Persistence of Vision

  ***

  “What do you mean no? How did you know to come then?”

  While Karl yelled in Nathaniel Strellend’s general direction, Maggie studied the man Marcus had addressed as David. He was shorter than Marcus and more thickly built but an otherwise spitting image of his brother. Same strange eyes, same hair, same mouth. Dark circles resided under his eyes, and they seemed shallower, less grounded, somehow.

  “I mean I haven’t met your team. Other than Trap, we haven’t seen a single person in weeks. And I didn’t know anything. I was coming here anyway.”

  “Why? And who’s Trap?”

  Marcus’s hands were on either side of Lila’s head, and he was looking intently into her eyes. Maggie knew he wasn’t really seeing her though. After a few minutes, his hands dropped and he got to his feet. Lila’s eyes fluttered open.

  “Lila.” Joan leaned over her daughter. “Lila, say something.”

  Lila blinked, looked around, then rolled out of her mother’s embrace and vomited.

  “He’s Trap. That’s what we’ve been calling him because he couldn’t talk at first, and he wouldn’t give us a name.”

  Marcus came to kneel beside Maggie again, putting a hand on her arm. She looked up and saw concern in his eyes. He slid his hand up her arm until it came to rest on her neck. He was scanning her again. She could feel it as the slightest vibration touching the tips of her fingers and toes, her nose and knees and earlobes.

  All eyes turned to Marcus when Strellend pointed to his shorter look alike and called him Trap. Marcus straightened his legs.

  “That’s my younger brother. His name is David.”

  David’s eyes were on his boots. He made no attempt to meet anyone’s gaze, especially Marcus’s.

  “But what are you doing here?” Karl persisted, looking at Strellend again. “We sent a team of Trackers out to find you weeks ago. You’re telling me that you’re not here because of them?”

  Strellend shrugged. “Yeah, I guess.”

  Karl looked at him as though he’d just announced there were fish in the sea. “But—”

  “Karl,” Clay interjected. “We have about six stories that need to be told. Let’s get Maggie and Lila to Doc. We’re going to need his input.”

  Karl’s lips pressed into a tight line, but he nodded after a moment.

  “Karl,” Marcus said, “carry Lila. I’ll bring Maggie. Clay, you bring up the rear. Everyone else, follow us.” He bent and scooped Maggie up into his arms.

  It took her by surprise, and she clutched his shoulders. “I can walk, Marcus.”

  “You’re not walking.”

  Sighing, Maggie looked over to where Strellend was gathering up his family—an auburn-haired woman half his age and two small children—and pushing them in Marcus’s direction. David’s eyes came up to follow Strellend, but then they fell on Maggie. Their eyes locked, and it was as though he was seeing her for the first time.

  He crossed the space between them until he was standing directly in front of Marcus, who had Maggie in his arms. David was still looking directly into her eyes.

  “It’s you,” he whispered.

  He raised a hand to touch her cheek, and she shrunk away. Marcus turned to the side, pulling her back from David’s hand, and David snapped out of a haze.

  He looked at Marcus, who was glaring at him, then immediately away. He seemed unable to meet Marcus’s gaze.

  “Let’s go,” Marcus said coldly, turning toward the cave.

  Over his shoulder, Maggie watched as David took a step toward them and reached out a hand.

  “Marcus.”

  Marcus turned around. David looked away, shutting his eyes. A tear leaked down his cheek. He fell to his knees.

  Clay and Strellend were immediately at his side. Marcus whirled to face his estranged brother. Maggie studied his face from inches away. Despite the hard set of his jaw, she could see concern in the way the lines of his face deepened.

  “Go, Marcus,” Clay said. “Take Maggie. We’ll bring him.”