Tag Archives: Haley

Arc 2.8: Uncontrolled Substances

Uncontrolled Substances: Part 9

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Haley crossed the floor and stepped into the kitchen, the door swaying back and forth after she passed through.

Even as she passed out of sight, a rusty, white Ford Taurus raced through the parking lot, barely stopping before turning on to Jefferson Street. I couldn’t be sure, but I thought I saw our waitress in the driver’s seat.

Though I couldn’t understand her words, I could hear Haley’s voice. She wasn’t shouting, but she wasn’t making an effort to keep the volume down either.
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Arc 2.8: Uncontrolled Substances

Uncontrolled Substances: Part 8

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Restaurants ran down both sides of Jefferson Street, most of them chains. Scattered among the McDonalds, Burger Kings, CVS Pharmacies, and gas stations were local businesses.

As we neared the restaurant, Haley stopped talking and asked, “What kind of restaurant was it?”

“Basically fine dining. A steak house, I think.”

Off to the right I saw the building, a long building, decorated to suggested a cabin in the woods — fake wooden logs for the walls, a big, glowing sign that said “Grand Lake Steak and Fine Dining” next to a picture of a buck.

I turned the car into the parking lot.

“Oh, this ought to be interesting,” she said.
Continue reading Uncontrolled Substances: Part 8 →

Arc 2.8: Uncontrolled Substances

Uncontrolled Substances: Part 7

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If worst came to worst, Haley or I could summon her grandfather’s car. The only bad point would be the intervening walls. If we didn’t care about the property damage, the car would come right to us and we could get in and change — or just use the car to take out the problem.

If I wanted to use the roachbots, I’d need to modify them a little more, but the flying ones would definitely be useful as a distraction.
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Arc 2.8: Uncontrolled Substances

Uncontrolled Substances: Part 6

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Talk turned back to who people were going to the prom with. Vaughn and Cassie were both going, but not with each other. Kayla either wasn’t going or didn’t have a date. Either way, she didn’t want to talk about it. I didn’t hear what the rest of the guys were doing, but maybe they didn’t say.

When Keith heard I was going with Haley, he said, “You should go to a restaurant with Courtney and I before prom.”
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Arc 2.8: Uncontrolled Substances

Uncontrolled Substances: Part 2

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“So you just told him?” Jaclyn didn’t seem to be able to contain her disbelief.

“It’s not like I invited him to train with us,” I said. “I just told him the same thing I’ve always told anyone curious about who I’m taking martial arts from.”

“It’s not that bad,” Haley said. “Of all Sean’s friends, Dayton’s the only one who’s actually nice.”
Continue reading Uncontrolled Substances: Part 2 →

Arc 2.7: Hysteria

Hysteria: Part 10

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“Where does he work?” I asked.

“I don’t know,” Vaughn said. “Something medical.”

We started talking about the fight again for another thirty minutes or so. Somehow the conversation turned to Lee, and I reminded people that he wanted all of us there the next day and ideally every practice thereafter.

“And that’s why I need to go,” Jaclyn said. “If I want to have time for that, I can’t stay here all night.”
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Arc 2.7: Hysteria

Hysteria: Part 9

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Sean looked over the oncoming crowd a little nervously, and asked me, “What are we supposed to do now?”

“No idea,” I said.

Then I turned on the loudspeaker.

They were halfway across the lawn, and the growing darkness gave the group a “Night of the Living Dead” feel. Not that they were really zombies, but a crowd of people walking toward you isn’t a normal situation.
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Arc 2.7: Hysteria

Hysteria: Part 8

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Payback screamed and fell over, his body outlined in electricity.

The air smelled of ozone, and smoke.

When the lightning stopped, I could see Payback more clearly. His chest still moved, but he wasn’t doing much more than that. His right arm looked uncomfortably red and blistered.

From behind me Vaughn shouted, “I got him, right?”
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Arc 2.7: Hysteria

Hysteria: Part 6

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Punching yourself in the face isn’t a great tactic in most fights, but it seemed like a good idea at the time.

The ice fell off my helmet and hit the floor. I swung back out onto the bumper behind the only remaining door, and tried to get a second to think.

I could blast away with the sonics, distract everybody, fly into the middle of them and start punching, but I didn’t like my odds. Besides Keith’s uncle didn’t deserve to have his ears bleed from the noise.

Then the solution struck me. I’d lean out, blast one of the rear tires with the sonics, and they’d have to stop. If they didn’t, I’d blast the other tire.
Continue reading Hysteria: Part 6 →