Chapter 21
We turn to the stairs that will lead us back up into daylight. That's when I see something that freezes all the blood in my veins.
Dad. Standing right on the stairs, almost completely down in the room with us. His eyes burn red beneath his snappy shades, and expression is sour. He does not look happy. In fact, he looks downright angry.
I swallow nervously, and Alexis backs into me.
" Dad! I didn't hear you come in! " I blurt, stepping slightly I front of Alexis. He's going to have to get through me to get to her. And I have no intention of making that easy for him.
Dad's expression hardens. " Maybe you would have, if you hadn't been busy kissing that Ashford! That sniveling supertyrant may have been a blockhead, but I'm not. I know what I saw. And I know what I heard. It ends now."
" Why are you angry with me? " Alexis wonders, " I've never done anything to you! "
Dad glares at her, unmoved.
I tense up. It's coming this time: the fight. Why didn't I pay more attention? Why didn't I just leave after finding Alexis?
I swear, this is like my Friday the 13th. One thing after another.
At least Dad is not a supertyrant--I'll hold him off until Alexis has escaped, then I'll follow.
" I'm sorry Dear, but you have to be eliminated. Nothing personal, but Weskers and Ashfords don't mix. My son can do better than you."
I don't dare take my eyes off my father, searching for the faintest indication of movement.
" I never thought I'd say this," Alexis says, " but I wish my mother was here."
" I wish your mom was here too." I agree. To Dad I say, " Who I spend my time with is my business."
Dad stands dangerously still. Then he stares straight into my eyes. Red-and-yellow on red-and-yellow.
For a fraction of a second, I see something other than anger there. Regret.
It startles me so much that his next move almost catches me unprepared.
" Sorry Alan. You'll thank me for this someday." He charges.
I am a flash of lightning, ramming into him and blocking his path to Alexis. Yep. This is the big banana. This is the fight that counts.
" Alexis run! Get out of here! " I yell, grabbing Dad by the arm.
I really wish it didn't have to be this way. Most fathers would be just try to be happy for their sons. Not my dad.
Dad pushes back, and I struggle to hold my ground. " Sorry Son," he huffs, " but you are really starting to be a pain in the ass."
" Why? Because I don't do everything your way? " I spit, reaching out and slapping the shades off his face.
Dad doesn't like this. He stomps my foot and uses the distraction to fling me into the wall. I recover quickly, the faintest sensation of pain tingling up my spine. But Dad has already anticipated this: he knows I will not go down so easily. He is there in a flash, grabbing my arm and twisting it downward at a painful angle. He wants to break it; to slow me down so I will be out of commission when he does his dirty work.
Not going to happen. I lash out with my right foot and trip his legs out from under him. He falls on his but, pulling me down with him.
" You are taking this way too personally! " He growls, " I'm just looking out for your best interest."
" No, you're just trying to control my life." I retort, dodging a blow aimed for my face.
But I am in an awkward position, and he uses this to his advantage--yanking down hard on my arm. I try to resist, but it's no use; I don't have a good enough purchase on the floor and my feet slide out from underneath me.
I catch sight of Alexis' lithe form fleeing up the stairs before my face smashes the ground. Good, at least she will make it. I think.
Just gotta keep Dad busy…he starts to rise. Can't have that.
Gathering my legs beneath me, I act like I plan to spring up, knowing how he will most likely retaliate. At the last moment, I change my course and leap into him instead of straight up, and the tactic works like a charm. My fist connects with his stomach. He slams backwards into the stone sarcophagus with enough force to crack it. It won't slow him down for more than two seconds, but it will give me a chance to get away.
Turning on a dime, I zip off and practically fly up the stairs. I'm going to have to be quick. My eyes are scanning the terrain the second I hit sunlight.
" Alexis? " I call.
She startles me by suddenly appearing to my side.
" What are you doing? " I ask. Why isn't she running? I know I would be in her predicament.
" I just wanted to make sure you were going to be ok." She says innocently.
" It's not me you have to worry about." I am about to pick her up and run off when something hard rams my back. I lurch forward, a one-way trip straight into the briar patch. The thorns prick my skin like so many pushpins--the scent of my own blood fills my nostrils.
But this is not the time to be resting in the thorns.
Having butted me out of the way, Dad turns to Alexis. But he will not have time to do anything, oh no.
