Page 44 of Blade

Hugo Aguilar: Yes.

Ada Olson: Do you know why they were called Orphans?

Hugo Aguilar: Well, no one else that young came for that long without a parent or a coach from their other rink. So I guess they were alone. Like orphans. And that was how they acted—like they couldn’t trust anyone for anything.

Ada Olson: Is that how they felt that night in the field? And what happened after ...

Hugo Aguilar: I guess so. We tried to help. We tried to do what we thought was best for them.

Ada Olson: And who is “we,” Mr. Aguilar?

Hugo Aguilar: Me and Emile.

Ada Olson: Emile Dresiér?

Hugo Aguilar: Yeah.

Ada Olson: And given everything that followed, leading right up to this moment, do you still believe that you did what was best for them?

Hugo Aguilar: Hey, we were young too.

Ada Olson: You were twenty-one. Mr. Dresiér was twenty-three. And Mr. Dresiér was a coach. He had a lot to lose. Did you ever think about that?

Hugo Aguilar: No. I didn’t.

Ada Olson: You just trusted him? Or maybe you let him take over so you wouldn’t have to take responsibility?

Hugo Aguilar: Like I said—I was young.

Chapter Seventeen

Ana

Before—Eight Months at The Palace

“Help us!” Jolene yelled. She and Hugo carried Kayla out of the woods, one holding each arm. Kayla’s legs were dragging and her head was hanging, eyes closed, swinging from side to side with each step.

Ana felt a rush of panic that paralyzed her body. Until Indy gave her a shove.

“Come on!” she said, her voice trembling.

They jumped out to help Jolene and Hugo get Kayla inside, laying her on the back seat.

“Kayla?” Ana’s voice barely rose above a whisper.

She climbed back in and cradled Kayla’s head in her lap. Indy got in from the other side and slipped her legs beneath Kayla’s like a pillow.

Hugo and Jolene got into the front, with Hugo driving.

“Go!” Jolene screamed before she’d even closed her door.

Hugo stepped on the gas, maneuvering out of the field between the rows of parked cars, bonfires, clusters of kids. Ana and Indy stared at Kayla, taking in the damage. The swollen eye, already black and blue. Bleeding lip. Her shirt torn open, exposing a red bra, shiny like a candied apple.

Jolene turned to face them, her eyes growing wide as the car jerked forward, then stopped.

“What should we do?” Indy cried out. She and Ana looked to Jolene for answers, but Jolene didn’t have any. None of them did. They were helpless. The four Orphans.

Finally, they reached the access road. Hugo turned left, away from the base of the mountain, and stepped on the gas.