someone would. I can't believe I was so stupid. I can't believe I thought I could just live here like I was normal and that nothing would happen."
"Jason, slow down," said my father.
Jason stopped pacing and pointed a finger at my father. "You have to keep all the doors locked all the time," he ordered. "And you can't let Azazel out of your sight. Or your wife. Or the other guys. You have to keep them here, and you can't let anyone in."
"Wait a second," shouted my dad. I was stunned. I'd never heard my father yell before. My parents weren't exactly yelling kind of parents.
My mother released me and went to my father, touching his arm. "Daniel," she said.
He shrugged her off.
Jason lowered his hand. He took a shuddering breath. I could tell he was trying to pull himself together.
"Now," said my dad, "you're going to start at the beginning, and you're going to tell me what happened."
Jason didn't say anything.
I moved forward and handed my dad the picture the man had given me. "A man came here looking for Jason," I said. "He pushed his way into the house, and I was afraid he wouldn't leave. Jason said he's dangerous."
My dad studied the picture. "Did this man threaten you, Zaza?"
"No," I said. "He was polite."
"Did you know the man, Jason?" my dad asked.
Jason didn't say anything.
"Jason," said my father sharply.
Jason nodded. "I know him."
"Who is he?" asked my dad.
"That's not important," said Jason.
"You're telling me to lock up my family, and you say it's not important for me to know who he is? I think it's important," said my dad.
"Just trust me," said Jason. "I've seen what this man can do."
"What can he do?" my father asked. His voice was steadily rising again. I didn't think I'd ever seen my dad this angry.
"I—" Jason broke off. He hung his head. Stared at the tile floor of the kitchen.
Quietly, "I don't want to talk about it."
My mother put her hand on my father's arm again. "Daniel," she said, "maybe we should all just calm down. Now, I know it's a little early, but we're all excited. Maybe we should go to bed. We can talk about this tomorrow after we've had some time to think."
"Jodi, I need to know who this man is," said my dad. "I don't think we should just sleep on it."
"You can't keep pushing Jason," said my mom. "Look at him. He's very upset."
"I'm fine," said Jason. He looked up at us, and his face was a carefully controlled mask. He looked calm, collected. "I think sleeping on it might be a good idea, though."
Really? Jason had been so angry. Why didn't he want to talk more? I didn't think he'd convinced my dad of the danger he seemed to think we were in. I'd expected him to push and push until he got his way. Why was he just giving up?
"See?" said my mom. "Let's just all calm down."
My father took a sharp breath. "Fine," he said. "But first thing tomorrow morning, before school, we're getting this straightened out."
Jason nodded. "Mr. Jones, I'm so sorry I brought this on your family. You've all been wonderful to me. I never meant for anything like this to happen. I promise we'll talk about it tomorrow."
But the next morning, Jason was gone.
Chapter Seven
To: Hallam Wakefield
From: Alfred Norwich
Subject: News?
Hallam,
You mentioned you might have news when you checked in by phone yesterday. What have you found? And where are you? We can't find a trace of you in New York. Have you left? Please contact me as soon as possible by any means necessary.
Yours in pursuit of the Purpose,
Alfred
Nobody knew where Jason was.
Sheriff Damon was in our dining room, talking to my parents. I had just missed the bus to school, and I hadn't heard from Toby since last night. I had no idea if he was going to pick me up or not. I didn't even know if I was going to make it school. My mom had sent the guys out the door this morning. She'd even fed them a balanced breakfast. I had stayed behind in case the sheriff wanted to ask me some questions.
Right
"Jason, slow down," said my father.
Jason stopped pacing and pointed a finger at my father. "You have to keep all the doors locked all the time," he ordered. "And you can't let Azazel out of your sight. Or your wife. Or the other guys. You have to keep them here, and you can't let anyone in."
"Wait a second," shouted my dad. I was stunned. I'd never heard my father yell before. My parents weren't exactly yelling kind of parents.
My mother released me and went to my father, touching his arm. "Daniel," she said.
He shrugged her off.
Jason lowered his hand. He took a shuddering breath. I could tell he was trying to pull himself together.
"Now," said my dad, "you're going to start at the beginning, and you're going to tell me what happened."
Jason didn't say anything.
I moved forward and handed my dad the picture the man had given me. "A man came here looking for Jason," I said. "He pushed his way into the house, and I was afraid he wouldn't leave. Jason said he's dangerous."
My dad studied the picture. "Did this man threaten you, Zaza?"
"No," I said. "He was polite."
"Did you know the man, Jason?" my dad asked.
Jason didn't say anything.
"Jason," said my father sharply.
Jason nodded. "I know him."
"Who is he?" asked my dad.
"That's not important," said Jason.
"You're telling me to lock up my family, and you say it's not important for me to know who he is? I think it's important," said my dad.
"Just trust me," said Jason. "I've seen what this man can do."
"What can he do?" my father asked. His voice was steadily rising again. I didn't think I'd ever seen my dad this angry.
"I—" Jason broke off. He hung his head. Stared at the tile floor of the kitchen.
Quietly, "I don't want to talk about it."
My mother put her hand on my father's arm again. "Daniel," she said, "maybe we should all just calm down. Now, I know it's a little early, but we're all excited. Maybe we should go to bed. We can talk about this tomorrow after we've had some time to think."
"Jodi, I need to know who this man is," said my dad. "I don't think we should just sleep on it."
"You can't keep pushing Jason," said my mom. "Look at him. He's very upset."
"I'm fine," said Jason. He looked up at us, and his face was a carefully controlled mask. He looked calm, collected. "I think sleeping on it might be a good idea, though."
Really? Jason had been so angry. Why didn't he want to talk more? I didn't think he'd convinced my dad of the danger he seemed to think we were in. I'd expected him to push and push until he got his way. Why was he just giving up?
"See?" said my mom. "Let's just all calm down."
My father took a sharp breath. "Fine," he said. "But first thing tomorrow morning, before school, we're getting this straightened out."
Jason nodded. "Mr. Jones, I'm so sorry I brought this on your family. You've all been wonderful to me. I never meant for anything like this to happen. I promise we'll talk about it tomorrow."
But the next morning, Jason was gone.
Chapter Seven
To: Hallam Wakefield
From: Alfred Norwich
Subject: News?
Hallam,
You mentioned you might have news when you checked in by phone yesterday. What have you found? And where are you? We can't find a trace of you in New York. Have you left? Please contact me as soon as possible by any means necessary.
Yours in pursuit of the Purpose,
Alfred
Nobody knew where Jason was.
Sheriff Damon was in our dining room, talking to my parents. I had just missed the bus to school, and I hadn't heard from Toby since last night. I had no idea if he was going to pick me up or not. I didn't even know if I was going to make it school. My mom had sent the guys out the door this morning. She'd even fed them a balanced breakfast. I had stayed behind in case the sheriff wanted to ask me some questions.
Right
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