Chapter 10: When There Is A Will, There Is Hardly A Way
RING! There's a stranger in my bed, there's a pounding in my head. Glitter all over the room, pink flamingos in the pool. I smell like a minibar. DJ's passed out in the yard. Barbie's on the barbeque. Is this a hickie or a bruise? Pictures of last nightended up online. I'm screwed! Oh, well. It's a blacked out blur but I'm pretty sure it ruled. Damn! Last Friday night . . .
"Jade," Mike groused. "Answer your phone. I'm trying to sleep . . ."
With a strangled moan, Jade raised herself on her elbow and squint her eyes in the dim light. She checked her wristwatch. 2:00 a.m.
"Jade, your phone . . ." her cousin grumbled once more, placing a pillow over his head.
"Yeah, yeah. Hold your horses," she said, rubbing her eyes. Her blue manicured fingers brushed the outer covering of her phone. She picked it up and answered amid a tired yawn.
"Hello, Jade speaking," she responded. All she heard was a crackle of static. She raised an eyebrow.
"Hello?" she said again, standing up to get a better signal. Static, and nothing but.
She shrugged and hung up, still wanting to know who tried to call her.
Maybe it was Dad.
Without thinking of the consequences, she trudged over to a bulgy sleeping bag and zipped it open, where a black-haired girl slept soundly.
Jade got her megaphone and bend over the girl, blaring out a loud "WAKE UP!"
Gabby's head jerked up and hit Jade's jaw. Mike stirred but continued to snooze after the silent whimpers of his friends.
"What was that all about?" Gabby hissed, scratching her hair. "Don't you know what time it is?"
Jade nodded, gripping her chin. "Yeah, but can you just take me to Cahill Manor for a bit? I can't get any electronic signal in this place."
"Why should I? It's the middle of the night and we could get captured by the Vespers. If Mike finds out we're gone, he will blow a gasket."
Jade placed her hand on her hip and gave her a confused look. "When did I ever care what my cousin says?"
Gabby was about to reply when Mike snorted his slumber. She gaped at Jade's oh-so-perfect cousin. Jade always knew she had a thing for him, but she never sees reason to date him. Sure, he has a big head and maybe all the great expectations fall on him. But that doesn't mean he's not a sweet and caring guy.
Blargh. I can't believe I just thought of that.
"Earth to Gabby," Jade said, getting Gabby's attention back. "Just take me there for a little while. Pretty please, with a big splash of chocolate syrup on top."
Gabby considered this and nodded. "Alright, but you're showing me some of Mike's childhood photos when we get back." She held out her hand.
Jade smirked as she squeezed Gabby's hand tightly as the shadows around them started to move. "I thought you'll never ask," she purred maliciously.
The shadows swallowed them whole and spat the girls inside the living room of Cahill manor, located in London, England. Jade stumbled a bit but got to her feet firmly on the ground. Gabby's face was always implanted on the floor. Jade helped her up.
"We're here, right? Is the location?" she said sleepily, scanning the area.
"Yup, it's home," Jade said bluntly, looking at the crumbling ruins of what used to be her cousin's beloved home. The only thing standing was the marble floor with the giant black C crest whenever you enter through the main doors. And also, the secret base of Madrigals under the mansion, below the ocean, where the young Cahills were currently sleeping. The rest was all rubble, from the inside and out.
She breathed in the smell of gun powder and ash and stared into the dark distance of what used to be the front porch opening to a pasture with flowers now reduced cinders. All those reunions, the memories she shared inside this mansion and beyond. Destroyed.
"Vespers," Gabby said angrily through her gritted teeth. "Hurry up and call—Umph."
Jade was examining the one of the beautiful pillars that held up the pavilion when she heard the muffled cry. She twirled around and grinned, happy to see another cousin safe and sane.
"Will," she cried, running towards the fallen Janus agents. Once again, Will has bumped into another person. He's always clumsy, in a way, though he's very mature, in certain situations.
"Get off of me," Gabby grunted, pushing the African-American boy off her chest. He was wearing a camouflage outfit, covered with dirt. "Who is this dude?"
Jade smirked at what she's going to say to her. "He's the guy who keeps "hitting" on your man."
Gabby and Will gaped at each other. Jade had to chuckle on her own little joke. See, whenever Will appears he somehow always ends on top of Mike. That's why lots of the cousins mistake those two as gay lovers. Those rumors really annoyed Jade. Their parents try to explain that Will's just a clumsy 16-year-old, but it never got through to the relatives.
Cahills are stubborn. Enough is said.
"So, he's the kid actor I'm related to," Gabby said, standing up and brushing off particles from her pants. She held out her hand to her. "Nice to meet you. My name is Gabri—I mean, Gabby."
