Failing Test: Book One of The Shadow Series Read online

  Test put his face in his hands and rubbed his forehead in frustration. He leaned back in his chair, interlocking his fingers behind his head, and stared hopelessly at the ceiling. “That makes me sound like a freak, huh, Cliff?”

  “I suppose so,” answered Cliff in a soft-spoken voice.

  “Do you think I’m a freak, Cliff?”

  Cliff looked at Test with a wrinkled brow. “Son, don’t matter what nobody thinks. I know you’re different, and if to you that means freak, well then I guess you’re a freak. Do I think that you’re a bad seed? No. If I did you wouldn’t be here with me now. What I do know is that you can’t be hidin’ in an old man’s house for the rest of your life. Sooner or later, you’re gonna have to face this.”

  “If I turn myself in, I’ll never see Mom or Nicole again!” he replied angrily, the desperation beginning to swell inside him. “I’ll be the next science project for the brains of our time, Cliff!” He stood from the kitchen table, punching it as he rose.

  “How you gonna see your momma or your girl now? If you don’t think the police ain’t watchin’ them all the time, you’re dead wrong,” replied Cliff. He stood, placed his hand on Test’s shoulder, and pleaded with him. “You’ve gotta think this through, son. Don’t go off the deep end.”

  Test knew the old man was right, but knowing didn’t stop the fire from building inside. Staring at the checkered-patterned curtains covering the window over the sink, Test picked a square and focused. I can’t let it take me again, he thought.

  From beside him, Cliff said reassuringly, “That’s it. Just take a couple of deep breaths and take it easy. Don’t let it take you.”

  Test let his shoulders relax and his chin drop to his chest. Reaching for his coffee cup on the table, he looked to the old man gratefully. “I’m not ready to go to the police yet, Cliff,” he said with a sudden change in confidence.

  “All right then, what is it you want to do?” asked Cliff, smiling so large that he could barely speak the words.

  “I need to see Nicole,” replied Test.

  Chapter 15

  The Best-laid Plans . . .

  He hurriedly grabbed the phone book and began flipping through the pages. Thumbing through a phone book always made him think of Mark. Mark never used anything but his cell phone and was never as comical as when he had to attempt to navigate the yellow pages. People Test’s age never had a reason to use the phone book anymore; they all had cell phones. All the phone numbers that anyone would need were already programmed in, and if they didn’t know a number, they’d call someone who did. Test was never that lucky. He had never had a cell phone.

  Now dressed in brown trousers and a white buttoned-up shirt, Cliff walked out into the dark hallway. Test looked to him and raised his eyebrows with phone book in hand.

  “So who do you think you’re goin’ to call?” asked Cliff somewhat snidely.

  Instantly flustered by Cliff’s tone, Test quickly glared at the phone book. “I don’t know. I just want to call Nicole,” he replied.

  “Use your head, boy,” said Cliff, shaking his head as he entered the kitchen. “Don’t you think the police are watchin’ everyone that you know and tappin’ all their phones?”

  “I guess I hadn’t thought about it.” He paused in thought. “Do you really think so? Tapping the phone?” asked Test, genuinely surprised that he could be in a situation that required phone tapping.

  “A seventeen-year-old kid that can move stuff without touching it; oh and by the way, he can fly? Huh, I would reckon that there are more than a few people interested in you, son,” replied Cliff as he leaned on the counter.

  “I guess they’d be all over my mom by now, too?” asked Test sadly.

  “No doubt, they’re all over her,” replied Cliff with a lack of tact.

  The comment, and manner in which it was stated, made Test feel awful. He didn’t want to bring any of this on his mother. He plopped into a chair and sat with his elbows on his knees, hanging his head low.

  Cliff walked to the young man at the table and placed his hand on his back. With a deep sigh, Cliff spoke more reassuringly. “It’s not your fault, Test. You’re just you; can’t change what God made you. I’m surprised that you’ve gone this long with your secret.”

  Looking up to the old man, Test replied sarcastically, “Oh come on . . . I’ve only known about it for three days, Cliff. I’d say I’m a miserable failure at keeping a secret.”

  Cliff dropped his hand from Test’s back and adopted a serious look. “So, have we decided that instead of usin’ your head and thinkin’ of somethin’, that you’re just goin’ to give up and feel sorry for yourself?” he asked as he walked away.

