Hobbes drove up the house with Ray in the back, sobbing, drunk, and
stupefied. He shook his head. It was a shame. This family seemed to have
really poor taste in men. Bobby pulled into the drive way and got out of
Golda, dragging Ray behind him. Everything was quiet. Too quiet. Hobbes
was suspicious. He drew his gun with his free hand and cautiously moved
towards the house. He walked to the open gate at the side of the house.
Bobby made his way around the corner and found Veri cleaning up what
appeared to be the remains of a birthday party. Hobbes sighed in relief,
and then saw that Veri had tears in her eyes.
"What happened?" he inquired holstering his gun.
"They're gone," was all that she could manage.
Suddenly, Ray wrenched free of Hobbes' grip and ran up to his wife. He grabbed onto her dress hem and began to cry uncontrollably.
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" he pleaded with her. "I tried to resist, but I wanted to keep you safe! I swear! I'm sorry!"
Veri looked down at her husband with confusion. She didn't know what was going on. Her eyes widened and she looked up at Hobbes' face in horror. Had her husband been the one to tell Arnaud? Hobbes, recognizing the expression on her face simply nodded and looked down. Veri's eyes welled up with tears and she knelt down beside her husband and joined his tears.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Claire sat over Darien, gently swabbing his brow. He had been unconscious for an hour now. Everyone was worried. He groaned gently and fluttered his eyelids open. His vision was somewhat blurred, but was returning. He looked around him.
"Hey, how ya feelin', Fawkesy?" Bobby said, leaning over Claire's shoulder. She had told him everything that happened.
"Like six guys just beat me senseless," Darien responded wearily. "Ya…that's about right."
"Atta boy," Hobbes said smiling weakly. "He's fine."
Darien winced as Bobby smacked him on the shoulder in support. "Um, I got a question for ya, Hobbesy."
"Shoot."
"Don't say that."
"Sorry. Now, what were you saying?"
"How the heck did Arnaud know we were here?"
"It was the husband. He ratted us out."
"What?" Darien said, with shock, yet deep down, he wasn't that surprised.
"Apparently," Hobbes continued, "the guy's been givin' away Lil's location for sometime now,"
"At first it was for the money, but when he tried to quit, Arnaud threatened his family," Claire added.
Sobbing came from the living room. Darien painfully turned his head and saw Veri and Ray huddled together, both crying as much as the next.
"I swear," Hobbes commented, "I'm really tempted to give that guy some happy pills."
Darien laughed slightly. He slowly sat up and winced.
"I think, they've bruised your rib, Darien," Claire said. She helped him up. He smiled at her and walked over to the bathroom and shut the door. He started the faucet and ran cold water over his face. He hoped that the water would wash away the pain as it had before. He opened his eyes. His left eye was swollen and there were several bandages all around his head. He sighed and looked down at the water. It was slightly bloody. An image of a dead Allianora flashed through his head, followed by an image of a dead Lillianne. Darien jumped back from the sink. He slowly inched back toward it.
A shot of pain went through his skull. Darien found himself suddenly on the floor. He looked at his tattoo. It was red all the way around.
"Already?" he said as another shot of pain ran through his brain. He writhed on the floor. "Cl-Cl-…"
Darien desperately tried to get the words out of his mouth, but it was too late. The quicksilver madness was upon him. His body suddenly stiffened and then went limp. He opened his eyes and smiled. Darien stood up and looked at himself in the mirror. He ripped off all of his bandages and looked at the wounds. Blood dripped off his face and into the running water.
"Darien," Claire called as she knocked on the door. "Is everything alright?"
"I haven't felt better," he said under his breath. Then his smile broadened. "Actually," he called. "Could you come in here? I think I need some help."
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Lillianne slowly came to. She was lying on a bed somewhere in Arnaud's compound. She could feel the blood pooling by her head. Arnaud had hit her hard and it throbbed through her head. It was worth it, though. She smiled at the memory. Just then, Arnaud came through the door. Lillianne sat straight up. The blood rushed from her head and she leaned against a wall.
"My dear Lily," Arnaud said tenderly, "You look flushed. Lie down again."
Lillianne just ignored him and tried to get her bearings again.
"Come now, Lily." Arnaud said reaching out and caressing her face. Lillianne drew back in disgust. "I'm only reclaiming what's mine."
"She is not yours. Not in the least."
"Oh, you mean the little girl?" Arnaud smiled. "I have a feeling that you're lying to me. You and I both know that you haven't been with another man since we were…estranged. I've made sure of that."
"I wouldn't be so sure." Lillianne retorted under her breath.
"What was that?" Arnaud said, narrowing his eyes.
"Nothing," Lillianne smiled.
"Hmm," Arnaud sneered. "You're hiding something from me. I know it…Well, I'll find out in due time. We have all the time in the world." He leaned down and kissed Lillianne on the lips lightly. She slapped him. Arnaud raised his hand and smacked her, knocking her to the floor. He gazed down at her then turned away. It pained him to hit her, but she had to be disciplined. He left the room quickly.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Darien?!" Hobbes shouted as he circled around Darien. "Darien, listen to me. Let Claire go!"
