Unease again fluttered through my veins even though it seemed impossible that O’Brien could know we were here. However, Conroy’s calm manner had disappeared. He had turned in his seat, his hazel eyes sharp as he scanned our surroundings.
“Uh . . . he had sunglasses on, was medium build and had brown hair.”
Mica sat in the front passenger seat, slurping a bright red slushy drink. Her gaze drifted from us to the store. “Did he do something?”
“No.” I shook my head. “He was just watching us.”
Conroy put the Pathfinder into drive and made a signal to Di. She followed us back to the interstate. A few minutes later, we were speeding west on I-40. Conroy kept glancing over his shoulder, scanning the cars behind us.
“Is anyone following?” His voice was tight.
Flint frowned but turned to glance out the back windshield. After a moment, he said, “There’s a sedan about three hundred yards back. It’s staying at an even distance.” A few other cars flew past us.
“Mica,” Conroy said. “Zoom in on the driver. Tell me what he looks like.”
Mica continued to slurp her drink as her brown eyes narrowed. Her enhanced sight allowed her to see details on small objects hundreds of yards away.
“Dark glasses. Brown hair. He’s talking on a cell phone.”
“That sounds like the guy I saw,” I said uneasily.
Mica cocked her head. “He’s reaching for something now.”
Conroy tensed. “Reaching for what?”
Mica’s pupils grew wider and then she laughed. “It’s just a map. He’s actually using a map.” Another disbelieving chuckle escaped her. “Apparently, the dude hasn’t figured out that it’s faster to use his cell phone’s GPS.”
I let out a sigh of relief. It was silly that I was actually getting concerned. “So he’s just a traveler?”
“We can’t assume that,” Conroy said. “Where’s his license plate from?”
“Texas.” Mica rattled off the number.
“I’ll look into that when we reach the house, but if this man is following us, I can’t take the chance of him discovering the home’s location. We’ll have to lose him and be careful to ensure that nobody else in the area is working with him.” Conroy put his blinker on and exited the interstate.
Di and the others followed.
When we reached the stop sign for an intersecting highway, Conroy stopped. Mica’s slurps filled the cab, but at Conroy’s request, she kept her gaze glued to the vehicle the man drove. A few seconds ticked past.
I’m sure Di and the others were wondering what we were doing. None of us had told them about the man.
“There he goes,” Mica said.
The sedan sped past on the interstate. In the dying sunlight, the only details I saw were that of a four-door sedan. That was it.
Mica chuckled. “He’s still looking at the map. I think the dude’s lost.”
Conroy’s gaze followed the sedan until it disappeared around a curve. “I’m not taking any chances. There could be other men in communication with him. It’s possible we were spotted somewhere between here and Colorado.”
Nostalgia for the seclusion of Pete and Val’s ranch and the small town of Little Raven slid through me. Hideaway Hills seemed like light-years away. I had no idea if Conroy was paranoid or if his fears were valid, but I still craved the safety and quaintness of the ranch.
“What do you propose we do from here?” Flint’s energy strummed off him into me. It was filled with skepticism.
“We’ll take back roads to the house. It’ll take longer, but it will be easier to spot if anyone’s following us. Mica, I need you to stay alert and tell me if you see anything unusual.” Conroy’s brusque orders were so unlike any way he’d acted before.
“Flint?” Conroy’s eyes drifted to him in the rearview mirror. “Will you tell Diamond about the man Lena saw? I’m sure they all want to know why we’ve stopped.”
“Is that really necessary?”
“Yes.”
Flint shook his head but did as Conroy asked. Cool air swirled into the cab when Flint opened his door. In a lightning fast move, he stood by Di’s window.
I brushed hair out of my eyes. “Hopefully, he was just a traveler who happens to have a dark cloud.”
Conroy nodded. “Let’s hope.”
Trying to take my mind off Conroy’s fears, I leaned forward. “Di mentioned that you have a drug at your house. She said it will give us our memories back.”
Conroy’s expression tightened. “That’s correct, and at this point, I think it’s important for all of you to take it.”
The setting sun blazed through the cab’s interior. I shielded my eyes so I could see Conroy better. “Why’s that?”
“So you can all remember what you’re truly capable of. Those additional abilities will be needed if you’re intent on returning to O’Brien.”
CHAPTER THREE
Mica’s head whipped toward Conroy, her drink forgotten. “What additional abilities? What the heck are you talking about?”
“I’m sorry, but I don’t have time to explain now.”
Flint reappeared by my side. He’d moved at his speed. In other words, one second he was gone, the next he was there. The air rustled around us.
He slammed his door. “All right, they’ll follow.”
Conroy turned onto the highway. A car driving in the other lane slowed before pulling onto the interstate entrance ramp. Conroy’s eyes narrowed as he watched it.
“Mica, do you see anyone following us?” Conroy checked his mirrors.
Mica swung her gaze in all directions. Her pupils grew large and then small when she zoomed in and out. “There’s a car about a mile down this highway. It’s driving toward us.”
“They could be from O’Brien.” Conroy drove another mile before turning onto a two-lane road. The GPS on the dash recalculated our route.
