Stars Of Our Lives

That Stupid Strip Of Skin

Neither of us mentioned our 'extracurriculars' to Varvatos. I wouldn't call it lying since he technically never asked if we were going behind his back, so therefore we never said we weren't doing it.

We did most of our research on Krel's laptop, hacking different servers and even some news stations, drinking up everything we could find. For the most part, the organization was made out to be a terrorist group after they claimed several bombings in DC. And a couple shootings. And some death threats.

"I'm starting to realize why Mama and Papa didn't like these guys," I said one afternoon. "They're really . . . violent."

"It's a fear tactic," Krel shrugged. "It's how they get what they want."

"I don't think I like them either."

Weeks passed, days spent sparring with Varvatos or hiding in the truck bed. Krel and I had a fairly good handle on what the Children's Lead was at that point, and not all of it was negative, believe it or not.

"They actually broke kids out of a camp?" I asked early one morning.

"Yeah," Krel replied. "It looks like they've rescued over forty kids."

"Forty?"

"Yep."

I pinned my lips together. "That's not exactly a lot."

"It's more than zero."

"I guess there's that."

Krel had begun hacking into their servers in the early summer, spending long nights in front of the screen and longer days knocked out in the truck bed. Varvatos said I was getting good enough with the nine millimeter to be able to carry it. And we were getting better and better at avoiding incidents.

Which is why the last incident we had, was the last day we were together. The day Varvatos looked over Krel's shoulder while he was working and found out what we were hiding.

"Varvatos told you to stay away from them!" He roared. "You dare defy Varvatos?"

"We need to find Mama and Papa!" I shouted back. "This is the best way to do it! And you expect us to pass up that opportunity just because you said no?"

"Varvatos is trying to protect you!" A vein popped out of his neck. "You must trust Varvatos."

No one said anything for a moment. And then Krel spoke up. "Maybe you should trust us too."

"What?" Varvatos barked.

"I'm just saying," Krel threw up his hands. "If you want us to trust you, then help us. It isn't safe? Newsflash, nowhere is safe, and you've gotten us this far. We can do this."

"Varvatos forbids it!"

"We're hacking them!" I threw my head back. "Not marrying them!"

"The answer is no!"

"You can't do that!"

"Watch Varvatos!"

He reached out to push me into the back seat of the truck, probably so we could drive off and I would be forced to be quiet, but I scooted myself back out of spite. Varvatos's hand fell without the contact of my shoulder, brushing against my ankle as it dropped - right where the pant leg pulled above my sock. That stupid strip of exposed skin changed my entire life. For better or worse, I don't know. I'm not even sure if I want to know.

The second his fingertips hit my skin, my vision bled away. I was swept away in a river of memories. The view of the Vietnam mountains. The sounds of an old piano. The smell of dirt and blood after a battle. The way gunpowder feels when you rub it between your fingers.