The last thing I remembered seeing was my sister, Jane, dropping the container of jewelry cleaner, then everything I was looking at warped into a whirlpool, then a tunnel. I was tossed down that tunnel of red, marbled with streaks of white and a few blue lightning bolts here and there. I could hear each of my sisters screaming, though when I tried, no sound came out. I twisted and turned until I saw behind me- Jane, with her perfect blonde curls and baby-blue eyes, was the furthest from me. Rachel was infront of her, her black waves flailing wildly around her, her almost black eyes wide with fright. Then Amber, her brown locks trailing behind her, her voice the loudest.
All went black. I don't remember dreaming at that point, but I woke up on a cold floor. Wait, cold? I thought we were on my bed! With Rach and Amby and.. the... bracelet....
I popped my eyes open to see a bright light flashed at me, and the sounds of a helicopter overhead. I looked down to see what I was laying on, grey stone. Heh. Great. Just great. Untwisting my body, I sat up only to be greeted by my head emptying itself of blood. When the spots ran from my eyes, I saw my sisters being pulled away, and myself being picked up by two large men in.... police uniforms?! What the hell?!
"Alright, I want them in seperate cars and don't let them speak to each other at all. And that one-" The woman pointed at me, "be careful. They say she's sick."
Yeah, sick of wondering what the hell's going on. I looked at the woman. She looked Native American, with dark skin and ebony hair that flowed just past her shoulders. Her dark eyes glanced at me one last time before shoving her hands into her jeans and walking off, her leather jacket almsot glistning in the light of the helicopter.
'What in the hell did you do this time, maroon?' I wondered.
What a great night I was having. The room was cold, and I was still only wearing my angel baby pj's, which weren't that warm. There was one mirror, one door and a table with two chairs on it. A microphone was sitting on the table, next to a glass of water. I smirked. Talk about book 'em Danno.
The woman from before entered, wearing the same thing. I slept all the way here, and guess I was kind of a hastle getting inside because I couldn't stand very well. The cops that helped me were nice, though, and one of them ended up carrying me inside.
"Are you alright?" she asked softly. I nodded.
"Your sisters told us you were sick," she continued as she moved to the corner. "We didn't realize how bad until about fiveteen minutes ago. I appoligize."
"N... No, it's cool... I just had some problems walking, b-but I'm okay, really."
She just nodded, slowly walking over to another corner. "Good to hear. How did you get there?"
I bit my lip, glancing at my bracelet, "I.. I really don't know..... there was all that red, then a tunnel-"
She turned around, a fist pounding once onto the table top, "We've heard the same crap from your 'sisters', and frankly, I don't buy it."
Already, I was about to cry, "But that's what happened!! We were looking at my bracelet, Jane came in with the jewelry cleaner, and then it all went into a swirl!!"
She straitened, sighing, "Look, you're all over 18. You look far too different to be sisters, and there's no one by the name of Finch or Jones in Biggsville. We've checked into it."
I calmed, and rolled my eyes at her. "PLEASE. I've seen enough TV. That's just a tactic to make me break. But for your information, I'm considered a minor because I can't live on my own, not even with just a nurse, and my parents are the ones who are responsible. My brother will straiten all this out, and I know I get at least one phone call. So quit all the book 'em Danno crap and let me call him!"
Almost grinning, she tossed a cellular phone onto the table. "Be my guest."
I rolled my eyes again and punched in the numbers, waiting...... "No one's awnsering."
"Suprise, suprise. Know anyone in town?"
"I don't even know what town I'm IN!"
She smirked, obviously not beleiving me, "New York."
Blink. ......blink...... blink......
"HUH?!?!"
She nodded as I bit my lip and thought.... wait!! Micheal said on the way home that David lived in NY.... maybe, just maybe..... "I know one of my brother's friends. David."
"He got a last name?"
"Xanatos. Yeah, that was it. And that creep show Owen. David knows me, I just met him today."
She laughed as she took the phone, dialed a few numbers and clicked it onto speakerphone ((It's my story, and cellular phones have that, so nyah!!)).
Ring..... ring..... ring......
"Hello."
"Get Xanatos on the phone."
"Ah! Ms. Mazah. How are things?"
