chapter Seven
I held my breath as my grandmother walked out. Her hair was caught in a loose topknot, she had on a pair of pants and a sweater, obviously the same clothes she'd had on when she'd been taken from the house. Her hands were bound with platinum bonds and there was a band around her middle. This would have effectively sucked out her powers, making her incapable of acting. I stared at her and felt tears prick the back of my eyes. Even in her disheveled state, Katrina was still the most elegant looking woman I knew. I fought back the tears and nodded to her. Head held high, she nodded back and I tried to ignore the despair I could see clearly written on her face.
“Great, you've seen her, now let's move it!” He pointed to a door, which I recognized as the one which led to the vault. “You are coming with us.” He motioned to Katrina.
I racked my brain trying to think up a way to keep us out of the maximum security vault. As I worried fanatically what to do, I heard Katrina in my mind.
We need to get to the vault.
Are you serious? We're all toast if we go there!
Trust me, Lu. The vault.
I noticed Keenan casting suspicious glances at us even though we'd avoided eye contact while we communicated. I decided to trust Katrina and walked toward the door leading to the vault. Walking out the door, I stopped in front of a wall which was supposed to have turned into a staircase leading to a basement, but it was just a wall.
“Well?” I turned to him.
“Don't play dumb with me.” He snarled, “You know very well that it's wired to your DNA. Now get the damn thing open!”
I stared at the wall helplessly. How could I get it open? I'd gone in and out of this room when it had been installed. I'd been able to get it open then but it hadn't been something I'd done consciously. It had just opened for me. I touched different parts of the wall, in case there was a hidden switch or panel somewhere, no such luck.
“You're wasting my time.” He tapped his foot impatiently.
I knew there was no use explaining to him that I had no idea how to open the vault. I closed my eyes and thought back to when I was younger, when I still had my parents and my little sister. It was a period of my life I'd tried hard to forget about, but I couldn't stop the memories now. I saw my dad with his hair like Katrina's, a light auburn. He smiled at me and chucked me beneath my chin.
My little princess. You remember that I'll always be with you, my dear. No matter what happens, don't forget that.
The image faded and I saw my Mom. We were sitting in my room and she was brushing my long hair before tucking me in to sleep. She had the same soft, blond hair and beautiful green eyes.
Lulu, you are beautiful. But remember to keep the flame of your inner beauty, don't let it go out.
How do I do that, Mom?
She smiled at me and dropped a kiss on top of my head. Well, for one, don't forget this moment.
I opened my eyes and came out of my trance. It probably had lasted only a few seconds because Keenan the creep was still tapping his foot in impatience. I was not sure exactly what both scenes had meant, but I had a vague idea. I closed my eyes again and this time, I saw my little sister.
We were much younger then; she was probably around five or so. Her curly red hair spilled over her head and around her shoulders and she looked up at me with big green eyes.
Lu, what are you doing?
I'm reading.
Will you read to me?
I sigh. All right, hop onto my bed.
We're both snuggled against the headboard together and I'm about to begin reading.
I love you, Lu.
I open my eyes and the picture faded. I lifted a hand to my face and felt moisture. I missed my family so much it was a physical ache.
“I love you, Claudia.” I whispered. I had not said it that day, but I knew I hadn't needed to. She'd known that I'd loved her. I felt the stone emit warmth, but it was a different quality from the heat of a few minutes back.
I let love for my family course through me. I thought of Dylan and how much I loved him and how he made me smile. As those warm feelings went through me, I felt my fear recede and peace take over. I moved back from the wall and directed the feelings of security I'd felt as a child towards it. There as a faint click, and then is slid open.
I turned to look at Katrina then and she had tears in her eyes. She looked at me with approval and such joy, that I couldn't help the smile that came.
“What are you so happy about. You're about to meet your end.”
For one brief second, I'd forgotten Keenan was there, but his snappish tone certainly reminded me. I gave him a knowing look and turning away, walked into the vault, closely followed by Katrina.
If the living room had been unrecognizable, the vault had been exactly as I'd last seen it. There was a tiny living area which contained a huge sofa bed, a rug and two bean bags. A coffee table was pushed to one side of the wall and it had an assortment of games and magazines scattered on it. Where there should have been a TV set was a bookshelf with several of my favorite titles. To the far end of the room was a small kitchenette. I glanced at one of the bean bags and was startled to see the book I'd been reading that day. I moved toward it and picked it up. For the first time since my family was murdered, I was able to think back to that day without the despair and desolation that normally accompanied such thought. Instead I felt sad and nostalgic. But I also felt the love and presence of my family.
“What the hell do you think you're doing? Drop that book!”
I dropped the book at Keenan's command. This guy had some serious control issues, I thought.
“Well, we're here, now what?” I queried.
“I'm going to secure you, then I'll go get the rest of my team.” He replied with glee and brought out the platinum bonds. They were made like a big roll of tape, but I knew how deadly they could be.
You can't let that happen.
I turned to Katrina and she was looking at me with desperate eyes. What do I do, grandma?
Activate the security lock. We've got to keep the automatons away.
As grave a situation as we found ourselves, I couldn't help a secret smile at her choice of words. I closed my eyes as Keenan started toward me with the platinum bonds and remembered my dad showing Claudia and I how to activate the security lock. Keenan had already grabbed my arm and was rolling the bonds around my wrists. I immediately felt weak and knew I had very little time to act.
I went still then let all the panic and fear I'd been feeling rise up within me. It completely obliterated the feelings of love and security as I thought about never seeing Dylan again. Suddenly, the door slammed shut and there was a blast. The force threw us all off our feet and I watched as Keenan went flying to the kitchenette area.
“What the hell just happened?” He yelled.
I shook the bonds free from my wrist, thankful that he hadn't yet secured them. “You have just been checkmated.” I told him calmly.
“What the f*ck are you talking about?” He asked just as a platinum net was released from above and fell around him. “Get me out of here, you stupid bitch! I'm going to kill you for this!”
I ignored him and went to release Katrina's bonds. When she was free she wrapped her arms around me. “Oh child, I've missed you so much.”
“I'm so glad you're okay. Are you okay?” I asked anxiously.
She laughed in delight and pointed to where Keenan was still issuing threats, “I'm glad now that this creep is finally disabled. If only he would keep quiet.”
She drew a full circle in the air and we were instantly surrounded by an air bubble, or at least it looked that way to me. It totally cut off the kitchenette and though I could see Keenan's mouth moving and the rage in his face, we couldn't hear a thing.
“Ah, much better.” She sighed. “Come let's sit. This could take a while.”
“What are we waiting for?” I asked following her to the sofa.
“An alarm would have gone off at the protector HQ. This place should be swarming with protectors in no time.” She said with satisfaction.
“How did you know this about the vault?”
She cast me a sly glance and said, “I designed it, child.”
I gaped at her in surprise. There was certainly more to my grandma than I knew.
“Okay, tell me what else you're responsible for that I don't know about.”
She laughed in delight, “That will take a while, girl.”
“You said we could be here a while.” I reminded her.
She looked like she was thinking about it, and then she relaxed against the sofa with a smile. “All right then, where do I begin?”
As I watched her, I felt gratitude well up inside of me. I was glad to have my grandmother back.