by Simon Rose
“I noticed them on some of the signs through the window when you went by them on the bus, I think. It might be a dead end but it’s still worth a shot.”
The map came up and as Max suspected it was an industrial area. The map showed an older district on the east side of the city where Max had never been before in his life. However, he did know that although some companies still had offices in the area, this part of the city also had a lot of abandoned warehouses and disused buildings. It could very easily be the location of a clandestine operation. After all, Kovac’s waterfront facility had been hidden in older run-down buildings before the site had been cleared and replaced with an upscale shopping district.
“Let’s check the street view,” said Julia.
The images of the area’s roads and buildings appeared on screen but there was nothing that Max recognized.
“Anything look familiar?” Julia asked.
“No,” replied Max, “but in my defence, it was dark.”
Julia simply smiled, as she manipulated the map to show a different nearby area. Max studied the image but he didn’t see anything that jogged his memory. Then he spotted something.
“Wait,” he said. “Right there, that water tower, near the rail tracks. I remember something like that.”
“Are you sure?”
“No, but I definitely crossed the rail tracks and I think I saw something that could have been that tower as the bus was pulling away. The place where I was held could be near there.”
“Okay,” said Julia. “Well, at least we have something to go on.”
She quietly closed down the website, logged out, and shut the laptop.
“What now?” said Max.
“We head over there,” Julia replied, with a shrug.
She put her laptop into her backpack and began clearing everything off the coffee table. Max assumed that she was busy removing any evidence that they’d been at the house.
“I guess we’re not coming back here?”
“No, we can’t,” she said, putting on her jacket. “We’ll go to one of the other places tonight.”
She reached into her pocket and held up a collection of keys on a keychain.
“How many houses are there?” asked Max, as he unplugged his phone and the charger.
“Eight. We may eventually have to go back to one that I’ve used before but it’s risky. Are you ready?”
“Yes,” said Max, as he put on his jacket. “Let’s go.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
A Matter of Trust
MAX AND JULIA left the house through the back door and hurried across the lawn and into the back alley. By the time they reached the sidewalk, it was just before 7.30. There were very few people around and little traffic on the residential street.
“Hungry?” said Julia, as they made their way through the neighbourhood.
“Yeah, a little, but I don’t have any money left.”
“Don’t worry, I can pay. We’ll stop at a fast food place. There’s one nearby that I haven’t been to before, but we’ll still have to be careful in case we’re seen. I’m still convinced that the police are looking for me.”
Luckily, they didn’t see any police cars on their short journey to the shopping area. Max agreed with Julia that they had to be cautious. Julia’s mother was very worried about her and may have talked to the police so that Julia might be classed as a legitimate missing person. There was a very good chance that her picture had been circulated within the police department and as a teenager she’d be considered at risk. There was also no doubting that Connor and Drake had been interested in Julia and her activities. Regular officers had detained Max outside Belvedere Mansions after Vanessa Dexter’s death. They’d then hauled Max into the police station when Kane had first interrogated him. Police officers had also tracked him down near the park after he’d been to Deanna’s house and had presumably passed on the details to Connor and Drake. Max knew that the two men had been killed by Kane at the underground facility in the industrial area, along with what he assumed were most of Evans’ scientific colleagues and security guards. Yet Max couldn’t be entirely sure of that since he’d been in such a hurry to get out. He hadn’t checked the rest of the place, and some people may have escaped. He also knew that Evans most likely had other connections, especially in the police department and government security agencies. He and Julia might still be under surveillance and had to take every precaution.
THE SHOPPING AREA was relatively quiet, with only a few cars in the parking lot and not many people walking around. It appeared that the restaurant and the adjacent convenience store were the only two places that were so far open for business that morning.
There were only a handful of customers in the restaurant as Max and Julia stepped inside. Most of the tables were empty and there were only a couple of people waiting in line to be served. At the counter, they ordered some breakfast sandwiches and coffee and stood beside the drinks dispenser while they waited for their order to be ready. Max looked up at the ceiling and noticed the security cameras aimed at the cash register area from various directions. There was also a camera positioned close to the front door and another one above the exit to a small outdoor patio. Max nudged Julia’s arm, gesturing with his eyes toward the ceiling. She glanced at the cameras before they both turned away to hide their faces as much as possible while they waited.
“Let’s go somewhere quiet,” said Julia, after she’d paid for the meals.
Max nodded.
Once outside they hurried along the sidewalk until they spotted a short alley. It led to a narrow road that ran behind all the nearby stores, none of which had opened yet for the day. Max and Julia sat down at the side of a loading dock equipped with a heavy steel door while they ate their breakfast.
“Do you think those security cameras back there are a problem?” asked Max, taking a sip from his coffee.
“We’ll certainly be on the footage,” Julia replied, “but the police will only see us if they’re looking. I’ve been moving around between houses so they don’t know which part of the city I’m in. If they’re searching for you, they won’t know where to start looking either.”
