Awakening - The Last Science #1

Chapter 7 - Misdirection - I

  "Didn't realize this was going to be a fucking field trip," Rika grumbled.

  "Rika, she's like eight years old," Alden hissed.

  "So?"

  "Maybe a bit less harsh?"

  "Oh, right. Sorry," Rika cleared her throat and raised her voice. "You two ready?"

  Natalie was still gazing out into the woods, a worried look on her face. "Scrappy's not here yet."

  "I'm sure he'll be here soon, Nat," Lily said patiently.

  "Who's Scrappy?" Alden whispered to Rika.

  "Fu—" Rika caught herself. "Hell if I know," she whispered back. "Look, that's the best I can do."

  "And we're supposed to find a man out here—a possible kidnapper—in the rain, with the sun setting, and all we know about him is that he was dressed in black and white and wore a hat?" Alden asked skeptically.

  "Hey, you wanted to come."

  "There!" Natalie pointed. Out of the woods, slinking around the corner of a tree came a huge mountain lion, one of the biggest Alden had ever seen. Not unnaturally large, but certainly intimidating. He automatically took a step back.

  "Holy shit," Rika breathed.

  Alden didn't bother to press her again. He was too busy worrying about how he could get away with those yellow eyes watching him. As if being in the middle of the dark forest—which held who knew what untold dangers—wasn't bad enough. As they stared, 'Scrappy' padded up next to Natalie and rubbed against her side affectionately. Natalie scratched at the big cat's ears and dug her face in its bronze-colored fur.

  "Don't worry, Nat's got him under control," Lily called across the clearing. Alden wasn't reassured in the slightest. Neither was Rika, from the look on her face.

  "Scrappy, do you know where Dad went?" Natalie asked. The cat nodded.

  "That cat just nodded, right?" Alden whispered.

  Rika sounded dazed. "Don't ask me. The expert's over there with the puma."

  "Magic, right?" Alden asked nervously.

  "Oh yeah. Definitely magic. Nothing I've ever seen before."

  "Can you take us to him?" Natalie asked, looking the cat directly in the eye. It bobbed its head again and turned back the way it had come. After a pause, it looked back over its shoulder, eye to eye with Alden. He got the sensation it wanted him to follow. He got a far more distinct feeling that the mountain lion held a similar view of him that it might reserve for an annoying squirrel it hadn't quite decided to eat yet.

  "I think that cat doesn't like me," Alden muttered.

  "Scrappy won't hurt you unless I tell him to," Natalie said cheerfully. "And I'm twelve years old. I'm not eight."

  Alden winced. Natalie ignored him and whispered to her cat.

  "She's twelve?" he asked Rika more quietly.

  "Guess so. Some people grow up slower. Now suck it up. We've got a job to do." Rika patted him on the back, then set off to join the others. After a moment's hesitation, Alden followed.

  It was a bizarre sight for anyone who might have happened on them that night. A large, clearly feral cougar leading a girl dressed in a pink jacket and rain boots by the hand, followed intently by an elegant and business-attired woman carrying an umbrella, with two college kids crashing through the forest at a respectful distance.

  Alden laughed aloud; he couldn't help it, it just seemed ridiculous to him. He was taking everything seriously, perhaps a little too seriously. His body needed to relieve stress before his head exploded, and it just came out as a strained, somewhat exhausted laugh. On the bright side, the sheer fatigue was helping dull his paranoia.

  Natalie and Lily were further ahead and fortunately didn't catch his mirth, but Rika shot him a confused look. He shook his head. "Nothing."

  "Don't go losing it on me."

  Exhaustion was further lowering Alden's inhibitions. Without thinking he asked, "Why'd you agree to this anyway?"

  Rika raised her eyebrows. "Why help a little kid?"

  "Didn't seem like you liked kids," Alden said bluntly.

  Rika fell back a few steps, further away from the leaders of their little group, and lowered her voice. "I don't. Do you realize the kind of blackmail we just picked up?"

  Alden had expected any number of responses, but definitely not that. Rika's tone was surprisingly icy. "What?"

  "Kendra fucking Laushire has a secret twin sister. And she doesn't want anyone to know about her. That's huge."

  "Laushire as in—" Alden started, but Rika interrupted him impatiently.

  "Laushire Enterprises, international conglomerate. Basically, she's a billionaire. Well, daughter of a billionaire, who stands to inherit that massive company and that fortune at some point." Rika paused to reach into her bag, pulling out a water bottle and drinking deep.

  "Why keep it a secret?" Alden wondered aloud.

  "Exactly what I'm gonna find out," Rika smirked. "Didn't you notice how Kendra didn't even blink when I changed our deal? She's a businesswoman and she let me dominate negotiations."

  "So you offered to help because..."

  "Because then Lily owes me a favor, while Kendra owes me for keeping her secret. Win-win. What, did you expect this little quest to actually accomplish anything? It's night-time in the middle of the fucking forest. In the rain. We're not gonna find jack shit."

  "But doesn't she own your family business?"

  "Her dad owns my dad's business. I couldn't give a fuck about either of them." Rika dropped her water bottle back into her bag and snapped it shut. "Come on, we're falling behind."