July 4, 2017

Ten year-old Daniel Diaz stared blankly at the desert scenery rushing by through the back left window of the patrol car he had been shoved into twenty minutes prior. Upon entry, he'd pressed his forehead against the cool glass to relieve some of the pressure still trapped in his aching skull from the use of his power. Probably wouldn't give me anything for the headache anyways. At least the car was air conditioned. After they'd pinned him onto the scorching pavement, he couldn't take the desert heat a moment longer. The cuffs dug tight into his delicate wrists. He shifted in his seat, but no position seemed comfortable enough. He sighed. Again and again, he sighed, feeling the warmth of his own breath returning to his face as the window repeatedly fogged and cleared.

He tried to think of something. A way to escape again, a way to explain himself when he finally got to wherever it was they were taking him. Anything. What would Sean do? What will I do without him? But much as he dwelled on this question and the blinding sequence of events that had led him into the back seat of that car, he didn't know, and in some ways, it didn't even matter. His brother was long gone, speeding freely down the desert roads into Mexico bound for Puerto Lobos, the hometown of their deceased father. Sean would be safe, probably even happier without him. That was all that mattered after everything they'd been through together. At least one of them would get freedom. Sean deserves his happiness. I was just a burden to him. He'll be happier without me. A lump grew in Daniel's throat at the thought.

"It's all my fault," he whispered, sniffing hard and choking back tears.

"Hello?" the officer said up front over the CB radio. "Yes, this is Officer William Briggs, we are northbound on Route 65 about two hours out. Heading up to Del Carlo Station with the subject now, over."

"Copy that. Subject is a confirmed American citizen?"

"Yes sir, Daniel Felipe Diaz, former resident of 1452 Lewis Avenue, Seattle, Washington. Brother of Sean Eduardo Diaz, both wanted for the death of Seattle PD Officer Kindred Matthews that occurred in October of late last year."

"Copy, we got it. Were you able to retrieve both subjects?"

"That's a negative, sir," the officer replied. "Sean Diaz jumped the road block and fled across the border into Mexico. Even if we had managed to-"

"Yeah, yeah," the voice on the speaker cut him off. "No possibility of extradition. Shame the Matthews family won't get justice."

"Uh...you should know, something else happened down at the border."

"Oh? What was it?"

Officer Briggs glanced back at Daniel a moment. The boy clenched his teeth and glared angrily back.

"Um...I...can't really explain-"

"Hello, Officer Briggs?" A static female voice interrupted over the speaker this time. Daniel immediately recognized it as that of Maria Flores, the federal agent who had apprehended him.

"Yes, ma'am?"

"We are following behind you for a reason. You are not at liberty to discuss the events at the border today with anyone, understood? This is a matter of national security as far as the Bureau is concerned. Your job is to transport the subject safely to Del Carlo Station for interrogation. I don't think I should have to remind you that we have sole jurisdiction over his case. So unless you want a federal injunction brought against you, I suggest you shut your mouth."

"Hmm," Daniel smirked as the officer sighed over his firm reprimanding.

"Copy that, Miss Flores. Over and out."

You're supposed to say 10-4, Daniel thought. He recalled those last days of their time together in Away quite vividly, and treasured them with a fondness in his heart. They were the most peaceful weeks he had spent with Sean ever since their father died. Getting to know his mother for the first time in his short young life, the bond they had all built together...it felt like they'd all formed a real family again, and that nothing could ever separate them. Not borders, not skin, not age, not even the whirling storms of change that—as Karen had said—were fast catching up with them. They could outlive it all, outrun it all, just as they had for months. Their crazy, dysfunctional family could fool everyone together. And though Daniel was growing tired of running, he thought he had become used to it. But what happens when you can't run anymore? When you don't want to? When your legs start falling apart because your shoes still suck, you're cold all the time, and your head always aches?

