Page 3 of Grave Beginnings

“We’ve been partners almost a decade! I’ve spent holidays with your family.”

He nodded.

“And you thought I didn’t trust you?”

He gave me a sad smile.

“Did my eyes turn at the daycare?”

“Yes.”

“You were behind me.”

“You glanced back as I followed you inside. I don’t think anyone else caught it. But I did. Then they followed your command, and I knew.”

“And tasered me,” I said.

“Once you passed out, they stopped moving,” Joe said.

I gaped at him. “How is that possible? I wasn’t even there until… I wasn’t controlling them, Joe.”

“And that’s even scarier than knowing you could,” Joe said. “That maybe, if you had some training, you could have stopped all of this from happening.”

I couldn’t help my flinch. “You blame me?”

“No.” Joe shook his head. “No more than myself. I should have said something.”

“Like ‘gee, Jude, are you talking to dead people, making them get up and dance?’ Yeah, that would come up over the missus’ chicken pot pie dinner.” I sighed, turning away to head inside and talk to my boss.

It was only around two in the afternoon, and the precinct had been my home away from home while I’d buried myself in work. How would that change now that I was variant? Occasionally, some asshole gave me shit for being openly gay. And there were a few dickbags at work that nicknamed me “Gothic Ken,” or “homicide twink.” Because I was blond and painted my nails dark colors? Or because I drove a glossy black Honda, listened to heavy metal, and worked homicide? I couldn’t imagine what terrible things they’d call me now.

I entered the precinct and let the buzz of normality wash over me; the scent of stale, burnt coffee, the buzzing of the computerlines and tapping of keys. Chatter. The phone ringing. Then it all stopped.

My heart flipped over as everyone stared.

Captain Kartwright leaned out of his office. “Holt, office.”

I stiffened and headed his way. Everyone’s gaze followed me, the silence deafening. The mark on my arm glowed like a fucking beacon, and I wished I could hide it. I stepped into his office and he closed the door behind me. He patted the top of the chair across from his as he crossed to his own, and I sat.

“We’re moving you to SED,” he said, dropping another bombshell on me.

“What?” I gasped. I put my hand over the glowing mark on my arm which shone right through my fucking hand. “I’m not variant.”

The captain sighed. “It’s for the best, Holt. I hate to lose you. But SED is understaffed, and the command comes from the governor.”

“The governor? What does he have to do with any of this?”

“The Eagan merge has grown four blocks since the daycare event.”

I gasped. “What? How? Why?” They never grew that fast. Not after the initial tear.

“It’s a high-end neighborhood,” the captain added.

“So what? Money means they get to control where I go?”

His expression said exactly that.

“Fuck. It’s not fair.”