Timesurfers (8 page)

“I’ll
protect
Cate
at all costs.” Jonah held Mortez’s eyes. No small feat when Mortez
instilled more fear with one raised eyebrow than an out of control
group of flesh eating zombies converging on you, knife and fork in
hand.

“She’s been carefully hidden these past
years. I won’t have my plan derailed at this late stage. Don’t fail
me and don’t play me. I guarantee the consequences of either will
be severe.”

He stared at the now empty doorway. Cate was
his friend, his only true friend. Well, she would be. To remain
loyal to her could mean going against Mortez’s orders. Not an
enviable choice to have to make.

“Phew.” Zach rubbed his newly fixed nose.
“How freaky is it that Mortez can heal things? I always knew there
was something badass about her. How is she able to look like two
completely different people?”

“It’s a
glamour.”

“I have no idea what that is. That was the
now Mortez, right? We didn’t teleport to the future again or
anything?”

“Yes that’s the Mortez in the year 2014.
You’d know if we’d done any Timesurfing. You fainted on the way to
the future and on the way back last time.”

“I closed my eyes,” Zach protested.

“Yeah, after you screamed like a banshee. I
need some air.”

“I’ll come with.”

“Give me strength.” Jonah dragged his hands
down his face.

The moon and stars played hide and seek
behind the rich violet clouds. The moon slide out, and after a
quick rethink, disappeared. Zach kicked a squashed can, which
clattered like thunder across the road through the nighttime
silence. “I can’t focus on anything. I’m too worried I’m going to
run into myself—like in
Back to the
Future
.”

Jonah threw his head back. The stars glinted
with malevolent glee at his predicament. “That’s impossible. The
future you can’t travel to 2014. The magic makes it impossible to
run into yourself.
Impossible
.”

“I’m not convinced.”

“The magic won’t let a Timesurfer travel
through time if there’s a risk they could run into themselves.
Timesurfers can only visit a specific location and moment in time
once. It’s called an aura clash. If you attempt it, you’ll be flung
off course, most likely into a parallel time dimension, and they’re
hard to come back from. Even if you do manage to stay in this
dimension, you’ll be battered and bruised to within an inch of your
life.”

“I’m still not convinced.”

“Trust me. You can’t run into yourself. We
need to get this time line back on track before you cross
over.”

Zach’s walk became more of a swagger. “I’m
going to cross over, very cool.” He froze. “That’s not dying is
it?”

Jonah resisted the temptation to mess with
Zach. “No, you’ll still be alive after you’ve crossed over.”

Relief flooded through Zach’s face as he
scratched his head. “So why the hurry to get this done before that
happens?”

If Jonah told him the real reason the game
would really be up. “After you cross over the magic creates a false
memory explaining your disappearance to everyone and they see a
complete stranger when they look at you.”

“So like a magical witness protection
program?”

“Yes.” Jonah might use that analogy next
time. “Your first quantum indicator appears on your arm to signify
you’re ready to cross over. You get an additional quantum indicator
every year. These show each year I’ve been a Timesurfer.” Jonah
pointed to the numbers in blue ink on his arm. “It’s how to check
you’re talking to the correct person and not one sent from a
different time. I’m from 2017 so mine finish at 2017. While your
powers are developing, you’re in limbo, no longer an innocent but
not yet a Timesurfer.”

“I’ll have powers?” Zach’s face lit up, like
all his Christmases had come at once.

“Yes, Timesurfers have powers. Mortez healed
your broken nose. She has a healing power.” Newbies were always so
excited about their powers.

“This is freaking wild.” Zach jumped and
punched the air. “I’m like a superhero!”

He would be a dead superhero soon if all went
well.

“So what lame wizard do you think put a spell
on me?”

Zach better not let any wizards hear him
calling them lame. They were scarce and kept well hidden, but like
a hibernating bear, they were cantankerous if disturbed. “I’m not
sure. That lame wizard magic is responsible for your overnight
popularity.”

“Sweet.” Zach’s shoes scuffed against the
concrete. “I would like to take a shot at that Rose chick with my
newfound attractiveness. She’s illegal! Could you set that up?”