At least Sean wouldn't have to run anymore. He was glad about that. Because the more hours, days, weeks, and months that passed, the more Daniel had begun to feel an overwhelming sense of guilt that perhaps he was the sole reason Sean even had to run in the first place. It was all about protecting me from the truth, about stopping me, about keeping control of me, making sure I was always safe. And Sean had become a criminal, an outlaw, a fugitive, turning his own heart black in the process while Daniel remained blissfully innocent. I allowed that. It didn't even matter what he did anymore. Sean had already lost an eye because of him. He was quite sure that his brother would allow him to maim every other body part too, even going so far as to die for him if it came to that. You killed me, enano. But it's okay. I still love you.

Daniel hated that about him. He hated himself even more for believing that he even deserved to still be a normal kid just because Sean told him so. No. He had to take responsibility this time, and that was why he'd jumped out of the car. I killed Dad, and I almost killed you too. I failed you so many times, and you just let me. How is that okay? How is that right? Whatever.

The thoughts on top of the headache were too much.

The young wolf fell asleep.

Daniel awoke to the sensation of his body being handled and forcibly moved against his will as two officers and grabbed him by the arms, dragging him out of the car like a rag doll.

"Hey. Hey! Wake the fuck up!" the man yelled, smacking him in the head.

"Ouch! You're hurting me, let go!"

The back door slammed behind him, and Daniel, now fully awake, found himself shoved hard against the car exterior with his face plastered against the window. The lights in the garage were blinding. Pain shot down his right side, but the two men continued holding him there in a vice grip. There still hadn't been any time to rest or heal from the injuries he'd sustained by those vigilante scum. I could get them off me, he thought. But that'd just make things worse.

"Please stop," he whimpered.

"I'm sorry, what rights do you think you have after the shit you pulled?!" the officer spat. He could feel the man's breath hot in his ear. All the shouting was triggering the angry wolf inside him. Daniel squeezed his eyes shut and tried to remember what his brother might say. Just breathe, enano.

"Officer Briggs!" an angry female voice echoed in the garage. Flores. "Just what the fuck do you think you're doing?! I thought I made it clear to you that you're not to harm him! This boy has been nothing but cooperative with us, and you're treating him like-"

"Like he just overturned five squad cars, killed two of our best officers, and wounded or maimed seven? Yeah! That's what I thought."

"I don't know what the hell you think you saw out there Mr. Briggs, but whatever it was, I'm sure all that time you spend in the desert in 98 degree weather doesn't do any wonders for your eyesight. The surveillance footage we extracted showed an SUV plowing the road block and crashing through the fence. This boy jumped out at the last second because he was obviously terrified for his life. He wants to help."

"I'm sure any statements you get from El Rey will beg to differ. He managed to free two illegals and trapped several officers there, too. He belongs in solitary in a maximum security cell!"

"Then I am thankful it is not up to any of you. As I said, this child is now in federal custody. We will be the ones to decide his fate. Now why don't you go grab you and your friends some coffee and a very big box of doughnuts while the rest of us take care of the more important work you've been keeping us from for the last several hours, hmm? Or do I have to call in backup of my own?"

"Good luck with him!" the officer snapped as he and his partner let go of the scared boy. "Just don't expect our help if he escapes again."

"I doubt he has a reason to anymore," Flores said, looking at Daniel, who had slumped to his knees on the concrete floor in tears. "Right?"

"Just do what you need to do," the boy cried. "I'm not going anywhere...I swear!"

Flores turned her stone cold gaze back to the officers in question. "You satisfied?"

"Whatever," Briggs smirked. "You feds are all the same. You come in here twisting our arms and demanding cooperation all the time, thinking you got everything under control, until you don't. You haven't a clue what really goes on down near the border. Then again, maybe you feel some sort of sympathy, being that-"

"If you want to keep your job," Flores cut him off, "I highly suggest you not finish that sentence!"

