Shadow Moon, page 17
“Hang on,” he said. “There’s a snowplow turnaround ahead. We’ll cross to the southbound lanes there.”
“Nooo!” I wailed. “We’re not going back to southern California.”
“Chill, Allie,” Junior said. “We need to get away from those guys, and there’s no way they can pull a U-turn and follow us. We just passed an exit for a town called Canyon City. We’ll head there and look for a place to hide out.”
Junior crossed the median to the southbound lanes while the rest of us peered out the back window to see if anyone was following us. So far, so good.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
It was almost dark when we arrived in Canyon City. Both motels were full. We drove slowly down the narrow main street, looking for a place to eat dinner, keeping a close watch behind us. No sign of the truckers, but I was still nervous. “We need to find a church,” I said. “If they’re Trimarks, they won’t risk going into a church.”
Trimarks had a problem with the symbol of Christianity, the cross. It robbed them of their power, so they avoided churches like the plague. We reached a four-way stop that marked the center of Canyon City. I glanced to the right and saw an old black man trudging to his car in the driveway. Since he was the only living soul I’d seen so far in Canyon City, I said, “Let’s ask that guy. He looks nice.”
Junior turned right and pulled up to the curb. I lowered the window. “Excuse me, sir. Can I ask you a question? It’s Christmas Eve and the highway’s closed. We’re looking for a place to go to church.”
He stopped, his hand on the door handle of his car, and looked me over, his breaths forming little white puffs in the air. He raised one bushy, snow-encrusted eyebrow. “You say the highway’s closed?”
“Yes, sir, it is.”
He walked slowly to our Toyota, peered through the window and scrutinized each of us in turn. “The name’s Jasper. Who are you?”
We introduced ourselves. Solemn faced, he looked back and forth between Sammie and me. “Sisters, huh?”
Faye said, “No, they’re not related.”
“Course they are,” Jasper said. “Plain as the nose on your face.”
Sammie and I exchanged puzzled glances. Jasper’s eyes were cloudy with cataracts, so maybe his vision wasn’t so good.
“So you want to go to church?”
“Yes.”
Jasper said, “Follow me. That’s where I’m going.”
Church was nice. Not at all what I expected. I’d been to the Catholic Church in Peacock Flats with Beck, and Aunt Sandra had dragged me to her church one time. The Catholics had been friendly but slightly stiff and overly polite. And Aunt Sandra’s church people had looked at me like I was something nasty stuck to the bottom of their shoes. Jasper’s church was different than either of those.
He introduced us to everybody who came through the door. Old ladies in sensible shoes and ski jackets. Guys wearing logging boots, flannel shirts and pants with suspenders. A bunch of kids my age in jeans, hoodies and running shoes. Black people. Brown people. White people. It was a mixed bag of humanity, and everyone seemed happy to see us. The air was redolent with the scent of freshly cut Christmas trees and aglow with candlelight. If we couldn’t be home for Christmas, this wasn’t a bad place to be. And more importantly, we were safe.
After the service, one of the ladies insisted we stay for supper and led us to tables loaded with an assortment of cold cuts, salads and dessert. Jasper finished his meal, raised a finger and said, “Follow me.”
He led us down a staircase to the basement and flipped on the light to reveal a large room lined with deep shelves. A gigantic roaring furnace squatted in a corner. Jasper pointed at the far wall. “You’ll find cots and blankets over there. We keep them in case somebody’s house burns down and they need a place to stay.
We thanked Jasper profusely and settled in for the night. Junior called his mother and then handed the phone to Sammie. “Don’t you have people to call?”
Sammie put on her tough girl face. “Nah, just my stepdad, and he probably doesn’t want to talk to me.”
“Do it anyway.”
Something in Junior’s tone made it impossible for Sammie to refuse. She took Junior’s phone and punched in a number. “Phil? It’s Sammie.”
I have no idea what Phil said to her, but I watched the hope in her eyes fade away. I wanted to kick Phil’s butt. She stood and walked slowly to the other side of the room. I heard her say, “Just thought I’d let you know I’m okay.”
