The Secret

by A. Taylor, Taryn

  Sam stood, his legs shaking. He pulled back his shoulders and took in a breath. His hair fell into his green eyes and the glow from the monitor lights made them look dangerously dark.

  My heart skipped a beat and I thought of Sam’s hand in mine with the lights flashing around us.

  Sam raised one eyebrow at Jake. “Everything’s not always about you, Curtis.” He used the same sarcastic tone that Jake used when he used Sam’s last name.

  It felt like the walls were closing in on me. I held to the chair, willing my legs to stand. I couldn’t let this escalate; we had other things to think about. I looked at Sam. “Rob told me he figured out the code. If Stewart knows that he has…we’ve got to get Rob’s computer—now!”

  Pulling his eyes from Jake, Sam tilted his head to the side. “I think we need to go back in and talk to your mom. Get some more information.”

  Shaking my head, I said, “Later. She said we had to stop him. And the book is the key. We have to make sure he doesn’t get his hands on Rob’s software.”

  Jake frowned, looking back at me. “Lanie?”

  Acute panic filled my chest as realization dawned on me. “She’s not safe anymore.”

  Jake grabbed my arm. “What—”

  Sam cut Jake off, pulling my hand down. “Listen—the only people who know that Stewart is Nicholi are the three of us.” He pulled his face into a grimace in concentration. “I don’t think we should tell anyone else, yet. You don’t know who you can trust.”

  My head felt fuzzy, but I could see the common sense in what Sam said. I felt myself relax a bit. “Even if he has the codes, he won’t have a reason to take Mom. He doesn’t know that we know who he is.”

  Sam’s dimple deepened. “Exactly.”

  Jake put his arm up across the door, preventing us from leaving. “What the hell are you both talking about? I’m not keeping a secret from anyone if I don’t get some answers.”

  Sam met his gaze. “Move.”

  Purposefully, I didn’t meet Jake’s gaze, but jerked my thumb at Sam. “Sam told me if I would go to prom with him, he would help me get inside Mom’s head. But I wasn’t allowed to tell any of you the real reason I was going to prom with him.”

  Jake’s face turned a touch of red. “I see.”

  I started talking faster. “And when Sam and I went inside Mom’s head, we discovered that she is living in a false reality. She was in the house that she and my dad always lived in, but it was all time-warped. She was living in a reality where Rob and I are still little kids. She knew me and realized what was happening. But she likes being there. And she said that sometimes she forgets it isn’t real. My father put her there to protect her from Nicholi.”

  I motioned to her still body lying on the bed. “They knew Stewart was trying to mind control her and they wanted to save her. Which makes sense, because Sam said her mind was a lot different than the other dreams he’s been in, right?” I turned to Sam for confirmation.

  Sam turned away and grumbled, “Not that I wanted everyone to know I could get inside people’s heads—but, whatever.”

  Jake glanced between us. “Okay.”

  Sam hit the wall with his fist. “Wake up, Curtis—your friend is a poser. And he’s been playing all of you. And he’s like—he’s like…”

  “The Emperor.” Jake looked vacantly at me, his gaze in a faraway place.

  I felt my heart pick up speed. “Yes.”

  Sam released a little chuckle and I saw his eyes widen. “But if he’s the Emperor, that would make Luth—Darth Vader? And you—” Sam laughed. “And you’re Luke Skywalker? Give me a break.”

  Jake ran his hand through his hair, but he still had that faraway look in his eyes.

  Purple, red, black, and white soared through my mind. I vacillated between information overload and wanting to sink into the floor and cry. “We have to make a pact to tell no one. At least not yet. It is imperative to my mom’s safety—got it?”

  Sam met my eyes. “Absolutely.”

  Jake focused on my face, but his voice seemed unsure. “Okay.”

  I swallowed, pushing back the emotion welling inside of me. Stepping to Mom, I gave her a soft kiss on the forehead and wiped the tear that dropped onto her skin. Determination burned through me. “I’ll stop him and get you back—I promise.”

