p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanem"Authorities are asking for help identifying several persons of interest at Dealey Plaza sat the time of the assassination. The FBI believes they may have been acting in concert with the alleged shooter, Lee Harvey Oswald. Vanya Hargreeves, wanted in connection with the deaths of several FBI agents inside the Federal Building at Dealey Plaza. A Cuban exile known only as Diego, who recently escaped from the Holbrook Sanatorium. A bare-knuckle boxer with suspected Mafia ties who fights under the alias 'King Kong'. Allison Chestnut, a Negro radical responsible for instigating and organizing the recent riots at Stadler's lunch counter. Mina Hargreeves, a local choreographer caught engaging in degeneracy. And finally, Klaus, a controversial cult leader and known tax evader. The FBI is asking the public to be on the lookout for this unidentified boy, who they believe is being held hostage by the suspected terrorist network…"/em/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"emspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span/span/emspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"I rolled my eyes at their descriptions, disgusted by the way they were painting my family. I still couldn't believe this twisted time wanted to make me out to be a villain, for something completely normal. I was just about ready to get the hell out of there./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Well, it's true." I turned my attention down to Five, who refused to remove his eyes from the television. "I do feel like I'm being held hostage most days."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Oh, ha, ha," I shot back dryly, rolling my eyes at him. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"God, I hate that photo," Diego groaned./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"They're saying I instigated the riot?" Allison scoffed. "That's unbelievable."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"They're trying to tell people who I am is a crime," I griped. "This is bullshit."span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanAll of us finally got our complaints out of the way, leaving room for any other topic of conversation. Luther pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed, bringing our attentions toward him./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Look, the good news is that we restored the timeline and we stopped doomsday. So—"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Yeah, a real bunch of goddamn heroes," Diego deadpanned, cutting his brother off. "We let Kennedy die."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanI'd had it with him and his indignance. He truly, genuinely felt like he'd done something right, and we were all giving him shit for no reason, but he hadn't stopped to think, just like always. For most of our youth, I'd excused it, blaming it on the way Dad pushed on us. And maybe there was still a lot of that to blame, but Diego didn't listen to us when we tried to stop him. He could have jeopardized humanity./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Yeah, and now we're officially the most wanted people in the world," Allison added, only further fanning the flames. "The FBI is after us, the Dallas Police, the Secret Service. It's only a matter of time before they hunt us down here."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanAs much as I hated to admit it, Allison had a point. We were sitting ducks in this place, especially because it was only a matter of time before they found Elliott's body abandoned by the water tower and came here to investigate. If we didn't get out of here soon, we'd all be stuck in prison, with no way to get style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Well, where are we supposed to go?" I sighed, trying to piece something together./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I have this yurt just outside Reykjavik." I turned my torso to look up at Klaus, making his way down the stairs. At least he felt well enough to stand up again. "We could totally lay low there. Folks are a little weird, but lovely."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanAs much as I loved the idea, there was one fatal flaw in any escape plan./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Hey, numbnuts," Five grunted, causing Klaus to stop in his tracks and turn around. "Hiding's not going to make a difference here. The Commission will hunt us down wherever and whenever we go."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"He's right," I agreed, still refusing to look at my brother. I heard Five scoff from beside me, and finally I trained my gaze to him, not flinching as his angry glare dug into me and made me feel the slightest amount of guilt./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I'm sorry, since when are you an expert on the Commission?" he demanded, challenging me as though he thought I would somehow falter. However, I instead leaned forward slightly, narrowing my eyelids and staring him down./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Since I got back from there," I stated confidently. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"What?" Five almost looked afraid for a second, but he pulled it right back in check./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Yeah. My ex-girlfriend drugged and kidnapped me and presented me to your ex-boss—by the way, thanks for mentioning they're related—and offered me a job. They headhunted me." Five rolled his eyes, really more looking like he was in denial than anything else./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Really? They headhunted emyou/em? The pushover?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanI balled my hands into fists and took a step forward, fully ready to take a swing at him for the first time in our lives. Thankfully, before I could take anything too far and do something I'd regret, Allison rushed down the few steps between us and grabbed onto me, bringing me back to style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I wasn't given much of a choice, genius," I taunted, trying to hide the fear I still held from my decisions. