by MJ Fletcher
“Now which way?” I asked.
“Straight ahead and through that door.” Jess pointed toward the old wooden door sitting only a few feet away. It would lead us into Grimm Hall and get me that much closer to my sister. Someone who most likely knew nothing about me and might even hate that I was about to take her away from the only life she’d ever known.
“Let’s go.” I moved forward, grabbed the handle, pulled the door open, and walked into the building ready for whatever might come.
Chapter Twenty-four
Status: Well that didn’t go as expected.
I moved up a set of stairs and found myself facing another door. My fingers wrapped around the doorknob and I twisted it and pushed it open gently.
Voices greeted me as two men discussed the latest race they had seen at the Diesel Factories. Thankfully, the door moved silently—not a squeak or groan—allowing me to come up behind them without them even noticing me. Jess came up beside me and we both looked at each other and shrugged, then hauled off, cracking the two men in the back of their heads with our Skeleton Keys. They crumbled to the floor and DeAndre and Darla helped us to pull them out of sight.
“Where do you think they have her?” I asked Jess.
“Her?” Darla looked around at each of us.
“We’re here to rescue someone,” Jess said and turned to me. “I would guess the family quarters are the most likely place.”
“Lead the way,” I said.
Jess walked out in front of us, her Skeleton Key in hand, ready for trouble. Grimm Hall was well appointed with Cherry wood floors and highly polished walls decorated tastefully with paintings. The hallways were as wide as some streets and I had a vague feeling I had been here before. Fleeting images of Jess and I as children running down the corridors drifted on the edges of my memory.
As we moved along things began to look more familiar, a lamp here, a rug there sparked memories. I knew for sure now that I had been here before. I could remember a time coming here with my mom, holding her hand and chatting with Jess and my grandmother.
We moved into the family quarters of Grimm Hall and I remembered them better than anywhere else we had been. I was sure I could find the room I used to stay in when I was young if I wanted too.
“The girl is secure?” The voice cut through my heart as it drifted around the corner at me and I jumped to the side flattening myself against a doorway. I knew that voice, though I hadn’t heard it in sometime. It had been seared into my mind, having caused me and my family so much grief. It was the voice of Gregory Tower, the leader of the First Kind.
“She’s safe here for the moment. We can move her again in a few days.” I knew that voice as well, it was Ms. True my former teacher.
“I don’t want any mistakes this time. With a Grimm in hand, she is the only other piece of the puzzle I need to complete my plans.”
My blood ran cold. I knew what Tower was referring to. He had plans to transfer my Uncle Thomas’s power to my sister Erin. Why else would he have abducted my uncle?
“I will make sure of it, sir.”
“You had better, Ms. True, I wouldn’t want to see you fail again. If you do, I won’t forgive you this time, not when I am so close to succeeding.”
“I understand. I’ll put Faith on it.”
“Make sure you do. She seems to be the only one who has handled things well lately,” he snickered.
I knew that he was referring to how badly Faith had kicked my ass. Word apparently travels fast among the First Kind.
“Of course, sir, and what about the Masters girl?”
“Once the Bridge is finished being built, I can begin the process. She’ll come to me. She won’t have a choice in the matter.”
I didn’t like the sound of that at all.
“How can you be so sure?”
“There is more going on here than you could possibly imagine, Ms. True, just do as you’re told and I will handle the rest of it.” His voice dripped thick with condescension.
My hand drifted over my Skeleton key. He was right here and unguarded, I could end all of this right now. I could get the drop on him and kill him. He would never see it coming. My fingertips danced over the cool metal of my Key.
“I meant no disrespect, sir. I had hoped that by taking Talia’s position, I would be given more information.”
“You’re not nearly as talented as Talia, and she gave me something you never could Ms. True. Her daughters are the final Key I need to complete my Bridge to Accadia and free the First Kind. They have waited far too long for this and so have I.”
My breath stuck in my throat. What the hell did he mean? I had assumed that he needed my sister, but me? What did he want with me and what could we both be the Key to?
I tightened my fingers around my Key. I had to take the chance. I’d known he wanted me dead, but now it seemed like he had bigger plans for me and my sister. I couldn’t let that happen. I pulled my Key from around my neck and my powers activated it, the crimson energy sprang to life and began to rolloff it.
The doorway behind me swung open and hands wrapped around my arm and yanked me inside. The others rushed in after me, swinging the door closed, and I spun ready to fight whoever was set to attack me.
I stopped in my tracks coming face to face with a young blond girl who looked back at me. Her eyes were familiar and she stared at me as if she was seeing a ghost.
“Erin,” I whispered.
Chapter Twenty-five
Status: Sisters, who knew?
“Erin?” Ms. True’s voice called out from the hallway.
I stiffened. We were going to have to fight our way out of here. I moved toward the door ready to attack when Erin rushed past me and out the door. I didn’t move quickly enough, failing to grab her at the last second. Damn it, I had thought she might not want to come with me, but I didn’t think she’d slip away that quickly. I went for the door handle, but stopped at the sound of her voice.