Five minutes later, she meandered back. Her eyes were huge and shining with happiness.
“How’s your stepdad?” I asked.
“Still a jerk.” She handed the phone to Junior. “Thanks for making me call him.”
A smile tugged at the corner of Junior’s mouth. “Good news?”
“The best. Phil said a woman came to the house looking for me. Said she knew my mother. Can you believe it? ”
Faye said, “Do you know how to get in touch with her?”
Sammie grinned. “She told Phil her name is Trillium. Weird name, huh?”
Without thinking, I said, “Trillium. Sounds like a faery name.”
Faye’s mouth fell open. Sammie’s mouth formed an O. Junior looked at me and winked, “Faery name, huh?”
“Anyway,” Sammie continued, “the woman said she’d drop by after Christmas, to see if I’ve been in touch. I told him I’d be with Kizzy Lovell in Peacock Flats.” Little worry lines creased her forehead. “I hope that’s okay.”
We assured her it was.
Junior punched numbers into his cell phone and listened intently. When he clicked off, he said, “Okay, the freeway’s open. We’ll leave at dawn.”
We discussed opening Christmas presents but Faye vetoed the idea, stating flatly, “We’ll wait until we get home.”
Sammie hadn’t said a word but she’d been following our conversation with bright-eyed interest. I said, “Where were you last Christmas, Sammie?”
“Homeless shelter,” she said, her face closing up.
“You know what?” I said, digging around in my backpack. “I think Sammie should open her gift now.”
Her eyes widened in surprise. “Me?”
“Yeah, you,” Junior said.
I handed Sammie the gift-wrapped box. She examined it carefully, turning it over and over in her hands. I wondered how long it had been since anyone had given her a present. She peeled the gift-wrap from the box and lifted the lid, pressing her lips together to keep them from trembling. When she saw the silver chain, her eyes widened in surprise. She looked at us in disbelief, “For my locket . . . right?”
I nodded.
“It’s beautiful. I don’t know how to thank you.”
Faye said, “Getting rid of that grubby shoelace is thanks enough.”
Faye helped her thread the silver chain through the hasp of the locket while Junior and I set up the cots. Even though we were in a Trimark-free zone, I couldn’t shake the heebie-jeebies. “What if those guys are outside waiting for us?”
Junior said, “I’ll check,” and ran up the stairs. We heard the door creak open. Did it even have a lock? He reappeared a few minutes later. “Door’s locked. No trucks in sight. We should take turns standing watch.”
Each of us took a two-hour shift, and we were on the road heading north before the sun was up. The highway was free of snow but clogged with eighteen-wheelers trying to make up lost time. Junior sped past the semis. The rest of us peered out the windows, keeping a sharp lookout for the blood-red letters, Triangle Trucking.
An hour passed, and we began to relax. Then Junior glanced in the rearview mirror and stiffened. He tapped the brakes and slowed down well below the speed limit.
My heart leaped in my chest. “What’s wrong?”
“Somebody’s on my tail, probably an unmarked cop car. I slowed down to see if he’d go around me, but he’s not.”
Faye, Sammie and I turned as one and checked out the car riding our back bumper. Really subtle. Sure enough, a dark blue Ford Explorer with tinted windows was right there, making no attempt to go around us. But it was the car behind the Explorer that made the blood freeze in my veins.
“Faye,” I said. “There’s a gray Prius following the Explorer, exactly like the one those ESP jerks drove.”
Faye’s eyes got big. One hand flew to her throat. “How could they possibly know where we are?”
I looked over at Junior. His face was grim. He stomped down on the accelerator. The two cars behind us kept pace.
“I could lose ’em if I had the Mercedes,” he said. He’d no sooner uttered the words when the Explorer turned on its flashers.
“Shit!” Junior said, pulling onto the shoulder.
The Explorer pulled up at an angle behind us, followed by the Prius. Two big guys in business suits stepped out of the Explorer, one walking to the driver’s side, one to my side. I gripped my thighs to keep my hands from shaking. Junior, still swearing, dug around in the glove compartment for the car’s registration. I fumbled with the moonstone, making sure it was lying next to the cross and in the proper setting.
