SAVANTS
The Chapture 23

Zed took me down a shallow river. He was wearing walking boots, but my canvas shoes kept slipping on the rock and kept tripping.

"Hold my jacket" he said to me. When we almost arrived .

As the river deepened, the river bank got lower so we could climb out of the river. We showed up on a grassy slope in front of his house.

"Sense something?" ask Zed.

"none. You?"

"I can't see anything. Let's run to the house." He squeezed my arm. " On the count of three. One two three!" And we ran.

My feet were wedged in my shoes, I ran across the open ground and entered through the front door. I heard a door in the 'click' key behind me without Zed touching it.

"Your father and Xav are okay?" I said while panting.

He closed his eyes for a moment, examining the other family members.

"They're fine, but they're missing the hunter. You are right: there are two of them. They left for the city in an SUV without a license plate. Black car, dark window. Hundreds of cars like that in the mountains. Dad said to stay here until he came back. Let's see your eyes"

Zed directed me to the bathroom downstairs and sat me on the edge of the tub. As he fumbled through the P3K box, I realized that he was shaking.

I put my hand on his arm. "It's okay."

"That's no good." He ripped a pack of cotton. "We should be safe here." Anger overpowered him and made him tremble.

"Why are they shooting at us? What's going on, Zed? You don't seem too surprised if someone wants to shoot you?"

He laughed empty. "That makes sense, Sky." He rinsed the flannel cloth and placed it in front of my eyes, the cold relieving the pain. "Hold it for a while" He then cleaned my cuts and scratches with a cotton swab. "I realize you want to know why I look ordinary, but it's better for you and for us if you don't know it first."

"Why can't I find out? I went for a walk with you, and was shot by someone you didn't know, and I can't ask why? I probably wouldn't ask you about the exploding lemon and the rest, but this is different. You almost died."

He put the cloth back onto my cheek where there was a slight wound from the fall. "I know you're mad at me."

"I'm not mad at you! I'm angry at the people who just tried to kill us! Have you told the police?"

"Yes, Dad handled it. They might want to talk to you." He took the cloth and whistled. "However it's our first date and I've given you black eyes."

It jolts me.

"It's dating? You asked me here to date, and I don't know?"

"Yes, not many boys take girls out to shoot ducks with them as targets for a first date. You gotta give me points for style."

I haven't been through the first shock. "It's a date?" i'm repeating.

He pulled me into his arms, my head stuck to his chest. "It's a date, I'm trying to get you used to me, in my natural habitat. But I can do better, I promise."

"What's? Like the next gladiator battle?"

"Good idea" He stroked my hair. "Thank you for keeping your head cool when it's out there."

"Thank you for bringing us safe"

"Die? The zed? Are you guys all right?" Zed's father shouted from the hallway.

" We're here, Dad. I'm doing fine. Sky is a little hurt, but he's fine."

Zed's father stood at the door, his expression sad. "What's going on? Don't you see the danger, Zed?"

"Yes, if I see it. And said, 'Let's take my girlfriend for a walk and try to kill her'. Of course I don't see it - nothing more than you feel."

"Sorry, ask a stupid question. Vick's on his way. I called your mother and Yves came back. They'll be here as soon as possible."

" Who are they?" Ask Zed.

"Dad doesn't know. Both Kelly's families were sent on Tuesday. This could be revenge. But they shouldn't know where we are."

I turned in Zed's arms to see Saul. "Who's Kelly?"

Zed's father saw my face properly for the first time. "Sky, you're hurt! Xav, get in here."

Saul rubbed the back of his neck. "I'll ask Victor to explain. He will know what and how much to say. For now, let them know that it was a fool running in the forest. Ask them to shut it down until the authorities have a chance to handle it. Is that okay with you, Sky?"

I'm nodding.

"good. You did well." Zed's father kissed the top of my head and grabbed his son. "Thank God we only have one black eye to show it to your parents. And thank you, Sky, for being so patient with us."

I rode on the motorcycle behind Zed, clutching his jacket like a buoy.

"I'll take us through some back roads that circle around Wrickenridge to your house" he explained. "To be on guard."

The so-called back road turned out to be nothing more than a dirt road. To help myself overcome.

The light of the headlights pierced through the darkness - a shocked deer ran out of the street - girls clinging to boys.

I felt shocked and shaken as we arrived at the Arts Center. My head is back pulsing.

"Can you do what Xavier did?" I asked, then Zed pinched the base of my nose after taking off the helmet.

"No, but I can buy you something to treat the bruise that's in your eyes at the drugstore."

"It's okay."

Zed let out a long breath of "Come; let's face the wrath of your father."

"Can you see how bad it's going to be?"

"I tried not to know it"

Black eyes were a pretty bad introduction, but the news that we were shot by a madman in the forest was the last.

"Sky" Sally's voice shrieked, her voice echoing around the studio's clean white walls. "What happened to you? This will never happen in Richmond!"

"You may not believe it, ma'am" Zed said politely, "but that doesn't usually happen here either."

"You can't get out until this lunatic is caught" Sally said, rubbing my cheek and rubbing my bruises.

