by Kate Tailor
“I do.” Queasy, she gripped the sides of her computer.
“Hey, Patrick,” her father yelled off screen. “Hey, Raleigh wants to talk to you. All you have to do is sit here and she’ll be able to talk to you and see you through the camera here above the screen. Do you see her on the computer?”
“Thanks, Theo. I’ve used a computer before.” Patrick took a seat in front of the monitor. Unlike his brother-in-law, he sat back from the camera, so Raleigh wasn’t looking up his nose.
Raleigh’s dad left the room. It was for the better.
“What’s up?” Patrick smiled. Clearly Grant and Able weren’t weighing on him.
Raleigh’s hands gripped tighter, her fingers turning white. Maybe Sabine was right about keeping secrets, maybe it was only necessary to let on some things. She tried to keep her voice light. “Patrick, what do you know about Grant and Able?”
“Your father told you. Sorry. I should’ve called. I didn’t think it was worth mentioning. About two weeks ago, two people met Tim for lunch. They said they understood that Tim had met with Sabine who was their former colleague and that they’d heard that he had found a way to diagnose cancer earlier.”
The very thing Rho warned her about wasn’t years off. It had already begun.
Patrick shrugged. “Of course, Tim was very discreet. Sabine mentioned that the Lucidin studies hadn’t gone anywhere, and she told us both privately that it was best not to tell people about your treatment. Tim spun them some yarn about being active in the community and holding free screening days so people who didn’t usually go to the doctor were more likely to see him when they were sick. They left when Tim started going on about public service and how all doctors should volunteer. We thought about telling you but figured that if Sabine wanted you to work with Grant and Able, you’d already be in contact with them.”
“Good. Don’t tell them anything. I have to go.”
“What’s wrong? Should we have done more to discourage them?”
“I don’t know that there’s anything you can do. They aren’t good people.”
“They have a research center, and they’re working on diagnostics. I have the link if you want to check it out. Tim said they were nice enough, and they haven’t contacted him again.”
“I have to go. Don’t talk to them. I’ll see what Sabine thinks.”
“Whatever you want. Are you sure you’re all right?”
“Yeah. Say hi to Mom for me.”
“Take care kiddo.”
“Bye.” Raleigh shut her computer.
Fear tightened the muscles of her throat. They’d found her, as Rho and Sabine predicted. It wasn’t hard to connect the dots. They were watching when Sabine went to the US. Raleigh had made enough of a name for herself that people were talking. It wouldn’t have taken Grant and Able long to find her. She realized that they might have eyes on Sabine’s house now, eyes that might’ve seen Rho, Trevor, and Collin. The guys needed to get on that train now. The question was, should she go with them? If Grant and Able had no qualms about imprisoning Rho and his brothers, they’d probably do the same to her. They were still just poking around, not aggressively coming for her. But even that wasn’t good.
“Rho!” Raleigh tripped down the steps, the old boards creaking as loudly as her yell. Relief, in the form of oxygen, flooded through her when she realized they were all still there hunched around the computer bickering over tickets. “They’ve found me!”
“Take a deep breath.” Rho moved around the table in three strides and put his fingers delicately on her shoulders.
“Grant and Able met Dr. Moore two weeks ago. They said they knew he met with Sabine. They must be watching her.”
Collin slammed his fist on the table. “That’s why we need to leave. It isn’t safe to stay here.”
“Dr. Moore didn’t tell them anything about me. But they know. And they’ll put the pieces together, like you said.”
Collin stood up and tugged Rho aside. “They might not be as dangerous to her. She’s not like you. They may not try to trap her the same way.”
Raleigh broke their conversation stepping between the two. Collin wasn’t going to decide anything for her. “They are after Lucid. And I have it. Right? They imprison people.”
Collin stepped closer to her. His breath crossed her cheek. Those fidgety muscles now strained and froze. “They imprisoned Rho and his brothers, and they didn’t find anything ethically wrong with that because Rho and his brothers aren’t like normal people.”
