Separian - Book 1

Chapter 40

Waiting... wondering... unsure... It was far from ideal, but it was all we could do with the information we'd been given. Those who didn't need to know everything were kept in the dark. The boy we had captured and allowed to live was no exception. As far as rank went, he was among the newest of recruits to join the Deseparian. He knew only what he was allowed to know. Anything else would require someone more important. So this was the best plan I could come up with.

Nearly three hours we'd been here without a stray sight, sound, or thought to speak of. Mike and I were posted inside the warehouse we'd been directed to -what the boy called the "Deseparian hive". We were bait, but nobody had come remotely close to the building since we'd arrived. The boy was under guard somewhere unknown to all of the Separian but the two who were sent away to guard him.

The night was peaceful, like the calm before the storm. The stars were out and shining brighter than I could ever have seen in Maryland. Everything was as still and serene as the morning after snow fell. So why did this scene feel wrong?

Nothing? I asked for the second time in the past two minutes.

Nothing. Quinn responded flatly.

And we're sure this is the right place?

For the one hundredth time, yes.

So where are they?

I don't know. Have you thought of calling out to them?

I'm serious Quinn, something isn't right. I think they knew we were coming.

She brushed me off. Just like she had the last seven times. Even Mike was beginning to agree with me and still she didn't pay it a second thought. Maybe pulling rank hadn't been the smartest idea. In terms of raw ability she unquestionably outdid me. But in terms of our individual status, my head was well and truly above hers now. It appeared I needed to be somewhat self sufficient.

I surveyed the room once more and when I returned to Mike standing to my left, he was staring right at me. He wasn't usually so interested in me. But his personality didn't allow him to act at random or lose himself in thought very often. In this moment he was silent. He caught me looking at him and he hadn't looked away for almost three seconds now. His thoughts fixated on my eyes and nothing else. He was trying to distract anyone from reading his mind by giving them only what he could see as an immediate thought. He'd used the same tactic on me during training. He knew I would pick up on it. It was all but official for the both of us. The Deseparian already must have figured out our plan somewhere along the way. But we also knew, as long as they remained alive, I would remain compromised. We all would. That meant we needed to sever the connection. But it appeared somebody was now trying to read further into Mike's thoughts.

His eyes shifted from mine but just a hair. I followed their trajectory from what I could remember of the room we stood in and found the window. His body was now motionless so I followed suit. Something was here and judging by his actions I didn't want to provoke it by moving too quickly.

"Three..." Mike's lips said without sound. "... Seven... thirteen... twenty-six..." he paused for a moment and looked down. I couldn't be sure but it looked like he'd said "forty-five". One entire minute passed before he finally finished and made eye contact with me again. "one hundred twenty-seven..."

They were already here.

But according to Samuel, it made no sense. There shouldn't have been any more than sixty or so and now their numbers had more than doubled? Something was very off. The fact that Samuel was still missing only added to my increasing anxiety.