Free Dark Hunter by Andy Briggs

of worry in his stomach as he recognized her immediately.
    â€œLorna!” Chameleon nervously drummed his fingers on the desk. She was a hero—what was she doing with Hunter? Was she aware of the situation she’d placed herself in? “Get me Grimm on the phone. Where is Toby Wilkinson’s team now?”
    The maps on the screen highlighted a blue dot.
    â€œThey’ve just left on an Aurora Stealth Bomber, heading for Mexico. They’re running radio silence,” reported a female technician. “Lorna’s with them and Grimm isn’t responding to his phone.”
    â€œOkay, don’t bother with Grimm. I’ll handle this. Open up all surveillance circuits and find me Hunter!”
    Chameleon slumped back, more exhausted than ever. There was nothing more he could do right now and he needed to sleep or he’d be of no use to anybody. He didn’t know why Lorna was with Hunter, but it didn’t bode well.
    He closed his eyes; if he knew Hunter, he was sure to surface on the criminal radar very soon.
    * * *
    It was late afternoon when Jake and Lorna had returned home. He had been afraid that she would bring up the afternoon’s events, but luckily she didn’t. Nobody was at her house and Jake retrieved his laptop. There was an awkward moment when they said good-bye and exchanged cell numbers; Lorna told him not to call until later tonight, as a friend had borrowed her phone.
    Jake walked away and felt a tremor of elation. Apart from the attacking mutated ex-friend and destruction of the theme park, it had been a great day.
    His phone vibrated in his pocket. It was a text message from Mr. Grimm asking to meet. Jake sighed. He couldn’t help but feel that he was being used again, but he desperately needed a lead to Psych. Jake thought over the situation. He always seemed to be at a disadvantage because he was relying on other people. He knew from school-yard warfare that the only way out of such a bitter cycle was to change the rules. He was trading the president for information; how could he switch that around and place himself in a superior position to Chromosome?
    That was something to think about.
    The meeting wasn’t for another couple of hours, so Jake took a risk and visited his family again. They were at home, and Jake didn’t want to enter the house while they were inside. Last time he’d done that, Enforcers had stormed the place. From across the street, Jakecould see small dome-shaped sensors in the front garden, telltale signs that they were under surveillance, but luckily it seemed the Enforcers were stretched too thin to spare the manpower to have an actual agent keep an eye on them.
    Jake satisfied himself by sitting on the wall of the house across the street and trying to look through the window. He could see his parents talking and Jake provided his own soundtrack.
    â€œI wonder where our son is? You mean Jake? Isn’t he a great boy …” Jake shut up, feeling embarrassed that he’d even put on a silly high-pitched voice to narrate. He suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of loss, and wished he could just walk across the street, ring the bell, and be greeted by warm hugs and welcoming faces.
    An elderly neighbor, Mrs. Bowen, passed Jake with a bunch of shopping bags. She was a friend of the family but she didn’t cast a single glance at Jake, and he wondered if Psych had wiped the memories of his entire family and their friends? If so, why not the people at school? Lorna still recognized him. And Knuckles and Big Tony certainly did.
    Jake turned away from his old home; being here was not doing him any good. He vowed to himself that he’d only return once he had the means to unlock their minds and they could be a family once more. He took a few steps, then hesitated. Loud music was drifting fromBeth’s bedroom. He strained to listen, and could hear his dad’s voice.
    â€œBethany, turn down that