Michael started to cry when he saw the bird gently rub its beak into Danny’s hair. The condor cawed once, signaling Danny to let it go and it hopped over to Michael. Michael bent to its eye level, wiping the tears from his eyes. “Hi, Dad.”
The condor cawed twice and spread its wings.
Daley came over and bent down to the condor, staring in awe. He asked Michael to translate. “Can your dad take us to him and your mother?”
The condor faced Daley and flapped his wings.
Daley’s smile widened. “Well, I’ll be damned. Gary, I need to ask you some questions.”
The condor closed its eyes for a moment and then Danny started signing while Michael translated. “Danny says you can talk to my father and he’ll translate for us. It’ll be quicker. Go ahead, Mr. Daley. Ask your questions.”
Daley took a deep breath. “Are you dead?”
Danny shook his head no.
“Then how is this happening?”
Danny stared at his dad for a long time before finally breaking into a huge smile. “He tricked them. He’s not dead, just unconscious. He made Mr. Herrington hit him over the head to knock him out and he figured he could jump into a bird body that way. Oh, I understand now, Daddy.”
“Where’s Mom?” Michael asked, worriedly. “Is she okay?”
“For now, but she’s running out of time. She hasn’t given Herrington the information he wants—where you both are, how the machine was built, the location of the documents substantiating our research, and he’s going to start on her next. Daley, he’s poisoning us, using his serums. You have to get to us soon or I don’t think we’ll make it.” He paused. “He’s getting desperate and knows the FBI is involved.”
“Do you know your location?” Daley asked.
Danny continued translating. “I think we’re near the ocean. We took a plane, then cars and then felt like we were on a boat at one point. I can smell the salt in the air. I think you’re close, too. I feel much stronger here in this body than I did when I first came to the kids once before. It’s as if I’m not drawing my energy from far away. If it’s any help, I could also detect the sound of mice and the caws of owls. The last time I heard that was years ago when Maddy and I first met Herrington. He’d taken us to one of his islands and this particular one always had a huge problem with mice.”
Daley thought for a moment, his eyes widening. “I think I may know where you are. Just hold on a little longer.” Daley flipped open his cell phone and barked orders into it.
Danny moved over to Michael. “Daddy says he’s very proud of you.”
Michael choked up. “Thanks, Dad.”
Suddenly, Danny ran to the condor and started signing frantically. “What’s the matter? Daddy, don’t go.”
The condor started to jerk, turning in frantic circles.
“Dad, no,” Michael shouted. “Don’t go yet.”
He tried to grab on to his father but no sooner did he get to him, then the condor collapsed to the ground. A dark shadow streaked from the bird, racing across the tarmac.
“Danny, where did he go?” Michael cried. “Why did he leave?”
“Herrington’s waking him up,” he said. “He thinks they’re on to him.”
Chapter Twenty
Day 8 Monday 5:00 a.m.
Island facility off of California
“Wake him.” Herrington stormed into the room with his guards.
“Leave him alone,” Maddy cried out. “Haven’t you done enough?” She ran to protect Gary, who lay unconscious on the floor. Herrington struck her in the face, sending her sprawling across the room where she hit the wall.
She slid onto the floor, holding her bloody lip and watched helplessly while the guards lifted Gary into a chair and began working on him. One of the guards shoved smelling salts under his nose. When that didn’t wake him they took out a syringe filled with a cloudy liquid and slid the needle into his arm. Seconds later, he opened his eyes, gasping.
Herrington put his face close to Gary’s. “I’m on to you. You think I’m going to let you die so you can contact the police and bring them here? Do you think I’m that stupid? You’re no good to me dead, yet.” He moved over to Maddy, hauling her to her feet, then began pacing the room, his insane gaze darting back and forth between their faces. “I propose a bargain, just like I do with governments around the globe who don’t want to play nice. I have something you want and you have something I want. Let’s make a trade.”
