Wishful Deviltry

Chapter Three

It would take approximately an hour drive to reach the nearest large airport by car from Kaleb's house. Karis settled into the car seat next to Kaleb. Even though she had her seat belt on she was still close enough to lay her head on Kaleb's shoulder. She tried to relax her body, but her nerves wouldn't allow her to get comfortable. She was too wound up from the disturbing images that kept popping into her mind. Her Mother's face when she disappeared into her bedroom. The smoke from the explosion that blew her front door off her house. The two figures that walked through the opening that looked like animals, but carried themselves like humans. She shook her head to clear her mind, and turned her attention towards Kaleb watching him try to distract himself by picking at a loose string on his shorts; he was so wired and fidgety that he couldn't sit still. Karis placed her shaky hand on top of his to try to calm him down.
"Are you ok?" Karis asked.
Kaleb looked at her and gave her a devilish smile. "You know- adrenaline is an amazing feeling, it numbs the body and soul to get you through a dangerous situation, but when you come down off the adrenaline rush it leaves you with a drained feeling. That's where I'm at right now. My mind wants to know what's going on and it's literally driving me crazy not knowing, but also my mind is tired and it doesn't want to deal with those kids with the powers just yet. I do know one thing, as long as we stick together we can get through this and beat anything that gets in our way."
"Just don't go completely crazy on me." Karis said with a smile on her face.
"The one thing that will make me go completely crazy is losing you, Karis." He said as he looked down at her hand interlocked with his. "The only reason I joke around or say the stuff that I say is to get your attention. Even if it's just a punch in the arm, I look forward to it every day."
"That's just your adrenaline talking right now. There's nothing special about me." Karis gave a sad chuckle.
"If you only knew." Kaleb said under his breath.
Karis looked up at Kaleb with a confused expression, "What did you say, I couldn't hear you."
"Nothing, just try to get some rest." He unlocked his fingers from hers and patted her gently on the leg before turning his attention to the scenery passing by outside the car window.
It was still light enough outside from the sun setting for Karis to see the trees pass by in a blur outside the window of Kaleb's step dad's car. She could tell he was driving way over the speed limit. She thought about how all the crazy events that happened that day had already changed her life tremendously. This morning all she wanted was to make plans for her sixteenth birthday party, now she's worried about her parents and making plans for a new school with new friends. Karis thought that she would at least have powers when she started her new school.
Then she thought of Kaleb and how he was thrown into this situation without even asking for it. After all, it was her house that got attacked. He didn't have anything to do with it.
Kaleb's parents told him that they wanted him to go with Karis to this new school to protect her, but she believed they thought it would be safer for him to be at a school full of supernatural powered people. At least this new school will be more prepared for an attack than a public school.
Finally Kaleb broke the silence by asking, "Do you think anybody is following us?"
Patrick looked sideways at Sarah in the passenger seat, and then looked at Kaleb in the rear view mirror. "I don't think anybody knows that you two are leaving town except the people we want to know. Besides, I think you and Karis got out of her house without anyone even knowing you two were there." Patrick said. "I think whoever bombed Karis's house thought Beth was there alone."
"But we don't know for sure." Sarah interrupted. "That's why you and Karis are leaving."
"I understand that, but what I want to know is what you are not telling us?" Kaleb said. "I mean we still don't know what is going on! Things were happening so fast back there. We didn't have time to ask questions. Well now I'm asking and don't give us the run around about how we'll find out later. We want to know now."
"You're right, Kaleb, let me start with telling you guys about the telephone call at our house." Patrick started explaining as he turned the car onto another highway. "Karis, your dad has been working on a project for several years that could possibly enhance or change the way our powers work, but he has not perfected it yet. If or when he finishes this project, there'll be people out there that want it for their own use. Your dad told me over the phone that there has been more evil activity in the United States this past week than there has been in over fifty years. We believe it has something to do with this project."
"So, you're telling me that my dad is in California chasing some evil activity. I thought he was there on business."
"He's down there on business, just a different kind of business. When there's a certain percentage of evil activity, we have certain people designated to take care of the problem." Patrick paused for a minute to look at his side view windows and switched lanes. He laid on his car horn at a car that slammed on the brakes in front of them. Patrick swore under his breath.
"Listen guys..." Sarah continued for Patrick. "When you graduate from the new school, you're assigned to the government and they give you a designated job in which your powers can help protect the normal people from evil. This job is considered classified and pays you only when you are called upon. That means you have to get a regular job to live in the normal world and support your family. That's how we can live normal lives. It was determined by our government that this method of living was better and seemed to keep the abuse of our gifts to a minimum. There was a time long ago that our kind was hunted and killed for the abuse of our powers. You'll learn the history of our kind at the new school."
