Seeker (Shadows) (6 page)

“Well, it doesn’t,” I whisper just as I see Samson smirk in front of us.

Whatever. I cross my arms again and stare off the opposite s
ide of the boat as Ocean.

And the several hours of sailboat ride only takes about twenty minutes. It just
feels
incredibly longer.

I don’t even have time to open my mouth before Mom speaks.

“There’s someone you two need to talk to,” she says as she opens the door of our large warehouse. Well. It looks like a second, smaller home on the property, but houses all sorts of extra equipment as well as our gym that we use for sparring and rooms for occasional lockdown.

We move through the larger area into the lockdown corner. I’ve only been here once, and it was years ago. Dad locks eyes with us, and opens a door to an interrogation room. I wasn’t aware we had anyone in detention here, though I’m not sure if I remember the last time someone was held here, so I guess I don’t always know.

Samson wags his brows as he holds open the door.

“He almost convinced us to let him go,” Samson says. “Even me.” He sighs. “Several times.” It’s not easy for Samson to admit this, but at the same time, he’s a bit in awe of Mr. Prince’s talent so I’m not surprised.

I am surprised that Mr. Prince is in detention. I obviously knew there was a mess with his daughter, Addison, but I didn’t know he was involved
to the extent that we’d need to keep him here. My heart hammers at the thought of someone so entrenched in our organization, pushing to the point they need to be detained. I know there have been a few messes, but they’ve all been so far from home that whatever needed to be done, was taken care of out of country and not in our yard.

“I’m not completely without skills.” Mr. Prince rolls up his sleeves, still perfectly pressed after who knows how long here. Three weeks ago I think was the mess in the Carolinas, so he must have been brought in then.
Still the whole idea of the way he turned against us... He must have helped her get to Landon or slowed us down purposefully. Or both.

“How are you so strong again?” I wonder out loud.

He shakes his head. “Addison, of course. My talent never left completely, even though it’s what I’m sure the leaders would have preferred.”

Addison. Of course. Once her talent became more developed, it fueled his. It’s a thought I had when I was sorting in the classroom earlier, but now that I’m in his presence, I wonde
r if he’s now off my scale.

Also. Mr. Prince’s talent has made him a lot of money personally, so I hate that he’s acting all like The Middle Men have somehow crippled him by asking him to work alone in the world. Some of us have to make that sacrifice for the greater good.

Samson steps outside the room giving me the signal that he’ll be right outside.

“We’re alone?” Mr. Prince asks looking between Ocean and I.

I nod. Trying to keep my cool because this is someone we’ve all revered and listened to and looked up to for so long. Now he’s in detention and I’m supposed to toughen up and get information.

“And
we’re not being recorded?”

I slide open my watch to show him that nothing’s really on,
that we’re not being recorded. I’m trying to take the more relaxed approach that I think Ocean would take.

Ocean does the same, and gives me the slightest of smiles. Which makes me wish a little bit that I didn’t think this was the right way to do this because him thinking he’s right is just going to add to his smug attitude.
At least I can say I’m trying to get along.

Mr. Prince will see past any BS I try to push off, so I figure direct is best.

“What do you know about your daughter and where she’s going?” I ask.

“I know a lot of things about my daughter. I know that she’s a lot stronger than she thinks, and that maybe she’s getting an inkling of that power now. I know that she’s thrown away two hundred dollar jeans because she didn’t like where they’d been. Is that what you’re looking for?” A corner of his mouth quirks up, and he’s still completely unbothered.

Ocean and I are silent.

“You do realize that you’re sitting in the chair that’s my specialty, right?” He stares.

Right. Mr. Prince has questioned probably more people than anyone else in The Middle Men. Manipulator. I’m suddenly not sure why my parents asked me to come in here. Did they honestly think that he’d tell me something he wouldn’t tell them?

“You know that she’s headed
south
, right?” I retort. Anything to hide how completely intimidated I am being in the room with him.

