The Chosen Ones: Book 3: The War

8

Shaun drove to River Fork the next morning with Jenna in the passenger seat and Sam sitting in the back with Casey. Jenna had been physically sick all morning after Shaun told her what they found out about Sam's family. Her father was getting worse and worse every day.

He had actually kidnapped Sam, or at least sent his two henchmen to do it. Did that mean all two hundred kids were also taken from their families? She had to think anything was possible now. Jenna knew he sent Murphy and Burns all over the place. There would be less of a pattern if kids were taken from different parts of the country.

Sam was a bundle of nerves. Her stomach was in knots. She couldn't wait to hug her mom and sister. They were going to be so shocked to see her. She thought all night about what she would say but nothing seemed right.

She couldn't tell them the truth, not until her friends dealt with the Nest themselves, that was certain. There would be too many questions. Even if she eventually did tell them the truth, the story was so unbelievable they would think she was crazy.

Shaun pulled across the street and a few houses down. It was a beautiful day. A perfect day for a reunion. The plan was to drop Sam off and let her live her life she had been robbed of the last two years.

Everyone wrote down their phone numbers for her so she could keep in touch as soon as she got a cell phone of her own. She would reunite with her family and live out the rest of her life like every other normal teenager. She had suffered enough.

"It's a nice house." Shaun remarked.
"Are you ready?" Casey asked.
"What do I say?" Sam asked, nervously.
"It's your mom and sister. They haven't seen you in two years, you're not going to have to say much." Jenna said.

She had spent all morning apologizing to Sam, who seemed to be understanding, or at least acted like she was for her sake.
Casey pushed Sam's hair behind her ear and smiled at her. "You'll be fine."

As Sam was about to open the door a car drove past them and right into the driveway. They all looked on as her mom and sister exited the vehicle, holding shopping bags. They talked animatedly and laughed as they walked up to the front door, then disappeared inside.

"They look really happy." Sam said as she began to fill up.
No one knew what to say. It had been two years. Her mom and sister had mourned, then they moved on, whether they wanted to or not. They missed her more than anything in the world and would give anything to see her again. But they did what they had to do to keep breathing.

"I can't do this." Sam said.
"What?" Shaun asked. "What's up?"
"I'm going with you guys tomorrow. I'm gonna help take down that place. I know you guys need me. I need to get revenge for my friends. I can't walk back into their lives right now and leave again, then maybe never come back. I can't do that to them all over again. It'll kill them. If I die tomorrow, it'll just be like I was always gone." She explained.

It was one of the most grown up decisions Casey had ever heard from a sixteen year old.
"You don't have to come with us." Jenna told her.
Sam wiped her tears away. "Yes..... I do."

Shaun looked at Casey, who nodded to him, giving the okay to drive away. He looked one more time at Sam.
"You're sure?"
"I'm sure. Go."

He drove off. Sam looked at her house as she passed by. She'd do anything to get back here one day, whatever it took.

She vowed to knock on that door in a few days.