Walking Among Humans

Chapter 5 - Part 2

Mona

There are two guardians standing sentry outside the door. One opens the door when he sees us approaching. Once we are safely inside, one of them closes the door and Ben puts me down.

"What the hell was that about?"

I have no idea what he's talking about. "What was what about?"

"Where did those other guardians come from?"

"I called them."

"Why?"

"I thought we could use some help."

"You mean you didn't think I could handle whatever it was behind that door?"

"That's not-"

"Don't lie to me, Mona! You didn't trust me enough to handle it."

"I do trust you-"

"Obviously not enough to protect you."

Before I have a chance to respond, Lois comes running into the entryway out of breath and panic-stricken. As soon as she sees we are both standing there unscathed, a look of relief washes over her face. She almost jumps the last few steps to us and throws her arms around us and starts crying. We both try to reassure her that we are fine and that everything is okay, but she continues to sob.

"Neither of you are ever leaving this suite again."

I roll my eyes at Ben over her head.

"Lois, we're both fine. We still have classes we have to attend if we're going to graduate. I'm sure it was just a prank. You know as well as I do that jokes happen around here all the time."

"Well, what if it's more than that? We can't be too careful right now. That's why John gave you that pendant."

"Wait, what pendant?"

I have dreaded telling Ben about the pendant since John gave it to me. Now I don't have a choice. "I didn't know how to tell you."

"I guess you don't really need me then."

"That's not true!"

"Then why did you use it?"

"I... I panicked. I'm sorry."

John walks in the door, and we can see the relief wash over his face as soon as he sees us. He stops to lock the door before he says anything.

"Are you both okay?"

"We're both fine, Dad. Mona is a bit shaken up, but she's fine. We were having breakfast in the cafeteria when it happened. Did they find anyone in there?"

John stands there looking us over with a flabbergasted expression on his face. "No. When they went in, the suite was empty of everything but the furniture. They even cleaned out Lucy's room."

I've been racking my brain since we got here trying to figure out who might have done this. So far I can't think of a single person who would do something like this.

"Was there any sign of who was in there?"

John sends Ben a disapproving glance. "No. And this might not have happened at all if you had selected the detail already."

I can feel every muscle in Ben's body tense. Before he has a chance to say something he will regret, I step in. "John, you know that's not true. Had we already selected the detail, half would have been in their own suite sleeping. The other half would have been on duty in the cafeteria, where I was. This is not Ben's fault."