Celeste and Danny didn't embrace like I expected. He pulled her hand up the stairs and then pushed her butt to keep going as he bent down to help Josh pull me out.
"Go on, Celeste. Get off the stairs."
"But-"
"Go," he said with more edge. She went. I think we all knew he was too rattled. Once I was upright and we made it to the top of the stairs, he pulled her to him and exhaled loudly, burying his face in her hair.
"Gah…Celeste, that was so close."
"It's ok," she answered, her voice shaking as much as her fingers that were wrapped in his shirt.
"It almost wasn’t. I almost dropped you." He whispered the rest. "I was so close to losing you."
"I know," she croaked and looked up at him. "I was so close to letting go."
"What?" he said harshly. "Why?"
"So I wouldn't drag you down with me."
"That's so-," he said angrily, but stopped. He looked as haunted as I'd ever seen him. He pulled her face up and kissed her roughly holding her jaw in his hand.
Miguel and Josh and I trudged up the hall ahead of them, giving them a minute of privacy. I rubbed my upper arm. It felt tired and sore from holding them in the hole that long. I hope I hadn't pulled anything. But I'd do it again in a heartbeat.
When I reached the end of the hall, there was no door. I looked all over and found a trap door in the ceiling. I used the string and the stairs came down easily. When I got to the top of the small ladder and pushed on the door, it wouldn't budge. I pushed hard with my shoulder and it inched a little and groaned, but no good. I yelled for Miguel and he squeezed in next to me. Together we pushed the thing until it went all the way over. It had some sort of…debris on the door. And all around us. I was confused for two point five seconds before I was as raging mad as a prodded bull.
"What the …" Josh muttered as he came up behind us.
"I'll. Be. Stuffed." Miguel was hopping mad. He barked from behind me, "Bloody hell!"
"What's all the yelling about?" Danny said. "Did you find a…way…" He helped Celeste up and they both stood, looking disgusted and upset. "You mean Celeste almost died and we're right back where we started? It was all for nothing?"
"Looks that way," Miguel said and kicked some blocks with his foot.
"I'm sorry," Josh said and rubbed his head with his hands back and forth. "If I hadn't fallen down that-"
"It's fine, Josh," Celeste said softly and sniffed. "We'll find a way out. Besides, we're still waiting for Kay."
"Here!" Kay called. "I'm back."
We all ran over to the vent where she was. She was filthy.
"What happened to you?" I asked.
"Oh, just some dirt and soot. The vent does lead to outside, but it's way too high to do anything with. But I found an old chimney that leads to the roof. And that leads to a ladder to the ground. Josh, build some steps with the blocks and let's get going. It's getting darker out there." She looked at Celeste. "What's wrong?"
I wasn’t sure how she knew, but she did.
Celeste tried several times to start. "Nothing," she finally said. Kay gave her a look that said 'bull crap', but she went ahead and slid back into the vent anyway.
"So," Josh started, "she found a way out and if we had just waited here, none of that would have happened."
"Yep," Miguel said and took a deep breath. "No sense in throwing a wobbly about it now. Let's just get out of this bloody building before we all cark it."
Danny took Celeste to the vent and hoisted her up, even as Josh was making a step for them. She climbed in and turned to him. He asked Josh to give him a hand up. With Josh's hand as a stirrup he bolted him up and Danny landed easily. He urged Celeste on and I watched them go, then went to help Josh so they rest of us could get up.
Everyone was extremely ready to leave this place.
Come on, Chuck
Chapter 20 - Cain
We had search the other place and found nothing. It was almost dark and though the skies were clear now, they wouldn't be for long. We pulled into the last house of the night to check and then we'd bunker down in. It was a house I could see myself living in; big slanted roofs and a long porch, gorgeously girly in all the right places yet classy. I imagined taking Lillian to a house like this and her loving it. I smiled, but I saw Simon looking at me funny so I stopped that real quick like.