"You're right," Briggs laughed. "What was I even thinking? Coffee and doughnuts are calling my name." With that, the two officers who had manhandled the dejected young wolf moments earlier proudly went on their way, chuckling and high-fiving each other through the doors of the precinct. Stupid gringos, Daniel thought to himself. He still didn't know many Spanish words beyond a few insults, but he imagined Agent Flores had plenty of them running through her mind after that interaction. He hadn't looked up at her face to be sure, and didn't exactly want to. Much as he was happy she seemed to be on his side, Daniel still felt a little intimidated by her demeanor, not to mention her service to a justice system that—Karen had explained—was skewed against everyone who wasn't white. I wonder why she wanted to be an FBI agent, Daniel thought. Why be against your own people? Even Sean had told him of his prior interactions with her, and her unwillingness to listen to him. Then again, there was plenty Sean had done wrong during their journey. I just hope she listens to me.

"You all right?" she asked him. Daniel simply shook his head. "I know you're still shaken up," she said, kneeling down to place a hand on his shoulder. "But things are going to be okay. I promised your brother when I first spoke to him that whenever we found you, we would take care of you. That promise still stands."

As Daniel contemplated her words and any possible truth in them, he noticed two shadows appear on the ground behind hers. She must have been in the car with other federal agents on their way up from the border. There was a menacing vibe he got from their auras, like something creepy Sean would draw in his journal from pure imagination. Daniel remembered him doing that a lot to make the scenery seem funnier or more ironic whenever he was in a stressful situation. But in this case, it was a nightmare turned to real life—a nightmare that only Super Wolf could fight, if it ever came to that. For now though, he didn't get the impression he had to. He was too tired. Tired of running, tired of using his powers to hurt people, tired of all the shit he had been through because of Sean. Somehow, he would have to learn to survive without him and his influence.

"Daniel," Flores said, interrupting his thoughts. "We have to book you now, okay?"

"Yeah...I understand. What does that mean?"

"It means we take your information, explain the charges you're facing, you get your picture taken-"

"You mean like a mugshot?"

"Yes."

"But I thought you said I didn't do anything wrong!"

"Whatever happens here today is for documentation. Whether you're innocent or not, everyone who's arrested has to go through it. But I'll be right here to make sure it's as quick and painless as possible, okay?"

"And then what?"

"Then you get to tell me your story."

"Oh. Okay. I guess I can do that."

The story of how the Wolf Brothers ended, he thought. The story of how my brother abandoned me for Mexico. Asshole.

Shortly after the initial booking process—which consisted of an explanation of the charges brought against him, signing paperwork, getting his shoes taken away, and the humiliating mugshots during which he'd had to turn every direction and hold up a stupid sign—Daniel finally found himself in a private interrogation room. It was dark and cold, surrounded by gray concrete walls on every side, probably a good foot or two thick. A singular light shone down over a table, on which Agent Flores had laid out a folder of evidence. The blue jumpsuit they'd put him in was itchy, but at least it was less cold than wearing the tattered remains of his red Space Mission shirt and black shorts. If I ever get it back, maybe I'll make it into my official Super Wolf cape, he thought. Nah...that would be extra lame.

"So...what's going to happen to me?" Daniel asked, getting anxious at the agent's silence and trying not to sound as scared as he truly was. Agent Flores reached forward to hold his hand. There was no fooling her.

"Listen. I'm going to do everything in my power to get you back to your grandparents and award them full custody of you. You have my word. But first, Daniel, you have to trust me, okay? Do you think you can do that?"

The boy closed his eyes, even as he held tight to the hand he did not want to trust. Memories were flooding his mind. Memories of Haven Point, and all the things Reverend Lisbeth had lied about. There were many times that vile woman had demanded his cooperation, or played mind games with him to instill his trust in her. That's what he had learned from talking to Karen about it, anyway. But Agent Flores seemed to be giving him a genuine choice, and he sensed the last thing she wanted to do was dole out punishments for things that, ultimately, were not his fault. I could be with my grandparents again, and very soon, he thought. For now, the stoic young agent seemed to be the only one who could make that happen. Daniel didn't like the idea of placing his faith in her hands, of giving all his natural power to her. It felt like trusting Lisbeth again. But there was a caring nature in her voice and body language he hadn't picked up on from anyone else since being escorted back from the border. She was clearly a family woman, and Mexican, like him. Somehow, that made him feel safer and more understood.

