The Spectre

Chapter Four

"Escaped?" Alex asked, bewildered, and Zack nodded, sighing as well. "Sir, with all due respect, this Zodiac should not be one we are hunting," Zack said, catching both Trae and Alex by surprise. "You want us to forget his attempt on your life?" Alex asked quietly, and Zack nodded, "I need my wife and daughter somewhere safe of course, where I can watch over them from a reasonable distance, but for now we should be directing our priorities toward more useful captures. Such as the General." Alex looked deep in thought when Zack finished, and as the time ticked by, he nodded. "Very well. But if another tries to take your life so viciously, then we will have to take action." Zack nodded his head gratefully, and Alex exited the room, fiddling with the gun strapped to his right leg.

"What the hell are you thinking!" Trae hissed angrily, and Zack looked over at him, eyebrows raised. "This man tried to kill you, and you are willing to forget it?" Trae asked, and Zack quietly corrected him, "Teenager." Trae looked even angrier, but before he could shout or even mutter another word, the doors to the room swung open, and Lauren stepped in. "Where's Charlotte?" Zack asked immediately, and Lauren stopped her approach, "She is with the babysitter. Safe." Zack sighed with relief, stepped over to his wife, and kissed her lovingly on the cheek. "Zack, even Charlotte is starting to ask why you arrive home early in the morning every day. This is getting out of hand," Lauren said, and Zack kissed her again. "Don't worry, I have it all under control," he said, winking, and Lauren chuckled. "We have to move, temporarily." Lauren looked shocked. This clearly hadn't been what she was expecting.

"Where?" she asked, and Zack looked over his shoulder to Trae, who shrugged. "I was talking to the Captain of the United State Alliances, and he said he will try and figure something out for us. I won't be there acting like your husband, because it will draw too much attention to you, especially from those who still want me dead." Lauren looked immensely surprised but nodded all the same. "Luckily for you two and your daughter, we have a solution," said Alex, re-entering the room and holding a smile upon his face. "There is a large castle where Lauren and Charlotte can stay as guests, and Zack, you will have the opportunity of watching them from a position inside the castle." Now Lauren's eyebrows were almost floating above her head as she raised them even more, shock etched onto her face. "A castle?" she asked shrilly, and Alex nodded warmly.

"The Duke and Duchess of the land will be grateful to accept you. Their castle is in the centre of a peaceful town, and they have all agreed to help you until the General can be found." Zack chuckled and held Lauren's hand, both of them smiling until Lauren asked, "And what will Zack's position be." Alex looked around the room and picked the discarded sword Zack used from the ground, tossing it to its new owner. "You will be their Blacksmith." Zack kissed Lauren fully on the mouth, pulling away after several seconds and grinning broadly, "Go tell Charlotte to pack her things. You leave at first light." Even Trae looked amazed, and he seemed more than surprised when Alex turned to him as well. "You will help Lauren and Charlotte by being their personal protector," he said, and Trae nodded, accepting the responsibility without hesitation.

"Good, you best get going then, you have five hours until the sun rises," Alex finished, and then he marched from the room, not to return that night. "Come on then," Zack murmured, holding Lauren's hand as the two of them headed the way Alex had left, Trae trotting loyally behind. Trae and the two lovers parted outside, and when Zack and Lauren arrived at their house ten minutes later, they immediately woke Charlotte and told her to start packing. Charlotte was used to moving from place to place, so she nodded and immediately began gathering her clothes and toys into bags while Zack and Lauren had already done that. They packed every night just in case, and it was lucky they chose to. Within the five hours they were given, everything inside the house was packed into boxes or bags, ready to be moved.

They expected black limos or at least family cars to take them, so they were more than surprised when the sound of clicking hooves on concrete surrounded the house, and loud shouts came from outside. Zack opened the front door and stepped outside, finding not one, not two, not even three or four or five, but six carriages drawn by horses waiting. "Load everything up!" shouted a voice, and a knight, wearing full armour that was coloured blue and a visor hiding his face. "This isn't what we were expecting," Zack said quietly as the knight leapt off his brown horse and landed before Zack. "I am Sir Nicolas Gulfrick, but you will call me the Blue Knight with a Gold Shield," said the knight, tapping the golden shield he held in his left hand as he spoke. "Oh, I am –" Zack began, but the Blue Knight with a Gold Shield interrupted before he could say more, "Only speak when spoken to, Blacksmith!"