Chapter 18

The Rook ran as fast as he could looking for either Jacob or any other Rooks. But so far, he could not find anyone. Why was it when something serious happened there was no one around? He ran flat out searching for anyone who could help. After what seemed like hours he rounded a corner and bumped into a group of three Rooks.

"Rupert, what are you doing?" One of the Rooks asked, pulling the fallen Rook to his feet.

"Quick, you have to come." Rupert panted, "Miss Frye has been taken by the Blighters. I don't know where they have gone but we have to find her."

They didn't need to know anymore, they began running back up the street following Rupert. They had made it half way up the next street when a very familiar person came into view who'd just emerged from a shop.

"Boss!" The Rooks called.

Jacob looked up and saw a group of seven Rooks running towards him. He seemed surprised to see them and the Rooks could not deny it was unusual to see the Boss without Robert.

"What's the rush boys?" He asked.

"It's your sister." Rupert said, he was still panting, "She's been taken by the Blighters. We're on our way to rescue her, you'd best come with us."

They had expected him to immediately demand to know where she'd been taken but he didn't. He didn't look bothered at all. He just stood there wearing a rather blank expression on his face. For a moment he said nothing but then he spoke.

"She'll be fine, I've got things to do so… just leave her she'll be fine."

Without another word he walked away leaving the Rooks standing staring after him. The Rooks looked at each other. All of them were wearing expression of confusion, why was the boss refusing to help his own sister?

"We can't leave her." Rupert said, "We have to go and help her. She's right about the Boss something is not right with him."

"You're right. Let's save Miss Frye and then we can save the Boss." Another said, "Come."

Her head hurt, why was her head hurting? Evie's eyes flickered slightly as she tried to open her eyes. Why were her arms underneath her and why could she feel blood? Questions kept popping into her head as consciousness returned to her. Forcing her eyes open saw a wooden ceiling above her, was she in a warehouse? She tried moving her arms but found that they were tied together, that the sharp pain which exploded from her right arm. Followed by the warmth of blood sleeping into her back. That was when it all came flooding back to her about the Blighters. She tried to let out a breath but found that something was in her mouth. Rather limited investigation soon showed her that the Blighters had gagged her. If Evie was the type of person to swear then she would have. She could not make any noise but at least she could see. Probably if she had not been able to see then that could have shaken her but lucky it was not the case. Evie could see that she was being held in a room, there was a large brown door nearby which was open by a millimetre. Voices were floating into the room. She could not quite hear what they were saying but maybe if she got closer then she would be able to.

It proved rather difficult to move over towards the door as it was difficult to stand up with her arms tied behind her back, it threw her balance off. She had managed to almost stand but fell backwards landing on her right arm. Luckily, for her, she was unable to make a noise due to the gag as it blocked her cry of pain. She managed to move the rest of the way to the door, with her back resting against the wall Evie slowed her breathing. If she was going to try and hear what was going on outside the door she couldn't be distracted by how much pain she was in.

"He's late." A Blighter was grumbling, "Why is it we have to be on time to meet him but when it's him meeting us he's allowed to be late?"

"I say we just kill her now and then demand all the money from him."

"No we need her alive for now. If we kill her now then he might just refuse giving us the money we are due."

Evie was gazing around the room she was being held in as she listened. She'd spotted a few large bags near to where she'd regained consciousness, there was a word on the bags which read 'Coal'. It must mean she was being held in a coal factory, this was not where she'd expected the Blighters to have their base but they had little choice nowadays. Along the opposite wall there was a large hole and Evie could just see a metal tube behind it. The hole looked big enough for a person to fit through. She couldn't help but wonder what that was used for. Her attention snapped back to the Blighters when she heard a new and familiar voice.

"Well boys, I must say this is a rather odd place to hang out."

There was no mistaking who that voiced belonged to.

"Now, what is this all about?" Robert asked.

Evie's blood boiled, so Robert was working with the Blighters. It took a great deal of effort to force herself to calm down when all she wanted to do was confront Robert. But there was no way she could judging by the fact she was quite literally tied up.