"We'll stay here if it checks out all right," Simon was saying but he hadn't even finished his sentence when I saw headlights behind us in the driveway. Then yellow and green flashing lights. Well, dang.
"Enforcers," I told them.
Simon turned white as a ghost, if that's what ghosts looked like. I bit my lip ring and beat a rhythm on the steering wheel.
"Alright, Billings. Hop out," I said finally.
"Gotcha," he spouted and got out eagerly. "Everybody else, sit tight."
We came together at the back of the van and made our way to the car. The two officers stepped out with an air of authority and arrogance that followed them and I was ready for it. I was ready to fight something.
One of them was short, one was tall, both pudgy and balding where it hurt their looks the most. This was too easy.
"What can we do for you, officers?" I asked and crossed my arms.
"Hey," one of them muttered. "Didn't you used to work as an enforcer?"
"I still do and I'm your superior," Billings barked. "Now Cain here asked you a question, answer him."
"Well, we, uh…" They looked at each other and then back to us. "We have to pull anyone over who enters the tainted territories."
"I'm with him. He's thinking about joining. I'm just showing him the ropes," Billings told him.
"You're not in uniform," one of them said and looked behind us to the van. "And you've got others with you. Are they recruits too?"
"Yep."
The enforcer's hand went to his belt…to the gun. He apparently wasn't buying it. I kicked his arm, making the gun go flying out of his hand into the bushes. He cursed and looked at me stunned just as I put him in a headlock and made him go to sleep. Merrick and I had done this several times on our runs together. It made me wonder how they were doing.
Billings was working on the other enforcer and though he took a little longer, Billings still got the job done. With both enforcers down and all the commotion, everyone got out of the car.
"Problem solved," I said and brushed my hands off. I took one of them by the arm and dragged him into the bushes so no one would see him just in case they passed by. Billings did the same.
Then another one stepped out of the back seat of their car. Only he wasn't an enforcer, he was a Lighter.
Crap.
"Quite a show," it muttered. Then he smiled, and it was pure evil.
"Glad you enjoyed it," I said and felt Simon beside me as he moved to my side.
"Keepers," it muttered some more, "it's been too long."
"Not long enough," Simon said loudly and steadily.
"You know, I haven't seen a single Keeper since I've been back to this planet. It's a real treat to have two at once. Two kills with one shot. And a Muse?" He whistled. "Pretty little Muse too. Just my luck."
There's just one of them. We can take him and get the heck out of here before any more…
When Jeff stopped I looked back up and saw why. Four more Lighters had made an appearance; from where, I didn't know but there they stood.
Five of us and five of them.
"Billings, got your stake?" I asked low.
"Yep, boss."
"Good," I replied and then lifted my hands. I'd only ever done it that once at the Mayor's Manor. I never practiced it with the others, using work as my excuse. When the reality of it was that I hated it. I hated having power. I hated having responsibility for something like that. In my opinion, people shouldn't have this kind of power all to themselves. But it was mine, and nothing was gonna stop me from using it now.
As I felt the power come, just like before as it was summoned t
o my palms in flash of heat and tingles, I let it loose on the enemy. The release was a boom of air and command. They cowered to it against their will as they flung through the air. I felt a deep boned satisfaction at smacking the cocky smiles off their faces, no matter if it was with a power that I didn't enjoy.
I immediately started barking orders to Billings and Simon. We were all armed. We needed to ambush them before they could regroup. We ran, the Keepers blurred and as soon as they stood back up from the ground and started to come at us, we were on them in a flurry.
Marissa slapped one in the face, apparently telling him to lie down, while Jeff staked him. I had to wonder if the lightning would call other Lighters. The next one was wise and ducked back to avoid her hands. Mine grinned at me like he was having fun, so I kicked him in the face with a roundhouse. He looked shocked that I'd moved that quickly as he peeled back around. So I grinned this time.
