The Complete Lost Children Series

by Krista Street

  I stood and swallowed audibly before walking to the other table. I lay on my side. In a flash, Flint was holding my hand. The latest drug obviously hadn’t affected his ability. I sighed in relief.

  “I’m going to swab you first.” Conroy lifted the hem of my shirt and draped sterile fabric over me.

  “All right,” I mumbled. Something cold slid across my lower back.

  “After I’ve prepped the area, I’ll inject you with lidocaine to numb the pain. It’ll feel like a burning sensation but it will be over quickly.”

  I nodded as best I could in the awkward position.

  “When I inject the drug, you may feel some sensations as it travels up your spine to your brain. Don’t be alarmed if you do.”

  Flint cloud radiated love and warmth. Any trepidation I had vanished. I trusted Conroy, and I trusted Flint. I knew Flint wouldn’t let anything bad happen to me. If he was okay with me doing this, then I knew I’d be fine.

  “I’m ready,” I said.

  Conroy flicked a syringe. “Here’s the lidocaine.”

  A sharp prick pierced my back. A stinging sensation followed. It wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be, kind of like a bee sting. It quickly vanished and then I felt nothing but small points of pressure as Conroy injected more lidocaine.

  After a few moments, he said, “I’m going to administer the drug now, Galena.”

  I felt more pressure in my spine and then a popping sensation. It was completely painless, but at Conroy’s instruction, I lay completely still.

  “The drug is going in now.”

  A warm sensation flowed into me. It was a strange feeling, like molten molasses coating my spinal cord. I felt the drug move up and up. It started in my lumbar area and then moved to my transverse vertebrae and last to the cervical area. When it reached the base of my skull, an explosion of light flashed across my eyes. It felt as though heat coated the inside of my mind.

  A flash of panic engulfed me. I had no idea if that feeling was to be expected or not.

  I wasn’t not sure if I made a sound. In a way, it felt like I was no longer in my body. Things grew heavy as a pressure rose in my mind. It felt as if someone was putting layer after layer of heavy lead on my consciousness. I abruptly felt tired. So tired.

  I fought it for as long as I could. The last thing I remembered was Flint’s face as he kneeled beside me. His image swam in and out of focus as my lids opened and closed, but then my lids grew too heavy. Flint whispered something in my ear.

  I didn’t know what he said before everything went dark.

  CHAPTER SIX

  14 years old

  All nine of us hiked through The Forbidden Hills, walking up the steep terrain to the cliff where the helicopter landed. The moon smiled down, the air crisp and full of wet, night scents. We carried packs containing the items Father would dispose of. Recyclable items, used lab equipment, food packaging that couldn’t be burned and buried.

  Flint walked right behind me, but for the first time in the past year, I was more consumed with something other than him.

  I was going on a helicopter.

  I was going to a real city!

  A few years ago, Father started taking us on individual trips into the real world. He knew how much we wanted to see life outside of our secluded cabin. It was almost a rite of passage. When Father deemed we were mature enough to understand the gravity of leaving our mountain, he arranged the short trip. But it was one trip only. He said it was too dangerous to go more than that. The men at that place were still looking for us.

  Flint, Di, Jacinda, the twins and Mica had already gone. This year, it was my turn. Fourteen years old, and I was finally going to see how the rest of the world lived.

  “Are you excited?” Jacinda asked from ahead.

  I nodded vigorously. “Yes, I can’t wait!”

  I glanced over my shoulder. When Flint’s and my eyes met, I thought he frowned, but it was hard to tell in the night. He’d been like that all day, more quiet than usual. I bit my lip and turned around. I hoped he wasn’t mad at me, but I couldn’t think of any reason why he would be. I grumbled. That was another change I’d been dealing with over the past year. Obsessing when I thought something was wrong between Flint and me.

  “Almost there,” Father called, pulling me from my mulling.

  The trees ended. The large meadow on the cliff’s edge appeared. Silvery moonlight illuminated the rocky terrain.