“Yes, Ms. True?” Erin said in a calm tone.
“I felt someone activate a Skeleton Key, is everything alright?” True asked.
“Yes, I was just practicing that’s all. I’m sorry, Ms. True, for alarming you.”
I was stunned at the response and released the energy from my Key and slipped it back into my pocket.
“You shouldn’t be playing with your abilities. I told you I don’t want you doing that,” Ms. True scolded.
“Sorry, I’m just bored. Is my mom going to be back soon?”
My heart sank when she asked the question. She had no idea our mother was dead or what had happened to her.
“No, as I told you already she is on a secret mission for Mr. Tower and won’t be back for some time.”
“What about Miranda?”
“What about her child?”
“When will I see her again?”
“When I say so, now go back to your room and no playing with Skeleton Keys. Is that clear?” She was doing her best to contain her annoyance but it appeared a struggle for her.
“Yes, Ms. True.”
The door opened and Erin stepped back inside. She was taller than the one time I had seen her. Her hair was blonde just like mine and she looked like our mother except for her eyes... they were just like Dad’s. They sparkled and shined with life and it made me wince and feel sad that he would never see or know about his other daughter. DeAndre placed his hand on Darla’s shoulder and made her step away with him as Jess and I stood in front of my younger sister.
“Hi,” I said not sure how to proceed.
“You’re the girl from the restaurant,” Erin stated.
She was right. The first time we had seen each other was when I fought with our mother at a restaurant in London. Erin had been there and I hadn’t known at the time that she was my sister.
“Yes, I am.”
“You look different.” She pointed to my black hair and the glasses I was wearing.
My hand snatched them from my face and I slipped t
hem into my pocket. I ran my other hand over my newly black hair, covering my normal blond locks.
“Yeah, a stupid disguise.” I shrugged. “What can I say? It works for Superman right?”
“I always liked Spider-Man better,” she said, and I couldn’t help smiling at her.
She glanced from me to Jess, looking us both over with a critical eye. “Are you two sisters?”
“Cousins,” Jess said.
“Do you know who I am?” I asked her.
“I think so,” —Erin raised her chin— “you’re my sister.”
I took a deep breath and my smile turned wide. “Yes, I am.”
“Mom told me about you.”
That didn’t sound good. “Did she now?”
“Not at first, she would only talk about you a little bit here and there. I always knew about you, but not too much.” She bit at her lip, as if remembering something.
“What is it?”
“The last mission Mom was sent on she came to me and told me all about you. I woke up in the middle of the night, and there she was sitting beside me on my bed staring at me. She told me that I looked like you when I slept. And then she told me that you were stolen from her and that they were trying to do the same thing to me.”
Her eyes welled with tears and so did mine.
“She told me that no matter what happened and no matter who came for me that you were the only one I should trust. She said that you would help and protect me.” Tears began to roll down her cheeks.
“Mom was right, you can trust me and I will protect you,” —I struggled to keep my tears from falling, but no such luck— “no matter what.”
“I want mom.” She lowered her head and her body quivered as she sobbed. I rushed forward, wrapping my arms around her and pulling her against me to hug tightly, just like Dad had always done with me.
“I’m here and always will be,” I whispered to her and tried not to lose complete control. I felt Jess’s arms slide around both of us and her head rest against my own.
“We’re all in this together,” she said softly.
“Thank you, Cuz.” I whispered.
“I love you,” she mouthed to me and it brought a smile to my face.
I didn’t want to have to tell my sister that our mother was gone and would never be coming back. I would have to tell her that these people had taken not only our mom, but our dad as well, and so much more from us. My heart soared with relief that I’d finally found her, but rage burned inside me that wouldn’t be quenched until I saw these bastards pay for what they’d done. This wasn’t over, not by a long shot.
DeAndre coughed lightly and got my attention. “We need to get out of here.”
I pulled back from our impromptu group hug and looked over my sister and cousin. I reached out my hand wiping away the tears on Erin’s face. “We have a lot to talk about. But now isn’t the time and this isn’t the place.” I glanced around and tried to think of the best way out of here
“They have me guarded at all times and they also have trackers on any portals that are opened anywhere in the building,” Erin said.
I paced the room trying to work out my escape plan, which was something I should have thought about before now. I cursed myself for not working out the entire strategy beforehand. This wasn’t exactly an on-the-job learning situation.
“You’re sure about the trackers?” I asked.
“Yes, I was there when Ms. True gave the order. Miranda was the one who set the guards around the building, so most of them are HVO.”
She was smart and obviously had been paying attention to what was happening around her. So I didn’t have any qualms about asking, “Do you know any way we could get out of here?”
“The closest guard is down the hall, if we can sneak out of here without being detected, there is door not far that leads through another room, and then down to the kitchen.”
