by D. N. Leo
“Stop babbling and let me concentrate.”
Tadgh focused and started the car while Jo rolled her eyes and swallowed a laugh.
The car jerked, roared up, accelerated, stopped, and stalled.
“Don’t tell me—you drive an automatic.”
“Just shut up.” Tadgh tried again, and this time he succeeded. They made it to the highway.
“You might get a ticket for driving too slow.”
“Just shut up.”
Chapter 20
The stuffy air of a small hotel room greeted Madeline and Stefan as soon as he opened the door. “Sorry, it’s all I could find on such short notice. The location is the best, though,” Stefan said and shoved her into the room.
He locked the door and limped toward the only bed in the room. He flopped onto it, wincing with pain. He pulled his jeans up to the knee, and saw a bright red scar around his leg where he had chopped it off in the hologame. The scar was swollen and looked infected.
“Fucking stupid game,” he mumbled to himself.
Madeline walked over. Stefan immediately grabbed his gun.
“I just want to have a look at your injury. Are you going to hold me at gunpoint all night long? We used to be friends, Stefan.”
“You’re good with words, Madeline. But you need to check the dictionary for the definition of friendship.”
If this continued, getting away from Stefan would be difficult, Madeline mused. She glanced at his wound. “It’s badly infected. You might need medical treatment. If it gets any worse, you’ll lose your leg for real.”
“I’ll take care of this little scratch.”
“You can’t do what you want to do if you can’t walk. I won’t be able to carry you, even metaphorically.”
“I said I’ll figure it out.”
“All right then. I have to give it to you, though. Chopping your leg off was very brave, even if it was just in a game.”
Stefan smiled slightly. “I can do a lot better than that.”
“I bet.”
There was a knock on the door. Stefan grabbed the gun. They waited, and an envelope was slipped under the door. Stefan waited another moment and then picked up the envelope.
He opened the envelope to find a fancy card. He glanced at the card and gave it to Madeline. “For you,” he said.
The card read:
“Dear Madeline,
It is my pleasure to invite you to visit our residence. I trust you will find this meeting beneficial. We had a brief encounter earlier. Thus you know the resources I can provide to help you to achieve what you want. Should you accept the invitation, your transportation is ready now.
Sincerely yours, Mr. Kelley.
P.S. Your friend Stefan may accompany you. Should he keep you against your will or cause you any harm, I assure you he will not make it out of that hotel alive.”
She gave the note back to Stefan, trying to look as smug as she could. She had nothing to lose. Being captured here or there. She remembered the encounter at Robert’s place. The men had drawn their guns on her but hadn’t fired.
Who is her ally?
“Friendly and helpful people, aren’t they?” Madeline said.
“Who are they?”
“I have no idea. They sent about fifteen men to burn down a house, and they killed four people, including two innocent bystanders and a woman and her baby. So I guess they’ll give you the same if you stop me from accepting their invitation. If you can call it an invitation.”
“So you want to go?”
“Well, both you and they have pointed guns at me. What do you think I’m going to do?”
Madeline grabbed her jacket and left the room. Stefan followed like a meek dog. As they walked along the sidewalk, a car approached them and stopped. The uniformed driver spoke to Madeline. “Ms. Madeline Roux?”
“Yes?”
He gestured toward the car. “Your transport, ma’am.”
Madeline nodded toward Stefan. “He’s with me.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
They arrived at a private villa outside London. The house sat back almost a mile from the road and was surrounded by nothing but green fields. It looked like a converted barn. She was sure it held a world of surprises inside.
The door swung open as they approached and text images floated in the air. “Welcome.”
“You can’t afford a screen? Or a voice announcement? I don’t want to walk into your words,” Madeline said.
They entered a large foyer. A robotic voice directed, “Please sit. Someone will be with you shortly.”
For a moment, it seemed oddly quiet. Then the air thickened, and Madeline knew what it was. It was the holocast she’d experienced at the museum.
“Mr. Kelley, if you’re there, I’d like to talk to you. After all, you’re the one who summoned us here.”
A hologram of a man in his sixties appeared. He was sitting on the sofa opposite Madeline and Stefan.
“Welcome back to the family, Madeline.”
“Thank you. But I’m happy with who I am now—and with the people I’m with.”
“Family is important.”
“Well, I’ve had a decent life without having family. I have no plans to change that.”
“I’m sorry you’ve been down here all this time by yourself. But thirty-three years is long enough. It’s time to come back.”
A chill shot up her spine.
Fear crossed her mind. Did her age coincide with the number that had bothered Ciaran and his family so much? She decided it was purely coincidental because she didn’t even know the exact date she was born. Someone had dumped her in a basket and left her on the doorstep of a stranger when she was only four weeks old. But even age was a speculation. She hadn’t said anything to Ciaran.
Based on the note this man had sent her, he had organized the attack at Robert’s place and had sent them into the hologame with the demonic version of Juliette.
This man had some kind of connection to Juliette. And now it seemed he had ties with her as well. In addition, he’d confirmed she was thirty-three years of age. If she still believed all of this was just coincidental, she would have to be an idiot.
