Page 33 of Phoenix Chosen 2

“Got it,” Jeff says. “Here’s the site.”

He turns the computer back to me, and whatever I am about to say vanishes from my mouth like a puff of smoke.

“What?” Kalistratos asks. “How does it read?”

“Circeana Enterprises,” I say, stunned.

The Circeana Enterprises website has almost no information, just a stock photo of a man and woman in business suits and wide, pearly-white smiles shaking hands in front of a golden sunrise. There’s some vague copy about making the world a better place and the address at the very bottom, but that’s it. Not even so much as an FAQ.

“Is there a bus that goes into the city from here?” I say, pacing back and forth. “No… It’s a one-and-a-half-hour drive, normally. Public transit would take forever. Too risky, anyway. Maybe an Uber? But that would be a huge risk, too.”

Kalistratos sits silently, eyes down almost as if he’s meditating. I know his energy is low—not to mention he’s probably having a hell of a sugar and caffeine crash after drinking a gallon of Coke today. Jeff stares at the mutedtelevision, munching on piece after piece of popcorn. He’s shaking his leg nervously.

“Jeff,” I say tentatively. “We need to get to this place.”

“I know, I know,” he says, putting up his hand. “Just give me a second.” He munches more popcorn. “Oh, boy. This is getting too real.”

“It didn’t get real when Kalistratos turned into a chicken?”

Kalistratos looks up. “Hey…”

“Or when we were getting chased down by a shadow monster?”

“Up until a second ago I was doing a pretty good job at staying in denial about what happened today,” Jeff blurts. “I want to help you guys, and I will, but…I just need a second.”

“I understand.”

“Oh boy,” Jeff huffs. “It feels like I’ve had one too many Monster Energies. I need to soak my head. I-I’ll be right back.”

He accidentally knocks the bowl of popcorn across Kalistratos’s lap when he gets up and vanishes into the bathroom.

Kalistratos looks up at me. “This isn’t his fight,” he says.

“I know,” I reply. “But we can’t get there without his help.”

“Yes, we can. We’ll walk if we must. You and I both know that nothing will keep us from doing what we must to get to the endof this.” He nods towards the bathroom. “You should go speak with him. Release him of his burden.”

I think about it for a moment, then nod. “Yeah. I’ll do that.”

I go to the bathroom door. I can hear the sink running inside. After a few deep breaths, I knock.

“Mind if I come in and talk to you?” I say.

Jeff opens the door. He’s a little pale, and his face is dripping with water. He turns off the faucet and wipes his face with a hand towel. I lean against the doorframe.

“I’m asking too much of you. Don’t worry about taking us, alright? Kalistratos and I will figure something out.”

Jeff gives me a weary smile. “I’d always fantasized about being the hero in a movie. Magic, monsters, shapeshifters. It’s real, and here I am, chickening out. I can’t even turn into one. Don’t tell him I said that.”

I snort. “Don’t worry about it, Jeff. It’s a lot for anyone to take. I’ve just been in it for long enough that I’m sort of used to it. Remember, I’ve been gone longer than it seems.”

“You were always the brave one. I’m sorry. I feel like a piece of shit.”

“Don’t. You’ve already done a lot for us.”

“That’s not what I mean… I’m sorry for the way I treated you. Fuckin’ sucks. I guess it took suddenly being kicked off of Tyler Island to see it.”

“Yeah, no shit, it sucks. You hurt me a lot. I’m sure I hurt you, too. Always getting angry, demanding things you weren’t ready or willing to give. I just… I really cared about you a lot. But it’s different now. I always wondered why I wasn’t enough for you to be ready to be with me. But I realized the truth. It had nothing to do with me. And I had to stop holding on to the person who always broke my heart.”

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