Chapter 9
"It can't be… Sorry Demon, sorry Slick, I have to go. Now!"
"But wait, you didn't hear what else we have to tell you."
"There's no time, I have to get home."
"But it's important."
"I'm sorry, maybe I'll stop by later."
"But London…" Slick began, but it was too late, for Lillian was already out the door.
"Really," Shane said. "That kid is on the wrestling team. I never thought that he would be capable of something like this."
"We can't be positive that it really is him."
"Yeah, I know, but I better go to the Plummer's house and tell Lillian and Julie what I found."
"Okay, Sweetheart. I will see you later then?"
"Definitely."
"If you need anything else…" Claire began, but stopped when she realized that there was no one there.
Lillian sped the whole way home, went through a red light, cut off a truck, didn't stop at a stop sign and went the wrong way on a one way street. Surprisingly she did not get pulled over, but she did make it home in record time. As she pulled her motorcycle into the driveway, she saw Shane pull in with his vehicle.
"I know who the Lion is." Was the first thing out of Lillian's mouth.
"I do too; let's go tell Seth and Julie." Shane replied. The two rushed towards the house, but stopped abruptly at the door. It was open. The lock was broken.
"Oh my God, this isn't happening."
"Lillian we don't know anything yet."
"He's gone. I just know it. We're too late." Sorrow and guilt laced the edges of her voice, but she pushed her emotions aside and walked into the house. It was quiet, too quiet, like the calm before a storm. She noticed that Shane had followed her in, but she was too intent on discovering the whereabouts of her brother. The teenager ran to her brother's room, barely noticing the fact that Shane was following her. Upon reaching Seth's room, Lillian skidded to a halt at the sight that greeted her.
Shane, surprised by Lillian's sudden stop, nearly crashed into the teenager. Shane put his hands on her shoulders and felt her tense up a bit and flinch from his touch. He nearly forgot… He quickly took his hands off of her and peered into the boy's room to discover what had made the teen stop dead in her tracks. The room was not empty, but there was no Seth, instead there was Zoe and Lulu. Zoe was lying on the floor, unconscious and with a giant bleeding gash on the side of her head. Lulu was sitting on the floor crying, she had been gagged and tied to the bed post. Shane rushed forward to help, but Lillian stood glued to the same spot. She saw Shane's lips moving, but she didn't hear what he said, she didn't know what he wanted her to do. Like a blanket, her mind was wrapped around the fact that Seth was gone. A tap on her shoulder made Lillian jump; she was surprised by the sudden intrusion into her reverie. Her mind turned off the replay button as she ran to the phone to call for an ambulance.
Lillian went outside with Lulu to wait for the ambulance after she called for help. As they waited, Julie appeared.
"MOM!" Lulu shouted and ran to her mother, crying.
"Sweetheart, what's wrong?" Julie asked, worry lacing her voice. Lulu was too distraught to answer her mother. She buried her head into her mother's shoulder and sobbed. Julie took her eyes off of Lulu and stared at Lillian, her eyes begging for answers as she heard the ambulance approach the house.
"Seth is gone." Lillian's voice cracked as she told the news to Julie. Tears threatened to spill from her eyes, but Lillian refused to let them fall. She would not cry. "And Zoe, she was attacked by the person that took Seth. We're guessing it was the Lion. Zoe has a gash on the side of her face, and a concussion, it probably isn't anything too serious." Lillian regained her calm presence, and put the tight lock on all of her emotions as Shane made his way out of the house with the paramedics.
"Lulu and I will go with Zoe to the hospital." Julie announced. "Shane, Lillian, please find my son."