Timesurfers Page 11

  The grounds were quiet. Most of the Timesurfers would be sleeping. Their workday started straight after the midnight reset. Mortez could see exactly what the state of play was and it gave teams the maximum number of possible trips that day. Until the reset they had no way of monitoring what impact the work they were doing in the past was having. The Mortez in the past actually knew more than Mortez in the present, because she saw the changes to her time after each midnight reset. That’s how she knew about the popularity charm on Zach.

  “The initial idea to use Zach from the past on this mission was disastrous.”

  “So Cate hasn’t killed him yet?” She tapped her front teeth with ragged fingernails she had been gnawing ferociously since he arrived.

  He shook his head. Catherine had been running a hundred degree reset temperature for the last eight hours because her past was being altered. It was getting more intense and clearly wearing her down. That and the pressure of the world she knew crumbling around her. “I understand you’re anxious...”

  “Look at me.” She peeled her damp shirt away from her chest and sniffed her armpit gingerly. “This isn’t just some deviation. This is a complete rewrite that will impact everyone I love. I’ve had a few reset temperatures from deviations, but this is out of control. Mortez and the boys have started running reset temperatures since you left last time.”

  “Dial down the dramatics.”

  “You’ll be running a temperature soon.” Catherine drew circles with the toe of her black boot in the gravel. “This is all my fault.”

  “That’s rubbish. Someone is messing with Zach. A stupid popularity charm is what initiated this deviation. And then there’s my mission with the bomb at the bus stop.”

  “That was on Mortez’s orders.”

  “Yes, and you had nothing to do with any of them. And before anyone started meddling with history, you have loser Zach. He never should have tried to hurt you like that. It’s inexcusable. You had every right to protect yourself.”

  “Cate killing him was an overreaction.”

  “You can’t overreact to someone assaulting you like that. Are you going to persist with talking about yourself in the third person?”

  “I’m Catherine and she’s Cate. It’s less confusing and in the grand scheme of things isn’t worth spending another second discussing.”

  “Have it your way. I will happily kill Zach for Cate. However...”

  “I know, I know. That mightn’t bring the deviation back into line. At midnight when history resets we could all still wake up to a world we don’t recognise.”

  Jonah shrugged. “It might be a better world.”

  “Or not. I’d convinced myself I would alter Zach’s death if I could. Now the opportunity is here I’m not sure. I’m actually disappointed in myself. I’m an even more dreadful person than I realised. Mortez and Naitanui are both committed to ensuring something I’ve regretted all my life happens and I’m standing apathetically by and watching.”

  “This is purely about you maintaining your historical path. Killing Zach may or may not have been a defining moment.”

  “My current reset temperature would be a strong indicator it’s a defining moment. Zach and Cate aren’t even together back in the altered time line. They won’t go out for her birthday and he won’t try and take advantage of her. She’ll never murder him in cold blood to get things back on track.” Catherine dragged her hands down her face.

  “Leave getting Cate to kill Zach to me. First decide if that’s want you want to happen.”

  “I raise the dead, Jonah. Name me one time you’ve ever seen that used for anything other than evil. I’m right where I should be with Mortez. I’m a despicable person.” Tears rolled down her flushed cheeks. “It’s too much.” Her shoulders shook with giant sobs. “Maybe everyone would be better off without me.”

  He put his arm around her and pulled her close. “My world would suck without you. Our friendship is the oasis in the middle of the barren desert that is my life.”

  “That’s corny even for you.” She choked out between sobs. “You chose Mortez for noble reasons. Not like me.”

  “We’ve all done things we aren’t proud of. I’ve lost count of all mine.”

  “You only left Naitanui to join Mortez to save your family from death and to help protect Rose’s family. You’re selfless and brave.”

  “You conveniently forgot the bit about me using Mortez to alleviate my migraines so I didn’t need to take drugs anymore. There’s nothing selfless about that.”

