"What is going on? How did things turn out this way?" Anita was perplexed; I couldn't blame her, though.
We came back to the cabin after talking to Philip's father. Philip refused to leave the capital with him. He wanted to stay and help us. The doctor warned us of the dangers and said we shouldn't get involved. Of course, that wasn't an option.
"What do we do now, Kris? Do you think we should confront your father?" Philip asked.
"Are you out of your mind? He'll just deny it and it'll put us all to risk. If he finds out we're after their research, who knows what'll happen to us?" He was my father, but he wasn't the only one in the Church. Even if he could protect me, and probably Anita, what would they do to Philip?
"And Kai and the others? Do we tell them?" Anita asked.
"I wanted to. I tried calling him a couple times but he wouldn't answer. Eventually, my calls wouldn't get through." It was disturbing, and heartbreaking. "It's been more than a month since they left. I'm worried something bad has happened."
"I don't think so. If something did happen, we'd have heard about it. He is the son of the vampire council leader, after all." Phil assured me.
"You're right. Maybe they're just busy. Or maybe they're not allowed to use their phones wherever they are." I said jokingly. My laugh sounded fake. Well, it was.
"Don't worry. They'll be back." Anita gave me a warm smile and hugged me tight. "But what's the plan? What do we do?"
"I think the next step would be to find the where they're doing this research. The orphans they said had been adopted were all taken out during the night, which means they transport them somewhere when nobody's around."
"A stakeout? Sounds fun." Anita said, smiling.
We stayed at the cabin that night. Phil was already snoring, but I was still drinking my fourth cup of coffee. I couldn't sleep. Something didn't feel right. I kept feeling that something bad was about to happen. Maybe I was just psyching myself up, but still, the negativity lingered. I was feeling a little feverish. The day had been eye-opening and exhausting. My brain was about to explode with all the new information. It wasn't what I expected. I didn't expect my father to be involved. I felt betrayed.
The next morning, I woke up with a headache. I felt a little dizzy but I knew it was going to be a busy day ahead. It wasn't the time to rest. I fought the heaviness I was feeling and got up. The warm rays of the sun felt good on my skin. The smell of damp moss was filling the air. I liked it. The birds were singing their morning lullabies. The place was paradise. If only I could stay there, but I had to face reality no matter how challenging it'd be.
"What's the matter Amelia? You're not hungry?" Anita asked. The child didn't answer. She kept clinging to me since she woke up that morning.
"Is something wrong with her?" Philip asked.
"I don't know. She just keeps hugging me." I answered. It was strange. Maybe she felt it too? That ominous feeling I was feeling. I crouched down to face her. "What is it Amelia? Is something wrong? Are you hurt somewhere?"
"Please don't leave me here alone." She said in between sobs. I felt a slight pang of guilt. Of course she was lonely, being in the cabin alone with no one to talk to.
"Don't worry. You'll be safe here. We'll come back next weekend. I promise."
"Will you really?" She said. Tears were forming in her eyes.
"Here." I took off my necklace and placed it in her palm. "This necklace is my most valued thing in the world. I wear it every day. My mother gave it to me before she died. It's the only thing I have of her. I want you to look after it for me. As long as you have it, I'll always come back for you. Okay?"
"It's so beautiful." Her eyes were shining with interest. "I promise to protect it." Then she gave me a tight hug.
We were back volunteering at the orphanage. It didn't seem like they noticed some documents were missing. Maybe they thought it was irrelevant? No, it wasn't that. Perhaps they never thought someone would take interest in their research, or even find out about it. Philip was still busy hacking their system. He said it was well-protected, but he was confident he'll be able to do it soon. Anita was busy talking to everyone to find out as much information as we needed. I was busy patrolling the building. I've walked through those hallways since I was a child. I can confidently say I knew every corner of the orphanage, but my gut feeling was telling me something else. A voice at the back of my head kept saying that the answer I was seeking was in the building. I memorized every room, every painting, every chandelier, even every camera in the orphanage. There wasn't anything odd about them. I checked every floor for a locked room but there wasn't any.
We kept ourselves busy the entire week. To me, it felt like I'd lose hope if I rest for even a while. Philip and Anita shared the same sentiment. If we even stop for a second, our motivation would waver.
"I couldn't find anything. How's it going with the hacking Phil?"
"Almost. I'll be able to do it soon. I promise." Phil said with confidence.
"Are you sure we'll find the answer in the orphanage? Maybe we should stalk one of the Church officials." Anita suggested.
"No. The answer is in the orphanage. I'm sure of it." Then, I felt dizzy again. "My head hurts. I think I need to lie down for a while."
"You should. You look so pale. Maybe we should stop for a while. Let's take a break and just enjoy the scenery here. You've been overworking yourself. We've all been." Philip said.
"It's fine. I just need a few minutes. I ate something bad this morning but I already vomited it all out so I'll be fine."
"Okay. Let's all rest for a few minutes then." Phil said, smiling. "I'll go outside to watch over Amelia. It's been a long time since I've enjoyed the sun." Then he left.
"Are you sure you're okay?" The concern was evident in Anita's voice.
"I'm fine."
"Be honest with me." She said with a serious look on her voice. I felt chills. "It's already obvious you're in love with him."
"What are you talking about?"
"Don't try to deny it. You and Kai obviously have feelings for each other but my question is whether you two are together." She stared at me without blinking. I gulped. "Don't even try to lie."
I took a deep breath before answering. "Yes." It was all I could say.
"Are you out of your mind? If anybody finds out--"
"But you won't tell anybody. Will you?"
"Of course not. You're my cousin and my best friend. I will never do anything to put you in danger." She said. "But there's something else."
"What is it?"
"The past week you've been looking pale. You've been feverish and feeling dizzy. You've been vomiting a lot too." She looked at me. Her words echoed in my head. I knew the question before she even asked. "Are you pregnant?"