* * *

Sarah’s eyes widened. Nothing wrong other than almost dying? “Is that a joke?”

He cocked an eyebrow. “Does it sound like one?”

“My heart stopped?”

“Well, technically, it fibrillated. I heard something about the impact causing it. Commotio—commotion or something. I stop listening when they go into the medical details, makes my life simpler. Luckily we had a former paramedic and emergency equipment with us. You’ll also find some cuts and bruises on you. They’re not just for show.”

Her eyes drifted down involuntarily, even though she couldn’t see her body. She wouldn’t believe everything until she saw Robyn, but the broken ribs would explain the pain.

“How long?”

He tapped his fingers on his knees. “A few days.”

“Days?” The pain, sharp and sudden, flared up with the outburst. “Where am I?”

Mild amusement played across his face. “We already covered that.”

No, they hadn’t, not to her satisfaction. “Get Robyn. Now.”

“I don’t think I should leave you alone.”

Her eyes scanned the room again, searching for any clues she might’ve missed on first inspection. “Why’s Robyn here?”

He edged closer, as if trying to capture her attention. “We got to your house right after the attack and found Robyn. She’d been shot and left for dead. We brought her back with us and took care of her.”

“Is she ok?”

“She’s well enough to be giving us hell over what happened to you.”

It was easy to believe his words if only because she wanted to. But that didn’t mean the darkness lurking inside her had gone.

“Why’d you chase me?”

“I told you.”

She started shaking her head, gave up. “Why didn’t you… tell me about Robyn?” She struggled with keeping the words flowing. “Why didn’t you identify yourselves?”

“Why didn’t you go to the police?” he asked right back.

She frowned. Was that what was bothering these people? Why they refused to tell her anything? Was there really a connection between her family and the terrorists that attacked them?

“I was afraid,” she confessed.

His expression, though still the semblance of friendliness, felt like a mask for the first time.

“You think I had something to do with it?”

He shrugged. “You have to admit it looks bad. You alone escaped without a scratch. And you didn’t go to the police for help.”

Taking his words at face value, it was as if they were trying to protect Robyn from her.

“I didn’t know if there was a reason for them to be targeting us.” Her raspy voice grew faint, but she powered through. “I was afraid no one would listen to me because the New Nation was involved.”

He stiffened. “How’d you know the New Nation was responsible for the attack?”

“The phone call…” She closed her eyes. “They thanked us for our sacrifice.”

He leaned back in his chair.

“Everyone says anyone connected to the New Nation is being disappeared.”

A burst of laughter escaped him. “I’m sorry. Those rumors are… well, they’re rumors. Nothing like that is happening. We think it’s actually the New Nation spreading these stories to discourage people from sharing what they know with the authorities.”

If that was the case, should she laugh or cry at having believed it?

“I’m also very sorry you got hurt because of us. We should have tried to explain, but we thought the more we said, the less you’d believe. We weren’t planning on chasing you. I was only supposed to ID and follow you. But you took off, so we tried to stop you before you got too far.”

Her body kept pulling her down into the bed, as if she were burrowing herself into it. “I wouldn’t have believed you anyway.” Now that she had relaxed in his presence, she was having to fight to stay awake. She didn’t think she should be tired, but the rest of her apparently disagreed. “Where’s Robyn?”

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“I made her go eat something. She’s been refusing to leave your side.” He stood up. “I was hoping to talk to you before she returned, but I can get her back here.”

“No, don’t go. Talk to me… please. I don’t wanna sleep.” Images from her dream, of home, flashed through her mind. She knew that dream was waiting for her behind her closed lids. And waking up only to convince herself it had been a dream, nothing more, nothing real… she didn’t want to go through it again.

Her eyes drifted shut and there wasn’t much she could do about it. She was vaguely aware of him speaking, maybe making a call. She heard Robyn’s name but little else.

“I’ll stay until she comes back,” he said. “But maybe it would be better if you got some rest.”

“I don’t wanna rest. Sounds like I got enough sleep.” Her voice sounded too tired to be taken seriously. With an enormous amount of effort, she opened her eyes again. “What did you say your name was?”

He smiled. “I didn’t.”

“So what is your name?”

“Next question, please.”

“And you’re not a doctor.”

“Not even close.”

“So are you a cop or something?”

“Something,” he said with the same smile. “Are we playing twenty questions? Because, if you must know, I prefer the game where there’s a murder in the library with a wrench.”

It was Sarah’s turn to smile then, holding the laughter in just in time. She was sure laughing would hurt as well.

“Well, isn’t everyone getting along fine in here?” a woman called from the door. It was not Robyn.

