Nico grinned as he headed down Thompson Street toward the cafe, trying to ignore Thomas’ sullen mood. There was something about helping others that filled him with passion and joy. His family relied on him to give them food. Sure, it was somewhat of a burden, but the light in his soul was worth it. It was probably something like the pride people get when their father praises them.
He realized his mistake too late, and he tried to change his train of thought, but it was no use. He couldn’t help his heart sinking as he thought about his own father who hadn’t cared enough about him to stay. That familiar ache filled his chest. He glanced over at Thomas. Maybe he wasn’t just pouting over not finding what God called him here to do. He glanced over at Thomas, but before he could ask him anything, Thomas slowed, muscles tensing.
“Something’s not right.”
“What do you mean?” Nico asked, turning.
“Something doesn’t feel right…” The boy stopped walking altogether, and Nico stared at the cafe.
“I don’t see anything. The back door is closed, no cars,” he started to wonder if Thomas was just messing with him, though that didn’t seem like a Thomas thing to do. “No lights are on…” No lights are on. If Emma was still inside, wouldn’t she need to see? A knot formed in his stomach, and he started forward, heart pounding. What if the power had gone out and Emma had fallen and knocked herself out? What if a terrorist didn’t like the cafe and had shut off the power to make an attack. This section of town was a bad neighborhood. Slipping his phone out he dialed 911. His finger hovered over the green call button as he crept toward the back door. Suddenly he stopped, and the hairs on the back of his neck rose. There, in the shadows, were three men.
Nico froze. After a few minutes, when none of them moved, he started forward again, trying to see into the shadows. As he made his way closer, he saw the ropes around the men’s waists and wrists and the heads lolled back. Something had happened here. Emma, what have you gotten yourself into this time?
Every instinct in him was now alert as he moved toward the door. It was like one of those crime shows on tv, and he was the detective walking into the crime scene. Steeling himself, he pressed the call button, then burst through the door. He froze at the sight in front of him.
Emma lay on the tiled floor next to a counter, not moving. No, no no! In a second, he was by her side, feeling her wrist. A weak steady pulse met his trembling fingers, and he sighed in relief.
“911. What’s your emergency?” The voice came from the phone, and he raised it to his mouth, his mind racing.
“There’s been a crime, or a shooting, or maybe a robbery. My friend—” No, wait. He couldn’t tell them about Emma. She had said no one could know she was in the city. “There’s a bunch of guys in the back, tied off.” Looking up, he caught sight of another girl, hidden in the darkness.
“What’s your location?” the operator asked in a way-too-calm voice as Nico’s heart pounded.
“I’m in a cafe. There’s a girl on the floor. I don’t know—” Someone ripped the phone out of his hand, and he spun, getting ready to tackle whoever it was.
“Cafe at the corner of Baker’s and Thompson street,” Thomas said, and Nico felt heat rise into his face. “Three men apprehended after robbery tied up in the back. We’ll be gone before you get here, so don’t even bother looking for us.” He hung up, tossing the phone to Nico. “Is she alive?”
He asked the question like it wasn’t a big deal, and Nico just nodded, for once at a loss for words. Did the men do this? No, then they wouldn’t be tied up. And if Emma had tied them up, why was she unconscious? There was a piece missing from this puzzle. No time for that now. “Alright. You carry her over to the dock. I’ll deal with the woman and cover our tracks.” He didn’t know why Emma couldn’t be seen in the city, but he had a feeling the tied up men had something to do with it. Either way, they had to get out of there.
Thomas nodded, moving to hoist Emma onto his shoulder. He stopped when she stirred and her eyes fluttered open
“Fiona…” Emma’s small voice came from the floor. “Fiona!” She gasped, and before Nico could stop her, she ran over to the woman lying in the doorway to the kitchen. Just like Nico had done, she put a finger to Fiona’s wrist, then relaxed slightly.
The sound of sirens was getting closer.
“We have to get out of here,” Emma said, standing up, though she didn’t take her eyes off the woman.
“I think it’s time you told me your secret,” Nico said, crossing his arms.
Emma looked up at him, her eyes betraying fear. “You don’t understand. I-I can’t. They would kill us if they knew I was here.”
Kill her? This was really starting to sound like a detective show. Looking up at the ceiling, he took a deep breath to quiet the pounding heart. “Alright. What about the lady? We’re not leaving her here alone.”
“Bring her,” came Emma’s curt reply before she cautiously walked to the door, her head scanning the room.
Nico took hold of Fiona’s legs. Then gently lifted her onto his shoulder, bracing against the weight. The sirens outside suddenly stopped, and Nico wasted no time in following Thomas and Emma out the door, making a dash for a patch of woods behind the cafe, the weight on his shoulder slowing him down. He didn’t dare look back. At any moment, he expected to hear someone shout “stop!”
He reached the edge of the woods and plunged in, using his free hand to brush away branches as he crashed through the undergrowth.
“Shh!” Emma hissed, stopping dead in her tracks.
