Bow Down: Spare Parts, #3

By Davis McAlonan

The war has come. It is time to end Madeline and her evil. Harlow would fight as hard as she could to make sure that naturals and clones became equal. The best part was that she didn't have to fight alone. With River and Callan by her side, she was never alone.

 

This is a young adult science fiction. Suited to 10+

• Language: English
• Publisher: S L Davies
• Release date: Oct 6, 2022
• ISBN: 9798215004579

Davis McAlonan

Davis McAlonana is an Australian author who loves to make people laugh. Their stories are filled with emotion and humor. All of Davis McAlonan's work targets young adults and those who prefer clean romance.

Book preview

1

Callan

River, I screamed as I searched wildly for my brother. The gas that filled the gym burned my eyes and caused tears to stream down over my cheeks. I heard Emmett roaring my name and then suddenly there was silence for him.

I wiped at my eyes with the back of my hand, but it didn’t help to clear it. There was crying and screaming throughout the room. I tuned all of it out, searching only for my brothers voice. I shuffled along the ground; my wheelchair forgotten. Suddenly I could make out blurry figures heading for the door. They appeared to be dragging a body with them. The more I stared the more I realized it was River’s body that they were carrying.

No, I cried as I tried to scoot across the floor on my stomach to get to whoever was taking my brother.

They were at the door, the two people who held River’s body between them slipped through the opening. The person behind them stopped and turned to face me. My eyes cleared enough from the toxic smoke to make out my mother. Her lips were thinned in a line. Her eyes were narrowed behind the gas mask she wore.

I’m sorry, she said just loud enough that I could hear.

I shook my head. No, I cried as Mum slipped through the door and away. I shuffled as fast as I could to the opening but by the time, I reached the doorway to the gym, Mum was gone. She had taken River. My brother. My best friend. He was gone.

The tears that had been trekking down my cheeks as a result of the gas, turned to tears of grief. An animalistic roar built from my stomach and fell from my lips. But it didn’t make a difference. Mum wasn’t coming back. She wasn’t bringing River back. She had taken him. And even if we were able to get him back, I wondered if he would be the same.

My shoulders shook under the weight of my sobs. My stomach twisted and I felt bile creeping up my throat. I had never spent a single night away from my brother. Even when I got legs, River was beside me. I couldn’t cope without him.

Arms wrapped around my chest, and I looked up, noticing Harlow crouched behind me. We will get him back Callan. I will do everything I can to get him back, she promised.

I mutely nodded my head. It was a nice thought, but I wasn’t sure if it were a promise that she could honestly keep. I loved Harlow for wanting to try. But if Mum was able to find us here at CLONA, then there was no way she was going to make it easy for us to rescue River.

Slowly the smoke of the room dissipated and when I looked around kids were strewn around the room, some coughing, others crying silently. Giselle, Mack, Blaze and Aaron were handing out bottles of water.

Where is Logan? I asked, suddenly realizing that Brodie was sitting on his own beside Dylan. I wouldn’t have realized anything, except that Brodie and Logan were like twins, they were practically joined at the hip.

Harlow looked around the room with a frown pulled into her brow. I don’t know, she said quietly.

Brodie looked over at us and gave a tense smile. The worry in his eyes told me that Logan could be in danger. The longer I watched Brodie the more he started to fidget under my stare and the more certain I was that something had happened.

Eventually it seemed to get the better of Brodie and he came over to us. He followed Madeline, Brodie said quietly.

Harlow’s eyes blew wide, and she gasped. Oh no, that is not good, we have to tell Mum.

Brodie shook his head. We can’t, he made me promise I wouldn’t.

Brodie he could be in danger. If my mum was willing to break in here to take River, she may hurt Logan if she discovers him, I said with concern gnawing at my stomach.

Aaron, Lyric and Giselle were bound to kick me out of CLONA for sure now. We had brought so much trouble to them. My stomach clenched in pain at the thought. My mum didn’t want me, she had left me behind. I would be on my own.

They won’t kick you out, Brodie said.

Harlow frowned and looked between the two of us. No, they won’t. But we do have to let them know that Logan has followed Madeline. They need to know.

Harlow stood and walked over to Aaron. I watched as she spoke to Aaron and Mack. Their faces twisted in concern. Aaron turned and spoke quietly to Lyric. She glanced over at Brodie and sighed. Lyric nodded her head to whatever Aaron was saying before she came towards us.

I braced myself waiting to be told that I would be thrown out. Callan, I’m so sorry that we weren’t able to keep River safe. I promise that we will do everything in our power to get him back, she started. I bit my lip and nodded my head. Lyric turned to Brodie. I’m cross with you Brodie. Logan shouldn’t have gone off like that, but I understand why he did. I also know that Logan is a very clever boy and will do everything he can not to get caught. However, when we find him, there will be grounding for the two of you.

Brodie’s bottom lip wobbled, and he nodded his head. Yes Mum, he said.

Come here, I need to give you a hug, Lyric said with a gentle voice letting Brodie know that she wasn’t too angry at him.

Brodie leapt from the floor and into his mum’s waiting arms. This is what I had missed. I never knew what it was like to have a mum who loved me. It was something I was never going to know.

2

River

Emmett continued his pacing across the floor. Tally had finally stopped sobbing, her little body just hiccupping in Raven’s arms. Raven’s face was pale and her eyes red rimmed. While Jasper appeared asleep but from the crease between his brows, I knew he was doing everything he could to use his ability to contact Harlow or Callan.

An alarm suddenly sounded. Jasper’s eyes flew open, and we all looked between each other.

The body is waking up, I said quietly, it felt like I was pointing out the obvious. But if the body were waking up it would mean that we would have to face to the fact that my mother had won. She had managed to abduct my body. Whatever she had planned she was going to do.

I’ll go, Emmett growled. I’m sorry River, but I will kill her before I let her carve us up.

I chewed on my bottom lip and nodded my head. I hated the idea of Emmett having to kill anyone, but what other choice was there. I didn’t know what Mum was planning for us. She said she wanted to swap my brain out for Harlow’s but that wasn’t the truth. The truth was, that we had no idea what she was truly planning.

The door to the waiting room slammed behind Emmett as he left the room. Raven was watching me with worry in her eyes. I didn’t know what to say. I was lost. I felt like I was treading water, but at any moment I was going to drown.

I can kill her, Tally whispered from her spot in Raven’s lap.

I frowned down at Tally. I nodded my head. Let’s let Emmett work first, Raven answered, giving me an out.

Tally frowned and looked up at Raven. Why? she said. We know that my ability is that I can people with a thought. Why not let me do it?

I don’t know how it will work now that your brain is part of mine. It could mean that you kill us too, I answered.

Tally frowned. But I thought Rochelle, the doctor said that my brain was different to yours. That your mum had sewed them all together.

I nodded my head. Yeah, she did say that. But that doesn’t mean that absolutely everything works the same as if your brain were in your human body.

What better time to let her test it than now? Jasper said. We can either let Tally try or take the risk that your mother is going to kill us again.

I sighed and closed my eyes. I felt sick at the thought. The hatred that I had for my mother was immense. I was never going to be able to forgive that woman for doing what she had done. Not just to me and Callan but she killed four people in order to make me. It made me feel nauseous the very thought of it.

When