Chapter Twenty-Four

Table Plans

Upon catching sight of the Collado Mansion as they drove up the road, Jeremiah Jebediah's eyes widened in surprise and he let out a whistle. "Now this is a house!" He chuckled to himself and glanced to Tanzi who was sitting quietly in the passenger seat. "What d'ya reckon?"

"It's nice," Tanzi said quietly. She didn't really want to talk to Jeremiah for the moment. All she could think about was what William Bludworth had told her and what that Detective had implied. Tanzi could feel everything tightening around her and she felt like she had lost all her energy. Every vision she had took more out of her each time and the deaths of Jay and Daniel were still on the top of her mind. She couldn't help but feel worried about Zach and Lacey, though she would have thought somebody would have tried to contact her; there certainly weren't any missed messages on her phone when Jeremiah had given it back to her.

"You know…" Jeremiah started uncomfortably. Tanzi shifted in her seat to look at him. "I'm sorry I couldn't persuade William to come along. I know your friends will want to meet him."

"I suppose it can't be helped," Tanzi sighed. "Ruby won't be happy but hopefully the information we got will tide her over. I'm sure William will see us at a later point?"

"I'm sure," Jeremiah nodded, smiling again. "He is very interested in you guys."

"How did you meet him anyway?" Tanzi asked as they passed through the automatic gates of the Collado Mansion.

"Eh, that's a long story," Jeremiah evaded the question smoothly. "Certainly too long for this driveway. Let's just say he and I had a neutral acquaintance."

Tanzi nodded. She understood that it was probably too personal a question. Jeremiah pulled in front of the house on the road after realising that he actually didn't know where to park. Coming to a stop, he looked to Tanzi. "Don't worry," Jeremiah said with that smile. "We'd have heard something if Ms. Filih or Mr. Dryer were hurt."

"I know… I know." Tanzi opened the door of the car and got out, shivering in the chill evening air. She was worried that she would walk in and find out that the two were dead or that no-one would answer the door. Surely it was possible that both Lucas and Naomi could somehow have been killed as well? Tanzi tried to shake those thoughts out of her mind and walked up to the large grand-looking door of the impressive manor.

"Christ on a cross, this place must have cost a fortune," Jeremiah said as he peered up the ornate walls. "I gotta admit I'm kind of jealous."

"I don't like it," Tanzi admitted.

"Oh?"

"It's too large. I think I'd get lonely if I lived in a place like this."

"Then just get a big family," Jeremiah said as if it were the most obvious solution in the world. "Invite over friends. When you're this rich you could have a party every day of the year and still have room for more."

Tanzi could only shake her head and pressed the bronze doorbell of the mansion. She heard a deep ringing inside. As the seconds ticked by Tanzi started to get more and more nervous. Should it take this long to answer the door?

"Don't worry, she's probably all the way upstairs," Jeremiah said, trying to comfort Tanzi, but his words just swept over her shoulders. Could something have really happened? If they were dead and Ruby came back… she would be devastated. Perhaps not hearing anything was worse because what if no-one could make it to the phone? What if—

Then the door opened and Naomi stood at the door, dressed in in a long black skirt and purple turtle-neck sweater that looked like it cost more than Tanzi's home. "Hello."

"Is everyone okay?" Tanzi asked in a way of a greeting.

"They are. They were close calls but everyone is fine. A little injured, but fine." Naomi stood aside and gestured into the foyer. "Please come in. Make yourself home." Jeremiah and Tanzi stepped into the hall, their footsteps echoing in the large room and Naomi closed the door behind them. She started towards the staircase. "I will take you to them. Follow me."

"Is Ruby back yet?" Tanzi asked as they ascended.

"No. But do not worry. Concerts, even practice ones, will likely finish late," Naomi guessed as they moved up another floor. "Did you find out what you needed to find out?"

"I think so…" Tanzi said. "We certainly have a goal now."

"We will have to have a discussion once everyone is here," Naomi said as she led the two off the stairs and through a corridor. "Here we are."

Naomi led them into what looked like a spare bedroom. There were three beds inside and two of them were occupied. Zach sat in one, his face covered in tiny red cuts and his hands bandaged tightly. He was reading some kind of magazine but quickly grinned as Naomi, Tanzi and Jeremiah entered. The other bed was occupied by Lacey and it looked as if she were sleeping. Tanzi could see a thick red mark around her neck.

"What happened?" Tanzi asked quietly to Lucas, who sat at Lacey's bedside looking worn it. It seemed like his body wanted to sleep but he was putting it off.

"Got caught in the shower," Lucas said. "I got to her just in time but… but it was a close one…"

"Did you save her?" Jeremiah queried.

"Yes. What's it to you?" Lucas asked defensively.

Jeremiah sighed. "It means you'll be on the List now, Lucas."

"I'm fine with that. I saved her life, that's what matters."

"What position will he be in on the List?" Zach asked, having walked over from the bed. Tanzi noticed he was limping slightly.

"From our research it is likely that he will be after Lacey once the List rolls around again," Jeremiah said.

"So I've got time. Good." Lucas nodded and then looked to Tanzi. "Did you get what you needed?"

"I think so." Tanzi nodded. "All that is left is Ruby, Paige, and Jeffrey."

"…And hopefully Jade," Zach put in.

"Yes, of course," Tanzi nodded. "Then we can finally all be together and figure out just what it is we're going to do."

