Redemption

By Merilyn Dignum

Mia only discovered a few weeks ago that her paternal grandparents, Sam and Karen, are alive and living in the other universe. She also discovered that Sam’s the leader of the Resistance. He’s asked her to join the fight against the Others and help stop them once and for all.

If they can stop the Others, it will mean nobody, including her, will have to hide or run from them ever again. And it’ll also mean her friends—Trent, Andy, Taylor, and Brandon—will no longer be in danger from a world they shouldn’t even know exists.

But when she crosses over to help, she’s framed for an attack so brutal it’s sent shock waves through the Resistance. Now she’s on the run, not only from the Others but also the Resistance who want to execute her for a crime she didn’t commit.

It seems her only option is to prove her innocence and stop whatever the Others have planned. With the help of her father and a small group of allies, that’s exactly what she hopes to do when they break into Titan Enterprises to capture the leader of the Others.

Will Mia be able to find the proof she needs to clear her name and help free that world from the Others? Or will she become just another prisoner hidden under Titan Enterprises being tortured and used in experiments?

** This series contains feisty characters, and some coarse language and violence. **

• Language: English
• Publisher: Merilyn Dignum
• Release date: Dec 30, 2020
• ISBN: 9781005469436

Merilyn Dignum

I was born and raised in Adelaide, a city I love, where I still live with my husband and two Great Danes. I've done a bit of travelling but there's no place like home.I do read a wide variety of genres but my first loves are Fantasy and Science Fiction which is probably why ‘Ties That Bond’ doesn’t quite fit comfortably into either genre yet happily sits in the grey area in between.

Book preview

I always thought of myself as a freak, even before my sister said I was. It was the only explanation I had for why my emotions affected other people when I touched them. But it’s an ability that got me out of trouble, or helped me get something I needed. It’s the only way I could survive living on the streets when I was a kid.

When I met someone like me, I discovered the truth about myself. I’m not a freak. And the revelations didn’t stop there. I also learned about my parents, the Others, the Resistance, and the universe they come from, and I wanted nothing to do with any of it. So, when I was tricked into crossing over to that universe, it made me a tad angry. I found out the hard way not everyone in the Resistance is trustworthy, and they have a few idiot members too.

But while I was over there, I discovered my genetics allowed me to connect to an AI. A specific AI—one inside my grandfather’s drag car they forced me to drive. I knew nothing about my genetics until then, but then I also didn’t know my grandfather was alive until the day before when I was also told he was missing, taken by the Others.

The Others are the unofficial rulers of that universe, and with everything that’s happened, it’s now obvious to everyone that something has to be done about them. Their reign of evil terror has to stop, and I will help that happen because I don’t have a choice. If I don’t help, I’ll be running and hiding from them for the rest of my life. I won’t do that.

And I won’t leave Trent, Taylor, Brandon, and Andy, unprotected. They don’t have any abilities and should be living their lives oblivious to my kind, but they’ve been dragged into this mess. They’re in danger just because they know me.

There’s only one solution to the problem.

The Others are going down.

Chapter 1

I’m so nervous I have butterflies fluttering around in my stomach, and up into my chest. In fact, all my emotions are all over the place, and I’m having trouble keeping them under control. I’ve tried deep even breaths, but they haven’t worked, and standing around waiting in the shadows out of the moonlight isn’t helping either. If a shift doesn’t open soon, I just might lose it.

I’m about to meet Karen, my grandmother, for the first time, and I have so many questions. Every question stirs at least one emotion, sometimes two, or three, and I get jumpy. What’s she like? Will she like me? What abilities does she have? What was Eric, my dad, like as a kid? What does she think about him keeping me a secret? I could go on, but I won’t.

Nate, Aiden, and Ryan are standing a few metres to my left, giving me a bit of space. They know exactly how I’m feeling. They mightn’t be right next to me, but they can feel my emotions, so Nate’s been watching me. I know he hasn’t looked away because I’ve felt his eyes on me the entire time.

I look over at him as I undo my jacket that’s tied around my waist and put it on. Ben and Tony are half an hour late. Where the hell are they?

