The Complete Lost Children Series

by Krista Street

  He glanced at me, a haunted look in his eyes.

  “I’m here now, and I’m safe. Okay?”

  He pulled me closer to him. His normal scent was mixed with sweat and fear. I could only imagine the nightmares that had haunted him. The not knowing had to have been unbearable.

  “Where are we going?” I asked.

  “Canada.”

  “We’ve gone international?”

  “It’ll be harder for Marcus to get so many men across the border, not to mention, smuggling firearms isn’t easy.”

  “How long have you been there?”

  “The others moved up there two days after you went missing. Conroy didn’t feel it was safe for us to stay in California.”

  “The others moved? And where did you go?”

  “I stayed in San Francisco, looking for you.”

  “And Father?”

  “He stayed with me. I don’t think he trusted me on my own. I was . . .” his voice caught. “Not kind to him. I lashed out repeatedly and called him names I’m not proud of. I blamed Conroy for what happened to you even though it was my fault.”

  I opened my mouth to argue but he continued.

  “Conroy never once raised his voice to me or said that I’m to blame, not him.” His voice caught again. “How come he didn’t blame me?”

  Flint’s eyes were so anguished that tears clouded my vision. I blinked them back. Flint often saw things in black and white. I knew since he believed he failed me that he assumed Father would too, but Father wasn’t like that. Yet Flint refused to see that.

  Our entire lives, Flint held Father at arm’s length. As the oldest in our group, Flint remembered more about O’Brien than any of us. He knew that Father had willingly subjected us to his drugs when we were young. He never forgave Father for that. Ever. As a teenager, it had grown worse. Flint at times barely treated Father decently.

  Flint was the only one in our family who felt such animosity toward him, but Father never held it against him. Our entire lives, Father had shouldered the brunt of Flint’s anger, almost as if he felt he deserved it. But now, something in Flint’s tone was different. It was the first time I’d ever heard him talk about Father without derision.

  “What did you and Father do?” I gently pushed a greasy strand of hair from his forehead. “After everyone moved to Canada?”

  He clasped my hand and brought it to his lips. “We scoured the city for you since we had no trace to follow. Initially, Luke and Amber were able to track your scent, but they lost it over the Bay Bridge. And Luke used his psychic thing, but he said the signal was muddled like you fell off his radar or something. So Father called every contact he had. He barely slept, and not once did he say a word against me. Not once.”

  “He loves you, Flint. He always will even though you push him away.”

  Flint’s eyes swam with deeply buried emotions. His jaw clenched.

  “He’ll never blame you, Flint, and he’ll forgive you readily for all of the years where you hated him. You’ll see.”

  “I don’t deserve to be forgiven.”

  “Yes, you do.”

  He sighed heavily, his breath catching. “It didn’t matter that Conroy didn’t blame me. We still couldn’t find you.”

  I touched his forearm. “They drugged me. That’s probably why I fell off Luke’s radar.”

  Flint turned so quickly I fell against the seat. He pulled me up, his eyes searching mine. “What did they drug you with? Are you injured? Are you experiencing side effects? Conroy!” he yelled.

  His bellow made me wince. “Flint, I’m fine.”

  Father appeared at our sides, rubbing his eyes. “Yes, Flint? What’s wrong?”

  “They drugged Lena.”

  Father’s eyes widened. “They did? Do you know what they gave you?”

  I shrugged helplessly. “Some drug that made my ability disappear. It was like it blocked something in my brain so I couldn’t use my power. It was the same thing he gave Susannah, Luke and Edgar so they couldn’t transform in the warehouse.”

  “Tell me more.” Father sat across from me. “I want to know the details.”

  After I finished explaining the drug’s color, how much was given to me, where it was administered, the side effects and feel, he leaned back.

  “It sounds identical to the drug Edgar described to me. You’re right. It has to be the same one. I also think it’s the same drug Marcus was beginning to experiment with when I took all of you away, but that was fifteen years ago. He’s probably altered it since then to be more effective.” He steepled his hands. “And you say it worked? That your ability vanished within minutes?”

