I would bet none of us slept well last night, and I am pretty sure everyone already knows I am going to trade myself for my mother, she doesn't deserve this, just because she decided to become my mother when she didn't have to. The world can truly be a very cruel place.
As I walk into the kitchen everyone is already here, they seemed to be waiting for my decisions. "I am sure you guys already know what I am going to do."
"I think we do Aidan, and I, we will do everything we can to get you and your dad away from those people." Kenna said.
"Right now I am more worried about the exchange and making sure they don't get you as well Kenna."
"I couldn't agree with you more man." Jake said. I am pretty sure he would take a bullet for Kenna if he thought it would keep her safe, heck even if it didn't, but we are not going to let it come to that. "So any ideas how to pull this off, I mean this is your turf, I don't really know the area around here."
"Fine, you boys can work out the details, but don't even think about leaving me out of this." Of course Kenna wants to make sure she is a part of this.
"Or me either!" Lexi piped in.
"Got that don't even think about leaving Lexi or I out of this, or you are just not going to know where we are and that could put us in more danger than anything." Kenna said.
"I got it, everyone gets to play a part in exchanging Aidan, all clear on that front. Now can we get down to figuring out exactly how we are going to get this done?"
What we ultimately came up with is an exchange across from the school grounds during the end of school pick up, there will be a ton of people around and no chance of anything fishy going on, well less of a chance of something fishy going on.
I have also decided that I will be the only person they will see. I don't need them to figure out who Jake and Lexi are, and keeping Kenna out of their sight is a must. So Lexi is going to wait in a little café that is near the school which is where I will have my mom go after the exchange, Kenna is going to be watching from the top of the school to keep a look out for people following my mom, which I guarantee they are going to try and do. And Jake is going to be near by keeping watch over everything. I just hope this all works out.
"We all need to get into position before I call Michael, you are all going to have to sit there all day, but it is the only way to keep them from scouting the area and catching us by surprise. If their numbers haven't changed there should be six of them, and there are only four of us. We are going to have to be really careful."
"Aidan are you sure about this? This is a really big risk."
"I'm sure Kenna, it is really my only option, just keep yourself safe."
"I will try my best to keep you that way too. I love you Aidan"
"I love you too Kenna, good luck guys."
I can't deny I am scared, but I can't let Kenna see that or she won't leave. Watching them sneak out the back door was harder than I thought it would be. It shouldn't take them more than thirty minutes to get into position, but I will wait an hour before I call Michael just to be safe.
Ring ring. "Hello Aidan, or I hope it is Aidan, I am getting pretty impatient over here."
"It's me."
"Have you made your decision?"
"I have, I will trade myself for my mom."
"Excellent, why don't you come on over now, I am sure you are nearby."
"Nice try, but the only way this is going to happen is on my terms. I won't risk everything while you risk nothing."
"As you wish, so how are we going to do this then?"
"Across from the school at 3 this afternoon, I would say leave your goons at home, but we both know you won't do that."
"The same as you will have people watching me I am sure."
"Then you agree to 3, across from the school."
"Agreed, but don't try anything funny Aidan, I have no problem eliminating one or both of your parents if it suits me."
"I won't, but you better not either, it is strait across, me for my mother, no one else."
"Fine we will see you at 3. Goodbye Aidan, see you soon." Now all I have to do is wait until 3, not as easy as it sounds.
Sitting on top of the school house is hard, I brought snacks and water but it is still uncomfortable being up here. And waiting until 3 is not the best time either. I don't know where Jake is but Lexi is in the café, I wonder how everyone else is holding up?
At least it gives me time to practice my wind control. I am able to keep the doors to the roof closed pretty easily, I didn't practice with my other abilities cause you can see those ones. You can't really see the wind or air unless you are like me, so I am not too worried about that. I did have a lot of time to kill so I was playing just a little bit.
