“Another maybe more relevant question is, who’s behind all this?” Jag added.
“According to the girls, that Dr. Nate guy and the person in the hologram know a lot about Dema-Ki. But how are they even aware of its existence? It’s a fair assumption that it’s someone from the inside. Maybe a rogue Sentry? So many questions that need answers. Jag, are you able to get in contact with Elder Nageau again?”
Jag folded his arms. “I don’t know. He was the one who reached out to me last time. Marshall, can you?”
“Probably,” the Sentry said. “Let’s get away from here first.”
“I’m so disgusted with Tony,” Mariah said. “I have no words to describe how much I despise that fraud.”
“And this would be the same guy who said he went after me when he didn’t, right?” Marshall asked.
“That’s the one.”
Kody was downcast. “He seemed like such a nice guy. I don’t think I’ve given my trust away that quickly to anyone in ages.”
“But that’s the thing,” Tegan said. “He didn’t seem, you know,
evil
. He just seemed to genuinely believe in whatever he’s a part of to a point where it’s kind of scary.”
Jag stretched out his legs as far as he could. “I’d like to know what it is that he’s a part of.”
“Whatever it is, I could feel the fanaticism simmering just below the surface.”
“In any case,” Mariah said, “if we see him again, I’ll gladly set up his face on a date with a boulder.” She yawned, setting off everyone else except Marshall.
The Sentry glanced back at the group sympathetically. “Just a while longer, guys,” he said. “Hang in there.”
The occupants of the car quieted down and it took a while for Marshall to realize that the teenagers had dozed off, even the four in the back who weren’t settled comfortably. The Sentry glanced at the dashboard clock. It was a shame that it was only five in the morning; the car rental in Deming would not be open. Still, it was a good opportunity to drive on and add more miles between the abductors and the group.
It was just a little over an hour later when he pulled up in front of a car rental office near the Las Cruces airport. The moment he turned off the engine, the five woke up, looking around blearily.
“Time for a new ride,” Marshall murmured, unbuckling himself as the others groaned.
Getting out of the Mustang, he led the way into the rental company’s building. The friends plopped down on the plastic chairs as he went up to the counter to speak with the clerk. He glanced back at the five and grinned slightly when he saw them leaning against each other, trying to get a few more minutes of shuteye.
The Sentry’s thoughts meandered as he passed the clerk his credit card. He still couldn’t believe how young the five were, but he’d now witnessed some of them work their powers and heard about the girls’ escape. As inexperienced as they may appear, they had skills and had proven that they could use them as a team.
Marshall got the keys to their new car. “Up and at ’em,” he called to the others as he strode out the door. He heard the friends grumbling as they pulled each other up and followed him.
“Voila,” he said, spreading his arms when he reached their vehicle. He turned to the five. “What do you think?”
The five, looking dead on their feet, stood in silence as they stared. Then, Kody spoke up groggily. “Marshall . . . that’s a minivan.”
“It sure is.”
“We’re trading a Mustang for a minivan?”
“Not just any minivan. It’s an all-wheel-drive. We needed more room anyway and you know my car is too easy to spot if those guys come after you again. Pile in.”
While the friends settled into the rental, Marshall jogged back to his car and gently pulled his backpack out of the trunk. He shut the doors and made sure they were locked. When he returned to the minivan, he was not at all surprised to find the five reclined and looking considerably more comfortable than before. As he pulled onto the main road, Marshall glanced at Kody. “So? How’s our new ride?”
“Not answering that,” Kody grumbled as he snuggled against his seat.
“Hey, Aari, you got your charger?” Jag asked. “The car’s got a port and my phone’s dead.”
Aari fished his phone charger out of his pack and threw it to Jag, who plugged in his phone. It was barely two minutes later when his device rang. Jag answered the call. “Hey, Tristan.”
Marshall could feel Jag’s mood darken as the boy listened to his brother. The others felt it as well as they sat up and leaned toward the front.
“Hey, Tris, hold on a moment.” Jag muted the call and turned to the others; Marshall noticed that his eyes were moist. “My grandparents’ crops have been hit. My . . . my grandmother was rushed to the hospital. She had a heart attack. Tristan is thinking of heading out there with Camilla.”
Mariah rested a hand on his shoulder. “I’m so sorry to hear about your grandma. How is she holding up?”
