Falcon Feathers

Falcon Feathers (Chapter 20)

"My name's Derek, what's your name?" I asked ending my mental group chat.

"Alec." He replied quietly. I introduced him to everyone nodding to each of them in turn.

"So, Alec, what were you doing at the mansion?" I asked.

"I live there now, well I used to, sort of." he replied. (sort of?)

"It wasn't really what you could call a home. I 'lived' there with Lance and my sister Dana. I wasn't allowed to leave the building, and in the last few months Lance said I had to stay in the basement for training." Alec said.

"What kind of training?" I asked. (that accounts for his paleness and for his squinting.) Alec tried opening his eyes wider but quickly closed them again. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat and when he opened his eyes again, he contented himself to squinting.

"Lance never said what my training was for, but he said I needed improve if I was gonna see mom and dad again. I got the impression from Dana that he wanted to use me as some kind of weapon." Alec said glancing around self consciously.

"What do you want to do?" I asked.

"I don't want to hurt people like he wanted me to. I want to be good." he said. There was a hint of saddness in his voice that spoke of a lifetime of hardship. It was just wrong for that kind of tone to be in a child's voice.

"Do you know where your parents are?" Joelle asked.

"No, I can't remember." Alec replied looking down his expression darkening.

"Then it's settled." I said.

"What is?" Unatsi said looking up from the couch where he had been laying on his stomach.

"If he wants to he can come with us." I said. Alec looked up surprised. It looked as if a light had come back to his eyes.

"Really?" he asked.

"Yup, and as long as you're with us we can help you look for your parents." I said. He looked around at all of us in turn. I noticed that he didn't flinch like most people would when he saw Atsila.

"Ok, but I do have a question." he said.

"Yeah?" I asked.

"Can I have another doughnut?" he asked. We all laughed until we realised he was serious.

"Of course you can." I said.

"Now that, that's out of the way we can get started looking for the next totem." Joelle said.

"Good thing we're already here." Will said.

"Where?" Nala asked.

"Los Angeles. That's where the next totem is right?" He asked.

"That's right!", Unatsi said bouncing up from the couch. "It's almost as if there was a reason why I brought us here."

"Yeah, almost" Atsila said. Unatsi stuck his tounge out at him in a very immature gesture. With that we headed downstairs and checked out of the hotel. And headed towards a Starbucks. As we sat there drinking our various teas, coffees, cappuccinos, and frappacinos, I thought about how we would find a small totem in such a big city. (Any ideas?) NOPE. Unule shrugged her shoulders and went back to sipping her frappacino. Alec who had never had coffee before was wired. We had to have him sit with his legs crossed so he would stop kicking the table. Suddenly he stopped vibrating and looked at me.

"I know where it is." He said stopping all of us mid sip. He the went back to shaking and drinking his coffee.

"What?" I asked. He ignored me. I took his coffee from him.