In Plain Sight by Hope Anika

Chapter Six

Every year,the large brick church that sat at the end of the block had a summer fair, bursting with rides, games, and homemade cream puffs. But Selena had never gone. She didn’t know how it felt to ride the Ferris wheel, or what skills it took to play a game, or what cotton candy tasted like.

Because such things seduced the unwary into sin.

Sin was a big deal in Selena’s life. According to her mother, everything was sinful to some degree, and nothing came without penance. One had to constantly guard against a world filled with temptation; against those whose job it was to coerce the innocent into evil; against one’s very own needs and desires. Many, many things had the power to endanger and steal one’s soul: thoughts, ideas, beliefs. You had to be vigilant and pious and pure.

Or the devil would find you.

Her mother’s dire warnings of a fiery hell and its unholy henchmen were very effective, because Selena and her brothers had rarely been exposed to anyone outside the McLean household, and she’d had no counterbalance to her mother’s dark, crushing certainty that life was the ultimate battle between good and evil.

And the last twenty-four hours had done nothing to refute that certainty.

The world that had greeted Selena was nothing like the one of which she’d read. Too big, too noisy, too intense. She felt alien and disconnected, as if she’d suddenly found herself on another planet.

Alone.

“You’re going to be okay,” Max said as he strode ahead of her. “Fi will take good care of you.”

Selena said nothing. She just gripped the green backpack he’d bought her at Wal-Mart and tried to keep up with his long-legged stride. He’d made her shed her long skirt and blouse, and she now wore a green t-shirt and denim overalls, which felt stiff and odd and…well, sinful.

Max had changed too, shedding the dark suit and tie he wore and donning a pair of blue jeans and a tan shirt. He was bleeding through the shirt from the wound in his shoulder—deep and ugly and raw, which she’d seen when he’d bandaged it that morning—but he didn’t seem to feel it.

He looked different today, like something had changed. But he still carried his gun.

She knew he was angry. Because his friend had died—something she was trying very hard notto think about—and because now, she was his problem.

When she didn’t want to be anyone’s problem.

But she didn’t know how to change that circumstance, either. If she ran, she lost what would probably be the only opportunity for justice she would get. And if she stayed, she could—quite probably—die.

She didn’t want to die. But neither did she want the man who’d killed her entire family to go free.

He should be the one who died.

So she went with Max, even though he was grim and quiet, and he’d brought her here. To a carnival. To be with his sister, whose name was Fiona. His family. Which Selena was still trying to digest.

There was no doubt that he’d saved her. He’d gotten them safely away when the men with guns had come, and he refused to take her back to the FBI. She thought he was—mostly—telling her the truth about things.

Not that she could be certain. She had no practical experience when it came to people. But she knew better than to trust. She would simply bide her time. She would wait for this to play out; she would testify only if necessary.

And then she would run.

Run where?

It didn’t matter. She would figure that out later. Because not only did she have to worry about being found—and killed—she also had to worry about social services taking her away.

While she hadn’t been a part of the larger world until two days ago, she knew exactly what social services was. Her mother had rigorously homeschooled Selena and her brothers, and although she hadn’t allowed her children to inhabit the world around them, she had educated them about it. So when one of the FBI agents at the safe house mentioned contacting social services, Selena knew exactly what that meant: that she would have to disappear immediately or face the foster care system.

Being that she was only fourteen, disappearing could prove challenging.

But she had time—not a lot, but some—and if this crazy place was safe, she might be able to figure it out. Too much had happened.

Too much she didn’t want to think about.

So instead she thought about protecting herself. She knew basic self-defense, but that wouldn’t be enough. She needed firepower. Max had a gun, but he kept it close, and the ones at Wal-Mart had been locked in a case. Maybe she could—

“Selena.” Max was staring at her. “You have to trust me with this.”

Sometimes he did that, like he was reading her mind. But she just shrugged and kept walking toward the giant Ferris wheel. The sign in front of the church said Our Lady of Hope, and it had pale gray stone and bright, colorful stained glass windows. In the big, lush green yard beside it, sat the carnival. There were rides and games and two large red and white tents.

She felt a small, unexpected flare of excitement. Like landing on the moon. A place she’d always seen but never visited.

“What does Fiona do here?” she asked.

“She has some games and a popcorn wagon.”

“What’s a popcorn wagon?”

Max reached over and took the heavy backpack from her. “It’s a trailer where she sells popcorn, snow cones, cotton candy, stuff like that.”

Another thrill whispered through her. “Caramel apples?”

“I think so.”

“You don’t know?”

A scowl crossed his face. “No.”

“Why not?”

“I haven’t seen her in a long time.”

