The Gryphon Project (32 page)

Finally, with nine minutes left before Chrysalis announced Gryph’s fate, Neko lifted his head and started talking, his voice trembling, his eyes damp.

“This is an important message for the Chrysalis Corporation. My name is Neko Balkashan and I am making this tape of my own free will. This is my confession. I caused the death of Gryphon Nicholson-Lalonde. I did it. I pushed him off the train platform. I won’t make excuses because I know—” Neko gritted his teeth against tears. “Because I
know
what happens to people like me.
You’ll kill me no matter what I say, no matter how remorseful I am. You’ll kill me and call it ‘decommissioning’ and it’ll be the news for a couple of days and then it’ll be everything back to normal. If my death even makes the news.”

Phee glanced at Marlin. This wasn’t exactly what Phee was thinking of when it came to an official confession. But then Neko spoke the magic words again in an angry rush.

“I did it,” Neko said. “I pushed him. He didn’t jump. Do you assholes hear me? He did not jump. And you’re all complete idiots if you think he would. So there it is. Blame me. Hunt me down. I’m your bad guy. Just let Gryphon go home to his family.” This time Neko couldn’t help the tears. “Let him live.”

Polly switched the camera off remotely. Neko leaped up from the chair and started to pull off the bio locks.

“Not yet,” Polly ordered. “After we send the transmission.” Neko slumped back onto the chair as Huy and Tariq gathered around him.

“You did the right thing.” Huy bent to hug him, but Neko shrugged him off.

“Don’t touch me.”

Marlin clapped a hand on Neko’s back. “It’ll be okay, Neko.”

“I said don’t fucking touch me! None of you.” Neko pointed a finger at each of the boys and then at Phee too. “Don’t come near me.”

Polly looked up from the small console. “It’s sent.”

With that, Neko ripped off the glove and wristbands and threw them to the floor. “Happy? Everyone happy now that my life is ruined?”

“It’s not ruined,” Polly said. As she tried to calm Neko, Marlin told Phee to call Chrysalis.

“Tell them who you are and that you have to speak to Nora Hueson immediately,” he whispered as Phee fumbled to find the number online. “Hurry!”

Five minutes left. She made the call, and then waited while the receptionist put her on hold.

Huy surfed on his phone for a live news feed from Chrysalis. He stared at the screen. “They’re already talking!” He waved his phone for everyone to see. Phee rushed over. There on the tiny screen was Nora Hueson, standing at a podium on the front steps of Chrysalis, the blue sky behind her. The camera panned to the left, where Phee’s family sat in the front row. Oscar and Eva sat erect, not touching. Phee started to cry, her own phone still to her ear.

The sound from Huy’s phone was tinny, but they could make out what Hueson was saying. “It is with heavy hearts that we make today’s ruling in the recon case regarding Gryphon Nicholson-Lalonde.” And then Shapiro was suddenly at Hueson’s side, cupping her hand to Hueson’s ear to whisper something to her. Hueson nodded, and then addressed the crowd. “If you will excuse me for just one moment.”

The news camera followed her offstage where she took the phone from Shapiro. All of a sudden Phee heard Hueson’s voice in her own ear.

“Phoenix?”

“Ms. Hueson.” Phee had almost forgotten what she was supposed to be doing. “Wait, wait. I have some important information,” she stammered. Beside her, Marlin nodded, encouraging her. “Chrysalis has just been sent a confession from the boy who pushed Gryphon.”

“Now, Phoenix, I know you’re upset about the ruling—”

“It’s real!” Phoenix yelled into the phone. “With bio locks and everything! That’s proof!”

Hueson paused before speaking again. Phee could only hope that she was telling Shapiro to check the lync for the transmission. Phee glanced at Huy’s phone. The camera was trained on her family. Oscar and Eva were talking. Fawn leaned against her mother, Bunny clutched in her arms. Phee was supposed to have been there. She should have been there. She prayed that this would work, because if
it didn’t she’d never forgive herself for abandoning her family at such an awful time. The camera panned left, to an empty chair beside her father. Phee started crying. She should have been there.

“Phoenix?” Hueson was back on the line. “Are you with this boy right now?” She’d watched the video! She believed it!

“No.”

“Where are you?”

“Nowhere.”

“Tell me where you are, Phoenix. If you have that boy with you, you must turn him in. Do you understand me?”

“I’m not with him.”

