She slid off and mentally thanked the beetle and asked him to stay. She felt its tension and nerves, being so close to the guys, so she showed it her plan and led it to a pile of rotten fruit she'd hidden away. It ate lunch while she went to explain the plan.
"He's our way out. He can fly us back up to the island and to where the others are waiting. We've run out of time and we have to save those kids."
Luke kept looking from Lucy to the beetle and back. "How'd you do it? How'd you train it?"
"I didn't train it. I connected with it through meditation and it agreed to help us."
Hunter raised a skeptical eyebrow. "It agreed to help us? Did you get that in writing?"
She mock punched him. "Don't be a downer. Do you have any better suggestions for escape?"
He didn't say anything—because they all knew he had no better ideas. None of them did. This was the only way.
Mr. K's branches slumped, and Lucy could feel sadness pour from him. "Guys, I have to go talk to Mr. K. Can you pack up our stuff and get ready to go?"
Resigned, Hunter nodded.
Luke was already sneaking up to the beetle to get a closer look.
Lucy grinned at him, then sobered when she thought about Mr. K. His branches wrapped around her and caressed her in hugs as she approached him. "You heard?"
"Yes. I felt the moment you connected with the beetle. Seems I taught you too well, and now you're going to leave me."
For the first time, she felt the buried secret. He'd known she could do this and hadn't told her. "How could you keep this from me? You said there was no way out."
"I said that if I told you the way out, you wouldn't be able to do it. And you wouldn't have. You had to learn these lessons before you could have done what you did."
That made sense, but still.... "I knew how to do this for a few days now."
"I'm sorry. I should have told you then, but I can't stand to be alone again. Having you three here has made my life so full and happy. The thought of this empty valley, void of any human interaction, is just too much."
She couldn't imagine what it would be like to be left behind like this, to have to live this way forever. "I understand, but you need to know that there are more lives on the line than just ours—kids and babies who need saving. We can't stay." She caressed his bark cheek and wondered if tree people could cry.
"I know. I've been the worst kind of selfish. You must go, and I'm so proud of you for figuring it out on your own."
"You know, Mr. K, you're the one who taught me that none of us is ever really alone. We're all connected."
He closed his eyes. "And so the student has become the teacher." When he opened them again, they seemed brighter than before. "Will you tell Sam that I miss her, and that I'm sorry about what Rent-A-Kid did to her? Tell her I would have done anything to protect and help her."
Lucy didn't want to think about having to tell Sam what had happened to Mr. K. Then an idea occurred to her. Sam could pick up on thoughts, and Lucy had learned to focus her energy to connect with other beings. What if...?
Chapter 104 – Sam
Drake sat beside me, and Darren sat in the next row up. Both kept trying to engage me in conversation, and neither could take the hint that their efforts to claim me—like a prize won at a fair—didn't interest me.
I rested my forehead against the window and regretted picking the inside seat. The flight to Oahu, Hawaii, had so far been a miserable experience, and I gave serious consideration to locking myself in the bathroom.
"Guys, I'm—"
Before I finished my sentence, my mind filled with another consciousness. It felt similar to the way the Seeker had hijacked me before, but more familiar and gentler.
Darren reached over the seat to touch my hand. "Sam, are you okay?"
Drake had my other hand. "What's wrong, Babe?"
I pulled my hands free and listened to the voice in my head.
'Sam, can you hear me?'
"Oh, my God, it's Lucy. Be quiet."
"Yes, I can hear you. Are you okay? How are you doing this? Where are you?"
Lucy laughed inside my head. 'One question at a time. "How" is a long story, so I'll tell you later, as I'm not sure how long I can hold this." Where" is also a long story, but I'm okay, and so is Luke. We're going to be back on track to saving the kids soon.'
"Lucy, listen. Steele—that's my father's name—he took Ana. I think she's there with the other kids. We're on our way to you and will be there to help. Luce, he has my baby!"