“I’m not sure. But would it be alright if we drove out there? I know it’s a long ways away, but . . . ”
“No, no. It’s a good idea,” Aari said, leaning closer.
“How so?” Mariah asked.
“We can get a look at the destroyed crops firsthand and see if we can find any clues that may point us to the source of this scourge. And Jag can be there for his family.”
Kody cocked his head. “That’s a good point.”
“So are we doing this?” Jag looked at all of them, a plea in his eyes.
Marshall nodded. “I think so.”
“Thank you.” Jag unmuted the call. “Tristan? Listen, you stay put. We’ll head to Concordia ourselves. Yeah, we’re sure. No, we
want
to do this. I’ll call you when we get there.” He hung up.
“Key in your grandparents’ address on the GPS,” Marshall said. Jag did as instructed, then rested back with a heavy exhale.
“We’ve got a ten-hour drive ahead of us,” the Sentry told the friends. “Good time to catch up on sleep.”
He received no argument and the cabin went silent until Kody started to snore from the third-row seat. When he stopped, Aari picked it up. Marshall had to suppress a tired chuckle.
It was early afternoon when Tegan coughed and sat up, her eyes closed.
“Sleepwalking?” Marshall asked.
“I can’t open my eyes,” she responded sleepily. “I’m so tired. And so hungry. And dirty.”
“Well, we’re just coming into Dalhart, two hours from the Kansas state line. Let’s see if we can find a place to get you guys cleaned up and grab some food.”
“How long were we asleep?”
“Just about five hours.”
“Five hours! Oh, man, I’d take another nine right now.”
“Keep it down,” Mariah moaned.
A sleepy-sounding Aari chimed in. “Too late.”
Kody and Jag were roused as well, and the first words out of Kody’s mouth were a complaint about his hunger. They hurried through a quick bite and stopped at a mall. The girls grabbed the cheapest clothes they could find—and Mariah bought some makeup to conceal the bruise that was forming on her face where she’d been punched—while the boys and Marshall wandered around, grabbing other necessities for the group. Once they’d gotten everything they needed, Marshall drove to a nearby public swimming pool.
Tegan peered out of her window. “Um, why are we stopping here?”
“You and Mariah need to clean up,” Marshall said. “Can’t have Jag’s granddad wondering why you’re all muddied. You can use the showers in the change room.”
Mariah goggled. “You’re kidding.”
Marshall unlocked the doors. “Not at all.”
With a grimace, the two left, their new clothes in a couple of backpacks. “We’re gonna get such weird looks,” Mariah grumped.
They returned twenty minutes later, looking fresh and clean in new t-shirts and shorts, and settled back into the middle seats of the minivan. “Okay, fine, that was a good call,” Mariah said as she tied her hair back.
Marshall just smiled and drove out. “We have another five hours or so until we reach the farm, so what do you—”
“Nap!” Kody yelled. “See you all in a few hours!”
“I’m with the clown,” Aari said, reclining his seat again.
In the end, Jag was the only one who decided to stay awake. “Would you like me to drive, Marshall?” he asked tentatively. “We’ve all slept a bit, but you haven’t rested at all.”
The Sentry was heartened by the teenager’s offer. “I’m fine, Jag. But thank you.”
A few hours on, open range began giving way to farmland. They were outside the town of Salina when they noticed pillars of smoke rising to the sky, as if many acres of crops were on fire. Jag hastily woke his friends who began murmuring when they caught sight of the smoke.
“Are the farmers burning their fields?” Tegan asked.
“I think so,” Aari said, trying to get a better view. “They do that with spoiled crops.”
“But the crops look okay from here . . . ”
They spotted a few black vans on certain properties and television trucks parked on the shoulder of the highway. “This is unreal,” Mariah whispered. “Are those government vehicles?”
“Seems like it.” Marshall looked at the GPS. “We’ll be at your grandfather’s farm shortly, Jag.”
He turned left, heading north to Concordia. Jag wound down the window to check the temperature outside but quickly put it back up. “Oh yeah, hot and humid. We’re definitely in Kansas.”
“Wanna take a dip in there?” Marshall laughed as he pointed at a water tank that sat atop a tower with ‘Concordia Panthers’ painted on it.
“Honestly, I wouldn’t mind that.”
