The Forsaken (Book Three in The Illusion of Certainty Series)

Going Back To New York

I sat in a chair in the security office. Despite the fact that men usually occupied the space, the office was spick and span. The chair I sat in was one of those simple chairs, wooden with a leather seat and back. My whole body was shaking and not from the cold. I was in shock, Michael said. They were in Michael’s office, all of them. They were talking about me, about what happened. I needed a distraction. I looked at the desk next to me. There was a computer, a phone, some papers…

The phone.

I picked up the receiver and dialed Aidan’s number.

“Hello?” he said hesitantly.

“Aidan.”

“Ana? What…why do you sound…”

“Jason sent me something in the mail.”

“What?”

“My parents thought it was a gift so they left it under the tree. When I opened my gifts…they said the package went through security but…”

“What did he send?”

I heard rustling in the background.

“Aidan…I…”

“Ana,” he said calmly. “Tell me what he sent.”

“He sent me the knife. The one he used…”

“I’m coming home,” he said, cutting me off. “You can’t talk me out of it this time. If I’d come back earlier, this wouldn’t have happened.”

“Aidan, how would you have stopped it? Even Michael didn’t know and he’s a member of security.”

“Did they even open it first?” he asked. “Did they check it?”

“They said they did but…how could a knife get through security? Aidan…I don’t know what’s going on. I opened the wooden box and there it sat. And it all came flooding back. And I can’t get it out of my head.”

“It’s alright, Ana. I’m coming home, ok? Just hold on till then.”

“I don’t think I can. Michael’s helping but what happens when he can’t anymore? I’m going to have to do it on my own and I don’t think I can block it all out again.”

I heard the rustling pick up and then a zipper slide home.

“I’ll be home in a few hours. Just stay on the phone with me, ok?”

“I can’t. I’m in the security office. Michael’s trying to convince my father to let me come back to New York.”

I was starting to get a headache.

“Really? He wants to bring you here? After everything he did to get you back home?”

I heard the door knob to Michael’s office jiggle.

“Aidan, I have to go.”

“Ana, wait…”

“I’ll call you back. I love you.”

“Ana…” I hung up the phone, cutting off the rest of Aidan’s protests.

Michael came out first, his face stern but his eyes told me everything I needed to know. I looked passed him at my father.

“Daddy…” I started.

He held up a hand and came over to me, pulling the desk chair over so he was sitting in front of me. He looked at me, giving me the once over. My father’s eyes paused on my knee and on my hands. He looked over at my mother and raised an eyebrow. She looked at me too. I felt like I was some kind of lab animal brought in for studying.