14 Chapter 13
Mark took Byron aside. He dragged him into the bathrooms and sealed the door. He pushed him back against the wall. «There's something too strange. How come Percy has already returned with good news? Others may have believed it but I'm not that fool.»
Byron freed himself from his grip. «No matter how he did it, the important thing is that we now know where Kurt is.»
«What if it's a trap? I don't believe Percy's story. He was passing by and heard them whisper the place where they keep him hidden? Come on! They want us to find him, they're using us. Trust me man it's a trap.»
«Even if it were? We have no other way to find Mr. Sparkle and the book.»
«What if they got to the book before us?»
«We need to make sure that doesn't happen. Let's pretend we believe what Percy told us, but when we get there we will keep our eyes open.»
Mark snorted. «Ok, fine.»
They left the bathroom and joined their friends at the camp.
They were sitting in the stands planning the expedition to the place where they hid Michael Sparkle's son.
«I think we need backup.» Mark suggested. If they have to keep their eyes open, they would have needed more eyes than they have.
«We've already contacted the guys who were on Rachel's list.» Byron said. «I'll look for Carter's diary.»
«That won't be necessary.» Luna said looking at her brother.
Josh took out the diary. «I've already found it.»
Byron stared at him surprised.
«Carter it's our father.» Luna said.
«What?» they asked all together.
«Well he's not exactly our father. My sister and I haven't told you everything.»
Amy was the only one in the group who, of course, wasn't surprised by that news. «There is one thing that we have kept from you, but because it was pretty irrelevant.»
«The one who lives with you, who pretends to be your father, is just a part of ours.» Luna started the explanation. «They have too many proteges, they can't pretend to be the parents of so many kids. The Keepers in the east have a clone, a projection of themselves, in West Blackbones. And those in the west have one in the east. Our father is here, but you moved, so right now both our father and his projection are here. He can't leave his protege to be with you.»
«There aren't as many Keepers as you think. That's why, each of you has only one parent.»
«I've never seen my fake mother.» Byron said. «I've never seen your father too, Haylee.»
«Yeah… I don't remember ever seeing him too.», her reply was strangely hasty. Of course, this whole story didn't surprise her at all. «But this is not the time to think about this. Gather whoever you want, but let's hurry up. The sooner we find Kurt, the sooner we find Michael and the book, and the sooner we leave this place.»
«Haylee is right, you two find your father's proteges and bring them to the meeting tonight.» Byron said rising to his feet. «Now everyone let's go to our classes. We can't arouse suspicion. See you again tonight at the usual time.»
***
While Josh had managed to convince some of his father's proteges to join them, Haylee hadn't brought anyone with her. «I'm sorry but they didn't believe me, and those who understood that there was something strange were too scared to start a rebellion with us.»
«I haven't been able to convince many of them either. They are the Farrell brothers, Jeremy and Serenity. Well from what my father wrote they are not real brothers. They're just part of a vampire clan.»
«Great, other vampires.» Mark protested. Selene hit him. «Hey! What's wrong with you?!»
«Are you for real?»
«Ah right… sorry I didn't mean that– »
Selene ran to hug Serenity. «Luckily you are fine!»
«Do we know each other?»
«Oh right, they still don't remember.», Selene released her and turned to Mark. «Don't you recognize them? Serenity was our friend.»
Mark took a better look at her. «Oh damn, I'm sorry... of course I recognize her.», he walked over to the newcomer and hugged her too.
«We need to find Melody and Emanuel, they can reactivate their memories.»
«Actually there's another w– »
«They will certainly be in West Blackbones, there's no time to track them down.» Haylee said interrupting Josh.
Selene took Mark by the hand. «We will find them, don't worry. Emanuel will be fine.»
Mark nodded.
«Serenity, Jeremy, Josh and Luna have told you what we are about to do?»
Serenity was the older of the two, she spoke for the other vampire too. «Yes. We remember nothing of our real life. I'm sorry.», surely she was talking to Selene and Mark. «But we're willing to help you. There's something really strange about this city and many things don't add up. We have always known that.»
«When Luna knocked on our door, everything was finally clear to us. She opened our eyes.», Jeremy spoke too. «We are here against our will, and I want to leave. If there is really a person waiting for me on the other side of the city, I want to find her.»
Selene and Mark shook hands. Haylee kept staring at their hands. She looked strangely annoyed. But they thought it was because she wanted to focus on the mission and not on the sentimental matters.
And in fact she kept insisting that they hurry. «We will help you do it. But now we have to worry about finding the book. So we can stop the Keepers and get out of here.» Haylee said. «The time has come. Before they start wondering where we are.»
«Yes.»
«Keep your eyes open.» Mark said. «I still don't trust Percy.»
They nodded, turned on the flashlights of their cell phones and walked into the woods.
Further along their path they found Percy waiting for them.
Haylee stopped in front of him. «Lead the way.»
They followed him along a path hidden behind a blanket of leaves.
They walked for half an hour at least.
From time to time the guys in the group exchanged worried glances. They continued to look suspiciously all around them. They weren't sure if that Keeper was really on their side. Even the newcomers felt the tension of that moment.
«We're almost there.» Percy announced. «He's located halfway between the two sides of the city. Right where he tried to escape.»
«Escape? Was he a prisoner here too?» Mark asked curiously.
«Why do you think Michael brought this to life?», Percy answered with another question.
«Let's keep going.», Haylee prevented that conversation from starting.
They had almost reached the wall that separated East Blackbones from West Blackbones.
Suddenly Percy stopped. But there was nothing in front of him. Just a brick wall with a small opening.
«There's nothing here!» Mark shouted. «I knew he wasn't to be trusted.»
«Just give me a moment, and you'll see.», he took a broken branch from the ground and wounded himself.
As the drop of blood hit the ground, a strange glowing shield appeared, a barrier that suddenly disintegrated.
Chained to that wall was a man, on his knees, lifeless and covered with wounds. Some were still fresh, recent.
Amy and Luna put a hand to their mouths in shock at Kurt's vision.
Selene and the other two vampires thanked the magic of the Keepers, which prevented them from suffering thirst at the sight of all that blood.
Before they asked any questions, Percy spoke. «The Keepers tortured him. They hoped that Michael would come to rescue him. But evidently they did not succeed, if you believe you can do better, it's all yours… »
«And they tortured him for all these years?» Amy asked, clinging to Josh.
«Every day since the day of his escape attempt. They hoped Michael would show up to save him. But as you can see, he's still our hostage.»
«I can't believe I am part of such a despicable and disgusting race.», Amy looked like she was going to cry so Josh held her tight.
But it wasn't the time for tenderness. Haylee advanced towards that man.
Percy and Byron looked at each other out of the corner of their eye.
«We're here to free you.» Haylee said kindly. «We want to stop the Keepers, and we need your help.»
Before the man could answer her, Percy hit her in the back of the head.
Haylee fell unconscious to the ground.