“That’s what I thought too. If we keep moving and avoiding the police we should be okay.”
“Fingers crossed,” said Julia, smiling as she held up her hand.
They heard a vehicle reversing into the alley and the sound of footsteps on the other side of the loading dock’s steel door. Max and Julia quickly finished their coffee and hurried down the road. They found another narrow alley leading into the shopping area and headed for the convenience store.
“I’ll get some bus tickets,” said Julia, as they entered the store. “Keep watch here at the front door.”
“For what?”
“Someone, anyone, I don’t know,” Julia replied. “And if a cop car drives into the parking lot get away from the window.”
She walked over to the counter and Max scanned the parking lot through the store’s front window. The other shops were gradually opening, including the one that they’d sat behind to eat their breakfast. Max glanced over his shoulder and saw Julia waiting in line at the counter. He noticed a security camera attached to the ceiling directly above the store’s cash registers. A quick survey of the remainder of the store confirmed that there were four additional cameras. As Julia had pointed out, they’d appear on the recorded film but had to hope that the police, or what was left of Evans’ team, didn’t know where to look for them, at least for now.
Max looked back toward the parking lot and saw a girl with long blonde hair walking in the direction of the convenience store. She seemed too young to be wandering around on her own so early in the morning. As she drew closer, Max recognized her and went outside. The little girl had stopped walking and sat on a bench on the opposite sidewalk. She appeared to crying.
Max crossed the road and hurried over to the bench.
“Kaitlyn?” he said, recognizing Jason’s little sis
ter.
“Hi, Max,” she replied, through her tears.
“What are doing here, Kaitlyn? Where are your parents?”
“I don’t know, Max,” she said, very calmly, wiping her eyes with her fingers.
“What are you doing here?” Max asked again. “Are you lost? Are you here with Jason?”
He crouched down in front of the bench at Kaitlyn’s level.
“No, I’m not lost,” she said. “But you soon might be.”
“What?” said Max. “I don’t understand.”
Then Kaitlyn’s expression suddenly changed. She frowned and looked Max directly in the eye.
“It’s so hard when you don’t who to trust, isn’t it, Max?”
Her eyes then closed and she collapsed sideways onto the bench.
“Kaitlyn?” said Max, in alarm. “Are you okay?”
Max could see that she was still breathing and reached for Kaitlyn’s hand, but then Max’s head started pounding. He stood up, taking a step back from the bench. To his surprise, Jason walked out of the alley that led to the road that ran behind the shops.
“Hello, Max,” said Jason, as he approached. “Fancy meeting you here.”
“Jason? What are you doing in this part of town? I think Kaitlyn’s hurt.”
Jason simply smiled and continued walking toward him. From inside the convenience store Julia had seen what was happening. She hurried outside, crossed the road, and joined Max on the sidewalk beside the bench.
“Is she okay?” asked Julia.
“I don’t know, I mean, I’m not sure,” Max stammered. “She was talking to me then she just—”
“And who’s that?” she asked, noticing Jason. “Does he know the girl?”
“She’s his sister,” replied Max. “Jason’s one of my best friends. Maybe he can help us?”
Max started to approach Jason but Julia grabbed Max’s arm and held him back.
“That might not your friend.”
“What are you taking about? Of course it is,” Max insisted, pulling his arm away.
Yet as he drew closer the look on Jason’s face abruptly altered. He appeared to be angry then he grinned.
“You should listen to your new girlfriend, Max,” he said. “It’s much better for your health.”
Max suddenly felt a surging pain in his head and dropped to his knees on the sidewalk. It was Kane. He was controlling Jason.
“Max!” yelled Julia.
“Told you,” said Jason, now only a few steps away.
Pressing his hands against the sides of his head and scarcely able to open his eyes, Max saw Julia glare at Jason as she stood her ground. For a second Jason appeared confused and halted his attack. He took a step toward Julia but then stopped. He shook his head and appeared to be unsteady on his feet. He then staggered off the sidewalk and collided with a slow-moving car, dropping to the ground.
The commotion on the sidewalk had naturally attracted attention. A couple of people had gone over to where Kaitlyn was still lying motionless on the bench. Other people emerged from the shops, wondering what was going on outside. At the side of the road, Jason wasn’t moving. The woman driving the car that had hit him had got out to check on Jason. She was frantically calling for help and asking people to phone for an ambulance.
“Oh, my god,” said Max, as Julia pulled him to his feet. “Is he okay?”
“Forget it!” Julia snapped. “Let’s go!”
But when they turned to race out of the parking lot, a tall, blonde woman in her early thirties blocked their path.
“You’re not leaving,” she snarled. “Haven’t you figured it out, Max? I can be anywhere, or anyone.”
Kane had now possessed the woman too. Max briefly felt the same pain in his head but then Kane abruptly switched his attention to Julia, who once again stood her ground. For a second the woman hesitated and Max seized the opportunity. He lunged at the woman, slamming into her left side. She tumbled backward, hitting her head on a concrete parking block. A trickle of blood ran along the asphalt and she lay still. Max and Julia exchanged a brief glance then ran.
