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  Ted sighed. "It's been one hell of a week."

  Erica matched his breath. "It has."

  He sat up and moved the tablet accordingly. The shift in perspective made Ted's chin look way bigger than it actually was. "You've gotta do what you've gotta do, and I won't stand in the way of the mission. Please be careful out there."

  Erica pursed her lips together. "Of course."

  Ted looked over his shoulder at something before turning back. "Look, I have to go on a night patrol. We've been doing it all week. I wish I could–"

  "Ted?"

  "Yeah?"

  "Lychos. They're like big dogs. Keep that in mind if you find one."

  Ted frowned. "Ok. Goodni–"

  "Ted?"

  "Yeah?"

  "I miss you." Erica concentrated on the little video camera on her tablet. She sent all the love she could muster into the tiny circle.

  Ted closed his eyes for a moment to soak in her words. He opened them with a sigh. "I miss you, too. I hope you're doing the right thing."

  Right then, she vowed to herself that before the month was up, she'd hold Ted Finley and kiss him like he'd never been kissed before.

  "I hope I am, too."

  Chapter 23

  Two nights later, Ted used his powers to move a fallen tree to his left. He was starting to get familiar with these woods after a few days of patrolling, but he was tired of flying or jumping over the same barrier. At least it gave him something to do, because at this point, there'd been no clues whatsoever.

  Ted had Erica on his mind as he and Allison held their flashlights on the dirt and leaves in front of them. The trees were much taller than the ones behind his house, but they reminded him of the pond and the smell of Erica's perfume as she lay beside him. He wished Erica had consulted him before she made such a major decision. Even his parents didn't know Erica's full story, but she said it wouldn't take long before the word spread. He figured he wouldn't have been able to convince Erica to continue living a lie, but maybe he could've delayed it just one more month. The threads of normalcy in his life were being snipped, one by one.

  Ted was supposed to be in school getting his college applications together. He was supposed to be enjoying everything that came with being a senior. Instead, he was trudging through the woods with the federal government monitoring his every move. If there was one positive, it was his new handler, Allison. Her blond hair was lighter than Erica's and hung straight down to the base of her neck. She was smaller than any of the other agents Ted had met in the last few months, but she was far stronger, faster and more capable than she looked. While he'd made efforts to keep things close to the chest, spending so much time with an attractive female made him spill the beans pretty quickly.

  "So, she's not going to be a high school student anymore?"

  Allison's voice played softly against the backdrop of crickets and the wind.

  "I guess not. Who knows how long she'll be gone. I just wish she were here. I think you'd like her."

  Allison laughed. It was more like one sharp note than a rolling giggle. "I tend to get along with girls who don't take crap."

  Ted smiled. If he had to be away from Erica, he might as well spend his time with someone who was almost as cute with the same take-charge attitude. They reached a clearing in the forest and saw a railroad track cutting through. Allison sat down on the track and Ted took a seat next to her.

  "Here's my question." Allison shook out her hair and ran her hands through it, then tied it into a ponytail. "Can you trust her?"

  If Allison had asked the question six months earlier, he couldn't be sure how he would've answered. Erica hid the sword and the books from him. She neglected to tell him that there were other powers at his disposal. She kept all sorts of information from him and used her "protector" status as justification for holding back. Since that time, however, she'd been much more forthcoming.

  "I definitely trust her. I wish the government felt the same way."

  Allison put up both her hands. "Hey, don't look at me. I'm all for more help in the situation. The guys up top are just scared of something they don't understand."

  Ted definitely trusted Erica more than he did the federal government. After all, he couldn't forget that before he made his summer deal, someone with power had helped to forge the malicious Go Home Alien movement. He turned his flashlight toward Allison's face.

  "And what about you?" He moved the beam of light to point up at his chin. "Are you scared?"

  "Why should I be scared?" She hopped up and looked down at him. "I've got a lovesick but capable superhero to protect me." Allison offered him a hand. "Just a few more hours to go."

