∞ The Tethered Ones ∞

Chapter 30

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• Luna •

Sitting quietly, Luna didn't know what to make of Ethan's reunion with his sister-in-law. She was flabbergasted with the thought of almost not bringing him, and it was Amir's suggestion to take him along on their trip, despite the fact it was for personal reasons.

If she'd left Ethan in Dr. Kim's home, none of them would've known who Dominique Hale was to him. She may have had a rocky approach when the ambulance pulled up, but Luna figured this new community was doing it for extra precaution. They obviously knew about the compounds around the globe, so maybe that was why they had a set of questions each time a newcomer came to the gate.

It reminded her of Rick Grimes from The Walking Dead. He had three questions everyone must answer before they were accepted into his group, and maybe these people had their style as well. Which she didn't mind. She understood some people couldn't be trusted and their guard had to be up.

As Dominique knocked her head back, Luna's heart leaped into her throat. Only one soldier had stepped through the gate and stood at attention.

Staring at Ethan, Dominique said, "What are you doing here?"

"Don't tell me you aren't happy to see me?" was his reply.

She scoffed. "Boy, you have some nerve coming around me. After all you have done to my family."

Shifting closer to the window, he said, "You don't have to worry about Kai and Jamal. I have a plan to get them out."

Cocking a rifle at him, she aimed it at his head. "I don't give a damn what you've got. I've suffered enough because of you. Now, get the hell on out of here."

Whoa! Luna's eyes widened.

"I can see that you're still pissed at me," Ethan muttered, and then pushed back. "Could you please put the gun down?"

"I ain't gotta do shit! My brothers are in hell. You put them to sleep and turned them over. I've done told you to get your trader ass out of here. Now!"

Luna gulped. Their short reunion was not going so well. She glanced at Amir, sweat dripping from his forehead and landing on his jawline.

Turning her gaze back to Dominique, she murmured, "Miss, we've just escaped an ambush at Dr. Kim's, and we were told by Lily —"

"You were told wrong," Dominique interrupted. "Lily shouldn't have sent you here. Especially with him." She glared at Ethan when she said that last word.

"But she did," Amir said, catching her stare. "There has to be a reason."

"Dom, listen." Ethan paused, and her eyes shifted to him. "We're not trying to do anything. I promise."

"I don't care about whatever bullshit comes from your mouth. All you do is use people and lie. You used Jamal for four years and decided it was okay to hand him over to Chase Marquette." Dominique's eyes darkened. "You handed my brothers to him like they were nothing to you. Get out of here before I blow out the tires."

When Luna didn't turn over the engine, Dominique screamed, "Go!"

"Okay . . . okay," she said, turning the engine on and putting the van in reverse. "Sorry if we disturbed you."

Before driving back, Luna caught her eye. "I just wanted you to know, we have him. Chase."

"What do you mean you have him?" Dominique asked. "Nobody can have him. He does what he wants."

"Chase is in a coma," Luna explained, and then shifted her gaze behind her. "He's back here."

"You've got to be kiddin' me."

Luna shook her head. "He's alive but unconscious."

"Well, hell, why didn't you say so?" Dominique said, laughing. Turning toward the man who came outside, she uttered, "Guide them through the gate and have them park beside the screening zone."

He pivoted. "Yes, Mrs. Hale."

Walking around the back, she yelled, "Open the door and turn on the light!"

Ethan unlocked the back, and Luna flipped on the light switch.

When she looked back, she saw Dominique's eyes open wide and her mouth dropping. "I can't believe this. He really is in a coma."

"You haven't heard about him?" Luna asked, and Dominique shook her head.

"How did this happen?"

Amir snorted, and Ethan snickered.

"Luna did that," Ethan answered, unknowingly angering her. She didn't want everyone to know she had certain abilities others may not have, and she wanted to get to know this group before exposing everything to them.

"What did you do?"

"He and I got into . . ." Luna paused, trying to figure out another way to explain what happened between them. "Chase and I were fighting, and he took a hard blow."

"It must've been some hit," she said. "You knocked him out cold."

She narrowed her eyes. "He deserved it."

