Fusion (25 page)

“I’ve already discussed this with Maria. She supports me a hundred percent.”

“Maria? She is the
one
?”

“Yes, and I’d like her to join us here. If something is going down in the other dimension, I need her here with me.”

“We can’t just bring her over, not without her parents’ permission. And how do we do that without telling them what’s going on? Especially when I don’t even know what exactly that is.”

“Have Arizona invite her. They were okay with her coming with us to New York.”

“That was for a couple of days. We have no idea how long we’re going to be stuck here.”

“Mom, did Dad say anything else about what’s going on?”

“No, I’ve told you all I know. We should hush about this now. The Moreaus are awake.”

“Gosh, I am bushed, but it was fun. Thank you for taking us, Olivia. We needed that,” Glenda said, tapping Olivia’s shoulder.

“Glad you came.” Olivia turned around. “We’ll be back at Celia’s shortly.”

“Really? I must have napped for quite a while. I see that Ella’s wiped out.”

Olivia smiled and stroked Ella’s hair.

“Can we talk about what we’re going to do next? I’ll understand if you’re too tired,” Glenda continued. “I just don’t feel as though I get what happened here—in this dimension—when we left. So, I’m really torn about what we need to do to move on. I’d really appreciate it if you could share something—anything—that might help.”

“I don’t really know much at all. I did talk to Celia last night, and she told me that the fuss about your disappearance started a couple of weeks after we transported you. She thinks one of your relatives reported you missing, and that’s when the investigation began. The press reported that a friend of Ariele’s told them that you got on a flight to San Francisco, but they were never able to determine which flight, which is not surprising since we flew you down in a private plane. So, the police didn’t have much to go on, but they launched a coast-to-coast search for you. When the press got hold of it, it spawned all kinds of conspiracy theories, and the public was captivated by it until they moved on to another story. The problem is that Ariele’s picture was posted everywhere.”

Glenda nodded. “There were a couple of weeks between us disappearing and the report?”

“Yes, at least that’s what Celia says.”

“And this was connected to a plane going down? Actually, Olivia, could you explain that to me? Now that I have been through the Portal, I can’t imagine how you got a whole plane through there.”

“I didn’t. You were sedated on the plane with the same mixture you got before this Portal transit. It took effect as the flight came in to land at a private airstrip close to Ames. You were then taken to Ames and delivered through the Portal in the pods.”

“How did we end up at the hospital?”

“The three of you wouldn’t come out of the sedative sleep. We had to dose you with a higher concentrate because of the longer duration. And when Ariele’s pulse slowed to a critical level, we had you airlifted to the ER.”

Glenda shook her head. “All that trouble just to get me to Ames? I guess I can see that you needed me for the reactor, but still. Anyhow, my work there is now done. Your Portal should work just fine.”

“Glenda, again, I can’t express how sorry I am to have put you through all this. But I couldn’t have done the work without you.”

“The main thing is to figure out how to get us back to our lives, and it’s certainly not going to be as easy as I imagined. So, there is a two or so week lag where
something
happened that has to explain our complete disappearance for a year.”

“Too bad you can’t say that you were in witness protection or something,” Harry said.

“I think relatives of those people are at least told that they are in some kind of protection. Plus, the Feds would be all over that. It needs to be something simple but plausible.”

“A mental breakdown?” Pierre chimed in. “One that had us living away from society for a while, where we didn’t have access to computers or TV. It’s not like we can even claim we’ve been outside the States.”

“I don’t know, Pierre. A breakdown? Who had it? That could seriously impact our chances at getting jobs,” Glenda pointed out.

“Hey, just throwing it out there. I am open to anything, even going back to the other dimension. It wasn’t so bad,” Pierre replied.

“Oh, honey, that’s totally out of the question.”

Olivia nodded thoughtfully. “Glenda, a breakdown is not such a bad idea. Although you probably would have at least told your family in that case. You’ll have to explain away why you didn’t. Sleep on it.”

