Star Eater
Chapter Forty-One

When the taxi was out of sight, Kai tried the flower shop but it was locked and the lights were off. All was quiet, which was much more ominous then if there’d been a million cops crawling around the place or Guided Way next door. Kai cursed. He circled around and went into one of the shops down the block. Then he began working his way up the street through the walls.

It was hard. Some of the shops were still open and a kid popping out of the wall was rather frowned upon. He managed to avoid detection by sticking close to the back doors of each shop. The only time he was nearly caught was when he almost ran into a super drunk businessman coming out of a restroom at the back of a dingy bar. The man’s eyes widened as Kai grinned and walked through the wall with a little wave.

When Kai got to the flower shop, he came in through the freezer. From the front of the shop, he heard two voices, a man and a woman, arguing. He didn't stop to eavesdrop though. He glanced around and when he thought it was clear, darted into the crawl space he’d come across the last time. There he almost peed himself.

Ava was crouched in the crawl space.

“Holy shit!” he exclaimed.

Ava screeched and stood up. Luckily, Kai hadn’t phased back in, so even though she threw a punch, it didn't connect. Instead, her fist went through his face and hit the wall behind him. She moaned in pain and withdrew it.

“Sorry,” he said.

“Kai,” she said breathlessly. “What are you doing here? What are you—how can you?”

“Uh, can we both fit?” he asked. He was getting tired from phasing in and out so much, dizzy even. Ava pressed herself back and Kai, after checking to make sure where all his limbs were, phased in.

“I’m solid now,” he said, touching her arm lightly. “Sorry to scare you. I’m looking for Mason,” he said. “I heard he’d been caught.”

Kai had no idea why he’d come. To save Mason from his own family? He couldn't phase Mason out. And yet, here he was. He’d rushed to this shop like he had a cape on.

“Mason was taken to the main house,” Ava whispered. That’s when he noticed the tear streaks down her face. There was real fear in her eyes.

“What are you still doing here, Ava? Mason wanted you to run.”

“I’m not leaving my brother,” she said.

“Then what are you doing?”

“Trying to get the video edited,” she started crying, “so I can give it to the FBI and they can save him.” 

“What video?” he asked and then it hit him. “You’re the leak,” he hissed.

She nodded. “I have to—I have to edit it.”

“Why?”

“Because they transform in it,” she said. “I can’t hand it over if it shows them transforming. Mason transforms—” Her voice was edging on hysterical and she burst into tears.

“Okay, okay,” he whispered. He put his arm around her and she leaned in to him.

“We’ll figure this out,” he said.

“How?” she demanded. “I need to finish this and even if I do he could still be—” Closing her eyes against the pain, she huddled against him sobbing. “I did this,” she wailed. “They think he’s me!”

Kai leaned against the wall behind him and held on to her. He didn't know what else to do. He was so out of his league. The mob, the police, the FBI, Homeland Security, and, worst of all, Ava crying. It was all too much.

It’s like taking a picture, Akuma thought.

What? Kai demanded.

Focus in on one thing, Akuma said.

We have to save Mason, Kai said.

We have to save Mason, Akuma agreed.

“Okay,” Kai said rubbing her arm. “Okay. What about the injections.”

“What?” Ava asked.

“The injections,” Kai said. “We could use them to threaten your uncle maybe.”

“Joseph left a bunch of guards in there,” she gestured at the shop. “He’s not taking any chances. Plus, we don’t know if they’re in the safe.”

“I could check,” Kai said.

Ava shook her head. “They would see you and then what?” She put a hand to her head. “I guess we could use the video as blackmail.”

The word ‘blackmail’ sprung an idea into Kai’s mind. “No,” Kai said, shaking his head. “We need real blackmail. Do you have a box?” he asked. “Like a white box here.”

“What kind of box?” Ava asked.

“The kind that the FBI might use to house evidence,” he said.

Hope sprung into Ava’s eyes. “I can manage something like that. Let me finish this really quick.”

“Ava, the police will have to review it and—”

“I have a contact in the FBI. I can write him a note. They will come,” she insisted.

Kai couldn't argue with her. She was determined and he had to admire how she pulled herself together. She showed him how to open the door.

“Ava, you must take your mother and go,” a woman said, when she emerged from the freezer. Then she spotted Kai. “Who is this?”

“Aunt Katie, this is Kai. Kai, these are my mother’s friends. I have to leave her here for a while. Can you keep her safe?” Ava said.

Kai suddenly noticed a woman sitting in a corner of the shop. She was beautiful, except for a jagged scar across one temple. The dark blonde hair and the gray eyes were the same as Mason’s, the shape of her face the same as Ava’s. Yet, their mom was staring off into space, not moving or speaking. She didn't seem aware of what was going on, of her daughter and son fighting for their lives, for her life. Kai’s heart sunk. Mason had warned him. This is what Ava was facing.

“Ava, this is too dangerous,” Aunt Katie said.

“It is,” Kai interrupted. “And Ava, you shouldn't go. But I really need a box right now, and I need to go.”