There was a stray cat about an hour ago, and I got the wind to gently blow passed it like a caressing hand, and I have never seen a cat jump so damn high, oh it was so funny. I blew stray papers across the front lawn of the school, and blew breezes threw peoples hair when they walked passed. I am just bored, absolutely and completely BORED! But I am doing good with my air power.
I just hope I can keep Michael and his men away from Aidan. I did promise Aidan I wouldn't do anything to keep them from taking him though. I can only keep him safe during the exchange and help to get his mother safely away from them. They still have his dad after all.
There is Aidan now, man I hope this works. And there is Michael and Mrs. Clark, but he only has two guys with him. That leaves three unaccounted for. Julie is probably back with Aidan's father, but there are still two out there at least. We decided not to go after his dad, because Michael isn't stupid enough to leave him unprotected. "Aidan let me hear please, I can't just watch this play out I need to know what is going on."
"Fine, but you have to keep quiet Kenna, I need to be able to concentrate."
"Hello there Aidan." If anymore evil could be in someone's voice I don't know how you could put it there, and this is the man who is taking Aidan.
Aidan just ignored him, "Mom are you ok?"
"Aidan don't do this, just walk away, your dad and I are ok with this, we.."
"Mom don't, you can't change my mind, I have to do this, I have to try and protect you, you have protected me my entire life it is my turn to protect you."
"How noble, so since you seem to want to call all the shots, how would you like to proceed?" Michael sneered.
"Sir, sir she is here!" That is one of Michael's goons, so they know I am here somewhere.
"How can you tell?"
"She is holding me, I can't move at all, it is like I am incased in an invisible box sir."
"Interesting, she seems to be pretty good with her control. What is this Aidan I thought I told you nothing funny."
"It is protection, you are here for me and she is here for my mother, if everything goes to plan she will release your men without a problem, but don't expect us to trust you."
"But I am suppose to trust you?"
"We haven't kidnapped anyone now have we, so I think on the trust side of things we are way ahead of you. You also know I will do anything to save my parents, so don't talk to me about trust."
"This is getting us no where Aidan, you are calling the shots here, so what's next?"
"Release my mom and let her come over to me."
"Aidan I am afraid that doesn't work for me, it would be nothing for you to take your mother and walk away with Kenna holding my guys here."
"One of your men can reposition himself behind me, not directly behind me, but five ten feet back, that will give me a minute with my mom, and make you more comfortable knowing I have someone behind me in case we try to run."
"Doesn't help, Kenna can still hold my guys there also."
"Kenna what am I suppose to do?"
"Aidan he is playing you, he still has your dad, so if you were to run he would hurt your dad. Don't let him play you, take the chance to talk to you mom."
"Ok, you're right."
"Michael you still have my father, if I leave with my mom you will hurt my dad. You still have me no matter what, so let me talk to my mom."
"Fine, you are correct, if you do not come with us after this exchange we will hurt your father. You may speak with your mother."
Mrs. Clark walked over to Aidan, "Aidan.."
"Mom please, you aren't going to change my mind. I love you and dad so much, I am so sorry I brought this down on you."
"Don't ever be sorry Aidan, you are the greatest job your father and I have ever had. We wouldn't change it for the world. I don't want you to do this, your father doesn't want you to do this. We have had great lives, please Aidan."
"You are going to continue to have great lives. I can't just turn my back on you guys. Mom you can't ask me to do that, I am sorry you didn't raise me that way. I need you to walk to the cafe. A friend of mine is there, she will keep you safe. You will recognize her as soon as you see her."
"Son I can't just leave you to them, who knows what all they will do to you."
"Mom you have to let me do this please just go, please don't argue with me, if you don't go you are going to put more people in harm's way. Please." That had to have been hard for Aidan to do, but it seemed to work. She gave him a big hug and she started walking to the café. Now if Lexi can just get her out of there without being noticed.
"Ok, now for you Aidan."
"I will walk over to the car for you so we don't draw any attention. But if my mother is harmed in any way I will burn us all alive, do you understand."
"I understand, now move."
