Mania by J. R. Johansson Page A

seeming determined to solve the only problem he might actually be able to help with.
    Parker nearly choked. “You want to name the drug Wormhole?”
    â€œToo simple?” Finn frowned and then suggested, “Wormhole 3000!”
    â€œNothing with the word hole in it … or worm, actually,” I said as I sped up a bit. A group of rebels, led by a smiling Randall, had just turned a corner thirty feet ahead and were walking out to greet us.
    â€œSo the Takers had a massive base … and the rebels have a trailer park?” Parker asked quietly. When I didn’t respond, he said, “No wonder our side has been losing.”
    My spine stiffened and I stopped. I took a slow breath before responding so he wouldn’t hear my anger. “It’s more complicated than that. Our side was being hunted. Our side was trying not to abuse the power we have. Our side wasn’t out to destroy every Taker on the planet.”
    â€œRight.” Parker swallowed, giving a sad shake of his head. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that.”
    â€œI know.” My eyes searched the group approaching us for Libby, but she wasn’t there. “This is part of why I agreed to let you come. You need to see what the rest of the Night Walkers have been dealing with. You need to know that Dad really was doing what was best for you .”
    Parker seemed surprised, but I saw something different behind his eyes now, something closer to sadness than disdain. Good. That was what he needed to feel. He needed that feeling to understand why Dad’s new formula was so important, why all this had to change.
    Randall walked up, his grin even wider than before. He was in his fifties and had been close to my mom, keeping an eye on me when I was younger. He had black hair that was balding on top behind a rather severe forehead, but his face was softened by the smile lines around his eyes. When he got close I moved to shake his hand, but instead he pulled me into a tight hug.
    â€œI’m so sorry to hear what happened to Danny, son. He was a good man, and we all miss him.”
    Randall’s embrace shook loose a piece of my shell, leaving me feeling vulnerable and exposed. It was difficult for me to get a grip on my emotions again.
    â€œThank you,” was all I could say, knowing even one more word could break me.
    After a moment Randall released me, staring into my eyes as he backed away. Intentional eye contact meant something here. It was the true symbol of trust in a rebel camp.
    â€œThis is Danny’s son Parker.” I gestured over my shoulder. “And his friend, Finn.”
    Randall nodded and reached past me to shake Parker’s and Finn’s hands. I watched as he looked at the air just above their heads. They hadn’t earned that trust yet. “It’s nice to finally meet you, Parker. I’ve heard all about you, of course, from your father. I’m very sorry for your loss.”
    Parker shook Randall’s hand, murmured a thank you, and nodded, but I could feel his gaze on me. None of these people knew that Danny was my dad. They thought he was my mentor, and they knew we were close … but they didn’t know the depth of our relationship. My mom had told them my dad rode a Harley and died in a crash before I was born. As Dad had instructed, I never corrected her story.
    Most of the time, truth was an inconvenient nuisance. At times it could set you free, but more often it would ensnare you in a web with no hope for release. When you lied and it hurt people, you could always make amends with the truth. When it was the truth that caused pain, there was no escape. After all these years, now wasn’t the time to confess all the lies my parents had told these people in order to protect each other … and me.
    Marisol walked out from behind a nearby trailer. She smiled wide and a chuckle escaped my chest. She was a Watcher and had been my mom’s