  I nodded.

  “That’s fast,” he murmured.

  “There’s more.” Raven’s face flashed through my mind.

  Flint’s energy doubled. “What more?”

  I explained how excited Marcus had been when I told him I might be pregnant. Flint’s eyes turned into saucers, but I quickly reassured him it was just an escape tactic. “But he’s experimented on a pregnant woman before.”

  Father’s head cocked, his brow furrowing. “He has?”

  I squirmed and wrung my hands together. “Yes, he did, twenty-two years ago on your mother.” I peeked up at Flint.

  Flint’s head snapped back. “My mother?”

  “She was pregnant at the time with your brother.”

  “My brother?”

  I nodded again. “Did you know anything about this, Father?”

  Father was silent a moment before shaking his head. “What do you mean, Flint’s mother? She died shortly after we took Flint and Di.”

  “What makes you think that?”

  “Marcus told me they found her dead, of an overdose a week after . . .” Father’s voice trailed off.

  “She didn’t die, not then at least. Marcus took her. I think.” The conversation I heard outside his study drifted through my mind. “I overheard him talking to someone, about how he found another pregnant subject. And there’s one last thing.” I glanced at Flint again. “Your brother? The one that your mother carried in utero when Marcus experimented on her? He’s still alive.”

  Both Flint and Father’s mouths dropped. The plane dipped, jostling us in our seats.

  “He’s still alive?” Father finally said, his voice hoarse.

  “Yes. His name’s Raven. He’s two years younger than Di. He’s lived with Marcus in secret his entire life. From what he told me, Marcus basically locked him away in his home, keeping him from friends, family and the outside world in general. And he’s different, like us.” I clasped Flint’s hand. “He’s another lost child. He can create fire, just by thinking it.”

  “The elemental group!” Father whispered. “They were the group of ten who all died, originally Albert’s group. The drugs given to them were the harshest. Marcus and Albert were obsessed with the concept of creating a group of people that could control the elements, such as controlling the wind, manipulating water or the earth, creating fire, that sort of thing.”

  I turned to Flint. “They gave your mother some drug when she carried Raven that seems to have created his ability. And Raven survived it, but your mom didn’t.”

  Flint’s expression gave away nothing.

  “Were there any other children he did this to?” Father asked urgently. “Was there anyone besides Raven that was born following those drugs?”

  “No, I don’t think so. It was only him. He never mentioned anyone else.”

  Father leaned back, his face contemplative.

  “What are you thinking?” I asked.

  He shook himself. “I’m wondering if Marcus has other hidden lost children. If this problem goes deeper than I thought.”

  My insides went cold. “If he does, Raven doesn’t know anything about them. He thought he was the only person like him. One thing I am certain of is that Marcus lied to him his entire life. Marcus told Raven that he adopted him as an infant and that his ability was a genetic fluke. It was only
yesterday that Raven began questioning everything Marcus told him. I’ve been talking to Raven all week, trying to get him to understand that his life has been a lie.”

  Flint’s face paled. “Do you really think he’s my brother?”

  “I’m sure of it.” I told both of them about Raven’s skin tone, mannerisms, facial features, personality, and everything else I could think of that made me believe they were related. “And then there’s this . . .” I reached into my pocket where I’d tucked away the tissue with a strand of Raven’s hair. “I figured you could do genetic testing, Father. Then we’ll know for sure if Raven’s their sibling or not.”

  The tiny, black hair sat on the white tissue. I quickly covered it and put it back in my pocket before any disturbance in the cabin air blew it away.

  “He gave you his hair?” The circles under Flint’s bloodshot eyes looked even darker.

  “No. When he gave me a hug goodbye, it fell on my shoulder.”

  “He knew you were going to escape?” A new light shone in Flint’s eyes.

  “Not exactly. He thought Marcus was going to take me to a secret lab and he’d never see me again. That was Marcus’ plan, which is why I knew I needed to get out of there.”

  A glacial expression settled over Flint’s face. “You mean Raven knew Marcus was going to lock you up and experiment on you, and he didn’t help you escape?”