  A rustling noise caught Ted's attention. Allison must've heard it too, because she moved her flashlight in that direction. She raised her eyebrows toward Ted.

  "You ready?"

  Ted nodded and took her hand before moving back into the forest. Allison pulled out a tranquilizer gun. She had told him that each dart had a dose of the knockout drug that could bring down three grizzly bears. Ted hoped that was enough.

  They continued to move forward, and the rustling sound grew. It was accompanied by a soft chewing noise. As Ted and Allison approached, the chomping became clearer. It reminded Ted of a room full of people eating barbecue chicken with their mouths open. He had a feeling that wasn't what awaited them.

  Allison motioned for Ted to join her behind a tree. She motioned around the trunk and Ted squinted to adjust to the dim light.

  Illuminated by a half moon, one of the Lychos beasts leaned back on its hindquarters, enjoying a meal of raw deer.

  Allison motioned for Ted to join her back on the other end of the tree. "Remind me not to watch Bambi after this."

  Ted nodded in agreement. "What's the plan?"

  "I'll hit him with the darts. If they don't knock him out, you'll have to."

  "Fun times. I'm ready."

  She smiled. "Good. On my mark."

  Allison used her fingers to count down from three. When she reached zero, she and Ted leapt out from their hiding place. Three darts came zipping out of the tranquilizer gun and flew through the crisp air. One hit the Lychos directly in the neck, while another got it in the chest. A third one was about to zip wide, until Ted used his powers to snatch it out of the air and plant it in the creature's leg. The beast screamed in pain, its voice filling the forest with a guttural groan. It kicked the deer carcass, sending blood and guts everywhere. Ted put up his hands and blocked the decaying shower from hitting the two of them.

  "Thanks." Allison loaded several more darts into the gun.

  "Don't mention it." Ted looked at the beast. "Do you think that was enough?"

  Since kicking the deer and screaming, the Lychos hadn't done much of anything except for stumble once or twice.

  "I think s–"

  The Lychos reached behind itself and pulled a 20-foot tree out of the ground with a powerful rip. It took only a moment for the creature to turn the tree sideways and throw it directly at them. The huge projectile made a whooshing sound as it barreled ahead. Allison dove away and rolled down a small hill. Ted put both hands up once again and stopped the massive tree just two inches in front of his face.

  Ted moved his hands like he might if he were gripping a baseball bat and the tree moved in the same position. "There's nothing like a good piece of hickory."

  The Lychos roared and Ted swung his arms forward. The tree's trunk whipped into the creature's body. The swing sent it at least 10 feet into the air before the beast came crashing down in the distance. Ted relaxed his hands and flew through the air toward the creature. The Lychos had fallen on a small, thick tree, and a sharp branch stuck out of its leg. It was completely motionless. Ted looked inside the creature's mind and found no activity whatsoever.

  "If you'd been nicer, we could've signed a treaty. Get it, a tree-ty?"

  The dead creature didn't respond. Ted's laugh didn't last long, as he heard a scream back in the direction he'd com
e from.

  "Allison."

  Ted flew toward the noise and saw his partner. She was backing away from the other two Lychos, and she was running out of room. Ted eyed the creatures between him and Allison and started flying at top speed. All of a sudden, one of the beasts turned around to face him and raised its arms. As it did, Ted felt himself lose complete control over his body. He tensed up the muscles he usually used for flying. They did nothing. He continued moving incredibly fast with a complete lack of control. Fear washed over his body.

  "Holy crap!"

  Ted covered his face as he whipped through several branches. The wood scratched his arms and cheeks, leaving sharp prickles of pain on his skin. As he was about to make impact with the ground, he uncovered his face to learn of his final destination. He slammed into a bush, the impact rattling Ted's brain and causing some of the branches to punch through his clothing and into his skin. The adrenaline kept him alert when he got to his feet. A gash on his arm throbbed and he held his hand to it. When he took his palm away, it was covered with blood.

  "Oh, man."

