Read The Secret for Free Online

that opened to thick, green trees and a mountain. The little ballerina-sized leg ticked around a tutu. I paused, thinking that the clock didn’t seem to fit the room. Then I noticed the time.
    3:30!
    I panicked, sitting up. Rob! He would be looking for me. And where, exactly, was I? Going to the window, all I could see was a gravel road that led to this very tree-covered and secluded side of a mountain. I listened, hearing what I thought could be a stream. I needed to get out. I needed to get a message to Rob. Fear elevated my pulse, sending me into action. I thought of what I’d done in the car and the shame of it gave me pause. Sitting on the bed, I felt momentarily paralyzed. Why had I done that? I’d made a vow…and I’d broken it…again.
    Seeing my shoes next to the bed, I slipped them on, wondering if they would try to stop me. I scaled the walls with my eyes, seeing there was no way out except through the front door. Perhaps I would get to see their powers? My heart sped up at the thought.
    Flinging open the door, I heard talking coming through the dark, make-shift hall. My footsteps echoed.
    “Lanie?” Jake met me as I stepped into a large room. I stopped, feeling the urgency and worry in his gaze. I didn’t think he would try to stop me.
    I looked around. Light flowed in through giant windows. A large deck pushed up against sliding doors that backed to the mountain I’d seen earlier, and a stream flowed down a thick, green-covered rock area next to the deck. There was an impressively large kitchen with silver appliances that took up the other side of the room.
    I turned to what could loosely be called a living room. There were two or three sitting areas; one with couches and a flat screen, another with large tables and a pool table at the end. Yet another was facing the mountain, a map the size of one of my bedroom walls tacked up with red dots covering it.
    Rob stared at me, standing next to the map.
    Baffled, I bypassed Jake and started toward my brother. “What are you doing here?”
    Wearing his usual black Boston sweatshirt and ratty-knees jeans, he laughed, looking relaxed and comfortable. “Lanie, it’s okay.”
    “How did you get here?”
    Karen answered, staying next to the map and smiling at my brother, with a look of…admiration? “I called him.”
    She called him? She had his phone number?
    Rob smiled at Karen and handed her iPad back.
    Frowning at him, I stopped, searching his face. He was usually the overprotective, trust no one type. What was going on?
    Laughing, he opened his arms for me to hug him. “I heard you got hit.”
    I stopped in front of him, feeling like something was very wrong. What had they done to my brother? Maybe there was some personality turning power I didn’t know about.
    He laughed again, pulling me into a hug. “It’s okay, Lanie. Everything is fine—better than fine.”
    Pulling back from him, I searched his face. “Talk.”
    Rob looked behind my shoulder, then back to me, uncertainly. “Let’s let them tell you.”
    My heart was still racing and I was on edge, still not trusting this definite change in my brother’s personality. I searched his eyes, looking for any signs of mind control.
    Smiling, he sighed, pushing his glasses back onto his face. “This is good, Lanie. I promise…this is good for us.”
    They’d all gathered around, standing on the edges of our little conversation.
    Jake stepped forward. “Let’s all sit down.” Calmly, he gestured to the couches.
    “Just talk, Jake.” I said, glaring at all of them, and not forgetting that they’d abducted me earlier. Meeting Marsha’s eyes, I found her looking at me with a little defiance and glee.
    Anger flashed inside of me again. I should show them what else Dr. Luth taught me.
    Rob shook my arm, having followed my gaze. “Lanie?”
    I looked into his face…and felt instant shame for my thoughts. What was happening to me?
    Jake cleared his throat, looking uncertain. “Lanie, we have