*The Chronicles of F.R.E.E. Atania's Knight - Raquel Festow* Part 1

Chapter 39 - Confusion

*Darren Hodgson POV*

The hypnotised cab driver followed Raquel's instructions without fail. He weaved in between traffic and remained silently focused on the road. I looked over at Rhianna and Ruby who were frozen to the spot, not liking that the car was travelling so fast.
"It's alright, girls. We're safe." I assured them and looked at Rebecca.
She was speaking in Atanian with Natalia about something, and was speaking very quietly so Raquel couldn't hear her. She had even asked me to shut the window between us and the front to be sure she couldn't hear us. I shook my head slightly and let out a long sigh before looking at Hunter, who was leaning over, elbows on his knees, and rubbing his eyes.
"You alright, Hunter?" I asked him.
"Mate, I am freaking out right now." He said, with his hands tangled in his hair. "The girl that started on Watson. That was Gerri! It must have been!"
"Watson can take care of herself." I told him, patting him on the back in a brotherly manner.
Rhianna snorted. "Yeah, that girl has no idea what's coming to her. She picked the wrong person to have a close combat fight with." She smirked, slyly.
"Gerri is trained in the martial arts, though." Hunter raised his head, and looked apologetically at me. "I swear, she's gone fucking cuckoo since you guys arrived. She never used to be like this!"
"Tommy, be quiet." Rebecca snapped at him. She put the phone down and looked at Ruby and Rhianna. "Gerri was of purple Aura, and Raquel turned her green. We may have to do it again."
"I have a better idea." Rhianna replied, her smirk getting wider.
"No killing, Rhianna." Rebecca snapped. She gestured for me to open the window so she could speak to Raquel.
I slid the flap open and leaned over. "Raquel, Rebecca wants to speak to you."
Raquel looked round briefly, before looking back to something in front of her. "We're getting close. But she's moving somewhere."
"Raquel." Rebecca called over to her. "How long-"
Her phone started ringing and she looked at the name before raising her eyebrows at me.
"Ruth, we're on our way to... Who the fuck are you?!" Her eyes widened and she looked angry for a moment before making an 'o' shape with her mouth. "Oh, hello again. Are you with her then?" Her eyes snapped up to me and she froze. "Who arrested her?"
"Oh fuck!" Hunter and I breathed at the same time.
"Right, stay there! We are coming to you. We will need your help to get her out of there. Of course, it will be different from what we're used to." Rebecca said and handed the phone to Ruby. "Keep him on the phone." She mumbled. "Raquel! How far away are we? Ruth's got herself arrested."
"I'm following her latch." Raquel called back.
"No, we need to meet a friend of hers. That fat, long haired one that took you back when she went missing." Rebecca told her.
Ruby giggled. "He can hear you, you know." She warned Rebecca.
Rebecca smirked at Ruby. "You should have heard the names Ruth was calling him." She turned back to Raquel. "We are looking for a park by the name King Edwards Seventh park."
"I know where that is." Hunter said. "That's directly opposite my flat. Babe, you may be able to see where I live after all."
Raquel squealed from the front and looked around at Hunter. "Does it have a bed?" She asked, excitedly.
"Whoa! Stay focused, you two!" I laughed. I jerked my head to the driver. "Raquel, you reckon you can tell that twat where to go?"
"He has already been told to go there." Raquel beamed back. "David, how long will it take?"
"We will arrive in half an hour." He responded, his voice still emotionless.
"Do you hear that?" Rebecca called into the phone.
Ruby rolled her eyes and tapped the phone's screen to put it on speaker phone.
"Yes. Great. Thank you. I know they'll take her to the local police station and hold her there. Do you know who that woman was? She was a ginger tart." Harry asked, curiously.
"My ex girlfriend." Hunter replied to him. "Is Watson ok?"
"Yeah, she's fine. The chick only got one good hit and Ruthie didn't seem put off by it. She was more holding her down and trying to get away from the fight, but the slag wouldn't stop trying." Harry chuckled through the phone.
"Really? She didn't even try to go for a kill?" Rhianna said, disappointed.