Flint rolled his eyes and leaned toward me. “Paranoid with a capital P,” he whispered.
Di followed closely behind, putting just enough distance between us to allow Mica a good view in all directions. The winding road helped as we climbed into the mountains. Mica continued to scan the horizon at Conroy’s request. She told him everything she saw.
“A maroon minivan just appeared on the highway we left, it’s . . . The white sedan that turned onto the highway from the road we passed is heading south. Two kids are in the back and . . . The bikers stopped. One of them is rummaging through his saddle bag . . .”
Every few minutes, she’d look forward and tell Conroy what appeared ahead. “Nobody’s up this road, but there’s a home in that valley. A light’s on in the kitchen. I see movement in the . . .”
The evening carried on. The sun slowly faded. Conroy switched roads every time a new road appeared, sometimes doubling back the way we’d come. It was a good thing he’d filled both vehicles with gas at the travel center. We were already down to half a tank.
Green digits glowed on the dash’s clock as Mica continually assessed our surroundings. It wasn’t until eight at night that Conroy decided we weren’t being followed.
“So do you think the man with the dark cloud was truly just a traveler?” While my brain was telling me there was no possible way anyone from O’Brien could know where we were, my heart still hammered every time Mica thought someone might be following us. Conroy seemed so convinced we could be followed.
Conroy shook his head. “Not necessarily. He could be or we could have lost him.”
My stomach churned and not from lack of food.
The GPS once again recalculated our course when Conroy turned around. He rolled down his window before Di did a U-turn.
“I think we’re okay. We’ll head to the house now.”
Di scanned the road. From her frown, I wasn’t sure if she also felt this was overkill or if she agreed with Conroy. “Okay, we’ll follow you.”
My stomach grumbled as we backtracked to the main highway before heading north.
However, this time it was reminding me we’d missed supper. Mica reached into her bag and pulled out gummy bears. Not exactly filling or nutritious, but it would have to do. She dumped a handful in my palm.
Popping a bear in my mouth, my heart rate slowly returned to normal. “So what are these additional powers you were talking about earlier?”
Flint raised his eyebrows. “Additional powers?”
I gave him a gummy. “Conroy told us the drug that counter effects the memory one would also help us recover additional powers. He said we may need them if we return to O’Brien.”
“We have more powers?” Flint glanced toward Conroy, an eyebrow raised.
“Some of you, yes.” Conroy’s gaze stayed on the road. Wildlife continually appeared in the ditches. The desert seemed to come alive at night.
Mica popped a few gummies in her mouth. “So are you going to explain these additional abilities now?”
Conroy turned on his high beams. “It’s something a few of you and I began working on in your late teens. However, the drug I gave you would have made you forget everything you learned. None of you would remember what you’re truly capable of.”
I frowned. “You mean I can do more than see clouds?”
“Yes.”
Mica cocked her head. “And I can do more than see really well?”
“Yes.”
Flint’s energy grew. “What more can I do?”
“Nothing. Not everyone has additional abilities.”
I was about to ask another question when Conroy swerved to miss a coyote. It disappeared into the brush on the other side of the road.
“So you’re saying unless we take this drug, we’ll never be strong enough to defeat O’Brien?” Sarcasm laced Flint’s words.
“I’m not saying you won’t defeat them, but I am saying you stand a better chance.”
Flint’s gaze narrowed. “And how do you know this drug is safe?”
“Because I tested it.”
Flint guffawed. “Who’d you test it on?”
“Myself. I tested all of the drugs I gave to you on myself.”
I stared at him, open-mouthed. “All of the drugs? Even the ones you gave us when we were babies? The ones that made our abilities?” I laid a palm on Flint’s thigh. His muscles bunched.
“Yes. After the older set of twins died in your group I began testing all of the drugs on myself first—to ensure that they were safe.”
“But, Conroy,” Mica said with a sigh. “If you tested all of the drugs on yourself, how are you still alive? I thought the drugs only worked on small children and killed anyone older than three?”
“The more potent mixtures do, but I gave myself the first generation drugs of the ones that created your abilities. The ones all of you ultimately received were the end result.”
“Seriously?” Mica’s brown eyes widened. “So do you have all of our abilities?”
“No, not like you do. The drugs I took weren’t strong enough for complete transformations, but I do have some of your abilities. However, they’re subtle.”
“How subtle?” I asked.
Conroy’s brow furrowed. “I’m stronger than most men my age. That’s from Flint’s drug. And my hearing and eyesight are better than most. I also get feelings off people. You could say I’m good at reading others. I acquired that from your drug.”
My mouth dropped. “So you’re essentially able to do what all of us do but not as strongly?”
Conroy shook his head. “No, not nearly as strongly. I probably won’t ever need glasses or hearing aids but it’s nothing like what Jacinth or Mica can do.”
“Can you see the future?” Mica asked.
“No. Diamond’s and the twins’ abilities are the ones I acquired the least from. If anything, I may sense things on occasion, but that’s it.”
I cocked my head. “What kind of things do you sense?”
“Well . . . right now, I have a bad feeling about taking all of you out of the Forbidden Hills. I know that my old group is still actively pursuing us, and the fact that we’re no longer in hiding makes me nervous.”
