Chapter 7: Quick Visits

Kiera Goode's POV:

It needed piano notes to go with it. I thought when I set my notebook back down on my bed while recapping my pen. I stared down at the page when I heard voices from downstairs. Distinctly I could hear my brothers and someone else's to, but I couldn't put a name too it right away. There was a strange accent with it, you could say. Only when the accent was dropped did I realize who it was.

Scrambling off the bed I headed out of my bedroom and down the staircase. It had been an incredibly long time since I saw him, but still I couldn't believe I didn't recognize that it was him right away. Even if the accent threw me off.

When I reached the living room I saw my brother standing there talking to him. He was nodding his head when he looked over and saw me. He grinned his usual, almost lazy-type of grin. Immediately I ran over to him and hugged him tightly. I couldn't believe he was here.

He chuckled and wrapped his arms around me. "It's nice to see you too Keira," Riley said and I smiled.

When we pulled away I looked up at him curiously. He was several inches taller than my brother who already was several inches taller than me. So there was a very noticeable height difference.

"Shouldn't you be at Blackthorne?" I asked him. Wondering how he could possibly be here with school still in session.

"The hospital called the school and told them my mother was ill and needed me here. They sent me off by jet. When I got to the hospital my mom, of course, didn't want me to spend all that much time with her. She already had company," Riley said, resentment in his eyes and harshness in his tone. "So I decided to come over here for a visit."

I nodded my head not surprised by what I heard.

"Anything major happened while I've been at school?" Riley asked in a joking manner, like his nature. Zach tensed slightly and I could see that he wanted to tell Riley the truth, but we both knew where that would lead.

Instead Zach replied, "Only the usual, here." Which was as truthful as Zach could be. "How has class with Mr. Hobbs been?"

Riley rolled his eyes and replied, "The guy still hates me. After all these years you would think he would have lighten up just a tad, but nope he stills hates that I showed him up." Riley shook his head while I chuckled under my breath.

Riley, well let's just say Riley was a special case for the Blackthorne Institution for Boys. He didn't live behind the gates of Mallburry Lane more like in front of them. Not in the greatest neighborhood where calling in a shooting wasn't an uncommon daily activity.

He was dirt poor although you couldn't tell that by how he was dressed now. Currently he is on several different, even strange, scholarships for Blackthrone enough to keep him attending. His mom, well, she's not the greatest in the world and drinks heavily, same as ours, but not for the exact reason. She was also not one to discourage company away. Sadly, Riley has no clue whose his father is and I doubt his mother has even the slightest idea or cares.

Now as for how Riley got in to one of the most elite, expensive schools in the country is an interesting story. Back when Riley was thirteen close to fourteen his genius cousin came over to his house for a quick visit. I think his name was Austin. Well they were fairly close even though they had completely different lifestyles. Around that time Austin had received a letter from Blackthorne who had learned about his academic achievements and were interested in him coming for a visit to the school. Austin's mom was able to convince Riley's mom to let Riley come with them for moral support. Not like that took too much effort, since Riley would be out of the house a week or two free of charge.

When arriving there Riley decided to go on his own taking a look around the school while Austin and his mom talked to the Headmaster of the school, Dr. Steve. Shortly after Riley arrived he met Zach who was twelve at the time, along with several other seventh graders. They talked for a time outside—the teacher was out searching for an obstacle of some sort—and Riley learned then that their most hated teacher was having a math problem. Now at the time Riley didn't care that much about teachers or problems but when math was involved he was immediately on board. So with directions given by Zach he went to the room to where the math problem was to solve it though none of the other kids thought he would be able to.

He was in the classroom for an hour at the most when the Dr. Steve, Austin, and Austin's mother found him and the solved math problem. Sheepishly Riley told them he solved it which stunned them all since Riley wasn't all that great in school. He had D's in every class except math and even that was a low B. So Dr. Steve seeing that there might be potential sent him to take a test dealing with college level math problems. Riley scored in the 98 percentile proving without a doubt that he in fact solved the math problem.

Of course this news went fast around school that Mr. Hobbs, the math teacher of the school, couldn't solve a problem he had for weeks while a thirteen year old came in and solved it within an hour. He wasn't a well liked teacher at the school who was now embarrassed resulting in all the boys being very accepting of Riley. Quickly Zach and Riley became close friends and later on I met him.

Dr. Steve took in Riley's situation and with several scholarships and the promise that Riley would spend nine months of the year at the boarding school Riley's mother let Riley be taken. There Riley was tutored in all the other subjects he greatly needed help on especially English. He wasn't good with literature and his whole way of speaking and vocabulary had to be changed. Luckily, not only did he not need help with math but with defense mechanism and strength abilities. Living where he does has let him learn how to fight and well otherwise he wouldn't have made it.

So now after all that, here he is attending one of the prestigious, allusive schools in the nation and being hated by the teacher he humiliated even though he doesn't see it that way. Oh, and as for Austin the one who was supposed to be there in the first place wasn't accepted. He and Riley haven't talked since.