Darien smiled. He held a broken shard of glass to Claire's neck. He had shattered it with his right hand, which was now bloodied. He laughed sickly and leaned down to Claire who was struggling in his arms. She had a black eye from Darien when he attacked her as she entered the bathroom.
"Come on, Keepy," Darien whispered into her ear. "We're just having a little fun."
"Darien," Claire said, feigning kindness, "if you let me go, I'll give you a nice shot. You'd like that, wouldn't you?"
"Oh, ya," Darien nodded his head up and down.
While Darien was distracted, Hobbes snuck around behind him, and immediately dove on top of him. Darien let Claire go and began to try to grab Hobbes off his back. Suddenly, Ray charged at Darien as well, knocking him to the ground. Both men pinned him to the ground. Claire dove for her medical bag and grabbed the syringe.
"Hold him down!" she shouted and aimed for Darien's neck. The needle sunk in and counteragent began to flow through Darien's blood. His body went limp as Ray and Hobbes climbed off of him.
"What the hell's going on?" Ray asked perplexed. "That guy just went nuts!"
"You don't know the half of it, my friend," Hobbes said wiping the sweat from his brow.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
Violette sat in the middle of a tiny room on the floor. She had been crying since the bad men grabbed her. She was so confused. What was going on? Where was her Maman? Didn't they know it was her birthday? What happened to Darien, Claire, and Uncle Bobby? Why did they take her away from her Maman? At that last thought, Violette burst into more tears.
The door slowly creaked open. In stepped Arnaud wearing his handsome face. Violette sniffled and curled up into a little ball.
"Well, hello there, little girl," he said friendlily. "What's the matter?"
"I'm…I'm not supposed to talk to strangers," she said from between her knees.
"That's a very good idea. You don't know who could be talking to you."
Violette looked up at him. He smiled at her.
"Perhaps we can fix that. How about I tell you who I am, so you can talk to me? Does that sound good?" He knelt down beside her.
"Oh…okay," she said shyly.
"My name is Arnaud…and I am your father."
Violette's eyes widened and she quickly backed away. "Maman said not to talk to you. She said you were a bad man."
Arnaud frowned, then quickly collected his thoughts. He smiled again. "You're Maman was right."
"She was?" she said confused. Violette didn't expect him to agree with her.
"I was a very bad man when I met your maman. I've changed, though. In fact, I've come to rescue you."
"You have?"
"Yes. Come now. Let's go find Maman."
Violette still unsure stood up. She looked at Arnaud carefully. He seemed nice enough, and if he were her Papan, then he wouldn't hurt her. She held out her hand and let him pick her up. He wiped the tears from her face and kissed her forehead.
"You're absolutely…precious," he said grinning slightly.
"What happened?" he inquired holstering his gun.
"They're gone," was all that she could manage.
Suddenly, Ray wrenched free of Hobbes' grip and ran up to his wife. He grabbed onto her dress hem and began to cry uncontrollably.
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" he pleaded with her. "I tried to resist, but I wanted to keep you safe! I swear! I'm sorry!"
Veri looked down at her husband with confusion. She didn't know what was going on. Her eyes widened and she looked up at Hobbes' face in horror. Had her husband been the one to tell Arnaud? Hobbes, recognizing the expression on her face simply nodded and looked down. Veri's eyes welled up with tears and she knelt down beside her husband and joined his tears.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Claire sat over Darien, gently swabbing his brow. He had been unconscious for an hour now. Everyone was worried. He groaned gently and fluttered his eyelids open. His vision was somewhat blurred, but was returning. He looked around him.
"Hey, how ya feelin', Fawkesy?" Bobby said, leaning over Claire's shoulder. She had told him everything that happened.
"Like six guys just beat me senseless," Darien responded wearily. "Ya…that's about right."
"Atta boy," Hobbes said smiling weakly. "He's fine."
Darien winced as Bobby smacked him on the shoulder in support. "Um, I got a question for ya, Hobbesy."
"Shoot."
"Don't say that."
"Sorry. Now, what were you saying?"
"How the heck did Arnaud know we were here?"
"It was the husband. He ratted us out."
"What?" Darien said, with shock, yet deep down, he wasn't that surprised.
"Apparently," Hobbes continued, "the guy's been givin' away Lil's location for sometime now,"
"At first it was for the money, but when he tried to quit, Arnaud threatened his family," Claire added.
Sobbing came from the living room. Darien painfully turned his head and saw Veri and Ray huddled together, both crying as much as the next.
"I swear," Hobbes commented, "I'm really tempted to give that guy some happy pills."
Darien laughed slightly. He slowly sat up and winced.
"I think, they've bruised your rib, Darien," Claire said. She helped him up. He smiled at her and walked over to the bathroom and shut the door. He started the faucet and ran cold water over his face. He hoped that the water would wash away the pain as it had before. He opened his eyes. His left eye was swollen and there were several bandages all around his head. He sighed and looked down at the water. It was slightly bloody. An image of a dead Allianora flashed through his head, followed by an image of a dead Lillianne. Darien jumped back from the sink. He slowly inched back toward it.