"Is my dad one of those designated people to take care of the problem?" Karis asked. "How bad is the problem?"
"It was bad enough that someone sent Scrapers to your house in a normal neighborhood." Sarah said. "That' highly unusual for anybody that wants to keep a low profile."
"So, how can my dad find the person that's behind all this?" Karis asked.
Sarah looked overwhelmed as she twisted her wedding ring on her left ring finger. "That's just it, Karis, there's no way of finding the person who's making these Scrapers. Your father's job is to try to find where the experiments are taking place and wait until they strike again. His maker power allow him to construct weapons to protect people, but he's also a very smart man. He can make things to create energy to use in many different ways." Sarah continued. "Such as, using positive energy to find negative energy over a long distance. He also found a way to combine different energies together and store them in one object, so when the object is connected to the right energy source it will make a powerful weapon. That's probably why your house was attacked. They were looking for your father. And Kaleb, you're involved because it was our job to.......?"
"And our job is." Patrick interrupted giving Sarah a quick look then quickly looked back to the road. "To keep everybody that live normal lives safe and unaware of what's going on. The school will teach both of you just how to do that." Patrick gave Sarah another look that Karis couldn't read, a look between sympathy and frustration.
"So how are we supposed to act at this school since we don't have our powers yet?" Kaleb asked.
Patrick shifted uncomfortably in the driver's seat before he answered, "When both of you meet up with these kids at the airport you will have to discuss it together discreetly either at the airport or during flight. Whatever you do, do not give it away that neither of you have not received your powers. I don't know how the kids at this school will react."
"That's easier said than done, dad." Kaleb said irritably. "Where's a magic wand when you need one."
Patrick's face flushed as he let out a controlled breath and shook his head. "Just use your head, son, it was put on top of your shoulders for a reason. Besides you will only have a week or two there without powers, lay low and keep cool. The Dean will brief anybody that needs to know your situation before your plane even touches down at Dare County Airport near Manteo, North Carolina. They will help you stay under the radar at this school."
"MANTEO, NORTH CAROLINA!" Karis shrieked putting her hand over her mouth, then lowered her voice, "I thought the school was closer to Texas."
"There are several of these types of schools in different places." Sarah explained. "This is the one that your friend, Jessica, goes to and we know that it's a very low profile school. We all believe it's this best place for the both of you at this point. The less people the less attention it will bring on you and Kaleb."
Kaleb had a deep smile on his face, his bright blue eyes were shining with delight, "Manteo, isn't that place near a beach?"
"Yes, it is, but you and Karis will not have time to play around on the beach." Patrick said firmly. "Your teachers will be extensively training both of you. Take it serious. Learn to read people's facial expressions and body language. This is the key to survival, it will tell you a lot about a person. You can have fun, but stay on the defensive side. When you let your guard down that's when mistakes happen."
"Don't worry. We'll do our best to learn all we can to keep our butts safe. And have a little fun while we learn." Kaleb winked at Karis and playfully nudged her with his elbow. "Did you bring your bikini? Oh sorry I forgot we didn't have time to grab anything. I guess we'll have to go swimming on the nude beach, what a shame."
Karis push Kaleb playfully and said, "I would never go to a nude beach, besides you would get kicked off the beach for almost drowning people with laughter."
"Oh, I see how it is! You are afraid everybody would ignore you and swoon over me."
"Swoon?" Karis laughed at Kaleb then leaned forward in the seat to talk to Sarah. "Has he always been so irritating during a serious situation?"
Sarah looked back at both of them with a concerned, motherly look. "It's time to be serious now; we have less than fifteen minutes before we get to the airport. Jessica and her friends are going to be there with your tickets in hand and should be ready to board the flight shortly after we arrive at the airport. The flight is going to be approximately six hours long, so get as much information out of them and about the school as you can before you land."
"How can we get in touch with you or Karis's parents if something happens or we need you?" Kaleb asked with no sarcasm in his voice.
"Karis has the cell phone that we gave her. She's to use it only in an emergency situation. We don't want it traced back to Karis or her parents. I know you two won't be together all the time, but try not to call each other's cell phones unless you have to."
"We'll stick together, besides we'll be the only two students without powers. Someone will have to keep an eye on Karis to keep her out of trouble."
"Ha-ha, very funny. I know how to stay out of trouble. The only time I get into trouble is when I'm around you." Karis laughed while jabbing her elbow in Kaleb's ribs.
"Okay, okay, you win. I'm the handsome trouble maker. Now, how are we going to get these knives and swords past airport security?" Kaleb asked kicking the duffle bag at his feet.
Patrick cleared his throat as he turned onto the airport road. "We'll have the airport baggage handler put it in a box and store it with the other baggage. Besides, you'll have three people with powers with you on the plane."
