Cards of Fate
By Springborn
Chapter Two
(Motel)
Kara woke up to the sound of her phone ringing. Groaning in annoyance, she reached her hand out to the nightstand, forgetting where she was for a moment till the events of yesterday came flooding back, erasing the cobwebs from her tired brain as she sat up. Checking to see that Sora and Luxord seemed to still be asleep, she grabbed her phone, not bothering to check to see the caller, and answered. "Hello?" she asked groggily, tiptoeing to the bathroom and shut the door behind her.
/Kara Bowlan, where the hell are you? Your father and I have been calling your home phone all night!/ Nova screeched.
'Lovely' Kara thought, rolling her eyes and sighed. "What do you want Nova?" she asked tiredly, not in the mood to deal with her shenanigans first thing in the morning, and dropped all pleasantries.
/Watch your tongue young lady. Is that any way to treat your mother?/ Nova snapped. /Anyway, we need to babysit Levi this morning. Your father and I are going to an event at two and we just have to be there./ Her tone turning snotty.
No please or thank you, just a demand as usual. Kara ran a hand over her face, wondering again what possessed her father to marry this woman. Love couldn't be this blind, could it? "First of all, you are not my mother and you never will be," she said stiffly, gripping her cellphone. "And no, I won't be babysitting. I'm not even home."
/What do you mean you're not home?/ Nova asked, her voice trying to be sweet. /Did you go somewhere?/
"Yes," Kara said calmly, not buying the sweet act. It was something that Nova had tried to pull on her in the past. Sometimes it worked and sometimes it didn't. It wasn't Levi's fault that his mother is such a bitch. "I'm on a trip with some friends and I won't be home till late."
It was true. She didn't know how long this mission would last. Even if it had been a fake, she needed to make sure that Ethan didn't get hurt or worse.
/You little bitch! You did this on purpose, didn't you?/ Nova snapped, dropping the nice act. / After all, I did for you during these years-/ Kara hung up on her during mid-rant, not wanting to deal with her crap so early.
"Too early in the morning to be dealing with her" Kara sighed heavily, shaking her head, and turned the water on in the sink. Splashing her face with cool water and patting it dry, she looked at herself in the mirror. While she didn't look overly drained, Kara saw her green eyes lacked their usual sparkle. Was it due to the worry for Ethan and possibly the lead being a fake? Was she also worried about Sora and Luxord? Sora seemed like a sweet kid, if not a little airheaded and Luxord… He's someone that fits the stereotypical romance novel character with his good looks and personality. Despite that, there was something about him that made her gut twinge in confusion, like she should be on her guard around him and still want him close for different reasons that only added to her confusion.
"I just hope it didn't wake the boys." She opened the door and stepped out.
"Everything alright?" Luxord asked from his spot on the ground, sitting up. He chuckled seeing Kara let out a small squeak. He found it cute.
Kara sighed and glanced at the sleeping form on the couch. Sora was out like a light. "Yeah, everything is okay," she said after a minute.
Luxord looked at her closely, noticing the look of unease in her eyes. He nodded slowly, not pushing for information. "Very well," he said standing up and stretched. "I do hope you slept well?"
"Yes, I did, thank you," Kara said, running her fingers through her bed hair. "What about you? Did you manage to sleep okay on the floor?"
"Yes. I slept on the floor a few times during my travels" Luxord replied, remembering all the times he slept in the open and rough surfaces. He had to sleep in a cave once and spent a week getting sand out of his cloak. "I'm sure it won't be the last." He smiled at her. "Thank you for your concern."
Kara smiled in return and laughed when Sora let out a snore. "I suppose I should wake him up."
"Hm," Luxord hummed in agreement, neither of them aware just how hard it would be to wake up the teen.
Kara moved over to Sora and shook his shoulder gently. "Sora, time to get up," she said. Sora grumbled and remained asleep, curled up on his side. Kara sighed and shook his shoulder a little harder. "Sora, wake up. We have to hit the road."
"Nnng… go away mom… five more minutes…" Sora grumbled, pushing her hand away.
Luxord chuckled. "He's proving to be a typical teenager and not wanting to get up," he said, remembering the times where he had trouble waking up Yozora during training.
"Have you dealt with teens before?" Kara asked him, not sure how to proceed. Though part of her was tempted to get a bucket of ice-cold water and dumping it on Sora was appealing.
