by Mikey Brooks
“Jax!” Ethan said, almost shouting. “What’s your dad’s name again? His first name.”
“Dude, you know that. Remember, we’re all named after presidents. It’s Jefferson. Jefferson Adams Washington.”
Emmy snorted.
“What?” Jax scoffed, running his fingers through his father’s dark curly hair. “My dad happens to come from a line of history buffs, like me. There’s nothing wrong with that.”
Ethan ignored them and turned back to the computer. He typed in Papa Washington’s full name in the search field and waited. The computer seemed to be stalling, as if it wasn’t about to give up its secrets anytime soon. Ethan growled with anticipation.
“What are you doing?” Emmy asked, touching his shoulder.
Ethan breathed out. “Papa Washington knows about the W.H.O. He said something about there being an alarm on the door. How would he know about the lair unless he’s been down here? He’s got to be involved somehow.”
Ethan cleared the search field and began to type as fast as his fingers would let him. He clicked Search and waited for the icon to stop spinning. The list finally popped up and Ethan clicked on the first file he found.
“Jax. I found your dad.”
“What about my dad?”
Ethan sat back in his chair and looked at the picture of Papa Washington on the screen. He was older now, but the dark-skinned man looking back at them was definitely Papa Washington.
Jax got up off the floor and fixed his eyes on the monitor. His mouth dropped. “Wha—?”
Ethan laughed. “That’s right, Jax, you’re not a Washington, you’re an Orion. Welcome to the family business.”
***
Emmy knew what Jax was feeling. She had felt it when she first stepped foot in this stupid room. Why did their parents feel it was right to keep all of them in the dark? Did they think they couldn’t keep it a secret? Looking at the profile of Jefferson A. Orion made her stomach churn. It wasn’t just her parents—the whole world was lying to them.
“Man, this is great!” Ethan cheered. “We must be like cousins or something! I wonder why your dad changed his name to Washington. I guess it’s because he loves anything to do with the U.S. presidents. And then he wouldn’t have to explain how we’re related. Hey look, there’s your mom, too.”
“She’s not an Orion, Ethan,” Emmy said, pointing at the name next to a photograph of a much younger Mama J. “It says her last name is Harris; must be her maiden name. Oh, but look she’s not a witch hunter. It says here she’s a warden. What’s a warden?”
“Dude, your mom is a warden!” Ethan shouted.
Jax looked even worse. Emmy pushed over the trash bin and stepped back in case he started spewing. “Mom is a warden? That doesn’t make sense.”
“Seriously, Jax,” Emmy said, putting her hair up with one of the pens she’d found on the desk. “Does any of this make sense? First, we find out our parents are chasing after witches—something which, by the way, doesn’t exist—and now your parents are in on it. Next, we are going to find out that Principal Fenwick is really the boogie man, and the hag that runs the library is the Easter Bunny.”
“Em,” Ethan said, pulling a large book out of his backpack. Emmy recognized the W.H.O. insignia on the cover. “Wardens are the people who guard the witch prison.”
“The what—? Wait a minute—you had that in your backpack? You mean you’ve been coming over here after we agreed to leave it alone?”
“I had to. We need to find out how to stop the witches at school.”
“Ethan, there are no witches at school!” she snapped.
Ethan didn’t back down. “You haven’t been looking around, Em! You’ve been stuck in your classroom sucking up to your new teacher.”
“I have not been sucking up to anyone. She happens to be my dance mistress. She is teaching me—”
“I don’t care what she’s teaching you,” Ethan roared. “We have more important things to worry about than your stupid talent show! Mom and Dad are missing. The W.H.O. doesn’t know where they are. I asked them. They haven’t even checked in. Something is happening here, and you need to focus on it and stop thinking about dancing.”
Had Ethan been anyone else, Emmy would have decked him. But she looked into her brother’s deep blue eyes and for the first time saw how strong he’d become. Ethan rarely stood up to anyone, yet here he was, standing up to her. Emmy took in a deep breath. “What are you talking about? How do you know Mom and Dad haven’t checked in?”
