Page 88 of The Order

“Your father said that he wants you home. It would seem one of you is not supposed to be running around,” Adam says, leaning over to get a better look at my angry scowl behind Kai.

“He didn't tell either of us why he needed you, actually,” Xavier says, ignoring the glare of his companion.

I finally step away from my brother to face Xavier fully. Smiling gently at him, I feel that familiar sense of security from being near him. Regardless, I still need to try and warn Fallan that they’re here. I don’t know if their presence is related to what happened last night, but if it is, he needs to lie low.

“Something is going on. My father is sending Officials out to drag us home,”I say, feeling a slight tremor in my closed hand.

There are several silent moments as I walk behind Adam's rigid figure. He waves towards one of the many Official vehicles. I walk next to Xavier, feeling our fingers brush. He looks at me with worry, unsure what to do or say.

“How many of them?”Fallan finally responds, and I let out the breath I hadn’t noticed I'd been holding in.

I still don’t understand how we can talk to each other like this.

“Two. Xavier and Adam.”

I feel a wave of nausea at the mention of both men's names, unsure of how it reached me in the first place.

“Was that feeling you just then?”I question.

“I can't say I’m fond of either man. This isn’t the situation I hoped to wake up to,”he says, making me gently smile. I hear the sleep in his voice. He must have one hell of a hangover.

“Do you think they plan on questioning us… about last night?”I say, feeling a wave of worry pass over me.

“We didn’t end up going through with the heist, I doubt they even saw-”

“Us. I don't mean Aaron and you, Fallan. I mean us!”I shout in my mind, finally allowing myself to address the elephant in the room. A deep-rooted sense of fear washes over me. It starts in my chest, working through my fingertips, only to end in the form of shaking through my body.

“Are you cold?” Xavier questions, touching my lower back. I try to shake away the fear in my body, feeling every bone inside of me rattle.

“Fallan?”I question, only giving Xavier a nod as Adam shoves my brother into the back of his car.

Xavier scowls at the man, moving me along more gently as he urges me to get in the back with Kai. I oblige, sliding in next to my brother. Our knees touch. We huddle together in the back seat, unsure of what will come.

“What did you do to your chip?”Fallan questions, any sound of playfulness void from his voice.

“You said it would kill me, and it didn't-”

“What did you do, Forest?!”Fallan yells, his voice breaking with emotion. My mind rattles at the question, and my throat grows dry.

“I set myself free,”I whisper, feeling that pain again.“Why did you lie to me?”I push.

Xavier looks back from the passenger seat, giving me another easing smile. All I can do is close my eyes, ignoring Adam's backward looks at my brother's angry demeanor in the rearview mirror.

“You did more than rid yourself of the chip,”he whispers, his voice barely recognizable under the cloud of emotion.“You did the one thing that will ensure I don't stay away this time,”he whispers.

This time?

“Fallan, none of that makes sense,”I say, feeling my anxiety heighten the longer I am near Adam and the gun strapped to his side.

"I need to get to your sector,”he says, making my worries grow.“Whatever you do, avoid a Re-Regulation Device. They will be able to see you have no chip. Once they know that, you’re their biggest threat,”Fallan says. My hands tap my legs in nervous jolts.

“Tell me why you know so much, and I know so little,”I prod, seeing the outline of my neighborhood come into perspective. Several moments pass before he answers softly.

“They wanted to torture me, Forest, not you. You were the one way they could do that…. Someone else is trying to take up space in your mind. I have felt it for days-”

I feel my heart pain at his response, filled with more questions than answers. Fallan’s voice is cut off, replaced by a pressure behind my eyes. The car rolls to a stop, both Officials receiving a stream of texts, no doubt from my father. Xavier moves to open my door, giving Adam a nasty look as he pulls my brother free from the car. I feel a wave of emotions work through me, each more confusing than the next.

I hadn't realized I’d grabbed Xavier's hand, walking in mindless thought toward my front door. He didn't stop me, allowing me to cling to his hand with a shaky grasp.

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