The Doorknob Society (The Doorknob Society Saga) (37 page)

“Sorry,” I said scrambling back and dropping the wrench.

“You pathetic, child, you think you can get away from me?”

I knew that voice. I turned to see Ms. True. “Considering that’s all I’ve been doing for the last few days, yeah that’s exactly what I think.”

“Tell me where the artifact is and I’ll let you and your family live,” she said taking a step closer.

“If you haven’t noticed we’re doing pretty well.”

“Is that so?”

Portals began appearing all over the hall, gremlins crawling out of some and men and women pouring out of others.

“As I said, give me the information and you’ll be allowed to live,” Ms. True said looking pleased with herself.

Nightshade moved closer sliding his arm around my waist, which was getting to be a habit. He gave me a look that I instantly understood. I turned and in one fluid motion, pressed my body against his, slid my arms around his neck and rested my face so close to his that our lips nearly touched, another thing getting to be a habit.

“Trust me?” he whispered.

I felt as if I was the only one in the world that mattered to him at that moment and without hesitation I said, “Yes.”

“How very touching, now where is the artifact?” Ms. True stomped her foot like a spoiled child.

Nightshade tucked me closer and I reached for the jet pack control on his wrist and flicked the ignition. The machine roared to life and we blasted off soaring away from Ms. True, leaving her screeching with rage. A trail of smoke followed behind us as James took over the controller.

We shot to the ceiling so fast that I thought my plan might end with us turned into pancakes. I closed my eyes and buried my face against his chest, his scent all too familiar and all too welcoming. I soaked it in and it sent a shiver through me. I thought it would be the last sensation I ever felt and then I heard James whisper, “Trust me.”

And I did.

Suddenly we shifted, James manipulating the controls and turning us away from the ceiling. We wouldn’t be pancakes after all.

“Window,” James said calmly.

I looked to see us heading right for one of the large floor to ceiling windows that ran the back length of the hall. I yanked my doorknob out and using the miniscule of energy I had left to let loose with a blast and shattered the window. We soared out through the massive hole as splintered glass fell like rain on the chaos below.

“Where too?” James asked over the rush of wind.

“My house.” I once again buried my head in his chest trying to block the wind from my face. My arms remained locked around his neck, and his arm kept a firm hold around my waist. It seemed so natural as if it was common practice... a habit. Was it becoming a habit, his arms around me? Here I was in the middle of running for my life and I was fixating on James Nightshade’s arms around me. How ridiculous. What the hell was I thinking? Not to mention Slade was a much better man.

Nightshade made a perfect descent landing us lightly on the snow-covered ground. I didn’t move. I didn’t want to.

“We’re here,” he said quietly.

I stepped away reluctantly and purposely avoided looking at him. I couldn’t meet his eyes, I just couldn’t. Instead I stared at my family’s house. He had landed us on the front lawn and it felt good to be home. It had only been a few days and yet it felt like a lifetime since I had been here last.

“Chloe!” Slade came running around from the side of the house.

I smiled and rushed to meet him. He stretched his arms out, caught me and lifted me in the air, then kissed me. I hugged him close not caring about what others saw or thought. I was happy to see him again and relieved that he was all right.

“The happy couple together again,”

The sarcasm in Nightshade’s voice was unmistakable. He strode past us without sparing us a glance and went straight up the stairs. I wanted to say something but decided against it. The old Nightshade had returned, but where had the new one gone?

Slade set me down and slid his hand around mine as we followed shortly behind Nightshade to the porch. James and Jessica hugged and he whispered something to her. She smiled, though I didn’t know if was because of what he had said or that she had looked at me.

“Cuz!” Jessica hurried over to me, grabbed me and kissed me on the cheek. “I was so worried about you two and so relieved when I got your text to meet here. What happened?”

I quickly filled them in on our success with finding my dad and that Ms. True had turned out to be a traitor.

Both Jess and Slade were thrilled with the news and no doubt relieved that this nightmarish ordeal was at an end... well almost at an end.

