New Message from Marty: This is some freaky mental communication you cats have.

  New Message from Party Leader CJ: Try to keep the chatter to a minimum, bud. It can be distracting.

  They were all now traveling through the pine barrens, following after Monty who assured CJ he could find the reservoir. Before heading our CJ managed to store a couple bushels of apples just in case. Their disease healing properties might come in handy based on his last recollections of the refugee camp of no phones. CJ’s thoughts raced, focused primarily on how Tommy and the Redmond’s were doing. He hoped telling them he had a safe place would be good news. That was coupled with the fear of confronting Jerry.

  Was it fear or excitement? The mob thug was once intimidating but CJ had lived through much worse in the last month. He would even go as far as to say he was ready for him. Between his actual magic and his deadly arsenal, CJ believed he was more than ready for Jerry’s gun skills. Even so, the ingrained fear that had sunk into his bones over the years due to that man’s abuse was hard to shake off.

  Before they met up with CJ, Elena and Jenn said their goodbyes. Jenn left a case of health boosters she made overnight with Rubio. Elena promised her dad to bring everyone home safe. She hoped she could keep that promise.

  “So, Marty, you any good with a gun?” asked Elena clearly fishing for info on their new traveling partner. “If so, I’m sure CJ has a spare he’s picked up somewhere and stuffed into his little clepto cave.”

  “I’d never touch a gun. Horrible things. Like holding death in your hands. You do bring up a good point though. How do you do that trick?” Marty asked eyeballing CJ as they tromped through the underbrush. “I’ve seen you pull stuff out of thin air no less than ten times.”

  “It’s a class ability I’ve learned abuse.” Began CJ before ducking under a low hanging branch. If you notice the descriptions you get from your Slate, it often leave out minor details. The description I got for my storage ability didn’t say I had a limit, just that it must fit up my sleeve. After realizing that, I figured if I had bigger sleeves, I could store bigger things.”

  “So, what happened next?”

  “I started shoving anything I could find that would fit in there.” He replied wincing at Jenn’s sharp laugh.

  “Like a metaphysical prison wallet?” she tittered.

  Marty started chuckling at that before Elena stepped between him and Jenn, forcing Marty to turn his attention back to CJ.

  “So, like, your sleeves aren’t that wide.” Marty said pointing at CJ’s arm before continuing. “Seems like a pretty fair limitation to me.”

  “That’s where the bigger sleeves thing comes in. I managed to find an enchanted robe that has yawning cuffs. Could probably fit a bike through those cuffs.” Commented CJ before stroking his chin in contemplation as he stepped over a log encrusted with mushrooms. “When I tried to abuse it by putting a piece of something much too large to fit, I ended up getting a new spell that compresses space around an object. It was most likely the system correcting itself. I did find that kind of odd.”

  “So, you’re saying the Slate is self-correcting? I hope it corrects what’s wrong with my abilities.”

  CJ had the hook in him good and deep now. He looked back over his shoulder at Elena whose helmeted head just nodded once.

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  “Why don’t you tell me about it? Maybe I can help.”

  “That would be awesome. You see… My ability is only really active when I smoke up. Like it doesn’t do anything unless I can get lit. I know, that sounds bodacious right?” Marty shrugged seeming to deflate from what would be dream for him. “But I lose the high and enter a state of exceptional agro. It’s a real downer man.”

  “What do you mean sate of exceptional agro? Should we be worried?”

  “Nah, I took care of all those people with Saul fighting on my flanks. That dude knows how to kick some ass, let me tell you. Why isn’t he here again?

  “Focus up bud. You were complaining about your power.” CJ said rolling his wrist in a gesture for Marty to continue.

  “Oh right. So, it consumes my inebriation to power my battle form. Don’t get me wrong, it’s super effective but I can’t get lifted anymore. It’s just sober or the hulk.”

  “Bummer.” Said Jenn just as they all heard a twig snap in the forest around them.

  They all stopped moving and just listened to the forest around them for a second. The team had been traveling for a good two hours at this point and the sun was moving through the trees canopy a plodding rate. Here and there you could see sun beams punching through to the forest floor. When they started out CJ decided to take the lead as his shoes allowed him to travel without making noise. That helped with those behind him as he could crunch the foliage and make no sound. Then they would follow his path considering any noise had already been canceled.

  The fact that they heard sound around them meant they weren’t alone.

  New Message from Party Leader CJ: Everyone eyes open. Monty are you picking anything up?

  New Message from Monty: I hear heavy breathing behind us. It’s not monster breathing though.

  With a tilt of CJ’s head, Elena stepped carefully behind Jenn who’d been the last in their column. She scanned the area behind them from under her helmet. After noticing a branch suddenly bob up and down she drew her pistol. Carefully aiming at the tree before calling out.

  “Whoever you are, come out right now or I start putting holes in that tree!”

  There was no sign of movement as they all stared at the location Elena was aiming at. Her finger rested on the side of the gun and was slowly moving toward the trigger guard as she shouted out again.

  “I’ll count to three. One, two,…”

  Hands shot out from around the tree. Lifted up into the air palms wide as Theo emerged. Chestnut hair ripped jeans and smirk on his face. The kid must have been trailing them for a while since they were several our out from Leaf’s bend.

  “I almost shot you kid! What the hell?” complained Elena.

  “No, what are you doing here little dude?” Marty said as he meandered his way over to the young man. “You were supposed to stay safe back there with your sister.”

  “I can help you now, and she’d have never let me come.” Said the defiant teenager. “Besides, I can’t use my abilities unless there’s someone I can defeat. I can’t defeat people back in town just to steal their powers. That’s fucked up.”

  “First, language.” Said CJ getting a death stare from the kid. “Secondly, we’d lose too much time going back to town to drop him off. We’ll have to take him with us. I know, I know I hate it too, but if things go my way we’ll have a new force of slate active people to help protect him. Thoughts.”

  New Message from Jenn: We have to bring him back. It’s not a game out here. Thanks for the name change by the way.

  New Message from Elena: We could take him back and catch up with you. I’m pretty sure I can follow our path back.

  New Message from Monty: Are you 100% sure? If not you’d be putting him in even more danger than if he came with us.

  New Message from Marty: I’ll protect him. CJ is right, we can’t go back, and Monty is right. We can’t split up. I’ve done it before. I can do it again.

  New Message from Party Leader CJ: Are you positive? It can get pretty grisly traveling with us.

  New Message from Marty: The kids been through some shit and that was before his Slate worked. We’re good here.

  “Fine.” Began CJ before producing another one of the bullet proof vests he got from the chicken dungeon. “But you’re to wear this at all times. No exceptions. Am I understood?”

  CJ handed the vest over to the young man who looked at it with awe in his eyes. He then shrugged himself into it. His awkward gangly limbs thrusting through the arm holes. Jenn stepped over to him to help tighten it around his thin torso.

  “Do I get a gun too?”

  “No chance in hell.” CJ shot back. “You need Mr. Trinchar’s training and approval before any of us are going to let you near a firearm. Liable to shoot us all in the back.”

  “What’s this message? Party chat?”

  New Message from Party Leader CJ: Welcome to the party pal.