I still wasn’t buying it. “I think you’re on the wrong track with the bombing. I don’t know who was responsible, but I don’t think it was the government trying to activate these abilities we have.”
“Why else would they be here if it wasn’t for that?”
I waved my hands around. “Because they caught wind of all this. Isn’t it possible they’ve found out we’re congregating somewhere in San Francisco and they’re trying to find us? Not just me, but all of us.”
Everyone exchanged glances, and I knew I might have stumbled upon a possibility. I hated that I was the one to be the bearer of bad news again.
“If the government is getting closer to us, we need to be ready,” said Kit.
Hunter stepped in. “Then we need to work more with Ari.”
My eyebrows shot up my forehead. “Oh, no, we don’t.”
Why the hell was he suggesting this now, after he’d bitten Kit’s head off the previous day for working with me? This guy ran hot and cold more than the faucet.
“Yes, we do, Ari. You could be our most powerful weapon. You could be stronger alone than all the rest of us put together.”
Everyone’s eyes focused on me again. I didn’t want to be singled out. I wanted to fit in with the rest of them. But what could I say?
“I don’t want to train here,” I said. “We need to go somewhere I’m not going to freak out that I’m going to bring the roof down on everyone’s heads.”
Kit nodded. “We can do that.”
Dixie, who had been standing close by, bounced up and down and clapped her hands. “Yay! Road trip!”
I smiled over at her, thankful to have someone on my side.
Honestly, I was almost looking forward to getting out of here myself. It had only been three days, but this place was intense and claustrophobic. We might be safe from whoever was trying to track us down out there, but I didn’t feel safe from myself.
“I’ll go, too,” said Hunter glancing over and giving me a half smile.
I smiled back. I felt as though I’d barely seen him since I’d been here, except when he wanted to interrupt to tell me off, which was crazy when we were effectively living in the same place. He was always busy, being whisked off for something or other. Even when we ate, and most people sat down, he stopped only to grab a bite and leave again. Nothing had really happened between us, but I couldn’t help feeling disappointed. I wondered if he’d only used my attraction toward him as a way of getting me down here. Now his job was done, and he didn’t need to pretend to like me anymore. At least he’d offered to come along to help train me. I knew it was just another part of the role he’d been given in all of this, but his presence still made me feel better.
“You can take my car,” said Kit. “Get Ari a good distance away from here, somewhere you won’t be noticed by any locals. And be careful. Make sure no one is following you.”
“Are you not coming?” I asked him, surprised. I thought he didn’t trust me enough to leave me alone to wreak havoc.
“Hunter and Dixie can handle it. Take Sledge and Natasha with you, too.”
My heart sank a little at having Natasha around—I still didn’t think she liked me—but I saw Sledge and Dixie exchange a small smile at them being able to go off together. I wished I could have shared a similar moment with Hunter, but now I was here, he was treating me like one of the gang. The connection I’d believed we’d had during the night before coming here had all but vanished.
“We’ll leave in thirty minutes, so get yourselves ready,” said Hunter, addressing us all. “I suggest we head past San Jose, toward Tracy. That area is fairly unpopulated.” He glanced over to me. “We don’t quite know what we’re up against.”
Me. They were up against me, and my uncontrollable talents, though I thought I’d been damned reserved since the glass incident … Oh, and the bed incident, but I’d been sleeping and could hardly be held responsible for that. Besides, as far as I was aware, Dixie hadn’t told anyone else.
Everyone going agreed to meet back in the Cavern in half an hour.
We still hadn’t had breakfast, so we quickly swung by the kitchen to grab coffee and toast. I’d put my plans to confront Hunter to one side for the moment. If we were going to be out of the Cavern for the day, I was sure an opportunity to speak to him in private would arise. Besides, I thought I’d be more comfortable talking to him away from the confines of the Cavern. This place had a way of intensifying everything.
Dixie and I finished breakfast and headed back to our room. Dixie was right behind me, chatting to me as we stepped through the door.
I stopped short, my stomach lurching, and Dixie slamming into me from me.
“What the—!” she squeaked.
I didn’t answer, couldn’t even bring myself to turn around. My gaze was fixed on the photographs on the top of my bedside table, or at least I should say my lack of photographs. The pictures of my family which I’d brought from home were all missing. The frames still stood in place, but the spots behind the glass where my dad, mom, and sister had smiled out at me were no more than backing card.
Sucking in a breath, I broke my paralysis and stormed over to the frames. I picked each one up, turning it over in my hands, and checking on the floor and down the sides of my bed as though I thought the pictures might have escaped.
“What’s going on?” Dixie’s voice at my shoulder.
Something deep inside me had turned cold. “Someone stole the photographs of my family.”
“What?” She was at my side now, frowning as she did the same as I’d just done, checking around as though she’d see them lying on the floor. “Why would someone do that?”
I shook my head. “I don’t know.”
I couldn’t get out of this place fast enough.
Chapter Seventeen
I didn’t know what lay ahead, but with everything going on, I desperately wanted to get out of the Cavern. I didn’t want to think of my photos missing. I’d taken comfort in being able to see their faces each time I sought sanctuary in here, but also I hated the idea someone down here would deliberately do something to upset me. I knew I wasn’t exactly popular, but the thought of someone wanting to drive me out made me feel sick.
