Abigail winced.
And Jess didn't miss the heavy dread in Ren's tone. "What haven't you told us?"
"One of Old Bear's jars contains the Wind Seer which is the one plague that can open the West Gate and free the Grizzly Spirit."
Crap. Crap. Crap. Jess flinched at the very thought.
Abigail drew her brow together in confusion. "I don't understand. If the First Guardian is there, can't he stop the Grizzly Spirit from escaping again?"
"It's not that easy, Abigail. No one has heard from him in countless centuries. For all we know, the Grizzly might have killed him when he went behind the Gate or he could have possessed him. You have no idea what the Grizzly is capable of. Trust me. We have to stop them from opening that jar. If the Grizzly gets out again-"
"It'll be a fun time in Disneyland," Jess mumbled. "Y'all think we could arm Mickey? He might be badass with a gun."
Abigail slapped him lightly on the arm. "What do we have to do, Ren?"
"Get his jars before they do."
It amazed Jess that Ren could make the impossible sound easy. Too bad reality didn't go that way. "Does Coyote know where it is?"
"I don't think so. But then, neither do we. Choo Co La Tah should be able to track it ... if we can get him to wake up. However, the one who spilled Guardian blood has to make an offering on the sacred ground to appease the ancient elements before sunrise. Otherwise all of the jars will open ... at once ... which would then also blow open the Gate and all that concentrated evil would pour out of it."
Oh yeah, that would seriously suck. "Did they launch that last space shuttle yet?"
"I don't follow," Ren said.
"I'm just thinking maybe we should evacuate the whole planet. I've heard the moon is kind of nice this time of year."
Both Abigail and Ren let out mutual sounds of aggravation.
"Focus your ADD, Jess."
He rolled his eyes at Ren's quip. "I gotcha, brother. What you're forecasting is six more plagues coming out of the northwest at maximum velocity with a mild chance of survival. Followed by the world getting swallowed whole into a vat of evil."
"Well, yeah. That's exactly what I'm saying."
"Nice to know I didn't misunderstand and all." He purposefully exaggerated his drawl on that. "Ah, hell, y'all lucky I can follow anything, especially given how many times I got kicked in the head when I's a kid." Sobering, Jess let out an irritated breath.
Instead of Renegade, his name should be Mary Sunshine. "I'll get Abigail to you as soon as I can."
"I'll keep working on Choo Co La Tah. You be careful."
"Same to you. Let me know if anything changes. I could really use some good news right about now." Jess hung up and turned to face Abigail. Unfortunately, she had her clothes buttoned up all the way to her neck.
Damn.
She let out an exaggerated breath. "I don't want to know about Choo Co La Tah, do I?"
"Not really. Kind of wish I didn't know." Jess toyed with the keys that dangled from the ignition while he watched the wasps continue to swarm outside. He didn't like the idea of being trapped, and he wasn't keen on the idea of being beholden to Sasha for anything.
"Ah, screw this. I'm not going to wait for rescue like a puppy on a float. Buckle up. We're going for it."
Abigail wasn't sure she liked the sound of that. But what choice did she have? Jess was in the driver's seat.
Besides, she was with him on this. No need in waiting around when they could at least be trying to get home.
She snapped the belt over her lap and braced herself. "All right, cowboy. Let's do it."
Jess put the car in gear, then opened the garage door with his powers. The wasps immediately swarmed inside. Something that didn't faze Jess at all. She admired that.
He gripped the wheel, then tore out of the garage as fast as he could. The lights were dimmed by the number of wasps gathering around them.
But that wasn't the worst part.
She cringed at what awaited them on the street. Everything had gotten worse. There was no movement from anyone, anywhere. Businesses and homes had their windows drawn shut, and most were dark-as if afraid that the light might attract more wasps.
It terrified her.
But at least there was no sign of the mountain lion. He appeared to have moved on.
Needing to understand what was going on in the world around them, she turned the car radio on and scanned the channels until she found the local news.
The reporter's voice was thick with concern, and it made her own throat tighten. "There's no explanation for this rash of insect uprisings or these unprecedented weather fronts that keep moving in. The authorities are advising everyone to stay calm and in their homes until the experts have figured out what's causing it. As of now, several roads and highways are being closed, and everyone is being told to watch out for flash flooding. They also want us to remind everyone that wasps can and do sting even after death, so please don't pick up any of their remains without gloves or some other form of protection. Officials are advising everyone to turn off any light that might attract more wasps. And if you have pets in your yard, please do not venture out to get them."
Flash flooding? The dark sky above them was completely clear.
She turned the radio off. That hadn't been very helpful. "Guess they can't report that it's the end of the world, huh?"
"It's not the end."
She stared at the wrecked cars and bodies they passed. The people who'd posted handmade signs in the windows of their homes asking for God's forgiveness and warning others to repent. "It sure looks like it from my seat."
"Ah, now," Jess said in that exaggerated drawl she was beginning to recognize as his way of keeping things either in perspective or light. "Buck up, little camper. It ain't over yet. We're far from out of this."
That was the problem. They had a long way to go, and she didn't see an escape for them.
Jess kept his attention on the road as he navigated hazards every inch of the way. He was trying to be positive for her, but inside, he was worried fierce. Why had Old Bear been holding the key to the West Gate? Why take the chance? It should have been cast out to sea or something.
For that matter, couldn't the First Guardian have locked up butterflies or something equally harmless in those jars?
No. People had to have their misery, and Old Bear would have to have the pimp daddy of plagues waiting for discovery.
Give me locusts and boils. Hell, he'd even prefer pimples on his private parts. Anything would be better than Coyote taking over the world.
At this point, they were mired so deep in the mud of Shit City, he might as well have his mail forwarded.
I swear, Coyote. If I live through this ...
You won't.