The cup I’d given Paul had a special coating inside. His drink should have him on the floor in fifteen minutes or fewer, if it worked as advertised.
I sent Luke and Ella a text.“Fifteen minutes.”
I pretended to be engrossed in a romance novel like the old days while I waited. Paul yawned several times and leaned back in his chair. Before the fifteen minutes was up, the older man fell asleep. He snored softly, his head resting on the back of the chair. He didn’t look comfortable, but he looked like he wouldn’t wake anytime soon.
I dropped my book on the floor to see if he’d flinch. He didn’t move.“He’s out.”I packed up the evidence, returning it to my bag, including the cup of hot chocolate, which I poured back into the thermos to dispose of at home.
Ella came inside and stationed herself by the inner door with the security card from Paul’s desk. There was a sharp rap from inside the door and I jumped, my nerves on edge. Ella opened the door and Christopher emerged, leaning on an invisible Luke. Luke had warned me that if Christopher saw him wearing the cloak without a hood, when it went back up, Christopher would be immune to the magic. Christopher would see him, but we wouldn’t. I’d believed him, but it was disconcerting to see Christopher leaning against something I couldn’t see.
“I didn’t sedate him.” Luke’s voice came from Christopher’s left. “He’s groggy from whatever they’ve given him, but he wanted to leave.”
“I want to go home,” said Christopher. “I don’t like it here.”
He mumbled, as though half asleep, but the meaning was clear.
He didn’t pay any particular attention to me. His eyes flicked over both Ella and me with no sign of recognition. I blinked back my tears. I had to keep it together. No crying during the rescue mission. I’d told myself I was prepared for an indifferent reaction, but feeling it was worse than expected. My heart ached and I couldn’t help but be disappointed. He needed to be different. I’d hoped the serum wouldn’t be effective on him, that his feelings would be too strong and it would fail. Maybe it had only worked in part, and he was fighting the effects.
Luke guided Christopher outside and Ella opened the doors while I texted Andrew. I grabbed the security loop memory stick. I had thirty seconds to exit without being seen. We hid Luke in the backseat of one of the SUV’s and I sat beside him.
“Were you in the lab experiments, too?” His voice was quiet.
“We came to get you,” I said in a whisper.
“I have to get home. I can’t remember why, but it’s important.” He turned his icy blue eyes on me. “You look familiar. Do I know you?”
“You do,” I said. “We’ll explain when we get you home.”
He nodded and closed his eyes. “I don’t feel well. I just want to sleep.”
“Just keep lying down,” I said as I smoothed his hair from his forehead.
Ella and Luke climbed into the front seats.
“You okay?” Luke lowered his hood and appeared in the seat right in front of me. He looked back at Christopher, but I suspected he was talking to me.
I nodded.
Andrew and Officer Park exited the building and climbed into the other SUV. We left, following their lead. We might have a problem with the gate if Christopher’s absence had been discovered, but it swung open as we drove up. The drive to our house didn’t take long, about twenty minutes. Everyone was silent.
When we arrived at the house, the porch light was off. In my excitement, I must have forgotten to turn it on. The bad habit had returned, as until recently, I’d felt safer here. Walking up to the house, shards of glass lay on the porch where the bulb had shattered. Neighborhood kids could have taken it out with a rock, but it had been Eric. He must have been lurking.
I pushed the bits aside and unlocked the door with shaking hands. Inside, the alarm wasn’t set. I must have forgotten that too, in my worry about the rescue. I stopped in the doorway, my unease almost palpable. I expected Eric to attack, but no one was there. The interior remained dark and quiet.
“This is my house,” said Christopher. “I remember it. I’ve lived here a long time.”
He forged ahead and stepped inside.
“Just a second.” I checked for signs of an intruder, but nothing was out of place.
Christopher looked at me for confirmation, and I nodded. He continued inside.
“You going to be, okay?” Luke took me aside. “He doesn’t seem upset about you being here. He just doesn’t know who you are.”
“He’s calm. We’ll be okay.” In my house, I was comfortable whispering.
“Want us to wait?”
I shook my head. “Thanks for your help. I can take it from here.”
