Page 57 of The Devil You Know
“Seriously?” Seth let out an exasperated sigh. He had forgotten how stubborn his brother could be when Jesse thought he had the high ground.
“Wanna try and see what happens?”
They glared at each other for a moment, and then Seth relented. “I don’t want to fight with you.”
“Then let me come. Besides, someone needs to bring the bike back if this harebrained scheme works,” Jesse argued.
The idea of having even a little extra time with Jesse sealed the deal, although Seth feared for his brother’s safety.
“Okay. But take this.” He reached into his backpack and pulled out his service pistol and an extra clip. “Just in case we run into trouble.”
“Aren’t you going to need it if you actually do go through the looking glass?”
“Don’t know. But if you’re going with me, then you need to be able to protect yourself,” Seth crossed his arms.
“Fine,” Jesse returned.
“Fine,” Seth echoed, just to be a pain in the ass.
Seth went to the kitchen and grabbed a pen and paper.“Mom and Dad—thanks for everything. I love you, Seth.”He left the note where his mom would be sure to see it.
“Going to write me a note too?” Jesse joked, but Seth could see the sadness in his eyes.
Seth pulled his brother into a bear hug. “No. I’m going to tell you flat out that I love you and that you’re the best brother in the whole world and that I’m going to miss you like hell.”
“Back atcha. Love you too, dweeb.” Jesse’s voice broke on the last word.
Seth thumped Jesse on the back one last time and reluctantly let go. “Come on before I lose my nerve.”
“Would that be a bad thing?”
Half-remembered images flashed through Seth’s mind. Most of them he couldn’t quite place, but he knew they were important. “It might be,” he replied. “I think we’ve saved people by stopping the witches.”
“Then let’s go do what you gotta do,” Jesse told him, setting his jaw and blinking back tears.
Seth pushed the Hayabusa to the gates of the campground, so he didn’t wake his parents with its rumble. He started the engine, Jesse climbed on behind him, and then they were flying through the night.
Even though it was late, Seth kept his speed down. He had no desire to get pulled over by a cop, especially with what was at stake. They wound through the darkened streets until they found the ravine that hid the old tunnel’s east end. The glow of the streetlight didn’t illuminate far beyond the damaged chain-link fence.
“You’re nuts,” Jesse said, staring into the darkness. “You’re going to break a leg, and I’ll have to haul your ass out of there.”
Seth wondered what Jesse would remember once he was gone.Or will the power that sent me here erase me completely from this version?
“I’ve got my phone, so don’t hang around up here by yourself,” Seth warned.
“Screw that. I need to know if you get down to the bottom,” Jesse replied.
Seth knew better than to argue and pulled his brother in for one last hug. Jesse hugged back hard enough Seth couldn’t breathe—or maybe that was because he was trying not to cry.
“Just—be safe,” Jesse told him when they finally stepped apart.
“You too. Remember what I said.”
“No hell gate. Got it,” Jesse replied with a watery smile.
Seth drew in a deep breath, shouldered his backpack, and slipped through a break in the fence. He was glad for his high-powered flashlight and solid boots. Before he got too far down the slope, Seth pulled his combat knife from his pack, keeping it in hand as he descended the steep, trash-filled slope.
All of his senses prickled on high alert. As his vision adjusted to the dark, Seth watched for movement or the glint of eyes. This wasn’t hospitable territory for squatters, but he had no desire to run into feral dogs or rabid raccoons. In the distance, he heard the hum of traffic.
