Disclaimer: I own nothing and probably never will.
Authors Notes:
"This is talking."
'This is thinking.'
'This is a spirit.'
"This is singing."
Review:
Lincoln is going through a accelerated growth spurt, the Loud family had lunch together, and Deamon's minions are searching for Lincoln's werabouts.
Not the next thrilling act awaits us, so raise the curtains.
Chapter 13: Prelude to a Date
Lincoln had taken to carrying the military grade talon knife that Pop-pop had given him on his person at all times lately, as it felt like someone was watching him and his sisters. He never let Lily or the twins play outside alone either. The feeling had lasted for almost three days now. Lincoln narrowed his eyes as the sun reflected off of something in a bush just down the street. Lincoln looked at the twins as they played together in Lola's princess jeep.
"Hey girls, go get Luna to watch you real quick. I need to check on something." Lincoln urged them.
"We're old enough to play in the yard on our own." Lola snarked back.
"Yeah, besides you're not our dad." Lana remarked curtly.
"Someone broke into the middle school, they haven't been caught." Lincoln tried to reason with them. "It's not safe to be out here without supervision."
"What about you? You only just got out of the hospital." Lola replied now scared.
"I'm just gonna check on something then I'll be right back." Lincoln said comfortingly.
"Okay but hurry back please." Lana begged before rushing inside followed by Lola.
Lincoln walked into the backyard, hopped the fence into Mr. Grouse's yard, and made his way quietly to the yard that the bush was in.
"Target has disappeared." A female voice spoke into a radio. "I will attempt to get a closer look to see if I can..." The voice cut off as a knife was pressed to her throat.
"Who exactly is your target?" Lincoln whispered in her ear. There were very few things that would set him off, his sisters being in danger was near the top of the list.
"What was that?" another female voice came over the radio. "I didn't catch the end of your sentence."
"Target spotted heading towards downtown with family, returning to cover." The female replied quickly as Lincoln pushed the knife harder against her throat starting to draw blood.
"Roger that." The radio responded.
"Now I'll only ask you one more time. Who are you targeting and why?" Lincoln growled. He noticed she was slowly going for the gun on her waist so he reached down and took it. "Answer me." He demanded.
"A white haired kid named Lincoln Loud." the female said in a whimper. Lincoln looked at the gun in his hand. it was silenced, and the serial numbers were filed off.
"I should just kill you to protect the kid and his sisters." Lincoln stated putting the barrel of the gun on the base of her head where it joined her neck. "But that would make me a murderer, so what I'm going to do is knock you out, and call the police."
"What if I tell them you assaulted me with a knife, and put a gun to my head." She replied. Lincoln cocked the gun.
"You haven't seen my face, so you couldn't pick me out of a line up. "Besides who would believe that a heavily armed person like you could be assaulted and taken advantage of?" Lincoln said acknowledging the fact that she was in bullet proof body armor. Lincoln removed the gun from her head and clobbered her as hard as he could with the handle. He pulled out his cell phone and called the police about a prowler and a struggle outside the property he was currently on. He didn't give a name. After he was sure they were on their way he moved to a different location where he could watch the woman but not be seen himself. When he heard sirens he hopped the fence and headed to the safety of the Loud house. Lucy met him at the backdoor.
"I assume you are the cause of our current excitement." Lucy stated as Lincoln slipped inside.
"All I did was call the police when I confirmed that there was someone watching our street." Lincoln lied.
"Hmmm." Lucy huffed. "I won't say anything about what you may or may not have done to our parents, but you should put those weapons away and get back down here quickly before mom does a head count." Lincoln nodded and raced off to do just that.
"Yo spooky, was that Linc just now?" Luna asked Lucy.
"Yes." Lucy replied.
"He give you a good reason for why we shouldn't kick him in the bollocks?" Luna asked.
"He said he confirmed there was someone watching the street so he called the police." Lucy replied. "However the knife that Pop-pop gave him was bloody and he had a gun."
"Where the heck did he get a..." Luna whispered in shock. "Lola and Lana were outside when Lincoln sent them to find me. You don't think he went all Papa Bear protective mode and confronted the dude, do you?"
"That scenario makes the most sense." Lucy agreed. "However I didn't see any blood on Lincoln."
"We'll just have to confront him luv." Luna huffed crossing her arms under her breast. "Either he explains himself and gives us a really good excuse or he is grounded. No cuddling, no kissing, and no... Blimey that's more of a punishment to us then him."
"What about forcing him to make it up to us by taking us on a romantic date?" Lucy supplied.
"I agree, that sounds like a rockin good time luv" Luna agreed. "You, me, Lincoln, and Luan."
"Finally admitted her feelings did she?" Lucy queried.
"No." Luna grumbled. "But I can see it in her face when they hug, and the lingering touches when they hand things to each other. Lincoln is oblivious, of course."
After Lincoln came back down stairs, he was cornered by his mother. "Where have you been?" Rita asked sternly, her voice laced with fear.
"I saw something when the girls and I were outside, so I went around the back of the house to try to get a better look." Lincoln explained. "I saw a woman in all black watching our yard and talking into a radio then there was a man who snuck up behind her and talked to her for a bit before hitting her over the head and running off. I called the police and stayed hidden until I was sure it was safe to come back inside." Lincoln finished not really lying as that did in fact happen.
"Oh my poor baby." Rita cried hugging Lincoln to her. "You shouldn't have to see such bad things." Lincoln squirmed trying to get free from the ever tightening hug.
"Mom I'm fine. I didn't get hurt at all." Lincoln said.
"Fine but don't you go back outside today. I want you all safely inside the house after that commotion." Rita said. "Now go find Lucy, you seem to be the only one who can keep track of her."
