Enigma

by Tonya Kuper

  Josie slid down the wall to the floor like a withered plant, nothing in her left to hold her upright.

  “You okay?” I tried to get a better look at her face. She pulled away.

  “Perfect,” Josie mumbled. She blinked fast.

  “What was that? What happened?”

  She pulled her head up to look at me. Fear welled in her eyes.

  Oh, shit.

  It was her; she did that.

  “I…I didn’t mean to.” Her words were thin. “I’m sorry.”

  My heart missed a beat. If the mole was in the room with us at that moment, they just saw what she was capable of. They had a first-row seat to her strengths and weaknesses.

  Squatting closer, I whispered, “Don’t apologize. It’s part of you. Own it. Remember? Don’t show fear.”

  Her eyes latched onto mine like they were her lifeline. I nodded and she mirrored.

  Meg knelt on Josie’s opposite side. “You’re okay. You’re okay. You did good.”

  Meg wasn’t a beaming parent. Her eyebrows pinched together, lines formed on her forehead. But she knew better than to voice her worries. Meg had to have known that what she witnessed would make Josie more desirable to anyone who wanted power.

  I wrapped Josie’s arm around my neck, and Meg tried to help with her other side, testing if Josie could stand.

  Cohen sat up, rubbing his head. I hadn’t realized he’d landed on a thick mat. He would have felt that landing anyway.

  The Council members still graced us with their presence. A delighted grin stretched across Max’s face. “This”—he waved to the middle of the training room floor—“was unprecedented. As you probably well know, Meg, nothing of this sort has been recorded in known Oculi history. We need to get these two checked out to make sure they don’t have concussions. Full vitals check.”

  Meg nodded.

  Max stepped closer and concern replaced the smile. “Josie, are you okay?”

  Josie kept her gaze down, not looking at Max, but nodded.

  “Good,” Max said. “We’ll take care of you.” He looked to Meg again. “The infirmary will inform you of any findings. But one thing is for sure: she’s more than an Anomaly. Josie’s unique. Full of the unexpected. She’s an enigma.” Max quickly tipped his head to Meg, pivoted, and walked to the door.

  The Council left the room, but we were all aware that the cameras were still on. Dad helped Cohen stand up. “Infirmary for Josie and Cohen.”

  Meg leaned into Josie. “Let me know what the infirmary says. Then find us this afternoon. Eli and I are going to clean up and nap. Someone will go with us, so don’t worry.”

  Josie nodded in tiny, quick movements.

  “Here,” I said, pulling Josie’s other hand up around my neck. I carefully swept her feet out and lifted her into my arms. Her head fell to my shoulder.

  Meg glanced to me. “Thank you.” Eli squeezed Josie’s hand.

  “Of course. Hey, Dad?”

  He stepped behind Meg. “Don’t worry. I’m taking care of these two.”

  Kat held the door open for us, and we started down the hall to the infirmary alongside Cohen. He seemed fine but walked slowly.

  “You okay, Coe?”

  He lazily glanced at me. “I’m fine, man.”

  “I think we need to talk about a couple of things behind closed doors.” I spoke quietly and quickly.

  He didn’t say anything for a few seconds, glanced to me, and gave me the index finger salute. Relief washed over me. The tiny gesture let me know that we were on the same page.

  “My dreams have come true,” Josie said, still limp in my arms. “I have the Force. You can call me master now.”

  Cohen laughed and I stifled a chuckle, which reverberated in my chest. “What, now you can Force Push?” My chest ached. This was too much for one person. “Are you okay?”

  “I don’t know how to control this energy burst or whatever it is.” Josie sighed. “And if I can’t control something powerful, I’m dangerous.”

  Cohen shook his head and exhaled loudly.

  The mole had committed an act of psychological terror by impersonating her brother. He showed that he held power over Josie—over all of us. And now Josie’s new ability? She was exactly what the Council said she was: a weapon.

