Chapter Seven: Avoiding Suspicion
"Can we please go one day without somehow ending up on the news?" Asked Techna as she gazed at the TV in the lounge room, they had moved in the lounge for breakfast on account that the TV was still in rubble in the Dining room.
Once again the girls found shocking news this morning being reported, well not shocking to them but still worth watching. The newswoman reported that Mr Spitter had not returned home in two days and was presumed missing by the authorities. He was last seen in Alfea near second bell before disappearing outside.
The girls had stuck around the house for those two days resting and healing from wounds after the last week. Valtor had not called back about the last mission but that was nothing unusual, people had gotten word that their car had blown up in school property and had somehow found out where they lived.
It had been weird and alarming when random people and reporters had started showing up on their, seemingly secret, residence. Luckily they had cleared away most of the mess of Techna's car blowing up so they were out of suspicion. When the police came over to question the girls about their car, they had been short and simple, the police didn't suspect any foul play, just bad wiring that caused the explosion.
"Do you think Mr Spitter was working for anyone, I mean that would explain him trying to kill us? Aside from his bad manners of course" Stella said causally as she munched on her toast.
"Maybe. What I want to know is why he bled black blood, that's pretty unusual" Techna said sill gazing at the TV "anyway what about school?"
Bloom groaned quietly from where she was laying on the couch, cereal in hand "I don't want to go back, the people and the guys and Amber possible wanting revenge for setting her desk on fire" After she said this the phone started ringing.
Musa sprang up from her chair and walked over to the phone "ha! Tell her to get in line" she picked up the phone "Hello dial an assassin, who may I kill for you today?" When she caught the startled stares of her friends she said "Oh relax, it's just Valtor"
The girls sighed in relief as Musa listened on the phone "Yeah everything went well, the guys gone although we sustained a few injuries in doing so...don't ask...well that's another thing, a teacher at our school tried to kill us...yeah don't worry we got him...yeah" As Musa talked on the phone Flora looked down sad.
"I still feel bad about killing someone who were weren't hired to kill"
The girls all shot her a pointed look; they had had this conversation before numerous times in the last two days. Flora sighed and let it go.
"Ask Valtor if I can go visit my parents? And ask him about the Blood" Bloom said suddenly, Musa nodded and kept talking
"Oh by the way, what does it mean when someone bleeds black blood?...ugh huh...yeah...fine ok. Bloom wants to go see her parents...ok then. Oh and By the way we need a new car...it blew up...no that one blew up too...ok clam down...bye" Musa hung up the phone and sigh as she flopped back down on the couch.
"Yeah he's not happy"
"What did he say about the blood?" Techna asked curiously
Musa shrugged "He doesn't know, although he said we should probably stay out of school for a bit, let things die down. Oh and Bloom he says you can go see your parents but only you, we all have to stay here and dwell"
Bloom smiled and got up from the couch to go get ready.
After changing and saying good bye Bloom walked out onto the front porch where she was ambushed with cameras and microphones. She finally made it over to Musa's Motorbike and drove away.
The ride back to earth was unpleasant, people kept staring at her and pointing, and she just slid her wide dark glasses up her nose and pretended not to see them.
Once Bloom arrived back on earth she wandered around her neighbourhood a bit, taking in all the changes and new attractions. Once she stopped by her mother's flower shop a small sense of nervousness came over her. She stood on the sidewalk for a long time staring at her old home.
The ice cold feeling hit her like a wrecking ball and paralysed her. Bloom looked down and saw that her body from her shoulders to her feet were frozen in ice. That could only mean one thing and her suspicions were confirmed when she heard that familiar female laugh.
The Trix.
"Hello Bloom, how are you? You look a little frozen" Icy commented as she hovered in the sky beside Darcy and Stormy. Bloom looked up at her defiantly.
