Fractured by N.O Darling

Chapter 0265

Theo's POV

The kid's faces light up when they see us. They're all sitt around the dining table whilst Luke’s parents serve

them a feast for breakfast. The twins jump from their seats and run at Josle like they've not seen her for years.

Josle wraps them both in her arms and the tension In her face melts away. This is exactly what she needed after

the conversation we had just had with her Aunt.

Sammy leaves the table next, joining the small huddle happening. It's so odd to watch him. As a baby, he was

more like me, but as he grew up he becsuch a good mix ofand Josie. The twins rush to Luke next and

Sammy comes to me. | enjoy every second of his affection. | know we don’t have much longer before he decides

he’s too grown up for cuddles like Harper, Atlas and Joel..

Josie goes around the table, kissing the two older boys on the head.

“Did you find her?” Atlas asks, a hint of hope in his tone.

“Not yet, but we are getting close,” Josie smiles, but it’s clear her smile holds a sadness.

“We thought we'd just call in to say good morning,” Luke says, going over to greet his parents.

“When are you all coming home?” Sammy asks.

“Soon, | hope. What have you been up to?” | ask, changing the subject and keeping them distracted whilst Luke

and Josie update Luke’s parents.

Sammy and the twins talk excitedly, tellingabout baking with grandma and swimming with their grandads.

Apparently, they are visiting with their uncle today, which Atlas and Joel seem less than thrilled about.

After an hour, we say goodbye, porting straight to our next location on the map, which is a deserted fishing

village in China. We immediately rule the place out as it seems a popular tourist attraction and not a place where

a large group of Greys would find any privacy.

The next place is an abandoned power plant in Japan. It’s very obvious from the undisturbed plant life inside that

no one has been here for a long time.

“Okay, let's check one more before we go back for a break. need to eat lunch and rest a little, otherwise I'll be

too tired to keep porting,” Luke says as he studies the map.

“Do you guys think any of what Emma said was true?” Josie finally asks.

Despite her silence, | know she has not stopped thinking about it since we left Emma’s place. We hadn't

questioned her or even mentioned it, leaving her to think through it all on her own terms. | knew she would talk

when she was ready.

“It could be. Your mum was not exactly a reliable source back then. She could have confused the whole thing,

especially if he tried to compel her and it failed. Emma certainly gave enough of a plausible version of the story

question it. That doesn’t mean you have to though. If you want to forget the whole thing, then we will support

you, just as we will support you if you want to go and see him,” Luke says.

to

“I agree, and you shouldn't make this kind of decision now. What you do need to decide though, is if you want to

see if he can help find Harper. If you don’t want to see him, then maybe we could go speak to him without you,” |

suggest.

Josie nods and lets out a sigh of frustration, “I'll think about it. | want to discuss it with the others first. Mason

1/2

hes acnially met him before. He might have a better look if he thinks it’s worth a viatt

Seems like the best idea, just remember you are not alone in this, we are liere for you no matter what “Luite

snifles at her. “Shall we move to the next site? I'm Interest in this UFO village in Talwan. It hasn't been searched

yet but there is something about it that keeps draingback to it on the map.”

“Yes, let's go.” Jeste nods.

Luke ports us to the strangest place | have ever been to In my life.

“What the hell is this?” | ask as | look out at what | can only describe as a movie set.

Large disc-shaped pods sit amongst greenery. It looks like spaceship landing yard. With clusters of what must

have been brightly coloured pods scattered everywhere. Still spots of yellow, pink and blue still remain, but the

majority have turned grey or green with algae.

“Oh, I've heard about this place. It was supposed to be sfuturistic resort, but they riever even opened it

before they abandoned it, | watched it on ssltow about the world’s most haunted places,” Josie says as we

make our way towards the nearest pod.

“Haunted? As in ghosts?” | ask.

“Yep: Not sacred are you?” Luke smirks.

Of course not!” | lie.

| swear that if there's even a hint of a ghost I'll be using my super speed to get the hell out of here. The living |

can deal with, the dead are not. Unless it was Josie as a ghost, she’d make a hot ghost. Mace too, he'd pull off

that dead look so well and we’d have hot ghost sex. Can ghosts even have sex?

“Theo!” Josie shouts.

“Huh?”

“I said step back, you are standing on footprints,” she says, and | look down at my feet.

| take a step back and see the distinct,paw prints preserved perfectly in the dried mud.

“Let's take a look inside,” Luke says, and we follow him up the rickety stairs into a yellow pod.

“Woah, we need one of these in the garden. The kids would love this,” | say as | look around in awe.

The inside seems in much better condition than the outside Someone has most definitely been taking care of it

in here. The curved sofa that hugs the round wall has clean cushions on it and the kitchen in the centre of the

pod has clean cups on the side. The bedroom is just as clean and well-cared for. Someone has been living here,

and very recently.

When Luke reads the expiration date on sof the food in the kitchen cupboards, he pulls out his phone and

calls Raff.