Mania (10 page)

“I didn't tell you about my dad because it doesn't matter anymore who I am or where I came from.” Chloe spat the words out like they disgusted her.

“You are Steve Campbell's daughter,” I sneered. “How can that possibly not matter?”

“It just doesn't.” She pulled her shoulders up high beside her ears and crossed her arms, as though her posture could somehow protect her from my questions.

“That kind of answer can't protect you, Chloe. People were hurt today. People
died
today. Where you come from matters
a great deal
to
them
.”

Her eyes flew up to meet and hold mine. I knew she could hear the pleading note in my tone. I didn't want it to be true—I wanted desperately for there to be something we didn't understand about her situation. But just as she opened her mouth to respond, someone else's voice spoke, from a few feet to my right.

“It doesn't matter, Jack, because she gave all of that up when she chose your filth over her blood.” Cooper's voice sounded smooth, cold, and utterly in control as he stepped out from behind a nearby tree and placed the barrel of a gun against the back of Parker's head.

Randall immediately raised his gun, but Cooper grabbed the back of Parker's shirt and sank down a few inches to use my brother's entire body as a shield. “Drop it!” he barked, jamming the gun so hard against the base of Parker's skull that he winced.

Parker's ice blue eyes were on me. The eyes identical to our dad's, the eyes that always made it hard to look at my own brother or answer his questions about our father's life. I could see fear in them, but also some sort of reassurance. It was like he was trying to tell me it was going to be okay. But
I
was the older brother. It was
my job
to protect and keep him safe … not vice versa.

Dad had given me the job over a year ago, when he'd asked me to follow Parker and determine whether he was a Night Walker or not. It had been a drastic change from all those times before, when he'd said we had to keep our distance. And ever since he'd put me in charge of Parker's safety, my brother had not only experienced several close brushes with death, but he'd become Divided, tried to run away, been shot, and now was being held at gunpoint by the enemy … all on my watch.

I'd obviously been doing one hell of a job.

Twelve
Parker

“Let him go!” Jack's voice cracked across the empty space so loud and hard it almost scared me more than the cold metal pressed against the back of my head.

Forcing your body to hold perfectly still when every instinct is screaming at you to
RUN
is a seriously underrated skill.

“I don't think so.” Cooper's voice came from behind me. “Since your pain-in-the-ass chemist decided to blow up our base and most of our leadership with it, I've taken on more of a … decisive role. I'm in charge now. I'm finally going to make things happen.”

Jack gestured for Randall to lower his weapon, and Cooper relaxed the pressure a bit. Seeing a possible opportunity, I tried to jerk forward, but his grip on my shirt was too tight and he dragged me back, smashing the gun even harder against my already-throbbing skull.

“Not smart,” Cooper growled. “Don't do it again.”

I could tell from the expression on Jack's face that finally getting a good look at Cooper wasn't making him feel any better. I glanced backward and caught a glimpse of him too, before Cooper nudged me with his gun to turn back around.

It hadn't been much of a glimpse, but it was enough to see what was bothering Jack. The skin on Cooper's face hung loose and the circles under his eyes were so deep and dark that they could've been tattooed there. Those details weren't what scared me the most, though. The worst part was his eyes.

They reminded me of Darkness's eyes. There was a desperate madness to them that was terrifying. I released an involuntary shudder.

I didn't miss looking in the mirror and seeing that.

Finn spoke up. “What did you mean when you said that Chloe chose
us
, Cooper?”

When I slid my glance to him, his eyes were glued to me. His voice and hands were trembling, and I immediately shook my head in a slight
no
. I knew him well enough to be certain that he was working himself up to do something brave and stupid. Somehow Chloe seemed to recognize it too, because she reached out and grabbed the sleeve of
his shirt. Finn was so intent on me he barely noticed.

Cooper shifted his weight, and I could tell he'd turned his demented gaze on Finn from the way Finn's skin paled. Spitting the words out like they disgusted him, Cooper answered. “She turned her back on her kind and her family when she helped set you free. She knew she shouldn't, but she did anyway. Being in your mush of a brain made her weak.”

