Lucy was healing the scratches the group had gotten during their escape. No need for band aids when you have a healer in the house. She finished with Rufus, who thanked her then moved to Anne, who rudely brushed her away.
There was tension in the Hive.
Kate had yelled at Rudy the instant he reappeared and transformed. He snapped back, trying to explain the danger they were in. He had no choice, they had to transmit immediately. They could not risk the press of the mob. Kate refused to listen. She argued that the situation was due to their own carelessness. A special, side-eyed glare was reserved for Lucy.
Kate and Rudy were now no longer speaking to each other.
The group was split. Ethan and Anne were in agreement for once - Lucy was entirely to blame for their situation. Rufus, of course, defended Lucy.
Most surprisingly, Georgie sided with Rufus. He even went so far as to blame Ethan for not keeping a better eye on Lucy. Her extreme homesickness had hardly been a secret.
Not happy with Georgie taking his side, Rufus exploded. "Hey, I don't need or want you to agree with me." Rufus shot Georgie a disgusted look. "I saw you throw that boy to the ground. "
Georgie looked surprised. Not by Rufus' attack, he was used to those, but, the unfounded accusation stung. "I have no clue what you are talking about. I never laid a hand on that kid." Georgie's normally sulky voice was tinged with disbelief.
"Whatever. " Rufus refused to argue. He knew what he saw. Georgie ran up and the boy flew to the ground. Rufus walked away.
The Hive was a very uncomfortable place to be.
Exercise time came and went. Classes were sullen and boring with Rudy missing and Kate still fuming. After dinner, everyone headed off to their own rooms. Anne tried to ignore Lucy's quiet crying. Twiskers cuddled close to the sad girl.
A week had passed with little improvement in the dark mood in the Hive.
Today Rudy was teaching. Suddenly, he threw down the pointer he had been using to show latitude and longitude on the map. "Enough!" Lucy jumped.
"Look, I know you are all second guessing what happened, but I think you are missing the big picture. We achieved something amazing."
All eyes were on Rudy. "We managed a group transit. The largest in the history of the Hive. Lucy single- handedly saved the life of a very important person. He is capable of changing the world. The rest of you saw the danger to Lucy and your reaction, as a team, saved her." Rudy pointed at each one of them, then smiled. "Well done!"
Slowly smiles started to appear around the table.
"Georgie, come here." Rudy stood on the exercise mat, tossing a small hardball from hand to hand. Georgie slouched over.
"How are you feeling today?" Rudy seemed concerned. Georgie had claimed he wasn't feeling well since their transit back from Tibet.
"Okay, I guess." His expression was sour.
"You know, Georgie, you are the only one not displaying any talent."
"Uh huh." Georgie shrugged.
"I was wondering if that was true." Rudy smiled when Georgie's head popped up.
"I don't know what you mean." Georgie's confusion seemed genuine.
" Okay. If you say so." Rudy turned away. He took half a dozen steps, then suddenly, he spun back, the ball flew from his hand headed straight for Georgie's face.
Georgie's hands flew up, arms straight out. The ball stopped mid-air, inches from Georgie's outstretched hands, then dropped harmlessly to the mat. Rudy smiled. "Well done."
"But..I...don't..and...you..what..?"
"Exactly!" Rudy laughed.
"What's going on?" Ethan came over from the punching bag.
"It would seem that Georgie has finally found his talent. Rufus was the one who tipped me to it."
"What did I do?" Rufus sauntered over. Everyone was now gathered around Rudy and Georgie.
"Rufus said that Georgie pushed the boy in Tibet to the ground." Rudy began.
"But, I never touched...oh!" Georgie's face lit up when he understood.
"Exactly. Georgie denied it everytime it was brought up. I started to wonder if he had done it accidentally. Without knowing." Rudy picked up the ball. "Voila! My experiment was a success."
"But, you could have hit me in the face!" Georgie's indignation lasted only a second, before excitement replaced it. "Throw it again," Georgie planted his feet on the mat, bracing himself. His face was scrunched up in concentration.
"Maybe you should practice more." Rudy suggested.
"Catch." Rufus tossed his sweat soaked towel, hitting Georgie square in the face.
"Eeewwww. That's disgusting!" Georgie sputtered.
Rufus laughed. Anne joined in.
"Practice." Rudy tossed the ball on the mat before leaving.
Georgie would get revenge. He stared hard at the ball on the mat. The ball quivered, but didn't lift. His face turned red. He was dripping sweat. He squinted his eyes into a furious glare. The ball jumped an inch into the air. "Yes!"
For the first time ever, the others in the Hive saw Georgie smile.
"Good job." Ethan patted Georgie on the back. Georgie beamed.
"Rudy, can I talk to you alone?" Anne rushed up behind him.
"Sure."
"Uh, in private?"
Rudy glanced around. The rest of the group was gathered around Georgie.
"Come into the lounge. "
Anne sat in a chair, across the coffee table from Rudy. He waited patiently for her to start. She took a piece of paper and began to fold it over and over.
"I'm not sure if what I'm seeing is important or not." She began. Usually Rudy or Kate would ask her to try and get an image of something specific. It was the first time she had volunteered information. She didn't want to waste anyone's time.
Slowly, Anne began. "At first I thought I was seeing Lucy's family all the time because we are always together and that is all she thinks about. Well, that and Twiskers." Rudy's smile was encouraging. "Then I started to notice something different about the visions."
"Each of us came with our own story. I get snippets of the others. Their lives, their families. A glimpse here or there. Rufus and Georgie came from single-mother families who really tried to get out the word about their disappearance, but had no resources or connections to keep the police and public interested. The sad truth was that other news stories broke and people have short memories. No one looked for me." Anne said matter-of-fact, without rancor. "And Ethan. Weird. Nothing. I don't get any crying relatives, nothing."
"Anyway. Lucy's different. Her family misses her as much as she misses them. Her friends made up posters. Teachers and neighbors hold vigils. They stage news conferences, go on national television, harass the police daily. I wake up with visions of them everyday. Then things changed around the time we returned from Tibet"
Rudy leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees. "Go on."
"Lucy is the youngest of nine, right?" Rudy nodded. Anne continued, "Since the day she disappeared, every public appearance has all eight of her brothers and sisters lined up behind her parents, looking directly into the camera pleading for Lucy's return. Most days one or another of the kids will speak up."
Anne unfolded the paper, then absently began to refold it again. "It's like I recognize them all now. I know their names"
Rudy waited patiently.
"One day I noticed that Jack, the brother closest in age to Lucy was not there. He no longer stands with the family at news conferences. I don't see him in any visions anymore."
"Maybe he's off at school." Rudy didn't doubt Anne's concern, he was just throwing ideas out there to see if anything clicked. "Or sick?"
"No." Anne unfolded the paper. " But, here's the really weird part. Jack Fang is missing and his parents aren't telling anyone."