ColorBlind (Book #2 of S.H.A.D.E.) ✔

Copper and Jade

13.

We drive to a populated area, finding our way back to the city it seems.

I ignore Copper and Jade for the most part, who are sitting close now, her head on his shoulder.

"We're gonna ditch this car now," I say. "If we make it back to Glenford Estates, we can get the Corolla again."

"Okay," Copper says, and then continues whispering to Jade, filling her in on how we came to be captured.

Copper and Jade.

This is something I will have to get used to from now on. That's fine, that's okay. What should be my main focus is returning to my family, disappearing off S.H.A.D.E.'s and the N.P.'s radar.

I don't know what to make of Danny being a Demon, spying for the Necro Proxy, but what's worse is that I have no inkling on what to think of Gray's betrayal towards S.H.A.D.E.

I always liked Gray, but now I realize the motive behind all his questions about Copper. He was jealous, felt taken for granted, second best to someone younger than him.

I cannot fathom the amount of pride it would take to have your ego bruised so easily -- bruised so bad that joining Demons would even be a thought in your mind.

Finally, I turn down the street leading to Glenford Estates. I think about the night I returned from slaughtering the Demons at the Kenway Hotel, think about meeting a concerned Danny in the hallway, and then later how Gray unexpectedly tagged along with Indigo, even though medical attention was not his designated sector.

And how he was the one to greet my Swatch and I before we were attacked. Before they were killed.

Yes, Gray is the N.P. agent, and he was the one who informed Micheal Benson's people of his whereabouts, who told them where to look for the devices they stole after breaking the business mogul out. Hell, Gray probably held the door open for them as they left with it all.

I feel like an idiot for not seeing the signs, for thinking Gray was my friend while Copper was my enemy, for thinking Danny had a crush on me -- that he was sweet.

I need to distance myself from all of this. There is nothing left for me to do.

But how to return to my family without bringing my enemies to their doorstep? How to protect them from those who want to use me for their own devices?

I feel a crushing sense of hopelessness. I think of the little girl in the yellow rain boots, and my heart aches at the idea that it will forever be impossible to reunite with her.

She is my little sister. I am sure of it now. I have no memories of my parents though, no matter how much time I spend scanning for any trace of them in my broken mind.

My hands tighten around the steering wheel. I want to know them again. I want to run to them.

Why am I still here right now? Why am I fighting when I should be running? There is nothing for me here except painful memories and a war I cannot win. There are enemies coming at me from both sides.

Yes, now is the time to say good bye to everyone and head my own way. I will find out how to keep my family safe on my own.

The thought of being alone frightens me though.

"What's wrong?"

I hear his words, clear as day, in my head. I close my eyes for a second, then look in the rear-view mirror. Copper is studying me, but looks away when I stare back.

"Get out of my head. We don't belong to each other anymore. We are not synced anymore. We have a choice now."

He continues looking out of his window, Jade falling asleep against his arm.

Anger flares within me.  "Do you hear me?!" I demand.

His eyes slide my way, finding mine in the mirror, staring at me with the impact of a tidal wave.

"Yes."

***

The Corolla is easy to locate on the corner street we left it at. The sun is just going down, bathing the pavement in a red hue that halos over the ground.

There will be a storm tomorrow.

We hop out of the SUV, and I jog to the little navy blue car, glad to see it. We won't be tracked now. I won't have to drive like a maniac the way I was thus whole time getting here.

Jade stays behind, rummaging through the SUV, but I hear Copper following me.

"You still have the keys?" I ask Copper, turning to look at him, but finding him already staring somberly at me. I jump. "What?"

"Can we talk?"

"No. We gotta get to the others. They probably had to leave Onyx's place by now."

He frowns at me. "Look, I didn't plan for any of this to--"

"Oh, wait -- what? That's what you think we should talk about right now? Copper, Gray is the spy -- that trumps whatever thoughts I might have about you and Jade."

"... I just think that --"

"Hey," I smile, "it's fine, alright? It's no problem. We aren't anything. We don't have to be anything. It wasn't even like we were ever serious or whatever."

He flinches, but then his face masks over to apathy. "Fine. Good. That clears that up." He turns and walks back to Jade, who is gathering what tools the Demons left in the SUV.

She's found a hand gun, some rope, and three knives neatly folded away in a velvet scarf. "These might be useful," she beams at Copper, who smiles back, taking the things from her.

I go to tell them to hurry up when a bang comes from the back of the SUV. All three of us stiffen.

Bang. Bang. Bang.

Copper slowly hands the knives and rope back to Jade, but keeps the gun, moving around to the back of the vehicle. I run over, taking a knife from Jade as I go, and stand next to Copper, ready.

He whips the trunk open, aiming the gun down at the lump inside.

That lump is the bent figure of a man, dressed in a suit that is ruined with large sweat stains and whose face is blood red and terrified.

I suck in a breath.

"Micheal Benson?"