After Flux (The Flux Series Book 2)

by Marissa Farrar

  “You haven’t tested this on yourself,” said Hunter to Kit, “but you want Ari to. That’s looking kind of cowardly to me.”

  “I couldn’t withstand a blade, so it’s highly unlikely I’ll withstand a bullet.”

  “But you haven’t tested it,” he insisted.

  I put out a hand. “Okay, guys, I don’t know about you, but I’m tired, and I’m not going to be doing anything more tonight. Can we sleep on it? Things might look a little clearer in the morning.”

  “Ari’s right,” said Dixie. “Nothing is going to get decided tonight. We’re tired, and emotions are frayed. Let’s reconvene in the morning.”

  Everyone drifted off toward their rooms, leaving me and Hunter still standing in the corridor.

  Hunter pulled me in close. “Hey,” he said, reaching up to brush hair from my face. “I’m sorry if I get a little overprotective sometimes, but the idea of you getting hurt, especially if it’s done deliberately and on Kit’s say-so, really gets to me.”

  “Yeah, I noticed, but you have to trust that I’m capable of making up my own mind about these things. I want to help the Kin, and I want to do everything I can to put an end to these bombings. That’s not on Kit’s say-so. That’s mine.”

  “I know. Just try to put yourself in my place. How would you feel if you knew I was doing things that might get me killed?”

  My stomach twisted, and I gave a sigh. “Yeah, okay, you have a point. But I also wouldn’t stand in your way.”

  “I haven’t, Ari, and I won’t. I swear to you.” He kissed me, a gentle brush of lips on lips. “But let me be your word of caution, okay? Someone needs to be.”

  “Okay,” I agreed.

  He kissed me again, harder this time. “Goodnight, Ari.”

  I smiled. “’Night, Hunter.”

  I left him to go to my room. I didn’t want us to go separate ways, but Kit frowned on us shacking up down here. I could see why—if those who were single ended up having to share with couples, things would start getting awkward. Even so, I missed his presence. I would have liked nothing more than to slide into bed with him and sleep wrapped in his arms.

  Before I reached my room, another familiar voice called to me.

  “Ari?”

  I turned to see my dad walked toward me. “Hey, Dad. Everything okay?”

  “Yeah, I just wondered where you’d been all evening. No one seemed to know where you were.”

  “Sorry, Dad. I was out with Kit and Hunter, and a couple of the others. I should have let you know.”

  His face pinched. “That’s okay, Ari. I know you’re an adult now. You shouldn’t have to report back to your old man, but I was worrying about you. These aren’t exactly normal circumstances were living in, are they?”

  I reached out and took his hand. “I know. I’m sorry, Dad. I know this can’t be easy for you.”

  “Have you given any thought to me going home? You’re all grown up now, sweetheart, and you don’t need me hanging around.”

  “Yes, I do,” I insisted. “That’s exactly what I need.” I leaned in and kissed his cheek, the stubble scratchy above his soft cheek. “Stay a little while longer, okay? Let us try to get everything sorted before you go back home. So we know it’s safe.”

  “That’s what worries me, Ari. What are you up to that’s going to make sure things are safe?”

  “Kit thinks he can find his dad, maybe talk to him face to face. Try to reason with him.”

  Bryce snorted. “That man didn’t seem like he listened to other people very often.”

  “No, you’re right, he didn’t, but Kit is his son. If anyone is going to get through to Philip Middleton, it’ll be him.”

  My dad frowned. “Isn’t that giving Middleton exactly what he wanted? He had his man take me so you’d be forced to reveal the location of his son. Now you’re talking about Kit going to him anyway?”

  “But it would be done on our terms. On Kit’s terms. And it wouldn’t mean we were exposing the rest of the Kin or the Cavern.”

  “Unless Middleton finds a way of getting that information out of his son.”

  I shrugged. “But what else can we do, Dad? Sit here and wait for him to find us. And what about the bombings? Are there going to be more? Can we accept sitting here and doing nothing?”

  “All of this responsibility on your shoulders, Ari. It’s too much.”

