Chapter Twelve

John

Nine clutches his pendant, and his eyes got wide. Meredith casts a glance on her Cêpan desperately yearning for an explanation, and Rebecca steps forward. Meredith encloses Nine and Rebecca in her force field, which was strong enough to block their conversation from our ears and Cole's mind reading. We see Rebecca's mouth move through the invisible shield. As the conversation goes on, Meredith's and Nine's cheeks become red.

"What was that about?" asks Cole, flying in the air near the force field like a vulture circling its prey. I look at Six and a silent understanding passes between us. I shrug my shoulders at Cole. "Six, why don't you break her force field?" says Cole menacingly, accidently touching the force field with his finger. There was a subtle zapping sound and Cole yanks his hand back, cursing.

Six snorts, "Yeah, and how are you going to make me?"

"I'm a Convinco, remember?" Cole says annoyingly. He stares at Six right in the eyes. I'm getting suddenly uncomfortable, the way Cole looks at her. Only I can do that. Her grip on my hand loosens. Six's eyes become confused, then glassy for about two seconds before she blows Cole off course, breaking the trance. "You want another near-death experience?" Six snarls in anger. Cole floats above us, twenty feet in the air. Six stands up then raises her hands and the wind picks up, making me shiver involuntarily. A swirling vortex takes form on top of her, with Cole spinning uncontrollably in it. "I wasn't asking for one!" yells Cole, the tip of the swirling wind dancing on her finger tips. "Six, that is enough!" yells Crayton over the howling wind. Ella was crouching behind Marina, whose hair was a rat's nest. Six reluctantly releases Cole from the vortex, the hurricane shrinking to the size of her pinkie before disappearing. Cole falls into a deadly dive, but he just regained his balance when he was five feet from the ground, his shaggy black hair tousled.

Meredith finally releases Rebecca and Nine from the force field. After walking a few steps, Meredith collapses, from either hearing the news that she's bonded with Nine or the force field really got her tired. Nine catches her before she falls flat on the ground. With telekinesis, Nine pulls out a sleeping bag from the pickup truck then slips Meredith in it. After that he lets her head rest on his chest. We sit huddled by the simple camp fire I had created, and with Six's help, the smoke doesn't rise up and giving away our position. Six sits beside me, and I pray she won't notice my body shivering from the night air. Unfortunately, she did. She closes her eyes in concentration and lowers the temperature of the night air, turning it into a warm summer breeze. "I love the way you do that," I say dreamily, wrapping my arm tighter around her thin waist and burying my face in her blond curls. I can feel her roll her eyes as I breathe in the smell of her hair. By the time Marina and Ella were done preparing the fish for cooking I was starving. But then, I had to wait for another fifteen minutes for the fish to cook.

Meredith wakes up from the smell of the cooking fish, and from the corner of my eye, I see her and Nine share a steamy kiss. Cole and Marina were snickering from across us as they cook the fish. Ella looks at them curiously, and then she stands up, Elizabeth and Bernie in her wake. The three Cêpans sit together on our right. Ella sits beside me with Elizabeth's head on her lap. I wrap my other arm around Ella. Bernie Kosar was watching Elizabeth on Ella's lap, his tongue dangling from his mouth. I like her, he says in my head. Elizabeth's head snaps up when Bernie said it. The two dogs look at each other then Elizabeth rests her head on Ella's lap again. Bernie Kosar transforms himself into a Golden Retriever then lies down beside Elizabeth. For Chimæras, they pretty much act like us. Like humans.

Nine and Meredith sit across from Crayton, Rebecca and Nick, who were silent, unlike their usual conversation. Cole helps Marina serve us the fish. We had to eat with bare hands, which were difficult for the others because it was still hot, and no one wants a cold supper. Ella winces when the flesh of the fish makes contact with her skin. "Here," I hold her fish for her, and with my heat proofed hands, I hardly felt anything. "Thanks, Four," she says as I feed her chunks of meat. Six looks at me curiously, then she resumes eating her fish. An occasional pop of the firewood fills the air with sparks that blink out after a few seconds. After everyone was done, we gave our leftovers to the Chimæras. We wash our hands with the only water supply we have left. We're just going to buy some more tomorrow. Six and I sleep in a sleeping bag, same with Meredith and Nine, Marina and Cole and Crayton and Ella. Nick and Rebecca take first watch. They have my phone with them, checking every once in a while for red dots. I look up at the stars, which were glowing brightly above. I wonder if Henri's watching me from the world above, along with the others, with my parents, maybe. I sigh in content and feel Six look up at me. "You know, you're like a brother to Ella, feeding her the fish like she's really your sister," she whispers.