  With the larger situation as dire as it was, the Council could get greedy. They could put her in harm’s way, jumping at the chance to use her before she was ready. Trying to make her do things she didn’t want to do. She took Santos’s life only days ago and was haunted by it.

  “We got this, Josie.” I said it for her, but also for me, because at the moment, it seemed like the mole had “got this.”

  9.

  Josie

  After three hours of tests and observation, I was released by Doc. I physically felt fine, especially after they fed me.

  I followed Doc out of the examination room. Reid was leaning against the opposite wall, a faint smile on his lips. “You okay?”

  “Yeah.” I really was fine, besides being scared of myself and not knowing how to control my new gift. “Where are Mom and Eli?”

  Reid guided me out of the infirmary into the main hallway where voices, motors, and noises from various tools echoed from the garage.

  “No worries.” His voice was steady, calm. “Cohen is with them. Dad and Dee escorted them to get food to take back to their room. Once Cohen was released from the infirmary, which wasn’t long, he went with them. If someone wants to speak to your mom besides the four of us, Cohen has to be in the room.”

  I blew out a breath of relief, and my lungs seemed to work easier.

  I directed my attention to Reid and away from the rocks. “That Force Push thing? I used it with Santos. It was like I was Pushing my shield, and a surge radiated from the center of me. This cool sensation spread through my chest as I moved energy outside my body. It was weird, but what made it scarier was it not being intentional.” I let my hand trail against the rough mountain wall. “I’m betting the mole can’t do the Force Push thing, which gives me an advantage. I need to capitalize on that. I need to master it as quickly as possible.”

  “Hey,” Reid said, dragging my attention away from the mountain wall. “I get it, and I agree that it’s an advantage, but you have to be safe.” He stopped in the middle of the hallway and turned to me. A couple of random people passed us in the opposite direction. “We need to practice this daily, so you can learn how to control it without getting hurt. Slow and consistent. We don’t really know how it works. You getting hurt won’t help anyone.” There was no joking, nor teasing, just an intense stare. He was worried.

  My heart lightened in my chest, making me feel dizzy for a second. “Okay.” I bit my lip.

  He continued walking again, and I resumed touching the wall of rock. “You seem kind of intrigued by the mountain,” he said, watching me out of the corner of his eyes.

  “Rocks, in mountain ranges particularly, fascinate me. It’s like…” I shrugged. “Living history. Think about how old this is. It’s crazy.” If I was honest with myself, Reid actually fascinated me more than rocks. But they were a convenient distraction.

  We rounded the corner where the people hurried through the Open, doing their own thing. “Let’s check out the public records in the library to get a list of all those who have entered and exited the Hub compound, as well as outside communication. We need to check to see if anyone was here when they weren’t supposed to be and activity in the Hub before Santos arrived here. I also want to check those records for last week when Santos was close to you. Then I’ll get you to your family. They’re safe for now, but we have work to do.” The library sat across from the Caf and the Pub Hub in the Open.

  Reid pulled the door open for me, and we entered one large room with rows and rows of metal shelves. No one seemed to be there, but I spotted several cameras. Reid stopped at a table in the back. “These are the computers we use to access the Hub public records.”

  I sat in the cha
ir next to Reid as he logged into the system. “Here. This is the registrar for everyone who is currently in the Hub, marked with their arrival and departure dates.” Reid tapped the screen. “Let’s print this then do what you suggested—cross off those who aren’t possible suspects. It’s a start.”

  “Gotta start somewhere.”

  We printed the list and walked to the living quarters, Reid leading me to a room on the bottom level. “This is your mom and brother’s room.”

  For some reason, I’d expected them to be in my room, even though I only had a twin bed. They weren’t far from my room, though. A thirty-second walk, maybe.

  I knocked and Cohen opened the door. Dee was right behind him. “Josie. I was just leaving,” she whispered. She stepped around Cohen and wrapped her arms around me, giving me a quick squeeze. “How are you doing? Are you feeling okay after, well, whatever that was?” Her face twisted in concern, her dark eyes drawn in sympathy.

  “I’m okay.” I kept forgetting her daughter was missing.