"Hello Icy, Stormy, Darcy. I see you've moved on from your old plans of simply revealing yourself and endlessly blabbering about how the dragon fire will soon be yours and then hoping that your hastily thrown together plan will pull through. You're getting more evil. Just simply attacking me from behind...smart"
The Trix did not seem to take the compliment and started to insult Bloom. Bloom on the other hand, was thinking about how to make it out of this. Her powers were useless, she couldn't move her hands and her only free limb was her head. She could nibble their ankles or talk them to death.
"Enough sisters! Let's just take her and get out of here!" Icy yelled evilly.
The last thing Bloom sees is a flash of light and then darkness.
Stella put down the phone.
"Guys bad news, the school has gotten impatient and apparently so have our parents, they want to know the truth. A representative is on their way over, no exceptions and they said something about a letter" Stella said as she walked into the foyer where all the girls were standing and talking to each other.
"Oh no, what are we going to say?" Layla said from her seat on the stairs.
"We could always just say that the whole two years are a complete blank and that we don't remember a thing" Techna suggested warily. She had been trying to come up with an answer to what they were going to tell people but nothing was really coming to mind.
Layla shook her head as she stood up to stretch "No I don't think that they would buy it. Ugh this is impossible! What excuse could we possibly come up with that would explain just simply disappearing for two years and not even saying why?" leaning against the wall in defeat.
"We'll think of something, don't worry" Musa said. Just then the phone started ringing. The girls all looked at it questioningly. Who would be calling them?
Stella slowly wandered back to the phone and picked it up, looking confused as she said "Hello"
"Bloom's gone" Valtor's voice said on the other end of the line.
Stella's mouth went agape as she heard this and started to feel light headed "What are you talking about?" sounding serious for a rare moment
"Bloom, she's no longer on Earth and her tracker just disappeared all of a sudden. I think she may have been taken to some magically protected area. Stella, you girls need to find her. We can't risk her saying anything about you girls or me. If anyone finds out I'm alive there would be major consequences"
Stella could feel her legs start to wobble and slide to the floor as she listened. The girls saw this and ran quickly over to her.
"Stella?" Asked Flora in a quiet voice, Stella just shook her head mutely.
Stella continued to listen into the phone "She was on earth last time the tracker worked; to save time I'm going to transport you all to her last known location in a few minutes, be ready to go"
"I-I understand, we'll take care of it" As she hung up the phone. After telling the others about Bloom the girls had similar reactions. Nothing like this had ever happened before...well it had when they were the famous Winx Club and not deadly assassins but they knew that Bloom could handle herself...or so they thought. The notion of anyone capturing Bloom with all her training and knowledge was unthinkable.
"We have to go look for her!" Stella said after she had stopped explaining, the others were crowded around her and looking at her in shock.
"We just have to find her, not matter what" layla said as she turned to the door to get her coat, the others followed shortly.
"We'll talk to her parents first, I'll see if I can get a hold of her tracker and you guys just spread out and look for her" Techna said as she pulled on her long coat and opened the door.
As she stepped through it she came head first into the dark green shirt of her ex boyfriend Timmy. Techna gasped and stepped back in surprise, the others behind her, also starred in shock. All six of the tall and handsome specialists were standing on their front porch...again.
"You girls always seem to be going somewhere" Mused a quiet Brandon who of course was staring at...Stella, the girl who was currently avoiding his gaze. She didn't want to see him right now, she was in too much of an emotional state and she knew that if he said the wrong thing she would crack and break down.
Techna stared at her late boyfriend in shock, she had not spoken to him in ages and the last time they had seen each other had been before the car exploded. All those old memories were coming back, especially the one where she had held him from behind and told him she would miss him. She hadn't been lying, and now her heart ached and her eyes stung with the threat of tears.
Each guy started at their girls and each girl hesitantly made eye contact with their lost loves. A silent moment of tension descended and each could feel explosions of words pouring to the surface, the guys had questions and the girls just wanted to run for their lives and cry.
