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  Sydona scoffed. “Because I was clearly upset, Silas…”

  “Clearly.”

  Her lips and fists tightened. “Hey, I am still trying to get used to the fact that I am around other people twenty-four seven and never have a minute to myself anymore. Do you have any idea what that’s like?”

  “I do! Believe it or not. I’m usually the person around you twenty-four seven. But it’s becoming pretty clear to me that you’d be better off without me.” He straightened back up and started heading back inside.

  “No, stop! I’m not done talking to you.” Sydona grabbed his arm. He grudgingly turned back around.

  “I--” She cleared her throat, trying to sort out the words in her head. “I am sorry about the way I’ve been acting. I just, I’ve had a lot on my mind. And I’m sorry that you get the brunt of so much of it.” Her emotions felt like they were breaching a dam and about to burst open. “Ever since Eagle Lake, and the death of my mother and my father not being around anymore, I just… I joined the Sparrows to take my mind off all the bad shit that’s been going on, to focus my attention on something other than the nightmares of my mother dying in my arms. Picturing the light leaving her eyes over and over again in my head... “

  The dam broke. She wasn’t sure when it happened, but she sat on Silas’s lap sobbing. But she wasn’t done, not yet. She took a deep breath to ready her lips for more confessions.

  “I found Theodore… I found my best friend from Chicago and had to witness him shooting himself in the head.” She let out ear piercing cries, well aware of what she sounded and looked like, but there was no closing the dam until she got every last drop out.

  “And you… You’ve been there for me, for everything. I’m so incredibly grateful, and I’m sorry if I don’t show it. But Silas, I need you to know, I really like you.”

  All she could see was blurriness from the tears, but she felt the stroke of his fingers brushing her hair back behind her ear. She spent the next several moments slowing down her breath and composing herself.

  “About time you tell me what’s going on in that head of yours…” he whispered.

  She let out a laugh.

  “I’m sorry about your friend.”

  “Yeah, me too...” she wiped her nose.

  “Probably not the best time to ask how the mission went then, huh?” he asked as she sat up and straightened her clothes out.

  “I think it goes without saying that it didn’t go well.” She chuckled, trying to bring her spirits back up.

  “Let’s get some food, yeah?” Silas suggested as they stood up to go back inside. “Oh, actually. Before I forget, you got a letter from your pops.” He pulled out an envelope from his back pocket.

  She gasped and could feel her face warming up. As she read the letter, she hung onto every word her father carefully wrote.

  Dearest Sydona,

  How are you, my daughter? I hope you’re well and helping others like you wanted. I hear you were joining the Sparrows. I’m so very proud of you for doing something bigger than yourself. You have to let me know how your first mission goes. The island is beautiful. More coconuts and pineapples than I could ever dream of. Raoul would love it here! I’ve met a lot of interesting people, many of them my age. Sometimes I feel like a kid again, connecting with others who were also at the camp. Knowing I won’t ever have to go back keeps my heart at bay. I only wish your mother could see me now. See this place. Oh, how I miss her and you. I do hope you’ll come visit me soon. Show you the tan I’ve been working on.

  Well, I’m sure you’re busy training and saving the world. I won’t bore you with my little things. I love you, baby girl. Tell everyone I said hello.

  All my love, Dad

  xoxo

  Chapter Nine

  The house felt warmer. It wasn’t because Giovonna pulled back the curtains to let the sun in but because it was a full house. Lacey and Willow were in the kitchen cooking up something that smelled like garlic, rosemary and lemons. A sniff of meat snuck in, but it was still intoxicating. She presumed it was chicken. Giovonna and Devon were in her bedroom, and she was showing him all her robotics and gadgets. Sydona swore she even heard some laughing. Devon seemed to be opening up a little more, and she liked that. Jet planted himself on the couch with one leg stretched over the rest as he watched television. Silas must have finally gotten the antenna to work. The channels weren’t crystal clear, but it was color and the sound wasn’t bad. Jet probably flipped through every channel four times as there were only five to begin with.