Aidan, tried to move but couldn't. "Kenna, you have to let me go. You are putting my dad in danger."
"What is going on, I told you to move Aidan!"
"I am working on that one, just give me a second." Aidan started yelling so Michael understands what is going on, "Kenna, release me, I have to go with Michael."
Of course he is also talking in my head at the same time, "Kenna please, are you willing to kill my father? That is what you are doing right now, making sure they kill my dad."
"Aidan, I am so sorry, I will do whatever I can to get you back." Aidan started walking to the car and it is one of the hardest things not to stop him, but I made a promise and Aidan is afraid if I do anything they would harm his father, I already tested that too much.
"Sir we still can't move."
"Aidan, what about my men?"
"Once I am in the car and she is sure my mother is safe she will release them."
"Kenna, radio Lexi and see what's going on with her and mom."
"Ok I am, I am sorry Aidan."
"Is mother goose flying away?" We decided on a code, so in case they were listening they wouldn't be able to find us.
"Mother goose is on the move, no tail so far. All clear, see you back at the nest."
"She is safe, I will let them go. I love you Aidan be careful."
"I will, you too Kenna."
I watched as they left and just as they turned the corner out of sight another sedan pulled in behind them and followed them around. I can't be sure but I have a feeling that car is the other goons with Michael. Are they really going to give up that easily? Nothing about them has ever made me believe they give up on anything easily. Jake! Where is Jake? I haven't heard an all clear from Jake!
"Jake hello Jake, Jake can you hear me? Please Jake answer me!" I can't get off the roof fast enough, he won't answer me on the radio and I am scared I know why. I radio Lexi to get back to the house asap, and still nothing from Jake!
It seemed like it took me forever to get back to the house but when I got here I was the first one back. About a half hour later Lexi showed up with Mrs. Clark. "Lexi have you seen Jake? Or heard anything from him?"
"No Kenna I haven't, what's wrong?"
"Just a really bad feeling, something isn't right here, I think they have him too."
"Are you sure?"
"No, that is why I said I think, and that damn picture frame isn't helping anything
because no one is in the kitchen where it is at!"
"Kenna calm down."
"Lexi I had a hard enough time agreeing to let Aidan take this risk, but if we have lost Jake too.."
"I know, but if you don't stay calm we aren't going to be able to figure this out, and right now Mrs. Clark is in the living room and really wants to talk to you, so you need to be ready for that."
I took a deep breath, Lexi is right, I have to try and keep Mrs. Clark calm too, so me over reacting when we aren't even sure yet is not going to help anything.
"Hello Mrs. Clark."
"Hello Kenna, I can honestly say I am surprised to see you, so is it safe to assume that this entire thing has something to do with your appearance into our lives?" Damn, talk about accusing me of something, but I can understand where she is coming from. None of this happened before I showed and now look where we are. Of course it would have happened anyway once Aidan told Julie about himself, it was just pure luck it happened after I showed up. Or was it? Is Aidan the one the lords where trying to get me to?
"Though I can understand how you came to that conclusion, I assure you me showing up had nothing to do with what is happening now. We are actually very lucky I did drop into your lives when I did or Aidan would have probably died in Hawaii.." and I continued to tell Mrs. Clark all about our family history and who exactly it was that had taken over her house.
Her reactions were pretty much what I was expecting complete disbelief when I told her about myself and our family history, shock and fear when I got to the Restorers, and quiet acceptance by the time I was finished.
"I am so sorry this happened Mrs. Clark."
"Don't be dear, this is not your fault, nor is it Aidan's, neither of you can help who you are, and if there are people out there that are not ok with that fact, we are just going to have to deal with them as they come. Now what are we going to do about getting my boys back?"
I like it, direct and right to the point. "Right now I am waiting, that picture that Lexi gave you the other day is actually our eyes and ears in the house, but no one has gone into the kitchen at your house since we got back, and one of our numbers is missing, and I have a terrible feeling I know why."