Creep. I recognized the voice. Owen. "Cut the crap, I got a case to discuss. Some girl pretends to know you guys and we've got to prove her wrong."
"Oh? What's her name?"
"Owen, it's Kat!! Get David on, please!!!" I called. She looked at me, suprised that I knew who Owen was.
"................... Kat, Kat.... Kat! Oh! Ms. Finch. One moment."
She only narrowed her eyes at me in quiet suspision, and the few seconds of silence grew.
"Katherine?"
"David!! David, somehow we got here and Amber's here, too, but they keep saying no one lives in Biggsville who's our family, not even Peoria!! And they won't let me talk to my sisters and I'm scared and I just wanna get outta here!!!!!" Well.... the last bit was really more of a slur than anything, but somehow he understood.
"........ Katherine, don't move a muscle, I'll be right there. Elisa, I'm suprised at you. Did you know this girl has cancer? Whatever you think she did I'm positive she didn't."
CLICK.
More silence. She just looked at me, and I hugged myself. "You haven't even told me why we're here in the first place."
She simply blinked at me before moving to the door, then sighed at the guard, "We've got nothing on her or the others besides tresspassing. Go ahead and let her go."
Like I cared what the reason was for getting me out. Xanatos influence or no evidence- I just wanted out. The same guard who carried me in, slipped through the door and placed a big heavy jacket around my shoulders. I blinked up at him as he picked me up and set me in an over-sized wheelchair, and as he pushed me out, he leaned forward and whispered, "I had a daughter once. She died from cancer. You take care of yourself, okay?"
I nodded softly as we left, Jane trailing behind us in a flurry of paperwork as I was led down the handicapped walkway. David was standing infront of a limo, smiling at us warmly. "I hope you were treated well."
Amber shook her head as she tore down the stairs and towards him. "The hell we were!!! We haven't even been told why we were picked up, let alone how the hell we got here! Where's Micheal?! And how the hell did you get from Illinois to New York in an hour?!?!"
He raised his hands in defense as Owen opened the door to the limo. "Please, all can be explained. But later. Right now we've got bigger problems."
"Lemme guess, you ran out of bouvior and all they had at the mini mart was strawberry wine." Rachel muttered, now at my side.
"Actually, some of my friends know of your current .... travels, and are aiming at you. We must leave."
"I must be lucky to be riding with Finch sisters." David said, trying to get our minds off of the news, probably. Amber would of retorted, telling him that she was technically a Galbraith, but then the sound of Elisa's voice cut through.
"Xanatos, stop right there!! I know what you're thinking, you won't tell them a damned thing!" Blink again. What in the hell was it this time? There was Elisa Mazah, rushing down the stairs after us. "You aren't taking them anywhere."
"Oh the contrary, Dectective Mazah. I'm taking them home. With me. They want to see their brother."
She smirked, crossing her arms across her chest, "We both know better than that. They should come with me. They can have a place to stay until we figure this out."
"They can stay with me."
"They CAN but WON'T."
"Detective, I think we have-"
"HHEEYYY!!!!" Amber said. "Sorry to cut in, but shouldn't WE have a say in this?!"
David put up his hands in defence again, and took a few steps back. Elisa bowed her head, taking a few steps back as well. At the same time, the quiet Jane spoke up. "I'm going with Ms. Mazah. She's a cop. Enough said." Then as if to further her point, she took a step behind Elisa.
"Same here," Rachel said, moving next to Jane. Amber, unusually quiet at the moment, did the same.
I glanced between the two. "C'mon, Kat. Let's go." Rachel muttered.
"I.... I only know David here, and he said something about Micheal..."
"Kitty, you're either comming with us or with him."
Oh, fair set of choices. Go with my three sisters, who I've known ever since I was born, or go with some guy who I'd met earlier in the day, had a scary output, and that Owen guy who just creeped me out. And Elisa WAS a cop.... she can't be bad, right? Well, there WAS that one episode of Charlie's Angel's....
Knowing he was defeated, Xanatos simply went back into the limo, pausing to shrug in my direction. My hand went to the bracelet, gripping it in thought. "Come on.... I think I know where you can get the awnsers you need."
I glanced up at Elisa, only to see that they were already down the street. I scrambled after them, chattering away... "Hey.. I don't suppose you have any clothes that could fit me, eh?"
