Part 21 (1/2)

A firm grip grasped each of my ankles. I froze. Suddenly, I was jerked backwards. My elbows. .h.i.t each ridge of the metal pipe, thump, thump, thump.

”No!” I screamed, digging my fingers into the ridges and trying to cling as if my life depended on it. My nails bent painfully upward and with a yelp, I let go. ”Caroline!” I called out, as if the child could help.

My shoulders sc.r.a.ped against the sides of the pipe and suddenly I was pulled outside, the cold, clean air swoos.h.i.+ng into my lungs.

A tall man loomed above me, an ugly scowl on his round face. One of the guards. I wasted no time and lifted my hips, shoving my feet into his gut. He grunted, stumbling back. I flipped over and scrambled to my feet. Without looking back I surged forward, into the gray dawn.

I could hear someone running after me, the thump of footsteps, heavy breathing. I didn't dare look back. It didn't matter how fast I ran, I had nowhere to go. I sensed him right before a body tackled me to the ground. With a cry, I stumbled forward. My knees. .h.i.t the dirt. I twisted as I fell to my back. Lewis fell on top of me, his hard body pinning me to the frosted gra.s.s.

”Lewis,” I whispered his name, but he heard all the same. I felt betrayed, hurt in a way I couldn't stand. That same body that had offered me comfort before, was now a foreign object keeping me imprisoned in this h.e.l.l.

”Lewis,” my voice caught, my fingers curling into his sweats.h.i.+rt. His face was hard, but his eyes...dare I believe that his eyes were softening as he stared down at me? ”Don't do this. Please let me-”

”What the h.e.l.l do you think you're doing, Cameron?” Aaron suddenly appeared behind Lewis. Aaron never lost his cool, but now, as he stared daggers down at me, I was seeing the man for who he truly was, and he was irate. ”Not only are you endangering your life, but the life of a child.”

Lewis stood. I jumped to my feet, stumbling back a few feet. Four guards stood behind Aaron, waiting to do his bidding. Deborah, the gorgeous Indian woman, held Caroline's hand, doing nothing to calm the little girl who was crying. No hugs, no whispered words to tell her everything was going to be alright. Caroline was terrified and cold and that really p.i.s.sed me off. It was one thing to scare me, but a little girl?

”We have alarms on the doors for protection,” Aaron said. He wore dress pants and a b.u.t.ton up s.h.i.+rt, as if he'd been awake for some time. Like a father, dressed for work. ”Did you really think you could just leave without someone knowing?”

I had hoped, but decided to keep that to myself. I crossed my arms over my chest, attempting to keep my body from trembling. It was no use. Between the wet clothes, cold air and the fear working its way through my gut, I was an anxious mess.

”I'm leaving,” I snapped, daring them to disagree.

Aaron frowned. ”There is a front door you could use, you know.”

Was he being sarcastic? ”You'd let me leave?”

”Of course I would. I'm not a prison keeper.” He started to turn.

”Could have fooled me,” I grumbled under my breath.

Aaron jerked his head toward me. I resisted the urge to step back, realizing I might have gone too far. For one long moment he just stood there glaring at me. Not one person said a word, everyone stood still...as if waiting to see what would happen next.

Finally, he looked at Deborah. ”Take Caroline back to the dorm.”

”Come along,” Deborah snapped like a general giving orders.

Caroline looked at me, her eyes pleading, as if she expected I could do something to save her. She didn't realize I was as trapped as she was. I didn't believe for a moment that Aaron was going to let me leave. Just like that, Caroline was gone, forced back into her prison and I realized I'd failed her.

”Lewis, escort Ms. Winters to her room.” Aaron started toward the house, having no further use for me.

”You said I could leave,” I reminded Lewis and the guards.

Lewis stepped forward. I stepped back.

”And you will,” he said. ”But you're soaking wet. I won't let you leave like this. Although you seem to think I am, I'm not a monster. You'll take the ferry home.”

I brushed past Lewis and raced after Aaron. ”And what about Caroline?”

