Fractured Truth

by Rachel McClellan

  A few minutes later we walked into Dr. Han’s office. He was sitting in his usual spot, behind his desk. Mrs. Crawford was with Abigail in the corner. Kiera and Ashlyn were there too, talking to Arik and Aaron. The one person I was surprised to see was Charlie. His back was to me as he spoke to Dr. Han.

  Liam stood alone by the window. As if he sensed my presence, he turned around and came over to me. “Feeling better?”

  “Much.”

  His arms came around me and pulled me to him. This reaction surprised me, especially in front of everybody else. His body, tense before, seemed to relax under my embrace.

  “I had to see it for myself,” Charlie said from behind Liam. I let go of Liam and shook Charlie’s outstretched hand. “I’m so glad you’re feeling better. What you did was very brave.”

  “You came just to see me?” I asked.

  He glanced back at Dr. Han and then at me, as if going over in his mind a conversation he’d already had. “I came for a number of reasons. I wanted to make sure you were doing better, but I mostly wanted to see if I could help. Something told me you’re going to need it. Liam tells me you have a plan.”

  “Sort of. Only a handful of us are going to be able to sneak back the way I came into the tunnel.”

  “Underwater?”

  I nodded.

  “But it almost killed you,” Mrs. Crawford said.

  “I’ll take care of that. What I really need is a distraction in the front. I need the Vykens preoccupied as much as possible.”

  “We can give you that,” Charlie said.

  “Yeah, we’ll give them a fight they’ll never expect,” Arik said. His brother patted him on the back in agreement.

  “No!” I said. “I want to avoid a fight if at all possible. There are too many of them. I just need a distraction.”

  “Then we’ll give you some explosions, something to really confuse them,” Charlie said.

  “Won’t that draw the attention of the police?” Ashlyn asked as she shifted her weight to her other hip. “That’s just what we need.”

  “Let me worry about them,” Charlie said. He met my gaze. “We’ll give you that distraction, Llona. What else do you need?”

  I looked around the room at each one of them. My mind was made up now. I knew exactly who should go into the warehouse. “I can take a total of six people into the tunnel. Tessa and I are going. And Liam.”

  “I’m going too,” Aaron said.

  Tessa was about to protest, but I held up my hand. “It’s going to be a tight fit as the tunnel’s about four feet in diameter, but I think we can make it work. Besides, we may need your strength to help get the girls back.”

  “I’ll pound through a wall if I need to,” he said.

  “I believe you would.”

  “I want to go too,” Kiera said.

  “It’s going to be dangerous.”

  “I’m ready.”

  “If she’s going then I’m going too,” Ashlyn said.

  “I’m sorry, Ashlyn, but I can take only one more, and I need someone who can heal.”

  “I’ll go,” Mrs. Crawford said.

  Abigail looked at her and then at me. “I’m the nurse. I’ll go.”

  “I can only take one,” I said.

  “I’ll go,” Mrs. Crawford said to Abigail. “I insist.”

  “But how are we going to get inside?” Kiera asked.

  “Those of you coming with me, let’s go chat in another room. The rest of you figure out how you’re going to distract the Vykens. And where’s Petros? He should be here representing the Lycans.”

  “We’ll get him,” Dr. Han said.

  Tessa opened the door. I followed her out, as did the others whom I had asked to join. She led us across campus and straight to Lambert House where the Lizens lived. The grass had been freshly cut, and I inhaled deeply. The smell always reminded me of my father.

  “What are we doing over here?” Kiera asked when we walked inside Lambert. The place had recently been updated. New leather furniture sat in a freshly painted lobby, and the carpet looked brand new. I couldn’t believe the change from the last time I’d come in here three months ago.

  Tessa didn’t answer Kiera and kept walking down a long hallway until she reached a closed door with a security pad. She pressed her thumb to it until the door clicked open, revealing what looked like a high-tech conference room. There was a huge flat-screen TV hanging on a wall and on a circular metal table, a glass, oval object rose from its center. I’d never seen anything like it before and wondered what its function was. It was that and several other unrecognizable gadgets hanging from the wall opposite the TV that made the Lizens even cooler in my eyes. By the gasps of the others, I knew they felt the same way.