  “You’ve been clean since the day you stepped into Command, and you endured those debilitating migraines for years before you succumbed to taking drugs. I’ve been tempted after less than half a day of this reset temperature to visit Cleopatra for some of her 30BC medicinal narcotics.”

  Jonah poked her thigh with his finger. “Don’t even joke about that. I took the drugs because of the migraines. Decide how you want this to go and I’ll make it happen.”

  “That’s easier said than done. How’s it going in 2014?”

  “Hard to say. I do think Cate’s into me.”

  “Really?” She gave him a fierce glare.

  “Well.” He was perceptive enough to realise he had opened a humongous can of worms, and changed the subject. “Only ten more hours to go and your temperature will be gone.” Jonah patted her shoulder.

  “And possibly the world as we know it.”

  “Could you be any more melodramatic?” His fingers twirled her rainbow hair extensions. “You do wash these?”

  She slapped his hand away. “Yes! Cate would definitely not be into you. Not that way.”

  Catherine was his best friend in the world, but they had never been friends with benefits. He loved only one person that way. He made no secret of his feelings for Rose. The separation from her since he defected to Mortez had been excruciating. Catherine deserved someone who could love her completely. She shouldn’t be his or anyone’s second choice.

  Her unconventional powers were not conducive to a rocking social life. Only two men had even dared to befriend her. He was one and Austin was the other. Catherine had had a clandestine relationship with Austin for months. She didn’t know that he knew about it. It ended abruptly because he and Rose erased all traces of the relationship from Austin’s mind. They did it to protect Austin and Catherine, but the guilt from having betrayed Catherine again gnawed at his heart every waking moment.

  “I’m travelling back.” He held out his arms. “Hannah Catherine Zetrom, show me some love.”

  “Don’t call me that. I haven’t used Hannah since I moved to Tempus Falls.” After a seconds hesitation she gave up maintaining a serious face and snuggled into him.

  “While I fear incurring your wrath, I think you might need a quick shower.”

  “Oh, crap.” She strained to pull away.

  His arms tightened, as he refused to let her go. “I’ll be here when your temperature breaks at midnight.” The not knowing what would happen after it broke terrified him but he couldn’t let Catherine see that.

  “Have you seen Xavier?”

  Jonah nodded. A big ball of guilt smacked him in the stomach.

  “Could you do something nice for him? Maybe take a picture for me? I don’t have a picture of him.” The sadness on Catherine’s face made Jonah’s stomach squirm.

  “No problem.”

  “Thanks.”

  “Eve is one of a kind. I like her very much.” That brought an instant smile to Catherine’s face.

  “There’s a lot to love about Eve. For the record, Cate is way too switched on to be taken in by your rustic charm.” With a flick of her leg, she upended him and pinned him to the ground with her knee.

  “What’s not to like?” Jonah relaxed against the ground.

  “The list is far too long for me to go into.” She released him.

  “What’s with your getup?” His eyes swept over her black training gear.

  “Stop thinking about Rose.
” She yanked him to his feet.

  “I wasn’t. There’s something sexy about a girl decked out in skin-tight black combat gear. And nothing screams ‘I am fierce’ like a girl with weapons strapped to her thighs.”

  “You have on your tortured, love lost face. That can only mean Rose.”

  “You’re clearly not mission fit, so what’s the deal?” He pointed at her clothes.

  She prodded a loose pebble with her boot and gave it a vicious kick. “We were heading to the graveyard this afternoon but no one is up for it with these temperatures.”

  He pressed his lips against her blazing forehead. “How do you want this to play out with Zach? You can’t avoid the situation.” There was a window of time in the early morning of Cate’s birthday in 2014 at Tempus Falls that Jonah had an aura clash with. He wouldn’t be able to be there during that time. He and Mortez were the only two people that knew the reason why.

  She rested against him for the briefest of seconds. “I chose this. It’s all I know. I don’t hate my life.”

