Discovery

by Char Webster

  We just had the best summer of my life. I can’t imagine one ever being better. He told me he loved me for the first time as the sun was setting at Strawbridge Lake. It was the perfect romance novel scene and it was all mine. I wanted to brag about it to the world but we couldn’t tell anyone. We’re not allowed to date. We’re not allowed to fall in love and we can never be together.

  Both our parents wanted us to be good friends. They encouraged it. They told us to hang out together. We did. All the time. We were inseparable all summer. Boy they would freak out if they knew we were much more than friends. It’s against the laws of our world and our kind. We don’t care though. We’re doing it anyway. How can loving someone this much possibly be wrong?

  I’m sad to see the summer end in a way, but thrilled that I am not going to say good bye to the love of my life. His family came for the summer but decided to move out here. We’d been worried for the last few weeks that he would leave and we’d have to be apart, but his dad got a job with my dad, so it worked out great.

  Kate skipped ahead a bunch of pages to the end of the school year.

  Graduation is tomorrow and mom wants me to go to New York to intern in her friend’s marketing office for the summer. I think she suspects how I feel about James and wants to separate us. I’m not going and that’s it. I’m 18 now and she can’t make me do anything.

  His parents are starting to bother him about spending all of his time with me. I think they suspect too. Both our parents keep asking why neither one of us were dating anyone.

  How can I even look at someone else? Just the thought of him with another girl makes me sick inside.

  James wants us to run away and be together. He thinks it’s the only way. I love my family and don’t want to leave them, but I love him more. I don’t know what to do.

  Kate felt sad for her parents. How horrible to have to choose between your family and the guy you love. No one should have to decide that. It was cruel.

  The next entry she read was dated a week later. Some of the ink was splotchy, Kate suspected from tears.

  I can’t stop crying. I have cried for hours now and there doesn’t seem to be an end in sight. My whole life is falling apart and there is nothing I can do about it. James’ father caught us making out behind the shed in his yard. He freaked out and called my father who picked me up right away. I’m now locked in my room. He’s sending me to England to live with his great aunt tomorrow. I have no choice. It’s either that, or James’ parents will tell the Association and their punishments for violating the rules are harsh. I don’t know what we’re going to do. I know I don’t want to live without him.

  The next entry in the journal was two days later.

  I thought my life was over until he climbed into my window that night Dad locked me in my room. He rushed over, pulled me into his arms and told me he loved me. That was all I needed to hear. I grabbed some clothes, the little money I had, my journal and a few other things that were important to us and we left everything else behind. We climbed out of my window to start a whole new life together.

  It was scary, romantic and a little crazy, but it was the only choice we had. We didn’t take our cars or anything else that could be tracked. We just left. We ended up in New York City. We figured it was a good place to disappear. People could get jobs for cash and no one would question it.

  Kate flipped several pages to an entry little over a month later.

  We found a cheap apartment over a bar we both work at. The landlord owns the bar so he takes the rent from our pay. It’s just a studio apartment but it works. I love that we’re together but I miss my family. I don’t dare call them. They would find us and we would be in even more trouble since we ran off.

  We met another couple like us who are hiding from the Association. They’ve been on the run for over two years and move around a lot. I guess that will be our lives. They told us that there are others that are not with the Association or Division, that hunt people like us and that we need to be careful. These people use our kind as weapons depending on their gifts. That’s just great, adding more people who are after us. James said not to worry, but that’s all I do anymore. Every little thing scares me and I’m constantly looking over my shoulder waiting for someone to find us. I was never afraid of anything before.

  Kate stopped reading for a minute. She could almost feel the emotions coming from the pages. Her heart broke for her mother and father. They were so young to be dealing with such harsh realities. Kate looked back into the journal and skipped down to an entry about two months later.

  James is the most amazing guy in the world. He asked me to marry him today! I’m getting married! I can’t believe I’m getting married. He was so romantic. He took me to Central Park and we walked holding hands until we came to the fountain and he got down on one knee. I didn’t even let him finish asking when I threw myself into his arms saying YES!

  Kate grinned when she read that passage. She flipped a bunch of pages ahead and found an entry that caught her eye.

  Our friends were caught by the Association and they ratted us out. We left the apartment in New York just seconds before they caught us. We’re on the road bumming rides and we’re not sure where to go. We were thinking about Philly. It’s close to where our families are, but we figured they wouldn’t think we would go back there. It’s another big city to get lost in. We really need it, too, because I’m pregnant. I haven’t told James yet. He’s worried enough now. I don’t want to add more too it. I’ll tell him when we get settled somewhere.

  Kate flipped ahead again to an entry more than a month after the last one.

