FUTURITY

MORE THAN EVER

Jason groaned, aware of a pain in his skull and the sting from the cuts on his face. He put his hand to his head. He felt a newly scabbed cut on his scalp with his fingers.

He opened his eyes and gasped. He sat in the passenger seat of a moving car. Leon Weston's massive frame sat at the wheel, his blue eyes cutting the road ahead. 

Gray daylight filtered through the windows. They were in the middle of nowhere. Trees and mountains were the only things in sight on either side of the road.

Jason tried to sit up. "What happened?"

"We escaped. I dealt with them. You're safe."

Jason turned. "I'm safe? Hilarious. How did we--" Leon cut him off. 

"Cut the sarcasm. All I want to know is how this all started." J

Jason didn't answer for a moment and shuffled his feet. Leon's jaw twitched. 

"You better start talking, kid."

"My name is Jason."

"I know. Now, tell me what started this FBI fiasco, kid."

Jason looked out the window. Irritation flared in his stomach, and he bit his lip from saying anything else that might hurt his shaky standing with this stranger. He felt in his pocket until he touched the penny. Trust.

"About a week ago, my uncle and aunt left on a business trip. I was alone when I got into an accident," he said. 

"I went to the hospital," Jason said. 

Leon began to nod like something was confirmed. 

"When I woke up, I was questioned by the FBI." Jason paused and looked at the man beside him. "They told me I had a strange body organ growing inside me. They told me they were going to take me to a safe place."

Weston smirked. "And that's when you ran away."

Jason shrugged. "So I have been running for a week now. Somehow I'm supposed to find out the truth."

Shadows of tall pines in the sunlight crossed over the shiny car's surface. A raindrop—the first—splashed on the windshield like a shattered diamond.

Jason leaned a little toward Leon, almost begging. "Mr. Weston, I can't tell you how much I need to stay free to figure this out." He tried to put all his emotion and sincerity into his voice.

Leon glanced at him. "I'm going to take you to a safe place. Where there are people—good people—who will protect you, and don't call me Mr. Weston. The name's Leon."

"Why are you helping me?"

Leon ignored him and grabbed a map from the dashboard. Handing it to Jason, he said, "This is where we're going. Taos, New Mexico."

Jason raised an eyebrow. "Why, Taos?"

"My friends live there."

Jasonsat back, ignored the throbbing in his head, and watched the world go by them. Leonsteered the vehicle onto Interstate 90 and eventually turned on I-25 towardCasper, Wyoming. When they reached the city, they got something to eat and triedto sleep in the car. 

It was still dark when Jason awoke.

Leon sat in the driver's seat fast asleep, his rugged features softened by rest. The silence of the neighborhood was almost stifling. Jason sighed and turned toward the passenger window. He could see porch lights wink on as moths darted past them. A dog barked in the near distance.

Leon stirred. Jason turned toward him, surprised at the sudden movement.

The man whispered in his sleep. One name, "Sarah."

Sarah? Sarah who? Jason wondered. He frowned. Leon's girlfriend? Or maybe she's his sister. Leon's "Sarah" got him thinking about Kiera. Jason leaned back and looked at the car's ceiling. He could remember how she had looked in those few minutes they'd had together. He could remember how she had talked . . .

Kiera sat across from him at the table in an airport restaurant.

She stared at Jason, making him feel uncomfortable.

"I'm just not sure what to say," he found himself saying.

"Jason . . ." Kiera said.

He turned and looked into her blue eyes. "Yeah?"

Jason nodded, his throat constricting. "Me too."

After a moment of silence, Kiera sighed. "I wish Shane could have come with us to say good-bye."

"Me too."

"Is that all you're going to say?"

"Yeah, probably."

They both laughed.

The memory faded, and Jason shook his head. I miss you, Kiera.

More than ever.