“She said that the Sentinels were coming and I needed to be careful.”
Multiple gasps ring out around me. Mrs. Parker stands up and immediately starts gathering her children. Molly gently takes my hand and tugs on me until I climb back up to my feet. Everyone is inside with the doors locked in two minutes flat.
A few minutes later, every member of the family is gathered in the living room. Only Danny seems to be more disappointed that the game is over than scared by Olivia’s warning. Amber and Sasha are clutching each other’s hands while Amber holds Jack tightly on her lap.
The way everyone is sitting so still and staring at me makes it apparent that I am supposed to take the lead. I can only open with a question. “What do we do now?”
Mr. Parker lets out a deep breath and rubs his chin. “I’m afraid we’re going to have to take a page from the Brittons and go into full lockdown mode. We can’t risk giving even the slightest hint that Mason is here.”
“But, didn’t Olivia’s message say that the Sentinels are already on their way?” Conner asks. “Doesn’t that mean they already know he’s here?”
“Yeah,” Shane agrees, “wouldn’t it make more sense to get Mason away from here?”
Shaking his head, Mr. Parker says, “If Olivia knew the specifics of when and where, she would have told Mason. From what we’ve heard about these sorts of things, Escorts know when their Aerlings are in danger, but the warning is rarely very clear. We have no way of knowing if the Sentinels know Mason is here and this is where they will come for him, or if they will find him because we try to move him. There are too many possibilities. It’s best to stay somewhere we know better than the Sentinels and are prepared to protect.”
Mrs. Parker nods slowly, and surprisingly, so do her children. Only Molly and I seem unconvinced. Her fingers tighten around my hand. Mrs. Parker doesn’t miss her agitation and reaches out for Molly. My little sidekick is hesitant to let go of me, so she only offers her free hand to Mrs. Parker. Not offended, Mrs. Parker smiles.
“Molly, I know this is scary, but I want you to try very hard not to be afraid. The Brittons are very proud of the fact that they’ve never lost an Aerling.” She squeezes her hand gently. “Do you know what? Neither have we.”
Mrs. Parker stands up and tugs Molly along with her. “Where are we going?” Molly asks.
“I’m going to show you a very special room. It’s the safest room in our house. Not even Sentinels can get into it.”
Molly’s eyes still hold fear, but curiosity outweighs her reluctance. She takes a step forward and yanks on my arm for me to follow. I get up, curious as well, but Mr. Parker puts a hand on my forearm.
“Molly, why don’t you go and see the panic room first. Mason will come join you in a moment, okay?”
Molly looks up at me, waiting for my nod, before letting her fingers slip out of mine. I turn back to Mr. Parker expectantly. He motions for me to follow him. Conner, Shane, and I follow behind. We stop in the doorway of a study. The three of us watch him take his time opening a wall safe. I half expect to see a weapon emerge. When he pulls out a cell phone, we stare at him with a bit of confusion.
Tossing the phone to me, Mr. Parker smiles. “Don’t you want to call Olivia and see if there’s anything else she can tell you about her warning?”
Instantly, my fingertips go numb at the thought of hearing her voice. I feel clumsy as I turn the phone on and wait for it to boot. It seems like hours before a strange logo I have never seen attached to any cellular company finally vanishes and a plain home screen appears.
Before I can start dialing, Mr. Parker says, “This is the phone we use to contact other Caretaker families. It can only make calls, not receive them. There is no phone number attached to it, and it does not run off any carrier network you’ve ever heard of. Not an easy thing to accomplish, by the way.”
“So, Olivia won’t be able to call me on this if she gets another warning?”
Mr. Parker shakes his head. “No, I’m sorry. It’s safer that way. We can set up a time each day, though, for you to check in with her. It’s the best we can do without putting Conner and Shane in danger.”
The heavy weight I feel burdened by so often lately settles back on my shoulders again—double the weight this time as I consider Shane and Conner. Looking over at them, my fists tighten. “Aren’t they already in danger of discovery if the Sentinels are on their way to find me?”
