Chapter 25

Now Everyone Knows

"Come on, Kendal. Pick up the phone," Aria muttered in frustration, as she tried calling her for the fifth time. "Any luck Walter?"

Walter, holding up his Internet phone, shook his head. "No, there's nothing east downtown. I think that area's still under construction. Are you sure that's where she said she was?"

Aria nodded. This did not make any sense. Was Edmund able to create an illusion so Kendal would think she was in an actual restaurant? What frightened Aria the most was when Kendal said the name of the place it sounded like she started to say Evalius.

Aria took in a deep breath, as she looked directly at her friend. "Walter, can I ask you a huge favor? I need to borrow your car. I'm going to go find them."

Walter just looked at her concerned. "If she's in real trouble, shouldn't we call the police?"

Aria shook her head. "The police won't be able to help, Walter. You will have to trust me on that. I just have to go see what I can do, and I need to hurry."

To Aria's surprise he did not argue but did say, "Okay fine, but I'm going with you."

"Walter, you have no idea where we could be going," Aria protested, not wanting to drag him into this mess.

"I don't care, Aria. You should not have to do this alone."

Aria felt the urge to hug him after those words, especially because since she found out Edmund was after Kendal she had been trying to save her all by herself. She remembered how frustrated she felt when everyone just told her to stay out of it. And now, here stood Walter, willing to help her when she did not even ask. Aria just hoped that they could get there before Edmund takes Kendal to the real Evalius.

They both told Kendal's mother and stepfather they would be right back and got into Walter's car, heading downtown. As they drove, Aria's phone rang.

"It's Vanessa," Aria said aloud before picking up. "Hey, now's really not a good time."

"That doesn't sound good," Vanessa responded in a worried tone. "Are you at Kendal's house?"

"Not anymore. She went out with Edmund right after school and didn't tell me, and now every time I try calling her I can't get a hold of her. Right now, we are going downtown to try and find them."

"We?" Vanessa demanded. "Is Walter with you?"

Aria sighed. "Yes, he insisted on going."

"Aria, Walter doesn't even know what he's getting in to!" Vanessa stammered so loudly Aria had to move the phone a couple inches away from her ear.

"I know, I know, but hopefully we get there before Edmund takes her to… well, you know."

Aria glanced over and caught Walter's puzzled expression, but he kept on driving.

"I should be there," Vanessa stated, firmly. "Is there any way I can get there and meet you?"

"No, Vanessa, I should think you should stay home."

Vanessa ignored this. "Maybe I can catch a bus heading downtown."

"Is she insisting on coming?" Walter asked, worried, and as Aria nodded he said, "Just tell her we'll take care of it. I'd rather she just stay in her house and be safe."

"Was that Walter?" Vanessa demanded, angrily. "For God's sake, we just started dating today and he's already starting the overprotective boyfriend thing!"

"Speaking of overprotective boyfriends, could you not mention any of this to Derek?" Aria pleaded. "He would only panic and may even try to stop me which I cannot deal with right now."

"But Aria…"

"We'll call you when we get back." Before Vanessa could protest, Aria hung up the phone.

Aria felt a slight twinge of guilt as she hung of on her best friend, especially now that Vanessa has finally come around and actually wanted to help. She just could not stand the thought of everyone risking their lives. Looking over to Walter, Aria knew that if they did not make it in time and she would actually need to go to Evalius, she would have to figure out some way to convince him to either to stay in the car and wait for her or go home.

"Is that Mr. Evans?" Walter asked in shock, as he pulled up to the deserted area of east downtown, putting the car in park.

"Yes." Aria stared over to their former English substitute dreadfully as she saw a flash of blonde hair fall out from his right arm. "And he's got Kendal!"

Without another thought, Aria jumped out of the car, rushing over to them, Walter close behind her.

Mr. Evans, who Aria now knew to be Lord Argarion, turned to face them and sneered, "Why good evening, Princess Aria of Galatia. I am afraid you are too late for your friend."

With that, he pulled out a small crystal bottle of this purple liquid, poured it in front of him, and the next thing Aria knew, Lord Argarion had disappeared right before their very eyes along with Kendal. Aria did not need to look at Walter to imagine how jolted his expression must appear after what they just saw.

xXx

Despite what Aria told her, the first thing Vanessa did once her friend hung up on her was call Derek.

The second he picked up, Vanessa did not waste any time. "Derek! It's Vanessa. Apparently Edmund's got Kendal right now and Aria and Walter are going after them."