After a FAR TOO exausting walk, or in my case, 'wheel' two blocks away ((Which is HUGE in NYC to me, a boring country girl who almost died walking along Michigan Av. in Chicago)), we ended up at her car. Some effort got all of us in, but in no time we were heading tdown the road.
"I called a friend as soon as you guys walked out the door. He thinks he knows what happened," she said as she made a left turn.
"He thinks? Oh man, this day just keeps gettin' better and better," Amber muttered.
Elisa only smiled. "I understand more than you think. So does Xanatos, that's the problem."
"Does that means you're NOT trying to confuse us??" Rachel asked.
"Look... where we're going, it won't be easy getting up the stairs with that wheelchair. I'll carry Kat up, and you guys can heft up the wheelchair."
"Why not just take the elevator?" Amber raised a brow.
Another smile. "There isn't one. But there are lots of stairs."
In the very back, Jane raised a brow at me. I shrugged, then mouthed 'Bell tower?' at her, then she nodded. Interesting.
Finally, we stopped in an alleyway. I remained in the car for a moment with Jane, thankfully changing out of my angelbaby pj's and into some spare clothes that Elisa had in the back. "For emergencies." was all she said, and I swear I saw a faint grin. After I was dressed and my hair in a tight braid, complements of Janey, I was helped out and wheeled to the front of a large building. We went into a side door, and Elisa picked me up, carrying me up the stairs while Rachel carried 'my' wheel-chair ((though the one that is actually mine fits me!)).
On a short break half-way up (or so Elisa said), Jane grinned at me. "I bet it's a clock tower. Bet you a quarter."
"Deal... why do ya' say that?"
She grinned at me again. "There's no ropes."
So we continued up the stairs, sometimes Amber would carry me when Elisa's arms got tired. When we reached the top, she told us to wait as she went on ahead. After a few minutes, she returned, and motioned for us to follow, me in Amber's arms, behind everyone else.
"You creeped out?"
She nodded as she followed. Jane went first, pushing the door up and holding it open. Rach went after her, holding the wheelchair and opening it. When Amber came up, holding me, it took a moment to adjust my eyes. It was dark, and even as I was being sat in the wheelchair, the most I could see was the glinit from the metal, and Elisa standing in a stream of light.
"Tell them how you got here." Elisa said all to calmly.
"Who's 'them'?"
"Just do it."
Glancing around, Amber smirked, though I could tell she gripped the handles of the wheelchair behind me. "You drove us, and we went up the stairs."
"I'm serious."
Silence followed, then Jane spoke up. For being so quiet, she sure was eager to talk! "I'm Jane... I was in the parlour, at home in Illinois, practicing on the piano. Rachel asked if I had any jewelry cleaner, and I told her I'd get some. So I finished the song, then went into my room and got some... then I went into Kat's room, and not paying attention... the room was so red.... then the tunnel, and we were on the top of that castle..."
A voice spoke from the darkness, deep and old with a scottish accent, "Which one of ye' is Rachel?"
"I am." Rachel said fearlessly, taking a step forward. "When I went back into her room, I sat next Kat, looked to Amber, then the room turned red-"
Another voice from the darkness. It sounded almost like a child's, though I had a feeling that the bearer was much older. "Which one is Amber?"
She bit her lip and stubmled out, "I am."
A booming, loud and comanding voice rang out, with a hint of softness in it... "Then the one in the chair is Kat."
I nodded meekly. Well, you would too!! It was more scary then a Fredie Kreuger marathon, which frankly, always makes me cry in fear.
"And your story, please."
The voice had softened a bit more, and made it easier to speak. "W... We were sitting on my bed... and everything was pulsing, and it turned a beautiful red.... then Janey walked in, and we looked up... I heard my sister's screams, the whole room, everything, turned into a whirlpool.... then it switched and morphed, and we were falling down a long bright tunnel, swirling with red and white. And the lightning..."
"It just turned red?"
"The bracelet," Amber muttered almost breathlessly. "We were looking at the bracelet."
"What bracelet, lass? Show us." The accented voiced said.
When my sisters all looked at me, I started to pull my sleeves back to show them, but the commanding voice stopped it. "No..... Elisa, take her outside. Then come back to support the rest."
