by Ron Francis
"Abby, I love you so much it hurts me to not be with you, but you are going to have to be careful that you are not followed, and that takes time. I fear Asa's reach is long. Ditch your rental car, use buses and trains, or cabs. Pay everything in cash and show your ID as little as possible. Get a hat and sunglasses to hide those beautiful green eyes, they're just too memorable. I'm nowhere near there yet, but I'll be counting the seconds until I see you again."
"As will I. Then we will discuss breaking this spell." She beamed at the thought of them together, forever. "Where are you now?"
"Michigan," he hated to lie, he just couldn't take the chance someone was listening, even if she thought there wasn't. "Three days, then. I love you, Abby."
"Three days," she said in agreement. "I love you, too.
Chapter fourteen
"Asa, it's Sam. I'm here with Stephen outside Fitzpatrick's hotel. She just received a call she was very excited about." He leaned against the black Explorer and looked up at the sky. There were some scattered, clouds throughout the night sky, and the wind was blowing at a light but steady pace.
"Really," he replied in anticipation. "From whom?"
"We're not positive, but we believe it was Archer. There's no one else that could make her that happy. She said TJ several times and she ended the conversation with an, 'I love you.'"
"It was him, then. Do you not have her phone tapped?"
"No, it's encrypted; we have the room bugged so all we heard was her side of the conversation. She is meeting him somewhere in three days. It is unclear where, or why it would take three days to get there." Sam looked at Stephen as if he held an answer, but Stephen just shrugged.
"Archer no doubt has some contingencies to put in place before they meet. He may not have complete trust in her yet, but he needs her because of the spell. It can be the only reason that he has taken this chance. We need to have her followed. We cannot lose her or our entire mission could be in jeopardy. Do you have any Shifters with you?"
"No, we don't."
"I'm sending two with Malachi and Jacob right now." Asa said while tossing a set of car keys to Malachi. He was followed out the door by Jacob.
"Malachi? Are you sure that's wise? He hates Archer for embarrassing him at the safe house."
"He'll be fine, he knows how much Thomas means to the council. Now just make sure Abby doesn't leave the hotel before our Shifters are in place to follow. Detain her if you must, but one way or another, she will lead us to Archer."
*****
Abby was careful to be quiet as she moved though her room. Everything TJ had said about caution made sense; even more so since she had found the surveillance in the lamp. She knew they had heard more than they should have, and she was glad TJ had made her promise not to speak the location out loud. She had to figure that Asa already knew they were planning to meet somewhere in three days, but that window could put her anywhere in the world. Abby sealed up her passport and license along with the three fakes Asa had procured for her into a medium size padded manila envelope. She addressed it to one of her family's safe houses and planned to mail it on her way out of town. She had one ID that Asa knew nothing about that her father had given her because he didn't trust Asa. She was now about to become Jenna Lee Simmons, and Abby Fitzpatrick was sent into storage. She had gone through all of the clothes she had with her and found tiny devices in several of them, including her bag and her shoes. She couldn't take any of them out without alerting Asa she was on to him so she left it all behind. She fished the plastic bag her lunch had come in out of the trash and loaded her cash and ID into it. She destroyed her phone by opening it up and crumbling the data card into several pieces. She then dropped it in the toilet and flushed.
She dressed in a pair of shorts and a tee shirt. she picked up her bag of cash and her manila envelope and left the room, careful to make no noise as she closed the door. She took the elevator down to the lobby, thankful to see that the boutique was still open. I love nice hotels, she thought while she walked into the boutique.
"Hi," she said to the clerk after she entered the store.
"Hello, Ma'am, how may I be of service?" the clerk replied in a pleasant tone.
"I need to buy an outfit I can wear right now. I need something comfortable yet stylish to travel in." Abby replied, trying to sound laid back.
"We have some wonderful sweat suits, very comfortable to travel in." He led her over to the small clothing section and she saw what she wanted right away, an army green sweat suit. It would be the perfect color to try and sneak away in. She purchased the sweat suit and a white designer tee shirt. The store carried several styles of white tennis shoes, but no other color. She needed footwear so she picked up a pair in her size.