I regain my footing, ignoring the bite of the thorns.
Alexis begins to raise her rifle…I launch out of the brambles and hit the ground running.
Dad streaks forward, prepared to deliver her a fatal blow…I am at a loss to explain how I move so fast--I have never been able to catch up with my father so quickly. My hand darts out and delivers my father a grazing blow, screwing up his course and his aim.
He stops inches short of his own encounter with the briars.
Alexis levels her rifle and aims: for his legs, it looks like. She pulls the trigger, but she was too excited and the bullet goes wide.
Far from amused, Dad spins around and launches himself into the air. I know instantly what he plans to do. And he is fast.
But I see everything as if it were happening in slow motion. Grabbing Alexis by the arm, I dive aside and Dad's fist hits the ground; sending up chunks of dirt and debris in it's wake and leaving a crater more than a foot deep. The blow was intended for Alexis, and had it hit her, it would've smashed her ribs right through her heart.
His diving punch failed, Dad begins to turn back around…I can't keep this insanity up. Even if I were to run at full speed with Alexis, I would never be able to outdistance him.
Where's a supertyrant when you really need one?
I catch Alexis's eye. " Run." I state flatly, pitching my voice as serious as possible, " I'll be alright."
I can tell that she does not want to leave me, but as long as she stays here she is in very real danger. At least I know my dad will not kill me.
Thankfully, she complies. With one last worried glance, she makes a break for the path shaven through the thorns.
I zip into Dad, catching his arms in mine. He shoves. I shove back. It is almost like an arm-wrestling contest to see who will give first.
I dig my feet into the dirt, determined not to lose ground.
" It doesn't have to be this way." Dad announces calmly.
" I know," I mutter darkly, " You can take a hike out of my life."
He laughs cruelly. I am funny, he thinks. " Do you really want that? We're family."
" Must you remind me? "
Without warning, Dad thrashes violently to the side, using his entire body to throw me to the ground. I see his hand dive for his pocket and emerge again with a very sharp-looking injection needle filled with a brownish fluid I am not familiar with.
" Sorry." He stabs for my arm.
Just as quickly, I bring both hands up and catch his arm; the tip of the needle poised inches above my chest.
" What is that stuff? " I ask, though I have a strong feeling that it is something that will not do me good. Dad is an expert with powerful drugs and solutions. After all, he did major in science.
Looking at the liquid now, I regret that my knowledge in such matters is lacking. Which stands to reason--I had no plans in competing in the fields of genetics and bio-engineering. Yay me.
The needle inches closer to my chest, and it takes a good deal of my strength just to keep it from piercing my flesh.
I was right about us being close in power…unfortunately, it seems Dad is maybe just a tad stronger--or maybe it is just because I am laying on my back pushing up while Dad is poised above me and gets to use his weight to his advantage that I perceive it this way.
Yet there is no hatred or evilness in Dad's eyes, only regret. And his expression is kinda sad. He really does believe he is doing what's best for me.
" This? " He answers at last, " Just a little something I whipped up in the labs. It won't hurt you, but it will make you easier to manage."
I don't like the sound of that. I bring my knee up into his gut--hard--and he grunts in discomfort but does not loosen his grip. I am about to repeat the procedure when it suddenly becomes very easy to push the needle away.
What? I barely have time to process before the needle is at my side, piercing my right shoulder. I realize that he jerked it towards himself on purpose then used the ensuing moment to strike.
Worked perfectly.
Muttering a curse, I slap the needle aside before much of the brown solution can enter my system.
The syringe goes flying with the force of being shot out of a gun. I do not look to see where it will land, but I know it will probably be half a mile away.
" What did you do to me? " I hiss, boxing Dad in the jaw.
Dad doesn't answer. Instead, he grabs my wrists and squeezes.
My strength begins to drain.
He pins me down, sitting on my legs and holding my hands to either side of my head.
Briefly, I recall that this is the same position he used to hold me in for 'tickle bug' when I was only three or four years old. Turns out I was very ticklish under the arms. Both Mom and Dad used to enjoy holding me down and giving me a good tickle. Then I'd try to tickle them, and we'd all have a good laugh.
Strange the things you remember from early childhood years down the line. Especially in such trying circumstances.
I feel the drug affecting me--draining my powers, dimming my eyesight, dulling my hearing…slowing my reflexes.
