Thorn: She doesn't own diddly-squat!
Nova
Chapter 31: An Attack
Knives
"This is the street." Kestrel said, waving her hand towards a road going right.
The sun had just dipped down below the horizon and was getting darker by the minute. The streets we traveled were quiet and nearly void of life. Only a few humans and/or Plants traversed the paved roads. Quite a contrast compared to the inner city.
The four women and the priest, still out of it, and being supported by Milly, were all ahead of me. I was still dragging Vash along. He completely refused to do anything, merely dragged his feet and let his head loll about as I helped him along. I was on the verge of leaving him on the side of the road.
Kestrel's cousin turned to say something to me, but before she could her eyes widened and she yelled out, "Look out!"
It took me a second to realize that that the woman was shouting at me. Immediately I dropped to the ground dragging Vash along with me.
Just in time for a figure in a white lab coat to go flying over my head.
The figure didn't even hesitate. Having missed me, he rolled to the ground, and lunged straight for Kestrel. She tried to dive out of the way, but the attacker still managed to clip her on the side, knocking her to the ground. Kestrel kicked out at him, getting him in the stomach, then rolled away.
Meryl pulled a couple of her Derringers out, and pointed them at our attacker. He sneered, not fazed, and leapt out at Meryl. Legacy flicked her hand and the man suddenly changed course and flew into a light pole, hitting it with a sickening crack.
Meryl nodded at Legacy, lowering her guns, "Thanks."
"Anytime."
"Is he dead?" Asked Milly, still burdened with the priest leaning on her shoulder.
Kestrel crouched down next to the man's side touching his neck, "No. Unconscious."
"Who the hell is he?" Legacy asked.
Kestrel just shook her head.
"We should probably tie him up before he wakes." Meryl said.
Kestrel jerked her head towards the houses on the other side of the street, "We have some ropes at home."
"How are we going to get him there?" Meryl asked, nudging the attacker's leg with the tip of her shoe.
"No problem." Legacy put out her hand, palm parallel with the ground, and brought it up slowly. The man's body responded by lifting up two feet off the ground and floated in position.
"Lets go then." Legacy said.
I hauled the still inebriated Vash up and dragged him after the others.
When we finally reached Kestrel's home, we were greeted at the door by her father, Marcus Bluesummers.
He was rather tall, a little on the chubby side, and had streaks of white in his blue hair along his temples. The lines in his face showed someone who smiled a lot. And indeed his did smile. A lot. Too much if you asked me. He greeted everyone with a hug or a pat on the back.
And for some reason he seemed to find the state of my brother and the priest hilarious.
He directed Milly and myself to place them on a big gray couch where they were lolled out, asleep.
The four women and Kestrel's father were surrounded our attacker, who was tied to a chair still unconscious, and talked among themselves.
I moved away from them and occupied myself in examining Kestrel's home. It seemed much larger inside than it was outside, the ceiling was high, and much of the furniture was fairly short, that was probably the cause of it seeming larger.
I saw a kitchen to the left and a stairway off to the left that went up into a dark upper floor.
I soon found myself standing off to one side next to cardboard box, which held a sleeping mother cat surrounded by a litter of four kittens. One of the kittens woke and looked up at me, yawned then promptly went back to sleep.
I sighed and went back to the couch pushing Vash over a little so I could sit.
The women and Kestrel's father were still talking,
Kestrel
"--what I want to know is why he attacked. Who is he? Where did he come from?" Meryl was saying.
"Maybe he works for Seldokas." Milly said breathlessly.
"Yeah, that seems to be the only viable possibility." I muttered.
"Seldokas?" asked Marcus.
"The lizard guy I was telling you about a few minutes ago, Papa." I said patiently.
"Oh, yes."
"He sounds like a real creep." Legacy commented.
"I think he's far worse." Meryl snorted.
"Anyway, we won't get any answers till he wakes. Until then--" Kestrel was interrupted by the front door opening.
Aria entered, followed closely by Shane, "Really?" She was saying, "Wow, that sounds like fun!"
"It is." Shane grinned, "The ones on the high 'falls are the best."
Aria noticed us then smiled, "Hello everyone."
"You're home. Good." Marcus said happily.
"Yeah. Oh! Dad this is Shane," she then explained where he was from. Shane shook Marcus' hand, "A pleasure to meet you, Sir."
"Eh heh, the same here! Call me Marc or Marcus!"
Shane laughed lightly, "OK."
Aria pointed to the man tied to the chair, "Who...?"
"He attacked us as we were getting home." Legacy said, "We have no idea who he is. Or where he's from."
"Attacked?" Aria raised her eyebrows.
"I know who it is." Shane said suddenly.
"You do?" Marcus blinked, "Well, son, spit it out."
"I wasn't certain at first. But I'm sure of it now. It's Doctor Kelis. From the Hidden City."
"He's from your city? Why in the hell did he attack?"
Shane shook his head, "I don't know. This doesn't make any sense. I saw him just that day before we left, and I don't think he'd ever met the others."
"Oh!" Milly abruptly cried out, "He's waking!"
Meryl
We were surrounding 'Doctor Kelis' as Shane had called him. His eyes fluttered for second, then closed. Suddenly he jumped, his eyes opening wide. His face went pale and he looked around, his face a picture of utter shock.
"Doc?" Shane asked hesitantly.
The doctor looked up at Shane, confused.
"Shane?" Without warning he just began sobbing, "I'm-- I'm so sorry."
"Doctor, what happened? Why did you attack these folks?"
"I couldn't control anything. I watched myself do these things. I saw his intent. Heard his thoughts. But I couldn't stop... I couldn't stop."
"Who? Who's intent?" I asked.
He looked up at me, his eyes wide, tears streaming out, "Seldokas."
Aria
"What do you make of it?" I said to Father.
It was much later; Kes had put the doctor into a sleep, just in case Seldokas managed to regain control. And then everyone had headed off to bed. Kestrel to her room and her friends to the guest rooms, and Legacy had gone home. Father and I were sitting at the kitchen table.
"I have no idea. We should probably call Marian. She's always good with things like this." Dad said, sipping on a glass of water.
"It's to late right now. Anyway," I said, "she's coming over tomorrow to speak with Kes'."
"Oh, she is? Good. Well, I'm off to bed now, pumpkin." He stood and placed his glass in the sink.
"'Night." I said.
ACCKKK!, I'm really really sorry for the delay. I have no excuse... well I do but it would take to long to list all of 'em.
So. I kinda thought this chapter was a lame foot. It took so long to write that I'm not to sure of it's quality.
Oh well...
Reviewer Responses...
Ok well, I... did want to write up some reviewer responses but I also wanted to get this chapter out ASAP.
So I humbly thank all the beautiful people who reviewed...
Rosebud
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Thank you all!
Oh. And I have no idea when I can get the next chapter out so please be patient with me. :)
I'll try to make it better than this one.