Page 40 of Facade

Jace and Heath had both left their dignity at home. They were as loud or louder than the boys, shouting encouragement to the Ravens, and booing ferociously every time the Harbingers scored. Shockingly, even Ray was fun to be around.

Clarke had found herself in animated conversation with Nadine Halston and her mates during halftime. She liked all three of them immensely. For the first time since her dad had gone missing, Clarke felt stress-free.

She realized that she loved this job. If her dad hadn’t disappeared, and she could be herself, open about her relationship with Jace, Clarke would be completely happy.

It was bittersweet to discover a path that could lead to joy because her dad was missing. Clarke’s search for him had resulted in applying for this job, and led her here to Mars. She wouldn’t be here otherwise. Clarke had found her mate, and a rewarding career to aspire to.

All those thoughts floated around Clarke’s mind as she lay in bed that night. As she drifted off to sleep, Clarke mused that fate had quite a sense of humor.

Hoping that the positivity brought on by having a great time Friday night would help her focus, Clarke tried for a vision Saturday afternoon. Unfortunately, it didn’t work. When she met Jace in the basement, and confessed her failure, he wasn’t bothered.

Jace was unfailingly supportive, suggesting she ask different questions, or possibly rephrase the ones she was focusing on. Without him, Clarke would feel defeated, and be on a downward spiral. Once again, she thanked the universe for giving her Jason Smith.

On Sunday, her precognition still wasn’t cooperating. This time, Clarke didn’t get angry with herself. She thought about what she could change to get results.

So many times when she attempted a vision, Clarke was desperate, and afraid for her dad. The vision of the basement was brought on by thinking that she and Jace needed time alone together. It would make sense to recreate that determination, but direct it to finding her dad.

Jace was correct that it was a learning process. She had to be willing to experiment with it, and try different things until something worked.

In a much better frame of mind, Clarke set her sketch book and pencils aside. Several students had volunteered to help her and Jace set up housing for the cats in the basement. This project could build a rapport with older students she didn’t know well, and would also be rewarding.

Heath Halston had told his sister what they were planning. It was one of the things Clarke and Nadine discussed at the game. As good as her word, Nadine had sent a large crate of supplies the previous day.

Liam, Ethan, and Carlos, her underage students, were looking over the assorted donations when she entered the common room.

“Wow, Mr. Voudrie,” Ethan said. “This is a lot. And the shifters probably have stuff, too.”

“Relax,” she said. “We won’t be building anything today, and will do this in stages. The first step is getting everything into the basement, and taking inventory. Then we can make a list of what else we might need.”

All three boys looked relieved. More students joined them, carrying boxes and bags downstairs. There were cushions, blankets, food bowls, and rope made from natural fibers for scratching posts.

The crate from Nadine and her husbands held wooden planks, platforms, ramps, and posts. There were also boxes of nails, screws, and bolts.

What interested Clarke the most were the six huge tractor tires in one corner of the basement. Burlap sacks filled with soil, sand, and leaves were nearby.

Each tire had a set of corrugated metal steps attached to the tops with brackets, and metal inserts in the bottoms that hooked onto the edges of the tires. The stairs had to have been custom-made. They fit perfectly, and had stylized, metal cat faces on the diagonal supports that braced the treads.

A note written in black ink was pinned to one tire. It stated that the tires would function as self-composting litter boxes. An earth elemental had used his power on the soil and plant matter to speed biodegradation.

The tires were large and deep enough to absorb a lot of moisture. With the power of an earth elemental assisting the natural process, the tires should be maintenance-free. Someone had put a lot of thought and effort into this.

Jace met them with several shifters to compare supplies, and organize the items. “Those tires look heavy. We could have helped,” he said.

“They were already here with a note on one when we came down with the boxes,” Clarke said. “Someone had to have snuck them in late last night or early this morning.”

Jace walked over to inspect the tires, and read the note. “This is brilliant. What a great surprise.”

“Yeah, I thought a couple of us would have to be down here once a day scooping out boxes and sweeping the basement, but the tires solve that problem.”

“Cat Santa came early, and left the perfect gift,” Liam quipped with a grin, making the rest of them chuckle.

From the intricate metalwork, Clarke had to wonder if it was the same student who had turned her doorknob into a rose. Since the tires were in the powered basement under the dorm, Clarke guessed they had been donated by a powered student. Since he hadn’t signed the note, it would remain a mystery.

Whoever it was, he clearly didn’t feel the need to be acknowledged. Or perhaps he preferred to be anonymous. Regardless, she was grateful.

They decided to place the tires at intervals, with one under each dorm, and two in strategic locations in the tunnel. The tires were heavy, making Clarke wonder if the student who had delivered them had somehow achieved it on his own. Having a wagon on tracks made transporting them quick and simple, though.

With so many people helping, Clarke and Jace had everything done within a couple of hours. She wasn’t sure when Professor Halston would be bringing the feral cats, but they had made progress.