  Sydona saw a lot of herself in Jet. A loner. He spread himself out so no one would be tempted to sit by him. She wondered how he and Lacey worked out with how cold he had been lately. [SD175]Silas sat down at the kitchen table with Raoul who was hard at work trying to peel an orange by himself.

  “Why don’t you just ask for help, man?” Silas asked with a smirk.

  “I--don’t need--help. I’m--just--fine,” Raoul heaved. He had the orange wedged between the wooden [SD176]wall and a heavy frying pan, and he used both hands to peel off a strip.

  “This is embarrassing for you.”

  “Just let him be. He’ll bite if you help. Trust me,” Sydona said with raised eyebrows.

  Lacey and Willow joined in making fun of Raoul. His face glowed red with embarrassment and pure pain from the simple task.

  “Hey, you guys got a radio? I’m in the mood to dance,” Lacey said while shaking her hips.

  Everyone looked to Silas. “No, actually. But I can make some music up!” He tapped on the wooden table, making a mild tempered beat. Then, he threw in some sounds with his mouth.

  “I want real music, Silas,” she teased.

  He stopped tapping. “Sorry. Didn’t find any today.”

  “Oh no. You guys don’t know Lacey,” Jet said, entering the kitchen and opening every cabinet door. “She will dance with or without music. There’s no stopping her.”

  “Whatcha lookin’ for, baby doll?” Lacey asked. She danced on him as he searched for something.

  “Cups and ice, suga’ momma.” He grinned.

  “What is happenin’ right now, y’all?” Willow stopped her cooking to be a witness to the heated footwork going on next to her.

  “Come on, Willow. You wanna dance?” Lacey shifted her attention to Willow. She turned her back against her and grinded.

  Willow just laughed and walked away to let Lacey and Jet have their fun in the kitchen. Sydona had no doubt in her mind they had been drinking. With such an emotional day, she couldn’t blame them for wanting to let loose a little.

  The thought crossed her mind a few times.

  Alcohol had a place in her life once upon a time. She gave it up once she found a steady place to sleep every night. She would be the first to admit that when she was homeless for several years, she had a problem with it. No parents, no home, nothing to lose. She often took bottles from stores and passed out. They tasted good and made her forget her problems. It was hard to resist. Her poison of choice was whiskey. At first it burned, but after the first dozen gulps, it got smoother and worked quickly.

  It had been a long time since she thought back to those days. Even Raoul drank with her. Of course, at his size, it took only a sip of her drink, and he was flying high. She remembered once, when she accidentally grabbed rum instead of whiskey, they pretended to be pirates. Raoul acted like a parrot on her shoulder. She laughed at the memory.

  “What’s so funny?” Silas asked with a concerned look.

  She blushed for a second, then took a leap. “You didn’t happen to find any liquor or beer out there, did you?”

  His lips instantly grew to a wide smile. “Be right back.” He scooted his chair out and swiped his hand across her back as he went to their bedroom.

  Jet and Lacey’s dancing became even more intricate. Lacey started singing a song Sydona had never heard of. Giovonna heard and joined them with Devon by her side.

  “Is this what adults do when they tell kids
to go play?” she asked with a giggle.

  Lacey refocused her drunken attention to Giovonna and sang louder. Giovonna couldn’t help but to sing along with her. The lyrics spoke to Sydona. They started over in unison, singing a song that seemed to change tempo with every few verses[SD177][LM178][SD179][LM180]. Silas mentioned said it was called ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’. The name was as unique as the song itself.[SD181]

  Sydona took a seat and listened to the words falling from their lips as if they memorized it long ago. Jet wasn’t singing, but he was making the beat with his mouth, helping Sydona piece together the whole thing.

  Silas soon joined her with two bottles of wine and glasses he pulled from the cabinets.

  “Is this kind okay?” he asked sweetly. Sydona didn’t care what kind.

  “This is perfect.” She grinned.

  He poured her an entire cupful, and she took the first sip of the fermented grape concoction. She could feel her face scrunch up from the bitter taste, and she coughed.

  “Is it good?” Raoul asked as he finished eating his orange.

