Convergence - The Last Science #2.2 - Heroes and Villains

B2: Chapter 33 - Self-Made - III

  "Pull off here," said Kendra, interrupting him.

  "What?" He took them to the curb, stopping neatly behind the empty pickup that was the only other sign of life on the whole block. "Did I say somethin' wrong? I didn't really mean that. Not every awakened is a pain in the ass, I'm just havin' a rough week here."

  "I wasn't listening."

  Kendra got out of the car and held up her hand. A red light flashed out of nowhere, emitting from her palm. Another red light lit up the nearest alley. Jeremy stared dumbfounded as Kendra emerged from the shadows. Except... Kendra was still standing next to the car, one foot in the passenger door. "What the fu—"

  The other Kendra hurried in and took the back seat. Kendra closed the door. "We can go," she added, nodding to Jeremy.

  "...You got it," he muttered. He glanced up into the rear-view mirror, where the other Kendra was brushing flakes of snow off her shoulders. Jeremy realized it was snowing, and turned on the wipers before it built up too much. "So..."

  "This is my sister, Lily," said Kendra.

  "Your what now?" Jeremy nearly pounded on the brakes, but managed to stop himself. He pulled out onto the highway and sped up, wanting nothing more than to get the pair out to the Greywood and be done with the whole mess. "I investigated your family. You don't have a sister."

  "Quite," said Lily. She turned to Kendra. "Kenni, did the Mettis deal finalize?"

  "Yes," said Kendra. "We'll be acquiring their subsidiaries as of the close of business today."

  "Excellent."

  "...Lily Wilmore," muttered Jeremy, remembering the name Maddie had used at the funeral. "So it was actually your sister this whole damn time?"

  "In a manner of speaking," said Kendra.

  "We take turns," Lily explained, "or if need be, we can be in two places at once."

  Jeremy shook his head. "I'll never understand you people."

  "Awakened?"

  "Nah," said Jeremy, pulling off onto the Tacoma exit. "Rich people."

  Most of the ride from Tacoma all through Olympia was spent in silence. Both Lily and Kendra were on their phones almost immediately, tapping away at who-knew-what. Jeremy didn't mind. He didn't understand them anyway, and he had enough on his mind. There was one topic, though, that they might be uniquely suited to help him with. As they exited Olympia, he finally brought it up.

  "Hailey's in your home town," he prompted, as he pulled off onto the roads leading out to the forest.

  "She's a foolish girl," said Kendra dismissively.

  "Her best friend just died," Jeremy shot back. He wasn't gonna let Hailey take that kind of abuse, even if he did agree she was acting a bit crazy.

  "An event which might have brought us together," said Lily, glancing up. "Hailey's gone and mucked it up. Now she's wanted by your government and ours. I'm sure you saw the report of the building collapse?"

  "Yeah," said Jeremy. He'd seen the alert pop up as they waited at a light, and cursed under his breath.

  "Bad publicity undermines us all," said Kendra.

  "Our business isn't so affected, divorced from magic as it is," said Lily, "but I fear for the greater impact her actions will cause."

  "Cinza must take a stand," added Kendra.

  "...You think she's gotta go public?" asked Jeremy. It wasn't a surprise—both Maddie and Rachel had voiced much the same idea. While Hailey was rapidly squandering any goodwill she might have found from her exciting and dramatic reveal, Cinza had yet to take the stage. Her book was still the stuff of legends, the unpublished bible of the new age. She could be incredibly influential on the world at large. And she'll probably hate the whole fame thing. I know I sure as hell do.

  "I intend to discuss the idea when we arrive," said Kendra.

  "So that's why we're goin' to the damn Greywood," said Jeremy, tapping his forehead. "Figures it was somethin' like that."

  "Honestly, I hadn't considered the idea until now," said Lily.

  "The threat was quite real, I assure you," added Kendra. "And I fear I cannot protect myself or my employees."

  "But you can make your own fuckin' dimensions," said Jeremy. "How's a guy like Brian Hendricks gonna break into that?"

  Kendra frowned. "If you know about that particular talent, were you also informed of the many times those dimensions were breached?"

  "...One or two," he admitted grudgingly. Whenever Rachel wasn't trying to dodge the topic.

  "Until we can be sure our design is perfect, we can't risk it," Lily said. "I'd prefer we take shelter in the one home we know to be truly protected."

  "I heard Omega broke in," Jeremy pointed out. And then got shot dead by Rachel, in the one part of her story I completely believe... The look on her face when she said it. Jesus.

  "Jackson Smith held power far beyond what we comprehend," said Kendra. "He is gone. Since that day, despite living in the same forest as our foe and a huge contingent of fortune-seekers, the Greycloaks have never seen a single unwelcome incursion upon their land. Not even a close call. I cannot say the same for my own work."

  "...Fair enough," said Jeremy.