Chapter 14: There's A Clue

Ace “I think I’m gonna throw up.” Zane gagged as he stared at April’s head.

“Man up.” Colby scoffed as she removed the last towel off the head.

Zane gagged again and turned around.

Colby rolled her eyes. “Seriously?”

“Uh ya. It’s all discolored and fucking nasty.” He replied still facing the other way.

“Grow some balls.” Colby said as Zylen tried to hold in her laugh.

“Anyway.” Deacon laughed. “Is that the marking you were talking about?”

I nodded as he pointed to the dark color.

Deacon looked closer and sniffed.

“Dude!” Zane yelled as he looked like he was about to barf.

“You’ve killed rogues before. How does this gross you out?” Colby asked.

“Yes. But I don’t chop their heads off and give them to people! I just bite their neck and that’s that. Severed heads creep me out.” He shivered in disgust.

Deacon rolled his eyes and turned his attention back to the head. “It smells gross.”

“Well duh!” Zane exclaimed and he pointed at it. “It’s a fucking head.”

I growled at him. “Easy. She was one of my best friends.”

“Dumbass.” Gabriel said to Zane.

“Yes I know Zane. But it’s not the head that is giving off that smell. I think it’s something else.” Deacon suggested.

“Her head was cut off after she died.” I explained.

Deacon looked surprised. “I think I might know what killed her.”

“Really?” I asked shocked. “What do you think it is.”

“Sulfur dioxide.”

“Huh?” Zylen asked.

Deacon nodded. “You can get it from many different minerals.”

“But how does that kill her?”

“When it combines with water, it forms into sulfuric acid.”

“Acid rain.” I whispered.

Deacon gave a small nod. “And because our bodies are mostly water, the outcome will most likely be death. April basically had acid rain in her lungs. And I’m betting they made her inhale it to guarantee she would die.”

“So that explains the discoloring around her mouth.” Gabriel said as he looked closer to the markings.

Deacon nodded. “Acid rain can cause extreme acidic tissue burns and acute pulmonary edema.”

“Umm English please.” Colby said confused.

“Uncontrollable leaking of bodily fluids from damaged surfaces.” I spoke up.

“Huh.” Colby nodded. “Sounds lovely.”

“Where the hell did they get the sulfur shit from.” Zylen asked. “We have nothing like that around here.”

“There has to be some source. Because sulfur combined with anything can be very toxic and deadly.” Deacon said. “Maybe they are getting it from someone else. You have to be very careful with handling this. One wrong move and it turns bad real quick.”

“Wait a minute.” I said as I remembered something.

“What is it?” Colby asked as she put her hand on my shoulder.

“There is a small opening in the ground by a tree. It’s about an hour from here.” I recalled.

“Oh ya.” Zylen smiled with a nod. “I remember that.”

“What is it?” Gabriel asked.

Zylen shrugged. “We don’t know. Our parents told us not to go play by it when we were younger. They didn’t know what it was either and they didn’t want us falling down inside of it.”

“I snuck out once because I got curious.” I laughed as I remembered. “I shined a light inside and something reflected back. I almost fell in though when I shined my flashlight. It was too dark to see down there.”

“Do you think it could be where the minerals for the sulfur are?” Zane asked.

“It’s possible.” I said softly as I thought about it. “The minerals could have been the thing that the light was reflecting on. It was pretty shiny.”

“Should we go take a gander?” Zane winked.

“Really?” Colby asked looking not impressed. “Gander?”

“What?” Zane asked confused as Colby walked passed him.

I rolled my eyes and followed Colby out the door.

“Just come on. There is old trail that leads out that way. We can take one of my trucks.” I suggested as we walked out to the garage.

“One of your trucks?” Deacon asked. “Just how many trucks do you have?”

“You tell me.” I smirked as I opened the garage door.

“Holy moongoddess.” Zane whispered as his jaw dropped.

“I-is that the new 2017 Ford Raptor?” Gabriel asked as I unlocked it.

“Yes it is.” I said smiling at its beauty. “His name is Jarvis.”

“How the hell did you get it?” Gabriel asked as he studied it some more.

“I know a guy.” I winked.

“On second thought.” Gabriel mumbled. “I don’t think I want to know how you got it.”

“Probably not.” I laughed.

“And Jarvis?” Deacon asked. “Where did you come up with that name.”

I gasped. “Are you serious?”

I wanted to laugh as I saw Deacon’s very confused face.

“He is the butler for Tony Stark. He is like the best computer system ever!” I exclaimed as I opened the truck door. “I’m surprised you didn’t know that.”

“I don’t watch ironman.” Deacon commented as he hopped in the passenger seat.

I looked at him in shock. “What kind of person are you?”