"I'll take these," she said to the clerk and handed him the merchandise,
He rang up the total and said, "That will be one hundred, seventy-three dollars." She handed him two hundred and he handed back her change. She strode back into the dressing room to change into her new clothes.
She exited the dressing room a few moments later wearing her new attire.
"Would it be all right if I left my old clothes in the dressing room?" She asked.
"No problem, Ma'am, I'll take care of it."
"Thank you, you've been so helpful." As she was preparing to leave the store, she saw a ball cap and remembered Thomas' warnings about having caps and glasses to hide her green eyes. "Actually, I think I might purchase a few more things." she said, and then she walked over to where the cap was. She purchased the cap, a backpack and some stylish sunglasses, and while she was trying them on, she saw in the mirror Stephen and Jake walk by with a Shifter named Stacy. They hadn't noticed her in the boutique, and she froze, not wanting to draw any attention to herself. When they were gone, she glanced out the store window. She put her bag and envelope in her new backpack. She paid for her additional items and prepared to leave. She waved to the clerk and made her way to the pool area. She knew she didn't have much time before they discovered she was not in her room so she left the vacant pool area through a window, knowing that opening the emergency exit would cause a commotion.
Abby moved from car to car in the parking lot using all of her stealth training to remain undetected. She saw an Eagle on top of the hotel and realized there was a second Shifter. She also saw Sam and Malachi out front. These were people she thought to be friends, maybe they still were, but they were tracking her, on Asa's order's, hoping she would lead them to the love of her life. She had almost made it to the next building and out of sight when she heard the distinctive cry of an eagle and saw the Shifter swooping towards her. She knew Malachi and Sam would not be far behind. The large eagle swooped in low, trying to take her off her feet. She looked back and began running. When the eagle came in low again, Abby decided she had no time to deal with this Shifter. She jumped on top of a car and spun in the air, kicking the unsuspecting Shifter right in its beak. The eagle went down in a heap and reverted to human form. Abby knew the man and whispered, "Sorry, Theo," as she continued to run. The parking lot was full, and she was finding it difficult to run a straight line because she was trying to stay in the shadows as much as possible.
Abby saw Malachi join the chase and knew he had called Stephen and the group that had gone up to her room. She needed to get away fast, there was no way she could face three Paladins, a Shifter and a Mage by herself. She poured on her speed, and she caught up to an eighteen wheeler just starting to move after the light had turned green. She leapt and caught hold of the back of the truck as it began to accelerate. An angry Malachi faded from view after Sam caught up to him. By the time the other Shifter made it out of the hotel to try and track her, she would be long gone.
Four miles later, the truck stopped at another light. Abby jumped off the back and waited for a truck going in a different direction to pull up to the light. This time she hoped into the cab, much to the delight of the pot bellied driver. A quick glance told her the cab was clean enough. She noti
ced a fast food bag on the seat that no doubt held the remains of his dinner. "Where are you headed, sir?" she asked in a naive voice, while pushing an image of herself stranded and frightened into the man's mind. His smile turned from predatory to kind as if the last thing in the world he could ever imagine was someone taking advantage of this poor little girl in need.
"I'm going to Little Rock, young lady."
"Perfect, that's where my daddy and my brother Billy are. Please, sir, can I have a ride. I'll pay you for your trouble." She found herself slipping effortlessly into her southern accent again.
"That won't be necessary, ma'am," he replied with a tip of the cap. "I wouldn't want my little girl stranded, so I'm gonna take you all the way to Little Rock with me."
"Thank you so much, Sir. You're a life saver."
"Names, Jimmy, and looks like we'll be road buddies for a while."
"Looks like," she smiled a doe eyed smile as he turned on the radio, and began humming along with a sad country song. Twelve hours and many humorous stories later, Jimmy pulled up to a Walmart in Little Rock, Arkansas. Abby hopped out of the cab and said, "My brother Billy works here. He'll make sure I get home safe." Jimmy nodded and waved, then pulled away thinking he was the Good Samaritan of the year. Abby was thankful he had been a nice guy. That image she pushed would have made her seem like an easy target to a predator.