Nico stumbled to a stop, his muscles tensed. A long moment paused, and he dared not speak, though a thousand thoughts were rushing through his head, waiting to burst out. He had spent, what? A year around Emma yet now it seemed he really hadn’t known her at all.
“They’re not following us,” Emma said.
Nico relaxed, setting the woman on the ground, then rubbed his shoulder. “Okay, what’s going on? Why were you unconscious in the middle of the kitchen?”
Emma’s eyes glassed over, and Nico reached out, ready to catch her.
“An… angel saved us,” she said slowly.
Nico just blinked. Maybe he hadn’t heard right. “An angel? Like one from the Bible?”
Emma swallowed, then nodded. “It had wings and glowed.” She bit her lip.
“The White Falcon.” Thomas’ voice came from above.
Nico jumped. Of course Thomas had climbed a tree while they were trying to escape from the police. Looking up, he tried to spot him, but in the darkness it was impossible to make out anything.
“What?” Emma demanded.
The ground thumped as Thomas landed beside Nico, grinning. “He’s a legend. No one’s ever gotten proof that he exists. Allegedly, he shows up during robberies, shootings, and crimes, and stops them. No one really knows much about him, though. Most say he doesn’t even exist.”
“Oh, so it was just a superhero,” Emma replied, sarcastically. “My bad.”
“So, you’re saying that there’s a superhero in this city?” Nico asked. “Like a real live superhero? Wait. How do you even know all that?” he asked, narrowing his eyes. For a guy who had allegedly never left the academy, he sure knew a lot about this city. Did he know anything about anyone anymore?
“Newspapers,” came the simple response.
“We need to keep moving,” Emma interrupted, suddenly terse, or more terse than usual.
Behind them, Nico heard the sound of leaves and branches rustling as someone started into the forest. Hoisting the unconscious woman onto his shoulder again,he followed the others silently through the woods. Maybe the academy’s outdoor training was actually paying off. A light appeared up ahead, then he caught sight of a dumpster through the trees. An instant later, they burst onto the quiet street.
Luckily, no police were waiting for them, probably because they were busy with the actual criminals.
Emma suddenly groaned, and Nico’s head snapped over to look at her, expecting to see her collapsing. Instead, she was looking at her watch.
“We missed the boat.”
“What do you mean?” Nico asked.
“We missed the boat!” She said, more forcefully.
“Can’t you just program it to come back for us? It can’t be that hard. I mean—”
“I have to actually be there to program it.”
“So, we’ll just have to figure out another way onto the island,” he replied. “How hard could it be, anyway? We just…” he trailed off. What could they do? Steal another boat? Swim across? Parachute onto the island? He shook his head. “Of course, there’s the matter of her.” He gestured to the woman still slung over his shoulder. “We can’t bring her with us? I mean, we could, but then we would have to hide her, and—”
“We don’t even have a way onto the island,” Emma reminded him, biting her lip. She turned away, and Nico turned to stare at Fiona’s unconscious body. How did he get himself into this mess?
“Emma?” Fiona moved, and Nico’s heart skipped a beat.
Emma immediately rushed to her side. “Fiona, It’s okay. We got you out.”
Fiona’s eyes opened wide. “The men, Emma!”
“They were tied up outside.”
Fiona groaned, rubbing her head.
“What do you remember?” Emma asked, her normal hard deminer melting away.
“The men… they came in, demanded I give them money, then…” she trailed off, her breathing growing ragged.
Nico watched, stunned as Emma embraced the woman in a hug, and the woman started crying. Then Emma’s shoulders started shaking. The same indifferent Emma who wouldn’t even bat an eye at someone getting hurt.
“There was a bright flash of light. I turned away, then got dizzy. I think I hit something, but that might have been a dream.” She rubbed her head and winced. “Not a dream.” She looked up, then started, her eyes growing wide as she looked from Nico to Thomas, then to Emma. “They don’t…”
“Know that you’re sisters?” Thomas finished.
Nico could have kicked himself. “You two are sisters? That explains so much! That’s why—”
“Shut up,” Emma snapped, glancing around. “We’re not safe here. Even the trees have ears.”
“The trees?” Nico asked, glancing behind them. “And why can’t people know—”
“I said, shut up.” Emma’s voice was a growl. “We need to get somewhere safe.”
“My apartment,” Fiona put in. “That’s the safest place I have.” She clambered to her feet, then shut her eyes and leaned against the dumpster.
Emma was instantly at her side.
“I’m fine.” Fiona took a deep breath, then pushed off, and headed down the street.
Nico had no choice but to follow the slow procession. They made their way through the quiet streets, only having to step into the shadows a few times as a car drove by or a late night stroller came their way. It was probably at least eleven by the time they reached the wire door of an old apartment building.
Fiona pushed a button, and the intercom crackled.
“Please state your name and room number.”
“Fiona Rothchild. Room 43.”
There was a click, and Emma pulled the door open, letting the others through. The lobby they stepped into was tiny, with only a reception desk, a few chairs, a table, and a stack of magazines. Nico stepped under a flickering light swinging from the ceiling, making a metallic clicking sound.
