The Otherworldlies by Jennifer Anne Kogler

Author:Jennifer Anne Kogler
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: HarperCollins US
Published: 2012-01-18T02:40:01.316000+00:00

If you’re reading this, then I haven’t made it.

There is a woman, a lifelong friend, named Mary Lou McAllister. Take Fern to her. I know it’s not customary to leave Otherworldlies with Normals, but I want her out of harm’s way. Mary Lou will raise Fern and love her as her own. I beg of you, respect my wishes.

Yours,

Phoebe

Fern hadn’t even looked up before Alistair began to speak again.

“Your mother,” he said, glancing at Mrs. McAllister, “your birth mother, rather—Phoebe Merriam—lived in a town called Barstow off the interstate on the way to Las Vegas. You were born there,” Alistair continued, as dryly as if he were reading the synopsis to a movie he was thinking about renting. “By bringing you to Mary Lou, we honored her wish.” Sam and Lindsey blanched.

“Is that what the letter says?” Sam demanded.

“Yeah, is that true, Fern?” Lindsey echoed.

Every eye in the room shot toward Fern and Mrs. McAllister. This latest revelation made Fern dizzy. She wanted to go somewhere, to leave all of it behind her.

“I’m . . . I’m . . . ,” Fern started. Her mother’s grip had tightened like a noose around her hand.

“I’m adopted?” Fern said, finally getting the words out.

Mrs. McAllister turned in her chair and faced her daughter. There was pain and confusion in Fern’s face. This was not how she had wanted Fern to find out! There was no plan, no thought. Yet she was powerless to change the facts. This was one battle the Commander didn’t begin to know how to fight.

“I love you, Fern, more than anything,” she said. “We all do.”

Mrs. McAllister’s eyes shot down to her hand that, a moment ago, had been interlocked with Fern’s. She opened it.

It was now empty.

Fern was gone. She looked at Fern’s empty chair. “No!” she shouted.

“Wow,” Lindsey said under her breath.

“Unbelievable,” Chief Quagmire said, curious but calm.

“She’s teleported,” Alistair Kimble said. “We shouldn’t have made such a grave departure from protocol, Kenneth.”

“You and your protocol, Alistair. Sometimes I find it hard to believe you have a beating heart underneath that three-piece suit of yours. Do you think we should have waited until she started disappearing right and left? I’m afraid we’re there, Alistair,” Chief Quagmire said. “She had to find out sooner or later.”

“What have you people done?” Mrs. McAllister demanded. Kenneth Quagmire got up almost immediately and walked behind Mrs. McAllister. Putting his hands on her shoulders, he started to speak.

“You will calm down, Mrs. McAllister. We still have a few things to discuss and we will find Fern.”

“Fern’s adopted?” Sam asked.

“Yes,” Chief Quagmire said, looking at Sam briefly before turning back to Mrs. McAllister. “You must hear me out for one minute. We will find her momentarily. Now, what makes Fern particularly unusual,” Chief Quagmire continued, “is that she is the first Otherworldly on record to be raised by Normals.” Chief Quagmire scanned the table. “Ordinarily, it is our policy to put orphans with Otherworldly families, without exception.”

Sam looked at his mother, whose expressionless face blinked now and then, but otherwise seemed dead.

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