"One" Luxord admitted, deciding to give a little in return after learning about her horrid stepmother. "He was high energy like Sora but turned out to be a good lad in the end."
Kara nodded, wondering what he did exactly before joining Organization XIII. "Were you a teacher before this?" she asked, curious in learning more.
"You could say that" Luxord evaded, not wanting to deal out too much information yet.
Taking the hint, Kara turned her attention back to the sleeping teen, shaking his shoulder again. "Sora, you have the count to three before I dump cold water on you, now wake up!"
Sora groaned as his face scrunched up. "…What…?" he asked groggily, not opening his eyes.
Luxord smirked. The way the two acted one could have mistaken them as brother and sister. It was amusing. 'You're a mystery, Kara' he thought.
"Oi, lazy bones, wake up!" Kara said with a little more force as she shook Sora. "Don't make me carry you to jeep like a baby."
Sora grumbled again, not getting up. Kara gave an exasperated sigh, shaking her head. She stood up and headed to the small kitchen. Opening the cupboard and grabbing a bucket, she filled it with some cold water and ice. Luxord watched with an amused smirk on his face, having an idea of what was going through Kara's head right now. This would be amusing and felt a small tinge of concern for Kara. He wasn't sure if Sora would react by summoning his keyblade.
"A word of caution dear," Luxord said, watching. "I don't know how he'll react when you dump the ice water on him."
Kara looked at him. "What's the worse he can do?" she asked grinning. "He knows we're on a deadline. Could you put him into the tub? I'd rather not have to mop up water from the couch." Luxord gave an amused smile, liking her antics.
"As you wish" Luxord replied and easily scooped up Sora and carried him to the bathroom, setting him into the tub. He stepped back, letting Kara enter the room.
Kara dumped the water over Sora, waking up the teen instantly. Sora cried out as he was drenched, his eyes popping open instantly. "Ah!" he sputtered and wiped his face. "I'm awake!" He shook his head, looking around before spotting Kara with a wide grin on her face. "Kara!"
Luxord burst out laughing.
"Look who's finally awake," Kara said grinning, trying hard not to laugh but failing.
"What gives!?" Sora demanded, wringing his clothes out, giving a glare with no heat to it. "Why did you dump water on me? It's not funny Luxord!"
"Fate dealt you a bad hand, Sora," Luxord said grinning, covering his mouth with his hand. "Alas, Kara has tried multiple times to wake you."
"Sorry Sora" Kara laughed, forgetting about her call with her mother. "But you wouldn't wake up!"
Sora grumbled, pouting. "I am so getting back at you for this." Ideas were already forming in his brain, trying to figure out how to get back at her. Those plans were halted when his stomach let out a large growl. He groaned, holding his stomach.
Kara smiled. "We'll get breakfast on the way. It'll be another few hours till we reach Louisiana."
"Do you think Ethan is already on the road?" Sora asked, stepping out of the tub and grabbed one of the clean towels on the rack.
"He has to be," Kara said, thinking. "He lives closer to Louisiana than I do."
"Let us get ready and depart," Luxord said.
Sora and Kara nodded.
Ten minutes later the trio is back on the road after cleaning up and returning the key. Sora was finally dry and chilling in the back, watching the scenery as Luxord sat in the front with Kara once again. Music played from the radio, a band that Kara seemed to enjoy.
Luxord sat in his seat, thinking. He had been up for an hour, going over the events from the day before and what he had learned so far, only for his concentration to break when Kara's phone started to ring. He pretended to sleep, not wanting a confrontation first thing in the morning. While he couldn't make out the words he could hear yelling. Had it been a family emergency? He glanced at the woman next to him.
Kara looked straight as she drove, singing softly to the song. She had seemed caught off guard by his question, obviously not expecting anyone to be up at that hour. She looked irritated by the call. Luxord decided not to ask, not wanting to put her on the spot.
"Are you feeling better?" Luxord asked.
"Hm? What do you mean?" Kara asked confused, glancing at him.
"I heard the phone ring this morning and you looked displeased" Luxord elaborated, looking at her. Kara gripped the steering wheel, feeling Sora's eyes on the back of her head.
"You got a phone call this morning? Was it Ethan?" Sora asked curiously. He had tuned out most of the conversation till now.