Ethan pointed at the computer screen. “I asked them—er—her, Agent Rachel Orion. She said some really weird stuff, Em. That the hunters have all gone missing. No one has checked in to headquarters. She was freaking out. When she found out I wasn’t Mom and Dad, she left the chat.”
Emmy sat down in one of the chairs and put her head in her hands. This was all too crazy. She was half tired and half racing with adrenaline. She wasn’t focusing. If Mom and Dad were missing, maybe that explained why they hadn’t called. Although in the past they didn’t need to go MIA to avoid a phone call. If this Rachel chick had answers, Emmy would get them from her. Maybe then she could find out what the heck was going on.
“Move over,” she snapped.
“What?”
“Move over, butthead. I need to use the computer.”
Ethan and Jax moved and Emmy slid into the chair. She clicked on the icon for the W.H.O. Headquarters and waited for the chat box to open. Nothing happened.
Jax moved in close to the screen. “I don’t think Rachel is going to—”
I could get into big trouble talking to you, but I am worried. What do you know? —Agent Rachel Orion
Where do you live? Can we meet? This is Emmy, by the way. —Agent David Orion
I shouldn’t leave headquarters. It’s only me and Techie here. —Agent Rachel Orion
If things are as bad as they say, you should come. Anyway, we know of two hunters that are still around. Does Jefferson A. Orion ring a bell? —Agent David Orion
The Washingtons are not on active duty. —Agent Rachel Orion
They’re witch hunters aren’t they? —Agent David Orion
I’ll be there as soon as I can. Be careful. —Agent Rachel Orion
Thanks, Rachel. —Agent David Orion
The chat window closed and Emmy leaned back in her chair. “I guess it just took a little girl-on-girl bonding to get her to open up.”
Ethan huffed. “Whatever. She would have started talking to anyone.”
“I guess this means we try to wake up my dad?”
Emmy got up from her chair and looked down at the snoring victim. “I’d let him sleep. He might be pretty mad when he wakes up.”
“Maybe we should go tell Mama J,” Ethan suggested. “If she’s like him, she might come downstairs with another gun.”
Chapter Sixteen: Skipping School
Mama J called the school first thing the next morning to inform them that everyone at the Washington’s house had the flu. Ethan could tell Emmy was annoyed. He heard her mumble something about missing dance rehearsal two days in a row. Ethan highly doubted the Washingtons would even let her stay after school today. Papa Washington still complained about the lump on the back of his head.
“It just isn’t fair,” Emmy grumbled. She leaned back on the sofa and flipped through the pages in her book. “I feel like we’re being punished for them lying to us.”
Ethan wanted to tear her stupid dance book from her hands and throw it in the trash. Maybe then she’d stop complaining about missing her precious rehearsal and focus on the fact that their parents were missing.
“At least you got let off the hook for trying to kill my dad,” Jax said.
Emmy rolled her eyes and went back to reading. Ethan grabbed the book.
“Give it back!” Emmy roared.
Ethan shook his head. “We should talk about Rachel before she gets here.”
“I
don’t want to talk. I want to read! Give me my book!”
“Em, you’re the one who set up this meeting with Rachel. If you didn’t want to meet her, you shouldn’t have done it.”
“I was worried about Mom and Dad.”
“You don’t seem too worried about them now. You’re more concerned with this stupid book.” Ethan hated the book. Emmy had been glued to it all morning. Instead of trying to talk to Jax’s parents about their involvement with the W.H.O., she’d been reading! “Dancing isn’t everything, you know.”
“Whatever!” Emmy reached for the book. Ethan held it back. “You only say that because you’re jealous. You don’t have talent like I do.”
“I don’t have talent?” Ethan yelled. “What’s that supposed to mean? Just because I don’t prance around on stage in a tutu doesn’t mean I don’t have talent. I have lots of talents.”
