Cassidy Jones and the Luminous (Cassidy Jones Adventures Book 4) (26 page)

“I am so sorry, Mom,” Emery apologized again. “Don’t cry. Obviously, I’m fine.”

Gavin grabbed Emery and pulled him fiercely into his arms.

“This has to stop,” he whispered, smoothing his son’s hair with his hand. He kissed his temple.

Dad put his arm around my shoulders to comfort me. This did have to stop. Emery and I couldn’t selfishly worry our families like this anymore. We had to grow up.

“I know.” Emery’s voice had grown thick. He leaned back to look his dad in the eyes. “I give you my word.” He forced his eyes to Serena’s stricken image on the computer screen. “I give my word, Mom. No more acting alone without consultation.”

“I’ll tell if he tries,” I vowed.

“Cassidy, I gave my word,” Emery protested.

“Okay, he won’t. He gave his word.” Emery’s word was gold. “I’m sorry, too. I’m going to admit something. I go along with Emery’s schemes because I think I can defeat anything. I can’t, especially these aqua people on their own turf. Like I told Emery and Jared, they’re like water gods. What Constance did was pure magic. How is it possible? How are
they
possible?”

“We have a theory.” Serena turned to the camera, dabbing her wet cheeks with her sleeve, composing herself. She clearly didn’t want to discuss her son’s near-miss with death anymore. The idea would ravage any parent.

“There is a phenomenon in nature that we refer to as coevolution, in which two or more interdependent species reciprocally alter one another’s development. The yucca moth and yucca plant are an example of this. The plant’s shape has reformed so that only this tiny moth can pollinate them; the moths, in turn, lay their eggs on the yucca flower. Their larvae grow in the ovary and eat the yucca seeds. This is a
mutualistic
relationship. Then consider the garter snake and rough-skinned newt, an example of
predator and prey
coevolution. Newts produce a powerful neurotoxin in their skin. Through a series of genetic mutations, the garter snake has developed resistance to the poison. Now, our case may be an example of
host and parasite
coevolution. The change occurs at a molecular level, reordering the genetic code of the host—”

“Mutating them into another species?” Dad interrupted, disturbed, just as we all were.

“Yes, with a similar genotype of the parasite. As you already know, this parasite is an unprecedented organism—complex, unrivaled, and extremely puzzling. We can’t trace its genome to any life-form that originated on this planet.”

“Whoa, babe!” Gavin held his hand up. “Are you suggesting this is extra-terrestrial?”

“At this time, we have no other theories.”

“Have you filed a report yet?”

“We will in a few hours.”

“So the window of opportunity is rapidly closing,” Gavin concluded, and explained to us, “Local law enforcement will handle this as an
Unusual Occurrence
. Seattle Fire Department will be first responders, while SPD provides perimeter containment and evacuation of the Luminous Water plant. Where it goes from there depends on what first responders find, which we know will most likely be nothing. But
none
of this happens until I pass off the investigation into SPD’s lap tomorrow. Once the CDC’s report is filed, however, the FBI will step in and could screw up
our
black-bag job.”

“Yes,” Serena concurred. “You’d better utilize Cassidy while you can.”

Dad held up his hand in a
whoa
gesture. “
Black-bag job
?
Utilize Cassidy
?” he repeated with an emphasis that meant no one would utilize his daughter for anything.

“Drake, Cassidy’s abilities give her an advantage no one else in this investigation has,” Gavin reasoned. “I have to get her into that plant for a closer look, before there is no access—”

“So you want to obstruct a police investigation by conducting an illegal one on your own?”

“There is
no
investigation until tomorrow,” Gavin fired back. “I know how these investigations go, especially when everyone and his mother gets involved, which
will
happen when the CDC files that report. Cassidy is our best chance of blowing the lid off this thing
quickly
.”

I glanced between the two men, leveling one another with a look, wondering if I had a say in the matter. I’d be lying if I said Gavin’s confidence in me hadn’t stoked my ego. His praise alone made me want to run headlong into whatever direction he pointed.

“This is
not
your decision.” Dad lashed the words like a whip. “You are
not
her father.”

“And Cassidy doesn’t go anywhere without me,” Emery informed, crossing his arms stubbornly, getting in on the dominance display. If any more testosterone was released in the kitchen, I’d grow a mustache.