Deacon rolled his eyes. “Will you just show us the hole in the ground.”

“Will you just show us the hole in the ground.” I mimicked in a high pitched voice as I started Jarvis up. “Mhmm I love the smell of diesel.”

“How are we going to all fit in here?” Zane asked. “The back is only big enough for three people.”

“Zylen and I will share the middle seat.” Colby said as he clicked the seatbelt into place.

“Hold on guys.” Zylen said as she tightened the seatbelt and Colby braced herself.

“What do you-” Gabriel started to ask but cut off as I stepped on the gas.

He screamed and grabbed onto the ‘oh shit’ handle.

“Told you!” Zylen yelled over the loud exhaust.

“Oh my fucking gosh!” Zane yelled as he held onto the handle. “We are going to die!”

“No you won’t.” I smirked as I dodged all the trees and sped up.

I quickly shifted into fifth gear and stepped on the gas.

“Woo hoo!” I yelled as I swerved to avoid a tree.

A little bit later we arrived to our destination and I parked Jarvis.

“Here we are.” I smiled.

“Land!” Gabriel and Zane yelled as they opened the doors and jumped out.

“Wimps.” Colby laughed as she and Zylen unbuckled and got out.

“How are you two not freaking out?” Deacon asked as he tried to catch his breath.

“After you have ridden with her so many times, you kinda get use to her crazy driving.” Colby shrugged. “It doesn’t bother us anymore.”

“Damn.” Deacon mumbled as he shakily unbuckled his seatbelt. “I don’t think I could ever get use to this driving.”

“Eh.” Zylen chuckled. “You will. You are mates with her after all.”

“I know.” Deacon smiled. “But I’m never getting in a car with her if she is driving.”

“Hello.” Zylen said in a duh tone. “We still have the drive back.”

I smirked as Deacon paled.

“Nope. Not happening.” Deacon shook his head. “Have someone else drive.”

I glared at him. “No one is allowed to drive Jarvis. He is my baby and I will bite your head off if you try.”

Deacon gulped. “Never mind then.”

“Let’s go check the hole out guys.” Zane said as he stood up.

I nodded. “It’s right over there. Follow me.”

“Whoa.” Gabriel mumbled as he leaned over it. “It’s pretty big.”

“Looks pretty deep too.” Deacon said.

“What if this is just like Alice in Wonderland!” Colby asked excitedly.

“That would be fucking awesome!” I smiled.

“Girls.” Deacon laughed.

“Oh right.” I said smiling. “Sorry.”

“My bad.” Colby laughed.

Zane smiled as he stared at Colby.

It’s so cute the way he looks at her and how she is so oblivious to it.

I turned around and saw Deacon staring at me with a small smile.

I cleared my throat and turned my head before he saw me blush.

“Um I-I have a flashlight and rope in the truck.” I said quickly as I ran to go get it.

I opened the door and looked I the glovebox.

“Stupid fucking little Deacon.” I growled as I grabbed the flashlight.

“What did I do?” A deep voice spoke up from behind me.

I yelped and spun around with the flashlight clutched to my chest.

Deacon smirked and laughed slightly.

“Don’t do that to me.” I growled as I hit him with the flashlight.

“Ow.” He laughed as he rubbed the side of his head.

I fought back a smile and just looked at him.

“Why do you do that?” Deacon asked.

“Do what?” I asked.

“Fight back that amazing smile that I love to see.” Deacon said as he used his thumbs and lifted my lips into a smile. “You need to smile more.”

I swatted away his hands and laughed slightly.

“There it is!” Deacon smiled as he saw me smile. “Now that’s what I love to see.”

“Let’s get back.” I said as I gave him a pointed look.

“Wait.” Deacon said quickly. “Don’t punch me.”

I was about to ask why he said that, but my eyes widen as Deacon pecked my lips.

“I really wanted to kiss you, but I didn’t want to get punched. So I decided a smaller kiss would be wiser.” Deacon smiled sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his neck.

I blushed slightly and that caused Deacon to smile even more.

“Let’s get back lover boy.” I said quickly as I walked around him.

I smiled in my head as I felt the butterflies in my stomach.

“Eeeeeeh!” Ava squealed.

‘Uh why are you squealing?’ I asked.

‘To be honest. I don’t know.’ Ava said confused. ‘I hate him. But he is such a good kisser.’

‘Down girl.’ I teased.

‘You can’t deny it.’ Ava said knowingly as I made it back to the group.

I turned around and saw Deacon smile.

‘Okay.’ I sighed. ‘You got me there.’

‘Knew it.’ Ava laughed.

I laughed and looked at everyone.

“Ready to find out what’s down there?” I asked.

Colby grabbed the rope and tied it around the tree. “Let’s go.”