Chapter Ten

Caught

Mike helped Ariel unload the trunk and put the groceries away. Not a word passed between them until the task was done.

“What do you think?”

Ariel turned to her husband. “They’re teenage boys,” she said as if it were obvious.

“That’s all?” Mike asked in disbelief.

“They’re close,” remarked Ariel.

“Makes sense,” Mike said. “They’ve probably known each other for years.”

“No. I meant Adrian too.”

Mike had one thing to say about that. “We’re not taking them in.”

“I never said we should!” Ariel snapped though she already considered and rejected the idea.

Mike sighed and said gently. “Because you know we can’t. Ravner is probably after them too. If we keep them in one place, we’re making his task easier.”

Ariel sat down at the table, feeling defeated. “Where will they go? Foster care? We can’t let them live on the streets.”

A smile flashed across Mike’s face. His wife had the heart of a saint. “It’s they’re own choice.”

“They just boys,” Ariel said sadly. “They can’t possibly know what’s good for them.”

Mike took a seat next to her. “If we push them into anything, they’ll walk away and Adrian may never see them again. I know he loves us, but Adrian needs them too now.”

Ariel smiled, leaned forward, and kissed her husband without explanation.

Mike cleared his throat. “What movie did they go see?”

Ariel wasn’t at all surprised that Mike realized she took his advice and dropped them off at the theater. “You’ll have to ask them when they get back.”

“I’ll do that then,” Mike said and kissed her. It almost made him forget the horrible task that lay ahead when the Adrian, Aaron, and Trayc returned.

Almost.

--

“Give me some more!” Aaron demanded, nearly diving for the box of chocolate raisins in Adrian’s hand. Adrian pulled away, poured himself a handful, and handed them to him. But before Aaron could get any, Trayc snatched them.

“Hey!” exclaimed the dragon. Trayc quickly took a few and tossed the candy back to him. Aaron growled in annoyance but accepted the box. He dumped its contents into his mouth which earned him a blow in the arm from Adrian. “What?” he said through a mouthful of chocolate.

“I’m gonna go get another one. Tell my mom to wait if she comes.” Adrian stood up and pushed his way through the revolving doors. He checked to make sure the people at the ticket booth weren’t watching before he jumped the lines blocking the snack stand. “Hello?” he called, leaning over the counter.

A man in his late teens came out of the back room to answer his call. “Can I help you?”

“Chocolate raisins please,” Adrian said, grabbing money out of his pocket.

The man placed a box of them on the counter and turned to the cash register. Adrian handed him some money and took the raisins. “Keep the change,” he said as he turned away. He was startled to find someone in his way. Thinking nothing of it he went to push past the stranger.

“Hello, Adrian.”

His heart plummeted and he jumped back. Pain exploded in his back as he smashed into the snack counter, and he whipped around and saw the man working the counter was gone—probably returned to the back room. No one else seemed to be around.

Adrian jerked back around to face Ravner who was dressed in a white lab coat, black pants, and a tie. The professional attire didn’t fool Adrian, and made him sick to his stomach. “Get away from me,” Adrian spat. Dropping the raisins he put his hands out in front of his chest as if he was holding an invisible ball. Slowly a ball of glowing energy formed in his hands, but he couldn’t attack the scientist. There was no doubt in his mind that Ravner deserved the worst he could do, but he physically could not attack him. Confused by his body’s restriction, he dropped his hands and let the energy fade away. He tried to take a step back but his heel against the hard surface behind him.

Ravner stared at him, smiling with triumph. “I’m hurt. I came all this way to see you and your new friends, and you’re not happy to see me.”

“How did you find me?” Adrian asked, trying to buy himself time.

“The same reason you can’t harm me,” Ravner said. He pointed and Adrian followed his gesture to the wrist. Adrian almost forgot about the metal band there. “A clever piece of technology. My own invention. You see, I don’t need magick to accomplish my goals.” Ravner took a moment to flush the anger from his voice. “Now, come with me and—”

Adrian dove past him and sprinted for the door. He burst through, making Aaron and Trayc jump in surprise. A few people around the theater gave him odd looks but continued on their way.

