BEING JAMIE BAKER

Chapter 25

 Ryan was conscious when I returned. He looked like death, but just seeing him alive and awake was enough to make me burst into tears. I threw my arms around him, but was soon dragged away when police, firefighters, paramedics, and who knows who else, swarmed the scene.

Ryan was taken to the hospital, while my parents, Carter, and I were all hauled down to the police station. We were there for so long that I actually fell asleep in the lobby on three hard plastic chairs that I'd pushed together. I didn't wake again until I heard Carter shuffle past me.

"Where do you think you're going?" I asked, startling him.

"The police are done with me," he said with a yawn.

"And?"

"And it's one in the morning and I've still got a story to write."

I got up and quickly blocked the exit. I glanced around. No one was paying attention to us. "You and I still have to talk," I said in a low voice.

Carter sighed like he was just so over my threats. "Don't worry. The cops bought the story. Everything's going to be just fine."

"Except we still have one problem."

"Which is?"

"You still know my secret."

"And I'll never breathe a word about it."

"Oh!" I barked with as much sarcasm as I was capable of. "Well, okay then. I guess we're all good."

Carter was as good with the sarcasm as I was. "Thanks for the trust, Jamielynn."

"What have you ever done to earn it?"

"Today wasn't enough?"

I just folded my arms tightly across my chest, and he sighed again. "All those articles I wrote in Illinois?"

I suppressed the anger starting to boil in my stomach. "About how I murdered Derek because he broke up with me?"

"Yes," Carter said. "Did you ever notice how I wrote about anything and everything I could come up with that had nothing to do with what my real theory was—that the accident gave you superhuman abilities?"

I opened my mouth to argue, but it was true. None of his stupid rumors ever came close to the truth about me. I suddenly didn't like where this conversation was headed.

"Jamielynn, back then you were a wreck. You didn't even know what was happening to you, much less have any idea how to control it or hide it. Remember that day you handed your dad a wrench and nearly put him in the hospital?"

I didn't have the heart to answer him, and not just because I was so shocked that he knew about that. Carter seemed to know how upset I was because he softened his voice. "I've always had the evidence I needed."

"B-But..." I stammered, swiping at a couple of rogue tears. "Why?"

I didn't have to be more specific with my question. He knew what I meant. "Visticorp paid me to spy on you after your accident. But when I found out all that you could do? Well, I'm not stupid. I knew how much that kind of power would be worth to people, and I knew what they might try to do in order to get their hands on it.

"I did some digging into Visticorp before handing over my evidence, and it turned out my hunch was right. I was able to hack into some of their files. There was a young girl about fifteen years ago who was in an accident and ended up with special abilities, much the same way you did."

I couldn't stop myself from gasping. I couldn't believe it. "There's someone else like me?"

"Was," Carter corrected solemnly. "Visticorp ran all kinds of tests on her and experiments. They were trying to figure out a way to duplicate what happened to her. There was an explosion in one of their secret labs, and four people were killed, including the little girl."

I gasped again, and more tears sprang from my eyes. For a brief moment I almost wished Visticorp were really coming for me. I dared them to try it.

"Despite what you think, Jamie, I'm not a monster. I couldn't turn you over to them when I knew what they would try to do, so I churned out story after story about you with a million wild speculations about anything as far from the truth as I could think of. I'm sorry for the trouble it caused you, but it was the only way I could think of to keep you safe.

"When you stopped that accident a couple months ago and Edwards approached me again, I panicked. I figured Visticorp finally knew the truth. I really did think that you coming forward was the only way. But after what happened today, with Ryan? If the world finds out about you, there will always be some psycho coming after you. Eventually, someone will die, whether it's someone you love or someone you kill. And no offense, Jamielynn, but I don't think I like the idea of anyone's fate being in the hands of someone with your temper."

I didn't want to smile. I tried not to. But I failed, and we both chuckled while I dried my eyes.

"The way I see it," Carter said, "I have to keep your secret because if I don't call a truce with you, that someone who's going to get killed someday will probably be me."

I shrugged. He was right about that. But I smiled again and held out my hand. "Fine. Truce."

"Truce," Carter agreed, and shook my hand. "So how about a statement for my article?"

"Sure. 'No comment.' "

Carter chuckled and shook his head as he headed out the door. "See you around, Jamielynn," he calle