Nate closes the gap between us in three strides and wraps himself around me. You need to relax. It won’t be too long now before you meet Karen.

I can feel the calming energy he’s slowly washing over me, and it’s helping, but he can’t keep it up forever. I know. I just wish I could get rid of even a little of my excess emotional energy instead of trying to control it. Maybe I’ll use a little of it to throw one of them around once we’ve crossed.

Nate laughs and brushes his lips against mine. If we weren’t in the middle of a golf course, I could help you with that energy problem.

Melting into his kiss, I lose myself for a moment imagining ways he could help me with my problem. I’m pulled out of my fantasy when I feel an electrical charge in the air near us, and Nate and I both turn towards it.

The shift, a thinning of the veil between two worlds, opens to our right. It’s about a metre out from the trees and bushes on the edge of the green, because it’s not safe to open a shift too close to solid matter. Through the rippling affect in the air in front of me, I can see two figures. The way the air moves distorts everything, but it must be Ben and Tony. They’re the only people we’re expecting to open a shift here tonight.

Nate takes my hand, and we walk through, followed by Aiden and Ryan. As we emerge, Ben and Tony are smiling. I think they missed us.

You’re late. I try giving them a stern look, but I can’t keep it up, and my face breaks out into a grin.

Ben’s smile widens. It’s good to see you all. Yes, we’re late. Sorry about that. We had a slight hiccup, but we’re all good now.

And what do you call a slight hiccup? Nate asks.

Getting a flat five minutes out, finding there wasn’t a spare, and having to walk back to get one.

Tony’s mouth drops open. Who had to walk back?

Ben laughs, slapping him on the back. It was good for you, and if you’d run, we wouldn’t be so late. Come on, let’s get moving.

Why didn’t you just get another car? Aiden asks.

Tony shakes his head. There weren’t any there when we left and there still wasn’t when Ben called to get someone to bring the tyre to us, so he sent me back for it. If there’d been at least one car there when I got back, I’d have had someone drive me to Ben instead of having to roll the damn tyre all the way back to him.

Ben laughs again as he turns and walks into the trees. And the only way I would’ve swapped cars was if another SUV brought Tony back with the tyre. I wanted something that was big enough to fit us all comfortably, and more importantly legally. That’s why I chose the one we have. It would be just our luck to cross paths with the cops, and I didn’t want to give them a reason to pull us over, considering your arrival’s supposed to be a secret.

You’re right, Nate says. We want to slip in and stay hidden until it’s time to make a move on the Others.

Ben nods. That’s why I thought it’d be best not to draw attention to ourselves, even though we don’t have far to go.

What? How far’s not far? What do you mean we don’t have far to go? Where is Sam’s place exactly?

Ben looks surprised. You don’t know? Sorry I didn’t realise. He built a huge place at Semaphore a few years ago.

Are you kidding? You mean he’s been living only a few suburbs away from me? Shit, I can’t believe how close we’ve been and not known it. Okay, it’s in another universe, but still it is kind of close.

Ben nods. Yeah, I hadn’t thought of it that way. You are close when you look at it like that.

One by one we squeeze through a gap in the chain-link fence that surrounds the golf course and step onto the dark footpath. The darkness feels a little eerie, and my step falters. The sky looks like it’s one enormous dark cloud, so there’s no moonlight over here. I guess I expected the street lights to be on, and maybe one or two lights in the car park across the road at the shopping centre.

Someone forget to pay the power bill? Ryan laughs at his own joke as he passes me.

Power conservation, or so they say. It only started happening this week. The only streets still lit are the major ones, like that one. Tony points to the other side of the shopping centre where I can see a faint yellow haze. They plunge every other street into darkness at midnight, and it’s now just after one.

There’s only a black SUV with dark tinted windows in the carpark and as we approach it Tony presses a remote, the lights flash, and I hear the click of doors unlocking. Ben hops into the front passenger seat, and I follow Tony around the car and get into the seat behind him as Nate, Aiden, and Ryan get in from the other side.

Aiden and Ryan climb into two seats at the back, and Nate pops the seat closest to him up into place and slides over into the middle seat next to me. There’s definitely enough room for everyone with five seats back here.

