Author's Note: Here's the sequel I promised. This story is dedicated to my friend LuMezenga who had the main idea for the plot. Again I do not own anything, all those rights go straight to Joseph Delaney. Hope you like it. Read and review it.

Chapter 13: Without a Plan

"Put them in a cell, Stefan," Bony Lizzie said.

Stefan nodded and walked up to me and I stepped back.

"Don't fight back, Alice. Or you friend dies," Mab warned me, so I gave up.

I let Stefan tie my hands and he pushed me towards the cells. Behind us, Jason was pushing Tom. Stefan locked me and Tom on different cells side by side, because the place wasn't so big. Jason stayed in the bottom of the stairs to watch us.

I couldn't believe that all of that was happening. Tom and I were locked up. Bony Lizzie was making a ritual to call Fiend up stairs and it was my entire fault as usual. Tom turned to me from his cell, but he was looking at the ground. By the look on his face, he was felling bad, something he shouldn't be doing.

"Don't blame yourself, Tom," I said.

"I'm sorry, Alice," he looked at me.

"Don't be, none of this is your fault. You were doing your job, nothing else. I'm the guilty one."

"I'm sorry for not believing you at the beginning. We probably wouldn't be here if I had listened to you."

"Stop talking," Jason said.

"We need to figure out a way to get out of here. Stop this ritual. Destroy Stefan. Get Mab and Bony Lizzie, put them in a pit and go back to Chipenden," Tom whispered to me.

"Yeah, that's sounds a good plan, but how are we going to do all that alone? We don't stand a chance against them all," I whispered back and Jason approached us.

"I said stop talking," he screamed.

"Jason, don't talk like you're an authority here, because you're not," I replied calmly.

"Alice, stop it," Tom complained.

"He's not on our side. He has been trying to kill you, remember?" I said surprised he was defending his brother.

"Jason, why are you doing this?" Tom asked.

"Because you deserve it, Tom. You were always in advantage. We were in seven children, but you were the favorite one. Mom and Dad always protected you, the family's baby. Pathetic. You are not special and yet you have been treated like you were," Jason said with wet eyes. He definitely carried a lot of sorrow.

Tom stood up angrily, because he knew his life hasn't been easy. Jason had no idea of what he was talking about.

"Do you think my life has been a sea of roses? Do you have any idea of what I've been through to get where I am now? There are only two people who have anything to say about my life and these people are Alice and Mr. Gregory, because they both witnessed everything I've gone through," Tom snapped back angrily.

"You've been living in a big house, with comfort and with good and warm food whenever you get home for the past 8 years! But when dad died where were you? And you didn't even care that Mom left us all and yet you are the only one who still receives letters from her," Jason said fiercely.

"That is it? Is that all you got? Just because I have comfort at home, it means my life is good? You have no idea of the things I have to deal with everyday. Witches, boggart, ghosts, demigods, any kind of dark creatures. I've even dealt with Fiend once. My life isn't easy. I risk it every time I leave home to work. I walk down the streets and people avoid me like I have the plague or something contagious. Alice is the only friend I have. However, I don't waste my time with self pity because I know that's all part of my job. It's the consequences I started to live with when I chose to be a Spook. If you're miserable, there isn't much I can do about it."

"What about Mom and Dad?"

"I wish I could've been there when dad died, but I can't change the past. I wasn't there, but I have dad in my heart wherever I go. As for Mom, there was nothing I could do. There was nothing anybody could do. She belonged with dad and when he left, she went back to where she used to belong, her country. Her old life in Greece. Don't blame me for the past."
"Hey! Could you stop arguing about the past and whose life is easier?" I interrupted them angrily. "Jason, if you help us, we can get you out of this mess. You can come with us. We don't blame you for trusting Mab. Witches can be very persuasive. Tell us what you know so we can stop the ritual. Fiend cannot come back. It will be the start of a new dark era. Can you imagine how life will be with Stefan and Fiend free?"

"I don't care how life will be. I'm on their side, so I'm protected. I'm not helping you to run like cowards. You can't run from this. Everybody will be affected after all," Jason said.

"You're insane. Do you think they'll spare you? You'll be killed as soon as possible. Help us, please, Jason," Tom said.

"Shut up! You have to stay in silence. In a few minutes, Stefan will come to take you to the ritual," Jason said going back to the bottom of the stairs.

"Alice? Tom whispered to me. "Do you still carry that hidden knife?"

"What do you think I've been doing while we talked?" I smirked showing him my free hands.

I passed Tom my knife and Jason stood there without a clue of what we were doing, but in the end it didn't make any difference to be with our hands free, because we didn't know how to get out of there. A few minutes later, Stefan came down. He went straight to my cell and opened it.

"Get up and come with me," he said.

"Who are you working to this time?" I asked.

"None of your business," he continued.

"Then I'll stay here," I leaned my head in the wall.

Stefan walked in, grabbed my arm and made me get up.

"Let her go," Tom shouted.

"Shut up, boy," Stefan said.

"It's ok, Tom. Don't worry," I said walking out of the cell.

When we got closer to Jason, Stefan stopped and turned to him.

"The boy stays here. Wait five minutes and then you can come up too."

Jason nodded and Stefan pushed to the stairs. While we were going up, I stopped the middle of the stairs.

"Why did you stop? Keep going," Stefan complained

"Can I still ask you for that favor?" I asked him.

"Yeah, what do you want?"

"I know things are going to get dangerous, so I need you to protect Tom from now on, it doesn't matter what it takes," I turned around and looked at him the eyes.

"You have my word. Now keep walking," he replied.