Looking for Lucy Jo

  ‘I’m going in, I have to,’ Lana said, standing up and preparing to dive in after them.

  ‘No, sis, don’t. Please don’t. It’s a shark, it’ll kill you.’

  ‘If we don’t do this, Sammy is going to die, Emma. She’s going to die. Give us some light.’

  ‘No, I’m the one who can swim better. I’ll do it.’

  Panicking, trying to focus on the light from within, Emma slowed her breathing down, closed her eyes and thought about the warmth. Soon enough, light shone from her core and emanated down her arms and legs. The pool shone brightly, revealing a shark in the centre. But it wasn’t tearing Sammy to bits like they’d imagined. It was gently carrying her through the water. Sammy was whispering something to it, something the girls couldn’t understand. The beast had become tame with her words and her touch.

  Moments later, it pushed her up and out of the water.

  The girls breathed a huge sigh of relief.

  ‘Are you alright?’ Lana asked, as Emma continued to sob, her light slowly fading.

  ‘It’s okay. I’m fine,’ she said as the shark disappeared back under the water. ‘I’m just so relieved I can communicate with animals,’ she whispered as quietly as possible.

  ‘We’ve got to get out of here,’ Lana lowered her voice even further. ‘Emma, give us some light and let’s try and make a run for it. Make it big, sis, and make it bright.’

  Emma nodded, rubbing the tears from her cheeks.

  Again, Emma closed her eyes and concentrated hard, focussing on that inner light and warmth until it shone from the centre of her body, the light getting brighter and brighter until Lana had to shield her own eyes before they adjusted.

  Looking round, Lana saw nothing—not a single Skull, apart from the shark in the pool. Not a single Watcher except for her, Emma and Sammy.

  ‘I don’t understand,’ she muttered. ‘There’s no-one here.’

  ‘They must have gone when the shark jumped in,’ Sammy said.

  ‘Come on, let’s go,’ Lana said, pulling Emma along down the steps and under the pool until they reached the large oval door.

  Pushing it open, they were greeted by total chaos. Skulls were fighting Watchers all along the corridor. Some were injured and lying on the floor and others fought on, bleeding and tired.

  Emma gasped. ‘Diarmuid!’ she yelled, watching him fighting a Skull with particularly long talons and sharp teeth. He had long gashes down each arm.

  Emma rushed forward to help, leaping onto the creature’s back and pounding him with her fists until he staggered backwards. Diarmuid responded with the strongest punch he could muster and the creature fell unconscious to the ground.

  Putting his hands on his knees, Diarmuid leaned forward and took a deep breath.

  ‘Are you okay?’ she asked. ‘Your arms, they’re a mess.’

  ‘Look out, babe. There’s more… they seem to be coming out the woodwork.’

  She turned to see a man changing into a wolf, snapping at her feet, but before she could react, Liam grabbed it by its tail and swung it hard against the wall. The beast yelped and slumped forward.

  Proud of his accomplishment, Liam let his guard down for a second, allowing a second creature to pounce on him. Its fangs protruded from a long ugly brown, hairy face and sharp claws sprung from its hands.

  ‘Liam!’ Emma yelled, as it dragged him a little further down the hallway. But Liam was one of the strongest Watchers in their class, and he managed to punch it in the face, forcing it to release its hold on his leg. Throwing himself at the beast, Liam pounded and pounded its body until it no longer moved. Seconds later though, two more appeared, backing him against the wall.

  Every one of the Watchers was being cornered, including Lana and Emma, as several Skulls more than seven feet tall overpowered them.

  Moments later, Madge walked through the hallway, grinning wildly.

  ‘You really shouldn’t have retaliated like that. It’s really not very nice and you will pay… Oh my, you will pay. But where are all the grown-ups? Leaving their children to fight for them? Not very fair, is it?’

  Everybody kept their mouths shut, knowing that many of the Mentors were still trying to break Sthenelaus in another location and were probably unaware that Praxos had been infiltrated.

  Lana looked around, noticing Aria lying unmoving on the ground, just outside the swimming pool door.

  Madge followed her gaze.

  ‘Stupid girl. She should have stayed by Sthen’s side, and then all of this would never have happened,’ she tutted. ‘Good for me that she didn’t, though.’

