After (Parallel Series, Book 4)

by Christine Kersey

  Regret flashed in her eyes. “Look, I’m sorry about what I said earlier, okay? Please don’t drop out. We need you.”

  Her words flattered me, but I’d made my decision. “No.” I shook my head. “I’m sorry, Hannah, but I can’t do it. Not with you making decisions that affect me.”

  She sighed. “Fine. Do what you want.” Then she faced the front, effectively ignoring me.

  Discouraged by her rejection, I considered my next move, and knew what I had to do.

  The moment the lunch bell rang I headed toward the office to talk to Hansen. I’d hoped to avoid ever having to talk to him again, but I had to keep myself safe. The last thing I wanted was to be on Hansen’s bad side. I knew what he was capable of, and I wanted nothing to do with it.

  When I reached the office I saw that his door stood open, and there he was, sitting behind his desk eating his lunch. A fresh bout of nerves crept up my spine, but I pressed forward, stopping to knock on his door. He looked up and saw me, then motioned for me to come in.

  “Morgan,” he said as he set his sandwich down on his napkin. “What can I do for you?”

  I stood behind the chair I’d sat in the day before, using it as a kind of barrier between us, even though he was on the other side of the desk. The more barriers the better, as far as I was concerned. “I just wanted to tell you that I’m not the spokesperson for We Can Choose anymore.”

  His eyebrows rose. “Oh? Why is that? I thought you believed in their cause.”

  “I do, but I just don’t want to be involved any longer.”

  He tilted his head as he squinted. “Is there a specific reason that you no longer want to be involved with them? Something you think I should know about?”

  “No.” I hoped I hadn’t answered too quickly, but I had no intention of telling him about the hacker. As much as I feared getting in trouble, I also strongly believed in what We Can Choose stood for, and I didn’t want to see it die off when it was just getting started. Maybe I even cared about it more than Hannah did. “I just wanted to let you know that I’m stepping down and going my own way.”

  “A little disagreement on the way things are run, maybe?”

  How did he know that? I shook my head. “Look, I just wanted to tell you that I’m done with them, okay? Can we leave it at that?” He picked up his sandwich and took a bite, then chewed it for a moment, all the while watching me. I tried not to squirm under his gaze, but it was difficult. “I’m going to have my lunch now,” I said.

  He nodded, then swallowed his food. “Thanks for coming to talk to me, Morgan. Stop by anytime.”

  Like that would happen. I didn’t respond as I turned and left his office.

  When I got to the cafeteria I saw that my spot at Hannah’s table was open, so I sat beside her.

  “What took you so long?” she asked.

  “I just had to . . . take care of something.”

  She gave me a strange look, like she thought something might be up, but didn’t comment.

  I took out my lunch and began eating, even though I wasn’t hungry.

  “Morgan’s not going to be our spokesperson any more,” Hannah said to the group.

  “What?” Sara asked. “Why not?”

  Hannah glanced at me. “I guess she has better things to do.”

  Disapproval was evident on the other girls’ faces, and I frowned as I glanced at Hannah. She’d made it sound like it was something I’d decided casually. “There’s more to it than that,” I said in my own defense.

  “Oh yeah?” Sara said. “Then why? I mean, I know lots of kids have watched that first video and it’s really helping people to understand our point of view. It’s making a difference.”

  I didn’t know that, and it made me feel kind of bad about changing my mind, but I had to do what I could to take care of myself. If I didn’t, who would?

  I didn’t want to discuss the hacker right there in the lunch room. Hannah might be comfortable talking about it with these girls, but I wanted to pretend he didn’t exist. “I just don’t think being the spokesperson is the right role for me right now.”

  Sara looked confused by my answer, but I didn’t elaborate. A few minutes later the lunch bell rang and we separated for class.

  When I got home that afternoon I told Billy what I’d done.

  “That was a good solution.”

  “I just hope Hansen doesn’t think I’m involved with the hack.”

