Cold Tomorrow

[21]

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Not long after we get home, Sarah leaves again. As if she has somewhere to be.

I watch from the front window as she walks down the path and veers right down the street. It's possible she just needs some space, but I don't trust her – not completely.

I make it out the house and all the way down the path before the door swings open behind me. "Melissa, come back inside," Katherine says. "We have some things to discuss."

"But Sarah–"

"We don't need Sarah for this. But we will need you."

Up ahead, Sarah turns a corner and disappears. Reluctantly, I return inside with Katherine.

They're all there when I reach the dining room – Ethel, Scott, and a couple more prominent council members, all gathered around Katherine's small dining table. It's formidable.

"And they're all loyal? Are you sure?" Ethel is saying.

"Completely," a man replies. He wears stocky square glasses and has skin the colour of charcoal. "If there was a leak in our council, I would sense it."

Ethel looks up as I enter. "Melissa," she says, acknowledging me. She beckons me to sit down. There are only two remaining seats – Katherine takes one, and I the other.

"This is David," Ethel tells me, gesturing towards the man in the glasses. "He can sense the emotions of others."

I look towards him, suddenly uncomfortable. He smiles. "Don't be nervous. I don't listen to most emotions – just the important ones."

His assurance isn't helpful, but I quench my nerves.

"We were hoping you could shed some light on the situation," Ethel says, dark eyes looking my way.

"The situation?"

"You were there. The intercept. Somehow they knew we were coming and we need to figure out how."

I stare at them incredulously. How can they sit around pondering the past when Caden has been taken? "I don't see how I can be of help," I say.

Scott leans forward, placing his clasped hands on the table. "Just tell us what you saw."

"I don't know. Smoke? Fighting?"

"Focus on the people," Ethel instructs. "Was anyone acting suspiciously? Did you see anyone who looked unusual?"

Lauren, my mind thinks instinctively. Instead I frown. "Why are you asking me? You were all there as well." Why are you bothering? I want to yell. What is the point of this?

A few of the gathered crowd exchange looks. "We were fighting most of time," Scott says. "We didn't see much."

"There's every chance they could have a seer or clairvoyant among their ranks," someone says – a young woman with boyish ash-blonde hair.

"It is possible," Ethel replies. "I suppose they also could have been more secretive about the route then we realised. It would make sense to have a decoy when transporting something so valuable."

"But that doesn't explain why they came with such a large force," David says. "If it was a decoy, they could have easily come with only a few men. But they brought dozens."

"It's almost as if they were protecting something," Katherine says.

"But what?" It's the blonde woman again. "They didn't have the Replicator with them."