  “I didn’t ask for it. It just happened.”

  “I know that, kiddo. And I think you’re really brave. Far braver than I could ever be.”

  “That’s not true, Dad.”

  “Yes, it is. You got your bravery from your mother. She would have jumped in with both feet, just like you.”

  We smiled at each other, joined in the memories of the woman we’d both lost. My memories of her were fading like an old photograph left out in the sun, and had been for a long time, but every so often something would happen, something simple like getting a whiff of the perfume she used to wear, or hearing the lines of a song we’d danced around in the kitchen to, and the memories would fill me like an expanding balloon inside my chest.

  “Anyway,” I said, “I really should be getting to bed. I’m kinda beat.”

  He nodded. “Sure, I could do with some sleep myself.”

  “’Night, dad.”

  “’Night, sweetheart,”

  And we went our separate ways.

  Chapter Twelve

  A hand shaking my shoulder pulled me from a deep, dreamless slumber.

  The previous night’s broken sleep, combined with the events of the evening, had left me exhausted. I woke, disoriented, unsure of what was happening. I was surprised to see Kit leaning over me.

  “Hey,” I said, my voice thick with sleep. I pushed myself to sitting. “What’s going on?”

  “I think I’ve found where he’s going to be next.”

  “What? Where who’s going to be next?”

  Kit settled on the side of the bed and thrust a computer tablet into my hands. “My father. Read this.”

  I blinked a couple of times, trying to get the sleep out of my eyes and focus. Across the other side of the room, Dixie stirred, too.

  I looked down at the screen.

  Myriad Group founder to be presented with award for innovation in science and technology at The National Science Prize in Los Angeles.

  I looked back up at Kit, my heart suddenly beating harder. “Your dad is going to be there?”

  “According to this article.”

  I chewed on my lower lip, unsure if I felt excited or sick with nerves. “He might be beamed in remotely, if he doesn’t want to be seen in public.”

  “I don’t think so. My father has never been one to shy from the limelight.”

  “When is it?” I glanced at the date. “Tonight?”

  “Yeah, that’s why I woke you. We need to get moving if we’re going to confront him.”

  Dixie had woken fully now and sat up in bed. “What’s going on, guys?”

  I glanced over at her. Her short hair was spiked up on one side, and flat on the other where she’d been sleeping. She rubbed the back of her hand over one eye, child-like, and then yawned.

  “Kit’s father is being honored at an award ceremony. Kit thinks it would be a good time to try to confront him.”

  Dixie looked to Kit. “Where’s it taking place?”

  “Los Angeles,” he said.

  In my head, I calculated how long it would take us to get there. At least six or seven hours, and that was if we didn’t hit any traffic. “That’s hell of a drive.”

  “I know. That’s why we need to get moving.”

  “And have we got a plan for when we get there?”

  “Not yet we haven’t, but I’m going to come up with one.”

  I nodded and then looked around. “What about this place? We’ve got someone causing trouble here. We’ll be gone for a while, and God only knows what might happen to delay us while we’re there. Who’s going to deal with things whi
le we’re gone?”

  Kit’s brows drew together, and he glanced down before looking back up at me. “I’ve been thinking about that. I’m thinking about asking Zane to come with us.”

  I blinked in surprise. “Zane? Why?”

  “The stuff started happening on his arrival. Maybe things will calm down again if we take him along. I’m also thinking that if anything does happen while we’re away, if we leave him here alone, there won’t be anyone to talk the others down.”

  “You think they might turn on him?”

  “It’s possible. You saw how everyone reacted the other night. In fact, Ari, you did the exact same thing when you thought it was him watching us last night.”

  My stomach twisted with guilt. Kit was right. I had jumped straight to the conclusion that it had been Zane. I was no better than the others had been when the console had been broken.

  “So, who else are you suggesting comes along?” I was worried he’d say for Hunter to stay. I knew the two men didn’t always see eye-to-eye, and I knew I played my part in that, but I didn’t like to think what Hunter would say if either of us suggested he stay behind while I go off with Kit and Zane.