Moving his gun to my back, Cooper released my shirt, grabbing my arm instead as he stepped next to me. When he turned his eyes back on Chloe, they were ice cold. “And we don't tolerate weakness.”

Finn eyed Chloe with surprise. None of us had known what she'd sacrificed when she helped us free him. She hadn't even hinted about it, and now that I knew, I didn't understand why she'd cooperated with us. Yes, she'd been trying to save herself, but she also knew that the odds weren't great of the separation actually working. It could've killed both her and Finn, and a lot sooner. Chloe had held all the power, being in his brain. Sure, we could have tied up Finn's body or killed it, but I'd seen it firsthand—we never would have gotten Finn back alive if she'd chosen to fight us. Yet helping us had cost Chloe her family and everyone she knew.

Why
had
she helped, at such a cost?

I lifted my eyes to Chloe and what I saw stopped me. She wasn't cringing and looking down anymore. She stood up tall, her shoulders pulled back. Dropping Finn's sleeve, she stepped in front of him. “Let Parker go! Right now, Cooper.”

“Oh, he's coming with me.” Cooper smiled lazily and took a step backward, pulling on my arm until I had no choice but to move with him. “If you want him back, I need something in return.”

“What do you want?” Jack took a stumbling step forward. His face was pale, his mouth a grim, painted line. Jack was always confident, but now he looked … scared. The thought of Jack not being prepared for something was terrifying.

“I want Eclipse.”

When Jack frowned and started to shake his head, Cooper kept talking, leaving no room for anyone else to speak. “Don't tell me you can't do it. I know you worked with Danny. I even know you lied to everyone and that he was actually your father.”

A soft groan came from Chloe, and Cooper gave her a wicked grin in return as he said, “That bit of information was the last useful thing little sis ever gave us.”

Jack's gaze hardened, and his hands clenched and unclenched at his side. He'd wondered about if and how much Chloe had contacted the Takers, and now we knew it was at least enough to tell them this.

I saw Randall and the rebels with him turn questioning stares on Jack, but no one spoke. They all knew that questions could wait.

Jack's shoulders slumped forward slightly. “I can't make it. He made sure I couldn't.”

“Ah, but I have more faith in you than that. If there's one thing
my
father taught me, it's that your
… family
is very stubborn.” He dragged me back another couple of steps—away from Finn and Addie, away from my brother, away from my life. “I'm sure you can figure it out. With the right motivation … ”

Jack whipped his knife out of its sheath and I jerked back, thinking he might be throwing it again. Instead, he grabbed Chloe. Wrapping his left arm around her shoulders, he held the blade against her throat. She didn't struggle at all. She didn't even look surprised.

“I can't possibly do what you're asking, but I'll trade you. You know he's my brother, good for you, but I have your sister—a sibling for a sibling.” Jack's jaw clenched so tight his words came out rough as the gravel beneath our feet.

Chloe closed her eyes and I saw a single tear roll down her cheek. I wasn't sure if it was because Jack was offering her up on a platter to a monster … or because she already knew what Cooper's answer would be.

I listened, and waited. Afraid to breathe or even blink. I hoped Cooper was bluffing, that his heart wasn't this cold. When he started laughing, my heart dropped to the earth at my feet. Each cruel chuckle only crushed it farther into the dirt.

“Keep her, use her, kill her … I don't care. Your sibling is worth so much more than mine.” Cooper's expression filled with what could only be described as disgust as he looked at Chloe one last time. Then he jerked me back toward the end of the trailer. “Don't try to stop or follow us or I'll shoot him.” He glanced pointedly at Libby. “You obviously have other people I could use to motivate you.”

A low growl came from Jack and I knew Cooper had hit a nerve.

“Better get focused, Jack.” Cooper kept backing away, pulling me with him, and there was nothing I could do to stop him. “It only took your dad four days to mix up some Eclipse after we convinced him that Parker's life depended on it. I'm feeling generous, so I'll give you ten. You have ten days to bring me Eclipse, or Parker is dead. Don't call me, I'll call you.” And then he was pulling me back even faster.

