“Sorry,” she said as her sword extended in front of Daniel’s eyes. She touched him as carefully as possible; she only wanted him out until they could get him back to the tattoo parlour. It was swift and he only shook for a few seconds.
“I can’t believe you just did that!” Wendy yelled over Daniel’s limp body.
“I had no choice; get us to Shane’s,” she demanded. There wasn’t much room on the one seat in the front. She leant her body the best she could against the door of car and looked out the window wondering when this was all going to blow up in her face.
Jason and Fran were already waiting for them outside Shane’s. “Hello strangers,” Jason called out cheerfully.
“A hand would be good,” Val replied as she fell out the car in an attempt to hold Daniel’s body up.
“Here.” Jason pulled her to her feet. She pushed him backwards. “Not me you fool, Daniel.”
“Is he dead?” asked Fran.
“No, just unconscious.” Val jangled her sword.
Fran tutted. “You so have the advantage on everyone.”
“Hey Wendy, how are you?” Jason enquired, casually pulling Daniel’s body out of the car. Zac climbed over the car seat to grab his feet.
“I’ve had better Sundays,” she announced.
“When?” Jason grinned at her.
Wendy thought about her response. “That’s disturbing. I can’t think of an answer. Just take what could have been my first real boyfriend indoors so he can wake up and dump me.”
Jason pulled as Zac lifted, and Daniel was out. Lucky for them it was Sunday and the high street was empty or it might have looked like they were moving a corpse about. Wendy locked the car and they all piled into the tattoo parlour.
“Morning Shane,” Zac greeted him.
Shane was working on a large man who seemed undisturbed by the body coming through.
“How’s it going Brad?” Jason tipped his head.
“Good.” The man looked up. “I remember the days when me and your dad could...”
“That will be enough information, Brad. Put him out back Jason, to sober up,” Shane said not lifting his eyes away from the amazing golden eagle he was crafting.
“Shane, why do you work on this day? Do you not worship any God or Goddess?” Zac asked as he helped carry Daniel away.
That made Shane look up. “Ok, who is messing with Zac’s brain?”
“Believe me, if I could have predicted his reaction, I would never have even gone there.” Val pushed the door with her back as they carried Daniel into the gym.
They placed him onto a gym mat in the corner, out of harm’s way, and sat down at the glass table.
“We have a big problem. Delta is stalking us, big time. She knew we were in the cinema and she knew we were dropping Daniel off. That’s why we had to bring him with us.”
“How does she know what you’re doing?” Fran asked.
“I’m such an idiot!” Jason slammed his hands on the table. “Your phone! She’s got a phone! Don’t you remember? Sam gave us all a phone. She can track you anywhere.”
“Oh my God, you’re right. I never thought about it.” Val pulled her own bulky phone from her bag. “What do we do with them?” She placed hers in the centre of the table; Jason put his down next to it.
“Is that Wendy’s new friend?” asked Shane, joining them. “Is there no one we meet that you don’t electrocute, Val?”
“Where’s your phone, Dad?”
“Here.” He pulled it out of a pocket inside his jacket. “Why?”
“Delta has been tracking Val with the phone Sam gave her.”
“She’s a clever little madam. Someone needs to sort that girl out.” Shane shook his head in disbelief.
“We need to call Sam. Maybe he can scramble them.” Val pulled out her phone.
“Not going to happen; he’s had to go away. Something about a job with ‘no comms’. Sorry.” Shane could see the disappointment in Val’s eyes.
“What does ‘no comms’ mean?” Zac enquired.
“He won’t be in touch. Probably got an important client. You can never predict with him.”
Val felt her heart sinking into a place she didn’t like the idea of. He had a job to do and so did she. She wouldn’t hang around moping over some guy who disappeared without even a text to say goodbye.
“So what do we do, flush them down the toilet?” she asked Shane.
“First thing, switch them off.”