But I think that question should have been for Simon to see that they were almost never at home.

"I got bored at home by myself. I just went to dinner. I thought I'd be back before you guys got home."

'Your father seems to be measuring how big my coffin is now', Zed told me via telepathy.

' that's not true'

'I caught the picture of how he killed me'

"You're punished, Sky, for going out without permission" Simon fumed. He was clearly channeling his anger at this moment.

"What! That's not fair!"

'He overreacted because he was afraid something might happen to you' Zed said by telepathy.

' but it's still not fair'

"Sorry, sir, it's my fault that Sky is out tonight. I brought him." Zed is trying to build a force field between me and Simon's anger.

"It's possible, but my daughter has to learn to take responsibility for her own decisions. Punished. For two weeks."

"Simon!" I protested, ashamed that Zed witnessed this.

"Don't make me extend it to four weeks, young lady! Good night, Zed."

Zed squeezed my hand. 'sorry. He won't listen to me. I'd better go back so your father doesn't get angry'

He left and then I heard the sound of the motor roaring outside the studio. Wolfman slid out. Thank you very much.

I folded my arms, my legs knocked like a cat's tail twitching in a huff. If Simon is Dad-Meister, I'm SuperAngry Sky. "You expect me to sit at home while you two play here, but don't want me to have fun with my friends!" I explode. "That's so unfair!"

"Don't talk to me back, Sky." Simon threw his brush into the sink and drained the water to remove the cet stains.

"You're just saying that because you know you're wrong! I didn't complain when you stood in front of Mr. Ozawa at school on Monday - it was a shame. I don't know what to say to her. I'm not punishing you for being a stupid parent."

Simon looked at Sally with a shy look. "I'll call Mr. Ozawa to apologize." Further.

"I know you just adopted me in the afternoon, but sometimes I think you forget you have me." I regretted those words as soon as I said them.

"Don't say that!" Sally put her hand to her mouth, her eyes glazed over with tears, making me feel a little guilty.

"I'm often alone at home and when I want to have fun with my friend, you're angry and you don't have time for me you don't realize it"

"It's not the same," Simon snapped, angry that now I had hurt Sally. He might as well be hurt. I know it. "Four weeks."

I don't know what's gotten into me. It usually takes a lot of things to make me angry, but I was almost shot, a lot of secrets were leaked to me by the Benedict family, ended up with a bruised eye, he said, and Simon has turned it into something that led to juvenile punishment.

"That's just f******"

"Don't use that language on me!"

"Ughh! Too American for you? Well, you brought me to this country! I didn't ask to be shot! I'm sick of everything with you" I rushed out and slammed the door. Angry at him - angry at myself. I stepped on the road, kicking an empty can in front of me, cursing with my every step.

I could hear someone running after me.

"Darling!" It was Sally. He pulled me and hugged me. "You must understand your father's fear. You're still her little girl. He's not used to seeing you with a boy like Zed. And he certainly doesn't want you to get hurt by some Benedict who likes to wreak havoc in the woods."

I started to cry and let out all the feelings I had all day. "I'm sorry, Selly. I didn't mean by what I said - about the unlucky old man"

"I know, honey. But we are stupid parents. I'm sure you haven't had dinner this week"

"not you. I'm the trash princess. You bring me into a comfortable family and hang out with me and I can only trouble you both."

He gave me a little wobble. "And you have given us a hundred times more pleasure than we have ever given you. Give Simon a chance to calm down and he will definitely apologize to you.'

"I'm scared, Selly. They're shooting at us."

"I know, baby."

"Zed is great. Know what to do and prioritize my safety"

"He's a good boy."

"I like him."

"I think you're more than into it."

I sniffed, fumbled a handkerchief. I don't know what I feel about Zed-bingung and doubt that anyone would want me as much as he claims, just learn to trust him a little.

"Be careful, Sky. You're a sensitive person. A boy like Zed could destroy you if you get too fixated on him."

"What kind of boy?" Why does everyone think they can label Zed?

He breathed and took me back to the car. "He's handsome and a little wild. From what I've heard only a few people stay long with their high school sweetheartsthat's part of lifelong training."

"We only dated once."

"Exactly. So don't let yourself fall too much for him. Play it quietly and you'll keep him interested in you"

He's interested in me isn't the problem - it's me who keeps him like this now. But she looks a lot like my mother - worrying about me when bullets fly. "So, what, relationship advice according to Dr. Sally Bright?" Ask me.

"Do we need to have another conversation? I thought we were talking about it when you were twelve, '" she said.

"No, no, thank you, I have the facts."

"Then, I believe in you applying it to your relationship with Zed"

"You believe me, but Simon doesn't."

He sighed. "No, he always felt very protective of you, maybe even more so because you were so hurt when we received you. If he can get you locked up in a tower, dig a ditch, plant a minefield and tie everything up with barbed wire, he'll do it."

"I think I'm lucky I'm just being punished."

"Yes, I might be able to ease her up to two weeks for you, but I think we can safely say you're grounded."