“Yes,” she said. “You’re my sister and I’m not going to let you do this by yourself.”
“You’ve got school,” I said feebly. Truth was, I wanted her to come. More than that, I needed her to come, I could feel it in my gut, like I was stronger with her by my side. But I wouldn’t be a good sister if I didn’t insist she stay out of it. She was too young to get wrapped up in something that neither of us understood.
“You can’t stop me,” she said full of fiery conviction. “If you do this without me, I’ll be right behind you. You have money on your credit card? I have money on mine.”
“You’re too young to travel alone,” I countered.
She smiled coyly. “I have ways.”
“Mom and dad will never let it happen.”
“You let me worry about them.”
“Ada.”
“Perry,” she answered and for once I saw how damn serious she was. “If you’re going after him, I am going with you. End of story. Now, would you rather me go with you now or trail your ass through the city trying to catch up? Though perhaps I’ll meet some nice New York men who’ll be willing to help me.”
I grimaced at the thought of my little sister alone in the Big Apple and trying to duplicate scenes from Sex and the City. Throw in some blood and gore and it would be pretty accurate.
Don’t think like that, I told myself. Don’t think at all. Just go there. Keep calling, keep trying. And go.
And so I did. There was no way I was able to prevent Ada from going with me either and from the conviction in her face, I know she’d be stupid enough to try it alone. She was better off with me, even if I had no clue what I was about to do.
While she packed in a whirlwind – I think, despite the dire circumstances, she was excited about going to New York for the first time – I called a cab and sent texts to Maximus, Rebecca and Dex. I knew the Dex one wouldn’t go through – normally I could tell when he read them and it wasn’t the case. I still watched with my breath in my mouth, hoping that he’d read my words.
When I realized he wouldn’t, I put down the phone and closed my eyes.
Dex! I yelled inside my head. It was a long shot, but I was still going to take it. Dex, can you hear me? I don’t know where you are or what’s going on but I know you need me. Michael, your brother, he’s not a good person and I’m scared for you. I’m coming to New York, hoping you’re there. I paused. I love you.
Even in my head, it came out more like a whisper.
I waited again, not knowing if he could hear me wherever he was, and if he could, if he would respond. But there was a void. There was nothing but the prickly grey behind my eyes and the sound of Ada running down the stairs.
My heart never felt so empty.
Ada put her hand on my shoulder and squeezed it. “Hey. We’re gonna get him back. He’s gonna be fine.”
I looked at her and tried to draw in her strength. I nodded. “Cab will be here. Let’s go wait outside.”
***
I’d never just shown up at an airport before and tried to buy a ticket for a plane. In fact, I don’t think I’d ever really bought a ticket for a plane in general. In the past, whenever I’d travel, it was always my parents who made the arrangements.
Or Dex.
I thought back to the first time I’d flown alone, when I was going down to meet him in Red Fox, New Mexico. It felt so long ago, not only with the passing of time but the passing of character. I was no longer that shy, insecure girl who stared adoringly at Dex and prayed that he felt the same thing for me as I did for him. Granted, I was still flawed, deeply and terribly, but when I looked back at how far I’d come, sometimes it was almost unbelievable.
It wouldn’t have happened without him. I wouldn’t have become the person I was without him.
I couldn’t lose him. I wouldn’t.
I tried to keep those feelings at bay while the cab took us to the airport. Every moment I thought about Dex, every time I felt that rush of anxiety and pain, it was a moment taking me out of the game. I had to stay focused.
Turns out, though, that you can’t just hop on a plane to New York. Well, you can - they took my money, after all. But we were put on standby, which didn’t help with my anxiety. While Ada took her time perusing the airport gift shops and snapping up bags of junk food and high fashion magazines, I started texting the crap out of Rebecca, Maximus and Dex again. I also started waiting for the dreaded phone call from my parents, the one they’d make once they realized everyone had suddenly disappeared. It would probably would have helped to have left a note, but what the hell would it have said anyway? Be right back, we’ve gone to New York because Dex was kidnapped by his long-lost brother whom we think is in cahoots with Satan? Not that my parents would be terribly surprised at this rate.