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Mina, you're not Commission material, all right? You're too nice."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I told you, the Handler didn't give me a choice." Five stopped his pacing and whipped back around, staring up at me with wide eyes. "She threatened to wipe you from existence if I didn't accept." Five stepped back slightly, alarmed./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Wha—"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"She… she threatened to shoot our birth mother right after I was born, so you…" I shook my head, unable to finish the thought. "And now, I don't know if she's going to act on that because I left, or if she's just got bigger things to worry about, but all I can do it just turn around and hope that you're…" I swallowed, my emotions finally catching up with me. The mere thought of the alternative option caused a chill to run through me. "Look, I managed to figure out doomsday on the ISB and get back here. We stopped it because of that. Isn't that what matters?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Are you kidding?" Five laughed. "They let you, of all people, look at the Infinite Switch Board."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I had some help, but yeah," I shrugged. "Pretty much."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"This isn't helping," Luther groaned, pacing to the other side of the room./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Look, I met the resistance in their secret lair. I managed to sit through the orientation video for two minutes, then I snuck out and managed to get into one of the ISB rooms without anyone seeing me. So, don't worry. You're still all high and mighty," I taunted./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"You seriously think that's what this is about?" Five demanded, taking a step closer to me./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Oh, come on. You can't look at me and tell me you don't feel even the least bit threatened."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"We don't have time for this," Luther spoke up, stepping back into place among the rest of our siblings. "The Feds could be here any minute."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"That's what I've been saying," Allison insisted, resting her head in her hands./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I'm agreeing!" I jumped back slightly, alarmed by Luther's sudden shouting. I didn't think he was capable of yelling in general, so to see him directing that toward Allison was completely unprecedented./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Okay, calm down, Hairy—" Luther wouldn't even let Five finish./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Hey, it's King Kong. And I'm sick of your ass." He whipped around and pointed right at me. "Yours, too. You both are ridiculous. This has to be about the dumbest argument I've heard in this family. You're both fighting for literally no reason."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanMy eyes drifted down toward my shoes, watching them scuff against the linoleum. The truth behind my sudden burst of anger started to poke its way through./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I don't blame him," I sighed. "I made a promise, and I couldn't keep it. I'd be pretty pissed at me, too."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanI couldn't lift my eyes again, until Five spoke./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"You got kidnapped. You couldn't control that."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanThe anger and sadness completely left me, allowing for remorse to make its way in. None of our little sibling spats ever got that bad before. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanI stepped forward, choosing to throw up the white flag, and crouched down, pulling my brother into a hug. It took him a moment, but thankfully, he hugged me back, and from the looks of it, all was healed again./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanWe needed that now. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"All right, all right." Luther cut into the moment he'd spurred on. "We need to move. That is more important. That is our only option."span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"We need to box these windows and stay here," Diego argued./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I'm leaving."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanEveryone directed their attention to Vanya, who was now standing on the other side of the room, right by the stairs. When had she gone up to the platform?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanGranted, that wasn't the most important part of the conversation. Vanya had just declared something that put everyone at risk. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"What?" I asked, slightly baffled. "To go where?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Sissy's farm." Vanya stood firm on her declaration, unwavering even as the rest of our siblings threw up their eyebrows at her. "Something's wrong with Harlan, and I need to help him."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanIt was noble for her to want to help Sissy's son, and I understood why she wanted to go back, but there was still too big of a risk. However, I couldn't bring myself to be the one to break that news to her./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Vanya, we need to stick together, okay?" Luther tried his best to keep the blow from sounding harsh. "Now more than ever."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"That's why I'm telling you this," she declared, stepping closer to all of us. "Whatever's going on with Harlan, I think I might've caused it." I furrowed my brows, unsure of what she was even attempting to hint at./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"How?" I questioned, allowing all of us to have clarification. Vanya hesitated a moment, the memory of whatever happened causing her face to sour slightly, before she was finally able to get it out./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"He drowned, and, uh… somehow, I was able to bring him back to life. And now, it's like we're connected."