Ocean blinks a few times and glances my way
, probably because he doesn’t know the implications yet and is trying to hide it. If he’d have let me finish my story earlier, he’d get it.

“Good for her.” Mr. Prince leans back and crosses his arms.

Good for her?
He can’t possibly mean that. He’s just better at interrogation than I am.

“I don’t know if you understand the seriousness of your situation,” I say as I stand.
I’m not sure if I understand the seriousness of his situation. What will they do with him? It’s not like we can let him go.

“
Since I’ve been in your chair many times, I’m actually wondering why I’m still alive. So, I would say yes, I understand the gravity of my situation.” His eyes bore into mine and then he checks Ocean’s reaction, which means I check Ocean’s reaction.

Ocean’s jaw is clenched, and even though I don’t know him well, I can tell he’s pissed and maybe a little shocked.
I’m a little shocked. Mr. Prince has interrogated other people and is wondering why he’s still alive? Does this mean that The Middle Men have… No. Prince is trying to fluster me. Trying to make me think The Middle Men would do things I know they’d never do.

“I figured that the way I was half attacked simply because I wanted my daughter to make her own decision as to whether she worked for The Middle Men or not, that you wouldn’t bother keeping me around for all that long. So yes, my dear, I absolutely understand the seriousness of my situation.”

Instead of letting the implications of what he’s saying soak in, I feel the need to defend The Middle Men. The actions we take—I still think he’s just trying to make me believe the impossible.

“The Middle Men made you who you are.” A rich, powerful businessman with connections all over the world.

His hand slams down on the table making me jump, which makes me cringe because I’m supposed to be the one in charge here.

“
They
made me who I am?” His voice booms. “The Middle Men half tied my hands behind my back.
I
made me who I am.”

Ocean’s jaw flexes again as he grabs his watch and turns for the door.

I follow realizing what I already knew—Mr. Prince isn’t going to help us, and I’m glad it’s not my decision whether or not he sticks around.

The moment I step outside the small room and the door closes behind us, Ocean’s in my face. “What am I into here?” he spits.

“What?” Even though I’m sure this isn’t going to go well. I’ve been around this organization my whole life and understand the imperative need for secrecy. None of us want to be put to work for the government—that would mean we’d end up as war tools like everything else they spend money on. We have enough “good deeds” on our tally for me to know we’re in the right. And to know we’re allowed a lot more freedom than we would be as government pawns—which is exactly what would happen if we were found out.

“How can that man just be held here, and how can he be surprised he’s still alive?” Ocean’s breathing hard, and I’m wondering if it would be better for all of us if he walks away.

Samson jumps between us and touches Ocean’s shoulder. “Lay off, man.”

Ocean shrugs Samson’s hand off his shoulder. “I can feel your thought creeping in, Sam. Nice try.”

Sam gives a quick nod and eyebrow raise of approval. “He’s good, Kara. Find a way to keep him around.”

Now it’s my turn to calm Ocean down, even though part of me does want him to walk away. I’m still not convinced I want a partner.
“Mr. Prince was just saying stuff to freak us out. Remember, he has experience.” But I hate the thought that there might be some truth in what he said… The Middle Men are businessmen, but we also do good things. Surely I’d know if extreme measures like he was talking about were taken just to protect us…

“Yeah. Maybe.” Ocean shoves open the door to outside, just as Digs runs out from the main house.

“Ocean! You can’t leave, okay? Give Kara a chance to explain. Without you…” He shakes his head. “Without you, we might lose everything.”

Digs in an Insighter, and I meant to tell Ocean that when you open your mouth too loudly around here, everyone’s gifts are trained on you for a bit while they try to figure out what’s going on. When an Insighter like Digs or my dad hears something, they start digging around in your future. He must have seen something, just like my dad must have seen something, telling them both I need Ocean.

