First World(58)

“What happened, Quarn? Where is everyone?” I couldn’t believe he was here.

Before answering, he stepped over to Lallielle and took her hand. He gave her a gentle kiss on the cheek. Josian was at Lallielle’s side so fast he blurred at little.

“I have missed you, old friend,” Lallielle said as she shooed the deliberately towering over them Josian.

But Quarn stepped back quickly enough. At no point did he acknowledge Brace or Josian’s presence.

I cleared my throat.

He smiled. “I see you have not learned patience in your time on Grandier.” He stepped closer. “When you and Lucy left me in the alley, I was ambushed moments later. The same men, but with fifteen of their closest friends. I was all for having a shot, but I realized even for me that wasn’t the best odds. I managed to get out of the alley and they gave chase.”

He had enjoyed that: typical Quarn.

“I made it as far as this compound. When I noticed the gate was open, I ducked inside. Being so far ahead, no one noticed or followed me. I came in to check out the house, and it was a war zone. Girls were everywhere. Your compound leader was in the middle of a girl-rebellion. But then something unusual happened.”

He looked troubled.

“Somehow she subdued the girls. They turned into ... zombies, before, quite literally, disappearing from the compound.”

“How could she have subdued all of the girls? Even if she used some type of drug, she couldn’t get them all at once.” I looked around the messy hallway. “Where did she take them?”

“I don’t know how she got there, but I followed one of the men she left behind.” He looked directly at me. “Are you missing something, Aribella?”

I was confused for a minute, before understanding kicked in. “She has Lucy?”

He nodded. “I staked out her hideout for a few days, and in that time Lucy was one of the many herded inside. That is why I came back here to wait. I knew it wouldn’t be long before you came looking for her.”

“They only took Lucy like six hours ago, Quarn. It couldn’t have been a week.”

Lallielle interrupted us. “Gosh, I’m so sorry, Aribella. Josian and I should have mentioned: it takes time to move through the wormholes. I’m not sure of the exact ratio, but a week could definitely pass on Earth. Even though we move at the speed of light, our planets are very far away, inhabiting their own star systems.”

Josian gave a succinct nod. His expression revealed he was proud of Lallielle’s Walker knowledge.

I blinked a few times. “I guess that explains my exhaustion. I’m jetlagged, apparently. One day to one week is quite a time-zone jump.”

Quarn spoke again. “Since that day, no one has come back to the compound.”

Josian stepped forward again, but this time, instead of ignoring him, Quarn’s expressive features narrowed in hostility.

“What are you doing here, Josian? I trusted you with Lallielle and you left her alone and pregnant. My Hallow was killed coming to Earth and there is no one to blame but you.”

Lallielle gasped then. Moving forward, she stopped in front of Quarn. “No ... Qua... tell me it isn’t true. Hallow can’t be gone.” Her pain was palpable as she gulped back tears, although a few overflowed. “My choices cost so many people.”

Quarn shook his head. “No, Lalli, it was not your choices, and it wasn’t Josian’s either. I just have seventeen years of anger, and since he is an arrogant piece of ... Well, let’s just say I was content to focus on him.”

Josian’s face twitched and he ran his hands through his red mane, which was something he never did. Generally he didn’t seem to possess the same nervous twitches as the rest of us. He mainly looked upset by how close Lallielle and Quarn were standing.

“Hallow was killed as we arrived on Earth. We landed in the midst of a gang shoot-out. I did the best I could with Aribella, but without Hallow I couldn’t look after her. I left her in a rebel’s compound and stayed around to protect her.” He glared at me. “The girl has a slight problem with staying put.”

I shrugged. “It’s not my fault. I obviously have some crazy-ass genetics; I was looking for home and freedom.”

I wondered if all those ‘lucky’ close calls I had on the streets were mainly due to Quarn’s vigilance in keeping me alive.

“Thanks for being an awesome protector.” I smiled at him.

In that moment his expression told me two things: he loved me and he loved my mother. I just hoped Josian wouldn’t notice and decide to kill him. Feeling agitated, I started to pace back and forth.

“I thought Lucy was missing for only six hours. Now I find out it’s been a week.” My voice rose a little as the potential images flooded my mind. “We have to hurry.”