Jonah’s knuckles strained white as he grabbed
Zach’s T-shirt and yanked him into the air so his sneakers dangled
above the ground. “Rose is off limits. If you disrespect her again,
Mortez won’t need to kill you. I will.” He hurled Zach along the
cracked pavement onto the mossy grass. Maybe he
should
let Zach try his luck with Rose. Watching her
chew him up and spit him out would be hilarious.

“Dude, you’re wound way too tight.” Zach
brushed his jeans, staring at the grass stain down one leg of them.
“Mum says she can never get grass stains out. I’m taking my
superhero self to see Brittany. Don’t wait up.”

Jonah sat on the curb as Zach ambled down the
road. The moon slid out from behind the clouds. Its bold glow made
a mockery of his grim situation. How could such a normal kid do
something so horrendous?

Chapter 6

Extreme Makeover

C
ate sauntered into the kitchen and came to a
screeching halt.

“Morning,” her mum chirped.

“Umm...” This wasn’t the same kitchen Cate
had breakfast in yesterday.

“I’ve made pancakes. There’s honey in the
fridge.”

With a sideways glance at her mum, she opened
the door of a stainless steel fridge. Their retro yellow fridge had
vanished overnight.

She closed the door, poking at the new cork
floor with her toe. Eating her pancakes, she tapped the granite
bench tops with her fingernails. This was an entirely new kitchen.
Her stomach churned at a frenetic pace, and her mouth felt packed
with cotton wool.

“Hurry with your breakfast. The girls will be
here to pick you up in four minutes.”

She leaned back and watched her mum walk to
the living room. What the...? Her arms flailed as she grabbed the
bench to avoid overbalancing.

Their cottage style living room was now
silver, grey, and black. A glittering chandelier hung from the
ceiling. That wasn’t there yesterday. Curious, she went into the
living room. She sat on the heavily embossed couch, and hugged a
black cushion with shiny silver stripes smothered with
crystals.

Why could her mother not see these humungous
differences in their house from yesterday? Cate buried her head in
the very sparkly and
sharp
cushion. “Mum.”
Three sharp blasts of a car horn made her jump.

“The girls are here. Get a wriggle on.”

“But, Mum.”

“Not now—it’s impolite to keep people
waiting. Your lateness is a bad reflection on you and on me as a
principal.”

For the millionth time she said a silent
thank you her mother wasn’t the principal at Socrates Private
School. Queasiness wriggled in her stomach as she traipsed into the
kitchen to grab her school backpack. Maybe some fresh air would be
good. She yanked the door open, and a metallic, red convertible Jag
stood where her mum’s black Range Rover normally sat. The students
at her mum’s detention centre would be able to strip that during
their lunch break.

A car horn blared in one continuous blast.
Polka Dot, the neighbourhood stray cat, bolted across the driveway
and under the house. She stalked past the sports car into the front
yard, and her jaw dropped. A pink Jeep stood in the driveway. Eve
waved from the backseat. Her white-blonde hair was in a sleek, low
ponytail fixed with one demure green ribbon. Very unlike Eve.
Brittany
sat in the driver’s seat.

“Catester, come on,” Brittany hollered.

Catester?
She was
going nowhere with that whore.

“Hey, Catie,” said an unknown girl in the
passenger seat.

“Hey yourself.” She scratched her head. “I
think I’ve fallen into a parallel universe.”

“Cate, we’ll be late. Come on!” Eve
yelled.

Maybe Eve could clear this up. Cate clambered
into the backseat and nudged her friend. “What’s the story?”

Eve gave her a quizzical look. “Huh?”

Cate spread her arms wide and pointed at
Brittany and the girl in the front seat.

“Are you pretending to be an air hostess?”
Eve asked.

“What?”

Eve mimicked her. “You know, the exits are
here
and
here
.”

“No. Why are we riding to school with
Brittany?” Cate growled through her teeth.

“She always drives.”

“She’s a boyfriend stealing tart.” Why was
Eve looking at her like
she
was
insane?

“Brittany’s dating Zach, and has been for
months. She didn’t steal him from anyone.”

Cate slumped back and watched the carefully
maintained houses and lawns fly past. Eve focused on texting.

Who was she texting with Cate sitting next to
her? They had no other friends. The sun glinted on metal badges
fixed to Eve’s school blazer, and Cate grabbed her lapel. “Since
when have you been head girl, debating captain, and all those other
things?”