  Ted could feel the wooziness from the blood loss battling his adrenaline. For now, the latter was winning, particularly when he heard another scream from Allison. He ripped off his shirt and tied it tightly around the gushing wound.

  They blocked my powers. They're not just hairy and ugly. They're dark souls, too.

  Ted tried to access his powers again to lift off the ground. It was no use. He ran toward the noise.

  "Looks like I'm gonna have to do this the old-fashioned way."

  Chapter 24

  Natalie looked up at her bedroom wall to see the display of her final eight candidates for college. The first visit was coming up in just a couple of days, and she could feel the tension building in her back and neck. Then again, that could be tension for her upcoming double date with Dhiraj and Jennifer. It took her about 20 minutes to decide on a green tank top and blue jeans, even though she knew her outfit would have little to no impact on the upcoming event. With about a half hour left until she had to meet Travis, she opted to check something off her to-do list by calling Christina Finley.

  Natalie pulled up the video call app on her phone and swiped until she got to the contact labeled Ted's Cool Sister. Christina had been the one who'd added the entry last year. Ted's sister took the call and met Natalie with a giant smile and a toss of her golden hair.

  "Well, if it isn't the girl who used to date my gross brother."

  Natalie rolled her eyes. "I think there are 20 things I'd rather be defined by."

  Christina's face crinkled as she grinned. From her hair to her thin face, there was little on the surface that connected her to the Finley family. Even her boisterous laugh seemed like it belonged to another gene pool.

  "Too bad. Until I'm proactive enough to change your entry on my phone, that's what you're gonna come up as. What's going on?"

  Christina had been a big supporter of Natalie's relationship with Ted. While she didn't often have high praise for her sibling, Ted told Natalie of how often Christina would say how lucky he was or how he was going to be a WNBA player's wife someday. Christina was an athlete in her own right, as one of the starting pitchers for the Southern Ohio softball team. She threw a shutout in the College World Series during her freshman year. The two of them were often mentioned in the same breath when it came to Treasure sport prospects.

  Natalie returned the grin. "Just getting pumped about next week."

  "Me, too!" Christina leaned back in her chair. "You do drugs, drink whiskey and engage in illegal acts of violence, right?"

  Natalie shook her head. "Can you let me get into college before you ruin my life and reputation?"

  "Boo!" Christina gave Natalie a lewd gesture before reverting to her smile. "Suit yourself. You excited about your double date?"

  Natalie's spirits dropped. "Uh. I guess."

  Christina continued as if it were the most natural thing. "See, Dhiraj told Ted, and Ted told me. When I was at Treasure, Travis Conner was some sweet freshman meat. Nicely done."

  Natalie felt the butterflies dive-bombing her stomach and every other vulnerable part of her anatomy. She didn't expect to be talking about her love live with her ex-boyfriend's family members.

  "Yeah." Natalie chewed her lip. "Christina, have you ever dated a bad person?"

  Ted's sister pondered the question for a moment. She laughed to herself multiple times before responding. "Um, try twice this semester. I dated a guy who broke up a marriage in his hometown. After I found out, I continued to date him for three more months until he cheated on me."

  Christina laughed at herself again. Natalie wasn't sure why it was so funny, but she found herself joining in. "That's terrible. Why'd you go out with him?"

  Christina turned her head to the side and focused her eyes on the camera. "Ms. Natalie, there are boys who would be great to settle down with, and there are boys who are all fun and trouble. There's nothing wrong with spending an extensive amount of time in column number two."

  Natalie pulled into Travis' driveway. His house was located next to the old Torello home. Jason and Phil's parents had moved out after the collapse of the GHA. Natalie considered coming inside, but when Travis walked out the front door, she was happy to be spared the awkward parent conversation.

  Travis was more dressed up than Natalie. He wore a tight, grey button-down that exposed his thick arms and round chest. She imagined herself ripping the shirt from his body as buttons scattered across the car floor.

  Fun and trouble.

