Beneath the Surface (On Hold)

Chapter 10

"You sure you want to do this?" I asked Jacob one last time.

We had gotten off the bus that had brought us to Lexington and were heading to Mr. Pierces apartment. The streets were quiet and pretty empty seeing that it was the day after Christmas and everyone was probably inside relaxing, or at work.

"I'm sure. I told you, I need to know." He said nodding his head.

It had stopped snowing halfway through the bus ride over and now the wind was just blowing around loose snow around.

"What's his address again?" Jacob asked me.

"27 Franklin Avenue, apartment 3B." I said automatically, not sure how I knew that seeing that I'd only seen the address once.

We walked in silence for the rest of the walk, only talking to tell each other where to turn. We reached the apartment building and walked inside. No one seemed suspicious of two teenagers walking alone through an apartment building which was perfectly fine with us.

We found Mr. Pierces' apartment and just stood in front of the door, staring at it as if could catch fire any second. Which was kind of ironic when you think about it.

"Maybe we shouldn't do this." Jacob said, "Yup we definitely shouldn't do this. Okay, let's go." He said and started walking away.

"Oh no no no no no. You dragged me into this and you are not leaving me hanging out to dry now." I said yanking him back by his arm.

I took a deep breath and knocked on the door. A man opened it; Mr. Pierce. He had red hair and hazel eyes and looked to be in his mid thirties. He was really tall and had a muscular build.

"Can I help you?" He asked looking down at us.

"Yes, um, are you Reginald Pierce?" I asked him.

"Yes, why do you ask that?" He asked, eyeing is warily.

"We're sorry to bother you. This may seem like a strange question but, do you remember a fire that you were the chief of three years ago? on September 3rd?" I asked him.

He thought about it and for a split second I saw his eyes widen with recognition but the look disappeared just as quickly as it had made an appearance. Jacob didn't notice it, but I did.

"I'm sorry, I can't help you there. Have a nice day. " He said a little faster than a normal person would say it as he began to shut the door.

I stopped the door with my foot. I did not come out there tone lied to. So if I had to be persistent, I would be. And I was going to be.

"I know you're lying. Please, that fire took my friends parents and he just wants to know what caused the fire." I said gesturing to Jacob.

The mans' face softened when he looked at Jacob, "That's you?" He asked and Jacob nodded.

But Mr. Pierce shook his head, "I'm sorry. I can't tell you." He said with what looked like actual sincerity.

I was getting annoyed. So I decided to be more persistent (I'm very good at it if you haven't noticed).

"Look sir, I'm sorry if this comes off as rude," I began, crossing my arms and fixing him with my signature death stare, "we've been searching for answers for almost four months. I want answers and so does he. So you can give them to us, or I'll find them myself. I'm very good at hacking." I said.

"No you don't understand. It's not that I won't tell you. It's that I can't tell you." He said.

I scoffed, "You really think I'm that stupid? I know you know the answer to what we're looking for. So if you just tell us we'll leave and never come back." I said.

"You're really not going to give up are you?" Mr. Pierce asked.

"Nope." I said shaking my head.

"You really want to know?"

"Yup." I was nodding this time.

"Fine. Come in." He said sighing and moving aside so we could enter.

Jacob and I looked at each other, smiled and stepped inside.

We sat down on the couch in the living room as Mr. Pierce sat down in the chair across from us.

"I'm going to start with, you know that I could get fired for telling you this, right. This is illegal." He said.

"Which is why we will leave and never return once you tell us." Jacob said and I nodded.

"So, what started the fire?" I asked, getting right to the point.

"Lexi, this very nice man is telling us illegal information. So we will let him take as long as he likes to tell us this information. Which is illegal." Jacob said in a too-sweet voice. You know, the ones adults use when you're I trouble. I was very familiar with that voice.

Me. Pierce began to laugh but stopped when he registered what Jacob had said.

"Wait, sweetie, what's your name?" He asked me.

"Lexi." I answered.

"Is that your full name?"

"No."

"Then what is your full name?" He sounded exasperated, but mostly panicked.

"My full name is Alexandria Grace Connolly." I said, exasperated as well.

Mr. Pierce looked terrified for a couple of second but then he smiled, This is a trick right? they sent you to test me, right? tell me they sent you to test me!" He said, his words getting faster and sounding closer together with every sentence.

Before we could ask him what he meant, he began rushing around the house closing the blinds and bolting the door.

"No no no no no. They told me I would be safe as long as she didn't come into thus picture. They said they wouldn't interfere but they would watch to make sure she stays out. I need to leave. I need to get out of here." He muttered to himself.

"Um, Mr. Pierce," I said nervously, rising up from the couch with Jacob following my lead, wondering why in the world this man wasn't institutionalized, "Mr. Pierce! What is going on?" I exclaimed.

"They're going to kill me." He said breathlessly.

"Who is 'they' and why would they try and kill you?" I exclaimed.

"They want you. They told me to stay away from you." He said looking at me crazily.

"What do you mean that they want me? and who are 'they'?" I asked, now getting scared myself.

"They said you're important. They told me you could change everything. They said that everything that's happened so far is because of you." He said.

"Why? What's so special about me?" I asked. Me. Pierce was now sitting on the couch, his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands.

"You don't know. Of course you don't know. How could you know?" he said, more to himself than to me.

"Mr. Pierce. I am going to ask you something very calmly. And you are going to answer me, very calmly. Alright?" I asked him and he looked up at me, almost as if in a trance, and nodded slowly.

I looked over at Jacob to see that he was looking at me the same way Mr. Pierce was.

"Mr. Pierce, who are 'they'?" I asked him slowly.

He looked at me, his eyes filled to the rim with terror and dread as he spoke, "Quadrigis Mortem"

Somehow, I don't know exactly how, but somehow, I knew what those word meant.

But before I could say it I was thrown to the ground as the windows or the apartment shattered, the translation of the two words ringing throughout my head. Death team