That's when I hear it--the faint whiz of a bullet with a silencer.
" Ow! " Dad cries out, the bullet catching him in the behind. He leaps off me, rubbing his rear and cursing.
I actually find it kinda funny, being shot in the tush!
Then I see the source of the bullet: Alexis! She is standing about halfway down the path with her sniper rifle raised and pointed at my father.
Dad gives her a dirty look, then charges.
Alexis pulls the trigger at the same time.
Dad is quick, but he is not quicker than a bullet. He swears loudly when it catches him in the thigh.
Slowly. Much too slowly, I stagger up.
Whatever it was, the brown fluid did a real number on my sense of balance.
I really hate science; now what am I supposed to do? I am weak and uncoordinated. All in all, I feel like a drunk kitten.
Not that that's going to stop me from trying…
Alexis prepares to fire another round. It does no good--my dad veers and she misses. Despite being shot twice, he still moves incredibly fast. It is only a matter of seconds before he has her.
No! I can't let that happen! I try to run to her aid…two steps and I fall flat on my face. Ugh. I have all the reflexes of a drunkard.
For a split second, time freezes. I can see it all flashing before my eyes as if it were really happening: Dad hitting Alexis, breaking her neck. Or would he do it slowly, torture her in front of me while I am helpless to act? Would he really be that cruel?
I don't know, but his track record does not exactly inspire confidence my confidence. I feel like a stupefied spectator to a Roman-style death-match.
My footing comes slightly easier than last time. I have to stop him. I have to at least try… " Dad! Wait! " I call.
Maybe I can talk him out of it. Maybe I can make him realize that killing Alexis is not looking out for me.
But I do not get my hopes up. When Dad wants to kill someone, they generally get killed.
What can I say? Dad is not a very reasonable man.
Just as I'd expected--and feared--he totally ignores me and zips towards Alexis…and I can do nothing but watch.
I stumble forward…a crawl. That's what I'm going at: a slow-as-molasses crawl.
I'll never make it there in time!
Without warning, a fireball rockets forth and catches Dad square in the stomach, sending him backwards.
Alexia leaps onto the scene in a fiery blaze.
Alfred and Ash round the corner of thorns and place themselves in front of Alexis.
" You stay the hell away from my daughter! " Alfred hisses.
The Ashfords are here! Great! They'll protect Alexis!
Wait a minute, what am I thinking? Alexia's here and I'm happy about that? That's great for Alexis and all, but it's really bad for me.
I could be whipped by Ash. He wouldn't even need a weapon.
Well, since I know that Alexis is safe, I would be smart to turn and flee for my life. I start for the only shelter I know: the crypt. It is embarrassing how slow I move. I could lose a race to a turtle. Unless the Ashfords decide to chase after me in baby steps, I probably will not make it far.
Well, maybe Dad will learn his lesson. If I die, it will be because of him and his ingenious drunk/weak/sloth formula. I hate to even think what my tombstone would say.
Or would the Ashfords even bury me? No. There is no doubt in my mind that they would preserve my body for examination and study my virus in one of their little labs. At the very least, they'd take a sample of my blood. Ashfords are like that. They can't stand it when they don't know something, and T-2 virus is foreign to them.
Behind me, chaos ensues.
Something very cold touches my arm. Odd, there is nothing there. Why does only a tiny spot on my arm feel like it is wearing an ice-pack? Is this another effect of that abominable brown fluid?
" Why won't you Ashfords ever die? " I hear my dad curse from somewhere in the fray. I do not turn back to see how he is faring. He's a lot better off than I'm going to be in a minute.
" Us? Why won't you Weskers ever die? " Ash snarls, acting like the tough guy he thinks he is. He would not be so cocky if Mommy wasn't there.
A sudden blast of cold air chills my face. I don't feel a breeze, but it is like I am walking into a refrigerator.
What is the deal here?
I move slightly to the left, and it is warm again.
Huh? Does the weirdness ever stop around here?
Only a small area is cold, the rest is all the normal temperature. Okay, how is that even possible?
All of a sudden, something rams me from behind with the force of a truck. I fall forward, and the ground opens up in front of me.
" Oh goody." I curse as I fall into the yawning pit.
********************************************************************************
A/N: By the way, I have updated "Legacy of the Ashfords". ^^;;