  I switched my vision. Everyone’s clouds appeared. The single colors danced above all of us, but Father’s rainbow cloud was the prettiest even though it was so faint.

  Before I got my first period, everything other than the clouds had been out of focus, but with Father’s help that had improved. Now, I could see things clearly while also seeing clouds. Even more exciting, Father said with time I may be able to control a person’s cloud. He said something about harnessing their energy. We hadn’t worked on that yet.

  Father put his GPS away and glanced at the sky.

  “How long till the helicopter gets here?” Jet asked. He stood beside Jasper and Mica. As was becoming the norm, Mica and Jasper stood side by side.

  Conroy illuminated his digital watch. “It’s seven minutes to eleven. We have a few minutes.”

  I swallowed nervously and switched my vision back to normal. The clearing once again became swamped in the moonlight.

  I caught Flint’s scent a second before he stood beside me. His silent approach was like a cougar’s. Clasping my hands, I waited for him to talk. I knew he’d wanted to say something all day.

  He cleared his throat. “First time on a chopper. You must be excited.”

  “Very.”

  He shuffled his feet. A few pebbles skittered along the cliff. “It’s a different place out there, compared to what we’re used to.”

  “Hmm, yeah.” My excitement for the chopper ride dimmed in his presence. I wouldn’t see Flint for three days. Three days. After a lifetime of him at my side, a few days seemed like an eternity.

  “Do you think you’ll want to come back?”

  “Yeah.” I glanced up, having to crane my neck. At seventeen, Flint was tall—at least a foot taller than me. “Why wouldn’t I?”

  His eyes were dark in the night, his features grim. “I know how restless you get. How you want to know what it’s like out there.”

  I grinned. “I can’t wait to see it.”

  Flint put his hands on my shoulders, his frown deepening. His touch stopped my breath. He hardly ever touched me, not like this. “Promise me something?”

  His frantic whisper wiped the grin off my face. I nodded mutely.

  “Listen to Conroy. Always. You don’t know what it was like . . . at that place. If they were to find you . . .” He paused. “Promise me you’ll follow Conroy’s instructions. If he tells you to do something, don’t question him, just do it.”

  I licked my lips. I hadn’t thought about that place or those men in so long. It felt like another lifetime ago. I’d been so young when we left. An image of the bad man with the black cloud flashed through my mind. I shook it off.

  “Promise?” Flint said again. The chopper sounded in the distance.

  “Yeah, I promise.”

  His grip relaxed as he dropped his hands from my shoulders.

  When the chopper touched down, Father rushed to its side. He motioned to Flint.

  Flint whizzed around, collecting our packs and throwing them in the back of the chopper. When the cargo was stowed, Father held his hand out to me.

  Before I could take it, Flint stepped in my path. His hair flew around his forehead, but the charged look in his eyes . . .

  He leaned down until his lips touched my ear. I shivered. “Don’t forget your promise.”

  “Galena!” Father called. “We must go!”

  The anxiety in Father’s voice was evident amidst the deafening chopper. The cliff top was well out of view from the distant towns and ranches, and helicopters were used commonly for herdin
g cattle, but Father still worried. Locals might question why they heard the occasional faint sound of a chopper at night. So far, we’d manage to avoid anybody knowing that we lived in the Forbidden Hills. Hiding was key to survival, at least according to Father.

  I sprinted to the door and hopped inside. Everyone waved goodbye. The moonlight illuminated their excited expressions. Even Di smiled. Flint, however, stood in the back of the group, his hands stuffed in his jean pockets, his expression somber.

  I swallowed.

  Three days.

  A second later, we were off. My stomach flipped when the helicopter lurched to the side. All thoughts of Flint vanished. The ground disappeared beneath us as we flew forward. I almost laughed. I’d never experienced anything like this!

  Father turned in his seat. His voice sounded in my ear. The ear muffs he’d put on me apparently had speakers in them.

