فصل 22

Chapter 22: Taco King

Our three cabs arrived simultaneously on the corner of Colorado Boulevard and Allen Avenue, just out of view of the Taco King. Once we were all out on the street I asked the drivers to wait; then we walked toward the restaurant.

“Is she there?” I asked Ian.

He looked a moment, then said, “Yeah. I think that’s her.” “You think?”

“She’s changed some.”

“As long as we’re here, can we get something to eat?” Ostin asked.

“I want something too,” McKenna said.

“Sure,” I said. “But let’s take care of Nichelle first.” Even though there was a line of cars at the drive-through, the restaurant was mostly empty, with just two scary-looking, twenty-something-year-old men sitting across from each other at one of the side tables.

I walked up to the counter. I could understand why Ian wasn’t sure if it was Nichelle because it took me a moment to recognize her too. She was turned away from me working the drive-through window. She had dyed her hair bright red with a single black streak and was wearing a black-and-purple cap and a Taco King shirt that looked several sizes too large. She had a tattoo sleeve on one arm.

Nichelle still hadn’t noticed us when the boyish-faced kid at the counter asked, “May I help you?” (I swear he looked like he was twelve.) “Uh, sure.” I turned back. “Everyone want burritos?” “I’ll have a taco,” Taylor said.

“Me too,” McKenna said. “Two, please.” “Two beef chimichangas,” Jack said.

“Okay, I think I’ve got this,” I said, glancing first at Nichelle, then back at the kid. “I need eight bean burritos, two beef chimichangas, four hard-shell tacos, and eight large drinks.” “Add a couple deluxe nachos,” Jack said. “And some churros. Eight of them.” “I don’t want a churro,” McKenna said.

“I’ll eat yours,” Jack said.

“Eight churros,” the kid said, punching in our order. “And two deluxe nachos. That’s sixty-one fifty.” While I was paying him, Nichelle turned around. It took her a moment to recognize me, but it was obvious when she did. She froze, her already pale countenance blanching still more. All she said was, “Vey.” “Hi, Nichelle.”

She looked terrified. “What are you doing here?” “We need to talk,” I said.

She saw the rest of our group and looked even more frightened. She turned to an older Hispanic woman who was putting together orders. “Carlita, may I take my break now?” “Not with that drive-through line,” the woman replied. She glanced over at me. “May I help you?” “I’m just an old friend,” I said.

“Well, Miss Nikki is working, old friend.” “I’ll wait,” I said. “No problem. We’ll just eat.” “I won’t be long,” Nichelle said anxiously. She glanced furtively at the others again, then went back to the drive-through window.

We found a table and sat down. A few minutes later the kid who had taken our order brought out our food on two trays. We were about halfway through our meal when Nichelle walked out from behind the counter. “I’ve got ten minutes,” she said. “Let’s go outside behind the building.” “Yo, Neesh,” one of the men on the other side of the room said. “Where you goin’?” The man was tall and muscular with tattoos covering one side of his neck and both of his arms. The other man didn’t speak. He was smaller than the first, Hispanic with a shaved head. He was wearing a sleeveless LA Clippers jersey exposing muscular arms and shoulders that were covered with tattoos.

“I just need to talk to these guys for a minute. I’ll be back.” The second man looked at Jack, and there was palpable tension between them. “Whatcha lookin’ at, ‘Efe?” the man said, a dark smile crossing his face.

“Nothing much,” Jack said coldly.

“Chill,” Nichelle said, waving us on. “C’mon.” We followed her out the restaurant’s side door and around to the back near a Dumpster. There was only one car in the drive-through, and it was at the window.

“How did you find me?” Nichelle asked.

“It wasn’t hard,” I said.

“What do you want?”

“We need your help.”

“What kind of help?”

“I can’t tell you,” I said.

“You need my help, but you can’t tell me why? What kind of proposition is that?” “It’s secret. But it involves the Elgen.” “You mean it involves Hatch.”

“Yes. And probably the other electric kids.” “Which is why you want me.”

“Right.”

She looked down for a moment as if she was thinking. Then she looked up. “Do I get to hurt Hatch?” “Maybe.”

“You need to tell me more.”