“
Yoo-hooooo
.” I waved my arms over my head. “I
am
in the room and the decision should be mine. Dad, I know I’m only a minor, but I can also flip a car with my bare hands. So let’s not lose sight of what’s going on. A freakish,
maybe alien
, parasite is invading people and mutating them—”

“Rapidly,” Emery added. “My mom didn’t drive this point home. We are not witnessing traditional coevolution. In fact, classifying these human mutations as coevolution is a stretch. What we’re seeing has never been documented before. The mutation is instantaneous—once the parasite population reaches a specific level, that is. That’s the other aspect. The parasite population in a host has to reach a particular level before mutation occurs. Until that time, it’s a symbiotic relationship between host and parasite.”

“What does that even mean?” I protested.

“The parasite lives in the host covertly,” Emery explained. “However, at this stage, the parasite and host are
separate
living organisms, until the parasite population hits a specific number.
My
theory is that the host and parasite eventually incorporate, becoming one. Of course, there is no substantial evidence of this—
yet
. It’s pure speculation.

“In regard to the tipping point, the parasite population has to be somewhere in the hundreds, if Levy’s Luminous Water consumption is an indicator. Remember, one parasite per water bottle. And if the parasite could reproduce in the host, missing person reports would be in the thousands, which is also conjecture. The parasite’s inability to breed is a hypothesis, that is.”

“And Elizabeth and Chazz would be among them,” Dad said in a hollow voice, apparently not hearing Emery’s disclaimer.

My skin crawled. This was too horrible for words.

“But can it hurt Mom and Chazz now that they’re not drinking the water?” I could hear the fear in my voice. “If they don’t add any more parasites to the population, they’ll be okay, right?”

“We don’t know,” Serena said, pulling no punches.

My dad banged his fist on the table. I jolted, startled. I had never seen him hit anything before.

“Dad, are you hurt?”

“No,” he said through gritted teeth.

I stared at the angry red flesh on the outside of his hand, but kept my mouth shut.

“What
is
the plan?” he asked Gavin. Rage flashed in his eyes, but he was consigned. He would agree to whatever Gavin proposed.

“We’ll search the Luminous Water plant tonight,” Gavin said. “You and Emery will do vehicle surveillance. Cassidy—my asset—and I will be running point.”

“What’s an asset?” I asked.

“An agent—you are my agent, my secret weapon.”

I smiled, despite the circumstances. That was pretty cool.

“You have
two
assets.” Emery held up two fingers with a determined look. “You know I can handle myself, Dad.”

“Yes, you certainly proved that last night,” Gavin retorted.

Wanting to head off any more conflict, I backed Emery up. “I
know
he can. Plus, our telepathy gives us an edge.”

Dad, Gavin, and Serena stared at me like I was speaking in Hungarian.

“Your
what
?” Gavin spat out.

I placed my hands on my hips and glowered at Emery. “I knew you wouldn’t tell them about our mental telepathy!”

Emery spluttered into laughter, spraying spittle across the table.

“But I didn’t tell you guys, either,” I apologized to Dad, sheepish. “I sort of forgot about it, with everything else going on.”

Dad glanced between Emery and me, and asked, as though afraid to hear the answer, “Cassidy, what are you talking about?”

“As if things couldn’t get more
Twilight Zone
,” Emery managed between laughs, elbows on the table, shaking his head pressed into his hand.

I assumed he was embarrassed, but he would just have to deal with it. Our parents had a right to know.

After I explained what had happened, which Emery allowed me to do without interruption, that old familiar silence settled over the room.

“Emery, can you
hear
Cassidy in your mind?” Serena inquired. She didn’t have that excited, mad scientist glow that she typically had when discussing my freakishness.

“Cassidy hears my voice in her head; I don’t hear hers,” Emery answered without elaborating.

“It’s me, Serena,” I said. “Not him. It’s just
another
ability.”

“Cassidy, have you read other people’s minds?” Dad asked in a strained voice. One more surprise and his brain might blow a gasket.

Gavin shifted in his chair, clearly unsettled by the revelation, and understandably so. What spy would want to be around someone who could siphon top secrets from his cortex?

