The Syndicates

Six

Tori

We flee out of city hall through a back door. I see the warehouse across the lawn. I know this is where Kyle is headed. He tightens his grip on my hand. I turn my head making sure our siblings are all in tow. They are. In addition I notice that we are the only ones headed this way. I can't decide if that's a good thing or not, but I hate that we've been separated from the Westons.
   
"Slow down." Jordan whines behind us.
   
"He can't run this fast Kyle." Teague says.
   
Kyle slows. "Come and jump on my back. We're staying together." Jordan obeys and hops on Kyle's back, linking his arms around Kyle's neck. We resume our pace. The warehouse isn't far now.
   
We enter through a side door, which leads into a small office. "We can stay here for awhile." Kyle informs through heavy breaths. We all wearily find seats on the floor. Kyle and I crouch under the window that looks out into the warehouse. Lifting the blinds we look through. The moonlight shines in through various windows, giving us just enough light to see. The huge room is for storage, I think, but besides some big crates here and there it's relatively empty.
   
"Kyle, maybe we should go back." I say. "Will mom know to look for us out--" He shushes me.
   
Still peeking through the blinds he says, "There's people over there. You see that?"
   
I peer through the blinds again and try to see where he's pointing to. I have to squint, but I see the outline of three-- no, four people. And they're moving this way. I turn to him. "We need to leave." I say sternly. He shakes his head. "Kyle, we need to go. I'm not waiting around to find out who or what they are."
   
"I think that's dad."
   
"What?" I say in disbelief. I look and see the moonlight shine on the men's faces. I see my dad, there's no doubt it's him. "Who's with him?"
   
"Two look like the thing that was in the basement, but the other guy won't turn around." I forget about fleeing. Curiosity has taken over. I need to know what my dad is up to, and most of all I need to know that everything is ok.
   
Kyle raises the blinds about a third up the window. The four figures are close enough now that I don't have to squint to make them out, but not close enough to hear the conversation that is evidently going on.
   
Everything around us seems to disappear as we intently watch the scene unfold. The two giant figures behind dad grab his arms. He continues talking to the man in front of him. The man unsheathes a blue glowing Myrmidon blade.
   
My throat knots up as I fear the worst. I somehow manage to order the others to look away.
   
The blade finds its way into my father's chest.
   
Teague screams.
   
The man's head flicks our direction. Lee Kiezer looks straight at Kyle with an emotionless face.
   
In an instant my whole world seems to crumble.

   
"Should I wear something nice or what? You need to elaborate a bit babe." Using my shoulder to keep the phone to my ear, I sift through outfit after outfit in my closet. This is a nightmare, I don't know what to wear.

"No, no, just jeans and a t-shirt are fine. It's what I'm wearing. Totally casual." Dean explains on the other end. Well that's a relief.

"So you're really not going to tell me what this is all about?" I exit the closet, move over to my dresser.

"No, I'm not. And you love surprises, so don't worry about it." I dig through my t-shirt drawer. I decide on a gray one from some watermelon run I did several years ago. (Yes, a watermelon run. It's the south, we take such things as peach tea and watermelon very seriously.) I only ran it because Sky talked me into it. I lay it on the bed and go to my dresser to pull out a pair of jean shorts.

"It's late spring in the south, Dean. I'm wearing shorts. Is that acceptable?"

"Perfectly." I can hear a smile in his voice. What could he possibly be up to? But he's right, I do love surprises, so I decide to not dwell on it. I'll know soon enough. "So I'll pick you up in say, about an hour. Sound good?" I look at my alarm clock. 8:43am. Sky's up by now and getting ready for the big cookout lunch. So I've got time to help her a bit.