I shuffled my feet a little. “All right, but if you tell anyone, we’ll come after you.” She lifted her hands. “Who am I gonna tell? Homeboys in there?” “All right. We’re rescuing someone they’ve kidnapped.” “Who?”

“I can’t tell you.”

She thought some more, then said, “You’ll have to pay me. I’m broke.” “I’m good with that.”

“How much can you pay me?”

“How much do you want?”

“Three thousand.”

“Three thousand dollars?” Jack said in disbelief.

“It’s what I need,” she said, looking at him. “I work for a living.” “We can’t trust her,” Ian said to me. “A leopard doesn’t change its spots.” “Yeah, lucky for you I’m not a leopard,” Nichelle replied.

“I can give you three,” I said. “But I’ll have to pay you later.” “How much later?”

“I can give you a thousand now, and the rest after we’re done. We’ll pay for everything until then. Food and stuff.” “How long will this take?”

“It may take a while. We’re leaving California.” “Then what?”

“After we’re done, we’ll take you wherever you want to go.” She hesitated for another moment, then said, “All right. I take it from those taxis over there that we’re leaving now.” “Do you have a problem with that?” “No. They’ll fire me. But I was going to quit anyway. Do I have time to get my stuff?” “No. We’ll buy you whatever you need.” “That won’t come out of my three thousand, right?” “No. And one more thing,” I said. “Taylor needs to read your mind to make sure you’re not still with them.” “Still with who?”

“The Elgen.”

“Do I look like I’m still with the Elgen?” “It’s the only way,” I said.

Nichelle rolled her eyes. “Whatever.” Taylor walked up to her. “I’m going to touch your arms,” she said.

“You have to touch me?” Nichelle said.

“Believe me, I don’t want to touch you either.” “Just get it over with.”

Taylor put her hands on Nichelle’s forearms and closed her eyes. Less than a minute later she took her hands off and stepped back. She looked at me and nodded. “I think we’re good.” “Did it really take a mind reader to tell you that I hate them?” Nichelle said angrily. “I hated them before they left me to die.” “We’re just being careful,” I said. I looked around at the others. No one looked happy. “All right, let’s go.” Nichelle took off her hat and apron and threw them on the ground. As we walked around to the front of the restaurant Nichelle’s two friends from inside approached us.

“Where you goin’?” the guy with the tattooed neck asked again. “Who are these losers?” “Just some people I know. I’m going with them. I’ll be a while.” He turned to me. “She ain’t goin’ nowhere with you.” “Yes, she is,” I said.

He swaggered up to me, his face contracting into a sneer. “I say no she ain’t.” “I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” Nichelle said to him.

“Who’s gonna stop me?”

“He will,” she said matter-of-factly.

He smiled, his eyes still locked on mine. “Him? Little dude?” “Idiot,” Nichelle said. “You have no idea who you’re dealing with.” He looked at her. “What, little man knows kung fu?” He turned back to me with a cocky smile. “You know kung fu?” He pulled out a gun. “Never bring kung fu to a gunfight.” I looked at his gun, then said, “Want to see something cool?” His eyes narrowed. “I wanna see you gone, dog.” “No, really, you’ll like this.” I held my hands in front of me and formed an electric ball about the size of a grapefruit.

He stared at it in disbelief; then looked at me. “What the . . .” “Catch,” I said, pushing the ball at him. It blew up on contact, shocking him so hard he actually left his feet. He landed unconscious and flat on his back on the pavement. The other man looked at me and turned to run but Zeus blasted him, knocking him down as well. He was still conscious but whimpering in pain.

Nichelle shook her head. “I told you, idiots,” she said. “Don’t wait up for me.” Zeus stepped over the man I’d shocked and lifted his gun. “He won’t be needing this anymore.” “What are you going to do with that?” Tessa asked.

“Throw it away,” he said.

“Let’s go,” I said. I turned to Nichelle. “You come with me.” Ian got in the front seat next to the driver while Taylor, Nichelle, and I climbed into the back. “Back to the airport,” I said to the driver.

“We’re flying somewhere?” Nichelle asked.

“Taiwan,” I said.

“Where’s Taiwan?”

“By China.”

“For the record,” she said, “I’m not a fan of Chinese food.” “That’s too bad,” I replied. “You’re going to be eating a lot of it.”