“What could you possibly have that we want?” Maddy spit out.
“I have your sons,” Herrington said.
Maddy gasped and glanced at Gary, but his expression never wavered.
“I’ll give you both your freedom and your sons if you promise to share everything you’ve learned,” he said. “Tell me the truth about the machine, not the lies you’ve been spouting, and I’ll bring them right to you.”
“You have my boys?” Gary asked, his voice weak. “Where are they? Bring them here to me now, and I’ll tell you anything you want to know about the machine.”
“Gary, no,” Maddy shouted. “He can’t be trusted.”
“If you have them, bring them here,” Gary demanded, ignoring her.
Herrington fidgeted slightly.
Gary smiled and closed his eyes. “You’re lying. You don’t have them. This is all because of Marta, you despicable man. She’s dying from one of your own damned viruses you allowed to get out of control and now you’re prepared to kill everyone in your efforts to save her soul. Well, guess what, Samuel? She’s damned and nothing you can do, nothing you learn, will save her. She wrote her own death sentence before you even met her. Once she married you, she cemented it in stone. There won’t be any afterlife for her, no matter how much money you have.”
Herrington flew over to him and violently pushed Gary off his chair and onto the floor, and then he grabbed him, shoving his face in his. “Tell me where the damned machine is.”
“No,” Gary said. He turned his eyes to Maddy, sadness in them, but his face resolute. “The answer is no.”
Herrington stilled, realizing Gary was prepared to die. He eyed Maddy. “I only need one of you.” He motioned to his guards. Herrington turned to glance back before he shut the door and made one final comment. “Gary, you have until eight a.m. to tell me what I need to know. That’s in three hours. After that, you’re dead. You can then contact whomever you want, but know you’ll be leaving your wife to take your place in that chair with a host of different cocktails I’ll personally put together to give her the maximum amount of pain and suffering. The choice is yours.” He slammed the door behind him.
Maddy ran over to Gary, smothering him in kisses. “Oh, I’m so glad you’re back.”
“I told you I’d come back,” he whispered.
“I know. How can you be so sure that he doesn’t have the boys?”
His expression said it all, and her eyes widened. “It worked, didn’t it? You saw them again, didn’t you?”
Gary nodded, wincing. “And they’re okay. They’re with Bob Daley and his staff, nearby. I told them as much as I could. I think they’ll be able to find us. We just have to hold out a little bit longer.” He gripped her tightly.
“Can you hold out?”
“I’ll try.” He closed his eyes and rested his head in her lap.
They had three hours.
Chapter Twenty-One
Michael couldn’t believe his dad was gone. To have him so close for just a moment! He glanced at the inert condor on the ground and then at Daley, who continued to fire orders into his cell phone.
“Yes, that’s what I said,” Daley said. “Islands, pharmaceutical facilities, anything ever listed to Herrington. Look back in the files, see any place Gary and Maddy have lived or worked after they were contacted by Herrington. Call me at this number as soon as you have something.” He closed the phone. “We’re going to our field office, about twenty miles east of here. An old friend is going to take you boys there.�
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A tall, burly man with close cropped, blond hair and ruddy cheeks ambled over to them. “Hey, Michael. How you doing?”
Michael’s eyes widened. “Dobber!”
The agent smiled. “Though now I’m Secret Agent Dobber and not Mr. Scientist man. I can’t tell you how sorry I am about everything that’s happened, but you’ve amazed me. The way you’ve acted and conducted yourself is incredible.”
Dobber nodded at Danny, signing hello and Danny broke into a smile and ran over to him, hugging his huge legs. “Come, boys, your car is waiting,” Dobber said. He brought them over to a stretch black limo. “We’ve got a lot of homework to catch up on, Danny,” he signed, as they climbed in. The car started, and Dobber put the privacy panel up.
Michael sat back and caught sight of a black box lying in the middle of the limo floor. It was exactly like the one he’d seen in the pictures back in the sedan. He got onto the floor and peered at the box. “Is this what I think it is? Is this the famous machine?”