  We found a small apartment in Philly. It’s not a good area, but it’s what we could afford. Once again we got jobs in a bar. They’re pretty easy to get and not many questions are asked if you want to work for cash. I had to tell James about the baby because he started to get freaked out about me being sick a lot. I tried to hide it from him but it didn’t work. He knows me too well. Now, I’m sorry I waited to tell him. He was so excited that he picked me up and spun me around until I almost threw up on him. That would have completely ruined a sweet moment. Thankfully, it was just dry heaves. He did tease me about it though.

  Kate laughed at that entry. She really felt like she was getting to know her parents. Kate didn’t want to read too much more though, because she knew that their story did not have a happy ending. Several pages later had an entry that she stopped to read.

  James wanted to make some extra money so that I wouldn’t have to work so much with the baby almost here. He’s the sweetest guy ever, but he’s working too hard. He met this guy Frank who said his boss has some work for him and that he can make a lot more money than bartending. The guy gives me a really bad feeling. He was making my gift go crazy. I can always feel someone’s true intentions and know if that person is good or bad. I tried to tell James, but he really wanted the extra money for us and told me my gift was probably being affected by hormones. I don’t think so. I’m worried.

  A few days later was the last entry.

  We’re running for our lives and the life of our daughter. That guy Frank ended up working for a man who was the devil. Brooks is truly evil and he wants our child. He works with a few others who collect gifted children to take more and more power and wealth and try to control everything. They have people everywhere looking for gifted children and young adults who they can control. He’ll stop at nothing to find her.

  It will completely break both our hearts, but we may have to give up our daughter to save her from these people. We may have to hide her with people who know nothing of our world or our gifts. I don’t want to lose my baby girl, but I want to give her the best chance we possibly can.

  Kate was crying by the time she finished reading the last entry. She finally knew what happened. She finally discovered that her parents had loved her and hadn’t wanted to give her up but felt like they had to in order to protect her.

  Robert noticed Kate’s tears, and he
walked over to sit on the ottoman by her chair. “Hey,” he said gently. “What’s wrong? You shouldn’t have tears now. We’re so close to getting the kids back.”

  Kate sniffed a little and said, “It’s not that. I know we’ll get them back tomorrow. I have faith in you guys.”

  “Okay, so if you’re not crying about the kids, what are you crying about?” Robert hated to see her so sad. Kate was always happy, and that was part of what drew him to her.

  Kate held up the book in her lap. “It’s my birth mother’s journal. Even though I knew the ending of their story, reading it was just so emotional. They loved each other so much, but it wasn’t enough. In the end, it didn’t matter how much love they had for each other. The whole world was against them, and they died. They died so young.”

  “I’m sorry, Kate.” Robert told her, trying not to think about his own tragic love story. Robert was saved from saying anything else when Nick walked over.

  “We should probably all get some rest. We need to be in position at the nature park at 4:00 a.m. since Brooks is having his people get there at five. We need to have the entire place under surveillance, so that there aren’t any surprises,” Nick told them.

  Ryan and Jason walked over. “There are three bedrooms here and a pull out couch. I’m going to my room. Kate, you can pick the room you want and the guys can fight over the rest,” Ryan told her.

  “Thanks,” Kate said as she picked up her backpack and walked toward the stairs that led up to the bedrooms. She didn’t want to be alone tonight, not with everything going on and her emotions running wild. As she was walking past Nick, she grabbed his hand and pulled him along behind her.

  They silently ascended the steps and took the first bedroom on the left that looked out at the tiny backyard with its postage-stamp lawn. Kate turned on a light, and Nick pulled the shades down. The room was sparsely furnished with just a dresser, night stand, and queen bed. There weren’t any curtains or comforter on the bed; it just had sheets and a blanket. There were several pillows on it. Kate smiled to herself, thinking that it was such a guy’s room.

  “Are you okay?” Nick asked, rubbing the rest of her tears away. “You’ve been awfully quiet.” He didn’t comment on the tears. He knew that the only thing that would make her feel better is to have the kids back safely and he was going to do everything in his power to make that happen for her.

  “It’s just everything,” Kate said quietly. She looked up at him and shrugged. “I’m tired and drained.”

  “I have no idea why,” Nick teased. “It’s not like you had a rough day or anything.”

  “Of course not,” Kate played along. “Kidnapping is not that big of a deal.”

  Nick pulled her into a hug. “You’re amazing. Anyone else in your situation would be falling apart, but you’re handling this all extremely well.”

  “I have no choice.”

  “Sure you do,” Nick told her. “You could have walked away at any time. You could have decided that it was too dangerous to get involved. You could have turned away and let someone deal with it, but you didn’t. You stayed and you care.”

  “I didn’t have a choice, Nick. I love those kids and I would do anything to make sure they stay safe.”

  “I know. I told you, you’re amazing.”

  Kate gave him a half smile. She grabbed shorts and a T-shirt and headed to the bathroom to change. Nick grabbed her hand as she turned to leave the room.

  “I want you to stay out of sight tomorrow. I don’t want you anywhere near those guys.”

  Kate touched his cheek and sighed. “You know I’m not going to sit this out. I’m going to help tomorrow.”

