Page 29 of Evolved

New letters done in sharpie.

Not Knox’s writing.

L-E-T-SB-U-I-L-DAF-U-T-U-R-EW-I-T-HH-O-P-E.

Join me, SenatorLavinia Hope, the next president of our brave nation as we unite for a new and brighter future.

She’s erased Gran from the equation.

We just met our new political opponent.

UNDERHANDED. But not surprising. Hiding the signs of political opponents is the oldest trick in the book.

I jog forward immediately and rip down the post-its that say her name.

If she can erase Gran—I can erase her.

Lavinia Hope. I know that name too.

I’ve just reached for my marker and new post-its when a strange instinct rises within me, something ancient passed down by distant ancestors as they entered an unknown cave.

Knox must feel it too, because his gun is out, and his head is cocked at an angle that reminds me of a wolf poised for attack.

I pull my own, dropping the post-its to the floor like detritus.

Something shifts, deep in the shadows beyond the Rotunda, a tiny noise, fabric brushing against something. When nothing happens again, my brain begins its work of doubting if I heard it at all.

Knox barely shakes his head, his pointer finger coming up to hover in front of his mouth.

We stand, half crouched, still as statues.

The noise comes again, followed by a mewl and then a sharp“Ssshhhhh.”

“Maybe they’ll help,” someone whispers.

A sharp“shhh,”cuts them off.

Those are kids’ whispers. I don’t know how I can tell, but I can.

Knox holds a quelling hand up, but I ignore him.

“We can help,” I say quietly.

There’d a squeal, and the sound or running feet.

I bolt after them toward the shadowy hall that leads toward the Old Senate Chamber.

I catch a fleeting glimpse of a girl, reedy in the way of pre-teens, and a younger one, eight or nine. Just their silhouettes before they round the corner into the Senate Conference Room.

I run faster.

There’s a frantic sound, one of them shrieks. I run into the Conference Room, ornate gold-and-crystal chandeliers, out into a hall, catch a glimpse of a ponytail darting into an office.

I slide into the office behind them in time to see them climbing through the window, the older one giving the younger a boost.

They freeze for a moment, both of them filthy and wild-eyed, before the older one shoves the little one, and then hurls herself through the window.

And then they’re gone.

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