In one brief moment of clarity, I remembered who was taking me … and that I was a Watcher. I quickly made eye contact with the only person I knew for sure in this group was a Builder—Libby. Her teary eyes watched me from beside the van. They were distant, almost looking through me. The connection only lasted a second, but it was long enough for me to be certain it had worked. Then Cooper yanked me around the end of the trailer.

Twenty feet away, two headlights turned on in the shadows beneath a huge tree and shined straight in my face. I squinted and tried to slow down so my eyes could adjust, but Cooper dragged me toward the old model Ford as it pulled into the sunlight. I caught sight of Thor's hulking form behind the wheel and groaned.

As if things weren't bad enough already. Joey Thornton, a.k.a. Thor, seriously had a knack for showing up anytime I was in deep trouble. He'd attacked me in the hall at school, in the parking lot at the mall, and even once on the soccer field. If there was anyone in this world I wanted to see even less than Cooper, it was Thor.

Cooper forced me into the backseat and made it impossible for me to see anything or anyone by shoving a paper bag over my head. I felt the car lurch into motion as the guy who hated me drove us away from the people I cared about.

Thirteen
Jack

My brain and chest were on fire. Breathing was painful, thinking was a struggle—this couldn't be happening. I couldn't let Cooper take my brother away, and yet he was doing it.

Dragging Chloe with me, the knife still at her throat, I rounded the end of the trailer in time to watch the car drive away.

Now that they were gone, the dust settled.

And I still couldn't move.

From somewhere far away, I heard Finn's voice, but the words weren't within my reach. I was certain the heat from Chloe's back pressing against my chest was the only thing that was keeping my heart beating. The Takers had Parker.

No, not just the Takers. It was
Steve Campbell's son
who had him. And Parker didn't truly understand who he was dealing with, since I'd tried not to share much about the monster who'd ripped our father away from us. Like the fact that Campbell had personally ordered the manhunt for Dad. Like the horrific experiments he'd ordered, the way he enjoyed causing pain and damage. I didn't want Parker to have to think about the man responsible for that kind of pain … the person who'd made Dad live his life on the run, leaving Parker and his mom on their own.

I knew better than anyone that this knowledge wouldn't help. It couldn't … not unless you could reach out and strangle the person responsible.

But now, I wished I'd told Parker everything. I wished I'd answered his every question, given him every awful detail, because at least then I'd feel I'd prepared him for the type of people he was now facing—for what they could have in store for him. These people were known for using
any
means to get information or to bend and manipulate people to their will. And that was when they had an agenda … when they were bored, it could be much worse. The Takers made the plight of a lab rat look like a Caribbean vacation.

I didn't know Cooper, but just from the last few minutes he seemed very much his father's son, and that didn't bode well for Parker. I wished I'd trained my brother, found the time to really follow Dad's instructions and tell him everything about our past. I wished I'd prepared him to face something like this.

I wished I'd handled a lot of things differently.

And I hadn't moved since they drove away with Parker, because moving made all of it final. Moving meant agreeing to let time move forward, which would force me to concede the one thing I wasn't ready for yet—that I hadn't been able to stop them from taking away the most important person I had left.

I knew I needed to act, to do something, but all I could hear was Dad's voice in my head yelling at me, bellowing my name and telling me to do something to save him—to save—

“Jack? Jack!” Finn pulled my wrist with the knife gently away from Chloe's throat. Her shoulders were completely relaxed against me and I could hear her speaking.

“Finn, it's fine.” Her voice was surprisingly soothing. “He isn't going to hurt me—just wait for—”

I whipped my arm down and re-sheathed my knife, clearing my throat.

Chloe almost fell over when I stepped away. She started examining a small bruise on her arm.

Finn nodded and his eyes went to where Cooper's car had disappeared down the road. “Okay. Do you know what we should—”

“No, Finn. I don't have a plan.” I sighed and rubbed both hands across my face as I stared out at the distance and tried to force my brain to come up with something useful.

Then I turned on Chloe. “How did they know we were here?”

She blinked, and then frowned. “I don't know.”

“You didn't call them?” I stepped closer, studying her face for any sign of deception.

She looked offended. “I already answered that question.”

“I don't know if I believe you.” I glanced back in the direction the car had gone, then tried a different possibility. “Is it possible they've been following you?”