Abby decided to go inside the Walmart for a few things. She rarely went to Walmart because Staten Island didn't have one. For the first time in over a day, she relaxed. She had gotten away from Asa's people, she had a clean identity, and she was off the grid. She strolled though the expansive store trying to find what she needed. She saw some of the oddest people you would ever come across while she was shopping. There were more products then you would ever expect to see in one place and everyone was pushing a large shopping cart with blue trim and Walmart written on it. She found a cart and began navigating her way towards what she needed. She saw the electronics department and decided to stop there first. Thirty-five minutes later, she had a week's worth of socks, underwear and tee shirts; two burner phones, a decorative Arkansas pen, and a new iPod Touch. She still needed a few things including a jacket for the northeastern fall weather. She also kept in mind that she had to travel light and keep her hands free, so one backpack was the limit.
As she exited Walmart, she put her sunglasses and ball cap on in an effort to keep her identity hidden. She took a car service to the nearest mall, and purchased the rest of the clothing she needed. Her backpack was just over three-quarters full, but she didn't need anything else. She then took a car service to the bus depot and purchased a ticket to Roanoke, Virginia. From there, Jenna Lee Simmons would make her first ever appearance on the grid. She would rent a car and drive to New York. Abby frowned at the thought of a new identity. Maybe she could get TJ one. Maybe TJ already had one. Could they live off the grid with just the money they had forever? Maybe some small country, a little shack on the beach, a quick wedding and then a lifetime of intimacy. She shook her head clear. She couldn't be distracted from getting to TJ, even if the distraction came from her thoughts of him.
*****
Asa was disappointed in his team. Six of them had not been enough to keep an eye on Abby, or at least detain her. Now, the one person that knew where Thomas was going to be was off the grid with him. He knew part of the fault was his, he had been dishonest with Thomas and he was called out. Another mistake was Malachi. It was true he was the best trainer Asa knew of, but he was also a hothead. He should have never introduced him to Thomas until Thomas knew everything and was committed to his role. Still, six against one and they returned with an injured Theo, and no leads on Abby.
"We need to alert the council and have a hit put out on Thomas, probably Abby, too." Malachi announced as if it were already the plan. "The only reason to go off the grid is if they have no intention of coming back, and we cannot afford to let Devlin get to either of them." Jake and Sam were shaking their heads in agreement. This was no surprise since they were his protégés. Stacy just looked sad and Stephen looked like he didn't care what they did.
"Well, let's hold on a minute, we don't know why Thomas is off the grid. It could be for any number of reasons, least of all is that the last time he was with this assembled team, you threatened to kill him." He was looking right at Malachi who replied with a defiant shrug. "We know why Abby's gone rouge, and that's because the betrothal spell is too strong. Let's just hope she is still inclined to talk him into coming back." He looked around the room and continued. "He won't go to Devlin. I can guarantee that, he may in fact be seeking Devlin's destruction without our support because of what he did to his family. There's no need to talk about killing him yet. Let's just get everyone working on finding them." He left the room in frustration, and he could see his words made no headway at all with Malachi and his men. The man was still embarrassed, and wanted payback, no matter the cost.
Chapter fifteen
Thomas arrived in Baltimore with the setting sun. He decided to stay and find lodging for the night. He had taken a bus from Memphis and it had been a long, bumpy ride. He had craved sleep the whole way, but fourteen straight hours of a screaming child behind him made that proposition impossible. It was a crisp evening and the moon was almost full. He walked through Baltimore's famous Inner Harbor, and stopped for dinner at a steakhouse. I need somewhere to sit in peace. Before he entered, he prayed there would be no screaming children.
After dinner, he began looking for lodging, and thoughts of Abby filled his mind. Her green eyes, her perfect lips, her pouty smile, and the smell of jasmine were a pleasant distraction for him. He thought back to teasing her in the car and the joy on her face as she got even and locked him out of the house in his underwear. His mantra had become; two more days until I see Abby again. Whenever he was tired, annoyed, scared or depressed, he thought; I will see Abby soon.