Kara sighed. "No, it wasn't Ethan, though I should call him to let him know we are on the way." She had hoped no one had been awake to hear that call. She didn't want to explain her family problems just yet.
Sora looked concerned. "If not Ethan, then who was it?" he asked. He saw Kara hesitate on the answer.
"You don't need to tell us" Luxord assured her.
Kara sighed. "It was Nova, my stepmother. She wanted me to babysit my brother. I said 'no'. She got mad and I hung up." It was short but gave enough information to satisfy their curiosity.
"Oh," Sora said, remembering that this was a touchy subject for her.
"Our apologies," Luxord said, tilting his head. "She sounds like a hard woman to deal with."
"She is" Kara agreed. "She doesn't like the word 'no'. She's steamrolled me a few times. I only put up with it due to Levi, mostly." She sighed. "I'm sorry but can we talk about something else?"
Sora looked at Kara sadly. "Of course," he said gently.
"Whatever you feel comfortable with" Luxord soothed.
"Thank you" Kara replied, feeling a bit relieved and loosened her grip on the steering wheel. "Since we're asking questions, I have one for you Sora."
Sora looked eager, willing to answer any question she has in reason and hoping to cheer her up. "Ask away!" he grinned.
"Tell me about where you live and what you did before coming here?" Kara asked. She has a reason for asking, mostly to learn more about her new friends and figure out why Luxord and his group are so interested in a teenager.
Luxord narrowed his eyes slightly, wondering what Sora would say as he was being put on the spot. 'I see. Either she is trying to find inconsistencies or learning more about our connection' he thought. 'Well played Kara. It's your turn, Sora. How will you respond?'
Sora froze slightly, something that Kara and Luxord noticed. "Where I live? I grew up on a cluster of islands called Destiny Islands. It's not from this area, out in the ocean" he said slowly, knowing he had to be careful with what he shared. He could feel their eyes on him now. He rubbed the back of his head, shifting in his seat.
'Calm down Sora and think!' he thought. 'Master Yen Sid said to be careful with what I share. Kara seems nice but I still don't know a whole lot about her yet. Plus I need to take into account that Luxord is here. I need to protect Kara.'
"Destiny Islands huh? It sounds beautiful" Kara said interested, turning onto the highway and passing cars. They still had to find breakfast, their growling stomachs drowning out the music.
"It is" Sora continued, hoping Kara would believe it. "I lived there with some good friends of mine, Riku and Kairi."
Kara tilted her head. "How come you aren't with them?"
Luxord looked at Sora, waiting patiently. He was impressed with how he was handling the questions so far.
"Oh," Sora said and gave a grin. "I'm exploring the world and enjoying the sights. Plus I'm in training."
Kara raised a brow. "Training?" she asked slowly. "Training for?" She eyed Sora from the rearview mirror.
Sora swallowed nervously, his cheesy smiling cracking slightly. "I'm training to be a warrior," he said. "It's normal for where I'm from. Riku and Kairi are in the same training program." He was starting to sweat.
"I see," Kara said, eyeing Sora and Luxord as she processed the information. It was believable, right? She knew some parts of the world still trained their teenagers in the art of war as was their custom. It was weird that his female friend was being trained as well unless that part of the world he was from treated both sexes equally. It still didn't answer the question of why Luxord's group wanted Sora. Her gut was telling her that while she believed Sora, there is more to the story that he wasn't sharing.
'Will Kara believe it?' Sora asked, silently pleading to the higher forces.
Luxord looked at Kara from the corner of his eye, staying silent.
"Sounds like you have an interesting home life, Sora," Kara said, deciding to believe it for now. Sora sighed relief, his shoulders slumping.
Sora smiled. "I do. Despite some ups and downs, I wouldn't give it up."
'Nicely done Sora' Luxord thought, feeling a little proud of how he handled the situation.
"Good," Kara said grinning, stopping at the red light. "We'll be near a drive-through for food soon."
"Good! I'm so hungry!" Sora sighed, rubbing his stomach.
Luxord looked out the window. "I do feel peckish." His stomach gave a loud grumble, surprising Kara and Sora.
"Looks like we're all hungry," Kara remarked, driving once again at the light turned green. "We'll have to go through a drive-through."