This SUV’s sitting in almost the same spot Tony had parked a car last time I was here, which seems like a lifetime ago, not weeks.

That time I was lied to, so I’d crossover, and then kidnapped, and forced into helping one lunatic from the Resistance. At least this time it’s my decision. I need to be here, and I have a reasonable idea of what I’m getting myself into.

Tony drives the car through the car park towards the main road. Once we’ve turned onto it, I lean my head against the window, and watch the silhouettes of trees, houses, and parked cars slip by in the dark side streets we pass. It all becomes a bit of a blur, but the gloomy streets have me feeling a little creeped out, like an unseen monster could be lurking out there watching me, and using the shadows as cover.

There go my emotions again, making me edgy, messing with my imagination, and affecting me physically. My stomach is twisting, my chest aches, and those butterflies are going nuts. It seems the closer I get to meeting my grandmother, the more I have to fight for control. I guess I’m so nervous because all this is new to me.

I’m not even sure what I should call her, but Grandma doesn’t feel right, and there’s no way I could call Sam Granddad, so maybe I’ll call her Karen if she doesn’t mind. Will she mind?

It feels strange having grandparents. I never considered the possibility they might exist somewhere, because I’d believed for so long I was an orphan, and my only living blood relations were my sister Jade and Aunt Sarah. But that was just one lie of many I’d grown up believing was the truth.

To be honest, it’s not all about Karen. I’m also feeling guilty for lying to the guys. Well, I didn’t really lie, I just didn’t tell them the whole truth. I told them I was going to visit Sam and Karen, and Nate, Ryan, and Aiden were coming along to get to know the guys we’d met last time better. I skipped the bit about us staying to help the Resistance finally put a stop to the Others’ psycho plan for worldwide domination. Well, maybe I’m exaggerating a little, but that’s what I’m starting to believe their endgame is, even though no one has said those exact words.

There’s also the fact that me being anywhere near the guys puts their lives in danger. It’s only a matter of time before the Others come looking for me, and I know they’ll kill anyone who gets in their way.

I could tell by the way Trent looked at me when I said we were coming here that he knew I wasn’t telling him everything, but he didn’t press the issue, and just said you stay safe, and come back to us. I almost broke down, almost came clean, but then I realised that would only make it harder, and they’d insist on helping. No, it’s best they don’t know the whole truth.

Nate squeezes my hand, and I turn away from the window to look at him as he leans closer to me. They’ll be fine. The guys Sam sent are all fourth gen, and they’re good. You saw how they handled all the tests you put them through. They’ll make sure Trent and the guys stay safe.

At times it feels like he can read my mind, but I know he can’t. Am I really that predictable? He’s right though, so I just nod.

Sam sent four guys over to protect them—Gary, Simon, Phil, and Matt. Taylor was the only one who said anything when they arrived. He didn’t see that they needed protecting. As far as he was concerned, they’d proven that when they helped save Sam. I’d said that it was Sam’s way of saying thank you, and besides, they might need someone with abilities on the jobs they’d be doing while we were away.

Trent didn’t argue with me, but he gave me one of his looks, and that was the first real hint I got from him that he didn’t quite believe my story. He played along, though.

Nate softly brushes the side of my face with his hand. Hey, before you know it, this’ll all be over, and we’ll be back with them.

I’d like to believe him, but I know he’s only saying that to try to stop me worrying. We both know from bitter experience that the Resistance’s plans don’t always go that well, even their legitimate ones.

Hey Ben, will Eric be there? Ryan asks. I’d like to see how he is for myself.

Sam sent word that Eric was doing okay, but his withdrawal from the drug he’d been given when he was captured was pretty bad. Glad I wasn’t there to witness that. The Others used an experimental drug on him, trying to use him as leverage against me. Guess they didn’t know we’ve never had a relationship of any kind, including father and daughter, so grabbing him didn’t affect me the way they were hoping. Them knowing so little about me works in my favour, and hopefully they’ll screw up again without knowing it. The quicker they’re no longer a threat to everyone, the better off we’ll all be.

