Hiraeth {Book 3 in The Emerald of Annihilation trilogy}

(37). Absquatulate

The car ride back home to new york was mostly silent. What was there to say? "Oh, guess what? My fiance was killed! She died in my arms!"

"Really? The evil guy I used to have a crush on in high school turned out to be a good guy and shot himself in the head to save me and the whole human race!"

"Guys, guys, guys! I got my memories back! And I'm a wanted serial killer!" 

No. 

Ethan was fast asleep, his head in Lily's lap. Mak looked to Scott who Scott, who gazed absentmindedly out the window. His expression unreadable. Lily sat in the back between Dylan and Ethan. Her fingers played habitually with the young boy's hair.  Her other hand lay intertwined with Dylan's. 

The tension in the car was so thick, you could cut it with a knife. Jack glanced at the back passengers in his rearview mirror. He and his sister, Alex exchanged knowing glances. Dylan squeezed Lily's hand softly. They didn't speak, but they both wondered the same thing. What would happen when they reached home? 

Everyone was so far into their own dark thoughts thy nearly forgot about Buck, who sat chained in the black van's trunk. Nearly. 

The van shuddered to a halt in front of the police station and everyone snapped back to reality. Lily nudged Ethan awake. Jack and Scott hopped out and lumbered around to the back of the vehicle. As the older man pulled open the doors, the younger grabbed hold of their prisoner's arm, hoisting him up and out of the back of the van.

Alex slammed closed the front passenger door and walked forward to greet sheriff Hanz. "Cheif." She dipped her head. 

"Alex." He nodded. The unshaven Hispanic man looked to Jack who now held Buck by his elbow. "What are the charges?" Miles Hanz queries, his eyebrow arching. He recognized the boy as Jack's nephew, Alex's son. The former marine's expression was serious. "Attempted murder, accessory, an accomplice of multiple felonies and homicides." 

As Jack listed a number of more legal crimes Buck had committed and taken part in, Lily opened the side door of the van. "Stay here." She directed Ethan and Dylan as she left the vehicle. Mark sighed and watched as multiple police officers took hold of Buck and began leading him away. The boy turned his head and shot a menacing glare at his mother. 

Alex watched with an unreadable expression. She stared back, her green eyes unmoving. She couldn't recognize the young man there as her son. Memories of his childhood crossed her mind. She remembered his birth. She remembered when he first learned to walk, to read, to talk. She remembered the days when she would come home late from work and find Raphael passed out on the couch, a book over his face and a sleeping Buck in his arms. 

She remembered a kind, playful kid with a trusting spirit and eyes full of innocence and curiosity. But the look in the eyes of the boy in front of her was wild. Fire flared in his glower and his eyes were almost.......animalistic.  

Lily's heart dropped as her brother looked straight into her eyes. His lips curled into a cruel smirk. "Check the van!" He shouted, getting the attention of everyone. "They are hiding the Hood!" Everybody froze. Hanz' gaze settled on Lily with an angry glare. "Is that so?" 

Jack stepped in front of his niece with his hands up. "Don't blame her for anything, Miles. She's just a kid. We don't want any trouble." The sheriff narrowed his gaze even more if that was even possible. His eyes nearly invisible under his bushy eyebrows. 

"Is she is protecting a national criminal. Hell, if YOU are protecting this criminal," His eyebrow raised slightly. "This will end in more than just trouble." The tension thickened with every second. Lily's heart beat against her chest. Mark looked to Alex desperately. Surely she had a plan to get them out of this predicament.

"No." 

The voice sent chills down Lily's spine. Dylan walked out from behind the van, his arms raised. Lily couldn't move. She couldn't breathe. It was as if the ground had become wet cement and quicksand at the same time. The imaginary words she attempted to speak lodged themselves in her esophagus. 

Two nervous officers drew their guns simultaneously. "Don't move!" they shouted. Jack squinted at Hanz. "There is no solid proof that this young man is the Hood. No one has ever seen the criminal's face. Why such a quick conclusion?" 

Miles Hanz's feet shuffled. His left hand ran over his balding head, while his right one rested dangerously near his holstered gun. "That information is above your pay grade, Rodgers." He growled. He signalled to the officers who hesitantly stepped forward. Jack sent them a warning look. The officers halted in their tracks. They had a fearful respect for Jackson Rodgers that even Miles Hanz couldn't outperform. 

"I need to know. That boy isn't going anywhere without proof of felony, Miles." Jack responded, stepping forward. The Sheriff was blue in the face. How dare this ex-marine tell him what to do! how dar his own subordinates hesitate to obey him! "You are crossing a line, Rodgers." He grumbled through gritted teeth. 

"So are you. I believe arresting someone without a warrant is illegal in itself." The taller pointed out. Now Hanz shook with rage. "We received information from an anonymous source, that the identity of the Hood was Dylan Tanner." The sheriff's fist clenched. "We checked him out, and it turns out that he went missing around the same time the Hood showed up."

Jack hesitated and Miles noticed. "Hand him over." He demanded, his fingers curling over his gun. Jack sighed and turned. There was nothing he could do. Lily watched in shock as her uncle as he walked right past her without sparing her a glance. Dylan calmly held out his wrists. The small click of the cuffs made Lily snap back to reality. 

"I'm sorry," Jack whispered for only Dylan to hear. The boy inched a small smile. "It's alright. I deserve it."

"Dylan, no!" Lily shouted, grabbing his arm. "I-it wasn't you! Uncle Jack don't let them take him!" Dylan looked down at his girlfriend with a sorry gaze. "It's OK, Lil." He murmured, leaning down and connecting their lips. "I'll be ok."

As they pulled apart, Lily felt as if a large chunk of her being torn from her. As Jack escorted Dylan to the officers who then began leading him to the building. Lily lost it. 

"Dylan!" She made a dash for him, but a strong hand gripped her arm and pulled her back. "Don't, Lily." Mark spoke in a calming voice. "Let me go!" She shrieked, pulling at his arm, clawing and scratching. Mark winced at the pain her nails left in his arm but didn't loosen his grip on her. 

Dylan looked back once. A reassuring smile crossing his face. Then he disappeared inside the station. Lily's muscles went slack and she slumped into Mark's embrace. Her vision began to blur and her mind went blank. Jack walked up to her and held her in his arms.

Lily sniffled and wept into her broad, strong chest. "How could you.....?!"She cried, her arms loos at her sides as he hugged her. She felt too weak to beat at his chest. Jack ran his hand over her back in soothing circles. 

"I'll figure something out. I promise." He whispered softly. He didn't know what else to say. To be honest there was nothing anyone could say that would make Lily be able to regain the piece of her that she lost with the boy. She closed her eyes, letting the tears fall down her cheeks, soaking into her uncle's thin shirt. Lily knew her uncle. No matter how much she hated him right now, she knew him. 

He always kept his promises. Always.

Well. I just love letting my characters taste true happiness and victory before stealing them away. Like teasing a baby with candy. Muahahahahahaha, I feel so cruel! Anyways, Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Tell me, what do you think is going to happen now?