CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED and FORTY-THREE
(part six)

Sunday mid-day — 11:05 A.M

Valerie sat on the main living room couch waiting for Delphie. Delphie, Charlie, Mike and Jacob were leaving for the Federal Building the moment Mike and Charlie returned from Mass.

Valerie was going with them. Her mind was made up. She steeled herself for their complaints and arguments. Those psychics were used to pushing her aside all of her life with their ‘you don’t have any powers’ talk. If she’d learned anything from Katy, it was that she, Valerie, was more powerful than anyone thought. Her hand went to the growing baby girl in her belly. Together, she and the baby were going to find this Saint Jude.

“Are you ready to go?” Delphie asked as she came in from the garden.

Surprised, Valerie turned to look at Delphie.

“I need to shower.” Delphie jogged up the stairs to the apartment she and Sam were sharing.

Certain Delphie’s attitude was a trick, Valerie crossed her arms.

“What’s with you?” Jacob asked as he came in the living room from the kitchen.

“I’m going with you,” Valerie said.

Jacob opened his mouth to speak.

“Before you say anything,” Valerie stood up to make her point. “You need me. I mean think about it. Noelle, Nash and Katy made that light. Who has Noelle and Nash’s capacity combined with Katy’s? You? I don’t think so.”

Jacob opened his mouth to speak again.

“I do, that’s who,” Valerie said. “If Delphie and I work together, I bet we can find where the turd is holding up. But you need me. You can’t do it yourself. Can you?”

On cue, Jacob opened his mouth.

“No, that’s right,” Valerie said. “You can’t. If you could, you already would have. And Katy can’t do it by herself. Noelle and Nash and Katy just make a light. That will be important when we go to get the asshole, but you have to find him first. That’s where I come in. You need me.”

Mike came in through the door from the driveway.

“Charlie’s in the car,” Mike said.

“And don’t you tell me I shouldn’t go,” Valerie said. “If anyone should go, it should be me. And I’m not working right now. I won’t overtax myself or hurt the baby. The baby and I want to do this because who knows? This guy could have been looking for us all along. I have the DNA. The baby has the DNA. The guy takes people with our DNA and tests them against that horrible creature that only Jake can fight. And I’ll give you that. Only Jake can fight that thing. Well, and the dragon, but you’re not a dragon and I’m not a dragon and…”

Valerie took a deep breath and Jacob opened his mouth to speak.

“Don’t you argue with me, Jacob Marlowe. You know I’m right,” Valerie said. “Plus Mom always, always, always said, ‘Valerie you’re…’”

“The brightest light in this world,” Jacob and Valerie said in unison.

“Right,” Valerie said. “Oh good, there’s Delphie.”

Picking up her Dior handbag, Valerie walked toward the door. She kissed Mike ‘hello’. He helped her with her coat and she went out to the driveway.

“What was that?” Mike asked.

“Valerie’s going with us,” Jacob laughed.

“I thought we already decided we needed her,” Mike said.

He nodded to Delphie.

“Did you tell her?” Delphie asked.

Mike and Jacob shook their heads. Scowling, Delphie flicked them on the forehead.

“Ow,” Mike said.

“You were supposed to tell her,” Delphie said.

“She figured it out,” Jacob rubbed his forehead.

“Are you coming?” Valerie yelled from the driveway.

Delphie and Mike trotted out the door leaving Jacob to lock it.

“Brightest and bossiest light in the world,” Jacob muttered.

“I heard that!” Valerie yelled from the back seat of Mike’s SUV.

Laughing, he joined Valerie in the back seat.

Denver Cereal continues on Monday…

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