Patrick drove in the entrance to the parking area of the airport. After about two rounds through the unloading zone he finally found an empty spot near the entrance to the airport. Patrick parked the car under a large sign that said Departures Only. Patrick quickly scanned the area and then motioned everyone to get out of the car. Patrick and Kaleb quickly moved to the rear of the car.
"Well look here, how often can someone find a parking spot this close to the airport entrance without having to pay for it?" Patrick joked as he pointed at their car. Kaleb noticed his step fathers' worried facial expression.
"Dad." Kaleb interrupted as they were unloading of the luggage. "You don't have to worry about us, we'll be alright."
"I know, but you're still my son and I worry about you." Patrick said as a tear rolled down his cheek. "You'll always be my son even if we are not blood related, I love you."
"And you're the only dad I have ever known, so if you think I don't love you because we're not blood related you're sorely mistaken. You're my dad and that's all there is to it." Kaleb placed his hand on Patrick's shoulder and leaned over to whisper in his ear, "I love you too, dad, but don't get your hopes up for a kiss. I'm not that kind of guy." Patrick swiped Kaleb's hand from his shoulder and laughed out loud.
"Okay you two, this male bonding can stop now." Sarah chuckled in an attempt to cover up her emotional state. "We've got work to do, help with the luggage."
Karis wished that the trip to the airport had been longer. She had so many questions with no answers. But questions could wait until later. She didn't want to interrupt the goodbyes. Kaleb and his parents were joking and laughing, she didn't want their last moments to be a sad conversation. Karis just smiled to herself wishing that her family was here.
As they made their way to the entrance of the airport, Patrick and Sarah paid close attention to their surroundings. Kaleb looked at Karis before they reached the automatic door. He had a worried expression on his face, but she believed he was more worried for her than himself.
"Are you ready for this? There's no turning back once we get on that airplane. You'll be stuck with me for a long, long, long time."
"I can handle you, I just don't know if I can handle a new school. This whole thing is happening so fast that I don't know what to think. I guess I'm ready as I can be at this point." Karis said returning his worried look. "Kaleb, if you're asking me if I'm scared then my answer is yes, but I feel much safer having you by my side. If we can get through these next two or three weeks without getting seriously hurt, I'll be extremely happy."
"I tell you what." Kaleb said as the automatic door opened and they walked into the airport. "If we get through the next three weeks safe and sound, I'll take you for a ride in my new Mustang when I get it and you can choose where we go. Does that seem fair enough since I'll have my driver's license before you?"
"Hey, it's not my fault that my old fashion parents think it's too soon for me to get my driver's license, besides I don't need one, I have you for my personal driver."
"So is it a deal?" Kaleb asked as he held out his hand for Karis to shake.
"Deal!" Karis shook Kaleb's hand to make him happy even though she knew he would take her anyway. "Now let's get our luggage checked in and meet up with Jessica and the guys."
Kaleb's smile turned to a frown as he switched the duffle bag he was carrying from one hand to the other and grunted, "Fine, but those guys are not invited to ride in my Mustang!"
Karis and Kaleb followed behind Sarah and Patrick not knowing where they needed to go once they were inside the airport. This was not the first time Karis had been to this airport, but it would be the first time for her to fly in an airplane. She looked over at Kaleb to try to calm her nerves, but his eyes were searching every person that walked by for any abnormal reactions. Although Kaleb was very calm, he had an uneasy look on his face as if someone would go postal on them at any second.
"I seriously doubt anybody will try to attack us in the middle of a busy airport, so don't look so serious." Karis elbowed Kaleb in the arm to make him smile, but he was so caught up in watching everyone around them he didn't even hear a word Karis said. "Fine, don't listen to me. Your parents are here with us, nothing is going to happen." Karis snapped as she walked next to Kaleb looking at the ground.
Kaleb looked down at Karis and put his arm around her. "Ok, I'll relax as much as I can, let's just find Jessica so we can get on this plane and get out of here. Something just doesn't feel right. I think I'll feel better once we're at the school and know what we're supposed to do. I hate not knowing what's going on."
"I know what you mean; when we get on the plane maybe we can distract ourselves by learning more about the school from Jessica and the guys." Karis said feeling bad for snapping at Kaleb the way she did. She looked up at him to apologize, but when their eyes suddenly locked she was mesmerized by his gaze for a moment.
Kaleb's crystal blue eyes searched her face as if he wanted to say something, but couldn't find the words to say it. Instead he turned his head and nodded. "Yah, we definitely need the distraction.

I hope you enjoyed it so far, the next Chapter gets even better. Vote, Comment, or just smile!!! Happy Reading!!