“So, why are we hanging out by the bathrooms?” It was Cole’s voice.
I looked up and saw his sparkling eyes smiling at me and my brothers. We must have looked as if we just got caught with our hand in the cookie jar.
“Hey, Cole. We were just,…” Alik stammered.
“Yeah, well, we got to thinking maybe it would be a good idea if, er…um,…”
“We’ve decided we need to finish this on our own,” I said.
“Well, I wasn’t planning to help anyone use the bathroom!” Cole teased, trying to lighten the moment. He knew something serious happened just before he walked up and he was bracing himself for what it might be.
“You and your dad have been so great to help us. Your dad flying down to Texas to get us, searching for our mom’s whereabouts, driving us all the way here… it’s just—it’s just getting too dangerous for you two,” Evan explained.
“Mr. Burns was right, and we like you guys too much to see you get hurt because of us,” I said, trying not to blush.
“We were just trying to figure out how to go from here,” Alik said.
Cole looked at each of our faces measuring our resolve. He pressed his lips together and nodded slowly. Then he shrugged and said, “Well, you’ll need the wheels. I’ll head back to the table and get the keys. Meet me at the truck in a couple of minutes. After you leave, I’ll stall dad telling him you three were needing some time to talk, or something, so he won’t come looking for you right away. Okay?”
My heart thundered in my chest. Cole wanted to help us and he understood this was the best way he could help. Without thinking, I stepped up to him, wrapped my arms around his waist and buried my face in his chest. So unexpected was my display of affection, that it took him a moment to respond. But when he did respond, wow! I could almost see the sparks shooting off of us as we held each other for just a moment.
“Come on, you two! We’re not saying good-bye, forever. Cole, we’ll contact you once we find our mom. Count on it!” said Alik.
“The plan will only work if we maintain our secrecy, guys. We’ve gotta go!” Evan urged.
We slipped out the back door of the restaurant. Moments later, we were at the truck. True to his word, Cole met us there and handed the keys to Alik. “Take care of yourselves. I’ll be waiting for that call.”
The boys slugged each other on the shoulders in that guy-to-guy affectionate way, and we loaded up fast.
“Meg,” Cole called just before I closed the truck’s door. He looked so sincere as he leaned toward me and brushed his warm lips against my cheek in a gentlemen’s kiss. I was breathless. He smiled that dimpled smile and closed the door for me.
With Alik at the wheel, we pulled out of the lot and headed down the highway. I don’t think I stopped grinning for an hour.
Chapter 36 Just the Three of Us…Well, and Maze
We drove in silence for a few hours, each of us lost in our thoughts. Maze woke us from our trance with an annoying whining sound.
He had to find a bush, and quick. I’d been so caught up in our worries; I’d completely neglected my best buddy. Alik pulled the truck over and we got out to stretch our legs while Maze found the perfect spot on which to pee.
“So, you ready to let us in on your plan, Meg?” Alik spoke just above a whisper, though we were completely isolated. I think he was worried I was going to get all moody and crazy on him. Poor fellow. It must be tough living with a walking emotional superconductor all the time.
I smiled ruefully at my brothers.
Back in the truck, Evan worked as my scribe as I shared my skeleton plan with them. “Alik, how much detail do you remember about The Institute’s floor plan?”
He caught on fast and smiled. “Everything. They had an emergency exit map laminated beside the door to my room. That is, assuming they haven’t changed the layout.”
“Right,” I said, “We’ll just have to hope they didn’t.”
“Evan, they’re bound to have a pretty high-tech security system set up in multiple stages throughout the facility. Do you think you can get us past them?”
“I’ll need some equipment, but yeah, I think I can figure out how to bypass anything they’re using.” Evan said with an uncharacteristic smile pressing his lips.
“As for me, I will be able to find mom once we’re in there.”
“What do you mean, you’ll ‘be able to find mom’?” Alik asked.
“Listen, I’ve been noticing something since we left the ranch. Maybe I could always do this and just didn’t need to. I mean, I’ve only had you guys, mom and Maze to work with. Or maybe I’ve just started developing this skill … kinda like what mom hinted to in her journals. But, if I concentrate, I can feel people.” I said all this in a near whisper as if it were a huge secret and outside ears wouldn’t understand. Or maybe I just felt stupid putting what I’d been feeling into words.