Ava nodded and went looking for a box. Kai asked for anything random they could spare to fill it. Aunt Katie began collecting items. She kept glancing curiously at Kai but did not argue. Ava returned from the backroom with a white box.

“Do you have a phone, Ava?” Kai asked. She handed her cell over. Kai dialed Link’s number and walked into the back. Link picked up on the third ring.

“Hello?”

“Link, it’s Kai. I need your help. I need you to go to my secret base—”

“I can’t leave my house, Kai,” Link hissed. “I’m grounded for life, remember?”

“Link, I don’t have time for this. I wouldn't be calling if lives didn't depend on it.”

Kai could hear the air whoosh out of Link’s lungs. “Really?” he asked.

“Really,” Kai said, deadly serious. Link paused and Kai could hear him moving.

Then he said, “What’s going on?”

“Uh, the Wrights think Mason is the one that told on his dad, and they’re going to kill him.”

“Oh my God,” Link said. “Is he the one that ratted out his dad?”

“No,” Kai said. “That doesn’t matter though.”

“Shouldn’t we call the police?” Link asked.

“No,” Kai said, and before Link could ask another question he followed it up with, “for the same reason we talked about in your kitchen last night.”

There was a second of silence as Link digested this. “What can I do?” he asked.

“I need you to go to the secret base. Under the table where the photo baths are is a Tupperware full of white powder. Do not OPEN the Tupperware,” Kai warned.

“Why?”

“You remember the bathroom in the fast food place?” Kai asked.

“Yeah,” Link said.

“The powder is what blew up the bathroom,” Kai said.

“You did set a bomb!” Link exclaimed.

“No, I didn’t,” Kai said. “Look, doesn’t matter. Listen, if you get the powder wet, it’ll explode. So don’t get it wet—until you get it wet.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” Link asked.

“I don't know, you’re the bomb expert. Figure something out. I need a way out,” Kai said.

“You want me to set off a bomb? On purpose? At a compound of the mob’s?” Link asked.

“Link,” Kai said. “They’re going to kill him and I can’t walk him through walls, so I really need an exit strategy. Please, get the powder and come to the Wright compound.”

Link took a deep breath. “Okay. Where is it?”

“I’ll text you the address.”

Kai hung up with Link and walked back into the front. Ava dug the flash drive she’d downloaded the video on along with a handwritten note, and gave it to Aunt Katie.

“This goes to Agent Matthews. Only to Agent Matthews.”

The old woman nodded. She walked over and softly told Ava’s mother they were going. The two disappeared into the back. Kai didn't miss that Aunt Katie had to help Ava’s mother along. Mason had said his dad was evil, but seeing it was worse than Kai imagined. He picked up the box from the counter and tested its weight. It would work.

“Come on let’s go,” he said. “Oh, wait.”

Kai set the box on the table. He took Ava’s hand and pulled her over to the wall. He put her hand against the wall and, using Akuma’s power, he pushed. At first, her hand resisted. Then, slowly, Ava’s hand sank into the wall. Behind them, Kai heard a prayer. He glanced back and saw Aunt Katie had come back.

“I forgot my keys,” she said. She was staring at Kai’s and Ava’s hand.

Hastily, Kai pulled Ava’s hand out of the wall. The old woman looked like she wanted to say something more, but then shook her head and left again. When Kai looked back over at Ava's face, he saw she wasn’t surprised. And he wasn't surprised that she wasn't surprised.

“You knew about me, didn’t you?” he said.

“Your shadow used to make animal shapes for me when you slept through science,” she said.

“His name is Akuma,” Kai said.

They stared at each other and Kai fell in love with Ava, completely and utterly. She had been cute. She had been adorable, and she had been his friend. He had a crush on her for a long time, but it was the kind of distant, safe crush. Now, she was a badass with tear-rimmed eyes. She was a thousand times smarter than him. She’d played them all and she was preparing to walk into hell to save her brother. He was in awe of her. “Let’s go get your brother back.”

She nodded. Kai grabbed the box. Together they walked out of the flower shop and caught a cab. The taxi dropped them off near the back gate. It was a long way up and Kai was sweating, carrying the box and trying to hurry at the same time. They went off the driveway halfway up and Kai unzipped his suit down to his belly button. He was still guessing what this did to his range but he wanted to be safe. He didn't want them to see him coming. When he reached the back gate, he found the security post empty.

Judging by the screams filtering in from somewhere inside, all the daemons on the premises were there. Kai phased them through the wall. He felt a wave of dizziness afterwards. He wasn’t sure if it was the constant phasing, the lack of food, the adrenaline, or the fact that he was phasing two people. Then utter terror took over.

Is the star okay? he asked.

The star is fine, Akuma said. It’s you who needs nourishment.

Later, Kai thought.

Frozen yogurt, Akuma answered and Kai chuckled.

“Are you all right?” Ava asked, concerned.

“Yeah,” Kai said. “Akuma wants frozen yogurt after this.”

Ava smiled a tiny bit. Then it faded. “Do you think he’s still alive?” she asked.

Kai stared at her. “He better be.”