Aurora's POV
I started coming out of my unconscious state, my head felt heavy too heavy for me to pick up. I must have made some noise because I felt a man's hand hook a hair around my ear. I tried to flinch but even that natural of a reaction was still too much for me. What had they given to me, and where was I? I knew who had taken me, that bastered Gavin Goodie-Bowman.
"She is waking up." I could hear a nervous young man's voice say, Joshua Jr, yes it was him.
"I know boy, she is meant to wake," Gavin said his voice is just like nails on a chalk board to me. "You see she is not a bad person, she is just confused, our friend is on her way and she will set her straight." How confident he sounded who was this friend and what were they planning on doing with me.
I thought to struggle more, I had confidence in my abilities, but my body still wouldn't listen to my mind and I was curious. Now I would have to wait. My mind kept going back to Peter and how I was supposed to protect him, I was pretty sure Gavin and his followers didn't know about him, because that basted Gavin wouldn't have taken me when he could have taken a horseman. Does that mean he knew where my family was and he crashed that party for us. Did he have anyone else, I wasn't sure.
"Welcome we have been waiting for you." I could hear Gavin talking to someone but I didn't know who.
"Is she here?" I could hear a female voice
"Yes I told you I could get her." Gavin said then he opened the door to my prison, really it was just a small bunker room inside a cellar. "Can you really help her understand our ways?" What is he talking about "our ways"
Gavin held the door open and in walked Becca Peter's adoptive sister. She's a demon why are her and Gavin Goodie-Bowman working together, "I can do that and so much more." Becca smiled at me, I didn't like what was happening, and I wasn't even sure what that was.
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Peter's POV
"There he is." Ethan said pointing out Joshua Jones Jr.. We had been staking out The Goodie Chruch for over 4 days. Taking shifts, even Ken was helping he had made a miraculous recovery.
"I'm taking him down." I said ready to leap out and smash his face in. Ethan grabbed my shoulder and pushed me down.
"Wait. He's the first person we have seen around the church since we have been here. Let's follow." Ethan urged I nodded that would probably help more than my plan, but this guy was defiantly going to get punched in the face and soon.
Joshua Jones Jr. made his way to the back of the church and opened the cellar doors.
"Can we get him now?" I asked very impatiently
"No, just wait; we don't know what is down there." Ethan said
We didn't have to wait long Joshua Jones Jr. come up from the cellar holding someone's hand. I couldn't see her face but she had brown hair and was wearing a pink cardigan with a kaki pencil skirt. When the two turned to walk to the front of the church I was shocked it was Aroura. What is going on? Ethan couldn't hold me back any more. I lept from the bushes and pushed Joshua Jr away from Aroura, then grabbed her hand and went to pull her with me and save her. She screamed like I was a monster, and ran to Joshua Jr helping him up.
"Aroura what are you doing come on." Ethan wasn't far behind me and beckoned Aroura to come with us.
"I don't know who you are but we'll call the cops if you keep harassing us." She yelled helping Joshua Jr up and grabbing his arm like he was her protector.
"What do you mean, I'm your cousin Ethan, and this is our friend Peter." Man when he wanted to Ethan had a super calming voice.
"I don't know what you mean I don't have any family that lives here. And a boy like that is most certainly not my friend." disgust dripped from her voice when she talked about me, it kind of hurt my feelings, but I realized Aroura must have been brain washed or something but how.
"You heard the lady," Joshua Jr finally chimed in, "I suggest you leave." The look on his face was so smug like he had just won. I stepped toward him but Ethan held my shoulders.
"Let's go." He told me. I didn't want to, it felt wrong leaving Aroura alone with him, but Ethan I'm sure has a plan.
"Wait what is the plan?" Ella asked for the third time. I liked the plan. It mostly involved kidnaping Aroura and keeping her prisoner until she remembered who she was. I wondered if her uncle would let me be her guard.
"Well I know it's not your favorite but we can't leave her with them, I fear for what they may have her do." Uncle Ryan said
"If you guys didn't like this church that much, why did you go to it." Matt asked
I kind of agreed with his line questioning. I mean we were acting like we were going to war. And I still didn't quite get why they would brainwash Aroura to begin with. I mean Joshua Jones Jr. didn't need that much help to find a date, and what does Ryan think they could possible having her do?
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Lola's POV
It hadn't dawned on me that we never really let Peter Matt or Ken in on what was happening. And really I wasn't sure we could even tell Matt he wasn't one of them like Peter and Ken were. How is it that I automatically found Ken and could feel a connection. It must be because of the mission that must be why Auroura and Peter were so drawn to each other too.
