Only two eyes

Chapter 21

"Calm down" Austin said. As he went to place a hand on the man's shoulder he ran down the hall.
"Follow me" he whispered.
The group ran after him and found themselves in a large  family room. The man motioned toward to a chair.
"Sit sit."
They obeyed.
"I'm sorry about my nerves. I just, I can't do this Austin." He said.
"But you owe me."
"Austin. They're everywhere."
"Who's everywhere?"
"The Sway."
Austin raised an eyebrow "The Sway? Who's the Sway?"
"The Sway is them, Austin! The Sway is them"
"Im sorry, but honestly Dr M-"
"Dont say my name! They have ears everwhere!"
Summers mind filled with questions. For starters, who was this man, and is he really same enough to trust? Second, who is the Sway?
"Austin, the Sway, they are the group who gave Summer her power."
Summer stuck her hand out, "Wait, wait, wait, how do you know my name?"
"Summer, I started this project. I named you."
"No, my mom and dad did."
He laughed "I told your mother to name you that! It was the perfect name for you! Summer is the whole reason I founded this project."
"Why summer though?" Connor asked "Why not like, Sally, or something?"
Summer found herself wanting to laugh, but hid it in a cough.
"Summer needs justice! I needed a way to tell those judges that he deserved to be killed! I could have controlled them for a moment! No longer!" His voice escalated to a yell "I could have rectified the wrong using you! Then they all went crazy, crazy I tell you! Make money off of innocent people, control the minds of others! They want to sway the thoughts of others!"
"So that's why its called sway?" Summer asked.
"Yes! Stay as far away from them as possible!"He laughed quietly. "No, no, its too late for that! They probably already found you. Sway is everywhere you are."
Summer shot a look of confusion at Austin. He shrugged.
Panic spread over the Drs face "Sway is everywhere! They're here! No! They can't get me, not now! I refuse to help you, I'm sorry, Austin, I can't let them find me. God-speed Summer, you'll need it. Dealing with crazy people. Crazy, crazy people. I'm not crazy. They are..." he began to laugh maniacally. Austin grabbed summer's hand and slowly got up. He led the four of them out of the house cautiously as the Dr day in his couch laughing. Right as summer stepped out of the door a hand grabbed her shoulder. She spun to face the doctor.
"If they catch you, they will do horrible things to you. You'll wish for death, but it won't come. Run, Summer, run."
She nodded quickly and ran out the door.
They piled into the truck hurriedly and as they drove away Summer dug her hands into her hair and put her head in her lap.
"What's wrong?" Austin asked.
She sat up and spun her head toward him so quickly her neck popped. "What's wrong?! I thought after this it would all be over, but all we have is more questions."
"They'll be answered eventually."
"We need answers now."
"For what questions?"
She paused before stating "How to destroy the Sway."
A smirk spread across Austin's face and he put one arm around her shoulder. "We'll find an answer to that, and if not, well create our own way. But we can't do any of that on an empty stomach."
  
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Summer sink her teeth into the pizza. The dried peppers she had sprinkled on it stung her tongue, but the flavor was what she wanted.
Austin had suggested that they got a comfort food, and pizza was what they decided on. Everyone looked distracted; ava dug a phone from the backpack she had brought, Connor doodled on a napkin, and Austin stared at the menu, probably lost in thought.
A buzz from one of Austin's disposable phones made them all jump.
He opened his messages and opened the text. Summer peered over his shoulder at the text and a her stomach lurched as she saw what the message said
Summer Akkesson, we know where you are, and you have not outsmarted us. We are always ahead of you. Come back to your home, we have a surprise for you. And if you make it quick, you may be able to see your family alive one last time. Come get us.
- Sway
Austin struggled for words, all he could muster was "this is bad."
"What?" Connor asked as he grabbed the phone. He held it between him and Ava and they read it.
"Wow"Connor said
Ava nodded her head in agreement.
Austin looked at Summer, who hadn't spoke yet. She stared at her hands on her lap.
"Summer?" He put a hand on her shoulder. "Are you okay?"
"We need to go home." She whispered.
"It's a trap, Summer"
"We need to go home." She raised her head to look at him.
"You could get hurt, Summer"
"Austin, it's my family, I don't care, we need to go home."
He sighed, "then it looks like we're going home."

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They finished eating and got
Into the truck. Everyone was going to take turns driving, except Summer, who was too young.
She leaned against Ava as she and Austin shared the middle seat. Austin wanted to sit next to Connor, so now the truck was even more crowded.
Summer grabbed Austin's phone and re- read the message.
"How did they get your number?" she wondered out loud.
He smiled sadly "they're everywhere, remember?"
"Ya," Ava murmured "everywhere"
"If they knew where we were, why not just take me now?"
"No clue, they have some reason behind it, whether it makes sense or not."
"I hope my parents are okay." Summer folded her hands on her lap and looked at the horizon. "I hope the twins are okay."
Austin covered her small hands with one of his large ones. "They will be."
She shook her head "But what if they're not?"