"What's this all about?" A Blighter was saying, "I think you should know why we have called you here?"

"Nope, I honestly don't have a clue." Robert's sarcastic and teasing was clear in his voice.

"This is no joke." A Blighter growled.

Robert's tone changed, "Well what is this then? You have upheld your end of our deal and I've been doing the same."

"But that's not true is it. Where is the cash you promised us?"

Robert had fallen silent, he seemed to not know what to say. The silence filled the room for a few long moments. Evie took the opportunity to glance round the doorframe to confirm that it was defiantly Robert standing there. Robert was wearing an expression which made it difficult to work out what he was thinking.

"You were given your cash for hurting Evie Frye. But no more shall come to you unless she is captured."

"We have her, she tied up in that room behind us and unless you hand over what you owe we will kill her."

"No." Robert said, rather quickly, "You can't kill her that was not part of our deal."

He could not decide whether the Blighters were lying to him but perhaps confronting them on this was not a good idea. If they really had captured Evie Frye he could not risk them killing her before he'd done his part.

"Then bring Jacob Frye here and give us the cash. You are in control of him are you not?"

"Yes, Jacob will do anything I tell him to but I don't remember you lot being in control of this. I paid you, you work for me."

Evie looked away, she'd heard enough. Everything she had feared was true, Robert had been lying to them. He'd paid the Blighters to hurt her and he was controlling Jacob. She had to get out of here, she had to warn Jacob. Her eyes fell on the large hole in the wall opposite her. Was that a way out or did it just lead to a deep pit that'd she'd never get out of. She would have sighed if she could, there was only one way to find out where this tunnel went. She moved, very ungracefully, across to the hole and stared into it. It was dark, that all she could make out. Her eagle vision told her nothing either, not that she had really expected it to. Over her shoulder, Evie could still her Robert and the Blighters talking. It was now or never. She climbed into the hole feet first, her wounded arm screamed at her as she was forced to put pressure on it. She'd not even climbed fully in when she slid down the long tunnel. The tunnel was pitch black and the journey was far from smooth. Faster and faster she slid until she was thrown out the end of the tunnel and landed hard on a pile of discarded coal. Black dust was thrown into the air as she landed and once again Evie was glad that the cloth in her mouth prevented her making a sound as once again her injured arm screamed. Blood was still seeping from the wound, she could feel it soaking into the back of her jacket.

Evie attempted to pull the gag off, she ended up having to use her shoulder to pull the cloth off her face before spitting out the piece which had been shoved in her mouth. Taking a few deep breaths through her now ungagged mouth she didn't move, she was waiting for the pain in her arm to recede. But she couldn't stop for long, she still had to free her arms and get to Jacob. She knew that she could not use her hidden blades to cut through the rope and she could not move her wrist to engage the blade, she'd have to find something else. She somehow managed to stand and stumble across the piles of coal. She hadn't made it far when she lost her footing and fell. She let out a groan as once again her injured arm protested. But a second later Evie heard a voice.

"Miss Frye!"

Looking up a wave of relief hit her, four Rooks were running towards her. The first one to reach her immediately went behind her and began releasing the ropes which bound her arms together.

"Miss Frye, are you alright?" One of the Rooks asked.

"Yes, but we need to get away from here. The Blighters are in there and so is Robert."

"Robert? He's working with the Blighters."

Evie nodded, "I have to find Jacob, have you seen him?"

There was a pause as the Rooks glanced at each other and Evie's arms finally became free. She gazed down at her right arm, blood was still pouring from the wound. Clamping her left hand over the wound and pressing her injured arm close to her chest, she got to her feet.

"Miss Frye, we met the Boss on our way here. I told him that I'd seen you get captured but he… he refused to help us."

Evie sighed, it didn't surprise her. Not after what she had just learnt.

"That doesn't surprise me, but I still have to find him. Can you show me where you last saw him and I will track him from there?"
The Rooks nodded and led her away from the warehouse. Evie followed close behind them, time was short. She had to find her twin before Robert could hurt him. She would find Jacob, ensure he was safe and then take Robert down. Enough was enough.