“Yep,” Dobber replied. “Your parents made me promise if anything were to happen to them, I was to continue working with Danny to get him up to level fifteen. We weren’t to waste any time because if they were ever in trouble, then it meant their cover had been blown.” He turned to Danny. “You need to be able to protect yourself, so we have to make sure your abilities are as high as they can go, so no one can ever hurt you. You understand?”
Danny nodded.
“Good,” he said. “They gave me the code word, bluebeard, so you would know I was one of the good guys. Do you remember your mommy telling you that?”
Danny nodded again. “She told it to me every night before I went to bed.”
“That’s right,” Dobber said. “Even though you and I know each other and are friends, she wanted to make sure you knew it was okay to work with me without her around. Do you want to begin?”
Michael saw Danny nod and became concerned. “Wait. You’re going to work with him on the machine now? You’re going to experiment on my brother right in front of me?” He couldn’t believe this. Did the madness never end?
Dobber shook his head. “Michael, I’m not going to do anything but guide him if he needs it. Danny can do this all on his own.”
With that, Danny got down on the floor next to the box, as the limo made its way out of the airport. He glanced at Dobber. “Where are the ears?”
“Do you mean the headset?”
Danny nodded.
“You don’t need to wear them,” Dobber explained. “Your mom only used them to help you concentrate. Now, just try to focus your thoughts and concentrate on the lights. Soon, you’ll be so strong you won’t even need the machine. Here, let’s start at level one.” He flicked on the first dial and the first light came on. “You’ve already made it as far as level thirteen, but it’s been almost a week since you’ve practiced, so let’s take it slow and see how far you can go.”
He turned to Michael. “Sit back and brace yourself, Michael, because you’re in for quite a ride. Just be still and take it in, but above all, don’t be alarmed or try to stop what happens. This is your brother’s show, and he’s completely safe.”
Michael moved off the floor and sat back on the seat, apprehensively.
When Dobber was ready, he turned to Danny. “Go ahead, Danny, it’s all yours.”
Danny closed his eyes and his brows creased in concentration. Like a psychic at a séance, he seemed to go into a deep trance, as if channeling a spirit from a far off world. The hyper little boy, who couldn’t sit still for more than a few seconds at a time, was silent and thoughtful, concentrating on the task at hand.
Michael’s ears suddenly popped and while he stretched his mouth around to try to regain the equilibrium, a soft humming noise seemed to emanate from the walls of the car. It increased little by little until it became a steady pulse all around him. One by one, the light bulbs on the machine turned on, though no one was touching them. Two, three, four. With the turning on of each light, the humming became increasingly stronger and louder. It seemed to spring from everywhere and nowhere at the same time as if hidden speakers were turned on throughout the walls of the car.
When the fifth light appeared, the humming changed. Michael was sure he could discern the flapping of birds’ wings fluttering all around him. He glanced at Dobber, who appeared to have no reaction to what was happening, his concentration centered solely on Danny.
Michael turned to peer out the windows, trying to see where they were driving to, but the windows had fogged up. Putting his hand up to wipe off the condensation, he flinched as something rubbed against his leg. He bent to see what was there, then something light and feathery brushed his cheek. He had sensations all over his body of things crawling on him, as if he had jumped into the middle of an ant farm. Trying to brush off the invisible bugs, he called to Dobber and Danny, but neither answered him. In fact, it seemed they were completely oblivious as to what was happening to him.
How could that be? Why weren’t either of them fazed by what was going on? The humming grew louder now and started to hurt his ears. He searched desperately for the source, but he couldn’t pinpoint it. Then he felt another sensation on his left arm, harder this time, coaxing him with a teasing caress. He glanced quickly to his left, smacking his arm, but again, there was nothing.
