CHAPTER 17: HAND OVER THE KID
Sparhawk was helping put away all the groceries they'd bought, such abundance, when they heard a car roaring up the street. There was the sound of a door slamming followed by footsteps running up to the front door. By the time Adelaide looked away from the shelves, Sparhawk already had a knife hidden up his sleeve. Violence of the sort he was used to was frowned upon in polite society here, but they'd apparently committed all kinds of mass murder a half-century or so before, so he guessed he could be forgiven this little impertinence.
An urgent knocking sounded on the door. "I'll get that," said Sparhawk and ran to the door, throwing it open and jumping back. A very distressed Jonathan Stag stood on the other side. "Addy! We've got to go!"
He rushed in, past Sparhawk, to a rather concerned-looking Mrs. Baker. "Jon, are you alright? Maybe you should sit down. Let me brew you a cuppa..."
"We don't have time for that Addy!"
Adelaide Baker knew Jon never called her Addy unless he was very very disturbed. But what had happened and why did he keep insisting she had to come with him? Unnoticed by either of them, Sparhawk had softly stepped behind Jonathan, stabbing reach. He liked the fellow, but this was all very suspicious.
"Whoa, slow down, slow down!"
"No! We're in danger, Addy!" Jonathan screamed, throwing his arms up in the air, "Sparhawk, no Harry Potter...he's...umm...well..." he finally petered out, his face flushing red as a beet.
"Well?" prodded.
Jonathan scratched his head. "Ma Baker, you love me, right?"
"Of course, dear."
"And you trust me?"
"Yes, Jonathan."
He took a deep breath. "I know this is going to sound crazy, but you have to believe me..."
"So let me get this straight," said Adelaide Baker, an extremely skeptical frown on her face, "One. There's a secret society of magic men."
"And women" Jonathan added.
She sighed. "Two, Sparhawk here, whose name you insist is Harry Potter..."
"My name is Sparhawk" he piped up quietly.
"Hush, Sparhawk. Anyway, two, Sparhawk here is apparently a wizard."
Jonathan nodded.
"And three, he murdered a mass-murdering maniac when he was a baby. The same guy whose gang killed your parents. And now they came looking for Sparhawk and ran into you."
"Yes!" Jonathan exclaimed, "So glad we could get that sorted out! Now can we leave?"
"Jon" she began, her voice soft, "You know I can't"
Jonathan gaped. "But...but...you don't understand! We can't go to the police with this. They'll...wait. You don't believe me, do you?" he asked, sounding hurt.
"Jonathan" she began in a soothing tone, the one you might use to let a child down, gently, "What you're saying sounds bonkers. But you seem sure of yourself. And I know you, Jon. You're a rational person. So either you're telling the truth, or you're stark raving mad. Neither of those is a good conclusion."
Jonathan opened his mouth to object.
"Hush" she cut him off, "Hear me out. But that's not the reason I'm going to stay. I'm an old woman, Jon, and this is my house. I've grown quite fond of it and I've got nowhere else to go."
"But.."Jon began, tears of frustration beginning to spring at the corners of his eyes.
"I said hush! Now, I said I won't come. But you can take Sparhawk if you really believe he's in danger. You're from child services anyhow, so it sounds kinda legal.", she smiled.
"I'm not going anywhere without you!" he declared in an angry tone.
But she just stared at him, eyes full of affection and resolve and they pit their wills against each other, a stubborn child and a stubborn mother and it was Jonathan who broke under the power of that gaze.
"Oh, mama, I can't ever forgive myself for this. But I know I can't make you change your decision. I love you, mama. Be safe. Come on Sparhawk. Let's go get..."
"I'm staying."
Sparhawk had just about enough of being talked about like he wasn't there. After the touching scene that played out, Jonathan turned to him, sorrow on his face, "Come on Sparhawk, Let's go get..."
"I'm staying," he said.
"What?" Jonathan gaped.
"I'm not coming."
"Now look here, Sparhawk..."
Sparhawk raised a tiny fist. The gesture was comical, but the sheer ridiculousness of it somehow shut Jonathan up.
He walked over to Adelaide and gripped her hand. There were a great many things he could have said. Things about loyalty, love, integrity. Things a Pandion knight knew all too well the meaning of. But he just stayed silent, his hand in Adelaide's, and stared at Jonathan with his brilliant green eyes.
Jonathan stared back for what seemed to be an eternity, then, suddenly, he deflated. He slumped down onto a chair, his head in his hands. Adelaide stepped forward, putting a hand on his shoulder. "I'm ashamed Addy" he murmured, voice muffled by his hands and his tears, "But I'm so very scared"
Adelaide's voice was thick with unshed tears as she gently patted Jonathan's shoulder. "I'm here, Jon" At that he looked up, eyes puffed, and smiled a sickly smile.
Then he seemed to collect himself. "Well, Addy, I don't know what..."
And the door flew open.
A red light flew in through the open door and hit the clock, shattering it. Jonathan screamed and dived to the floor. Two figures cloaked in grey entered the room, hands out and clutching wooden sticks. One of them spotted Adelaide and Sparhawk, and turned his stick to them, beginning to shout something, but Jonathan, with a shout equal parts fear and rage, jumped on him and the two men began a desperate struggle.
The other ignored his companion and turned to them, stick out. Adelaide, trembling with fear, grabbed Sparhawk and pushed him behind her. "Hand over the kid!" the man shouted, waving his stick threateningly. Despite her fear, Adelaide's voice came out strong, "No."
A light shot out of the wand striking a nearby chair and reducing it to smithereens. "Next time, that'll be you muggle scum. Step away." Adelaide gasped but did not move away.
The man grunted and pointed his stick at her, mouth opening in an incantation.
Sparhawk had not called upon the arts of Styricum since he'd landed here. At first, it was because he couldn't sense Aphrael. Even after the fight with the wraith, when Aphrael explained that he himself held power, he'd desisted because he didn't want to inadvertently hurt his recovering daughter. But now, finding the woman who'd taken him in danger, his Pandion reflexes kicked in and without even bothering to formulate the spell, he threw out his hand and yelled, willing the living room table to fly straight into his attackers. The man who'd been aiming at them got it full in the face and was thrown against the wall with a crunch and he did not get up.
All of a sudden Sparhawk felt a fatigue wash over him, a pounding in his head and he staggered, falling to one knee. Adelaide turned to him, her face a mask of surprise, and reached her arms down. In doing so, she failed to notice the other attacker get up, Jonathan sliding off him like a boneless lump. He raised his arm, anger colouring his features and a light shot out of it racing for the woman's back. Sparhawk however had seen him and he lunged, tackling Adelaide's legs from beneath her and she fell to the floor, the spell missing her by a few inches.
The wizard grunted and flicked his wand again and Sparhawk chose to jump into its path. He couldn't pull the woman away in time. It hit him full on his chest and he was thrown back, fortunately through a window. Or nearly anyway. Just as he was about to be defenestrated, his hand shot out and grabbed the frame, stopping him, the force, unfortunately, dislocating his shoulder. He fell on the sill, tumbling inside, teeth gritted to keep himself from screaming. Adelaide scurried to him, shielding him with her body, as the man, his face pale, raised his arm again. All of a sudden, a red light flew through the broken doorway, hitting his attacker and the man collapsed in a heap. The last thing he saw through stinging eyes was an old man in repugnant lime green robes walking in followed by a sallow man in black and all went dark.
Read and review. Sorry for the late chapter. Any suggestions are highly welcome.