Post by StoryGirl83 on Nov 9, 2011 14:39:11 GMT -5
Chapter Eight – Centennial’s Boss
and Naomi Walz
Flashback
Flashback
Flashback
Flashback
As Chris entered Centennial a wave of nostalgia hit him. He remembered the first time he’d entered the store. It had been the day of Wyatt and Seth’s high school graduation. Wyatt had dragged him out of the graduation celebration almost as soon as he’d gotten out of his cap and gown.
Monday June 7, 2021
Are you serious?” Kali Nicolae giggled as she pushed passed him into the store. “You’ve never been in here? This place is amazing.”
Chris stared at the fourteen-year-old for a few seconds and then over her head at Wyatt. “How did she get invited?”
“It was her idea,” Wyatt replied with a shrug. “And since I’m going to need some things for the dorm this fall I figured who not.”
“Wyatt?” Seth asked from the doorway, a cell phone in his hand. Once the other three were looking at him he asked, “How long are we going to be here? Danielle’s being nice for once and she’s decided to cook a graduation dinner for me. Dad says he wants me there.”
“Well, it is your graduation dinner,” Wyatt teased.
“Yeah, but it’s Danielle,” Seth protested. “I don’t think she likes me too much.”
“Haven’t they been dating forever?” Kali asked her back to him as she looked at a display of some kitchen supplies. “Are they ever going to get married?” Kali’s dad had disappeared before she was born and she clung to the idea that had her parents married things would have been different.
Chris had once heard a conversation that lead him to believe demons had killed her father, so he doubted it. He let her keep her illusion that her dad was alive. Besides, what did he know if demons. They hadn’t attacked since he was he less than two.
“I kind of doubt it,” Seth informed her. “Dad’s asked her twice and she didn’t seem interested. Besides I’m not sure I want her to marry dad.”
“But what about Peter?” Kali persisted, looking over at him. “Danielle is his mom.” Since her dad was gone her mom was the most important person in her life. The idea that a mom might be less than revered baffled her.
“Some Mom,” he retorted. “She actually lived with us for a while, but as soon as she found out she was expecting Peter she left. Dad didn’t even know she was expecting.”
Chris looked at him confused. “I thought Peter had always lived with you.”
“Almost always,” Seth amended. “She kept him for a while. He was six months old when she finally told Dad about him. It was another ten months before she decided she didn’t want to deal with a toddler bumbling around. So he’s been living with us for more than half his life and he’ll live with us for the rest of it. She’s not getting him back.”
Wyatt chuckled. “You really haven’t been paying attention, have you little brother?”
Chris gave him a look. “Honestly, you’d think you were so all knowing. You don’t fool me.”
Wyatt rolled his eyes. “I know more than you do.”
“Just because you’ve graduated high school,” Chris teased. “Time will give me that knowledge.”
“But it will never give you the year and a half between us,” Wyatt retorted.
“Am I supposed to care?”
“Probably,” a voice behind them announced.
The four friends turned around to find a woman behind them. She was in her late teens to early twenties, maybe as old as her mid twenties. They couldn’t be sure. On her name tag was the name “Alex”. “May I help you find something?”
Wyatt held out his hand. “I’m looking for some furniture for my dorm in the fall.”
She smiled. “Well, I’m Jelly and I would be happy to help you find some. Are your friends looking for furniture, too?”
“I’m staying home and commuting,” Seth informed her, “and they’re,” he pointed at Chris and Kali, “too young for college yet.”
“Jelly” smiled.
“May I ask a question?” Chris said looking at her.
She shrugged and nodded. “Do you need something for your home?”
“No,” he shook his head. “It’s about your nametag.”
She laughed. “That’s a long story. My name is actually Alexis Porter, but around here I’m known as Jelly.”
“That doesn’t sound long,” Chris mumbled.
“Well, no I guess it doesn’t sound that way,” she agreed, “but the reason behind that is quite long and . . . and not something I wish to share.”
“Then, why doesn’t your name tag say “Jelly” instead?” he asked, confused.
“I guess because Mr. Hollis didn’t think it was very professional,” she informed him. She turned to look at Wyatt. “How about I show you some of that furniture you might need this fall?”