"Drive through?" Sora asked confused, sitting up. "What is that?"
"It's a restaurant that offers takeout food without going inside and ordering" Luxord explained.
Sora hummed and nodded. "I see."
A few minutes later, Kara pulled into Duncan Donuts, pulling up behind a car. "Go ahead and order what you would like," she said.
Sora looked at the menu. "Um… I don't have any money…" he said guiltily. Granted he would pay Kara back somehow but wasn't sure when.
"Don't worry about it" Kara reassured him, reaching down for her purse and dug out her lemon-colored wallet. She opened it and pulled out some money. Sora noticed it was green-colored, finding it different from what he was used to.
"If I may, I'll pay for breakfast" Luxord offered, surprising Sora and Kara. "You were kind enough to let us come with you and you purchased the room. It's the least I could do."
Sora was surprised when Luxord offered to pay. How did he get the money? Did Luxord swindle some man out of his cash?
Kara was hesitant to accept his offer. "I don't know."
"I want to," Luxord said to her, handing her the money, his hand over hers for a minute longer before pulling it away.
"Okay," Kara said after a pause, feeling unsure and touched by the offer. Once everything was paid, the trio went back on the road. Sora was in the back happily eating his breakfast. Luxord ordered a breakfast sandwich as did Kara.
Kara sipped her coffee, humming happily. "That's the pickup I needed."
"Coffee is gross," Sora said, rolling his eyes.
"You don't need the coffee. You're hyper as is" Luxord remarked, sipping at his tea.
Sora grumbled. Kara laughed. "I have to agree with Luxord. You are hyper" she agreed.
"Hey!" Sora protested.
Silence fell over the group, busily filling their bellies with food and enjoying the peace. Sora was surprised that he found Luxord wasn't as overbearing as the rest of Organization XIII. He still didn't trust him and would remain on his guard. He wouldn't risk Kara's safety.
"Can I ask you something Luxord?" Kara asked, breaking the silence.
Luxord chuckled. "My turned to be interviewed?" he teased. "Enquire away my dear."
Sora sat up in his seat, interested in hearing about this. He didn't know a lot about his enemies from the Organization, just knowing that they HAD been someone before they became Nobodies. Since they are on this trip together it would be smart on his part to learn about those around him.
"What did you do before becoming a member of the organization? You honestly don't seem like someone who would get involved with such a group" Kara said, driving.
This caught Luxord and Sora by surprise. What did Kara mean by that? Luxord admits he did bad things since being with Organization XIII and he was no saint either. True he was just following orders most of the time by Xemnas, despite his ire. He refused to be a pawn, a piece to move around willy nilly.
"I've been with the organization for years," Luxord said slowly, taking his time with his answer. "I'm on the bottom rung so to speak, a lower worker. Before then I worked as a driver for a young man and his family for a few years."
Sora hummed. 'His Somebody worked as a driver for a family?' he thought with wonder. 'I wonder from what world? Maybe one similar to Kara's. I haven't seen many worlds that have cars.'
"Did you enjoy working for the family?" Kara asked interested. "I'm probably being nosy but why did you leave?"
"You're a curious one aren't you?" Luxord joked good-naturedly. 'Not nosy but inquisitive' he thought. The members of Organization XIII hardly talked about their pasts as humans as it never mattered, going off memories to act properly in scenarios when dealing with humans or other beings with hearts.
Kara gave a sheepish smile. "I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable" she apologized. "I figured since we're on this trip together, we should learn about each other."
"No, it's quite alright. Sora and I are strangers" Luxord admitted. "You need to know if we are trustworthy."
Sora leaned forward and patted Kara on the shoulder. "I can't speak for Luxord but I'm glad to learn about you and helping you on this trip, Kara," he said.
"As am I" Luxord agreed.
"I'm glad to hear it," Kara said smiling.
The phone started to ring, interrupting the bonding moment. Kara looked at the caller ID, seeing Ethan's number. "Ethan," she said and hit the 'answer' button on her dash. "Ethan? Where are you?"
Sora and Luxord listened quietly.
/I'm pulling up to the property now. It's out in the woods/ Ethan explained. The phone connection sounded scratchy and made some of the words hard to make out.
"Are you sure you are in the right place?" Kara asked in worry, trying to keep her emotions under control.