  Test looked to the ground with shame. The old man was right; giving up and wallowing in self-pity wasn’t going to get him anywhere. He tried to think of someone that he could call that could help him get with Nicole and his mom. The first option to come to mind was to get a hold of Mark or Marcy. Before he could finish his thought, he’d ruled out Mark. He was pretty sure that if Nicole was being watched then Mark was as well. Marcy probably wasn’t, but he didn’t know if he could trust that she wouldn’t call Mark as soon as he had hung up the phone with her. Suddenly it hit him. The last couple of times that he had seen Heather confront Nicole, Tracy had seemed uncomfortable. In fact, she did nothing but look away. It was as if she was ashamed to be a part of what Heather was having so much fun with. It was a long shot. He also knew that if he was wrong he could be putting Cliff in danger as well. Tracy could easily call the police with the number. Cliff would almost certainly be in trouble since he had already been questioned by the police, having been instructed to call them if he knew anything.

  “Well, you got somethin’ on your mind, son?” asked Cliff.

  Test turned to Cliff and watched him pull a new cigar from a drawer in the kitchen.

  “Kind of, but it’s a long shot. I don’t know if I should use your phone or not though. If it doesn’t work, you could be in a lot of trouble,” replied Test innocently.

  Clenching the new cigar between his teeth, Cliff chuckled. “No offense, but I wasn’t never plannin’ on lettin’ you use my phone to do this business. There’s a pay phone not far from here. We can go there. It ain’t that I don’t trust you, I just don’t trust who you’re callin’.”

  “No offense taken,” replied Test with a touch of embarrassment. He quickly wrote Tracy’s home number on the notepad. “I think I’ve got what I need. I’m ready to go when you are.”

  Test and Cliff walked out of the kitchen and to the living room. Cliff sat on the couch to put on his shoes. His knees crackled and popped as he stood.

  “Oh Lord; it don’t pay to get old, son. Nothing but aches and pains,” said Cliff as he leaned on the arm of the couch.

  “Next time ask me and I can give you a hand,” said Test.

  As he walked to the door, Cliff replied, “Oh, I’m not decrepit yet, but thank you anyway. Now let’s get goin’.”

  Chapter 16

  Confrontation

  The unlikely team of Cliff and Test drove down the street. It was still damp from the storm the night before, and spray came off the tires creating a calming white noise. The humidity in the air was heavy, and Test could tell that it was going to be a warm day, on top of which, the air conditioning in Cliff’s car didn’t work. However, while Test was uncomfortable, Cliff didn’t seem to notice it at all. He was humming a tune and didn’t seem to have a care in the world.

  “What song is that?” asked Test just for the sake of conversation.

  ”‘Georgia,’ son! You don’t know ‘Georgia’?” replied Cliff in a disgusted manner. He then began to hum the tune.

  “Yeah, I know that song,” replied Test energetically. “My grandma used to listen to Willie Nelson all the time.”

  Wrinkling his nose, Cliff looked to Test. “Willie Nelson? He may have sung it, but I’m singin’ it like the man himself Ray Charles done it,” replied Cliff smiling as he
took his cigar from his mouth.

  “Sorry!” said Test sarcastically. “I didn’t mean to offend you.”

  Cliff chuckled. “Takes a lot more than that to offend me, son. I guess I should be impressed that you knew Willie Nelson sang it!”

  They pulled into the parking lot of a shopping center a few miles away from Cliff’s home. There were all sorts of stores that sold everything from photo processing to liquor. Towards the end of the parking lot was a Dennzie’s restaurant. Test now recognized where he was. A long time ago, he and his mother used to come to Dennzie’s for the cheap meals. Test never cared about that though; he liked the food.

  “Where are we headed?” asked Test.

  Pointing with his hands still on the steering wheel, Cliff replied, “There’s a pay phone just on the end of this line of buildings. We can use that.”

  Suddenly concerned, Test patted at his pockets. “I don’t have any change, Cliff.”

  “I’ve got you. No worries, young man,” said Cliff, winking.

  Cliff slowly pulled up to the end of the shopping center and took the stall directly in front of the pay phone. Putting the car in park, but leaving the engine running, he turned to Test, now somewhat anxious.

