Reluctant Hero (The Dunamis Covenant Book 1)
Page 14
"Good work, Nate, let me know as soon as you do. If she's in Roanoke, it means she's meeting Archer somewhere on the east coast. All of our people back east will be alerted, and the rest of our clan will be heading that way. We cannot afford to let them get away."
"I will call you as soon as I have the direction she was heading."
"Make it happen, Nate. Their lives depend on it. All of our lives may depend on it." He hung up his phone and turned to his team. They were handpicked and represented the best the Undaraii clan had to offer minus the Fitzpatrick family. They had never gotten along with him or his father and none of them had volunteered to come out and help. After his dismissal of Abby, he couldn't blame them, but he also didn't need them.
He looked at those gathered around him and said, "Pack up whatever you need, and travel light. We leave for Washington on the next available flight. Our support team will pack up everything else, and our people will meet us there with weapons we can use until ours arrive. Abby has been spotted in Roanoke and we will soon have the direction she was traveling in. We must be ready." He looked at Stephen and ordered, "Alert the rest of the clan, we all go east." He turned to Stacy and added, "Get us on the next available flight, charter one if you have to." He looked to Malachi and said, "We need to speak, old friend." Before Malachi could answer, Asa's phone began to ring. It was from Nate so he answered the call. "What have you got for us Nate?"
"I caught up with Abby's cab driver, Jackson. A little money and the sight of my gun loosened his tongue. He said she told him she was heading to Michigan to see her boyfriend who was in trouble with the wrong people." He paused and when Asa said nothing, continued. "I also went to the truck stop he left her off at where four men confirmed that she had just hitched a ride with a man named Earl, heading north."
"What does your gut tell you, Nate? You're the only one that spoke to the parties involved." Asa knew his question would rattle the young Paladin. He wanted recognition just like all Paladins do, but didn't have the necessary ability to be noticed for the important tasks.
"I think Michigan was a ploy to throw us off, she knew I'd catch up to the cab driver sooner or later and left him that information to throw me off. I do believe she is heading North, though. I'm sure she didn't think I would be this close behind her. I believe she thought that anyone who had seen her at the truck stop would already be gone by the time I got here."
"I believe your assessment to be accurate, Nate, well done." He could almost hear the young man beam. He may never become a great warrior, but perhaps he had a promising career in intelligence ahead of him. He hung up the phone and called out to Stephen, "Change of plans, Stephen, get everyone to the northeast, from Washington to New York. Nate has just cut our search area in half. Abby's family is on Staten Island and it's probable that she's meeting Thomas there, where she imagines they'll be protected. The bulk of the clan will be going to New York." Asa hoped he would soon have Thomas and Abby in his grasp. He turned to Malachi and led him to the next room.
"I know you are angry with Thomas, but he didn't know he had that strength when he threw you. You must curb your anger, it will make it more difficult for him to come back and trust us."
"He made a fool of me, Asa. ME!" he yelled with a heavy mixture of passion and anger. "And he did it in front of my protégés, it was unacceptable."
"I agree, Malachi, but he just overreacted, he did not intend to hurt your body or your reputation. He was scared and his untrained Paladin abilities kicked in."
"I am not happy we are giving him a second chance, Asa."
"We have to, if we want him to defeat Devlin for us."
"And if he won't?" Malachi asked in a threatening manner.
"Then you may kill them both." Asa replied with a wicked scowl.
Chapter seventeen
Abby climbed out of the cab, backpack in hand and paid Earl his fifty dollars gas money. She was thankful to be in Philadelphia, but even more thankful to be out of his truck. She had just gone through seven hours of hell. Earl was a complete pig, in every way possible. He seemed so polite at first, the thought of him disgusted her.
"Thank you, little lady, and thanks for the memories." He smiled in a way that made Abby want to throw up when he took the money from her. She turned without a word and began walking. "What, no goodbye kiss for Earl? That's all right; I'll just enjoy the view from here." He laughed at her discomfort.
