Aunt Rose shot me a huge grin as she sat back in the limo.
“Sweetie, I have many faults. I’m sarcastic. I’m selfish. I’m neurotic, and I often talk as if I’m the smartest person in the room; usually because I am. Other people are idiots. I could go on. However, I never had an issue with trusting someone simply because their last name was McKnight. Drove my daddy crazy. Which amused me to no end.”
She sent me a wink.
I shook my head, laughing. I still wasn’t sure what to make of Aunt Rose. On one hand, she was funny, and seemed to enjoy getting under Grandpa’s skin. On the other hand, the timing seemed a little strange, plus I really didn’t know much about her.
Of course, there was a way to fix that.
“So, Aunt Rose,” I said. “Where have you been living?”
“I own a small home by the edge of town,” she told me. “Nobody around, and lots of privacy so I can come and go as I please. I don’t really spend a lot of time there. Or for that matter, here in Spirit.”
“Oh?” I said. “Where do you go?”
Aunt Rose wiggled her eyebrows and looked fondly out of her window.
“Here and there,” she said. “I like to travel. I’d love to go to Paris, but Hawaii can be beautiful. Vienna. Sometimes I want more of a Midwestern flair, so I hit the road. I’ve even been known to go to L.A. or New York City on occasion. Wherever I feel like.”
She kept talking about her travels. I had to admit that I was impressed. I had never really left Manhattan until after my parents were killed, and once I moved to Spirit, I had pretty much stayed here, except for the recent trip to California to rescue Seth. It was strange hearing Aunt Rose talk about globetrotting like this. She sounded more like a McKnight.
I wouldn’t think twice if I had heard one of Payne’s relatives speak about the places she was telling me. I knew they all had the money to travel for leisure. Many McKnights often did go gallivanting around the planet. Somebody like Varick could fly off at a whim whenever he liked. He probably had hotels and resorts in all corners of the world, not to mention the private jet. As long as he continued to call Spirit home, he was free to roam whenever he felt like it.
I suppose the same thing applied to Aunt Rose, but how she could afford all the travel?
She was in the middle of talking about a long-ago trip to Spain, where she had met an adorable Spanish artist. She was promising to show me one of the portraits he had painted of her, as long as I didn’t bring the children. I blushed as I realized what she meant.
We pulled through a large, metal gate and into a long drive that led to a concrete building in the distance. She stopped talking. Here, there were two more gates to pass through before we got to the building. Armed guards stopped each car in the procession, and checked off names on a clipboard. As we passed the checkpoint, I felt a chill up my spine, and heard a hiss in the distance. Seth began to shake and held onto me tightly.
Simon looked up momentarily from his game, before deciding to ignore us again. Zack was too fascinated by the armed men to pay much attention. Payne and Aunt Rose, I noticed, were watching us carefully.
“It’s okay,” I said to Seth. “They can’t hurt you.”
Seth gave a small nod.
“Moe, Larry and Curly know we’re here,” I told Payne. “I think they’re actually happy about it, although it’s a little hard to tell with them.”
Payne nodded. Aunt Rose was watching me closely, appraising me.
“I can see and hear a lot of things,” I explained to her. “I’ll tell you later, okay?”
She nodded. “Looking forward to it.”
We pulled up next to a concrete building. Someone dressed in a dark suit and flanked by two men in similar outfits came over to open the door. I couldn’t help but notice the matching guns they all had.
“Ms. Blackburn?” The man said. “Let’s get you inside.”
We were all shuffled into the main building. It looked huge from the outside and even bigger from the inside. I saw my Uncle waiting for me with Varick and Grandpa.
“I didn’t expect anything to happen as we were en route,” Varick said. “But I’m still relieved the trip was uneventful. We have a few more people arriving, and then we can proceed.”
The door opened again and I watched as Phillip and Toby came in. Phillip was once again dressed in army fatigues. I saw him look around carefully and take in every detail.
Toby was carrying a cardboard box.