  “Okay, son. Do what you gotta do. Be quick though; somethin’ ain’t feelin’ right all the sudden.”

  “What do you mean?” asked Test, now trembling with nerves.

  “Never you mind; I shouldn’t have said anything. Just do your business, and we’ll get goin’,” replied Cliff.

  Test’s palms, instead of growing warm as they had over the last couple of days, now felt cold and clammy.

  “I’ll be quick,” he replied.

  He wasn’t sure if his plan was a good one or not. Deep down, he thought that maybe he could trust Tracy, but he still had a fair amount of doubt. While she hadn’t directly attacked Nicole, she was there and didn’t do anything to discourage it either. With hesitation, he opened the door, stepped out onto the black top, and stretched his arms into the air; more to prolong his task than to actually fulfill a need. As he stepped up onto the sidewalk and towards the phone, he looked back to Cliff fearfully. Suddenly, he heard a woman’s voice screaming from a distance behind him.

  “Test!”

  He turned to see his mother and Nicole standing in front of the restaurant. Immediately, Nicole ran to him, followed by his mother. With his mother’s first step, Test heard tires and sirens. All around him, the parking lot exploded into flashing blue and red lights; the volume of the sirens was deafening. He looked to his left and saw an unmarked car flying down the length of the shopping center. Pulling into the parking lot off the main street, three patrol cars bounced over the pothole-filled concrete towards him.

  Nicole sprinted across the parking lot towards Test, recklessly weaving in and out of parked cars. With her athletic speed, she came around the last row of cars and out into the river of concrete that separated her from Test. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a flash of red and stopped mid-stride. She turned to see a car only feet away. The sound of screeching tires filled her ears. With no time to react, she closed her eyes and every muscle in her body tensed and braced for the impact. Then the screeching tires went silent. The siren continued to howl loudly and the air felt different. Slowly, she opened her eyes. The sight of the patrol car inches away from her made her weak and lightheaded. She turned her head and looked to Test. He stood a couple of feet from the sidewalk with his left hand reaching out towards the patrol car. Her vision grew dark, and every ounce of strength within her disappeared as she slumped onto the hood of the patrol car.

  Test had watched the horrific event unfold in front of him. In shock, he stood with his arm raised and held the police car in his grasp. As he watched Nicole fall, he released his hold on the patrol car and ran to her. The fact that the police were all around him was now secondary. As he reached for Nicole, she looked up to him, her pupils dilated from shock and tears streaming down her face.

  “Are you okay?” asked Test as he wiped a tear from her cheek.

  Nicole’s bottom lip quivered. “Where have you been?”

  Before Test could answer, the door to the patrol car opened, snapping the couple back to reality. The officer stood with gun drawn behind the door; the gun in his hand shaking uncontrollably.

  “Clench your fists and put your arms in the air!” shouted the officer with sweat pouring from his brow.

  Test gently pulled Nicole into his embrace. “I don’t know what to do,” he whispered.

  Nicole couldn’t take her eyes off the gun pointed in her direction, but her mind had begun to focus on ways to escape. Gripping him tightly, she whispered back to him, “Swing me.”

  “Mr. Davis, I’m telling you for the last time! Clench your fists and put your arms in the air!” said the officer forcefully.

  Test looked past Nicole to his mother. He could see her standing, her hands shaking violently as they covered her mouth, some twenty feet away. He quickly scanned the world around him and counted at least three more officers intermingled amongst the cars in the parking lot, all of them with weapons drawn. Slowly, Test raised his hands in the air, clenching his fists as he did. He looked back to his mother.

  “Don’t worry, Mom. I’m fine,” he said reassuringly.

  Without taking his eyes off his mother, he took a deep breath and asked Nicole with confidence, “Ready?”