The missing photographs weren’t my only reason for wanting to get out of here. I hadn’t seen any natural light in days, and though I’d sent my dad a couple of emails telling him everything was going well, I longed to hear his voice again. He’d replied to my emails saying he was missing me, but coping fine without me. Turns out, he was happy to get the television to himself to watch sports, rather than having to put up with my binge watching of Netflix series. For the first time, I wondered if perhaps it was time to move out for real. Maybe he did need his own space. I’d told myself I only stayed because I didn’t want to see him alone, but what if I had been the one who’d been afraid of being alone? My dad was a guy—a man’s man—and he didn’t need a twenty-two-year-old daughter constantly getting in his way.
I glanced over at my pictures for comfort, but remembered with a sinking heart that they were missing. Who had taken them? I knew I wasn’t exactly little miss popular around here, but to steal someone’s only photographs of their dead mother and sister was low.
“Right, that’s it,” I snapped, snatching up one of the empty frames.
Dixie straightened and looked over at me in alarm. “What are you going to do?”
“I’m going to find out who took my pictures. Someone must know something.”
“Ari, wait.”
But I ignored her. I was fired up and I didn’t want her to talk me out of confronting everyone. I was sure it would do nothing for my popularity ranking, but I didn’t care.
I stormed out of the room and went back to the Cavern. Oblivious to my anger, people were milling around, those not joining us on the road trip either continuing with their training or standing around in small groups, talking.
I lifted the frame into the air, like I was holding a tr
ophy, and called out, “I want to speak to whoever took the photographs of my family from my room.”
Everyone fell silent and numerous faces turned to look at me. I did my best to remain calm and hold back my emotions, even though everything about this situation made me emotional.
No one said a thing. A couple of people shook their heads and glanced at each other, but that was it.
I was aware Dixie had followed me out and was standing not far behind me.
“If you don’t like me, or don’t want me here,” I continued, addressing everyone as I had no idea who the culprit was, “that’s fine. I get it. But don’t take your dislike of me out on my things. Come and tell me face to face. We’ve all lost our mothers here. Ask yourself how you would feel if someone took the only photograph you had of your mom.”
Angry tears were building, and I didn’t want anyone to see them.
“I have to get ready to leave now, but while I’m gone, I hope whoever took the photos will have the decency to put them back again. I didn’t just lose my mother, I lost my sister, too, so have some damned sympathy.”
I knew I couldn’t hold back my frustration and heartbreak any longer, so I turned away from them all and ran back to my room. Dixie followed me back in.
“You okay?” she asked me.
“Yeah, I’m fine. I’ll be glad to get out of here for a while.”
“Getting claustrophobic?”
I glanced at my empty photo frames. “Yeah, that as well.”
She gave me a sympathetic smile. “Try not to worry about the pictures. I’m sure they’ll turn up. Someone is just messing around. I’m sure they didn’t mean anything by it.”
I remembered my missing socks, which were still nowhere to be seen, and the way my moisturizer looked as though it had been deliberately squirted all over the sink. I didn’t like other people touching my things, and righteous anger began to build inside my chest. “Whoever took them is nothing but a coward.”
“Ari …” Dixie warned as the lights in the room began to flicker.
I took a deep breath. “Sorry.”
How was I supposed to function when I couldn’t allow myself to think of anything that might upset me? Alarm bells were jangling inside me, and I couldn’t give any thought to them in case it caused me to do something stupid that put everyone’s lives in danger. The stifling walls of this place weren’t only housing my body, they were housing my mind and emotions, too.
Kit had helped with some coping techniques, but the last thing I felt was confident. This power I had was stronger than I was, and I didn’t trust myself with it. Once it was out, it was too easy to get caught up.
We grabbed what we needed and headed back into the Cavern. I felt even more self-conscious after my outburst. I wanted to skulk around with my head down and shoulders rounded, but I forced myself to keep my chin lifted and make eye contact with anyone who caught my gaze, though most people ignored me. No one approached me to own up to being the one responsible.
Dixie was even more excitable than her usual excitable self, and when she saw Sledge, she swung her arms around his neck and kissed him full on the mouth. I wondered why the two of them didn’t share a room. Kit must have rules about that kind of thing, or perhaps there simply weren’t enough rooms to start letting couples share, and they didn’t want to make others in the room feel awkward. They both seemed happy about the road trip, though I couldn’t shift the tension that had bored its way into my muscles and bones. The thought of spending the whole day with Hunter left me both anxious and filled with anticipation. The guy made me mad, but I still wanted to spend time with him.
We convened at the exit from the Cavern. I could tell others were talking about me again, from the way they spoke to each other from the sides of their mouths after quickly glancing at me and then away again. I was looking forward to being away from them all, even if it was to push myself out of my comfort zone again.
Hunter approached, walking with long strides across the Cavern. “Everyone ready?”
We nodded.
“Where’s Natasha?” he asked with a frown.
Footsteps ran up behind him. “Sorry, sorry. I’m here now.”