"I...I guess I can trust you," he sniffed. "But what's going to happen with Sean?"

"One step at a time, okay? You're only ten years old, and you've come a long way. I would think that by now, you're smart enough to understand who bears the real responsibility here. You wouldn't have jumped out of that car if you didn't feel like something was wrong. So I have to doubt that a lot of what happened over the months were choices you made on your own. Of course...I do have plenty questions to sort his all out, but I know you're tired. How about I get you something to eat, and when you feel ready, we'll start. Sound good?"

"Yeah...okay. Do you have any Chock-O-Crisps? Or maybe just a Coke?"

Flores smiled. "I'll see what I can do. You sit tight, okay?" I'll be right back. Promise."

Promise. That's something he'd heard Sean talk about so many times, and yet it seemed he'd been intent on breaking every single one. His brother had lied to him multiple times, stolen in the name of survival, asked him to use his powers for the sake of convenience at times, and gotten them both into more than their fair share of trouble. But at the same time, Daniel knew his brother was only trying to protect him. Now, he had to learn how to do that all on his own, as well as figuring out what he could say to best protect Sean. 'Should I lie, or tell the truth? Maybe not the whole truth...I just don't want to make things any worse for him.'

Maria returned a few minutes later as promised, with two Chock-O-Crisp bars and a can of Coke in hand. Daniel felt his heart skip a beat at the sight of his favorite snacks. His face lit up. It had been months since he'd even seen or thought about them.

"Aw, YES!" he cheered as she placed them on the table. He eagerly tore into one of the bars and opened the soda. "Thank you...um...gracias...so much!"

Maria smirked and sat back down across from him.

"You don't know Spanish, do you?"

"Nah," the boy sighed, savoring the crunch of the chocolate bar. "Dad never really taught me much. I don't know why. We didn't speak it at home. Maybe he thought we wouldn't have to use it. But he taught Sean...Sean was gonna teach me, before...you know..." he put down the Chock-O-Crisp, feeling a lump in his throat. He'd lost his appetite. "I'm so sorry...for everything."

"Hey," Maria said, squeezing his hand. "It's going to be all right. Do you believe me?"

Daniel nodded. "It's just...I don't even know where to start. Everything's happened so fast."

Flores let go and clasped her hands together on the table. "Whatever you have to say is helpful."

"Uh...I don't know," Daniel sighed, looking nervously around the room. A camera was positioned to the left near the ceiling with a red illuminated light on the side. He closed his eyes, remembering similar CCTV cameras on Merrill's farm during the heist. I could take it out, he thought to himself. Blow the door off this room and just run. But something inside was stopping him. No. I can't run anymore. I don't want to. And anyways, where would I run? There was no place left for him. Only his grandparents. And he wanted so badly to live with them again.

"Are you recording this?"

"What is said here is private. They can see us, yes. But they can't hear us."

"How do I know that? I've seen cop shows before. They have audio." Daniel reluctantly took a sip of his soda, pressing his fingers into the can. He could feel his skin growing hot. The familiar tingling sensation in his chest began to spread as the power rose inside of him. Shit, calm down! he thought. Just...stay calm. Pretend Sean is here. He willed himself to remember the sound of his brother's voice until it became clear as day in his mind. Just breathe. You've got this, enano. Slowly, the surge he felt in his bones began to subside. He continued taking the deepest of breaths, in and out, in and out. That's it. You're doing it, little cub. It's okay. You're in control. I love you.

When he opened his eyes again, Maria had taken out the walkie strapped to her belt. "Can we turn the cameras off, please?"

"Uh...why?"

"Just do it. You're not paid to ask questions. That's my job."

"Yes ma'am."

Daniel glanced over at the camera. A few seconds later, the red light went dark.

"There we go. Ready to talk now?" Flores asked.

Daniel nodded. "Thanks."