“Then why aren’t you here with your family?” Hueson’s tone was patronizing. She was trying to get Phee to talk. On Huy’s small screen, Phee watched Shapiro usher her family into the building, and then she took the podium, announcing that the news conference was cancelled. Indefinitely.

“You’ll recon him?” Phee asked. “He’s going to be okay?”

“Where are you, Phoenix?”

Marlin grabbed the phone and ended the call. “They’re tracking you.” He took Huy’s too, powering them both off. Tariq did the same to his. Neko too. Polly powered down the camera equipment so they couldn’t trace that either. The small group stood for a moment in the middle of the old warehouse, and then Marlin spoke.

“We have to go. Tariq and Huy, you go with Phoenix. Get her to her parents.” Marlin turned to Neko, who was pale, his eyes still wet with tears. “I’ll take Neko. Polly, you do as we planned.” And with that, he took Neko by the arm and made for the door. “Now! They might’ve already traced you here, Phee. Go!”

But she couldn’t move. She could only stand there and watch her best friend’s little brother leave. She’d never see him again. Nadia and her parents would never see him again. This was it!

“Neko!” She ran to him and hugged him. “Thank you. Thank you.”

He stiffened in her arms. She pulled away a little and looked up at him.

“Be strong, okay? I’ll take care of Nadia. Marlin will take good care of you.”

“I don’t need anyone to take care of me.” He wrestled free of her grip. She caught a glimpse of him when he was six and had fallen off his bike when the three of them were on the way to the corner store for ice cream. He’d run to Phee, crying. She’d sat on the grass with him in her lap. He’d flung his arms around her neck and bawled while Nadia knocked on the door of the nearest house to ask for a bandage. He was still that little boy to her, so all this seemed impossible. Unreal.

“Phoenix!” Marlin yelled from where he held the door open, the sunlight slicing in, reminding them all of the world outside. “We have to go now!”

“This isn’t the end, Neko.” Phee grabbed Neko again, and this time when he tried to break away, she hugged him again and held on for dear life, just as he had when he was six. “It’s the beginning of an enormous adventure. You’ve always been up for adventure. I know you can do this.”

“I don’t know if I can,” he said as Marlin physically hauled him out the door. “But I’ll give it a shot. Take care of Nadia, okay?”

“I will.”

“Tell Gryph that I’m sorry!”

And then he was gone.

Phee followed the boys outside. Marlin and Neko were already halfway down the block, heading north at a dead run. Tariq and Huy were waiting for her on the sidewalk.

“Come on,” Huy called.

Phee jogged over to join them, and then the three of them hurried back to the train platform, all of them keeping an eye out for Crimcor.

Phoenix’s entire family went to Chrysalis to pick up Gryphon on the day he was due to come home. They got there early and were ushered in through the back, because the front courtyard was already abuzz with media and Gryph’s fans. Phee was a little surprised about the fans; Gryph could never officially compete again. His career was over. The best he could ever do now was compete with the Recon Athletic Association, which he’d always said was no better than being in the Special Olympics. That’s what the old Gryph said anyway. Phee wondered what he’d think about it now that he was reconned himself.

She held Fawn’s hand as they waited in the same little room where they’d received so much bad news. Fawn clutched Bunny to her and leaned against Phee’s leg, excited but wary.

“You think he’ll remember me?” she asked with wide eyes, pressing Bunny’s paw to her cheek the way she always did when she was anxious.

“Of course.” Phee kissed Fawn’s forehead and drew her onto her lap. “He’s got all his memory. He’s as good as new.”

When Phee found out that Gryph had come out of the recon with his memory intact, she was surprised at her initial reaction.
She was disappointed. It was only a fleeting regret, but it lasted long enough for her to feel a chill of guilt. She was happy for him, of course. Of course she was! She didn’t even want to think about what it would’ve been like if he’d lost it all. But still, a small part of her wished he could truly understand what it was like. What he’d done to her so many years ago.

“Phoenix?” Her father stood over her, the others gathered at the door behind him. “It’s time.”

Phee trailed behind the others. Oscar and Eva walked at the front, Fawn between them. Then her grandma, holding her granddad’s hand. Then her auntie and uncle, each with a twin by the hand. And then Phee. To think that her family, in various formations, had done this walk twice already, for her.

They were led into a room of windows, the sunlight streaming in from all sides. It felt hallowed, and therefore gimmicky in Phee’s mind. As if Chrysalis was trying to evoke something biblical. Behold the resurrection, or some such drivel.

