Kidnapped by the Bad Boy - A Caleb Joseph story

Step 5: Hounded

The elevator brought them one floor up. When the doors binged open, Caleb squinted into the dark.

Light from a full moon glinted through massive picture windows, showing the decadent living room of a mansion. Caleb recognized the fireplace, the banister of the giant staircase, and the couch where Sofie got bung repeatedly. It was Donovan's mansion from the book!

"They're keeping Wally on the second floor in a locked room," Mary Sue whispered. "We're going to have to take the back way."

Mary Sue opened the window, tucked her laser gun in her corset, and hiked up her poofy ballgown to swing her dainty feet over the edge. Caleb shimmied his way after her, but his foot got caught on the windowsill and he fell face-first into the hedge below. He was about to yell out when Mary Sue caught him by the arm.

"Shhhh!" she hissed. "We can't wake up the guards!" She dragged him out of the bush and picked some sticks out of his hair.

"How are we supposed to get up there?" Caleb asked, peering up at the balcony above them.

"Watch and learn." Mary Sue hooked one high-heel-clad foot in the ivy-covered trellis and started climbing it like a ladder. At the top, she kicked off the trellis nimble as a cat and backflipped over to the balcony railing, landing on her toes with a barely a sound. The taffeta of her dress fluttered around her, like Batman's cape when he stands at the top of a building.

Caleb gawked at the impressive display. "I can't do that!" he complained. 

Mary Sue rolled her eyes and ripped off some sections of her gown to tie into a rope. She lowered it down a few meters. 

With a combination of climbing the trellis and swinging on the rope, Caleb managed to grab onto the side of the balcony, but not without banging his funny bone.

"Ow!" he yelped, forgetting that they were trying to be stealthy.

Mary Sue gasped and jumped over the railing, using her orange taffeta rope to hang off the side. She grabbed Caleb and pulled him to her side, covering his mouth with a hand.

Above them, they heard the balcony door rattle and swing open. Footsteps ventured toward the edge, right over their heads. 

"Who's there?" growled the man. It was Connor McClain, the paranoid army veteran and famous pursuer of balcony intruders! No!!

Sweat broke out on Caleb's brow. All Connor had to do was look down and see the orange taffeta rope hooked around one of the railings and it was game over. What if he suddenly got hiccups right now? Or sneezed? Or farted? That would be so embarrassing.

After a minute, Connor turned and headed back inside, chalking the strange noises he heard to a rat or something.

Before the door swung closed, Mary Sue pushed off the wall with so much force that she and Caleb flew over the railing and onto the balcony. Mary Sue was launched at the door in a flying kick aimed straight at the back of Connor's head.

The three of them tumbled into the room in a heap. 

Caleb took a second to untangle himself from the tulle lining of Mary Sue's dress. When he was free he saw Wally tied to the chair, gag still in his mouth. Tears poured out of his dog eyes as he struggled fruitlessly against his bindings.

Caleb lurched toward his good boy but stopped short when he saw a metallic glint out of the corner of his eye.

Gertie loomed out of the shadows, a gleaming switchblade clutched in one paw. She growled menacingly. Her eyes flashed red with bloodlust.

Caleb backed away with his hands up, unsure what to do. Behind him, Mary Sue and Connor were locked in a fierce battle of punches and kicks. He was on his own!

Without warning, Gertie bounded toward Caleb and leaped at him. She held her switchblade high. 

Caleb ducked just in time. He grabbed Gertie's torso and flung her backward. Her momentum carried her out the patio doors and over the edge of the balcony. Caleb heard a crash and a whimper when she hit the ground below.

"Caleb, help!" 

Mary Sue was pinned to the ground, holding both of Connor's hands away from her throat, where he was trying to choke her. 

"What do I do?!" Caleb asked.

"The ring!" Mary Sue panted. "Take... his ring!"

Connor wore a chunky statement ring with an emerald scarab beetle on it. Caleb suddenly realized what he had to do.

He grabbed the ring and tried to yank it off Connor's finger. It took a lot of effort since Connor had such meaty muscular hands, but when Caleb finally managed to wrest it away, he held the ring up to the moonlight and read the inscription:

"In canis corperae transmuto!" 

Connor rolled off of Mary Sue and curled up on his side. Before their eyes, fur sprouted out of his face and skin until he was fluffy all over and looked—

"You look exactly like Gertie!" Caleb cried.

"I am Gertie," Connor moaned. He got to his dog-feet and shook himself off. He launched himself at Mary Sue and sucker-punched her with a well-aimed paw.

Mary sue tackled dog-Connor to the ground. "Quick, untie Wally!" she ordered.

Caleb struggled with the knots at the back of Wally's chair with shaking hands. When he was free, Wally slumped against Caleb's chest and whined.

"You're ok now Wally, we've got you," Caleb reassured. "I'll never let anyone take you from me again."

Mary Sue picked up dog-Connor and threw him against the double doors of the room, which burst open, dazing him for a moment. She ran over to Caleb and Wally and dragged them down into the hall.

They sprinted in the dark as dog-Connor gave chase. Caleb managed not to trip on the carpet runner but stumbled on the massive winding stairs leading down to the living room, causing the three of them to tip over and tumble to the floor. 

Caleb felt something crack in his ankle. "Oh no!" he yelled. "My leg!"

Dog-Connor slid down the banister after them. His slobbery tongue hung menacingly out of his dog-mouth. His fangs shone white. He was almost upon them!

Caleb clutched Wally and shielded him with his body. He closed his eyes and braced for impact.

Mary Sue fumbled with something in her dress pocket. She pulled out a sci-fi device with a big red button and grabbed one of Wally's paws. "Hold on, I'm taking you home!"

At that moment the elevator door burst open and a massive hunky man ran in. "You're not going anywhere!" he growled. It was Donovan!

Donovan seized Caleb around the waist and pulled him back. Caleb watched helplessly as Wally slipped out of his hands. Wally looked at him with wide brown eyes, the light from the elevator twinkling in his tears.

Mary Sue shouted "NO!" and lunged at Caleb but she had already pressed the big red button on her device. Mary Sue and Wally started to glow. Light cracked through their skin like it was splitting them apart. With a flash and a boom, they were gone.