Star Eater
Chapter Forty-Four

Agent Matthews was having another great day. He walked up to the battered form of Joseph Wright and personally took him into custody. There were arrests going around; most of the Wright organization was in handcuffs. When Joseph was safely locked in a vehicle, Agent Matthews went over to the group of teenagers huddled together in the center of the courtyard.

All three were covered in dirt from a bomb blast and bleeding from a variety of wounds. The Wright boy was unconscious, and, judging by the pool of blood, in need of serious medical attention. He called for someone to get an ambulance here stat. Another boy looked like he was halfway into unconsciousness. And then there was Ava Wright. Agent Matthews crouched down next to her.

She was so young. Fourteen, with a pretty face and gray eyes, red from crying.

“Is he alive?” he asked, gesturing to her brother. She nodded. “We’re going to get an ambulance here soon,” he said. “You’re my secret flower sender, aren’t you?” Ava nodded. Agent Matthews shook his head. “Damn risky stuff you were doing, young lady,” he said.

“Did you get the thumb drive?”

He nodded. “As if that wasn’t enough reason to get down here, there was also the bomb that went off at the front gate. Was that your doing too?”

Ava shook her head. She glanced at the other boy, but didn't say anything. Agent Matthews studied the new kid, who looked up and sighed. He was a small kid, but muscular. There was exhaustion all across his face, the kind that was from more than just physical exertion. The kid had the same expression as people who went to war. His soul had been turned inside out. Who knew what these kids had gone through?

“What’s your name?” he asked.

“Kai,” the kid said, his voice rough like he had a sore throat. “Kaito Davault.”

“And what’s your connection to all this?” Agent Matthews said.

Kai glanced at Ava who lowered her eyes.

“He’s my boyfriend,” she said. They both blushed simultaneously.

“Is that so?” Agent Matthews pressed. “Why is your boyfriend mixed up in all of this?”

It was Kai who answered, his liar’s instincts kicking in. “I went to the flower shop looking for Ava,” Kai said. “She said her brother was in trouble. She was freaking out. So we came back here to see what was going on.”

“And the fact that there was the possibility that Ava’s uncle was going to kill him didn't deter you?” Agent Matthews asked.

“I just thought he’d be, like, grounded,” Kai said, widening his eyes and playing dumb.

The expression made Kaito seem closer to twelve. Christ, he was a good actor, but Agent Matthews wasn’t buying it. “You wouldn't have happened to set the bomb that blew the gate, did you, Kai?”

“No, sir,” Kai said. “We came in through the back.”

Agent Matthews studied Kai, trying to figure out what to do next, trying to figure out how much was made up and how much was true. Well, he could check the security tapes later.

“I’m sorry, can I call my parents now?” Kai asked, breaking his concentration. “They’re going to freak.”

The reminder of parents seemed to do it. Agent Matthews warned them both not to go too far, that they’d need to give statements. He told Ava that she was to be put into protective custody along with her brother and set two agents to guard them. In the distance, they could hear an ambulance’s wail. sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ FindNøvᴇl.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

Once Agent Matthews walked away, Kai asked to borrow Ava’s phone. She gave it up and he moved aways a bit. He zipped up his suit. It felt like it took forever for the phone to reboot. Once it did, Kai called Link.

“Oh my God, Kai, there are FBI everywhere,” Link hissed. “I panicked and I’m like two blocks away. Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” Kai said. “We’re good. Thank you. Your timing was impeccable.”

“Seriously?” Link asked, sounding proud of himself. Kai grinned.

“Seriously,” he said. “I’ll catch up with you later.”

“Yeah, okay. Hopefully, my dad won’t have noticed I was gone.”

“Thanks, man,” Kai said. “You’re literally a lifesaver.”

Kai hung up and stared at the phone. He was so tired. He sat down on the ground again because he wasn’t sure his legs were going to hold him. He thought about not calling anyone. If his parents got involved, there would be hospital visits for sure. Then again, it seemed like there would be anyway. He stared at the numbers, and started to call his dad’s phone, but stopped. He couldn't take his face right then. He just could not handle the look.

You think she’ll pick up? Kai asked.

I hope so, Akuma said. Even he sounded tired.

Kai dialed his mom’s number.

“Hello?” Mom answered.

“Mom?”

“Kai! Where are you? Where have you been? Are you okay?”

Kai was momentarily stunned at the overwhelming concern and fear in his mom’s voice. It was gratifying for a moment and then he felt ashamed and guilty for running away. True, he’d had his reasons.

“Uh, yeah, it’s a long story,” he said. Kai told his mom the address. He hung up and realized he didn't have the energy to move anymore. So he just lay back down on the hard-packed earth and fell asleep.

A week later, Kai walked down the street in the middle of the night. He had whittled down his thief’s costume to the black bio-suit and a black t-shirt over it. To the average person, it just looked like running gear. He blended well with the shadows, as close to one as a person could get without Akuma’s body.

The end of the fight was still fuzzy in Kai’s memory. He vaguely remembered the terrifying experience on the Plains, the stunning alien landscape. And, despite the range of terrors he’d gone through, he’d come out mostly with just bruises and exhaustion.

When the ambulance first arrived, it had only enough room for the Wright siblings, which were in far worse shape than he. By the time the second arrived, Kai was conscious enough to refuse to leave in it. Hospitals meant exams, nudity, and doctors, none of which Kai wanted. He allowed the paramedics to patch up some of the cuts from the explosion but, despite the FBI guy urging him go, Kai staunchly refused.