Selena thought about her brothers, Alex and Austin. Both were younger; both loved to invade her space and ruin her things. But she loved them fiercely. As much as she loved Adam, who was two years older, who’d taught her to swim and ride a bike, and who was the only one brave enough to tell their father when he was wrong—

Gone. All gone.

Grief stabbed through her, as sharp as any blade. Her throat filled, and she ignored the screams that echoed in her head.

“You must miss her,” she whispered, rubbing at the big, ugly, throbbing ache in her chest. Max glanced down at her, and his frown faded.

“I do,” he said after a moment.

Selena nodded. She missed her brothers, too.

They were almost to the midway when Max turned to the right, and they walked between a row of RVs and tall, rectangular white trailers. He steered her clear of several people, detouring them around the RVs so that they wouldn’t meet, but then halted at the end of the row, next to a large, square, pale blue truck. It said Dresden Enterprises on its side, and as they approached, a woman jumped out of the back, a cardboard box in hand. She froze when she saw Max.

He froze, too. His cheeks turned red.

“Hey,” he said.

“Hey,” she replied, staring at him.

Selena looked between them. Was this Fiona?

Max was tall, and his hair was the color of gold, like the coins her father collected. But the woman with the box was short, her hair darker. And her eyes were brown and green, where Max’s were bright, shimmering blue. The two looked nothing alike.

“All grown up,” Max said stiffly. “You look good, Fi.”

For a long, silent moment, Fiona only stared at him, and the space between them filled with something Selena didn’t understand. But she could feel the tension, thick and taut and uncomfortable.

“Yeah? ” Fiona put down the box. “You look like hell.”

“Yeah, well.” Max shrugged. “I just got back.”

They stared at each other some more, and Selena watched, uneasy. This felt…private, like something she shouldn’t be witnessing. All grown up, Max had said. Did that mean he hadn’t seen Fiona since she was little?

“You’re bleeding,” Fiona said and frowned at the red stain on his shirt.

“Just a graze,” Max replied. “This is Selena.”

Fiona’s eyes were an odd pattern of brown and green, her skin golden from the sun. Her face softened when she looked at Selena, and she held out her hand. “Hey. I’m Fi.”

Selena blinked. She reached out hesitantly and shook Fiona’s hand, a new experience. “Hello.”

“So. My new help. Are you okay hanging out for a while?”

Like there was a choice.But Selena nodded politely.

“Have you been to many carnivals?” Fiona asked.

“No.”

“Then I guess it’ll be an adventure, won’t it?”

Yes.It felt wrong to be excited—even a little—after everything that had happened. But this parallel world was foreign, exotic. Forbidden.

“Okay,” Selena said because they were both looking at her.

“You’ll be safe here.” Max’s hand landed on her shoulder and squeezed. “Just listen to Fi, and stay close.”

“You’re going to leave now,” she said, staring at him. “Aren’t you?”

She’d know that he would; she understood the plan. And his leaving shouldn’t have upset her. She’d only met him a day ago; she didn’t trust him. She couldn’t rely on him.

But he was all she had. And the thought of him leaving—

“I’ll be back,” he said and crouched before her. “I told you: I won’t abandon you. I promise.” His bright blue eyes glinted in the sunlight, and he waited for her to nod before he handed over her backpack. “Remember, you’re just Lena now. If you need anything, ask Fiona. I put some money in the front pocket for you. You stay close to Fi and listen to what she says. This is her world. Understand?”

Selena nodded again, and he stood.

“We need to talk about GI Joe,” Fiona said.

Max blinked. “GI Joe?”

“The cavalry.”

“He made it, then. Good.”

“So not good,” Fi corrected, scowling. “An epically bad, horrible fail.”

Just then, a man appeared. He stepped out from between two of the trailers and turned toward them. He was even taller than Max, with pitch-black hair and skin the color of caramel. His eyes were dark, and the closer he came, the bigger he got until Selena took a small step toward Max. The man looked at Max and nodded briskly.

“Prescott,” he said.

“Wilder,” Max replied, returning the nod. “Thanks for coming.”

The man—Wilder—halted beside Fiona and smiled at her, his teeth startlingly white against his skin.

“All fixed,” he said to her. “Baby.”

“Oh, for the love of God,” she muttered. She looked at Max and shook her head. “No.”

“Believe it,” Wilder replied.

He held a tool of some type in one hand, and on his wrist was a large watch full of dials and small buttons. He wore faded jeans, scarred boots, and a tight, long-sleeved shirt the color of limes. His hair was cut in short waves around his face.

GI Joe?

A soldier, Selena realized. Like Max had once been, which she’d learned during their flight from the men with guns.

Not my first brush with bullets, kid, and Chicago’s a hell of a lot friendlier than Kabul. Just keep your head down and hang on.

