Precedent

Chapter Nineteen

He grabs on my hair and yanks. I scream and punch him. He lets go and I manage to get him into a headlock. I carefully maneuver myself away from the broken area of window, pushing him against the safe part.

Franklin pulls me back and I smash through the glass. I almost slip. My feet have nothing between them. I cling to him, ensuring that if he wants to save himself, he has to save me.

He pulls me back up only to try to get me off him. I push him away from me. He stumbles, almost falls, but manages to stay up. I run across the room to his desk.

Hurrying to find a weapon, I rummage through it. My finger close around a blaster just before Franklin tackles me. It flies from my grasp. I hear it hit the floor. It doesn't break though. I might still be able to get it.

I crawl across the floor towards it. Franklin picks up a metal globe and slams it into me. I falter, falling back on my chest. I get back up and continue my crawl, but Franklin hits me again. Every time I try to get up, he slams the globe against my neck, back, or head.

I look up. The blaster is gone. I turn over onto my back. Franklin moves to hit me again, this time in the face. I brace myself for the familiar sensation of cold pain.

It doesn't come.

I open my eyes. The globe falls to the ground. Franklin is standing there, gaping. Now there is a small, steaming hole in his chest a few inches from his heart. He collapses on top of me. I wriggle out from underneath him.

Standing above me now...is my mother. I leap to my feet and wrap my arms around her. I hug her tightly.

"I thought I'd lost you," I admit. No longer able to fight the tears, I let them stream down my face.

"Me too," she whispers into my hair. She's not crying, but she's much older than I am. She's probably used to near death experiences by now.

"He's my grandfather," I tell her. "He's my own blood and he tried to kill me."

"I know, sweetie. I know," she replies, holding me close.

I hear footsteps. Fearing Franklin's return, I yank the blaster from my mother's hand and aim it at where his body previously lay. Being as Franklin hasn't moved, I look towards the door.

It turns out it's actually Willis.

He walks over to us. He takes the blaster from me.

"You alright?" Willis asks us.

"Handle the Mason boy first," my mother tells him. Willis nods. I can't bring myself to look as Willis and some others carry Drew's body away. I do, however, cry a little harder. Venus pats my back sympathetically.

I remember, suddenly, that she believes Taylor's dead. I have to tell her.

"Mom," I say quietly, "There's something you ought to..." I trail off at the appearance of another person at the door.

It's Taylor himself.

Venus looks surprised.

"Mr. Anderson," she says, "what are you doing here?" Taylor smiles and walks over.

Bending down to be beside us, he says, "Olivia, do you want to tell her?" Venus looks from him to me.

"What is it?" she asks, looking shocked and confused.

"You tell her," I state. "It's your secret."

He looks nervous. I don't blame him.

"Venus," he says carefully, "it's me...Taylor Greycen." Her eyes widen.