Alexander Death(83)
“Yeah,” Seth said. “Most people wouldn't see it that way.”
Jenny stopped him at the door of the barn. She reached her arms around his neck and kissed him.
“Thanks for coming to rescue me,” Jenny said. “That was really sweet.”
“Anytime.”
Jenny approached an Army-green Jeep. “This is what I arrived in,” Jenny said. “It might be poetic to leave in it, too.”
“Sort of looks like Ashleigh's Jeep,” Seth said.
“Actually, let's take that big Dodge truck over there,” Jenny said. “Reminds of my dad's Ram.”
She found the keyring on a row of hooks on the wall. Jenny drove, since Seth's hands weren't healed yet. Seth looked out the window as they drove past the main house.
“Jenny, what have you been doing down here?”
“Terrible things. What about you? Since when do you have helicopters and ninjas?”
Seth laughed. “They're a private security company. A bunch of ex-CIA guys.”
“Wow. How'd you pull that off?” Jenny drove out through the front gate, which the others had left wide open.
“I stole a bunch of money from my dad.”
Jenny laughed. “Your mom was right. I am a bad influence on you.”
“That's not possible.” He looked at her. “I missed you a lot, Jenny.”
“You know I'm not the same person,” she said. “Jenny is just a small part of who I am.”
“My favorite part, so far,” Seth said.
“Mine, too, I think,” Jenny said with a smile. “Especially since I met you. Alexander managed my past-life recall thing, and he tried to keep me from seeing the last few lives. In a thousand lifetimes, in all of eternity, I've never been happier than the time you and I have spent together as these simple human beings.”
“Some of us are more simple than others.”
“Ha. And that's what Alexander didn't want me to know. What he and I have is an ancient alliance stretching back forever. Our powers complement each other—the Jenny pox enhances his power. And I have to admit, it was nice seeing the pox could be used for something that isn't totally destructive.”
“Like what?”
“They fueled his zombies so they could work hard in the fields, growing coke. And use complex tools like machine guns. Okay, maybe not the best example of things that aren't totally destructive. But you get what I mean.”
“Why did you run off with him in the first place?”
“I recognized him from my dreams of past lives. And he remembers his past incarnations. I thought I could learn a lot from him, and I did.”
“Were you close with him?” Seth looked at her carefully.
“He brought up a lot of old feelings. I had this very intense, kind of uncontrollable attraction to him—”
“That's just what I wanted to hear.”
“—but love is something different from that. What you and I have is new, Seth. It's something that's grown between us and helped us become more human. It's something...precious and rare and alien to what we are. Spending all this time as humans has taught us so much. And I nearly lost that because of how Alexander handled my memories.”
Seth looked at the dirt road ahead. “I assume you know where you're going now.”
“I don't really, Seth. But I know I'm going with you.”
“I meant, more specifically, this road we're driving on.”
“Oh. Sure, eventually we get to the highway, and just take that north. Back to America.”
“You have a passport?” Seth asked.
“Um...”
“We could have a little trouble slipping back in. Especially with Homeland Security looking for you. We're not out of the woods on that.”
“We're not going to be free from Alexander, either. He'll come back for me.”
“You should have let me kill him.”
“Your hands weren't working,” Jenny said. “How are they now?”
Seth held them up. The burns had shrunk to smaller patches as new skin grew into place. “Coming along.” He reached a hand to touch her bleeding head and shattered shoulder, but Jenny pulled away, wincing.
“Not until you're healed,” Jenny said.
“Here's what we need to do. Find a flat area, like a farm, a little bit out of the way where we can spend a little time.” Seth unbuttoned his black fatigues.
“Seth, I think we have more urgent things to think about...”
“I know.” He pushed his pants down to his knees. “I want to show you something.”
“I've seen it before.”
“Ha ha.” Seth tugged back the leg of his boxer shorts to reveal a black band around one thigh with a circular device mounted on it. It reminded Jenny of a wristwatch.