The Detective Inspectors (The Doorknob Society Saga Book 4) (32 page)

“We need to leave!” I shouted over the sounds of battle.

“Kind of busy here, Masters,” Nightshade yelled back as he took a punch to the gut, doubling over with a grunt. The First Kind moved in but was greeted with a quick and unexpected uppercut.

“There are too many of them to break through,” Slade called out, forcing two First Kind members up against the wall with his wrench. He head-butted one and brought his elbow across the other’s cheek, dropping them both to the ground.

The hall was exploding with chaos, the First Kind going as far back as the eye could see. Slade was right; we were stuck here and the Lockdown was already counting down.

This was not good. I had no idea if we could even stop the countdown not to mention that wouldn’t stop our problem of getting passed the plethora of First Kind.

The Gremlin stepped out of the hole it had made in a side wall and let out a scathing howl. It ran and jumped into the row of First Kind making its way toward us and knocking them aside like a bowling ball hitting a strike.

“New plan?” Jess wiped her brow and pushed aside strands of her blonde hair that was still caked with blood. Her breathing was coming in quick, short gasps and I knew it was only a matter of time before First Kind overwhelmed us.

“We need a new exit.” I looked around and noticed the hole the Gremlin had made was right beside the closed door I had noticed earlier. “With me,” I called out.

 The Time Lock that had been used on the room was now destroyed from the battle and I hopped through the opening, Jess and Edgar following me.

The room was dark and dank, a musty smell permeating the air. A small barred window sat open, wind and rain whipping in from the storm outside. A single bed lay against the far wall, the broken form of a First Kind lay sprawled where the Gremlin had left him.

“What is this place?” Jess sniffed and raised her hand to her face covering her nose.

“My home.” The voice was more like the growl of an animal than a man.

 I flicked out my energy whip, prepared to confront the prisoner.

A man leaned against the wall behind us, long scraggily hair hanging down past his shoulders and around his bowed head concealing his face. He was thin and wore nothing more than a pair of loose cotton pants covered in dirt. He raised his head; his face was gaunt, the lower half covered by a thick beard. His eyes were a piercing gold color, and focused intently on me, almost as if he looked straight through me.

“Who are you?” I asked.

“A prisoner like most.” He lifted his arms, elbows to wrists covered with thick manacles. “And you are most certainly not HVO.”

“No we’re not.”

“You’re not First Kind either.” He tilted his head, continuing to stare at me.

A tingle rippled up my spine from him probing me with his powers, trying to figure out what I was.

“No, I’m not, but you know about the First Kind, don’t you?”

“Yes, I do. When they took over, they wanted me to join their crusade. I declined.” He smirked.

“Do you know another way out of here?”

“If I did, I would have taken it long ago.” He laughed.

I glanced around the room again. Lightning flashed outside the window, and I stepped up to the wall and ran my hand along it. It was stone. I grinned and rushed from the room. “Slade, need you!” I yelled out.

“Coming,” he called back as he swung his wrench taking out a First Kind.

“Nightshade, can you hold them?” I asked and the prisoner flinched at his name. I didn’t like it, but I didn’t have time to ask why either.

“I’ve got this, just get us out of here,” he replied with a smile and activated his curved crimson blade and spun it around in his hand.

 A couple of First Kind in front of him rushed forward and quickly fell in a flash of red. The Gremlin roared and rushed to Nightshade’s side and the two stood facing off against the horde of First Kind inching forward.

“What do you need?” Slade joined us in the room. He gave a glance at the prisoner, but ignored him as I pointed to the window.

“Remember how we got out of the Wheel of the Impossible Engineers?” I asked.

He nodded and walked to the wall looking it over.

“We need a bigger window.” He smiled, reared back and swung his wrench. It glowed green as it shattered stone. Slade extended his powers and the wrench divided into six pincers and he jammed it into the opening he had created. He flicked a button and it began to spin pushing the wall outward. It finally fell out into the darkness, rain and wind rushing in through the newly created opening.

The room lit with light and noise as an explosion rocked the hallway. I grabbed the wall holding on as everything shook, and the tower felt like it might crumble right under our feet.

