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Owen made a guttural noise. He stood up sharply, leaning over the screen. He grasped the monitor of the laptop. He put his glasses back on, and held the laptop closer.
Sean untightened his arms around his chest, leaning against the island, palms down on the surface. “What? What happened?”
Owen motioned for him to come over and watch for himself. “She’s down. She fainted.”
Sean moved quickly, knocking over the small bowl that had been holding a couple of almonds.
The bowl fell to the floor, shattering into a few pieces.
Sean ignored it, staring at the screen.
Sang was on the floor of the kitchen, near the dishwasher. Jimmy dropped what he was doing, kneeling beside her. He took her hand, saying things Sean couldn’t hear.
Carol came in soon after, paused shortly at the doorway and then came inside. Jimmy tried talking to Sang, patting her face.
Sang was already getting up when Carol knelt beside her. Sang shook her head, motioning for them to back away.
Shaking. Badly.
“My God,” Sean said. His breath caught and his heart seemed to stop at the same time.
Owen reached for his keys on the table and the jacket beside him on the next stool over. “Let’s go. Transfer the feed to your phone.”
Sean pulled his phone out, smashing his finger against Sang’s heart app to open the video feed. He only grabbed his wallet and a pair of sneakers, walking out the door in his socks.
Owen was on the phone on the way out. Sean hadn’t heard it ring, but it might have been Owen dialing someone. “Stay put. She’s up. Only go in if she faints again. She was moving up and down, so it’s most likely her blood pressure.”
They got into Sean’s car, with Owen driving. Sean dropped his shoes into the floor. The phone he put in his lap.
Jimmy and Carol were helping Sang up, talking to her.
Her father stood off to the side, observing but not doing much.
Owen passed his phone to Sean. “Hold this.”
Sean turned it on speaker. It was Kota on the phone. He was relaying the audio. “They’re talking about sending her to the doctor.” Pause. “Her father is arguing against it. Passing it off as too much sugar at dinner and then bending over so much.”
Sean grunted. “He’d let her die before taking her somewhere risky like a doctor. More chance of exposure.”
Kota continued, “Sang’s saying she’s fine. That she was tired.”
The video feed showed Jimmy helping her up, and then putting his arm around her shoulder to help her out of the kitchen.
“Get Victor out of the attic,” Owen said. “Keep him on the roof outside just in case, but get him out of discovery risk.”
There was typing on Kota’s end, and then another voice, deeper, possibly North. Kota repeated it. “Repositioning Silas and Luke. They’re fetching the ambulance to bring to the diner in case they decide to call or we need it.”
“Everyone else, get to the trailer. Is it set up?”
“All but plumbing.”
Sean had to adjust the video on the phone. Jimmy was helping Sang up the stairs, with Carol following.
“What is she saying?” he asked.
“Put her in her old bed,” Kota said. “Sang is saying she’s fine, but Carol’s put her foot down now. She won’t let her sleep in there. Jimmy offered to sleep on the cot instead.”
Good thing they had gotten Victor out early. Sean rolled his head back on the headrest. “I want to give her credit for being a decent human being, but I wish she wouldn’t.”
Suddenly there was a gasp from Kota. Sean redirected his attention to the screen.
Sang was being navigated by Jimmy, but was a bit unbalanced and leaned against the wall for a minute after a sudden stop.
Something caught Carol’s attention, and she stooped.
She came back with an iPhone.
“Shit,” Sean said. “Carol’s got the phone.”
“Get that wiped!” Owen bellowed at the phone. “Right now.”
“Doing it now,” Kota said. “Replacing it with a backup.”
“I’ll bet you a dollar she won’t let her keep it,” Sean said in a low tone. “We’re losing communication.”
The engine revved. Owen leaned closer to the steering wheel. The speedometer inched just over the limit speed.
“I can’t hear what they’re saying anymore,” Kota said. Pause. “Victor is out. He’s waiting just outside. Gabriel is getting on the roof with him. Phone is wiped.”
The phone fell silent. Sean waited, unable to do anything sitting in the car.
Helpless to do anything for her, even if they got there.
The video feed showed Sang getting into the bed. Carol sent Jimmy to get water.
Carol spoke to Sang while she got into bed.
It was still silent, even after a few minutes.