"So...what happened at the border, if you don't mind telling me?" The agent began scrawling notes on a yellow legal pad.

"Well...Sean wanted to keep going. I didn't really want to. I guess I just didn't feel safe in that car anymore. Not with him being like that. I was tired of running."

"Daniel, that's not what I meant. I saw everything, and so did the cameras on site. The bullets didn't even touch that SUV. It looked like there was some invisible force around it. Patrol cars went flying through the air, clearing a path. Now I've seen a lot of blockades get plowed through in my career as a federal agent, but...never anything like that."

"I...um..." Daniel breathed, recalling Sean's voice again in his head. Hide your power. But that had only gotten them in worse trouble, hadn't it?

"Take your time," Maria said, holding his hand again. "I'm right here."

"Sometimes, when I get nervous or angry...things start to happen."

"What kind of things?"

"It's hard to explain." Daniel returned to the neglected Chock-O-Crisp and soda on the table. Maybe food will help calm me.

"Look, I know you're scared of getting into trouble," Maria said. "But you won't. I want to reunite you with your family if I can. So try to think of it as helping not only yourself, but Sean as well. Once we know the full scope of what went down and how it all started, there's a good possibility that charges against him will be dropped altogether. But I need your side of the story first."

"And me?"

"If everything goes as I expect it to, which I think it will, then any criminal record you have will be sealed because of your age. All charges would be dropped, with the added benefit of anonymity. Your name could change if you request it, so no one would be able to find out your history, or tie it to any childhood mistakes you might have made."

"But I like my last name! I don't want it to change. I'm Daniel Diaz."

"Just an option for extra protection that is often awarded in special cases."

"I guess I understand," the boy sighed. "Still don't like it."

"Anyway, we're getting off track here."

"Sorry." Daniel took another sip of his Coke before continuing. "Well...it all started in Seattle, when our dad was shot. I blacked out. I didn't know what happened until later, when I started putting it together. Sean...acted weird. He didn't want to tell me at first, but then on the farm, people found out. They asked questions. He said I was triggered or whatever in Seattle, so...I know it had to have been me. Sean never would have killed anyone. Ever."

"What do you mean, people found out? Found out what?"

"What I can do. Um...maybe it's easier if I just show you," Daniel said, feeling tense. "But you have to promise not to freak out, okay? I swear I'm not gonna hurt you."

Flores looked puzzled, but nodded anyway. "Okay. Do your thing."

The boy extended a hand upward and focused all his thoughts on the half-empty Coke can in front of him, taking care not to expend too little or too much emotional energy. Just the right amount, enano. That's it. Nice and slow. The can slowly rose up off the cold metal table about a foot in the air, leaving a tiny ring of condensation beneath it. Daniel rotated the can clockwise by one hundred eighty degrees, leaving it suspended before bringing it back down gently. The carbonation inside sizzled as it touched down on the surface. He glanced back up at Agent Flores, who now had a bewildered expression on her face.

"I see...wow," the agent blinked a few times. "So the Seattle incident. Was that the first time you were able to do something like this?"

"I think so. But I didn't have control of it then. Sean helped me stay calm so I wouldn't...hurt anyone else. We trained together a lot. I got better at it. He was just trying to protect me. I guess when he's around, I feel more in control of it. But I've gotten pretty good on my own, too."

"Ah, I see," the agent nodded, scribbling down notes. "It's all starting to make sense now. And at the farm in Humboldt, would you say you also lost control then?" Daniel froze. "We do have some photos of the damage here, but-"

"Please don't show me those!" the boy cried. "I don't want to see what I did to Sean!"

Agent Flores paused a moment, a sympathetic expression on her face.

"That's how he lost his eye, wasn't it?"

Daniel tore his hand away from her and bent over the table, sobbing into his arms. The guilt of permanently scarring his brother would be a shame he would carry with him every day for the rest of his life, no matter how many times Sean assured him it was okay. It just wasn't, and Daniel was reminded of that fact every time he'd looked his brother in the face to see that eye patch, that bandage, that gaping hole in his head, that little medicine kit, the bandages he'd leave in the sink in their mother's trailer while it was still healing. It was not okay.

