Camilo's Journey

Chapter 9:

Alex and Camilo continued to argue with each other much to Claudia's dislike. They didn't stop at her requests, it wasn't until Alex made Camilo cry that they finally relented.

"You're acting like a puppet master, like none of us care about Spencer only you! This is not your family back home! You can't just turn on your charm and make us all bend to your will, Camilo. God! Do us all a favour and grow up!"
They'd said. But Camilo didn't think it was the words got to him, more the way they spoke to him like he was a stupid kid and he knew he was trying to be better and act more rationally or whatever but as hard as he tried he was still a stupid kid. "And now he's crying." Alex rolled their eyes.

Claudia rolled her eyes at Alex. And gave Camilo a sympathetic look that seemed to both ask him if he was okay, and tell him she was there. But it was neither of them that spoke next it was surprisingly enough Eric.

"Alex, give him a break. His boyfriend could be in serious trouble. He's only doing what he can to get through this."
"Not my boyfriend. But thanks Eric." Camilo said wiping his eyes. He was pleasantly surprised at Eric's understanding. Eric gave him a friendly nod and for the first time he saw the person under the mask.
"Oh boy." Alex rolled her eyes and moved away from the two of them.

Finally, they hear some chattering but to Camilo's surprise it was Delores and his Tio Bruno approaching them. They looked a little frantic, eyes wondering and Delores listening out for Spence.
Camilo hugged his Tio and sister regardless of the distractions they all had. Delores barely reacted but Bruno ruffled his hair.

"I told you to keep him by.." Bruno started but stopped, Camilo looked over his shoulder at Claudia who was now pretending she wasn't signalling at Bruno to stop. Bruno shrugs and Delores shushed them.

"They have him, three men, downstairs, in the basement." She said and they all followed her to the entrance of the basement, they could get to it from outside? Camilo didn't even know they had a basement!
"That's a neat trick." Claudia said clearly impressed by Delores. Delores gave her a smile. Claudia blushed and Alex nudged her.

"Why do we even have a basement?" Camilo whispered as they reached the entrance.
"It's abandoned, I don't think many people remember it's here." Alex responds but doesn't make eye contact. Good Camilo is still mad at them.

Camilo could see why it was forgot about as he was struck by tree branches that he had to push aside and avoid being hit in the face by as the person in-front of him walked through them.
Eric pulled him back a few times.
"Watch yourself." He grunted but he could be as cold and rude as he liked, Camilo knew there was a potentially nicer person under all that.

Delores told them to shush again from up the front.
"We want to catch them off guard." She whispered. They seemed to all nod in unison. And they slowly manoeuvred and old wooden door that was their entry. It was a miracle it didn't creak.. very much.
"Careful." Bruno whispered a little frantically at him. He mouthed his sorry but his Tio's attention had wavered.

Inside was pitch black, Camilo could only make out shadows. the smell was musty and off putting but to be honest for a basement Camilo expected worse.

Suddenly he was dragged back as a huge rock, easily the size of his head dropped in front of Camilo. Woah, that was very close! He turned back to see Alex release his shirt from their grip. He had mixed feelings about them at the moment, but he had to work with them right now, they'd deal with that after.. after they found Spencer and he was safe. Camilo was not going to cry, not again. It was like he opened the flood gates after all those years of bottling it up and if he started, it was very hard to stop.

"Truce?" Camilo whispered and stuck out his hand. Alex smirked and shook his hand.
"For Spencer." They said.
"For Spencer." Camilo repeated.

"I don't think they are coming!" A voice came from really not far away, Camilo looked to Delores to see if she could point them to where.
She pointed right and then all followed her down an even darker passage way till they came to a hole in the wall, where light from the next room streamed through.

Camilo's heart sank as he saw Spencer. He was tied up, hands behind his back, mouth covered. he was all bloodied and bruised and through all that Camilo felt the fear and pain he could see in Spence's eyes. He tried to dart forward, he couldn't help it. But a hand pulled him back on his shoulder.
He looked back, still in a bit of a rage. But he softened when Eric gave him a wary look. He was scared too.
"Wait, we'll get to him when it's safe for all of us and him, if you go in there all guns blazing they'll hurt him more." He said. "We'll get him out of there Camilo, promise." He whispered.

And with that he moved towards the others whispering back and forth with each of them until he returned to Camilo.

"They're going to literally let you go all guns blazing.. but makes sure you find out who they are." Eric said. "Just wait till I give you the nod, so I can keep Spencer from being retaliated against."
Camilo nodded, the adrenaline would push him through this.
"Anything for Spencer." Camilo whispered.
Eric gave him a smile and then started to move stealthily towards where all their backs were turned and to protect Spencer.
Camilo thought he should be the one doing that at first but he knew what Dolores and Eric were playing on, Camilo being the other kid with a gift they wanted. He was the bait. But he would own it.

Camilo tried to keep his breathing steady as Spencer spotted him. He mouthed "you're going to be okay." And then put a finger to his lips. Spencer smiled at him. His heart fluttered.
Eric gave him a nod as he crouched behind Spencer.

"What the hell is going on here!" Camilo shouted! The two of the large men turned to try and grab him but Camilo shifted and changed into one of the large men, she felt their strength run through him as fought them.
His eyes flickered over to see Alex, Claudia and Delores tending to Spencer his heart warmed until he was hit in the face.. by a fist. He pulled his focus back and inflicted some pain of his own, Eric and Tio Bruno backed him up now so he shared some of the load.

"Who are you guys?" Camilo grunted as he dodged a blow to his face. One of the large guys   grabbed him from behind and forced him to shift back. He didn't know how and he was struggling to breathe as the man's meaty arm tightened around his neck.

"The government sent us, we are hear to take magical beings into custody so they aren't a danger to society." One of the large men said as he seemed to wave more identical looking bald men in black suits forward.

Bruno scoffed.
"These two are just kids, a shapeshifter and a healer are no danger to anyone."

Camilo struggled harder to breathe and wriggle from the hold he was in.

"You're going to kill him! For the love of god let him breathe!" Spencer. Sweet, kind and suddenly vocal Spencer. Camilo wanted so much to be in his arms.

A few of the men laughed and whispered. The one holding Camilo spoke up.
"I will, granted you let us take you both into custody." He said and tightened his grip on Camilo. He tried to cry out.

"No way!" Bruno yelled more vocal than ever. Spencer turned to him and whispered something to him. Camilo caught Spencer's lips and understood him as he said.
"There's nothing else we can do, I'll take care of him, protect him with my life."
Camilo's consciousness was slipping but he still felt his heart warm, in his chest.

"Okay!" Cried Spencer. "But we stay together."
Spencer held a knife to his own neck. Camilo swore he was going to throw up.

"Alright, alright!" The man said and released his hold on Camilo, who fell onto the floor briefly before being dragged away. He reached for Spencer, he called for his Tio.

"We'll get you both back!" His Tio Bruno cried before they were blindfolded and taken away.