She started to shake her head, but hesitated. I saw doubt, and then a touch of horrified realization, in her eyes.

“Chloe, did they know you were with us?”

Her face went from flushed to ashen and her eyes were haunted when they met mine. “They—they know I have nowhere else to go. They could've followed me. I'm so sorry, Jack. I had no idea.”

Without a word, I turned and walked a few feet to where Randall now stood with one arm cradled around Libby's shoulders. She stared straight forward with empty, exhausted eyes. Before I could figure out what I wanted to say, Randall spoke.

“We have more questions than there is time for. I guess secrets run in your blood?” Randall's lips were pressed in a firm line, but he didn't look angry. The emotion I saw in everyone's faces right now was fear.

“Yeah. You knew him as well as anyone. I won't bother explaining Danny's reasons for keeping his secrets. You can guess them.” I stood with my eyes slightly downcast, taking my cues from the leader of the camp.

Now that he'd found out that my entire family had lied to him about Danny being my dad, I couldn't assume Randall would still trust me. He was levelheaded and smart, but trust wasn't easy to get back once lost.

“I'm sorry we didn't tell you,” I said. “You know it wasn't ever about trusting you. Danny just felt like secrets were the best way to protect people.”

Randall's expression echoed a bit of the loss I was feeling as he slowly nodded.

Standing next to him, Libby looked like a hollow shell of her old self. No longer crying or yelling, just staring. I was distracted, worrying about Parker and our quest to complete the new formula, but it was hard to resist the urge to go to her and wrap her up in my arms, do anything I could in a futile attempt to heal the cracks … anything to make her feel better. Yet I knew it wouldn't help. I knew her pain. I may not have shut down to mourn in the same way that she was mourning Marisol, but it didn't mean I hadn't felt the same loss.

It didn't mean my whole soul didn't still threaten to turn into an aching pit every time I remembered my dad, mom, Marisol … and now maybe Parker. I'd lost too much.

Randall slowly bent over until his eyes met mine. The skin around them crinkled, and I saw the same warmth and kindness in them that had always been there. I felt a rapid wash of relief. After all of this, he still trusted me. Having Randall's trust still meant more than he could know. He and Dad had been friends for six years, and he was always someone I could rely on, someone I cared about and respected. After everything else, at least I hadn't lost him today as well.

He gave me a slight smile before nodding grimly and getting down to business. “What can we do to help get Parker back?”

My brother's name sent a cold chill down my spine and brought me firmly back from the memories of our father. “I don't know. I can't do what Cooper wants.”

“Of course you can't.”

“Even if I wanted to, I can't.” I stuffed my hands forcefully into the pockets of my jacket and closed my eyes. “And with only ten days, my only option is to follow my original plan. I need
something
to offer them to get Parker back. Something they need—even if it isn't what they think they want.”

When I opened my eyes, Randall was watching me, waiting for me to continue. Libby relaxed against his side, her eyes barely open as she stared at the ground in front of them.

I lowered my voice so no one else could hear me except Randall and Libby. “Before my dad died, he figured out another formula—the real one he'd been searching for all along.”

Randall's eyes widened and he whispered, “The real one?”

“Yes. He figured out how to make a drug that would allow the Takers to sleep like regular Dreamers.” I kept my voice low and my eyes on Randall, but at the edge of my vision I saw Libby's head jerk up. I was relieved to see that such a detail could snap her out of her grief a bit. “He wanted to make sure I was the only one who could put it together, so I don't have the entire formula yet … but I think you have what I need to start.”

Randall nodded quickly and reached in his pocket. He handed me a military dog tag with words on it. “Here's what I'm supposed to give to you. It's all he gave me. Does it help?”

“Like I said … it's a starting place.” I studied the silver metal, reading the name
Wendy King
and the name of the city,
Brimley Terrace
, before sticking it into my pocket. “And now I only have ten days to find the finish line.”

As I walked back to the van to make sure we had all the supplies we might need, Libby walked up to me.

“Your brother is smarter than you think.” She spoke with more life than before, but still like a ghost of her former self. And she still kept her eyes on the ground. It hurt me to suspect she might be so angry she couldn't stand to look directly at me.