"What?" Derek burst out in panic. "Why didn't she call me?"

"She didn't want to worry you," Vanessa explained in slight irritancy. "Look, we've got to do something! I need you to…"

"I'm leaving right now!" Derek stated, firmly, as Vanessa heard him hustling franticly down the steps. "Do you know where they are?"

"Aria said something about east downtown," Vanessa recalled, as she paced back and forth in her bedroom. "Wait, Derek. You have to come pick me up."

"There's no time," Derek protested, slamming his car door and starting his engine.

"Please, Derek. I don't drive and even if I did neither of my parents are home so there's no car. Besides, if this Lord of evil guy is really going to try to kill Kendal, Aria is going to need all the help she can get to save her."

"Fine," Derek gave in. "Just make sure you're ready when I get there."

"I'll wait for you out front."

Slipping her tennis shoes on, Vanessa rushed to her bedroom door ready to go downstairs to wait for Derek. However, when she opened her door, there stood someone she was not expecting to see.

"Ian!"

Wearing an utterly bewildered expression, holding Vanessa's navy blue jacket in one hand, Ian stood frozen unsure what to say or do.

"Oh, thanks. I must have left this at your house." Vanessa took the jacket trying to seem casual but it did not seem to fool Ian as he remained in his shocked state.

She then looked at him with dread, asking softly, "Ian, how much of that did you hear?"

xXx

"Walter, listen to me." Aria put her hands on his shoulders, trying to keep as calm as possible. "There's this small deserted building at the end of the main road in downtown Norfolk. I need to drop me off at that place and then go straight home. Okay?"

Walter, still staring right at the spot where Lord Argarion had disappeared, did not seem to hear her.

"Walter!" Aria persisted, desperately, meeting his eyes. "Look, I can't imagine what you are feeling right now, but if there is a chance in saving Kendal we need to go now!"

After a few more stunned moments, Walter finally choked out, "Where is he taking her?"

"To this place called Evalius," Aria answered, urgently, as she grabbed his arm and pulled him towards his car. "And the only way I can get there is through that building I told you about downtown."

Catching on to her panic and urgency, without any more debate, Walter got in the car and drove Aria to the building, containing within it the portal. The very second his car was put in park, Aria leaped out of it, dashing to the side window, she would climb in when Adora did not accompany her. The only thing that prevented Aria from jumping into the fountain was the realization that Walter stood right behind her.

"Walter!" Aria breathed. "I can take it from here. It's best you just go home."

He just stared at her in disbelief, "You actually think I will simply just go back to my house while you go God knows where after Kendal all by yourself?"

"Walter, please! I don't have time to debate with you. You have no idea where I will have to go. Just trust me. It would be better for your own sanity if you just stay here."

Walter found himself almost to the point of shouting. "For my own sanity! Aria, I just watched a man disappear before my very eyes. I don't even know what to make of that!" He paused and added more calmly. "I do know whatever is going on is serious and I want to help. Like I said before, you should not have to do this alone. Besides, Kendal is my friend now, too." He slowly walked up to her and asked, "Now, where exactly are we going?"

Aria sighed as she could see there no way she could win this, not to mention the more time she spent debating, the less she had to rescue Kendal. She had no choice but to let Walter come with her.

Taking his hand, Aria breathed deeply as she said, "Walter, there is so much I need to tell you about where we are going, but since Kendal may not have a lot of time, we are going to have to talk on the way, okay?"

As Walter nodded, Aria, still holding his hand, walked him over to the fountain, and together, they both stepped in.

xXx

"Kendal, can we talk?" Ian asked as he spotted her walking down the hallway to the cafeteria.

Kendal, though slightly hesitant at first, nodded. "Alright."

Grabbing her coat, she followed him outside to the courtyard so they were alone, and Ian pulled out a small box from his pocket. "I got you a birthday present."

Kendal opened the box to find a silver chain bracelet with a seashell charm on it. "Wow, Ian. I don't know what to say."

"I remember you admiring it the last time I took you to the mall. You said it made you think of the ocean. I went back later that evening and got it for you that day and I just wanted to give it to you."

"I love it," Kendal said, softly, as Ian put it on around her wrist. "Ian, I… I should probably go ahead and go to lunch."

As she turned to leave, Ian, suddenly gaining boldness, grabbed her arm, stopping her. "Kendal wait. I have been doing a lot of thinking about us and I think we should get back together."

