Paranoia (The Night Walkers) (22 page)

twenty-nine

The bleeding hadn’t only been in the dream. It took me a few minutes in the bathroom to wash all the blood out of my hair, my ears, and the stubble on my chin. I looked in the mirror, trying to see the difference inside me. I could still feel Darkness, but he was like a whisper … one of my many voices, one of many opinions and thoughts. He was still a part of me and he always would be … and I was surprisingly happy about that.

Finn and Chloe hadn’t woken yet, and Jack thought it was a bad idea to wake them.

So we waited.

We’d all been asleep for nearly an hour before I woke up. Now it was more than two hours, going on three. I’d done everything I could. It had nearly killed me; I knew that without question. I had to believe that my efforts had made a difference. I had to believe it until someone proved otherwise.

Addie put her hand in mine and led me outside to get some fresh air. We sat with Mia on the bench in the backyard. The afternoon sunlight filtered through the leaves above. The trees had weathered the long winter and come through to the summer changed. They stood taller, reached farther, their branches stronger. Everything about them was better for having withstood their struggles. I couldn’t help but hope my winter had done the same for me.

“You never know … ” Mia whispered through her fingers.

“What?” Addie held my hand in one of hers and took Mia’s with the other.

“You never know how important people are until it’s too … until they’re … ”

“He’s not.” Addie said firmly, but her lower lip trembled. Then she repeated again to herself, “He’s not.”

“It’s a good thing to feel needed.” Finn’s voice behind us was weak, but hearing it was like a giant burst of warmth in my chest. He leaned against the doorway of the house, one leg crossed over in front of him and his arms folded across his chest. I didn’t know if Addie had brought him a change of clothes or what, but he had on a shirt that said
Sorry About What Happens Later.

Mia was the first off the bench. She ran to him and wrapped both arms hard around his neck. Jack came out of the door with a grin and barely stabilized Finn before they both toppled over. Mia kissed Finn’s cheek and kept hugging him. His face turned bright red and his eyes were wide. Then he caught my eye, wagged his eyebrows, and winked over Mia’s shoulder.

Addie and I ran over and hugged Finn too. Having him back … it was all worth it. I’d made so very many bad choices in recent months, but I’d always had excellent taste in friends.

When Finn finally withdrew from the numerous hugs, it was clear he wasn’t all that steady. We peeked in at Chloe on the couch; she was waking up and rubbing her forehead. Jack walked over and spoke quietly to her. She got to her feet, but she was wobbly and looked deflated and pale as she gathered her things. At least she was alive.

“You can take a shower if you’d like,” I said as I joined them. Jack looked at me in surprise. “Then I’ll give you a ride home when you’re ready.”

Chloe mumbled a quick “thank you,” and her cheeks flushed slightly as she walked carefully down the hall to the bathroom.

“What did you say to her?” I asked Jack as the rest of us moved to sit at the table.

“I told her I would try to help her.” Jack stared me in the eye like he was half ready for me to say he shouldn’t.

“Good.” I leaned forward and stretched my shoulders and neck. After the last twenty-four hours, I felt stiff everywhere. “I think she needs it.”

Jack slowly inclined his chin but didn’t comment.

Finn turned toward me, changing the subject. “You’re really making it hard for me to keep up my end of this, you know?”

“Huh?”

“Less than seven months and you save my life twice?” Finn tugged on his ear and winced. “They’re going to take my man card and give me one that says ‘damsel in distress.’”

I laughed. “It’s the least I could do, considering both times were my fault. Besides, it turns out that life is considerably less fun without you around. I had no other option, really.”

“I see. Well, in that case, I’d like to file a formal complaint. I feel kind of ripped off. If there’s going to be body switching next time, I’d rather take over a girl’s body than vice versa. Just for future reference.” I could see pain and fear behind his eyes, but Finn was playing it off like always, dismissing living through the worst nightmare with a few jokes and a wave of his hand.

“Noted.” I smiled and shook my head. “Glad to have you back, man.”

“Glad to be here.” Finn smiled and shot a quick look at Mia. She was beaming. I didn’t remember ever seeing her look this happy.

Mia turned to Finn. “Would you go shopping with me later this week? I wa—” She glanced at me and smiled before finishing. “I want to buy a few paint supplies.”

Finn grinned, then pretended to consider the request carefully. “Sure, as long as you occasionally paint something I want to see. I have very sophisticated tastes that really can’t be met by the current market. I still haven’t found a painting that can capture both the essence of Bruce Lee and the aroma of a good pizza—just for an example.”

“I can probably manage that.” Mia laughed softly before leaning her head against his shoulder. Finn tentatively put his arm around her, then grinned even wider when she moved closer.

“Well, I guess I need to pack up.” Jack walked over and lifted his jacket off the back of one of the chairs.

I stood without thinking and my chair tipped over with a clatter. “What? Why?”

Jack pulled the paper Dad had given him out of his pocket with a sad smile. “Dad figured it out. He finally found the real solution for the Takers. It’s a formula that will save them without hurting anyone else. It will enable them to get real sleep.”

I stared at the tiny paper in awe of what it held. “Why didn’t he give it to them before?”

