Chapter Six, Part Two:
Cough Syrup
"Life's too short to even care at all."
In the twenty-seven years, verging on twenty-eight, years of his life, Tucker Foley had seen a number of unusual things. To him, the abstract was every day and the unusual commonplace. He was accustomed to the strange and if it had taught him anything, it was that there was no such thing as coincidence.
Especially when it involved children disappearing.
When the chemistry accident first happened, the event that robbed Danny and thirty other innocents of their lives, Tucker had been suspicious.
Sure, accidents were bound to happen; but of that magnitude? And in Amity Park?
While the town and his friends mourned, Tucker poured himself into research, desperate for an answer.
He searched for months with varying degrees of success. He spent hours in the library, scavenging the Internet, and even confronting the ghosts. But the ghosts that Tucker actually managed to confront (an incredibly and unsurprising small number), were just as baffled.
Eventually after much pleading from Jazz, Tucker finally put away his research. He began to focus more on high school and eventually college, tracking down ghosts in his spare time.
It was just him and Jazz at that point; Sam had already fled with her tail between her legs.
She didn't even bother to tell them when her daughter was born.
And so as Sam lived it up in New York with her new family and friends, Tucker and Jazz struggled to help keep the ghost situation under control. Somewhere along the way, both graduated, got jobs, and fell in love.
Sam's return had, unfortunately, put a bit of a damper on things.
The pair had gotten along just fine without her, and her return only conjured darkened memories. But they adapted, assigning their former friend a role in their ghost hunting. They got by, were building back their relationship.
Until another chemistry accident occurred, identical to the last. Only this time it wasn't Danny who was stolen, leaving behind an entire town, but rather Sam. Sam, who had a precious daughter; a daughter who would now be left on her own.
No, Tucker didn't believe in coincidence.
She had imagined this moment so many times in her mind that now, being forced to come face to face with it, left her rather speechless.
Sam was a very vocal individual. She had her opinions and, whether you wanted to listen or not, she would vocalize them at any opportunity possible. Raising Holly, Sam had learned to contain the urge to scream at the world; but left unbridled her temper was infamous – that was something that hadn't faded with time.
It took very little to set Sam off: someone tossing a cigarette to the ground, pollution, animal cruelty – anything with an activist behind it, Sam passionately supported.
Yet here she was. Silent.
Her students, her responsibility, had been kidnapped from the school. Parents all around Amity Park were likely in a tailspin as they mourned the loss of their children – some for the second time. But, they had to realize, didn't they? Recognize the similarities between this accident and the last. They were both chemistry classes, too! There was no possible way to deny the reality.
Deep down, though, Sam knew that the town would be so consumed with grief, no one would think twice about the accident. Amity Park was known for its bad luck – the accidents. Tucker and Jazz, of course, would likely recognize the pattern, but it could take weeks for them to trace it back to this "Association."
And then there was Holly to think about. Her daughter, alone and under the assumption that her mother was dead. Sam had faith in Tucker and Jazz; faith that they would take care of her daughter until her imminent return – because she was going back. What if they called Simon, though? Holly's father was a good man; he would accept the responsibility of Holly. He would take custody. Take her daughter to California.
No. That couldn't happen. They had only just settled in. She couldn't lose Holly. Wouldn't. Not ever.
"Sam?"
Her head snapped up, her eyes narrowing.
It was Danny.
"Sam, I'm sure this might come as a –"
"So it was you the other night," she said, her arms folded over her chest. "I wasn't seeing things, was I?"
He shook his head, his lips pursed. "No. I didn't know what Lukas was planning, though. If I had, I would have warned you ahead of –"
"So this is where you've been all this time? Playing soldier for your little secret society while the rest of us thought, oh, you know, that you were dead. But, hey, who cares about your family and friends when you've got a cool new organization to play around in."
"It's not –"
"Isn't it, Danny? It's been ten years. Ten. Years. We thought you were dead!"
His eyes narrowed, and Sam swore she could see a flash of neon green. His long, pale fingers gripped the desk he was perched upon, frustration evident in his eyes. "I wouldn't expect you to understand, Sam," he sneered. "I heard you ran off to get married at the first chance you got. Didn't take you to long to move on, did it?"
