at hand. “He told me he’s taught at a bunch of schools, but Madaug can’t find anything on him. And I mean nothing. Not a single school where he’s taught or anything else. It’s like he never existed until my school hired him.”
“Neo-Luddite.” Mark nodded in approval. “I like that. Could just mean the man has a brain. I’m telling you, Nick, we’re all going to get hooked into a massive server one day and become nothing but bytes in a data stream. Even our primal, individualistic essence will be reduced to simple binary code. Could have already happened and all we are now are play actors in a Rod Serling episode on permanent syndication. In fact—”
Nick snapped his fingers in front of Mark’s face. “Can you come back to reality with me for a second? I kind of need you here on earth for a few minutes more.”
“Sure. Not that I like it here, since I’m still waiting for my mother ship to return. But … what do you need?”
Nick took a deep breath for patience. Keeping Bubba and Mark focused on task at times was like dealing with a herd of ADD cats at a mouse farm. “Well, the new coach is…” He didn’t want to tell Mark about the blackmail or theft ring. While he trusted Mark implicitly, he didn’t trust him not to go up to the coach’s door, kick it in, then drag him out into the yard and beat the snot out of him for threatening people. Mark didn’t like abusers or bullies of any kind and considered beating one of them down a valuable public service. “Something’s not right about him. I can feel it.” That was something Mark could understand and agree to. “I was wondering if you’d mind swinging by his house to see what it looks like. That might give me some clue about who”—and what—“he is. After all, I know how much you like to profile people.”
That sparked Mark up a lot more. “You know where he lives?”
Nick nodded. “I do.” It was one of the few things the coach had told him after practice. The creep wanted Nick to bring the loot to his house so that the coach wouldn’t be caught with it on campus.
But if Nick was caught, that was fine. Burn the kid, burn the kid.
“A’ight, then,” Mark agreed. “I’m through zombie hunting tonight, and since my woman liberated me”—by burning everything Mark owned and making him leave, but that was another story—“I’ll do it. Get in.” He stepped down from the porch.
Nick stopped him from leaving just yet. “Let me tell my mom where I’m going.” ’Cause if he didn’t, she’d set his fields on fire once he came back.
He stepped over and opened the door to Menyara’s condo.
Mennie and his mom were already settled on the couch, under a thick red and white blanket with all the lights off while they snacked on potato chips and dip.
His mom looked up expectantly.
“Hey, Ma? Can I have a few minutes to run an errand with Mark?”
She narrowed her gaze at him. “Crazy Mark?”
Mark stuck his head in the door to grin at her. “I heard that, Cherise.”
His mom’s face flamed. She was actually closer to Mark’s age than Nick was. Not to mention, Mark had once worked the door at the club where his mom used to dance, which was how Nick first met him.
Lowering her potato chip back into the sack, she cleared her throat and gave him a bashful look. “Didn’t realize you were right there. Sorry, boo.”
Mark laughed good-naturedly. “Sa’ight. I’ve been called a lot worse. At least you didn’t insult my parentage while you were at it. But don’t worry. I’m not doing anything too weird tonight.”
“Please don’t.”
Mark exchanged an amused glance with Nick. “Don’t worry, cher. I’ll guard him with my life.”
“Good,” she warned, “’cause that’s what I’ll be taking from you if you let even one hair on his head get harmed. I’m dead serious, Mark. There is no corner of hell you can find where I will not hunt you down, drag you out, and torture you until you bleed out at my feet. That boy is my life, and I don’t want him coming back here in pieces. So don’t you pull none of your crap with him around. I mean it.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
As Nick started to leave, his mom aimed one warning pointy finger at him. “Don’t be gone long. You have school tomorrow.”
He repeated Mark’s last