Mia's POVThe fluorescent lighting in this section of the hospital corridor cast everything in harsh relief—the worn vinyl chairs, Thomas's rumpled suit, the exhaustion etched into the lines around his eyes. His hands kept opening and closing in his lap, fingers spreading wide then forming loose fists, like he was trying to hold onto something that kept slipping away."Thomas," I said again, settling into the chair beside him. The plastic was cold through my jeans, and I could smell the particular mix of antiseptic and industrial coffee that lived in hospital walls. "What do you mean this is your fault?"He didn't look at me immediately. Instead, his gaze fixed on a point somewhere past my shoulder, toward the nurses' station where the night shift moved with quiet efficiency between patient rooms. A soft chime echoed from someone's monitoring equipment, followed by the whisper of sneakers on linoleum."Victoria called me yesterday morning," he said finally, his voice so low I had to l
Mia's POV"Are you our dad?"Kyle went completely still in his chair."Alexander," Kyle said softly. "Would you like me to be your dad?"Alexander studied Kyle's face intently."I think so," Alexander said finally. "You came to save us when the bad people took us. And you stayed here all night to make sure my fever went away. And you brought Gas to find us." He paused, then added with devastating simplicity, "Dads are supposed to protect their kids, right?""Yes," Kyle whispered. "Dads are supposed to protect their kids.""So you want to be our dad?"Kyle's eyes found mine across Alexander's bed, a question and an apology and a thousand unspoken words passing between us."Alexander," Kyle said. "I would be honored to be your dad. Yours and Ethan's and Madison's, if she'd like that too. I want to protect you and take care of you."Alexander's face lit up with the kind of pure joy, "Really? You really want to be our dad?""More than anything in the world."Alexander seemed satisfied wit
MiaThe air in my chest had turned to concrete. Each breath since then felt like swallowing glass, sharp and impossible.I sat in my car outside the school, phone pressed against my ear so hard it left marks, listening to Detective Rivera explain about false documents and sophisticated impersonation while my world tilted sideways."Mrs. Williams, we have units searching the area," Detective Rivera was saying, but his voice sounded like it was coming from underwater. "We've issued an amber alert. We have the license plate from the school's security footage."My phone buzzed against my cheek. Kyle's name appeared on the screen.I almost didn't answer. Kyle shouldn't call now."Mia." His voice was rough, strained, but there was something in it I hadn't heard in years. "I have them. I have all three of them. They're safe."The concrete in my chest cracked, and suddenly I could breathe again. "Where?""County Road 47, about two miles north of the highway. Police are already here. Victoria
EthanThe pot felt heavier in my hands than it should have, like it was made of lead instead of whatever pots were usually made of. My palms were sweaty and the handle was slippery, but I couldn't drop it. Not now.The footsteps had stopped right outside the kitchen door. I could hear Victoria's voice, muffled but getting clearer, talking to the fake Mama about something. They were coming this way."Ethan," Alexander whispered beside me, so quiet I almost couldn't hear him. His face was pale in the dim light from the stove, and he kept looking between me and the door like he was trying to decide which was more scary.Madison was pressed against the counter next to the sink, her backpack still strapped to her shoulders. Even scared and in the dark, she hadn't let go of her things. Her eyes were wide, but she wasn't crying anymore. She looked determined, like she'd made up her mind about something important."I'm going to break the window," I whispered, lifting the pot higher. "When I d
EthanVictoria was pacing again, talking fast about phone calls and demands and making people pay for what they'd done. The fake Mia kept checking her watch and looking nervous, like she was starting to realize this plan wasn't working the way they thought it would.I was trying to listen and figure out what they really wanted, but mostly I was watching the room and thinking about exits. There was the door we came through, which was locked. There was the window, which Madison said was too high up. And there was another door on the far wall that Madison said connected to the next room.If we could get to that door, maybe we could get to those servants' stairs Madison remembered. Maybe we could get to a phone and call real Mama, or maybe we could just get outside and run.But we'd have to wait until Victoria and the fake Mia weren't watching us so close."The first call will be simple," Victoria was saying. "Madison tells Mia that she's safe but that she needs to follow instructions. No
MadsionThe fake Mia was watching us with those mean eyes, like she was trying to figure out if we were going to cause problems."I need to use the bathroom," I said, which was sort of true but mostly I wanted to get away from those eyes."I'll show you where it is," the fake Mia said."I know where it is." I'd been in this house enough times to remember where things were. "Can Alexander and Ethan come with me? We always stay together."Mommy waved her hand like she didn't care. "Fine. But don't wander around. This isn't your house."We walked up the big staircase with the golden railings, our footsteps muffled by the thick carpet. I led them down the hallway toward the bathroom, but mostly I was thinking about the layout of the house, remembering which doors led where."Madison," Ethan whispered when we were far enough from the stairs. "Do you know a way out of here?"I did know. When Daddy brought me here, I used to play hide-and-seek by myself while the grown-ups had their boring t