Electus (Regnum Series Book 1) (25 page)

She nods, then jumps in the back of the car. Quade crawls in beside her, Allison sits up front. The rest stay at the hotel lobby. It doesn’t take long for them to arrive. Tia takes a deep breath, hoping she isn’t too late. She jumps out of the car, walking up the path. Tia pulls out the key, unlocking her front door.

The house is a wreck when Tia enters. Whoever was there trashed what little possessions they had. Her heart stops and she prays Edwin isn't dead.

"Edwin!” Tia calls up the stairs, hoping he will answer.

“Mr. Leporem!” Jacob shouts behind her, startling her. Neither one answers to their voices. They continue to search, each room even more destroyed than the last. Tia approaches the kitchen, then down the cellar stairs. There appears to be two bodies in the corner of the basement. Tia runs over to the men.

“Edwin, Javan, wake up.” She begins to shake both of them. Their chests rise and fall, but they are unresponsive. From what Tia can decipher, they were hit over the head.

“They can’t hear you,” a familiar voice calls from the other end of the basement. Tia turns around, detecting the man from the video last night. Immediately, it all connects in her mind. Though he speaks in a more mature tone, she is face to face with Lucas.

Chapter 20

Tia finds herself blinking, repeatedly, at the sight of the gangly boy from Novo. For the first time since she met him, Lucas appears strong and confident. His glasses are ever present, but his posture is solid and his hair slicked back. Her mouth is dry, and her palms sweaty as he aims a gun in her direction.
Could this really be happening?
she wonders, frozen in place.

“What’s the matter, Tia?” he questions her, cooly. “A little surprised to see me?” He holds up the necklace that Javan was supposed to be wearing and dangles it in front of her. “I thought this was creative of him, trying to keep you safe, thinking Mr. Avery wouldn’t find out. I suppose Javan has a soft spot for you after all. Thankfully, I found it just in time for it to bring you here to me.

“Mr. Avery will be so pleased to know that I was the one to catch you. After you and your little friend escaped this morning, I was concerned we would never find you again. We assumed that you were smart enough to take off somewhere and hide, but no. Even after Merve feeds you the bullshit story about Javan, you still come to his rescue.”  

“So, Javan isn’t working for Mr. Avery, then?” Tia questions, backing up closer to the wall. Lucas laughs, a deep chuckle.

“My dear, you really aren’t as bright as everyone thinks you are. I was the one who spied on you, it was my idea to use my key to sneak into your hotel room. It was my invisibility powers that Mr. Avery needed to keep a close watch. Do you realize how easy it was to use my magical skills when Javan pays no attention to his capitol’s magic tracker?”

“Maybe he just trusts his people, unlike some leaders,” Tia spits, disgusted.

“That is a huge deal with him, isn’t it. That stupid obstacle in the last stage of the Electus. ‘You just need to trust the person,’ what a pussy challenge.” Lucas rolls his eyes. “The only challenge this week was trying not to laugh at the sight of you two in your little romance.

“‘Oh, I was so worried about you tonight when I found out you were kidnapped.’‘Oh I’m having nightmares, come lay next to me and hold me, Javan.’ ‘I wanted to kiss you since the first time I saw you.’ Made me want to barf. Least he could have done was take advantage of the situation and try to get laid.

“I’m really glad that Merve decided to rape you on top of the kidnapping. I knew it would be the perfect thing to get under Javan’s skin.”

“Why did you do all this? You seemed like...” Tia begins.

“Such a nice boy?” Lucas finishes, mockingly. “All because of my size and my demeanor. It’s easy for you to believe me and ignore me. As for the reason I did this, it’s because I have an agreement with Mr. Avery. He sought me out months ago, because I live in Elatus and  know how the capitol is run there.

“My uncle worked right under Mr. Tersus for over twenty years. That’s how it was so easy for us to kill the man, just like Mr. Avery asked us to. In exchange for our loyalty to Mr. Avery, my mother is released from prison in Letum, my uncle retires, and I get the highest Regnumian position in Mr. Avery’s company. You know, the one your father had.”

Tia is puzzled. Her father did not have a high position, they lived in the poorest section of town. Before she can respond, Lucas continues.