Ben turns a little in the front passenger seat to look back at us. He should be there, and he’s actually better than his old self. I’m not sure what he’s doing, but he seems stronger and faster, although he’s a little erratic at times.

I know what he’s doing, but I can’t tell them. The fact caffeine increases our abilities is a family secret. At least that’s what Sam said. Nate knows, but that’s because we don’t keep secrets from each other.

Tony slows the SUV down to almost a crawl. Shit, I don’t like the look of that.

Ben’s head snaps to the front. Neither do I.

Nate and I lean forward and look through the windscreen. There’s a white glow in the distance, lighting up the sky above the black silhouettes of houses and trees.

What is it? Nate asks.

Ben turns back to us. That’s near Sam’s place, and should be in darkness like the rest of the streets. Pull over, Tony.

Ben pulls out his phone, dials, and waits. Then he hangs up and dials another number and waits again. I don’t like this. No one is answering at the house, and Eric’s not answering either. Tony, get us closer, but stop on the street before the turn.

You think that’s coming from Sam’s place? Ryan asks.

Ben looks worried. I hope not, but my gut feeling is yes.

My stomach flips, but I manage to lock away my emotions before they completely overwhelm me. I definitely can’t afford to lose it in here.

Everyone’s now on edge. I can feel the tension all around me as we get closer to that ominous patch of light and do my best to block it so it won’t affect me.

Tony pulls the car over one street away from the lights, and Ben gets out, jogs up to the corner, and disappears around it. A few seconds later he re-appears, sprinting back to us.

He pokes his head in Tony’s window. The lights are from Sam’s place. It looks like every single one is on, including all the security lights in the yard. The whole place is lit up, and there’s people running everywhere. I’ll find out what’s happened. He turns to Tony. You take them to the Shandon Hotel, and I’ll catch up with you there.

Tony doesn’t even question Ben as he starts the SUV and puts it in gear.

Hang on, Tony. Rolling down my window, I look at Ben. Don’t you need help? What if they need help? I’m sure there’s something we can do.

No, you need to go. If this has anything to do with your visit, this is the last place you should be.

But if it’s because of me–

Nate touches my shoulder. He’s right. If this is about you, about us coming here, then we don’t want the Others seeing any of us. That will give Sam an advantage and he’ll be able to use us against them before they can confirm you’re over here.

Ben taps Tony on the shoulder. Go, I’ll call ahead for you. He pulls his phone out of his pocket as he turns and jogs back up the street.

I slump back against the seat. I should’ve known there’d be no happy family reunion. This twisted universe is too cruel to let that happen.

Tony turns the SUV around and starts back in the direction we came. I can see his eyes in the rear-view mirror flick from the road ahead to behind us and back again a few times. I turn in my seat and look over my shoulder. Nate, Ryan, and Aiden are all doing the same, all looking back at the white glow that’s getting smaller and smaller.

Chapter 2

I lean into Nate and close my eyes, trying to block everything out. His arm wraps around me as he rests his head on mine, I relax a little, but I can’t stop my mind playing out one little horror movie after another. Not knowing what happened back there has me imagining the worst in far too many ways. And the outcome’s always the same—everyone’s dead.

A persistent ding, that started off faint but is now loud, helps to stop my mind tormenting me as I focus on it. As the SUV comes to a stop, I sit up and look out the window. I recognise where we are. I’ve been on this road too many times to count. Well, this road in my universe. The church hall across the road to the left looks exactly the same, as does the golf course opposite it to our right.

Once the train’s passed, and the boom gates are up, we get the green light and Tony takes off again. It’s not long before the light from a service station is visible up ahead on our right and I know the building just before it must be the hotel Ben told Tony to take us to. As we get closer, the large unlit sign for the Shandon Hotel comes into view and I can just make out the lettering because of the orange glow from the streetlight near it.

My stomach twists a little as goosebumps erupt up my arms, and a weird bump sensation washes over my head—déjà vu. I hate that feeling. It’s probably because this place is familiar, and yet it’s not. What I’m seeing doesn’t fit with what I know, but I feel like it should, and it’s messing with my head.