"Well, she put her thumb in her eye and made it all bloodshot. Oh, that reminds me. There may be more trouble, further than the piano incident." Harry mentioned, sounding worried.
"What happened?" I asked.
"There were tons of people videoing them." Harry replied.
"Oh fuck sake!" Rebecca spat, putting her head in her hands. "This fucking Realm!"
I pulled out my phone and looked on Facebook to see if it had emerged and, without fail, the video had already been shared by one of my mates from school. I tapped Hunter's shoulder and showed him. Watson was holding Gerri to the floor, her foot on her lower back and yanking Gerri's arms behind her, bending her spine in an unnatural way as Gerri yelped to be freed.
"You do not want to fuck with me!" Watson snarled at her, with her teeth bared, furiously just as she got tackled from the side by two policemen.
"Shit. She was really showing her who was boss." Hunter chuckled.
"You seen the video?" Harry's voice came through Rebecca's phone.
"Yeah, we just saw it. Watson really took a tackle there, didn't she? How come you didn't get involved?" I asked him, feeling annoyed he just stood there and watched from the sidelines.
"I tried to hold that bitch back, but she was strong!" Harry snapped.
"Yeah, I remember how she used to pin me down when-" Hunter started but I stopped him abruptly, nodding towards Raquel who was looking at him, with her eyes narrowed.
"Careful, Tommy." Rebecca chuckled. "Atanian's get easily jealous."
"Yeah, while I have you on the phone. Ruby, have you ever thought of running for the Olympics?" Harry asked.
Rhianna, Ruby, Rebecca and Hunter frowned, confused but I froze.
"How do you know about their speed?"
"Ruthie said Cristis is full of people who can run faster than Usain Bolt. I mean, if we get them to run for the UK, heck, we may have a chance at getting a gold medal!" Harry chuckled.
"Ruth told you about other Realms?" Rebecca said, slowly, growing more and more furious with every second that passed.
"Well, yeah. She told me everything. Now that I have her back though, I have a promise to keep to Chris and have decided to join you guys."
Rebecca threw her head back and laughed, Rhianna too.
"Erm, I don't mean to sound rude, Harry. But to join, it's a lo-"
"We're here! I can see him!" Raquel squealed. "Stop David! Stop!"
David stopped the car and Raquel started scratching away at the door to get out, but couldn't work out how to open it. Hunter chuckled and got out, before opening the door for her. She ran at Harry and leapt at him, knocking him to the floor.
"It's so good to see you again!"
Harry laughed as she got off him, and he got to his feet. "Good to see you too, Raquel. You fucking nutter."
Harry walked over to Hunter and shook his hand, before turning to me. "Alright, fella?" He greeted, grinning.
I shook his hand but gave him a nod instead of a smile.
Harry turned to Rebecca. "How are you now?"
"I'm fine." Rebecca responded, nodding at him. "So where can we find our dear doppelgänger troublemaker?"
Rhianna chuckled. "Makes a nice change for it to be someone else being called that." She smirked and stepped forward.
Harry gaped at her, his mouth hanging open and his eyes unashamedly checking her out in her armour and cloak.
Rhianna cast him a wary look. "What?" She asked, a little uncomfortably.
Harry shut his mouth and shook his head. "You look great with short hair!" He complimented her.
Rhianna cocked an eyebrow at him and checked him out too. Her eyebrows raised and a smirk lifted the corners of her mouth. "Down boy!" She told him.
Harry bent over immediately to hide his obvious arousal, his face going beetroot in colour from embarrassment.
Hunter and I exchanged scowls with each other. I knew I didn't like him before and now I hate him!
Raquel gasped suddenly and clasped her hands over her mouth, her eyes wide and staring at Rhianna.
Rhianna furrowed her brow at her. "What's the matter with you?" She asked, rudely.
Raquel lowered her hands slightly and had a knowing smile. "I won't tell anyone." She said, winking at Rhianna.
"Ezerez... Erez qai Saltazeeb?" Rebecca asked Raquel, looking at her in disbelief.
Raquel turned and skipped away from us, keeping Rhianna's 'secret'.