  “I know, but I want you to be safe. I’d go crazy if something happened to you.” She hugged him tightly. She didn’t want anything to happen to him either. She reluctantly pulled away and headed off to get changed.

  When Kate got back from the bathroom, Nick was sitting on the bed in a pair of shorts and a T-shirt. Neither of them said anything else as they got into bed and snuggled up together. Within minutes they were both asleep.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Alex had started beating on the door to the room about a half hour before. They hadn’t eaten since breakfast and it was well into the evening. She didn’t care for herself, but she worried about Zach, who was always hungry, and Maddy, since she was so tiny. It was her job to take care of her brother and sister.

  She hadn’t seen either of the men who had taken them at all that day. Usually, the smaller guy would yell things through the door, but it had been quiet. She hadn’t heard anything from the other part of the building. Just as she went to kick the door again, Alex heard a voice yell, “What the hell are you guys doing in there?”

  She didn’t answer because she had wanted someone to come into the room. She figured that this way, they could try to escape again. She was just motioning to Zach to get in place to try again when she felt the shield go up around her. Darn, she thought. It was the bigger, meaner guy.

  Frank placed a box on the floor and said, “Here’s some food. Go to sleep after. We’re getting up really early tomorrow.”

  “Why?” Alex asked defiantly.

  “Because I’m delivering you tomorrow morning.”

  “Who are you delivering us to?” she asked. “Why did you take us?”

  Frank didn’t answer her. He just backed out of the room. He didn’t want to think about his daughter yet, and he also didn’t want to feel any guilt over handing over the kids. They were his only chance of getting his daughter back.

  This would all be over in a few hours.

  ~*~*~

  Jason, Ryan, and Robert left the townhouse an hour before Kate and Nick even woke up. The guys were setting up cameras and various surveillance tools around the park, so that they would know everything that was happening and all of the comings and goings.

  Nick let Kate sleep as long as possible before waking her up. He had thought about leaving her behind, but he figured she would clobber him and then show up in the middle of the exchange and ruin everything. He could just imagine her walking up with fury in her eyes, ready to kick some butt, and he would be on the top of that list.

  He pulled her a little closer to him and she snuggled into his side. He had been awake for a while and was running his hand through her hair. He really needed to figure out what to do about her when this was over. They couldn’t be together, could they? He had never wanted anything more, but could he really give up everything in his life for her?

  She stirred in his arms and opened her eyes. “Hey.”

  “We have to get going,” he said so quietly it was almost a whisper.

  She stretched and headed for the bathroom to get ready to go. Fifteen minutes later, they were headed toward New Jersey in Nick’s SUV.

  The park was closed from sundown to sunrise. In July in New Jersey, the sun rose a couple of minutes before 6:00 a.m. They parked in the abandoned drive-in movie theater parking lot that was now used for flea markets. People would be coming to set up their tables soon.

  It was about a mile hike from the flea market to the third trail after the pavilion, the most likely place for the exchange. It was private and completely wooded, so anyone driving by wouldn’t notice.

  There were only two streets into the park, one on each end, so it would be easy to spot someone driving up. There were a few dirt trails that vehicles could get through, but they were smaller and more difficult to traverse. The park bordered the Delaware River down one side, which would allow boats to come and go freely. Nick was sure that Ryan had cameras watching it closely.

  Jason looked at his watch, and it said 4:30 a.m. Kate and Nick had just walked up to their hiding place within the underbrush and downed trees. There was always a tangle of dead trees and driftwood and overgrown vegetation along the river trails.

  Ryan was up in a tree a few yards away with his computer monitoring everything.

  Jason jumped up and fist-bumped with Nick. “Hey. m
an. Everything’s ready to go. On the other side of the bridge, hidden by a fallen tree, is the speed boat we talked about. It’s covered with a few branches, so no one will see it.”

  “Great. Whoever gets to the kids first, head straight for the boat and take off. The rest of us will catch up. Don’t stop for anything.”

  They all agreed, and Robert said, “Jay and I are going to stake out the parking lot here in the park to see if they leave the kids in the car. We’ll take out anyone there.”

  “If no one’s in the parking lot when the time draws close, we’ll check for ATVs on the wider trails that lead into and out of the park,” Jason added.

  “Sounds good,” Nick said. “I’ll check in with you guys soon.”

  Jason and Robert jogged off. Nick and Kate walked toward the Delaware River to check out the surroundings. The river was calm with very little boat traffic. There were several utility and construction vehicles parked under the bridge. They would need to check out each of them.

  At exactly 5:02 a.m., two men showed up in the park, fastened the gate, and put a sign on the entrance saying the park was closed for maintenance. They also put up several orange barrels to block the way. No one would be able to mistakenly walk into their exchange. Ryan watched these guys and called Nick over their small throat microphones. They parked under the bridge with the other maintenance vehicles to blend in. It was a clever location.