“Oh, yeah? Name one—that’s right, you can’t. You’d be a loser if it weren’t for Jax.”
“What?”
“That’s not true,” Jax said, coming to his friend’s defense. “Ethan’s smart. That’s a talent all on its own.”
Emmy shook her head. “Being smart isn’t a talent.”
“I don’t know, Em. I think you’re pretty talented at being STUPID!” Ethan threw Emmy’s book at her face. She reached up her hands in time to deflect the blow. He stood up and pointed a finger in her face. “You don’t care about anybody but yourself. I HATE YOU!”
Ethan stomped out of the living room before he tore his sister’s head off. Why was she always more concerned about herself? Their parents could be in serious danger and she was more worried about impressing her stupid teacher.
“Ethan Orion, slow down,” Mama J called from the kitchen. “We do not talk that way in this house.”
Ethan stopped and stared at the stairs leading to Jax’s bedroom. He could hear Mama J coming into the living room, and readied himself for a speech on “loving one another.” She’d probably break into some gospel song and make them hold hands. He let out a deep breath and turned around. Mama J stood next to the couch, her arms folded and her expression one of determination. Ethan gave up and sat next to Jax on the sofa.
“Can I have the book, Emmy?” Mama J held out her hand waiting for Emmy to give it to her. Ethan could count the seconds Emmy ignored her. Mama J didn’t back down, her hand staying firmly planted in front of Emmy’s face. Another second passed and reluctantly Emmy gave in. “I’ll give it back to you after we’ve all calmed down.”
Mama J took the book into the kitchen. Emmy growled, shooting a hurtful glare at Ethan. He hated it when Emmy got this way. All he wanted was her to focus on what was important.
Mama J returned with her face beaming. “Now . . . why are we fighting? This house is meant for nothing but love.”
Ethan rolled his eyes and tried to block out the sound of Mama J droning on.
“You two are brother and sister—twins, in fact. That is a bond like no other. You two should love each other unconditionally, no matter what the other has done to you. Now, I want you both to apologize. Tell one another you love each other.”
Emmy gave a loud harrumph. Ethan looked up to see a scowl play across Mama J’s face.
“What?” Emmy said, trying to look innocent.
“The last thing we need with all this mess going on is you two turning on each other.” Mama J sat next to Emmy and placed a hand on her knee. “Sugar, I know you are having a tough time with all that’s been brought to light, but you’ll see: it will all turn out in the end.”
“Will it?” Emmy snapped. “How do you know? Everything you say is a pack of lies. You and my parents—you’re nothing but liars!”
“Emmy!” Ethan and Jax said in unison.
“What? It’s the truth, isn’t it? Don’t tell me you two are just going to ignore that this woman has lied to you your whole lives?” Emmy clawed her knees like some wild animal, and Ethan knew why she’d been nose to page in her book. She was trying to keep from blowing up at the Washingtons. Too late now.
Mama J lifted her hands in a slowdown motion. “Emmy, I can understand why you’re upset—”
“Really? Is it because every time I asked you about my parents’ work you’d change the subject, or the fact that your husband pulled a gun on my brother last night? I’m done with secrets! I’m done with everyone lying to me. Why didn’t you tell us about the W.H.O.? Why didn’t you even mention it to your own son?”
The room fell silent. The tension was so thick, Ethan felt like they could swim through it. His eyes darted from Emmy to Jax, then to Mama J. No one spoke. Something next to the kitchen moved, and Ethan saw Papa Washington rub the back of his head. How long has he been standing there?
“Have you ever been asked to keep a secret, Emmy?” Mama J asked. Her voice was soft and serious. Emmy shrugged. “If you’ve ever been told a secret, then you know that you’re not the one with the right to share that information with others. All of you kids need to understand that there’s a reason we kept this from you. Jaxson, baby, it wasn’t that we didn’t want to tell you, it’s just that we gave our word to never discuss it. It was part of our contract in leaving the W.H.O.”
