Chapter 71: Pick up

By the time Sara looked at the clock, it was almost noon.

She and Emily were still working at the same table, but Gwen’s seat beside them had been empty for the third day in a row.

Sara had tried to ignore it at first, but three days without a proper explanation was starting to bother her.

She put her pen down and looked at Emily.

“Did she message you?” Emily checked her phone before shaking her head.

Gwen had replied to them yesterday, but all she had said was that she was fine.

Sara didn’t really count that as an explanation.

“Maybe something happened at home,” Emily said.

Sara frowned and looked at Gwen’s empty seat.

“Then she could’ve told us she was busy. She doesn’t have to explain everything.” Emily nodded.

She was clearly worried too, even if she wasn’t showing it as much as Sara.

“If she doesn’t tell us anything by tonight, I’m calling her,” Sara said.

“And if she doesn’t answer, I’m going to her house.” Emily smiled slightly.

“I don’t think she’ll like that.” Sara picked up her pen again.

“Then she should answer.”

Before she could return to work, both of their phones vibrated.

Sara immediately checked hers and saw a new message from Gwen in their group chat.

Gwen: Chris is inviting you both out tomorrow.

Are you interested?

Sara stared at the message for a few seconds before looking at Emily.

“She disappears for three days and sends us this?” Emily was already typing, asking Gwen if she was okay and what had happened.

Sara added that she wanted to know where Gwen had been.

Gwen replied a few moments later.

I’m fine.

Something happened, but everything’s okay now.

I’ll explain tomorrow.

Sara still wanted to ask more, but at least Gwen was finally promising them an explanation.

Then Sara read the first message again and noticed the more interesting part.

“Chris is inviting us.” Emily looked at her phone again before smiling slightly.

They both remembered the last time they had met Chris.

Sara typed another message.

Your definitely-not-boyfriend Chris?

Gwen replied almost immediately.

Don’t start.

Sara smiled.

During their first meeting, Gwen had tried to explain that Chris was her mother’s client.

Chris had then made that explanation completely useless by calling Gwen his girlfriend and mentioning that they lived together.

Sara hadn’t forgotten Gwen’s face afterward.

Emily leaned closer.

“Ask her why he’s inviting us.” Sara didn’t have to because Gwen sent another message before she could type.

He noticed I haven’t spent much time with you recently, so he told me to invite you both.

Sara looked at Emily.

That explained the invitation, although it also made them more curious about what had kept Gwen away from college.

If she was willing to spend tomorrow with them, however, whatever had happened probably wasn’t keeping her home anymore.

Emily picked up her phone and replied first.

I’ll come, but you’re telling us what happened.

Sara quickly agreed before adding that Gwen wasn’t escaping their questions tomorrow.

Gwen’s next message arrived a few seconds later.

Fine.

Also, Chris said we’re not only getting lunch, so don’t make plans for the rest of the day.

“Not only lunch?” Emily asked.

Sara raised an eyebrow and typed back, asking how long they were going to be out.

Gwen admitted she didn’t know exactly what Chris had planned, only that they would probably be out for most of the day.

Sara leaned back in her chair.

“He invited us to lunch without actually inviting us to lunch.” Emily laughed.

“Maybe he planned something else.” Sara couldn’t argue with that.

From the little she knew about Chris Sterling, doing something simple didn’t seem to be his style.

She asked Gwen where they should meet tomorrow.

The reply came quickly.

You don’t have to meet us anywhere.

Chris and I will pick you both up from your homes.

Be ready at 10.

Sara looked at Emily, who had already read the same message.

“Ten tomorrow morning.” Emily nodded and finally put her phone away.

“Good. Then we can ask her ourselves.”

Sara picked up her pen again.

They still had work to finish before leaving college, and Gwen could wait until tomorrow.

At least now they knew she was fine.

Still, Sara had a feeling tomorrow was going to be much more interesting than the lunch Gwen had originally made it sound like.

Chris POV (Next Day)

The next morning, I was already outside when Gwen came down.

She looked at the car and then at me before asking, “You’re driving?” I nodded.

“It’s supposed to be a day out, not a business meeting. We don’t need White for that.” Gwen seemed fine with the answer and got in.

I had chosen the Rolls-Royce Phantom for today.

There would only be four of us, but it had enough room that Sara, Emily and Gwen could sit comfortably in the back without being separated from me.

If we were going to spend most of the day together, I wanted everyone to be able to talk normally instead of making it feel like I was driving them around while they stayed in their own section.

As I started toward Sara’s house, Gwen checked her phone.

“Sara already asked if we’re actually coming.” I glanced at her and smiled.

“Tell her we changed our minds.” Gwen immediately shook her head.

“No. She’ll believe me for five seconds and then annoy me for the rest of the day.” I thought that sounded entertaining, but Gwen refused before I could suggest it again.

Today was mostly for Gwen anyway.

The last few days had been filled with her powers, testing and everything else happening around us.

I didn’t want her life to slowly become nothing except me, Helen and whatever strange problem appeared next.

“Which one are we picking up first?” I asked.

Gwen told me Sara lived closer, so we would get her first and then Emily.

After that, neither of them knew much about what I had planned.

I had intentionally left it that way because I wasn’t completely sure myself.

We had the whole day, so there was no reason to follow some strict schedule.

A few minutes later, Gwen began directing me through a quieter neighborhood.

She checked one of the house numbers before pointing ahead.

“That’s her house.” I slowed down, and I could already see Sara waiting outside with a small bag over her shoulder.

As the car moved closer to her, the Research Assistant suddenly spoke inside my mind.

“Inactive X-Gene detected.”