When All is Null and Void

Chapter Twenty-Three

Out of kindness and respect for Caleb's bruised conscience, Alexander allowed a break from training. They gave the ticket to the Museum, and Caleb received a pat on the back. For the moment, all was well. On Wednesday, in the chill, misty afternoon, Caleb and Alexander drove the twenty minutes up winding, back country roads to Silver Creek Falls, a state park known for its gargantuan waterfall.

A pathway snaked behind the famous falls, and wintry, mountain runoff splashed those brave enough to venture into the overcast, evergreen day. Today, only Caleb and Alexander were the courageous ones, and their sweatshirts and shoes were soaked. Through chattering teeth and pluming breaths, they chatted about the shows they'd been binge-watching on TV, and all the books Caleb had been reading besides the Codex.

Caleb was almost positive Alexander would never actually test him on the book, which made it all the harder to slog through the theory that came with being a Timewalker. The topics and algorithms were dense enough they flew over Caleb's head. He wasn't dumb, but sometimes the Codex had a go at him.

The peace of an entire week off from Time Hopping came to a painful end when Titus knocked on the front door. Alexander had never invited him in, so he was forced to knock every time he wanted to visit—this thought brought a satisfied smirk to Caleb's lips. When the Time Prince waltzed into Alexander's house, something seemed different about him. He wasn't quite so stand-offish, and he even apologized to Alexander for mouthing off. He wore a pair of turquoise tennis shoes and the matching turquoise sweatshirt with a pink flamingo he'd worn the first night they'd met.

The change in Titus' demeanor didn't halt Caleb's suspicion. "What are you doing here?" Alexander's firm hand on Caleb's shoulder released the tension he'd felt building.

The Time Prince scowled at him, seemed to think better, and screwed it into a cruel grimace. "I'm training you to close Void Leaks." He lounged onto the couch and crossed his legs in a figure four, ankle on his left knee.

The thought of working with Titus wasn't the only unpleasant thing about those words. Even if his assignment in Southampton hadn't been a failure, and hadn't ended in death, Caleb still didn't want to Hop back into business. "Oh?" Caleb said, casting a surreptitious glance at Alexander.

"Yup," Titus said. "A void leak popped up thirty minutes from here. We're going to close it." He seemed perfectly at ease on the couch, and something within Caleb wanted to toss something at him for the fun of it. When Titus' lips quirked in a smirk, Caleb scowled. "You'll love this, Caleb." Titus stumbled over the name, but the moment passed and so did the tiniest reddening of Titus' cheeks. It's at a Halloween party. So we're impersonating regular teenagers."

Caleb sat across from Titus. Alexander didn't say anything. "A Halloween party?"

"Yes, and you have to dress up." Titus lounged back and shut his eyes.

"What if I say no?" Caleb asked; the thought of spending an entire evening with Titus James and a bunch of people he didn't know in a costumesounded a lot more like hell than a party.

"Bad idea," Titus quipped, in a descending minor 3rd. He cracked an eye at Caleb. "My mom wouldn't be happy."

It needed no more explanation, and Caleb sighed. "But why does it have to be a party?" He was whining, and he didn't care.

"Because it's far less conspicuous for us to snoop around someone's house during a party than any other time of day. The Void leak is insidethe house. So..." Titus shrugged.

While Caleb understood the logic—accepted it, even—he didn't trust Titus. Maybe he wasn't acting like an insufferable ass now, but at a party? Caleb would rather go to a warn torn village and have a lion as a partner than Titus to a house of drunk teenagers, who'd probably bully him if he went to their school.

"It's a good assignment," Alexander said as Caleb contemplated these things. "You'll be in and out in no time." His eyes gleamed a soft shade of pride.

"So we're just supposed to waltz into this party, knowing no one, and close a rift in the universe?" Caleb's skepticism was thick, and neither Alexander or Titus said anything for a moment.

"Do we know where it is in the house?" he offered.

"We have to find it. That's the catch to this whole thing." Titus stood from the couch and slapped Caleb on the back. It stung.

Caleb jerked away from the touch. With a look at Alexander, Caleb said, "You're trying to kill me. I'm going to end up in my grave because of you."

"Greatest honor of my life." Alexander placed a hand on his heart in a solemn salute..

Turning to Titus, who'd just knocked down an entire stack of books, Caleb grimaced. "When's the party?"

"Tonight," Titus replied.

Caleb let out a long, drawn out groan. "Fine," he said. "But no capes, no tights."

Titus nodded, but there was definitely a gleam in his eye.