Ex-Purgatory by Peter Clines (best book club books TXT) 📕

“If that is so,” she said, “and this is all an illusion, how is Barry calling my cell phone?”

“BUT WE’VE ALL been using our cell phones,” said St. George. “I called Barry. I called you. I called …”

“Maybe he’s using his powers,” said Danielle. “He’s got …” She closed her eyes for a moment and snapped her fingers again. “He’s got some sort of energy powers, right? He talks straight to walkie-talkies all the time, doesn’t he?”

“Correct,” said Stealth. She held up the phone. “However, to transmit to a cell phone he would still require an active network to tap into. There has been no such thing for fifty-one months now.”

“I remember that,” Danielle muttered. “The annoying habit of knowing everything.”

“Also,” Stealth continued, ignoring them, “Barry cannot partially manifest his powers. If he is not Zzzap, he has no such abilities.”

“And if he’s turned back into Zzzap,” said St. George, “why does he think he’s still in a wheelchair?”

“Is it a cell phone when we switch over?” asked Danielle. She patted herself down. “Maybe you’re talking to him on a walkie. I mean, maybe we’ve all been using walkies.”

Stealth shook her head. “If his mind is still confused it is possible …”

“Ma’am, sir,” said Freedom, “perhaps this is a conversation we can continue in a more secure location? We don’t want to be trapped out in the open if there’s a longer shift.” As he spoke he stepped to stay between Danielle and an exhausted jogger plodding along the sidewalk.

“Agreed,” Stealth said. The phone vanished back into her pocket. She nodded to St. George. “Continue.”

“We’re almost there.” He pointed ahead to a tall brick building. “That’s her dorm.”

Madelyn’s roommate, Kathy, opened the door. She was dressed in baggy sweatpants and a loose tank top, but didn’t look like she’d been woken up. Her eyes widened when she saw George. Then her jaw dropped when she saw Stealth.

“Oh my God,” she said. Her jaw pulled itself up and became a wide grin. “Oh my God.”

St. George felt a kick in his own stomach. He hadn’t recognized her before. The last time he’d seen Banzai alive and without her mask had been almost five years ago, the morning of the day she’d died. They’d all met up to discuss strategy against the exes. She’d been dressed in her rainbow-colored karate uniform with her mask slung over her shoulder, standing next to Gorgon as they’d all studied a map of Los Angeles.

“Hey,” he said, forcing the memories away. “Is Madelyn here?”

“Oh my God,” said Kathy. Her eyes were still locked on Stealth.

“How do you do,” said Stealth. She held out her hand. St. George could tell she was shaken, too, although she did a much better job of hiding it. “It is a pleasure to meet you. Is your roommate here?”

“Oh my … yes. Yeah, she is.” She stared at the hand like she was both thrilled and terrified by it. Then she stepped back and pulled the door open. “Maddy, it’s for you.”

“Who is it?”

Kathy looked out again and noticed the wall of digital camo behind Stealth. Her gaze went up until she saw Freedom’s face. “It’s your friend,” said Kathy. “And Karen Quilt. And a giant.”

She stepped out of the way and waved them in. St. George glanced back at Freedom, then drew a line between Kathy and Danielle with his eyes. Freedom nodded his understanding.

They filed into the dorm room. Madelyn was stretched out on her own bed in sweats and a T-shirt, holding a textbook open above her head. She glanced over and sat up when her eyes settled on Stealth. “It’s you,” she said. “You’re here.”

“I am. You know me?”

“Sort of. I know your voi—John!” Madelyn used her hands to bounce to the end of the bed and lunge at the captain.

Freedom caught her in one arm and hugged her. St. George saw the huge man’s face shift. It was still formal and serious, but a layer of tension washed away as he held the girl.

Danielle pushed the door closed behind them. Kathy retreated onto her own bed and pulled her MacBook into her lap. A moment later the sound of YouTube comedy clips buzzed over the speakers. She stared in awe at Stealth over the top of the screen.

George realized, without much surprise, that Kathy was watching old Monty Python clips.

The captain set Madelyn down in her chair. “It’s good to see you, too,” he said.

“At least you remembered not to call me ‘ma’am.’ ” She smiled.

“So,” said St. George, “first off, I don’t think you should shoot anyone else to help them remember.”

Her face dropped. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I didn’t know what else to do. Smith had got to you again and you just kept denying stuff.”

“Where is the weapon?” asked Stealth. “It is best if I take possession of it.”

Madelyn twisted around and grabbed the backpack hanging on her wheelchair. She pulled it into her lap, fished through it, and pulled out a pistol.

Kathy gasped. “You’ve got a gun?!”

Stealth held out her hand and Madelyn handed her the pistol butt-first. The supermodel checked the safety, ejected the magazine, and yanked the slide back. “Sig Sauer Pro 2009,” she said. “Four rounds remaining in a magazine which holds fifteen. You are too young to purchase a handgun in California. How did you acquire this?”

“I know a guy.”

Stealth reloaded the pistol and tucked it into the waistband of her slacks so it would be hidden beneath her trench coat. “Who?”

“His name’s Hector. He’s a member of the South Seventeens. He got it for me.”

“Hector de la Vega?”

Madelyn nodded. “If it makes you feel better, it freaked him out, too.”

“If you were shooting at him to convince him,” said St. George, “that might be why he freaked out.”

“I said I’m sorry.”

“How much have you seen?” asked Stealth.

“Huh?”

“Twenty-two minutes ago all of us experienced a shift in perceptions which allowed us to see the world as it is instead of the reality