Will looked at her and her hand skeptically. Then he took the gesture with a firm grip and flashed his red carpet grin. Jade coughed uncomfortably because he was staring at her with interest.
"And you," Will said with an edge, "why did you hang up on me?"
Jade raised an eyebrow, slightly upset that he's angry at her. And it wasn't her father. "You're the one who called?"
He nodded, glancing back at Gabby. "I wanted to join on your so-called great project when I heard about another person joining your group. I thought you and Mike were a duo?"
"Keyword: were. Mike and I took her under our wings," Jade said, flapping her arms like a graceful swan.
"And I thank you for that," Gabby smiled, still looking at Will uncertainly.
"So, is there any news about my Dad? Anything at all?" Jade asked the actor. He shook his head in reply.
"I haven't heard any news for months. I've been living as a hobo so not much reports got to me," he said sadly, inserting his hands inside his baggy camo pants. "But I did hear that Mary and her siblings are coming here in a few days to find other Cahill refugees, so I came here earlier to find you."
Jade blushed at that. Will noticed this and quickly added, "Mike, too. Of course."
"Right," she waved off, ignoring Gabby's smug grins. "Well, when Mary gets here, she could stay with us. I guess."
"So, am I in?" Will pleaded, approaching Jade with one great step.
"Um," she said, looking over his shoulder to see Gabby shaking her head rapidly. "Sure, why not."
Will gave a big whoop while Gabby did a face palm. Jade, realizing that his presence might ruin their whole operation, wanted to say it was all a big joke.
But the sound of faint gun shots cut off her voice.
"It's them. They found me," Will shouted.
"What? You led the Vespers here?" Gabby exclaimed, staring in the distance.
A red dot suddenly appeared in his forehead. Another dot on Gabby's chest and Jade bet her pack of shurikens that she had one on her back, as well.
"Get down," she yelled, tackling the two dazed Januses to the ground. A whirring sound hummed loudly then huge lasers zapped over their heads.
"Run," Jade breathed, getting herself up after the lasers were over. She hauled them behind a pillar when she heard more gunshots coming from the side.
"Where are they coming from?" Gabby said, trying to look through the dust clouds. They were getting closer, judging from the faint lights coming their way.
"We got to get out of here." Jade took out her knife and nodded at Gabby. "Travel us back to the base."
"What about this guy?" she asked, pointing at the alert Will. "No one is supposed to know about my p—"
Jade bonked Will with a block of cement from at the back. She winced as he slumped back onto the collapsed ceiling, out cold from the hit. She grabbed his arm tightly and reached for Gabby's.
"Now," Jade cried, closing her eyes. A sensation of cold air rushed through her face. The creepy sounds that she heard when passing through the shadows didn't irked her any more. But the feeling of her face peeling off did.
She opened her eyes and was greeted by a vast amount of darkness. They were back inside their room.
Gabby's grip loosened and she fainted to the floor. Jade let go of Will's arm and he landed beside Mike's sleeping bag. She'll have to worry about that awkward position between her cousin and her crush later.
3:00 a.m.
They've been gone for an hour and Mike never noticed. Must be a new record.
Humming happily, she slipped her knife back into her secret compartment located inside the base of her black sneakers and laid back on her resting spot.
And that concludes another secret misadventure of Jade Roberts.
The first thing Amy expected when she woke up was that she forgot to do her homework yesterday. Then, she remembered that she was kidnapped by Ian . . . no, Ian's double called Mike, his hyperactive cousin Jade, and a girl named Gabby to read about more helpful information on the Vespers. That's all she knew about them so far, overlooking that Gabby and Mike share some kind of love interest between them.
She sat up and rubbed her tired eyes. Sunlight peered through the floral curtains. She smelled the fresh air that was coming from the outside. She smiled at the butterfly that greeted her in the window sill.
"Your room is lovely, isn't it?" a British voice said behind her. She twirled around to see Ian sitting on her working area, with breakfast on her study table. His hair was messy. The suit he's wearing was full of wrinkles and his red tie was undone. The only thing neat on his body was the orange sweater vest he was wearing under his coat. He certainly doesn't dress like Ian, so Amy assumed this must be Mike.
"Why are you here?" she said angrily, her fear hiding in her spine. Mike smiled.
"You didn't ask if I was Ian. Good," he said, nodding happily. "The people I visited called me Ian. At least some people could see the difference. The Kabra boy certainly did. Although, he was still half-asleep so he thought I was his consciousness taken into a solid form. Then he said certain things . . ." There was an amused glint in his eye.