/I'm sure. I'm taking the path now/ Ethan replied. They could hear hearing crunching sounds as Ethan walked. Buzzing sounds mixed in with the occasional caws from crows.
"Spooky" Sora muttered.
/Is someone with you?/ Ethan asked, hearing the unfamiliar voice.
Kara glanced at Luxord and Sora. "Yes. I made some new friends along the way and they're coming with me to help find Mia. I'm sorry for the last-minute notice."
"Hi, Ethan! I'm Sora. We'll find your wife, you can bet on it" Sora said confidently.
"I'm Luxord. I'll be accompanying Kara and Sora on this trip" Luxord explained.
Kara smiled at the two, glad to have someone with her on this trip. Ethan gave a light grunt that sounded like a laugh. /Thank you for going with Kara/ he started and stopped, muttering. /I found a large house, a ranch style. The message said it's called Baker's Farm. It looks old; I'm guessing plantation days during slavery. The gates are locked./
"Can you break the locks?" Sora asked, wanting to help. If he had been there, he could easily use the keyblade.
/No and the intercom doesn't work. I'll have to find another way inside. There's a dirt path to my left./ Ethan went silent for a few minutes, leaving the group to wonder what he would find. /I found an abandoned van with some opened coolers. It's been here a while, everything is covered in dust and grime./
"Was there a sign of a struggle?" Luxord asked. "Describe as much as you can."
/Ah… tripods, electrical cords, tarps, possibly camera equipment. News grew?/ Ethan let out a grunt, struggling to open something. It let out a screech, rusty metal maybe. /It's dusty inside of the van. Sewer Gators? Ring a bell?/
Kara frowned slightly. "I don't… wait. If I remember correctly, it's a group from TV that recently started a documentary series, investigating weird sightings in America. They must have showed up in Dulvey for a new episode."
"They could have caught wind of something at the residence" Luxord offered. "I doubt this is pure chance."
"It's possible" Sora agreed.
/I found their manuscript for the latest show, Episode 17, project proposal. Sneak into Louisiana Ghost House. Wait, there's something written on the back/ Ethan interrupted. /It reads, 'Join us'. Sounds like a cult./
Kara felt uneasy. A cult? She had seen enough horror movies and documentaries to know that it never ended well.
"Tread carefully Ethan" Sora cautioned. Luxord glanced at Kara, seeing the look of unease settling over her face. Her green eyes narrowed in concentration.
/I will. Whoever owns this place loves writing messages in red. There's another one on a gate. 'Accept her gift'/ Ethan scoffed.
Luxord placed a hand on Kara's shoulder, feeling her flinch slightly at his touch but never removed his hand. He could feel her shake a little and felt his chest tighten with concern. "Kara, breath," he said gently. "You need to think with a clear mind."
"I know" Kara replied, swallowing thickly and breathing slowly to calm her nerves. The images of the child from the video kept popping into her head. Was there a connection?
The connection between the phones crackled as they heard Ethan moving before he went still, dropping his voice. /I'm not alone. I just saw what appeared to be an old man walking. Maybe he's the owner?/ Crunching sounds of wood and grass echoed through the speaker and went silent, no longer hearing Ethan's breathing.
"Ethan? Can you hear us? Ethan?" Kara called out, gripping the steering wheel tightly, waiting.
Static
"There was a lot of static. It could be a bad connection" Luxord murmured, eyeing the screen. It showed the minutes passing since the call started.
"I'm sure the connection will fix itself" Sora suggested, trying not to worry. Kara kept the line open, driving still and taking a turn, going onto another highway. The crackling of the connection continued, no one daring to speak, waiting.
/Shit… Kara, are you still there?/ Ethan's voice seeped through crackle, the connection finally clearing. The trio let out a sigh of relief.
"Yes, we're here. Ethan, what happened?" Kara asked in concern. "Did you find something?"
There was a pause before Ethan spoke. /A fucking Christmas wreath of flesh… god…/ He trailed off, gagging.
"Ethan, what are you talking about?" Kara felt her stomach tighten.
"Explain" Luxord demanded, his eyes narrowing as his voice became stern. Sora started to look a little queasy.
/Whoever owns this place is fucking sick. Someone built a Christmas wreath made out of cow legs! It's being used for the entrance. Blood is still dripping from the head and circular saws are hanging from branches. Hell… what is going on here?/ Ethan groaned weakly.