On either side of the country road were more acres of farmland, along with barns and farm houses. At some of the properties, horses and cattle glanced up to watch the minivan drive past. Mariah had her face against a window, whimpering quietly every time they passed a horse.
“You like horses, Mariah?” Marshall asked.
She faced him, eyes sparkling. “I
love
them. They give you unconditional affection, and riding one is almost like flying. It’s amazing.”
Jag was calling Tristan to let him know that they’d arrived when they finally turned onto a wide gravel path that led to a classic, wooden two-story home with a dark, pointed roof. A truck was parked off to the side and a barn sat stoutly some distance away.
“This is a really nice place,” Marshall said as they got out of the vehicle.
Kody put on his ball cap as he contorted his face. “Yeah, except for the heat.”
The front door of the house opened and a yellow Labrador retriever bounded toward them, ears flapping, barking loudly.
“Lady!” Jag dropped down, waving the dog over. “Lady! C’mere, pup!”
The Labrador ran into his open arms and snuffled his face, whining joyfully, her tail wagging. Marshall leaned down to pat Lady’s head. The dog licked his fingers before turning her attention to the teenagers who were swarming her.
Marshall caught movement by the open door of the house and looked up. An older man was making his way out. He wore simple blue jeans, boots and a red checkered shirt.
Jag saw the newcomer as well and ran toward him. “Gramps!”
The man gathered Jag into a tight hug. As the others made their way over to them with Marshall at the rear, the two parted so the man could embrace the other teens. “Aari! Tegan! Kody! Mariah! Look at you all!” He then fixed his gaze on the Sentry. “Don’t believe I’ve met you before.”
“Uh, this is Marshall,” Jag said, glancing at the others. “He’s a friend we met on the trip. Found out we were heading the same way, so we’re all going together.”
Marshall stuck out his hand. “Pleasure meeting you, sir.”
“Call me Hugo, son.” Hugo shook the Sentry’s hand firmly. They locked eyes for a moment, and Marshall knew he’d just received a subtle warning:
I don’t know who you are, but if the kids trust you, so do I. Don’t screw it up.
Marshall gave a short nod and dropped his hand back to his side. He followed the others into the house with Lady trotting in after them, her tail wagging nonstop.
“Tristan gave me a call and told me you were on your way,” Hugo said, leading the way into the dining room. A rustic pine table that sat eight was placed at the center. “Here, have a seat. Have you had dinner?”
“Not yet,” Jag said.
“Good.” Hugo went to the adjoining kitchen and came back with bowls of beef stew. They thanked him as he took his seat at the end of the table beside Jag, facing Marshall who sat at the opposite end. There was one empty seat at the table, and Marshall could only assume Jag’s grandmother would have been sitting there if she weren’t in a hospital.
As they took their first bites, Jag asked, “How are you, Gramps?”
Hugo reached out and patted Jag’s shoulder. “I was doing well until all of this happened. I’m glad you’re here, though. The last time your grandmother and I saw you was at Christmas.”
“You know I love being here. How, uh . . . How’s Gran doing?”
“She was in pretty bad shape, but thank goodness the paramedics arrived as quickly as they did. When the next town over got hit, she got really worried. And then when our crops got destroyed . . . it was just too much to take. She’s in intensive care. They’re giving her clot-busting medicine but are considering surgery once she stabilizes.” Hugo took a spoonful of the stew. “I haven’t left her side, but when I found out you were coming, I headed back. Good thing I did, too. The authorities were here for hours this morning.”
“We saw them on our way over,” Aari said. “What are they doing?”
“Asking questions,” Hugo answered. “This is mind-boggling even to them. No one’s ever seen this kind of thing before. Everyone was here, from the CDC to the USDA, and even the FBI.”
“FBI?” Kody stammered, nearly spilling his stew. “I can understand why the others would be here, but why the FBI?”
“They have to look at it from all angles,” Aari replied. “Including the possibility of this being a terror attack.”
At that, Marshall and the five swapped secretive looks.
Hugo smiled at Aari. “Sharp as ever, you are.”
Aari turned a little red and continued eating. “This is really good, Mr. Sanchez.”
“It’s nothing fancy, but I’m happy you’re enjoying it.”
Jag stirred his meal. “Would we be able to go see Gran after dinner?”
“I don’t see why not.”