Sheik. He’d never gotten over the hard work he had to contribute to rebuilding their house from scratch. He had prefer living in Swale than coming back to an old slum, but now everything’s well and back to normal. He doesn’t want to lose it.
“Best way is to go out and fight,” said Phoenix. “I’ll like to use that sword that Gabe took away the other day to gut the hell out of some men. Leon’s pistol would come in handy as–”
“Little sister, you’re not going to gut any man,” said Gabriel. “Nor would you shoot anyone. Blake and we can handle this. You, Lav, and Nam just stay inside to be safe.”
“That’s so boring,” said Namine. “Surely we can make a few shot and lessen the enemies for you guys.”
“Right,” Lavender nodded.
“Have you gone nuts? You can’t even hold a gun,” Chance said to her.
“Chancy, I’m your other half. If I’m nuts, then you are, too,” Lavender replied. “We’re twins after all.”
“Well, you’re not a very strong one,” he answered, walking up the stairs. “But anyhow, let’s go get our battle gear and head out to the battle field before our house shatters.”
“Why don’t we let them shoot for a while until they run out of bullets?” said Phoenix. “That will give us the advantage.”
“Hell no!” Sheik blurted. “I’m not going to go through with the after effect with the house all pierced with bullets to tweeze out.”
“Well, there’s no time to argue. Let’s get ready,” said Blake as he headed up after Chance.
“Fine, Nix,” Gabriel said. “You may come get your sword, though I don’t think it’s going to block you from any bullets.”
“I do have a shield,” Phoenix answered. “But you and Sheik replaced it with a turtle shell the last time so I threw it away.”
“Sucks for you, then. You’re not touching any pistol,” he said. Then to Namine and Lavender, “Father’s rifle’s down in the storage room, third box from the bottom up. Leon’s pistol’s under his pillow. Run up to get it.”
They nodded and did as ordered.
“Gabe, you’re so mean!” Phoenix stomped. “I want a pistol, too.”
“You’re only eighteen, too reckless. You can’t touch it,” he said. “Just come up to get your sword.”
They all came back to gather at the door a while later as they got their weapons and peek out the window.
“Oh, my lord,” Namine gasped. “How many men are out there? Twenty? Sixty?”
“Good thing we’re stranded out in the country that no one would get hurt,” said Blake. “Are you guys ready?”
“As I’ll ever be,” said Chance.
“Gabe, I want a gun,” Phoenix whined.
“No,” he said again. “How many times do I have to tell you? You get the sword; you wait in the house; you attack anyone that comes in, understand?”
“Ugh! That’s so unfair! You guys get all the fun.”
“Fun, my ass. We’re risking our lives out there. The least you can do is stay alive to tell Leon and them.”
“Ha! I’d rather die a heroine than be a coward hiding in the house,” she retorted.
Gabriel just shook his head and gesture for them to go out to take their places.
“Stay,” he said one last time to Phoenix, and left.
Phoenix threw her hands up in anger. “Great! While everyone goes out to be heroes, I’m staying in as a bloody loser! Thank you so much, Gabe!”
* * * “Night goes, morning comes, when are we going to find Leon?” Aidan asked as he stomps on the fire of their camp to put it out, and mounted up onto his horse. “Those abductors are too broad with just Islington. Do they actually believe that we will know where that is? If they want the bloody jewel, they will have to be more ‘pacific than that, like the ocean.”
“I have an idea,” said Jack. “We go back to London and find that
Lord Lansing’s mansion.”
“Are you crazy? London’s half an hour behind us now,” Edward
answered. “No thank you.”
“It’s the only way. We have to get him to take us, or one of his
servants who might know.”
“That’s not such a bad idea,” Aidan agreed.
“Yes, but think about it. He could be leading us to our deathbeds
instead of to Leon,” Edward argued. “It’s better if we just try to find
him ourselves and take matters to our own hands.”
“That will take days,” Jack said, urging his horse on the go. “I’ll
get to Lansing’s estate and force something out of his servants to
guide us through.”
“And if we come to meet the lord himself?”
“We give him whatever he