jumped, as the girl did, when a door flew open. And though tears blurred the view, Jaden could see it was Billy, Brenda's ex, coming toward Albertson.
The girl lurched as the Judge shoved her at Billy. "Take her to holding. I'll catch up."
Jaden's vision was restored when the contact broke.
He'd already seen to Billy's release. Or escape. No difference. With renewed fervor, she studied the diary. This monster had to be stopped. And all his minions with him.
In her flurry of determination, Jaden blocked out everything but the words she'd penned so long ago. And there it became crystal clear. Thomas, as he was known now, as he'd been known to her at the first. Thomas must side with her, must understand the true nature of the Judge. He must accept her word as fact, despite the lack of evidence. How had she missed this simple fact in all the other attempts?
"Stupid," she scolded herself. "Impossible. Bizarre." She pushed the diary away, rejecting the concept. It slid off her desk to land on the floor. Regretting her temper, she picked it up, only to find the fabric covering torn loose from the back and several smaller pages peeking out.
One fact was clear immediately: the writing was not hers.
Jaden willed her hands to stop shaking as she gingerly extracted the papers from their hiding place. Her skin chilled as she read each page.
They came to me, each of them with their stories so like yours. My darling, what have I done? I was a coward not to see. I am unworthy of your faith in me.
I shall work tirelessly for your release as I continue your efforts on behalf of the unfortunate.
He is too strong, too well guarded. Every path I take leads to another, lesser man, merely taking orders.
The pages went on like this. Similar notes of efforts failed and victories nearly too small to mention. And on the last page Jaden read:
Word reached me today of your death. I have failed you in life, but my insistence has at last earned your peaceful rest with your parents. My love for you endures. I pray your forgiveness and that our souls may one day unite as our bodies were denied.
Jaden looked to the ceiling and pleaded with celestial powers she'd never understand and didn't want to. "Why him? It's impossible. He's impossible!" She let the shout build and released her frustration with it.
Spent, she fisted her hands in her hair. "Why not a gun or special sword buried in a rock? Why not a simple silver bullet?"
An explosion rocked the warehouse above, sending an avalanche down on her. Not the answer she wanted.
Jaden blinked gritty eyes and listened to a strange whimpering sound. Her attempt to move resulted in a gasp of pain and she understood the whimpers weren't from another victim, but from her own bruised lips.
Pain radiated from her head to her toes, but she counted her blessings that she could feel both and all the parts in between. It took what she assumed to be several minutes to recall where she was. The death-lock of her fingers around a small book clarified the situation.
Siren sounds faded in and out and she knew she had to get to safety. The defenses she'd installed on her building would soon kick in.
The acrid smell of burning wood and melting steel stung her eyes, but she stuffed the few things worth saving into a backpack. Voices above made her pause at the stairwell. Not up to a fight, she waited until they faded.
Alone again, she snuck out of the burning building, not indulging in regret.
"I've got you." Thomas's hands landed on her and she felt better instantly. Of course better was a relative term.
She elbowed him and made a dash for the alley. Except the dash felt more like a stumble and bruised her pride.
"What's the rush?"
It would take a supreme physical effort to drag him out of harm's way. "Too close," she rasped through seared lungs.
"The fire crew's on it. What happened?"
"He tried to kill me." On sheer will she moved away from the building, refusing to look back. If he was too stupid to
The girl lurched as the Judge shoved her at Billy. "Take her to holding. I'll catch up."
Jaden's vision was restored when the contact broke.
He'd already seen to Billy's release. Or escape. No difference. With renewed fervor, she studied the diary. This monster had to be stopped. And all his minions with him.
In her flurry of determination, Jaden blocked out everything but the words she'd penned so long ago. And there it became crystal clear. Thomas, as he was known now, as he'd been known to her at the first. Thomas must side with her, must understand the true nature of the Judge. He must accept her word as fact, despite the lack of evidence. How had she missed this simple fact in all the other attempts?
"Stupid," she scolded herself. "Impossible. Bizarre." She pushed the diary away, rejecting the concept. It slid off her desk to land on the floor. Regretting her temper, she picked it up, only to find the fabric covering torn loose from the back and several smaller pages peeking out.
One fact was clear immediately: the writing was not hers.
Jaden willed her hands to stop shaking as she gingerly extracted the papers from their hiding place. Her skin chilled as she read each page.
They came to me, each of them with their stories so like yours. My darling, what have I done? I was a coward not to see. I am unworthy of your faith in me.
I shall work tirelessly for your release as I continue your efforts on behalf of the unfortunate.
He is too strong, too well guarded. Every path I take leads to another, lesser man, merely taking orders.
The pages went on like this. Similar notes of efforts failed and victories nearly too small to mention. And on the last page Jaden read:
Word reached me today of your death. I have failed you in life, but my insistence has at last earned your peaceful rest with your parents. My love for you endures. I pray your forgiveness and that our souls may one day unite as our bodies were denied.
Jaden looked to the ceiling and pleaded with celestial powers she'd never understand and didn't want to. "Why him? It's impossible. He's impossible!" She let the shout build and released her frustration with it.
Spent, she fisted her hands in her hair. "Why not a gun or special sword buried in a rock? Why not a simple silver bullet?"
An explosion rocked the warehouse above, sending an avalanche down on her. Not the answer she wanted.
Jaden blinked gritty eyes and listened to a strange whimpering sound. Her attempt to move resulted in a gasp of pain and she understood the whimpers weren't from another victim, but from her own bruised lips.
Pain radiated from her head to her toes, but she counted her blessings that she could feel both and all the parts in between. It took what she assumed to be several minutes to recall where she was. The death-lock of her fingers around a small book clarified the situation.
Siren sounds faded in and out and she knew she had to get to safety. The defenses she'd installed on her building would soon kick in.
The acrid smell of burning wood and melting steel stung her eyes, but she stuffed the few things worth saving into a backpack. Voices above made her pause at the stairwell. Not up to a fight, she waited until they faded.
Alone again, she snuck out of the burning building, not indulging in regret.
"I've got you." Thomas's hands landed on her and she felt better instantly. Of course better was a relative term.
She elbowed him and made a dash for the alley. Except the dash felt more like a stumble and bruised her pride.
"What's the rush?"
It would take a supreme physical effort to drag him out of harm's way. "Too close," she rasped through seared lungs.
"The fire crew's on it. What happened?"
"He tried to kill me." On sheer will she moved away from the building, refusing to look back. If he was too stupid to
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