“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.
“We wait. If my calculations are correct the main body of the prisoners are here in Arcsdale. They seem to be around the centre and nearby streets. They have arrived in such large volumes that it’s almost impossible to distinguish one from the other.” His concern was visible.
“Are we going to die?” Daniel asked.
“No, not today,” Val comforted him. The poor lad had walked into hell on earth. If he knew nothing he would be so much better off.
“Val!” Zac called.
“What?”
“Is this normal?” He pointed at Wendy whose eyes had turned completely white.
“Grab her before she falls.” Val ran towards Wendy, but she needn’t have worried, Zac was a lot faster. Wendy started to convulse but he was there to catch her, holding her close.
She started to speak. “
The time has come, battle, war, death and revenge. You are wrong, if you change the past you will break the future
.” Wendy became limp in Zac’s arms. Daniel helped Zac to put her on the ground, making her as comfortable as possible.
“What did she mean, someone’s going to die? You just said no one was going to die.” Daniel looked panicstricken.
“I’m sure it’s some psychic metaphor for rebirth,” Val replied.
Wendy’s eye’s started to open. “Val, where are you?”
“I’m here.” She bent down holding Wendy’s hand. “What did you see, mate?”
“Excariot,” she took a deep breath. “He’s going to kill me.”
Wendy sat on the floor with Zac’s arms wrapped around her tiny frame. Her face was buried deep into his chest. Daniel stood by watching. Val knew that this was serious. Wendy’s predictions were not only extremely scary, they were also totally accurate. The shop phone rang, breaking the uncomfortable silence.
“Should we answer that?” Daniel asked.
“Who has this number?” Val added tensely.
Wendy looked up. “Every person with a Yellow Pages. This is a shop.”
Val started to breathe again. Of course it was a shop. How silly of her. “Do you want me to get it?” she stood up, releasing Wendy’s hand. She hurried over to the vibrating nineteen fifties style, grey phone, her hand hovering over the handset.
“Yes of course. My mother still has a business to run,” Wendy pointed out. Val picked up the receiver.
“Hello Val, how’s it going?”
“What do you want Excariot? We’re sort of busy at the minute,” she replied.
“We need to talk; I think you know what about.”
“Sorry, I don’t normally have a latte with my enemies before I send them packing back to prison.” Val could never understand why she goaded Excariot quite so much.
“Ok, you need to pay attention little girl or you’ll be the next one in a box.” He was starting to rise to her bait. “I have released a large number of my minions into Arcsdale. They’re looking for you, every last one, and when they find you they have one order. I’m sure I don’t have to tell you what that is.”
“Would that be around four hundred minions? That’s how many there were at my last count. Anyway, why on earth would I want to talk with you when you have so many people out to get me? And If you’re ringing me, and they haven’t found me yet, does that tell you anything about the intelligence of your followers?”
“My followers are waiting for my instructions,” he hissed annoyance oozing in his words. “I hear you have a hunter. Bravo, at least there will be someone to watch you die. He won’t save you and you know it, actually he won’t even attempt to help. But less about your problems and more about mine. I want Lailah back and you and I both want rid of our little friend, Delta. True or not?”
“She’s a pain, but she’s no longer a problem to us.” Val wasn’t sure about the direction the conversation was taking. She covered the receiver and mouthed Delta’s name and the others nodded in acknowledgment.
“Val, dear Val, you really have no idea what’s going on with our friend Delta, do you? Listen to my offer one more time, very carefully, because she is wielding a power as big, if not bigger than the both of us put together. You lower the protection spell around the bookshop and I get Lailah, and together we can destroy Delta.”
“Just a second, I need to speak with my friends.” Val put the phone down.
“Why did you hang up?” Daniel looked confused and panicked at the same time.
“Daniel, one thing I know for a fact: Excariot can’t be trusted. He just asked me to let him into the bookshop to release Lailah, his ‘psycho love puppy’, promising me he would then help me destroy Delta. Do you know what makes me different from him?” Daniel shrugged. “Not a lot actually. Excariot and I come from the same DNA pot, and he’s like that one relative you never wanted and hate when they turn up at your birthday. But the difference between us is this: I’m good. I know there has to be a way around this and if he’s scared enough to release four hundred prisoners then yes, Delta is super powerful, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to turn on what I believe. We have been betrayed too many times to trust anyone outside our circle. So, if you want to leave now I will completely respect that. It doesn’t make you less of a man in my, or anyone’s, eyes. This isn’t your fight, its mine, and if you want to go with him, Wendy, then go. This is going to get very ugly.”