Kyle extended his senses, used everything he had, in order to ensure he was not spotted again. He was lucky it was a toddler the first time. Had it been Latnok, they'd be all over him. The situation was very serious; not only had his phone been compromised, but Latnok had known the route he'd take to get to the pool, and had even placed Rachel at the Rack – if that was even her real name.
His stomach was in knots with worry for Amanda, his family, and his friends. Whereas the first 'test' as it had been called involved kidnapping Amanda late at night, now they were operating with a huge force during the day.
Not for the first time, he muttered, "Why can't they just leave them alone!" He considered following the direction on his cell phone, the demand to give up, and immediately rejected it. With people like Cassidy and Grace Kingsley out there, he'd likely be tied to machines for the rest of his life. It was either that or his death. He rejected that too.
He noted several vehicles patrolling the neighborhood and the pattern they followed. It was simple but didn't leave him much time to get out from beneath the large pine tree he was hiding under. With the cover of additional bushes and a small rock garden in front of the pine, he was safe from prying eyes. He was so close to his home but it seemed they had the immediate vicinity under high alert.
Frustrated, he balled his fists. Anger wasn't a feeling he particularly enjoyed, but having been stuck in this block of houses for the last fifteen and a third minutes had really bothered him. He especially worried what would happen if he simply charged in.
He'd planned to go to the park but once there he'd found it completely vacant. He needed to find a telephone that he could use to contact Foss, Jessi, Amanda, and Declan at least. Oddly he wasn't certain of the order other than for Foss. He'd surely have a viable plan.
Sighing, he thought again of breaking into one of the houses, or even the house where the toddler was and asking to use the phone from his mother. He didn't want to risk anyone else's lives to Latnok. It only appeared that he had little choice.
Seeing his opportunity he flew out of his hiding spot, jumped back over the fence from where he'd come. Every time he jumped he looked all around, keeping track of any threat. Luckily he found none.
It was then he noticed three business people in the park he'd just abandoned. There were two men talking into cells and one woman walking away from them at a brisk pace. He clearly heard her conversation, "John, the panels are useless as they are! You need to focus on the brand, using our corporate colors! Have the team think up a different slogan too, I hate the one you cooked up this morning." A brief pause, "I don't care if it took you 100 hours to get that thought. It's chauvinistic and dated. You –"
Ignoring the remainder of her conversation, he vaulted over the white fence and ran across the street to a spot directly in front of her, on the small paved path weaving through the park. Another patrol would come by this street in about 45 seconds, but he also didn't want to scare her needlessly. They stood near a few large low trees too, which he'd use to further protect him from the patrols. There was a strong breeze at his back.
She didn't even seem to see him. He cleared his throat to get her attention and said, "Excuse me, can I borrow your phone for just a minute? It's life—"
Without stopping or even looking at him, she started to go around him.
He raised his voice and grabbed her shoulder, "It's an emergency! Will you give me your phone?"
She disinterestedly eyed him but made no reply. Instead, she crouched and twisted slightly to get away. She succeeded for half a second before he growled at her and ripped the phone out of her hands, ended the call and started texting Amanda all in a matter of three seconds.
The woman turned on him, "Who do you think you are! That was an important business call!" She continued to rave, but he ignored her.
His first text sent, he sent another more detailed one to Foss, then another to Jessi. The lady tried in vain to retrieve her phone, and couldn't seem to get within one foot of him. After fifteen seconds of futility she yelled at the top of her lungs, "Help! Help!"
In the corner of his eyes he saw the two men get up and close their phones. They nodded to each other before walking quickly toward him.
He was mid-way through a text for Declan when the first text came back from Foss. He opened the text and scanned it. He could scarcely believe his eyes. His mouth went dry and his ears buzzed.
"We have him. Go home."
A second message came from Amanda. Mechanically he opened it and his heart sank further.
"We have her. Go home." He clicked send for his message to Declan.
He expected to receive a third message about Jessi, stating the same. He waited for twenty seconds, weaving between the two men and the woman, never allowing them to get near him. He knew the patrol would be coming soon so he ran behind the low lying trees, continuing to evade them. One of the men dived for his legs which he jumped over effortlessly.
The buzzing cleared in his ears and he heard the patrol coming down the street. If they saw anyone running around in circles in the park they'd surely stop to take a look.
A new plan in mind, he said to the man who was still standing, "Sorry sir." Without hesitation he swept the man's legs from under him, sending him sprawling to the ground. The woman was still screaming at him to give her back her phone, shrilly, her voice beginning to get hoarse. The wind was blowing into his face and he sniffed the air a moment, confused.
The man who had dived for him was up again and coming at him at full speed.
A third text came in, this time from Declan. "Got him too. This is not a game. Go home." He'd come to expect as much.
The man was upon him, but Kyle turned at the last moment, his hand palm out, straight into the man's diaphragm. His would be assailant drove the wind out of himself. He collapsed, clutching his chest, trying to breathe.
He emerged from behind the trees, in full view of the patrol, which had indeed stopped. Of course, they'd known where he was.
These three were Latnok as well, and the petite woman's deceitful shrieks might have got him before but now he felt only rage. For the briefest moment, he felt at the hole that had been in him since Jessi had pulled out her end of their connection. It surprised him to feel intense joy there.
Maybe she was drugged, but then why wouldn't they respond for her too unless they meant for him to assume her dead.
He knew that couldn't be. Maybe this was just another elaborate test after all.
Another text came in. He didn't even bother to glance at it. Instead, he crushed the cell in his hand and bolted over a fence heading toward home. Considering they were forcing him to go home, he figured that they wouldn't stop him from getting there however he decided to.
It took only five minutes to reach the Blooms' backyard and to climb into Amanda's bedroom. He focused his hearing and his sight onto his family's home. No one was inside, and there were no signs of patrols anymore. He waited eleven minutes before remembering Josh. It was then he spotted Amanda's cell on her dresser.
She'd never actually replied; he'd known that. But if her phone was here, where would she be?
Unless they really did have everyone. His fists balled once more. Not trusting cell phones anymore, he left Amanda's room and found the main phone in the living room. He picked up the handset but never dialed a number.
It was ringing. It rang only once, but he stayed quiet. "Hi Kyle?" It was Hillary, Lori's best friend. "Are you there? Please answer."
After a few precious seconds, he did. He then heard her call his name as though the phone was now in someone else's hand. A computer altered voice came on, "She's served her purpose. Finish her." He heard a muffled scream, flooding the pool of joy he'd previously felt with fury. She was only an acquaintance! She wasn't even family! The voice started anew, "Kyle, comply now or your entire family will face the same fate. We'll start with Nicole."
"Wait!" he yelled into the phone. Despite everything he needed to know about Amanda.
"You have three minutes." The line went dead.