Chapter 33
Chapter
Thirty-Three
Serena lay on the couch in her mother’s cramped new apartment, staring up at the shadows dancing across the ceiling. The night felt unbearably still. Her mother, exhausted by the funeral and going through the old house, had gone to bed an hour ago. Now Serena felt both worn down and oddly awake, as if her mind refused to let her rest.
She thought of the large house where she had grown up, and how different this little apartment was. She felt safer here than she ever had in her old home, but her father’s funeral had left her emotions tangled.
A sudden buzz shattered the silence. She jumped, fumbling to grab her phone from the armrest. Alicia’s name flashed on the screen, and Serena’s heart gave a small leap. She settled back onto the couch cushions and answered.
“Hey,” she said. “Is everything okay?”
Alicia’s response carried a subdued excitement. “I’m sorry to call this late, Serena, but I thought you’d want to know. The academy is moving forward with the charity climb. The inspectors finally approved our safety measures.”
Serena sat up straighter. “That’s… good news, I think,” she managed. She chewed on her lower lip, dread coiling in her stomach as she wondered how everything else at the academy was faring. “So the sabotage issues… are they resolved?”
Alicia sighed. “Honestly, no one’s been caught. But we haven’t had any further accidents since Theo left. The police are still investigating, but the academy leadership decided we can’t stay on hold forever.”
Theo’s name triggered a spike of worry and guilt in Serena’s chest. She cleared her throat. “Have you talked to him?”
“No one’s seen him,” Alicia said softly. “He ran off into the woods, and his car is still here. The staff is just… well, people are saying this proves he was behind everything. The police haven’t confirmed it, but they do want to bring him in for questioning.”
Serena’s mind whirled with conflicting emotions. She felt relief that no new incidents had endangered trainees, but the fact that Theo’s disappearance might be interpreted as an admission of guilt made her uneasy.
“I wish…” She did not finish the thought, letting the words trail off. “So, the charity climb is definitely happening?”
“It is,” Alicia confirmed, her tone turning purposeful. “Which is why I need you, Serena. You’re the best paramedic we have. The academy is short-staffed, and you know how critical it is to have a well-coordinated medic team on-site. I was hoping you’d come back.”
Serena hugged a throw-pillow and swallowed, feeling the familiar tug of responsibility. “Alright. Let me think about it,” she said quietly. “I’ll get back to you in the morning.”
“Thank you,” Alicia replied, relief seeping into her tone. “Whatever you decide, I appreciate that you’re even considering it. And, Serena… if you do come back, we’ll figure out how to handle the rest. We miss you around here.”
After saying their goodbyes, Serena ended the call and set the phone on the couch. Outside the small apartment window, city lights glimmered faintly against the dark sky. The idea of returning to Fate Mountain made her heart clench. Still, the academy needed her skills. And Serena had always gone where she was most needed.