The Reader Read online

  Susie’s façade cracked a little. She blinked a few times and said, “That sounds wonderful. I’d love to come on some excursions with you. It’s quite exciting to have a new person join us.”

  “That’d be great.” Devon set his tray down on the table and sat across from me. “Would you like to join us for dinner, Susie?”

  “No!”

  All four pairs of eyes turned to me. I froze, and my heart might have stopped. “I said that out loud, didn’t I?”

  Lucy stifled a giggle, and her eyes crinkled in merriment. Devon and Archer had matching blank expressions. And Susie, well, her smile was like one of those cats who’d just slurped down a big bowl of milk.

  “What I meant to say is, no, I won’t be staying for dinner. I’ve lost my appetite and plan to go back to my room. But I hope all of you enjoy your meal.” I got up from the table. Why hadn’t they given me a map of Samara? That would have been smart. No matter, I’d walk the halls for hours to get away from Susie.

  “I’ll go with you.” Devon rose from his seat, ignoring his food.

  “No, I’ll go.” Archer got up.

  This wasn’t good. I put my hand up. “Really, I can go by myself. It’s time I learned how to get around without help.”

  “You two, sit back down.” Lucy took hold of my arm. “I’ll be her escort. I already grabbed a bite earlier. You can finish your dinner and check on her later.” She shoved her plate of French fries toward Devon.

  The two looked each other over. Devon was the first to crack with a raised shoulder. Archer nodded, and they both sat.

  As soon as we were safely down the hall, Lucy broke down in a fit of giggles. “Oh my gosh. Did that just happen?” She bent over, holding her sides, laughter taking over.

  “What’s so funny? That was a disaster.”

  Her giggles turned to snorts and were contagious. “I’ve waited for years—and I’m talking hundreds of years—for this to happen.” She clamped her mouth shut.

  “Not you, too. Now you have to tell me.” I placed my hands on my hips. That didn’t get her talking, so I raised an eyebrow.

  “Okay, Okay.” Her eyes darted up and down the corridor. “Let’s go to your room, where no one will hear us. I’ll give you a little background. You’re going to find out anyway.”

  Finally.

  I grabbed her arm and started down the corridor. “Don’t tell me the turns. I want to see if I can do this on my own.” I started and stopped a few times. “I think it would be easier if these hallways didn’t all look the same. It’s so bland with the walls painted beige and no pictures or anything.”

  “It’s constructed this way on purpose. If we ever had an invasion, the builders hoped these twisty halls without markers would slow the Jacks down.” Lucy smiled, and her eyes darted to the turn on my right.

  “Thanks for the hint. Are you expecting an invasion?”

  “If the Jacks ever found out where we live, then yes. They wouldn’t hesitate. They have drones everywhere, but we’ve remained undetected. I don’t think they really know what to look for anyway. They aren’t very bright.” She winked and smiled, obviously trying to reassure me. It wasn’t working.

  I fidgeted with my necklace, imagining the halls full of Jacks. Would they be the opposite of The Readers? Ugly monsters with fangs? I shivered.

  “We have drills every month and an escape plan in place. They’d likely be roaming around Samara for days before even noticing we were gone.”

  “What do they look like?” I bit my lip and waited.

  She shrugged. “Normal, just like us.”

  That was somewhat comforting.

  “We’re here. Good job.” She gave me a little pat on my back.

  Hmm. A door without a handle. “Thanks. Now I just have to figure out how to get into my room.”

  “It’s easy. See this panel here? You just put your hand on it, and it’ll open right up.”

  I placed my hand on the square wall panel, and, sure enough, the door popped open. “How many people have access to my room?”

  “Well, there’s me, of course. Archer, Devon, Doc, and the Elders.”

  Mystery solved. That’s how Devon and Archer got into my room this morning. “That’s a lot of people. Why so many?”

  “It’s protocol for all new arrivals. Especially for you, since you’ve been injured.”

  “That lasts for how long?”