Oddly, when Mom arrived, she didn't push the issue. Maybe it was because of Kai calling her or the near-death experience, or maybe it was because Kai put on his best vulnerable face—which at the time wasn't far off—and begged to just go home. He didn't even care about the blackout he caused showering the day off. He had just been so relieved to be home and done with it all. Then, he slept for a day and a half and no one, not even Akuma, bothered him.

At some point, Kai knew he was going to have to figure out how to clean the suits and himself without causing a blackout. But that was a worry for tomorrow. Tonight, he had other tasks on his mind.

At the moment, the bio-suit was partly unzipped underneath his shirt. As Kai walked down the street, the streetlamps above him flickered and died. Akuma walked beside him. They were quiet as they walked. Around them the air was filled with the sounds of the night—wind, palm leaves moving, insects, and the soft humming of air conditioning units. Kai saw a coyote pad lightly across the road ahead of them. It stopped to test the wind and then hurried on. It wisely didn't want to tangle with a demon.

The houses around Kai were mostly shambles, tiny, low-income residences. The neighborhood wasn’t great, but Kai wasn’t worried about being bothered. He looked right, left, right, left, searching for the correct house number. At last, he found it.  

The Fernandez house was a squat building that seemed uncomfortable with itself. The color was a drab olive, there were shingles missing off the roof, and the grass out front was dead. Kai studied the house. He didn’t know how to go about this. Part of him wanted to enter, to see these people, to memorize their faces, but Akuma cautioned him.

“It will not make you feel better,” he said.

That was true. Humberto Fernandez was the guard that Akuma and Kai had killed. While Kai couldn’t take open blame for the death, he needed to make up for it in some way. Now that he was here, he felt like it wasn’t enough. Everyone thought the guard had died of a heart attack, and Kai had the opportunity to leave it at that with no one the wiser. But he couldn’t let it go.

“It is the right thing to do,” Akuma said.

“You don’t believe that,” Kai said. “You don’t really understand why I need to do this.”

“I know it protects your heart,” Akuma said and shrugged. That’s enough.

Kai sighed. He’d gone over this again and again. He put the envelope into the mail slot. There was a note tucked inside that said, I’m sorry for your loss. That’s it. No fingerprints, Kai had been careful with gloves. Inside the envelope was the remainder of the fifty thousand dollars Joseph had paid him for the jewelry heist. The jewelry had been found in Joseph’s office. Another strike against the Wright organization that Kai felt proud of. He didn't feel guilty about giving the dirty money away. It was the least he could do.

Now that it was done, Kai had hoped some of the guilt would be alleviated but it remained, like the star, in his stomach. Kai turned around and walked away feeling sad. Sad for what happened to that man, and sad for his part in it. He walked back out towards the main street and, when he was there, zipped up the bio-suit. Akuma deflated. The lights above him flickered on. Kai ordered an Uber and headed toward the hotel where his mom was staying.

After the incident, Kai had finally found out why his mom wanted to have that talk so bad. His parents weren't just getting a divorce, they were arguing over custody. He’d never felt so wanted in his entire life than when he sat there and watched his parents duke it out over him. He really hadn’t thought his mom cared at all. Then again, he hadn’t thought his dad did either.

“Of course I care,” his mom said. “Look, I know I haven't been here for you, but I want to be, Kai. Give me this chance. I’ll get a place here in Los Angeles. I’m not asking you to leave your father, I’m just asking for split custody. You’re fourteen. You’re old enough that the court will take your wishes into account. Think about it.”

And Kai had. He could easily have left his dad behind as well. But he seemed genuinely upset at the idea of Kai not being around. Plus, Kai knew his mom would never be able to give him full attention. Her job was just too important to her. So Kai had opted for joint custody. While his parents and their lawyers were working out the details, Kai was staying with his mom in a fancy hotel in downtown L.A.

Halfway there, Kai changed his mind and gave the driver new directions.

Are you sure this is a good idea? Akuma asked.

No, Kai said.

Twenty-minutes later, they arrived down the block from the Guided Way shop. All the lights in the neighborhood were off, the businesses long since closed for the day. Kai unzipped his bio suit again and went around the back anyway. There was no reason the FBI should be watching the place anymore, but he wasn’t going to take any chances. He walked through all the buildings down the block, until he arrived at the right one.

Ava’s spy closet was now empty of equipment, its contents seized by the FBI days ago. They had yet to locate the safe though, and chances were they wouldn’t, for it was well hidden and none of Ava’s surveillance had ever caught anyone opening it. She had edited out that part from the last video she sent.

Kai went into the bathroom. He crouched down, stuck his head through the wall. Feeling around in the pitch black, he found the case, and pulled it back through. Opening it, he found two needles, capped and placed in foam. The liquid on the inside was a faint pink color. He closed the case and left.

Once out in the alley, he zipped up the bio-suit once more. He was going to have to find a more convenient style to wear than this. Or maybe another suit entirely. He wondered if Mason knew where Joseph got it and if he could buy another.

I’ll have to ask when we see them, Kai thought. 

What do we do now? Akuma asked.

Kai didn't know. This was his last errand for the day. His last errand, period, and he had no idea what came next. We go back to the hotel I guess, he thought.

Let’s go look up at the stars, Akuma thought.

That’s a better idea, Kai agreed.

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