"Marina?"
"Not right now, Ella."
"Marina?"
"Ella, not right now."
"Marina?"
"Ella."
"Marina?"
"Dammit, Ella, what?"
"Number Four is close."
I nearly swerve right off the road, causing my best friend Hector to wake up. "Jeez, Marina, what's your problem?" Six yells at me.
"Four is close."
"Yay." She says, leaning back and closing her eyes.
"I thought you'd be happier to see him." Ella says. "You know, since you've mentioned how cute he is."
"I am happy to see him." Six says with her eyes still shut.
"Then why aren't you as excited? What're you gonna say to him? Are you going to hug him? Do you think it'll be weird after not seeing him?" Ella asks question after question, causing Six's face to screw up.
"Ella, let her relax. Your scary obsession with people's love lives is getting a bit insane." I say, keeping my eyes on the road. "How close is he?"
"Five minutes." She says, bouncing up and down. "You'll be able to feel him in a moment."
As she speaks, I feel almost a magnetic pull towards the south. I push on the gas pedal harder, and our car shoots forward.
After a little while, our headlights catch another car. I slam on the brakes. The other car idles for a moment, and then is turned off. I make a motion to get out of the car, causing Crayton, Ella's protector, to leap into the front seat and hold me back. "Crayton, what's your problem?"
"We don't know that's them." Crayton says.
"And we'll never know if one of us doesn't make a move." I point out.
"Let me." Naveen says from where he was sleeping.
"That's not a good plan." Hector begins. "You could get hurt."
"We can't take that risk." Crayton agrees. Six, Ella, and I roll our eyes. We've heard so much about how Eight could be Pittacus Lore.
"I'll be fine." Naveen says, and immediately shapes into a rabbit.
"Aw." Ella says. I shush her. Naveen disappears for a few seconds, and then returns in his human form.
"It's them." He says. "They're debating what to do right now. They feel the connection as well."
"Then let's go." I say, and get out of the car. Ella follows me. As soon as my feet hit the ground, I'm blinded by lights. I quickly shove Ella behind me. "Jesus." I hiss. "We all know that you're proud of your Lumen, Four, but cut the lights!"
The night returns to its dark state. I blink. "John." Six says from behind me.
"Six." A deep voice says. A normal person, even a member of the Garde, couldn't see in this darkness. But with my night vision, I can. I clearly see two boys in front of me. Both are attractive, without a doubt. The blonde I assume to be Four. The other must be either Five or Nine. He's easily as attractive as Four.
"Are you Five?" I ask, nodding to the dark-haired boy.
He shakes his head. "Nope. Nine. I'm called Stanley." I nod slowly.
"I'm Marina, number Seven. This is Ella, number Ten. Naveen, number Eight. Ella's substitute protector, Crayton. And my best friend, Hector." I say. I bite my lip while watching the two boys intently. "Um. Aren't you missing one?"
"Sam!" Six says, pushing past me. "Where's Sam?"
"Sam got captured." Four says, avoiding Six's eyes. "We were actually going to rendezvous and then get him back."
"Maybe we should find a safe place first." I look at each person individually. "So, where to?"
"Chicago." Stanley says. "I have a place there."
I nod. "Chicago it is."
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Cast will be fully posted next chapter!