She wanted to give him a goodbye all right, the kind of goodbye you wake up in the hospital from. For almost seven hours it was one crude comment after another, he had the heat pushed high and kept on hinting that she might be more comfortable if she removed her shirt. He asked her to sit on his lap a dozen times as well, and that was just the beginning of the harassment. If she knew how to drive the rig, she would have rendered him unconscious and done so. Then there was the smell. That smell was disgusting. I may need to burn these clothes, she thought. She had only been able to get through it because she knew she was going to see TJ tomorrow. She couldn't wait to get home and see her man.
She shook off the painful memory of Earl and his truck ride from hell while she changed and deposited her clothes in the trash. She made her way through Philly to the bus station thinking only of TJ the whole way. She had arrived forty minutes early for the ten o'clock bus to Penn Station. She decided to spend the time with her two favorite foods in Philadelphia. She hadn't eaten all day and bought a cheese steak with wiz and chowed down. She ate it so fast and sloppy that she was a little embarrassed when she wiped her face with the tiny napkins messy places always gave out with their food. I'm glad TJ wasn't here to see that, she thought. She got over her embarrassment and strolled over to Rita's for a cherry water ice. Her mouth began to water as soon as she was handed the ice. She savored the flavor while she ate the ice a little slower than she had the cheese steak. When she finished she walked back to the bus station. She arrived content and happy, with Earl a distant memory. She boarded her bus, alert for any signs that she was being followed. It wasn't until the bus took off from the station that she allowed herself the luxury of shutting her eyes.
She woke up a mile or so from Penn Station. She looked around and aside from a couple of men pretending not to be studying her, no one was paying her any mind. Ten minutes later, the bus was pulling into the station. She exited the bus, and was quick to lose herself in the crowds of people that were always available in Manhattan. New York really is the city that never sleeps. It's midnight and thousands of people are still roaming around Penn Station. She walked along Thirty-Fourth Street and learned that the Knicks had won their game. All of the drinking establishments were still packed with raucous fans, celebrating their favorite team's win. Abby was unsure if she should try and find a room for the night, or just go straight to the park and hope TJ arrived early. She opted for the room because the only sleep she had gotten in the last three days came from stolen moments on crowded buses. Once she found her love, she wasn't sure when, if ever, they would be able to let their guard down. She checked into a The Plaza hotel for one more night of comfort. Sleep wasted no time finding her, and her dreams were sweet. She would be with her TJ in the morning, and somehow she knew everything would work out.
*****
Thomas couldn't believe the luck. He was finally going to see Abby tomorrow for the first time in over two weeks. It would also be his first time seeing her since he had figured out who he really was and how much he needed her; and he had to be sick. Not just stuffy nose sick, full on fever and chills sick. He could never remember really being sick before. My wound must be infected. That Dark Shifter had definitely left him something to remember her by. How could he rid himself of the infection if he couldn't go to the doctors? He tried to sit up in bed, but he was too dizzy. He knew he needed to change his bandages, but he would have to wait a little while. He fell into a fever induced sleep and began to dream.
"My mommy says we will be married some day and when we are older, we will sit on the council."
Little Abby said while she held his hand and smiled.
"My mommy says I'm going to be a great warrior like my daddy," he replied while making a sword slashing motion with his arm.
"What about me?" she pouted.
"My mommy didn't say what you're gonna be, Abby."
"No, will I be a great warrior with you?"
"I don't know, but we'll always be together. You're my best friend. I hope you are a Shifter like your mom. That would be cool to be able to turn into a wolf. I would run and howl at the moon. I would bite bad guys, and make them stop being bad."
"Me, too," she said. "I hope we can be wolves together one day. Wait, I want to be a tiger like the stuffed animal you gave me."
"You would be the prettiest tiger, Abby." He smiled and covered his mouth and giggled.
She looked so happy as she leaned over and kissed his cheek.
"Eww, what did you do that for?" He protested and he wiped his face.
"You said I was pretty," she beamed unapologetically.
"No, I said you would be a pretty tiger."
She lifted her head up and stuck her chin out in a defiant manner. "It's the same thing," she proclaimed before folding her arms and looking away.
