Riley followed Darius’s lead and leapt out of the rowboat into knee-deep water. The instant her feet landed on the slippery riverbed she lost her balance and fell onto the oarlock with a nasty thud. She stifled the cry and ignored the pain in her arm. All they needed was to alert the local inhabitants that someone had illegally landed on their property.
She grabbed hold of the boat and began to pull it up onto the miniature beach while taking a wary look around. For as far as she could see there was nothing but trees and scrubby bushes jutting over the water and rocks. The tiny pebble-covered beach had been the only place to land for the last hour and Darius had finally agreed to pull ashore only when Riley threatened to jump overboard. She rubbed her nose. It was stinging and probably horribly burnt by now. She was going to look like Bozo the clown if she didn’t either get some sunscreen or get into the shade.
“Peter, get out and pull the boat up onto the grass,” Darius ordered as he sloshed to the bow.
Peter threw his oar to the bottom of the boat, barely missing Alec. Giving Darius a malicious look he carefully lowered himself into the water and grimaced as the cold penetrated his jeans.
“We’ll be safe on this side of the river,” Darius grunted as he heaved the boat onto the narrow shore. “We’re in the United States now. Peter, push a bit harder.”
“Don’t be naïve,” Riley shot back as she pulled her sleeve up to examine the rapidly forming bruise. “I told you, the cops think we’re murderers and every single one of them will have our description by now and be on the lookout for us. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out, hey, we’ve probably stolen a boat and, wow, we could be out of the country by now. Even the dimmest bulb on the OPP knows the States is on the other side of the St. Lawrence.”
“Anna will take care of it.”
“Anna is going to wipe the memories of the entire Ontario police force?” Riley raised an eyebrow as she stood up straight. Her hands went automatically to her hips. “Yeah, right.”
Darius shrugged one shoulder. “She’s relentless. Now, pull.”
“You mean ridiculous. There are thousands of cops in Ontario. Thousands. And just how is she going to accomplish this little venture? Skip alongside each and every one of them and tap them on the head with her orb?”
“The Tyon Collective is extremely effective in erasing any knowledge of contact with us or our technology. We’d infiltrated Earth long before you people even had television,” Darius replied hotly. Then he amended. “Not that I was there, then.”
“Sure you weren’t, Grandpa.”
Darius pulled a face as he tugged the rowboat higher on the shingle. “That’s not the point. The point is, you, I mean the collective you, had no idea that aliens walked the streets, studied your culture, and infiltrated your gene pool. Go on, argue that. You didn’t know.”
Riley turned her back on him and tugged. “Don’t get me started on the genetic manipulation,” she growled.
“What genetic manipulation?” Peter let go of the rowboat and frowned.
Riley jumped in before Darius could reply. “Ever wonder how you and I got picked by the Tyons, huh? What makes us special?”
Peter’s face was easy to read. She could see the possibilities flit by inside his brain as easily as if they had been hers. His sudden understanding that he was somehow unusual, somehow different, somehow modified.
“You mean someone fiddled with my genes?” Peter sounded as aghast as he looked.
“’Fraid so. But years ago. Back before television,” Riley replied.
“The Tyons infiltrated several locations and introduced the Tyon resistance gene into the population. We had hoped that by the time the Others came here to invade, it would have sufficiently spread through the population to confer adequate resistance.” Darius had grabbed the painter from the rowboat and was now looking around for something to tie it to.
“But the Others arrived too soon,” Riley added. “Or our grandparents didn’t have enough kids. Either way.” She slashed her hand across her neck. “We’re toast.” She smiled to herself at Peter’s appalled expression.
“Which one of my grandparents, er, consorted with you weirdos?” Peter took a step back, slipping slightly in the uneven riverbed, his gaze fixed on Darius with a new, enhanced loathing.
“Your paternal grandmother, Peter, and man, she was hot,” Darius said with a straight face.
“He’s kidding you,” Riley leaned over and smacked Peter’s upper arm. For a moment, he looked like he was going to cry. “Darius, that’s enough.” She never thought she would be taking Peter’s side in anything, but Darius’s teasing had a cruel edge especially with the mind control he had over Peter. “We need to get into town and borrow a vehicle as quickly as possible, and without attracting attention by arguing among ourselves. Or had you forgotten we’re fugitives from the law?”
