Chapter 18

Jason

Leo went to the front of the house and looked out the window. It was Jason.

Leo opened the door for him. “Shhhh, Mom's sleeping.”

“Sorry. I had to see how you were doing. What happened? Mr. Osmond wouldn't tell me.”

“I can't explain, Jason. Sorry.” Leo wondered how he could get rid of this kid without hurting his feelings. “You need to go. Mom's grounded me for fighting.”

Jason started to leave but turned back. “You got an implant, didn't you?”

Leo grabbed Jason and dragged him into the house. “Jesus Christ, Jason, could you not tell everybody!”

“I was right.” He looked at Leo, wide-eyed. “That's why you've been acting so strange. What's it like? Is it driving you crazy? Do you feel like killing people?” He seemed more interested than frightened.

“Aside from present company? No. My sister cannot find out about this. She would tell everyone.” Leo dragged Jason to his bedroom and shut the door. “And don't ever use the i word. Cellphones and walls have ears. I got that 'plant from this old man I helped with groceries, and I knew Brick was after me, so I put it on.” Leo told Jason what had happened, about how Imp had given him quests to gain Demon Tears, and how he'd had a vision where he'd lived some fifty years in the future before dying. “I won't blame you if you think I'm insane.”

“Is this end-of-the-world Change like the game Schools Out?” Jason asked.

“Uh, that's the game with the fast-moving zombies. Right?” Leo asked.

Jason looked at him strangely. “We played it last Saturday.”

“Told you, my memories are messed up. But, yeah, there are similarities.”

“That's so awesome! The world is about to turn into my favorite game!” Jason practically jumped up and down with delight, a big smile on his face.

“In this game, you get one life, the food sucks, and the monsters are pretty scary,” Leo said.

“And the 'plant is part of this game? You use the 'plant to grind up levels, improve stats, and it gives you powers?”

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Leo nodded.

“Are you sure this vision isn't caused by the 'plant?”

“I hope it is. But, no, I don't think so. It felt real,” Leo answered. “You can believe what you want, but I think this vision is real and I have to figure out how to stop it from happening.”

“Neat! Except for the last part. Got any chips?” Jason asked. “Video games and zombie apocalypses make me hungry.”

“Pantry. Maybe.”

“So you really think the world's going to end?” Jason asked a minute later, munching on a bag of potato chips.

“I don't know. I'm hoping I can stop it, but I don't see how.”

Jason seemed to take it in. Then he shrugged. “Want to go to my place? We can play more School's Out. Prepare ourselves in case you're right and we do get stuck in this game world.”

Leo reached out a hand for the potato chips. “I got a quest, Jason. I need to find a man named Trent with a tattoo of a cross on his right hand.”

“Can't it wait?”

“You know I got my ass kicked for you this morning, right?” Leo said. “I need to find this guy. It's important.”

Jason sighed. “I suppose. Did you get his phone number? E-mail address?”

“No. He's a large man with dark brown hair in his thirties with a tattoo of a cross on his right hand. That's all I know.”

“Not much to go on. This tattoo of a cross. What did it look like? Could you recognize it in a tattoo parlor?”

“No. Pretty sure it was a homemade thing. Maybe he got it in prison?”

“So maybe an ex-convict?”

“I don't know. I think he was about six feet two inches, but he looked taller because he wore motorcycle boots. Don't think he was married.”

“So he's single, and a biker? That's something at least. What kind of bike? Part of a bike club/gang?” Jason took a sip of his Coke.

“No idea.” Leo helped himself to a handful of chips. “You know, I forgot how smart you are.”

“People often do. But you still haven't given me much to go on. Does this guy have interests? Hobbies?”

“I remember him saying something about going to church and being a member of Alcoholics Anonymous. He was drunk when he told me this, but I think he was telling the truth.” Leo struggled to think of anything that might make this man stand out.

“Thousands of churches in this city have Alcoholics Anonymous branches,” Jason said. “It could take years to find this guy.”

“Wait! How many churches hate Bio-Blessed?”

Jason snorted. “Nobody hates Bio-Blessed. It's got the Pope's seal of approval. Evangelists think Bio-Blessed is God's greatest bounty. Churches that won't let you see a doctor let you take Bio-Blessed.”

“Yes!” Leo said. He rushed to his laptop and typed in “Churches that hate Bio-Blessed.”

He got twenty articles on Christian terrorist hate groups. Leo chucked. “Jackpot.”