Days of Darkness

Chapter 40

"If you ever touch my wife or child again, I'll boil your brain in your own blood," I said between heavy breaths. He and I knew it wasn't an idle threat. The man folded into the fetal position and began to cry. I crawled over to Natalie.

"I'm sorry I took so long," I mumbled.

"I thought I lost you," Natalie said, "you were so angry. I couldn't feel anything else." I laid my head in her lap trying to build energy so I could figure out how she was secured. I was having trouble keeping my eyes open.

"s**t!" Todd said as he entered the room, "I've never seen anyone move so fast." The other vets came in behind him. It took a moment to release Natalie who immediately joined me on the floor. I pulled Natalie into my arms and held her, not wanting ever to lose her again. She held me upright as I whispered my love into her ear. The words seemed so important to get out. For a moment, I had thought I might not get to say them.

"I loved knowing you were coming," Natalie whispered, "and you brought help."

"Betty's biker group," I said, trying to smile to the g**g. I could see both surprise and pride on their faces. They only half understood what was going on. Finding Natalie tied up and beaten made them feel righteous. Any doubt they were on a rescue mission was gone.

"We have to get Teegan," Natalie said. I released her, and someone helped me to my feet. Monty and Thomas were now armed with guns from the downed guards. My poor girl, her face a mess, fished a black device out of the pocket of the man I almost killed.

"Jams the cameras," Natalie said, her words slurred through a fat lip. I smiled at how she always thought ahead. I was more of a bull, charging forward with little planning. She was super mom. "Drag Corbett to the bathroom across the hall," she added pointing at the prone figure, "No camera's in there so they won't find him for awhile,"

The vets seemed to take to Natalie's leadership quickly. They grabbed Corbett and hauled him bodily across the hall as he drooled. It took them only a moment to secure him inside and muffle his sobbing. I wondered if I broke his mind or had it already been damaged. I decided it didn't matter.

"Teegan's upstairs," Natalie said, motioning down the hall and to the left. An older man stood just outside of the hall when we moved out of the room, his bare palms raised. "Out of the way, Victor," Natalie warned. Two of the vets were already moving forward to clear the way.

"There's a contingency plan," Victor said, stepping to the side, "the helicopter is already on the way. I can't stop them from taking her." I could hear the resignation in his voice. Whoever Victor was, he no longer wanted to be part of what was going on.

"Where is she?" Natalie demanded.

"Abigal has her upstairs," Victor replied, "but not for long. I'm sure they are already trying to move her." My head was splitting, and my body was failing me, but I forced a quickening in my pace. Harry was close, making sure I didn't fall over.

The stairs were brutal; I might as well have been climbing Mt. Everest. If I passed out right then, I wouldn't wake for hours, so I pushed harder. I hated being so weak when Teegan needed me. Had I controlled my anger, I would have had more strength left. A father needed more restraint.

We heard a muffled disagreement ahead behind a door. I could feel Natalie's fear as she rushed forward. The argument grew, and sounds of a fight commenced. The door was locked and the yelling increased. I could feel no confusion from Teegan, only Natalie's panic. Todd put his shoulder to the door and the lock burst, swinging the door loudly on its hinges into the wall.

A small woman stood with Teegan in her arms. Her nose was bleeding, and three black-shirted security guards were unconscious on the ground. I could see her hand was against Teegan's bare belly.

"Everything was wrong," the woman said as Natalie approached her.

"We'll make it right, Abigal," Natalie said. I limped into the room as the vets quickly disarmed the guards.

"Da," Teegan said, and leaned toward me with her arms outstretched. I found strength and moved into her arms. Abigal loosened her hold, and I collapsed onto my knees with my daughter. She wrapped her hands around me ignoring the blood. Her joy flooded into me mixing with mine. I had missed her smile.

"She loves him so much," Abigal said, her eyes wide. She plopped down on the bed as her payment took hold. "I should have never been part of this," she slurred. Natalie quickly went to her side, holding her upright. "Look what he did to you." Abigal continued with tears while looking at Natalie's face.

"He's insane," Natalie said as she hugged Abigal. "the bond isn't power, it's glue that holds people together. We are her family, Sam and me."

"I want what you have," Abigal said as her eyes closed. Natalie carefully laid her down on the bed.

"We have to take her with us," Natalie said to Todd, "I suspect she's in a bit of trouble for protecting Teegan."

