Eugenia part 23

Read part 22 here!

The morning after I brought Emma home was a harvesting one. Our garden was producing more than I was used to, so before the food rotted in the ground or got overripe, we needed to pick it.

Emma would not leave my side, seemingly intimidated by Julie’s apprehensive dirty looks. The older girl’s excuse was that she was concerned Emma would be an unnecessary security risk. I was pretty sure that the real reasons was more along the lines of “I want you to myself.” Julie had told me before that she’d never really had a friend or a close family member before me, and I inferred that she was deathly afraid of losing me.

Decklan came to see us that afternoon, having a day off of work and class, and his reaction was on par with Julie’s.

“Jon said that she was missing. Parents already called the radio stations and everything. When I heard her name, I really hoped it was just a coincidence. I really did. Damn it, Meg, how could you?”

“It was her idea! You don’t know how my father is. She was miserable.”

“You’re going to get us all arrested.”

“Calm down. They can have another one.”

“They- you- what-”

“Do you really think my parents actually care about her? All they want is an offspring to pass the test so they can regain their reputation after my screwup.”

“”I- they- you- it doesn’t matter!”

“I couldn’t just leave her, Decklan!”

“Well, fine. But the Resistance won’t be happy.”

He was right. We all met again briefly the next day at the bookstore, and no one was very pleased.

“…putting us all in danger…”

“…if one little girl…”

“…can’t believe this…”

“Alright!” I finally yelled, shutting them all up. “I made a mistake, and I’m sorry. But she knows too much now, so we can’t give her back to my parents. They’ll never find her, ok? They’ve been looking for me for 6 years.”

“I don’t like this,” muttered Ian. “I didn’t know there would be kidnapping involved.”

“I didn’t kidnap her.” I snapped. “She asked to come with me!”

“Look, we’re the only people who know about this.” Jon assured the group. “My boss is making me broadcast the story tomorrow, but it will blow over soon. We’ll just have to be careful. Meg, now more than ever, you must not be seen.”

“I understand.”

The three of us tuned into the radio station the next day to hear Jon’s broadcast.

“Welcome back from commercial break, folks. Sorry this next story isn’t a happier one, but we’ve got a disappearance on our hands. Six year old Emma Carroway went missing two nights ago from her suburban bedroom. Her picture is on our website, so if anyone has information, please call-” Jon broke off. There were murmurs in the background before he reclaimed the mic. “We seem to have an unexpected caller. Hello, anonymous, you’re on the air. You say you have… information on Emma Carroway?” Jon sounded nervous.

“Hello, Jon. And yes, I do. Emma is with her sister-” there was a crash that I assumed came from Jon’s end. “-Meg, who escaped authorities six years ago after failing her test-” Jon coughed. “-and is now residing two miles outside of town in a small sha-”

“Oh, no, it seems we have lost the connection.” Jon stammered, a little too loudly. Regaining control, he started again. “Now moving on with your local news, folks…”

I swore loudly, and both younger girls gave me a withering look. “We have to go. Pack your things.”

Fifteen minutes later, we were packed and running to the lake where we bathed and got water for the garden. I called Decklan.

“I know, we just heard.” he told me. “Go to the lake, someone will be there to pick you up. That bastard.”

“Who?”

“Ian. That coward turned you in. He called me afterwards- like I wouldn’t recognize his stupid voice- and told me he wouldn’t turn the rest of us in, since the IQ test clearly picked only the best for society. People who wouldn’t condone kidnapping.”

“That bastard!” I repeated in agreement, scooping up Emma in my free hand, as she was starting to lag behind.

Decklan was good on his word; one in sight of the lake, we were greeted by Andy in a smart car.

“Borrowed it from a friend.” he explained. “Hurry, get in. Lorena sent word that authorities are being dispatched as we speak.”

“Ian doesn’t think you’ll help us?” I asked, shoving Julie in first and pulling Emma onto my lap before slamming the door.

“The pompous bastard thinks we’ve ‘learned our lesson’. At least that gives us a bit of a head start.”

“So where are we going?”

“You’ll be staying at our apartment until we find a better safe house.”

“What about Malia’s?”

“Too open. People go in and out of there constantly. One accidental sighting and we’re busted.”

“But-”

“Bluff won’t think we’re dumb enough to hide your at our house, and he doesn’t have reasonable suspicion to get a search warrant. There are some laws he still has to abide by.”

I nodded, hugging Emma in my lap. “What will we do about Ian?”

Andy smiled without humor. “You’ll see.”

Continued in part 24!