  Sydona laughed. The taste was much different than she expected. She wasn’t an expert on wine, but she assumed since fruit was in it, it would be a little sweeter. Willow entered the kitchen again and finished cooking dinner. She was by herself now but didn’t seem to mind. Everyone else migrated to the living. After finishing her cup of wine, Sydona joined the dancers in the living room. She narrowed in on Devon who sat on the couch, watching the adults drunkenly dance around him. Her hand outstretched toward him as her hips swayed in place. He grinned a smile with a missing tooth and jumped on the couch. She took both his hands and moved her feet in front of the couch while Devon jump-danced on the cushions. Sydona spun him around, and he let out a loud laugh.

  The simple sound of a troubled child’s laughter sent goosebumps all over her skin. The rest of the group turned their attention to Devon too, and soon he took turns dancing with everyone a little bit. Raoul flew around the group, sprinkling his dust over everyone and making them feel light as air. He then gave a little more to Devon, allowing his toes to actually leave the couch. He squealed with joy as he floated in the air in the middle of everyone. His hands were never let go of, otherwise he would have floated to the ceiling.

  Lacey and Giovonna started singing something a bit faster and upbeat. Devon’s giggles echoed through the house, each time getting a bit higher pitched. It was infectious. His happiness rubbed off on everyone.

  She stood back to let everyone else have a turn with him and took a break. Her breaths were quick and heavy, but the wine had taken the edge off. A laugh from Silas caught her ear, and she whipped her head to him. She bit her lip, seeing him play with Devon. He never looked sexier to her. Once Devon switched partners, Sydona slyly grabbed Silas’s arm and led him back to the hallway of the small house. He went without protest.

  She couldn’t stop smiling. Her warmed hands wrapped around both of his biceps as she stared longingly into his eyes. Without any control over her actions, she kissed him with so much passion it surprised even her. Silas only took seconds to understand what was happening, but when he did, his fingers quickly wove into her blonde hair, and he pressed her in closer. Her heart fluttered. She felt her hands shake and perspire. His hands touched her lower back, and he tugged her even closer. Everything happened so hastily, so she slowed down to remember the moment.

  The first time she kissed Silas.

  She had no idea how long she had been waiting to do it. It felt right. His lips on hers. His hands exploring her curves. His lips were so sultry, she couldn’t stop touching them. Only her own lips could appreciate such a feeling. And at the same time, the kiss was forceful. They knew what to do, how to move perfectly. She held a feeling of pure vulnerability with Silas, yet he matched her raw, powerful passion. Her entire body curled with goosebumps.

  Then, to her disappointment, cackles and whistling flooded her ears. For a moment, she had forgotten where she was. Their kiss was cut short, and their hands returned to their pockets. Willow stood at the front of the bunch, laughed the loudest and walked over to them.

  “I wondered when this would happen…” She sucked them into a weird three-way hug.

  Sydona couldn’t help but let out a chuckle. Willow let go, headed back to the kitchen and yelled out that dinner was ready. The yelling seemed unnecessary since the entire house was only eight-hundred square feet. Everyone gathered around to eat dinner, but only four people could fit at the table. Jet, Lacey and Devon ate their food in the living room and turned on the television.

  “‘Bout time you guys made out,” Giovonna said after taking a bite of carrots and potatoes.

  Sydona couldn’t respond. With a combination of wine and pure affection for the man sitting next to her, she had nothing to say. Her mind and body felt full of bliss.

  “What’d your dad have to say?” Silas asked with a smile he was unable to shake.

  “Oh, you know...” Sydona swallowed. “Everything’s good. He’s proud I joined the Sparrows, things like that. Oh, and that he’s also getting a pretty good tan.”

  “Ian with a tan? No… I can’t picture it!” Raoul said.

  “Yeah, I guess he’s really enjoying it. I’m just glad he’s happy there. He made a good choice. Just hope someday I can go visit him.”

  The table mutually nodded and didn’t respond. Sydona felt bad for bringing up the constant reminder of her handicap.[LM182][SD183]

  “This wine is really great, by the way. We need to get more,” she said, breaking the tension and holding up her glass to toast with.