  “You, me, Zane, Dixie, and Hunter. I think we could use Dixie’s skills while we’re there, and Hunter is always strong.”

  I breathed an inward sigh of relief.

  “There are others who would be more useful than bringing Zane,” I suggested. “Someone for electricity, or Natasha for heat.” I remembered how she’d lit the fuel tank of a helicopter, bringing it down.

  “You can do all of those things, too, Ari. You’re right, others would be more useful, but taking Zane would be a little bit of insurance as to us being able to relax in the knowledge the Cavern, at least, would be safe.”

  “We don’t know Zane is responsible,” I pointed out.

  “No, but even if he isn’t, someone is trying to make it look like he is. By removing him from the situation, we’ll also remove the opportunity for anyone to make him look bad.”

  “Yeah, you’re right. How are we going to sell it to him?”

  “A training exercise, for him to see how we work.”

  “And if he refuses to come?”

  Kit’s eyes locked on my face. “He won’t refuse to come.”

  “How do you know that?”

  A tiny smile touched his lips. “Because you’re coming, Ari.”

  I sat up straighter. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “Nothing. The two of you seemed to have a... connection... that was all.”

  “Well, we don’t. So, drop it.”

  Kit looked as though he was thinking about saying something else. I stared at him, daring him to try it. He smirked, but glanced away.

  “Okay, fine,” I agreed. “I assume you want me to ask him as well.”

  “Thanks, Ari,” Kit said with a grin. “And make it soon. We need to leave sooner rather than later.”

  WE FOUND ZANE IN THE kitchen, making himself cereal. The gray t-shirt he wore was stretched across his back, his neck bent as he focused on pouring milk into a bowl. With that done, he reached for a coffee cup.

  “Hey, Zane, we want to talk to you about something.”

  Zane glanced over his shoulder, his hair hanging over one eye. “What have I done now?”

  “Nothing,” I said quickly. “You haven’t done anything. We just wanted to see if you want to get out of here for a while.”

  He straightened and turned fully to face us, still holding the empty mug. I saw his green-blue eyes dart between us, assessing who was confronting him. “Okay, I’m listening.”

  Kit stepped forward. “We’re going out of the city on a mission. My father is going to be awarded some bullshit prize in a ceremony in LA, and I want to catch him there.”

  Zane’s eyes narrowed. “The same father who owns the Myriad Group? The same one who apparently created you... people.”

  People had obviously been talking.

  “Kin,” I filled in for him. “He created the Kin, though he obviously didn’t know that’s what we would be called back then. He’s also the man responsible for killing our mothers due to the drugs his company gave them, claiming it would cure bad morning sickness while they were pregnant. It was all bullshit, of course. He knew he was altering the fetuses the whole time.”

  He was staring at me. “You know this sounds insane, right?”

  “Yeah, it does. But it’s true and it’s real.” I stared at the coffee pot behind his shoulder, pushing out my energy so it lifted. I held my breath, hoping I could pull this off, and concentrated so the pot hovered over the top of Zane’s shoulder, to the empty mug he was still holding. He watched, open mouthed, as the coffee pot tipped up and poured hot, black liquid into the cup. I tried not to inwardly cheer myself until I got the pot back on the burner, then I couldn’t help but grin. I might be able to call storms and take down buildings unwittingly, but controlling the small stuff was a big step for me. I felt the others watching, and I smiled back at each of them, unable to hide how pleased I was with myself. Perhaps I was getting better at this.

  “Okay,” Zane said, though his expression hadn’t changed. Was this guy suspicious of absolutely everything? I guessed if I’d grown up being bounced from foster care home, to foster care home, I’d probably have been the same. “I know it’s real. But why do you want me to come? You sure you’re not just inviting me to keep an eye on me.”

  My cheeks flushed, and he lifted his eyebrows.

  “Maybe a little,” I admitted, “but it would be good for you, too. And you have to admit, you want to get out of here. I know how it feels when you’re new and things aren’t going so great.”