Glenda didn’t look too enthusiastic, but she nodded.

Olivia had mulled over several different scenarios in her mind—they had been involved in classified research, loss of memory,
etc. etc.
—but they wouldn’t stand up to even the simplest questioning.

“Here we are.” Larry pulled into Celia’s driveway. It was late, but several lights were still on in the house.

“I’ll carry her up.” Harry lifted Ella off Olivia’s leg.

“Thanks.”

Celia opened the front door to let them all in.

“You’re up late,” Olivia remarked.

“I need to talk to you,” Celia said sharply.

“Sure. Something happen? You look worried.”

“The kids are missing.”

E
veryone should have a person. That girl or boy who is your constant, a vault that holds all your fears, dreams, secrets, and desires. David was my person.

Right now, my person had made me jump out of my skin, yelping with fear.

“Where did you come from?” I hadn’t even noticed anyone outside.

David pointed back to the house, and then peered into the car. “Kellan, Ariele?” He gasped. “What the hell? Stay here. Don’t move.” He picked up Gertrude and took her into the house.

“You could have warned me!” I glared at Kellan and Ariele.

“Didn’t see him!” Kellan said. “But now what?”

“I guess we wait,” Ariele said.

Minutes later, David opened the car door. “Scoot.” He gave the driver an address.

“Where are we going?” I asked.

“My place.”

His place was an apartment just minutes away. He ushered us inside and glared at us while we sat down on the couch. He threw his hand up in the air. “Kellan?”

“Arizona wanted to see her doppelganger, so—”

“So you jump up and help her with whatever mad scheme she comes up with?” he snapped.

Kellan’s face reddened. He got up and took a step toward David.

Ariele and I threw each other a look as I wondered if I was going to have to break them up.

Kellan’s fists clenched at his sides. “Who the hell do you think you are, talking to me like that? Come on, girls, we’re leaving.”

I got up to follow him out, avoiding David’s eyes.

Just as Kellan’s fingers touched the doorknob, David voiced boomed, “No!” Followed by, “Please.”

Kellan hesitated as the
please
left David’s mouth and turned around. He was still boiling with fury.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to come off like that,” David said quietly. “Please stay.”

Kellan seemed unrelenting, so I gently pulled at his fingers and led him back to the couch, noticing that his eyes were fixed on David—boys! He sat down beside me, his every muscle tensed.

David walked over to the armchair opposite us and slumped down in it.

“Got any grub?” Ariele said, taking a shot at breaking the icy silence.

“Yeah, sure.” David looked relieved. “Follow me.”

“Do you guys want me to get you anything?” Ariele asked.

I looked at Kellan, but he remained stone-faced. “Just get us whatever you’re having.” Then I turned to Kell. “Hey. Say something.”

He looked down at me, into my eyes, and pulled my hair off my face, gently touching my cheek. “He’s not far off. You know I’d do most anything for you, but I don’t do it without thought. How dare he treat us like irresponsible teenagers? We—you—need answers, even if it doesn’t suit him.”

I nodded. I understood that David wanted to protect his girlfriend, and I really wasn’t there to mess it up for him. But my life had been messed up by her dog, so I deserved a few answers. And Ariele had her own battle to fight.

They walked back into the family room with a plate of sandwiches and some soda. David put the plate down on the coffee table, and said, “Help yourselves.”

Kellan stood his ground and didn’t budge, so I picked out a sandwich and handed it to him. I could feel his resistance as he forced himself to take it from me—probably only because I was the one giving it to him.

“It’s turkey and Swiss.” David looked at Kellan. “Sorry, that’s all I had in the fridge.”

Kellan nodded and took a bite. We were all starving, not having eaten anything since the flight.

“I guess your parents don’t know you’re here,” David said.

“That’s really none of your business,” Kellan grumped.

David shrugged. “I guess not. Anyway, you are here now, and you’re welcome to use my apartment.”