"She is absolutely right, Thomas." His mother joined the conversation with a kind smile. "Just wait 'til you're older, Abby will be the prettiest girl you've ever seen." She leaned in and hugged the happy little girl and gave her a kiss on the forehead. "We have to go now, Abby, but don't worry. Thomas will see you tomorrow."
The alarm beeped and woke Thomas up. He was covered head to toe with sweat. Tomorrow had come. His sheets were drenched from his sweat. He looked at his bandages and knew they needed to be changed. First, he taped some plastic over the stitches and limped into the bathroom. Maybe a hot shower will make me feel a little better, he thought. He didn't care how sick he was, he was not going to be late to see Abby. He took a long shower, and then he drank an entire bottle of water. He cleaned his wound and re-bandaged it. He cleaned up his mess, shaved and threw some deodorant on. He brushed his teeth and put on his clothes. He may have felt terrible, but he was going to look as close to his best as he could. The time had come to finally see Abby again, and he wasn't going to miss it.
Thomas arrived at the Staten Island Ferry in time to see the crowds of people getting off the boat. He would be on the eight o'clock ferry as soon as the thousands of Staten Islanders heading to work disembarked. He noticed there were very few passengers traveling back towards Staten Island. A few eager tourists, no doubt trying to see as much as they could of New York City in a day or two, and a slightly larger group of people who had just finished the night shift. They boarded, and he watched the few tourists make a beeline to the right side of the ferry. They planned to brave the November winds in order to get their perfect picture of the Statue of Liberty.
Thomas found an empty bench and sat down. He was already dead tired and he hadn't even made it to his destination yet. He woke up to the almost friendly look of an NYPD officer nudging his leg with the sole of his shoe. "Hey buddy, didn't you hear the announcement? All ashore! You have to get off the ferry. If you want to ride back, you have to walk back around, and you should hurry." He folded his arms and tapped his foot.
Thomas was confused, his mind tried to figure out what was happening. All of a sudden, what the officer said hit him and he replied. "Thank you, officer, I didn't intend to sleep, I'm meeting my fiancée soon. I just didn't sleep well last night."
"I'll say! You don't look so good."
"I don't feel so good either, but I think her grandmother is a doctor, so I'm sure I'll be seeing her before the morning's over." How do I know that, he wondered. "Thanks again." He grabbed his backpack and exited the ferry. He stumbled through the terminal, past the various delis and other establishments to the A platform just in time to catch the S62 before it left. He looked at the bus driver and asked, "If I fall asleep, could you wake me up at Clove Road?" The driver nodded and he took the first seat on the bus. He drifted off a couple times, but was awake at Clove Road. He thanked the driver and exited the bus.
Very soon he would be seeing his Abby and the excitement began to give him strength. He walked down Clove Road to where the bus driver had told him the swings were located. The area was a fenced in playground. There was an asphalt surface with swings, benches and a big fenced in sprinkler in the middle. He remembered from his childhood that there were openings in the fence to let the children in to use the sprinkler during the summer. There was also a slide that he remembered being a lot bigger when he was a child. He looked over at the ball fields, and down to the basketball courts, then to the Lake across the field. He looked the other way and he saw a pathway leading to a stone bridge and everywhere he looked in the distance: trees. He almost didn't believe he was still in New York City, but memories of his mom bringing him here to play with Abby filled his mind. His mom and Abby's mom would sit and talk while they chased each other around, went on the swings and played. Then they would walk the tree-lined trails through the woods and wave to joggers, dog walkers and people riding their bikes. We were so happy then. As everything began coming back in rich and vivid detail, he noticed that Abby was not here yet. His strength began to fade and he felt tired. He found a wooden bench painted green and sat down to wait.
*****
Abby arrived at the ferry just in time to see the doors close on the eight o'clock boat. She bought a bagel while she waited for the next boat, and called her grandfather to let him know she was back in town, and would be at Clove Lakes Park in a little while. When the boat arrived, she sat all the way to the front. She couldn't get to Clove Lakes fast enough. She just knew Thomas would be there waiting when she got there. In another hour, he would be holding her in those strong arms. He would then be kissing her with those perfect lips. She began to feel flush just thinking about it, so she went and stood outside to let the crisp, November air wash over her. The heat she felt for the man she loved still refused to be cooled and she smiled the whole ride.
