Chapter 75

 

When we reached the back of the building that used to be an old cannery for various disgusting fish by-products, I slowed down and looked around. There were a few cars, but no one in sight. Anything that went down in this area, wasn’t legal so I knew I had to get Crissy and get us out of here. I motioned to the corner of the building. “Can you keep watch? If she sees anyone she’ll bolt and I hate chasing her down.”

He raised an eyebrow, but didn’t comment. With a nod, he went over to where I pointed and stood with his back to me looking around. I looked around again and then went to the dumpsters at the far end. They had been here for a few years, which made me wonder what was in them. Even if the devil himself were chasing me, I wouldn’t have gotten in one of them.

“Crissy? It’s Daxx. All’s clear out here.”

I listened to the motion inside as she most likely uncovered herself and moved to get out. When I saw fire engine red hair clear the top, I breathed a sigh of relief. Of course, her hair had been purple the last time I’d seen her. One more thing I’d never quite understood about her. If she wanted to stay below anyone’s radar, why did she always pick the brightest hair colors she could find? “Nice hair.”

Her pale face peaked over the edge. “Do you like it? It makes me feel so daring.” She smiled, her amber eyes huge with excitement.

I didn’t bring up that someone daring wouldn’t be hiding in a dumpster. Then again, who knew what was in there. I reached to help her get up over the side, shaking my head when I saw the little bits of paper clinging to her. When her feet finally hit the ground, she turned and hugged me.

“It’s so great to see you.”

The exception to the touchy feely hug thing, was with Crissy. You really didn’t have a choice, you were going to get hugged a lot when she was around. I hugged her back quickly, noting that hidden beneath her baggy black jumpsuit her bones were sticking out. Criss was only a few inches taller than I was, but when standing beside her I looked almost on the plump side, which I wasn’t. One of these days I’d figure out a way to get her to settle down long enough to eat.

She stiffened suddenly and backed away. Turning, I spotted Quinton standing where I left him. “Hey, it’s okay. He’s with me.”

Sigh sighed and began to brush the paper off. “I thought they found me.”

I flicked a few stray pieces off her shoulder. “Who?”

Straightening up, she looked all around us, paranoia filling her eyes. “I don’t know, but I don’t think they’re from here.”

Oh I really didn’t have time for the aliens delusion she had more often than any of her other ones. “What makes you say that?”

I followed her over to a heap of old bins and watched as she moved them around and pulled out her bag. Crissy traveled with her whole world in a large tote bag.

“Their eyes—they’re not normal.”

The hair on the back of my neck stood up. Had she seen some of the missing Alterealm runners? “Are they bulging or in the side of their head, what’s not normal?” I took the one bag out of her hand and started walking toward Quinton.

She began digging in the back pack she always wore across her chest. “I tried to draw them, but it didn’t turn out very well…” Pausing, she gave me bored expression, “and no they are not bulging or in the side of their head. They’re right where eyes should be they just do this gleaming thing.”

That told me precisely nothing helpful. Quinton turned around and waited for us to reach him. I stopped a few feet away from him, hoping Criss wouldn’t notice anything about his eyes.

She stumbled and came close to landing at his feet. With a little smile, she looked him up and down. “I thought maybe you just looked big from over there, but you really are.”

Quinton glanced at me and then smiled down at her. “I’m average size for my family.”

Crissy turned and gave me a wide-eyed look. I nodded.

“Crissy, this is Quinton.”

He held out his hand and to shake and scooped up the bag in her other hand and slung it over his shoulder.

She took his hand for a nanosecond and then stepped away and looked at me. “I’d like to go to your place please.”

I handed Quinton the other bag and took her arm. “Let’s go. Then you can tell me what’s going on.”

Nodding, she glanced behind us. “I really don’t want to talk about it until we get there.” She looked the other way. “You never know who is listening,” she whispered.

I watched the odd look cross Quinton’s face, but he just nodded and kept walking.