“How could I with you reminding us every thirty seconds?” Darius replied.
Once the painter was securely tied to an overhanging branch and Alec was hoisted over Darius’s shoulder, they set out. Darius reasoned that waterfront was prime real estate and there was bound to be lots of homes within an easy distance, all with the plethora of vehicles rich people liked to own. But as the minutes passed and all they found were trees, trees and more trees, Riley decided they’d stumbled upon the only stretch of uninhabited prime real estate in the country.
She swatted at yet another wretched mosquito with the back of her hand and thought dark thoughts. If Darius had any clue as to her opinions, he said nothing. He was cheerily bounding through the miserable little forest as if they were having the time of their lives instead of racing against time. Peter, on the other hand, was sharing her bad mood. He was slouching beside her, the invisible chain between him and Darius still clearly in operation, and muttering under his breath as he constantly waved his hand at the swarms of flies and bugs intent on a human feast. She noted he kept his eyes studiously off Alec and Darius, as if even acknowledging their presence would crack his ability to stay in control. She didn’t need any orb-enhanced ability to tune into his emotions. The fear and anger radiated off him in waves.
Riley shoved another intruding bough away from her face and contemplated Alec. He was still very pale and she couldn’t help but be worried. And, if she was honest, not a little annoyed with him. Honestly, what had he been trying to prove, running off and getting into a fight with the cop? Didn’t he realize how badly hurt he’d been? The Intergalactic Council had him on their most wanted list; why kill himself and do their job for them? That reminded her.
“Just where do you plan for us to go, to evade the Council, Dare?”
Darius gave her a quick look over his shoulder. “We’ll start with Home Base. If I can arrange it, I’ll get us off planet. The sooner Alec’s Tyon signal is dissociated with Terra, the better.”
A shiver that had nothing to do with the cool, shaded air rippled across Riley’s skin. She wasn’t totally surprised. Other than Alec not using his Tyon talents ever again, where else could he go? The Council would be searching Earth. Not to mention the police.
“And the Tyons are going to send us on somewhere else?” Riley caught herself before she tripped over a root. “Won’t they want us to stay and fight the Others, if they show up again? I mean, that was the reason you were looking out for us in the first place.”
She saw Darius’s shoulder rise and fall but didn’t hear the accompanying sigh. “If there are any signs of the Others, the operation will move into high gear. You remember what that means.”
“I don’t.” Peter spoke up beside her but so quietly she barely heard him.
“You don’t want to,” Riley answered.
“Your training will begin, Peter,” Darius spoke over her. “You’ll learn to use an orb, like Riley and Alec. You’ll learn how to protect your planet from invasion.”
“I don’t want to learn anything from you people,” Peter replied. “I don’t have to do anything I don’t want to.”
“You sound like a two-year-old,” Darius gave a short laugh. “In case you haven’t noticed, Peter, I can make you do anything I want. You’ve already been doing what I want. How much more evidence do you need?”
“You think you’ve got me right where you want me, but you don’t,” Peter shot back. “I know all about you guys now. Just wait until the police catch up with you. I have a photographic memory. I can tell them everything.”
“And they’ll believe you?” Darius threw an amused look over his shoulder. “I have two witnesses, including your own brother who will contradict everything you say. Forced to come with me? Lots of witnesses to the contrary. Mind control using a crystal? Fantasy novel mumbo jumbo. Alien invaders ready to take over the world? They’ll ask you what medications you take as they drive you to the hospital. Get real, Peter. You aren’t wearing handcuffs and are walking beside us under your own steam. No one will believe you.”
“You’ll still go to jail,” Peter replied hotly. “You killed two gang members.”
“That was a public service,” Darius said as he shifted Alec a bit. “And self-defense.”
“What about the cop? They’ll nail you for that.”
“There’s no evidence I did it. And neither you nor Alec would tell.”
“I would,” Peter spat. “And when I do, you’ll go to jail.”
“Nope.”
