Split Second

Mrs. Rivers answered. “Hi, Laila. Welcome,” she said just as Connor stepped up behind me. “He’s not here. He left this afternoon.”

“To where? Do you know?”

“He went to check out the college campus in Dallas. His trip there for the football game made him realize how much he liked Dallas.”

Right. A trip to check out the college campus. I’d believe that when I saw it. “Okay, well, thanks. Do you know when he might be home?”

“I’m not sure. Do you want me to tell him you stopped by?”

“No, I’m good.”

“So what’s the plan?” Connor asked as we walked away.

“What exactly can he do with a listening device? I’m assuming he can record. If he let the Containment Committee know his plans before he left, is there a way he can patch what he records directly to them?”

He didn’t need to answer. The look on his face said my assessment was correct.

“He’s going to ruin Addie’s life.”

“He’d do that?”

“He and his teammates permanently injured Trevor’s throwing shoulder using their abilities. He’s capable of anything.” I dialed Addie’s number. She didn’t answer. She’d told me she was going to be at that stupid winter formal tonight. So did that mean she didn’t have her phone on her? I tried again. When she didn’t answer, I looked at Connor. “She’s not answering.”

“Come on, I have an idea.”

We climbed onto his bike again, and when we pulled up in front of Face’s house I asked, “Why are we here?”

“Face has these birds he uses to watch Paras in the Norm world. He likes to monitor suspicious activity out there. Mainly the children of Paras who were kicked out or left.”

I raised my eyebrows. “Why?”

“He likes to study abilities diluted by Norm DNA. Or uninhibited by DAA programming.”

“He’s been spying on her? Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I’m not sure if he’s been spying on her. I’m just hoping he has been so we can see what’s going on with her now.” He knocked on the door. “Don’t look at me like that. I don’t spy on her. He does.”

I growled and turned my dirty look on the door. It slid open.

A blond, middle-aged man stood before us. Now that I knew he was really a teenager, I was less intimidated. “You should try on a girl’s face. It would look nice on you.”

“Ah, it’s the lovebirds. What do you want?”

Connor smiled. “Addison Coleman. Have you been watching her? We need some info.”

He must’ve respected Connor, because he stood aside and let us in. We followed him back to the room I had been in before with all the computers. He sat behind the desk and clicked through some screens on the computer.

“How did you even know to start watching her?” I asked.

“I may or may not be patched into the Tower system that tells me who leaves the Compound and who the CC takes a special interest in.”

In the middle of the wall in front of us, six projected screens turned black and then became one large picture of a parking lot, dissected into equal parts by the white wall between the screens. “Addison has an interesting ability. Time manipulation. She can use it in a variety of ways too.”

We all stared at the parking lot on the wall for a while.

“It looks like she’s unavailable.”

The metal bird on the desk flapped its wings once. It looked so real. “So how do you hack into the Containment Committee’s birds?” I asked, still staring at it.

“These aren’t Containment Committee,” Face said as though offended. “These are my design. The CC is all about keeping this place a secret. Do you think they’d risk exposure by sending something like this into the world?” He patted the bird’s head. “They generally have people stationed in Normville, not things.”

Like the agents Addie had already met. I shook my head. “You two are so blatant. How have you both not been caught already?”

Face laughed, and his blond hair changed to jet-black. “People see what they want to see.”

“More like what you want them to see.” Connor stood in front of me, and I ran a finger down his back. It still felt weird touching Connor and knowing he wouldn’t get irritated. That he actually wanted me to. “Are you up for a trip to Dallas?”

He nodded. “Sure.”

He and Face headed out the door, but I paused as the screens changed back to individual pictures. Realization struck me as the real reason Connor sold programs for Face came into my mind. It was his excuse to come here. I scanned the screens and wondered which one was Connor’s dad. How many hours he spent here watching his life. Seeing his father live without him.

“I’m not as pathetic as it seems.” Connor leaned against the door frame.

“There’s nothing pathetic about wanting to see your own father. He raised you for twelve years of your life.”

He looked over my shoulder, and I turned to follow his gaze. On the screen in the corner a man had just pulled into the driveway of a tan house and was helping a toddler out of the car.

“If we leave now, we can probably be to Addie’s by midnight,” Connor said.

I watched the small girl run up to the house, and my chest tightened in anger. He’d started over. Forgotten about Connor. I got my emotions under control before I turned to face him. He looked down with a sigh, and I walked forward and rested my arms on his shoulders, forcing him to look at me.

“I can handle this,” he assured me. “I’ll stop coming here. I’m going to stop.”

