When All is Null and Void

Chapter Thirty-Two

In the morning, Alexander and Caleb did what they always did: Went on a run and ate. Caleb was, perhaps, less enthusiastic than he ought to be, but Alexander didn't seem to notice. Caleb's general malaise had grown normal over the last few weeks that Alexander probably though Caleb to be acting relatively normal.

Caleb's thoughts were rather consumed by his decision to tell Danielle the truth and a gentle terror had overtaken him. Guilt gnawed at his conscience, because he was going behind Alexander's back. Caleb justified it all, though, by convincing himself that, no matter what, Danielle didn't deserve to be lied to. Feeble, but effective.

Danielle had two days before Christmas break. Caleb could tell her now and spend two weeks Time Hopping. The logistics seemed easy enough to execute, even though Caleb what would happen after Danielle went back to school and Rhea came calling for an update. He also had no desire to think about the possible dangers there were in Hopping, unaccompanied by Alexander when they still hadn't controlled Ringlock's side effects.

The guilt and nerves, mixed with a fine sprinkling of resilience, made Caleb's voice tremble as he told Alexander about a plan to Hop to the store and buy a book. Local Hops were safe, they'd determined. The further Caleb went, the more sporadic the ring's tantrums became.

Alexander mulled this over for a moment. "Think you're up to it? I could go with, just to be safe."

"No—" Caleb said abruptly. "I mean, I'm good. I feel good today."

His mentor started to pour ingredients into a stand mixer to make pizza dough. "Okay, go 'head."

Caleb Hopped.

+++

Danielle held a special hatred toward her school at Christmastime. She hated the way the heaters blew hot air into every room, even though the collection of over two-thousand bodies did it well enough already. She always positioned herself next to a window and cracked it open so a cool breeze could reach her. Otherwise she might get a migraine, and she'd had too many in her life.

However, in English, since she sat on the opposite side of the room from the window, the heat was overpowering, and her brow was dappled with sweat. She'd worn a heavy, hand-knit scarf to school, and she'd already stripped it off. She'd even been forced to remove the Disneyland sweatshirt Ezra had once lent her—she wore it to spite him sometimes, since it was actually quite comfortable and expensive. Now, having no desire to lay the clothes on the scuffed, dirty floor, Danielle held them in her lap so she had room to work on her Scarlet Letter unit test.

Mr. Bradford had only just sat at his desk to let them work in silence when Danielle heard the tapping. At first she assumed it was Selena, the girl one row away, tapping at her desk with mechanical pencil. Selena never studied for tests. Or read the books the tests were on, for that matter.

The tapping was quiet, and when Danielle cast Selena a reproving glance, she realized the girl was sitting silently, actually writing down answers to the questions.

Danielle.

Muffled, like the whisper of paper behind a door, Danielle wasn't even sure if she would have heard the sound if she'd been working on the test.

Danielle looked up, landing her gaze on every person in the classroom. Finally a thump brought her attention to the door. A few other students looked toward the ruckus.

Caleb was looking directly at her through the small window.

When she made eye contact, Caleb rolled his eyes with sarcastic precision.