  His eyes narrowed. “You do? How?”

  “Someone messed with my stuff when I first arrived. Took some of my things. Photographs of my family.”

  “I thought you were all supposed to be some kind of close-knit unit.”

  “Yeah, well, maybe someone here doesn’t like newbies for some reason,” I said, thoughtfully.

  “So, are you on board?” Kit asked from behind my shoulder.

  Zane frowned. “Who else is coming?”

  “Ari, Hunter, and Dixie. It’ll be a road trip.”

  Zane nodded. “Yeah, okay. Sounds better than being stuck down here getting blamed for stuff I had nothing to do with.” I couldn’t miss the bitterness in his tone. Would that be enough for him to follow us out the previous night and mentally push me off the cliff? He seemed like a cool guy, but I didn’t know him.

  I forced a smile. “Great.”

  “When do we leave?” he asked.

  “As soon as we’re all ready. Finish your breakfast, and grab anything you might need, and we’ll reconvene at the exit.”

  We all went our separate ways. I needed to find my dad and tell him that I’d be away for the next twenty-four hours. I hoped it wouldn’t be quite that long, but I figured it was best to overestimate so he didn’t worry.

  I found him in the common room, drinking coffee and playing a game of cards—solitaire, from what I could make out, though I’d never been good at card games, or board games, or any kind of games, for that matter.

  “Hey, Dad,” I said, slipping into the seat beside him. I kept my voice deliberately bright.

  He glanced at me. “Morning, Ari. How are you doing?”

  “I’m fine, but I just wanted to let you know I have to go somewhere with Kit, and Hunter, and a couple of the others. I might be gone for the day, possibly tonight, too, but I didn’t want you to worry.”

  He sighed and put down the cards. “Ari, sweetheart, you do understand that I’m here for you.”

  “Yeah, of course I do, Dad.”

  “No, I don’t think you do. I mean, I’m here because of you. I’m here because it means you won’t worry so much, and because I want to be with you, too. But if you’re not here, there’s no reason for me to be either.”

  My stomach twisted. “Yes, there is. So you’re safe.” />
  “This isn’t living for me, Ari. I’m just existing down here. I love you, and I want to be close to you, but if you’re taking off with your new friends, I can’t see any reason to stay.”

  “I’ll be back soon. It’s a day at the most.”

  “Until the next thing comes up, and the next, and the next.” He sighed. “Why are you going, anyway?”

  I wasn’t sure whether to tell him the truth, but I guessed I had to. He’d be super mad if he found out I’d lied to him as well as making him stay down here.

  “Middleton is getting an award for his contribution to science and technology in Los Angeles tonight. Kit wants to get to him before the ceremony.”

  I was sure he was going to say something about how it would be dangerous for me to go, but instead he snorted. “So, that son-of-a-bitch it getting an award?”

  I pursed my lips. “I know, right?”

  “But if he’s down in LA, he’s not going to be anywhere near my house.”

  I could see where this was going. “Maybe not, but he’s got plenty of people working for him. Neither of us knows what plans he might have in mind.”

  Bryce sighed. “Okay, Ari. I’ll give you another twenty-four hours, but that’s going to have to be it. I can’t keep living like this, especially if you’re not here. The rest of the young people down here are nice enough, but they’re not my people, you know?”

  “You want to go bowling with the guys?”

  “Exactly. And drink beer, and eat fries while laughing about people you’ve never even heard of.”

  I gave a rueful smile. “I get it, Dad. I do. I’m sorry I’m putting you through this.”

  He reached out and placed his hand over the back of mine. “Aww, honey, I know it’s not your fault. None of this is. You never asked for it.”

  “I know, Dad. Thanks.”

  Twenty-four hours at least bought me some time

  Chapter Thirteen

  I felt wretched as I left my dad. I didn’t have much I needed to take with me—my cell phone and a bottle of water for the drive. The others were already waiting for me. Zane stood apart from the small group, not so much as to be rude, but enough that he looked like the outsider. I wondered how he was going to deal with being stuck in a car with all of us for hours.