“Madeline!” Stefan called.
“Huh?”
“You okay?”
She nodded and turned toward the man. “Who are you?”
“I’m Richard Kelley, your grandfather. Your parents died in a battle, and you were stolen from them.”
“A battle?”
“A battle between us and our enemies. We don’t live on Earth.”
“So you’re alien?” Stefan muffled a laugh and became quiet when he received a cold stare from the old man.
“We’re human. We just took residence in a place that is far more supreme than this filthy, polluted, and overpopulated planet.”
“What do you want from me, apart from a family reunion?” Madeline asked.
“The crucifix. The sample gold inside the crucifix, to be precise.”
“The crucifix has been where it is for a long time. Why do you want it now?” Madeline asked.
“The thirty-three-year cycle is very important to us. Your parents fought and died in that battle. We never regained our strength after that. And now, the critical time is back again, and if we don’t have the gold, we will be destroyed forever.”
“I’m only a journalist. What can I possibly do to help you fight battles that aren’t even my own?”
“I’m certainly not going to fight any of your battles, wherever they are!” Stefan raised his voice.
“Your father was my ally. It was a shame he passed away because of the mishaps of Juliette. But we continued his work.”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
“Your father was going to tell you his plan for you. But he didn’t have a chance. Apparently, he didn’t tell you much beforehand.”
“I don’t care about any of this, and I have no intention of being friends with you.” Stefan stood up.
“Because you want the gold, you kill women and children, and burn down houses?” Madeline asked.
“Collateral damage . . .”
“Who the hell do you think you are? Collateral damage? They were innocent people!” Madeline stood, enraged.
“I regret it, but it couldn’t be helped. As I said, Juliette is the key to our technology. I can’t let anyone get their hands on any trace of her material—including the disk and the diary.”
“She’s my sister! So fuck your technology, fuck your people, and fuck your gold. I’m done with this.” Stefan grabbed Madeline and turned to leave.
“When your father retrieved Juliette, she was effectively a corpse. He lost his life because of that. I can only revive a part of Juliette’s mind, and to fulfill your father’s dying wish, we need to get the crucifix which is somewhere in Fountains Abbey. Don’t you want to fight for your father’s legacy, Stefan?”
Stefan and Madeline looked out the door. Dozens of men in black were lurking.
“What exactly do you want from me?” Stefan asked.
“I came in peace. I just wanted to meet my granddaughter. Besides, I’m going to help you get the crucifix, and you can keep it.”
Stefan narrowed his eyes. “And what do you want in return?”
“I only ask for a sample. You can keep the rest. It’s a win-win solution, and a very generous offer from our end.”
“Why can’t you just ask Juliette where the crucifix is?”
“Her mind is very unstable. We get very limited information from her. The most I can do is simulate her image—the one you saw in the hologame.”
So Richard had no idea Juliette had spoken to her at the chapel, Madeline thought. And he certainly didn’t know about the warning that the crucifix killed. Maybe she should just play along and help Stefan obtain the crucifix.
“What support will you give me?” Stefan asked.
“You will have my men. They are well-trained and well-equipped.”
Stefan nodded. “That should do for now. When can we start?”
“Our people are ready to go as soon as you’re ready. We just need to wait until my people finish decoding Juliette’s disk. I want to be sure there is no additional information we need to know in order to plan accordingly. Once that’s confirmed, you’re good to go.”
“The disk?” Madeline asked.
“Yes, my men took the disk and the diary from you while you were out and about in your hologame world. You think I sent you to the game for fun? It was a practice round for your show and a test of your skills. Apparently you both passed.”
“Test for what?”
“You’re our family. You’re a warrior, Madeline. But you were stuck on this planet for a long time. I’ve got to make sure you can be trained. You can’t be a part of us if the only skill you have is cooking.”
“I don’t cook. But I can kill. I believe you know that,” Madeline muttered.
“Indeed.” The old man laughed. “One other thing. You can’t go back to the LeBlancs after this is done.”
“Why not?” Madeline was astonished.
“We’re not exactly on friendly terms with them and haven’t been for generations. So if you’re involved with them, you cannot be with us.”
“Then I don’t want any of this.” She turned to leave.
The grandfather cleared his throat. “If you don’t want this family, that is fine. However, you know quite a bit of our plans, so I’m afraid I’ll have to hold you until things are finished. If you ruin our plan—and I hope you don’t—I won’t leave the LeBlanc boys alive.”
If she refused, they would keep her, and Ciaran would try to find her. Ciaran was in the dark about all this. But if she agreed, then she would have control over the situation and could communicate with Ciaran to ensure he didn’t get involved in the crucifix hunt.
Once things were over, she could go back to Ciaran and break her promise with this Kelley family. Considering this a good plan, she nodded. “All right, I’ll stay and help. Don’t hurt any of the LeBlancs,” Madeline said.
The grandfather smiled warmly. “Good news for the whole family! Remember, Madeline, don’t take your promise lightly. If you return to the LeBlancs after this, I’ll hunt you down wherever you are, no matter how long it takes.”