'Oh God, Sam, I'm so sorry. Don't worry, we'll save her. She'll be okay. I've grown close to an IPI Agent who will do everything he can to help us, and he has some serious skills. But listen, there's someone here who wants to talk to you before we lose this connection.'
Another awareness filled me, this one more expansive and wild, and tinged with familiarity, but I couldn't place it—until he spoke.
'Sam, it's me: Mr. K. I'm so sorry I couldn't protect you. I heard about the pregnancy and your baby being taken. I'm sorry.'
Tears filled my eyes. "What are you doing with Lucy? What's happened to you?"
'No time for that now. She'll explain it all after this mess is done. But Sam, I need you to know something. You're the best of the best. I've never met anyone in all my life with your talent for art. You see into the soul of the world and capture it on canvas. Don't ever stop. You have much to give with your art. And don't become so hard inside that you lose that view of the world, no matter what they did to you. Stay open to life. Stay bendable, like a reed in the wind. Otherwise, they win. Don't let them mold you into themselves. Stay true to you in all you do. I also wanted to say goodbye and tell you I never left you there on purpose. I never would have done that to you.'
Recent events had hardened me, but I needed to be hard to rescue my daughter. Nothing else mattered until I had her back. But how I longed to embrace his wisdom and find a normal life to settle into.
"Oh, Mr. K, what happened to you? I missed you. I thought you were dead. And, I was focusing on my art, but now, all that matters is my daughter. I have to save her. I don't know who I'll be when this is over, but I promise not to give up."
Lucy and Mr. K pulled away, the connection weakening. "Goodbye, Mr. K," I said. "Lucy, we'll be there soon."
Tears streamed from my eyes as the connection closed. I ignored both Drake and Darren as Mr. K's words rolled through my mind. Could I ever open myself to the world the way I had before, or had that part of me died when Rent-A-Kid took my innocence?
Chapter 105 – Lucy
Lucy swiped at the tears on her face and knew that Mr. K would be crying too, if he could. "I'm sorry I couldn't hold onto the connection longer. I'm surprised I was able to do it at all."
"There's much we can do when we stop believing things are impossible."
She wrapped her arms around Mr. K's trunk and hugged him. "I'm going to miss you. When this is over, maybe we can find a way to dig you up and transport you to our property in Washington."
The idea seemed to cheer him, and he smiled. "I'd like that. In the meantime, would you do me a favor? Would you take a seed of mine and keep it with you?"
"Of course. I'd be honored." She plucked from his branches a small purse of the tiny seeds, and secured it in one of the leg pockets of her cargo pants. "I'll keep them safe and plant them back home. Then, when you come, it'll be like having family there."
His branches swatted her gently, and he laughed a low, sad laugh. "Yes, that sounds fine."
Luke called from their camp. "All packed up, Luce. Time to go."
He and Hunter came through the branches to say their own goodbyes to Mr. K.
After they did their manly tree version of hugging, Mr. K smiled. "Luke, keep up the singing and take care of your sister. You're turning into a fine man that I'm proud to have known. Hunter, it's been a pleasure to meet you. Take care of our Lucy, and know that someday your quest will end, and a new one shall begin."
His w
ords puzzled Lucy, but Hunter nodded solemnly, so she didn't pry. It probably had something to do with Hunter's quest to avenge his father's death.
The three of them walked to the giant beetle. It had finished all the fruit and lay contentedly in the sun. With backpacks strapped on, they climbed aboard and held tight as the beetle walked, then ran, then finally flew.
Chapter 106 – Drake
"Sam, what happened?"
Sam just sat there, eyes closed, saying nothing. Tears ran down her cheeks.
Drake wanted to shove Darren out of the way, but that wouldn't end well for anyone.
Sam's eyes opened, and she scowled at them both. "Back up, guys. I'm fine. Lucy communicated with me." She looked at the group that had formed around the three of them. "I don't know where they are, but the mission's finally back on track. She knows we're coming. I also talked to an old friend." A slight smile played across her lips. "Anyway, once we get to Hawaii, we'll work with them to create a plan."