“Hey, there,” Toby got Seth’s attention. “I’ve got something for you. My dad said it’d be okay to give it to you now. Come here.”
Seth walked over, dragging me by the hand. Behind us, Payne watched as Toby knelt down and placed the box on the floor.
“Here ya go. Somebody’s been looking forward to meeting you.”
Seth gasped in astonished joy as he looked into the box and saw a small boxer puppy looking up at him. She was almost completely white, with a few small black dots and a brown patch of fur around one eye. Her nose was dotted pink, and her face was smushy and adorable. Her tail kept wagging a mile a minute, and she gave out a couple of squeaky yips when she saw our faces.
“Oh, wow! She’s beautiful. She looks just like a puppy I saw in a dream once. Is she yours?”
Toby shook his head and smiled broadly. “Nope. She’s yours.”
Seth’s expression was pure pleasure.
“Bristol and Archer found them a couple of months ago,” Toby explained, as he stood up with the box in his hand. “Bristol even picked this one out of the litter.”
Seth picked up the puppy, which immediately licked his face, making him fall back onto the ground. He giggled and laughed, and for a few moments, he looked like an innocent little boy.
We all stood around watching him, barely noticing Aunt Breanne arrive with three other four-legged friends, all of whom started to sniff the puppy.
“Now that we’re all here,” Varick said in a bemused voice, “let’s go inside.”
He ushered us through two large steel doors. As Archer passed, I stepped next to him.
“If you were trying to get in here,” I asked in a whisper, “could you get through this?”
Archer looked around, shrugged and then nodded.
“Yeah,” he said just as quietly. “I could pound through, but it wouldn’t be easy. Plus, given the time it would take, I’d be an open target.”
Jack wouldn’t be an open target, not with the other Shaws to cover him. Still, Varick had a lot of firepower assembled here.
I just hoped it was enough.
As we filed inside, Varick indicated for us to board a very large elevator. It was big enough to carry twenty people. We all squeezed in and the door closed. I expected to feel it lurch upwards, but instead, I felt us go down.
I was standing in the back of the elevator, scrunched into a corner with Payne by my side, and Seth stepping on my toes as he struggled to hold his new puppy. On top of that, Toby was in front of Seth. When the doors opened, I craned my neck to try and see what was outside, but it wasn’t until everyone filed out that I got a good look at what was waiting.
A tunnel stretched out into darkness in front of me, with about a half a dozen cars lined up in front of it, each pointed north. I moved closer to get a better look. Varick was directing everyone to enter certain cars.
“Hold on,” I said as he ushered me towards one of the big black vehicles. “What’s going on?”
Varick smiled. “We are taking you to a secure location,” he explained.
“I thought this underground bunker was the secure location,” I said.
“This is a very safe location,” Varick replied. “It has armed guards, an electric fence, is fully monitored by video cameras, it’s cement and steel re-enforced, and it’s currently occupied by several members of both of our families who have stepped forward in anticipation of greeting our guests.”
I blinked as I tried to keep track of everything he was saying. “So, why are we leav
ing?”
“A precaution,” Varick answered. “These tunnels lead to a second underground bunker, much like this one. I have been building and maintaining them for years. There are actually four locations joined by these underground tunnels. Only a select few people know that they are connected. You, Seth and a few others are going to the next one. The other two are not yet complete. It has virtually all of the same characteristics of this facility, except that everyone in town saw us head to the entrance above. We aren’t normally so obvious about where we’re going when the family goes into sanctuary, but in this case, we want the Shaws to come here.”
I glanced back to the tunnel. I had originally assumed that we’d all be in the same location together, not miles away from everyone else. I hadn’t realized that we would be nowhere near those who planned on facing the Shaws and from the look on Payne’s face, neither did he.
Varick continued to give us more details about the sanctuaries. We were in the one call Location A and headed to Location B. There was a Locations C and D, but those were far on the outskirts of town, the latter on the west side of town, the former on the east. Both bunkers were incomplete and sealed off.