"Why do you look like Ian?" Amy asked stupidly, but Mike found this question entertaining.
"I've told lies, Miss Cahill. Everyone does," Mike mused, sitting down on the end of her bed. "But the difference between me and Ian is that I lie for the benefit of others and worry lest on the impact on me."
He patted his hand on hers, his fingers brushing her watch. She pulled back her hand and two pink blots appeared in her cheeks, but he hardly noticed. His eyes were fixed on the watch.
"Well," he said, standing up and heading for the door, "I'm off."
"Wait," Amy called out before he could turn the knob. He looked over his shoulder and asked, "What?"
"You didn't answer my question. Why do you look like Ian? Are you two related?"
Before he went out, Mike gave Amy an answer that got her into a confused state.
"That is up to you, Amy."
How can it be up to me if they're related?
She been asking that question since his back turned on her. Showered, dressed and eating freshly cooked bacon and pancakes, she made a theory about that statement. And that theory made her worry.
There was a knock on her door. And Gabby's head poked inside, scanning the room.
"Hello, I'm sorry to disturb. Are you done eating?" she asked, looming towards Amy. Amy pushed her half-eaten plate away from her. She was in no mood to eat any more.
"I lost my appetite," Amy mumbled, looking down on her shoes. Gabby bent down and peered at Amy's face.
"Is something wrong?" she asked, the tone of her voice filled with concern.
Amy looked at Gabby like she was crazy. "My brother, my relatives and I are somehow kidnapped during breakfast. We're being held captive by three kids and treat us like we're guests. Plus, your friend Mike looks like the jerk that I still don't trust. So yeah, something is seriously wrong."
Silence passed them for a short time only. Gabby burst out laughing and Amy joined in heartily. Amy didn't know why but she felt Gabby had innocent impression, unlike Mike or Jade. Like she was new to all this weirdness and is trying to cope with it, like when Amy and Dan were during the clue hunt.
"Yeah," Gabby chortled. "I'm sorry about that. It's just for the good of the family and all." She looked to her side her smile widened. "May I?" she asked, pointing at the shelf of books.
Before Amy could even shrug a simple yes, she bounded for the shelves.
"Whoa, you have the hard bound copy of The Lightning Thief," she marveled, her hand scanning across the cover. Amy stood up and walked to her side, staring the book then back at her.
"Yeah, I guess," Amy uncertainly said, remembering that the cover was just hard paper before. "Do you read this?"
Gabby nodded. "It's the story where my . . ." She hesitated. "My favorite character, Percy Jackson, finds out he's a demigod."
Amy looked at her doubtfully. She was about to say something important. "Good book."
"The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle, The Narnia books, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Hatchet, Emma, The Hobbit, A Wrinkle in Time, Nancy Drew, Oliver Twist, The Little Princess, The DaVinci Code, Matilda," Gabby muttered, reading the titles of all the books Amy owned. She turned to Amy and gave her a smile. "You have a nice collection of books, Amy. My mom hardly bought me any . . ."
Gabby went silent. Amy remembered that they mentioned her mother is dead yesterday. She lifted a comforting hand on her shoulder. She looked up and gave me a sheepish yet painful smile.
"I don't mean to pry but," Amy paused to see how she'll react to her question, "how old were you when she died?"
Tears swelled up in her dark eyes. She turned away and attempted to wipe the tears away. She kept sniffing.
"I'm sorry," Amy said guiltily.
"No," Gabby answered softly. "It's fine. I'm just turned 13 and my mom . . . she died months ago. Right before my eyes, while she was just reading me a book. Everything was peaceful before . . ." She walked towards the window and peeked out.
"Bang," she said weakly, water running down her cheeks. "Right into her forehead." Amy covered her mouth in shock. That was truly traumatic for a 12-year-old girl and far more different than Amy's situation of losing her parents. They died in a fire and Amy didn't witness them burn, though she always had nightmares on how they did. Gabby, however, was there when her mother was shot on the head.
"I—"
Gabby shot her a sad look. "I don't need your sympathy, Amy. I've already experienced many loss in my life."
That got Amy thinking. If Gabby's mother is dead, what about her father? She was tempted to ask, but Amy saw she already did enough damage on the poor girl.
"I'm not a softy," she chuckled, as if she read Amy's mind. Amy blinked. Using her neck sleeve, Gabby wiped the last of her tears and beamed at the 15-year-old. "If you ever compare me with my other companions, you'll see that I'm actually holding the group up."
"Speaking of your friends," Amy started, taking a seat on her bed and gesturing the girl to follow, "what's up with your friend Mike?"
Gabby laughed more as she took a seat beside her. "You tell me."