Thomas continued to walk until he was looking at Camden Yards. He was happy he chose to walk around the Inner Harbor because it afforded him the chance to see the famous stadium up close. As a baseball fan, this was one of the places he dreamed of visiting. The beautiful brickwork and cast iron of the stadium was incredible. How could a building that holds over forty-five thousand people still seem so intimate and friendly? It was an architectural marvel. Any fan of the game would love this place. Around the front were cast iron statues of several famous players. The stadium was full and it was rocking. What's going on here? Season's over, it must be a concert. His suspicion was confirmed when he heard the familiar rift to the Rolling Stones all-time hit; Satisfaction. The crowd let out a deafening roar, and Thomas was thankful that his walk would now be accompanied by some great music. He stood outside for a few minutes soaking up the ambiance before deciding to move on.
While walking towards the train station, he passed two young fans that looked to be about his age. Something didn't sit well with him about them and he picked up his pace. He tried to keep an eye on where they were by their reflections in the windows of the train, without looking like he was watching them. He lost sight of the female, but he heard a soft metallic ring right before he saw a sword in the hand of the male. This is gonna be bad, he thought. He ducked the swing and the loud clink of a sword hitting a train echoed through the station. Several people heard the noise and looked up to see Thomas being chased by a sword-wielding man. He dodged another swing and rolled through another. "You are putting us all at risk," Thomas growled in a low voice.
"Come see Devlin, and we won't have to risk exposure," his attacker whispered back before taking another swing. Thomas continued to evade the young Zdrada's sword, and a police officer arrived on the scene.
He shouted, "POLICE! You with the sword, drop it and put your hands in the air!" The police officer raised his weapon as if to reinforce his statement. The glint in the young Zdrada's eye displayed confidence as he stalked towards the officer. Thomas took the opportunity to run. He was not ready to have his new ide
ntity on file. He passed another police officer that had arrived to back up his partner.
"That man is crazy," he said, "I was just walking and he attacked me... with a sword!" he yelled. The officer nodded and waved him on without taking his eyes off the suspect. The Zdrada didn't see the second officer when he raised his sword and charged the first. The first officer opened fire and was shocked when his bullets hit the crazed suspect's sword. He looked confused when the Zdrada descended on him, but relieved after his partner shot him twice, killing him. Several of the frightened onlookers dove for cover or scattered when the police started shooting, but after the body hit the ground, they regained their composure. To the onlookers it just looked like a crazy guy with the sword was shot down before he killed someone.
Thomas hurried from the scene, and was confronted by an angry wolf in the parking area. He had a gun, but didn't dare pull it with police so close, and a man already dead on the ground. The wolf let out a low rumbling growl and bared its fangs. Thomas began moving away from the wolf while still facing it. The wolf leapt for his throat and he managed to sidestep the attack while shoving the wolf in the side. The wolf hit into a parked car with a yelp and fell to the ground. How am I supposed to defeat a wolf without using a weapon? The question lingered in his mind as he continued to back away. The wolf took its time getting up, and somehow looked even angrier. It snarled and charged again, scoring a deep scratch across Thomas' stomach with its claws at the same time that Thomas hit the wolf hard in the face. It landed in a heap with a whimper, and Thomas was shocked to see the wolf become the young female fan again. He didn't know Shifters reverted back to human form when they lost consciousness. Blood was dripping from his wound in a surreal version of slow motion. He almost thought he could hear the individual droplets spattering on the ground with each step he took. He held his bleeding stomach as the Dark Shifter began to stir. He was thankful he didn't kill her because she had his blood and skin under her nails and a murder investigation would put him back on the grid with Asa's people. It was going to be hard enough to dodge Devlin without having to worry about Asa, too. He wondered if he should cover her up, but thought better of it, and then he stumbled away. He knew that if he were nearby when she regained her faculties, she would be able to track him.