"Are you thinking they captured him as well, or are you thinking worse than that?"
"I believe they have him."
"Is he the one that came to the house with Lexi?"
"Yes."
"And am I correct in believing that neither of those two have any special abilities?"
"Yeah, Lexi is my best friend from back home, and Jake is well he has kinda been my unknown protector my whole life. Long story, don't really have time to get into all of that, but we can go check to see if anything has developed."
"Anything is better than just sitting around waiting." Unfortunately that is still what we are having to do. No activity in the kitchen and Mrs. Clark said they are keeping her husband in the basement so we probably won't be seeing much of anything any time soon. And I couldn't seem to reach Aidan, it's as if they knocked him out or something, which they probably did because it is a lot easier to keep him from burning them alive that way.
*****
Man my head hurts something fierce! "You guys didn't have to drug me you know. I was coming willingly!"
"Oh it was just an extra precaution Aidan, didn't want you to do something reckless. You will be happy to know that your sister did get away from us. She is very good with the wind and air though isn't she?"
"What do you want Michael?"
"Ok no pleasantries, I have a gift for you." What could he possibly have that would matter to me.
His goons brought someone stumbling in with a hood over their head. Oh God, who do they have now?
"I believe you know this man?" Oh shit, they have Jake, how did this happen.
"What are you doing with him?"
"So you do know this man after all?" What did Jake say his name was when he came to the house before, something simple, um Scott, Stewart, Steve he said his name was Steve!
"Why do you have Steve? He doesn't have anything to do with this."
"So Steve is it, that is what you are calling him too?"
"His name is Steve why would I call him anything different?"
"Uh Aidan, man what is going on here, what have you gotten yourself into?" Jake said.
"Steve I am so sorry, this is a little complicated to explain. Just let me try and handle this."I said to Jake.
"I will concede that the two of you could really know each other from college, but time will tell. My boys are running information on "Steve" and we will know soon enough who he really is. Until then you have company for the night." Michael said as he walked back up the stairs.
"Wait, where is my father?"
"Oh right your daddy, if you behave you will see him soon." Michael walked back up the steps of the basement and left Jake and I alone. I am afraid they could have the basement bugged though so we have to be very careful what we said to each other.
"Steve what are you doing here?" I hope he gets my hint there.
"Man Aidan, Janis and I were in Connecticut and thought we would stop by and see you. I was just over by the school here, you know just looking around, you said you always loved this place and this guy nabbed me. Thank God Janis wasn't with me, but she must be worried sick."
Oh he is right, I need to let Kenna know he is here. "Steve do you have any idea what time it is? We were at the school around 3."
"If I am not mistaken it has been a few hours since then at least." Ok real quick I have to tell Kenna.
"Kenna, hey Kenna"
"Aidan? Oh my God I have been so worried I haven't been able to reach you!
"I know they drugged me, I have to make this quick but Jake is here with me."
"Oh God I was afraid of that, Aidan what happened."
"I don't know and I can't talk right now, I am trying to make them believe Jake is Steve but my guess is by tomorrow they will know who he isn't if not who he is."
"Ok, well let me know what you guys figure out and I will talk to you soon, don't keep me waiting too long or I will just start bugging you."
"Will do. Talk to you soon."
"Gosh Steve I am really sorry, hopefully Janis is ok too."
"So dude what the hell is going on anyway?"
"It is a really long story that we can't really get into now, but you have to trust me."
"Um Ok."
"The simple version is those guys up stairs think the world would be a better place without me in it."
"Oh Shit you mean like kill you, so does that mean I am fated for the same thing?"
"I honestly hope not, and I will try everything in my power to make sure that doesn't happen." We fell silent, there isn't really much we can say to each other, we don't want to give away who Jake really is even though they will probably know by morning anyway. "I am sorry you are in this mess man, this is just shitty ass luck."
"Me to bud, me too."
Now if we could just figure out how to get all of us out of here alive, before Kenna decides to do something crazy!