Varick herded me into one of the middle cars with the boys and Payne. Zack was talking about how cool it was. Simon was talking about how difficult it must have been to engineer all of these underground tunnels that ran beneath the town without anyone ever realizing it. Seth was just playing with his puppy. Payne was silent. I know he wasn’t happy to be separated from his family, but I wasn’t about to apologize.
Aunt Rose squeezed in with us.
“That’s an adorable puppy,” Aunt Rose said to Seth. “Does she have a name?”
Seth shook his head. “Not yet. I just got her. What do you think?”
Aunt Rose considered both the pup and the boy for a moment. She reached out to the puppy and started to pet her. The puppy seemed to greatly enjoy it and wriggled around so that Aunt Rose had better access to her belly.
“Oh, this one plans to live in style. She can’t have a silly little dog name. She needs a girl name, nothing stuck up. Our girl is still down to Earth. Perhaps something like...Bella? That’s a pretty name. Or how about Roxie? Now, that’s a classy name.”
Seth lit up as the puppy scrambled around.
“I think she likes it!” He held up the puppy for us to see. “Say hello to Roxie.”
One by one, we all said hello, until the only person left was Payne, who didn’t seem to notice what was going on. Seth looked like he was ready to pull Roxie back to him when Payne finally smiled.
“Hello there,” Payne said, as he reached forward to shake the puppy’s paw.
Seth giggled and hugged Roxie again. “I’ve always wanted a dog, for as long as I can remember.”
“Well,” Payne said. “Now you have one. But you have to remember that having a dog is a big responsibility. She’s not a toy; she’s a member of your family, and she’s going to rely upon you for everything. You up for that?”
Seth nodded. “I’ll be good to her. I promise.”
Payne reached forward to pet Roxie again.
“I know you will,” Payne told him. “And I’m right here to help. Whatever happens, I’ll be right with you.”
Seth smiled. I don’t think he quite understood what Payne was really saying. He was still high on puppy love and quickly went back to playing with Roxie.
I sent a smile towards Payne, but he didn’t see it. He was too busy looking out the window, scowling as he watched us move further and further away from our families.
I thought I knew what he was thinking. If something happened to Varick, or to my uncle, or even to Ian, it would haunt Payne for the rest of his life. I wasn’t worried about Payne blaming me for keeping him out of the fight. He never would. But he would blame himself forever.
Chapter Nineteen
The Earth Moves
Journal of Bristol Blackburn
Day five of what Payne refers to as the Great Shaw Seige. The Shaws are using what he considers their most devious weapon.
They’re attempting to bore us to death.
We’re all stuck in this bunker, and have no communication with the outside world. All of our cell phones were left in Location A, so if traced, it would look like we’re there. We have no TV here except for several out-of-date movies, no internet access, and no sunshine, as we’re all underground.
We still have classes as Varick has arranged for our schoolwork to be brought to us, funneled daily through Location A to Location B. The McKnights in our group seem to be taking this all in stride. According to Payne, this is what it’s like every time Varick has put the family under sanctuary. The only difference now is that there are Blackburns mixed in, as well. Plus, it’s not a question of if an attack might occur, but when.
Simon and Zack are entertaining themselves fairly well. Simon’s started to play chess against anyone stupid enough to take him on. Archer’s taken to surrendering his king in the first move to get the slaughter over with. And Zack seems happy. He found an old batch of old comic books that he’s enjoying.
Seth hasn’t complained once, partially because he knows this is for him. Plus, it’s still better than what he was used to before we rescued him. When Aunt Breanne isn’t tutoring him and the boys, he’s playing and attempting to train Roxie, so he’s happy as a clam. (How happy clams are, I have no idea.)
So, that leaves just me and Aunt Rose to complain, which we’ve both done frequently. Her more than me. It’s been an eye opener. I’ve learned loads more about my aunt, and why Grandpa decided to have her stay with me and Seth...