“So in order to quit your jobs, you both had to sign a confidentiality agreement?” Everyone in the room looked at Ethan like he was nuts. “What? What did I say?”
“See, Em,” Jax laughed. “Being smart is a talent.”
Emmy rolled her eyes.
“Can you tell us why you left the W.H.O.?” Jax asked. “Was it because they’re bad or something?”
Mama J shook her head. “Oh, no, nothing like that. We left because your father and I fell in love. We wanted to get married and have a family. We thought it best to retire rather than keep working with children to care for.”
Emmy groaned and shook her head. “Wow, I wonder why Mom and Dad didn’t think of that?”
Mama J turned to Emmy and smiled. “Your parents’ situation is a little different from ours, sugar—”
“Really? Why? Because you like having kids, and theirs are what—marital assets?”
“Sugar, your parents don’t like you, they love you. You don’t know how much they love you. What they do is very important work. Our situation was very different.”
“You were a warden,” Ethan said. Mama J’s jaw dropped. She looked over her shoulder, and Papa Washington came and took a seat next to her.
“You three have been digging, haven’t you?” he said.
Ethan tried to hold back a grin. It had taken hard work, but yes, they had found out some answers.
“So how did you two meet, then?” Jax asked.
Ethan wondered why Jax had never asked that question before, or if his parents had given him another story—another lie. Then again, Ethan had never thought to ask how his parents met. They were his parents and had always been there.
“Your mama used to take the witches I broke into custody. I thought she was the prettiest thing I ever saw. She made my heart go pity-pat whenever I saw her wield her whip.”
“I’m going to barf,” Emmy moaned, covering her mouth.
Mama J sighed. “Oh, Emmy, you’re about that age when romance should start warming up to you.”
“Romance is one thing, but all the gooey mushy stuff—well, that’s a whole new area I’d rather not go into.”
“What was the whip for?” Ethan asked, trying to get off the subject of romance.
Mama J hesitated for a moment. “It’s how we handle the witches after they’re broken.”
Ethan was getting excited. This was just the information they needed. “So you use the whip and then take them to the witch prison? What are the witch prisons like?”
Mama J cringed and looked at Papa Washington for approval. “Honey, I don’t know if I can talk about that. Remember, I signed an agreement.”
“But you’re talking about some things,” Jax said.
“T
hat’s because some of the things don’t have to do with W.H.O. matters or top secret locations.”
“We know where most of the witch prisons are,” Ethan said, getting excited. He sat forward and watched as Mama J and Papa Washington’s eyebrows rose higher and higher. “We read about it in the W.H.O. handbook. The most fascinating one is the one in Bermuda. What’s it called, Jax? Boomity Road?”
“Bimini Road,” Jax corrected.
“Right, Bimini. I bet that explains all the weird stuff that goes on in the Bermuda triangle, right? So, how many witches do they have there? Like, a thousand?”
“They only have three, actually,” Papa Washington said. Mama J gave him a slap on the arm. “Ouch!”
“You shouldn’t say anything about the prisons. That’s all top secret information.” Mama J shook her head, then turned to Ethan. “You have to understand that the witches will stop at nothing to get information about those prisons. They hold very bad people. Do you understand?”
Ethan sat forward. “But—”
“But nothing, Ethan Orion. I mean it. This conversation is getting unsafe. What if the witches were to overhear?”
“Mom, you’re being paranoid.”
“Am I, Jaxson? If so, all the better. It’s dangerous information to be discussing.”
“Then why write it down?” Ethan asked. “I mean, everything about the witch prison is mentioned in the W.H.O. handbook. Why write it down if a witch could get a hold of it?”
“The handbooks are all enchanted,” Papa Washington shared. “Only members of the Orion family can read them.”
“Really? That’s so cool!” Ethan thought back to when he and Jax were in the library. “That’s why Mrs. Warnock thought it was the works of Shakespeare, remember?”