The hotel’s in the same place as the Links Hotel in my universe, but it looks different. There are a few similarities, like the solid wall that’s visible between the hotel and the bottle shop. It must be the end wall of the row of rooms facing away from the road. Well, that’s what it is back home. I’m guessing they built it that way to minimise any noise from passing traffic being heard from inside, but it also makes it feel like the rooms have some privacy, and that’s something we definitely need.

It’s not only the sign that isn’t lit up, though. I can’t see any lights on in the hotel either. Not even the faint glow from a light out the back somewhere. The place doesn’t just look closed. It looks deserted. We turn into the empty car park, and Tony slowly drives past all the rooms. He parks in front of the last one, closest to the back fence, away from the road.

You sure there’s someone here? Nate asks.

Yep, stay in the car. Tony gets out of the SUV and a second later the door in front of us opens.

Light spills onto the concrete walkway running along the front of the building, and a man steps out of the room. He shakes Tony’s hand, gives him a key, and walks away towards the road. When he gets to the end of the building, he disappears around the corner, and Tony waves for us to join him.

As I step onto the concrete path, an almost overpowering acrid musty smell coming from the room hits me. There’s a stomach churning mix of stale smoke, damp mouldy carpet, bleach, and lemon. I’m guessing the bleach and lemon are just a failed cover up attempt for the other smells. I swear I can even smell the sour residue of vomit. That stuff lingers forever.

I step into a run-down and depressing room. The yellow toned lights add to the dingy look and gloomy feel of the place. There’s wood panelling on the walls, shabby dark coloured furniture, brown well-worn carpet, and thick dull orange curtains. The two double beds have bedspreads over them that match the curtains in colour and age.

I’m sure by the look and smell of the place nothing’s been done to it since—well, probably since it was built, but at least decades ago. I’d hate to think what would show up if we waved one of those black lights the cops use around this room. Whoa, I need to stop thinking about that. After all, I’ve been in worse. To be honest, I’ve lived in worse.

No one speaks until Aiden, the last one in, closes the door.

How the hell could anyone get past Security at Sam’s place? Ryan asks.

Nate shakes his head. We don’t know that’s what happened.

Ben said there were people running everywhere. At least one person must’ve got past the gate, and probably more to cause that.

Nate turns to Tony. Was everything normal before you left?

Tony nods. Yes, we wouldn’t have picked you up if it wasn’t.

They all start talking over the top of each other and the tension in the room rises, as more questions than answers fill the air around me. I’m already wound tight and I don’t need their emotions affecting my own. I feel like I’m suffocating. I need space.

Backing away from them, I walk to the bathroom and slip inside. The stench in here is almost overwhelming. It’s a mix of sewerage, mould and definitely vomit. Swallowing the bile rising from my stomach, I close the door behind me. It’s obvious this room’s seen better days, and I’m guessing better cleaners in the past. Closing the toilet lid—thank god it has one—I sit and lean back against the tank. My eyes burn and sting, and with a shaky hand, I wipe tears from my face.

I’d imagined that right at this very moment I’d be getting to know Karen, be finding out who Sam is as a person, and getting drunk. Even spending time with Eric and getting him to talk. My little fantasy had us laughing and drinking, as I got to know blood relations I didn’t know existed just a few short weeks ago. I should have known better. My imagination’s no match for reality, which always screws me over. Will I ever learn?

My gut’s telling me that the Others knew I was coming, and what happened at Sam’s place was because of me. It’s the only logical explanation. Even though Sam made me wait until he was sure of the loyalty of those around him, and had dealt with any spies that were found, he obviously missed someone.

I guess this is one time luck was on my side, but not theirs. Being late saved us from whatever fate the Others had planned, but that small positive only makes me feel worse. I should’ve been there to fight with them. We all should’ve.

The arseholes probably ripped the place apart looking for me. I can’t help but feel responsible, and I’m sure the Others have injured, or killed a lot of the people that were there, and maybe even kidnapped some of them. I know Sam and Karen are never alone. There are always Resistance members at their house besides Security. Maybe Security did their job and dealt with whoever it was, but what if they didn’t? What if they couldn’t? I will make those arseholes pay for what they’ve done. I’ll do whatever I have to, and I won’t stop until they no longer exist.