  “What are we cheers-in’ for?” Willow asked with a full mouth and held up her cup to clink.

  Sydona took a deep breath, remembering all the good that had happened in her life. Too many traumatic things had been happening, and it was hard to focus on the good.

  “To… a completed mission… amazing friends… new friends…” she turned to look at Lacey, Jet and Devon. “And people who can really surprise you. In a good way.” She then turned to Silas and grinned. He took her position as an invitation and kissed her again.

  Everyone then clicked their glasses together in laughter. As the group quieted down and ate silently, the television did something very bizarre.

  The football game changed over to a podium with an American flag hanging proudly behind it. A line of words scrolled along the bottom, saying something about the National Fliers Association. Then, a man walked up to the podium. Sydona dropped her wine glass and heard it shatter on the ground.

  “Hello. My name is Dr. John Malik. For those of you who don’t know me, I am the lead scientist of the National Fliers Association. You may be aware of some of the projects we are doing around the country and perhaps of a recently disassembled facility in Oregon. The horrific tragedy we suffered because of the resistance group who call themselves the ‘Sparrows’ has hindered our studies greatly. This is a dangerous group; please inform yourselves of their doings. A symbol they like to use is this wing with a circle. If you see this anywhere in your area or see anyone wearing it, please call the authorities. They are very desperate to stop what we are doing. But more importantly, I urge you to memorize the name and face of the person I am about to show you…”

  He held up a picture of Sydona’s face, and her heart sank into her stomach.

  “...This is Sydona Wilder. She is the leader of the Sparrows. She was the one who infiltrated our organization and killed several people. She and her group are terrorists and must be stopped immediately. There’s no telling how far they will go and how many will have to die by their greedy hands.[LM184]

  “The NFA--no. I will offer a three-million-dollar reward to anyone who turns her into me. Keep in mind, she needs to be alive and well. If you find her, contact the authorities immediately, and you will be compensated for your loyal efforts. Thank you and God Bless America.”[SD185][LM186]

  He stepped off the screen, it turned black and then went back to the footbal
l game.

  Malik was alive.

  Every single person in the house turned their heads toward her with the most gut-wrenching faces. The heart in her chest beat so hard she swore she would have a heart attack at any second. She tried to mentally prepare herself for the yelling, the backlash, the violence that was about to occur. But the silence pierced her harder than yelling. She wanted to run and hide so badly. Her entire body shook with intense emotions, and she couldn’t figure out which one she should act on. Every pair of eyes felt as if they were burning her, and she couldn’t look at any of them. The alcohol went straight to her head and mixed with the news. She couldn’t help it. Vomit made its way through her esophagus and onto the kitchen floor.

  Their silence felt deafening. Silas grabbed a towel and a glass of water for her. It was strangely calm, and she glanced around the room, noticing all the different expressions. Disappointment was the overall theme. Sydona almost wanted someone to yell because she deserved it.

  Jet whipped the front door open but not before he glared at Sydona so hard she felt it across the room. Lacey followed behind him, shaking her head. Sydona flopped down on the hard kitchen chair and held her head as it started to pound. She covered the vomit with the towel and continued to stare at the ground, purposely avoiding eye contact.

  The first person to speak was Giovonna, leaning against a wall on the other side of the kitchen.

  “Why didn’t you just tell us, Syd?”

  Sydona shook her head. “I don’t know. I didn’t want to upset anyone. Make anyone worry.” Her eyes drifted around the room as she searched for Raoul.

  “Where did Raoul go?”

  Silas helped look too. “I think he flew off. I saw his face. He looked like a ghost.”

  “I need to find him,” she said as she took a step toward the door, but Silas put his arm out to stop her.

  “Just let him be.”

  Sydona took a deep breath, still processing the news. Devon joined Jet and Lacey outside, while Willow turned the television off in case he made another announcement. Giovonna and Silas sat with her in the kitchen in silence. The quiet was killing her, but just having them nearby was comforting. She only wished Raoul was still there. Where would he have gone?