A shot of pain went through his skull. Darien found himself suddenly on the floor. He looked at his tattoo. It was red all the way around.
"Already?" he said as another shot of pain ran through his brain. He writhed on the floor. "Cl-Cl-…"
Darien desperately tried to get the words out of his mouth, but it was too late. The quicksilver madness was upon him. His body suddenly stiffened and then went limp. He opened his eyes and smiled. Darien stood up and looked at himself in the mirror. He ripped off all of his bandages and looked at the wounds. Blood dripped off his face and into the running water.
"Darien," Claire called as she knocked on the door. "Is everything alright?"
"I haven't felt better," he said under his breath. Then his smile broadened. "Actually," he called. "Could you come in here? I think I need some help."
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Lillianne slowly came to. She was lying on a bed somewhere in Arnaud's compound. She could feel the blood pooling by her head. Arnaud had hit her hard and it throbbed through her head. It was worth it, though. She smiled at the memory. Just then, Arnaud came through the door. Lillianne sat straight up. The blood rushed from her head and she leaned against a wall.
"My dear Lily," Arnaud said tenderly, "You look flushed. Lie down again."
Lillianne just ignored him and tried to get her bearings again.
"Come now, Lily." Arnaud said reaching out and caressing her face. Lillianne drew back in disgust. "I'm only reclaiming what's mine."
"She is not yours. Not in the least."
"Oh, you mean the little girl?" Arnaud smiled. "I have a feeling that you're lying to me. You and I both know that you haven't been with another man since we were…estranged. I've made sure of that."
"I wouldn't be so sure." Lillianne retorted under her breath.
"What was that?" Arnaud said, narrowing his eyes.
"Nothing," Lillianne smiled.
"Hmm," Arnaud sneered. "You're hiding something from me. I know it…Well, I'll find out in due time. We have all the time in the world." He leaned down and kissed Lillianne on the lips lightly. She slapped him. Arnaud raised his hand and smacked her, knocking her to the floor. He gazed down at her then turned away. It pained him to hit her, but she had to be disciplined. He left the room quickly.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Darien?!" Hobbes shouted as he circled around Darien. "Darien, listen to me. Let Claire go!"
Darien smiled. He held a broken shard of glass to Claire's neck. He had shattered it with his right hand, which was now bloodied. He laughed sickly and leaned down to Claire who was struggling in his arms. She had a black eye from Darien when he attacked her as she entered the bathroom.
"Come on, Keepy," Darien whispered into her ear. "We're just having a little fun."
"Darien," Claire said, feigning kindness, "if you let me go, I'll give you a nice shot. You'd like that, wouldn't you?"
"Oh, ya," Darien nodded his head up and down.
While Darien was distracted, Hobbes snuck around behind him, and immediately dove on top of him. Darien let Claire go and began to try to grab Hobbes off his back. Suddenly, Ray charged at Darien as well, knocking him to the ground. Both men pinned him to the ground. Claire dove for her medical bag and grabbed the syringe.
"Hold him down!" she shouted and aimed for Darien's neck. The needle sunk in and counteragent began to flow through Darien's blood. His body went limp as Ray and Hobbes climbed off of him.
"What the hell's going on?" Ray asked perplexed. "That guy just went nuts!"
"You don't know the half of it, my friend," Hobbes said wiping the sweat from his brow.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
Violette sat in the middle of a tiny room on the floor. She had been crying since the bad men grabbed her. She was so confused. What was going on? Where was her Maman? Didn't they know it was her birthday? What happened to Darien, Claire, and Uncle Bobby? Why did they take her away from her Maman? At that last thought, Violette burst into more tears.
The door slowly creaked open. In stepped Arnaud wearing his handsome face. Violette sniffled and curled up into a little ball.
"Well, hello there, little girl," he said friendlily. "What's the matter?"
"I'm…I'm not supposed to talk to strangers," she said from between her knees.
"That's a very good idea. You don't know who could be talking to you."
Violette looked up at him. He smiled at her.
"Perhaps we can fix that. How about I tell you who I am, so you can talk to me? Does that sound good?" He knelt down beside her.
"Oh…okay," she said shyly.
"My name is Arnaud…and I am your father."
Violette's eyes widened and she quickly backed away. "Maman said not to talk to you. She said you were a bad man."
Arnaud frowned, then quickly collected his thoughts. He smiled again. "You're Maman was right."
"She was?" she said confused. Violette didn't expect him to agree with her.
"I was a very bad man when I met your maman. I've changed, though. In fact, I've come to rescue you."
"You have?"
"Yes. Come now. Let's go find Maman."
Violette still unsure stood up. She looked at Arnaud carefully. He seemed nice enough, and if he were her Papan, then he wouldn't hurt her. She held out her hand and let him pick her up. He wiped the tears from her face and kissed her forehead.
"You're absolutely…precious," he said grinning slightly.