Rebecca looked at Rhianna then at Harry and shook her head. She turned to Ruby. "Don't you get any idea's about finding yours!" She snapped, pointing her finger at her.
Ruby looked at Hunter and I, her mouth open in confusion. "What happened?"
"None of your fucking business!" Rhianna snapped, but her face gave her away that she had been quite flattered at Harry's attraction to her.
"She's found her soulmate." I grumbled, very quietly, to Ruby, stepping round to stand beside her.
"Yes, and I wonder how it's going to effect her." Rebecca leaned in.
"What?" Rhianna said, looking over to us, distractedly.
"Nothing!" Rebecca, Ruby and I all said together as innocently as we could.
"Babe? What are you doing?" Hunter called over to Raquel, who was studying the grass closely.
"I'm looking for your flat!" She shouted back.
Hunter and I bent over laughing, Harry chuckled.
"Seriously, is she all with it?" Harry asked us.
I shrugged and watched Hunter go over, pointing to the block of flats across the road.
"So where can we find Ruth?" Rebecca asked Harry.
"We can't go yet. They'll be interviewing her first, then they'll check her records. They've probably already noticed she's the girl from the news yesterday." Harry said, standing up straight again.
I furrowed my brow then realised something. "Hang on! How did she call you?" I asked Rebecca.
"Asuna sent along a replacement phone after she smashed her other one. She probably picked it up along with the money for Sharon and Jennifer." Rebecca replied. "So what do we do until we can get to her?"
"We can go to mine?" Hunter offered. "It's only there."
"Good idea. Alright, let's go." I said, walking over to Hunter and Raquel, who was jumping up and down in excitement.
Hunter used a fob on his keys to let us inside the posh looking apartment block. The man at the concierge desk looked up.
"Alright, Tommy boy?" He said cheerfully.
"You alright, mate?" Hunter raised his hand as he led us to the lifts.
"You missed a proper cat fight in the park earlier. One of them was your missus." The man chuckled.
Hunter froze and looked at the man. "She is not my missus." He said flatly.
The man chuckled. "Yeah, I gathered that when I heard her screaming at that other girl" he put on a whiny, pitchy voice. "'You took my man!' I knew exactly who she was on about."
Hunter rolled his eyes and pressed the button. The elevator dinged and the doors opened. Hunter stepped inside, pressed a button and held the doors for the rest of us.
Raquel skipped inside happily, while Rebecca, Rhianna and Ruby were more cautious and wary about a room with no other doors inside it.
"It's called a lift. It goes up the floors instead of you taking the stairs." I explained, pushing them forward.
Harry got in the lift too, and the atmosphere suddenly became very tense as we started to go upwards, because Rhianna and Harry were standing quite close to each other. Harry stared at the ceiling while Rhianna looked at the hilt of her sword, picking off imaginary dust from it, a tiny smile on her lips.
The bell dinged again and we all got out, moving out of Hunters way as he searched through his keys. He put the key in a doorway just inside the corridor and unlocked it.
"I don't think I have anything in, but I can pop to the shop if needed." Hunter said as he opened the door to let everyone inside.
Raquel shrieked, deafeningly, and ran inside. I followed behind her.
After a small entrance way, I entered a large open plan living room with kitchen and amazing views over London out of the large windows. There was a large TV on the wall, with a grey, leather corner sofa in the center of the room. The kitchen was black counter tops with white cupboards, a double oven in the centre of cupboards and a large fridge freezer in the corner. There was two doors leading off the living room, assumingly one for the bedroom and the other for a bathroom.
Raquel didn't hesitate to sneak a peek behind the doors. She opened one, made an impressed noise then opened the other and giggled, running into the room.
"Raquel, what are you doing?" Rebecca asked her from the window. She was taking in the view of London.
"She's bouncing on the bed." Rhianna shook her head with annoyance and sat down on the grey sofa.
"Wow, nice flat, dude!" Harry said to Hunter, looking around in awe.
"Oh so that's why!" Rebecca moaned. "He says dude too!"
I snorted and was about to ask how long they reckoned we should wait here when Raquel came back in the living room.
