reflection 01 - the reflective by blodgett tamara rose

Author:blodgett, tamara rose [blodgett, tamara rose]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Tamara Rose Blodgett
Published: 2014-07-31T23:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 35

I dumped my bike on the front lawn and ran for the porch. I rushed through the front door, not bothering to close it.

“What's the problem, Caleb?” Dad asked, rising off the couch. He leaned to the side to look behind me.

Jade and the Js came in. Mom gave me a puzzled look, with more than a dash of anxiety.

I put my index finger to my lips then pointed toward the back deck. My parents nodded.

All of us moved out there.

“What's going on?” Dad asked.

“Remember I told you the Graysheets bugged our house?”

“Yes.”

“Well, we talked about everything last night—Garcia, them, all our ideas. Then this morning, I told you where the hideout was.”

Dad looked relieved. “It's okay, Caleb. When I spoke with Garcia last night, he gave me directions on how to neutralize the bugs, and I answered yes or no. There's no way the Graysheets could have heard. Unless they're telepathic and could understand more than a yes or a no. He made sure I didn’t let on about it in the house. It’s all fixed.”

I let the breath I'd been holding out in a rush.

“How'd you deactivate the bugs?” John asked.

“Garcia figured it would be a pulse-based system interface.”

“Doesn't that flat-line everything in your house? Pulse, lights, everything?” Jade asked.

“Yes, our system has an automatic reset. If all pulse is deactivated, it automatically resets all known devices.”

I got it. “Their stuff wasn't included in the start-up because it didn't register.”

Dad nodded.

“Nice,” Jonesy said.

“They'll know when they can't hear us anymore,” I said.

“It's temporary, putting the kibosh on their surveillance, which brings me to a new point,” Dad said.

Here we go.

“I think we should go to that journalist who worked on those articles about Parker—Tim Anderson.”

“Why? What can he do for us?” I asked.

“He can make them hesitate,” Mom said.

“You mean from taking me again?”

“Taking anyone, Caleb. It's bigger than just you. Everyone who is a five-point should not have to live under the threat of loss of liberty. Your safety is paramount. If we visit Anderson, he exposes them, keeping the Graysheets planning their next strategy rather than executing.”

“Let's lift their skirt and make them worry about their panties,” Jonesy said.

Mom and Jade looked at him.

“What? That's like a perfect… um…”

“Analogy,” John said.

“Humph!” Mom commented.

Dad was making the I'm-not-going-to-smile face that gave his mouth a strange, crooked look. “I've already contacted him, and he’s meeting us at six.”

I was starving. Even with Jade as a constant distraction, I needed to fill the hole. I looked at Mom.

“Those pancakes all gone?” she guessed.

“Mine are!” Jonesy said, sensing food was close.

“You didn't have pancakes,” I said, suspicious.

Jonesy discounted my comment with a wave of his hand. “Doesn't matter, I haven't eaten in hours.” He moaned dramatically, clutching his stomach.

Mom grinned. “We have some leftover pizza.”

John asked, “Is there enough?”

“Always.”

As we devoured the pizza, we talked about Anderson. We decided that all of us going would give more credit to the story.

“The point is,” Dad said between bites, “the kids' presence may lend a degree of validity that would otherwise not be there.

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