Read Seeker (Shadows) for Free Online Page A

nearly shouts from his spot at the steering station, and I tense up waiting to see who he’s talking to.
    Is someone out there?
    We’ve run into quite a few nice sail boaters as we travel, but we tend to keep our distance. Our couple run-ins with The Middle Men, who seem a lot more interested in taking us by force than Landon’s dad let on, has left us cautious.
    “Yeah. I’m not a great sailor,” a guy’s voice explains. He sounds maybe our age, though voices can be deceiving. “Showing off for my girlfriend here, and I’m not exactly sure how to get back. Don’t supposed you’re headed to shore and could give us a lift?”
    There’s something eerily familiar about the voice as I scramble up the stairs to see who it is. Do I know the voice from a vision maybe? Something else?
    “His watch,” Addie whispers.
    It was the only thing I could pull from my visions that were the same on several people—the odd, smooth black watches. The Middle Men. My heart stops.
    I run up on deck, and the blond guy smiles and gives me a wave. We’ve slowed, and they’re not right next to us, but too close for comfort.
    I step closer to the edge and narrow my eyes wondering if they’re the two I saw in a vision from Landon a few days ago. “I know them. Don’t let them get close.”
    “Ah.” The blond guy’s smile gets wider. “Insighter. Look. We’re not going to grab you or anything. We’re hardly prepared.” He gestures to their boat, which is a step up from a raft. “We just want to talk.”
    I’m shaking all over, and without being asked, Addie tightens the lines and Dean adjusts our heading to gain more speed. Every once in a while I wish Landon would have chosen a boat with some serious power. But like he tells me all the time— Not only do I like to sail but we haven’t been caught yet, and I had no idea we were going to be chased when I got the thing . Besides, it’ll come in handy when we get there. I swear, it sometimes feels like nothing bothers him.
    “Landon!” I yell. “Now would be good!” I have no idea if he hears me or not, but it won’t take long for their back-up to arrive. We had a helicopter over us all night one night. Landon was exhausted the next morning after the effort it took to keep us hidden enough for their equipment, and not just their eyes.
    “Just a few minutes,” the girl says. “I’m Kara, and this is Ocean.”
    Only she looks a lot more nervous than he does. They weren’t out here by accident, and I saw in a vision how we were tied up and questioned in some big house when Landon and I first left Maine. I’m not sure if that vision is void yet or not, and I’m not about to take the risk.
    “I’m sure you know who we are, and in about two minutes, you’ll be far enough behind that no one will be talking.” I clench my teeth, and try to push off a lot more bravery than I feel.
    We’re leaving them behind fast, and the girl’s face contorts into frustration as she throws a withering look at the guy who is adjusting their sails while smiling widely. He’s so like Landon it’s unreal. That’s why his voice sounded familiar.
    None of this feels right.
    “The shadows will try to trick you. You need us,” she yells as they fall further behind.
    A gasp behind me makes my heart leap and when I turn around Landon’s sucking in air, eyes rimmed with red.
    “Landon!” I grab him in a tight sideways hug as he coughs next to me. “We need your help.”
    I glance behind me, and Landon’s gaze follows, locking on the guy as his head cocks to the side, maybe seeing what I do—they look so much alike. Not exactly, but a lot. And it’s more than that. The feeling of them is similar.
    “They’re Middle Men?” His voice is scratched like he’s been breathing smoke.
    “Yes.”
    The girl’s mouth is open in shock, and I wonder how dramatic Landon’s entrance was onto the deck of the boat. I’m too glad he’s here to care and can’t take my hands off him. After