"Why would someone do that?" Sora asked queasily, his face turning a little pale at the description.
Kara swallowed, wanting to tell Ethan to get back to the car and wait for them or call the police. "I don't know, Sora. There are some real sickos out there that will do something like that" she said to the teen.
"She's right. There are some real disturbed people" Luxord said nodding. He had seen plenty of sick-minded people in the past during his travels. This world seems to have its share.
/I'm going to continue my search. Mia is here somewhere. I know it/ Ethan said with conviction, not backing down from this.
"Tread carefully" Kara cautioned. "Whoever erected that wreath isn't of sound mind."
/I know./ Ethan went quiet, staying on the line as he continued his search. The silence stretched on. Sora shifted in his seat, his leg bouncing. Luxord folded his arms across his chest, checking Kara as she drove. It was now a little past noon, the sun still shining brightly.
"Find anything?" Kara asked, hoping Ethan found something.
/Dead crows and I passed an old man. He disappeared into the woods. I don't see him/ Ethan said quietly. /I smell smoke. It's close./
"Think they're burning something?" Sora asked. "How much longer till we get there?"
Luxord glanced at the sky. "Could be a bonfire and I'm guessing late afternoon." Now that he knew the location or has a rough idea, they could have saved time with the Dark Corridor. While it would have been quicker, he didn't want to risk Kara learning about his abilities yet and that was something he knew Sora didn't reveal either. Sora could handle the Dark Corridors to an extent but his reluctance to put Kara through that pain surprised him.
"Without counting bathroom breaks and food, we'll be there by late afternoon as Luxord said," Kara said, frustrated by the hours between them and Ethan's safety.
/Kara, breath. I'll be okay till you get here/ Ethan said gently. /Don't let your temper get the better of you./ He had seen Kara mad and knew she tends to let her emotions get the best of her when it came to family and close friends.
"I know, I know! I…" Kara trailed off, hitting the steering wheel with the palm of her hand, startling Luxord, and Sora. "I don't like this, dead crows, the flesh wreath, an old man, and Mia's message?" This screamed danger. Was this something they could handle?
"Kara, you're not alone," Sora said gently. "Luxord and I can fight. We'll help look for Mia."
Luxord placed a hand on her shoulder, giving it a gentle and reassuring squeeze. "You have us in your corner."
Kara looked at them both, touched by their concern. "Thank you."
/I'll do my best to stay out of trouble till you get here/ Ethan replied. /I see the bonfire. Hold on. I have to jump down to it./ The gravel under his feet crunching as he landed, coughing lightly. There was a rustle and tapping before he spoke again. /Shit… I found Mia's bag. I don't know how but it still looks new as the day she bought it. I found her driver's license but it's covered in something black. Mold maybe."
"Where are you now?" Luxord asked, feeling Kara's muscles tighten with stress under his hand.
/I'm standing in front of a rundown house. Too big to be a cottage/ Ethan explained. /Some of the windows have chicken wire covering them. It's overgrown with grass./
"Have you found the entrance yet?" Kara asked, finding comfort with Luxord's hand on her shoulder and relaxed a little.
/Found it. The porch is a wreck. Some of the boards are lifting or gone. Someone put a plank at the entrance/ Ethan replied, explaining the layout. The front door is wide open/ Ethan said. They could hear the floorboards creak under him.
"Maybe you should wait for us" Sora suggested. "You could be ambushed or something."
/I'll be okay. I have a flashlight. It looks like this place has been abandon for a few years/ Ethan said quickly, not fully dismissing's Sora's worry. He could understand and appreciated the sentiment but waiting was out of the question. /Hey Kara, did you get a vision about this?/
'Vision?' Luxord wondered, looking at Kara.
Sora looked confused. "Vision? What is he talking about?"
"No. I didn't get anything from this. But…" Kara started and stopped. "Maybe you should wait till we get there. I'm not getting a good feeling, Ethan." She could feel Luxord's and Sora's questioning gazes on her, knowing they were confused. It wasn't a topic that could be used as an ice breaker.
Ethan let out a frustrated sigh. /No. I am not waiting. Come find me when you get here, okay? You should find my car at the entrance./
"Fine. Keep your cell on you and please be careful" Kara sighed.
