Page 100 of Crimson Flames

I shake my head at them. “I haven’t decided.”

I was worried Nessa would be offended that she was the last for me to figure out, but choosing the name I’m going to call her for the rest of our lives feels more important. I need it to be right for both of us. It needs to be a name that reflects the rock she is for me and how monumental she is in my life.

“Take your time, Kai. I’m not going anywhere,” Nessa reassures me, just low enough for us to hear. I lean my shoulder against hers. This is why she’s the most important. She grounds me, she understands me, she makes me feel safe even in the littlest of things.

I was a nervous wreck asking her if she would adopt me. I wanted to cry because I was so anxious to get the words out.

“Can I go to the island one day?” I ask Evie.

She lays down a card that has Nessa huffing in frustration as she draws a bunch from the pile.

“After you go to college, if Nessa allows it, I will personally send you an invitation.”

“Only if that’s what you want, Kai. I have no expectations of you going there,” Nessa tells me.

“I know.” I pop a chip in my mouth. “But it’s where you went, and from everything I’ve heard, it’s the place you found your family. What if it’s the place where I can find mine?”

Not that I don’t love the family I have, but I also know I’d like to make a family for myself one day. Besides, I have a feeling that this island is so much more than just a university.

Chapter 37

“We need to start attacking where he least expects it,” I inform everyone as I stand at the board in Boris’ office. The whole crew is here today. We have all grown increasingly frustrated now that we can’t seem to find the final group of kids.

The ones we just rescued informed us that this group is referred to as the ‘elite’, which is just feckin’ grande. Most of them were sold in infancy and have lived their entire lives in this hell hole. Forget Stockholm Syndrome. These kids never stood a chance.

We have debated on what to do with them for two weeks now, but we can’t seem to find them. It will be nearly impossible to get them to trust us and even less likely that we’ll be able to help them go on to live normal lives.

Kai and Cillian have been watching Marvel movies together recently, and Kai now says they’re all under the influence of the “Black Widow Syndrome” since they were all taken from foster care at a young age.

I thought that could be useful, so I watched the movie with them only to find that it really wasn’t helpful. The black widow ended up leaving the organization that basically brainwashed her because she found out the truth on her own and decided to get out.

How would we do that for these kids?

Damien and Cillian think they have an idea, but the two of them together sound like a nightmare, so we have ignored their suggestions thus far. But it seems like we may not be able to find them in the first place.

“How do we hit where he least expects it?” Kai asks. We have let him be part of things as much as he wants to. We all sat down with Dr. K after we got back from rescuing the teens and had a long talk about what Kai’s role would be.

Ultimately, we are letting him decide his boundaries so long as he promises to communicate with us when things become too much or when he needs help.

“That’s a good question,” I say, throwing down a stack of papers. “We are going to go hunting for all of his contacts. Anyone who had a hand in moving any children is about to be eliminated.”

“I think we should ask Storm and her people if they would like to join us,” Kai suggests as he starts flipping through the pages. He confirmed with Lev that he had seen a lot of these people, and it’s going to take some time to hunt them all down.

“Was burning down the school and roasting marshmallows over the flames not enough for them?” Cillian asks.

Kai laughs, tossing a stack of papers at Cillian. “You know how it is,” Kai retorts. “Revenge never sleeps.”

“It does when they’re all dead,” Damien chimes in, fist bumping Cillian.

These two are a piece of work.

“If Dr. K says they are cleared to go in with us and they want this, I am happy to let them join,” I say as I look over at Dr. K, who is sitting in the corner.

“The one in the group who is least stable is Rick, but it won’t be good to keep him out of the loop. Rhea seems to ground him, so as long as they stay together, you have my support.”

“Great,” I say with a nod.

“Wait,” Kai interrupts, “how is Rick unstable?”

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