Alec poured the last of the cereal into his bowl and reached for the small container of milk. It was his third bowl and he was still starving. Apparently massively accelerated healing used a great deal of energy and his body was desperate to catch up. Darius was rooting in the cupboards for something else for him to eat and Peter was driving. Riley had done several hours and was having a nap now, her head likely pillowed exactly where his had been only half an hour before.
He shovelled a heaping spoonful into his mouth and chewed contentedly. Nothing much had seemed to happen while he was sleeping. Anna still hadn’t returned. There had been no police chases or interest in them by anyone, despite the fact that they were now driving through New Hampshire in another stolen camper with three first-degree murder charges hanging over their heads.
“Have you warned Peter about the rips, yet?” Alec asked. A few crumbs fell to the tabletop and he wiped them away with the sleeve of a borrowed shirt before Darius noticed.
“No.” Darius closed the cupboard door and opened another.
Alec swallowed and took another mouthful. “Have you seen any?”
“No, and don’t talk with your mouth full. It’s rude and a choking hazard.”
Alec raised his hand and gave Darius the finger as he grinned.
“And that’s rude too,” Darius pointed out with a returned smile. His face suddenly became serious. “I haven’t told Riley about the Emissary either.”
Alec nearly choked even though his mouth was empty. “What? Darius, she has to know. There’ll be millions out there. She has to be on her guard.”
“Hear me out.” Darius abandoned his search and sat down next to Alec. He lowered his voice. “Rhozan tracks us by the use of our orbs, right? And we’ve had to use them a lot over the last few hours. But if we keep our hands off them and keep moving, he won’t be able to find us that easily. Once we’re in Home Base, we’re safe.”
“He found me easily enough, long before I ever got an orb,” Alec reminded him.
“He found you through me. I was using my orb and he picked up your signal in the vicinity.”
“Okay, fine. That’s how he tracks us.” Alec was willing to concede the point. “But still, Riley has to know.”
“Riley has had enough on her mind lately. You aren’t in touch with her feelings the way I am but I’ll tell you that your injury nearly broke her heart. Worse still, she’s done a lot of the healing and while she might not feel the effects, I can see them. Any more emotional trauma at this point and she’ll collapse.”
Alec sat back in the seat and dropped his spoon to the table. She had been worried about him. A lot. Good.
“Healing takes emotional energy, focused through Tyon power. When you heal someone you deplete your own resources. It takes time to replace and, in the untrained, is highly dangerous. It was only because it was such a dire situation that I allowed her to help out. First with your father, and then with you.”
Talk about guilt. Alec turned his head to look out the window. She’d put herself at risk and didn’t even know it.
Darius continued. “I want you to keep an eye on things, Alec. Make sure she stays clear of any rips. At least until I know she’s strong enough to mentally cope. All right?”
Alec didn’t look at him. He nodded his head mutely. Darius got back up and continued his search but Alec’s appetite was gone. The rips in the fabric of time and space were seriously dangerous things; he should know, he’d jumped into one and just barely made it out alive. Last time they’d lived through this month, Rhozan had caused the rips to multiply until they were nearly everywhere. Hundreds, maybe even thousands of people had disappeared into them. If Alec hadn’t defeated Rhozan, all those people would still be stuck there. Or will be stuck there if time repeats itself. Alec frowned. This time travel stuff was mind-boggling. Without thinking, his hand reached for his orb. He stopped himself just in time from slipping his hand into his pocket. He clasped his hands together firmly instead.
“Darius,” he began slowly, “what will happen if—”
He didn’t get to finish. Suddenly, right in front of him, Anna appeared. Alec was so startled he nearly knocked over his half empty bowl. Milk sloshed onto the Formica tabletop.
“Ah, Anna, welcome back,” Darius said smoothly, as if Anna had merely been out for a walk. He closed the cupboard and leaned against the countertop. “All returned to normal, I take it?”
“No,” Anna fixed him with a sharp look. “We need to talk.”
“Didn’t you find everyone?”
She didn’t bother to answer his question. “We’ve received a transmission from the Council, Darius. It’s troubling and important. I wish to discuss it with you.”
“Okay.” Darius slid himself into a seat beside Alec. He patted the bench seat with his hand. “Come and sit down.”
“This is a private matter, of utmost importance. Potentials should not be included.” Anna hadn’t changed one bit, Alec thought, watching her ramrod posture and implacable features. If anything, she was colder.
“All right,” Darius replied easily. “I can’t move Riley coz she’s fast asleep.” He gave Alec a pointed look. “Go and stay with Riley until I call for you. Practice your skills the way I’ve shown you.”
Alec tried to keep the puzzlement out of his expression as he got up and inched past Anna to go to the bedroom. Hadn’t Darius just gotten through telling him not to use his orb? The little swaying bedroom was in darkness. Alec could barely make out Riley’s form on the double bed. He gingerly sat on the edge of the foam mattress and inadvertently sat on her foot.