  Tessa sat down at the round table and motioned for each of us to do the same. “Any Lizen business must be discussed in this room.” She ran her hand over the raised oval. It lit up into a series of colors then went black again.

  “What’s that?” Aaron asked.

  “Our conversation is being recorded and transferred to the Elders.”

  I looked at Liam, but he continued to look at Tessa as if this was business as usual.

  Kiera laughed uncomfortably. “Why do I feel like we’re about to discover the truth about Roswell?”

  “Let her speak,” Mrs. Crawford said.

  “Sorry,” Tessa said. “I know this is strange, but I have to record you all promising not to tell any other living being what you’re about to learn. We protect our secrets as if they were our lives. Do you all agree?”

  All of us nodded, but Kiera said, “What happens if we accidentally slip up?”

  Tessa touched the oval in three spots, making a triangle. The glass glowed blue and then went out.

  “What did you just do?” Kiera said.

  Tessa looked at her, her eyes dark. “Don’t slip up. Just trust me. If for some reason you think you’re going to tell someone about our secret, you need to leave right now.”

  Kiera swallowed and looked at me.

  I rolled my eyes. “Oh, come on already. Let’s get on with it.”

  She leaned forward real close to the oval and said, “I promise I won’t tell anyone about anything I see or hear about Lizens.”

  Tessa leaned back and smiled. Mrs. Crawford shook her head and Aaron and Liam were quiet.

  “Here’s the thing, guys,” Tessa said and took a deep breath. “I’m going to get you through that underwater tunnel. And I can do that because Lizens have a special ability that very few know about.” When no one said anything, she continued. “You see, we can breathe underwater. Our cells have the ability to absorb the oxygen within the water.”

  Kiera turned to me. “You knew this, didn’t you?”

  “She saved me once by dragging me underwater to get away from a Vyken.”

  “Anyone touching me or connected to me through another, also receives this ability. Temporarily, of course,” Tessa said.

  Aaron leaned back. “That’s amazing.”

  “You don’t look surprised,” I said to Liam. He was still sitting there calmly. Or else he was deep in thought about something else entirely.

  “I had my suspicions.”

  “So what’s the plan?” Kiera asked.

  It was my turn to speak. “Dr. Han will cause a distraction with the others out front of the warehouse, drawing as many Vykens as possible to him, Cyrus and the Shadow as well. Then we’ll work our way up the canal where I’ll guide you into the tunnel.” I glanced at Liam. “I may need your help finding the opening as I’m a little fuzzy about where I came out. Actually a lot fuzzy.”

  His expression darkened. “I can do that. I’ll never forget.”

  Everyone in the room grew quiet, but I continued. “The tunnel’s long. Tessa, is there a way that we can all be connected, but still have the use of our arms to swim?”

  She nodded. “I’ll have a rope ready when we go.”

  “What should we expect when we go inside?”
Mrs. Crawford asked.

  I told them all that I remembered about the layout and where the girls were being held. “Getting them out will be the tricky part.”

  “I can bring up the rear,” Aaron said. “Help those that may not be in any condition to swim.”

  “Hopefully, whatever condition we find them in,” I said, “won’t be too bad. If they have small wounds, Mrs. Crawford and I should be able to heal them.”

  Mrs. Crawford agreed.

  “When do you want to do this?” Liam asked me.

  “Tonight.”

  Both Tessa and Liam were shaking their head. “It’s too soon,” he said.

  “A few hours ago you were in a wheelchair!” Tessa added.

  Kiera interrupted them. “But she’s strong. Stronger than I think she’s ever been in her life. I feel it.”

  “I do too,” Mrs. Crawford said. “In fact, I think all the Auras are stronger. Something happened back in that room, and it’s like we’ve become one. Does that make sense?” Her question was directed at me.

  I nodded. I wasn’t sure what I had felt in that room, but hearing her say that made sense. We had changed. Evolved into a stronger, more unified species.