“Another fun task was making your father disappear after Javan killed him. Which, again, was my suggestion that Javan do the deed. Test his loyalty to us. I never believed him, he is too weak. When Mr. Avery told me he was on our side, I sensed he wasn’t to be trusted. He was too close to Mr. Tersus.”

A groan erupts from behind her. Lucas moves his gun towards Edwin.

“No,” Tia jumps, in front of him, “don’t hurt him. It’s me you want right? Leave them where they are.” She hopes that she can lead him up the stairs where the others are waiting. There is only one of him, and four of them. Odds are, they have a good chance of escaping, even if Lucas has a weapon.

“Come on, then.” He grabs her arm and drags her up the stairway, into the kitchen, where the others are tied to chairs. Tia is speechless as Merve enters the room, followed by the other two men who kidnapped her.

“About time,” Merve answers, his head wrapped up in a bandage. Tia tries not to panic with a gun still pressed against her back and her whole crew tied up.

“We tried,” Quade responds, staring at Tia.

“Shut up,” Merve smacks him across the back of the head. “Are you taking her to Mr. Avery or are we calling him over here?” he questions Lucas.

“You and I both know he isn’t moving his fat ass unless necessary,” Lucas responds. “Hand me the tape.”

Merve throws it over, and Lucas catches it with his other hand. Tia realizes she was completely off about his persona. He wraps duct tape around her wrists, binding them together.

“What are we supposed to do with them?” Merve poses, pointing to the other three in the chairs.

“Whatever you want. Be creative. Just so long as they don’t interfere,” Lucas replies. He walks over and grabs Jacobs keys from his pocket. “Don’t mind if I borrow these do you, Jakey?” He smirks, pulling Tia over through the living room to the front door. They head for the car out front. He throws her into the back seat, then jumps in, and they take off.

The streets aren’t as busy as usual since it is a Saturday afternoon. Most people are at home, enjoying their weekend. Lucas keeps high speed, seeing that the roads are open.

Tia’s mind races through a plan to coax Lucas out of taking her to Mr. Avery. Every second she hesitates, they grow closer to the city.

“You don’t have to do this, you know,” Tia attempts to appeal to what little sense of sympathy Lucas might have left. He doesn’t respond.

“Mr. Avery plans on destroying our kind, you know. Regnumians hold no importance to him. Look how easily he disposed of my father. Do you think he won’t do the same to you? He can’t be trusted, Lucas.”

“Don’t care,” he replies, shaking his head.

“How could you not care? What happened to you that you have no sense of value to life?” she rambles on, hoping to make headway.

“I just don’t believe a word you say. Do you really think that Mr. Avery scares me, anyway? I am the one with the magical powers, why the hell should I be afraid of him?” 

“He is too powerful, has way too many connections. All he has to do is ask another ‘employee’ of his to take care of you like he did my father...”

“Shut up! You are annoying me. God, if Mr. Avery didn’t need you, I would kill you myself,” he replies.

Tia senses she is not making any progress. From what she can tell, they are half way to the city. She is running out of time to break free and, hopefully, have a chance to save her friends.

“Well then, can I ask you something?” she poses, moving along with plan B.

“Whatever,” he responds, keeping his focus on the road.

“If you are so smart, why didn’t you think to tie my hands behind my back?”

“What?” he asks, glancing at the rearview mirror, catching Tia’s smirk. She lifts her hands up over the seat, looping her arms around his neck, then leans back to choke Lucas. His airway is obstructed as he grabs her arms, trying to rip the duct tape off to free himself. The car veers off the side of the road, charging into a nearby field.

He struggles against her hold as his foot presses down on the gas pedal, causing them to accelerate towards the woods. Lucas rips the tape off completely. Tia’s hands are free now, and she hurries to open the door. She rolls out into the field, just moments before the car rams into a tree. The car explodes on impact.

She covers her mouth, realizing, for the first time, she killed another living creature. Although, Tia had no other plan. It was either his life, or three other lives taken. She blocks the thought from her mind. Tia doesn’t wish to waste another moment. She transforms into a raven and takes off, hoping it’s not too late.

On average, it takes fifteen minutes to drive into Urbi from Tia's neighborhood. It takes a quarter of that time for her to fly back home from the halfway mark. Tia lands in the back yard and transforms into herself. She creeps up to the kitchen window to peer inside. Merve and one other man are guarding the three hostages, who, to Tia's relief, are still alive.