There was a white leather couch along one wall, but only Phee’s granddad sat. The twins slid under it, playing hide-and-seek. The others just stood, nervously waiting. Silky drapes slid open on the opposite wall, revealing a polished silver door. It opened too, and there was Gryph, dressed in the slacks and button-down shirt Eva had brought down for him the day before.

He grinned at them all, then plucked at the tailored shirt. “Who picked this ugly thing?”

“I did.” Eva, shaking with silent tears, rushed to him and covered his cheek in kisses. She hugged him and petted his hair and finally rested her hands on his broad shoulders. “You look handsome.”

“I look like I just stepped out of a catalogue for a prep school.”

“Gryphon”—Oscar opened his arms—“thank God you’ve come back to us.” Father and son hugged. Oscar wiped away tears when he finally let Gryph go. “Thank God.”

For some reason, Gryph was avoiding Phee. And she him. She hung back, letting him greet everyone else. When he was done,
Fawn happily situated on his back, her arms around his neck, Bunny mashed between them, Phee caught his eye.

“Hey.”

“Hey, yourself.” He gripped Fawn with one arm and embraced Phee in an awkward hug with the other. More like what she was used to from Uncle Liam. Not her brother.

And as if they’d agreed on it beforehand, the two of them left it at that. The rest could wait. Her questions, Gryph’s questions. Neko. Marlin. All of it would wait.

THE STUFFED ANIMALS
that Fawn had set out to welcome Gryph home weeks ago were still in their places on the front steps, though a little more sun bleached and dirty. Fawn, who would not let go of Gryph and was now gripping his hand as they walked home from the station, pointed them out when they turned the last corner.

“They’re for you,” Fawn said. “We’re having a party!”

“Thanks, Fawn.” He bent to hug her and let her climb onto his shoulders while he was crouched. “Where’s the cake?”

“Not out here, silly. Inside!” Fawn laughed. “I helped make it and I decorated it all by myself. It’s chocolate with the gooey stuff inside.”

“My favourite!”

Riley heard the family coming up the walk and managed to arrange himself on all stiff fours and make his way to the door to greet them. He was so excited to see Gryph that he jumped up, putting his front paws on Gryph’s chest.

“You’ve been reconned too, buddy?” Gryph scratched Riley’s ears before the dog’s burst of energy was spent and he started to sag. Gryph helped him down, and then set Fawn back on her feet too.

“Gryph!” Clea emerged from the kitchen where she was waiting with Tariq and Huy to surprise him.

“Clea.” Gryph pulled her into his arms and gave her a long, serious kiss.

“Gross!” Fawn made a face and covered her eyes.

“The guys are in the kitchen.” Clea took his hand. “They’re dying to see you.” She slapped her forehead. “Oh God, that was the wrong thing to say.”

“Clea”—Gryph kissed her again—“don’t worry about it.”

“I’m just so glad you’re here.” Clea took his face in her hands. “I thought you were gone.”

“I’m here.” Gryph pulled away. “But I need a few minutes with the guys. Alone. Okay?”

“Yeah,” Clea said, clearly wounded. “Yeah. Of course.”

No one had explained to Gryph what had happened to Saul and Neko, so the family gave the boys some space to tell Gryph. Of course, Oscar and Eva had no idea what had really happened to Saul and Neko, so they had no idea what Tariq and Huy were telling Gryph.

Everyone waited in the living room, and when nearly an hour had gone by, Fawn couldn’t contain herself any longer. She was done playing with the twins and wanted to get on with the party.

“What about the cake?” she pestered Eva. “We have to have cake.”

“Give them a little more time, honey.”

“They’ve had enough time!” Fawn dashed out of the room and banged on the closed kitchen door. “Open up, it’s Fawn.”

With a pleading glance from her mother, Phee went after Fawn. The kitchen door opened, and Huy let Fawn in with a dramatic sweep of his arm. “Miss Fawn, you may enter.”

Phee followed her little sister into the kitchen. Tariq and Gryph leaned against the counter in the very same pose, arms crossed, eyes not giving away the truths that had recently flown about the room. Huy stood in the middle of the room, a fake smile plastered on his face.

“Time for cake?”

“Cake! Cake!” Fawn ran to the fridge and lifted it out, struggling to hold it steady.

“Guys?” Phee took the cake from her as it angled dangerously toward the floor. “Everything okay?”