  ‘Is she… is she… dead?’ asked Moira

  ‘Who cares?’ replied Madge with a cruel smile.

  ‘What do you want from us?’ Lana yelled.

  ‘I’d quite like Eleanor, actually. Where is she? Has she run away and left you all to die?’

  ‘Never!’ shouted Rupert. ‘Eleanor would never do that.’

  ‘But she’s not here. Very few adults are here, my boy. What does that tell you? That they couldn’t care less about you, that’s what. Perhaps you should come and join the Skulls. I could use the likes of you. I’m quite impressed with your abilities. But of course, you’re not quite as strong as my Skulls.’

  ‘Maybe not yet. But we will be,’ shouted Rupert.

  ‘Of course, but I could help make you stronger. Join me if you wish… or face death. The choice is yours, children.’

  ‘We will never join you, you evil bitch,’ yelled Rupert, who was nursing a huge black eye and swollen lip. ‘We would rather die than join the Skulls.’

  The rest of the gang cheered in agreement.

  ‘Well then, death it is… But not quite yet. I’d rather like Eleanor and her friends to witness your excruciating deaths,’ Madge cackled.

  ‘I think not, Madge,’ came a familiar voice from the darkness.

  ‘Eleanor,’ whispered the Watchers.

  ‘You will not lay another finger on my students and they will most certainly not be joining you.’

  ‘Eleanor Hayden-Jones, it’s about time you showed up. We’ve been waiting rather a long time, and look at the state of your so-called students. They’re a little beaten up. Oh dear.’

  ‘That’s enough of your evil, Madge Sophokles. I presume you’re here for your husband?’

  Madge responded with the most shocking laughter yet. ‘You must be joking. You Watchers really are very dim, aren’t you?’

  Eleanor said nothing.

  ‘Like I’ve already told these children, I couldn’t care less about what happens to Sthen. He’s a deadweight. I’ve been trying to kill him off for years but that damn poison didn’t quite do the job.’

  ‘You’ve been poisoning him?’

  ‘Oh yes,’ she laughed. ‘What do you think causes the cough?’

  Eleanor shook her head, carefully checking out her students at the same time, assessing how bad the situation was.

  ‘How did you find and get into Praxos?’ Eleanor asked.

  ‘Incredibly easily. I placed a tracking device on Aria, over there. Poor dear, thought it was a genuine gift from her ‘husband’, she did. I’ve been tracking her for years. Oh, and then I placed a wire in the pocket of that girl over there. Emma Jane Morgan, I believe. I always thought Praxos was a closely guarded place, but now I know that it is not. This,’ she pointed around her, ‘was far too easy. You really ought to change your security measures around here, Eleanor. Oh, I guess that won’t be possible, considering you’re going to be dead rather soon.’

  ‘I don’t think so, Madge. You might think you have the upper hand here, but you are—quite literally—surrounded, you know? There is nowhere for you to go. You should just surrender now and you won’t be harmed.’

  Madge’s laughter was beginning to irritate the hell out of Lana, and she winced every time she heard it.

  ‘Oh dear, Eleanor. You’re quite wrong. You see, that chap over there,’ she pointed to a very tall thin man with pointy ear
s and unusually long arms. ‘He has rather a unique ability. Found him quite recently, actually. Much to my delight, he wanted to join us, and not you. He can create wormholes with his bare hands, allowing us to simply walk away from this place and you’ll never find us. We are quite clever, us Skulls, you know? No? I think you’re probably well aware of our powers, considering you’ve been killing our kind for hundreds—thousands—of years. But no more. We will rid this world of every last one of you and the Skulls will rule this place,’ she chuckled.

  Suddenly, there was a huge clap of thunder and the walls began to shake.

  Madge looked around with a smile.

  ‘Your games don’t scare me.’

  ‘Well they should, Mother.’

  ‘Archie?’ she asked, looking, for the first time, a little confused.

  He stepped forward out of the darkness, a little out of breath.

  ‘That’s right, Mother. It’s me. And I’m a Watcher now.’

  Madge gasped and took a little step backwards. ‘A Watcher? But that’s impossible. Not my son.’

  ‘No, Mother. It isn’t.’

  ‘But why? You’re my son, my own flesh and blood. Why would you do such a thing?’