He came at me and man, they were strong and quick. But not unbeatable. The last time we'd fought Lighters, it was just like this; equal numbers and very little weapons. Lighters didn’t usually use weapons, which was strange. You would think that they'd wise up to technology and gain an upper hand, but I wasn't complaining as I jabbed my palm into his nose. I felt the crunch of his bones and the blood that flowed down his face startled him as he looked at his hands. I used that lapse of awareness and pulled the stake - I preferred to use the headless iron gold clubs myself - and rammed it through his chest.
The following burst of lightning that sprung from his chest was so forceful, it knocked me on my butt, but I still watched it in awe. I looked back to see Billings wasn't faring as well. His Lighter was winning and laughing about it.
I got up and ran forward to stop him just as the Lighter got a hold on Billings arm…and snapped it like a piece of celery on Grandma's veggie platter. While he howled and carried on the Lighter was distracted so I stabbed him in the back, just like the traitor they accused me of being.
I was ready for the lightning this time and pushed against the cold wind. When it stopped, I realized it was over. Billings was knelt on the ground, holding his arm and cursing over and over.
"Let me see it," I told him. He held it out and yelped when it swayed. It hung there like dead weight. "Dude, that's gross."
"Ah," I heard Marissa groan behind me. She covered her mouth and looked at Billings' stumpy limb with disgust. "I'm gonna be sick." Then she tripped and stumbled to the bushes and up-chucked the perfectly good lunch Sherry packed us. Poor gal.
"Are you alright, sweetie?" Jeff asked and rubbed her back. She pushed him off, muttering that she was fine, she didn't want him to see that.
I turned back to Billings. Simon had shrugged out of his over shirt and was helping to wrap Billings' arm with it. Billings winced when Simon tied the arms of his shirt and pulled it tight.
"It's fine. I'll be fine," he told Simon and then looked at me. "Thanks, boss man. I would be broken in a few more places if not for you."
"That's true," I replied and rubbed my lip thoughtfully causing him to scoff and give me a droll look. "Miguel's gonna have to add you to his beginners class when we get back. You're a little rusty there, enforcer."
"Physical fitness wasn't exactly on the daily agenda back at the enforcer's camp, ok?" he said defensively. "Cut me a break will you?" He held up his arm. "I'm an injured man."
"Yeah…" I looked at it and grimaced as blood dripped for the makeshift bandage. "It's not very aesthetically pleasing to look at is it?"
"Bite me," he grumbled. I laughed and helped him up.
"Come on, Chuck," I joked. "Let's get you in the van."
"Hardy har har."
"You two are very hard to keep up with," Simon muttered as he helped me put Billings in the back seat. "I can barely think let alone process what you two are constantly yakking about."
"It's a skill, for sure," I rebutted sarcastically.
Simon sighed and shook his head. He made his way to the other side of the van and we heard him yell, "Let's go. I'm too old for this."
We laughed. I looked at Billings and told him, "Well, Simon says let's get going."
"Where to now, boss?"
"We should probably take you home, Billings. I think that arm takes precedence over looking for homeless rebels."
"I agree," Jeff chimed. Marissa was leaning on his shoulder, looking green and spent. "Plus, Marissa isn't feeling well."
"I don't agree," Billings argued. "I'll be fine. My arm's not going anywhere. It'll be there when we finally get home. Just throw me a couple Ibuprofen and I'll be good as new."
"Oh," Jeff said loudly, "is that what Chuck would do?"
I laughed so hard. Billings too, so hard he snorted.
"Jeff made a funny!" I told him. "I'm proud of you, man."
Marissa agreed saying, "Yeah, that was a good one."
"I have my moments," Jeff spouted and smiled out the window.
"Ok. So compromise," I suggested. "We go home, but hit a few spots on the way. Are we a go?"
"Go," Billings said hastily.
"Go," Jeff said.
"Go, I guess," Simon answered begrudged.
"Go it is. Simon says," I joked and Simon's brow lifted to me in the mirror in utter confusion and loss.