“We don’t know that for sure,” Conner says.
“Besides,” Shane interjects, “it was a risk we were willing to take. The Parkers asked us before they agreed to hide you here. It’s important that we protect you.” Shane’s brow wrinkles as if trying to understand something just beyond his reach. “We don’t really know why, but Conner and I both knew the second the Parkers mentioned you that this was more important than protecting our own lives.”
“What do you mean?” I ask.
Conner steps forward and puts his hand firmly on my shoulder. “The Parkers are very honest with us about what they know, but they can’t tell us everything. Not even they know what is going on in the Aerling world. It’s just something Shane and I can sense, and so can Molly. Whatever is happening there, it isn’t good.”
“And you think somehow I can make it better?”
Smiling, Conner says, “We know you can.”
I look to Shane for some kind of confirmation. He grins up at me. “We fully expect everything to be settled and good to go by the time we make it back. Better not let us down, dude.”
“I’ll do my best,” I say with a laugh.
Knowing that the Parkers are behind me one hundred percent, my hand feels steadier as I start to dial Olivia’s phone number. It’s late afternoon. She should be home from school right now, so I hope she’ll pick up right away. I wait through three rings before the ringing stops and I am faced with silence.
I wait several seconds before I can’t stand it any longer and finally speak. “Olivia? Are you there?”
“Mason?” Olivia says, her breath bursting out of her in relief. “I didn’t know what was happening. No phone number came up when you called, not even an unknown number message. It was just a bunch of jumbled up symbols.”
“Sorry, it’s just the phone I’m using. The Caretakers have it jacked up somehow so it can’t be traced.” Something like that, anyway. “Olivia, I got your message. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” she says calmly. “The Sentinel never ever tried to come after me. He was just trying to intimidate me.”
Suddenly, I feel like I am spinning. “Wait. What? The Sentinels came after you? I thought the message said they were coming after me! What is going on?”
“They are coming for you.” Rustling echoes over the line before Olivia speaks again. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to panic you. When you asked if I was okay I thought maybe you had sensed what happened or something. The Sentinel was just watching me at the park. It was the same guy who attacked me in the park, but he didn’t do anything this time. He just wanted to scare me, and it worked.”
“Are you okay?” I ask. Only getting to hear one side of the conversation, the others in the room all peer at me with concern. I mentally promise to explain later.
“I’m fine, really,” Olivia says. “I’m more worried about you.”
It pains me to switch topics before feeling convinced of her safety, but I need to consider the other Aerlings here with me and not just focus on myself. “Do you know when or where the Sentinels are going to come after me?”
Olivia breathes out slowly. “I wish I knew, Mason. All I can tell you is that I woke up this morning feeling awful. When I tried to do something to contact you, I felt better. If I got distracted, it got worse.”
“How did you know to use the wind?”
The quiet moment of hesitation makes me worry. She clears her throat and says, “I had to ask Robin’s grandmother.” Olivia sighs. “It wasn’t the only thing she told me, either.”
Sens
ing that this won’t be a simple story, I set the phone down and put it on speaker. Mr. Parker, Conner, Shane, and I listen attentively as Olivia lays out the rest of the Māori story… the beginning of the story. The parts of the story she already told me have stuck in my mind, but this does something else. It doesn’t strike me as a story with possibilities, with the hope for answers. It hits me dead center.
Suddenly, I don’t have any trouble understanding how Conner and Shane could know they need to protect me without having any good reason. Hearing this story resonates in the deepest part of my soul. I know it is true. I know this is the purpose behind my existence.
“I never saw it,” Mr. Parker says as he rubs his forehead. “I learned the Māori stories as a child during my training, but it seemed so farfetched that I never thought much about it.” He shakes his head. “Hearing it laid out this way, though, I have to agree it makes perfect sense.”