  ‘Growing up, I tried and tried to be the son you always wanted, but I’m not evil, Mother. I never will be, and I cannot allow you, Father, or Stan, to continue this ridiculous escapade. You must stop now.’

  Madge’s chuckles made the hairs on the back of Emma’s neck stand on end, it was unnatural. ‘Well, well, well. I guess I only have one son left, now. That’s a shame. I was rather looking forward to a future with Stan, you and Kimberly, oh and the little girl I recently acquired.’

  ‘The little girl you acquired but lost,’ Archie replied. ‘Don’t you realise that she is now safe and sound, back with her family. Where she belongs?’

  ‘Oh Archie. I’m not talking about, what was her name? Lucy something or other. I’m talking about the baby girl we took from the hospital this morning. She’s a newborn, so she won’t ever know the truth. We haven’t got to worry about memory spells, or anything like that,’ she laughed. ‘But I guess it’ll just be me, her and Stan, in our new home—far, far away from here.’

  ‘Mother you are despicable. Where is the baby?’

  Madge just shook her head. ‘I’ve just about had enough of talking. I think it’s time we finished this. Stan, you know what to do.’

  But before Stan could move a muscle, Declan rushed forward with about thirty Watchers, ready to fight. Unfortunately, though, Madge was prepared. A single nod to the tall skinny guy and he lifted his arms, creating a large circular hole in the ground. Most of the Skulls jumped in and were sucked through what looked like swirling water. Madge had managed to grab hold of Lana whilst Stan had his grip firmly on Emma. Both were holding daggers to the girls’ throats and all four of them were hanging precariously over the edge of the wormhole.

  ‘One more step and they both die,’ she sniggered.

  ‘No,’ Eleanor said. ‘Please. Take me instead.’

  Madge glanced at her youngest son and smirked. ‘I told you it would work.’

  She nodded to Eleanor who stepped forward.

  ‘No, Eleanor,’ the girls cried. ‘You can’t!’

  But she continued to walk forward.

  ‘No sudden movements, you lot,’ Madge said to Declan and the other Watchers, who could do nothing but watch helplessly.

  ‘It’s alright, Declan. This is the right thing to do. Just let me go.’

  When Eleanor was close enough, Stan loosened his grip on Emma, but not before slicing her arm with his knife.

  ‘No,’ Eleanor yelled as Stan took hold of her and pushed Emma away. Emma stumbled, shocked at what was happening.

  Now holding Eleanor in his grip, Stan sniggered. Madge laughed and let go of Lana, who fell forward towards her bleeding sister.

  At the same time, Madge turned to look at Declan. Her eyebrows rose before she turned back and plunged the dagger into Eleanor’s chest. And then, a split second later, all three of them had disappeared into the wormhole.

  ‘Nooo!’ Declan yelled as he ran forward, preparing to follow the group into the strange hole in the ground, but the second Madge had jumped in, it had vanished.

  He landed on the ground and punched it as hard as possible, splitting his knuckles and making his fist bleed.

  The only sounds were the quiet sobs of the remaining Watchers and Mentors, who stood helplessly around their students.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

  ‘I just don’t understand how this could have happened,’ Declan said later. ‘We have strict security measures throughout Praxos. How did they get in?’

  ‘The wormhole. It’s the only way,’ Wilbur said, placing his hand on Declan’s back.

  ‘I can’t believe she’s gone,’ Lana whispered as she wept into Barber’s shoulder. He rubbed her back gently.

  ‘I’m sorry I wasn’t here, my angel. I should have been here.’

  ‘You weren’t to know. Praxos is supposed to be safe,’ Lana said.

  Emma opened the door and walked in with a bandage around her arm.

  ‘Hey,’ Lana said, walking up to her and hugging her. ‘How are you doing?’

  ‘Okay,’ she murmured, sitting next to Declan, who put his arm around her and pulled her in close.

  ‘You sure?’ he asked.

  Emma shook her head and broke down in tears again.

  ‘I’ll go and make some more sweet tea,’ Wilbur suggested, and slowly walked out of the room.

  ‘How is everyone else doing?’ Declan whispered to Emma.

  ‘Some okay, some not so okay. Aria’s in a pretty bad way. They’re preparing to fly her over to Praxos hospital, along with a couple of others. What about you, Declan? Are you alright?’

  He hung his head low and nodded.