"Guess he can't get over the fact that he can be outshined by a kid who happens to be good with numbers," I teased. Riley shook his head and murmured 'guess.'

"Well I see Mr. Dawson is here," our father stated behind me. We all looked over by the entryway to see a very unpleased look on his face. Father wasn't one to like or accept anyone he considered less than him in status and he saw Riley as the definition of white-trailer trash.

Riley held up his hand in a small wave. "Nice to see you again, Mr. Gates." Our father only narrowed his eyes at him and left without another word. "Tough crowd," Riley commented shrugging his shoulders like it didn't bother him. I rolled my eyes with a small smile.

"How long are you staying?" Zach asked.

Riley squinted for a millisecond in thought. "A week. Two. Not Long."

"Well regardless it's good to have you here," I replied and with that settled we played a game of Chinese Checkers. I won, of course.

* * *

After Riley went home Zach and I hopped into his car as he drove back to the church. We had decided to see if Peter knew anything more than he was letting on, just in case. We wanted no loose ends if we were going to leave. Although personally I wanted to know more about if he was the one who married our parents.

Peter, to our luck, was there. He was reading the Bible when he looked up and saw us.

* * *

Zachary Goode's POV:

"Your back I see," Peter greeted us as we walked down across the front aisle to him.

"Yes, we…were interested in learning what else you know about our 'group,'" Keira said putting it lightly.

Peter sighed and closed the book. He rubbed his thumb over the cover in thought.

I narrowed my eyes on him. He looked guilty. "You haven't told anyone what you know, have you?"

He shook his head, sadly. "No, I should though. It seems the right thing to do. I mean, I want to but my life isn't the only one at stake, is it?" He glanced between the two of us. We kept quiet. Nodding his head he added, "That's what I thought."

After a minute Keira spoke up and asked, "Did you marry Robert Gates and Cordelia Mason?" I looked over at her not expecting that. She kept her eyes directly on Peter.

Opening his mouth Peter was about to speak in response but a different voice sounded out through the church. "Does it really matter?"

We all looked back towards the door seeing Kendall enter and speed walk up to us. She was smiling suspiciously, looking between the three of us before her eyes landed on Keira. "This game has gone on quite enough Keira, don't you think?"

Keira narrowed her eyes, backing up slightly from her. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh, I think all three of you do. Even you priest," she hissed at Peter.

It was then that I watched her fingers tapping lightly on her upper part of her leg. The sound was…then I knew that she was carrying a gun that given her skill she could quickly pull out when she wanted to. I wasn't the only one who figured that out as I watched Keira and Peter's faces. This could turn out to be a horrific scene.

She turned back to Keira. "Why don't we just end your life now and get over this game of…cat and cat," Kendall threatened my sister, smiling coyly. "You two were never good enough to begin with."

"There will be no murder in the house of God," Peter ordered.

Only Kendall looked over and smiled up at him. Not affected in the least by what he stated. "Oh really?" she questioned.

(Warning: Violence)

That was when a rusty pipe was lodged straight through Peter's back coming out of his chest. He gaped and the bible he had been holding dropped to the floor. He soon followed with it.

Keira was the only one to shout. "Peter!" But Peter never responded he only held a blank stare, a lifeless stare.

Craig gleamed down at his accomplishment before turning to us. "Why don't you say we put an end to this Kendall? At least an end to one of them." His smile grew as Kendall nodded.

I knew they would, could carry out their threats. I knew they had guns. I knew that there one and only target for tonight was Keira. My sister, my younger sister who was still alive, practically the only one I had left in my family to turn to.

And if I didn't make a choice if I didn't do something quick I could possibly lose her. Something I couldn't let happen, not after Laurel.

That was when I pulled out my own gun I had been keeping with me and shot Craig first followed by Kendall in less than three seconds. Fast enough that Keira blinked rapidly before turning to me. She didn't completely understanding the scene that played before her until she saw the gun in my hand. Then she knew.

(Warning: Violence)

She opened her mouth slightly, but didn't say anything she held herself back. Except for her eyes that were screaming. That look I will never forget, but I did what I had to do. I was protecting my sister from getting killed herself. I shot in defense in protection, nothing else, and that was what I would keep telling myself. Even though I felt not guilty about what I had done in the least…no remorse, not in the slightest, for taking someone's life and that was a scary feeling to think about.

A/N: The reason the dream scene is not exactly a chapter was that it was something I came up with last minute (like a day or two before I posted it, no joke). So I never placed it in a certain time slot for the story and I've been too busy to work it in. This then left me with the idea to post it on Sunday when I couldn't finish the actual chapter in time (but seeing the reviews I don't think you guys minded that).

Anyway it is a scene(s) that, if you're confused on, does happen in this story. So in future chapters there is a possibility that I'll refer back to it for whatever reason. Hopefully, that was clear to you guys. Alright, now review while I'll go hit the books. Finals are in next week, a couple even this week, yikes!