"I'm beginning to understand a lot," Flores said. "How much you two care for each other, and all the things you did to protect one another, even if it meant breaking the law. Because with some of my own family history...that...I can understand."

"I would die for him!" Daniel whimpered, picking his head up.

"Many people say that, but. I have no doubt that you actually mean it. And that's what concerns me, going forward. You made a very difficult choice. One that no child your age should ever have to make. I do want you to be able to have things under control if Sean doesn't return, which is another reason I think placing you with your grandparents would be the best option for you."

"Really? You mean it? I think so too."

"These...abilities you have. Your grandparents are aware of it?"

"Yeah," Daniel said reluctantly. "When we stayed with them, there was this broken cabinet that fell on Stephen. We tried getting him out, but it would have broken his leg to lift it by hand, so. I did it."

"That was a very brave and selfless thing to do. So was jumping out of that car."

"I guess," he replied, grabbing up the second chocolate bar. "But I've done some not so brave things with it. And a few not so selfless things. Things that hurt people...obviously."

"I imagine that was scary for you."

"I hated myself for it. Sometimes, I even heard Sean tell other people he was scared of me. I never wanted to scare or hurt him! Or anyone," Daniel sniffed. "Maybe that's why I broke the gate? I don't know. I just kept thinking that...if I wasn't around anymore, he wouldn't have to worry about getting hurt again. He lost a fucking eye because of me! That hurts enough to live with," the boy said, wiping away the tears on his sleeve.

"Hey," Agent Flores said, coming around the table to take a knee and comfort him, "Listen, okay? I can tell you are a good person, Daniel Diaz. You didn't deserve any of this. From all that you've told me, it's clear that your brother knew he had to protect you, and you returned that favor with what you did at the border, even if some of your methods were wrong. But now, you have the chance for a fresh start and a new life with people who love you. So it's time to start thinking about the kind of kid you want to be, and how you're going to protect yourself and your grandparents now. I'm sure they need looking after, too."

"I know," Daniel nodded. "Thanks. So what happens next?"

"Well," Flores said, making her way back around the table, "once we return you to your grandparents, you will be assigned a court date to appear in front of a judge. However...these things always come down to hard evidence. And there may have been a, shall we say...technical malfunction with the border cameras that affected their recording capabilities early this morning. Eyewitness testimony, I'm sure, will reveal that your brother's SUV plowed through the blockade, and that you jumped at the last second because you were scared. After that? Case closed."

Daniel thought about what she was saying a moment. A smile spread across his face. "Ooh, I see what you're doing! Awesome possum. But, Agent Flores...why are you doing this for me?"

"Because even though your brother refused to believe me...I do care. And you're ten years old. Children as young as yourself deserve a shot at a normal life, especially after all you've been through."

"Cool," Daniel grinned.

"I may not like it, but. I'm willing to put my career on the line here. That said, there are two things you should be aware of," Maria sighed. Her tone turned somber, and Daniel felt a sudden rush of panic. "Given what you told me and what I myself witnessed, I am required to make my own private report of the incident at the border today to the Bureau, after which you can expect to be monitored for some time. Not by local law enforcement, but at the federal level. Unfortunately, I have no control over when it will begin or how long that period will last. It could be a few months, a few years, maybe even the rest of your life, depending on the level of threat they associate with your actions. Periodic visits by other federal agents will happen, and should you ever move, you would be required to report your new whereabouts to them."

"Shit," Daniel breathed. "What else?"

"Mexico has few extradition laws, so Sean will be safe there for now. But Daniel, this is too big a mess for me alone to clear up. Should they discover any attempt by your brother to return to the United States, a warrant will be issued for his immediate arrest. The paper trail for him is long, so it will be quite a few years before any statute of limitations runs out on their ability to prosecute him. In addition to that, one of the conditions of your monitoring will also be that you are forbidden from leaving the country. Any attempt to do so would be considered a violation of your deal, and forfeit your right to anonymity. In simple terms...you will probably not be seeing your brother again for a very long time. For that...I am truly sorry."

