.”

“But Star — ,” Ben froze.

“Ben?”

But Ben had disappeared.