"I'm going to try Watson again. I should be able to find out what's happening more that way." She closed her eyes, smiling slightly as the rest of us watched her.
Harry's eyes widened and his eyebrows knitted together. "Err, what is she doing?"
"Using the Doppelgänger latch to contact Ruth and find out how she is." Rhianna told him in a 'duh' tone.
"Doppelgänger latch?" Harry repeated, sitting next to her on the sofa.
Rhianna started to move away from him but seemed to change her mind. "Apparently, we all have an Aura and us doppelgängers are latched to each other. That's why we can feel the pain of what the other is feeling, or all collapse and pass out when one of us gets knocked out." She told him in a matter of fact tone.
"Is that why Ruthie went to the hospital but they couldn't find anything wrong?" Harry asked, looking around at me.
I nodded. "Rebecca got hit by a car and they all collapsed."
"You got hit by a car?!" Ruby blanched at Rebecca. "That's why we both collapsed that day?"
"AND YOU MADE US SIT INSIDE ONE?!" Rhianna spat at her, furiously. "The fuck is wrong with you?!"
"Cars are fine when you're inside them, just don't get in their way." Rebecca retorted, sourly. "Raquel? Any news?"
Raquel opened her eyes and shook her head. "She's not responding to me." She said, sadly.
"Why isn't she responding?" I asked, looking around at everyone, feeling panicky.
"She's probably in an interview, dude." Harry said.
We sat around for an hour or two, just making general small talk. Hunter and I stood in the kitchen, as far away from Harry as possible, who still couldn't keep his eyes off Rhianna.
Hunter started hunting for drinks. "Ok, I have nothing in so I'm going to have to go to the shop. What does everyone want?"
Rebecca, Rhianna and Ruby stared back at him blankly, but Raquel skipped over to him, flinging her arms around his neck.
"Do you have water?" She asked.
Hunter laughed and nodded. "Yes, babe. I have water."
"I'll have some delicious water then, pleize?" She said, smoothly.
"Alright. Ladies?" He chuckled, poking his head around Raquel to look at the others.
"Just water will be fine, Tommy." Rebecca replied, looking back out of the window.
"Guys?" Hunter looked at Harry and I.
"Yeah, I need something, but I'll come to the shop with you, mate. Harry, stay here with the girls. Do not let them out of your sight!" I warned, pointing a finger at him accusingly.
He saluted at me. "Right you are, guv'nor." He smirked.
I scowled and jerked my head for Hunter to follow me.
"Can I come?" Raquel asked, eagerly.
"No, babe. You stay here with the others." Hunter told her, pecking her on the cheek.
Hunter and I walked towards the lift and waited for the lift to announce its arrival in silence. As soon as those lift doors were shut though...
"I can't fucking stand that dickhead!" Hunter blurted out.
I sighed in relief that he felt the same way. "Same! I haven't liked him since I first heard him on that call you made to us."
Hunter scowled. "He was trying to show off to Watson and Raquel during that car ride. Blaring that fucking music out, asking Raquel what she likes to do for fun."
I smirked. "Although, I did find it funny that Rhianna caught him out." I looked at Hunter, pointedly.
Hunter laughed. "Oh fuck yeah. Serves him right!"
The bell dinged and we came out of the lift, waved hi to the concierge and went back outside. As soon as we started to walk across the park, we heard a small voice calling for us. To our horror, we looked up and saw Raquel leaning out of the window of Hunter's flat, waving energetically at us.
My heart leapt into my throat and I called Rebecca to drag her back in, but it seemed someone had already pulled her back, so I disconnected the call.
"Jesus. That scared the living shit out of me." Hunter wheezed, gripping his chest.
"Me too. What the fuck did she think she was doing?!" I breathed, looking back up at the window, which was now thankfully shut.
My phone started ringing and I turned back on our original path to the shops as I answered.
"Heya, Beccs." I said, taking a deep breath. "What the fuck was Raquel thinking?!"
"She was calling you back!" Rebecca shouted in a panic down the phone. "Ruth has been in contact! She's being taken home."
"Home?" I asked, looking at Hunter, who shrugged back.
"Her mother has picked her up! She's being taken back home!"