She couldn’t let Ciaran walk blindly into this trap trying to find her.
“Do I have your word?” the grandfather asked.
“Yes,” Madeline said.
Stefan laughed in disbelief. “So Ciaran gets nothing! Absolutely nothing! I’m excited now. When can we begin this hunting game?
“Tomorrow at the latest.”
The holocast disappeared.
Chapter 21
Ciaran used the computer in his bedroom instead of the one in his office. He needed to be here, in this corner of the house. He stared at the screen, not knowing where to start his search. This had never happened before.
This master suite was in the new part of the house, and it was supposed to have been a new start to his life. This room was where he had begun his connection with Madeline, the woman who made him think he could love again.
And now, she was gone.
The wait was torturous, and he needed all the time he could get. He didn’t have the disk. He couldn’t make anything up because he had no idea what Juliette had put on it. When Stefan called to bargain for Madeline’s life, he would have nothing to offer.
He sat, brooding. It was very unlike him.
But he knew a dangerous storm was heading his way. He didn’t know what kind of storm it would be. But this time, he would be defeated.
Stefan called. Ciaran frowned at the number. It was too soon. He needed more time. But he needed Stefan’s confirmation that Madeline was okay. He answered.
“Hello, there. I’ve got some good news, and I can’t wait until tomorrow to let you know.” Stefan’s smugness oozed out of receiver.
“Say it quickly, Stefan. I’m expecting a phone call,” Ciaran snapped.
“Okay, then. I—no, we—have some new developments on our end and would like to let you know that you don’t have to bother with the disk anymore.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“There’s no need to play games with me anymore, Ciaran. You don’t have the disk, do you?”
Ciaran didn’t know what to say. His brain was simply not working at the moment.
Stefan continued. “Madeline and I have some news for you.”
He felt sweat running down his spine. “I’ll only hear it from Madeline. Put her on the phone.”
Stefan laughed. “She’s in the bathroom right now. I’ll get her for you. But the exciting news is that she found her grandfather.”
“That’s great news. But I can’t imagine it would make you very excited.”
“Crucifix aside, I do like her, you know. Her grandfather is going to help us find the crucifix and the gold. Madeline is happy, and I’m happy, too. Thing is, her grandfather doesn’t like you much. I tried to put in a good word for you. I really did. But he forbade Madeline to come back to you.”
“Put Madeline on the phone.”
“Sure. Oh, and just between us men, he said he’d kill her if you come near her. So if you care for her, my advice is to leave her alone.”
Fury rolled over him in waves. “Brag on, Stefan. You know I won’t believe a thing you say.”
“My bad, but I’m not bragging! I’m willing to forgive you for killing my sister. I did kill a few people on your end. So let’s call it even. Let bygones be bygones. You don’t have to worry about the crucifix, about Madeline, about the disk, or about anything else for that matter . . .”
“Put Madeline on the phone, or I will hang up.”
Stefan clucked his tongue. “Richard Kelly has an army of people. He’s been waiting for thirty-three years, and he’s not going to let Madeline go that easily. She’s important to him, just as my sister is important to me. Somehow you ended up with both
women. But your time is up. You’re done, Ciaran.”
Ciaran’s blood ran cold. He gripped the letter opener so hard that it cut into his hand. Blood dripped on the piece of elegant white paper in front of him.
Stefan’s voice suddenly became cheery. “Here she is!”
“Hello,” Madeline’s sultry voice came across. “Hello? Who is this? Grandfather? Who am I talking to, Stefan?”
“It’s me, Madeline.”
There was silence on the other end of the phone.
“Ciaran . . . how . . . how are you?”
“Have you found your grandfather?”
“No, he found me. I . . . I didn’t know anything about him before.”
“How old are you? You should know that answer.”
“I . . .”
“It’s not a trick question, Madeline.”
“Thirty-three, but I can explain.”
“Did he threaten you?”
An instant message signaled an alert sound. Ciaran switched the screen. The message said, “Spot the hotel, Lindsay.”
“I know where you are now, Madeline. I can come and get you right now.”
“No.”
“I know he’s threatened you, but I . . .”
“No. I said no, Ciaran.”
“I can help you and your grandfather find the crucifix. If that’s what you want . . .”
“I don’t need you, Ciaran. We can take care of it. I don’t need you at all. Bye, Ciaran.”
Madeline hung up.
He stood looking out the window for a long moment, trying to make sense of what just happened. He wanted to throw his phone at the wall. But he didn’t. What good would it do?
He walked back and forth in the room, thinking. He leaned against his desk. He wasn’t sure how long he stood there before he heard footsteps in the hallway. Tadgh, Jo, and the cat Migi appeared at the door.
Ciaran smiled at Jo.
“Jo has an idea. Given that Stefan has never seen the contents of the disk, she could make up a . . .” Tadgh trailed off when he saw the blank stare on Ciaran’s face.
“Ahh . . . any news?” Tadgh asked.
Ciaran shrugged. “It’s over, Tadgh.”