  “We’ll fly to Jackson, Wyoming. From there, we’ll take my plane to Seattle. We should arrive by five in the morning.”

  Once in Seattle, we’d have three full days before we’d return to the cabin. The others had told me that Father would dedicate two of those days solely to me. He’d indulge me in anything I wanted to do.

  I couldn’t wait!

  I FELL ASLEEP somewhere over Wyoming. The next thing I knew, Father was gently shaking me. “Galena, wake up,” he whispered. “We’re in Seattle.”

  Rubbing my eyes, I peered around. We were no longer in the helicopter but a plane.

  “I carried you from the chopper. You were sound asleep.”

  He ushered me out of the plane to a waiting car. Red glowed on the horizon. The scream of jet planes sounded from the distant commercial runway. We appeared to be at a smaller section of the airport.

  I paused a moment to stare at everything. I’d never seen planes before, not close like this. I’d never seen a car either outside of a movie.

  Smiling, I ran my hand along the car’s exterior. It was cool to the touch and very smooth. Father nudged me gently toward the open door. My smile vanished. Father continually glanced around, his brow furrowed, his mouth tensed.

  I remembered Flint’s warning.

  We left the airport and pulled onto a large road. Road signs flashed by the window. Any thoughts about those men and that bad place vanished. I almost giggled. This was an interstate. I knew all about them from the Transportation class Father taught a few years ago in our Real Life course. The Real Life courses in our homeschool were my favorite. Father said it was important that we understood how society worked. He said the stuff in our Real Life courses was normally learned from living in society, but since we didn’t live in society, we needed to be taught it.

  I cupped my chin in my hand and stared out the window. A car passed us. A baby sat in a car seat in the backseat. I’d never seen a baby in my life!

  About half an hour later, we pulled off the interstate onto a smaller road and drove to another smaller street until we pulled into a driveway. Large, metal gates blocked it from the road. The driver opened his window and punched in a code. The gates swung open.

  “We’ll stay here for the next three days,” Father said.

  “Where are we?”

  “Just outside Seattle.”

  “Do you own this house?”

  Father shook his head. “It’s a rental.”

  We drove forward. My eyes widened at what appeared. The house was very different from the cabin. I stared in awe. It was huge! Ivory pillars adorned the front. Vines snaked up the sides. The exterior walls were white and had dozens of windows.

  It was beautiful.

  After he parked, the driver opened my door. I wanted so badly to say hello but remembered Father’s rule. No talking to anyone unless necessary. Sighing, I followed Father.

  “I’ve hired a small staff to tend to our needs,” Father said quietly. “You can talk freely to them but not about anything regarding your life or our pasts. Understood?” His tone was gentle yet firm.

  “Yes, I understand.”

  Two people stood with clasped hands at the front door. Father introduced me to them. I eagerly held out my hand to the woman. It was something we’d learned in Etiquette class. We’d all practiced shaking hands with one another back home, but this was the first time I’d been able to do it in real life with a real stranger.

  “It’s nice to meet you.” I shook her hand. “My name’s Lena.”

  “My name’s Rose.”

  I switched my vision. Her cloud billowed white. That’s weird. She doesn’t have any colors.

  Regardless, I liked her immediately but had to make myself not stare. That was also something we’d learned in Etiquette course. Staring was rude, but it was hard not to. Rose was the first person I’d met who was a woman around Father’s age. Similar to Father, little wrinkles creased her eyes, and dry skin lined her palm when our hands shook. It was not only exhilarating, but it made me pause. If I had a mother, would she look like Rose?

  THE NEXT DAY, Father and I left early. The same driver brought the car around and opened the door for us. When we sped down the driveway, I practically bounced in my seat. “Where are we going?”

  “You’ll see.” Father’s eyes twinkled.

  The drive away from the house was as exciting as the drive in. We again hopped from highways to interstates as the image of Seattle grew larger and larger. Huge buildings and a pointy structure, which Father called the Space Needle, appeared as we drove toward the city. My nose was glued to the window. I couldn’t believe how big everything was!