“Where are the raisins?” demanded Aaron.

Adrian seized them by the arms and began to drag them away. “Forget the raisins. We have to go now!” he said urgently.

Aaron ripped his arm away from Adrian. “Get off of me! What’s your problem?”

“Him!” The psychic pointed to Ravner as he exited the theater. He looked frighteningly calm and even took a moment to straighten his tie.

Beside Adrian, Trayc gasped. He pushed Aaron and Adrian to the curb. “Go!” he shouted. They bolted across the parking lot, earning honks from the theater’s customers that they cut off.

“Where are we going?” Adrian asked breathlessly as they ran—passing through the parking lot and crossing several streets.

“Away,” said Trayc.

“Brilliant plan,” Aaron said sarcastically.

“As long as we around people, Ravner can’t do anything,” Adrian reasoned.

“But if we can get out of the view of these idiots, we’ll be able to defend ourselves without raising any questions,” argued Aaron.

“We can’t fight him,” said Adrian impatiently. When he could sprint no more, he stopped—doubled over and gasping for breath.

“He’s one man,” Aaron said. “I could take him on alone.”

Trayc shook his head, took a breath, and said, “Adrian is right.”

“So we’re just gonna run like cowards?” Aaron snarled.

“No.” Adrian said angrily. “We’re gonna run like people who value their lives.” He turned to Trayc. “If we cut through these woods we should come out by my school. My house isn’t far from there.”

“Obviously,” Aaron snorted. “You wouldn’t walk it if it wasn’t.”

“Oh yeah? Why’s that?”

“Cause you’d die from exertion.”

“Look at you, huff-n-puff!” Adrian snapped.

Trayc silenced them with ‘the look.’ He stayed in the lead, knowing the town much better than Adrian. They were two blocks away from the woods and at least an hour away from the Rosewood’s. The mouth of the forest came into view, and Trayc quickened the pace. Once they were in the woods, Trayc felt a small amount of relief. It didn’t last long.

“Move!” Adrian yelled as a large group of men approached with guns in hands. He pushed Trayc and Aaron to the ground and put up a barrier to protect them from harm.

“How long can you hold that?” Trayc asked, glancing at the approaching men with guns.

Adrian could only shake his head in response. If he spoke, he would lose concentration. He cursed inwardly. Wasn’t this what he spent hours a day training for—to get better concentration? And now, in a time of crisis, he couldn’t apply what he practiced? Useless, Adrian scolded himself.

“We have to fight,” Aaron said.

“Yeah,” Trayc voiced his response so that Adrian—who had his eyes squeezed tightly shut in concentration—could hear their decision. He nodded, and he was shocked to find that he could feel the difference in the air as Trayc and Aaron transformed. He opened his eyes and met those of Aaron then Trayc.

It was time.

The moment Adrian let the barrier die Aaron and Trayc took action. Aaron released a stream of fire into the small army of men; Trayc rushed towards them, snarling and his jaws snapping. Adrian managed to relieve some of the men of their guns with a single movement of his hands. When the men dove to reclaim their weapons, Aaron put a stop to it with a jet of fire.

“Very good, lads.”

Adrian whipped around when he heard Ravner’s familiar voice.

“Wonderful performance,” Ravner said. Despite the sunglasses, Adrian felt the man’s eyes were staring into his own.

He remembered a moment too late that he should have been helping Aaron and Trayc. An infuriated roar came from behind. Adrian turned and watched in horror as Trayc collapsed, losing his wolf form. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Aaron rip a dart from his abdomen and toss it to the ground. His movements we slow—groggy even.

Adrian gasped as a sharp pain interrupted in his shoulder. He wasn’t aware he lost his balance until he his head hit the ground. He reached toward the source of the pain and held it in front if his face to examine it: a dart. Before he blacked out, he watched Aaron fall to his knees—once again human.