“Hey!” one of the storeowners yelled after them.
Max and Julia didn’t look back as they sprinted out of the parking lot in the direction of the nearby residential area.
THEY FINALLY STOPPED running when they reached a small construction site where some condos were in varying stages of completion.
“What are we going to do?” said Max, breathlessly.
“We go to one of the other houses,” Julia replied, still catching her breath. “I’m pretty sure there’s at least one more in this neighbourhood. We’ll hide out there so we’ll at least have some time to think.”
“Is it far?”
“Hang on, I’ll check.”
Julia took out her phone and quickly accessed the information she needed.
“I have all the addresses in here. I didn’t want to write them down in case I lost the paper. According to the map, one of the houses is only a few blocks from here.”
She began walking but then paused, turning to face Max, who was standing still.
“You coming?”
“What did you do back there?” Max asked. “Why did that woman that Kane was controlling stop attacking me?”
Julia shrugged.
“I really don’t know. I was angry and wanted him to stop hurting you, that’s all. It seemed to work, and he stopped. Do you think your friend and his sister are dead?”
Max shook his head.
“Probably not. Evans told me that although Kane’s powers were improving, he could only control one person at a time and not for long. I’m not certain how this all works but Kaitlyn was still breathing so I think he left her and took over Jason instead. She was just used as a distraction, to get me outside so that someone bigger and stronger could attack me. Jason might have been hurt by that car but it wasn’t moving that fast. My guess is that Kane leapt out of Jason’s mind just before the impact and then Kane moved into that woman.”
“And what about her?” asked Julia. “Is she dead?”
“She hit that concrete block pretty hard,” Max replied. “Hopefully, she’s going to be okay.”
“Why didn’t he just go into someone else once the woman was injured?”
Max shrugged.
“Maybe because there weren’t any other younger people around?” he replied. “Or perhaps what you managed to do gave him something to think about and he’s biding his time before attacking again.”
“So basically, Kane really can be anyone and we have no idea when he’ll show up next. How can we win against someone like that?”
“I don’t know,” said Max. “For now, we’ll just have to hope that he can’t follow us.”
USING THE MAP on Julia’s phone to help them navigate, Max and Julia kept to side streets, small parks, bike paths, and back alleys as much as possible. It wasn’t the most direct route to the house but they had to be careful. Kane might not be on their trail but they still had to be wary about the police. On the journey, Max couldn’t help wondering if Julia was telling him everything. She’d stopped Kane in his tracks twice back at the parking lot or at least made him hesitate. Did she possess some kind of ability that she wasn’t revealing? Could it simply be something that she’d only just discovered and didn’t yet know how to use properly? After all, she’d indicated earlier that her powers seemed to still be developing. Or was it something to do with her family connection to Kane? Max wanted to trust Julia but also knew that she sometimes seemed to tune into his thoughts. She was very occupied with the map, but Max still tried his best to think of something other than his doubt about her as they made their way to the house.
Finally, they reached their destination. Julia stopped walking when they arrived at the end of an alley.
“It’s just around that corner,” she said, pointing ahead.
The residential streets were busier now. There was more traffic and some people were doing yard work or
walking their dogs, and there were now more children around. Max and Julia hurried out of the alley in the direction of the house. As they turned a corner, Julia grabbed Max’s wrist.
“Get back,” she hissed.
She pulled Max behind a hedge where she immediately crouched down. Max followed suit.
“What is it?”
“Cops,” said Julia. “Up ahead.”
Max peered cautiously around the side of the hedge. A police car was parked outside one of the houses a little further along the street.
“So? We just wait here or go back to the alley until they’ve driven away, then we can go to the house.”
“No, look at the front lawn of the house where they’re parked, just behind that tree.”
Max then spotted the real estate sign bearing the name of Julia’s mother.
“That’s the house that we have the keys for, right?”
“Yeah,” Julia replied. “Looks like they’re onto us.”
“But how could they possibly know where we’re going?”
“They don’t necessarily. But if they’re here they could be checking all the other houses connected to my mom.”
“But we don’t know that for sure,” said Max.
“True, but by now my mom must have noticed that the spare sets of keys are missing and reported that to the police. They’re probably checking all the houses or at least the ones that no one’s living in. My mom’s just worried about me and probably thinks that she’s trying to help. It’s not her fault. She doesn’t know what’s really going on.”
“So, we can’t go back to the last house either?” Max asked.
“No, even though we cleaned up, if the police are involved they’ll have checked the place for fingerprints or any other signs that I was there.”
Max nodded in agreement.
“And even if Connor and Drake and all the others were dead, we don’t know if we can trust anyone in the police department.”
“We’d better get off the street,” said Julia.
“What about that construction site?” Max suggested. “We could hide there for a while.”