  “We can do this,” Kiera said.

  Liam looked me directly in the eyes. “Are you sure?”

  “We leave at nightfall.”

  THIRTY-TWO

  The world looks so different at night, barren and cruel. I raised my hand and touched the glass window inside the lobby of Chadni Hall. Just beyond was the jagged skyline of the forest. I used to crave the darkness that lay waiting, as if just for me, beneath its thick canopy of trees, but now I longed only to see a sunrise. The sun brought life. The darkness brought death. I was tired of death.

  A cool palm pressed on my back. “Are you ready?” Liam asked.

  I turned around and nodded, too afraid to speak. If something went wrong—

  “We’re going to save them. Don’t think about anything else,” he said, seeming to read my thoughts.

  “Are you guys coming?” Kiera called from the door. Mrs. Crawford was standing next to her.

  Liam waited for me to go first, then followed behind. Dr. Han and Charlie were outside talking with several Guardians and Lycans. Tessa was with Aaron, holding what looked like a long, coiled rope.

  “Just remember,” Charlie was saying, “some of the explosions will be real and others will be illusions. Either way, stay away from them. I’ll be watching from the roof of a nearby building, so make sure you stay in my line of sight so I can see if you get into trouble and need help.”

  “We’re not there to engage them,” Dr. Han added. “Only distract. Keep them busy.”

  “But if we get a clean shot, we can kill them right?” Arik asked.

  “I’m with him,” Petros said. He was standing next to Arik and was almost as tall.

  “Fine, but don’t take on too many. We don’t want to lose anyone.”

  Petros climbed into the back of a truck. Several more Lycans followed him. The others filled three more cars.

  Dr. Han looked through my open passenger window at each of us sitting in a large van with several empty seats reserved for those we brought back. It better be full.

  “Be safe,” he said, “We’ll see you soon.”

  “You be careful too.” I said.

  He nodded and stepped back from the vehicle. Liam, his gaze forward, drove away, his pace slower than usual.

  I kept my eyes on Lucent for as long as possible until the forest swallowed the majestic building. It was hard to pretend I didn’t feel sick. The thought of returning to the place where I’d been held captive by my once dead, psycho ex-boyfriend and had nearly been beaten to death terrified me.

  Even though Liam was driving slower than usual, the trip ended way too soon. I glanced in the side-view mirror. The other vehicles were no longer behind us. They must be getting into position.

  Liam parked next to the canal in an area I wasn’t familiar with. An old railroad station was to my right, graffiti sprayed across several abandoned boxcars. One of them read, “Welcome to the Dark Side.” I shivered and asked, “Where are we?”

  “This is where I found you.” Liam opened the door and jumped out. The rest of us followed.

  I walked to the edge of the canal’s concrete barrier and stared down into the murky water the color of charcoal. It was barely moving. I glanced up, searching for the warehouse.

  “It’s almost a half a mile upriver,” Liam said, coming up behind me.

  “I floated all the way down here?”

  Tessa stepped up on top of the concrete wall next to me. “It will take too long for us to move in the water. We need to walk up a ways.”

  “Can’t we just drive?” Kiera asked.

  Liam began walking upstream with Aaron. “It’s better if we don’t risk it. We don’t want Vykens to hear our car approaching. We want them to focus on only Charlie and the others who are coming from the other direction.” He looked over at Tessa, who was positioning the rope over her shoulder. “You want me to carry that?”

  She shook her head. “It’s light.”

  “What is it?” Kiera asked. She reached over and touched it, while continuing to walk forward.

  I took up the rear with Mrs. Crawford, who hadn’t said a word since we got into the car. I wondered if she was having doubts about coming.

  Tessa said, “It’s sort of like seaweed all woven together. It’s an excellent conductor of our Lizen abilities.”

  “But how does it work?” Kiera asked.

  And so brought on a slew of questions, one after another, while we followed the canal toward the warehouse. Tessa’s answers became shorter and shorter until finally she said, “Kiera! Relax! You’re driving me crazy.”

  “And the rest of us too,” Aaron grumbled from up front.