My stomach twists as anger builds and mixes with all the other emotions I’ve been struggling to keep in check. I wish I could let the anger out. Just one burst would help. But I can’t, not here. Concentrating on my breathing, I take deep breaths, and let them out slowly, bringing my emotions under control just enough to stop me losing it, but that’s the best I can do.

My eyes pop open when there’s a gentle knock on the door and I jump to my feet and walk to the sink. Turning the tap on, I throw water over my face.

Mia, are you okay? Nate asks.

I turn the tap off and lean on the sink. Yeah, I’ll be right out.

Reaching for the grey towel that looks like it might’ve been white once, I change my mind. Shaking the excess water off my hands, I wipe them over my face to remove the water droplets before wiping them down the front of my jeans to dry them.

Looking into the small murky mirror as I dry my hands, I’m not sure I recognise the eyes that look back at me. I’d swear they’re different. They look empty, emotionless, but they also look darker, even a little evil, and the colour doesn’t look quite right. Well, that’s just stupid. The bad lighting in here and the emotions I barely have under control are messing with me.

When I walk out, the room’s empty except for Nate. I must’ve been too focused on me to realise the talking had stopped, or hear anyone leave. Where is everyone?

They’ve gone next door to the servo to get food and coffee. Hey, you’re not okay, come here. Nate reaches out, takes my hand and pulls me to him.

His arms wrap around me, forming a protective cocoon between me and the outside world. I can feel the calm he’s washing over me trying to help, and I’m grateful. It’s so comforting and secure, and for just a moment I never want it to end. If only we could stay this way forever, but we can’t. As reality forces its way back in, I feel my eyes burn. In the bathroom I let myself slip a little, but I can’t now. I have to hold it together, at least until we know what’s going on.

Pulling away a little, I look up at him. I’m okay now, really. I’ll be honest, if you weren’t here I would have lost it by now, but you make me feel like it will be all right. And there’s no point in me worrying about what’s happened without all the facts, right? So, I won’t. I’m gonna believe that Sam and Karen are okay, and Ben will be here soon to confirm that.

Letting me go with one arm, he keeps the other one wrapped around me as we sit on the end of the closest bed, and I lean my head into him.

Everything will be all right, no matter what Ben tells us. I’ll do whatever it takes to make it right. But I want you to promise me that no matter what, you won’t go off on a rampage without me. His free hand cups my chin, and he raises my head until our eyes meet. Promise me.

I promise I won’t do any rampaging without you. I don’t know what’s coming, but as long as he’s by my side, it’s a promise I intend to keep.

As he leans in and kisses me, I feel calm wash through me again and the tears I was struggling to hold back disappear.

Just as I’m wondering how long we have the room to ourselves, I hear voices, and the door opens.

I’d tell you two to get a room, but you already have one, Aiden laughs. We don’t want a show though. He hands us a roll and coffee each.

Smart arse. My stomach rumbles, and I realise how hungry I am. I could easily eat more than one of these rolls.

We sit in silence while we eat and drink the coffee. I try not to think about Sam, but it’s a battle I’m losing. I can’t stand the silence any longer and as I swallow the last of my coffee, I look over at Tony. Do you have any idea what Sam’s plan was to deal with the Others?

Shaking his head, he looks around at everyone before focusing back on me. I would’ve thought you guys would know that considering you came here to help.

Does that mean Sam kept it to himself, or maybe just a select few? Or, and I’m sorry if this sounds insulting, but are you too far down the ranks, or whatever pecking order the Resistance use, to be told that sort of thing?

Hurt flashes across his face before disappearing. Yes, the Resistance has a chain of command, and you’re right, I’m way down that chain. If Sam had formed a plan, even just a rough outline, he would have discussed it with those he trusted the most, the ones next in that chain. From there they would only pull in who they needed to until everything was finalised and they were ready to act. I don’t get why Sam didn’t tell you though.