After that brief moment of shock everyone seemed to thaw out and go in different directions, all these moments happening at the same time.
Stella made her way out the door and down the steps, pushing past people as she went. Brandon followed her quickly, needing to talk to her once and for all. Once they were on the street and reporters were following the two people but keeping a safe distance, Brandon caught up with her and firmly took her hand. Stella feeling that electricity goes through her as their skin made contact roughly tried jerking her hand out of his. She started up at him in slight desperation.
What am I supposed to do?! She silently screamed at herself.
"You can't run again" Brandon said quickly "Where ever you're going I'm going too, I won't let you leave again and abandon everyone who loves you. You have so much that you need to do here, your parents need you, your people need you, you have a duty to them" Voice rising slightly to get the point across. Reporters surrounded them but the two didn't even notice the flash of the cameras and the shuffling of footsteps, the people were being blessedly quiet.
Stella ground her teeth together to stop the oncoming tears; if she could help it she would not cry and let him see how sad she was "You have no idea about duty or expectations! You have no idea what I've been through, so stop trying! Just...stop trying! Let me run!" she yelled back at him, still trying to jerk her hand free, the emotions were getting to her.
"No" He said softly as he placed his other hand on her shoulder to hold her still "You say that I don't know what you've been through and I don't. But if you told me I could help you, you don't have to be alone"
A tear finally escaping her as she listened to him, she desperately wanted to tell him everything but she would never let the words leave her mouth "but I am!" Sobs started to run through her as Stella stood there with Brandon in the street, more flashing of cameras.
"No you're not" Brandon said softly as he shook his head at her, getting worried at her tears, it reminded him of her tears the night she had left. He took the hand from her shoulder and wrapped it around her body as she leaned forward to cry into his chest.
After a moment of silent sobbing Stella pulled her head back and looked up at Brandon. In that moment she felt so safe and not so alone, a smile crept up on her lips and after a second she pressed her smiling lips to his.
...
Stella and Brandon had just left the door and walked out into the street. The other eight were still staring at each other. Musa grabbed Riven by the shirt and dragged him into the house and up the stairs. It seemed everyone was finally going to have a heart to heart with their ex's and Musa was not looking forward to hers but it had to be done. She dragged Riven up the stairs and into her room, throwing the door closed behind them.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Musa asked as the door made its bang against the wood. Riven stood in the middle of her room, kind of shocked to have been dragged up to her room by Musa that had surprising strength for a girl her size. Anger replaced shock at her question. The thing about Musa and Riven was that they always expressed feelings and opinions during arguments, the anger helped them to get some of the things they had wanted to say out of their systems.
"I came to ask you about this damn letter that everyone back at school is going on and on about"
Musa looked a little startled at the direction that this argument was taking "What letter?" Stepping forward into the room away from the door.
Riven looked at her with a guarded expression and after a moment's pause spoke "The day you arrived back at Alfea Headmistress Faragonda received a letter from an unknown sender. This Letter warned her that..." He paused looking doubtful. This shocked Musa, Riven had never been one to hesitate, something serious was going on.
Musa slowly walked forward until she was in front of him, looking steadily into his eyes "What did it say Riven?"
A heartbeat later "That you were evil" he stared at her as she absorbed this.
While looking calm and silent on the outside it was a whole different thing on what was going on inside Musa's head. She was screaming and most of all heartbroken with the sudden realization that maybe what the letter had said was true.
Am I...evil? Can I justify all the bad things that I've done on the mere fact that I just wanted to live, to be free?...no I can't.
She walked slowly over to the bad and sat down on the end of it, she felt like she was going to fall. She stared at the wooden floor beneath her feet, she could feel Riven sit down beside her and feel his gaze on the side of her face.
"Is it true?" Blunt and to the point, it was very Riven. For a small moment she felt the smallest of smiles making its way to the surface of her lips but it never showed.