  Kiera huffed. “I’m just curious.”

  “You mean nervous,” Tessa said.

  I kept my eyes on the water, looking for the best place to get in. The dark silhouette of the warehouse wasn’t far now. Every once in a while, I’d feel Liam’s eyes on me, and I sensed his conflicting emotions. Truly caring about someone can change your motivation, especially when it came to fighting. One of us could get hurt. Or die. It had happened before.

  “Stop here,” I said, deliberately interrupting my thoughts. There was a break in the concrete, making it easier for us to get to the water. I was specifically thinking of Mrs. Crawford.

  “Are you sure you don’t want to get closer?” Tessa asked.

  “This is good.”

  Liam came up behind me. His presence both comforted and tore at me. “Are you sure about doing this tonight?”

  “Yes.” I didn’t look at him.

  Tessa was the first into the water, diving headfirst.

  Kiera yelped. “What if she hit her head?”

  A second later Tessa reappeared, smiling. “The water feels great! Come on in.”

  “This isn’t a water park,” Kiera said, jumping in next to her.

  Before I helped Mrs. Crawford, I asked, “Are you okay? You’re awfully quiet.”

  She stared down at the water. “I just never thought it would come to this. My whole world has changed.”

  “But some of the changes have been good.”

  She pressed her palm to my face. “Yes. They have.” Instead of accepting my outstretched hand, she jumped into the water, surprising me. Aaron went in right after. While they treaded water, Tessa ducked under the water and tied the rope around each of their waists.

  Liam came to stand in front of me. “We’re going to make it out of there. Both of us.”

  “I know.”

  “Good.” He jumped in, and I dove. The coolness of the water made me gasp for air when I surfaced.

  A minute later we were all tied together, about ten feet of rope between us.

  Tessa was dog-paddling in front of us. “When I say three, all of you duck under the water. It might seem frighte
ning at first, but forget about your need for air. You won’t need it.”

  “How are we going to keep from floating up?” Mrs. Crawford asked.

  “Leave that to me. Once you touch bottom, you’ll be able to walk. Ready?” Tessa counted to three, and we all ducked under the water. The canal’s floor was only a couple of feet down. Poor Aaron had to hunch over to keep the top of his head from showing.

  For the most part we all did well. Kiera panicked for a minute, but Tessa hung on to her and kept her calm until she realized that, with Tessa, air was not needed in this place with her. The walk was slow going, but at least the bottom was concrete. There were no fish to distract me, but the water definitely had some sort of chemical in it. I kept my eyes closed as much as possible to keep them from burning.

  After what seemed like a long time, Tessa stopped and swam back to me. She motioned me forward and pointed to a round opening in the side of the canal. This could be it.

  I pointed upward and slowly ascended. My head barely broke the surface, just enough so I could look around, but the canal’s edge was too high. I’d have to climb out. I ducked back under and motioned for Liam to come up. With him by me, I’d have enough slack to get to the top of the bank.

  Liam surfaced. “What’s going on?”

  “I need to see if this is the right tunnel.” Placing my hands on the concrete edge, I hoisted my body up and was about to look out when Liam pulled me back down.

  “There are Vykens up there. I can hear them.”

  “How far away?”

  “Far, but they’re talking.” He closed his eyes as if concentrating. “They’re all worked up. It seems they discovered Charlie and the others, but they’re not sure where.”

  “This is the place then. Let’s hope they stay busy.” I ducked back under the water with Liam and motioned Tessa forward into the round, narrow tunnel.

  Kiera went after, followed by Mrs. Crawford. Aaron was next. I was worried he wouldn’t fit, but if he kept his arms forward and near his ears, then he could just barely make it. His arms were useless to him, but it didn’t matter. Kicking his legs propelled him forward like a torpedo, which easily pulled me along.

  The tunnel was pitch black, but only for a second. Both Kiera and Mrs. Crawford produced Light for us to see. The walls of the tunnel were covered in a green slime. I focused on it, specifically not touching it, instead of the time it was taking to get through the tunnel. It wasn’t that long ago when I was in this same tunnel.