The Gathering (Darkness Rising 1)

Daniel scrolled the email back to the list of names.

"Project Genesis," he said. "Have you ever heard of it?"

"No, I--" I stopped and stared at a name on the list. "Elizabeth Delaney."

Daniel frowned. "Is that a relative?"

"Not that I know of."

"Well, no one in your family works for the St. Clouds, so it must be a coincidence. Common enough last name, isn't it?"

I nodded.

"Make a note of it, then. We should write down all--"

A crash made us both jump.

"Daniel?" His dad called from the kitchen. "You here, Danny? I need some help."

Daniel let out a puff of breath. The nickname and the plaintive tone told him his dad was at the far end of a drinking bout, past the anger.

"Danny?" Footsteps approached the study.

Daniel swore as we realized the light was on. He motioned me back, then opened the door and slid out. I took out my house keys and plugged my key chain thumb drive into his mother's computer.

"Hey, Dad. Did you drop a plate? Let me clean that--"

"What were you doing in your mother's office?"

"Looking for a stapler."

"You know I don't like you in there." An edge seeped into Mr. Bianchi's voice.

"It's okay, Dad. Everything's all right."

"I don't--"

Daniel's voice took on the same tone that had convinced the old woman to tell us what yee naaldlooshii meant. "Everything's all right. You can go lie down. I've got it under control."

I turned off the computer, then peered through the door crack. Daniel stood eye to eye with his father. Mr. Bianchi shifted uneasily, like he was trying to break eye contact but couldn't.

"Just go watch TV, Dad. Everything's all right."

Mr. Bianchi nodded, then shuffled back into the living room. Daniel waited until he was gone before coming back to me.

I lifted the thumb drive. He nodded and waved me out.

"Close one," I said. "Thank God for your amazing powers of persuasion."

"Yeah, if only they worked when he was really pissed. And really pissed off."

"Still, you need to teach me how to do that sometime, so I can use it on my dad, get whatever I want."

"Like you don't already."

"Maybe. But I'm always looking for ways to fine-tune the process."

He shook his head and waved me to the truck.