  Jake watched me, slowly putting out his hand for mine. “Let’s go.”

  Brushing away the rest of my tears, I sucked in a breath, feeling the weight of everything ease with my hand inside of his.

  Holding the door for Jake and me, Sam’s eyes met mine. “How sweet. He takes you back so easily.”

  Dipping his shoulder, Jake shoved Sam into the wall and held him for a moment. “Let’s get one thing clear, Turner. I’m not Skywalker...I’m Han Solo—he gets the girl.”

  Episode 22: Needs

  The apartment was dark. Rob and I usually left the kitchen light on for each other. It was just something that we did. Fear poured through me and I wiped away a sudden tear, wondering how dark it was in Rob’s cell.

  As I fumbled with the keys, Jake and Sam stood behind me, both breathing loudly. We needed that computer.

  I finally got the door to open and dropped everything on the table, switching on the light and starting down the hall.

  A loud thump sounded from Rob’s room.

  Jake and Sam both reached for me, taking hold of my shoulders and pulling me back.

  “Shh.” Jake’s warm breath hissed into my ear.

  Luth’s face came to my mind. Would he be here to do the dirty work for Stewart?

  Another loud thump came from Rob’s room.

  Jake ran forward. “Don’t move.”

  Sam followed Jake. “Stay back, Lanie.”

  I didn’t stay back. The thought crossed my mind that I should really be in front of both of them since I was better skilled to take on whoever was here.

  Jake flipped on the light switch in Rob’s room.

  “What—” Karen sat up on Rob’s bed, a frightened look on her face and mascara smeared under her eyes. She was still in her prom dress.

  Jake stared at her incredulously. “Karen?”

  I noticed that her royal blue dress with black lace looked partially ripped.

  Sam looked around the room. “What are you doing here?”

  Jake looked at Sam, annoyed, and moved to Karen’s other side.

  The looks Jake and Sam were giving each other reminded me of two children fighting for a possession.

  Karen’s lip quivered. “I—I’ve been so worried about Rob. I couldn’t sleep, so I came here.” She held up a silver key. “He gave me a key a few days ago, telling me I could come over anytime I wanted.” She shrugged. “No one was here so I just let myself in and went to Rob’s room. I just feel closer to him here.” She broke off, shaking with sobs. “We have to get him out of that place.”

  I sat next to her on the bed and began patting her back. Now was definitely not the time to tell her about the whole Nicholi/Stewart thing. Jake and Sam were already starting to search for Rob’s computer.

  I continued to rub her back. “Rob’s tough—don’t worry.”

  Karen straightened, smoothing down her crisp A-line dress and sucking up her tears. “Yeah. And he told me at the jail that he cracked the code. He was so excited to talk to Stewart, too.”

  Jake and Sam both froze.

  I kept my hand on Karen’s back. “Karen, where is Rob’s computer? We need to find it.”

  Frowning, Karen looked around. “Oh, he was working on it before prom at the warehouse. It must be there still.”

  Jake moved past me, taking my hand. “Let’s go.”

  Sam held back, his phone buzzing. “I’ll meet you guys there.”

  It didn
’t feel right, leaving Karen here by herself, especially if someone else was looking for Rob’s stuff. I reached for her. “Come with us, Karen. Rob wouldn’t want you to be alone.”

  The warehouse was dark, except for the dim hue from the television in the front area.

  Reed jumped in his spot on the couch when we came through the door. “What the—”

  “Chill out.” Jake let go of my hand and started jogging toward Karen’s room.

  Marsha started from the mound of pillows piled behind her. Her hair was ratty and she rubbed her eyes. “Seriously—you have to come stomping in here right now?”

  I followed Jake, knowing the only thing I was functioning on was adrenaline.

  Flipping the light on, Jake scoured Karen’s room with his eyes.