"Well, we don't always have sisters, and I'm no good being a big brother because I was never one. So, I guess I was just trying to help out," I say, lightly kissing her forehead. She tucks her head under my chin and listens to my heartbeat. "John, be honest with me; why'd you dump her—besides assuming she gave you out?" Six asks. I try to think of the proper words to say why I ditched Sarah without getting Six guilty. Well, I know she says she wasn't, but part of me thinks she's lying. And really, my mind isn't a dictionary.

I look at her piercing blue eyes and cup her cheek with my hand. "You," was all I said before I lean in and kiss her goodnight. She returns the kiss, and then turns her back on me, resting her head on my arm like a pillow. I pull her closer to me, my arm wrapped around her waist. Her back is pressed against my chest. Her blond curls were so close to my nose I can smell her shampoo. I raise my head slowly, and then kiss her cheek before sinking deeper into oblivion.


Nick and Rebecca wake Six and me up for second watch four hours later. They hand me my phone back before sharing the sleeping bag. Six and I sit on the grass and lean our backs against the front doors of the SUV. If my eyes weren't tricking me, I see Nine's lips glued to Meredith's.

Ella whispers, "Apple pie," in her sleep before she shifts to a more comfortable position. Six was right. I did feel like a brother to Ella. I mean, who wouldn't love a little girl like that anyway? She's sweet and she's kind, a sister anyone would want to have, though not all receive. Six rests her head on my lap as she scans the area with my phone. I run my fingers absentmindedly through her hair, staring at her beautiful face with the light from my iPhone. She catches me gazing at her and instantly her cheeks turn pink. She sits up while I put my phone in the back pocket of my jeans. Six was wearing the same yoga pants she wore when I took her out for a midnight stroll through the streets of the town where we nearly kissed. I kiss her softly on the lips, and feel her hands knot themselves in my hair. My hands slide to the small of her back as she pushes me flat on my back. She pulls away, smiling. "We're on watch remember?"

"Yeah, I do," I say before she hauls me up to my feet. I check my phone and feel my eyes widen with panic as four red dots close in on us from the north, south, east and west. "Oh, shit," I say, waking up the others. "We can't leave now or we'll leave a trail. We might as well fight them here rather than in the city," says Six in a matter-of-factly tone. I stare at her. One moment she was all soft and happy then the next she's cold and indestructible. Crayton fill us in on our weapons, especially to Ella. He keeps her close to him as he aims the guns in his hand to the trees and anything beyond that. We form a circle with our backs on each other. Elizabeth and Bernie start growing to the size of an eighteen wheeler with thick oblong scales overlapping on their body like armor. Marina has her bow already aimed, an arrow in it. "Meredith, keep Ella and the Cêpans in your force field. Surround the cars. Fight from the inside. Is your shield impenetrable from the inside?" Six asks.

"No."

"Then fire from inside."

Ella, Nick, Rebecca, Crayton and Meredith are instantly enveloped in a bubble of energy along with our cars. I slip my dagger out the waistband of my jeans. I've been keeping it close lately, due to Six's insistence. "Marina, get inside the force field. You may be a good archer but you're going to need distance from yourself and the Mogadorians," Six orders, her brow furrowing. A hole opens near on the force field near Marina as she enters it. Nine has his spear out while Cole was carrying two rifle-looking guns in each of his arms. Behind him four more pistols are tucked in the waistband of his jeans. We wait for them to come. Six swallows hard and clears her throat. "If the situation gets out of hand, leave immediately. Remember, it's me they want," she says, mostly to me. It took a few seconds for realization to grip me. Six was willing to sacrifice herself for us. For me. But I won't let that happen. I will never leave her. I will always protect her. In fact, that's my dying wish. Protect Six. That's how much I love her.