Drake tried to make eye contact, but she refused to look at him. He fought down his anger. What did he have to do to win back her love and trust? At least she had good news and wasn't under mental attack.
"I'm glad they're okay," he said, "and that we'll have help when we get there. Even with all of our powers, pulling this off without casualties is going to be tricky. The IPI team and the twins will get us into the compound, but I'm still not sure how we're going to defeat Steele. Sam, maybe we can link and fight him like we did Dr. Pana? That might be enough, if we can get past his shields. I don't know."
She shrugged and looked away.
Gary and Greg went back to their seats and talked quietly. Robyn and Norm held hands and stared out the window, lost in thought. Mary sat alone reading a book. And Darren sat as close as he could get to Sam without sitting on her lap.
Drake made another attempt to engage her in conversation. "So, did Lucy have anything else to say?"
She shook her head and continued flipping through the magazine in her hands. "Nope. It was a short talk. Hard to keep the connection going."
"Ah." What else could he say? Should he apologize more? Talk about his time in jail? Was any of that appropriate right now? Probably not. Sam was clearly only focused on Ana, and rightly so, but Drake couldn't help but wonder what would happen when this was all over.
He settled for the basics. "I'm going to get a sandwich. Would you like something to eat?"
She started to shake her head, but then her stomach grumbled. "Um, sure. Thanks."
That should have made her laugh, or at least smile. Drake didn't recognize this new Sam, so hardened and focused. Did I do this to her?
He walked to the fridge. The sandwiches were stacked in two rows of five each, and they all looked the same, so he grabbed two off the top, and two sodas.
They ate their food in silence, and he wondered if she was thinking of him at all, or if Darren had become more important to her than he realized. He'd been gone for a few months, and a lot could happen in that time.
Sam finished, and he collected her trash and stood. "Do want anything more to drink?"
"No, thank you." She leaned her head against the window and closed her eyes, so he left to find a garbage bin and grab another drink for himself.
He felt eyes on him as he walked down the aisle of the plane. Sam's friends didn't trust him and didn't want him here. Their anger and fear smothered him.
He shook it off, opened the refrigerator, and noticed only seven sandwiches where there should have been eight. Weird. He hadn't seen anyone but he and Sam eat one. He shrugged and went back to his seat, wishing Brad had come. The two of them could have had fun. Maybe I just have to make friends with the people here. Getting Sam's friends to like him might help win her over.
What would he do after they saved Ana? Stay at the mansion and help out at the school? He thought about his surfing and how much he missed the ocean. It would be hard to give all that up. He could do a little surfing in Washington, but nothing competitive—not unless he traveled a lot. But he couldn't keep leaving. He had to be there to raise Ana. Whether Sam wanted him back or not, he would not abandon his daughter. He might be a crappy dad now, but he would learn.
He could take Ana to the beach and to parks. They would go biking and surfing together as she got older. But in his mind, his presence felt superimposed, like a Photoshopped version of his life. Not like the real him, the screwed-up lost cause.
His eyes got heavy as he thought about it all, and he faded into sleep.
***
He's in a burning building. Toby runs from him, and Drake knows it's his fault. Something he did to the boy made him run. He almost catches up when a wooden beam falls on Drake and pins him to the ground.
He reaches for his last vials, but purple stains his pocket. He licks the liquid off his fingers, desperate for even a fraction of his power, enough to push away the wooden beam and save Toby. He's useless without his powers.
Nothing.
The beam crushes Drake's lungs. He pushes against them, but the effort is futile.
Beyond Drake's reach, Toby runs, but flames rise up around him. The boy's screams are terrible as the fire consumes him, while Drake lies there—trapped, useless.
***
The plane's wheels hit the ground and jolted Drake awake. In a panic, he looked around as if he'd lost something: Toby. Toby was fine; he was back at the mansion, but something tickled the back of Drake's mind.
Sam smiled, and though it wasn't a big smile, it made him feel better. Darren still did his best to hold her attention. Not cool, Dude. Norm sat with Robyn again, his arm around her. The others slept or read.