Wendy and Fran turned the phones off. “We all have mobiles; it’s just Val that wears the tracker.” She glanced down at her necklace. “We can keep in touch for now with our personal mobiles, but I think the necklace has to go. That’s what she’s following.” Val quickly removed it, handing it to Shane who proceeded to stand on it. “She more than likely knows you’re here. We need to move.”
“We can go to my house if you like,” Wendy offered.
“Great. You guys go to Wendy’s. I’ll close up and leave a message for my other customers, but we need to get Val out without Delta seeing, or she could follow her.”
“Excuse me, can someone please tell me what’s going on?” Daniel suddenly appeared behind Jason, wobbling slightly from side to side.
“Daniel!” Wendy exclaimed, running over to put her arm around him for support.
“I see our new friend is awake.” Shane gave him a hearty pat on the back as he walked towards the parlour. “Wendy, bring your car around the back to the fire exit,” he said.
Daniel was helped to the table by Wendy and Fran and was now sitting, looking from one to the other.
“I’ll be back in a second,” Wendy jangled the keys to her car at him and ran out.
“Well, you see this is what we were trying to tell you before, but you just wouldn’t listen. So my advice would be to pay very good attention.” Val placed her foot on the chair next to Daniel and leant forward, holding the palm of her hand out in front of him.
“I’m sorry, but if you think I’m going to believe that you are an...” Daniel stopped dead, his word hanging in the air.
“Proof enough?” Val asked as her hand flickered with the flames that now engulfed it.
“Don’t!” Fran moved in between them. “It’s not his fault. This is a crazy world we live in, and we should have kept him safe.”
Val shook the flames out on her hand. “He’s got no choice now, so he’d better get used to it. At least till we catch Delta.”
Fran spoke to him. “Daniel, I was like you, but you have to understand that what Val has to do helps to save people’s lives. I don’t have fire springing from any part of my body, thank goodness, but I’m part of this just like you are now. Delta, the girl that’s after us, is a traitor. She betrayed us and left Val to die. You need to hear the whole story, then, if you want to leave, you can.” Fran placed a gentle hand on Daniel’s. “Jason get us a drink. Let’s just take a moment to tell him, and then we can all head out.” She’s amazing, Val thought to herself. Yesterday she was tied to a chair and today she’s the rational voice for the group.
“Five minutes.” Jason tapped his watch as he walked over to the fridge and pulled out a few cans.
Val and Fran sat patiently explaining what was happening to them. Val explained how she had met Shane, Jason and the others, about the tattoo and how Excariot had tricked her into freeing him. She told him about travelling back in time to stop Lailah, Excariot’s true love, from being freed and how hundreds, maybe thousands, of prisoner sprits had been released from her real home, Alchany, and it was now her job, along with her hunter, to return them, with the help of Wendy of course.
He kept nodding very slowly and Val wasn’t sure if this was a nervous reaction or just because he really was taking it all in. Then she told him about Delta, how she had been her best friend, or so she thought, and the betrayal that had made her leave Delta in the past. She explained that Delta was now back in the present, ready to wreak havoc, and that Daniel had just made it onto her
hit list. She told him that she had every intention of keeping him safe, but he had to work with her. He became noticeably calmer, but made no comment.
“Ok, so he knows everything then?” Wendy asked, returning from parking the car out the back ready for their escape.
“So, you’re an alien witch?” Daniel finally found his voice and pointed at Val. “And you’re her hunter from another planet,” he pointed at Zac. “You’re her boxing and fencing instructor.” He pointed at Jason. Then his finger turned towards Wendy, “And you’re her guardian, and you work the dellatrax thing that helps her when she’s up against the alien prisoners who escaped in the past, and you’re a pure witch.”
Wendy didn’t move, no nod, nothing, she just looked at him.
Daniel stood up and walked over to her. “I can see why you didn’t tell me; I never would have believed you. Surprisingly being shocked and dragged off has shown me one thing.”
“What’s that?” Wendy’s voice was trembling.
“That my first impressions were correct.”