“What happened with you?” I asked wondering how they had escaped custody since last I saw them they had been surrounded by HVO.

Slade explained. “After what happened at the Tavern DI Emory was more convinced than ever that something wasn’t right and that serious trouble was definitely brewing. He convinced the council to allow him to investigate and he released us. The council is meeting tonight at the Infinity Library to discuss the recent problems. Everyone is in an uproar and rumors are flying. Most everyone is convinced you have the artifact.”

“I don’t have it, but I know where it is,” I said with a smug grin.

Slade laughed, pulled me to him and hugged me again. “Terrific, we can clear our names and your dad’s.”

Slade kissed me again but this time I couldn’t help but feel self-conscious that Nightshade and Jess were watching us.

“So where is it?” Nightshade snapped impatiently.

I eased away from Slade and snapped back at Nightshade. “It’s here.”

“How is that possible?” Nightshade asked. “The DS were all over this place how come they didn’t find it?”

“They had no idea what they were looking for not to mention that they don’t know my dad.” I hurried down the steps. “Come on I’ll show you.”

I had almost laughed when Dad had told me where he’d hidden it. He had meant for the clues to confuse anyone who wasn’t a family member and for those same clues to lead family back home.

We all walked to the backyard. I paused and glanced around until I caught sight of the rose bushes. I pointed at them and then motioned to the shed. Slade understood and ran and grabbed a shovel, then went to work digging under the bushes.

“What makes you think that it’s here?” Nightshade asked sitting cross-legged on top of the picnic table after brushing the snow off it.

“My dad whispered, ‘
sub rosa’
to me. It’s Latin for under the rose. It was a way of keeping a secret back in the day. If someone wanted to keep something private they would say it was under the rose. When I was kid I use to hunt for pirate treasure under these rose bushes. My mom always called my hunt
sub rosa
.”

“Hope your right,” Nightshade said stretching out on the picnic table, his arms pillowing his head and closed his eyes.

Slade stopped to grab his gloves from his jacket pocket and slip them on. The ground was hard from the cold so digging wasn’t easy, but at least the ground hadn’t frozen yet. I was going to suggest that Nightshade get another shovel and help Slade dig. But he had to feel as exhausted as I did.

“How’s Gran?” I stepped next to Jessica and leaned against her wishing I was stretched out on the picnic table as well.

“She’s awake, though really groggy, but the doctors say she’ll make a full recovery. She was lucky.” Jessica placed her arm around my shoulder and hugged me.

I smiled and laughed when Jess pointed out that Nightshade was already asleep and once again I was envious.

“Get some rest, I’ll help Slade.” She pushed me toward the bench and walked over to him.

I dusted the snow off the bench. It felt as if I hadn’t slept in days, and I wanted to sigh with relief when I lay down. It didn’t matter that it was hard and cold. It didn’t matter that I could hear Slade digging or that James was snoring lightly. Nothing mattered but the sleep that quickly claimed me. The dream came just as quickly.

I was standing in a long hallway and felt the presence of people all around me. A door at the end of the hall opened and a woman walked out she joined three people who stood in the shadows.

“The girl escaped with her father.”

I recognized Ms. True’s distinct voice, though this time it trembled.

“I told you this would happen,” One of the three said angrily. “We should have killed him when we had the chance. Now the council may have the artifact and that would mean that they know of our existence.”

“We can still resolve this,” a woman said whose voice I didn’t recognize. “We knew we couldn’t hide from the council forever. Perhaps it’s time we made our move. After all, we cannot allow them to possess an artifact of the First Kind.”

“What do you propose?”

“Since Ms. True has already forced us out of hiding, we strike now while the council remains confused and uncertain. If they do in fact have the artifact, we take it.”

“But, ma’am, if we strike at the societies won’t they rise against us?” Ms. True asked.

The woman stepped in front of Ms. True and she quickly lowered her head as if obedient and fearful.

“What would you suggest we do to fix your complete failure?” She shot the words at her as fast as speeding bullets.

“I’m sorry, ma’am.”