Kendal looked down and sadly sighed. "Ian, please don't do this. I can't…"

"Kendal," he interrupted, gently taking her hand. "I am truly sorry about what happened with Vanessa at the dance. I promise nothing like that will ever happen again. If we could just start over than maybe…"

Now Kendal became the one who interjected. "Ian, I've already forgiven you about the dance. Believe it or not, I'm not even mad at Vanessa anymore, but I am with Edmund now and we are happy."

"Edmund," Ian repeated the name with a hint of resentment in his tone. "Kendal, listen to me. There's something about that guy. I don't know what it is exactly, but something that tells me that he's bad news. I don't think you should be with him."

Kendal just gave him a half bittersweet smile. "Do you really think he's bad or are you just thinking that because he happens to be the first guy your ex-girlfriend is dating?"

"No, Kendal. I really think…"

"Ian, I know how it feels. You should hear some of the things I thought about Vanessa when you two started dating," Kendal pointed out, sympathetically. "Edmund has been nothing but wonderful to me since we've begun dating." She paused before adding, "I truly do hope someday you will find someone just as good to you. That way, we can both finally move on."

Before Ian had a chance to say anything else, Kendal softly kissed his cheek and then walked back into the building leaving him speechless.

Ian recalled how he felt earlier that day talking with Kendal. Watching her walk away, his heart dropped as something unexplainable told him there might be a good chance he would not have another opportunity to make things right with her. As Ian had his ear pressed against Vanessa's bedroom door, listening to her phone conversation, the fear of something awful happening to his former girlfriend, only grew stronger. When Vanessa found him, Ian knew he had to find out exactly what was going on and it would be from her.

"I heard you Vanessa," Ian argued, as he followed he downstairs. "You said someone was going to try to kill Kendal!"

"I didn't mean literally, Ian," Vanessa protested, trying to sound convincing. "Look, I really appreciate you bringing me back my jacket but I think it would be best now if you just go home."

Before Vanessa could open the front door, Ian grabbed her arm and imploring, "Vanessa, what is going on? Please just tell me the truth. Is Kendal in trouble? Is it Edmund? Did he do something to her?"

"Ian," Vanessa said calmly, not planning to answer. "I think it would be best if you just go home. Everything will be fine."

Ignoring her pleas, Ian demanded, "Where is Kendal? I am not going anywhere until you tell me what is going on!"

Vanessa sighed, giving up. "Ian, do you remember Mr. Evans?"

"That creepy English substitute we had that spent the entire day flirting with Kendal? I could hardly forget about him. What does he have to do with any of this?"

"Well," Vanessa breathed, as she contemplated the best way to explain this. "There's a good chance Kendal is with him now and if she is then its possible she might, um… she might not make it."

Ian barely noticed Derek pulling up in front of Vanessa's house, as he stood frozen, at a loss of words. Sure, he could right away tell Mr. Evans was a creep. Anyone would think that of a middle age man flirting with a teenage girl, but apparently he did not know the half of it. Was this man, actually planning on murdering Kendal?

"Come on, Vanessa, get in the car!" Derek ordered, urgently. "We have to go now if we want to stop Aria in time!"

"Um Derek…" Vanessa pulled Ian to the car in Derek's sight. "We have a problem."

Derek's face fell when he saw his best friend's confused, anguished expression. "Ian, what are you…" Unable to come up with something to say, he turned to Vanessa instead, asking, "What did you tell him?"

"I told him Mr. Evans has Kendal," Vanessa answered, seeing this displeased Derek she defended with, "I had no choice! He heard me talking to you on the phone."

"Is he going to kill her?" Ian demanded. "Shouldn't we call the police?"

"They won't be able to help," Vanessa informed him, dreadfully, then looked at Derek. "The last time I tried dialing Aria's phone, it was out of reach which means she's probably went…" She glanced sideways at Ian, "you know where so that's where we will have to go to help her."

"Wait," Derek protested. "What exactly is the plan? Are we helping Aria or stopping her?"

Vanessa sighed as she answered, "What we should have been doing in the first place, Derek, helping her. If we had done that then maybe we would be by her side right now instead of left behind in worry."

"Fine," Derek agreed, reluctantly. "Both of you get in the car. Let's go save Kendal."

"Where exactly are we going?" Ian asked, concerned, as he got in the car and buckled his seatbelt.

Derek started the engine, and answered, "I can't explain it to you, man. You are just going to have to see this place for yourself."