/I will. You best be careful-/
SLAM
The connection died. "Ethan? Ethan, talk to me. Ethan!" Kara said. The phone went silent as the call ended. "Shit."
"That sounded like a door slamming," Luxord said with a frown.
Sora nodded. "I'm sure he's okay. It could have been the wind, right? Or something was knocked over and hit the door" he suggested. "We can't jump to conclusions yet."
"Your right" Luxord agreed. "We can't lose our wits yet." He turned his gaze to the woman next to him. "I'm sure he is okay."
Kara swallowed thickly. "I hope you are right," she said, her voice strained. "I can't lose Ethan as well, not after losing Mia."
"We'll find him," Luxord said assuredly.
"I hope so," Kara said, trying to stay confident.
-A few hours later-
Night had fallen by the time the group reached their destination, their butts sore from the long hours, despite having time to stretch their legs for bathroom breaks and getting food. The rain didn't help the mood either, despite the reassurances from Sora and Luxord, Kara was worried sick. The sound of the slamming door repeated in her mind and again the images of the little girl from Mia's message played in her head as if it was on repeat.
The forest is dense with trees, the limbs nearly blocking the dirt trail that is slowly turning to mud. Kara sat inside the jeep, watching the rain for a few minutes as she mentally prepared herself for the journey. Something that Luxord and Sora seemed to do.
'This is it' Sora thought, sighing as he looked around. It was so dark out right now, the dark clouds covering the moon and any light it would have given them. It created a surreal feeling, not knowing if this was real or not. It surprised him. After all the worlds he had been to, the people and creatures he had met when saving the worlds and his friends, Earth left him uncertain, wary. He could be being overdramatic but it felt like something would pop out at them.
Luxord scanned the trees intently, searching the corners for danger. Something was off. The area seemed tainted. Something he couldn't quite put a finger on but he could sense it. A sickness that seeped into the trees and ground, poisoning everything it touched. 'I'll need to keep a close eye on Sora, watch how he reacts. This could nurture the darkness in him' he thought, thinking how this could help benefit the group. 'Also…' He took a peek at the woman next to him, seeing her green eyes become hooded, her lips moving slowly as if giving herself a pep talk. 'I want to keep an eye on Kara.'
Kara ran a hand through her hair, pushing back a few strands. The cloth from the bandage grazed her scalp, lightly catching on some strands of hair. Her stomach twisted into a knot as it felt unsettled. Part of her wanted to just turn around and head home where it was safe but she knew the guilt would eat at her. Ethan needed help and she would not abandon him.
"Kara" Luxord spoke softly, his tone low enough for her to hear him only. "It'll be okay. We're here." He touched her hand after some hesitation, not wanting to overstep boundaries. "I'm here. You won't be alone."
The touch of his hand on hers made Kara jump slightly and calmed down, feeling his warmth coming through the glove and settle over her. It was soothing and comforting surprisingly. She hadn't pegged Luxord to be the touchy-feely type but welcomed his touch right now, even if it was just to calm her nerves, something she wasn't aware of.
She nodded. "Thank you," Kara said softly, looking at him. Luxord gave a small smile.
"Uh… Hey Kara? Where's Ethan's car?" Sora asked, looking around the area and not seeing anything. "Didn't he say his car would be here?"
Kara sat up in her seat, looking around. The harsh glow from the jeep's headlights splayed over the ground, hitting the trees and bushes. She had expected to see the light bounce off Ethan's car but it revealed nothing. Large bushes nearly covered the path. The bushes and trees seemed to form one entity, looming over them, taunting them. The darkness mocked them, daring them to enter the sea of black. "Yeah… Ethan said he parked his car at the entrance" she said, the panic slowly rising.
"Something isn't adding up," Luxord said and climbed out, not caring about the rain. Kara and Sora shared a look and climbed out as well. "I very much doubt Ethan would lie about this."
"He wouldn't" Kara agreed, closing the door and made her way to the back. Opening the trunk, she pulled the duffle bag towards her and opened it. Slipping the shotgun onto her back and adding ammo to the pouches she added to her belt, making sure her handgun is still on her hip.
Sora looked around, staying in the light. "Do you think someone got rid of it or hidden it?"
"I don't know," Luxord said resting his chin on his hand.