Amber's hands gripped the handles tighter, and when I glanced back I saw that her knuckles were white. With a reluctant look to the rest, she let go and almost handed me to Elisa. I was pushed outside, but I didn't even look back at my sisters, knowing I wouldn't be able to continue if I did.
All went black. I don't remember dreaming at that point, but I woke up on a cold floor. Wait, cold? I thought we were on my bed! With Rach and Amby and.. the... bracelet....
I popped my eyes open to see a bright light flashed at me, and the sounds of a helicopter overhead. I looked down to see what I was laying on, grey stone. Heh. Great. Just great. Untwisting my body, I sat up only to be greeted by my head emptying itself of blood. When the spots ran from my eyes, I saw my sisters being pulled away, and myself being picked up by two large men in.... police uniforms?! What the hell?!
"Alright, I want them in seperate cars and don't let them speak to each other at all. And that one-" The woman pointed at me, "be careful. They say she's sick."
Yeah, sick of wondering what the hell's going on. I looked at the woman. She looked Native American, with dark skin and ebony hair that flowed just past her shoulders. Her dark eyes glanced at me one last time before shoving her hands into her jeans and walking off, her leather jacket almsot glistning in the light of the helicopter.
'What in the hell did you do this time, maroon?' I wondered.
What a great night I was having. The room was cold, and I was still only wearing my angel baby pj's, which weren't that warm. There was one mirror, one door and a table with two chairs on it. A microphone was sitting on the table, next to a glass of water. I smirked. Talk about book 'em Danno.
The woman from before entered, wearing the same thing. I slept all the way here, and guess I was kind of a hastle getting inside because I couldn't stand very well. The cops that helped me were nice, though, and one of them ended up carrying me inside.
"Are you alright?" she asked softly. I nodded.
"Your sisters told us you were sick," she continued as she moved to the corner. "We didn't realize how bad until about fiveteen minutes ago. I appoligize."
"N... No, it's cool... I just had some problems walking, b-but I'm okay, really."
She just nodded, slowly walking over to another corner. "Good to hear. How did you get there?"
I bit my lip, glancing at my bracelet, "I.. I really don't know..... there was all that red, then a tunnel-"
She turned around, a fist pounding once onto the table top, "We've heard the same crap from your 'sisters', and frankly, I don't buy it."
Already, I was about to cry, "But that's what happened!! We were looking at my bracelet, Jane came in with the jewelry cleaner, and then it all went into a swirl!!"
She straitened, sighing, "Look, you're all over 18. You look far too different to be sisters, and there's no one by the name of Finch or Jones in Biggsville. We've checked into it."
I calmed, and rolled my eyes at her. "PLEASE. I've seen enough TV. That's just a tactic to make me break. But for your information, I'm considered a minor because I can't live on my own, not even with just a nurse, and my parents are the ones who are responsible. My brother will straiten all this out, and I know I get at least one phone call. So quit all the book 'em Danno crap and let me call him!"
Almost grinning, she tossed a cellular phone onto the table. "Be my guest."
I rolled my eyes again and punched in the numbers, waiting...... "No one's awnsering."
"Suprise, suprise. Know anyone in town?"
"I don't even know what town I'm IN!"
She smirked, obviously not beleiving me, "New York."
Blink. ......blink...... blink......
"HUH?!?!"
She nodded as I bit my lip and thought.... wait!! Micheal said on the way home that David lived in NY.... maybe, just maybe..... "I know one of my brother's friends. David."
"He got a last name?"
"Xanatos. Yeah, that was it. And that creep show Owen. David knows me, I just met him today."
She laughed as she took the phone, dialed a few numbers and clicked it onto speakerphone ((It's my story, and cellular phones have that, so nyah!!)).
Ring..... ring..... ring......
"Hello."
"Get Xanatos on the phone."
"Ah! Ms. Mazah. How are things?"
Creep. I recognized the voice. Owen. "Cut the crap, I got a case to discuss. Some girl pretends to know you guys and we've got to prove her wrong."
"Oh? What's her name?"
"Owen, it's Kat!! Get David on, please!!!" I called. She looked at me, suprised that I knew who Owen was.
"................... Kat, Kat.... Kat! Oh! Ms. Finch. One moment."