  I placed a hand on Flint’s forearm as his energy grew even more. “Don’t judge him. Marcus was his father. In the week we spent together, he was already starting to turn against him, but you can’t expect someone to turn on their family, even if their family is evil, overnight. Try putting yourself in his shoes.”

  From Flint’s expression, I knew he wouldn’t be doing that anytime soon. Flint’s loyalty laid with me, just as Raven’s loyalty laid with Marcus. I sighed. The two were more alike than Flint realized.

  “He’s kind, Flint. Please believe me. He’s not like Marcus, if anything, he’s like you.”

  A look of disbelief crossed Flint’s features. “Me?”

  I nodded. “That’s what struck me the most when I was around him, how much he reminded me of you.”

  Flint grunted. Father, however, still looked speechless.

  “And there’s one more thing I need to tell you.”

  “There’s more?” Flint’s eyes widened.

  “Yes, I gave Raven your phone number. I told him to call you if he decides to join us.”

  “You gave him my personal phone number?” Flint’s expression hardened. “After he was going to let Marcus take you away, lock you up and experiment on you for the rest of your life.” Veins stood out in Flint’s neck. This was going worse than I thought it would. “And you gave him a number to a cell phone that can be tracked.”

  Father leaned forward. “That’s easy to fix.” The shocked expression on Father’s face had turned to a thoughtful one. “Do you think he’ll call?”

  “I hope so,” I replied.

  The plane dipped. We started to descend. Greg came on the overhead speaker asking all of us to return to our seats and fasten our seatbelts.

  I clicked my seatbelt on. “Did all your accounts get safely transferred? Is your money safe now?”

  “Yes. Everything’s been moved, and I have access to it all. Marcus won’t be able to find it.”

  I breathed a sigh of relief. At least there was one less thing to worry about.

  A brooding expression covered Flint’s face as he stared out the dark window. He still clasped my hand, although not as tightly. His thumb roamed over the backs of my fingers. The feeling sent tingles up my arms.

  I sighed. Hopefully, Di wouldn’t be as hard on Raven.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  The landing strip lay nestled in a Canadian valley. Large mountains surrounded it, like cupped hands holding the runway. All of the mountains were covered in snow. Giant pines and evergreens dotted their bases. Through a distant valley, the dawn sun crested the horizon.

  My heart swelled at the familiar look and feel. It felt like home. “Which mountain range is this?”

  “The Canadian Rockies.” Flint gestured toward the peaks. “We’re north of Jasper National Park. No one will find us up here, not for a while at least.”

  After we landed, Greg stepped out of the cockpit. Considering he’d just flown for over twelve hours, I expected him to look tired. However, he was bright eyed and alert. When he saw me, he smiled.

  “Hi, Lena. Staying out of trouble?” He winked.

  I laughed. “Hopefully, I will now.”

  Greg grinned and opened the plane’s door. Fresh air swirled inside. It smelled like snow.

  Since we didn’t have any luggage to retrieve, Flint, Father and I stood on the tarmac while Greg did a few safety checks on the plane’s exterior. I wrapped my arms around myself, shivering. I’d removed most of my layers during the flight and, in typical fashion, forgot them on the plane. I debated retrieving them, but I didn’t know if I wanted to. Those clothes had belonged to Marcus. They were the clothes he’d purchased in anticipation of my capture. Burning them seemed a more appropriate option.

  Flint pulled me close. “Sorry, I didn’t bring a jacket. Otherwise, I’d give it to you.”

  I snuggled into his warm embrace. “That’s okay, this will do.”

  He chuckled softly.

  Large, fluffy snowflakes fell around us. It wasn’t snowing. It was more that the wind picked up the coarse flakes from the ground and fluttered them through the air. I straightened when a rumble reached my ears.

  I pushed away from Flint and listened. I knew that sound. I’d know it anywhere. During my homeless months, that sound had caused me to straighten, hope blooming in my chest as my eyes eagerly scanned the horizon.

  “Is someone coming here?” I asked.