Nightshade rushed into the room, the Gremlin scrambling in behind him. He was huffing and puffing and leaned over placing his hands on his knees to catch his breath. He raised his head. “We need to go now.”

“What was that?” Edgar asked.

“Last ditch effort to hold them off, gives us about a minute. We got a plan?” he replied and I gestured at the opening. He shook his head. “We never do anything easy, do we?” He glanced around the room, and stopped when his eyes fell on the prisoner who stared back at him, his eyes flaring.

“We better do this quick.” Slade stepped up and looked out the opening. He gestured to me and I stepped forward and stuck my Doorknob out into the rain, attempting to activate it. Nothing happened.

“Damn it.” I glanced at Slade and he nodded and grabbed my arm as I leaned further out of the opening with his help, trying to get past its Lockdown. I tried to open another portal, but couldn’t focus past the Tower’s Lockdown “Nothing.”

“The Storm Reach Lockdown on portals extends out several feet from the Tower,” the prisoner said matter of factly.

Slade pulled me back in and I looked around at the long faces that greeted me. I walked across the room to Nightshade and slipped my arm around his neck and pulled him down and kissed him deeply. He returned it pulling me up against him.

I stepped back and he looked down at me, raising his eyebrow.

“You sure?” he asked practically reading my mind.

 I smiled in spite of our current situation. “Our only choice.”

 He nodded and I gave him another quick kiss, then I turned and ran for the opening. Jess let out a yelp as I reached it and dove out into the void. Rain pelted my face and air rushed past me, my fist tightened around my Doorknob and I focused all my energy on it.

The flow of the universe rushed through me and I sensed the distinct connection of the portals. I twisted the knob and a portal activated in mid-air. I swung the door open as it materialized and it hung out several feet from where I had jumped. I sat straddling the opening with my good hand holding my Doorknob while I pushed my bad one into my hoodie pocket. I spun my knob in my hand and looked up to see Jess staring down at me. She looked like she wanted to murder me.

“Time to leave!” I shouted and waved down at the portal as I pulled myself onto its edge. Jess and Edgar were the first to jump through followed by Slade. Nightshade came to the opening and the Gremlin growled beside him. He reached up and unsnapped the collar and the beast howled and jumped out clawing into the building and climbing down the Tower into the darkness.

The prisoner joined Nightshade grabbing hold of his arm and glanced at me. I didn’t know why he wanted to bring him, but I assumed he had a good reason. I nodded and both men jumped out and through the portal.

The tower quaked and I looked up to see a ring of light explode from the top and the sound of gears grinding as it crashed in on itself. Floor after floor fell into the next smoke and rubble exploded out in all directions. The Lockdown of the dimension that Edgar and I had initiated had started. At the opening several First Kind peered out to see me smiling and waving at them. I slid off the edge, swinging the portal closed behind me as I heard them screaming not to leave them as they realized what was happening.

Status: Who wants to be in charge of this thing?

I dropped to the floor of the Reliquary. My Doorknob was still warm in my hand and I slid it into my hoodie pocket. Jess ran forward and threw her arms around me hugging me tightly.

“We did it, Cuz.” She reached out and grabbed Edgar’s collar yanking him into the hug with us. “I missed you, you little maniac,” she said and pushed him back out to arm’s length, then kissed him on the cheek.

“Thanks,” he mumbled turning red.

“You made it!” Emory boomed as he hurried into the room. He was smiling ear to ear and clapped his hands together.

“Did you ever doubt us?” I asked.

“I’m learning never to doubt your little group.”

“Declan and the HVO?” I asked.

He nodded. “I got word from the Mapmakers; they arrived safely.”

 “Good.” Nightshade was standing to the side close to the prisoner, his hand on the man’s shackles. “We also got the Mapmakers Artifact and the HVO Artifact to boot.”

Emory shook his head in disbelief. “That’s better than we could have hoped. And the Lockdown of Storm Reach?”

“The last I saw there were some very scared First Kind watching it close on them,” I said.

“Did any of their leaders get trapped in there?” Emory asked hopefully.

“Darker’s dead,” Nightshade chimed in and Emory nodded in understanding, his eyes lingering on the prisoner.