"What?" she asked.
Gabby blushed. "Nothing."
She scratched the back of her neck uncomfortably. With that, Amy found even more believable pieces of her absurd theory.
Amy opened her mouth to ask about it, but another thought occurred to her. What if she was wrong? So she went with the next question that popped into her head.
"What do you think about Ian?" Amy clamped her mouth before she continued. Gabby looked at her incredulously.
"Because Mike said you know all about us," Amy piped, before closing her mouth again. Gabby sighed with a grin.
"I warned him," Gabby muttered, shaking her head. "He never listens."
Amy raised an eyebrow at the mysterious person. This conversation was going nowhere.
"I have to go now," Gabby declared, standing up. "And I suggest you come, too. We're about to read Madeleine's story. I think you'll be very interested by the info you're about to find out."
Amy nodded. When they reached the door, Gabby finally answered her question.
"Ian is a nice guy but jerky and annoying whenever he's around you for his own pleasure. You should take a chance on him, though." Gabby opened the door for Amy and Amy's face went scarlet.
"Lies," Amy whispered as she passed the amused black-haired girl. Amy shouldn't have pitied her. She thinks that I trust her completely. Amy may be a Madrigal, but she's still suspicious of everybody. That might be their plan: to make them think that they're all innocent and they want to help the Cahills.
Amy agreed to this theory, just to forget her other one.
They went out into the hall from last night. It was very quiet. Amy felt that no one was inside any of the rooms.
"Where are the others?" she asked.
"They were all woken up by Jade with her loud megaphone. She did it to me too," she said sourly. "You should've seen how your brother jumped when Jade yelled, "WAKE UP!" He went into a ninja pose and fell off of bed. Then, Jade handed him his breakfast. They're all upstairs, waiting for you. No doubt in chaos because of a certain someone." Gabby giggled.
Amy sighed. "Is it Dan?"
"Nope," she smiled, shaking her head. She held out her hand to Amy. "You'll see, come on."
"O-okay," she stammered, accepting the gesture. Amy shivered for her hand was ice cold. She looked up at the dark ceiling in which she fell through previously. "So, are we going to be shot up or . . ."
"Oh, we're not going that way. Not in that sense," she whispered. Without saying, Gabby ran towards the dark end of the hall, dragging Amy straight into it. Amy dug her heels on the pavement, but there was no friction. She realized her shoes had no soles.
"Wait," Amy cried, trying to pull her hand off from the small girl's iron grip. "What are you—"
"GERONIMO!" Gabby screamed in the top of her lungs as the two girls tumble into the darkness.
~10 minutes ago in the Reading Room upstairs~
"Hey, that's mine. It was from my room."
"No, it's mine, Madison!"
"Holts, break it up."
"Filthy little peasant, your cat ruined my new dre—ACHOO!"
"Natalie, did you take your medications?"
"Left it in da wroom."
Mike's eye lid twitched in annoyance. Jade popped another piece of popcorn in her mouth.
"Hey, clone, where's my sister?" Dan yelled. Saladin struggling from his hold as Natalie kept sneezing on her dress because of the cat hair.
Mike rubbed his temples. "She's getting ready with Gabby. You'll have to wait for a while."
Jade crunched her food with her mouth open. "Un Yohan sstilintid his grum xin dis dluks."
"Manners, Jade," Mike said, flicking a food particle that landed on his messed up suit. "Chew, swallow, and repeat."
She swallowed. "Killjoy," she muttered to herself. "And Jonah still inside his room, fixing his looks. There, happy?"
Natalie covered her mouth before she sneezed and paused to look at Jade. "What do you mean Jonah? Isn't Jonah here right now, taking a nap on his couch?" She pointed at the sleeping figure wearing a camo outfit.
"You're right," Ian said, staring at his dirty face. "He does need to fix his looks."
Mike cleared his throat, glaring at Jade. She shrugged innocently. His palm slapped his face gently as he sighed.
"That's not Jonah," Mike said, making everyone silent. "It's another relative of ours. His name is Will."
They all looked at him in awe. Will snorted in his sleep and shifted in his slumber.
"He looks like the Wizard," Dan observed.
"Thanks, Captain Obvious," a voice behind them said. The clue hunters' heads all twisted to see Gabby and Amy in front of another dark portal. The two girls buckled their knees and collapsed on the ground, both tired.
"Amy," cried Dan and Ian simultaneously.
"Gabby," said Mike and Jade in exclamation.
"Whut?" Will yawned through all that commotion.
The four ran to aid their friends. Dan kneeled on Amy's side and carried her head in his arms and Ian crouched in her other side and took hold of her hand. Dan shot a warning look at Ian but he ignored it. Now was time to worry about Amy, not her lover.