“Which were?” She was now physically shaking.
Daniel took her hand. “That you’re the most amazing person I have ever met.”
Val and Fran both made gushing noises.
“And that maybe we need to get to a safer place.”
“Good, someone who makes sense,” said Zac, making his feelings known.
“Then to Wendy’s it is,” Fran said as they all piled out.
Jason walked alongside Daniel. “By the way, she zapped me as well; the strange tingling goes in about twenty-four hours.”
“Good. I was a little worried about that.”
Shane came to make sure they got away safely. “All ok?” Shane looked at Daniel.
“Yes.”
“Dad, we’re going to Wendy’s. I will call you later. When you get home, text so we know you’re alright.”
“Right.” Shane agreed.
Jason’s bike was already parked out back as he had cleaned it that morning.
“Jason, would it be possible for me to go with you?” Zac eyed the Harley Davidson eagerly.
“Fran?”
“My pleasure.” She waved them off then she and Val jumped into the back of Wendy’s car.
Val felt better now that they were all together. She still wasn’t sure about Daniel, but the poor bloke hadn’t asked to be Delta’s next target so she couldn’t be too annoyed with him. They set off and she watched the empty streets, wondering where Sam had gone so quickly and what would be their next move.
“Val.” Fran broke her daydream.
“Yes.”
“I need to talk to you about something.” Val could tell by Fran’s body language that this wasn’t a comfortable issue.
“Ok, I’m all ears.”
“When I got my memories of Delta back, it was quite an intense experience.” She looked firmly to the front of the car, as if direct eye contact would be a problem.
“Are you alright?”
“Yes, it’s just that I got more than I bargained for. To put it bluntly; I could remember, and feel, more than I should have.”
“Is there a problem?” Val was now concerned at the direction this conversation was taking.
“I don’t know. You will have to tell me the answer to that.” She turned to Val with tears in her eyes. “I know you’re in love with Jason and I just don’t think I can compete if he finds out.” A single tear ran down her cheek.
“Oh Fran, I’m so sorry! It’s true I did like Jason, I won’t lie to you. He’s one of the coolest guys I had ever met. I was going to tell him how I felt, but that was the day I met you. That hurt! I felt like my heart had been broken, but this is the part you have to understand: he loves you. I knew that from the second I saw you with him. It’s in the way he looks at you, the way he’s always hanging on your sentences, no, your words. I would love to think that one day I will have someone who feels that way about me, but Fran, you have no worries there.”
She wiped her eyes. “Do you really, honestly think that?”
“I saw the fear in his eyes when you went missing; there was no one or nothing that could have stopped him coming for you. He took on those aliens like they were just objects to be removed. Trust me on this one; you’re made for each other.” She passed Fran a tissue from her bag.
“Just one more thing, and I’m sorry if this hurts you, Val, but I need you to know. Delta always hated you. There was never anything good about your friendship. When she looked at you it was with the eyes of jealousy and bitterness. I don’t even think Excariot knows what he has unleashed with her.”
“Thanks for the heads up. I definitely need to know that. It’s like I’m waiting for her to shake out of it, like it’s just a bad dream.”
“It’s definitely one of those.”
“We’re here,” Wendy called over the noise of the engine.
“Is your mum in?” Val asked.
“No, the coven is having a meeting tonight so she’s travelling to Norfolk. She normally stays for a few days, but she can’t do that now that I’m working at the bookshop, so she’ll be back tomorrow.”
“Sorry, but she will have to fight me for you.” Val pushed Wendy in through the door followed by Fran and Daniel. “Where’s Zac and Jason? Surely they would have beaten us here?”
“Knowing Jason, he can’t resist showing off.”
