“Yeah, but…” Cody seems to hesitate, then says, “What if the other guys you were spying on us for know what’s happened to Finnegan and aren’t doing anything? They might try to protect whatever’s inside him. And we don’t know what they’re capable of. Alexei, do you know what they can do? I know you have a boundary here, but I’m sure you can see why this would be helpful to know.”
Even what we’ve shared about Finnegan has already given away too much. Doesn’t take a genius to figure out that this likely happened to Finnegan because he was fucking with magic, and by extension, that means his bestie Preston is likely involved too. So they have two of the four members of the Saints in mind already. But given what’s happening now, I figure fuck it if this means we save Finnegan and others.
“They do it behind closed doors, so I have no idea what each specializes in.”
“We have powers too,” Brad reminds them.
“Yeah,” Cody says, “but they have the advantage because Alexei’s already told them what we’re capable of.”
“So?” Luke asks. “They don’t know what we’re planning. If we can get Finnegan on his own…”
“Cody’s right,” I say. “Farras had access to Matteo’s thoughts. That’s how he knew about what Matteo and I did together. It was one thing when you were using your powers against him because Matteo didn’t understand any of this stuff, but Finnegan does.”
“I’m not following,” Matteo says.
“We don’t have the same advantage we did the other night. Assuming this isn’t Farras, if something is in Finnegan, it could be aware of all the things I told those other guys about the Sinners, and it maybe also knows how to use the powers they have access to. And if it is Farras, then he already knows what you’re capable of from the night you exorcised him from Matteo’s body.”
“That’s a problem,” Seth says.
“Might be one we have to risk,” Cody adds.
“No, you’re the one taking the risk,” Seth clarifies. “None of these other guys have to actually get in there and then be down for days. Luke nearly killed you when you did that to him, and he didn’t even know what he was doing. Cody, you can’t keep putting your life on the line like this. It isn’t right or fair.”
“Wait. What happened?” Matteo asks.
Luke says, “When I first got here, Cody tried to use his power to affect my mental state, and neither of us knew then that I also have a similar power. I was able to wipe him out pretty good for a few days, like what happened when he got Farras out of you.”
“Only that wasn’t as bad,” Cody says. “I’m stronger since Kysar possessed me. It’s helped me tap into my powers. I can do this.”
“And you don’t even need to be present?” Matteo asks.
“Not if I can get something from him,” Cody says. “Ideally a personal item that has some of him on it.”
“You said that in a weird way,” Matteo says. “Like a cum rag?”
Cody tilts his head just as Brad blurts out, “It doesn’t have to be that. We used hairs from the shower drain for Luke.”
Matteo and I cringe at the same time.
“Clearly, I’m not gonna have a say in this,” Seth mutters.
“Seth made a good point about Luke really hurting you when we tried this last time,” Brad adds.
“When Luke lashed out at me, I didn’t die,” Cody says. “Farras didn’t have a way of fighting me when I got to him last time, and if it’s not him, whatever it is won’t see it coming. Can we really risk not trying anything? We all know what would have happened if we hadn’t stopped him. Matteo probably would have gone on some spree and done God knows what with his victims. Sorry, I mean Farras.”
I catch Matteo’s expression. Cody couldn’t have known, but that was the wrong thing to say, given what he’s been grappling with. His fear that something inside him might have been why Farras chose him.
Matteo takes a deep breath. “So what’s the plan?”
19
MATTEO
The following afternoon,we regroup in the church cellar. After our meeting last night, Brad and Seth met up with some Alpha Alpha Mus.
“Well,” Brad says, “we grabbed a water bottle Finnegan had been drinking from.”
“Gross.” Cody cringes as Brad retrieves it from his bag. “That should be enough, though.”