  “Oh, probably not much longer. You’re doing so well.”

  We walked into the room, and the same sense of peace from yesterday settled in again. Odd, it felt like months.

  Lucy flounced down on the sofa and patted a spot next to her. With her bright face and squirming body, I knew whatever secrets she planned to spill were good. “Where to start. Where to start.” Her index finger tapped against her lips.

  “Anywhere! Just get going before I burst.” I nudged her and she laughed.

  “All right. To make sense of Susie we have to start with the Seers.”

  “So, you’re going way back.”

  “You okay with that?”

  “Yeah.”

  She nodded.

  “I wasn’t able to grasp it at first. You know, it’s a little—out there?”

  “A little?” she laughed. “You know, Ann. You’re doing a great job adjusting. It’s a lot to take in.”

  “I’ll be fine. Now, on with your story.” I rubbed my hands together.

  “I’ll start with the Seers. Before the Jacks wiped them out, they had predicted a great war.” She took in a large breath and let it out. “The Seers knew they would die; they saw it.”

  I shuddered. “That would be horrible.”

  “It was. They also foretold a great battle between the Jacks and Readers. But they were unable to see who won, because there was an element that would decide the future of either group.” She got up from the couch and asked, “Do you want some tea?”

  “Now? Just when it’s getting good?”

  “I can make tea and talk at the same time.” She opened an overhead cabinet. “Okay . . . where was I?” She poured the hot water into two mugs and grabbed a couple tea bags.

  “You said an unknown element would decide when the war begins and how it ends.” I sat on the stool in front of the kitchen bar.

  “Yes. I should have said person. A person would be the deciding factor.” After the tea bags were dunked a few times, she slid the mug across the counter.

  “Who?” I took a small sip.

  “The Seers called the person the Lost One. Whoever it was, male or female, had been whisked off thousands of years ago. The Seers could only envision a person who would save either group, but they don’t know how they’d help specifically, only that whichever group had the Lost One would survive. So, you can imagine . . . we’ve been searching.”

  “I would think that person is quite valuable. Is it possible they’re dead?”

  “There’s no way to know. I think a lot of people have given up—especially Archer and Devon.” She pushed a bowl toward me. “Cream or sugar?”

  “No, thanks. Why those two?”

  “Well, the Seers said the four of us—me, Devon, Archer, and Markus—oh, you haven’t met Markus yet. Anyway, the Lost One is the Soul Mate to one of us.” She sighed. “It’s so romantic.”

  “Wait. What do you mean, Soul Mate?”

  “Destiny. Love. Forever. You know.” She smiled and let out a sigh.

  “Is that why Susie said Devon and Archer were like royalty?”

  “Probably. It’s put a bit of pressure on all of us. People sometimes treat us like we’re different. Not in a bad way, but the expectations are high.”

  “How will you find the Lost One? I assume you don’t know what they look like.” I’d think, even if they were alive, they’d be impossible to identify and locate.

  “Yes, they were vague on that. They said they’d find each other through touch. So, every time we find a new Reader, we fall all over ourselves to touch them.” She shook h
er head and laughed. “It can be a little disconcerting to a new Reader. I’m sure they man-handled you when they first found you.” She lifted an eyebrow.

  “Not really. Um, what happens with the touch thing anyway?” I rubbed the back of my neck.

  “We’ve had a few false alarms. For some reason, Devon and Markus seem to set off sparks with some of the new Readers. But it has to be reciprocal.”

  Thank God. So my reaction to Devon was somewhat normal.

  “How does Susie fit in with all this?” I asked.

  “She’s the one who’s been telling everyone to give up—that we would have found this person by now. She’s pretty much convinced everyone except for a few who still hold out hope.” She picked up her cup of tea. “Come on, let’s go back to the couch for the next part.”

  I followed her and burrowed into the corner, placing pillows on each side.

  “All four of us haven’t gotten serious with anyone because of the vision. We’re waiting.” She sighed. “But Susie has led an all-out campaign to win over either Devon or Archer. She thinks, because they flirt with her, she’s making progress. But, to be honest, I think it’s more of a game to them.”

