Part 34 (1/2)

Derek grunted. Simon started asking something, but Andrew shushed us while he drove the truck over a rough field. He kept the lights off and rolled along slowly.

Simon s.h.i.+fted beside me, getting comfortable in the cramped backseat. His hand brushed my leg, then found my hand and took it. When he smiled over at me, I smiled back.

I expected him to give his usual rea.s.suring squeeze and let go. Instead he seemed to take my smile as a sign of encouragement and entwined his fingers with mine and rested them on my thigh. As tired as I was-my brain reeling with questions, adrenaline still pumping-a little buzz pa.s.sed through me. Silly, I guess. Making a big deal out of holding hands? So fifth grade.

I was sure, for Simon, it was was no big deal. While he wasn't the first guy to hold my hand, let's just say my experience with boys didn't go further than that. no big deal. While he wasn't the first guy to hold my hand, let's just say my experience with boys didn't go further than that.

The buzz pa.s.sed quickly, though, as we reached the road and Andrew turned on the headlights. He asked if we were all okay, and the first thing out of my mouth was, ”Was my Aunt Lauren with you?”

His eyes met mine in the rearview mirror as he frowned.

”Lauren Fellows. She works for-”

”I know your aunt, Chloe, but, no, she wasn't there.”

”Chloe thought she saw her,” Derek said.

Simon twisted to face me. ”What?”

”I-I saw someone. It sounded like her and it kind of looked like her, from what I could see in the dark....”

”Did you you see her?” Simon asked Derek. see her?” Simon asked Derek.

”He didn't,” I said. ”And he should have, because she ran right past him.”

”You saw a ghost,” Tori said. ”And you think it was your aunt.”

”More likely a spell,” Derek said. ”They have stuff like that, right, Andrew?”

”Absolutely. Glamour spells and other illusions. If you didn't get a good look, that's probably intentional-whoever cast it didn't want you studying the illusion too closely.”

That made sense, but I still couldn't shake the gut feeling that I had had seen her. Not Aunt Lauren but her ghost. seen her. Not Aunt Lauren but her ghost.

Simon leaned into my ear and murmured rea.s.surances, saying they wouldn't kill Aunt Lauren-she was too valuable.

”How's your arm?” Derek asked when I stayed quiet too long, lost in my worries.

”Did you pull your st.i.tches?” Simon asked.

”No,” Derek said. ”A bullet grazed it.”

”A bullet bullet?”

Andrew steered to the curb and hit the brakes. ”You were shot?”

”No, no. It's just a scratch.”

Andrew hesitated, but I a.s.sured him-and Simon-that I was fine, and Derek confirmed that the bullet had only just pa.s.sed through my s.h.i.+rt, grazing me.

Andrew turned back onto the road. ”We'll get it cleaned up when we stop. I can't believe they...” He shook his head.

”Hey, I skinned my palm,” Tori said. ”Ground it up pretty bad.”

”You need to check Chloe's st.i.tches, too,” Derek said. ”She got cut with gla.s.s a few days ago. They fixed her up, but it should be looked at.”

Tori waved her injured palm. ”Anyone? Anyone?” She rolled her eyes. ”Guess not.”

”It looks sore,” I said. ”We should get some iodine on it.”

She gave a wan smile. ”I can always count on you, can't I? Guess I know who sent the cavalry back to rescue me.”

”But you said you didn't need rescue, remember?” Simon said.

”It's the thought that counts.”

”We wouldn't have left you there, Victoria.” Andrew glanced back at her. ”Tori, is it?”

She nodded.

He smiled at her. ”It's good to see you and Simon together.”

”Whoa, no,” Simon said. ”We're not not together.” together.”

Tori agreed, just as emphatically.

”No, I meant-” Through the mirror, Andrew's gaze went from Simon to Tori. ”I, uh, meant all four of you. I'm glad to see you together. That's one thing Kit and I agreed on, that the group was wrong to keep the subjects separated.”

”So you worked for them, too?” I asked. ”The Edison Group?”

Simon nodded. ”He got out just before our dad.” He looked at Andrew. ”That's how they knew where to find you, isn't it? When we escaped, they figured we'd come here, so they grabbed you to use as bait.”

”That seems to have been their plan. And, anyway, it was a good excuse for picking me up, something they've wanted to do for years.”