  Travis got in the passenger side and buckled his seatbelt. He didn't reach over to kiss her like normal. Then again, today was different. It was their first public date.

  "You alright?" Natalie pulled out of the Conner driveway. "You're not your usual annoying self."

  Travis cracked a smile. "I feel like I'm headed to a firing squad."

  Natalie made the turn out of Travis' neighborhood. "Dead man walkin'."

  "Just so you know, I plan on completely embarrassing you."

  She slapped his leg before returning her hand to the steering wheel. "I want Dhiraj off my back. If you're not on your best behavior, I'll delete your number from my phone."

  He rolled his eyes. "You wouldn't."

  "You wanna try me, football?"

  Travis grunted. "Fine. What do you want me to talk about?"

  "Anything other than the GHA or how you tried to punch Dhiraj in the face."

  "Hey, Travis, remember when your cult gave Ted's mom second degree burns and you and your friends cornered me in the bathroom?"

  Natalie peered out from behind her menu and gave Dhiraj the evil eye. She'd been to O'Malley's multiple times with her family, but on this visit the lighting seemed dimmer, the laughter from the conversations around her more ominous.

  Dhiraj ignored her glances and stared straight ahead at Travis, despite Jennifer's efforts to get his attention.

  "I hear the chicken is good." Jennifer pulled on Dhiraj's shoulder. "Are you gonna get the chicken?"

  Dhiraj gave one last stare to Travis before he nodded to his girlfriend.

  Natalie heard Travis' breathing pick up its pace. She put her hand on his leg and held it steady, hoping its presence would calm him.

  "They aren't my friends anymore." Travis looked back at his menu. "I think I'll get the chicken, too."

  Dhiraj grumbled. "Fine, I'll get the fish."

  "Seriously?" Natalie put down her menu and crossed her arms. "Are you really not going to get the chicken because he got the chicken?"

  This series of evil eyes she gave seemed to make a little progress on wearing down Dhiraj's angry veneer.

  His eyes darted away from her. "It did look good."

  Natalie shook her head. "Can we talk about something else?"

  Jennifer presented the date's first smile. "Great idea. Are you excited for Southern Ohio?"

  "Of course," Natalie said. "Christina says there'll be some debauchery."


  The comment piqued Travis' curiosity. "Really?"

  Dhiraj sneered at Travis, but the other three ignored him. Particularly Natalie.

  "So she claims." She tapped her menu on the tabletop. "I'm probably just going to watch." Natalie gripped Travis' thigh. "Probably."

  After a several second lull, Jennifer piped back up.

  "And Travis, what're your college plans?"

  Travis looked at Natalie as if he was unsure he was allowed to participate. She glared at him until he started speaking.

  "A lot of it comes down to football. If I don't get a scholarship, I might not go."

  Natalie narrowed her eyes. "This is the first I'm hearing of this."

  Travis chuckled. "That's because we don't usually talk that much."

  "Ugh." Dhiraj made a face like he'd just eaten rotten eggs. "This is not dinner table conversation."

  Natalie was getting the hang of ignoring Dhiraj. "So you might not go to school?"

  Travis scratched the side of his head. "My parents don't really have any money saved up. I kind of need a full scholarship if it's gonna happen. It's not like I haven't been planning for this for years."

  A waiter came by and took their orders. All four of them got the chicken. Natalie leaned down on her hand and rubbed at her temple. She couldn't believe she'd been dating someone for several months without knowing something so important.

  After giving the final order, Dhiraj creased his forehead.

  "What do you mean, you've been planning this for years?"

  Travis cleared his throat. "You know. When I dropped all those honors classes freshman year. I wasn't in the top 10 percent of smart kids like you and Ted. I had a better chance of getting money for college if I focused on football. So that's how I've spent all of high school."

  Natalie had essentially known she'd be getting a full ride for the last few years. But, if something had ever happened, she knew her parents would be able to pay for her education. She couldn't imagine what it would feel like to be financially dependent on her hoops skills. And anything she could come up with felt scary.