Aaron didn't bother to glance back. ”Caroline is a child and I am her guardian. I have the papers. You have no say in how I raise her.”

”She wants to go home! She misses her family. It's not right, stealing kids from their parents!”

He paused near the back door, his gaze cold. ”Caroline's parents were going to put her in a mental inst.i.tution.”

I stiffened. It wasn't true. He was lying, I was sure of it. ”I don't believe you.”

”You are an immature child who knows nothing about what is truly out there. I've done all I can to protect you, yet you still resist. You will not endanger the others here. Tomorrow you will leave and you will be forced to live with the repercussions.”

He pulled open the very door where I'd made my escape only moments before, and disappeared inside. I couldn't seem to move, even though the cold air was freezing my wet clothes and my body was trembling, I couldn't move.

Doubt crept through me. Why was it that every time I talked to Aaron, I was left feeing unsure? I knew I was right, but I couldn't help but question my own sanity when he seemed so rational. Was it true? Had he done these children a favor by taking them in? Lewis paused next to me.

”So, you weren't going to say goodbye?” His voice was hard, angry.

”I didn't think I had a choice,” I whispered, unable to meet his gaze.

He didn't respond but pulled open the door and moved inside. I dared to glance back at the small army of guards who were behind me. Yeah, I was outnumbered and out muscled, to say the least.

I stepped into Aaron's home and hurried after Lewis. ”Lewis, I-”

He paused at the bottom of the steps, his back to me. His shoulders were tense, his entire body trembling. ”I can't stop you, can I?” He looked back at me, his gaze piercing. ”I've tried to protect you, but you just don't get it.” He turned and started up the steps once more, as if done with me altogether.

”No, you don't get it.” I rushed up the stairs, knowing this could be my last chance to make him understand. ”These children deserve to be with their parents.” We paused on the main floor. ”You should know that better than anyone.”

He latched onto my arm, his grip painful. ”No matter how we explain the facts, you twist them and turn them. I have nothing more to say to you, Cameron. Go to bed.” He pulled me up the steps to the second floor, going so fast, I tripped beside him. At my bedroom door, I jerked away from his hold. It was over. Anything we had, any emotions we'd shared, they were over.

”Don't try to escape again,” he said. ”You can wait until tomorrow to leave. And you sure as h.e.l.l better not try to take any of the kids with you. You'll only endanger them as well.”

Tears stung my eyes. Somehow the tables had been turned. I felt horrible, as if I was the one making mistakes, as if I was the one in the wrong. Maybe I was. ”And just like that, huh?” I whispered. ”I can leave tomorrow?”

He took a step back, his gaze pinned to me. ”Tomorrow, you can leave,” Lewis said, his voice hard. His gaze no longer held any emotion. ”You'll go home.”

I lifted my chin defiantly, not willing to let him see how his indifference hurt. ”I don't buy it.”

He took another step back. ”You're right. Nothing comes without consequence. We must protect the good of the Mind Readers. In the evening, Aaron will come for you. Your memory of this place, of me...all of it...will be gone. You'll finally get what you want.”

Chapter 19.

The sun wavered on the edge of the horizon, hovering there for eternity, taunting me as if knowing that once it slipped below, my life would change forever. Afternoon was fading fast into evening. With evening, they would arrive.

Lewis' face flashed to mind. Aaron will come for you. Your memory of this place, of me...all of it...will be gone. You'll finally get what you want.

But he knew I didn't want this. Who would want their brain turned into mush? I pressed my fingers to the window, my breath fogging the cold gla.s.s. I couldn't rest. I couldn't eat. I couldn't do anything but wait for the thump of Aaron's footsteps in the hallway outside my bedroom door.

I glanced over my shoulder at the clock on my bedside table. The minutes flashed; brilliant red numbers that glared at me. For three hours I'd barely moved. For three hours I'd stared at that clock until I thought my retinas would burn. Aaron would come any moment now. I knew that. It was almost as if I could sense him closer...Frustrated tears burned my eyes. I swiped angrily at my wet cheeks. The waiting was unbearable.