  “I’ll help you maintain this path or create another, but I won’t make the decision for you.” His voice was calm, but his chest was tight with tension.

  “I can’t be responsible for you taking another beating from Mortez like after the bus stop. You have to do as Mortez orders. This is how history intended things to play out. Mortez and Naitanui will both be happy. Everyone wins.”

  “We can make our own history. It’s what we do. I’ll be back in two hours and I need your final decision. Decide if you want to let Zach live and roll the dice on the impact that it will have on your history, or if you want to try and set things as they should be.” He rubbed her back and kissed her forehead before he stepped away. “On that note I’m off. Oh...can you do a covert search for active and inactive wizards in 2014 for me and see if any travelled to Tempus Falls around the time that spell was put on Zach. Don’t tell Mortez.”

  “Sure. Be safe.” She blinked back tears. “Hey, Jonah!”

  “Hmm?”

  “Ralph Lauren and the Gap left you messages. They’re showing their winter collections and need you. You know no one can work a scarf like you do.”

  He gave a very ungentlemanly signal with his middle finger as she disappeared from his view.

  Chapter 12

  Mutant Wizards

  “Hey!” Cate responded to the umpteenth person today. Her newfound popularity in this altered time line was wearing thin. Eve had nailed it when she said popularity was overrated. It was also exhausting. Her cheeks ached from all the polite smiling she’d done already this morning.

  Eve bustled through the door, her hair more dishevelled than usual and her skin drained of its normal glow. She dumped her books on the bench and held her phone three inches from her ear. “Slept in and irate Mother,” she whispered.

  Cate heard the angry buzz of what sounded like a man’s voice on the phone, not Eve’s mother.

  “Mum, I have to go. Class is starting.” Eve’s face broke into a beaming grin and she beckoned with her hand. “Hey, Rose, I saved you a spot.”

  Cate spun on her seat. Momentum toppled her onto the polished concrete floor. Through the legs of her upended stool, she saw Rose’s perfectly toned calves strut in. Rafe traipsed past and there was a sliver of daylight between the bottom of his boots and the floor. He was gliding ever so slightly above the polished concrete. She waited for the all-important third set of legs.

  “What are you doing down there?” Zach’s pallid face leered at her. “Look up ‘klutz’ in the dictionary, and your name’s there in bold print.”

  She glowered as Zach pulled out a stool and plonked his stocky self at her bench. “You cannot be serious?”

  Zach ignored her question and held out his hand. “Need some help up?”

  “Touch me and I’ll tie your little fingers in a knot,” she hissed.

  “Nice...” Rafe chuckled from behind her. “I sense a deliciously awkward few minutes ahead.”

  “She asked you to keep your hands to yourself,” Austin’s silky voice broke in. He offered Cate a hand up.

  “Brace yourself, dude,” Zach said. “She’s no lightweight.”

  With a withering glare at Zach, she took Austin’s hand. She started to smile and caught herself. Oh, no! She would not be distracted by Austin’s boyish good looks, charm, smile, or any other part of his well toned body for that matter today. Last night on the phone she and Eve had discussed why the Timesurfers might be so interested in her. They discussed her saving the world, because Naitanui talked about destinies and they normally involved saving the world in some fashion. They disregarded destroying the world because Cate had been to the future and the world was still there. Eve had way too much fun thinking of horrible things that Cate could possibly be going to do.

  “Recovered from your wild ride yesterday?” Austin glided onto the stool next to her.

  “I took it all in my stride. Hey!” She slapped Zach’s stubby fingers as he trawled through her pencil case.

  “I need a pencil,” Zach said.

  “I don’t care,” she said.

  Austin nodded to Zach. “Salutations, incompetent Newbie.”

  Zach harrumphed and opened his books. He was such an idiot to be a Timesurfer.

  Eve dug the pointy end of her pencil into Zach bicep. “I saw your cousin Jonah styling some ridiculous fight moves at the park this morning.”