“Hey,” she muttered, kicking sleepily at him.
He leaned over and whispered. “Anna’s back.”
She sat bolt upright. “When?”
“Shh,” Alec hissed. “You’re supposed to be asleep.”
Riley pushed the covers away and reached up to jerk open the curtains, enough to flood the little room with light. She crawled over to his side and hunched on her knees beside him. “What’s she know?”
“I’m not sure. She just got here. But the Council’s twitchy and has more questions than is good for us.”
He barely heard her mutter the profanity. She was obviously as scared as he was. “Get your orb out,” she ordered. Before he could tell her not to, she had her own in her hand. “Hurry up,” she whispered as she grabbed at his hand and folded his fingers around her own.
It was as if Alec had turned on a radio, but only inside his head, and with several channels playing at once. He had no idea Riley was so gifted in this area. For a second it was almost overwhelming and he was tempted to jerk his hand out of hers. Then the images and sounds cleared and he heard Darius speaking.
“…Show me what you’ve got.” Images of weird symbols suddenly scrolled across Alec’s mind. They looked familiar but moved too quickly for him to decipher. This must be what Darius was looking at. Alec was stunned. Could Riley see inside him the same way?
Impressions of someone else’s emotions slipped inside him too: worry, fear, uncertainty. Were these Darius’s feelings or were Anna’s in there as well? Was either of them aware that he and Riley were eavesdropping?
“See, here and here.” Anna’s voice. Suspicion, concern. Her emotions likely. Alec tried to keep up but everything moved through him so quickly.
“What does this mean?” Darius, sounding more nonchalant than he felt.
“Temporal distortion. Someone, somewhere has moved in time. It’s not specific enough to pinpoint, but you see here, and this? Clear indications. There is no other explanation. They’ve sent a directive to Logan to determine where this came from and who is doing it.”
“Could it be a natural phenomenon?” Darius again.
Riley and Alec looked at each other. Instantly their hopes were dashed.
“No. Logan’s reviewed the power signature. It’s human.”
Carefully controlled sensations emanated through the orb. Consideration, interest, willingness to cooperate.
“If Logan is sure, then it must be correct. Does he have any idea who might have done this? Is it someone we’ve been following or one of us?”
“Don’t be ridiculous, Darius. None of the Collective has this aberration. It must be native. And we must find it as soon as possible. Time shift is dangerous and unlawful. You know the consequences.”
Riley tried to pull away but Alec tightened his grip, maintaining the contact. It was about him after all.
“Let me inside your mind.”
The demand was politely made but firm. Alec and Riley exchanged horrified glances. If Anna got inside Darius’s head there would be no secrets he couldn’t hide. Anna might care for Darius and he might be in love with her, but she worked for the Collective and personal feelings didn’t get in the way. They were screwed.
Alec’s free hand hovered over his pocket. She’d have to catch him first.
“Not now.” Darius’s reply was tinged with humour. “Later. When we’ve got a bit of privacy.” A definite overtone of amorous intentions suffused the words. Alec mentally backed away. This he did not want to see.
Disappointment and a certain flavour of suspicion seeped into Alec’s mind with Anna’s next words. “We’ll wait then. In the meantime, we must take these three Potentials to Home Base and have them begin their training. There is merit to your suggestion that assistance provided by natives may be of benefit. I will discuss this concept with Logan upon our arrival. He will decide. Keep them ignorant of the potential power of the orbs. Keep the driver under control through any means. I do not wish to manage an uncontrolled teenage male.”
Riley jerked her hand out of Alec’s just as the door from the camper bedroom opened. She held her orb in her palm and frowned as if unable to figure out what to do with it as Anna stared at them both. Alec leaned over and stared at Riley as if enthralled with her efforts. The second the door closed behind the departing Anna, he urged Riley to put the orb away. “She might pick up any of your thoughts.”
Riley nodded. “Good idea.” She paused then added, “Darius was boosting our reception. I usually can’t hear anyone that clearly. In case you’re wondering.” She turned away and stowed her own orb in her pocket, keeping her back to him. It was too late. He’d already seen the blush tingeing her cheeks.
“Yeah, well,” Alec cleared his throat. “You’re still really good at it. Amazing actually.”
Riley picked up a tiny porcelain figurine from a shelf across from the bed and examined it carefully. “Uh, thanks,” she said.
Alec sat immobile and watched her, but despite his assumption she’d leave, she didn’t. After a moment she sat back down beside him. He bit the inside of his lip and wished for something really clever or witty to say to break the increasing tension, but nothing came to mind and he felt like an idiot. Still, it was far better than thinking about going back to Home Base. And Logan.