When a squeal from the front gate echoed in the dark, the four of them turned their attention straight ahead.

Closing the back door, Dominique's boots moved upon the rocks. "The three of you will need to get out right here and one of our residents will drive the car passed the gate."

Luna glanced at Amir and shuddered.

Then Ethan whispered, "It'll be okay. We're safe."

Her brows knitted. "Are you sure? Because we just had a weapon aimed at us and was screamed at for not following orders."

"I know," he replied. "But I think it'll be okay. I know her."

"That's not enough. We are risking everything to be here when Amir and I can hole up somewhere else and reunite with our family," she told him.

"Luna, if I came across as . . . Well, a bitch . . . I'm sorry. That's what I'm used to," Dominique explained. "My community doesn't have time for people who aren't who they say they are. We have to be careful."

"I get that, I do," Luna said, and Amir reached for her hand. "It's not easy to trust others."

"All right. I think we've come to a mutual understanding," Dominique said. "Don't worry about Chase. We'll take it from here."

When the soldier stepped forward, Dominique turned to him and opened her mouth. "Once they are through the entrance, get Connor. He's going to want to come out here and see this."

"Yes, Ma'am," he said and stood at attention in front of the car.

Stepping out into the air, she had no idea what awaited them on the other side of the wall. A private community, people who were striving to stay alive. A community that would either welcome them or was afraid. Someone could recognize her from the news and they could become wary.

Months earlier, their lives were different. She wasn't expecting everything to turn out this way, but it did, and there was no changing the past.

She and Amir could only live for today and do whatever they could to survive.

"Moon." Amir's voice was quiet but clear.

Drawing in a deep breath, Luna turned to him. "I'm okay. Let's see what's behind the wall."

He reached for their bag and his prayer mat, then stepped forward, hand in hand with her, into the unknown.

• • •

They entered a dark field with a small playground. There was a slide in the moonlight, and a swing set next to it, one seat missing from the chains.

She didn't understand why it was the first thing she'd noticed, and not the apartment buildings on either side of the street. The guards weren't paying much attention, so she continued walking with Ethan and Amir as they followed Dominique.

They passed a large tent that looked like a small convenience store and then crossed another street with rows of homes. A towering mansion sat at the end of a cul-de-sac, shrouded in darkness.

Why was it so dark here?

A fluorescent glow flickered to life a few feet away, followed by another and another. Lanterns casting light along the street.

Dominique disappeared. It was fast how she moved. She sprinted away like a hurricane was about to wash over the place.

A heartbeat later, she heard a husky laugh.

"Is everything okay, Domi?" the man said. "Are we under attack?"

"No, Owen," came her response as Luna and Amir strolled closer to their side. "We're fine."

Then Ethan was gone. There was a squeak, and Luna squinted, watching him tickle a young figure a few inches away.

Dominique laughed. "Our kids have missed Uncle E."

There was laughter, a male and female, followed by an abundance of giggles coming from children. Amir and Luna just stayed back as Ethan reconnected with his family.

A crack caught Luna's attention, and a gust of wind picked up, knocking her hair into her face.

"Holy Tethered Souls everywhere," a female murmured as a lantern moved closer to her face, revealing a pretty young woman with red hair and small eyes. "Is that the Ethan Trent?" she continued. "You showed your face around here and are still alive?" Her mouth dropped. "Hell has officially frozen over. I think there will be an alien invasion on the horizon."

Ethan sneered. "Funny, Zoe."

"I can't believe Dominique let you come through the gate," she said, shaking her head. "Did you pay her?"

"Hey. It's not easy holding back from beating Ethan to death," Dominique said. "I'll get you in the ring, and then you'll know what you put me through all this time."

Luna looked up at Amir and he shrugged a shoulder as his eyes traveled toward the community.

"Sorry. Where are my manners?" Dominique said. "Owen, this is Luna."

"Hello," Luna whispered.

"And I didn't catch his name," she said, hitting her forehead. "I can't believe I didn't properly screen you two."

"It's okay." Luna gave her a soft smile. "This is my husband, Amir."

"Hello," Amir greeted them, and the woman named Zoe stared, hard.