Sean’s heart pounded. He glared at the feed, studying Sang’s expressions in the hopes of understanding what might be happening.
If Kota was silent, it was too much to miss. It meant it was important.
Sang nodded absently but stared at her feet.
She wasn’t able to hide her disappointment.
It wasn’t good news.
Cursing erupted from the other phone. North. Kota barked at him to shut up, but there was more cursing, more uproar.
“What’s going on?” Owen snapped.
Kota spoke. “Carol’s keeping her homebound. Quitting the job now. Calling the school to inform them she won’t be returning because she is ill. No going out. She’ll be in bed studying, possibly homeschooled. She wasn’t surprised by the phone, but doesn’t believe in teenagers having them.”
An eruption of additional curses flooded out of Sean’s mouth without prompting, matching North’s from the speakerphone.
Sang was being cut off. Completely.
The thing she hated. Being kept in a bubble away from everyone. Playing to Carol’s favor had left Sang subject to whatever she wanted to do.
A prisoner in a house that didn’t want her.
No one spoke for a long time. Jimmy eventually returned with water. He pulled the cot from the attic to put near Sang.
That wasn’t bad at the moment. At least he was nearby if she fainted again. They needed that if Carol wasn’t going to take her to the doctor.
Sean kept the phone line open, and the feed up, but there was nothing else to say at the moment.
They’d lost her.
Diverted
Owen parked at the diner. The ambulance was tucked in the back of the parking lot, ready to go if something happened to Sang. It wasn’t uncommon for a service vehicle to be parked in the lot, so it should go unnoticed.
Just like the new security trailer that had been put up. It was simple, a box against the main building.
Luckily, activity at the diner slowed for the evening. They gathered what they needed out of the trunk of the car, completely bypassing the trailer.
The plan was set. They just needed to get to the house.
Sean and Owen used their flashlights and headed to the woods, making their way to the path that led to Sang’s house.
Sean wore a dark sweatshirt and sweatpants, clothing he kept in the trunk of his car at all times. In a pocket on the inside of his sweatshirt, he had what he needed to take her blood pressure and examine her.
He had to hurry. He might only get a quick moment with her. It was already going to be a risk sneaking in.
She’d fainted twice in a few days. While he was aware of the problem, if she hit her head, he’d need to check to see if she had signs of a concussion. There was also the slight chance this might be more than her blood sugar levels, although after not sleeping, no stress and loads of sugar, it made sense. First priority was to ensure she wasn’t going to pass out again or go into any sort of coma, and to prevent any other issues.
Owen followed behind him, dressed in similar black clothes. They walked quietly along the pa
th.
They didn’t need to talk to one another at this point. It was better to go in silently.
The air was cold, too cold for just the sweatshirt, but they didn’t need more bulk. They needed mobility.
Once they got to the backyard, they skirted around so the back shed blocked the view of their arrival. When they were sure it was clear, they scurried to the roof of the back porch. Owen gave Sean a boost. Sean helped Owen up.
Victor and Gabriel had retreated somewhere, possibly into the shed itself.
Kota was nearby, in the woods at the front of the house. Waiting to do his part.
Sean pressed his palms to the rough roof tiles. They ascended slowly, adjusting their weight and using areas they were sure were over closets and the hallway.
They got to Sang’s window on the other side, each sitting on one side.
They were ready.
Sean took his phone out, checking the video feed.
Jimmy was sitting upright on the cot, making adjustments to the pillow.
Carol was downstairs, speaking with Mr. Sorenson.
This was being recorded, and he couldn’t worry about it right now, but they were clearly having a serious discussion. Carol was telling him what she wanted to do, and Mr. Sorenson was weaseling himself out of anything that sounded like he might be discovered. They’d been doing it since Sang had gone to bed.
Mr. Sorenson was still not willing to admit the truth.
Sean leaned forward, not enough to be seen by the window, but just enough to see Owen looking to him.
Thumbs-up from Sean. Thumbs-up from Owen.
Seemed like the time was now.
Sean put the phone against his chest, slinking back into the shadows while Owen put the word out to Kota.
Within a minute, Max ran through the yard. The golden retriever followed a sharp bright red light through to the bushes in front of the Sorenson house and barked the whole way. He sniffed the ground, continuing to bark and chase the laser.
Sean checked the video feed. Jimmy was up instantly, coming to the window to look out.
