Page 52 of On A Rift's Edge
“The control object talks toyou?” It was hard for Kat to keep the skepticism out of his voice. Remi’s psychic abilities allowed him communication with whatever lived in the dangerous device, but nothing this specific. Telepathy was an unusual talent in the ratkind, and not one the half-kraken or other members of the Colony possessed, according to Remi. Phantoms could brainwash their victims—maybe Lyric had the ability to project their thoughts.
Zale tapped the side of his head. “Not talking, bro. Words and pictures come into my brain.”
Kat of all people wasn’t in a position to judge anyone’s interest in a bad-boy type, but a homicidal phantom hybrid falling for a tentacled biker was unexpected. It was also perfect for Kat’s plans. “I can let you into the apartment to see Lyric. Kaveh and Remi are both out, and the wards have been set to let me in.”
Zale’s eyes lit up, transforming his face. He was handsome, in a roguish kind of way. Maybe Lyric was fond of him. Or maybe it was all part of the phantom’s revenge and destruction plans. It didn’t matter. Kat needed to get Lyall out of Arimanius’s clutches, and he would do whatever was necessary.
“What do you want in exchange?” Zale asked.
“I want to talk with one of your criminal associates.” Kat sipped at his latte, proud that he was keeping his voice steady. “Giana Gatti.”
Kat awoke earlythe next morning after a restless night. Kaveh and Remi had set up a futon for him in their living room, completely unaware he had snuck Zale into the apartment last night and let the half-kraken moon over Lyric for a few hours. The control object had emitted a pleased humming noise when Kat brought Zale into the room and turned a blush pink when the half-kraken had stroked the side of the glowing egg. Kat made a series of phone calls, relieved that the skies above the monstertown were clear of rift storms, and then shooed Zale out with instructions to make himself scarce for now.
When his two friends returned, there was no sign of his treachery. Kat had come up with a plausible excuse for why he needed to leave the monstertown for a few hours the next day, as well as a plan to reassure Kaveh that he would be safe doing so.
A few hours later, after riding out on horseback from the monstertown with Jesse and José, the three of them borrowed Javier’s truck and set off into the city. Kat was ready and prepared for the next part of his plan—meeting with a catfishing criminal and somehow convincing her to help him. But first he had to face his family again.
Jesse pulled into his parents’ driveway. Kat’s pick-up truck was still parked there, another reminder of the awful mess he had made of everything with both his family and Lyall.
“We won’t be long, I promise,” Kat said to José. “You’re sure you don’t want to come in?”
Kaveh had agreed to let Kat talk to his parents in person and drive his truck back to the ranch while his mentor checked out Kat’s apartment and picked up clothes and other items for him. His one condition had been Kat traveling with his latest bodyguards, Jesse and José.
Jesse was as human as Kat, but her cadejo husband was one of the monstertown’s best defenders. For his part, Kat thought Jesse would be more dangerous to Arimanius than her Riftworld partner. She had been laying out a series of potential legal attacks on the Colony during their ride, while José marveled at various human technology sightings and made an unsuccessful attempt to get them to stop and buy more homebrewing equipment.
“I can smell the cats from here.” José shook his head. “Those kitties will not want to get a whiff of me. Anyway, I know your parents are wigged out about riftpeople. I’ll keep an eye on the house and make sure no ratkind are skulking around.”
Kat wished he could say that his parents would welcome any guests he brought home, but the memory of his recent visit with Lyall was seared into his mind. “This will be quick. As soon as I reassure them I’m alive and well, we can leave. Oh, I do need to meet a friend before going back to the ranch at a cafe not far from here. Maybe I could buy both of you lunch while I’m chatting with her?”
“Food’s always good for us.” José answered for Jesse, who had been struck by yet another legal strategy to undermine Arimanius and was furiously jotting notes on a pad.
Kat’s dad opened the door again before they even reached it, but with none of his usual buoyant energy. He let both of them in, then grabbed Kat and held him tight, not saying a word. All of Kat’s immediate family were there. Jenny was holding the one-eared rescue cat, her face pale. Naomi stood toward the back, stiff and awkward, for once not on her phone.
Kat’s mother sat in the center of the room, focusing only on him.
He felt himself tearing up and succeeded in pulling free so he could make rounds of introductions. “This is Jesse, who lives in Cactus Flower Estates. I came with friends to be on the safe side, and as I said on the phone, I’ll be staying with Kaveh and Remi for a while.”
“Is your other friend a monstrous black dog with glowing eyes?” Naomi peered out the window. “Because I’m pretty sure that’s not our neighbor’s goldendoodle.”
“Oh, that’s my husband, Jose´.” Jesse smiled down at the two cats intertwining around her ankles and bent down to stroke one of them. “He didn’t want to alarm your adorable pets. I told him to stay in the car, but he has this thing about squirrels. Don’t worry. He never actually catches them.”
“Where is your other monster dog friend?” Kat’s mother hadn’t taken her eyes off him, and he had to tamp down his rising guilt about lying to her and his family.
Jesse straightened and pulled out her pad and pencil. “Don’t worry, Ms. Nakamura. I’m working on various legal strategies to release Lyall from a contract clearly signed under duress. It also imposes unfair working conditions, such as mandating him to remain in his small Earth canine form.”
“You only told us Paul let you go and that you were okay.” Jenny spoke up, her voice strained. “What happened to Lyall?”
“He agreed to become Arimanius’s indentured servant again, as long as the mafia boss released me.” Kat had to swallow down a lump in his throat to get the words out. “There are a lot of people working on the situation, and I’m going to stay in a safe place and wait to hear more news.”
His family’s atypical restraint broke apart, with everyone trying to talk at once. Naomi, for once, didn’t jump in. Instead, she came over from the window, embraced Kat, and began to cry.
Everyone went quiet.
“I’m sorry.” She pulled back and wiped at her eyes. “This is all my fault. I never should have introduced you to Paul or whatever his name is. And I was so mean to Lyall. He was trying to protect you and I messed everything up.”
“Kat will be safe inside Cactus Flower Estates.” Jesse tucked her pencil behind her ear and dug into her handbag before handing one of the compostable tissues she always carried to Naomi. “My husband and I are going to take Kat to meet a friend for a lunch and then escort him back. He might not be reachable by phone if we have a rift storm sweep in, but there is a back-up messenger pigeon option. Of course, the Riftworld version doesn’t look quite like the Earth species, and they might eat a squirrel or two.”
“So, Kat will go to lunch and wait to hear about his monster dog friend.” Winkie’s face and tone were neutral, but her unnatural calm made Kat suspicious. That was silly. There was no way his mother could know what he was planning.