Rho slowly drew Raleigh back and put a hand on Collin’s chest, lightly shoving him away and becoming the focal point of his icy glare. “They’re a threat to her. Who knows what they would do to keep her?”
“It might not be all bad. They will keep her away from the black market. It might be her best option. They can give her extractions and enroll her in their healer programs.”
“You aren’t serious!” Rho threw up his hands. “She’ll be theirs. They’ll use her like they did us. Not to mention, handing her over would make them stronger. Did you forget that they’re hunting me? The more Lucid they have, the better their chances against us. They might use her Lucid in one of their health programs, but they’d definitely use it with their army.”
“We disabled a lot of soldiers.”
“They’ve rebuilt, of course. It’s been years and they’re very driven. We aren’t handing Raleigh over. The best option for her is to come with us.”
“With us isn’t very safe. For you or her. And she’ll just be one more person to keep track of. Let her stay here. If Grant and Able are watching Sabine, they probably already know about her, and they haven’t acted.”
“They’re biding their time. They aren’t on good terms with Sabine. They’re feeling Raleigh out before they make their move. Trevor, buy her a ticket.”
“We should talk about it more,” said Trevor.
“Trevor, she’s in trouble, and she saved my life. I can’t forget that. Buy. Her. The. Ticket.”
Trevor’s fingers flew across the keys. “It’s done. She leaves with us bright and early tomorrow.”
“Change the tickets,” Collin said. “If they’re watching, we need to leave tonight.”
Rho turned towards the front door. “We should run this by Sabine. We’ll tell her when she gets home.”
A frantic laugh threated to bubble up from Raleigh. Who cared what Sabine thought? Sabine was the reason Raleigh was in this position. She should’ve been up front with Raleigh about Grant and Able. Raleigh had to make decisions on the fly now because she didn’t have the benefit of knowing sooner. Yes, they should talk to Sabine, but Raleigh wasn’t staying.
—
RALEIGH STOOD AT the train station, the events of the past hour knotting her shoulders. Sabine and Henry had come home to find her packing her bags. Rho filled them in on the situation, and they agreed with him and encouraged her to leave. Sabine apologized multiple times in both French and English, but Raleigh mustered up little forgiveness. She’d watched Trevor and Rho say heartfelt goodbyes but couldn’t produce a good farewell. After all, if Sabine had been up front, she wouldn’t have needed to leave at a moment’s notice.
Now at four o’clock people were taking the train home. Sunday moved at a lazier pace, the passengers unhurried. The smell of fresh baked waffles from a nearby cart sweetened the air. There would be no more days spent in the bakery. Raleigh still had her apron hanging by the oven.
“You’ll be safer this way.” Rho’s words skipped by her ear like firework sparks.
She glanced over her shoulder, catching his small grin and Collin’s stoic face beyond that. Trevor, as usual, had his eyes trained on his technology. He cupped a glossy black phone in his hands.
Their train rolled up, and the four of them boarded. Like her arrival, her bag posed a problem. The guys traveled light. Collin had a backpack with clothes and Trevor a computer bag. By comparison, she looked ridiculous. They took seats while she wrestled her bag int
o the corral.
Trevor and Collin sat with their back to her, but she could see Collin’s knee bouncing as she took the seat across from him beside Rho. If things weren’t so tense, they could have brought down the small table and played cards. Instead Collin scrutinized every passenger that skirted the aisle and waited on the platform out the window.
The train departed smoothly, making it appear as though the terminal moved and not them. It hummed over the tracks, picking up speed quickly. They’d be in Paris in less than three hours if everything went to plan. It didn’t take long for Liege to disappear from view.
Raleigh picked at the frayed edge of her jean shorts. A chill crept through the light top she wore. Both Collin and Rho wore long sleeves and jeans. The thin scarf around her port stood out. Hopefully people would consider it a poor fashion choice and not suspect anything else. Her port. She’d be leaving more than just Sabine in Belgium, she’d be leaving her treatment as well. “We’ll have the extraction machine in France, right?”