He's taken, lady.

"You're Amir Khan," she mumbled, still staring. "It's really you."

"Yeah, it's him, Zoe," Ethan told her. "And that's his wife. Luna."

"Oh, wow." She brought her attention back to Ethan and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "That was so rude of me. It's just . . . both of you are our heroes."

Luna snorted. "Why?"

"Because of what you did in Dallas," answered Owen. "You took a stand for us. Both of you, and everyone behind these walls owes you."

Luna let Amir's arm go and stepped to the side. "We . . . we didn't do anything. The organization is still covering things up and operating like nothing ever happened."

"But you exposed yourselves," Dominique said. "That took courage. A lot of courage."

Luna shook her head. "We were trying to escape a nasty situation, and it didn't change anything. There was a bloodbath, and we caused rebels to attack anyone they spotted. I did that."

A tear slipped through her eyes.

"You didn't cause anything, Luna," Zoe said. "You became a beacon."

But she didn't feel like a beacon. She felt awful for the way things went down. Her soul was numb, and her nerves gnawed at her stomach.

"Listen. I'm sure everyone is exhausted." Dominique drew in a shaky breath. "We can provide you guys somewhere to stay for the night, but tomorrow, we'll sort something more permanent."

Amir nodded. "You've had a long day, Moon. You should get some sleep."

"So should you," she replied and whipped her head to the group. "So, who is everyone?"

Ethan turned to Zoe. "Sorry. Owen is my brother-in-law and this is his sister, Zoe."

"It's nice to meet you," Luna said, barely able to get a clearer picture of what they looked like because of the darkness.

Ethan looked up, beyond them, and stood at attention. "General Davenport," he announced. "How are you this evening, sir?"

A man drifted into the glow of the lanterns, an older gentleman with blond hair buzzed close to his skull, dressed in a camouflage cotton shirt.

"As if you care, Sergeant Trent." He was nearly as tall as the men, and while he appeared to be in his fifties, he was fit and stocky.

"This is the Khan's—" Ethan started.

"I know who they are." The general eyed them over the long, angled slope of his nose. "Amir and Luna Khan. How lovely."

Her nerves locked up as the group exchanged a look toward one another. Having two people recognize them in minutes was strange.

"Well," Ethan murmured as he stared at the general. "Glad we've got these introductions out of the way."

The older man's brows tightened. "Should you even be here, Ethan? The last thing I recall is Dominique banning you from ever coming around her again."

Dominique let Owen's hand go and stepped forward. "Ethan is all right for the night. I'll deal with him tomorrow."

The general smiled tightly. "Well, I can't wait to hear about it later." He scanned the group. "Dominique, I want a debriefing now."

She sighed heavily and kissed Owen's cheek before walking away. "I'll be back as soon as I can," she told him, and he grinned.

"It shouldn't take long." General Davenport nodded at Luna before pivoting sharply and stalking down the street. His body disappeared quickly into the darkness, leaving only the scent of his aftershave behind.

"I'll see you guys later. It's good to meet you two," she said and then jogged off, easily catching up to him.

Owen lifted his brows. "She's been stressed lately. We all have."

"I can imagine," Amir murmured.

"Come on, I'm sure you guys are hungry and want to clean yourselves up," Owen said. "We have a small one-bedroom house prepared for newcomers."

"I'll take them," Zoe offered. "You should get the kids to bed."

Owen turned to her slowly.

The smile on her face was warm. "Just looking out for the kids."

"Uh-huh," he murmured. "I'm sure there's another agenda behind your . . . offer."

She shook her head. "Nope. I just want to help."

He clapped his hands and turned to Amir and Luna. "Okay, well, I'll let my sister handle everything from here and see you guys for breakfast. By the way, are there any more people you know coming to our community?"

They exchanged a look, not sure what to say about Sarah and their allies. But Luna nodded anyway. "We will connect to our family and let them know we're safe. Should we not tell them where we are?"

Owen pursed his lips. "It's not really up to me. However, I would just let them know you're okay. Let's wait until tomorrow to find out what General Davenport says about bringing anyone else here. We are almost at full capacity."

Amir inhaled. "It's okay. Say no more."

