The Touch

Chapter 31 - Warning

Minutes turned to hours and they were still working on Jeffrey. After three hours Eloise came out of the room looking exhausted.

"We have done all we can now. Only time will tell".

I could see the anxious look on Slade's face and I reached over and took his hand.

"Your father will pull through this" I said.

"I hope so Lacey. Aside from me needing him, the children with the Touch and their families need him too".

The men in the room next door came in and sat down opposite us.

One of them I recognised straight away to be the man that Tori had been talking to at the CWT before the Watchers had ambushed them. He had red hair and freckles over his face and was very lean and tall.

"We have been talking about the ambush" he started "We think someone from the CWT told the Watchers where we were located".

Slade and I looked at each other.

"Who do you think it could be?" I asked.

"Well, we think it could have been your friend Tori" another man said.

"What?" Theon started "There is no way Tori would do that. I know she didn't really like the people with the Touch but she would never cause anyone any harm".

"How did you come to this conclusion?" Slade said to the red haired man.

"When you were inside in the meeting with the council members, Tori was talking to me about how she was glad that everything would be changing now. That what was wrong would soon be righted. I just thought it was a whole lot of babbling actually, but looking back now I wonder if she knew something".

"I think Tori was talking about the injection video we watched. They have found a serum that may be able to take away the abilities that we have" I said.

"There was something else" the red haired man said "I heard her take a phone call as she left to go through the tomb tunnel. I heard her say that she was ready".

Slade looked at me and we both turned and looked at Theon, who was now looking as pale as the white walls in the house.

"Tori passed a comment to me before that things were going to change now and I also thought it was to do with the injections. But now I am not so sure" Theon said.

"Why would you think that Theon?" Slade said.

"Because she would do anything to get to you. With Lacey and you getting closer I think she would do anything to separate you".

I looked at Theon standing against the wall and he looked defeated. I knew that he loved Tori but I also knew that he loved the CWT and everyone in it. He would never choose Tori over their safety.

I stood up and walked towards him and put my arm around him. I could feel him shake slightly and his breathing was ragged, like he was close to tears. He hugged me back briefly and then walked out of the room.

Slade came towards me and put his arms around my waist.

"You know that he won't want to believe it. He wants to believe that Tori would never do anything like that"

"And you?" I said looking at Slade "What do you think?"

"I don't trust Tori, but I don't know if I can believe one hundred percent that she would do something like this. I also don't believe that she would do this to get back at me or you".

"Well for the sake of the people taken, I hope you are correct".

May walked back into the room and told Slade he could see his father now. Jeffrey was still unconscious but he could sit by him for a minute.

I watched him go then went up to the room May had given us to use if we wanted to sleep. I wanted to tune into Blind Bird as I was worried about the last words that she had said to me.

Laying back against the pillows of the large king bed, I relaxed and thought about her. I tried to tune in and connect to her but instead all I was receiving was a block. I didn't understand it. Although I had only done this once I knew that it was relatively easy for me to make a connection with her now, but there was nothing. It was as if she had disappeared completely.

Something was terribly wrong. I could feel it within me, it was what she said that also had me worried.

I took the diary that was still inside the back pack and looked around the room for a safe place to hide it. I walked around the room until I found a loose floorboard and pulled it up so I could place the bag in the floor cavity underneath. I then placed the floorboard down and moved the mat over it slightly. I ran downstairs to find the others when I heard a gun shot. I stopped on the last step and saw Watchers entering the house.

My body recoiled backwards as the guns went off and a tear gas canister flew towards the area where I was standing. I quickly pulled my jumper off and placed it around my face. My t-shirt was clinging to my body as the adrenaline started racing. I could feel the heat rising in my palms as I looked to see where I could get to some of the Watchers to disable them.

"Where is she?" one of the watchers yelled in a muffled voice through his gas mask as he turned towards another.

I could see the other watcher looking around the room before turning towards me.

"There" I heard a familiar voice say as she pointed to me. It was Tori.

I could see Slade out of the corner of my eye advancing towards the male Watcher and I signalled to him to stop. I knew why they were here and Blind Bird's words made sense now.

Lacey, when it happens just go with them. You will save your friends lives by just going with them. Trust me.

They were here for me, and only me.

"Slade stay back" I shouted "They just want me, no one else".

Slade looked at me and I could see his eyes go from concern to anger.

"You are not going anywhere Lacey" He shouted.

Before I could comprehend what was happening or how to stop it Slade raced towards me and I saw Theon behind him.

As Slade moved towards me I screamed "Stop," but it was too late. A gun fired, the bullet shot out and hit Slade directly in the chest then he crumpled to the floor.