059 Keeping it Secret
Four days after the forcefield went up, Chip ventured out to see what was happening in the town.
They'd stayed low for that time, rationing out the food Nick and Xander had brought back. Clare recovered, becoming more animated, and took over most of the cooking chores from Maddie—well, such cooking as there was, anyway. Nick folded himself into the group, helping out when asked, offering ideas and accepting it if they were turned down.
Toby vanished two days in.
The group could hear screaming and fighting outside at various times. The boys and Vida kept up a guard rotation, watching for anyone coming too close. The girls and whoever wasn't on guard stayed in the pantry, safely barricaded in.
But they needed to know what was happening, so Chip went to see what he could find out.
The streets were bizarrely empty, no one around. Chip headed for the town square, pretty sure that if anything was going on, it'd be there.
Leelee was holding court, lounging on the edge of the stage; her boys were sitting on the ground below, laughing at her words, smiling and agreeing with her. Chip winced, turning to leave again.
"Stop!" Leelee called after him. He hesitated, glancing back over his shoulder, and she nodded. "You. I don't think I've seen you around."
"I…" Chip swallowed. "I was hiding! You're so beautiful, I was afraid to come near you!"
Leelee rolled her eyes, turning away. "You people have no imagination. I've heard that line a hundred times. Go away."
"Yes. Thank you!" Chip backed up, turning and running for it.
***
Two blocks further on he skidded to a halt when three men stepped out in front of him. "She's right," one of them said, gesturing back towards the square. "We've never seen you around. Where are you hiding, boy?"
"Nowhere. Moving around. Let…"
One of the men caught his arm. "Where are you hiding, boy?"
"Nowhere! Let me go!"
"You've got some place safe?" The man shook him, slamming him into the nearest wall. "Where?"
Chip bit his lip, shaking his head firmly.
***
He was bruised and dirty when he got back to the school, and the only thing Xander could get out of him was that things were very bad and getting worse fast.