Free The Awakening by Michael Carroll Page B

don’t even know if my real dad is alive! And what about my mother? She was asleep when we left the flat last night. She won’t have any idea where we are. She must be going out of her mind with worry. And there’s Niall…he’s only seven years old! What’s he going to think? Façade is Niall’s father.”
    “Look, we don’t know what they want you for, and your dad—Façade—he said something earlier about not being away forever. Maybe this won’t be so bad.”
    “Then why did he have to kidnap us?”
    Colin didn’t have an answer for that one.
    Danny said, “Did you notice the look in his eyes? He doesn’t want to be here any more than we do. I think—”
    “Wait!” Colin said, interrupting him. “My dad’s saying something.”
    He concentrated, tried to focus on his father’s voice.
    “Colin…I hope you can hear me. Splitting us up was a mistake; now it’s going to be harder to watch us. Most of these soldiers are greenhorns. I think this is the first action they’ve seen. When we get to the airport, maybe I can create some kind of diversion. It might be enough for you and Danny to get away. I don’t think they’re going to risk shooting you. But…they might threaten to shoot me or your mother. Don’t believe them. They need us as much as they need you.”
    Colin was sure that his father was lying about that. He wished that he could somehow speak to him.
    “If you do get away, be careful. We don’t know how big this organization is; they could have spies everywhere. You need to get to Max Dalton. If you can’t, then try to find a man called Solomon Cord. He will help you. Last I heard he was living in New York, but that’s all I know. Colin, ten years ago Solomon Cord used to be Paragon.”
    He was about to tell Danny what his father had said when two soldiers—neither of whom Colin had seen before—climbed into the back of the truck and sat down opposite them, with their guns drawn.
    A minute later, they were joined by Façade, who was now wearing civilian clothes. “How are you doing, son?” he asked Danny.
    Danny swore.
    Façade glared at him. “Watch your language.” He sat down opposite them. “Either of you hungry?”
    “Starving,” Colin said.
    “We’ll get you something to eat on the plane.”
    “Let me phone my mother,” Danny said. “She doesn’t know what’s happened. I want her to know that I’m OK.”
    Façade shook his head. “No. Sorry. I know you don’t like it, and I understand that, but we can’t do anything that might jeopardize this operation. Pretty soon it’ll all be over. Then we can go home and forget about it, OK?”
    “No. Not OK. Whatever happens, Façade, I will not forget this. I swear that I will make you pay for what you’ve done.”

12
    I T WAS A THIRTY-MINUTE DRIVE TO THE airport, during which Colin discovered that army trucks were no more comfortable than army helicopters.
    As the truck stopped, Façade got to his feet. “We’re taking civilian transport, so we’re going to have to pass through a few public areas. Colin’s parents are going first.”
    “What if we refuse?” Danny said.
    One of the soldiers held up the pistol and turned it in the light for them to see. “This is a ten-millimeter Auto Glock 20C. It’s a little lighter than the standard Glock 20.” The soldier cradled the gun as though it was a newborn kitten. “In my opinion, this is the best handgun in the world.”
    Danny looked to the man he’d always thought of as his protector, his dad.
    Façade turned away.
    “You’ll never get that thing through security,” Colin said to the soldier.
    “Shows what you know, kid.”
    Façade said, “If anyone asks, you two are my sons. If either of you tries anything…these men have been authorized to use whatever force is necessary.”

    Colin, Danny and Façade walked through the packed airport, flanked by the two soldiers who were doing their best to be inconspicuous.
    Ahead, there was a long line at the