Wyatt had grinned and let her lead them away, but even as they had walked Chris had wondered about her strange reaction. There was some story behind that name and he wanted to understand it. Chris chuckled. Almost six years later, she no longer went by “Jelly” and he still had no idea what the story was behind that name.
Chris stopped in front of a door which clearly stated “Employees Only”. Of course he could easily get by it, but right now was not the time to be flaunting his thankfully reacquired ability to orb.
“Chris, is that you?” a familiar voice asked behind him.
Chris turned around. Behind him was Brian Heitzman. There was something very unusual about his connection to Brian. He’d only known Brian since the beginning of the year, but the other him had known Brian for years, something he had realized just before he quit working at Centennial. There was a massive difference between the Brian of the other time line and this one, mostly to his physical appearance, but there was enough similarity of action and personality that, now that he knew, it messed with his head.
“What brings you here today?” Brian asked. “It’s been a while since we’ve seen you here.”
“Well, I haven’t had any need for furniture or kitchen utensils since I left here,” Chris informed him with a shrug.
“So you need an excuse to come see us, huh?” Brian teased. “Then, what brings you here today?”
“Actually I need to talk to Mr. Hollis,” Chris admitted, “but I kind of forgot about the lockout for all non employees. Would you mind going in there and seeing if Mr. Hollis will come out and see me?”
Brian chuckled. He pulled out his swipe card and ran in through the scanner on the card. The door beeped and the little light on the door handle turned from red to green. He turned the handle and waited as it was scanned. Once they heard another beep Brian pushed open the door and stuck his head inside. “Hey, Ms. Walz, any objections to Chris coming in?”
Apparently he received a negative, because he pushed the door all the way opened and indicated for Chris to enter. “Knock yourself out and don’t forget to say ‘hi’ on your way out.”
Chris grinned at him and entered the room, shutting the door behind him. He smiled at Naomi Walz, Mr. Hollis’ receptionist. “Is Mr. Hollis in?”
“Here for your job back?” she teased.
He shook his head, good naturedly. “Na, David’s welcome to that. I’m enjoying working for my mom.”
“What brings you here then?”
“Just some personal business I might be able to help the boss with.”
She raised twin eyebrows. “In other words, don’t ask.”
“Take it how you like it,” Chris replied, unconcerned. “Is he in?”
“Let me go see if he’ll see you,” she suggested as she stood and headed into Mr. Hollis’ office. She was gone less than a minute before she reentered and nodded him in. “Mr. Hollis will see you.”
Chris smiled at her as he entered Mr. Hollis’ office.
Mr. Hollis looked up from some papers as Chris closed the door. “Naomi said you wanted to see me, Chris.”
Chris nodded and walked up to the desk. “How have you been, Mr. Hollis?”
“Well enough, I suppose,” Mr. Hollis replied.
Chris wondered if he imagined the sad tone in his former boss’ voice.
“Have a seat,” Mr. Hollis invited with a wave of his hand.
Chris shook his head. “No, thank you. I need to ask you a question.”
Mr. Hollis waited expectantly.
“Why didn’t you destroy the Aphrodite Crystal?” Chris asked watching his former boss’ face carefully.
He wasn’t disappointed. The shock couldn’t be hidden fast enough. The fright that followed was also quickly hidden. Anger and suspicion followed that. “What do you know about the Aphrodite Crystal?”
“I know it’s never going to bother anyone ever again,” Chris informed him. He might not have found a way to destroy it or to neutralize it, but he would and until he could, he wasn’t going to let anyone near it.
Suspicion warred with hope. His voice was softer as he asked again, “What do you know about that?”
“I know that the Crystal showed up at my brother’s work early this morning,” Chris informed him. “And I know that the four people affected by it have been cured.”
“You can’t know that,” Mr. Hollis protested. “No, one knows how to find the cure.”
“I have resources you would have a lot of trouble accessing,” Chris countered. “Would you like the cure, Mr. Hollis?”
Mr. Hollis gulped and stared at Chris, uncertainty clear on his face. “How do I know I can trust you?”
“Search your mind,” Chris suggested. “Think back over the year that you’ve known me. Would I lie to you?”
Mr. Hollis hesitated. His mind went back to one day the previous summer.