"Yes mom." Lincoln huffed.
Lincoln found Lucy with Luna and Luan in His room. "Seems a little crowded in here could we maybe take this you your room Lu?"
"You do know that nickname could apply to all three of us right?" Lucy deadpanned.
"Touché." Lincoln replied. "Luna, lets take this to your and Luan's room." after they quickly relocated, and locked the door, Lincoln turned to the girls and asked. "What's wrong?"
"You confronted an unknown armed with just a knife." Luna responded in a growl. "You com back, blade dripping blood and a gun in hand. And all you can thing to say is WHAT'S WRONG? Do you know how scared I was when the twin came and told me you saw something scary and went to see what it was?" Luna finished tears streaming down her cheeks.
"I'm sorry I scared you Luna. You know I'd never do anything to hurt you on purpose." Lincoln said softly now feeling ashamed.
"We all love you Lincoln." Luan stated softly playing with her ponytail. "Luna loves you, Lucy loves you, and I..." Luan took a deep breath. "I love you too. You are more then a brother to us. You are our rock when things get bad, our safe haven in a storm, our inspiration to move forward. I never told you this but it was your laugh that made me want to go into comedy, I never wanted to see you sad or frowning. Your laughter is the most precious thing I could ever be given and I wanted to hear it forever, so I started learning comedy."
"Well said Luv." Luna smiled at Luan. "Linc, dude Luan said it all. You keep us from going off the deep end. Do you know the statistics of Rockers, Comedians, and Goths that take their own lives due to depression? It's bloody nuts mate. One in three(1). Do the math luv, with out ya one of us wouldn't be here."
"I'll try to be more careful." Lincoln sighed. "But you should know they weren't watching the street."
"Then..." Luna began. "No...no no...no no no no. They can't... why would... bloody hell."
"What? What are they after?" Luan asked. Lincoln just pointed at himself. "What? Why? Who?"
"This is only a guess," Lucy began tears running down her face ruining her mascara. "but it might be some friends of that criminal, Anderson Frontiero who stabbed Lincoln. From what I remember of his trial he was a hitman for hire who was wanted in over 12 states and 4 countries."
"Then why did they wait a year? Why not try to get Lincoln in the hospital?" Luan asked. "Not that I wanted anything to happen to Lincoln in the hospital. It just doesn't make sense."
"Actually it does." Lincoln stated. The girls all turned to look at him with questioning gazes. "A private military company named Merriweather was hired to increase the security of all hospitals in the U.S. near the start of Trump's term in 2017."
"They couldn't get past Merriweather so they broke into the school after you were released to find you." Lucy said looking at Lincoln.
"It's the only thing that makes sense, but what do we do with this information?" Lincoln questioned his sisters.
"We prepare." Luna answered. "You think you can teach us what Pop-star taught you about wielding a knife?"
"Yeah, that wouldn't be to hard." Lincoln nodded in agreement. "Maybe get you some pepper spray or a taser as well."
"Fine but you owe us a date for the hell you put us through mister." Luan demanded.
"Let's give it a week. That should be enough time to get you knives, pepper spray, tasers, and teach you how to use them." Lincoln said thoughtfully. "Not to mention it will give me time to think of something amazing to do with the three of you."
Over the next few days with a trip to the mall, and another to a sporting goods store the girls were armed. Luna had a switchblade, Luan with an upgraded joy buzzer capable of knocking out an elephant courtesy of Lisa, and Lucy with a pouch full of Japanese Bo Shurkien. They all spent a full day with Lincoln learning how to use their weapons to the best of their ability. Then the weekend approached and Lincoln had a conversation with Lynn Sr.
"Dad, can I talk to you for a sec?" Lincoln asked.
"Sure sport. You know you almost look like you're seventeen now, are you sure you want to keep taking that medication?" Lynn Sr. asked. "I know Lisa said it's safe but when you start school in the fall you'll look older then all your classmates."
"Dad I already scheduled to test out of high school." Lincoln stated softly. "According to Lisa when he two weeks are up I will be physically 18, besides I remember everything I learned in school in my dream. Lisa is of the opinion that it was osmosis, while Luna, Luan, and Leni worked on their homework in the hospital room I learned what they did since they did it all out loud."
"Well I'll be, a genius in the family wont be the first to graduate early. What did you want to talk about champ?" Lynn Sr. asked.
"Um... would it be okay, if I... took Luna on a date?" Lincoln asked somewhat uncomfortable. Lynn Sr. stared at Lincoln for a few seconds.
'Treat this like a boy not related to you is asking to date your daughter.' Lynn Sr. thought. "Where, when, chaperone, and transport?" Lynn asked sternly in reply.
"Rocky Horror Picture show then dinner at Baker Street Pub & Grill, Saturday evening the movie starts at 3:30 pm then we'll get dinner after, Luan and Lucy volunteered. I still haven't figured out transportation yet unless you let Luna drive Vanzilla." Lincoln answered.
"Hmm..." Lynn Sr. gave it a thought. "Seems kinda backwards to make the girl drive but we'll get you a learners permit soon enough. That all checks out with me. Do you have enough money for everyone or do I need to give you some money for Lucy and Luan?"
"I might have enough, what with all the back up allowance money you saved in a jar for me." Lincoln said with a smile.
"Well here is a fifty just in case. They volunteered as chaperones so I'll pay for them." Lynn Sr. said with a laugh. "You treat my daughter to a good time or I'll smash your bloody kneecaps, aye mate?"
"Yes sir." Lincoln said with a bit of fear.
"I'm just yanking your chain son, just have everyone back before midnight and we'll be fine." Lynn Sr. chuckled as he walked away. Lincoln pumped his fist in victory and ran off to tell the girls.
1. making this shit up as I go