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Left Behind
Sang
I kept the pack above my head and continued to stare at the lot, as if the Jeep would magically reappear or I'd realize I was looking at the wrong space.
But the space we had parked in was empty.
The rain that started up was more a mist. Cautious, I held tight to the handles of the backpack, keeping my head protected.
I steadied myself and approached the empty spot, checking the cars nearby. No one was out here. The cars seemed to be the same as when we’d left.
And as I approached, I spotted the white mask. It was face up, on the ground, positioned a little too perfectly in the empty space.
I closed my eyes, grinding my teeth and feeling an anger bubble inside of me like I hadn't experienced before in my life.
Not now.
Not while North was in the back of a truck heading to who knows where and I was alone.
I went to the mask, picking it up, noting it was the same as other Volto masks, the same he wore all the time. It couldn't have been a coincidence.
I stood there, debating my options. If he had the Jeep, what did that mean? And was it wise to stay here in the lot alone?
North had said if I couldn't reach the Jeep, to use the phone. I ran to an awning off the back of the building to protect myself from the rain. The rain stopped falling around my shoulders, but it was still hitting my chest down to my legs, soaking my clothes.
I took the cell phone out and used the bag to shield some rain from my body as best I could.
I flipped the phone open and listened, retreating against the wall of the building.
There was an answer instantly. “What's wrong?” a female voice said, although it wasn't familiar at all.
I hesitated. Was I supposed to give her a random word to verify? “Fish?” I stammered out.
“Nebula,” she said with confidence. “Are you okay?”
She must be an Academy member, but because I didn't know who it was, I wasn't totally sure what to mention and what not to.
“Are you there?” she asked.
“Yes,” I said. “The...Jeep isn't here.”
She paused. “It's gone?”
“I think it's stolen. By Volto.”
There was a quick gasp and then her voice returned, stronger than before. “Where is North?” she asked.
“In the back of the truck. I don’t know when or how he’s getting back.”
“Listen. I'm tracking your position by that phone. There's a grocery store nearby. Go inside. No matter what happens, stay in view of people. Pretend you're shopping. Keep me on the line.”
I looked at my clothing, dirty and now soaked in the rain, but if she was adamant about getting somewhere safe, I wanted to listen. Especially since she was the only one I was connected to that would have any idea where I was. “Tell my team.”
“Already on it,” she said. “Trying to find someone who can come get you. Just hang tight.”
“North was going to try to get back. He’s not going to have his Jeep when he does.”
“We’ll get to that. First priority is you right now.”
I hurried around the corner of the grocery store. I scanned the front lot quickly, just in case I caught sight of the Jeep, but it wasn’t there.
Just beyond the first set of doors that opened, warm air blasted down on me from above. I stood in there for a moment, taking my hat off and straightening my hair. I scrunched it into a bun and reset the clip. Handbaskets sat in a stack near the second set of sliding doors, and I took one.
As I entered under fluorescent lights, I kept my head down. I sensed people, all sounding busy with shopping and working. With it being late, certain areas were closed, like the bakery to the far right, but there were plenty of employees and enough shoppers that Volto would have been crazy to try to get me from in here.
“I'm inside,” I said into the phone.
“Good. Stay in view of other people. Don't let anyone else talk you into leaving unless it's your people. Don't leave that store until they come get you.”
“Okay.”
“I'll be tracking your phone from this point to be sure you're safe. Keep it on you. But you can hang up. Pretend to shop, and keep an eye out. If you feel uncomfortable, find someone in security.”
“Thank you.”
“Be safe.”
I hung up the phone, tucking it away in a book bag pocket, the inside being surprisingly dry. With it on my back again, I held the basket in my arm and browsed produce slowly.
My heart was still racing. I looked at bananas and oranges and wasn't seeing them at all. I retraced my steps, wondering if we'd crossed paths with Volto at some point and where.
North had driven us here, and we’d been careful to watch for people following us.
How did he know we'd park there, of all places? Did he just come across the lot and find North’s Jeep? Maybe he happened to be here and noticed it.
For a split second, I thought about the cameras outside. But then I remembered we picked that place because Victor was going to take care of the camera and the low possibility anyone would be out there. It was possible there were no witnesses, and Victor might not have been watching the Jeep to see it disappear and who was driving it.
Minutes passed, and I realized I might be looking kind of crazy staring at fruit and not doing anything. I picked up a set of bananas and moved on.
The produce was closest to the door, and I didn’t want to go too far. Anticipation crept through me. North could walk in at some point, looking for me, asking about the Jeep.
When moments passed and no one showed up, I needed to move on. I thought I was standing out just being in the same spot.
I turned the corner to start making my way through rows. I stopped short before bumping into someone restocking shelves.
And I did a double take when I saw a familiar face.
Wil was bent down in front of me. His hair was cut shorter than I remembered, but he had the same glasses. He wore khakis and a collared shirt with a tie and a nameplate at his breast pocket. He put a collection of pastas on the
shelves and then turned his head to look at me.
He raised an eyebrow and his cheeks reddened. “Hey,” he said. He looked me over, head to foot and back, and cocked a brow. “You okay? Get caught in the rain?”
“Yeah,” I said slowly. “I didn't know you worked here.”
“New job,” he said. “The phone store fired me after I was late one time. It's too hard to get downtown through traffic sometimes.”
“Oh,” I said. “Yeah.” Awkwardly, I paused and didn’t know what else to say. My mind rushed with what had just happened. The last time I'd run into him, he showed me how to break into lockers at school. I couldn't imagine what he thought of me wearing all black and soaked and holding a basket with bananas at this hour.
Suddenly, the phone I'd put in my bag rang. I jolted in front of him, too stunned that anyone would call me back on it. What did it mean that someone was?
I juggled the basket in my arm to be able to take the book bag off. Wil reached out to help, taking the basket from me.
I hesitated but then let him do so. But then I realized it meant I couldn't really talk openly to the person on the other end. It didn't matter. I had to answer. It might be the guys trying to find me.
I dug out the cell phone, opened it and held it to my ear. “Yes?”
“I told you to get away from them,” a crackled, mechanical voice sounded on the other end.
I looked right at Wil's face, too stunned to hide my expression. I said nothing, fearing anything I said would lead me into a trap of Volto's making.
“Something wrong?” Wil whispered to me.
“They're on to you,” Volto said in my ear.
I slowly shook my head at Wil and then took back my basket after placing the book bag on my shoulder again. I kept the phone to my ear and gave him a soft wave, indicating I had to go. Still, I said nothing to Volto. I debated hanging up on him.
“I wouldn't go to school tomorrow if I were you.”
I turned down a new aisle, and when I was sure no one was listening, I whispered into the phone. “Don't hurt anyone.”