They said their goodbyes, and then Zoe began leading them down the dark street, lit by a lamp Ethan was now carrying.

"There is a house next to ours that is empty and almost furnished," she was saying. "I think you'll like it."

Luna smiled, but no one saw it. "Okay."

"You'll be able to shower, but it will be cold."

Luna stepped over a curve, then asked, "Is there a reason why everything is so dark around here?"

"Oh. The power grid blew up a few miles away and wrecked everything on this street," she explained. "Our community is deemed 'uninhabitable' by the public. And the levee across the way is filled, making our sewage backed up." The lantern dangled in her grasp. "Honestly, it's a miracle we even have running water."

"So the electricity doesn't work?" Amir asked.

"We do have backup generators and only use them when needed," Zoe said. "There is one section in the back that has electricity, and that's where we'll put Chase. It's our emergency center."

Luna nodded and narrowed her eyes as they continued their trek down the dark road. As they went further, the distant hum of conversations and noise was heard.

"How many people stay here?" Luna asked, gripping Amir's hand like he could disappear any moment.

"We have approximately a forty-six families so far," Zoe answered.

"That's a lot," Ethan remarked. "Now I understand why Dom was like that in the beginning."

The group continued walking and passed by two RVs. "You've got to understand we've had people turn on us, and everyone in here is a refugee from the organization. They've all suffered one way or another."

Luna sniffed, understanding what they went through.

"By the way, Zoe has a girl crush on you. It's in her mind," Ethan randomly blurted. "It's cute."

"Ethan!" Zoe gasped as Luna chuckled. She swung at him, but he scurried away, barely missing her slap.

Luna looked at Amir, and they both chuckled. "I'll take that as a compliment," she whispered.

Zoe turned toward her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "It is a compliment. I mean, I want it to be one. It's just that I think you exposing yourself and striving all this time is admirable."

She smiled a little. "Thank you, Zoe."

Amir threw his arm around Luna's waist and kissed her cheek. "She's my girl, and a survivor."

"So, how much further is the house?" Luna asked.

Zoe took a breath. "It's right up here. You may not see it from this side of the street, but the exterior isn't that bad."

"Well, we need to keep going," Ethan murmured. "The mosquitos are eating me alive."

"Yeah, I know I have a few bite marks," Zoe added.

Luna stopped suddenly, her gaze traveling over a wooden area. "Are we being set up in the brick house with the white shutters and white picket fence?"

"Yep," Zoe answered, beaming.

"It looks incredible," she whispered, a tear escaping her eyelid. "I can't wait until Sarah is here with us."

"That's your daughter, right?" Zoe asked.

"Yes, she is," Amir whispered, holding Luna close. "Thank you for your hospitality."

"Of course. Anything for our local celebrities," Zoe said, earning a snicker from Ethan.

She led them past the wooded area to a street on the right. "This is where most of us live because we like to be nosy neighbors and listen to juicy gossip."

Luna chuckled. "That sounds like . . . fun."

"It can be. Some of our residents work outside of the community, and we get to hear all sorts of sordid details about their co-workers. Some things you'd want to forget."

"We learn fascinating details about others, especially about their powers when they reveal them," a familiar tone said from behind the group.

The deep baritone voice pierced Luna's thoughts. He sounded like Chase, but it couldn't be him. He was unconscious and couldn't have woken up by now. There's no way that could have happened.

He can't be Chase.

"Connor!" Zoe screeched, stalking toward him. "Honey, we have new residents. Luna and Amir Khan."

He smiled in the distance and gradually made his way toward the group. After Zoe moved the light around his face, Luna got clearer picture of him, and her nerves clenched.

He had the same pale chiseled cheekbones, high forehead, brows that were like two fat caterpillars, and broad shoulders as Chase. His arms and legs were strong, and he had intelligent, striking eyes. The one thing, the main thing, that made Connor stand out was how he'd presented himself in the moonlight. She thought she knew all of Chase's relatives, but apparently she didn't.

Connor was a replica of him.

They were twins.

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Surprise! Chase's secrets just keep adding up, don't they? This isn't all of them! Whee!