“I don’t know why I can’t just pop up to Broadway tonight for a quick show,” Aunt Rose said to me. “I could even bring you, and might even be able to manage Seth as well. Who would know?”
I shook my head, although it was tempting. I wasn’t about to do anything to put Seth in any danger, which meant he had to stay here, and I wanted to stay with him.
“How does it work again?” I asked. “I mean, you don’t really just pop? Do you?”
Aunt Rose pursed her lips as she thought about it.
“More or less,” she said. “You’ll have to ask Greg about the sound. I don’t hear a pop, but that’s what he always called it. First time it happened, it was pretty scary. It was my eighth birthday. I wanted to go to a circus in town. I do love clowns.”
I decided not to hold that against her.
“I had so wanted to go,” Aunt Rose continued. “But my parents didn’t want to take me, because it was being funded by the McKnights. They promised me we could go someplace else, like the zoo. But I wanted the Circus. So of course, I complained until my father sent me to my room. I stomped off and pouted. I just sat there on the edge of my bed and wished that I could be at the Circus. Then, all of a sudden, I was.”
I laughed at the thought. “That must have been incredible.”
“It was,” she agreed. “Of course, I was frightened at first, but that quickly faded as I lost myself in the magic of the circus. I even made a couple of friends that night. It wasn’t until I realized that I had no idea how to get home that I really panicked. It took me awhile, but eventually I figured it out and popped back. It was exhausting, but exhilarating. Now I’ve learned how to pop almost anywhere. It’s wonderful to be able to travel the world without buying a ticket for a plane or train or even a cruise. Not that I don’t love a good cruise.
“Of course,” she continued, “I went back to the circus the next night. I even brought Greg. That’s how he and Varick first became friends. Those two were the best of friends for a very long time, in fact.”
A wistful look came over Aunt Rose’s face. I expected her to continue talking, and I was hoping she would, but after a few moments she just shook her head.
“Why did they ever stop being friends?” I asked.
The only answer I got from Aunt Rose was a flash of extreme sadness. I let it drop, not wanting to upset her. The more I go
t to know her, the more I really liked Aunt Rose. I especially loved it whenever I saw her interact with Grandpa. She could drive him up a wall faster than I could, but at the same time, I could tell that both of them were happy to be back in each other’s lives.
“Have you had any more dreams lately?” she asked, changing the subject.
“Just the one about Payne,” I said, looking across the room. Payne was sitting in a corner with Seth, helping him with some schoolwork. Roxie was sprawled out by Seth’s feet. “If you even want to call it that. It’s just a jumble of images. It’s like I’m starting to see something, but instead of the vision forming, it dissolves. It’s very frustrating.”
“Have you talked to Payne about it?” Aunt Rose asked.
I shook my head.
“No,” I said. “I should, but—”
I trailed off as I looked over at Payne, who was in the middle of working with Seth. He was so patient and kind.
But he and I hadn’t connected much over the last few days, not since our arrival here. I knew he was angry. I could feel it every once in a while: a sharp spike of rage. I was sure it was over the fact that he wasn’t in on whatever was happening over in Location A. He was frustrated and felt helpless. Plus, I just had this sense that Payne was hiding something from me. I wasn’t sure what. Maybe he resented me for promises he’d made. Maybe it was because we hadn’t even graduated high school yet, and I’d already handed Payne more responsibility than he thought he could handle.
I thought back to something Priscilla had said. I really was like a teenage mother, to a boy who was born before I was even ten. Seth loved Aunt Breanne, but he was closest to me. He needed me, and I needed him.
Maybe that scared Payne.
I was determined not to apologize for what I made him promise me. I wasn’t going to back down. Payne was my future, and now he was Seth’s future, too.
I watched as Seth finished with his schoolwork and handed it to Payne to check over. Seth watched Payne read through his work. When Payne gave his nod of approval, Seth beamed with pride. Seth then gathered his schoolwork together and shoved it into a book-bag like it was dirty laundry. After that, he turned to play with Roxie, whose little tail had started to wag.
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