Zara looked as though she wanted to continue yelling, deciding instead to settle on looking away with her arms folded in defiance. Unfortunately for her, the sight had little impact on people when you were as small as her and holding a teddy bear.

Zack passed George to her, his knee bouncing while he thought about what to ask her first. “How much do you know of our history?” That was the singular question that would tell him how much he could safely say to her. It was also a question that he had been asking more often than he ever thought possible recently.

Their history, the things that had been done to them. That was their greatest secret, and now it seemed as though everyone knew pieces of the story. They had always known it would get out. It was inevitable when they were surrounded by people who possessed the power and influence to dig out secrets. He had expected it to take longer than a single week to happen.

Across from them, Tessa’s mother rearranged her dress, maintaining her decency and comfort. “I spoke with the Major personally, and I believe that he told me everything.” She frowned. “Frankly, the way your case was handled, and then lost is disturbing. I looked into it briefly, and nothing like that has happened before or since. To our knowledge, at least.”

“What does that mean?” Zack implored with narrowed eyes. “Why would anyone make our information disappear in that way?”

“I relayed the information I had gathered to the Major, and it matched with everything that he had been able to learn from his sources. What really sets your situation apart from others is how everything disappeared. Cases being mishandled are unfortunately common. Those cases, however, remain in the system. Their paperwork and all the applicable information remain, which means those mistakes can be fixed. What happened with the two of you, is interesting in that regard. All your information was removed, and despite that, your government housing was still secured for you.”

Zara snorted at that. “Barely. That place was a piece of crap, and Zack was forced to work constantly to make sure we were fed.”

“I’m not denying that. What I am trying to say, is that you even having a spot in government housing should have been impossible.”

“And yet we did,” Zack muttered, finding himself drawn into what she was saying.

“And yet you did.” She mirrored his words. “Someone wanted to make sure that you disappeared and remained out of the government’s reach. While still remaining in one place. I can see two possibilities in this case, either the two of you have a guardian angel who made a late appearance. Or, and I believe this is the more likely one. The organization behind the research institute that took you played a part in ensuring you vanished.”

Zara stilled in fear, her muscles instantly locking up.

Zack was in little better of a condition.

Tessa’s mother watched over them with compassionate eyes as they battled to regain control.

“But they never came after us?” Zack managed to gasp out after a minute.

She nodded. “That is where it falls apart. Why would they have ensured you were out of sight, and then never come after you again? It makes no sense, and we don’t have an explanation for it. Yet.”

Zara had inched closer to him after that scare and was now holding both bears while pressed against his side.

Zack thought everything over before responding. “Why tell us this? What purpose does us knowing any of this serve besides scaring us?”

She appeared pleased with the question. “It serves to let you know that the mistake that left you out in the proverbial cold was not related to the Major and his efforts. It also lets you know that cooperating with me is your best chance at remaining out of that organization’s clutches.”

“Why would they even be interested in taking us back? They succeeded in their experiments; they no longer need me!” Exasperation and confusion laced the words as Zack spoke.

She shrugged. “Maybe they don’t. They kept you hidden ostensibly for a reason, though. Whether that is for future experiments or something else, only they can say.”

It was a non-answer and didn’t explain anything. At that point, Zack was beginning to understand what kind of person she was, and it was annoying. In the end, she was still keeping secrets and playing her games with their lives. What was worse, is that he saw no way to get off the gameboard for the foreseeable future.

Thankfully, a knock came from the door before they could continue that frustrating conversation. The door opened a moment later without them waiting for a response.

“Tessa said the boy was here,” A man in a rumpled suit burst into the room. “Hi dear,” He paused when he noticed her expression. “Sorry, hello Anna. I was just excited and forgot the rules, for entering your office.”

Behind him, peeking through the open door, was Tessa, who had not forgotten her mother’s rules.

Anna raised a hand to her brow and rubbed her temple. “It’s fine, this time. If it had been anyone else… Well, you remember what happened last time.”

The man shivered. “Who knew the king could be so mean!”

“Yes, well again, you did walk in on the man talking about state secrets.”

“They were secrets related to my research! He didn’t have to react the way that he did.” An unsightly pout spread across the older man’s face in an unsightly display of childishness.

From her place by the door, Tessa knocked her head against the solid wooden door in exasperation. “Mom, dad, would it kill the two of you to act normal in front of them!”

Zara giggled softly. The fear she had felt at the mention of the institute having fled with the married couples’ antics.

“You can come in,” Tessa’s mother told her, giving up on continuing her discussion with the siblings for the moment.

Meanwhile, her father had zeroed in on Zack and was busy inspecting him with a critical eye.

“Uh, can I help you?” Zack quickly asked the man, pushing deeper into the couch cushions. The look in the older man’s eye reminded him of times that were best left forgotten.

“Mathew!” Anna barked, “Now is not the time for that.”

“Just one question and then I promise to behave until after dinner.” Mathew, Tessa’s father, crept closer to Zack until their noses were nearly touching. “Did those researchers choose you because of your compatibility with the portals or did that happen because of what they did to you?”

Zack went cold as an uncontrollable fury rose up from within his depths. His eyes hardened and the feeling of Zara tugging at his arm was distant. How dare this man look at him with those eyes and ask him a question like that!

Abruptly, Matt was pulled back by his wife, who was looking at Zack as though he were a dangerous animal. “I know this situation is stressful,” She began in a calming voice. “And he just made it worse for you, but you need to calm down. He didn’t mean any harm with that thoughtless question.”

Zara continued tugging on his arm until he came back to himself and regained control.

Thankfully, he hadn’t done anything but sit there. Anger issues had never been a problem for Zack before, and certainly nothing like that fury he had just experienced. That was new, and not welcome in the slightest. The near loss of control it had brought on was something he could not abide.

Zack stood, pulling Zara along with him. “Sorry, but can we be excused for now? I think I need some time alone with my sister.”

“Of course, Tessa will show you to the room you will be staying in. We will see you at dinner.” Anna agreed with an amicable smile while motioning to her daughter.

“Thank you, for understanding.” Zack hurried to the door, eager to be out of that room.

Tessa didn’t say anything until they had walked past the grand staircase and into a wider hallway. There were windows placed every few meters, and a door was open near the middle of the hall.

“What was that?” She stopped short of the door and turned to face them. “The air around you suddenly changed. It was like this aura of pure anger and malice.”

Zack had enough and snapped at her. “What do you mean ‘What was that’?” With a sneer, he continued. “What do think happens when you are interrogated by people you don’t know, concerning things that I would rather forget?” Then, without waiting for a reply, he brushed past her with Zara and the two bears in tow. The door slammed shut in Tessa’s stunned face.