Chapter Four: Truth and Lies
Author note: I forgot to bring it up in my last update, so I'm doing it now. A big thank you to missblueeyes63 for graciously agreeing to beta this story and my future stories. And, since this will be my last update in Anno Domini 2016, Happy New Year everyone!
In the subject neighborhood, Team One stopped around the corner from the subject's house. Spike looked through a pair of binoculars at the house as Ed and Wordy looked on from behind one of their black trucks. Wordy checked over his gear while Ed patted Spike on the shoulder and headed toward the command truck. Sam and Jules pulled out entry equipment as the Team Leader entered the truck. Inside Lou was at the computer, speaking into the microphone hooked to the auto-transcriber.
"11:32 AM. Armed abduction of a child. Subject Gerald Duglin presumed to be in the residence at 60 Red Brick Lane with the abducted child, Alanna Calvin." Despite the tension of the situation, Lou's voice was level and professional; betraying none of the collective fear Team One had for the Sergeant's young niece.
Gerald smiled at the fear in his toy's eyes. It had taken long enough for her to show fear and he was rather gleeful as he started the process to crush her spirit. Adopting his 'explaining-things-to-the-idiot-child' tone, he told his toy, "This is where we have to stay until it's safe to go out again. We have no choice. It's what your parents wanted. It's why they asked me to bring you here." He eyed her, swallowing down another gulp of his beer.
"They didn't," the girl snapped, eyes flashing.
He smirked at her. "Yes, they did. Your dad and I had a long talk before we left last night."
The nose went up again. "So what did you do?" she snarked. "Fly to England and talk to their ghosts?"
Gerald froze, caught off guard. Penny gasped in the background. Violet-eyes gave him a picture-perfect sneer, well aware she'd caught him in his lie. Her parents are dead? Well, that did explain why he hadn't spotted a hovering mother or father at the playground. With a low growl, he grabbed onto the girl, hauling her close again. "First rule of the house: no talk-back."
"They'll find me…my family will find me," the girl snapped, struggling to get free.
"I suppose your ghost parents will help?" Gerald taunted, voice low and he shook her a moment. He forced his anger at her defiance down and gave her a smile. "You're probably hungry, huh? That's good. You know why? 'Cause Penny's gonna make us lunch." He looked up at his other play-thing and said, "Penny."
Penny nodded and obediently turned to the refrigerator.
Ed leaned over the Boss and Lou's shoulders, speaking to his boss, "Teenager next door confirmed Gerald's car pulled in ten minutes ago. He didn't notice a child. As far as they know, he has no family, no children, and he is, quote: quiet and keeps to himself."
With a sarcastic tilt to his head and tone, Greg rejoined, "Yeah, I'll bet."
Ed continued, "You see his windows?"
"Mm-hmm."
"Every single one frosted, shuttered." Ed paused at the low growl from his boss. "Apparently, he's a contractor. Built this whole development."
"Mug-shot," Lou called, drawing the attention of the other two men.
As they leaned in, the Boss growled again. "Two priors for sexual assault."
Lou took over before Greg could lose his temper with the auto-transcriber on. "Spent a couple months in jail ten years ago," he reported. "No weapons registered."
"Except he's got one," Ed observed.
Grim, the Boss nodded.
Alanna was not happy. The Muggle had swung her up on the counter without so much as a by-your-leave. She recited her reasons for not kicking the Muggle, pulling her wand, and bolting for the door to herself again. Behind them both, Penny worked to make lunch…lunch that Alanna was most certainly not interested in. The Muggle was droning on again. "We have to have rules here. Rules keep us safe. It's all really, really simple." Alanna gave the Muggle an arch look and refrained from kicking the very available target in front of her. With a burst of fake enthusiasm the Muggle said, "Hey. Why don't I show you the rest of the house." He pulled Alanna off the counter with a "Come on."
Alanna dragged her heels, casting lethal glares at the Muggle's back as he led her toward the stairs. "I'll take you upstairs," he told her.
"Gerald…" the black-haired Penny called, turning from her task.
With a mock patient tone, the Muggle turned. "Yes, Penny?"
Alanna felt the hair on the back of her neck rise as she watched the pair. There was a sense of wrongness about them, as if the female Muggle was just as trapped as she was. "Um, let me show her around."
The faux kindness in her captor's tone fell away. "You're making lunch."
"I can make it later," Penny babbled.
"What?" The threat in Gerald's voice made Alanna shiver and she looked toward the door.
"She's tired. She-she only just got here," Penny pleaded, clearly afraid of something.
The Muggle advanced on the cowering girl, growling, "I hear your voice one more time…"
"Please just let me take care of her," Penny begged.
Alanna broke and bolted for the door, but forgot about the ankle collar. Behind her Penny yelled, "Alanna, no!" As she reached the door, it buzzed and zapped her. She yelped, surprised when her magic failed to flare. She whirled, her eyes wide and frightened. Never before had anything in the tech world actually hurt her.
The angry Muggle's voice rang out. "Hey! Alanna! Alanna, come here."
The redheaded witch swallowed, but her magic flicked outward at last. Alanna's head turned unerringly in the direction of Team One. Her magic flickered around Team One's members, so faint as to go unnoticed and returned to its mistress, whispering that her family had found her. The teenager returned her attention to her Muggle captor and tilted her head up, setting her chin. She didn't move, though her eyes glittered with her power.
