Star Eater
Chapter Twenty-Six

Cole stopped outside Joseph’s office and inhaled to steady himself. He hated giving bad news. Then he knocked once. The voice inside granted permission. Joseph sounded calm, at least. That was good. If he’d been anything less, Cole knew he’d be donating blood soon.

“I’m sorry, sir,” Cole said. “We’ve tried every angle but we’re at an impasse with the FBI. We can’t find anyone attached to the investigation whom we can bribe or intimidate.”

Joseph’s hand closed in a fist. Cole felt the tissue in his nose crunch as if he’d been struck. Pain exploded behind his eyes and the scent of copper filled his nose as twin rivers leaked out of his nostrils.

“Don’t bleed on the carpet,” Joseph said softly.

Cole backed up hastily, using one hand to catch as much blood as possible.

“What about the boy?” Joseph said, anger frosting his voice.

Cole hesitated but then marshaled his courage. “My men lost him last night at the high school,” Cole said. “The place was too big to cover all the exits and—”

Joseph waved his hand and Cole stopped. The second didn't meet Joseph’s eyes but stared steadfast at the ground, waiting to see if there was more punishment. Joseph pursed his lips. The damn agent had not only investigated, he’d spent half his time building an impenetrable wall around his investigation.

As for the boy, slipping his trackers was not surprising. In fact, it confirmed to Joseph what he already knew. Every wall was an exit to Kaito. And Joseph already had a feeling he knew where the boy had skipped off to. It was time to commit to the backup plan.

“Have you heard about the break-in at the Ettan World Hydrogen Refinery?” Joseph asked.

Cole nodded and said reluctantly, “They called in Homeland Security and it set off one of our alerts.”

“They found a guard dead a little over an hour ago,” Joseph said. “Initial examination says it was a heart attack, but,” he held up a finger, “he was found in an unused tunnel where he wasn’t supposed to be. Plus, there was a burn mark on his chest just under his ribs. His clothes were not damaged or undone in any way.

“The thief jammed all electronics as he moved through the plant and then stole a large amount of hydrogen gas,” Joseph said, pulling out a photograph from a folder. The FBI might have closed ranks, but he had several men in Homeland that were open to making money. “Interestingly, there was no equipment involved. The thief came on foot and, presumably, left that way.

“The video cameras came back online just after the estimated time of death of the guard and stayed on for one minute before the whole plant, plus the surrounding area, went dark. Here is a still.” Joseph handed over the photo.

Cole took this as tacit permission to come forward. His nose had stopped gushing and he’d stuffed tissues up the nostrils. He took and studied the photo with his unsullied hand, searching for whatever it was that his boss had seen. There was the body on the ground, lips clearly blue even from the camera’s high angle.

“Here is a photo from this morning,” Joseph said, sliding that one over.

Comparing the two showed Cole the disparity instantly.

“There’s dust everywhere,” Cole said. “But no tracks in or out on the first photo.”

“No tracks,” Joseph agreed. “It is as if someone walked in with the guard without leaving any trace. A ghost that did not appear on camera, and left no physical evidence of any kind.”

Cole frowned. “You think a daemon blinked in?” Sᴇaʀ*ᴄh the ꜰindNʘvel.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

Joseph shook his head. “The man died of a heart attack, not violence. I think something scared him. Now, when exactly did your men lose track of the boy?”

Cole thought about it, doing the math by the hours. That kid would have had time to get to Van Nuys, though he’d have to run if the buses weren’t working. Cole shook his head. It was miles between the two. But then another thought occurred to him.

“The security cameras weren’t working,” he said and then frowned at the similarity. “We only got a glimpse of him from a traffic camera across the street.”

“Like this one, wouldn’t you say?” Joseph asked, handing him another photo.

Cole studied it. It was fuzzy, bad quality. He could barely make out the details of a small figure in a hoodie.

“Right now there’s a blackout centered around Sherman Oaks. The blackout moved from Van Nuys as if someone or something was carrying an EMP device,” Joseph said.

Cole was starting to put the pieces together. “The storage facility he went to yesterday is in Sherman Oaks,” he said. “What kind of supernatural is he?”

