Guarding Grace

Chapter Twelve

Grace sat on the large sofa with Ryder watching Hunter and Regan bickering back and forth about what should go in the only bag they were taking with them. Every item Hunter would place in the bag, Regan took it out with a grunt and a shake of the head.

After several minutes of this, Hunter threw his arms in the arm, "I give up Hoss! You pack it. You know where we are going, I obviously don't, so you pack the damn thing."

Regan smiled a grim smile, "It's going to be rough. But for now all we need is first aid supplies and determination." Grace rolled her eyes, "Determination? Are you sure that's going to fit in the bag?"

Hunter coughed, "If we are going to leave, we need to get going." Ryder stood up and followed Hunter and Regan to the door, he turned and look back at Grace, "You know, it won't be as bad of a trip with all of us going together."

Grace smiled at Ryder, "I suppose not." She walked to the front door and turned back to look at the house that had been their home for the past week, "Though this house did have it's charm, I think I may miss it."

Hunter smirked, "I'm not, the thing in the basement was too loud." Grace's eyes widened as she looked at Hunter, he simply laughed and walked out the front door. Ryder smiled and shook his head following Hunter outside.

Regan gently tugged on Grace's arm as he walked passed her to leave, "Come now Miss, we don't want to be late for our meeting." Grace nodded and walked out of the door. They all stopped at the bottom of the stairs as Regan locked up the small clapboard house.

With a sigh, he straightened his tunic and walked down the stairs to join the others. Together they all walked down the sidewalk towards their new destination and hopefully answers.

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They walked for what seemed like hours, crossing small bridges and ducking down alleys, Grace did not know what to make of the darker parts of the Rabble Zone. She had never been this deep into it before. All her errands for Dark ANnie only took her along the perimeter of the Rabble Zone. She looked around in awe, poverty was apparent here. Windows with the glass missing, doors with spray painted warnings, and broken stoops were all around as they walked.

Ryder grabbed Grace's hand, startling her out of her thoughts, "Grace, you there? You seem out of it." Grace nodded as she looked at his face, concern etched on. "Yea, I've never been this deep into the Rabble Zone before, it's so sad. Does the government not do any upkeep?"

She saw Hunter shake his head out of the corner of her eye, "The government doesn't give two shits about the Rabble, Dovie. The further away you are from the center of the city, the less the government has its eye on you." He reached out and took her other hand, "Be careful, we are heading into Anarchy."

Grace arched a delicate eyebrow at Hunter, "Anarchy? That's just a story told to scare kids from not wandering too far from home."

Ryder squeezed her hand, "No, it's real. I've delivered packages to Anarchy for Madame Genesis. Nearly got myself in a bind once. Thankfully, I'm not pretty enough for them."

Hunter laughed, "Don't sell yourself short, Bubba, you're plenty pretty." Hunter had dropped Grace's hand and walked ahead to keep step with Regan. Grace turned her head to look at Ryder, a soft blush crept over his pale skin. Grace tilted her head in confusion, she couldn't help but wonder the cause of the blush. Shaking her head, she looked ahead at Hunter who was lost in conversation with Regan.

"Ryder," she all but whispered, "is it really that dangerous? Anarchy, I mean."

Ryder smiled softly, "Not for me, I'm a guy. Those who live in Anarchy tend to respect you if you are a male. But for females," He turned and looked at her, green eyes blazing, "Women don't come here." He tightened his grip on her hand, "I wish we could go around Anarchy."

Regan and Hunter had stopped in front a run down building, Grace looked at the squat building, no glass in the window panes and no front door. A small tingle of fear crept it's way up her spine. "Why are we stopping here?" She managed to squeak out as She and Ryder approached them.

Regan ignored the question as he slowly climbed the stair to the building, Hunter quickly followed suit; leaving Ryder and Grace alone outside. Ryder gently tugged on Grace's hand motioning her to follow as he too went up the stairs.

Once inside the building, Grace stopped, squinting her eyes to help her see in the dark. "Allow your eyes to adjust, it will not get any lighter." A pleasant voice, a familiar voice, spoke. Grace quickly looked around trying to find the source of the voice but could not see anyone in the hazy dark. A soft chuckle followed as she turned in a full circle looking for the source of the voice.

Grace, looking for the source of the voice, tried to connect the voice to a face in her memory. She gasped softly when she felt the brush of something soft and furry against her leg. "You will remember me in time, child." She looked down to find a large cat rubbing against her leg.

Grace's eyes shot up to meet Regan's, "Is this cat talking to me?" Regan's mouth was in a thin line, Hunter looked at Grace with amusement. "Her name is Andora, she's a Norwegian."

Grace's eyes flitted from Regan to Hunter and then down to the cat. "That doesn't answer my question." Ryder reached down to pet the cat as she twined her way between his legs. "She's beautiful."

The voice again, this time accompanied by a loud purr, "As are you, Dear One."

Grace went to take a step back, but was grabbed by the arm by Hunter, pulling her further into the building. "It's getting dark. Time to set up camp and crash. Andora will keep watch while we rest. Won't ya Darlin'?" The purr got louder as the cat, Andora, slowly walked to the doorway and sat down. Slotted golden eyes flicked to Grace as she allowed herself to be pulled along by Hunter towards the back of the building. A door, intact, opened into a small living area; Grace looked around as best she could in the fading light, Regan lit a small lamp in the corner of the room. "Settle down to sleep, we cannot keep the light on for long. This building will always be abandoned, it must never look occupied while we are here."

Grace looked around, about to open her mouth to protest sleep when she noticed a large pile of pillows and blankets in the corner. Grabbing two large pillows and a blanket, she made her way to a dark corner, she placed the pillows down. Intent on making a bed out of the pillows and trying to get some rest. No sooner had she laid down, than Ryder, Hunter and Regan all came over with their pillows and made a nest; surrounding her in their scent. She sighed knowing that she would be safe, but unsure as to why. She drifted off thinking to herself how strange it was that a cat could speak to her mind the way she did.