Winter's Warrior: Mark of the Monarch (Winter's Saga 4) (29 page)

“Give me some time. I’m not even sure how to separate all the retro images I’m getting so I only register the law enforcement.”

Alik’s indigo eyes glowed.  Farrow wondered if they would actually glow in the dark.  A little smirk on her lips was all that would give away her thoughts of learning if Alik’s eyes would glow in the dark.

Focus, Farrow,
she reproached herself.  We are on a mission of life-and-death proportions. 
Stop being so lovesick!

She risked a glance at his eyes once more before thinking how grateful she was that Alik’s gift had nothing to do with reading her emotions. 
Poor Creed,
Farrow realized for the first time how exposed that guy’s feelings were to Meg. 
He couldn’t save any face even if his life depended on it.

All you have to worry about is doing something he’ll be able to retro-cog later
,
she told herself. The more she thought about it, the more it hurt her brain. 

So if he can see something you’ve done,
she reasoned to herself,
then he could predict what you were going to do next and prevent it from happening.  So, essentially, he could control future events by…

“See that big red building ahead on the right?  There’s a patrol car pulled behind it waiting for a speeder.” Alik sounded excited about the cop being there. 

“Let’s see if you’re right.”

As they passed the spot, both looked to see a black-and-white highway patrol car and the officer holding a radar gun right at them.

“Wow, excellent.  That’s one for one.  Let’s see if you can find three in a row before I start breaking the law,” Farrow suggested.

She watched Alik nod, still concentrating deeply on the world
that only his violet eyes could see.

Thirty minutes passed in silence before Alik spoke up again.  “Unmarked ahead.  He’s running a speed trap with motorcycle cops being the ones to zap us.” 

Sure enough, they passed regular-looking American-made car, but in the driver’s seat was a uniformed cop holding up a radar gun.  

A half mile ahead they passed two motorcycle cops that had two vehicles pulled over.

“Two for two.  So far, so good.”

Only about five minutes passed when Alik said, there’s a cop in her patrol car pacing drivers in this strip of highway.  Farrow was amazed, but unsure how to test this prediction.  “She’s pacing the red SUV seven cars ahead of us,” Alik said and pointed at the vehicle driving right behind the SUV.

“That’s amazing.  I didn’t even know they could do that.”

“Cops can do a lot more than we know in their efforts to serve and protect.  Did you know
even an aircraft can report speeders?”

“No way,”

“Way.  I’ll have to keep my eyes up sometimes, too.”

“Too ba
d Meg isn’t here.  She’d be able to use her influence to stop a cop from looking in our trunk, or even giving us a ticket.”

Alik sighed sadly making Farrow regret mentioning his missing sister.

“I think we’re safe to speed up, don’t you?” 

“Just give me a few minutes.  It’s a lot more tiring than it looks.”

“Using your gift?”

“Yeah.  Now I understand a little of what Meg goes through when she uses hers.  I don’t think mine makes me nearly so weak
though.  Just a little,” Alik yawned widely, “used up.”

“I packed some food.  Would a protein bar help?”

“Oh my little sparrow, haven’t you learned I can always eat!” Alik teased and reached back into the bag that held their food and clothing.  “Can I get you something?” 

“I’d love a drink, thanks.”

Alik opened the sports drink container and handed the bottle to her.  She took a long swig and sighed deeply feeling the still cool liquid splash into her empty stomach.  She was hungry, but it was more important for Alik to eat than her.  All she had to do was drive, not expend excess energy reading the past.

“Do you mind if we share it?”

“Sure,” Farrow passed the bottle back to Alik and glanced at him as he took a big swig himself.  She watched his Adam’s apple move up and down with each swallow.  Ripping her eyes away from him, she forced herself to focus on the road ahead. 

Alik munched hungrily on the bar before stopping suddenly and looking over at Farrow with a raised brow.

“What?” she asked, confused.

He reached behind himself and found another protein bar.  “You need to eat, too.” He answered matter-of-factly.  He opened it and held it out for her.

“I’m fine, Alik.  Finish eating so we can get started.”  Farrow said in a voice more harsh than she intended.

“We sure get grumpy when we’re hungry, don’t we?” Alik chuckled, still holding the food out to her.

“I’m
not
grumpy and I’m
not
hungry.  Just eat your damn food!” she bellowed.

“Oh no?  Then that noise your stomach is making is completely indicative of what?  Crohn’s disease?  Gas?”

“Alik Winter, don’t you ever bring up such vulgar topics with me again,” Farrow glared at his smiling face.

“Well, I’m not retro-cognition-ing until you eat something.  It won’t do me any good if you’re growling for the next twelve hours—from your mouth
and
your stomach.  Or worse, what if you get dizzy while driving, for goodness sake?  Just eat the darn bar!  We can stop and get more food when we need to!  I’m loaded remember?” 

“We’ve got money, but no time, Alik.”

“I’m about to make us some time.  We’re clear for the next fifteen miles.  Can you eat and punch it at the same time?”

“We’re good to go?” Farrow asked excitedly.

Alik held the bar up to her mouth for her to take a bite then left it hanging between her teeth.

“Now, we’re good to go,” he smiled and got back to focusing his vision on the past.

Chapter 46  Danny and Mom

Right after Alik and Farrow left, Theo had gone in to help Margo with Danny.  What he overheard was one of the most beautiful sounds he could ever imagine.  Margo was singing to Danny.  He stopped in the corridor so as not to disturb them, but to listen to the love of his life, as she poured her devotion into each note. 

