Chasing the Falconers

Meg criticizes Aiden for just now having remembered the photo of Uncle Frank, information that might have been useful during the trial. Aiden says that it may not have made the difference then, but it could be a clue, nonetheless. They turn east, toward Vermont.

Meanwhile, FBI Agent Emmanuel Harris reads a report about a fire at a juvenile detention facility in Nebraska. It seems unlikely, given all the similar facilities in the country, that “they”—the Falconer siblings—would be at that one, but he nevertheless calls the Department of Juvenile Corrections to check. When the deputy director asks why Harris wants to know, he reveals that he was the agent responsible for locking up their parents.

Aiden and Meg study a map in the mini-mart at a gas station in a small town, figuring out their next moves. While they are inside, they hear a radio report about the fire at Sunnydale that mentions that 11 children are unaccounted for. The mechanic suspiciously asks what Aiden and Meg are doing there. Meg thinks quickly and comes up with a story about getting lost while visiting their aunt, which buys them enough time to escape, even though they have to go back in the direction they came from.