Blindsided Read online

“You there!” a woman in uniform calls from the other side of the bushes. She’s seen us. “Line up!”

  We shoot to our feet. I guess the time for strategizing is over. Seth and I are the last ones in the long line. I’m not sure where it leads from where I stand, and I’m not looking forward to getting there. No one dares to speak, what with the armed soldiers everywhere, but it feels like people are looking at me as if they know I could be in trouble.

  I’m more worried about my boyfriend. It’ll be easy for me to say I’m not affiliated with a syndicate now, and there’s no hiding my ability. But Seth? It all depends on the questions asked. I don’t want to think about what they’d do to him if they found him withholding information, but I picture a holding cell and starvation tactics.

  I squeeze his hand tighter, but he doesn’t look my way. Now more than ever, we have to make it look like he can’t see me. If anyone got too observant…

  The bell rings to signal the end of lunch, and still the line slugs along at a miserably slow pace. At this rate it’ll take the rest of school to get this over with. Which gives me plenty of time to imagine all the possible questions they could ask.

  People go into the office one by one, and I count the seconds it takes for each person to leave. There doesn’t seem to be a pattern in time length. I spot the teal-haired freshman girl I talked with going in, and she’s out in less than a minute. Bea is next—it takes her much longer to be freed. She glances our way, and then I hear her voice in my ear, “Be careful, Fi. He asked a lot of questions about Radiasure.”

  My eyes go wide. Is that what this is about? There is an old, blown up Radiasure factory outside of town. And just a few months ago Miles, with the help of his super-hacker girlfriend, Spud, found rumors about the real Radiasure formula being discovered in China. Does the Army think they’ll be able to find something here in Madison? They must.

  Now Juan’s men make sense—he’s heard about the formula, too.

  Finally, it’s only Seth and me in line. He glances at my square geek frames. “You should go before me.”

  “No, you,” I say.

  “You need to go first.” The finality in his voice makes me wonder if he’s more nervous than he lets on.

  “Okay.” I let go of his hand, and a soldier ushers me into the office. We pass the secretary counter, where three guards browse through papers the printer spits out. When I step into the principal’s office, Major Norton’s eyes narrow. “Fiona McClean, I presume?”

  I gulp. “Yes, sir.”

  He stares like I’ll suddenly be visible if he glares hard enough. “Never thought I’d stand face to face with one of Jonas’ daughters.”

  My lip curls at the word ‘daughters,’ because I try so hard to forget that Dad has other women, other children. Blood or not, they aren’t my family. But I don’t doubt he’s never seen Dad’s women. The government doesn’t dare touch Las Vegas these days—that place is my dad’s personal fortress.

  Major Norton gestures for me to take a seat, so I do. I have to put my hands on my knees to keep them from bouncing nervously. He holds up a plaque covered in fancy calligraphy. “This is my certification from the Army as a legally binding lie detector, just in case you don’t believe me. Are you familiar with this ability?”

  I gulp as I look over the document. Questions are one thing, but he’s a human lie detector on top of it? Seth and I could both be screwed now. “Yes, I’ve heard of it.”

  He smirks. “I figured you had, but I have to explain the process by law. My ability allows me to hear the lies in your voice—I can pick up the changes in tone and what they mean—so I’ll know immediately if you answer any of my questions untruthfully. Do you understand?”

  I force myself to look right at him, his steely eyes not expressing one wisp of emotion. “Yes, sir.”

  “Good. Now, please don’t be too alarmed—we’re doing this as a security precaution. Since this school is the largest usable facility in Madison, we’ll have to share it with you students until we resolve the current syndicate issues. If you pass, you’ll be cleared to continue attending school as normal, okay?”

  “Okay…” With what Bea said about their interest in Radiasure, I can’t help wondering if there’s more to it.

  “All right.” Major Norton looks at a paper in front of him. “First question: Are you working for your father?”

  “No,” I say quickly.

  Major Norton raises his dark eyebrows, seeming surprised that I wasn’t lying. “Okay. Have you ever worked for your father?”

