I ignore that warning. She hasn’t banned me, but if I took the time to tell her what was going on, she still wouldn’t help me.
When the elevator opens, I step out and scan the parking lot. No movement. No cars opening or closing, no one leaving…
I squint, looking for any sign of him, but he’s gone. And a crawling sensation settles over me. I don’tknowfor certain, but something makes me think I won’t find him again until it’s too late.
CHRYS
Kissu comes into the bathroom where I’m inspecting the last of my lingering bruises.
“Hello,” I say, slightly holding out a hand like I would for a cat.
Knowing he understands me but not being able to understand him is almost as strange as having a pet lion.
I cannot think of him as anything else.
He bites to take hold of my sweater and tugs. “What is it? Is Arc down the well again?”
Kissu huffs and tugs again.
“Don’t worry, I didn’t expect you to get the reference.” My grandmother used to say it all the time… all I know is that it was from somereallyold TV show about a dog.
I pet his head and when I finally start to walk, he doesn’t let me go until we’re in the living room where Arc sits, scowling at the screen.
Kimba scowls back at him.
“She’s here, do you want to tell me what was so important that you couldn’t wait until the next meeting?”
“Not everything is about you,” she tells him before turning her attention to me. “I hope you know what you’re getting yourself into with them.”
“I do.” I sit on his lap, and even though he’s already heard my thoughts, I whisper. “Everythingisabout you.”
Kimba groans when I kiss his cheek and then a sharp pinging sound comes from her lap.
“So, this thing you’re doing has hit D-Day.” Kimba glares at the noisy thing. “You’ve got to talk to your sisters.”
“What doesthatmean?” I don’t think Hazard would have told when Hannah said he wouldn’t.
“It means, your mother filed a missing persons report and apparently the first thing they do when a woman goes missing now is check with the Agency in case said woman decided to come over without telling her family. The Agency has you marked ‘present and accounted for’ on Isia, and they let the Earth authorities know you’re not missing at all.”
“Oh.”
“Yes,oh.” Kimba laughs before quickly glancing at Arc. “Now, your mom has been calling your sisters. Laurel has blocked her messages because she doesn’t want to deal with the stress, but after the fourth time, Jessica picked up.”
“She knows I’m here…” I guess. “But she doesn’t know I’mhere.”
“Right, but she has asked me, in my ‘official capacities,’ to find you.”
I grimace. I can’t help it. Because I know she won’t lie to Jess. And I know I shouldn’t ask her to, either.
“Okay. So… How long do I have?”
“Until the next meeting.”
“Three days.” Arc whispers as he nuzzles my hair.
Something pings again on Kimba’s end and she also grimaces. “Maybe less.”
Then it clicks.
