Don't Look Back (Warders of Earth) (18 page)

Quickly, I opened Outlook, copied the files from the disk and sent the email to Dad just as Em walked back where I had perched on the settee.

“Done. You’re right. This was a waste of time.” My hands shaking, I handed the stick back to Em who tossed it back into the safe while I shut down my computer. “Let’s go.”

“Finally. I’m going back to bed.” Em stomped out of the room and out the front door.

I couldn’t believe I’d lied to my best friend. What was happening to me? Surely, of all people, I could trust Em? Confused, I followed as she marched to the car. Nausea swirled in my gut.

Em slammed the car door shut and sat, with her arms folded over her chest.

After starting the car, I pulled out onto the road and increased speed. The silence inside the car thickened. I wanted to say something but had no idea what so I kept my mouth shut.

When we reached the next intersection I slowed down then stopped. I checked the road for any oncoming traffic then gaped in amazement.

Forgetting my guilt, I pointed. “Bloody hell! Look at that.”

We watched as a convoy of what looked like army trucks rumbled down the main street.

Once they’d rolled past, I turned and met Em’s wide eyes. “What do you think they’re doing here?”

But for once my chatterbox friend had nothing to say.

***

I rose at six am and headed for the garden where I spent the next two hours working hard wanting to free my mind of the craziness that had recently taken up residence.

Sweat beaded on my forehead and upper lip. I lifted the bottom of my tee and wiped my face before bending again to my task. Already small shoots of green were forcing their way through the turned earth. Satisfaction swelled at this obvious result of my labours: late lettuce; potatoes; carrots; leeks; broccoli and zucchini. I carefully examined the plants for signs of disease and removed a couple of bugs.

This was what I loved, working the earth, smelling the richness of dirt, manure and the sight of new life blooming.

The first stanza of a popular heavy rock song blared from my mobile.

Finally.

Wiping my dirty fingers over my shorts, I fished my mobile from my pocket and answered. “Dad.”

“Hey kiddo.”

“Did you get my text and the email I sent you?”

“Yep. Where’d that info come from?”

I looked around checking to see if I was alone, then felt stupid. Still I lowered my voice. “I copied it from a USB stick some guys gave Mr Andrews yesterday. Is it important?”

“Yep. Has your mother spoken to you yet?”

I sucked in a deep breath. “Do you mean about you and her and your jobs?”

“Exactly. How much did she tell you?”

I knew it!
“You mean there’s more?” My voice rose as my blood pressure spiked. I attempted to focus. “I guessed there may be, we were interrupted. According to Mum, we’re on the run because you snitched us when we were babies. Oh and the final pearler? We’re freaks,” I added bitterly.

My father’s laughter boomed out.

I flinched, shifting the mobile away from my ear. The tightness in my chest lessened and unexpected tears stung my eyes.

“Never, kiddo. Never refer to yourself or your brother like that, do you hear?”

“Yes, Dad.” His endearment for me, made me smile.

“That’s my girl. Listen. Does anyone else know about this info?”

I shrugged. “Emma. She was with me when we broke into her adoptive father’s house last night.”

“Adoptive father?”

“Long story.”

“Mmm.”

“Oh, and have you heard her adoptive mother is missing? Em and Mr Andrews seem to think she’s off to some spa but I don’t think that’s true. You see Dad, last night at Em’s house the cat was there. Mrs Andrews never leaves him. She’s always taken him with her when she goes to that resort because it has some up-market pet accommodation there too.”

“What are they doing about her disappearance?”

“Nothing. I guess that’s why I didn’t mention to Em what I saw in those files.”

“What?”

I hesitated, raising my gaze from the ground to stare round at the garden, taking in the way the sunlight dappled the ground, the rustle of grass as a little gecko lizard darted out and scurried into the garden, the heat beating down on my shoulders and hair. Everything was familiar, I’d seen it a million times before and yet, it was if now I saw it for the first time.

Or the last.

“It’s something I’ve always seen. Stuff that isn’t or shouldn’t be there, messages or diagrams hidden in ordinary words that no one else can see. I read the word
‘Warder’
in a tattoo Alex has on the back of his neck and yet it looks like a pattern of squiggles. Is this...” I gulped. “Dad, is this what I was bred to do?” Yeah, bred in a laboratory like a rodent.

“Aw sweetie. I’m so sorry.” He sighed. “But this is bigger than any of us and I can’t explain over the phone. Can you remember any of it?”

“I’ve never forgotten anything I’ve seen.” My voice shook.

“Thank God. Tara, don’t mention this to anyone, do you hear? Be careful who you trust. As soon as I learned about the meteors I reached out to the Warders and I’m bloody glad I did.”

“And they’re the good guys?”

“They’re here to protect you and your brother.”

Then Alex and his father were on our side, whatever that meant. I couldn’t believe how relieved I felt. But it still didn’t answer all the questions I had, especially about Alex’s dad. And I hadn’t Dad’s warning. “This sounds...shit, I don’t know what this sounds like. Like our lives are in danger!”

“That’s right, kiddo. Don’t go taking any chances.”

“But now that the army is in town, we’ll be fine.”

