They Know Me

DESTINATION WRONG

Awakened by a strange sound, I opened my eyes, but inside the darkened house, it was difficult to see what might have caused it. I sat up slightly from the sofa where I'd fallen asleep earlier and listened closely to see if I could hear it again. Just as I'd given up on it repeating ... someone knocked on the front door, and it was followed by Rhys' voice as he called out to me, "Ashe, open the door! It's me."

Hearing the strain in his voice, I immediately got up and turned on the light switch at the entry as I opened the door ...

Flanked by Zil and Zaamee, Rhys stepped inside, leaving them behind on the porch, "Look who came Trick-or-Treating a little early. Sir Pointy-Tooth is here."

Zaamee said, "It's time. Do you feel ready?"

I debated how I should answer. To deny I feared facing it again would be a lie. To say I was completely ready would be a lie, too. But I'd initiated us going to the warehouse to save Sonny and Chelsea, and I was determined to prove that I wouldn't back down at the first sight of danger, despite Zil's doubts that I could handle it. Lifting my chin slightly, I replied, "I am. I also bought equipment to help us tonight."

Before I could tell her about it, and how each piece worked, she cut me off. "Zil has seen it in your mind and told me about it. Yes, I think it could be useful."

Annoyed by his reading my mind out loud to her, I cast him a sideways glance.

Zaamee added, "It's good that you're taking this seriously and have contemplated what you're up against. All of us will need your focus and concentration tonight."

Her eyes were sharply trained on me – and it took a moment before what she'd said sunk in. "Mine?"

"Yes. It knows you. You are the nexus."

"The – what?"

"You are the one who the spirit will see as its biggest threat – taking what it believes rightfully belongs to him – the boy." Then, she shifted her gaze to Rhys as if noticing him standing there for the first time. Straightening under her intense scrutiny, he took a step back as she entered the house. "Ashe said you weren't coming tonight. What changed your mind?"

"Nothing special. I just decided to," he murmured.

"Do you feel ready?"

"Yeah – I guess."

"Good," Zaamee said. "Then let's go. We don't have much time." With a turn, she was gone.

Behind me, I could hear Rhys cursing under his breath as he struggled to recover from Zaamee's sudden disappearance.

Zil moved so he stood at center of the open doorframe. Looking at me, he said, "I will carry you there, chere." Then, turning his gaze to Rhys, he added, "If you like, I can come back for you – although I may become hungry with the exertion."

Rhys narrowed his eyes at Zil.

Before anything else could be said by either of them, I quickly jumped in. "Rhys, why don't you drive there? The path is wide enough for a car."

Zil, showing his fangs, offered smoothly, "If not, then it is settled. I will come back for you."

"Yeah, I think I will drive. But I can't start the car in front of my house. It'll need to be pushed to the end of the street so my parents don't hear and come out to interrogate me."

Zil cast his eyes to the ground and smiled.

Clearly taking it as Zil poking fun at him, Rhys added hotly, "It's the middle of the night."

"Let Zil push your car," I said.

"I don't want him touching it! I'll push it."

"It'll take you longer. All Zil has to do is ..."