  He smiled at me. “Maybe you’re worrying for nothing. Maybe he won’t even do it. Or maybe they won’t be able to tell who did it.”

  “I hope you’re right.”

  That evening I worried if the hack was taking place, although I knew there was nothing I could do about it.

  Chapter 65

  Billy

  When the phone rang later that night I was surprised when it turned out to be Jim calling to talk to me.

  After a brief greeting he got right to the point. “Your moth . . . I mean, Becky and I were wondering if you’ve thought about what we should tell people when they see you. I know we talked about several options, but we need to decide.”

  “Uh, yeah.” I glanced over my shoulder to make sure none of Morgan’s siblings were near, then I lowered my voice. “I’ve thought about it and I guess the only thing you can do is tell them the truth.” I paused. “For now though, can you just tell close family? And then ask them not to tell anyone else?”

  Jim was quiet for a minute. “I agree. I think we’re going to have to tell people the truth, as hard as that might be.”

  “They need to keep it to themselves though, okay?” That was critical.

  He was quiet a moment. “What if they don’t?”

  “I don’t know,” I said. “I guess it could get uncomfortable for us, including you and Becky.” As I considered all the reasons they would regret taking me in—all the questions people would have, all three of us being called liars—I started thinking that this was just a big mistake, and decided I should give him a way out of it. “You know,” I said, “maybe we should wait on this.”

  “Wait on what?”

  “On me moving in with you guys.”

  “What would we be waiting for, exactly? What will change? Even if we move somewhere else, my family will still be in my life and they’ll still want to know where you came from.”

  Exactly, which was why I wanted to give him a chance to back out of it. “Right. So maybe we should reconsider if this is really the right thing to do.”

  He laughed. “You’re not getting away from us that easily, Billy.”

  Astonished that he hadn’t grabbed onto my offer to forget everything with both hands, I didn’t know what to say.

  He went on. “Your mother . . .” He said that with a sureness that surprised me, as if he was sending me a message. “She would be devastated if you disappeared from our lives.” He was quiet a moment. “And to tell you the truth, so would I.”

  His admission was the most amazing thing of all, and I was staggered by it. He’d been so skeptical, which had reminded me of my dad, that I’d been doubtful that he truly wanted me in his life. After a moment I gathered myself and decided to offer him one last chance to back out.

  “Really?” I asked. “Even when people learn the truth and accuse me—and you—of lying? You’ll still want me in your life?”

  “Even then.” He paused. “From what you’ve told me, you’ve never had the chance to learn how a real family works, but in our family we don’t abandon someone just because things get a little difficult.”

  Since meeting Morgan’s family I’d had the opportunity to see how a real family operates—I’d just never believed I could have that for myself. I suddenly found it hard to swallow around the thick knot that had formed in my throat. “Okay.”

  “Good. Now that we’ve cleared that up, we need to discuss when you’re going to begin living with us.”

  “Uh . . . I don’t know.”

  “Well, we were thinking the sooner the be
tter. How about this weekend? We can have a few close family members over to meet you that afternoon.”

  This was happening so fast that I didn’t know how to process it. “Okay,” I finally said as I let myself get caught up in the inevitability of it all.

  “Great. Your mother and I will pick you up first thing Saturday morning.”

  “Okay.”

  “See you then.”

  When he hung up I just stared at the phone held in my hand, kind of dazed by where I was headed.

  “Who was that?” Morgan asked as she came into the kitchen.

  I set the phone on its base and turned to her with a smile. “It was my father.”

  She smiled. “Your father, huh?”

  I nodded, then told her what he’d said.

  “That’s wonderful.” She slid her arms around my waist and pressed her cheek against my shoulder. “You deserve to be happy, Billy.”

  I held her to me, and smiled.

  Chapter 66

  Morgan

  The next day at school I searched for Hannah, and as soon as I saw her I asked her if her hacker friend had broken in to the HLO database.

