“They’re waiting for a female, Michael,” Tegan said in a low voice, casting a look around the room at the handful of other Sentinels in the room. “They all but said she isn’t here,” she paused as the look of horror descended on Michael’s face. “Zahraisn’t here.”
Michael took off at a run to his father’s study, Tegan and Sloane following closely behind. They ignored the looks and calls they got as they ran – disregarding the fact they may be causing a panic amongst the Sentinels.
“Did you get her?” Michael demanded as he entered his father’s study.
Salem looked up, just as he was placing the receiver of the phone down. “Yes,” he slumped in the chair. “The Headmaster confirmed she is in class,” he dropped his head into his hands with relief.
“I’ll leave now, get her, bring her home.” Michael confirmed turning to the door.
“Wait!” Tegan called out, wincing as they all turned to her. “Should we bring her here?”
“Tegan,” Michael shook his head, “I know she was mean to you, but this is the best place for her.”
“Is it? This has nothing to do with how she spoke to me, it matters not what she said,” Tegan looked to Salem. “But if they are out there watching, as weknowthey are, they’ll see us go for her and more importantly, bring her home.”
“I want my daughter here.”
“I understand, I just think we need to be clever,” Tegan acknowledged. “I mean there’s no guarantee that it is Zahra they wait for, but we can’t be seen to be giving them ground.”
“Giving them ground?” Michael demanded. “This isn’t strategising, Tegan, this is mysister.”
“She has a point,” Sloane spoke for the first time. “And it isn’t just Zahra, there are other Sentinels that we need to think of who are with her.”
“Others?” Tegan asked in confusion.
“Zahra is guarded,” Salem confirmed. At Tegan’s widening eyes he hurried on. “She does not wish to live as a Sentinel, but I cannot let her be out in the world, defenceless.”
“She has guards?” Tegan was almost speechless. “Does she know?”
“No,” Salem admitted.
“How many guards? They aren’t Elite?” Tegan guessed.
“No, they are the same age, Sentinels in training,” Michael answered. “They need to blend, Elite tend not to blend.”
“But this is against what she wishes,” Tegan shook her head in confusion.
“Thisalso isn’t important at this time,” Michael threw his hands in the air in frustration. “I want Zahra home,now.”
“We need Cord,” Sloane said quietly from the corner. “He can go in, retrieve them all, portal them here. The watching Drakhyn will never know.”
“Is there no one else?”
“Afraid not, Tegan,” Sloane winked at her. “Don’t worry, Zahra and Cord hate each other.”
“I don’t care about that, he’s just not what I would think of, if someone said high school human,” Tegan answered.
“Sloane will go. He blends in better,” Salem nodded in agreement. “I can’t believe I have to call on the Castoragain.”
“At least it’s not like he will remind you of it…” Sloane laughed gently at Salem’s scowl as he lifted the phone.
“Prime Castor Becker,” Salem said formally into the receiver, “I require use of your Castor Ivanov.”
As Salem spoke to the Prime Castor, Tegan moved forward to Michael who was restlessly pacing. “It will be okay,” she said softly.
Michael grabbed her hand and squeezed. “I just need her here, safe.”
“I hope bringing her here will make her safer,” Tegan murmured as she squeezed back.