“I’m not sure he can be categorized as a supernatural,” Joseph replied. “Because, if I’m correct, he wasn’t born here. He comes from the sky. A creature the Sidhe called the fhear dorcha.” Joseph sat back and steepled his fingers. “I’ve done a lot of research and found more myths relating to the same creature. It’s very, very rare, maybe happens every few generations. Except, one fell in 1989 and took out the electricity in all of Quebec. He was driven from the city by the branch family.”

“So he can jam signals,” Cole said.

“He can overload electronics entirely,” Joseph said. “I think he ate the hydrogen. If the stories are true, the fhear dorcha have other, more useful abilities.”

“They can walk through walls,” Cole breathed in realization. Joseph smiled, pleased his second was astute. Cole also didn't press for more details. He was patient for his master to explain, another quality Joseph approved of.

“And do you know what a demon that can walk through walls and jam security systems could do for us?” Joseph asked.

“But if he’s a moving signal jammer,” Cole said. “Won’t the authorities find him?”

Joseph nodded. “I have an idea on that. I need three of your best men. We need to contain the boy’s power before the government tracks him down. And we need to stall Homeland’s investigation. Can you at least handle that?” Joseph demanded, voice dripping with sarcasm.

“Yes, sir,” Cole said, knowing if he failed again, it wouldn’t just be a nosebleed.

By the time Kai got home, he was numb. He passed through the walls and into a quiet house, went straight up to his room and locked it. Then he stripped down all his clothes and his broken Fitbit. It wouldn’t turn on. Like everything else around him, it seemed, it wouldn't turn on.

Kai went into the shower and turned it hot. Except that the water heater ran on electricity. The boy didn't even noticed. He sat in the tub, legs drawn up against his chest and watching the freezing water spin down the drain. When he was shivering, Akuma warned him and when that didn't work, the demon threatened to take over. Kai stood and got out of the shower. He stared down at the disgusting clothes from the night before and made a quick decision.

Rolling them up in the bathroom carpet, he made a neat little package, which he left on the floor. He went into his room to change into clean clothes. He emptied his schoolbag of books, and stuffed the carpet in there. He left his phone on the nightstand. It was dead. All electricity had fled around him, just like when he was a kid. He stuffed his wallet in his pocket and shouldered the bag.

Then Kai took the stairs two at a time down. He was rummaging under the sink for a garbage bag when he heard a delicate cough. Kai froze and then peered up and over the counter to find his mom leaning on the island.

“Morning, Kai.”

Kai straightened, absently pocketing the garbage bag in his back pocket.

“Hi, Mom,” he said, uncertainly.

Mom looked like she always did–a tall woman with a thin face, brown hair with a touch of grey tousled in. She carried herself in a way that bespoke a deep intelligence and scholarship, the sort actors were always trying to emulate when they did professors and geniuses. She was a lean woman, with long fingers and an engaging smile and warm hazel eyes, which Kai had inherited.

“How are you?” Mom asked.

“Still waiting on a response from the eighteen text messages and three voicemails I left,” Kai said coldly.

There had been a time when with each arrival home, Kai and Mom had hugged. There had been a time when Mom brought presents for Kai and showered him with affection. Somewhere between Kai’s multiple medical appointments and Dad’s growing distance, Mom had stopped coming home as frequently. And as the fights between them grew louder and more vicious, Kai realized that his mom didn't want to risk coming home to see Kai if it meant dealing with Dad. Kai realized his mom didn’t think he was worth the struggle.

Right then, Mom had the grace to look shamefaced. She shuffled from foot to foot, tapped her long fingers against the counter and glanced up at the ceiling. Mom always looked up when she was uncertain, as if gazing heavenward would inspire cohesive thought.

“Je suis désolé,” Mom apologized. “I’ve been trying to get organized and, uh, well, prepping a whole bunch before I got here.”

Kai’s mouth thinned to a bitter smile. Of course, work was more important than him. Just like with Dad, Kai always seemed to fall short on the list of things to give a shit about.

“Okay, well, I gotta go,” Kai said.

Mom brought her eyes down from the ceiling. “Where?” But Kai was already moving towards the door. “Attendez, there are things we need to speak about.”