“Is that why you’re nervous? You’re worried about treatment?” asked Rho.
He’d sensed her again. How humbling it was for the shoe to be on the other foot. “My blackouts, they’re pretty bad.”
“You can extract all you need.” His fingers moved closer to hers on the seat.
If she stretched out her pinky, they would touch. This wasn’t time to think about guys. Collin was wrong, she hadn’t taken this trip because Rho was handsome. Nor would she let it cloud her judgment now. Moving her hand to her lap, she reminded herself that all three of them were strangers. Trevor seemed the most predictable—he could be counted on to say nothing. Collin considered her a risk to bring and clearly didn’t want her to come along. Rho said he owed her, and that seemed to outweigh the dangers of bringing her, but she could still trip them up.
Collin wouldn’t let her forget it either, he kept checking over his shoulder and fidgeting in his seat. Would he get up and pace the cabin? She’d known people who fidgeted, but never any as bad as him.
“Would you calm down?” Raleigh hated the tight feelings he radiated. It caused her own muscles to want to move.
“I’m calm.”
Rho lifted the flap of their bag revealing a small pouch. “She’s right. Do you want a vial? Sabine gave me the last three of Raleigh’s.”
Collin closed the flap and tucked the bag back under Rho’s seat. “I don’t need it.”
Trevor snorted. “You’ve gotten worse. I thought finding Rho would help.”
“All of you get off my back. I don’t need it.”
Collin placed his hands on his knees and purposely pushed his heels into the floor. The only thing twitching were his fingers. What caused him to be so unhinged? None of them were in immediate danger as far as she could tell. His eyes lingered on the bag. There might have been a very good reason Sabine thought those vials ought to go in the trash. Collin went back to checking the aisles, and Raleigh tried not to add any more worries to her collection. She had more than enough already.
Time and the train ride went faster than she’d expected. Too soon they were in Paris. Once she left this train there’d be no going back. A wild decision, even for her, she half expected her mother to jump out from behind one of the seats and scold her.
“Ever been to Paris before?” Rho steadied himself on seatbacks as they walked to the luggage area. The train slowed, and the platform came into view.
“No, but I haven’t been many places.” Before she could explain that the blackouts made travel difficult, her heart seized into her throat. Her bag was gone. Everything she owned was in that bag.
“I’ve got it.” Collin said stepping to the side to reveal her suitcase. “I didn’t want your dresses to slow us down.”
“Thanks.” Even if it was for efficiency and not to help, she was thankful.
They got off the train, and Trevor looked at his phone map and then at Raleigh. “Paris isn’t that great.” He looked up at the other passengers and rethought his words saying loudly, “I mean, it’s not that bad... either.”
“Let’s go.” Rho assumed the lead with Trevor as they left. They each had their role within the group. Trevor was the navigator and technology guy. Collin lifted heavy things. Rho was the leader. How Raleigh fit in, she didn’t know yet.
Trevor moved them smoothly from the train station to the underground. The metro they rode had a map overhead, and she didn’t recognize many of the stops. Only major ones like the Louvre. When they got off, they were greeted by loud voices ricocheting off the tiled walls of their stop. Two men barreled past. She could sense the alcohol on their tongues and a fuzziness teasing their brains. Their tipsy sensations made her feel off-kilter. Rho moved from the lead to beside her, placing himself between her and them. They weren’t a real threat, but it comforted her.
Between the apprehension in the group, and the drunks, Paris was living up to Trevor’s expectations. That changed as they ascended the steps to the street.