  ‘I’m sorry we couldn’t save her.’ Emma looked at the ground.

  ‘We don’t know that she’s dead, Emma,’ he replied.

  ‘She stabbed her in the heart. There’s no way she could live through that.’

  ‘Yes, usually – but this is Eleanor we’re talking about. Eleanor Hayden-Jones, who has lived for centuries.’

  ‘Yes, but I bet she’s never been stabbed through the heart with a Skull’s dagger,’ Lana interrupted, as she sat down on the floor in front of the roaring fire. A fire that would normally have warmed her, but she still shivered.

  ‘How will we ever know? How will we find them? They could be anywhere on Earth right now?’ Emma cried.

  ‘We’ll find them. If it’s the last thing I ever do, we will find them,’ Declan answered.

  The girls smiled. They’d always loved his unbending dedication to Praxos, and especially to Eleanor.

  The door was pushed open and a face they hadn’t seen for a while appeared. She was so pale, in shock. ‘Declan. Oh My God, Declan,’ Saleena said, rushing to his side.

  He stood and opened his arms wide. ‘Sal, I’m so glad you’re here.’

  ‘I had to come. The moment I heard what had happened, I got the very next plane. Are you okay?’ she asked, and they hugged for the longest time before she turned to look at the girls.

  ‘Emma, Lana. Oh God, I’m so sorry, I’m so very sorry. Are you alright?’ she asked as Declan stepped back and allowed her to hug them.

  ‘Saleena, it was horrendous, horrendous,’ Lana muttered. ‘She’s dead. She killed her.’

  ‘Now, now. We don’t know that. Let’s not focus on that yet. She might be alive – Eleanor is an amazingly strong woman, you remember that?’

  The girls nodded before letting go and returning to the sofa to sit down.

  Wilbur returned with hot sweet tea for everyone before he stood up and said, ‘Look, this has been a terribly long, horribly tough day for us all. Why don’t we call it a night and try and get some sleep?’

  Declan nodded and stood up, ‘I think you’re right, Wilbur, mate. Come on, folks. Let’s get to bed. If you wa
nt to visit your friends in the infirmary first, that’s fine, but please don’t stay for too long. They need their rest too. And if you hear a lot of noise shortly, don’t worry, it’s just the helicopter arriving to take some of them to Praxos hospital,’ he added sadly.

  Lana and Emma both nodded, giving Declan and Saleena a long hug before they stepped out of the room with Barber and Diarmuid.

  ‘Look, I’ll leave you to say goodnight to your friends. Try and get some sleep, okay?’ said Barber as he kissed his girlfriend gently on the lips.

  ‘Where are you going?’ she asked, as she held on to one of his hands, not letting go for a moment.

  ‘I’m going to walk around the grounds with Wilbur and a few of the others and make sure everything is safely locked up.’

  ‘Okay, be careful,’ she added, as he squeezed her hand before turning to walk away.

  Diarmuid pulled Emma close, wincing as he brushed his injured arm against her body.

  ‘Are you sure you’re okay?’ she whispered.

  He nodded. ‘I’ll be fine. Get some rest, try and sleep.’

  ‘I’ll try. See you in the morning.’

  Diarmuid ran to catch up with Barber. He wasn’t quite ready to call it a night either. Emma watched him and sighed and Lana rested her hand on her sister’s shoulder. ‘Come on, let’s go and see the others, first.’

  The two of them turned and headed down towards the lift, stepping in and then waiting for it to reach the lowest level. Lana shivered as they passed the spot where Eleanor had been stabbed and pushed into the wormhole.

  Emma noticed but said nothing.

  Gingerly opening the door to the infirmary, both girls gasped at the sight of so many injured people. Several nurses walked around each bed, tending to their patients quietly. One of them noticed them and beckoned them over.

  ‘Hello, girls,’ she smiled in an effort to look less upset. ‘Can I help you?’

  ‘We just wanted to see how our friends are doing before we go to bed. Is that alright?’ Emma asked.

  The nurse nodded. ‘You’re Diarmuid’s girlfriend, aren’t you?’

  Emma nodded.

  ‘Sorry,’ the nurse said. ‘We haven’t had the chance to meet before, I usually work up at the hospital. I’m only drafted in when there’s an emergency. I’m Agnes,’ she held out her hand.