Theo’s heart swelled with pride at the woman in that room.  He’s seen her hold the most delicate medical instruments with precision.  Watched her fight for what she knew was good and true.  Protected her adopted children with her life, time and again, and would still think only to sacrifice her own well-being, her own needs, for theirs. 

Her song wasn’t complex.  No record label would be pounding at their door.  She didn’t hit every note perfectly, but she sang with her whole heart.  Theo heard the sweetness, the tender devotion behind each word and knew his fiancée to be the most beautiful, brilliant miracle in his life.  He stood in the corridor with mist in his eyes thanking God for the blessing that was the woman singing like an angel to the little boy who had been left to die. 

He rounded the corner slowly so as not to interrupt, but desperate to watch what he imagined would be an absolutely beautiful sight. 

His red-rimmed eyes smiled at the sight before him. 

Danny was sitting in Margo’s lap very still and quiet as though he knew she was fragile.  He was holding a board book in his hands, and slowly flipping the stiff pages to look at the pictures of puppies.  Margo was still singing, gently running her beautiful fingers through his too
-long blond curls. 

Theo could almost see her heart swell with love in her chest, though her brows were heavy with the clouds of worry and fear for her other children.  For now, Theo knew she was trying to find peace with what was happening to them.  She was taking solace in just the simple act of holding a baby who needed
to be held.  Knowing her, she was probably deep in conversation with God, too.

Looking up, Margo’s eyes watched Theo watching her.  The sadness in her eyes still heavy, she offered a weak sigh of acceptance and held her hand out to the man she’d been in love with for nearly half her life.  She couldn’t imagine a life where he wasn’t there.  However many times they may disagree, or how many bad guys were hunting them, she loved that sweet man watching her as if she were the most beautiful woman on earth.  Margo basked in his love, though she knew what she must really look like: A middle-aged woman in a wheelchair with a whole lot of family baggage. 
Please give me strength
, she prayed. 

Theo saw her as the strongest person he’d ever known and admired the heck out of her.  “Can I get you something?” He asked when she stopped singing and started pointing to the pictures in the book with Danny.

“You know, now that you mention it, Danny wanted to play with his cool racetrack, but I can’t reach the floor.  Do you think you could bring the coffee table here and help us set it up on that?”

“Great idea,
Mom.” Theo winked at Margo and turned to head back to the living room, glad to have something to do.  When he returned with the cumbersome rectangular piece of furniture in his hands, Danny was scooting the racetrack aside to make room.

“Wow, what a great helper you are, Danny,” Theo commented genuinely happy to see the child so aware of what was going on around him.

It didn’t take the boys long to have the figure-eight racetrack up on the table and their remote cars at the starting line.  Margo watched, delighted as Theo and Danny played together.  She remembered watching Theo with Cole when he was a baby, but Margo left with her three refugees before she got to see him at this age. 

“On your mark, get set
,
go!
” The boys forgot their worries for a little while, so lost in their game. 

“Are you two getting hungry?” Theo thought
to ask after an hour of play. “After the day we had, how about…”

“Pizza?”

“You read my mind,” Theo offered a tired grin.

He pulled out his cell phone and checked for the hundredth time to see if any kids had called or sent a text
, not that he wouldn’t have leaped off the floor when he heard the chime set at the loudest volume, but still.  It was just wishful checking.

“Hi, I’d like to place an order for delivery,” Theo began.

“Name please?”

“Theo Andrews”

“Oh, hey Dr. Andrews, it’s Pete.  You want the usual?”

Theo’s fragile hold on his emotions nearly bubbled over at the reminder that he usually ordered seven pizzas to feed all the kids.
“No, Pete.  Just a large cheese tonight.”  It was going to be a very long night of trying not to go insane with worry, taking care of a toddler and helping Margo manage.  If he had any hair, he would be running his fingers through it to try to calm himself down.

Danny walked over to Theo, who was still plopped on the floor with his racecar remote in his lap.  He leaned over and wrapped his little arms around Theo’s neck and buried his face into Theo’s cheek offering him a big, wet, baby kiss.  Theo sighed deeply and sat rocking the little guy in his arms, back and forth.  After a while, Margo had to wipe aw
ay her tears when she realized who was comforting whom.

Creed woke screaming and fighting.

He jumped to his feet, ignoring the wave of dizziness that hit him immediately, threatening to bring the blackness all around his already darkened line of sight.

He was in a cell.  He knew that right away.  It measured approximately ten by ten. 

Oh, shit.  This is not good
.
  He began panting and tried to force himself to breathe slow, deep breaths.

Closed
-in spaces had never been his favorite—especially when there was no window to the outside.

Creed frantically spun in place. 
Forget a window!  Where the hell is the door?
 

The only thing in the room was a laptop lying on the floor next to where he’d awakened.  On the keyboard was a note that read simply, “WATCH ME.”

Creed frowned at the computer like it was the devil incarnate. 
Unless that thing is about to show me how to get the hell out of here, I can’t imagine it’s good news.
 

He ground his teeth and went back to pacing the small space, running his hands down the walls looking for any secret lever or something that would make getting out of there possible.  After twenty-fruitless minutes, Creed forced himself to roll his shoulders and head taking slow, deep breaths. 

That’s when he saw it. 

It blended with the rest of the darkened brick walls, but there was something up there.  It looked like a slender ledge about ten feet above the ground.  At six feet two inches, he knew he would do anything possible to reach up there.