Nate shrugs his shoulders. My guess is that he thought we didn’t need to know until we were here, which makes sense. It’s not the type of message you wanna send out in case it gets intercepted.

So, where’s Ben on the list? I ask.

Oh, he’s way above me. It’s possible he knows something, but I can’t say for sure. As if on cue, his mobile beeps, and he pulls it out of his pocket and reads the message. He stares at his phone, and when he finally looks up, there’s no mistaking the fear in his eyes. Ben’s on his way. He says to make sure we’re locked in and not to open the door to anyone but him. Not even George, the guy who gave me the key. He says not to trust anyone.

Chapter 3

Ryan flicks the light off and leans against the door, staring through the peephole while we wait for Ben.

Moonlight must be getting through breaks in the clouds because I can see light through a few holes in the curtains, and there’s a thin strip down one side where the curtains don’t quite cover the window. It’s enough to lighten the room a little, and with our above average sight, I can see quite well.

Everyone’s on edge as the minutes drag on and the rising tension has all of us jumping at the slightest sound. When the faint sound of a car approaching gets louder, everyone gets closer to the door.

As we hear it pull up outside our room, Aiden moves to the right of the door, ready to attack when it’s pulled open. Nate signals for Tony to get back and pulls me behind him as he stands a few steps behind Aiden. Seconds, that feel more like minutes, tick by before Ryan signals for everyone to relax. He lets Ben in, and flicks the light on again as he locks the door.

Ben’s face is so pale he looks ill, and his eyes are full of fear as he looks at us. We have a problem, a big problem.

What happened? Oh god, they killed everyone. My hands are shaking, and I wrap my arms around myself, trying to make them stop.

Ben shakes his head. No, they didn’t kill everyone, although there’s a few dead, but there’s a lot more injured.

They’re gonna need our help. We can’t stay hidden here from the Others, we have to get to Sam’s place. I try to push past Ben to get to the door, but my arm’s grabbed and I’m pulled back.

Ben lets go of my arm as he looks at me. Mia, wait, there’s more. Let me finish and then we can decide what we should do.

There’s nothing to decide. We need to get to them, not waste time talking. Besides, you can tell us the rest in the car. He takes a step closer to me instead of getting out of my way or walking to the door. Move Ben, I don’t want to make you.

He points to the closest bed. You need to sit and listen.

Sitting is the last thing I want to do, but his face hasn’t changed colour or expression, and I just know from the heavy feeling in the air that whatever he’s waiting to say is about to change everything.

Nate wraps an arm around my waist, walks me backwards to the bed, and pulls me down next to him as he sits. Go on, Ben.

Eric’s injured, although he’s not too bad, and he managed to kill one of the attackers, but Sam’s in a coma. He doesn’t take his eyes off me as he holds up a hand to stop anyone from speaking. Sadness spreads across his face and appears in his eyes, wiping out the fear that was there. I’m sorry Mia, but Karen’s dead.

No. That can’t be true. I’ve been waiting to meet her, even fantasising about what might happen when we meet, and I have so many questions. My hands tremble in my lap as my eyes sting and burn and tears form. I slowly shake my head. No, no, she can’t be. I’m here to meet her. No–

There’s more. The attack was swift. It looks like they wanted to cause as much damage and chaos as possible, but the way they attacked… well, to be honest, it’s not possible. I don’t know how they pulled it off, but I know what they did can’t be real.

I wipe the tears from my face, but more roll down to take their place. We have to go help them. They need us.

Ben shakes his head. We can’t do that, and you definitely can’t.

Why? Nate asks. They can’t think the attack was because of Mia. It’s not possible. There’s no way the Others could’ve known she was coming.

Well, it looks like they did, but there’s something else. I… His mouth closes and opens again, but no words come out.

I’m fighting anger that’s building, as it smothers the shock I was feeling. What? What else could there be? Somehow the Others knew I was coming, and they were probably looking for me, which means everything they did was because of me.

Ben shakes his head. Mia, nobody there thinks this happened because of you. They all think you did it.

What? Nate jumps to his feet. "How the hell could they think that?

They all saw it with their own eyes.

