The Inner Circle (Return of the Ancients Book 3) Read Online Free PDF Page A

Al and Betty had become my parents more than my own mother, Maya, ever had been.
    In some strange way, I’d grown to love them. And that thought filled me with a strong resolve.
    I wasn’t about to let my new family be turned into Mesmer playthings.
    I watched Al flip through the pages of his Neighborhood Watch notebook and stop on a page titled ‘Citizen’s Arrest’. Wetting the tip of his pencil with his tongue, he began filling out the details.
    I had to take action.
    I’d figure out what the lizard people and the Inner Circle were up to myself. But I had to make sure none of us could be mesmerized again first. I wasn’t sure Jareth’s rune could protect all of us.
    Leaving Al in the kitchen, I headed towards Betty’s computer, and sitting down in her white plastic chair, I typed my question into the search engine.
    How do you protect yourself from mind control?
    I found lots of articles that stated the best way to prevent yourself from being brainwashed was to first recognize that someone was trying to control you. Apparently, you should look out for people who tried to isolate you from friends and who actively tried to scare you about things.
    I knew there was something to be learned there, about not letting myself be scared, so I made a note and kept searching.
    One article was a long one about fluoride that claimed it was designed to make people submissive to governmental control.
    I tapped my fingers on the tabletop, and after deciding that I didn’t feel particularly in danger from my toothpaste, I moved on.
    In the kitchen, I could hear Al talking on the phone. I held my breath to listen and when I heard the name ‘Jack’, I unabashedly got up to eavesdrop.
    Finding a nice vantage point behind Betty’s mountain of Ebay boxes, I peered into the kitchen to see Al pacing excitedly in circles, almost tripping over Tigger each time he looped around.
    Tigger wasn’t threatened. His droopy face rested comfortably on his paws as he watched Al’s every move with worshipful eyes. And each time Al’s foot came within an inch of his nose, he wagged the tip of his tail before heaving a huge sigh as if the effort had completely exhausted him. Maybe it did.
    “Good point, Jack,” Al was saying as he furrowed his brows. “Good point.”
    There was a long stretch of silence as Al paused before the counter and furiously scribbled in his notebook.
    Apparently, Jack had a lot to say.
    “I see.” Al nodded his head. “Noted. Good point. Noted. Roger.”
    I scowled. I wasn’t learning very much.
    “And missing time?” I heard Al ask.
    I caught my breath as Jack’s voice buzzed.
    So, Al was more receptive to the supernatural than he appeared. That was good.
    But then Al’s frown deepened and he was telling Jack goodbye.
    I scrambled back into the shadows as he passed by me and then craned my neck around Betty’s boxes to watch him disappear into the family room where Betty was still resting on the couch.
    It was then that the doorbell rang and Tigger began to bark. Or as much as Tigger barked, anyway. It was more of a dog comment that there was a stranger at the door that served the dual purpose of being a greeting, just in case they had a hot dog. Tigger clearly kept his options open.
    “Is that the UPS man?” Betty called.
    I hesitated, but not for long. If it was a Mesmer, I knew I was the best one in the family to deal with it.
    “I’ll handle it,” I called back.
    Taking a deep breath, I turned the knob and opened the door.
    To my surprise and relief, it really was the UPS man. They were working late shifts for the holiday season. I signed for the boxes and had just lugged the last one inside when I glanced across the street to see Rafael’s tall form slouched against the side of his house, just inside the circle of his front porch light.
    I held still.
    I couldn’t see his face. It was too dark. But then he stood straight, and I could feel his eyes on me. He lifted his chin in acknowledgement.
    I