Sheltered

Chapter 30

"I haven't seen Shawn in a while." Savanna states flatly, flipping to the next page of a book.

"Yeah, I made sure Griff got him out of here for a while. We tried asking him what's going on with Tony, but he wouldn't budge."

Olivia sighs from the bunk above Sav.
"We has to demote him from his position. Who knows what he's up to."

Savanna closes her book and pauses for a moment.

"Does he do things like that often?"

"What do you mean?" Oli asks, raising an eyebrow.

"I dunno... like does he usually break the rules, or talk to people he shouldn't?" Savanna climbs up the ladder to sit on Oli's bed.

Olivia blushes.
"Sav, I really shouldn't be telling you any of this."

Savanna shrugs.
"You might as well. Plus, we're best friends." She smiles widely.

"Yeah... I don't know." Olivia's expression falls.
"Shawn has always been such a good guy. And one of my best friends. I have no idea what he's doing, but..."
she takes a deep, shaking breath.
"I don't know. It just scares me."

"Yeah..." Savanna mutters. "I hope he isn't still with Stephanie." She feels a pang in her chest.

Oli shrugs.
"She's too nieve to notice things going on around her. If Shawn is up to something, Stephanie won't be involved, I can tell you that."

Savanna nods her head, and her expression changes. She opens her mouth to speak, but no words come out.

"No, nothing from Ian." Oli says as if reading Savanna's mind.

She nods, and climbs back down the ladder.

Suddenly, a static-sounding voice comes from Olivia's bunk.
"Olivia, please come to the office. Olivia, come to the office. Over."

Oli picks up a walkie-talkie from beside her, and holds down a button on the side.
"Coming, Griff." She sighs. "Over."

As Olivia climbs down the ladder, Sav raises an eyebrow.
"Why did he sound worried?"

"Probably clogged a toilet or something."
Oli chuckles nervously and avoids eye contact.
"I need to go."

Savanna grabs her wrist.

"Yes?" Oli asks hurriedly.

"Is there something you're not telling me?"
Savanna's voice cracks.

"Sav, there are plenty of things I just can't tell you, you know that. Don't worry about it."

Olivia breaks her arm away, and speed-walks out the door.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Hey."

"Hey, sit down." Griffin clears his throat.

"Anything from the border?" Olivia asks.

"Yeah. They lost contact." He swallows, and stares at the wall.

"Was he taken away?" Oli asks, a hint of panic in her tone.

"I don't know. Apparently he went somewhere, and they couldn't reach him again."

Olivia sighs. "Maybe his radio died? Or maybe they're just saying that. I mean they wouldn't, but I mean he-"

Griffin slams his hand on the table.
"Stop trying to make light of the situation!"

Olivia jumps in her seat, and swallows.

Silence fills the room.

"Sorry. He's my brother, nothing can happen to him. It can't..." Griffin takes a deep breath and buries his face in his palms.

"Griff. You can't be like this. Ian may be somewhere dangerous. Don't waste your time sulking." Oli tells him sternly.

Griffin draws in a long breath, calming down, as if Olivia's firm command had calmed him.

"You're right." He rises from his seat and picks up a walkie-talkie.
"Marshal, to the office... We're sending down the trackers."