“I don't doubt it,” I said with a sad smile.

“He connected with me, Jack.” She reached out and put one hand on my chest. “Right before they took him, he looked straight at me. I didn't even realize what he was doing for a minute, but I'm certain it worked.”

“He did?” A balloon of hope filled up in my chest and I couldn't decide whether to cling to it or pop it to save myself the pain it could bring if it popped on its own. “He's brilliant! All we need to do now is have you go to sleep and he can tell you in your dreams where they've taken him.”

She gave me a tired smile. “I'm glad I can help.”

“In more ways than you think … ” I hesitated, knowing how much she was struggling, but I actually thought that coming with us right now would be a good distraction for her. It might help. “Will you still come with me, Lib? It might be good for you … and I need your help and want your company.”

“You know I love you, Jack. But how can I come when your entire ‘adventure' is about helping the
Takers
.” She hissed the last word, her voice dripping hatred in a way I'd never heard before. It took me several seconds to respond, even though I'd already made up my mind.

“I want to end the killing.” I spoke the same words she used to say to me, hoping they would sink in through her grief. Just in case they didn't, I gave her my more pressing reason. “More than that though, I want to help Parker—to save my brother.”

Her anger eased and after a few seconds she nodded. “I'll come, for him and for you. Nothing and no one else—”

“Fine.” I hugged her tight against me and she melted a bit more before I added, “That's all I want.”

When we reached the van, Libby got in and climbed all the way to the back. She grabbed my pillow out of the pile of supplies and then spread out across the back seat. I grabbed an extra blanket I kept tucked under the front passenger seat and tucked it around her.

“Thank you.” I squeezed her hand again. “Find out everything you can about where they're keeping him … and tell him I'm coming.”

When she closed her eyes, I studied her face. She looked exhausted now, so vulnerable.

She'd always had Marisol's strength to lean on.

Now I would make sure she had mine.

Once I'd hopped out, I walked around to the back of the van. Chloe was sitting on the bumper, waiting, and mostly doing her best not to draw any additional attention to herself. From the violent looks a couple of the rebels were throwing her way, I think she probably had the right idea.

I stepped in front of her and Chloe lifted her gaze to mine. She looked at me like I was about to deliver some kind of death sentence.

“You need to go to your brothers and convince them that I can't do what they want.” I kept my voice soft, hoping if we hurried, our chances of getting her out of here alive might improve.

Chloe was shaking her head before I'd even finished my sentence. “The Takers won't listen to me. They won't even let me in because he's ordered them not to. You saw him.” She gestured toward where Cooper had gone. “You saw him. He's too far gone to listen to reason.”

I had my mouth open to argue, but I closed it. She was right. Cooper was nowhere near the vicinity of rational. “Then there have to be others,” I said. “You know the other Taker leaders. Who else can you talk to?”

“No, they're afraid to go against him. Plus, no one trusts me now. I didn't just go against Cooper—I was their hope for a future, and they blame me for that hope being gone now.” She was still shaking her head. “I can do much more if I stay here with you.”

“No.” The word came out with an unintentionally biting edge. I gestured for her to move off of the bumper, and she got to her feet and stepped next to me.

“I can help!” Her tone was near begging. “Let me help.”

“No, Chloe.” I walked to the driver's side door and put my fingers around the handle.

“Why not?” She reached out for my sleeve.

“Because how can I trust you now?” I jerked my arm away and spun to face her. My fear of losing Parker was spilling out in the form of anger, and I stepped forward. She didn't move back, so I was nearly on her toes and she looked up into my face as I spoke. “You lied about
who you were
and then your brother suddenly shows up here? I swear, if you're lying and you
did
plan this, I will make you pay.”

“I am
not
lying, Jack.” She didn't flinch and she didn't back down, but I saw pain as deep as my own mirrored in her eyes before she responded. “I don't know how Cooper knew we were all here. He could've been following me, like I said, but he has spies everywhere. It's very likely he has one in this trailer park.”

I opened my mouth to argue that the rebels would never do that, but she cut me off before I had a chance.