Chapter 10: The Watch

I read the note again.

Don't trust Samuel.

The words blurred as my hands trembled.

I looked from the note to Samuel.

Then back again.

"No..." I whispered.

Samuel noticed the paper.

"What did it say?"

I quickly folded it and slipped it into my pocket.

"Nothing."

His eyes narrowed.

"Maya."

"It wasn't important."

The man in black laughed.

"She's already doubting you."

"Shut up," Samuel snapped.

"For years, you've hidden the truth from her. Now you expect her to trust you?"

My heart raced.

"What truth?"

Neither of them answered.

My mother suddenly stepped between us.

"Enough!"

Everyone fell silent.

She looked at Samuel.

"She deserves to know."

Samuel sighed heavily.

"Not here."

"When?" my mother demanded. "After they kill us?"

The man in black smiled.

"I couldn't have said it better myself."

Samuel ignored him.

He turned to me.

"Your brother didn't disappear because he was running away."

"Then why?"

"He was trying to protect someone."

"Who?"

Samuel looked straight into my eyes.

"You."

The world seemed to stop.

"Me?"

"Everything he did... every decision he made... was to keep you alive."

"But why?"

Before Samuel could answer, the sound of sirens echoed in the distance.

The man in black frowned.

"Police?"

Samuel shook his head.

"No."

"Then who?"

Samuel's expression darkened.

"They're not the police."

"They use sirens to make people panic."

The man in black took a slow step backwards.

"So they've finally arrived."

Headlights appeared at the end of the dirt road.

One.

Then two.

Then four.

Black vehicles surrounded the farm.

Their engines switched off together.

The doors opened.

Several people stepped out, all dressed in black.

None of them spoke.

One woman walked to the front.

She wore black gloves and dark sunglasses despite the night.

She looked directly at me.

Then she smiled.

"We've spent three years looking for the girl with the key."

My hand instinctively covered the pocket of my hoodie.

She noticed.

"Good," she said softly.

"You still have it."

Then she raised one hand.

"Bring her to me."

The people behind her began to move.

Slowly.

Together.

Closing in from every side.