  I pull at the hem of my dress, ashamed. “Yes.”

  “When did you stop?”

  “Six months ago, me and my mother escaped.” It seems like longer than that sometimes, but right now it doesn’t feel long enough.

  The Major makes a note on the paper. “Interesting. And you’ve lived in Madison for the entire six months?”

  “Yes.”

  More note scratching. “Do you know why your mother chose this town?”

  I glare at him, angry over his implication that my mother is suspicious. She was the biggest victim in all this. “My older brother Graham, not my mother, chose it because it was a good decoy location. He lied to my father about looking into Radiasure while he helped us get settled. Besides, it’s also small and remote and deep within Juan’s territory, who’s my father’s biggest rival.”

  “I see.” He purses his lips, as if that wasn’t the answer he wanted. “Since you’ve lived here, have you used your ability to commit crimes?”

  My heart about jumps up my throat as I search through the past several months. “I don’t think so, unless eavesdropping on my friends while they think I’m sleeping counts. Because I’ve done that a few times.”

  He smirks. “No, it doesn’t count. I’m assuming you did use your ability to commit crimes prior to living here?”

  “Yes…” Maybe I will get in trouble after all. I’ve stolen enough to keep me in jail for the rest of my life. “But I was under my dad’s control—I wouldn’t have done it if I had a choice.”

  “We are aware of your father’s ability.” He seems surprisingly sympathetic. “I won’t hold those actions against you. Next question: Have you ever seen Radiasure?”

  “Yes.” I can’t seem to escape that drug no matter what I do.

  “Have you ever consumed Radiasure?”

  “No.”

  Again, he looks surprised that’s my honest answer. I find that particularly insulting, as if all syndicate-born people live and breathe the drug. Sure, a lot of them do, but they’re also not stupid enough to waste a power boost on an ability that can’t be boosted. “Are you aware of Madison’s history?”

  “Yes.”

  He raises an eyebrow. “What do you know?”

  “That it’s the remnants of an old town called Radison, where they used to manufacture Radiasure. The factory was destroyed during the drug riots, when the FDA officially outlawed the substance.”

  Major Norton is quiet for a long time, and I get the sense that other students didn’t know this information. What if he asks me where I got it? I’d rather not have to tell him about Miles and Spud. That’s too close to secrets I’d like to keep.

  “Do you know anything else about Radison?” he finally asks.

  “No, not really. I mean, I’ve seen the ruins out in the desert, but that’s about it.”

  “What were you doing out there?”

  “Running.” This time I stare the Major down, wondering if he’ll pick up on the half truth. He doesn’t seem to. Maybe I won’t have to expound on the time I also hid out there. “I like to run in the desert sometimes with my friends. There isn’t exactly a lot to do here, you know?”

  “I see.” He scribbles more on his paper. “And do you go to these ruins often?”

  I gulp. “Not really.”

  “Is there anywhere else you like to go in the desert? Other…interesting landmarks?”

  The caves come to mind immediately, but I really
don’t want to tell him about those. They are a Pack secret. So I pick another common running location and hope for the best. “We visit this waterfall in a valley south of the ruins. It’s not much, but there’s a pretty creek and tiny pond, a few trees.”

  “Sounds like a nice place.” The Major smiles at me. “Well, to my surprise, it seems like I’ll be able to clear you, Miss McClean.”

  I let out a long breath. “Oh good. So I can go?”

  “Yes.” He stands and extends his hand to me. I take it, and his shake is on the verge of painful. “You’ll be eighteen next year. We could use someone with your talents and knowledge.”

  “Oh, um…” Yeah, no, never. “Thanks. I’ll think about it.”

  “Please do. I’d draft you if I could.”

  I cringe as I head for the door, words escaping me. Always a tool. I guess that’s one thing the government doesn’t have in common with syndicates—they can’t force me to work for them.

  “Oh, Miss McClean?” Major Norton says just as I’m about to open the door.

  I turn. “Yes, sir?”

  His eyes lose all of the feigned friendliness. I know this look—Graham does it just before he makes a threat. “I wouldn’t go running out in the desert anymore if I were you.”