Once the plane came to a complete stop, they all filed out. Sam, Father Patrick and Drake were the last of the passengers to leave. As Father Patrick followed Drake out and closed the door, it jammed and something squeaked.
The tickle in the back of Drake's mind finally made sense. The missing sandwich. "Toby, you better appear right now."
***
The beauty of the Hawaiian beaches would have comforted Drake, if he weren't so mad. He gripped the steering wheel in both hands and counted backwards from ten. Sam sat beside him, with Toby in the back. The travelers had broken up into groups and rented a few cars. Drake wondered if Sam had only come with him because of Toby.
He eyed the boy in the rearview mirror. "I told you to stay at the mansion."
Toby's shoulders slumped. "I remember."
"Then why'd you sneak onto the plane?"
The boy crossed his arms and glared. "I don't have to listen to you."
Another deep breath. "Toby, this is dangerous—getting-killed dangerous. I don't want you to get hurt." He remembered his dream, and it made him shiver.
The kid rolled his eyes, like he knew so much at his ripe old age. "I won't. Besides, it's you who needs help. A hero needs his sidekick."
"I'm not a hero."
Sam covered her mouth to suppress a grin.
Well, at least something made her smile.
"Of course you are," Toby said. "You save kids for like a living. You're awesome. You're a hero."
"And yet, my sidekick doesn't listen to me. I must not be a very good hero."
The kid opened his mouth, then snapped it shut, a thoughtful look on his face.
At least that shut him up for the time being.
They drove the rest of the way in silence, leading the caravan. Norm, Robyn, Greg and Gary had one car, and Father Patrick took Darren and Mary. Drake knew enough about Mary to be glad Darren had gotten stuck with her. They were supposed to have a van that would fit everyone, but the rental car agency had screwed up the reservation, which Drake didn't mind one bit.
That night, they would stay at a hotel as close to the Rent-A-Kid base as possible, but beyond that, he didn't know what to expect.
Tall palm trees swayed in the breeze, and he thought about his time with Sam in California, before they'd saved her friends. She'd hated the palm trees in Veni
ce, but otherwise seemed to like it there. The trees did seem to fit in better here. Drake had always wanted to go to Hawaii, but wished he'd come under different circumstances. The waves called to him, but he ignored them. He had to find his daughter first, and kill the man who took her.
They arrived at the hotel and settled in, Drake, Sam and Toby sharing a suite. Toby had a lot to learn about manners after spending so much of his childhood on the streets, so Drake made the rules really clear.
"We need to keep this place clean, okay? So take your shoes off while in the room, don't call room service without permission, and don't take anything in the hotel without permission—even the bottled water. It all costs money. Okay? Oh, and don't leave!"
Trying to keep an eye on a kid who could turn invisible at will was a nightmare. Drake hoped he'd never have to deal with such things with his own daughter.
Oh God, what if she can use mind control as a baby? That would be worse. His only consolation was that it took a few years for para-powers to manifest, so they'd have time to figure out how to handle that.
He looked back to the boy, who hadn't said anything. "Toby, do you understand? This is important."
Toby saluted. "Yes sir. Do I have permission to use the bathroom, sir?"
"Right now?"
The kid stood at rigid attention. "I really need to take a shit, sir."
He couldn't help but chuckle at that. "Fine."
Sometimes Toby acted like a kid, and sometimes like a teenager. Guess he must be at that age. What do they call them? Tweens? It sounded scary.
Sam grinned. "You're cute with him."
"Me?"
"Both of you. You're almost like father and son. At least, that's the way it is in the movies."
He'd never had a father, but neither had Sam. She probably had less understanding of family than he did. At least he'd had foster families, for better or worse, and Father Patrick. But if that made him the expert on families, they were in trouble.
Talk about one dysfunctional family. Poor Ana will grow into a very interesting person. We'd better save up for therapy.
"So what's the plan? How do we get Ana back?"
The Forbidden Trilogy Page 62