  She placed her hand over her heart. “Oh, thank God. If you need anything, I’m here.”

  It was kind of her to offer, but I hadn’t seen her for two years or really talked to her much since I was thirteen or so. “Thanks, Dee.”

  She moved past me and Reid, giving him a brief smile.

  Cohen waved his hand, signaling for me to enter. “I’ll be outside if you need anything.”

  I walked through the doorway, and turned to see if Reid was following. “I’ll be close. You need a few minutes alone with your mom.” His eyes hung on to mine.

  I knew we were both safe at the moment, but I didn’t really want him to leave me yet. “Okay.” It was an odd feeling, wanting to be with someone all the time.

  Cohen closed the door, and Mom walked with the use of her cane to the couch, an amused look on her face.

  “What’s that look for?” I asked.

  She sat and I followed. “Don’t let the Council see how you look at each other.”

  Panic slammed into my chest. Holy shit balls. Deny. Deny. “What?” I acted like I was shocked. And I was shocked, from fear.

  “You don’t have to pretend with me. It’s…” She smiled to herself. “Natural.”

  Dear Loki, please don’t give me the talk, Mom.

  She looked at me again. “Cal—” She shook her head. “I mean, Reid has liked you forever.”

  She knew Reid liked me? He’s liked me forever? Was I really having this discussion with my mom? My heart raced out of control, and my mind went with it.

  “Reid’s mom was my friend and we talked. I knew.”

  She wasn’t going to out us, was she? I bit my tongue, waiting for her to move to a different subject, wishing I could Retract conversations.

  “It makes me feel better knowing he cares about you. Just don’t let the Council figure it out. That was a Council rule implemented about ten years ago.”

  I nodded as if I was a bobble-head doll. My mom was okay with Reid and me being a thing.

  And it was a Council rule, not an Oculi rule. Huh.

  “But,” she said. It was amazing how one word could send my vitals into a frenzy. “I did want to talk to you about our living situation while in the Hub. Do you want to remain in your own place?”

  I thought she was going to say something about my and Reid’s relationship, not inquire about where I stayed. I had no idea how to respond. I was so confused about wanting more independence, then getting it but not the way I wanted.

  Mom watched me patiently. “It’s okay if you’d like to stay in a place by yourself. You’re less than a minute away, but—” She looked up toward the ceiling like she was thinking. “You could be safer here. Not that we can protect you, but there would be more people around you.”

  Me staying with my family could make the mole think I was scared. Or they could use my family again to get close to me. If I stayed by myself, maybe I could keep the mole from messing with Mom and Eli. Maybe he’d come for me instead. And after being overprotected for so long, I did still want a little freedom.

  “I’d like to stay by myself for a little while.”

  Mom’s gaze shifted to the floor and she nodded. “Yes. Okay.” Sadness laced her quiet words. I didn’t have to explain why I wanted my own place for a while; she knew.

  Mom cleared her throat and twisted to the coffee table. “Here.” She held a small box out to me. “Open it.”

  This wasn’t normal. She didn’t give presents.

  I took the lid off and pulled the Dragon’s Eye symbol out of the box. The chain uncoiled, dancing like a silver snake in the light. “Thank you.”

  “Do you know what it stands for?”

  “Wisdom, love, and power.” And coming from my mother, it was even more meaningful.

  A few wrinkles gathered in the outer corners of my mother’s eyes. “This doesn’t make up for anything. It doesn’t make up for constantly uprooting you and your brothers, for keeping this life a secret, for not being there emotionally for you and Eli the last two years.”

  The hurt I’d held on to for so long surfaced, scratching at my throat, begging for me to release it. I stood up from the couch with the necklace in my hand. I needed to keep a leash on the words wanting to spout from me. “No, it—” My voice cracked. “No, it doesn’t.”

  Her eyes watered. “I’m sorry. That doesn’t make anything right, but I am sorry. You need to know that we believe in you. That your dad and I love you.”

  “Dad?” I squeaked. My heart slammed against my ribs.