Penny, facing toward Gerald, didn't see Alanna's defiance and babbled out, "She's just scared, Gerald."
Gerald's expression darkened and he ordered, "Penny, get in the closet."
Alanna reared back in surprise when Penny cowered. "No…Gerald, no."
"In the closet."
"Please, please," Penny wailed, fear etched in her voice. Alanna shivered. "She didn't mean it. Gerald, no!"
Gerald stalked forward, grabbing Penny and hauling her back toward the kitchen. "Enough," he grated out. "I've had enough."
"No," Penny cried.
Alanna bit back a whimper as her captor hauled the other girl toward the closet. "That's enough, okay?" he said, "That's it. I've had enough of you. Okay?" His voice was a mix of anger and a touch of 'this is your fault'. He threw Penny in the closet, closing and locking the door behind her.
The witch looked at the closet door, wide-eyed. Her magic let her hear Penny's words from inside the makeshift prison. "The mind is its own place, and in itself can make heaven of hell, hell of heaven."
Hurry, Uncle Greg, Alanna thought. I don't like this place.
Outside the house, Team One started moving into position. Ed and Wordy advanced on the front of the house while Jules, Sam, and Spike raced down the sidewalk, turning onto the gravel path running alongside the subject house.
Gerald smirked at his toy, satisfied that she was beginning to understand what defiance led to. "You know what I'm gonna do?" he started, acting as if he hadn't just shoved Penny in a closet, "I'm gonna show you the rest of the house first." He faked a look and tone of enthusiasm. "We can explore. You want to see upstairs?" Without waiting for a reply he waved at the girl, saying, "Come on."
Before they reached the stairs, the alarm beeped. Gerald detoured to it at once. Side Path, West.
Jules and Sam reached the end of the gravel path, turning left onto the house's back drive.
The alarm panel beeped again. Back Drive. Gerald sucked in a breath, suspicion forming.
Sam moved over to the far gate, checking for anyone in the back yard.
A third beep. Side Gate, East. The man stared, tension building. Riiinngg. As the phone wailed, Gerald turned toward it, realization crystallizing into decision. He stalked toward the phone, missing the satisfied look on Alanna's face. Grim, he stared at the phone as it rang.
In the command truck, Greg Parker let his temper out a little as he hissed, "Come on. Pick up the phone."
As the phone continued to ring, Gerald stared down at the phone, then snatched up the receiver.
Greg sat up straight as the phone picked up, but no one spoke. "Hello?"
Silence.
"Hello, Mr. Duglin?" Greg waited a second longer, but the subject was still silent. "This is Sergeant Gregory Parker, with the Police Strategic Response Unit. Am I speaking with Gerald Duglin?" Greg ground his teeth as the subject remained silent. Grimly, he played his trump card. "Mr. Duglin, a little girl has been abducted, and we have reason to believe that she's inside your house. Now if you and the other occupants can please exit, we can start talking about how you can safely return Alanna to her guardian."
Gerald finally spoke, growling, "If you're interested in her safety, then you stay out of my house. You step one foot in this house, and I swear to God, I will kill her and I will take you down."
He ignored his toy's frightened gasp as he slammed the phone down and stalked to his revolver on the counter. The phone began to ring again and Gerald ignored it. He scooped his gun up, tucked it into his belt, and knelt down to yank a drawer open. Gerald reached into the drawer and pulled out a shotgun and ammo. He rose, turning toward the closet and striding to the door. A quick flick unlocked the door and he yanked it open.
Penny gasped, shrieking a "No!" as the door opened.
"It's time," Gerald announced. "They're here," he continued. As he held out the shotgun, he finished, "You know what to do."
Penny rose, taking the shotgun. "I know what to do."
Greg resisted the urge to hurl the phone across the command truck. "Come on," he grated under his breath, "Pick up the phone."
Penny hurried out of the closet, shotgun in hand. She reached out, grabbed hold of Alanna's left hand, and hauled her along as she raced up the stairs.
Behind her, Gerald called, "Like we practiced, like I showed you."
"What's happening?" Alanna cried, digging in her heels and forcing Penny to yank the redhead forward.
"Shh!" Penny hushed the little girl. "They've come, okay?"
Alanna yanked, trying to break away. "Let me go," came the shrill demand.
"Don't worry," Penny promised, not loosening her grip and all but dragging the redhead along. "I'll protect you. Come on."
Gerald raced ahead, opening Penny's door and ushering both girls into the room. "Quick, Penny," he ordered. He held out the shotgun's ammo box. "Okay, take that. Take that."
As Penny took the box, she said, "Well, you're staying with us though…"
She was cut off as Gerald shushed her. "We're going to need more ammo, okay? We've got more in the basement."
Penny shook her head. "We don't have any time. We don't have time," she protested.
Gerald grabbed her hands. "I'll be right back- two minutes. I'll be right back, I promise." He was forced to lurch to the side and grab Alanna as the little girl tried to flee again. He shoved the redhead back into the room. That done, he shifted sideways, blocking the door as he tugged Penny close, kissing her.
"Without you no life. Okay?" he whispered, before pulling her into an embrace, one hand stroking her hair as he kissed her again.
"Let me come," Penny begged. "Let me come with you."
"No!" he denied her sharply, pushing her back into the room.
"Gerald!" she cried, launching forward. He pushed her again and raced away. "Gerald!" she shrieked. "Please don't leave me!"