“No, only Emery’s,” I quickly clarified for Gavin’s sake. “But it isn’t like I can read his mind per se. I can’t control it, meaning I can’t hear his thoughts at will, or transmit mine to him—”

“Oh?” Emery lifted an amused eyebrow. “What
transmissions
did I miss?”

“This isn’t exactly like telepathy,” I prattled on, pretending not to have heard Emery. I patted my cheeks, which suddenly felt hot. “And I have a theory about that, I mean, about how Emery hears my thoughts, or
thinks
my thoughts, since he doesn’t hear my actual voice in his head, like I do his—which, by the way, he’d only thought, or picked up, in moments of, er . . . mmmm . . . ” I searched for the right word, “ . . . duress. I think, somehow, my brainwaves barge into other people’s minds, or things—” I wasn’t ready to talk about my connection with furry critters, so I switched tracks again. “My brainwaves open up this
mental line
of communication, just like a phone line.” I nodded with satisfaction. I liked that.

The adults stared at me with blank faces. Emery was thoroughly amused by my floundering about. I knew I wasn’t making any sense.

“Just stop it,” I scolded him, quickly explaining to our parents. “We weren’t mentally communicating just then. Emery is giving me a funny look because this whole thing embarrasses him. But it isn’t like we can help it!—So, as I was saying, when this mental line is open, thoughts can be received both ways, like in a conversation. I bet everyone could hear me, if their brains were as pliable as Emery’s—”

“
Pliable
?” Emery’s eyebrows shot up. “I take offense at that.”

“Well, how else am I supposed to say it? You have exceptional brainwave reception?”

“Oh, this is too much,” Serena exclaimed, exasperated. “Cassidy, you don’t understand what brainwaves are. They are not electromagnetic radiation—”

“Well, obviously they are!” I interrupted, even though I had no idea what electromagnetic radiation was, or brainwaves, apparently. I jabbed my finger in Emery’s direction. “Because he can hear my thoughts!”

“Let’s address that.” Dad rubbed his forehead, wrinkled with confusion and worry. It resembled a topographical map of a mountain range. “Why can only Emery hear your thoughts?”

“Oh, I don’t know!” I threw my hands up and frowned at Gavin. If he and Serena had just come clean with Emery, this would all make sense right now.

Just then, my cell rang. I fished it out of my pocket, glad for the interruption.

“It’s Jared,” I told them, and quickly answered. “Are you okay?” I asked. I had a really bad feeling.

“My dad called,” Jared said. “He wants me to spend the weekend with him.”

“No!” I jumped to my feet. “You can’t! Did you tell him you can’t?” I looked from alarmed face to alarmed face, explaining, “Jared’s dad wants him to spend the weekend!”

“Who’s with you?” Jared asked. His voice was so calm that I wanted to scream. He didn’t need to answer my question. I already knew. He had told his dad he would.

“You cannot stay with him!” I shouted, not answering him.

“It’s Gavin. He’s with you,” he concluded eagerly. “Let me t—”

“Your dad knows about the yacht! He might even know it was
us
!”
And he might even be one of them!
“Dad, Gavin—” I looked at them desperately. “Tell him he can’t go!”

“Cassidy, put Gavin on the phone,” Jared said. At the same time, Gavin held out his hand for my cell. I practically threw it at him.

“Tell him he can’t do it,” I pleaded with Gavin as I sat down. There was only one reason Jared would want to talk to a CIA agent. He planned to spy for the spy.

Gavin shifted his eyes to Dad and said into the cell, “What do you propose, Jared?”

I let my head drop to the table like a free-falling weight.

“You’re a minor,” Gavin reminded Jared, but he said it more for himself. He leaned forward in our wingback chair and rubbed his forehead. “Without a legal guardian’s permission, the CIA can’t wire you.”

“The CIA can’t,” Jared persisted. “But you can.”

I heaved a frustrated breath and glanced at Mom, sitting next to me on the sofa, wringing her hands. Jared sat on my other side.

Throughout the conversation, I’d wanted to grab him by the shoulders and shake some sense into him. Learning that his father was a longtime friend of Patrick Grimm’s hadn’t deterred Jared, and neither had Dad’s attempt to scare him by disclosing that we suspected his father also might be mutated. Jared hadn’t batted an eyelash at this, but the determination had hardened in his face like cement. He would spy on his dad, with or without our help.