When the ferry docked, she just about sprinted to A platform and waited for the bus to begin its route. She thought she had boarded the S61, but it didn't really matter. Any of the buses on the platform would get her where she needed to go. When the bus finally reached Clove Road, it was all she could do to not sprint to the swing sets. She elected for a cautious approach, alert for anyone that might be following her, and then she noticed him on a bench. Her heart began to leap from her chest when she saw that he wasn't moving. Is he... sleeping? She felt a flash of irritation, and she couldn't believe he would be able to sleep at a time like this. She ran over to where he was, thinking to play a prank on him as punishment for his slumber, but when she drew closer she saw a few spots of blood seeping through his tan shirt. She realized he wasn't sleeping, he was hurt. Her mind flashed back to that text message.
I took a pretty good hit.
"TJ," she called, apprehension evident in her voice. "TJ, can you hear me?"
He lifted heavy eyelids and smiled. "Hey, beautiful," he answered. He used a good deal of his strength to stand. "I've missed you so much. Abby."
She was by his side and in his arms without hesitation. She looked up into his dark eyes and said. "You're hurt, TJ." Worry furrowed her brow as she lifted his shirt and took a look at his wound. "You've bled through your bandages." She added, in a matter-of-fact tone when she began to take off the bloody bandages.
"I have more in my bag," he said weakly, after she finished removing the old bandages.
Abby took one look at his wound and gasped. This wound is deep and it is infected. "Lay down on the bench and I will dress it better. We need to get you to my family."
He started to lie down, but he stopped, and it was as if he had a surge of energy. He grabbed her and pulled her out of the way in time for a bullet to bury itself in the bench she was kneeling in front of.
A look of shock crossed her face. "You just saved my life, TJ. How did you—?"
"These are not Undaraii," she began.
"Who?" he asked.
"Undaraii, our clan, these are not Asa's people. They are also not Devlin's people."
"Who are they then?"
"I don't know exactly, but they are from one of the other light clans."
"I don't think Ethereals have a grasp of the concepts, light and dark!" he shouted. He ducked as another shot whizzed by his ear. "We can't stay here, we're sitting ducks."
"Too late," a deep voice called from behind. Thomas and Abby spun to see an imposing Paladin with a large sword just a few feet away. He had two Mages, two Shifters and another dozen Paladins with him. His grin was full of malice and his voice was harsh. He sized up his opponents, and fixed them with a sneer. "Council wants him alive. They think he's some great warrior or something. I think he's a waste of time and should be killed for defying the Council. They didn't say anything about her though, let's hunt us a green eyed Shifter." Several of the Paladins laughed while the big one started towards Abby.
Thomas stepped in front of Abby ready to fight, but she grabbed his arm and held him back. "I think this is their Alpha team. We cannot hope to fight them all. "
"Listen to her, Archer, her advice just might keep you alive, even if it does her no good."
*****
Several of the Paladins lifted their guns in Abby's direction and Thomas cried out, "No!" His arms started to tremble with power, but not like when he threw Malachi. He had never felt anything like it before. He released it at the enemy, and all of the big Paladin's men went flying almost twenty meters. He spun and grabbed the gun from Abby, then she transformed into a tiger with an intimidating roar. Her tattered clothes hit the ground while he fired off three shots and the Paladins charging their position from behind all went down. Meanwhile, Abby jumped on two of the Paladins trying to recover from Thomas' telekinetic shove and dispatched them with ease. The two Shifters turned to wolves and began circling Abby while Thomas took down another Paladin. Abby prepared to lunge for the first wolf, but she turned without warning, and attacked the one preparing to jump her from behind. The first paw swipe of the tiger knocked the wolf down and then she ripped the wolf's throat out. Blood spattered all around, and the dead wolf turned back to human form. Abby then turned in time to see the other wolf in the air, lunging for her neck.