I’m glad to know Mr. Parker agrees, but the opinions I am most concerned with are Shane’s and Conner’s. I turn to them, wondering about their reaction. As soon as I face them, I see the confirmation in Shane’s fascinated expression and Conner’s closed eyes and quiet smile.
Shane is the first of the two to speak. He grins as he looks up at me. “See, I told you there was a reason we had to keep you safe.”
Conner smacks Shane’s shoulder and shoves him aside. He glances down at the phone before looking back up at me. “I think the three of us can agree that Olivia is right about this being as close to the true history of the Aerlings as we’re going to find, because I can tell you all felt it just like I did, but …”
“But it inspires a lot of questions. More than what we have answers to,” I finish.
Conner nods. “What does it mean that the mother is still here on Earth?”
Everyone’s eyes turn toward the phone. I repeat the question so Olivia can hear, and we all wait, hoping for an answer. Slowly, Olivia says, “I wish I could tell you. Mrs. Montgomery couldn’t explain any more than that. I don’t know what will happen after Mason goes home, but nothing can stop us from getting him there.”
The absolute finality in her voice puts me on edge. My hand reaches for the phone, snatching it up off the table before anyone else has a chance to blink. I have it pressed to my ear, words forming on my lips before my mind catches up with my body. I pause and glance at the three people around me. They are all staring. Conner and Shane seem confused by my sudden edginess, but Mr. Parker watches me with compassion in his eyes.
“Boys,” he says, “why don’t we give Mason and Olivia a few minutes to talk in private?”
Shane grumbles as he is pushed from the room, but a glimmer of understanding is forming in Conner’s eyes as he closes the door behind him. I look away, unable to bear his gaze, and turn my full attention on Olivia. Her agitated breathing makes it clear she knows what is coming.
“I won’t sacrifice your life for any reason, Olivia.”
Taking in a deep breath, Olivia prepares to argue with me. I don’t give her the chance.
“Unless Robin’s grandmother gave you some kind of insight about what’s going to happen to you when I go home, this is far from being a done deal. Nothing will ever convince me to let you risk your life to save mine. I won’t let you do it. I won’t.”
Expecting an immediate argument, I am left off balance when I am greeted by silence. An unsettling anxiety washes over me as I wait for her to say something, anything!
Olivia’s quiet, sweet voice whispers over the line, and from the first syllable, I know going against her is nearly impossible. “Mason, I would gladly give up my life in exchange for yours. That was never even a question for me.” She breathes out slowly. “But this is so much more than just us now. It isn’t my life or yours that we’re risking. It’s every Aerling’s life. Molly’s, Conner’s, Shane’s. If I don’t help you get home, the Sentinels will eventually find them. They’ll never give up their war. We have a chance to stop this forever. We have a chance to save them all. Saving you is reason enough to do this, but ending a war… how could I not take the risk?”
Silently, I wipe away the tears that started falling at the mention of Molly’s name. I could never let Olivia risk her life for me, but could I make the same argument when it is Molly’s life hanging in the balance? I shake my head, knowing I would do anything to protect Molly. It breaks my heart to admit Olivia is right, but there is no other choice I can make.
Emotion is thick in my voice as I say, “She’s my sister.”
“Molly?” Olivia asks, her shocked voice barely more than a whisper. “How did you find out?”
“The Parker’s figured it out when Molly told them I was able to accidentally share my power with her and let her talk to you.” I smile as I remember the moment I understood Molly was my sister. “It’s something only siblings can do.”
“Mason, that’s amazing!” The joy in her voice makes me smile, but it falters when I hear the energy drop out of it a moment later. “She’s the only reason you’re going to let me try, isn’t she,” Olivia says.
It takes me a moment to answer, to clear enough emotion from my voice to forms the words I need to say. “Olivia, you have been my whole world since the day we met. I love you so much. The idea of any harm coming to you kills me, but Molly… she changes things.” I scrub my free hand through my hair. “Does that sound bad, that I’m agreeing to this in order to protect her? It’s still putting you at risk. Helping me could kill you, Olivia. How do I justify that?”