“So is my mom, but Ms. True was able to escape. I did however, learn who their leader is.” I choked back tears at the mention of my mom, there would be time for tears later. There would be time for everything once I took care of the leader.

“Who is it?” Emory asked.

“Mr. Tower.”

 Emory’s mouth dropped open. “Oh my God, I need to tell the Mapmakers.”

 “Where’s Gavin?” Nightshade asked.

“In the Map Room,” Emory replied.

“Who’s your,” —Emory glanced at the shackles on the prisoner’s arms— “guest?”

“Not sure just yet, but I think Gavin will want to talk with him,” Nightshade said.

“I’ll see to it.” Emory waved the prisoner over and the man went to him without protest.

“We need to rest and clean up, we can discuss everything afterwards,” I said and Emory stepped aside as we all walked from the room. I made my way down the hall toward the bedrooms of the Reliquary. Each contained a shower and I wanted one very badly at the moment.

My mind was still racing from everything that had happened. I waved to the others as I stepped into one of the rooms and swung the door closed. I yanked off my hoodie and threw it on the bed and stripped myself down to my t-shirt and panties. I caught sight of myself in the mirror on the far wall. My face was covered in dirt and dried blood, scratches ran up and down my arms and my once white t-shirt was now an odd shade of yellow. My right hand was blackened and the skin cracked, I couldn’t move it at all and I knew I would never be able to again, the price I paid for getting whatever it was my mother had wanted me to have, then there was my sister.

I still couldn’t wrap my mind around that. If Tower knew about her she would be in danger, I needed to find her as quickly as possible. Did she even know we were related? I tried to remember her face from that night I first saw her at the restaurant. She was young and looked so much like Mom. I should have known then but I was blinded by my anger.

I lifted my hand and thought of the box Mom had given me. I stepped forward grabbing my hoodie to see just why I had sacrificed my hand.

A clicking sound echoed from behind me and I turned to see the door opening. Nightshade walked in and closed the door behind him. I gulped and lifted my hoodie, trying to cover myself. It wasn’t exactly the image of me I wanted him to see. He just smiled and walked to me.

He stopped in front of me, and for the first time I felt small in front of his towering height. He brought his hand to my face and caressed my cheek with one finger.

“I need to take a shower.” I stammered unsure what to say and of course wrecking what should probably be some cool moment. But what can I say I’m still learning how to handle all this stuff.

“Me too.” He nodded and began striping off his bandages.

“Maybe we should—I don’t know— we can— um—talk later.” I gulped as he kept staring at me with those gorgeous colored eyes.

“Masters, shut up,” he whispered and leaned in and kissed me.

 His arms wrapped around my waist and he lifted me up against him and walked us... I didn’t know where. His mouth was too pleasing and I was too happy to care. He eased me down on the floor, my feet connecting with the cool bathroom tile.

His fingers worked around the ends of my t-shirt as he pulled it up over my head. His thumbs then slipped into the sides of my panties and he pushed them down until they pooled at my feet and I kicked them away. I was standing naked and dirty in front of Nightshade and I didn’t care. I wanted to be here with him. He lifted me once again and placed me in the shower stepping in beside me. He pressed me against him as his hands moved past me. The rush of cool water startled us both and he turned me so that it hit only him as he adjusted the temperature. Once the water warmed, Nightshade turned me again so that the shooting water would wash away the dirt and grime. The little cuts stung but nothing could stop the smile from playing across my lips.

Nightshade’s hands roamed over my body and I welcomed his every touch, his every kiss. Actually, I didn’t want him to stop kissing me. I felt calm and happy for the first time in months and I felt something else, something I had thought I would never feel again... I finally felt safe.

“Chloe,” Nightshade whispered and I shut him up with a kiss and pulled him closer against me.

~~~

I walked down the halls of the Reliquary with a smile so wide I thought my face might crack. I was wearing one of Nightshade’s spare shirts, a pair of old jeans and my feet were bare.

I’d left Nightshade sleeping in bed. I wanted to lay and watch him sleep, but then I couldn’t help but think that might be a bit creepy, so I chose to go for a walk instead. We had sequestered ourselves in our room for the better part of the day and if it was up to me, we would stay there for the next two weeks, just him and me.