Chapter Four
"LUKE!" Katie screamed. She ran to where he had been standing just moments ago, a frantic look in her eyes. She dropped to her knees, feeling around on floor, "No, no, no," She murmured, tears welling in her pupils. Then she turned to River, eyes murderous, "Bring him back," She yelled, "BRING HIM BACK!"
"I… I can't," River whispered, "He's gone. I don't know where the shell took him."
Katie charged at River, screaming through the tears. "Liar! You're a liar and this is all you're fault! You killed him," River easily side stepped Katie and pushed her to the ground in one swift motion. Katie threw her head back, the last wet drops coming out from under her eyelids, her voice a low whisper. "You killed Luke."
"Luke's still alive," I said sternly, glaring at River, "Right?"
River opened her mouth, closed it and then opened it again. "I… I don't know. It's quite possible. The Shell's have been hunting me for a week or so know. I didn't think they would follow me here. But I… I how now the Shells how they work. And well, it's very likely that… that they are keeping him alive as bait."
"As bait?" Katie squealed, "AS bait! AS BAIT," She moaned it over and over again, like a chant, "As bait, as bait, as bait," then she seemed to perk up, "As bait. as bait where?"
River looked up, biting her lip, "I'm not sure."
Katie gave her a tortured look, "Of course. Just my luck. I find a magical person who fights goblins and other evil things and then they don't even know where the evil people are!"
"I am not magical. And I don't fight goblins!" River said, a ring of anger in her voice, "Well except for that one time in the Bahamas. Oh, but the Bahamas were interesting. And… I have an idea of where they might me."
Katie looked up at River, suddenly hopeful, "Where she asked.
I cut in before she could answer, "Hold on." I said my head whipping between the two of them, "Kate, we can't just go off with some random stranger." I glare at River, "Especially someone who deals with stuff that… couldn't exist."
"Anthony, they have Luke!" Katie said, looking at me with a mix of astonishment and disgust, "We have to." She glanced toward River, "No matter who we have to travel with."
I bit my lip, looking between the two of them, "You said you were friends with my parents?"
River nodded.
"And did they know about all this stuff?" I ask, not really wanting to know the answer.
"Yes, you're parents and I, um, traveled together. We fought stuff like… like the Shells. They were, ah, quite good at what they did."
"And I'm guessing they decided to leave the business in 1938? When they came to Manhattan?" River nodded again. "Alright." I said.
"Alright?" Katie asked, looking a little shocked.
"Alright!" I said, cracking a little smile.
"Alright," She whispered, smiling and covering her mouth.
"Alright!" I turn to River, "Where are the shells?"
She gives us a mischievous look and raises one eyebrow, "Good old New York City."