“He won’t,” Riley butted in. “He’ll transport us out the minute the cops close in. You’ve forgotten how we moved from the bus to the RV.”
Peter turned his head away. “I blacked out.”
“You didn’t,” Riley smiled. “Darius teleported us with his orb. I helped. We can move in space using our orbs.”
Peter blanched. He’d clearly forced that unbelievable event out of his brain but now had no option but to face it. “That’s impossible,” he said weakly.
“I think you need to check the dictionary, Peter,” Darius said as he clambered over a rotting tree trunk. “You misunderstand the meaning of that word.”
There was silence for a while as Peter retreated into a simmering rage and Riley focused on her own uncomfortable thoughts. Around them, the sunlight streamed in green banners through the thick summer foliage and birds called in constant chatter. The ground underfoot was thick with rocks and springy moss and rather treacherous if one didn’t pay attention. Riley was about to ask Darius to slow down when he came to a sudden halt. He raised a hand to indicate they were all to be quiet. He pointed straight forward.
There was a clearing just up ahead, just visible through the trees. And as if the fates had conspired to fulfill their wishes, the entire field was full of RVs and campers.
Darius turned and gave Riley an evil grin. “Which one do you want?” he whispered.
“I’m partial to blue,” Riley answered as she squinted through the trees at the selection of motor homes. Oddly enough, there didn’t seem to be any people.
“Wait here,” Darius instructed. “I’ll go and see which one has keys in it and, if worse comes to worse, you can hotwire it, Riley. Wait for my signal. Peter, stay here and stay quiet. Do anything to jeopardize this little mission and I’ll have you eating that earring of yours. Got it?”
Darius gently laid Alec on the ground and slipped off silently through the trees. Riley dropped to her knees and wiggled her orb under Alec’s back to the approximate area of his injury. She didn’t bother to watch Peter. Darius’s control seemed tighter than ever. She closed her eyes and concentrated.
Almost no time passed at all before the gentle purring of an engine cut through the birdcalls. She glanced upwards. A square camper was turning an awkward and jerky circle inside the ring of RVs. It stopped as close to the trees as it could and the window rolled down. An arm waved at them.
“Come on, lift him up and carry him,” Riley ordered as she got to her feet.
“I don’t have to do anything you say,” Peter grumbled.
“Sure. Don’t bother. I’ll just call Darius over and see how he likes you holding us up.” Riley crossed her arms. She overcame the urge to stick out her tongue.
Peter cursed but obeyed. He struggled to pull Alec up into his arms and Riley had to help hold Alec’s ankles. Swinging him gently between them, Peter walked back- wards towards the clearing. Darius opened the side door of the camper and transferred Alec to his own arms. He carried him inside. Peter slowly followed and Riley closed the door behind herself.
This camper was a much cheaper version of their previous mode of transportation. Plain, more compact and clearly much older, there was a bed tucked over the driver’s seat, a roundish bench with a table jammed in the middle that probably folded into a bed, a miniature kitchen, and a miniscule toilet cubicle between the bedroom and main space. They would have to take turns walking around.
Riley didn’t waste time dissing the worn and discountstore décor. She plopped herself in the driver’s seat and clicked the seatbelt closed.
The RVs were parked in a ring around the perimeter of a huge field and interspersed with several cars and a couple of motorcycles. On the far side of the field a wide gap beckoned and she headed for it in low gear. Behind her, she heard Darius’s instructions to lay Alec on the bed. She carefully steered the little camper between two very large motor homes and onto a gravel road. It suddenly became apparent where all the people were.
The next field over was filled with hot air balloons. A fairly large crowd of spectators were scattered across the grass, standing around each of the seven balloons, most of which seemed to be nearly fully expanded. Riley couldn’t help but grin. The balloons were bright and cheerful, the piping gas fires that filled them surprisingly noisy, and the smiles and cheery expressions of the people ringing the balloons as they waited their turn for a ride, infectious.
An alarming thought crossed her mind. Riley slammed on the brakes and peered at Darius. He had that rapt expression and gleam to his eye that only spelled trouble.
“No,” she said shaking her head firmly and putting the little camper van back into gear, “Absolutely not.”