  With a look of annoyance, she said, “Why should I tell you? You’re not part of We Can Choose anymore.”

  “As far as anyone knows, I’m still the spokesperson.” Except for Hansen, I silently said, hoping that he wouldn’t immediately think of me when he heard about the data break-in.

  “Well, for your information, he did it.” The corners of her mouth turned up into a smile, but I felt my stomach drop at her words.

  “He did it? Are you sure? He actually got in and . . .” I glanced around, then my voice dropped to a whisper. “Deleted the data?”

  Her smile grew into a triumphant grin. “Yep. Every bit of it. And unless they have multiple backups, it should all be gone. Permanently.”

  “Backups? So he found backups?”

  “Yeah. He told me it took some doing, but he thinks he found all of their backups, and he erased them too.”

  Acid roiled in my stomach at her news. It wasn’t that I cared about the Healthy Lifestyles Organization and their data. I just cared about me, and what would happen to me when they figured out that We Can Choose was behind the hack. And that I knew about it ahead of time but didn’t say anything. “Congratulations,” I said, my smile tight.

  “Thank you very much.” Then her grin turned into a smug smile. “We have lots of other great things planned too.”

  Throwing up my hands like I was trying to stop a semi-truck from running me over—which is what her enthusiasm felt like—I said, “Stop. I don’t want to know.”

  She laughed. “It’s not like I would actually tell you. Not when you don’t even support our group anymore.”

  Good, because I didn’t want to know. Plausible deniability. That’s what I wanted. “I’ve got to get to class.” I didn’t want to be anywhere near Hannah Jacobs and anyone associated with her group.

  “See ya,” she said.

  During second period I didn’t sit by Hannah, and at lunch I sat by myself. I didn’t care that I looked pathetic and alone—it seemed safer to be by myself and not have to worry about doing something that could get me in trouble.

  At home that afternoon I told Billy that the hack had happened.

  “Wow,” he said. “I’m kind of surprised that they actually did it.”

  “You are?”

  “Yeah. I guess I thought Hannah was just trying to impress you.”

  “Impress me? Why would she care about impressing me?”

  He laughed. “You’ve developed a little bit of notoriety, don’t you think?”

  “I have?” Then I realized that maybe I had, though that had never been my goal. “I guess so.” Then a new thought occurred to me. “Maybe you’re right. I mean about her just making it up. Maybe the hack never happened. Maybe the hacker doesn’t even exist.” A feeling of lightness replaced the worry that had been churning in my gut. “Maybe I’m worrying over nothing.”

  Billy smiled. “Maybe so.”

  There were way too many maybes, but I clung to them nonetheless.

  That night Billy heard from his father again. “He said he’s started telling close family and friends about me,” Billy said after he hung up.

  “And? What did they say?”

  “He said everyone’s in shock over the news, but that they’re eager to meet me.”

  “How do you feel about that?”

  He shrugged. “I don’t know yet. I guess I’m a little worried that so many people are going to know the truth of where I came from, and I won’t know if they believe it.”

  “You have to be prepared for them to not believe it, but you can’t worry about what they think.”

  “I know, but that’s going to be hard.” He scraped his hands through his hair. “I just hope the people my parents tell don’t tell anyone else.”

  I had no clue what the people who were finding out Billy’s biggest secret were like. Were they trustworthy? Or would they tell all of their friends the unbelievable story that some kid claiming to be from a parallel world were duping their friends Jim and Becky Foster into believing he was a replacement for their dead son? Maybe they were even trying to talk Billy’s parents out of taking him in, telling them it was all a scam.

  All of a sudden I worried about Billy’s future. At first I’d been happy that he’d connected with his parents in this world, but now it all seemed too complicated, and I wondered if he would end up getting his heart and soul crushed once again. I looked at him now and felt my own heart break on his behalf.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked as he looked at me.