“As you should be, I’m very disappointed in you, True. Now call Darker and the others and gather the creatures.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Ms. True turned and scurried from the hall. It seemed to me that she was anxious to be somewhere other than there.

“Do you think this is wise?” One of the others asked of the woman.

“We’ve no other choice, if we want the artifact this is our only chance.”

“And what of Masters and his daughter?”

“I’ll deal with them myself if I must and permanently.”

I bolted upright off the bench catapulting out of my dream. I was relieved to find myself still in the backyard, Slade and Jess digging and Nightshade still sleeping.

We weren’t out of danger yet. This wasn’t over... actually it seemed as if it had just begun.

Chapter 33

Status: The Legend is a legend, trust me it makes sense.

“I got something.” Slade’s shovel clanked as it hit something.

Nightshade stretched himself off the picnic table and followed me over to Slade and Jess.

“What is it?” I asked.

“Not sure,” Slade said and tossed the shovel aside. He reached into the hole brushing dirt off the object. His hands slid around the edges examining the rectangular shape, then he dug down along the sides. Finding handles, he yanked it out and placed it on the ground.

It resembled one of my grandfather’s old trunks in the attic, now my bedroom. Slade kneeled down beside it taking a close look at the latches and smiled.

“This is why DS never found it,” Slade said enthusiastically. “This is a secret stash trunk from the Impossible Engineers. It warps the space inside itself so when you put something in it, it’s actually in a pocket dimension. Even if you touch the trunk it doesn’t give off a dimensional signature.” Slade examined the craftsmanship of the trunk obviously impressed by its design.

“Thanks for the lesson on crap we don’t care about. Now can we open it?” Nightshade said annoyed.

I shot him a nasty warning look, not that it did much good. Slade simply shook his head, unhooked the latches on the trunk and swung the top open. We all leaned forward peering inside eager to see what we had risked our lives for... the trunk was empty.

“Yup, that is one impressive artifact.” Nightshade laughed.

Slade ran his hands along the inside. “It should have opened a portal, I don’t understand.” He anxiously continued to search the trunk, frantic to prove himself right.

“Slade.” I placed my hand on his shoulder and he looked up at me. I leaned down beside him and rested my hand on the trunk and as I did a spark shot through me. I pulled my hand away shaking it.

“What happened?” Slade grabbed my hand to check it.

“It shocked me.”

“Of course,” Slade smiled as if he’d just discovered a secret. “It’s attuned only to members of your family.”

He slammed the lid closed and stepped way. He gestured with his hand for me to reopen it and I turned to it reluctantly. I wasn’t too happy about feeling like I stuck my finger in an electrical socket again.

I reached out energy around the worn, old trunk nipping at me. I grasped the lid and flipped it open. Light shone from the inside casting a glow all around us. We all leaned over again and looked down into the now shimmering trunk.

The bottom of the trunk resembled the surface of a lake and resting comfortably inside of it was a plastic cylinder, the kind you would use to protect a map or poster. I slid my hand inside hesitating over the shimmering portal and then pushed through. My hand broke the surface of what felt like liquid but left no trace on me. My fingers wrapped around the slim cylinder and I could feel the power dripping off of the artifact. I pulled it out of the portal, the light disappeared and the portal snapped shut.

“I can feel its energy pulsating.” Jess reached out, stopped a moment and then hesitantly touched the plastic container. She yanked her hand back and bit her lip.

“The power is incredible,” Nightshade said eyeing the cylinder.

Slade stepped closer to me as if erecting a protective barrier between me and Nightshade. Nightshade grinned, rolled his eyes and stepped away.

I unscrewed the top of the cylinder and turned it upside down letting the artifact slide forward into my hand. It was a small piece of paper. I put the cylinder down and examined the artifact.

The paper was old and fragile and I was nervous it might crumble in my hands. I used the tips of my finger and carefully unfurled it. The writing on it was dark, the words shifting back and forth. Symbols from a multitude of languages mixed and mingled so quickly that comprehension was impossible. The paper appeared alive, the ink on it swirling and turning as if constantly searching for the right combination.