"I don't know" She whispered
She sighed after a moment "I missed you; you may want to believe that I left for selfish reasons but I didn't. If I could have stayed with you I would've. For as long as I could"
"I missed you too" This time she did smile. It felt good to have some truth in this whole situation. Even before she left they had never been this honest with each other, it made her happy.
"You know when you left everyone was really sad. They all felt like you had died...and so did I" he said quietly
"But I did die" Her eyes flew wide and she jumped slightly as she felt Riven tense up beside her. The air came harshly into her throat and her thoughts went crazy.
Why did I say that?! Did I just tell him...the truth? Like the big truth that should never have been told. It wasn't the whole truth but it was enough to really make anyone curious and not stop asking. Damnit! Oh god he's never going to let this one go! Oh no, I've put him in danger, if Valtor finds out I told him something he'll make sure Riven doesn't tell anyone. He'll silence him...forever.
Musa sprung up from her spot on the bed, her hand over her mouth and wheeled around to look at Riven who had jumped up as she had. The look on his face was shock and all out panic. He seemed to be looking at her in a completely different light, eyes flickering over her as if to make sure she was really there.
Riven took a sudden step toward her and this seemed to scare Musa beyond anything else. He's going to ask...and I won't be able to stop myself from telling him...everything!
Musa's hand shot out as Riven opened his mouth to say the one thing she didn't want him too "No!"
...
Musa and Stella and their ex boyfriends had just disappeared off to who knows where and felt Layla, Flora and Techna to their guys.
We can get out of things easier as a group Techna thought as she watched the four people go. She then saw Flora take Helia's hand and lead him through the lounge into the conservatory out to the garden. Then Layla seemed to get the idea and walked, with Nabu following her into the kitchen.
Techna was left to stare up at Timmy. He's changed. How did I not notice this at school or that first day? But really...Timmy has changed. He looks...sad. I never noticed until now. Techna continued to stare when she was broken out of her retrieve by Timmy's voice.
"Do you remember that night when you left? And I was too busy fixing that Speaker for the DJ to take any notice of what was going on with you?" This had not been what Techna thought he would have said. She had thought it would be an awkward technical conversation and instead it was a heartfelt sappy one. I like it. "Yes I do" she whispered
He nodded and continued "I always regretted not paying more attention to you. If I had just listened more maybe I could have stopped you from going"
A small humourless laugh escaped her "No I'm sorry; there was nothing you could do. It was logically impossible for you to stop us from leaving" a small part of Techna told her that she was letting off too much information; she clamped her lips shut tightly.
"You know I head you" he said suddenly, this confused Techna and she raised her eyebrows "When you left. When you hugged me and you told me that...you'd miss me, I heard you"
This small thing made Techna's chest tighten and gasp "really?" For some reason it made her immensely happy that he had. Timmy nodded and smiled, making her smile back.
"I missed you too"
...
Layla stopped walking when she faced the window above the sink, gazing out into the afternoon sun. She knew Nabu was behind her and she waited for him to say something.
"Are you running again?" He asked slowly from right behind her. She felt her back tense slightly, her killer instincts telling her that she should face him instead of having her back turned. That's how you get a knife in the back. She shook her head slightly to rid herself of these thoughts.
Nabu wasn't a killer, he'd never stab me in the back, what the hell was I thinking!? I'm the real back stabber here She frowned at her thoughts once again and tried to focus on their conversation.
"No I'm not running. I just have things to do" Like finding Bloom.
"I wish you'd let me in on the things that you do. I wish I could spend more time with you, so does everyone else. Especially the pixies"
"Oh, the pixies!" Layla exclaimed softly, turning around a smile on her face. She had regretted not going to see them. Nabu smiled with her and leaned against the counter with his right arm resting on the side of the bench. Layla couldn't help but notice that there was a large butcher knife sitting not a foot from his hand. Damn killer instincts! He's not going to attack you layla! Stop being suspicious! Nevertheless Layla's hand twitched as she stared at the butcher knife and his hand, she had always been the best with knives and it was her special weapon of choice, not to mention the one that was strapped to her leg under her mid length coat, ready for use.