“If we can get to the kitchen, we should be able to get outside from there,” Jess said standing beside me.
“Once outside, we need to get as far away from this place as we can so they can’t track us,” I said. “Then we can open a portal and get the hell out of here.”
“Are you going to leave the Hollow?” DeAndre asked, his brow scrunched and his eyes narrowed.
“I need to get Erin to safety.” I nodded in his direction, and then thought of Rosalita and the work she was doing. Then there was the fact that Nightshade might be somewhere in the Hollow. I turned to Jess. “I need to stay and take care of a few things. You’re going to have to get Erin out of here.”
“You got it,” she said without question, rubbing her hands together in anticipation of the challenge.
Erin stepped forward her hands on her hips. “You mean you’re not coming with me?”
“I have some things I have to take care of, and then I’ll be right behind you after that.”
“Mom told me to only trust you.” She glanced in Jess’ direction and her lips tightened.
“I know she did, and I’m telling you that you can trust in Jess. She’s our cousin; she’s family.”
“A Grimm,” —her head tilted to the side— “or a Masters?”
I wasn’t sure I liked the accusing tone in her voice when she said Masters, but I couldn’t fault her. She had never met our father or knew anything about that side of our family.
Jess smiled at her. “I’m a Grimm.”
She glanced my way. “Only because you say so.”
I placed my hand on her shoulder and walked off to the side with her so we could have a moment of privacy. “I know this must be hard for you, but I promise I will explain everything as soon as we have time. I won’t be long. I need to take care of a few things here in the Hollow. Jess is going to take you someplace safe.”
“Is Mom going to be there?” she asked biting her lower lip.
I had seen that familiar look, though not in her eyes, before. It was the same one I had when I was young and Mom had disappeared. I had known in my heart that I was never going to see her again. Erin knew the same thing now.
“No, she isn’t.” I didn’t want to say more, not now.
“Okay.” She looked to the floor as if I had confirmed her worst fears “When you get there, we’ll be able to talk?”
“Yes, I promise.”
“I’ll go with Jess.” She threw her arms around me, surprising me with a hug “But please hurry.” She released me as quickly as she had grabbed me and walked off to join Jess who was waiting by the door.
I looked around the room at DeAndre, Darla, Jess, and my sister. Taking a deep breath I moved forward and turned the handle on the door, opened it, gave a peek, then turned and announced in a whisper, “Let’s go.”
Chapter Twenty-six
Status: Flight or fight? I choose um…
I trekked silently down the hallway reaching the door all while trying to keep an eye on the guard who stood with his back to us bored to tears with his situation. I opened the door and ushered everyone through first. The last I saw of the guard he was yawning and stretching his arms trying to keep himself awake.
Jess took the lead, getting us through a set of rooms and to a stairwell. We took them down and they opened into the kitchen just as Erin had said they would. I snuck a peak out the windows that covered one wall of the room.
The grounds were lush green and dotted with bushes and gardens. Every few minutes a guard would stroll across looking as bored as the one we’d just left upstairs.
DeAndre came up next to me and studied the movements of the guards as they worked their way through the compound. “They’re using a pretty standard pattern. Four minute intervals between them, which gives us about two minutes to get across the grounds and over the wall.”
“We better get a move on then.” I turned to the others and waved them forward. I crossed over to a door leading outside and placed my hand on the knob. “Once this door opens you make for the wall and don’t stop for anything. Everyone clear?”
The beauty of the gardens surrounded me with topiaries and long swaths of flower beds. The sweet aromas aroused my senses and fleeting images of my childhood assaulted me.
A shrill noise ran up my spine and my ears throbbed at the sound. I dared a quick glance over my shoulder and saw the house was abuzz with activity with people running all around and yelling. Either they’d seen us making a break for it or they’d discovered the man we’d left in the underground tunnel.
Crap, we’d only made it half way to the wall and guards began pouring out of the house in pursuit. I pushed myself as hard as I could, hoping we could make the wall without a fight.
I swung my head to the sides and saw how I had miscalculated. They were coming at us from both sides of the compound—our only chance—getting over the wall. One of the men was already close enough that I was about to call out a warning, but I was too late.
He dove through the air wrapping his arms around Darla and tackling her to the ground. The others were still ahead of me and none of the other guards were close enough to attack yet. I skidded to a stop kicking up dirt and grass and spun around.
The guard was on his feet and had out a Silver Star. Darla was just getting to her knees, her Skeleton Key not yet in her hand.
I bum rushed him, throwing my shoulder into his lower back and sending him crashing to the ground. I reached out grabbing Darla’s hand and yanking her to her feet.
“Run,” I commanded and turned my feet and pushed myself forward, “and keep your damn Key handy.” The other guards were closing in. Up ahead, Jess was nearing the wall with Erin close behind her and DeAndre trailing them.
“I thought you said no stopping?” Darla said between gasps of breath.
“What can I say, I’m no good at following orders, even my own.”