  I sought out Rob’s spot, the place he’d carved out on Karen’s long computer desk to do his work.

  Nothing.

  Karen put her hands on top of her head and walked in a little circle. “Someone stole it?”

  Realization washed over her face and she looked at me, accusingly. “Dr. Luth—but how would he know? Unless there’s a spy?”

  Reed walked into the room, Marsha dragging in behind him, knotting her pink bathrobe in front of her. “What are you guys talking about?”

  Sinking into the large, black computer desk chair next to Rob’s spot, I tried not to react to her statement. The horror of it all started to sink deep inside of me.

  Dropping down into a push-up position, Jake looked under her bed before popping back up onto his feet. “Does he keep it anywhere else?”

  Shaking her head, Karen sat on her bed.

  Looking around bewildered, Reed watched Jake making short work of Karen’s room, pulling books off her bookcase and yanking the blankets from under Karen to pull them off the bed.

  Visibly getting more agitated, Marsha stomped her foot. “Where is Sam? And what the hell is happening?”

  I put my hand to my head, rubbing my temple. I’d had a pounding ache in my head since Sam and I had been inside my mom’s reality.

  Jake went into Karen’s closet and started to rummage through her things. “It’s got to be here.”

  My phone buzzed and I pulled it out of my pocket. It was a text from Sam, telling me he needed to take a drive. He asked if we’d found Rob’s computer. Annoyance flared through me. I did not understand him. He was taking a drive now? “Apparently your brother needs to take a drive at three in the morning.”

  “Dude—hold still.” Reed reached out and stopped Jake from starting in on Karen’s dresser.

  Jake glared at him. “You don’t get it.”

  Reed held on to Jake. “Hold up, Bond—explain what, exactly, is making you act like this.”

  Meeting my eyes, Jake sighed.

  Shaking my head, I stood. We couldn’t tell them that Stewart was Nicholi—if one of them was working with Stewart, I didn’t want Stewart to know that we knew. Not until I could get Mom safely tucked away somewhere else.

  I touched Karen’s shoulder. “We’re worried that Luth found out about Rob cracking the code for the book. Maybe he’s bugged the house or something.”

  Reed crossed his arms and paused, looking between Jake and me. “Let me get this straight. We don’t know where Rob’s computer is? The computer that has the key to the existence of our powers?”

  I nodded.

  Pursing her lips in superiority, Marsha smiled. “I have it.”

  “What?” Jake and I both said in unison.

  Tilting her head down, Marsha took on a teacher voice. “Rob came to me before prom and told me that he had this nagging feeling that he needed to keep it safe. He said it was probably silly, but asked if I would put it in my safe.”

  Reed smiled, nodding. “That’s my man. Did you stuff it in that steel box of yours?” He turned to me, laughter at the edges of his smile. “She has, like, diamond-studded shoes in there.”

  Elbowing him, Marsha started for the door. “It looks like my safe is going to save us all.”

  Following her to her room, which was covered in posters of the Eiffel Tower, I felt myself calming down. The computer was in the safe. It didn’t surprise me that Rob would take measures to protect it. That’s just how he was.

  Disappearing into her long closet, Marsha turned the light on by pulling a string.

  I dove in behind her, unable to control myself. I needed to see the computer for myself.

  Marsha opened the lid on a steel box.

  I saw his computer, safely tucked between a pair of diamond shoes and a couple of worn, brown books. My pulse started to slow and I couldn’t help laughing that the diamond-studded shoes really existed. “It’s here.”

  Marsha dropped the lid and immediately reached for the heavy lock, slamming it back into place. She put the chain with the key back around her neck. “That’s right. Nothing goes in that safe and nothing comes out—without my key.”

  We filed out of the closet and I smiled at the relief in Jake’s eyes.

  Jake stepped beside me, touching the small of my back. “I’m taking the couch tonight. You need some sleep.”

  I nodded, feeling exhaustion start to sweep over me with the assurance that Rob’s computer was safe.