"Sis, wake up," said Dan. He touched her forehead. She was ice cold.
"Gabby! Come on, now is not a time to joke," Mike said, holding her shoulders and constantly shaking them. Jade got her megaphone out and nodded at Mike. He took a step back.
"NEW BOOKS GABBY AND CHOCOLATE SUNDAES."
That did the trick to both of the girls. Their eyes snapped open at the first mention of BOOKS.
"What? Where? Oh . . ." Gabby closed her eyes, preparing for the explosion. Jade simply jabbed her index fingers on both of her ears.
"What were you thinking? Do you know if you keep using your powers you might never open your eyes again? Maybe you should wear your father's—"
"Alright, Dad," Gabby said feebly, cutting his sentence off. "I'll follow from now on. And should stop being a nag. You're becoming like your mother, from what I've heard." She glanced at Jade.
"Amy," Dan breathed, hugging his sister tightly. "You're okay. You're okay."
"Of course, I'm okay," she said in a muffled tone. She pushed Dan away and stared at him oddly. He hardly hugs her.
He coughed and rubbed his head. "Er, right. Sorry."
But Ian wasn't convinced. "What did happened when passed through that portal?" he whispered to Amy.
She blushed. "It was cold and dark and we were traveling fast. And I could hear voices," she managed to answer back. She looked up to him and saw in his eyes that he was in deep thought.
"What are you—"
He placed his finger on Amy's lips. "Not now. Too many witnesses."
She just realized that everyone was staring at her, even their hosts. Her face grew even hotter.
"Amy, don't turn into a tomato on me," Dan joked.
Amy stood up with Dan's help, ignoring the eyes gazing on the scene. She walked over to the Madrigal couch and sat down, still blushing red. Saladin jumped onto her lap and she stroked his fur with love. Then, she noticed Will, sitting up on the green couch and rubbing his eyes.
"Hey, Jonah. What are you wearing?" Amy asked across the room as everyone went to their respected seats.
"Huh?" he said, still half-asleep. "I'm not Jonah, man. I'm his . . ." His voice faltered when his scanned the room. His eyes widened.
"O. M. G. What the heck—"
"DOONNNN'TT!" Mike yelled, running towards Will and knocking him off the sofa. They both landed on the floor with a thump.
And that's when the real Jonah came in from the floor boards.
"Yo, what's happening . . ." Jonah was flabbergasted by what he saw in front of him. It was two guys on top of each other. And they looked just like Ian and Jonah.
Amy gaped. Dan took out a camera. Natalie was trying not to laugh. Saladin gave a confused "Mrrp."
"Mike," Jade whispered. Gabby turned to look at her friend nervously. Jade's head was down, her hands were tightly clenched into her fists on her lap, her limbs were closed, and her back was in a horrible slouch. Clearly anyone, even a person with a brain the size of a pea, could see that this super agent is mad.
That is just the biggest understatement Gabby made in her entire living existence.
"TRAITOR," Jade shouted, knocking Mike off of Will. And another battle commenced.
"Will," Gabby said, helping the poor boy up. She whispered in his ear as the two cousins rumbled on the floor, which took about 10 minutes or so.
Will nodded and Gabby smiled. He understood the situation and he knew how to stop the two from fighting.
"Okay, time out guys," he called out, snapping Mike, Jade, Jonah, and Ian from the fight. "Sorry, didn't know what was happening. It just so surprising to see them like—OW!"
Gabby elbowed him. Jade and Mike dispersed back to their seats with bruises. Jonah was not making any sense of this at all.
"Jonah, sit down. We'll explain after we read Madeleine's tale." Mike took out the red book from his coat and threw it at Ian, who caught it effortlessly. Jonah sat down, eyeing his dirty commando doppelganger.
"I believe it's your turn to read, Kabra, since Ned Starling here would take time to read with his constant headaches."
Sinead stood up in defense. "He's getting better."
Mike raised an eyebrow. "Really?"
"Why you—"
"Now is not the time," Jade said, interrupting Ted's sentence. "Kabra, read."
Ian opened the page with a peculiar bookmarker. A black chocker with a silver skull hanging from the middle.
"Mike, it's my . . ." Gabby was in a loss for words.
"Your bookmarker, yes," Mike continued, eyeing the chocker carefully. "There's no harm in using it for the book."
Gabby reluctantly nodded and gestured Ian to read.
"MADELEINE CAHILL; 1526"
A/N: Sorry for not updating so soon. I had exams. Enough said! I hope some of my viewers are still with me.
I don't own anything you've seen or heard in real life.