“What army?” The sudden tension in his voice vibrated through the phone.

“Army trucks came through the town last night, Dad. Em and I both saw them.”

“Are you sure they were the army?”

“Who else would they be?” I said.

“I don’t like the sound of this, Tara. I’ll call you soon.” Then he was gone.

Damnit.
I’d forgotten to tell him I couldn’t contact Marnie. And I never mentioned Mum had a thing for Bob. If he was a Warder then how much of that was real or just part of a protection plan? But what if he were a phoney? Both Alex and his dad could be pretending to be Warders in an attempt to do what exactly?

I still couldn’t get past that conversation in the car.

Could he be responsible for Mrs Andrews’ disappearance? Or was the
‘mother’
he’d mentioned, my mum not Em’s?

I shivered, remembering the feel of Alex’s arms around me.

What a pity the one guy I was interested in had a totally different agenda.

And was off limits.

Go figure.

Shaking my head I went inside to shower and change. The sound of sobbing coming from my bedroom had me backtracking. I pushed open the door and peeped round to find Em lying face down on the camp bed crying.

Immediately, I rushed over to sit beside her.

“Bad news, Em?” I asked, hoping it had nothing to do with the dance.

Em sat up, scrubbing at her face with the backs of her hands. “No, I just felt overwhelmed, what with everything that has happened.”

I rose from the bed, found the tissue box and handed it over. “Is there anything I can do?”

“Not really. I’m so glad you’re my best friend,” whispered Em, plucking a handful of tissues from the box and blowing her nose.

“Best friends forever,” I quipped. “I’ve got a great idea. As it’s so stinking hot, why don’t we spend the afternoon at the pool?”

We could worry about the end of the world later.

“Count me in. Although I don’t really feel like walking all that way in this heat.”

“Mmm, your right.” The sound of a car pulling up outside drifted in through the open window. “Someone’s here. Let’s go and take a look.”

We linked arms and walked outside to the front porch.  

“Umph! He’s back again. I wish…” I shoved hair out of my eyes with a grimy hand.

Shoulders back, head high, Bob Garroway stood as if on parade next to the front gate. His stern face looked grimmer than normal as he spoke to my mother who looked at the house and waved us over.

My stomach muscles tightened into a million knots. There was a stark expression in Mum’s eyes that told me louder than words, shit was about to hit the fan.

“Hi, Mum, Bob.”

Mum clasped Bob’s hand.

Looked like Mum had it bad. I hoped this guy was on the up and up.

“We were thinking of heading to the pool,” I said, wanting desperately to stave off whatever crap was heading my way.

Another sedan sped down the road and pulled up with a shower of gravel. Alex swung out from behind the wheel and his friend, Shay emerged from the passenger side. Beyond a curt nod in my direction, Alex didn’t speak as he strode round his car to lean against the side, arms folded.

“Alex.” She pushed past me like a bullet and hastened out the gate to snuggle up against his side. Her sad face of a few seconds ago, gone.

Alex didn’t move. Didn’t encourage her but sure as hell didn’t reject her either.

Remembering how close I’d come to kissing him last night had me clenching my jaw and glad that I hadn’t made any moves on him. I jerked my gaze from his intense stare.

“There’s no time for that now, Tara.” Mum turned to look up into the sky. “The meteorites have picked up speed. Impact could be a matter of hours away.”

My gut turned to mush.

“Shit! How is that even possible?”

“I don’t know.” Mum wrung her hands.

“I thought the government said we had ten days. It’s only been six.” I snapped my gaze upwards, scanning the bright blue sky. “I see them. There’s so many!”

I clung to the gate to keep myself on my feet.

The sky was speckled with thousands, possibly hundreds of thousands, of brilliant orbs of light trailing tails of fire.

Death heading towards us.

Bob Garroway stated, “Time is no longer on our side. I understand you obtained certain information off Mr Andrews and sent this to your father.”

How did he know? Maybe Dad was keeping him in the loop since he was supposedly here to protect us. Irritation warred with suspicion. I didn’t like his interference. My hands went to my hips.
“So?”

Over by Alex’s car, Em gasped, holding her hands over her mouth in a theatrical gesture. “Tara, how could you?”

Both Garroway and I ignored her as we stared each other down. The ice in the man’s eyes could have frozen the Sahara Desert.

I remained unmoved. Hell, I was genetically modified. Who knew what I could do. He didn’t scare me. “I don’t see how anything I do is any of your business.”

“They were my father’s private files, Tara,” wailed Em.

Words of apology trembled on my lips as I glanced over at Em only to shrivel and die as she buried her face against Alex’s chest. His arm came around her.

Act cool.

Friends only.

I jerked my gaze away to war with Bob’s commanding stare again.

“It was burglary,” bit out Alex. “Not to mention theft. Em’s father has the right to have you charged.”

“Whatever. It was a list of farm equipment,” I lied, sending the couple by the car another peek. “There’s no need for everyone to get so excited.”

“I’m not excited,” Alex drawled and I had to agree that the hard look on his face was anything but excited. I suppressed a shiver as his cold grey eyes met mine. He was seriously pissed off.