Caught Red Handed
Chapter 21 - Sherry
"What were you thinking?" I asked softly. "Cain is out there and-"
"I didn't kiss him," she said and turned red. "He tried…but I didn’t let him."
I sighed in relief. The last thing Cain needed right now was another woman cheating on him.
"I'm sorry. I know it's none of my business, but Cain is like family to me. I don't want to see him get hurt, again."
"I'm glad he's got you looking out for him, Sherry," she said dryly.
"I said I know it's none of my bus-"
"No, no. It's fine." She chuckled to herself about something. "I really am glad. I never thought that it was possible to just be a friend with a guy before." She shook her head and swallowed. I wondered if she was thinking about Mitchell. "I have no idea what I would have done if Mitchell hadn't come for us and brought us to you. If we were stuck out there all by ourselves… I know I freak when Cain's gone, but this is good. This is right and we have to do this. We have to help the ones who have no one else. Mitchell won't have died in vain."
"Of course he didn't," I told her. "None of them did. We're gonna get them, I don't doubt it." I felt my jaw tighten thinking of Mrs. Trudy. "Merrick, Cain, Miguel, Jeff - they won't let Malachi win."
"So…" She looked at me closely. "What do you think about what Lily did?"
"I have no idea." I rubbed my heart charm in between my fingers. There was an ache deep in me. One of happiness and the possibilities of Lily and one of sadness that a child could have such power. "I don't know what to think, really. I wish Merrick were here. He would know what to do."
"Doubt it," she spouted. "He's probably just as clueless as Max and Ryan." I wondered if people would treat her different now, like they had with Marissa. Scared to touch her… It must have been on my face what I was thinking because Lillian touched my arm and said, "Don't worry. Lily is still the same sweet little girl she was when you put her to bed."
"I know. I just…she was so calm and giddy about it all. It was a little creepy," I admitted.
"Yeah," she agreed and twisted her lips as she wrapped her hair around her ear with her fingers.
"Acceptable sustenance," Daniel said as he came up behind Lillian. "Thank you, Sherry."
"Um…Thanks? I guess?" I muttered.
"Did I say something wrong?"
"No," I laughed. "No, it's just gonna take some getting used to; you being so proper."
"Proper," he mused. "Proper is bad I assume. I will try hard to not be so…" He sighed. "I don't understand what that means. I don't understand what anything means anymore," he growled, his silver eyes flashing a black for a split second before going back. I inched back at seeing it and h
e noticed. "I'm sorry. Please don't be frightened of me. It's just so much to learn, so fast. I feel more like an outsider and someone who doesn't belong more than I ever thought possible," he said sadly.
It was still weird to see a Lighter so emotional.
"I know. And like I said, I'll help you."
"And I appreciate it. I think I'd…like to go to my room now if that is acceptable."
"Sure," I said and looked at Lillian. I was about to ask her take him to one of the empty rooms down the hall, but the way Daniel was watching her and the way she was avoiding his gaze showed me there was going to be some tension, albeit misunderstood and unintentional tension, between the two for a while. So I volunteered. "Come on."
We made it about eight steps when we ran into Ryan and Ellie. Really we didn't run into them, more like casually spying. Ryan had Ellie haphazardly cornered by the record player. She was toying with the buttons of his shirt and he was having trouble deciding what to look at; her face or her fingers working his buttons.
She smiled as she talked to him about something I couldn't hear. He nodded and continued to watch her. Then her eyes started to tear up a bit and she bit her lip. He leaned closer, his hand tentatively coming up, letting his finger sweep under her eye. She looked about as amazed as someone who was completely wrapped up in hero worship could be.
And when she moved in to hug him around his middle, he wrapped his arms around her without anymore hesitation. I thought at first, that he was still misunderstanding. That he thought she was just being 'friendly', which I knew was not so. But as he leaned back a little, he let his hand come to her cheek, his thumb swept over her lips as he felt them for probably the first time.