And now I’m a little pissed at Digs because everyone will know I need Ocean with me to bring the sailboat in and that just sucks. It means they’ll all know my own parents didn’t think I was up to the task without help. And amateur help at that.

Dad steps out of the house, still across the small parking lot from us. “You two start moving south. Kara, tell Ocean whatever you need to, okay?” He’s giving me the “boss face” so I guess Ocean gets the whole story.

I give Dad a salute that’s an even mix of snark and honesty.

“I’m not leaving until I get answers.” Ocean crosses his arms.

“Dammit. The boat’s loaded. I’ll even let you drive and I’ll explain on the way. Okay?” My patience is gone. I’m stressed and hate that I’ve been totally overshadowed by the talent of the guy standing next to me. I also hate that three minutes in a room with Mr. Prince has me questioning things I know have to be false. “This isn’t exactly awesome for me right now either.”

“Someone promise me something before I get on that boat!” Ocean yells, his face contorted in confusion and anger. “That man better still be alive when I get back!”

“Of course he will.” Dad scoffs like Ocean’s statement is ridiculous, but I think Ocean sees through him. And I think I might be seeing something behind Dad’s eyes as well. I don’t like the unease settling in, and am ready to leave and focus on my mission.

“Promise!” Ocean points, and his whole body and face look…hard. Determined.

“Mr. Prince will be just as you left him when you return.” Dad crosses his arms. “You two are losing time.”

“Be safe.” Samson pulls me into a big hug. “You need him, Kara. You’re my best friend and I need you home safe, Okay?”

I give him one last squeeze before stepping back. My throat feels all swollen, and I have no idea what to say back to him, so I just nod once.

“Come on.” I take Ocean by the hand and try to pretend he doesn’t feel like home as we run across the parking lot and down to the dock where our boat waits.

SIX

Micah

Landon’s been asleep for close to ten hours, and I’ve only left him once to pull my shift at the helm. We’re nearing Nassau, but the largeness of the port scares me. Too many people. Too many ways to be noticed. We need Landon awake before we get too close.

We’ve slowed until Landon can tell us what happened, so I’m once again lying next to him, watching him sleep.

I run my fingers down the side of his face, so familiar to me after our two months on the boat. Every line, every scar, the way his stubble slowly grows back in, and the way his hair falls across his forehead. The way he breathes when he’s really exhausted and not just resting. Everything.

A smiles spreads as his eyes slowly open. “How long was I gone with the shadows?”

“A day. A full day.” A torturously long day.

“No wonder I’m so tired.” He groans as he pulls me closer, never really opening his eyes.

I let the warmth of him fold into me even though it’s hot outside. Hot on the boat. Hot everywhere. I was too scared for him to care. He practically passed out after The Middlemen on the small boat were left behind.

“What was it like?” I ask.

“Like…” He rolls onto his back, pulling me onto his chest. “It felt like looking at a negative. The world was black and white and opposites and filled with smoke. Like all the burned ashes of their dolls turned into burned ashes of themselves and then burned ashes of the world around us. And I was here, but not here. And I could walk on the water and under the water.
That part was unbelievable. Time felt like it passed so quickly. I remember feeling like it had gotten darker, and was thinking it couldn’t possibly be night—”

“How were you able to get in?”

“I don’t know.” He shakes his head.

I’m afraid to ask him about getting back out, because it all feels so out
of this world and possibly permanent. “And what about the shadows?” I ask.

Landon blinks a few times and pulls in a few deep breaths, like he’s looking for words. “They’re people. Like us. Some bad. Some good. They’re trapped, just like we learned in that stupid school project that feels like three lifetimes ago.” He lets out a breath and his fingertips run up and down my arm. This is so
like Landon—to gain comfort for himself by comforting me. “For whatever reason, Voodoo dolls were made of these people. The shop was burned down. They can’t go on and they can’t come back. They’re not part of this world, Micah. They don’t belong, and I think I might know how to help. They’re burning there, and freezing here.”