  She closed her eyes for a moment, then faced me. “Your dad is Harrison’s connection inside the Consortium. I didn’t find out until a couple of days ago that he altered his appearance for protection, much like what had to happen with Reid. Your dad is our mole. He’s still alive.”

  I covered my mouth, trying to keep myself from crying. Tears rolled down my cheeks anyway.

  “I haven’t spoken with him at length. It was a two-minute conversation.” Her nose suddenly became red and she sucked in a slow breath. She glanced to her lap momentarily and just like that, she swallowed her emotions and put her strong face back on.

  Mom patted the couch. I sat again and she took the necklace from my hand and unclasped it. I leaned forward so she could fasten it behind my neck. Sitting upright, I stared at the shiny pendant, a gift from my parents, both of them alive. “Thanks,” I croaked.

  “This is just a reminder that we believe in you. We will find this traitor. And you are strong enough to help us fight the Consortium, standing up for Anomalies like you.”

  “But what if I’m like Nick? What if I can’t handle it?”

  Mom’s ponytail whipped back and forth as she shook her head. “You’re different than Nick, just as Eli is different than you. No two people are identical. You’re smart and stubborn, but within you is a drive, a determination that will serve you well. That will serve a lot of people well. You will stick by your morals.”

  This was unorthodox for my mom. She was the scientist, not a pep-talker. “Is that your scientific surety? How have you come to that conclusion?”

  “No science involved. It’s called a gut feeling. Sometimes those are more convincing than anything logical. You use that sixth sense more than you think you do.”

  “What about finding the mole?” I motioned to the stack of papers on the couch next to me. “The entry and exit logs show routine behavior. I don’t know where to look next.”

  “Make lists. Categorize people. I’m here to help; I’ll see what I can find.” She patted a laptop next to her on the couch. Her laptop from home.

  “How are you going to use your laptop to help us identify the mole?”

  “I’m one of the few who have access to the Hub database. Restricted files. Top secret files. I can see them all, but I had to be here to access a majority of them. Only Harrison knows I’m doing this. That is, Harrison and now you.”

  She was helping investigate the traitor the best way she coul
d. But secretly. My pulse skipped around, happy and confused and grateful all at once.

  I stood, prompting her to do the same. “I need to get this new Force Push thing down. If you need me, I’ll be practicing in the training rooms. Or you can rely on Cohen, Harrison, or Reid. Otherwise, don’t trust anyone.”

  10.

  Josie

  I opened the door after hugging Mom and wasn’t expecting so many people. Reid was talking with Cohen, two troopers in tow. He turned to me.

  “Dad and I talked to the Council, and they had already started the process to get a permanent guard assigned to Meg and Eli. Since Meg is a Founder, threats against her or her underage child cannot be ignored. And since Eli and Meg will occasionally need to separate for Meg’s work, we have two vetted guards. But we’ll still have to use Dad, Cohen, and me the most, for safety.”

  I couldn’t hide my smile if I tried. “Thank you.”

  “Yes, thank you,” Mom said behind me.

  Reid tipped his head to Mom. “Of course. Coe, the guards want to talk to Meg and Eli about their schedules, safety protocols, and a system of signals and codes, and they’ll also start installing additional security equipment in their rooms. Can you help with that so one of us knows exactly what is said, done, and planned?”

  “You got it.”

  “Thanks, man.” Reid gently wrapped his hand around my arm to move me in the right direction, and leaned toward my ear. “You and I need to go this way.”

  We walked away from the room down the center of the living quarters, and I could hardly contain my happiness. “You won’t believe this, Reid.”

  “What?”

  “My dad is your dad’s contact inside the Consortium.” I could actually feel the smile on my mouth spread. “My dad’s alive,” I whispered.

  His smile matched mine. “That’s awesome. So happy to hear that. And I have more good news. Cohen and I are now officially assigned to you as guards. The council thought nothing of it, since there had been a visible threat to Eli, and since I’m your trainer. Cohen is going to step in any time I can’t.”