"Uncle Ryan, I think we have to say something." I urged we should have had more time to prepare.
"Lola you know they aren't ready." Eve Matt and Peter's mom pleaded. I think she wasn't ready
"Ready or not it's time." I insisted Uncle Ryan nodded in agreement
I marched into the living room demanding attention it worked everyone looked at me. "So there is something we," I motioned to my family, "need to tell you." I was kinda veg when I said you because it wasn't as easy as 123. "My family and I are keepers of gates that lead to heaven and hell." Ok 1 out of the way no one interrupted so far so good. "We are not only here to watch after a gate, we are here to find the four horseman." 2 I'm starting to think no one is listening because I'm looking at Peter, Matt and Ken and they are just staring at me, I actually looked down to make sure I haven't had some massive wardrobe malfunction, no I'm good. They must just be in shock. "And Peter is Pestilence, and Ken is War." 3 there that wasn't so hard.
"What about me?" Matt asked
"As far as we know you are not a horseman." Eve said Matt looked sad and disappointed
"Wait what does that have to do with Aroura?" Peter asked while Ken was looking at his hands like they were brand new.
"Aroura was probably targeted to open the gate or spill information about you boys." Uncle Ryan answered. "Either way we are going to have to get her before that happens, we need to have 24 hour severance on the gate."
"I'll go." Peter piped up. "I can take the first watch."
"No need." Uncle Ryan said opening a lab top. "Eve and I went and set up cameras, when they get there we will know."
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Peter's POV
I always knew I was not quite the same as everyone else, but the bringer of the apocalypse that was heavy. I felt bad for Matt he always got left out of things but at least he was around to know the secret so I didn't have to lie to him.
It had been over a week and no motion at the gate and nothing unusuall at the church. And worst of all no sightings of Aroura. I hadn't been going to school my mind was too occupied with worry. Ryan has been letting me stay with them and when I'm not watching this seemingly un moving forest sene that I have been told will alarm with movement, I train. This time I had my eyes glued to the lab top screen for 3 hours already, my mom tried to get me to eat but I wasn't hungry I had such anxiety building up inside of me I didn't know what to do. Then I felt a hand tap my shoulder.
"Could you please calm down," Ethan said, "You are making us sick." What like with worry because so was I. but as I looked at everyone's faces they actually looked ill like they had the flu or something.
"I didn't know I could do that." I said, "I'm sorry." I hung my head and my body all of a sudden felt drained of energy.
"And we didn't know you could do that." Ryan said, Peter looked around again and everyone looked much better. "We knew you could drain energy from people, and as Lola figured out when Ken came into his power from other riders, Eve also proves that you can drain angels. But it is quite special that you can also give back that energy taken. You might want to work on controlling both of these abilities we may need them." Ryan patted me on the back. So his mom was an angle, really he never had any dought, because his mom was the most loving caring person he knew.
I had been "practicing" my new found skills with Ethan and Ken, and I found out some pretty cool stuff. I could steal energy from one person and absorb it into myself or even give it to someone else, like a super boost that could lead them to victory. After hours of practicing, Ken got some super strength War stuff in there too. I heard a beeping, everyone rushed to the table the open laptop was sitting on, almost knocking it over. It wasn't Aroura or Joshua Jones Jr., it was a scruffy looking old man.
"That's him." Ella screamed a little too close to my ear. "The man we saw enters the gate on his own, and the noise." She cringed a little at the last part like it was a bad memory. Ethan nodded and put his arm around her. It's so funny to think that these two are twins. Ella has blond sunshine hair and a pale completion she is not very tall maybe 5'4" or so. Ethan is well over 6'2" which is just a bit shorter than I am and he has dirty blond hair and tan skin like he spends all day at the beach, we don't even have any beaches near us.
Ryan looked closely at him, man, did he think he would recognize him or what? "We need to get over there." Ryan suddenly said. No one asked any questions we all just started gathering ourselves to head out the door. "Wait, Matt and Eve, and I should stay behind just in case we will call if something new happens."
We took Ryan's truck a real nice four door black F150 with all the bells and whistles. Ethan drove that's the happiest I have seen him ever. Lola and Ella sat in the front with him while Ken and I sat in the back, I was surprised at the space my legs had and while I was a bit nerves I tried to focus on the niceties of the vehicle to keep my draining powers in check.
