Hi, Okay I didn't expect the response I got for the last chapter. Seriously it was amazing, got me working on this straight away. But I did realise that a thing or two wasn't just clear enough. I think I was thinking about what I was writing and not writing about what I was thinking, if that makes sense. Sometimes I find that I'm away with the fairies when I write, writing one thing but my mind on the plot ahead. So apologies for any mistakes. So to clear things up; its set three years after "The Reckoning" and as for Tori and Simon and the whole sibling aspect, I think yes, I'll mention it soon. I wasn't sure at the start and I didn't want to put too much info in the first chapter. There was a review or two that when I read it I had to stick my fingers in my ears and go "LALALA". I'm sorry, I'll invest in flame retardant suit.
*Kelly Armstrong owns "The Darkest Powers" trilogy and all it's characters*
"Chloe," Simon grabbed my arm, spinning me to face him. "What happened?" My breath came out in ragged gasps, I felt as if I'd been punched in stomach.
"We need to get out of here. Now." An icy coldness spread through me and settle in the pit of my stomach, as my eyes were brought back to the van with the blacked out windows. I could see the men across the street signalling, four headed up into the building the fifth was strolling in our direction.
"Tori, is there a service door?" My voice was barley above a whisper. She nodded curtly, glancing quickly at the man as he approached, pulling off her apron she flipped open the counter, ushering us into the cramped storage room and out the service door that acted as the emergency exit as well. It would only be a matter of seconds before he followed.
The service door led out into a small side alley, the putrid, sickly sweet smell of decay and rot filled the air. Somewhere above a radio was blaring, a small stream of bright, mid-day sun shone brightly down casting impenetrable shadows.
Simon pulled us back deeper into the shadows; we had barley got into place when the door opened the man stepped through, a metal barrel of a shot gun grinning wickedly in the bright light. He swore, pulling out the walkie talky strapped to the belt of his jeans.
"They're not here." The crackle of white noise issued from the speech, a muffled voice came over just loud enough for us to hear. "No, there still there. They haven't been seen around front." The man grunted, squinting into the shadows. "I'll check it out and be back up."
He slipped the walkie talky back into place, cautiously pivoting, searching the shadows. He froze, Simon walked out, hands raised in a binding spell. The man's eyes grew wide, his lips twitched in anger.
"How long can you hold it?"
Simon grunted, "Not long."
Tori then with a flick of her wrist sent the man slamming into the brick wall with a crack. I rushed over fingers checking for a pulse, faint but there.
Simon flinched at the sound but made no comment, picking up the gun from where it had dropped he tossed it to me.
"You'll need that." I nodded, examining the gun. "Just point and shot."
"Tori, c-could you go g-get the car? D-don't go out the alley way." My voice shook as I tossed her the keys. "Go back out through the cafe. M-meet us at the s-side door of the building. If we're not there in ten minutes go." She gripped the keys tightly in her hands, her eyes searching my face, before turning quickly on her heel
The walkie talky went off, white noise crackling once more, the muffled voice coming over the speaker again. "Apartment one is empty. All moving in on two."
Realisation hit me like a brick wall, catching my breath. Aunt Lauren.
My feet pounded the pavement, as I burst out on to the street. Arms wrapping around my waist, pulling me back into the shadows. Simon held me tight as I struggled against him, a small whimper of pain bubbling from my lips. It was a few seconds before the blind panic faded and I realised that Simon was talking.
"Chloe, wait." I stopped, limp in his arms. My head spun, a sudden sense of vertigo.
"Chloe, give me a minute. Okay? Can I let go now?" I nodded mutely. He let go and I slumped against the wall, the hand gun held loosely in my hand. He closed his eyes, his lips moving silently in incantation. "There's only one. I don't know if this will work at a distance." He muttered more to himself then me. He lifted his arms again in a binding spell, his brow furrowed in concentration.
"Okay," his teeth gritted "Let's go." We hurried across the street my legs stumbling to keep up. Simon stopped at the van, his hair now hung in blond strands as sweat clung to his forehead, struggling to keep the binding spell in place.
I danced on the spot, all too aware that every moment I spent here took Aunt Lauren one more step into danger. "Go, get Lauren. You see someone shoot. Okay? Run. If you're not back in five..." he didn't finish it, he didn't have to.
I ran, slamming the building door open with a bang. My footsteps resounding through the building, muffled slightly when I'd reached the first floor and old, worn carpet. Blood pounding in my ears, I couldn't think.
I slowed down only as I reached the fourth floor, taking each turn slower. Gun poised at the ready, if I could actually shot somebody if I had to was another question. My breath came in short, shallow bursts, a stitch burnt in my side, begging for attention.
4a, 4b, 4c, I stopped, pressing myself hard against the wall. Lowered, angry voices drifted softly from around the corner.
"Where do you think they've gone?" The soft, sound of something heavy been dragged into the apartment, followed by a grunt.
"I don't know, they're gone. What do I care. I've done my job."
"Mr. won't be happy about this..."
"Chloe," I turned quickly to see Aunt Lauren standing in the shadows on the top of the stairs, gesturing madly for me to hurry. A smile split my face as I felt a wave of relief sweep over me. For a second I completely forgot about what was just ten foot behind me, so relieved that she was okay.
"Aunt Lauren..." my voice barely more then a breath. "Chloe, come on. We have hurry." Her eyes were trained behind me, she was ghost pale, blinking back tears and she met my eyes. A watery smile lighting up her face.
"Come on. Let's get out of here." She started down the stairs, I stumbled down after her.
"Tori has the car down stairs," she nodded mutely, her eyes frantically looking behind us.
We had reached the front door of building, from here I could see the Simon's back. Aunt Lauren stopped poised in the centre of the hall.
"Kit had a plan for this," her voice was so low I had to strain to hear it. "There's a name and an address scribbled on the first aid box. Go there." She took a deep shuddering breath in. "There's some money in the front, not a lot but enough to keep you going."
I didn't understand.
"Chloe?" I turned around to see Simon standing in the door way. "Where's Lauren?"
My brow pulled down in confusion. "She's..."
Silent tears streaked down Aunt Lauren's face. "I'm so sorry Chloe. So sorry. I love you. I'm so sorry." Simon swore behind me.
And then I saw it, peeking out from under her bangs, a bloody crater. The world spun, vertigo crashing down on top of me. All I could do was shake my head, it wasn't possible. No, no. Aunt Lauren stood in the centre of the hall, sobs raking through her, her hand pressed against her mouth, the bloody crater in the centre of her forehead. "Goodbye,"
The world felt like it was crashing down around me, distantly I was aware that Simon was leading me out and a few seconds later a cool stream of air, lifting the damp hair off my cheeks and the soft comfort of a car seat and mostly Derek's smell, of must, soap and peppermint. My hands clawed desperately at the source fabric coming away in my hands. His jumper.
And then the tears came, fast and furious, violent sobs shaking me to my very core until the sweet relief of exhaustion swept over me pulling me under into a world of bloody craters and green eyes.
Thoughts on who the contact is? A Cortez maybe? And other aspects?