  Nicole looked up to him, her eyes wide with fear and anticipation, and nodded. Arms still in the air, Test then turned to Cliff, who was now standing behind the open driver’s door of the Monte Carlo. With a wink, Test said thank you to his new friend. He turned to the officer and slowly backed away from Nicole. The officer’s eyes were locked with his; both determined to accomplish a task. It felt to Test like a scene from Josie Wales. He stood confidently as the officer approached; he, determined to get out of this situation, and the officer, determined to bag the largest prize in the history of Lincoln law enforcement. Test remained still and didn’t show any resistance. The officer slowly reached for Test’s right wrist, gripped it tightly, and in one strong motion the officer twisted Test’s arm behind his back, gripping his left wrist as he spun. Once both hands were behind his back, the time had come. Before the officer could get a cuff on him, Test unclenched his fists and let out a quick but powerful pulse. The officer flew backwards, feet completely off the ground, and before he landed, Test aimed his palms to the concrete and pulsed again. In an instant, he landed on the roof of the shopping center. As he looked down over the parking lot, he saw Nicole running from the patrol car. He quickly reached his right hand out to her and took her into the air. He worried about hurting her, but knew that there was no time to be gentle.

  She wasn’t ready for the flight like she thought she was. The constricting sensation caught her off guard. This was nothing like the ‘swing.’ She moved quickly through the air, flying over top of the car that Test had been standing beside when she’d first seen him. As she passed, she noticed a little old black man standing next to it, smiling at her and then inexplicably giving her a wink and a nod. Before she could react, she landed on the roof abruptly next to Test.

  “Are you okay?” he asked excitedly.

  Dazed, Nicole replied, “I will be.”

  He scanned the parking lot for Nicole’s car. Upon finding it, he motioned to her with his hands. “Stay low and wait here. When I bring the car to you, get in and start it.” His words were sharp and his presence commanding.

  As he launched into the air, the concussion from the pulse created impressions in the soft warm tar that covered the roof. He landed between two small cars a couple of parking places away from Nicole’s car and crouched between them. He felt the energy surging through his arms in great waves. With speed and precision, he stood and pulsed to the hood of the car to his left. Officers approached from three directions, all trying to stay hidden behind vehicles as they moved. Test raised his right hand towards the officer approaching from the righ
t, and his left hand pointed at the officer approaching from the left. Placing his unseen grip on the outside vehicles in a row of eight, he invited the fire within him to rage.

  “Come on,” he said aloud through clenched teeth, watching the officers continue to advance.

  As if suddenly becoming magnetic, the mob of cars slid together, choking off the officer’s path. He felt the enormity of their weight and the resistance from the rubber tires dragging on the concrete. He then looked forward and, with his left hand, gripped the officer approaching from the center. In a painful and snapping motion, the officer’s arms went to his sides, and his weapon fell to the ground. Continuing to grip the officer with his left hand, Test raised his right hand to Nicole’s car. With his adrenaline pounding and his furnace fully stoked, he lifted Nicole’s car quickly into the air, surprised at the ease with which he was able to do so. Suddenly, he heard a shot, and simultaneously the windshield of the car he was standing behind shattered.

  They actually shot at me? he thought, shocked. He hadn’t really thought that the act was a possibility; the goodness in him couldn’t allow for the acceptance of being viewed as a villain. The flood of thoughts forced a loss of concentration, causing his grip on the officer in front of him, as well as Nicole’s car, to fail. With a short drop and a bang, the car bounced in the parking stall. Now released, the officer picked up his weapon and scrambled behind another vehicle. Test jumped down and ducked low behind the car. Regaining his composure, he stood and gripped Nicole’s car once again. With both hands this time, he moved the car quickly into the air and towards Nicole, waiting painfully helpless on the roof. As he maneuvered the car to the edge of the roof, Nicole opened the passenger door and jumped in. As soon as Test heard the engine start, he brought the car back toward him and turned it so that as he set it down it was facing the street. He released the car, gently this time now that it held precious cargo, and set it down onto the worn concrete. With his attention focused solely on Nicole, he realized that he had lost track of where the officers were. He turned away from Nicole to locate them and instantly heard several gunshots. In an instantaneous fit of rage, he let out a primal scream and stood, throwing both palms forward as if trying to detach them from his body. Like a tsunami crashing on a beach, a blast of energy rolled through the parking lot throwing everything in its path backwards, including the bullets meant for Test. Shattered glass exploded and filled the air, and the sound of crashing steel was deafening. Leaving the chaos behind him, Test turned and ran to Nicole’s car. As he opened the door, he looked back and saw his mother lying on the ground.