“Couldn’t that be you being paranoid?” Mica persisted. “All of us have been wandering the country for the past six months. Don’t you think they would have found us by now if they were going to?”
It seemed as if Mica, Flint and I all thought Conroy’s actions were overkill.
“Until recently, you weren’t all together,” Conroy countered. “They’re not looking for individuals. They’re looking for a group of eight adults that match your descriptions.”
Flint rolled his eyes. “Why not change our hair colors and have us wear disguises? Or would we have to? We left O’Brien when we were kids. How would they recognize us as adults?”
Conroy’s jaw clenched. “O’Brien’s technology is very sophisticated. Computer imaging software could give them renditions of what your facial features appear like now. Couple that with hair and eye colors, and they probably have fairly accurate descriptions of your appearance. That’s why we must stay in hiding until we’re prepared to return to O’Brien. In today’s world with computer software recognition programs and advanced communication systems, it’s not easy to stay anonymous.”
“That’s why you drugged us six months ago and left us in different cities around the country.” I already knew this from what he’d told us the other day, but it was only now sinking in.
“Exactly. It was the only way to keep you safe while letting you live normal, free lives.”
“Back to this memory drug,” Flint said, his tone hard. “You’re saying you tested the antidote on yourself, but if you did, how do you know that it really works? It’s not as if your memory was gone, like ours are.”
“Oh, but it was. I tested that drug on myself too.”
My mouth dropped. “You did?”
“Yes, the drug I gave you all six months ago I tested on myself initially. I took the exact drug, so I’d know the end result. I wanted to know exactly what you’d be experiencing.”
I shook my head. “But that’d make you forget everything. I don’t get it. How did you know to take the antidote or what to do after you woke up?”
Conroy braked when another critter ran across the road. “I had a plan in place. I knew I’d forget everything so I had detailed instructions on what to do when I woke up. I waited a day before taking the antidote, and my memories returned.”
“How many of your drugs have you taken?” I asked.
“Over the years, probably close to twenty.”
I frowned. “That’s more than you’ve given any of us.”
“Correct. Not all of the drugs I’ve created worked.”
“But those drugs were really powerful—right?” Mica said.
“That’s correct. They were all mind altering.”
I twirled a strand of hair between my fingers. “Did the other guys in Project Renatus test the drugs on themselves first?”
Conroy made a disgusted sound. “No. Marcus Christenson and Albert Darlington never tested any drugs on themselves. They wouldn’t dream of harming themselves, only children.”
Bitterness hung in Conroy’s words. My fingers stilled. It was the first time I’d heard Conroy sound angry.
“But why would they want us dead?” Mica asked.
“You’re all living proof of the illegal practices that O’Brien conducted. All of us would go to prison if it were ever discovered.”
“Which is why they’d rather have us dead or captured.” Mica sighed.
“Yes.” Conroy cleared his throat. “Ah, we’re almost there.”
I glanced out the window. Blackness surrounded us. We were no longer on the highway but a small single lane road. I hadn’t noticed when we’d pulled onto it. Moonlight revealed a mountainous desert tinged with snow.
“Where are we?” I glanced around.
“About five miles from the house.” Conroy nodded ahead. “It’s just beyond that ravine.”
We pulled
onto a long, paved driveway that appeared to snake through the hills. A heavy metal gate barred us from entering. Conroy opened his window and punched in a code before placing his fingertip against some kind of keypad. The gates swung open soundlessly. Conroy pulled the vehicle forward. I turned to see Di and the others follow.
Evergreen and sagebrush were barely visible in the headlights. It was so dark out here. When we got to the end of the never-ending driveway, I gazed out. “This is where you live?”
Conroy pulled up to a house, if you could call it that. It looked more like a fortress. “For the time being. Welcome to your new home.”
CHAPTER FOUR
Conroy’s house didn’t exactly scream desert adobe. Instead, it was made of concrete and glass and had a very modern feel to it. In the moonlight, sharp angles and severe roof lines made any sense of homey comfort vanish in its architecture.
I stepped out of the vehicle. “Who built this?”
“A celebrity,” Conroy replied. “I never caught his name. He had it custom built with the latest security equipment only to decide he didn’t want to live in Arizona. It went on the market promptly so I picked it up.”
He picked it up. Like it was no big deal to buy a multi-million dollar house on a whim.
“I chose this house based on its security,” Conroy added. “We should be safe here, for the time being.”
Slamming car doors sounded in the night. Di, Amber, the twins and Jacinda poured out of the Suburban.
“Wow!” Amber exclaimed. “This is your house?”
“Our house,” Conroy corrected.
“It’s huge.” Jacinda’s long blond hair shone in the moonlight as she surveyed the home.
“And new.” Di’s gaze traveled over the freshly planted landscape.
Junipers, yuccas and creosotes were a few of the species adorning the perimeter. They were awash in the pale security lights that surrounded the exterior.
“Looks rather . . . indestructible,” Jasper stated.
Di cocked her head, her short dark hair swaying. “And out of place.”
“I agree. It doesn’t fit with the desert landscape,” Conroy replied.
The Complete Lost Children Series Page 29