They shared the same build and height, and there couldn’t be that many years between them, but the similarities ended there. Even Sarah’s frazzled mind could tell the difference. The woman’s dirty blond hair was pulled back loosely, various strands giving form to the angles of her face. There was something familiar in her, either her voice or her features, though Sarah couldn’t place it.

She barely glanced at Sarah, directing her attention instead to Sarah’s nameless companion. “They need you in COM.”

Sarah followed his gaze towards what looked like an intercom next to the door.

The woman gave him a sour look. “Apparently Dragon tampered with it after the last time Athena called.”

“Of course she did.” He still didn’t move.

“Now,” the blonde insisted, hanging in the doorway with her arms crossed, looking every bit the picture of impatience.

Sarah wondered if it was an illusion, but her tone seemed to make his actions even slower.

He offered Sarah a smile. “Robyn should be back in a couple of minutes. Can I trust you to not get yourself into another accident while we’re gone?”

Sarah considered how far she’d be able to get on her own. Probably not very far. She could afford to give them a few minutes before trying to escape. Besides, she should make sure she was fully awake for that. And right now, she wasn’t sure. “I’ll be right here.”

He gave Sarah a brighter smile and followed the blonde out.

“Glad to see our sleeping beauty is awake. Maybe now things can get back to normal around here,” the blonde said when they were barely outside the room.

“When is anything ever normal around here?” was her companion’s amused retort.

“At least her sister’ll stop screaming all over the place.”

Sarah still heard them talking as they moved away, but she could no longer make out the words. Soon even their footsteps were no more.

Sarah closed her eyes, not entirely by choice. Sleep wasn’t going to help with anything, and if her new nameless friend was to be believed, she’d been sleeping for a while already.

Images flashed through her mind amidst darkness, until finally the voice she’d been expecting came for her.

Sarah’s eyes snapped open, but the smile on her lips died as soon as she saw her sister.

Robyn was alive, but she looked like she’d been hit by a car. The right side of her face sported the mixed colors of healing bruises, and one of her arms had various cuts and scratches. With all that, the wheelchair took another moment before it even registered. Robyn looked so frail.

She tried to swallow her shock, but not even Robyn’s smiling face was enough.

Sarah let the air out slowly, trying not to cry. She realized her mouth was open and forced herself to shut it. All the words she wanted were suddenly gone. Her sister should never have looked so weak.

Robyn looked at herself and forced a smile. “I cut myself with the glass from the broken window… And the wheelchair, it’s nothing… They won’t let me walk yet. They said I need at least another two weeks of rest. They’re overreacting.”

Sarah nodded automatically. The tears that clouded her eyes fell while she pretended they weren’t there. More than anything, Sarah was trying not to let herself be overwhelmed, but she was slowly failing. Where should she even start?

“Robyn, who are these people?”

* * *

Robyn wished she didn’t have to answer. It would have been better if she could’ve avoided talking at all.

Robyn watched Sarah for a moment before bringing her wheelchair closer. “I’m sorry, it’s my fault. I asked them to find you. I didn’t think anything like this would happen.” Robyn stopped suddenly, eyes stinging. “I thought you were dead. I thought I’d never see you again. I’m so happy you’re okay. I don’t know what I would’ve done. I wasn’t—” She swallowed back the rest of her words and pushed herself up so she could hug Sarah. The tears she’d been holding in started to fall. Everything she’d rehearsed vanished from her mind. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

Sarah hugged her back. “Robyn, what happened? Mom and Dad… Are they really—?”

Robyn struggled with herself in silence. Maybe it shouldn’t be so surprising to her that Sarah’s pain would affect her so. She pulled away and eased herself back into the wheelchair. She could see in Sarah’s face that she already knew the answer. Robyn steeled herself for the next part, focusing on something other than the memories. They hurt too much.

“They’re gone,” she said. “I’m sorry.”

Sarah shook her head as if she could deny the truth. “Why did this happen? Wh—” A sob swallowed the rest of her questions.

Robyn wiped at her eyes, unable to stop her own tears. There was nothing she could ever say to fix this. Nothing anyone could possibly do.

All she could do was tell Sarah what she’d already planned and hope that would be enough. But she didn’t want to go into it all. Not now. Not like this. If possible, she didn’t want to hurt Sarah any further.

Robyn took a deep breath and leaned closer to Sarah, reaching out for her. “I’ll explain, I promise. As much as I can… Later.”

Sarah glared at her for all she was worth. Later was apparently not a satisfactory answer.

Robyn sighed. Stubbornness was a family trait after all. “You just woke up and you’ve had enough for now.”

“I think I can fit in some answers.”

“I’ve had enough for now then.”

Sarah looked like she was going to protest, but she merely squeezed Robyn’s hand and closed her eyes. Robyn didn’t think she was going to let it go, but soon the hand in hers went limp.

She’d been granted a reprieve. For now.