Michael gaped as the sixth, seventh and eighth lights flicked on effortlessly. His brother remained completely relaxed and still as a stone statue, his eyes closed. When the eighth light brightened, Michael involuntarily clenched his fists shut as shadows flickered in and out of his vision. Squeezing his eyes closed, he wanted to cry out, to make the images and the onslaught stop, but he knew he wouldn’t. This was what Herrington wanted from his brother and no matter how scared and confused he was by what was happening, he was damned if he wasn’t going to learn all there was to know about Danny’s powers. If his brother could go through this unaffected, then he could, too. Trying to regain his composure, Michael forced himself to open his eyes and was greeted with a multitude of impossible shadows. Shadows of hundreds of birds flying around inside the car.
Sweat dripped off his forehead and he wiped his brow, his hand glistening as if he had just come out of a pool. The car was getting hotter by the minute. Condensation dribbled in rivulets from the windows like melting snow. Michael glimpsed his brother through the shadows and saw him raise his hands high and tilt his head back to the ceiling. He resembled a holy man asking the sky-god for rain.
Michael couldn’t keep quiet any longer. “What’s he doing?” he yelled to Dobber, straining to be heard above the tumult.
Dobber put a finger to his lips and shook his head.
This was unbearable. The humming grated up and down his spine and the invisible pokes and prods were unnerving. “Dobber,” he pleaded. “I have to know what’s going on.”
“Just watch,” Dobber said. “Watch and you’ll see. It’s coming any minute.”
Unbelievably the noise level increased, as if ten thousand people had decided to speak at once. Then twenty thousand—a hundred thousand. Michael screamed and brought his hands to his ears to drown out the clamor. He stared, frightened, as the ninth, tenth, and eleventh lights turned on. He tasted blood and forced himself to stop biting his bottom lip. His heart raced with anticipation of what each new light would bring. It didn’t take long to find out. With each one, the shadows took on more life. The birds were becoming solid, their numbers doubling and tripling in size. Their screeching and cawing joined the cacophony already in the car until Michael could no longer hear himself scream.
Finally, the twelfth and thirteenth lights lit up. The birds were alive and all around him, hundreds flying inside of the car, like the maelstrom of a cycling tornado. Even though he knew it was impossible for the car to hold so many there seemed to be enough room, as if the area within the car had actually grown larger.
The birds continued to fly in circles around his head and a sense of recklessness came o
ver him. He put aside his fear and cautiously reached his hand out to touch one of the images, but instead of touching feathers, his hand went right through it. Amazed, he tried again. His hand sliced through the air again, but this time a bright light shot out from his fingers and he thought he could faintly see something through the glare. He squinted his eyes to get a better look, but could only make out a shimmery image through the screen.
Danny cried out. Michael was drawn back to him and gasped when the fourteenth light come on. A huge explosion of light and sound rocked the inside of the car and a fierce wind came out of nowhere and forced him against the seat. He tried to pull himself up, to go to Danny, but the force of the wind kept pummeling him back. He screamed for the others, but they were lost in the intensity of light and images, as if a strobe light was pulsating at maximum power right in Michael’s face. Now he was truly terrified, and he involuntarily threw up his hands in front of his face to protect himself.
Michael couldn’t believe the driver of the limo wasn’t aware of what was happening inside his cab, even with the privacy panel up. The noise itself was deafening.
“Dobber, please tell me what’s happening,” Michael begged. He tried to call out to the agent again, but his eyes played tricks on him. Michael stared at Dobber, but it seemed he was looking at him from an impossible distance, as if they were not sitting inside the limo at all, but in a different world. It was as if he had been transported to another time and place, a different dimension, yet he knew that couldn’t possibly be true because he could feel the leather of the seat on his palms when he touched it.
The strobe light paused for a brief second, the images freezing for a mere moment, allowing Michael to see Danny and what he saw amazed him. His brother sat quietly with his hands raised to the sky, completely unaffected by the tumult he had created. And, he was smiling.
Flying to the Light Page 16