  Marsha poked me in the shoulder. “You’re welcome.”

  Turning to her, I held her angry eyes for a second and then looked away. There was always more time to fight with Marsha, but it wasn’t tonight. I started out the door.

  “Hey—are you going to text my brother and find out when he’s coming back?”

  I glared at her. “Do it yourself.”

  The sweatpants and T-shirt sagged on me, but the thick, white socks Jake had lent me felt warm and toasty. I padded down the hall to Jake’s room, ready to drop into bed.

  Jake sat in a chair next to the bed. He’d changed into his pajama pants and a white T-shirt. He smiled. “I know being in my room with me makes you feel awkward.”

  My heart sped up a notch. “I’m that easy to read?”

  Gesturing for me to get into the bed, Jake shook his head from side to side. “No, you’ve been impossible to read the last couple of days.”

  Feeling a little shy, I got in his bed.

  As I pulled the blankets up to my chin, he sat down, scooting the chair closer. His eyes were tired, but he reached a hand out and laid it gently on my forehead. “I’ll just tuck you in.”

  I sunk deeper into the bed and turned onto my side, facing him. It felt so perfect to be here with him. Breathing in deeply, I was filled with trace whispers of his fresh rain aftershave.

  Jake leaned closer, laying his cheek next to mine and my whole body seemed to relax. I felt his soft lips tickle my ear. “I’m too tired to kiss you.”

  I smiled.

  He pulled back, watching my face.

  The light from the hall shadowed him.

  “I’m sorry about prom.”

  Jake didn’t speak for a minute and then he kissed me softly on the lips. “This is a good end to prom night.”

  My heart started to constrict and I sat up, a small laugh erupting from my throat. I pressed my hand against his cheek. “Yes, this is a good end to prom night.”

  Jake smiled, touching my cheek gently with his thumb. “I missed you.”

  Looking into his eyes, I couldn’t think of a more perfect moment. “Me, too.”

  Jake stood from the chair. “Good night, Lanie.”

  I leaned back into the pillows, smiling.

  He turned toward the door.

  “What do you think Stewart is trying to do? I mean, I know he’s gathering powers and stuff, but what do you think his ultimate goal is?”

  Jake stopped, turning slowly. “I don’t know. But it’s been a long day,
Lanie. We need some sleep. Don’t worry. We’re in this together.”

  I closed my eyes. “Did Sam get back?”

  I could hear the instant pain in his voice. “Do you care that much?”

  My eyes felt gravelly and I squeezed them tighter, not wanting to look at Jake. “It just feels strange that he didn’t come back with us to check on Rob’s computer.”

  Jake scoffed. “Turner…he never seems to do things that make sense. Believe me, he’s the least of your worries.”

  I could feel myself already starting to pull toward the gravity of sleep, but I wanted to ask him. “How come you followed us after we left the jail?”

  I heard Jake suck in his breath.

  I opened my eyes. “I’m glad you did. But I worried you’d be so mad at me when I left with him…”

  Jake crossed his arms. “I guess the honest answer is that I wanted to be angry. But it didn’t make sense. It just didn’t add up. It felt like, one minute, we were rock solid, and then the next, you were knifing me in the back. I couldn’t believe that you’d just turned into a different person all of a sudden. So I decided that I would fight for you. I need you, Lanie.”

  A warm, glowing feeling spread through me. I smiled.

  “What?” His voice sounded uncertain.

  I reached my hand out from under the covers, holding it in the air.

  He took it, the warmth of it making me happy.

  “I need you, too.”

  Episode 23: Missing

  A dull knocking sound brought me to consciousness and I jerked upright in bed. The whole of the previous night went through my mind in little movie bites: Rob in jail, Stewart as Nicholi, the computer software. I rubbed my eyes, trying to both force away the unsettled feeling inside of me and to remember what I’d been dreaming about. It was like my subconscious had been on the edge of figuring out something important.