Kara turned on the flashlight, shutting the trunk. "Only way to find out," she said and started walking, taking the path.
'You're a strong one, Kara' Luxord thought after a moment and followed. "Keep up Sora."
"Coming" Sora replied quickly and jogged after them.
The path twisted and turned through the trees till the area cleared. Through the rain, the metal fence rose into the darkness, behind it stood the Baker farm. The gates were open and a large figure could be seen with a human form over its shoulder and dragging something behind.
Kara narrowed her eyes, seeing the figure, and inched towards the entrance. "Please tell me I'm not imagining things…"
"You're not" Luxord assured her, seeing the three figures. "He's carrying two people, a man, and a woman."
"Can you describe them?" Sora asked his hand twitching, barely resisting the urge to summon his keyblade.
"One is female with long black hair; she's on the man's shoulder. The one that is being dragged is a man with blond hair. It could be Ethan and Mia." Luxord looked at Kara, seeing her eyes widen slightly at the realization.
Mia and Ethan!? How were they caught? Who was the man kidnapping them? Those thoughts shot through Kara's mind to the point it blocked out everything. She had to save them. 'No. Are they alive? They have to be!' she thought desperately.
Kara swallowed and started to dash towards the man carrying the unconscious people. Two powerful arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her back against a hard chest. "No, let me-!" She started. Luxord put a hand over her mouth, keeping her tight against him.
"Sh. I know you want to help them but we can't just rush in" Luxord said firmly. Kara struggled against him, letting out an angry grunt.
"He's right," Sora said with some reluctance. "This might be a trap."
The man carried Mia and Ethan into the large house, the door slamming shut. They were so close… She didn't want to admit it but Kara knew Luxord and Sora were right. This could be a trap, something to lure uninvited guests.
The large house looked run down but solid. The owners made enough repairs to keep it from falling in, extending its life. It large and imposing in the dark as the rain fell on them, the grounds sucking up the rainwater greedily. Similar to the entrance and what Ethan described on the phone, everything is overgrown and trashed. Broken furniture and trash littered the grounds. Dark boarded up windows in parts of the house, hiding the horrors inside.
"Please" Luxord whispered in Kara's ear. He sounded so sincere with the plea. Kara sighed and stopped struggling against him, head lowered.
"Fine…"
Luxord didn't remove his arms, oddly enjoying the feel of her against him, and quickly pushed the thought away. It wouldn't be wise to get attached to the human, not when he has a role to play. The gamble is appealing, the small urge to get closer to Kara. After a moment he slowly retracted his arms from her waist.
Sora looked at Kara worriedly. "Kara…"
"Let's get closer, search the area" Kara replied slowly. "Maybe we can find some answers to find out what the hell is going on."
Sora sighed and glanced at Luxord, seeing the slight concern on his face. That was rare as the man is usually confident. "Okay."
The path split off into two areas, one leading to the main house and the second dipped to the left, going down a small hill. A small trailer set off to the left, nearly blocking the path. The lights glowed dimly from the windows. A dirty lawn chair leaned against the wall, water building up in the seating area, an overturned table next to it, spilling empty beer bottles and an ashtray.
Thunder rattled in the distance, illuminating the yard quickly, showing off more debris and garbage. Sora didn't see the woman coming towards them as she seemed to blend in with the darkness, not hearing the footsteps.
"Who's there?" Luxord asked, seeing the woman step towards them with a kerosene lamp. He kept his hand at his side, quietly summoning his cards, ready to fight if needed. The young woman seemed small, frail, and wouldn't put up much of a fight.
"You shouldn't have come here" the woman replied in a Southern accent, ignoring the question. "You need to leave before it's too late."
"Miss… we don't want to cause any trouble," Sora says, keeping his tone friendly. "We want to know what is going on. We're looking for our friends."
Kara looked at the woman. "Please. We're looking for Mia and Ethan" she added. "We believe that they were kidnapped." The mystery woman frowned, eyeing them with a guarded expression.
"You're too late, you can't help them" the woman replied, her tone distant. "You need to leave."
"Please" Kara pleaded. "Mia and Ethan are my family. I can't give up on them now. Please." She looked at the woman desperately. Worse came to worse, she would find her way inside and get answers.
The woman sighed and nodded. "My name is Zoe. Come in."