Seizure(8)

“I can’t afford Bolton on my own, Tory. Not without the LIRI subsidy.”

The other Virals and I attended Bolton Preparatory Academy, Charleston’s oldest and most prestigious private school. Hoity-toity. Very expensive.

As an incentive to live and work so far from the city, CU picked up most of the tuition for parents working out on Loggerhead.

“Don’t worry.” Kit turned and locked eyes with me. “I saw some listings online that might work. I’ve already contacted a lab in Nova Scotia that needs a marine biologist.”

“Nova Scotia?” I stared, dumbfounded by the turn of events. “Canada? We’re moving to freaking Canada?”

“Nothing’s decided, I just thought—”

“Stop!” My hands flew to my ears. “Just stop.”

Too much.

Too fast.

I stormed past Kit, up the stairs, and into my bedroom.

Slammed the door.

My face hit my pillows seconds before the tears began to flow.





THE PITY PARTY was short.

I flew to my Mac, powered up, and had iFollow running in seconds.

I needed the other Virals. Now.

iFollow connects groups online. When users log in from a smartphone, the app will track the movements of all group members on a city map. The program also has file sharing and social networking functions. It rocks.

We still use it, despite everything. We need a way to locate everyone in a pinch. To watch each other’s backs.

I checked the map, posted a message, then switched to videoconference mode.

And waited.

Shelton popped onto my screen first, head bobbing, making me slightly queasy. A motor hummed in the background.

A check of the GPS confirmed my guess. A red orb indicated that Shelton was just off the coast of Morris Island, inching north. He’d activated face-to-face from his iPhone.

“Did you hear?” Shelton asked, voice panicky.

“Yes. Where are you?”

“On the shuttle.” His pitch climbed the scale. “Everyone at LIRI’s getting fired! My dad just told me.”

“I know. Kit said the same thing.”

My spirits sank through my shoes. I’d held a vague hope that Kit had somehow gotten it wrong. Overreacted. But Shelton confirmed the awful truth.

“What will we do?” Shelton tugged his earlobe, a nervous habit. “We’ll all have to move away.”

Before I could answer, my screen divided into thirds. Hi appeared on the left, framed by his bedroom walls. Huffing and sweaty, he’d clearly run to his computer.

“Oh crap. You guys know, too.” Wheeze. “Can you believe it?”

I shook my head, at a loss. I hadn’t felt this powerless in a long time. Not since Mom died.

“Did you get all the details?” Hi asked.

“What details?” I felt a new surge of worry.

“According to my dad, the problems run deeper than just CU’s operating budget. Apparently the whole state is broke. The legislature is trying to liquidate assets they’ve deemed nonessential.”

“What does that mean?” Shelton asked.

“The state may seize and sell Loggerhead Island. Developers have been salivating over those beaches for decades.”

“No!” I snapped. “They can’t!”

“They can,” Hi said. “My dad called a friend in Columbia who said a deal is in the works right now.”


“Don’t they have to vote on something like that?” Shelton asked. “Loggerhead is technically public property, right?”

Hi shook his head. “CU has title, and the legislature already has authorization to sell university assets. They can move forward with a sale any time they want.”

“Given all the bad publicity, the state kills two birds with one stone.” My fingers curled into fists. “PR bullshit.”

“It gets worse,” Hi said. “Morris Island may also be on the block.”

“No way.” I couldn’t believe it.

“Think about it,” Hi said. “Morris is even hotter real estate than Loggerhead. It’s closer, has a road, and is three times bigger.”

“And since CU also holds title to Morris Island,” Shelton concluded, “it’s fair game too. That’s some slick dealing. Bastards.”

“They’ll build freaking condos over our bunker,” Hi grumbled. “So fat seniors from Hoboken can tan by the pool.”

“Goddamn it.”

Blasphemy, but right then, I didn’t care. My world—the new one I’d struggled so hard to create, to make work—was crumbling.

My computer screen restructured into four quadrants. Ben scowled from the sofa in his father’s rec room.

“You heard?” Shelton asked.

Ben nodded tightly.

“What about Whisper and her pack?” I said. “Or the sea turtles? Around five hundred rhesus monkeys live on Loggerhead. What about them?”

No one said a word.

The real-world answers were terrible.

Hi broke the silence. “Laws protect the turtles somewhat, but Whisper’s family isn’t really supposed to be there. The monkeys are worth big bucks. They could be sold to anyone, even medical research companies.”