  “Do they know that she’s awful?” I slapped my hand over my mouth. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me lately. I seem to have lost my filter.”

  “Men. They’re clueless. They think she’s sweet.” She stuck her tongue out and pretended to gag.

  “So, let’s recap. Before the Jacks killed the Seers, they predicted their demise and a big battle between the Readers and Jacks. The Lost One would be the deciding factor on which side would win.”

  She nodded.

  “And there is a lost Reader who everyone is looking for.”

  “Well, that’s not quite right. The Lost One is a mix of all three races. Whoever it turns out to be, they’ll be able to read minds, implant their thoughts into others, and see the future.”

  “Really? Well, that makes things interesting. So, that’s why the war could go either way. Is that right?” I asked.

  “Exactly.” She nodded. “It’s hard to imagine one person having all that power. We could lose everything . . . including our lives.”

  “Would it be better if they were never found?”

  “No.” She let out a deep breath. “That would mean the Jacks would be able to keep up their campaign against humanity.”

  “What are they doing?”

  “Well, they—” She slapped her hand over her mouth. “Oops. I’ve already said too much.”

  “I’ve been here a week; I think I can handle it.” Doc finished my exam. I sat on the table with my legs swinging below. “That was tricky of you to delay the installation of the mirror after you found out, but I think it’s time. I’m tired of looking at my reflection in the water and every glass door I see.” I smiled to let him know I wasn’t really angry. But this taking-it-slow idea was driving me nuts.

  “Your arm looks great. It’s almost healed. You’ve got the go-ahead for light physical activity.” He gave my hand a gentle squeeze.

  “Oh no, you don’t. I know an avoidance technique when I hear one.”

  “It might be best to wait another week.”

  I shook my head.

  “How stubborn are you going to be about this?”

  “Very. I’ll resort to any means possible.” I pressed my lips together, but a small smile slipped past.

  “You sure? You haven’t regained any of your memory yet, so this could be a huge shock.”

  “Don’t tell anyone, but I shined my stainless steel appliances to get a peek.”

  He threw his hands up. “I give up. Let me go find one.” He went in the adjoining office.

  Now that I’d talked him into it, hesitation took hold. It couldn’t be that bad, right? Or maybe it could. Spending the last week with the best-looking people on the planet made me wonder how I’d measure up. Was I a troll in comparison? Could that be why they resisted letting me see myself?

  Doc came back into the room with a plastic case clutched to his side. “If you’re ready.”

  “I am.”

  He handed me the mirror. The overhead lights reflected off its surface. I slowly brought it up and took a peek.

  An unfamiliar face stared back at me. I put the mirror down. Okay. I could handle this.

  I started to bring it back up when Doc grabbed my arm. “You don’t have to do this now.”

  “No, I’m okay.” With my heart pounding, I lifted it up again and really looked. The breath I’d been holding came out in a big rush. “Thank God! I’m normal. I look like a normal girl.”

  Doc cocked an eyebrow. “You think you’re normal looking?”

  “Yes!” I giggled. “Wonderfully, ordinary. Brown hair, freckles, and all.”

  “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, I guess.” He smiled and added, “Most would call you extraordinary. But I won’t argue with you if you’re happy about it.”

  “So happy. The suspense has been killing me. Now I don’t have to worry about it anymore.” Relief swept through me. My shoulders relaxed, and I unclenched my hands. I hadn’t realized I’d been so anxious about it.

  I jumped off the table and grabbed my sweater. “Can we lift the information ban now? How about classes? Can I start those?”

  “Whoa. Hold up for a minute. Just because you passed the mirror hurdle, doesn’t mean I want to bombard you with everything else. Remember, slow but sure is our motto.”

  My shoulders slumped. “Maybe just a class or two? The history one sounds interesting.”

  “You want more information about the Jacks.”

  “Sure do.”

  “Okay.”

