Amy's POV
The person who opened the door looked like a mix between a mad scientist and a psychopathic killer. He wore a white lab coat that was spattered with blood and a surgical mask covering most of his facial features. He had a crazed look in his eye that reminded me of Isabelle after she had ingested the Cahill master serum. I shake the horrible flashbacks out of my mind as the girl pushes me through the door and down a long plain hallway. Before I can process anything else the door opens again and two guards come in carrying a beat up boy about my age. He seems unconscious and is put in an awkward stance as the guards sloppily chain him up. As soon as they leave he peaks an eye open and smirks arranging himself into a more comfortable position. For a moment I allow myself to hope to place him among the Cahills. After all he did carry himself like a Lucian. My hope vanish when he looks at me curiously and asks who I am.
"My name is Amy. What's yours?" I answer, trying my hardest to keep from stuttering.
The boy flips his coal black hair and his silvery blue eyes sparkle in the light. "I'm Kyle. You don't happen to be one of those Cahills? A Lucian or Ekat preferably." He answers carelessly, as if we were talking under normal conditions. Normal. I hadn't experienced "normal" since Grace's death.
"I'm a Madrigal, sorry." I answer with a forced smile.
"I'm a guardian so it all works out." Kyle responds, standing up. "If only I could get these stupid things off!" He mutters to himself and begins trying to slip his hands through. Unfortunately all that results from this is several reopened cuts and scabs.
Natalie's POV
I watch anxiously as Ian phones a girl named Felicity who has been working on finding a Vesper stronghold for several months now.
"Hullo? Felicity...Listen for a second! Have they brought any new prisoners in lately?...Yes! That girl is a Madrigal. I need you to get her out at all costs….I know, I know but she's the leader of the Cahill family. Her safety is more important than the mission. I'm pulling you out, but I want her out as well... Good, see you in a few days." Ian hangs up and walk over to the group of Cahills waiting in almost tangible suspense for him to let them know the plan.
Dan's POV
I sit on the edge of my seat waiting for a status report. Status report? What is wrong with me? I think as Ian makes his way to the front of the room.
"Okay. Felicity, Lucian agent 214, is going to get Amy out. The problem is that she doesn't have the authority to move prisoners. Which means there's going to be a fight." Ian pauses, letting the words sink in. He's about to start again when a furious knocking is heard at the front door. I slowly get up and trudge over, my feet feel heavy with led.
As I open the door, a pissed Nellie comes barging in.
"IAN! WHERE THE HELL IS AMY?" She screams, turning the corner into the living room where all the Cahills are gathered. Ian looks pretty frightened and he should be. Nellie looks like she's about to turn into a giant, green rage monster.
"We believe she's being held by Vespers. My agent confirmed she's at one of their strongholds." Ian answers, trying to appear calm and in control, though he's failing terribly.
Natalie struts up to Nellie, "Have a seat. Ian is trying to form a rescue mission."
"Umm...As I was saying, Felicity can only get so far before she'll be overrun with guards and we'll have to meet her halfway, as you Americans say." Ian paused for a moment and the family looked at him expectantly. "Suit up."
The Cahills all ran around, frantically getting ready for battle. I head down the winding staircase to the armory underneath the house. Inside I find my gray locker area and search through it for a few minutes to find my armor and weapons. Who would ever need an armory in their basement besides a Cahill and expect to have to use it? There is something seriously wrong with our family... I think to myself as I don my armor and head back to the living room.
Nellie's POV
As angry as I am with Ian, I know fighting with him isn't going to help anything so I follow Sinead and Natalie into the training room to pick out a few weapons. When we enter the spacious room, I'm temporarily blinded by the bright lights that fill the area. I never understood why Amy made it so bright, I'll have to ask her once she gets back. I make it seem as if she's just away for a trip, when really Amy is being held hostage! Shaking my head to clear my thoughts I walk in the direction of the dart-guns. I've always wanted to try one of those out after seeing how effective Nat was with them during the Clue Hunt.
Of course Natalie is already over here, "Nat, which poison are you using?"
She was too preoccupied with her thoughts to notice I called her Nat, which means she was probably having some sort of mental dilemma, but answered the question, "175."
As if I know what that means. I walk over to the poisons holding one of the silvery dart-guns I found on the weapon rack and notice each has a number and description. I skim through until I find 175, my eyes widening as I read the description.
Poison 175
Causes internal bleeding and severe abdominal pain.
It takes effect almost immediately.
Hands trembling, I grab a vial and return to where Natalie stands loading her dart-gun. I don't even need to ask her my question. Holstering her own weapon she takes mine, demonstrating how to load it. Why is she being so nice? Before I have any more time to think about it, the kid- because that's what they were just kids!- suggested we had better put on some armor. The Vespers will be using deadly weapons, no doubt about it and from past experience I know they are not merciful, so I nod and follow her downstairs to the armory.
Amy's POV
After a while of trying to break his bonds, but to no avail, Kyle gives up and sinks to the floor with his hands suspended above him. A few moments of silence pass, then one of the soldiers come in and grab me. My first instinct is to fight, but the Clue Hunt has taught me at times cooperation is best. This was one of those times, fighting would only make it harder to escape. The fear that filled Kyle's eyes did not help with this. So I look away as I'm dragged out the door and through the hallway, until we reach a set of stairs.
In a gruff voice the figure says, "Down there and to the left." There must not have been any other way of going about down there because the guard did not follow me downstairs. In case it was a test to see whether I needed to be tied up or guarded I went to the left when the staircase came to a fork in the path. It spiraled downward and at the very bottom was a door. Cautiously, I pushed it open to reveal a room, empty and plain with the exception of a lone table in the center with a single chair on either side. In the chair facing the door sat a tall figure. It took me a moment to recognize him, but soon his features matched those of Ian's description. There could be no doubt. It was Vikram Kabra.