“He told me he tried to, a few weeks ago, but as long as there was a chance for them to have Eclipse, they would never choose to be normal. Not when they could be what they considered gods. They wouldn’t give up that kind of power.”

“What are you going to do with it?” I didn’t even know where he would start with something like that.

“I have to find phone numbers for a few of his contacts.” Jack’s hand trembled, so he folded the paper up and put it back in his pocket. “Dad wants me to work toward building a new NWS, one that sticks to the principles of the original: to help the Night Walkers. His contacts will help me make it happen, and this formula is my insurance that the Takers don’t try to mess it all up again.”

“But you have to leave? You can’t do it from here?” It felt weird, knowing how angry I’d been at Jack before, but I really didn’t want him to go. There were so many questions I wanted to ask him about my—our—dad, but more than that, I wanted the chance to get to know my brother better.

“I’ll stay for a couple of days, but then I have to go.” Jack smiled, looking relieved that I wanted him around. “But this life is part of what Dad gave us. We don’t have to hide. You have my number and I have yours. Call me. I’m going to try to set up a lab and a new NWS on the other side of the base once things settle down,
if
there’s still enough structure left intact to support people living there again. I’ll only be a few hours away and I can go back and forth.”

“Okay.” I picked my chair up from the floor and shrugged. “I guess that’ll work.”

Finn laughed out loud, looked at Addie, and rolled his eyes. “Men.”

Man, it was so good to have him back.

I kissed Addie on the cheek and whacked Finn softly on the back of the head as I passed. Then I grabbed my phone and went into my room. I dialed Mom’s number and she answered on the first ring.

“Parker?”

“Yep.”

She released a breath. “I know you said not to worry, but I’ve been so nervous.”

“I know, Mom. I’m back home and I’m sorry for scaring you.” I looked at my desk and rolled one of the pencils back and forth to control my nerves. “When will you be home?”

“I have a couple more appointments … unless you
need me right now?” I heard her flipping through papers in the background and knew she was already trying to figure out how to make that happen.

“No, it can wait an hour or two. But tonight.” I released one long breath. In spite of the wriggling feeling in my stomach, I was relieved to have finally opened this door. She needed to know about me. She deserved to know, and I wanted to talk to her about Dad. To give her the answers she’d waited so long for. “We have a lot to talk about.”

After I hung up the phone, Addie walked up, her brow furrowed. “Everything okay?”

Lifting my right thumb, I ran it across her forehead until the lines there went away. Then I reached for her wrists, lifting them up and draping them around my neck. “Never better.”

She smiled and kissed me long and sweet.

And there was more kissing.

And more kissing.

And still more kissing …

The End

Acknowledgments

There are so many people who make a book happen. Often with my books,
Paranoia
included, it all starts during a brainstorming session with my incredible agent, Kathleen Rushall. Thank you for all of your amazingness. I truly could not navigate this crazy publishing world without you.

After the initial idea phase comes the writing, which includes hours of bouncing ideas off of my incredibly patient husband, Ande, while the most amazing kids in the world, Parker and Cameron, throw in the occasional suggestion that’s so full of brilliance I wonder why they aren’t the ones writing books instead of me. You three are my world; thank you for helping me build it.

Then comes the editing, which starts with my amazing critique partners: Kasie West, Renee Collins, Michelle Argyle, L.T. Elliot, Candice Kennington, Natalie Whipple, Bree Despain, and Sara Raasch. Thank you for helping me sort through my mess to find the gem buried beneath. Parker owes his story to you.

Then, of course, comes more editing with Flux. To Brian Farrey-Latz, for helping Parker put his best foot forward, and to the rest of the Flux team (especially Sandy and Mallory), thank you so much for having as much love for this book as I do. You’ve brought it to life in ways I never could’ve imagined. And another huge thank you to Lisa Novak for creating the incredibly chilling cover that captures the tone of Parker’s story to perfection; any ideas I had paled in comparison to what you created.

Thank you to Taryn Fagerness, for working tirelessly to help the world find the Night Walkers. It blows me away to think of my story being translated into German, Italian, Czech, Spanish, Portuguese, Turkish, Hungarian, Chinese, and more. Thank you for all you do!

Thank you to Krista, Eric, Matt, Amanda, Mom, and Bill, plus Nick Whipple, Dave Cutler, and all the rest of my family and friends, for always wanting to read and pushing me to write more!

Thank you to the writing community, specifically here in Utah, plus The Lucky 13s and the Friday the Thirteeners, for providing me with strength and sanity during my debut year. You are the best!

Last, but most certainly not least, thank you so very much to all of my readers. You are the reason I get to write books. Thank you for finding meaning in Parker’s madness and keeping my dreams alive.

© Michelle Davidson Argyle

About the Author

J. R. Johansson has two amazing sons and a wonderful husband who keep her busy and happy. In fact, but for the company of her kitten, she’s pretty much drowning in testosterone. They live in a valley between huge mountains and a beautiful lake where the sun shines more than three hundred days per year. She loves writing, playing board games, and sitting in her hot tub. Her dream is that someday she can do all three at the same time.

Visit the author online at www.jrjohansson.com.