Sammie sputtered, “Who . . . what . . . ?”
Faye leaned over the seat and whispered, “They want the moonstone.”
I shook my head. “No, you’re wrong. They want the moonstone and me.”
A heavy fist knocked on the window. “Roll ’em down.”
Junior powered down his window and mine. He held out his license, registration and proof of insurance. “Here you go, sir. What’s the problem? Was I speeding?”
The guy ignored the documents. “Step out of the car and keep your mouth shut.”
Junior’s hands tightened on the steering wheel. He glanced over at me. His eyes were black with rage. I prayed he wouldn’t do anything stupid.
“Just do it,” I hissed.
“She’s right,” the man said. He opened his jacket to show Junior the gun he carried in a shoulder holster. “You should listen to your girlfriend. She’ll keep you out of trouble.”
I shoved Junior, hard. “Go!”
Junior dropped his hands to his lap. The guy stepped back and drew his gun.
“What’s going on, Allie?” Junior asked.
“I’ll tell you later. Just do as he says!”
Reluctantly, Junior opened the door and got out. The man made Junior stand with his hands against the car and his legs spread while patting him down. Then the guy said, “Don’t move.” Leaning in the window, he pointed a finger at Faye and Sammie. “You two stay put. You’ll be on your way soon.”
“I want to see some ID,” Faye demanded. “You can’t pull us over for nothing.”
The guy shook his finger and bared his teeth. “Shut. Up. Now.”
Faye gasped and snapped her mouth shut.
I’d refused to make eye contact with the man standing next to my window. He hadn’t said a word but his presence hung over me like two hundred pounds of trouble. Footsteps crunched on the gravel. A deep voice said, “Is this the girl?”
Still clutching the moonstone, I turned my head slowly toward the voice. It belonged to a giant of a man with a shaved head and a day’s growth of dark stubble.
Angela Ackerman stood slightly behind him, studying me carefully, flanked by Redgrave. “Yes, that’s her.”
The behemoth reached through the window, unlocked the door and said, “You’re coming with us, honey.”
He checked the back seat. “What about the other kid? Her too?”
Redgrave peered into the back seat and turned to Ackerman. “Is this the homeless kid?”
Ackerman nodded.
Redgrave studied Sammie briefly as if assessing the risk. “Yeah, her too. We can always use a normal in the controlled studies.”
Sammie bared her teeth and snarled, “Do not touch me, asshole.”
Redgrave and Ackerman stepped away from the car. My door swung open. The big guy grabbed my arm. The battle was on.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Sammie and I fought them tooth and nail. Literally. I knew they wouldn’t shoot me, so I kicked, screamed, scratched and bit everything and anything that invaded my space. Sammie did the same. Redgrave pointed a gun at Junior and made him get back inside the car.
“You can’t take my daughter!” Faye screamed. “This is America. We have rights.”
“We’re from Special Security,” said Redgrave. Like that explained everything.
Faye said, “What the hell does that mean?”
He didn’t bother to answer. The last thing I heard as we were dragged away from the minivan was the sound of my mother’s pitiful sobs. One of the guys slung me over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes and carried me to the Prius. When he set me on my feet, he pinned my arms against my body. Too bad for him, my legs were still free. I stomped his foot and swung my heel hard against his shin, gratified when I heard his grunt of pain.
Sammie was screaming and cursing as the other guy dragged her to the Explorer. Man, did that girl know some colorful swear words. My panic rose as I watched the minivan pull out onto the freeway and drive slowly away.
During this entire episode, cars whizzed by on the freeway. Nobody stopped. Was this an everyday occurrence in this part of the world? People probably thought it was a drug bust. But, surely somebody would call 911. Oh, yeah. These people were apparently above the law. Even if the cops responded, they’d quickly realize the situation was out of their hands.
The muscle guy shoved me into the backseat of the Prius and held me down while Redgrave blindfolded me. Still lashing out with my arms and legs, I fought like a cornered rat, my heart hammering in my chest.
Redgrave gripped my arm and spoke directly into my ear. “I don’t want to cuff you, Allie, but I will if you don’t stop struggling.”
