Haunt (Regenerate #5)

Chapter 8

"Why are you telling us all this?" Mantis asks.

Jess stares at his shoes. "Does it matter?"

"Yes," Mantis says. "Because this sounds like a dangerous mission. And if I'm going to drag my team into something like that, I need to know that I can trust the person giving me information."

"I don't exactly love working for the House of Night," Jess says.

"But you're not allowed to leave the family business."

Jess shrugs. "My father wouldn't stop me from leaving if I really wanted to. My mom and I have immunity and all the guys in the crew know that hurting us is a death sentence."

"I'm not sure I see what the problem is," Mantis says.

"My friends don't have any such immunity," Jess says. "My dad wouldn't touch them. But some of his other lackey's have threatened to go after my classmates if I step out of line."

"You're stepping out of line right now," I say. "Doesn't that worry you?"

Jess looks at me sharply. "Nobody needs to know about this meeting. When we finish here, I go home. Tomorrow I show up at the House of Night and apologize profusely for not getting the art my dad wanted."

Mantis studies him for a minute. Then he says, "Fine. But you're writing down everything we need to know." He pops the handcuffs off Jess and goes to a cabinet to get a pen and notebook. His movements seem relaxed, but I know that he's paying close attention to make sure that Jess doesn't make a break for it.

Not that we wouldn't know where to find him if he did try anything. He doesn't look interested in running. He stretches his arms out a bit and then takes the notebook and pen from Mantis.

Mantis nods toward me and we step out of the room.

"I think he's telling the truth," Mantis says once the door has closed. "What do you think?"

"I agree," I say. "Even if he's not, we have a lead. He should be pretty easy to keep tabs on. You've already planted trackers on him, haven't you?"

"Of course," Mantis says. "And we know where he lives."

I sigh. "He's just a high school student. He shouldn't be mixed up in this."

"He's barely younger than you," Mantis says.

"And you're barely older than me," I say. "Sometimes I think none of us should be mixed up in this."

He cocks his head to the side. "How do you know how old I am?"

Oops.

"Just a guess," I say. "My point is, you should know better than anyone what it's like to get dragged into something like this as a teenager."

"So we get him out of this mess," Mantis says. "We take down the House of Night and let him live his life however he wants."

"You're already thinking about recruiting him for the team, aren't you?"

Mantis shrugs. "We're short handed since Derek left. I don't see why we can't at least give him the option."

"No thanks."

I turn and see Jess has walked, very literally, through the door.

"I'm not interested in any extracurricular," Jess says. "Here's your information."

"Thanks," Mantis says. "Do you want a lift home?"

"Nope," Jess says. "I've got a metro pass. I've done my part. Just keep away from me."

"Sure thing," Mantis says. As soon as Jess walks through another door, he says. "Though I can't make any promises on behalf of Mikayla, Vanessa, and Danny."