When Ruby arrived with Jeffrey and Paige, the look on her face told Tanzi all she needed to know. She hadn't managed to get Jade to come with her. She did give Jade her number and had managed to get Jade's number so at least they would be able to get in contact with her in case anything had happened. Ruby had also warned the rest of the Miracle Skyhawk's to keep an eye on Jade just in case. They didn't seem to take her seriously but at least they had listened to the whole story.

Now the group were all sitting in the dining room around the massive dining table. Ruby, Tanzi, Jeremiah and Paige sat on one side while Jeffrey, Lacey, Lucas and Zach sat on the other. Naomi sat at the end of the table so they were all sitting close so they could talk. Lacey's voice was barely a whisper and she still seemed a little woozy from her accident so she merely sat next to Lucas, their hands tightly clenched. Something unspoken had gone on between them and to both of them it felt like they were closer than ever.

"First things first," Ruby said after everyone had sat down and gotten comfortable. She turned to Jeremiah. "Where's this friend of yours!? I told you to bring him."

"William isn't the most social of creatures, I'm afraid," Jeremiah said, fiddling with his hat. "I did try, Ruby."

"We can visit him later, though," Tanzi said.

"Definitely," Jeremiah confirmed. "I really am sorry, Ruby."

"I guess there's no way around it," Ruby said begrudgingly. "So, Tanzi, what did you learn?"

Tanzi looked around the survivors and took a deep breath. "Jeremiah's friend is a man named William Bludworth. Apparently his family have research Death for a millennia. From what he told me, the List, Death, all of it has been around for hundreds upon hundreds of years…" Tanzi repeated the story William had told her about the so called first visionary named Shishak Kaka. After she had finished the story she took a good look at the people around her. They all seemed in slight awe at the story, as if it were so unique that it had to be real. "William said that perhaps we were meant to die back on that road and that Death may be trying to claim what is rightfully his."

"That's bullshit!" Lucas' anger flared up again. "No one is meant to die! We fight to live!"

"That's what I said," Tanzi agreed. "And William agreed to. He showed me his research room… hundreds of documents and photos, all printed, all organized. The amount of information he has is amazing. And he told me of a man that has the answers we need. Someone who the Department of Supernatural Investigations calls an 'Oracle' whatever that is supposed to mean. He lives up at the Belle Tout Lighthouse."

Ruby and Paige exchanged a look. "I guess it's telling the truth after all," Ruby said to Paige.

"Always has," Paige smiled. "She's never done me wrong."

"The Belle Tout Lighthouse…" Jeffrey put a finger on his chin. "That's up on the Whiterock Cliffs is it not?"

"The Whiterock cliffs?" Naomi looked slightly concerned at this news.

"Sounds like there is a story about those cliffs, what is it?" Ruby asked.

"The Whiterock Cliffs are known for suicides," Zach said. "Apparently over thirty people jumped off those cliffs in the last two years."

"I wonder if that is a coincidence?" Tanzi asked.

"So we need to go to this Lighthouse then," Ruby said. "I hope this William is telling the truth. If this can actually get us the answers we need to stop all this…"

"He certainly believes it," Jeremiah said. "And when William believes something you can be damn-sure guaranteed that there is something truthful to it."

"We can't all go. It would be too dangerous," Ruby said. "I think it would be safe to say that Tanzi and I need to go."

"I can't," Tanzi suddenly said.

"What?" Ruby was surprised.

"I-I…" Tanzi took a deep breath. "I need to take a little bit of a break, Ruby, the two visions I had at that morgue… I'm not sure I have the energy anymore."

"Tanzi, we need you—"

"I'll keep in contact with you, Ruby. I'll even stay here. I just can't go out on another one of these trips, not now, not yet." Tanzi looked into Ruby's eyes and hoped that Ruby couldn't tell that she was making up the story on the spot. In reality, Tanzi had a desire to nip the police issue with Nathan Furrow in the bud.

Finally, Ruby nodded. "Okay. If Tanzi is not coming, then I'll need someone with a vehicle."

"I cannot come," Jeffrey said slowly. "I need to… do tomorrow."

"Hm? What do you mean?"

"There is someone I need to speak to on the internet. I will have to go back to the school to get on the computer."

"You can't go alone, Jeffrey. That's too dangerous," Tanzi said.

"I'll go with him, if you like," Jeremiah said. "I can keep an eye on him. I am not on the list and Jeffrey is at the start of the list so we should be fine."

"Is it important, Jeffrey?" Ruby asked.

"It is, I am afraid." Jeffrey said.

"Well, that leaves it to me I suppose," Zach said with a grin. "I'll take you up there."

"And I'm going to come with," Paige said.

"Lacey can't go and I'll stay with her," Lucas said. "So we can't."

"So Naomi, do you want to come with us?" Ruby asked.

Naomi shook her head slowly. "I am afraid not. I want to monitor Lacey's condition as well. Besides…" Naomi took a small breath. "I am next, am I not? I would prefer to be somewhere familiar for when it happens. Being up high on some cliffs does not sound like a good idea."

"Then that's settled." Ruby took a breath. "Paige, Zach, and I will head out tomorrow morning. Naomi, is it okay for those of us who want to to stay here?"

"Of course," Naomi said. "There are more than enough beds."

"Is everyone okay for staying?" Ruby asked the group. Everyone nodded or murmured agreements. With the plan to head to Belle Tout Lighthouse set for the morning, everyone got up for the table and made their way to their respective beds, relieved to finally be able to rest their weary bodies and minds.