Reggie directed Rose Laughlin, his newest employee, past one of the front registers.
Jody Powell, the daughter of his friend, Jarod Powell, waved at them. He sometimes felt sad when he saw her, knowing it was his fault she didn’t have a father around, because it was his fault that Jarod had gone mad.
“Who’s that?” Rose asked, a smile in her voice.
“Jody,” Reggie informed her. “You’ll meet her later. Right now I want you to meet Alex. She’s my assistant manager.” He led the way down the hall and knocked on a door and pushed it open. “Alex, this is . . .” he stopped and frowned.
The name plate on the door as well as the one on the desk said “Alexis Owens”, but the person at the desk was Chris Halliwell. A phone was held next to his ear and his eyes were on them.
“Chris, what are you doing in here?” Reggie asked. “And where is Alex?”
Chris nibbled on his bottom lip and frowned. “Hi, Mr. Hollis.”
Reggie gave Chris a look.
Chris looked a little uncomfortable. “My brother called and Alex said I could use her phone in here. Then, Josh showed up and she decided to leave early.”
Reggie sighed. “I see. I’ll deal with Alex later. Why couldn’t your brother wait until you get off to call you?”
“Amber didn’t get home last night,” Chris informed him. “And no one’s at her sister’s home. Wyatt’s worried about her, about both of them really.”
Reggie recognized the name of Chris’ brother’s girlfriend. He’d met her a few times and found her to be a nice girl. “I’m sorry to hear that, but I’m sure they’ll show up soon. Finish you phone call quickly and return to work.”
That should have been that, but Chris had informed him that he was really worried about Amber. He said he didn’t think he could finish out the day. Reggie had insisted that he stay there. He’d already had one employee leave early without permission.
As it turned out, Chris literally couldn’t finish the day, but it hadn’t been the missing Alden sisters that had caused problems for him. It had been a rupturing appendix. How Chris mixed the pain of a rupturing appendix for feelings of worry Reggie hadn’t a clue even now, but hearing him talk about the Aphrodite Crystal like this made Reggie think there was a lot more to that story then he could imagine.
Anyone who knew what the Aphrodite Crystal was capable of making one think or do would run scared. Well, anyone except Ev, Jarod, and Nick and they had done it for him. Only Nick had come out of it without voices in his head and sometimes Reggie wasn’t so sure of that. He had an idea that while Nick didn’t hear the voices the rest of them heard, Nick was haunted by the voices of the past, of how different the other three were before Reggie made the stupid mistake of going after the Aphrodite Crystal.
“Tell me about your brother’s girlfriend,” Reggie instructed Chris suddenly.
“Huh?” Chris looked at him as if he hadn’t heard him right.
“The one who’s missing,” Reggie directed.
As if there was any other. “What’s that have to do with this?”
“You said you won’t lie to me, so tell me about her.”
Chris stared at him confused. “But what? She’s missing. It’s been months and there’s no sign of her or her sister. We don’t know anything.”
“But you suspect something,” Reggie pushed. “I saw it that day last year when she went missing. You suspect something.”
Chris exhaled slowly, trying to remember what he might have been thinking that day. He’d received the phone call from his brother about Amber and Molly and while he was still on the phone his appendix had ruptured. It had been a bad day over all. “I don’t know,” he admitted. He slumped into the chair he had previously refused. “I don’t know. She wouldn’t have left, not of her free will,” Chris informed his former boss. “I’m not even the one that got left behind,” he mumbled. “I’m the one who had to pick up the pieces. Wyatt was completely berserk there for a while. At first he expected every phone call to be her, calling to say she’d gotten lost or something and then as days past buy he became certain that she was dead, that her body was at the bottom of some ditch somewhere. I’m not sure what he expected to happen if he wore himself out checking and double checking every inch of San Francisco.”
Chris gulped. “He ever pushed her brother up against a wall once having decided that her family was hiding her from him. I can’t imagine James Alden was too happy about that. He’s freaked out about his sisters and Wyatt’s accusing him of hiding them.”
Reggie listened. It appeared to him that Chris needed someone to talk to about this. Reggie wasn’t really learning anything that could help him gauge if Chris really had a cure for the Aphrodite Crystal. It was so easy to be hopeful, but he’d learned not to easily trust in hope.