  “I’m just worried about what’s going to happen—to both of us.” And that was true. We both faced big unknowns, and the thought disappointed me. Somehow I’d thought getting back to my world, and bringing Billy with me, would solve all of our problems. Instead, we’d developed a whole new set of issues. Serious issues.

  He put his arms around me and pulled me against him. “You worry too much.” He paused. “Sometimes you just have to have faith.”

  I pulled back and looked at him. Getting to know his parents had changed him. He seemed so much more optimistic. It was good to see. “Faith, huh? Where’d you come up with that?”

  He smiled. “It’s what my father said.”

  “I think I like your parents.”

  His face lit up, like he’d just thought of something. “Come with me on Saturday. I want you to be there with me when I move in, and then meet the people they’re having over.”

  “Yes,” I said. “Yes, of course I’ll be there.” This would be a very important day for Billy, and I knew I should be by his side. He’d need my support more than I’d ever needed his.

  Chapter 67

  Morgan

  When I got to school on Friday I felt more confident and secure that I didn’t have to worry about getting in trouble for the hack. Nothing had happened the day before—the day after the hack—so I’d convinced myself that Hannah had made the hacker up and I was in the clear. I waltzed right into school and headed to my locker.

  “There she is now,” I heard a familiar voice say.

  When I turned to see Hansen pointing at me, and then saw two men in suits by his side, my blood slowly froze in my veins. The men standing beside him looked very official—FBI official—and I had an overwhelming urge to run.

  They’re not Enforcers, I told myself, hoping that would settle my tingling nerves, but it didn’t help at all.

  “Come here, Morgan,” Hansen said as he gestured with his hand for me to approach.

  Desperately wanting to ignore him, my gaze went between him and the other men and I knew there was nowhere for me to go. Besides, if I ran I would look guilty. No, I had to play this like I had no idea why they were there.

  With legs that felt like they were coated in iron, I forced myself to walk towards Hansen as I pushed a well-practiced fake smile onto my face. “What’s up?
” My voice was on the verge of shaking, but I kept it steady. I stared at Hansen, ignoring the men standing beside him as if they were of no concern to me.

  “I’d like you to meet Special Agents Atkinson and Murray. They’re from the FBI.” A smile slowly spread across Hansen’s face. “Perhaps you’ve heard of the FBI?”

  I tried to swallow, but my mouth had gone bone dry. “Yeah.” I surprised myself with the carefree tone of my voice. “Who hasn’t?”

  “They’d like to talk to you.”

  I glanced at them, but their gaze remained stony. “About what?”

  “Come to my office, please,” Hansen said.

  I didn’t seem to have a choice, so I followed Hansen, and the two FBI agents followed me. It felt like they were boxing me in, and it made me feel panicky, like I was back at Camp Stonewater about to be tortured by Holly.

  “Have a seat,” Hansen said, gesturing to the chairs in front of his desk.

  I sank into one of the chairs, and Hansen sat on the edge of his desk—much too close for my comfort. The agents stood off to the side.

  “Why am I here?” I asked. I would much rather be in my most boring class ever than to be sitting in Hansen’s office with him and a pair of FBI special agents.

  He stared at me a moment. “The other day I told you that I’d heard rumors that your We Can Choose group were planning disruptions.” He stared at me again, but I stayed silent. I wasn’t going to fall for the old keep quiet until the guilty person starts spewing forth confessions trick. After a few moments he must have realized I wasn’t going to say anything, because he said, “I gave you the opportunity to tell me what you knew, and you chose to remain silent.”

  Which was exactly what I was going to do now. I had no intention of saying anything to him. I knew I didn’t have to tell him anything, and I wasn’t going to.

  We all waited in silence again, and the sound of kids talking to the secretaries at the front desk floated into the office.

  “Something’s happened, Morgan,” Hansen finally said. “Something serious. It would be beneficial to you if you would tell us what you know.”