"How did she...protect her?" Todd asked. I could see he was at his limit. He had followed my rampage, and now a small woman kicked the hell out of three guards. We didn't have the time, but sometimes information was the key to cooperation. I struggled to stand with Teegan and received some help from Harry. I was going to be out like Abigal if I ever laid down.

"It can only be shown," I said, taking a deep breath, "if you guys don't mind holding hands for a moment." I received some strange looks. "it's just for a second, you don't need to marry anyone." A few weak chuckles met my remark. "Come on, just link up for a second." A few shrugs fueled by curiosity led to the grasping of hands. I tucked my hand under Teegan's shirt and took Harry's hand in mine. The expressions changed like dominos down the linked line.

"Oh," Todd said, "that's not what I expected at all." It was a soft link without anger. I could feel each vet linking in turn, the last being Devlin. His eyes went wide as all our emotions merged with Teegan's. I had never linked with so many before. Unlike my family, it was hard to sort out the emotions and base thoughts that were flying. Devlin broke the link, and his face went red. I could feel how disconcerted he was before he broke off, but didn't have the context to know why.

"Damn, man," Thomas said, "we've always known." Devlin choked up as Thomas hugged him while smacking his back. The others nodded in agreement. The soft link, the one without need, lacked context, so I looked on dumbfounded. I didn't know Devlin well enough to understand.

"I guess I've been in the closet too long," Devlin said with a weak grin.

"Hell," Todd added, "we all knew Joseph isn't just your roommate. We kept it quiet because we thought you didn't want us to know."

"So you all don't give a s**t?" Devlin asked, his smile gaining strength.

"Naw," Monty added, "just pissed you never made a pass at me. I'm not gay, but I have an ego." That earned him a shot in the arm from Todd, and a few laughs from the others. Teegan once again drew people closer together. I just stood there smiling, trying not to collapse, proud of the real power she possessed.

"Guy's," Natalie interrupted, "we have to get out of here." We could hear a distant helicopter.

"Betty was right, the girl is special," Todd said, "time to get her out." The rest grunted their agreement and started to organize. Vets with guns in the front. I handed Teegan over to Natalie. I didn't trust my strength enough to carry her, much less myself. I got a quick kiss of understanding in trade.

Devlin picked up Abigal in a fireman's carry, and we moved as a group down the stairs, infinitely easier than the climb. We turned past what looked like the kitchen. A tall black man stood in our way. He wore a white chef jersey and gray pants. He pointed at Natalie, or maybe it was Teegan.

"The child can't leave," the man said. He stood defiantly though he was unarmed and outnumbered.

"We're leaving, Anthony," Natalie said, "stick to cooking and leave the k********g to others."

"Let them go, Anthony," Victor said, coming from around the corner, "Corbett isn't worth it. It's over."

"I'll not let that thing loose in the world," Anthony spat as he started to move forward, ignoring the armed vets. His expression held an ominous determination that spiked my adrenaline. That he considered Teegan a thing, brought back my anger and it mixed with Natalie's. "Soulless beast!" he screamed and dove forward. I could see Natalie set herself and Teegan filled us both. As fast as our reactions, Anthony didn't get past the lead vets. I thought that Monty would shoot him, but he wasn't given the chance. Thomas clocked Anthony on the back of his head with the pistol. Anthony hit the floor hard and didn't move. I felt the anger recede and with it, more of my strength.

"He won't be the last," Victor said, "some see an angel, other's a demon." Natalie turned to me, and I saw her tears. I moved to her, not wanting her to think she was alone. I hated those tears; they had a feeling of defeat in them.

"Quickest way to the front gate?" Todd asked, trying to keep things moving.

"Take the east gate," Victor said, pointing down the hall, "you'll be trapped by the helicopter if you go out the front." Todd signaled for Victor to lead the way, which he did. Thomas pulled out a phone and called Betty to have her meet us with the car at the east gate. Anthony's limp body was dragged to another bathroom and left on the floor.

Victor led us through the house unaccosted, Corbett's jammer affording us some anonymity. Whoever was monitoring the cameras was probably confused. I wondered why we weren't at least visually inspected as the cameras dropped and returned as we moved. They knew the house was under siege, that we weren't visible should have pointed to our being hidden where the camera's weren't. Maybe, they feared Corbett's wrath more.