“It’s faster,” Darius protested.
“It’s incredibly obvious. Honestly, Dare, you think no one will notice we’ve stolen a balloon. Do you believe for a second the police won’t think to look up. We’d be totally easy to track. They’d just have to wait for us to come down.”
“It’d be fun,” Darius said quietly as he craned his neck for the last view of the balloons above the treetops.
Riley sped up. The camper rattled as it bumped along the rutted dirt road. No one seemed interested as she drove past.
She turned her attention back to the task at hand and carefully maneuvered the small vehicle down the road. It was a generally straight path through a series of fields, most tilled and planted with a variety of crops, but a few, like the one filled with balloons, fallow and allowed to grow grass unimpeded. There were no buildings. It only took a couple of minutes before the road ended at a busy four-lane thoroughfare. To her left a huge sign indicated, “Turn here for Sky-high.”
“Which way?” she called out.
Darius held up his orb and peered into it. “East,” he said.
Riley just looked at him.
“Left,” he amended.
“Thanks,” she muttered and switched on her directional signal. It took a few minutes before there was a sufficient break in traffic for them to safely make the turn. Once on the highway, Riley quickly accelerated and pulled into the right lane. “Look for a map,” she instructed. She glanced down at the dashboard. “And figure out how we’re going to pay for gas.”
Darius rummaged in the glove compartment but, other than a handful of wadded candy bar wrappers and a flashlight, it was empty. He searched in the door pocket and above the visor but there was no map.
“We’ll keep heading east,” he finally said. “Eventually we’ll hit the ocean. I’ll go in the back and work on Alec’s healing. You just drive.”
“Can’t we just,” Riley gave Peter a wary glance in the rearview mirror, “teleport?”
“Too much baggage,” Darius replied. “I can’t manage all three of you except in an emergency and then only a very short distance. The rules of physics apply to orb power too, you know. We either wait for Anna to show up and help or get as close as we can and summon a transport ship.”
“But you don’t like either option,” Riley said quietly. “Do you?”
Darius pursed his lips and frowned. “No.”
“Why not?”
“Anna is going to have some questions I just can’t answer. Lying to her will be nearly impossible for me. Asking the Collective to bring three Potentials into the Base when they haven’t ordered it is going to be even trickier. We’re not on collection or training mode. Just observation.”
Riley thought it over. There had to be another way.
“Peter’s going to be a huge problem too,” Darius continued as he rubbed his forehead. A couple of pine needles fell out of his hair and onto his collar. “I can’t silence him without keeping him unconscious. He’s wearing off my control faster each time. I won’t be able to keep it up indefinitely unless I seriously damage him and make the control permanent.” He caught a glimpse of her expression. “And no, I’m not willing to do that to him.” He sighed deeply and shook his head. “One good scan or a telepath and the jig is up.”
“We could just toss him into the Atlantic,” Riley suggested. “Tie his ankles with lead weights and heave ho. I won’t argue if you suggest it. I doubt Alec would either.”
Darius grinned. “Don’t tempt me.”
Riley bit her lower lip as she worked on phrasing the enquiry. “Why do you believe Anna won’t turn us all in?”
For a long moment Darius was silent as he stared straight ahead. “Anna was the first I came in contact with.” He gave a ghost of a smile. “I come from a large family, Riley. Having anyone’s undivided attention is heady stuff. Especially when that attention isn’t a smack to the head.”
Riley glanced sideways at him, struck by the aching tone of his voice. “How long ago was that?”
Darius gave a slight shrug. “I was about fourteen and in foster care and really angry at the world. The Tyons offered stability and made me feel special for the first time in my life. Anna was the one who convinced them to train me. I owe her a great deal of loyalty, not to mention my life. If they hadn’t found me I’d be in jail or dead by now.” He got up out of the passenger seat. “I’m going to work on Alec now.”
Riley nodded but Darius was already gone. Well that was certainly food for thought, she mused worriedly. Darius had several reasons now for his blindness about Anna. There was little she’d be able to do to counteract years of obligation and love. And if she couldn’t get Darius to open his eyes about Anna, then she’d have no choice. She and Alec would have to disappear without him.