Page 38 of The Explorer
“In what way?”
“I don’t know. It’s like he expects nothing of us. Like all he knows is people disappointing him. He’s just different and I’m pretty sure he knows we talk shit about him behind his back.”
“Then maybe you should stop bitching like a chicken.” Indiana shoved at my shoulder with a smile. “Try calling me again. I want to see how cool it looks when the call comes up.”
I put my Neuro Link on and formed the precise order in my mind to call Indiana Boulder.
Indiana lit up when he got my call.
“It says ‘Young Grasshopper Calling.’ Can you read that?” He pointed in front of him.
“No, all I see is a faint blue light shining from the tip of the stick.”
“That’s brilliant.” Waving his hand in front of his eyes, Indiana pondered out loud. “Do you think it’ll still work in sunshine?”
“If Shelly invented it, I’m sure it’ll work even in a tornado.”
Indiana seemed fascinated with his new toy and I was grateful that it distracted him from the conversation we’d had before Victor arrived.
CHAPTER 10
Far from Home
Indiana
After Victor left, we watched the vid messages that we had received from home.
Aubri laughed when Sparrow told us we’d better journal everything and share our adventures with her.
“What do you think she’ll say when I tell her about last night?”
Scratching my beard, I thought about it. “You can’t tell her. What if she lets it slip or she watches the vid with someone else?”
“Right. Maybe I’ll save that for when I see her again.” We watched a long vid from my brother Jones, who had recorded from Mason and Belle’s wedding.
“I know what you’re thinking,” Jones said after we’d seen Khan perform the ceremony. “You think I’m heartbroken that Belle chose Mason, but I’m not. I heard that Aubri promised to marry an Nman when she returns in a year. Indy, I know she listens to you, with you two being close friends and all. Do me a favor and put in a good word for me, will you?”
I raised my brow. My brother was almost five years younger than Aubri and I’d never had the impression that he was in love with her.
Leaning back in the small sofa, she pulled her legs up with a distant look on her face.
I cleared my throat. “Ehm… I don’t think he expected me to share that vid with you. Jones is a good kid, you know that.”
“Mm-hmm, what?” She looked distracted like she hadn’t quite heard what I just said.
“Hey, what’s wrong?” I asked, seeing her face sad and her eyes moist.
“I just feel so far away from home right now. My twin got married and I wasn’t there with him.”
“I know. It sucks.” Sitting next to her, I felt sad myself. Mason and I had been best friends for as long as I could remember. Never would I have imagined him marrying without Aubri and me there to celebrate.
“This isn’t like going to the cabin for a week. We won’t see our friends and family for six months.” Aubri’s voice broke a little. “I’m just realizing that we’ve only been here for a week and I already have so much to share with Sparrow and Dina, but I can’t see them.”
“But you knew that when you volunteered.”
“I was so focused on saving Freya and Belle from staying here. It all happened so fast and my focus was on all the adventures I could have, but…” She trailed off with her eyes shiny from unshed tears.
“But you didn’t stop to think about what you would miss back home.”