“No need,” Kellan said.

“Arizona, can I talk to you in private?” David said, raising his eyebrows at me.

“No,” Kellan replied for me. “We should go.”

“It’s okay, Kell,” I said. “I don’t mind.” I got up before he could protest and beckoned David to follow me.

“So?” I said once he’d closed the kitchen door behind him.

“Look, I realize I was out of line out there, but you are so in trouble. You know that, right?”

“I guess.” I shrugged. What’s the worst thing that could happen? Mom losing her temper with me? I had lots of experience with that—not an issue.

“You guess? Arizona, what’s gotten into you?”

I felt anger rise within me. I knew exactly how Kellan felt. “Gotten into me? What the heck has gotten into everyone else messing with
my
life?” I yelled.

Kellan and Ariele bounded into the room. As Kellan strode toward David, I stepped between them and held out my arms. “Stop!”

Ariele banged on the table with her fist. “Time out, everyone. This is ridiculous.” She turned to David. “We get it. You can’t see it from our side. Frankly, I don’t give a shit. We’re going to do what we came here for, so you can either help us or just STFU. Tell anyone, and I’ll mallet the hell out of you.” She pursed her lips and glared at him.

He returned her stare, but then his face suddenly softened, his lips turned upward… his mouth opened and he hollered with laughter.

The three of us looked at each other in disgust but then started to giggle, erupting into snorts with tears flowing down our cheeks.

“OMG!” Ariele said, once she found her breath again.

David sat on the kitchen bench, his head bent forward over his knees, still chortling.

Ariele patted his back.

I sat down with Kellan, who’d calmed down. “David, truce?”

David sat up, his face wet from the tears. “Yep. Truce.”

“Good,” Kellan said. “We didn’t plan to involve you in this, so we’ll just take off.”

“No, don’t do that. I’ll help. It can’t be easy for you guys being here. Do you even have a place to stay?”

“We were going to try the Nassau Inn,” Ariele said.

“Not unless you have a credit card, which I take it you don’t.”

We shook our heads.

“Look, there’s enough space here if one of you doesn’t mind a pull-out bed. Stay. I’ll even let you borrow my car.”

Kellan was back to his usual laid-back self. “If you’re sure. I don’t want to put you out.”

“It’s fine. You’re not. It’s late. Let’s hit the sack and talk more tomorrow.”

We nodded. I just had one more thing I needed to do before I went to sleep—call Mom.

We all needed to call our parents. “What are we going to tell them?” I asked when David left.

“I vote for the truth… partially, anyway,” suggested Kellan. “The Ariele bit.”

I nodded and called, wondering if it would have been better to wait until the morning. It was the middle of the night there, but when I noticed all the missed calls from Mom, I knew I had to. We’d obviously been caught.

“Arizona! Where are you?” I could tell from Mom’s tone that she was beyond furious, but she did a champion job of keeping it under control. “Are Kellan and Ariele with you?”

“Yes. I’m sorry to have worried you. We’re fine.”

“Come back to Celia’s right away. We’ll talk then.”

“We will, probably in a day or two. Don’t worry, we’re fine.”

“Now. Come. To. Celia’s.” She paused and then repeated, “Now.” I could tell from her rising tone that it wasn’t going to be long before she lost it. Sigh.

“Hold on,” she said.

I heard muffled voices in the background. I looked up at Ariele, who scowled and held her phone away from her ear. She rolled her eyes at me.

And Mom was back. “In New Jersey?” she yelled, practically tearing my eardrum apart. I moved the phone off my ear.

“It’s fine, Mom,” I tried soothing.

She was having none of it. “Come back right away. I’ll have Celia book you tickets on the next flight. Where are you? I’ll send a cab.”

Ugh. “Mom, it’s late, and we’re bushed. We will be back soon, and we’d love it if you could book our tickets. Can you give us some time to sleep and do what we came for?”