  “Yes, sir.” I leave, his command only making me want to go out there more than ever.

  Chapter 6

  The soldiers at the secretary counter give me a clearance card and shuffle me out the door. Seth is right there, looking at me with what I’m pretty sure is relief. I have a feeling he made the effort to watch the whole thing, and will now get a killer headache because of it. They take Seth in before I can say anything to him, and I stand there in a fit of nerves.

  “Excuse me, ma’am,” a soldier says after a couple minutes. “School has been canceled for the rest of the day. You can go.”

  “Oh, I was just waiting for my boyfriend.” I feel stupid telling this man about my relationship, but I don’t want to leave Seth here. “Is that okay?”

  He doesn’t seem impressed with my loyalty. “I guess, but I’m gonna have to ask you to stay at least fifty feet away from the office.”

  “Sure.” I do as he says, though it seems stupid. Fifty feet is the average distance for people with sensitive hearing—it should be obvious that’s not my ability. I settle in a small patch of shade offered by one of the courtyard’s trees. Pulling out my dreaded math book, I wait.

  And wait.

  And wait.

  I thought I was in there a long time, but my phone says Seth’s been answering questions for over thirty minutes now. Or not answering. My guess is he was totally blindsided by the human lie detector thing like I was.

  As the time pushes forty-five minutes, I start to panic. He’s so stubborn he probably isn’t speaking at all, and now he looks suspicious so Major Norton is asking even more questions. How will he get around telling the Major his real ability? He’ll find out somehow. Maybe he already has. And Seth is eighteen—are they trying to sell him on enlistment, too?

  Just after an hour passes, the office door opens, and I rush over. Seth looks pale, and though he does a good job hiding it I can tell he’s spooked.

  “Are you ok—?”

  “Let’s go. Now.” Seth hooks his arm with mine, his long, fast strides hard to keep up with. The guards watch us as we walk down the quiet walkways. Everyone else has already cleared out, and I feel like an intruder in my own school.

  When we get to the parking lot, there’s a large military vehicle surrounded by a ton of soldiers. And for good reason, because Juan’s men are on the other side of the school gate, clearly livid about the government’s intrusion. Their yelling is in Spanish, and I can only catch bits and pieces. Mostly the swear words, since Senorita Gonzalez gets mad when people say them in class.

  The soldiers wheel out big boxes, while a blond woman in a lab coat points and whispers commands. The Army taking over the school makes even more sense now: they need the science labs. This only gives me further proof that this invasion has something to do with the old factory. The government is after the exact same thing as any syndicate—the Radiasure formula.

  Seth’s old, black truck is parked by the fence, and as we approach, one of Juan’s thugs breaks off from the crowd. My grip on Seth’s arm doubles as I recognize this man as the one watching me at soccer practice: pale skin, long hair parted down the middle, and so thin even the jaguar tattoos on his arms look malnourished. But for all his seeming fragility, there is a confidence in his eyes that tells me not to underestimate him.

  He stops on the opposite side of the chain-link fence, staring at me with a smug grin. “Hello, Fiona,” he says with a strong accent I can’t place. “I wondered if they would let you leave.”

  “Why wouldn’t they?” I say while Seth unlocks the car.

  His grin grows wider. “Only the government would throw away the chance to use someone like you. This is why they will never get this country back in order.”

  Seth tugs at my arm. “C’mon. Don’t talk to him.”

  I’m not stupid—this is an obvious threat. My answer needs to be equally clear. “I’m not working for Juan.”

  “We’ll see.” His eyes seem hungry, and I get the sense that he’d love to make me. “But for now, I—”

  “You there!” A soldier calls. He’s on the other side of the gate with creepy guy, gun at ready. “Back away from the students. You are trespassing on federal property. Leave now.”

  The guy turns his head, not at all impressed with the soldier. “Or what?”

  “Sir, please vacate the premises before I have to shoot you.”

  He puts his hand to the fence. “I don’t feel like it.”