10
PARIS IN JULY was beautiful. Belgium was layered in shades of gray, whereas Paris had the occasional pop of blue or white. Maybe it was that the sun shone brightly, a cheery alternative to its cozy neighbor to the north. The evening rays splashed the old architecture in a yellow hue. A fragrance of flowers, coffee, and cigarettes hung on the breeze. People who strolled by wore short outfits to accommodate the weather, and the younger ones hung on each other affectionately. Raleigh could have spent the whole day on that street corner watching them, but the others weren’t impressed. Hurrying on, they treated this setting with the same attitude as the train station—another place they had to go through before their destination.
They walked for five minutes, both her and Collin searching but for different things. He searched for threats, and she scrambled to remember everything. No one told her where they were headed, and she wasn’t naïve enough to ask. It was likely only Trevor knew or his phone. After turning down a short alleyway, Trevor stopped in front of a pair of large blue doors with knockers and a keypad on the side. He typed in a four-digit code. After a chirp and the sound of a lock unbolting, Trevor opened the door. Inside sat a small courtyard dotted with townhouse entrances. Trevor walked three down and knocked. After a moment the door swung open.
“Rho!” A guy with dirty-blond hair and a crooked smile rushed out. He roped Rho into the quintessential guy hug—one arm over, one arm under—and finished with a hearty pat on the back. Internally he had an even, slow heart beat and loose relaxed muscles. He turned to the others. “Collin, you’re looking as grumpy as usual. Was it a good trip?”
Collin didn’t seem entertained. “Hello, Brent.”
“Do you have a place I can charge my phone?” Trevor asked.
Brent’s crooked smile widened. “Yeah, we do.”
“They don’t have as many outlets here in Europe.” Trevor walked in shaking his head. His pale skin was a little red from their jaunt through Paris.
“Fortunately, that’s not their main selling point.” Brent’s eyes twinkled. Those jovial eyes swept past Collin and Trevor, past the suitcase, to Raleigh. “You brought a girl.”
“Rho did,” Collin said, making it clear that it wasn’t his idea.
Rho took a step back and looped his arm though Raleigh’s. “This is the newest addition to our group, Raleigh. Raleigh, this is our people person, Brent.”
“You aren’t the people person?” she asked quietly.
Rho grinned.
Brent snapped his fingers. “Rho’s magnetic, but he’s the product. Not safe to have him making the deals.”
“We can’t talk about this here. Let’s get inside.” Collin used Raleigh’s hefty bag to prod them in. “Is this place secure?”
Brent craned his neck nodding to the high ceilings. “It belongs to a family friend. They keep it as a vacation home, and they aren’t scheduled to come back for another month. It’s ours as long as we need it. I’ve already checked for microphones and cameras.”
“Where can I put this?” Rho held up Raleigh’s bag.
“Upstairs. There are four bedrooms.” Then Brent casually added, “Are you going to share with her?”
“I’ll take the couch or camp out with one of you guys.”
Brent bobbed his head once. “You’re not sleeping together. So, why is she here?”
Raleigh didn’t know if she should take offense. “Are most girls along because you’re sleeping with them?”
The smile on Brent’s face hinted at a laugh. “But she gets jealous. Maybe it’s a work in progress.”
Trevor had one eyebrow raised. “Work in progress? She makes Lucid. She saved Rho. So now we’re taking care of her.”
“It’s supposed to be an even trade.” Collin marched into the kitchen, flung open the fridge, and stole a bottle of water. “I can have this, right?”
Standing on his toes, Brent got out glasses from a high cabinet. “Would anyone else like water?”
“I could use some.” Raleigh slid onto one of the stools that circled the kitchen island.
Brent opened another cabinet. “Would anyone like anything a little stronger?”
“Water,” Rho said.
“Beer?” Trevor said, surprising her. His vulnerability two nights ago made her think of him as younger. Rho had said he was twenty-two, and, of course, the drinking laws were different in Europe.
Brent flipped a tumbler in the air and poured her a glass of water. He was a bit of a show-off, which reassured her. If Brent could fit in, so could she. Plus, it was clear that Collin wasn’t a fan of his. That meant she shouldn’t take his snub so personally.