Shades of Gray - By Jackie Kessler & Caitlin Kittredge Page 0,94
gaze on her back as she loaded in the last tray of cookies. She glanced over her shoulder and caught Joannie sneaking another cookie. Holly arched an eyebrow in the classic Mommy Look, and the girl had the decency to look embarrassed.
“No more,” Holly said, wagging a finger.
“Sorry, Mama.”
“Our little girl was sneaking cookies?”
George’s voice startled Holly; she hadn’t heard him approach. She flashed him a quick smile, was about to remark on Joan’s poor sneaking skills when she saw the hint of Shadow in his eyes.
“It’s fine, sweetheart,” she said, smiling to show that it really was all right. “She knows the rules. She knows she’s not supposed to have any more. Right, Joannie?”
But their daughter had already charged away, still intent on playing Bad Guys. “Come find me, Papa!”
“It’s fine,” she said again with a laugh. “Our Joan is a good girl.”
“She is,” George said, smiling proudly. Then he called out, “Here I come, Joannie!” And he ran out of the kitchen.
Holly started thinking about what to make for dinner. Sure, she could have the Runners fetch stuff, but she enjoyed doing the domestic thing. And George preferred it. Maybe something fun, like tacos … She looked at the comlink on the wall, right next to the bright red Panic Button there for emergencies. Maybe she’d call in Mexican after all. Why make a mess and clean it up when it could all be done for them?
She saw Joannie return, stealing glances at the cookies on the racks. Holly smiled, shaking her head. Really, her child had a hopeless sweet tooth.
Joannie’s hand darted out, snatched another cookie.
“Joan.”
That was George, standing behind Holly. No, not George—that was Blackout’s voice, low and filled with menace. Holly whirled, saw her husband standing in the kitchen doorway, black rivers swimming over his arms, in his eyes. His voice silky and dark, he said, “You broke the rules, Joannie.”
“Sweetheart,” Holly said, “really. It’s okay.”
“It’s not okay. How’s she ever going to be a good Squadron soldier if she breaks the rules? Good girls don’t break the rules, Joannie!”
Behind Holly, her daughter let out a frightened sob.
“George,” Holly snapped. “Stop it. You’re scaring her.”
“She should be scared. She broke the rules. Crumbs all over the floor!”
Holly smiled, a tentative thing filled with fear, and she reached out to her husband even as she reached inside of herself and pushed Light into him, soothing him, calming him.
He grinned—a hungry, ugly grin that froze her heart.
“Oh, Holly,” he said. “You really do care, don’t you? They made you perfect, didn’t they? My perfect … little … wife.”
Oh Jehovah, he sounds insane.
“Yes,” Blackout said softly, almost thoughtfully. “They gave me exactly what the doctor ordered.” He laughed, and the sound was filled with madness.
Holly whispered, “George?”
“Come here, Holly. Give me a hug.”
And then the Shadow reached for her.
She didn’t cry out, not at first. The black bands chilled her as they wrapped around her body, sucking out her warmth. Her breath frosted and her lips cracked, and still she smiled, showing George that she loved him, that she knew he’d never hurt her, not really. Not on purpose.
And then the Shadow squeezed.
Surprise was the first thing that registered as her ribs cracked. And then, as the snakelike black bands tightened even more, the pain hit.
Holly panicked, lashing out with her power and her body. Neither made a difference.
Blackout giggled.
“Joan,” Holly choked out, blood spilling from her mouth, “emergency!”
She heard her little girl cry, thought she heard Joannie run.
The last gift she gave her daughter was distraction. Holly Owens Greene threw the last of her Light at Blackout, forced him to keep his attention on her for just another moment.
A Klaxon sounded—Joannie had hit the Panic Button.
“Good girl,” Holly said, or tried to say. But it was lost in a river of blood.
As she died, Holly’s last thoughts, surprisingly, were of Hal. He was holding her close, whispering that it was okay.
It was a lie, of course. But Holly died believing it, her bloody mouth fixed in a gentle smile.
CHAPTER 46
LUSTER
Instances of violence among what Corp is calling “extrahumans” is nearly 33 percent higher than that of the general population. Suicide, depression, schizophrenia, and a host of other disorders … all off the charts. Nobody listens. Nobody ever listens to me.
—Matthew Icarus, diary entry dated 2020
You’re in the chocolate river, Dad.”
Lester blinked and focused on the shimmering holo board in front of him. “So I am, darling.”
Callie fidgeted in her seat. “Candyland is boring. Can we turn on