Zac had wanted a go on the bike from the minute he saw it. Something in his gut wanted to go fast, and the bike looked like it could. Now, seated on the back with the cool air hitting him he understood why Jason loved it so much. They glided around the corners completely in sync. Every so often Jason would look back and Zac would nod that all was well. His life had been all about being a hunter and he had never questioned that until the incident with his guard. Yet now, as if in answer to all his doubts, he was free, free to do things outside the prison walls. He felt the bike slowing then coming to a halt. He didn’t want it to be over, but he had a job to do - and it wasn’t this. “Thank you, Jason.” He handed back the helmet.
“Any time. We really need to teach you how to ride this baby.” Jason propped the bike on its rest and dismounted, placing both helmets on the back. They walked into Wendy’s to find the girls and Daniel all sitting at the table chatting.
“Any more texts?” Jason asked.
“No, it seems that we have beaten the system for now, only problem being how do we stop the wheels turning?” Val put a grape in her mouth.
“Well, what exactly does this person want?” Daniel asked.
“Me dead.” She shoved in a piece of apple and crunched down hard on it.
“Does she have powers like you?”
“No, Excariot has powers like me; he’s the other one who wants me dead.” She went for a strawberry this time.
“How can you eat when two people want you dead?”
“Well, it’s not new news so I have gone past the too sick to eat phase.”
“Plans, that’s what we need, and let’s not forget Excariot please; he is still our biggest threat,” Zac said starring at his watch.
“Problem?” Val stood up, readying herself.
“Not sure. It’s definitely a very odd signal.” He pressed a few buttons, and then waited. “I’m getting a mixed warning sign. I think we may have a serious situation.”
Daniel let out a snort. “Serious! Are you joking? More serious than this?”
“What’s wrong Zac?” Wendy was now crossing the room.
“I can’t split the signals. Wait, if this is correct, almost four hundred prisoners have just taken forms.”
“You’re joking me!” said Val. “How do we fight four hundred prisoners?”
“We don’t. There is no way we could win. Excariot’s covering himself. He’s putting a large part of his army out so that we don’t know which way to turn. He wants us to react, to make a mistake because we’re panicking. Also if he’s also having problems with Delta he could be sending out scouts
to look for her.”
“Four hundred seems a little exaggerated, don’t you think?” Daniel asked.
“Why? She found you and Val, she’s been taunting Excariot, she kidnapped Fran here. I don’t think you can ever underestimate your opponent.” Zac continued pressing buttons.
“Jason, text your Dad, he needs to know what’s going down.” Val started to pace. “Any ideas at this point need to be voiced, because I think we’re in trouble.”
Wendy walked over to the telephone. “I’ll call my mum. If they’re working as a coven tonight, then we might possibly get a little bit of extra help.”
“Good idea.”
“I need the laptop. We need to go to the bookshop. Do you all have the pins that Sam gave you?” Jason asked.
“I don’t have one,” said Val.
“Then take mine,” Jason handed his to Val.
“What about you?”
“I’m going to take Fran and she already has one. We will come back here as soon as we have the stuff we need.”
“Stay safe.” Val hugged Fran.
“Jason, we need at least one volume of the dellatrax here, can you bring it?” Zac asked.
“Consider it done. Watch the girls.”
As Fran and Jason left, Val got a sinking feeling. Her instincts were telling her that things were going very wrong, that as hard as they might fight, it just wouldn’t be enough.
Wendy came back looking puzzled. “That’s odd! She said that they had too much to do, that she will check to see if we still need help when she comes back, in the morning. I can’t believe she would say that.”
“Maybe she really has too much on. I’m sure your mum must have a good reason. Let’s see what we can do from here,” Val reassured her.
“I still think it sounds odd.”
Val did as well, but she wasn’t going to make them any more nervous. Then her phone bleeped. If Delta had found them here, she was going to give herself up. It was another text. She opened it ready for anything.
Who is this?
Val looked at the phone not sure what to do next. What if it was a trap? Maybe if she answered, Delta would be able to find them by the signal. She flipped her phone shut. Everything and anything was a potential trap. “What do we do now?” she looked to Zac for guidance.
The Turncoats (The Thirteenth Series #2) Page 21