Even though I wanted to keep inflicting as much damage as possible, the odds against me were too great. I stopped and said, “No cuffs.”
The door slammed shut. Redgrave said, “Go, Angela.”
Angela hit the accelerator and pulled out onto the freeway. Redgrave kept hold of my arm and murmured, “Good girl. We didn’t want to do it this way, but you’re too valuable to ignore. Don’t worry. We just want to run a few tests. You’ll be back with your mom before you know it.”
He still had a grip on my arm. I tried to pull away, but he just squeezed tighter. I said, “I don’t believe you. You kidnapped me. You kidnapped Sammie just because she’s homeless and nobody will miss her. I’ll bet you’re not even connected with the government. I’ll bet you’re a Trimark. I—”
Redgrave said, “A Trimark, huh? Tell me what you know about the Trimarks. Can you locate them with the moonstone?”
That’s when the puzzle pieces fell into place. I’d heard about the special government agencies created after the attack on the twin towers, about their war against terrorism. But I had no idea they could snatch innocent people off the streets whenever they felt like it.
When I didn’t answer, Redgrave said, “We’re more alike than you think, Allie. The Trimarks are our common enemy. They’re a grave threat to the entire world. We believe you have the ability to help us with that threat.”
Ackerman spoke up. “We hoped you would cooperate willingly. Share your gifts, so to speak. Trust me, we don’t make a practice of separating mothers and daughters, but we have to think of the greater good. It would be helpful if you join us in this mind-set.”
I almost laughed. My only thought was, Screw you and your mind-set. I bit my lip and kept silent. I needed time to think. Because of Ackerman’s painful lesson when she attempted to touch the moonstone, the two agents knew they couldn’t take it from me. I thought about the moonstone’s functions. My ability to use TKP was definitely enhanced by the moonstone. Surely that would be of no use to them. But they must never know I possessed the ability to read minds and stop time. If they did, well, I’d probably never be free.
The enormity of my situation crashed down on me. I considered my options. I could continue fighting like a tiger, but what good would that do? Another option would be to fake an emotional meltdown, fold up and lapse into uncontrollable sobbing. Somehow I couldn’t make myself go that route. The third choice was to pretend to cooperate, hope they couldn’t get the moonstone off me, convince them I had limited powers and look for a way to escape. I decided to go with option three.
And what about Sammie?
They’d wasted no time separating us. Would I ever see her again? She was in this mess because of me. She was my responsibility. I had to figure out a way to save us both.
Redgrave’s grip on my arm never loosened. Because of the blindfold, I had no idea which direction we were travelling. After a couple of hours, we left the freeway and went through a series of turns. The air smelled like the ocean, so I assumed we’d travelled west from Interstate 5. I was pressed against the seatback as we went up a steep, twisting incline. The car stopped. I heard the window zip down and the creak of a metal gate opening.
“Where are we?” I asked.
“At a secure facility,” Redgrave said.
So much for answers. Not that it mattered. Nobody knew where I was. I hoped Faye would have the presence of mind to call Dennis. Right now, he was my best hope. The car stopped, the door opened and I was hauled out of the backseat. It is truly terrifying to be without sight. I had no idea where I was or what was about to happen to me. I fought against the despair rising in my chest.
Nobody spoke. Flanked by two people with vise-like grips on my arms, I was led into a building that smelled like disinfectant. I heard the clack of Ackerman’s heels behind me. We walked down a long corridor, turned left and walked some more. Then there was the sound of a key turning in a lock and the squeak of a door opening. I was marched through the door and heard it slam shut behind me. When my arms were free, I pulled off the blindfold.
My guards were the same goons who’d pulled us over. They nodded at Ackerman and Redgrave and left.
I rubbed my arms and gazed around the room. It looked like a studio apartment without windows. Not a one. Not even a sky light. A single bed was aligned against one wall, a small couch against another. The only other furniture in the room was a desk and chair. Everything was boring and beige. A closed door on the wall at right angles to the bed probably led to the bathroom. No books. No magazines. No television.