I dropped my forehead to his shoulder. “I’m sorry.” I gave a laugh I didn’t mean. “We’re both so screwed up. Are you sure we’re good for each other?”

To answer my question he pulled me closer, breathed me in. Then he turned on his heel and said, “Let’s go.”

I gave one last lingering look at the screen, which now showed only the outside of a house. If that man didn’t want Connor in his life, it was his loss.

Eli sat in the backseat. If Duke had gotten the Containment Committee involved in all this, I wanted all the abilities I could get. A pair of headphones, with music so loud I could almost sing along, was shoved on his head. I wondered if that helped block people’s thoughts.

“Not really!” he yelled. “So keep talking.”

I put my fingers to my lips and tugged out one of the earbuds. “No need to yell.”

He pointed between Connor and me. “You told me you two would talk.” Before the trip started, Eli said that talking people thought less. We had agreed to do our best. But an hour into the trip, Connor, who wasn’t a big talker to begin with, was talked out.

Eli took out his other earbud. “Connor. You either think a lot less than my sister or you’re really good at blocking.”

“I can guarantee I think a lot less than your sister.”

That was a load of crap. Connor lived in his head.

“My sister thinks that’s a load of crap.”

“Ha!” Connor said. “I can get used to having this kid around.”

I grabbed Connor’s knee and squeezed. “You’re holding out on me. Do you have a blocking secret?”

“I thought I sold you a block enhancer a while back.”

“You did. I guess I should practice more.”

“Start now,” Eli said. “Please. I don’t need any more thoughts about how hot Connor is. And if you want to know what he uses on his hair, just ask him.”

Connor laughed, and I rolled my eyes. “Eli, you will now hear only thoughts of your imminent death.” Then I punched Connor in the shoulder. “And stop smirking. Your hair isn’t that great.”

He ran a hand through it. “I have amazing hair.”

If Eli weren’t here, I’d be running my hands through Connor’s hair right now. My mind went back to the train and the way it felt to be in his arms, my fingers tangled in his hair. Then I stopped my memory short and looked at Eli. “Keep that thought to yourself.”

“Believe me. I wish I didn’t hear it. There’s no way I’m going to repeat it.” He stuck his headphones back on. “Talk.”

I could tell he was disgusted from having intercepted that last thought. I felt bad. “So can you teach me?” I asked Connor.

“I wish I could. I think it’s another perk of my ability. My mind is not open. This is totally my own theory, but I think part of a Telepath’s power must have something to do with opening channels into your thoughts. And because my mind heals itself fast, they are only able to pick up on an occasional thought. I’m grateful for that right now, because your brother does not need to hear the thoughts I have about you.” He grabbed my hand and stuck it back on his knee.

I grumbled. “So unfair. I bet your ability somehow makes your hair shiny too.”

He laughed.

“Wait. So if people can’t penetrate your mind, then that time Duke and I came over to your house, he didn’t do a thing? Why did you give me Face’s address then?”

Connor just smirked.

“Tell me.”

“You were asking for trouble. I knew you’d find it one way or another. Maybe I wanted to keep an eye on you.”

I grabbed his hand and squeezed. As much as I liked to take care of myself, it felt nice to be looked after now and then.

“Have you tried Addie again?”

I lifted my phone. The screen didn’t show any missed calls. I dialed anyway. Her voice mail told me she’d call back. “Still not there.”

“So what’s the plan if the CC found out she’s been intentionally telling people about the Compound?”

“I don’t know. Any ideas?”

“Let’s just hope they haven’t, because there are certain procedures that are irreversible.”

“Like being Healed of an ability?”

He nodded once.

“They wouldn’t do that . . . would they?”

“I wouldn’t put it past them. Especially because you already reversed the procedure they did on Trevor. If Duke told them that and can get proof, she’s in trouble.”

“Drive faster.”

CHAPTER 37

Addie: My hot ex-boyfriend is annoying.

“We need to stay perfectly still. Stephanie is looking at us. If we move, it will seem like we’re moving superfast.” I said this while trying to move my lips as little as possible. “Stephanie cannot suspect anything.” If she somehow figured out my ability, my life was over.

“She saw us kiss?”

“Yes.”

“She needs to know anyway.”

“I know, but I didn’t want it to happen like this. I just ruined her night.”

“We just ruined her night.”

The music and people slowly picked up speed. With every increase in beat, Stephanie was that much closer to us. She arrived at our sides as soon as time returned to normal.

I wasn’t sure what to expect, but what I didn’t expect was for her to slap me across the face. All my breath rushed out of me in a gush of air, and I cradled my cheek with my hand.