SIXKILLER

Okay, like I said; Abby's out. And sorry, I just wouldn't write how it happened, (I did say that this business about sending Abby to the Yeerks is vague) I promise I'll get something much more exciting for the next chapter.

Chapter Twenty-one

"Wha…What do you mean?" Abigail looked devastated.

Tom placed his hand over hers and peered into her face, "Roger's gone Abby."

Abby pushed Tom's hand off hers, she stood up, stared at the barn and the strange kids in it and then looked back at Tom, "What do you mean Roger's 'gone'?"

"I meant he's gone." Tom repeated gently. He attempted to hold her but she took a step back.

Abby stared at Tom with wide eyes, she started to say something, stopped, started to say something else and ended up saying nothing. She shook her head and tried again; failing. She touched her face nervously.

Abby glanced back at Tom, in a high wavering voice she said, "What do you mean he's gone? Is he gone? Did he leave? Is he-" Her voice rose higher and her eyes blurred, "Is he dead?"

Tom stood up before shooting a glance at Jake, "I meant he's dead, I'm sorry Abby."

Abby shook her head and fingered her short skirt, "No. You're wrong, no. It can't-"

"He's dead Abby, we found him yesterday, before we got you out and-"

"No. You're. WRONG!" Abby yelled suddenly, she defiantly looked scared, and angry. Tom couldn't help noticing that despite the situation her green eyes looked prettier when she was angry, and that her nose even smaller when it was red. As Abby turned away and back to him; the sunlight caught her hair and bleached it to a light reddish brown. Tom found himself unable to concentrate or even care about the matter; he just wanted to hear her speak –speak to him.

Abby's nervous fidgeting brought Tom's attention to her pale smooth fingers, and no sooner had he thought about what it was like to touch them, he found that his hand had subconsciously reached out for her hand. He pressed them gently not even catching himself.

"I know you're upset." Tom said slowly, still clutching her hands, Abby stared at him baffled, "But you'll get over it."

Tom wanted to kick himself as Abby flinched, snatched her hands back and yelled in disbelief, "Get over it?! Get over it?! He was my friend!"

"Abby that's not what I meant." Tom hurried. He noticed Jake's stare and Rachel and Marco's skeptic look –Jake was the only one who caught on to Tom's real mistake. And it wasn't his words.

Tom rubbed the bridge of his nose, "What I meant was that in time you'd find a way to except this. I know it's hard, I know what it feels like to be confronted by this."

Abby said nothing, her hand went over her mouth as the enormity of the news struck her; she'll never see Roger ever again.

"Look Abby-" Cassie started but Abby spoke at the same time, not even realizing that Cassie was speaking to her.

"What do I tell her?" Abby sounded awestruck, "What do I tell him?"

"Who?" Tom looked confused.

"Mrs. Spade." She whispered, "What do I tell Robert? What am I supposed to tell them?"

"Who?" Tom repeated looking at Jake. But Jake looked equally surprised.

Abby sat down on a bale of hay, the others had to move closer to hear her, her voice was low and stunned "Roger's mother, and his little brother."

"He has family?"

"Of course he has a family," Abby's voice snapped, "I can't believe this."

"Abby, you can't contact them." Tom reasoned, "The Yeerks know your face, they-"

"I don't care!" Abby said furiously, "We're talking about Roger here, and his family they- oh god, Roger." Abby slumped. She buried her hands into her face and muttered to herself, "Help me."

"Abby." Cassie said gently, sitting beside her on the bale of hay, "You can't go to them because that would attract Yeerk attention. You'd endanger them I'm sure Roger doesn't want that to happen."

Abby shook her head miserably, "No. He wouldn't want that."

Cassie nodded, she glanced up at Jake, "she's staying with the Chee right?"

"Yeah."

"Do you have family that you want to bring along?"

Abby nodded.

Tom said, "Your father?"

Abby shook her head, "No, I don't have a real father. But I do have someone I consider as family." Abby looked down at her nails, "And it would mean a lot to me if I could bring her along."

"Who?"

"Red."

"Em. Okay." Jake looked puzzled. "Who is Red?"

Abby actually smiled, "My mare."

"We'll have to ask the Chee." Marco said. He added brightly, "You like dogs though, right?"

Abby shrugged, she but her lip.

"What?" Tom asked.

"You know killed Roger?" Abby spoke slowly, as if she was thinking about something important, "and Mark. You know who kille- murdered them?"

"We don't know." Tom sighed.

Jake spoke up, "I bet Victor knows, he was there when it happened. I know that if he tells us everything we could get going somewhere, besides waiting for the killer to spring up again."

"But he's not saying anything." Rachel finished for Jake.

Cassie said, "It's bothering us, maybe you should talk to Victor, you used to be close to him."

Abby's face hardened at little at the mention of talking to Victor –or even seeing him again. "That wouldn't be necessary."

Jake caught her cold tone. "Yeah? Why?"

Abby stood up and stared out of the window, she looked at Tom –still not used to the idea of talking to Jake. "I know who killed Roger. And I know who killed Mark too."

Marco shot Jake a look and then stepped forward, defiantly interested. "Who?"

"It's that bitch." Abby said coldly. "It has to be."

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