Sabin, A Seven Novel by A.M. Hargrove

is?”
    “Judgment Day?”
    “Yes, dammit!”
    “It’s the so-called necklace you so casually let all your friends borrow.”
    “Why the heck do you call it that?”
    I point to a seat and Serena takes it. “You asked why I call it Judgment day? I’ll tell you. It’s what it is.”
    Her eyes narrow as she says, “I had a feeling there was something strange about that thing. It would always feel warm when I held it. Most of my friends were freaked out by it and wouldn’t wear it.”
    That certainly is one piece of good news for a change. “It has unique properties. It’s part of a weapon system called Paradox.”
    “Weapon system? Paradox?”
    “Yes. Judgment Day is the activator.”
    “I don’t understand.”
    Sighing, I say, “I don’t suppose you do. The necklace itself, the black chain, goes around a mechanism in Paradox and then the stone fits into a receptor. When placed inside, and when the chain is dropped into the slot, Paradox is activated and then … Judgment Day.”
    “I still don’t get it.”
    “Serena, did you ever read your Bible, or any kind of religious teachings? Did you ever hear about what happened at the end of the world?”
    She eyes me and nods. “Yeah, Judgment Day, as in that Judgment Day?”
    “That’s why it’s called that. It has the ability to destroy the world and the rest of the universe.”
    “Oh, hell to the fucking no. And I was wearing that thing around my neck? What in the world? Who the hell are you people? And don’t you dare give me some kind of bullshit answer here.”
    Our eyes link and I say nothing.
    “You’re not like me, are you?” she asks.
    She’s finally catching on. My head oscillates slowly.
    “Please don’t bullshit me.”
    “This is no bullshit, sweetheart. That’s why we need to get to Tara before the Shaurok. Now I have to go. Stay with Edge. He’ll keep you safe while we’re gone.”
    “Jesus, now I wish you hadn’t told me.”
    “I’ll ask Rafe about your things.”
    “Is there Wi-Fi here?”
    “Wi-Fi?”
    “Yeah, so I can get on the internet?”
    “Serena, there’ll be none of that for now. You can be tracked that way, and that wouldn’t do at all for your safety.”
    She frowns. “No, that wouldn’t be safe, would it?”
    When I get to the bedroom door, I turn to her and say, “I’ll be back.” Why do I feel so guilty? I’m only trying to help her. Because I scared the shit out of her and … enough. I march back to the sec center where Rafe practically tears my head off when I walk through the door.
    “Where the hell have you been? The fucking Shaurok are in Durham!”
    “What?”
    “You heard me. We need to go. Now.”
    “Right. Take Verus and Andros.”
    Rafe shakes his head. “You misunderstand me. There are at least fifteen of them. In several gangs. We all have to go. Now.”
    “Fifteen! They’ve never travelled with so many.”
    “Yes they did. When they were searching for Juliette Hart.”
    “Where did you put Serena’s things?”
    “In the storage closet off the kitchen. But she won’t be needing most of it.”
    “I told her about Judgment Day.”
    “About damn time. We need to go!”
    All of a sudden my neck is killing me. “Yeah. Give me another minute.”
    “We don’t have a fucking minute, Sabin. What the hell is wrong with you?”
    “Don’t ask. I need to … can you just handle this?”
    “No!” he asks. “Pull your shit together.”
    “My shit is pulled together. Our little miss over there is one damn … aw, hell. Never mind. I’ll handle her. Just go and I’ll do the guiding from this end. Someone needs to stay behind anyway. I sure as fuck can’t have her out there. She is no meek thing, let me tell you.”
    Of all the reactions I expect from Rafe, laughter wasn’t one of them. But the fucker throws his damn head back and howls. Yes, howls. Like I’ve never heard him.
    “What in the hell is so funny?”
    He can’t even answer me, because now the bastard is doubled