He tried not to show how nervous he was as they made their way silently past the desk where a lady sat eyeing them. He was glad when they stepped into the elevator and closed the doors. A short ride and a walk down the hall later, Fiona unlocked one of the doors, then ushered them in.
As she flipped on the light, Nico took in the room in one glace. It wasn’t that hard. Before them, a small kitchenette stood against a wall, a grimy window looking out over a concrete court. There was a two person table, a couch against the far wall, a small rug, and a coffee table. A door was set into the far wall, probably leading to the bedroom.
“I’m sorry it’s not much, but it is safe.”
“Safe from who?” Nico asked, and Emma and Fiona shared a look. Neither of them answered.
“Anyone want some water?” Fiona asked instead, walking over to a cupboard, which, despite it leaning to one side, looked surprisingly clean. She took out four glasses, then took a pitcher from the counter and poured them each a glass. Then, she walked over the couch, and plopped herself down.
Nico had been expecting her to at least ask them why they had been at the cafe. Maybe she already knew. It seemed like he was the only one who didn’t know what was going on. Taking his own glass, he went to sit down behind the coffee table. “So… am I the only one who’s wondering how we’re going to get back to the academy?” he asked, trying to get the conversation going.
Three tired faces turned to him.
“No. You’re not,” Emma snapped. “And if you don’t have any ideas to share, why don’t you keep your mouth shut!”
Nico felt like he had been punched in the gut.
“Lucy!” Fiona chided.
Emma spun to face her, wide eyed.
“What? They already know we’re sisters.”
“You can’t just do that!” Emma snarled, then she spun on her heels and ran through the lone door, slamming it behind her.
Lucy? It didn’t make sense. He tried to wrap his mind around the fact that the fiery tenacious girl’s real name was Lucy.
Fiona sighed. “She’s right. I shouldn’t have said that. I—”
“You can’t beat yourself up about something that you know was right, just because someone doesn’t like it,” Niko cut in. It sounded like the right thing to say.
She sighed. “But it’s not that simple. I just—I’ve wanted to tell someone for so long, and… I don’t know. I felt like I could trust you. Emma doesn’t want to trust again, and I don’t blame her, either.” She stared down for a long time, and Nico had to bite his tongue to stop from saying something he would regret.
“So…” Thomas began from behind Nico. “Witness protection or some other agency?”
Fiona recoiled like he had just punched her. “Look, I really shouldn’t say any more. Emma’s going to kill me, if they don’t first. I’d better go check on her.”
They who? Nico shifted in the uncomfortable silence as she got up and disappeared through the door Emma had gone into. A clock he hadn’t seen before ticked as he stared at the wall. Finally, he couldn’t take it anymore. He turned to Thomas. “So, how did you know all that?”
“Know what?”
“About the witness thing, and Fiona being her sister, and the White Falcon. How did you know all that?”
He shrugged, though a smirk played on his lips. “I’m psychic.”
Nico turned away. Of course the guy couldn’t give him a simple answer. “Any idea on how to get back to the academy. You seem to know just about everything.”
“True,” Thomas admitted. “I was thinking maybe we could borrow a few kayaks. I’ve seen plenty along the shore.”
Nico frowned. That wasn’t actually a bad idea. “You know, you still didn’t answer my first question,” he pressed, hoping to get something out of him.
“And I’m not going to.” Thomas folded his arms, turning to stare at the wall.
That guy was going to drive him insane soon. After he had lost count of the ticks the clock made as it slowly reached 11:30, Emma emerged from the room, her eyes red.
“So, now you know my secret,” she said in a soft voice, uncharacteristic of her. “Now what do we do?”
“Thomas has an idea of how to get back…” Nico offered, slightly off guard.
“I don’t mean that. That’s easy. I meant what do we do now? Why do you both come out here every week? You know that I meet with my sister.”
Nico shifted. “I come here to help my family, to feed them, give them clothes.” He shrugged, suddenly feeling uncomfortable. He realized that he had only shared it once before, but somehow this was different. It was out in the open now. He didn’t have to hide it. It felt like a weight he didn’t know he was carrying had suddenly been taken off of him, or at least lessened.
Thomas had a distant look in his eyes. Finally, he turned to them. “I already told you. I don’t know…” he trailed off, biting his lip. “It’s complicated. I… just want to go into the darkness and spread hope and love wherever it’s needed. I want to be like the Children of Light.”
“The who?”
“It’s complicated.”
Emma slowly nodded. “So… team?”
The word hung in the air. Emma had lied about her very name. How could he trust her now? She had been the closest thing he had to a family, and yet he didn’t even know her.
“I get it if you don’t trust me,” she said, not meeting his eyes. “I’m tired of the lies too.”
Nico looked up to see tears falling down her cheeks again. He knew she was taking a big leap trusting them. She might have lied to him about everything, but now he could see the honesty in her eyes. Her guard was down.
He took a deep breath. “I’m for it if you are.”
Thomas looked up, meeting their eyes with a fire Nico hadn’t seen before. The fire he had felt the first time he had gone out to help the homeless. Thomas had found his spark.
“Team.”
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