Cat's Out - Book 3

Chapter 8 - shock and paw

Taser boy gets tackled first. I don't know how effective his little toy is on Darla the girl or Darla the cat, but I'm taking no chances. His head slams into the car door and he hits the ground. The other two men, unarmed, give each other a look and hold up their hands. Judging by the fresh scars on their faces, we've met before.

"Get out!" I stand over Jack and scoop up my bat, waving it at them like a golfer about to tee one off.

The two hoist their unconscious friend into the back seat, keeping their eyes on me the whole time. They don't even bother to explain what their intentions were. They know I'm not stupid. I desperately want to pound them, but that would attract attention and cause more trouble than it would solve.

I slam the bat into the car roof, leaving a respectable dent. "You tell Moloch that the next punks that mess with my friends get the cat, not the sweet little girl!"

"Sweet my a--"

"What was that?"

One of the men holds up hand. "Nothin'. We was just leavin'."

They hop into the front seat and speed off without another word.

"Crap!" I drop to one knee and pat Jack's cheeks. "Wake up, Jack. C'mon."

Her eyelids flutter. "Ouch."

"I bet. Think you can stand?"

"Think so."

I help her to her feet, where she sways like a pine in a tornado. There must be something I'm supposed to do. They didn't teach us anything useful in Health class, did they?

Jack shakes her head. "So that was a taser, huh? Got to get me one of those."

"Keep hanging out with me and you'll need one."

A light flips on from the porch and the door opens.

Jack blinks in that direction. "Uh-ohhh."

Grant is running across the front yard. "Is she okay?"

Crap on carriage. How much did he see?

Grant grabs Jack's other arm and she leans into him. "Good thing wonder girl here scared those guys off."

Okay, that much. "Umm...they just spooked easy." I really had to work on my damage control.

"Yeah," Grant eyes me up and down, and not in a good way. "One big guy on the ground and two more up against a ninety-pound girl. Must have been terrifying for them. And I couldn't dent a car like that with a bulldozer."

Wow. He got the whole show. "Grant, it was just luck. We were..." Oh crap, what were we doing here?

"Staking out my house? And you just happened to have a baseball bat?"

"Rough neighborhood." I change tactics. "So do we need to get Jack to a hospital or something?"

"No!" Jack finally speaks up. "I'm goo...good. Just a little fuzzy."

"You're coming inside with me," Grant says. "When I'm sure you're okay, I'll drive you home."

I want to follow, but a) I don't exactly feel welcome and b) something's bothering me.

If this was a trap, why only three guys to take me on? They've seen what I can do. And they seemed to give up way too easy. I sure as heck wouldn't want to report my failure to Moloch without a few fresh bruises to show I'd tried.

Then it hit me. "This was a diversion."

"Huh?" Jack and Grant both look at me.

"Nothing. Grant, take care of her. I've got to run."

Grant glares at me. "More superhero stuff to do? I didn't see a Bat Signal."

"Grant...I..."

"Forget it. I've got to take care of my friend." He turns from me and helps Jack toward the front door. She turns and gives me a this-turned-out-well look.

Anything I say at this point will only worsen matters. Besides, I have to get home. I race off into the darkness, my heart hammering the whole way back to my mom's house. When it comes into view, I slow and stalk my way in. If Moloch wanted me at Grant's house, the only other person he'd be after would be Jack or my mother. I watch the driveways between our houses for a minute, straining to listen.

Nothing. Only the muted sound of TVs from both houses. A cough--mom's replacement husband. Buzzing insects. Other than that, all's quiet. Completely normal.

That's when I spot something hanging in my porch. I slip from the sidewalk and trot across the front yard.

And freeze.

Hanging by his furry neck, from beam across the porch, is the tiger from my bedroom.