Ethan parked the truck about 100 ft. from "the portal" I still was a bit skeptical but on the other hand they seem to be right about me and Ken. We all hid in the thickness of the forest watching, then I saw it the door that beckoned me with its large black frame and a heavy dark wood door that looked almost alive with power. I looked at Ken and from the look on his face I knew he could see it too.
"That man is call for someone." Ella said suddenly "I think he is saying daughter come."
From down the road there came two trucks even newer and nicer than Ryan's. I was on edge who was going to get out of these trucks. The old man stood and watched as a middle aged man stepped out of the drivers seat of the first truck. "That's Joshua Jones Sr." Ken said pointing
Next Joshua Jones Jr. steped out of the passanger side of the same truck. He went to the back door and opened it. Out stepped Aroura, now wearing pale pink sweater and some kind of brown loafers and a pale khaki shirt. I almost just ran to get her, that was the objective anyway right. Ethan again had to put his hand on my shoulder "Wait, it's almost time."
The second trucks driver emerged and I heard Lola gasp "Gavin Goodie-Bowman, he hasn't aged at all." Then the old man went to the passenger door and opened it. Out stepped Becca, my sister, well my adopted sister but still. I could feel a buzzing in my pocket and quickly realized it was my phone. I dug it out to see it was my mom calling I answered with a wisper. "Hello."
"Don't let Becca distract you, you have to make sure that Aroura doesn't let anyone though the gate." My mom practically screamed at me and that was it she hung up. As I was putting my phone back into my pocket it started buzzing again. I answered and didn't even get out a word. "Oh and I love you and be careful." See my mom is an angle.
They were all talking in front of the trucks. Joshua Jones Sr. and Jr., Jr was holding on to Aroura like she was his favorite new toy. I will defiantly be punching him in the face today. The old man, I looked at him more thoroughly I could see beyond just the scruffy long beard, slightly hunched body, and clothing that looked like he had been swimming in mud. He had a power to him it seemed to waft off of him. I watched as my sister Becca looked happier than I had ever seen her look in my life. It hurt to know she would turn her back on us, I always thought we were a great family.
The old man finally took Becca's and on the left and Aroura's hand on the right and started walking them toward the gate. "Now," Ethan commanded "Before it's too late" I stayed still for a moment still watching in aww of the power of the old bum. Then as I saw Lola, Ella, Ethan, and Ken had already made it to the clearing and been seen. Oh crap I had to hurry.
My only task was to get Aroura, once that was done we would take her back to the truck and hall ass back to her house. Seemed simple enofe, but as I neared her I could feel not only the old mans power but Becca's as well I had never noticed it before. I had been practicing with my new fond powers and started to absorb as much of Becca's strength as I could. She laughed and said "Your little parlor tricks might work on me but my father is too strong for you to handle."
I accepted her warning because I could already feel too much power buzzing inside of me. I looked up quickly and saw Lola, Ethan, Ella, and Ken fighting, I hadn't practiced too much with this but I pushed all of my energy into them. Ken was the most obvious to get the power red smoke started to form around him and he swung and missed Joshua Jones Sr hitting one of the trucks and leaving a massive dent. "Devil, he was a devil in our mist." Joshua Jones Sr. was yelling
Lola chimed in "you are helping devils don't you see." She motioned to the old man and Becca.
"Pay these devil worshiper no mind they know not of what they speak." Gavin Goodie-Bowman told his follower and that worked Jones Sr just kept trying to fight off a red eyed red swirling cloud covered Ken, with a baseball bat.
I turned my attention to the old man who was holding Aroura firmly around the bicep. She didn't try to escape or wiggle she looked entranced.
"She is entranced boy." The old man said to me could he read my mind or was my face giving away my thought. I stiffened my face and lunged toward Aroura and the old man. He quickly moved both of their bodys out of the way. I needed to try a different tactic.
I thought hard about absorbing the old mans energy and it was working I could see the surprise on his face. "Very good boy but how much can you really take?" he laughed and pushed his energy on me, more energy than I could ever imagine. My body felt on fire and I looked down at my hands and I had white smoke swirling around me. I tried to push more enrgy to my friends but I could hear them yelling "Too much." Ken already looked like he had grown a foot and gained about 100 pounds of muscle. I wondered if my body had done that as well.
I once again dove to grab Aroura. After my dive I looked down in my arms and I had succeeded, I had her in my arms, and I had grown because she seemed to small in my grasp.
Ethan saw my success and yelled "Lets go."
Aroura snapped out of her trace and looked at me and screamed "Joshua save me. Please" well out of a trance not out of brain washing.