  “Okay? That’s it? No arm wrestling or anything?” I put on my sweater and pulled my hair free. “I could probably beat you, you fixed me up well.” I flexed my arm to prove my point.

  He laughed. “Not necessary. I’ll let Lucy know you have clearance.” He paused. “Lucy told me, or rather confessed, that she let you know a little of our history.”

  I nodded. “Yes, it’s all very interesting.”

  “We haven’t ruled you out yet.”

  “You mean as the Lost One? That’s ridiculous. We’d know by now, right?”

  “Not really. We don’t know how far this touch thing goes, if you know what I mean.” He fixed his collar on his shirt and shifted a little.

  Oh, Doc was cute when nervous. “What do you mean exactly?”

  “Archer and Devon have already touched you to see if anything happened. You know, like angels singing or something like that.” He chuckled. “Archer said if he were able to kiss you he was sure the angels would sing. But he also acknowledged it was too soon for you.”

  “It is too soon. What about Devon?”

  “Devon? He’s a hard nut to crack. He tells me he has no interest, but his eyes say otherwise.”

  No interest. Figures. Jerk.

  “The true test will come next month. You’ll meet Markus. He’s coming back from his stint in India.” He put his stethoscope away. “He’s our last hope.”

  “For me? Why all this interest in me?”

  “We scrutinize everyone we find. There’s always a buzz of excitement in the compound when we discover a new Reader. But after we rule them out, it can be a little disheartening. Lucy probably told you we’ve been searching for a millennia. Now, we’re dealing with three possibilities—one, the Lost One died during the war and subsequent wipe-out of the Seers, or even some time after. Two, the Jacks already have him or her.” His face paled. “Three, we haven’t found him or her yet. After thousands of years, we’ve almost given up.” He stared at his desk. “I’d hoped it was you.”

  “I’m so sorry, Doc. I wish I could help.” Thank God it wasn’t me. That was a lot of responsibility for one soul to carry.

  You haven’t met Markus yet.

  Slow and sure were two words I could live without. It had been over a month since my arrival, yet the information still trickl
ed in. Once in a while, a small detail would slip past someone who forgot I was still on a “need to know” basis—like, where the bathrooms were. Grrr. The biggest leak, thanks to Lucy’s lapse, was when she referred to another compound in Colorado.

  “Well?” I said, but she flushed pink and shook her head. Too late, though, I had already obtained some new information.

  The few history classes I attended were interesting, but they hadn’t given me much on the Jacks. The teacher, Ms. Hubbard, watered down most of the details. How to get more answers from her?

  “Did the Jacks have anything to do with Hitler?” I asked. A hush went around the room. Ms. Hubbard’s shoulders straightened and her lips pressed together.

  Lucy nudged me and whispered, “You know she won’t tell you.”

  “Sshh. You never know when the dam will break.”

  Lucy was right, of course. Tight-lipped Ms. Hubbard gave a shake of her gray head. One of the Elders wouldn’t make a mistake. I should have known.

  “Maybe, one day, Betty will tell all.” I giggled.

  “Give it up, that woman is like Fort Knox.” She put her books into a bag.

  “What’s Fort Knox?” I asked.

  “I keep forgetting you don’t know some of the most basic info.” She grasped my hand and said, “That sounded bad. I didn’t mean to imply . . .”

  “I know.” Lucy didn’t have a mean bone in her body. She remained polite and kind to everyone, helped out when needed, and always remained upbeat. A real sweetheart. “It’s okay. I know enough to get by.”

  “You’ll learn a lot in your next class on self-defense. Doc’s cleared you for the Kubotan instruction. Devon will be your teacher; he’s the master.” She eyed me, but I gave no reaction.

  “Do I get to hit him in this class? Because that would be fun.” I laughed.

  “Yes! You can take out all your frustration on him.” She giggled and added in a low voice, “I love having you here. I was about to die of boredom with the same people day after day. You, though, I’ll never get tired of you.”

  “Aw. Really?”