The wave of anger that rose in Kai was a product of so many misdemeanors, crimes, and the staggering amount of apathy his parents showed him coupled with what Akuma had told him of the night before. If his mom had only called him back, none of this would have happened, not the murder or the stolen hydrogen or the massive power outage that Kai couldn't control. Because he wouldn’t have binged on hydrogen and he certainly wouldn't have had to kill to get it.

But his mother hadn’t called him back. And now, Akuma had killed and Kai was barely holding it together. Even as he wanted to unleash his rage, Kai realized he couldn't because if he started shouting now, he was going to confess. Instead, his liar’s instincts kicked in.

“It’s fine,” Kai said coldly. “I failed the project, no big deal.” Kai moved around the island and towards the door.

“Attendez,” Mom said. “What do you mean you 'failed’?”

“It’s pretty straightforward, Mom,” Kai said, his voice sharp. “I had a project and I didn't have the material. So I failed.”

“Kai, I couldn't have gotten you hydrogen anyway. Your teacher should know that. It’s highly regulated and difficult to make, not to mention expensive.”

The logical rationale behind this only pissed Kai off more. “Whatever,” he said turning heading the door.

“Attendez, où allez-vous?” Mom was getting flustered. She always went to French when she got flustered. Kai didn't even slow down.

“Out,” Kai snapped.

“Où à l'extérieur?” Mom demanded.

Kai whirled around. “Oh, now you want to come and play parent. Where have you been for the last six months? Or the twelve months before that? Huh?”

“Ne pas—”

“Don’t you come in here and try and question me,” Kai hissed.

He was so angry, and so hurt, tears started leaking out of his eyes. He had the sudden urge to run upstairs and fling himself on his bed and just cry for the rest of the day. But he had evidence to cover up and a crime so horrible he couldn't even think about it. So instead, Kai squeezed his hands, and tried to gain control of himself. Akuma, agitated by Kai’s agitation, fluttered restlessly in his shadow. Mom didn't notice. She was looking up at the ceiling, also trying to gain some composure.

“You shouldn't be going out on your own,” she said. “You don't know what could happen.”

For a moment, Kai had no idea what she was talking about. And then he remembered, his parents thought he had narcolepsy. Knowing that, Kai could not form words, could not find his way to saying anything. His anger steamrolled into fury and choked him hard enough that it was difficult to find air let alone words.

“Your father and I need to discuss some things with you,” Mom added.

That snapped Kai’s tongue free. He swallowed all the emotions threatening to overwhelm him and reached for some of Akuma’s icy cold. The demon obliged and it filled Kai, calming his flushed face, slowing his rapidly beating heart, easing the adrenaline from his system.

“If you’re here to tell me you’re divorcing Dad,” Kai said, “spare us all the awkward conversation, okay? I figured that out probably before you guys did. And Dad doesn't really care what happens to me,” Kai said. “And you clearly don't either, so I’m out.”

Then he stormed out the door, ignoring the half-hearted protest from his mother. The woman didn't even run after Kai. She was quiet as soon as something so insignificant as a wooden plank shut between them. Standing there, sucking air in on the front stoop, Kai realized his mom was more intangible than Akuma was.

Even though he’d known it was coming for years, the look of confirmation on his mom’s face tore at Kai. Yes, his family was broken, had been falling apart like an old doll that loses its limbs one at a time. The seams had been unraveling, but it felt like there had been hope. As long as those threads hadn’t totally snapped they were in theory still a family. Now the hope was dead. And, if Kai was honest with himself, he had been the force that broke them. This was his fault.

There was an internal snap in the region of his chest. Or maybe that sound was just an echo of what had broken when Akuma admitted to murder, Kai didn't know. The child in him longed to run back inside, apologize and confess everything, to have a higher authority take charge and make decisions. He longed for it so much he half turned back towards the green door. She would turn you in, Akuma said quietly.

No, Mom will think I’m crazy. She will think these are the hallucinations that come with the disease until they find out the truth—and then what?

Back to the hospital and the drugs, Akuma said.

You shut up, Kai said. Maybe that wouldn't be the worst thing to happen to us.

As he said it, Kai forced his feet off the stoop and down the street. He was on his own.

We are in this together, Akuma said, but this time Kai didn't believe him.

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