"Yeah they all missed you like crazy, were even more determined to find you than everyone else, they wouldn't give up, never stopped believing you were alive"
Layla smiled at Nabu, trying not to glance at the knife still on the counter "I missed them too"
A small moment passed as they stared at each other, neither knowing what to say, they didn't need to have sappy moments like the rest of them. They always knew where they stood with each other. No words needed to be said between them, they didn't mind silence.
"I just wanted you to know that I never stopped-" Nabu's hand slid slightly in the direction of the butcher knife and Layla, acting without thinking like the killer she was reached under her coat. And before Nabu could even register what she was doing and finish his sentence she had flung the sharp edged knife from out of her coat in the direction of his hand and it wedged itself right between the space of his index and middle finger. The knife entered the stone table top with a slightly muffled bang and everything went still.
Nabu looked shocked at the knife then back at Layla, shocked at what he had seen her do. This time they would have to talk to each other, no amount of understanding and reading each other's faces was going to explain this one.
Crap! Valtor taught me way too well!
...
Flora sat on the stone bench in the backyard with Helia beside her. They had been sitting there for thirty seconds of silence and didn't know what to say to each other. Flora was pretty sure that the other girls were having way different conversations with their guys at the moment and she tried to imagine how theirs were going, she hoped that nobody was yelling or attacking anyone.
Flora's mind came back to the present and it occurred to her that she may not get another chance like this one to talk to Helia, so without a word she slid across the space that separated them and rested her head on his shoulders. There was no need to apologise or give excuses, they both knew that. They understood each other and they both knew that the answers would come out in their own time, for now they would wait.
Flora sighed with contentment at being this close to Helia after so long. She had missed just sitting and being with him, they had never needed to say a word. Until this moment, that is. This thing needed to be said.
"I love you Flora" Helia said as he rested his head against the top of hers.
Flora's intake of breathe was barely audible in the afternoon sun. Flora was shocked and happy, he had never said that to her before.
Flora wanted to turn and kiss him, and she would have if it hadn't been for her disappearing into a puff of smoke.
Each girl, in their different conversations with their guys disappeared. Stella while kissing Brandon, Musa yelling 'no' at Riven, Techna smiling at Timmy, Layla staring helplessly at Nabu and Flora as she gasping happily.
The girls reappeared on earth in the middle of a park, all stumbling in their confusion over the whole disappearing act they had just pulled.
"What happened?" Techna said from her spot on the grass, looking over at the others who were lying facing the blue sky.
"My god that Valtor has great timing" Mumbled Musa as she laid still, staring up "Hey guys I think I did something stupid"
"Me too, although I so don't regret it" Stella said smiling at her friend.
"Oh no! Me too, why did I do that?!" Layla said as she covered her face with her hands.
Flora wasn't listening, she was too busy giggling and wiggling happily on the grass "Helia said he loved me!" All the girls would have been happier about it, if they hadn't just done what they just had. So they each looked sullenly and sourly over at Flora who was too happy to notice.
Musa rolled her eyes at her and suddenly lurched up so that she was sitting up "We have to find Bloom!" all the other girls had the same reaction to her words, springing up from the grass the girls quickly looked around and spotted Bloom's old house looming a few yards away. They ran quickly over to it without a word, all crowding the door and fixing up their appearances to be presentable.
"Ok everyone just pretend to be normal" Stella said as she knocked on the door a couple of times and plastered a big smile on her face.
The door creaked as it slid slightly ajar at Stella's touch, as if it had been already open. Stella took this as a sign and pushed the door all the way open.
There were no screams of horror and gasps of shock from the five deadly assassins as they stared into the dark house, frozen on the door step. Just widening of eyes and slight tensing of bodies as their eyes locked onto the still, and very dead, forms of Blooms former parents.