  An abrupt silence descended around Cate. No pencils tapped; no papers rustled. No one looked at Zach, but Cate had the distinct impression everyone was listening.

  “I find it astonishing he shares any DNA with a loser like you.” Eve smacked Zach on the head with her pencil, oblivious to the death stare Rose gave her. “He made even my girl senses tingle.”

  “Well I for one can appreciate that is quite an achievement,” Austin said.

  Austin looked better today than yesterday. He might be with Rose, but Cate couldn’t stop thinking about him. She wanted to scoot her chair over as close as possible to him and hold his hand under the desk. Which was so lame it made her want to slap herself. She was no better than the boyfriend stealing Brittany, who was apparently one of her BFFs now and drove her to school each morning. It was a little bit funny Zach was dating one of the walking dead. She scrawled “Zach and Zombie Girl” on her desk and chuckled as she outlined it with a love heart.

  “How did your night go?” Austin asked.

  “I survived it.” Cate drummed her fingers on the bench. What to say now.

  “Would you like to get some frozen yogurt after school?” Austin asked.

  “Umm...” She thought after yesterday he would have dropped the pretence of being into her. Rose was definitely the type to favour aggressive negotiations when it came to everything. Especially if she thought someone was moving in on her boyfriend, irrespective of what an outrageous flirt he was being.

  “A coffee maybe? Your choice.”

  Her traitorous heart popped each time he smiled. Frozen yogurt, coffee—she would happily eat dirt to spend time with him. No. She needed to focus. “You know, you could just tell me what you want and be done with all the games.”

  “I live for the games!” He shook his head. “The more you know, the more you over think things, and the messier it gets. Trust me.”

  She was unlikely to trust any Timesurfer in the near future.

  “Cate, the monster trucks are in town. We should go and check them out,” Zach said in an overloud voice.

  “Tempting, but I’m going to say no.”

  “Admit when you’re beaten. She’s moved on.” Austin rubbed his hands together gleefully and bumped Cate’s shoulder. “It’s fun messing with him. Admit it,” he murmured under his breath.

  Cate fought back a smile.

  “Listen up!” Mr. Elms stood in front of the class. He taught calculus, not chemistry. “Mrs. Dent is ill and her replacement teacher won’t arrive until period three. That means you have two free periods. Do not leave t
he school grounds. I trust you are all responsible enough to use the time wisely.”

  “Shall we catch some sun, Rose?” Eve tucked and retucked her hair behind her ears.

  “Sounds great.” Rose stared at Austin’s fingers resting close to Cate’s. She rubbed a hand across her forehead and suddenly looked incredibly weary. When she noticed Cate staring, a look of pure hatred replaced the weariness.

  Anger stabbed at Cate. Rose had the boyfriend with the wandering hands and “come throw yourself at me” smile. She should send her death stares his way.

  “That sounds like fun, Eve,” Rafe said.

  “I don’t remember inviting you.” Eve gave him a dark look.

  Rafe quirked his eyebrow. “Not up for a bit of competition?”

  Eve flushed beetroot red all the way to her hairline. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” She kept her eyes on the books she was stacking and restacking.

  That was a nice twist on your ordinary love triangle. Rafe had a thing for Rose, but so did Eve. Cate didn’t fancy either of their chances of luring Rose away from Austin. They were about as good as her chance of enticing Austin away from Rose. Not that she would even contemplate attempting to do that.

  “You can hang with me, Cate. Come and experience life in the land of the popular.” Zach looked extra short and stocky next to Austin.

  “Again...tempting, but I’ll decline.”

  “You think you’re quite the charmer, don’t you?” Rose eyed Zach with distaste.

  “Come a little closer and I’ll show you just how charming I can be,” Zach said with a completely straight face.

  “I think your cousin Jonah might have something to say about that.” Austin stretched his arms over his head, and his white shirt rode up. “If you get past him, you’ll have to deal with me.”