Odd One Out/Falling Skies fanfic

Chapter Ten

It had been 5 minutes that I had been walking with my dad through corridors that made me feel I was in a maze. I had no idea where I was going. I was only following my dad in his every step. He was in front walking- no, jogging rather, and was strutting down the corridors as if he owned them.

“Where are we going” I asked, starting to feel a bit dizzy.

“Pope town” he stated, and I just chuckled.

“Pope town?” I asked, continuing the giggles. “As in 'our-last-name-town' or a previously existing location called 'Pope town'?”

“Our name. And, no need to laugh. It's not exactly a city. It's more like … like a bunch of shacks and a bar. And, that is where I live. It's where you live now. And when we get there, we will sit and have a chat. A long chat. You are going to tell me everything that happened since before the invasion. You are going to tell me everything, from your mother to Brandon to … anything else that comes along the way. And then, there is some explaining I need to do. Not that I completely understand it myself; but I'll just tell you what was told. Deal?” he said and took a right turn, running into Maggie and a boy in a wheelchair. He was really handsome.

“I see you're OK” she said to me “Ben said you were in trouble” she continued, carefully looking at my father.

“Is everything OK?” the boy asked and cocked his head to the right, looking me up and down, not taking his eyes off my father while doing so. It was abundantly obvious that neither of them liked my father. I wonder why...

“Yeah, everything is just great. Now if you'll excuse us” he answered defensively, and grabbed me by my elbow, walking away. Maggie turned to see us away, cautiously looking, staring, trying to see whether or not I was a threat. Was I?

“I'm Hal by the way.” he said, extending his hand for a handshake. I stopped my dad from pulling me and took a step back as we had already passed them for a couple of centimetres only.

As I shook his hand, I heard the voices get louder. Much louder. His handshake was sort of weak, but when he looked at me, there was something there to show me he was stronger than he let on. I didn't understand. He seemed harmless. But the voices, sounding like people whispering in my ear, where getting stronger as I stayed near him. There was something wrong, but I didn't know what. He smiled at me, and then I heard Karen' s voice.

“Stop staring at him. Maggie is looking” she said and I quickly drove my attention away from him, extending my arm to Maggie, which she hectically took.

My dad must have noticed the awkwardness, because he simply nudged me at which point I simply said “Well, I'll see you both around then. If I find my way out of this maze” I chuckled nervously. Maggie knew something was up, but she simply stared and stayed silent.

“Yeah, see you around” Hal responded, smiling to me.

“Bye” I said and held on to my dads elbow. Whatever was going on with him, and something definitely was, I could sense it. But saying something might only make my situation worse. So, after around two minutes of quietly walking behind my father, I decided to keep quiet. Whoever this Hal was, he could sort himself out. I had enough problems of my own to solve.