“Your people started a pool,” Wilder continued. His eyes were black, and they gleamed like the onyx stone in her mother’s favorite necklace. He had long, thick eyelashes, but they did nothing to soften the sharp, hawkish lines of his face. He looked…fierce. Like a warrior from some ancient culture; all he needed was battle paint and a weapon, and he could have graced any of the history books she’d read.

“A pool?” Max echoed.

“Who told you that?” Fiona demanded.

“The old guy who runs the dozer. He told me the odds were 75 to 1 against me, and then said he’d break my legs if I broke your heart. He looked like the guy in Maxie’s picture.”

“Maxie?” Fiona looked at Max. “Like the pad?”

Wilder laughed, a deep, rough sound.

“Shut it,” Max growled.

“What picture?” Fiona wanted to know.

“Hatchet,” Max said.

“Hatchet’s here, too?” Her eyes widened. “Is there anyone else I should know about? Hatchet, GI Joe…Rambo maybe?”

“I told you I had it covered.”

“It’s overkill,” Fiona told him. “Hatchet’s more than enough backup.”

“He’s older than dirt,” Wilder said.

Fiona glowered at him. “He could kick your G.I. Joe butt.”

“Only if I was unconscious.”

She stared at him. “That can be arranged.”

He only smiled.

She turned to Max. “Did you set this up?”

Max blinked. “Set what up?”

“Don’t get mad at him. I improvised.” Wilder winked at Selena. “Adaptation is an important skill.”

“Just shoot me now,” Fiona muttered.

“Set what up?” Max repeated, staring at his sister.

Her cheeks turned red again.

“This must be Selena,” Wilder said. Like Fiona, he offered his hand. It was big and scarred and swallowed hers whole. Rough and warm, but gentle, just like the smile he gave her. “Hello, Selena, I’m Rye.”

“Set what up?” Max snarled.

“What the hell is he doing here?”

Selena started and looked past Rye to see a boy with blue hair storming toward them. Well, boy wasn’t accurate; he was a few years older than she was. Not as tall as Max or Rye, but close. Lanky and long-limbed, clad in ripped jeans and a Soundgarden t-shirt, with short-cropped hair the same dark, midnight blue as the sky at dusk. Two dime-sized silver discs pierced his ears, and both of his arms bore intricate, colorful tattoos.

He was…bewitching. Selena had never seen anyone like him. His eyes were dark, cobalt blue, and his skin was golden brown, and his mouth was wide and full and perfectly shaped. Her cheeks heated as she stared at him, unable to look away.

“Ares,” Fiona said. “Chill.”

But he kept coming. Max stiffened, and Rye’s brows rose, and Selena watched avidly, her heart beating hard in her chest.

“No.” Fiona moved into his path. “Stop.”

But still, he didn’t.

“Whoa, there, Blue.” Rye stepped in front of Fiona, so wide that the boy either had to stop or ram him. And Rye was a giant; ramming him was not only a bad idea, it would be fruitless. The boy would only bounce off. Which, apparently, the boy—Ares? As in the Greek God of War?—realized, because he finally halted.

And glared ferociously at Max. “What do you want, asshole?”

“Watch your mouth,” Rye said, his voice like a whip. His smile disappeared, and all of his softness bled away. Suddenly, he looked like a different man entirely.

“He doesn’t belong here,” Ares grated, his gaze locked on Max. “He’s not welcome.”

“He’s my brother,” Fiona said flatly, and Max looked at her. “He’ll always be welcome.”

Ares shook his head. There was such rancor on his face that Selena flinched when his gaze moved to her. “Who’s this—his kid? He come to dump her off? Abandoning her like he did you?”

“That’s enough.” Fiona stepped around Rye and took Ares by the shoulders. She turned him around and then looked over at Selena. “Come.”

Selena started. She glanced at Max, but he was staring at the blue-haired boy with a look she couldn’t read.

“It’s okay,” he said softly. “Go.”

She looked at Ares, then back at Max, uneasy.

“He hates me,” Max said. “Not you. It’ll be okay.”

Fiona waited. “He’s all bark. I promise.”

Ares swore under his breath. Selena looked at Max again, but he only stared back, unmoved. Her stomach churned, but she picked up her backpack and trudged over to stand next to Fiona.

“I’ll be back,” Max said quietly, and Selena’s heart tightened painfully in her chest.

No, you won’t, she thought. And it shouldn’t have mattered.

Ares stared at Max, his face filled with hate. “You don’t go near her, you don’t talk to her, you don’t even think about her. Or I’ll kill you.”

Selena shivered; Fiona sighed. But Max…Max only nodded.

And then Fiona dragged them both away.