Her ponytail swung perfectly, her jeans fitted, sneakers on her feet. She was the epitome of casual, and yet she managed to look amazing. I wanted to hate her, but for once she gave me such a bright smile I couldn’t.
“This is exciting, huh?” she said. “We never get to go out as a group like this.”
Dixie hooked her arm around my neck. “We have Ari being crazy to thank for that.”
“Thanks, Dixie!” I protested, but only half-heartedly. It was nice to feel like part of the group.
We took the tunnel out of the cliff face, walking in a line between the candle-lit walls. We stepped out onto the shingle beach. Far above us, the Golden Gate Bridge stretched out toward San Francisco Bay. Cars, trucks, bikes, and pedestrians all crossed it, completely unaware of the group of outcasts below.
I spotted something on the beach.
A small rowboat sat on the shingle, pulled far enough up the narrow beach to be out of reach of the waves, and far enough under the cliff so it wouldn’t be spotted from the road or bridge above.
“Oh, is that for us?” I asked.
“You didn’t think we always climbed cliffs or jumped from bridges, did you?” Hunter said to me, that glint back in his dark eyes.
I shrugged. “Honestly, I think I’d believe anything at this point.”
We each grabbed an edge of the rowboat and hauled it down to the water, the wood crunching through the pebbles.
Natasha and I jumped in first, wobbling and squealing a little as we did so, grabbing onto each other for support. Sledge lifted Dixie and deposited her inside, and then climbed in himself, taking the middle seat and picking up an oar. Hunter gave us a final shove then jumped in after us and positioned himself next to Sledge.
The two men rowed with strong strokes. The small boat lurched in the surprisingly rough water. I calmed myself with the knowledge Hunter could use his skills to calm the waves if needed. They rowed the boat away from the bridge and around the headland.
Within ten minutes, we’d reached a more accessible cove. A postage stamp sized parking lot provided parking for tourists, or anyone else who wanted to visit the small beach. I recognized one of the cars parked there—the same one Kit had picked me up in a couple of days before.
“Kit’s letting us borrow his car?” I said in surprise.
“It’s kind of a community vehicle,” Hunter replied. “If we need to cover any distance, we’re free to use it.”
“Like when you go out to pick up new recruits?”
“Yeah, normally. Except with you, Kit suddenly found something else for me to do so he could do it.”
I didn’t know what to say to that. I almost felt I should be apologizing, though it wasn’t like I’d done anything wrong.
Hunter drove. Being larger and needing more space, Sledge called shotgun. That left us girls in the back—Dixie, with the shorter legs, squashed in the middle of Natasha and me. Hunter turned on the radio, and we sang along to the songs we knew as he drove.
For the first time since the bombing, I felt like a normal twenty-two-year-old.
***
An hour into the drive, we stopped at a service station. Everyone jumped out, happy to be in fresh air and open surroundings. The greenery around here was dry and bleached from the summer sun, but the amount of space made up for the somewhat barren scenery. Dixie and Sledge took off, hand in hand, into the store to browse the snacks. Natasha gestured toward the bathrooms and walked away, leaving Hunter and me standing awkwardly together. He’d barely said anything directly to me since finding me with Kit in the cave the previous day.
“Come here a second,” he said, jerking his head toward the side of the building.
I frowned. “What is it?”
“Just come with me.”
Was I in trouble? I wracked my b
rains for something else I’d done wrong. Perhaps he’d figured out who’d taken my stuff, but didn’t want to say anything in front of the others, though he could have easily told me with everyone out of earshot.
We rounded the corner of the store.
“What’s the—” I started, but didn’t get the chance to finish.
He used his body to command my movements, stepping forward to make me step back, so I hit the wall of the building. The concrete was hot and gritty against the backs of my shoulders. I opened my mouth in a gasp of shock, but then his hand was in my hair and his mouth was on mine. Whenever he touched me, it was as though my body sank against his of its own accord, and all other thoughts fled my mind. My eyes slipped shut with pleasure, my arms winding around his neck. His tongue pushed between my lips and tangled with mine. He tasted of mint with the faintest hint of that morning’s coffee, and sea salt from the ocean spray after rowing. His lips were warm and soft and perfect, and all anger I’d felt toward him vanished.
From inside the building, an alarm started to sound, forcing us to break the kiss.
I glanced over my shoulder, heat rising in my cheeks. “Shit, was that me again?”
“Yeah, I think so,” he grinned.
My senses came to, and I shoved him in the chest.
“Hey!” he protested.
“What’s with the kissing? You’ve practically ignored me over the last few days. Or when you haven’t been ignoring me, you’ve been shouting at me.”
“I’m sorry, but I didn’t have much choice. After the glass incident, I didn’t want to get you all stirred up.” He gave me a wink and I smacked him again.
“You’re giving yourself too much credit.”
He cocked his eyebrows at the building, where someone had just shut down the alarm. “You think?”
“I didn’t break anything,” I said in my defense.
“Anyway, it wasn’t just that,” he said. “Kit sent me away when you first arrived for a reason. He didn’t want me around because he was concerned there was something between us. I had to convince him otherwise.”
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