Merve is sitting, with the gun in his hand, at the table and enjoying a pudding cup from their cabinet. The other man is setting, picking dirt from his nails with a knife. Tia is curious as to where the third goon disappeared to.

Suddenly, Tia feels someone grab her shoulder. She whips around to find Javan, his finger over his mouth, symbolizing to be quiet. All Tia wants to do is hug him and never let go. Although, after everything that happened, she finders herself shy with him all over again. Beside Javan is Edwin, who Tia lunges at.
I can hug him without awkwardness
, she thinks.

"How did you two escape?” she whispers, releasing Edwin.

"Once we were both conscious again, we turned back to back and untied each other. Took a while, but we figured it out. Of course it helps when people follow directions,” Edwin whispers and glances at Javan.

“I did listen to directions, you just gave them to me incorrectly,” Javan answers him.

“What happened with Lucas?" Edwin whispers.

"We had a minor car accident,” she answers, her eyes wandering to Javan, who avoids her gaze.

"How did that happen?" Edwin questions, examining her face for signs of injury.

"Apparently choking the driver impairs their ability to pay attention to the road,” she responds, slyly.

"Daddy’s little girl,” he remarks. Javan remains silent. Tia is unsure why, but she avoids his gaze, also.
What is wrong with me?
she wonders,
I’m excited to see him, excited he is alright and not a lying douche bag, yet I can’t show it.
She pushes the thought aside,
there are more important matters to attend to.

"We need to free the others somehow,” Tia whispers. “I only see two of the guys in the kitchen. I don't know what happened to the third one.”

"He is taken care of,” Edwin responds, nodding.

“What happened?" Tia grins, knowing it will be good.

"Apparently hitting someone in the head with a blunt object hinders their ability to remain conscious,” he replies.

"Where the hell were you?" Merve's voice calls from inside the house. Tia peeks up into the window. The third goon is back in the kitchen, his head bleeding.

"They escaped,” he grumbles, grabbing a towel from the counter and pressing it against his wound.

"I knew I should have taken care of this myself,” Merve replies. “You check upstairs, you go outside, and I'll search the rest of the downstairs.”

The goons leave, all murmuring in complaints. Tia, Javan, and Edwin wait until the coast is clear to enter the back door leading into the kitchen.

“Tia,” Allison whispers at the sight of her and the others.

"How did you break free?" Quade whispers as they move towards the three of them.

"Long story,” Javan voices.
Sure he talks to Quade
, Tia’s thoughts pipe up once more.

"We just need to get you out of here,” Edwin asserts, releasing Allison from her ties. Tia and Javan free Quade and Jacob.

"Quick, out the back,” Edwin advises, the six of them exiting single file. The goons are no where in sight, neither is a car. Tia remembers that Jacob’s vehicle is now a permanent part of a tree trunk in Urbi woods.

"How will we get out of here?" Quade wonders aloud. “We can’t all use magic, and I’m out of disappearing serum.”

"The goons had to drive here somehow. Where's their vehicle?" Jacob chimes in.

“Even if we found the car, we don’t have the keys,” Quade adds. “We need to find them first, then see about the car.”

"Why don't we show you where they are?” Merve responds, holding his gun to the back of Jacob’s head. Tia's heart jumps up into her throat.
I keep putting people in danger.

"You are not going to win. You are outnumbered,” Quade states, boldly. The rest of the gang surrounds the three men.

"Are we?" Merve snaps his fingers, as four more men arrive behind them.

"Oh look, they can do math after all,” Edwin declares. One goon points his gun at Edwin, and Javan jumps in front of him, catching the bullet in his left shoulder.

Tia stares back at him, relieved it was not a fatal shot, then returns her glance to the goons.

“This is senseless!” she screams. “I’m the one you want! Release the rest and I’ll surrender!”

“No, Tia!” Javan yells. She turns back to him, they lock eyes. He appears to be in pain, possibly because he has a bullet lodged in his upper arm, but Tia senses it is much deeper than that.

"Enough talking,” Merve orders. “Time to die." A gun fires and strikes Merve in the jugular, causing him to fall to the ground. The gun shot is still echoing in the distance. Everyone turns to search for where the bullet originated. No one is in sight.