Tabula Colton

Chapter 24 - Road Trip

Julian leaned over me to talk to Dawson in the back seat of the SUV.

He was trying to connect with him so Dawson would go through with the therapy and help them catch Eizo in action. I knew he had already put together some grand scheme in his head like planting a camera on Dawson or something. The whole thing was nuts.

I just hated to think that Dawson could end up getting wiped like me.

The two of them ignored me and I noticed Mr. Takada watching me in the rearview mirror. He offered kissy lips and I returned them. I took out my phone and texted him that I was bored. He sent me a game app on my phone, but it was a dumb little kid game.

"Can I come up there and be in your lap?" I texted him. I was feeling edgy with him so close but out of reach. I needed his touch.

"No, baby. This is a moving car and you have to be buckled in. California law," he wrote back and frowned at me in the mirror.

"How about I sit on the floor behind you? I fit between Justin's legs." I texted.

"No, baby. Just be patient and we'll stop for a break in an hour or so," he wrote back.

I settled in and tried out the game he thought I'd like. I saw Dawson now sported the same useless talk and text phone that only allowed apps that our daddies sent us and expired at a set time, but his phone was gold where mine was a plain white square.

I settled in and tried to play the game with the boys talking over my head.

I felt a hand on my head. I'd been ignoring Dawson and Julien's whispered conversation. Mr. Massoud had a pop station going on the radio, but they still kept it down. Then I felt the hand on my head push my hair aside.

"I think they put it here and it just spreads out over his brain until it's done taking over," Julian explained and rubbed his hand over my hair, messing it up.

"Hey, dude stop!" I protested and swatted his arm.

I was getting annoyed with this road trip. It should have just been Mr. Takada and me. We didn't need all these other people.

"Chill, Colt. I'm just showing him how it works. See it's getting worse every day as it takes over more of his brain. He's getting more and more addicted to his daddy. He's getting cranky from being this far from him," Julian shook his head.

It was true though. Every day that passed had me begging for more of his attention. He didn't mind it. I knew he loved me with all of his heart, but it felt like a sickness in me. I got cold and edgy when he was away from me. It was like heroin how good I felt when he came back to me and kissed me.

"And it's making him dumber? Like, as we speak?" Dawson asked incredulously. "Like seriously lowering his IQ so he's more dependent on Mr. T?"

"I'm not dumb. Seriously, cut it out," I told them. I was ready to crawl from between them even if it meant getting in trouble.

"Sounds like it's making him into a puppy. Isn't that right, boy? Who's a good boy?" Dawson talked to me like I was a dog and scratched behind my ear.

He was taking a cue from Julian.

"Fuck off, dude," I said and pushed his hand away.

They both just laughed at me.

"Yup. Totally empty," Julian wrapped his knuckles against my head. "Like a rock."

That was the last straw.

"I said get the fuck off!" I barked and shoved Julian against the glass with a loud thud.

I realized the car had gone silent. The song had ended right as I yelled. Mr. Massoud turned the radio off and cleared his throat, embarrassed for Mr. Takada that his boy would act out.