What Lies Between ✔

Zeroing In

Ben: Part 3

***

"Why did I think I could have a peaceful morning?" Zuri was spouting angrily as we all exited hurriedly out of the restaurant. "Especially when I'm with all of you."

"Of course you'd get into a fight," Kanoa said, yet again setting me under her scrutinizing glare.

"It was not Ben who fought, it was me," Kairos stood up for me.

"No," I said, "I lost my cool too, it wasn't all Kairos' fault."

"Who cares whose fault it was?" Zuri shouted over us. "We're all screwed either way. The police know he's in this area, they'll be keeping an eye out for him, and if he stays with us we risk being found as well and brought back to our families."

"Well you tell us everyday how much you wish you were back home and away from us," Berit cut in, "I'd think you'd be happy about this."

Zuri whirled around to face him, "You're right! I want to go back home, but not at the price of my parents lives, not with Demons and other completely messed up things lurking around, looking for Psychics to eat! If I went home I might as well write my mom and dad both their eulogies! So I'm stuck with this circus act."

"Is that why you left them to stay with Adrian?" Kairos asked softly, unbelievably sympathetic to this woman who was screeching at us.

"Well it definitely wasn't for the company," she snarled at her. "But I won't be the reason for my parent's death. Demons won't pass up the chance to eat a Psychic, and God help whoever tries to save the poor kid."

"With the recent possessions and killings, Zuri thought it would be best to leave her parents to assure their safety," Adrian said, looking at Zuri before continuing, "Her parents know of her abilities and are completely supportive of her, but..." he trailed off as we all watched Zuri's face grow sadder and sadder.

"But they're only human," she continued for Adrian. "They have no way of protecting themselves against Demons or evil spirits. We already had a close encounter before. They just aren't safe with me anymore, at least not until all this is over."

"It may never be over," Kanoa said.

Zuri pounced on her words. "For you. It may never be over for you! But I have a family to return to when all the possessions and killings settle down, and I want to, so keep your twisted hopes of living like this forever to yourself."

"Zuri!" Berit scolded her.

"I don't want people to be possessed or killed forever! And I can make it on my own, I don't need a family!" Kanoa retorted, the hurt on her face opposing what her words were saying.

"Whatever, I don't care what happens to any of you when this is over, I'll just be glad when it is."

"Oh come now, Zuri." Adrian spoke soothingly. "It isn't that bad."

"Ha!" Zuri snorted. "I'm not like all of you, I have a great family, I had great friends and a boyfriend I loved. I wasn't a freak; I always fit in wherever I went. I never had to hide away like I was some sort of monster like I have to now. So yes Adrian, it is that bad." By the end of her fit, Zuri looked on the verge of tears.

"Look," Justice broke into the drama, "we don't have time to stand here shouting at each other and drawing unneeded attention towards ourselves. We should hit the road and start hunting. There isn't any sense going back to the hotel and moping the whole day. If we hit the back roads we should be safe from being seen."

"Right," Adrian nodded at him. "Let's hurry back to the Hummer."

We all walked in silence the rest of the way to the vehicle.

"I ruined everyone's day," Kairos whispered as the others were cramping into the car.

I put my hand on her shoulder, "Don't worry about it. These people should never have been thrown together in the first place, an argument was bound to occur whether this whole thing happened or not."

"We are all meant to be together," she said suddenly.

"Huh?" 

"We all must be allies, that's what Sema said."

"Yeah, well Sema should work on her match-making skills."

Once we were all in the Hummer, Adrian asked Berit where our first destination would be located.

Berit pulled out a laptop from his black backpack and took a brief moment to bring up a webpage. "This is one I think we should've checked out a while ago," he said with a little more enthusiasm then necessary. Probably an attempt to change the gloomy atmosphere that filled the small space of the Hummer. "Out in Brownsville, the ruins of Loew's Pitkin Theater has been said to be haunted by apparitions of dark shadows that stand in the doorways and such. Then, there is the Brownsville Cemetery around the same area, which is said to be haunted by children spirits and dark things with horns. We should check that out too."

"Sounds like good times. Let's go!" Adrian said with real enthusiasm. "We'll save the graveyard for dark since we may draw some suspicion to ourselves poking around during the day."

"I'm not wandering around some graveyard at night," I spoke up.

"Why?" Adrian gave me a look through the rear view mirror, "Are you scared, Benjamin?"

I sent him a glare. "No idiot, it's just completely stupid to go looking for these horned things that could be potentially dangerous. They could be Demons."

"We would have plenty of time to sense them beforehand if they're Demons. Plus,the lost spirits only want to move on to a better place, it's our obligation to find them and send them there."

"And how are we obligated?" I questioned.

"Who else can help them but us? We were given these abilities; we might as well put them to good use," he reasoned. "Furthermore, we can find answers for Kairos as to why these spirits who should be in Paradise are here on earth instead."

"Yes," Kairos said from beside me, "I would really like to know."

"Fine," I grumbled. I had a bad feeling about this.

The car ride was dead silent until Adrian thankfully turned on the radio. We drove and drove until we found ourselves in Brownsville, driving past vacant buildings that had long since gone out of business, poking from the ground like uneven, broken teeth.

"Charming part of Brooklyn," Adrian smiled. "Very old buildings."

"We're going to get stabbed," Zuri wrinkled her nose as she looked out her window.

"Racist, much?" Kanoa rolled her eyes at her.

I sighed. These people were getting on my nerves. If they couldn't get a long then why the hell did they stay together? How did they manage to co-exist this long? I took a side glance at Kairos who had her hands pressed up against the window, her face so close to it that her breath made a little foggy circle on the glass. She looked so much like a child. I wondered if her belief that we were all supposed to be together was fact or simply hope.

I was studying her so intently that it was easy to see when her face paled, eyes widening and mouth parting slightly to let out a small, strangled gasp.

"What? What's wrong?" I asked her.

She turned her panicked eyes to me. "The Seekers have entered the city."