She only narrowed her eyes at me in quiet suspision, and the few seconds of silence grew.
"Katherine?"
"David!! David, somehow we got here and Amber's here, too, but they keep saying no one lives in Biggsville who's our family, not even Peoria!! And they won't let me talk to my sisters and I'm scared and I just wanna get outta here!!!!!" Well.... the last bit was really more of a slur than anything, but somehow he understood.
"........ Katherine, don't move a muscle, I'll be right there. Elisa, I'm suprised at you. Did you know this girl has cancer? Whatever you think she did I'm positive she didn't."
CLICK.
More silence. She just looked at me, and I hugged myself. "You haven't even told me why we're here in the first place."
She simply blinked at me before moving to the door, then sighed at the guard, "We've got nothing on her or the others besides tresspassing. Go ahead and let her go."
Like I cared what the reason was for getting me out. Xanatos influence or no evidence- I just wanted out. The same guard who carried me in, slipped through the door and placed a big heavy jacket around my shoulders. I blinked up at him as he picked me up and set me in an over-sized wheelchair, and as he pushed me out, he leaned forward and whispered, "I had a daughter once. She died from cancer. You take care of yourself, okay?"
I nodded softly as we left, Jane trailing behind us in a flurry of paperwork as I was led down the handicapped walkway. David was standing infront of a limo, smiling at us warmly. "I hope you were treated well."
Amber shook her head as she tore down the stairs and towards him. "The hell we were!!! We haven't even been told why we were picked up, let alone how the hell we got here! Where's Micheal?! And how the hell did you get from Illinois to New York in an hour?!?!"
He raised his hands in defense as Owen opened the door to the limo. "Please, all can be explained. But later. Right now we've got bigger problems."
"Lemme guess, you ran out of bouvior and all they had at the mini mart was strawberry wine." Rachel muttered, now at my side.
"Actually, some of my friends know of your current .... travels, and are aiming at you. We must leave."
"I must be lucky to be riding with Finch sisters." David said, trying to get our minds off of the news, probably. Amber would of retorted, telling him that she was technically a Galbraith, but then the sound of Elisa's voice cut through.
"Xanatos, stop right there!! I know what you're thinking, you won't tell them a damned thing!" Blink again. What in the hell was it this time? There was Elisa Mazah, rushing down the stairs after us. "You aren't taking them anywhere."
"Oh the contrary, Dectective Mazah. I'm taking them home. With me. They want to see their brother."
She smirked, crossing her arms across her chest, "We both know better than that. They should come with me. They can have a place to stay until we figure this out."
"They can stay with me."
"They CAN but WON'T."
"Detective, I think we have-"
"HHEEYYY!!!!" Amber said. "Sorry to cut in, but shouldn't WE have a say in this?!"
David put up his hands in defence again, and took a few steps back. Elisa bowed her head, taking a few steps back as well. At the same time, the quiet Jane spoke up. "I'm going with Ms. Mazah. She's a cop. Enough said." Then as if to further her point, she took a step behind Elisa.
"Same here," Rachel said, moving next to Jane. Amber, unusually quiet at the moment, did the same.
I glanced between the two. "C'mon, Kat. Let's go." Rachel muttered.
"I.... I only know David here, and he said something about Micheal..."
"Kitty, you're either comming with us or with him."
Oh, fair set of choices. Go with my three sisters, who I've known ever since I was born, or go with some guy who I'd met earlier in the day, had a scary output, and that Owen guy who just creeped me out. And Elisa WAS a cop.... she can't be bad, right? Well, there WAS that one episode of Charlie's Angel's....
Knowing he was defeated, Xanatos simply went back into the limo, pausing to shrug in my direction. My hand went to the bracelet, gripping it in thought. "Come on.... I think I know where you can get the awnsers you need."
I glanced up at Elisa, only to see that they were already down the street. I scrambled after them, chattering away... "Hey.. I don't suppose you have any clothes that could fit me, eh?"
After a FAR TOO exausting walk, or in my case, 'wheel' two blocks away ((Which is HUGE in NYC to me, a boring country girl who almost died walking along Michigan Av. in Chicago)), we ended up at her car. Some effort got all of us in, but in no time we were heading tdown the road.