  The driver swept us through downtown, expertly maneuvering the traffic and streets. So many people were walking around. It was fascinating to look at the different clothes, faces and size of each person. I switched my vision. I expected to see a sea of color staring back at me.

  My mouth dropped at what I saw instead.

  “Everyone’s white, ivory or gray. And there’s a black one!”

  Father pushed a button. A screen lifted that separated us from the driver. “You’ve switched your vision?”

  “Yeah, their clouds don’t have colors!”

  I snapped my sight back to normal. The black and white spectrum from the people on the streets vanished. “Nobody else has colorful clouds.” I remembered Rose’s white cloud and the other staff member’s ivory cloud. So that wasn’t unusual?

  “Hmm,” Father said. His hazel eyes brightened as he tapped his chin. “That’s very interesting. We should discuss that later. That could have greater meaning.”

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  17 years old

  Jet and Jasper bounded into our room. “Up and at ‘em girls! Capture the Flag is on!”

  Squeals filled the air as the twins poked and tickled the other girls awake. It was Saturday and the first day of summer break. We always started summer with a game outside.

  Jet’s head appeared beside mine. Since I slept on the top bunk, we were at eye level. I narrowed my eyes. “Touch me and you’re dead.”

  Jet chuckled. “Flint’s not here to save you, Little L.” He lifted his hands and made tickling movements in the air.

  I picked up my pillow and whacked him in the head.

  A chuckle sounded from the door. Flint lounged against the frame, his arms crossed.

  “What was that you were saying?” I asked sweetly.

  Jet rubbed his head and glared, but there was still a twinkle in his gaze. “You’re gonna regret that, L. The game’s only just started.”

  I smirked. “We’ll see about that, you big bully.”

  OUTSIDE, THE SUN tried valiantly to shine through the dense trees. Warm air flowed across my cheeks. All of us wore running shoes or hiking boots. Even Jacinda was dressed ready to get dirty.

  Jet crossed his arms. “All right, Father’s put a perimeter around the cabin. We have a mile radius, so if you get to the orange tether, you have to stop and turn back. That’s the only reason he’s okay with this game. Technically, none of us can get too lost. Understood?”
>
  All of us voiced understanding. The Forbidden Hills were known for disorienting people. Some referred to it as The Bermuda Triangle of Colorado. It’s why we lived here. Nobody ventured into these Hills.

  “So this is how Capture the Flag works . . .” Jet launched into the explanation. From there, we picked teams. Team red was the twins, Amber and Mica. Team yellow was Flint, Di, Jacinda and me.

  “Right, everyone has thirty minutes to find where they want to keep their flag.” Jet set the timer on his watch. “In exactly thirty minutes, the game begins!” He grinned gleefully.

  Team red jogged into the trees in the direction of the stream. I wondered what the game would be like, considering we’d be running through the forest. The forest could be incredibly disorienting. I figured that would make things more challenging.

  “Okay, so where should we put our flag?” Jacinda picked at her nail and made a face at the chipped paint.

  “By the cliff?” Di suggested. “The terrain’s really rocky there. It would be harder for them to outrun us.”

  Flint took out his compass. “Let’s head that way.”

  After twenty yards, I was completely lost as we followed Flint and Di through the forest. I ducked around a tree branch. “This is going to be interesting. We’ll probably all get turned around and not find anything.”

  Jacinda nodded. “I’m thinking the two of us should be the guards.”

  “I couldn’t agree more.”

  Flint glanced over his shoulder. When our eyes met, my heart rate increased. How could he do that to me with just one look?

  Jacinda nudged me after Flint turned around. “Is your pulse racing from the hike or something else?”

  I glared at her.

  The trees parted when we emerged near the cliff. The orange tether that Father had resurrected circled about ten feet from the cliff’s edge.

  Di surveyed the rocky terrain. “Somewhere around here would be good.”

  I pointed at a big pile of rocks. They were a few feet from the rope. “On top of there would work.”