The Dysasters (The Dysasters #1)(46)

“G-pa, I’m eighteen. I’m nothing but scared and alone.”

“Boy, don’t you ever say that! Don’t even think it. You have me. You’ll always have me. Foster’s there for you, too. She’s in this with you, as are six other young people. You can be scared, but you’ll never be alone. I give you my word on that,” G-pa finished firmly.

“You’re right. Sorry, G-pa.”

“Not one damn thing to be sorry about. I’m proud of you, son. Real proud of how you’re handling this.”

Tate had to fight back tears. “Thanks, G-pa. I—I wish you were here with us!”

“Yep, yep, yep—me too. But I need to be here for the time being. I gotta keep researching. If I can figure out exactly what he did to each of you, it might help you learn to control your powers. Or at least you can figure out the extent of your powers. For instance, I believe the organic material he irradiated and joined with your and Foster’s DNA is basically O-two.”

“Oxygen!”

“Yep. Good ol’ air. And the organic material he joined to the next two is hydrogen with oxygen.”

“Water!”

“Exactly.”

“So, what Foster and I thought might be the truth, really is the truth! The next two kids will be bonded to the element water!” Tate felt a rush of excitement.

“As far as I can tell.”

“G-pa! I wonder if the crazy waves going on down there by you have anything to do with the next two kids being bonded to water?”

“Well, before the football game there certainly was an increase in tornado activity—and that increase has remained the only consistent thing about this damn weather, so I’m thinkin’ you could be right, son.” The old man paused and added, “And if you’re right, it’s going to be damn awful when we get to the kids bonded to fire.”

“Which is why we need all the information we can get ASAP,” Tate said. “Foster and I think we’ve figured out a code Stewart used for the state where each kid was born.”

“Good! Keep at that. It’ll be easier if we can narrow it down by even a little where the kids might be,” said G-pa. “I’m goin’ back to the MSL every day and doin’ more research. And every day I’m deciphering Stewart’s formulas a little—but honestly, Tate, when I say a little that’s exactly what I mean. It’s like trying to learn a language without a Rosetta Stone.” He paused before adding, “Are you certain you don’t want me to take this to one of the genetics professors? They’re a lot better at this than I am.”

“No, G-pa! You promised to keep this to yourself!”

“Hey, don’t get your feathers ruffled. I always keep my word, and if you say no outside help, then that’s that. I was just double checkin’.”

“Cora told Foster we had to stay off the grid. G-pa, Cora even had fake identity papers made for me and Foster. She changed our last names and everything. Foster totally trusted Cora, and Cora was married to Stewart, so she knew the guy better than anyone, and if she was this scared I have to agree with her. We’re in danger and we need to lay low.”

“Okay, boy. I get it. Lockin’ my mouth and throwin’ away the key.” G-pa cleared his throat before continuing, “Got somethin’ else to tell you. It’s good and bad news.”

“How about the good first?”

“I’m pretty certain no one outside Stewart and his four goons are going to be lookin’ for you,” G-pa said.



“That is good, but why would you say that?” Tate said.

“That brings me to the bad. Son, you’ve been declared dead.”

Tate didn’t say anything for several breaths. It was tough for him to think past the sudden humming in his ears. Finally, after clearing his throat much as his g-pa had just done, he managed to say, “How? I’m alive.”

“The official story I got from the cop who notified me is that your remains were identified through your dental records.”

“But that’s impossible. I’m standing right here.”

“Yep, yep, yep—which is why I asked a lot of questions. What I found out is that your dental records from Dr. Theobald’s small-town dental office were all computerized. And because it’s a little mom-and-pop office they don’t have much security. Even to an old dog like me it seems that it’d be damn easy for one of those computer geeks to hack into your records and make some changes. And it stands to reason that a mad scientist would have access to a computer geek.”

“So I’m seriously legally dead?” Tate couldn’t seem to wrap his brain around the idea.

“Legally, officially, and seriously. They even shipped what they called your remains to the cemetery here where I put your mama and daddy to rest. I pretend buried you beside them.”

Tate had to clear his throat again, but still his voice broke. “Thanks, G-pa. That musta been awful for you.”

“Nah, it wasn’t bad. Thanks to you findin’ a pay phone I knew you were just fine. It was a lot different burying my little girl and your daddy.”

Neither man said anything for a little while. They just listened to the very alive sound of each other’s breath. Finally Tate made himself speak. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there with you, G-pa. You shouldn’t have had to deal with that by yourself.”