"Fuck!" Daniel cried, sinking down to the table. He couldn't stomach the thought of being apart from his brother for extended periods as it was, but this made things so much worse. Maybe I shouldn't have gotten out of that car, he thought. If only I had stayed with him, I'd feel safe, even if I wouldn't be happy with living in Puerto Lobos. We'd still be a family. Then again, if they were together, Sean would probably still be doing all sorts of terrible, illegal things just to survive and continue protecting him. I'm not a little wolf anymore. I don't need protection. I can make my own decisions and survive on my own. He considered the fact, too, that he had essentially walked out on Sean, just as their mother had, He wondered how his big brother must be feeling about him now. Probably just as hurt, betrayed, and angry as when she'd left. He wouldn't want to see me anyway.

"Daniel," Flores took his hand, tearing him from his thoughts.

"Yeah?"

"I'm going to do everything in my power to make things right. Within the next week, we'll get you situated back with your grandparents. When that happens, there could be a bit of an adjustment period. We're going to have to have a long chat with them about everything that's going on from a legal standpoint, explain our requirements, and agents will make a routine visit to the home every other week for the first four months."

"Aww man, do they have to? That sucks."

"I know. But it's just until you're able to start school. They'll want to be sure you're doing well, keeping up with your studies, not experiencing any emotional problems, not trying to run away, and above all, not...showing off. That sort of thing."

"I'm not stupid! Sean always told me to hide my power. I'm not gonna go around using it in public or playing pranks on people."

"You've played pranks?"

"Yes...but only a couple times when people were mean to us. And one time, I used it at a comic shop window when they were closed because I wanted to read the new Hawt Dawg Man!"

Agent Flores laughed. "My nephews love that show."

"They should. It's the best!"

"It's good to see that you still want to be a normal kid, Daniel. I want that for you."

"Yeah," the boy said a bit sadly. "Me too. I really miss it. Can we get out of this room now, please? It feels like a prison."

"Well, this is a prison," Flores pointed out. "But yes. I just have a few calls to make for approval, send off my report, and then you, myself, and two other special agents will escort you to a hotel for the night. It's a long way to Beaver Creek, so...I have to ask that you keep your head down along the way, and don't ask too many questions or annoy the men too much. We'll get you some fresh clothes, food, all the things you might need. For the majority of the trip, you'll have to stay indoors or in the car to avoid any issues with law enforcement. Your profile is still out and communication between departments isn't always the best, so the police will be on the lookout for you. Trust me, it's just a headache for us to deal with them, as you saw earlier, so-"

"I get it," Daniel cut her off. "I've hidden out plenty of times."

"Still. This could put you on the radar very easily. It could take a few weeks before your profile is fully erased from databanks. There are wanted posters out there in many towns. So it's important you stay at home once you reach the Reynolds as well...at least for awhile."

"Okay."

"Just sit tight, all right? I'll be back in a few."

As Flores got up and left, Daniel took another long look at the room, recalling the last time he felt like this. I was just bored, so I came inside. I've seen Merrill's safe, too. In the back of the room. What had made him so angry and frustrated that he'd want to pull off something so dangerous and stupid in the first place? Sean. But being jealous of the time his brother had spent with Cassidy seemed so silly and insignificant now. It felt like ages ago, and yet a part of him still felt trapped by all those yesterdays. Bits and pieces of their trip and the many experiences they'd shared on their long journey to the border were trickling down in his mind. That scared him in a way. What if it became a raging flood? What if he messed up and flipped the car on the way to Beaver Creek, or worse...destroyed his grandparents' home?

"Just breathe, enano," the little wolf said out loud. "And don't you dare stop until you get to Beaver Creek."

Just breathe, little cub. I've got you.

"No, Sean. You don't. I'm all alone...fuck Independence Day."