She reeled back as though he had slapped her.
"How dare –"
"No," he interrupted. "You don't get to criticize me. I did everything within my power to keep this damn town safe, to keep you safe – look where it got me. And then, this happened. I was stolen away and presumed to be dead. I was told that I could make something of the world; that I could make an actual difference with people who shared similar goals. Goals that were supposed to make the world a better place. And now you have the audacity to accuse me of being selfish!"
"You were! Did you ever stop to consider the crap you put your family through? Me? The last ten years haven't been easy for anyone, Danny!"
A bark of cruel laughter escaped from his laps. "Oh, trust me. I know. I know everything."
"How?"
"The perks of being best pals with an Informant. They know everything; you just have to ask the right questions," he said, the edge beginning to lift from his tone. He paused, seeming to collect his thoughts. "I'm sorry about what happened to your daughter," he finally said. "I'm glad she's better."
"You know about Holly?"
He let out a sigh, running a hand through his hair. A gesture that was so similar to the boy she had known and loved throughout the early stages of her life.
"I know a lot of things, Sam. I might not have been there, but that doesn't mean I wasn't aware of the basics of what was going on here. We occasionally have Runners that check up on towns that have been left beyond; they usually come back with a pretty good understanding of most of the citizens," he said.
"So what exactly is this Association then? And no BS; I've had enough of that for one night," she said, depositing herself in the uncomfortable looking chair beside the desk.
"I think that Olivia could explain better than I could," he said quietly, gesturing to the stern woman lounging on the sofa.
Sam shook her head, hair flying about her face. "No. I want to hear this from you."
He sighed, dropping his head into his hands.
"A long time ago," he began, "there was a man named Lukas. He had a vision for the future, a better future. In order to achieve this ideal world, he gathered together a group of brilliant minds. He took them, isolated them, and put them to work brainstorming this plan. But time passed, they were unsuccessful, and Lukas grew frustrated with their lack of progress. He declared that in order to get the blood moving, the ideas flowing, they would need to recruit.
"But Lukas was adamant that this group, this association, remain secret. So he began to look for the best and brightest minds, attempting to gather them together. And it worked for a while. As time went on, though, and their triumphs began to dwindle, Lukas grew more and more power hungry. So one of his advisers stumbled upon an idea: What if they went from school to school, scouting out the best and brightest; the most athletic and agile; the brains and the brawns.
"And he did. Eventually he decided that in order to continue he succession of control, he must bring in young minds. Separate them from their families worked perfectly – crush their hope, eliminate their options, and begin a new future.
"And it sounded so good. To have the opportunity to work for the progression of humanity? It would be such an honor.
"But Lukas is power crazy. Bettering the world is no longer the point, but rather controlling it. Hence," and Danny gestured to himself and Olivia, "the rebellion was born."
Sam paused, running over his words.
Finally she spoke, her tone thoughtful. "Why not just leave?"
"We cannot," Olivia said from her corner on the sofa. "They would find us. And, if we even hold the slightest chance of stopping this fate for another generation, then it is our duty to take action."
Danny nodded.
"So, Sam… you with us?"
Author's Note: Um, can I just say I'm really sorry that this has taken so long to get out? Like, I'm really, really sorry. Can you find it in your wonderful hearts to forgive me? Honestly, I don't have a particularly valid excuse. Most of this was already written; it just needed the final portion that was being stubborn. Which I'm still working out how to continue because GAH, my planning is being stubborn. But it's okay. It's cool.
No, the real reason this has taken so freaking long is kind of something I couldn't control. First there were finals (*shudders*), then senior activities, then graduation, then road tripping it, and then, finally, I started work. (Speaking of, I have a nasty sunburn right now.) So I've been a little busy and this chapter was stubborn. The two did not co-mingle very well.
Thank you guys, if you're still here, for sticking around. And thank you for reviewing, Jade of Silence, Elle Aitch, TiFu, Fluehatraya, Kitty in Boots, Oak Leaf Ninja, Chop Suzi, and ShadowDragon357. You guys rock my socks.
And to future reviewers? Your review will be like my Aloe Vera. I need it desperately and it's so wonderful when it finally sinks in.
Thanks again for reading (and being patient with me) and don't forget to review. Peace. - Inky