Powers? Uriel? My hand trembled as I heard everything perfectly.
“I understand the risks,” Trevor answered something Henry must have said, but I missed because I was still processing the last bits. “But if we don't tell him, he could hurt himself or someone else. He has no idea what's happening.”
“And what happens if we tell him and he dies because of it?” Henry's voice was strained. “I can't lose him, Trevor.”
What the hell were they talking about that I might die?
“You think I’m not worried about the same thing?” Trevor said. “If things get worse, he might die if you don’t tell him the truth.”
“Which is why we need to keep him calm,” Henry replied softly. “Otherwise I’m in a lose/lose situation.”
"Nothing will happen to him," Trevor said firmly. "Not while we're watching him."
I pulled away from the door, my mind reeling. That was a very detailed conversation about a potentially fatal event they both knew about. Backing away, I trotted down the stairs and headed outside.
Henry had told me he was hiding something, but Trevor? How could he be in on the secret and not tell me? And whycouldn’t they tell me I had powers, especially if they were so dangerous people’s lives were at risk?
I had so many questions rattling around my already frazzled head, I didn’t know which one to address first. Glancing back at the door, I started walking faster in case Trevor came outside. I didn’t stop until I was out of sight of the building. Sitting on a bench, I pulled out my phone.
“Nick?” Alex answered on the second ring. “Late lunch?”
His cheerful voice soothed me like a warm bath after a long run in freezing temperatures. I don’t know what I’d done to deserve a guardian angel like Alex, but I wouldn’t complain.
“Sorta.” I’d forgotten about lunch, but it didn’t seem to be on my radar. “Something's happening to me, Alex. I need to talk to you.”
“Are you alright?”
His concern cut to the heart of my problem. “I don't know, but I need to get away from my apartment to think. Trevor’s helping Henry hide something from me, so it’s best I talk somewhere else.”
Silence met my words, which was troubling. Nothing rattled Alex, but somehow I’d stolen his voice. “Alex?”
“Sorry, I'm here,” he finally said, his voice steady. “My car’s in the shop, so I was pulling up my Uber app to call you a ride.”
Typical Alex. Act first, speak after. “That’s okay, I’ll take Metro. It’ll be quicker.”
“Are you sure? I mean you said you weren’t okay.”
A strange sense of dread hit me. It wasn’t his words, or tone, but I got a vibe he was concerned. “I’m fine. Well mostly, fine. I’m probably overreacting and need you to talk me down.”
Another weird pause. “If you say so, but it’s no trouble sending an Uber.”
The answer felt off. Almost like he was doing it because it’s what I expected he’d say. I got up and started walking. “Metro’s good. I’m on my way there already.”
“Sounds good,” he said. “And since I know you didn’t eat lunch, I’ll order food. Hoagies or Pizza?”
Food didn’t sound appealing, but if I said that, Alex would worry. “Hoagies. There’s less grease and I’m planning to go running after we talk.”
“Of course you are,” he said with a laugh. “If I were forty years younger, I’d join you.”
He couldn’t see me roll my eyes, but I did it anyway. “You say that all the time, but you’re not too old to run. You just don’t want to.”
“Smart ass kid. Just get here safely.”
We hung up and I walked faster. I didn't think Trevor had heard me come home, but if he had, he might come looking for me.
The train arrived just as I reached the platform. I found a seat at the back of the nearly empty car. As the Metro pulled away from the station, I checked again for Trevor. It was stupid, and I needed to calm down. Trevor wasn’t my enemy, and he wouldn’t hunt me down like an assassin. There was probably a perfectly rational explanation for what I'd overheard.
Or maybe something fundamental inside me had changed. Strange things had happened to me since I met Henry. Whatever they were hiding from me was probably connected to the crushed wine glass, flickering lights, superhuman hearing, and the moving coffee cup.
