Sam watched from the hood of her car as they lowered Claire’s coffin into the ground. The gray day accented the feelings of the mourners dressed in black. She recognized some of the funeral attendees. Missy’s blonde hair stood out amidst all the muted colors. And Brad was right beside her, his arm around her shoulders.
I guess he really does like you, Sam thought.
And then her gaze came to rest on Doug and Madeline, Claire’s parents. Ryan’s Mom and Dad. They stood over the open hole, Madeline dabbing her eyes with a crumbled tissue. Their family destroyed. Their children gone.
Sam thought of her own parents. Their children had been killed in a fire. Ben, Cora and her. Their family had been destroyed, much the same way that Ryan’s family was. Her parents had never had more children, and Sam doubted Doug and Madeline would.
“Sam,” Ben called from behind her. “We’re ready to go.”
Sam slid from the hood of her car and turned to Ben. He was looking at her with that expectant, dissatisfied look. “What?”
“Eugene is really hurt. You wouldn’t even use his regen bed.”
Sam shrugged. “There’s a trust issue, you know?”
“Damien is a Changed,” Ben said gently. “Eugene knew that. He was trying to protect you.”
“I’m a big girl. I can take care of myself.” She began to open the door.
Ben fazed and closed it.
“It should have been my decision. And that was taken away from me. Both times. And both times by Eugene.”
“It seems to some like you’re picking Damien over Eugene.”
Sam rolled her eyes. “I’m not picking one over the other. I don’t trust either one of them.” She smiled.
“Sam.”
“I can’t, Ben. I just can’t forgive him. Not now. Maybe some day.” She shook her head. “But not right now.”
Ben nodded in understanding. He stepped out of Sam’s way and headed around to the other side of the car. “He’s got a lead on Cora.”
Sam froze. “Where?”
“There was an encounter in Orange County.”
“California?”
Ben nodded.
“I’ve always wanted to see the OC.”
Christian suddenly appeared at the front of the car. “We out of here?”
Sam nodded and opened the door.
Christian walked around to Ben’s side of the car. “Eugene said he’ll look into where that machine came from. He said he’ll get back to us.”
Sam paused before sliding in. “Hey, kid.”
Christian looked at her over the top of the silver Spyder.
“You did good.”
“Really?”
Sam cocked a grin and nodded.
“Can I drive?”
Ben groaned as he slid in the car.
Sam grit her teeth. “No.”
~ ~ ~
Damien watched the silver Audi Spyder as it drove away. He looked up into the gray sky. The rain began as a light mist. Damien managed to see the small electrical current swirling around in the sky as the mist coated it. He watched its form for a moment. The shape itself was not new. He had seen a similar phenomenon when Sam and the others had blasted the last Changed.
What was different was the whisperings. He couldn’t make out words, but it was like tiny buzzing in his ears. Humming. He doubted anyone, including Souls, could see or hear it. But he could.
And he needed more. More energy. Something was happening. And he needed to be prepared.
Something big was coming.
###
Coming Soon:
Lost Souls: “Deception” – Episode 3