  “That would be the twins.” Father checked his watch. “I called them at our last fuel stop and told them when to pick us up.”

  At the end of the runway, a single lane, snow covered road snaked into the mountains. A pickup truck appeared around a bend.

  “I’ll be on my way then.” Greg closed a small door on the jet. “Call when you need me.”

  Father nodded. “Thank you again, Greg. Fly safely.”

  I murmured a similar comment.

  Greg dipped his head and climbed aboard the plane. The rumbling of the incoming truck was soon drowned out by the jet’s engines. Greg had already taxied to the end of the runway and was taking off when the twins reached the tarmac.

  I watched Greg disappear into the sky. A sting of worry filled my belly. Who knew why we’d have to contact him again. Hopefully, it wouldn’t be to flee.

  The twins’ outlines in the truck cab grew as they approached. I switched my vision. Their colorful clouds appeared. The reddish hue in the driver’s seat told me that Jet was driving, while the yellowish hue indicated Jasper was in the passenger’s seat. Both leaped out when the truck careened to a stop.

  “Lena!” the twins shouted.

  Running toward them, I jumped into their arms. Both hugged me fiercely. I felt like lunch meat squished between a sandwich.

  “Ah man, Lena.” Tears streamed down Jet’s face. “We thought we’d never see you again.”

  Jasper cried too, which only made me cry harder. It was a different feeling from the deep aching love I’d felt when Flint and I embraced, but it was still full of love. Jet and Jasper were my brothers, bloodlines be damned.

  “Where’s everyone else?” I wiped the tears off my cheeks. They were freezing into icy trails.

  Jasper hooked a thumb at the mountain behind us. “At a cabin, our latest home.”

  “For the moment, at least,” Jet said bitterly. “Until that bastard finds us and tries to take us again.”

  “So what the hell happened?” Cloudy breaths puffed from Jasper’s mouth when he spoke. “How’d you get away?”

  “Let’s get in the truck.” Father opened the door. “Lena can explain everything back
at the cabin.”

  The truck’s large cab sat three in the back and two in the front. The twins rode up front again, while Father, Flint and I sat behind them. I settled in the middle seat and closed my eyes. The familiarity of everyone’s presence washed over me. I sank in relief.

  THE WELCOME I received at the cabin was very similar to Jet and Jasper’s. Lots of hugs, tears, more hugs and more tears. Jacinda hugged me longer than anybody. I choked up again as fresh tears poured down my cheeks.

  “Oh, Little L!” Mascara smudges darkened her lower eyes. “Never, ever do anything like that again! I couldn’t bear it if I never saw you again!”

  I just nodded.

  Even Di looked emotional when I embraced her. “We’re so happy you’re back.”

  I was passed around to everyone, like a serving platter at the dinner table. Everybody hugged me and told me how happy they were that I was back and okay. Even Luke and Edgar got a little teary, but when I finished hugging them, I realized one person was missing.

  “Where’s Susannah?”

  “Out flying.” Luke waved at the window. “She loves it up here.”

  I could only imagine. Between the hundreds of miles of forested land, soaring mountains and numerous streams, it was an eagle’s paradise. “So she’s okay?”

  Luke nodded, his golden eyes bright.

  “Right,” Di said briskly. “Let’s show Lena her room. She probably wants to shower and clean up. And perhaps she’ll be able to convince somebody else to do the same.” She gave her brother a pointed look.

  Flint stepped behind me. His palm settled against my lower back. “I’ll show you around.”

  I hadn’t seen much of our new home, since as soon as I entered, I was accosted in the hallway. Now that everyone had calmed down, I was finally able to see it.

  The cabin sat nestled in the trees, in the valley between two mountains. It seemed to be the only home out here. My first thought when I saw it, was that an avalanche could destroy it at any moment, but Father said the location was chosen based off the unlikeliness of that happening. Apparently, a contractor from Calgary had a number of homes in this general region that he’d built as specs and then marketed to the rich and famous as being rustic, indestructible and reclusive. The latter, of course, was what piqued Father’s interest.