Nate takes a step towards Ben. What the hell are you talking about? You picked us up, and we were with you the whole time. How could anyone have seen Mia when she wasn’t even in this universe?

I spoke with Karl when I got there. He’d taken charge, locked the place down, prioritised what needed to be done, and already had people doing it. He said he’d received an emergency call from the house, but arrived with back up a few minutes too late. I figure, from everything he said, that he must’ve arrived about ten minutes before we pulled into that side street.

Getting to my feet, I stand next to Nate. Well, he might have everything under control now, but I’m sure he could still use help, and we can set him straight on the fact I wasn’t anywhere near the place. Whoever said I was is lying.

It’s not that simple, Mia, I wish it was. I said we had a big problem, and I meant it. Karl showed me the CCTV footage and told me they were distributing it electronically, but also making multiple copies to send out with messengers so everyone will know it’s not a hoax. He’s going to use the footage to rally the Resistance against you. He pulls a small tablet out of his jacket pocket. I grabbed this so you could see for yourselves what every Resistance member will be seeing.

We all gather around him. I squeeze in between his right shoulder and Nate and watch the horrific scene unfold before my eyes.

Three figures walk up the driveway. The middle one is female, but it’s only when she gets close to the gates that it’s obvious she looks just like me. That’s not possible.

Ryan points to the two guys on either side of her. Who are they?

Ben shakes his head. I don’t know. I don’t think Karl does either, and I don’t think he cares about them at the moment. His focus is Mia.

We watch as they’re let through the gates, and the view switches to another camera as they continue walking towards the house, and then it switches again, and we can see the veranda and front door. It’s as the door’s opened by a woman that all hell breaks loose. She’s thrown backwards as she’s hit hard by a blast from the girl. That must be Karen.

I can’t watch anymore and back away from them until I feel a bed behind me and sit. The room spins a little as their voices pound in my ears. They want bits re-wound, or paused and enlarged, and in between all that they’re venting their disbelief of what they’re seeing. I do my best to steady myself and block the voices out as I watch them. I know they’re looking for something, anything, that can prove it wasn’t me, but I also know in my gut there’s nothing on there that will help them. If there was, Karl wouldn’t be blaming me.

Nate glances at me as he puts his hand over the screen. That’s enough. We know that’s not Mia, but there’s nothing on there that proves it. We’ll have to find another way to make Karl believe us.

How do we do that? Ben asks. The footage shows exactly what the witnesses described seeing. Nobody’s even considering that the girl’s an imposter because Mia was expected to arrive at around the same time. No one will believe any of us.

Even if they didn’t have witnesses, that footage is enough to condemn me. But that’s not me, it can’t be. I wasn’t even here when it happened. My only alibi is all of you, and Ben’s right—they won’t believe any of us. Hopelessness washes over me, and I feel numb.

I’ve already tried to tell them Mia, but they didn’t believe me. They’re all looking for blood, your blood. They’re all blinded by emotions and not thinking rationally. Karl even tried to have me locked up because I wouldn’t tell him where you were. I caught a lucky break when Eric started yelling that it couldn’t be you, it wasn’t possible. He believed it had to be Eleanor, he didn’t know how, but he was positive it was her made to appear younger, because it’s the type of attack she’d organise. He was acting crazy, and throwing anything he could get his hands on, and it distracted them. I slipped out while they were trying to deal with him, grabbing the tablet on the way. I don’t know if he really meant what he was saying, or just trying to help me get out of there.

My elbows dig into my knees as my head drops into my hands. We all know it wasn’t Eleanor. The dead don’t just get up and start killing. I hope Eric said that to help you, otherwise he’s lost it, although helping you will get him in trouble.

Everybody knows Eleanor’s dead. Karl will assume Eric’s in shock, which he would be, and ignore pretty much anything he says, or does at the moment, which will save his arse, Nate says.

I look up at him. But I’m screwed. The Resistance wants my head, and by the sounds of it, they want it separated from my body.

Look, at some point someone has to remember that Tony, and I, went to get you, Ben says.

Tony nods. "And when they do, hopefully they’ll look at the security system again to check when we