  The gunshot cracks through the air, and I scream. Not because Juan’s guy is dead, but because the bullet went right through him. I can’t seem to stop staring at his arm, which is now on our side of the fence. He steps completely through, laughing at the soldier’s shocked expression. “That tickled.”

  “The Phantom,” I whisper. Maybe Graham was trying to scare me—but he was right. Juan’s second-in-command is here in Madison.

  He turns. “Yes, Fiona. Are you scared?”

  I can’t speak, can’t think. Seth opens the car door and says, “Get. In. Now.”

  But I’m frozen in shock. What does it matter if I leave? He probably knows where I live, and he can walk in any time he feels like it. “What do you want?”

  “We’ll talk later.” He walks toward the Army truck. The soldier talks frantically into his comm unit about the intruder. “Unfortunately, I have other things to deal with right now.”

  “Guess I’ll see you later, then.” I get in Seth’s car, glad I can act strong even when I’m sure I don’t look it. Seth revs the engine and peels out of the parking lot. He doesn’t say anything, but by the way his breaths heave I know he’s pissed. “Go ahead and yell,” I say.

  “Are you crazy?” His voice explodes out of him. “You didn’t have to talk to him! What the hell were you thinking?”

  I sigh, my mind racing over the giant amount of information I’ve gained today. It’s funny how a few clues can open up so many horrible possibilities. “You can’t cower to people like that—it only makes them feel more powerful. I don’t want him thinking he has me running already.”

  He shakes his head. “You should run. We should all get out of here.”

  I glare at him. “Seth, stop.”

  He parks in front of my house and leans back in the seat. “This isn’t supposed to be happening. We already did this shit.”

  “I know.” Since we started dating, I’ve always worried what might happen if syndicate life caught up to me again, what it might do to the people I care more about now than ever, what I might have to sacrifice to keep them safe. “But I also think you know we can’t run.”

  His look is desperate. “Why not?”

  “Because life on the run is a life of crime anyway,” I say. “What did they ask
you about that took so long to answer?”

  He goes still, and the fear drains from his perfect eyes. He turns off the car, opens his door, and I follow him up my path without another word. Out here it’s not safe. Inside is barely better. We climb the stairs to my room, and I turn on music while he shuts the door. We sit on the floor in front of my bed.

  “It was close, Fi. Way too close,” he whispers.

  “How so?”

  “It says in my school files that I’m a math savant, so the Major asked me if it was true and I had to say no.” He lets out a long sigh. “Then he asked what my real ability was and I said my vision was really sharp.”

  My eyes go wide. “Did he call you on it?”

  He shakes his head. “But he seemed to think it was pretty suspicious that I hid my real ability, asked me a lot of questions about why. All my reasons kept flagging as lies.”

  “What’d he do?”

  “He got pissed.” Seth squeezes his eyes shut and lies on the floor. I’ve come to recognize this as the I-used-my-ability-too-much-and-now-have-a-splitting-headache pose. “I finally passed by saying I wanted to major in mathematics in college, and they look down on you if you aren’t a savant, which is true.”

  I lie down on my stomach, put my fingers to his temples, and rub in little circles. “Did they ask you about Radiasure?”

  “Ugh, yeah. That’s where it got even worse.” His voice is grouchy, but there’s a smile on his lips so the head massage must be helping. “He’d made notes of Brady going running in the desert, and then you, so he asked me about our relationship and if we went any specific places.”

  I stop. “Seriously? He asked me about places, too.”

  “Yeah?” He grabs my hands and makes them do the circles again. “Mmm, better. But anyway, I felt like I shouldn’t tell him about going to the factory, you know? So that flagged as a lie, and he got worked up about what I was hiding in the desert. I finally said I take you to that little waterfall in the valley and was embarrassed to talk about my personal life. He bought that one, and that’s when he let me go.”

  “Funny, I also used the waterfall. At least our stories matched.” Hearing Seth’s account confirms too many of my suspicions. “This is about that ‘real’ Radiasure formula rumor floating around the syndicate channels, the one not disclosed to the public.”