"I called a friend as soon as you guys walked out the door. He thinks he knows what happened," she said as she made a left turn.
"He thinks? Oh man, this day just keeps gettin' better and better," Amber muttered.
Elisa only smiled. "I understand more than you think. So does Xanatos, that's the problem."
"Does that means you're NOT trying to confuse us??" Rachel asked.
"Look... where we're going, it won't be easy getting up the stairs with that wheelchair. I'll carry Kat up, and you guys can heft up the wheelchair."
"Why not just take the elevator?" Amber raised a brow.
Another smile. "There isn't one. But there are lots of stairs."
In the very back, Jane raised a brow at me. I shrugged, then mouthed 'Bell tower?' at her, then she nodded. Interesting.
Finally, we stopped in an alleyway. I remained in the car for a moment with Jane, thankfully changing out of my angelbaby pj's and into some spare clothes that Elisa had in the back. "For emergencies." was all she said, and I swear I saw a faint grin. After I was dressed and my hair in a tight braid, complements of Janey, I was helped out and wheeled to the front of a large building. We went into a side door, and Elisa picked me up, carrying me up the stairs while Rachel carried 'my' wheel-chair ((though the one that is actually mine fits me!)).
On a short break half-way up (or so Elisa said), Jane grinned at me. "I bet it's a clock tower. Bet you a quarter."
"Deal... why do ya' say that?"
She grinned at me again. "There's no ropes."
So we continued up the stairs, sometimes Amber would carry me when Elisa's arms got tired. When we reached the top, she told us to wait as she went on ahead. After a few minutes, she returned, and motioned for us to follow, me in Amber's arms, behind everyone else.
"You creeped out?"
She nodded as she followed. Jane went first, pushing the door up and holding it open. Rach went after her, holding the wheelchair and opening it. When Amber came up, holding me, it took a moment to adjust my eyes. It was dark, and even as I was being sat in the wheelchair, the most I could see was the glinit from the metal, and Elisa standing in a stream of light.
"Tell them how you got here." Elisa said all to calmly.
"Who's 'them'?"
"Just do it."
Glancing around, Amber smirked, though I could tell she gripped the handles of the wheelchair behind me. "You drove us, and we went up the stairs."
"I'm serious."
Silence followed, then Jane spoke up. For being so quiet, she sure was eager to talk! "I'm Jane... I was in the parlour, at home in Illinois, practicing on the piano. Rachel asked if I had any jewelry cleaner, and I told her I'd get some. So I finished the song, then went into my room and got some... then I went into Kat's room, and not paying attention... the room was so red.... then the tunnel, and we were on the top of that castle..."
A voice spoke from the darkness, deep and old with a scottish accent, "Which one of ye' is Rachel?"
"I am." Rachel said fearlessly, taking a step forward. "When I went back into her room, I sat next Kat, looked to Amber, then the room turned red-"
Another voice from the darkness. It sounded almost like a child's, though I had a feeling that the bearer was much older. "Which one is Amber?"
She bit her lip and stubmled out, "I am."
A booming, loud and comanding voice rang out, with a hint of softness in it... "Then the one in the chair is Kat."
I nodded meekly. Well, you would too!! It was more scary then a Fredie Kreuger marathon, which frankly, always makes me cry in fear.
"And your story, please."
The voice had softened a bit more, and made it easier to speak. "W... We were sitting on my bed... and everything was pulsing, and it turned a beautiful red.... then Janey walked in, and we looked up... I heard my sister's screams, the whole room, everything, turned into a whirlpool.... then it switched and morphed, and we were falling down a long bright tunnel, swirling with red and white. And the lightning..."
"It just turned red?"
"The bracelet," Amber muttered almost breathlessly. "We were looking at the bracelet."
"What bracelet, lass? Show us." The accented voiced said.
When my sisters all looked at me, I started to pull my sleeves back to show them, but the commanding voice stopped it. "No..... Elisa, take her outside. Then come back to support the rest."
Amber's hands gripped the handles tighter, and when I glanced back I saw that her knuckles were white. With a reluctant look to the rest, she let go and almost handed me to Elisa. I was pushed outside, but I didn't even look back at my sisters, knowing I wouldn't be able to continue if I did.