Chris looked up at Reggie. “After that he just lost all interest in anything except work. It’s only been in the last few months since magic . . .” Chris froze and looked at Reggie. He sighed. “Magic. That’s how I know about the Crystal, how I am able to have a cure, because of magic, real magic. The curse was made by magic and that was the only way to fix it.”
Reggie looked at Chris surprised, but thinking about it, he supposed that made sense in a weird way.
“Magic brought my brother back,” Chris informed him, thinking of the change that had come over his brother. It had been weeks before Wyatt even remembered to think about Amber, or at least to mention her to anyone. Before magic had returned everyone had been very careful not to mention Amber to Wyatt and even now as Wyatt was beginning to mention her on his own that continued. They didn’t want him to return to the way he had been for those first few months. Chris didn’t think he would. As much as magic returning had been good for Wyatt, Chris wasn’t so sure how good it had been for him. “But it lost me.”
“What?” Reggie looked at him very confused.
“Magic made Wyatt focus on something besides his sorrows and his fears,” Chris explained, “but it also turned me into someone I’m not. For the rest of my life I have to deal with someone else’s memories. Sometimes I approve of what he did and sometimes I don’t, but I am still trying to learn how to keep it from controlling who I am.” He looked at Reggie. “That’s not what you wanted to know, though.”
Reggie nodded slowly. It wasn’t originally, but this was more interesting.
“It all goes back to the same source though,” Chris informed him. “Magic, demons, innocent people needing protection, people like you and your friends.” Chris stopped and looked at his former boss. “Mr. Hollis?”
“Reggie,” Reggie corrected. “You don’t work for me anymore.”
“Right,” Chris returned skeptically. “Mr. Hollis, I don’t feel comfortable continuing this conversation. I want to help you, Mr. Hollis, but there are things I just can’t tell you.” He sighed. “The cure’s not going away. You’re not getting worse, I don’t think, so I’ll quit bothering you.” He stood from the chair and gave Reggie a sad look. “You know how to find me if you change your mind.” He turned away and walked to the door.
“Wait,” Reggie requested as Chris turned the knob.
Chris turned around and looked at him.
“Give me the cure,” he requested.
Good, Chris smiled as he let go of the doorknob. I want to help you. He returned his face to normal as he turned around. He reached into his pocket and pulled out one of the small bottles Piper had put the doses in. He put it down on the desk in front of Reggie. Then, he walked over to a small fridge in the wall and pulled out a water bottle. “You’ll want to drink this after you finish with the cure. It smells nasty and everyone who’s had it so far agrees that it tastes as bad as it smells.”
“You haven’t had any?”
Chris shook his head. “I wasn’t infected. The Crystal showed up at my brother’s work. That’s where people were infected. I managed to avoid touching anyone while they were infected, so I’m fine.”
Reggie picked up the bottle and unscrewed the lid. He took a whiff of it and shuddered. “What did you put in there? Horse dung?”
Moss, mud, horn dust, but not horse dung. Chris shook his head. “Nothing like that.”
Reggie took the bottle of water from Chris and sighed. He picked up the bottle with the potion and gulped it down as fast as he could. Then, he grabbed the bottle of water and started glugging it down. As he did this green bubbles began to work their way down his body.
Chris broke out into a broad grin.
Reggie stopped drinking the water and gave Chris a look. “What’s with the . . ?” A stunned look crossed his face as the green smoke drifted unnoticed from beneath the desk. “Incredible,” Reggie pronounced stunned. “I haven’t felt like this in years.” He smiled and then he gave Chris a curious look. “That was real.”
Chris chuckled. “You still didn’t believe me?”
Reggie shrugged. “I’ll try anything to get rid of this so long as I’m sure it won’t kill me.” He grinned. “And now I don’t have to try anything ever again. Thank you.”
Chris shook his head amused. “How about thanking me by backing me up if I call and ask you to tell one of your friends that this works? I’ve got a dose for each of them. Would you mind?”
“Mind?” Reggie looked at him incredulous. “They’re my best friends. I want to help them.”
With a grin on his face Chris headed for the door. He had another stop to make before he joined Seth and Peter.