BAZEL SATas quietly as Atlas had told him to do. It was nearly pitch black, and he listened intently for any sign of the man he had seen before. When he’d gone to the library, Bazel had purposely looked for him, but didn’t see him. He thought he must have been overreacting before, but once he turned in the first Percy Jackson book and went to leave, he saw him pass through toward the bathrooms. Bazel had hurried out of the building and run around the corner, but the man came out ahead of him, running closer as soon as he saw Bazel. He managed to get away by running and ducking into a space between the buildings, but the man followed him.
All Bazel could think was to get home, but then he knew he was leading him to where he lived, so he raced past the house and kept going toward the main street before doubling back. He knocked on the neighbor’s door, but she didn’t answer, so he continued down to the end of the street, using the alley and the trash cans as cover. He looked down the alley both ways and didn’t see the man again. Then he climbed the fence into the neighbor’s yard before doing it again to get into Atlas’s before going inside.
The house was quiet, but he remembered what Atlas had told him, so he left the lights off and used the hidden flashlight to go to the secret room and close the door. He sat at the table in the dark and waited. He didn’t know if the man was outside or even in the house. He didn’t hear anything, but that didn’t meanmuch because people could walk really quiet if they wanted to. For now Bazel was safe, and that was what counted.
Bazel turned on the flashlight and remembered the bar that Atlas had shown him. He pushed it up and then turned out the light just to be sure, wondering how long he was going to have to wait.
FOOTSTEPS ONthe floor above him sent Bazel’s heart racing. Was it Atlas or the man who was after him? He didn’t know, and it scared the crap out of him, so Bazel did as Atlas told him and stayed still. Atlas had said that if he was in the secret room, he would find him and come for him, so he stayed where he was, but he grew more and more frightened as the moments passed. Was anyone going to find him down here? Tingles went up his back, just like when the men locked him and the others in the shipping container on the ship. He breathed slow and deep, reminding himself that he hadn’t been in here for very long and that he could breathe and that there was food and water. Atlas had shown him where it was, and he would be okay.
“Bazel,” he heard from outside.
“Atlas?” he asked, and a few seconds later, the door swung open, letting in the light. Bazel stood and then raced into Atlas’s arms.
“You’re okay. I was so scared.”
“How did you know to come find me?” He held Atlas as though his life depended on it. “I thought I was going to stay in there all day.”
“Everything is okay. I have the man who was chasing you at the station. Ruth heard you knock, but didn’t answer because she didn’t know you. She did see the man following you and called it in. She doesn’t get out very much, but she sees everything that happens. She called me. But then I couldn’t findyou. I checked for the indicator, so I didn’t think you were in here.”
“I not, I don’t think. I no want him to know where I live. I was sneaky and go around block. I jumped neighbor fence and came down here.”
“Okay. It seems he was still looking for you when we found him. The librarian and Ruth both gave us a good description. And Evie helped too.” Atlas held him and stilled.
“What is it?” Bazel lifted his gaze, wondering what was going through Atlas’s mind.
“He was here, or at least he was close by, when Evie attacked Breaker. He knew what Evie had done to him, and he recognized her.” Atlas told him about what he did in the back of the police car. Bazel followed the story and nodded.
“Maybe Breaker tell this man what happen? It not matter. You have him, and I am safe.” He didn’t let Atlas go.
“How did you know to get away from him?”
Bazel blushed. “I see him before at library, and I lose him on way home once. I not know if he after me or just chance. But today, when I see him, I hurry out, and he do same. So I try to go home, but he get too close, so I keep going to try to hide. I escape by running and turning down road and then into parking lot, hide behind cars. He no find me. Then I come here and go into there.” Bazel pointed at the open door.
“So you weren’t here when I came earlier?” Atlas said, and Bazel shook his head. He didn’t think so.
“I no in there for very long.” He backed away. “Do I have to go to police station?”
“Yes. I think that’s best. You will need to identify the man, and we need to try to figure out what the hell is going on and why they want you so badly.”
Bazel nodded. “I no understand. I not know anything.”
Atlas took his hand. “Let’s go find out.” He led the way up the stairs and out to the police car. Evie was in back, and Bazel wanted to greet her properly, but she was still working, so he sat on the seat and let Atlas drive him. Atlas spoke on the phone, and Bazel put his hands in his lap, trying not to be nervous, but failing completely.
“Carter was to looking for you too. I’ve told him that I found you and am bringing you in. He is going to meet us at the station.”
“Am I in trouble?” Bazel asked.
“No. You definitely aren’t.” He turned and smiled at him before returning his attention to driving. At the white station with pillars out front, he got out of the car. Carter met them, and they went in together, along with Evie. They had Bazel sit down, and Carter asked a number of questions that Bazel did his best to answer. They were about things he had already told Atlas.
“Did you ever see him before?” Carter asked.
“Not before he follow me from library the other day. On ship I only see Breaker. And I not see him when I was in truck.” He hated reliving all of that over and over again. More than anything he wanted to be able to put it behind him. “I don’t know why they follow me.”
Carter wrote down what Bazel said. “Okay. Thank you.” He stood. “Come with me.”
Bazel followed Carter down a hallway, wondering where Atlas was. Carter opened a door, and Bazel went inside. Through a window, he could see the man who followed him sitting at a table. Atlas came into the room with Evie, who sat next to him, tongue out.
“Reginald Whittaker. Let’s get right down to it. Why were you following Bazel?” Atlas asked.