“Since all year. What is going on with you
today?”

“Stop the car,” Cate yelled.
“STOP...THE...CAR.”

Brittany pulled over, and Cate scrambled onto
the pavement.

“Are you all right?” Eve’s forehead crinkled
with concern.

I could ask you the same
question
, Cate thought. “I’m going to walk the last bit. My
head feels funky.”

Eve scooted over the leather seat. “I’ll come
with.”

“No!”

Eve looked taken aback.

“No,” Cate repeated more calmly. “There was a
bit of a thing at my house this morning. I need a few minutes.”

Brittany’s Jeep disappeared around the
corner, and Cate crumpled onto the pavement. Tears prickled behind
her eyes. “Blubbering won’t help you,” she mumbled and wiped her
eyes with the back of her hand. Her shoulders shook as stray tears
trickled down her cheeks. The tears escalated to gigantic, body
wrenching sobs.

“Cate?” Zach lumbered toward her, concern on
his round face. She slapped away the hand he offered to help her
up. Could her day get any worse?

“Cate,” a second voice called.

Yes, it could.

Austin jogged across the road with the ease
and grace of a supremely fit athlete. “Come on.” His dimples
showed, and his grey eyes sparkled as he helped her up.

She took deep breaths and attempted to
control her sobs, envious of the high-energy vibe Austin exuded. He
clearly loved his life.

Zach grabbed Austin’s arm. “Hands off.”

His fingers firm on Cate’s hand, Austin gave
Zach a withering glare. “Step away, Newbie, this is one fight you
don’t want to pick.”

Zach hovered, undecided. He stepped back. “If
you hurt her...”

Cate wiped her nose with the heel of her
hand. Austin held out a perfectly folded linen handkerchief to her.
She wiped her face and blew her nose. Very attractive.

“Shoo!” Austin motioned Zach away.

“Cate?” Zach asked.

“Go, Zach. We’re done. HEY!” She grabbed his
arm. “Your nose. It’s...normal,” she spluttered.

“That’s a matter for debate.” Austin peered
at Zach.

“I broke his nose last night.” She stabbed an
index finger toward Zach. “Now it’s all...not broken.”

Austin’s eyes narrowed. “Hmm. Come on.” He
moved Cate toward school. “Zach, if I turn and see any part of you
following us, I’ll snap it off.”

Zach slunk away.

Cate shook off Austin’s hand. She was done
waiting for answers. “I think someone followed me home yesterday.
What do you know about that?”

“Well spotted. We all followed you home
yesterday.”

Her spider sense had been on the mark. “Why
the hell would you do that? Who are you? What do you want?”

“I’m Austin. I’m nineteen and a Leo. I like
long walks on the beach and—”

“Cut the crap. If you followed me home, you
saw me whack Zach. Don’t tempt me to slug you too. Who are
you?”

Austin’s eyes hardened. He went from relaxed
to warrior in an instant. “Everyone saw you punch Zach because your
porch light was on. We’ll have to agree to disagree on the idea you
could hurt me.”

“Really?” Her pent up frustration begged for
release.

“I’d wipe the floor with you.” He raised his
chin, full of confidence.

Cate shrugged. “You had fair warning.” She
gave a knife-hand strike to Austin’s neck.

He smiled as he swatted her hand away. “You
want to go there? Seriously?”

She used the same move with the other
hand.

He slid away from her, as fluid and graceful
as water. “Let’s not.”

An idea sprang to mind to wipe the cocky grin
from his face. With a shrug, she stepped closer, hands held in
front of her. “You’re
way
too fast for
me.” As Austin relaxed, she flashed forward. She grabbed his
shoulders and smashed her knee into his groin. He doubled over, his
face contorted in pain.

He attempted to stand as she came at him
again, but there was no coming back from the pain of a hit that
low. He landed on the ground, and she pressed a foot against his
throat. “Let’s try this again.” She leaned and dug her thumb into
his shoulder joint.

Austin’s face contorted as the new pain set
in. She
marvelled
at how
such a small spot could be so excruciating, every time and to
everyone. “Do you know why Zach’s nose was irritatingly perfect
just now?”