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanMy brain went blank, unsure of how to even process that. The nature of the world had always been once something or someone died, they were gone. Nothing could reverse that. Not to mention, even if one of us had powers that could bring someone back to life, they certainly didn't match Vanya's. How the hell was any of this even possible?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Wh—" I cut myself off, still attempting to process the implications of what Vanya had just dropped on us. "What does that even mean?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I don't know," Vanya admitted. "I can't explain, but… I know that he needs my help. I need your help, too. I'm scared. And for the first time in my life, I don't wanna do it alone. I want my family by my side."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanI closed my eyes, unwilling to face this reality. I couldn't bear the thought of abandoning Vanya, especially when things were this dire. Not to mention, this was a young child she wanted to save. He deserved a chance to be normal, and live the sort of life we never had. But, at the same time, I knew the rest of my siblings wouldn't agree, and there was no way Vanya and I could do this on our own./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Look, I'm sorry." Diego's words came out gravely, getting caught in his throat. "We have other priorities right now."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Diego's right… for once," Five muttered reluctantly. "We need to make our stand here and now."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanSilence hung in the air for a short while, completely separating her from the rest of our family… just like always./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Mina?" I refused to open my eyes and face her disappointment. She waited for me to do something, but I just couldn't. "Okay. I guess I'll see you when I see you."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanI waited until her footsteps had faded and the door slammed shut to open my eyes again. My siblings all looked saddened and remorseful, but no one bothered to speak up or try and sway the popular opinion./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanI refused to accept she was going to do this alone./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Guys, we have to go after her," I asserted, not leaving room for someone to argue with me. "We abandoned her for her entire life, and now, we have the chance to at least try and fix a fraction of that damage, and you're just going to sit here?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Mina, the Feds can find us there easily," Diego tried to argue. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"It's a farm in the middle of nowhere," I shot back. "I've been there. Luther, you've been there, too. It's practically at the end of the world. They're not going to go all the way out there to find us. And, if they do, let them come. We've got superpowers, for Christ's sake. We can use them."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanKlaus abruptly stood up and headed out in the direction Vanya had just gone, disappearing outside. That settled things for style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"And Klaus just left, so you know where I stand."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanRight as I was about to turn and leave, Diego let out a huff, then pushed past me and headed toward the alley door. Allison followed soon thereafter, with a tiny smile on her face, and Five went once she'd gone. That just left Luther and I. I worried I'd have to attempt and coerce him into coming along, but thankfully, after a moment of staring, he sighed and started to walk toward me, solidifying our familial support./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanCrisp air gave me a little jolt of energy as I opened the door into the sunshine. The blue car Vanya drove was stalling right in front of us, already containing Diego, Allison, and Klaus. Five stood in the passenger doorway, leaning in to speak to his sister./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Children ride in the back." Five nodded his head toward the back seat, causing Klaus to suddenly vault himself in between Diego and Allison, nearly kicking them in the face. I smirked as I made my way over to the car, taking the same path my brother had a moment ago./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"And twin brothers get the seatbelt, so move." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanFive huffed, but still slid out so I could sit between him and Vanya, forcing him to take the seatbelt. I wasn't taking any chances here./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanWith that taken care of, I turned my head and smiled at my sister, who offered me one right back./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I'm not gonna abandon you." I reached over and squeezed her shoulder, setting the support in stone and assuring everything was good./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Guys, I don't know what to say." Vanya's smile was practically overwhelming her face, causing my heart to swell. She deserved this happiness all the time./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in right 6.5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanOnce Vanya turned around, the back opened, and Luther crawled in. The car groaned and squeaked under his weight, and as he finally settled in, the entire back of the car listed beneath him, dipping to the point where I heard the tailpipe strike the ground. All of us stared at Luther with wide eyes, trying our best to hold back our laughter./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in right 6.5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Anyone makes a fat joke and I'm outta here," he warned./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in right 6.5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanShrugging, I turned back around, and Vanya finally pressed down on the gas, pulling us out of the alley and heading toward Sissy's farm. I felt a giddy sort of optimism the closer we got. We were going to fix this… together./span/p