“You justify it because she’s your sister, Mason. That’s what family is all about, making the hard decisions and sacrificing what you love most in order to protect them,” Olivia says quietly.
Her love reaches out to me, wrapping me up and filling me with a warmth like I have never experienced. I’ve always known Olivia was an amazing person, but I don’t think I realized until this moment just what a beautiful soul she really is. My breath hitches as tears begin rolling down my cheeks.
“You are what I love most, Ollie. You know that, right?”
“You’re what I love most, too, Mason. You always will be.”
Chapter 17
Tangled Up
(Olivia)
Fear and suspicion have become a way of life for me. It’s not limited to Sentinels. I have so many unanswered questions right now, least of which is figuring out who to trust.
I step out onto the porch where Robin is waiting for me feeling weighted down. We’re both used to the presence of one of the Caretaker officers watching the house, so the police cruiser parked down the street doesn’t bother either of us. I follow behind Robin, really trying to psych myself up for this running thing.
When Robin pauses at the end of the front walk and starts in on a few stretches, I pretend I know what I’m doing and do the same. Neither of us feels the urge make idle chatter. A few minutes later, Robin finally straightens and breaks into a slow jog to the running path by the river. I follow after her, my mind more on my questions surrounding Hayden than running.
“Robin, can I ask you something?” I say after a few minutes. I groan inwardly as I realize talking and running aren’t that conducive to each other. I really don’t like this.
“About what?”
I notice Robin isn’t having any trouble talking while running. It’s a fight to keep a snarky frown off my face when I look back over at her. “It’s just something your grandma said about the Māori book. She wanted to know who gave it to me, but she already knew, didn’t she?”
One of Robin’s eyebrows cocks up. “Of course.”
“Why did she ask me again then? She was pretty intense about it.” I pause and glance over at Robin to watch her expression. Tightness spreads from her shoulders to the rest of her body.
“Well,” Robin says, “it was kinda odd that Hayden happened to have just the right book you needed, wasn’t it?”
This time I am the one to shrug, but it’s no less casual than Robin’s. “Coincidences happ
en.”
Robin frowns. She looks forward again, not saying whatever is on her mind for the moment. The pace of her running picks up, much to my dismay. By the time we cross the walking bridge and delve into the less manicured areas of the park, even Robin is breathing hard. I’m relieved when she finally slows to a walk.
“Do you really think it’s a coincidence Hayden had a book about the Māori?” Robin demands.
Irritated by her hostile tone, I find myself going on the defensive. “His dad lived there for a whole year. Of course he’d learn about the local cultures. Besides, the book had one small chapter that was useful, and it didn’t even have the whole story.”
Robin matches my stance, her eyes narrowing. “How would Hayden know to give it to you if he was clueless about all of this?”
“He heard us talking about it at lunch,” I say. “He thought it was a homework project at the time, but he knows better now.”
“What? How?” Robin demands.
“How? By asking around and figuring out that no one else in the school has any such assignment!”
Robin’s eyes light up as if she has just found even more proof that Hayden is hiding something. I see exactly where her thoughts are going and shut her down right away.
“Anyone would ask around after the weird way we’ve been acting.” Robin’s half opened mouth snaps shut and I continue. “He knows something strange is going on. It clearly bugs him that he’s out of the loop, but he’s being a good friend by trying not to pry too much. He’s mainly just worried you’re going to get me into trouble.”
Disbelief slaps itself across Robin’s face. “Me get you into trouble? Who says it’s not the other way around?”
“Because Hayden knows me, and nobody really knows you that well.” I eye her searchingly. “Maybe you just give off a troublesome vibe.”
Huffing, Robin begins to pace. I can tell my comment got under her skin, but how is she going to refute it. Between me and her, my track record comes out the winner. Her eyes flit around the trees and brush. I can see the frustration bunching up her shoulders.
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