Second Life of The Takashi Clan

Zack sat upright, glaring at the Calc teacher droning on about formulas. He couldn't believe the new guy, who claimed to be his reincarnated father, bossed him around like he owned him.

Well, he certainly did have his father's stern attitude...but that didn't prove a damn thing—

Kade leaned in and whispered to him. "Pay attention."

Zack glared at him. "My thoughts are the only thing keeping everyone else out."

"Mr. Takashi!" Mr. Ferguson called from the front of the room.

"Yes?" Kade and Zack answered at the same time.

Mr. Ferguson narrowed his eyes and pointed a pen at Zack. "What's the answer to the equation in problem five?"

Zack tapped into Mr. Ferguson's mind, searching for the number.

"X equals forty-five point three." Zack answered.

Mr. Ferguson gave him a stern look. "You know, I could swear you weren't paying attention as usual."

"That's right." Kade chimed in agreement.

Zack flashed him a dry glare, disbelief marked across his face.

"What exactly is happening in that brain of yours that's more important than the wonders of calculus?" Mr. Ferguson challenged.

Someone coughed in the back row.

"You should give him some extra homework." Kade blurted. "Just to be on the safe side."

Mr. Ferguson's brow rose at the suggestion.

Thirty minutes later, Zack shoved Kade against a locker, glaring at him. "You are ruining my life! Let's not forget how you almost traumatized me in the car!"

"That was for your own good," Kade replied.

Zack clenched his teeth. "I don't need your help."

The girl from history class had been watching them. "Let him go, Takashi." She warned. They looked at her. She shut her eyes. "Jerk Takashi, I mean. So, you're letting Gareth win by becoming a bully yourself? Real classy."

Zack scoffed and released Kade.

"Thank you for standing up for me, young lady." Kade nodded cordially.

She grimaced. "It's Maddie."

"Whatever." Zack stalked off.

"Excuse me, I have to make sure he's not breaking the rules." Zack heard Kade say to Maddie.

For the rest of the school day, Kade signed up for the football team and became friends with the Asian Heritage Club members, even Mrs. William. Zack still couldn't believe it. Kade flashed his Facebook profile, packed with friends Zack had never interacted with at school—right there in the parking lot.

"I mean, I didn't even think I would need one," Kade scrolled through, as Zack tried to look away. "But then this girl helped me create the profile in physics because Mr. Lee liked how I handled the experiment."

Zack lightly flicked the phone away and placed his tablet on the trunk, taking out his notebook.

"Still not listening, Zack?" Kade asked. "We're going to have to talk about your...skill."

Zack dragged his pen down to an address and typed it in on the map app.

"What are you doing?" Kade asked.

Zack glared at him. "Can you quit bothering me for five minutes?!"

Kade stared back.

"I'm not interested in hearing about how you're fitting right in at high school." Zack's voice cracked. "This is not going to be a mutual thing between us!"

Kade blinked. "Zack, you wanted to be friends yesterday."

"Yeah, because I thought you were cool," Zack admitted. "And not some phantom zombie thing."

"I'm not a zombie." Kade replied. "Just immortal. You know how many kids would be glad to have their dead parents with them? Millions."

Zack bristled, his eyes stung with tears, but he didn't let them fall. He had so many words for him, but they were too painful to say out loud.

Kade nodded. "Okay, why don't you read my mind? So you can find anything that proves I'm telling you the truth."

"I can't."

"No, just go right ahead."

"No, I can't do it."

"You used it to get that calc answer."

Zack closed his eyes. "I can't get in, it's like your mind is behind a firewall."

Kade's eyes flickered. "Wow, does this happen often?"

Zack shook his head.

They both stood in silence. A thought came to Zack. It did feel comfortable without hearing anyone's disgusting thoughts.

Kade's eyes shifted to the tablet. "So, what is this really?"

"Look, I don't want you to go telling Saul like an adult would."

Kade appeared hurt. "Zack, give me some credit. If my son tells me a secret, I'll keep it. No matter what."

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

That evening, Zack sat in the car, parked in a street, two blocks away from a small deli building, tracking passersby through his binoculars.

"What do you see?" Saul called from the backseat.

"We've been sitting here for an hour, Zack," Kade said. "Give us some clues."

Zack frowned and glared at Kade in the passenger's seat. So much for secrets. "Will you two stop acting like toddlers? And I thought you served in the Army."

"Yes, in every war since the Russo-Turkish conflict, World Wars, Korean, and 'Nam," Kade replied. "But don't ask which side I fought for."

Zack rolled his eyes. "I've been staking out some of the Akugan soldiers and their movements and meetings, and there's one happening tonight."

Saul flipped through the notebook. "When did you have the time to track all of this?"

"I have a lot of free time," Zack answered.

"Oh, you mean besides sneaking out and breaking your curfews?" Saul's voice rang with sarcasm.

Zack ignored him.

"I don't think this is a good idea." Kade said uncomfortably.

Zack glared at him. "The only reason I'm doing this is to get justice for my parents' murder."

Kade shrugged, gesturing to himself. "You know that's not necessary right now."

"Where's Mariana, huh?" Zack demanded. "Did you leave her behind in the 'afterlife'?"

"Mariana could be anywhere in the world right now." Kade replied. "Besides, we always find each other. The Akugan are too dangerous to mess with. We can just live a normal life."

Zack scoffed. "Now I really believe you're not my dad. The Akugan our sworn enemies."

"And we have to adapt to the modern days, Zack." Kade replied. "I've fought battles to last ten lifetimes, bloodbaths in every century, and yet nothing ever changes. Except outliving everyone."

"I still say you're living the dream." Saul commented, not helping, and Kade shot him a look.

Zack's voice cut sharp. "Well, I'm not going to sit around until I find out why they're killing innocent kids."

Kade and Zack stared at each other.

"Tell me about this meeting," Kade inquired.

Saul grunted. "Terrific."

Zack nodded. "So, they're kidnapping boys, fourteen and sixteen years old. I think there's some kind of a ritual…It's in Japanese. I think it means 'The Hollowing'."

Kade's eyes widened, and Paul caught on to it.

"You know something?" Paul asked.

Kade looked at Zack dead on. "Zack...all these kids...it's not a coincidence. They want you."