Knox grinned. “You could say that. You do realize that trespassing is a crime.”
“Last time I checked. Wanna arrest me? We can catch up on our way back to the city.”
“I know that Jade is here,” Knox said abruptly.
He felt a cold shudder run through him. His heart beat like an angry fist against his chest. “Why do you think that?”
“I’m having one of my hunches. But I’ve had my suspicions since October.”
“Such as?” he challenged.
“Such as the body at the morgue. Jade looks young for her age, but I’ve seen pictures of her, and she didn’t look like a teenager to me. The body in the morgue didn’t look old enough to drive. And then came Aaron’s little story about how Hiroshi saved her from getting hit by a car. I’m not too familiar about our ex-mayor’s personal life, but I do know he didn’t remarry until Jade was ten years-old, after he was elected as deputy mayor.”
He couldn’t imagine what other reason Knox had to follow him to the Railroad Yard Museum except to bring her in. “She hasn’t done anything wrong.”
“Oh, no?” Knox challenged. “Faking her own death, having a clone of herself made. Very illegal. Then lying to the world about her death, very deceiving.”
“She’s a hero,” he argued. “If it wasn’t for her, we’d be at war right now. There’s no reason for you to expose her.”
Knox maintained a level expression. “Have you seen … you know, them, lately?”
His expression eased. “Not since they dropped me off at my sister’s.”
“So, that wasn’t the Replica that threw me into the Mazda at the hospital that I saw breaking into your car this morning?”
Nice going, Eb. You brought him here.
“Like I said, I haven’t them since that night.”
Knox appeared unconvinced, yet said, “Did they say anything to you about what they were going to do on the way to your sister’s place?”
“Ebenezer told me that he and the others were going to try to live normal lives as humans. He never told me where they would go.”
“Do you think you’ll see them again?”
He shrugged, “Maybe. For all we know, we see them every day on the street. But I doubt they’re anywhere near New York.”
“Who knows. They might turn up to save the day again.”
“I guess we can always shine our Replica spotlight in the sky.”
Knox grinned. “Maybe.”
A long silence wedged between them. The only sound came from the pounding of heavy rain falling from the edge of the platform roof to the rocky ground.
“Just leave her alone,” he finally said. “I’m begging you. Think about the harm you’ll do if you publicize this.”
“I have,” Knox said, walking towards the edge of the platform. “Everyone considers her a martyr for the sacrifice she made. When they think of her, they may want to do something to make this world a better place, too.” He stopped and craned his neck at Nikolai. “I’m not here to expose anyone. I just wanted to see if I was right.”
“You’ve been following me all this time just to see if your hunch was legit? Don’t you cops have better things to do?”
Knox approached him. “It wasn’t the only reason. I had a feeling that whatever she wants with you it has something to do with leaving. I wanted the opportunity to tell you goodbye before you left.” He extended his hand. “Good luck to you. To the both of you.”
His relief carried away the weight of worry. He felt himself floating.
“Thanks.”
The new police chief walked toward the station door.
“Hey, Knox.”
“Yeah?”
Nikolai hesitated. “Thanks—for everything, I mean.”
Knox nodded. “All in a night’s work, kid. Oh, I meant to ask you something. It’s about your sister.”
“What about her?”
“Do you think she’d go for a guy like me?”
Nikolai smiled. “Dunno. Why don’t you ask her?”
Knox snorted. “Maybe I will. See ya.”
With that, he vanished through the door.
Nikolai stood alone for a long while. Then he heard the faint cranking sound of a car engine. Along with the rumble of the car starting, the sound of the train door sliding open caught his attention. Jade stepped onto the platform like an arriving passenger, her eyes fixed on him.
“He’s gone,” he said. “You’re safe.”
“I know. Ebenezer relayed every word you two said out here.”
Must be nice to have bionic hearing.
“Jade, I’m really sorry for what I—”
Before he could finish, she wrapped her arms around him and kissed him. He surrendered to the taste of her. It was the sweet taste he’d believed he would never experience again.
She pried herself away and whispered, “Come with me.”
How could they ever be parted if death hadn’t taken one of them? He belonged to her, body and soul, as she to him.
He nuzzled his head beside hers and whispered his answer into her ear.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Michelle E. Lowe is the author of The Warning, Atlantic Pyramid, Cherished Thief, and Legacy, and the children’s books Poe’s Haunted House Tour and The Hex Hunt. Her works in progress are the continuation of the Legacy series. Currently, she lives in Lake Forest, California, with her husband, Ben, and their two daughters.
Website: www.michellelowe.net
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