Lucky for me Joshua Jones Jr. came to help because I finally got to punch him in the face like I had wanted to for what felt like so long now. I kept my grip tight on Aroura as I watched Joshua Jones Jr hit the ground after my now over sized fist hit his face. I wanted to take more time to enjoy it but Ella was yelling "Hurry Peter."
I was carrying Aroura fireman style and she was not happy. She was kicking my stomach and pounding on my back. A few of her kicks narrowly missed my crown jewels, and it made me thankful that Aroura wasn't taller and that I could set her down because we finally made it to the truck.
Ethan begaine removing his belt and used it as hand cuffs for his cousin, we sat her in the middle in the back seat smashed in between me and Ethan. Lola drove us and Ella and Ken sat up font. The ride was filled with tension and it all radiated from Aroura. She bucked her body and tried to grab the driver. We were only in the car for 20 min at the most but it seemed like an eternity, I was going to drain just a bit of energy from Aroura but I drained her until she went limp.
"Thank you." Ethan said what took you so long
"I don't want to hurt her." I said quietly brushing the hair out of her face.
"She's fine." Lola said, "You can wake her once we get her secure."
I wasn't sure what secure was but I soon found out. When we pulled up to their house Lola pulled around back and parked. Everyone filed out and I gently lifted Aroura out of the truck. I followed as we all descended down into a cellar. Once inside I realized just like most things with this family this wasn't an average cellar, with canned goods and camping gear. It was a mini jail, with crazy writing all over the walls and floors.
"Are you guys ok in here." Ella inquired.
I looked at Ken and he seemed fine and beside the fact that I didn't want to leave Aroura in a jail cell I was fine.
I nodded and Ken said "I'm Fine."
"They really are different." Lola sounded amazed and excited when she said it, and walked over to Ken and touched his hand, he smiled and grabbed her hand and held it. I wasn't sure what she meant and it was nice that they found each other but my concern was the lovely limp girl slung over my shoulder.
"So let's set Aroura here for now," Ethan directed me to a cell with a cot. I walked over and set her down as gently as I could. I backed out of the cell even though I wanted to stay. Ethan closed the jail cell door with Aroura sleeping on a cot inside and me standing and staring at her from the outside.
"This cell is specific for demons," Ethan said as he ushered us around like a tour guide. " it is quite remarkable that the two of you don't feel strange here this place is warded against angels and demons. But we were told you guys aren't really demons, and I guess this proves that. Any ways no one will be getting down here." He sounded so sure of himself it gave me a bit of encouragement. But as I looked over at Aroura I wondered if we could fix her if she would be herself again, or if they would be keeping a family member in a jail cell for the rest of her life.
Back inside the house Ryan, Matt and my mom were waiting for us. My mom gave me a big hug when I entered the house, "You did so good Peter, just what you were supposed to." Usually hugs from my mom weren't my favorite, you know too cool or too old or whatever. But I needed this one and I hugged her tight and a single tear fell from my face. There was so much that had changed and so much I couldn't change and I just wasn't sure what to do but I wanted my mom to always stay with me. Matt was scowling at us and I didn't quite know why. I walked over to him and before I could get a word out, he turned grabbed his coat and said "I'll be back in a while." Ella chased after him and they must have talked for only a min because I heard a truck start.
"What do we know about Becca's power?" Ryan was asking my mom
"Well really I don't know as much as I thought I did, we have been living as a family for 14 years with Matt and Peter and she had never demonstrated signs that she could brain wash people."
I thought about it too how mad Becca got at him and Matt when they would use her make-up to draw war paint on and be Indians, and instead of apologizing we would shoot her with arrows. The thought made me chuckle a bit but if she could have brain washed us into being good I think she would have. Was someone else involved, I remembered what the bum looking guy had said. "He said come daughter." I said quietly and to know one unparticular.
"Who said." Ryan asked
"The old bum, just before the trucks showed up. He said come daughter, does that mean Becca is his daughter?" I ended a little horrified with the prospect, that bum guy was massively powerful.
"That doesn't make sentence, he was clearly an upper level demon he wouldn't send his own daughter for a guard duty, demons feel it is beneath them to do such things." My mom said.
"Do you think it could have been punishment?" Ryan asked
"If it was that would explain a lot." My mom finished then turned to me and grabbed my hand, "Why don't you go check on Aroura, she is probably up now and I have a feeling you are the only one who can fix what they have done to her." She winked at me making me feel a little embarrassed that my mom knew how strong my feelings were for this girl. I hugged her and then left the house.
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