Henry's Ohcale staff had spent all day tiptoeing around the lab. He was in a foul mood and no one wanted to be on the receiving end of his temper.
"Where is the DNA sequencer data?" He stormed toward the seated interns who cowered at his approach. "Well?" he snapped.
"In the orange file cabinet, second drawer from the top," the black haired female intern replied, a hint of rebuke in her tone. "You put it there yesterday."
He glared at her before going to the cabinet and riffling through the folders until he found what he was looking for. He pulled the file, slammed the drawer and went back to his desk. He was jotting down notes when Delilah interrupted him.
"Dr. Le Croix, the security alert to the main house is flashing."
He whipped around. "What!"
"You told me to tell you when the security light on the switchboard ever lit up. Well, it's lit and flashing. I came immediately to inform you about it."
Henry was out of his seat and running down the hall to his office. He looked at the wall with the 3-D view of all his properties. His assistant was right. His property in Invarnash was blinking which meant there were uninvited guests in his home. "Delilah!"
She hurried into the office. "Yes, Doctor?"
"Keep everyone working. An emergency has come up and I must take care of it at once."
"How long will you be gone, sir?"
"I don't know. If I'm not back by quitting time, send the interns home and lock up."
"Yes, Dr. Le Croix."
Henry grabbed his coat and ear comm and headed for the garage where Boris would be waiting with the car. It was a forty-five minute drive from Lower Ohcale to Invarnash. He had some calls to make. He was taking back his house.
~***~
Miss Lipps stayed with Laylah until the cab arrived. Laylah got in. "Thanks for waiting with me."
"It was my pleasure, Laylah. I'll see you Monday."
"Bye, Miss Lipps." She watched her teacher walk away and she gave the cab driver her address. Her thoughts were jumbled and all she could think about was the fact that Jacques had not come. Nor had he answered his ear comm when she'd called it first before getting the cab. She tugged on her braid and stared at the trees.
Soon the weeping willows came into view. Laylah sat up and clutched her pack to her chest, as the cab pulled to a stop. She paid the bill and walked up the marble steps, but hesitated at the door. Glancing around, she spotted the limo in the garage and frowned. Where was Jacques? Unease hit her and she considered not going inside.
"Stop it, Laylah, you're being silly," she muttered. Squaring her shoulders, she turned the door knob and walked in.
"Jacques? Naiya?" Laylah peered about, but no one came out to greet her. Uneasiness was fast giving way to fear. It was too quiet. Slowly she made her way to the kitchen door, pushed it open and froze in the doorway. Why were the skylights closed? Why hadn't someone turned on the lights?
She took a step into the kitchen and noticed the pantry door ajar. There was a light on in there. Silently she crept to it and pushed it open. Horrified at the sight before her, she stood in the entrance as her mind struggled to process what she saw. A man's hand was underneath a huge pile of empty boxes.
"Oh my God! Jacques!" Laylah's shock was lessening but her mind was still struggling to understand. She felt her legs moving and then she ran to him. Her foot slipped and she fell on her butt.
"Ow!" She tried to get up and yelped when she got a good look at the floor. It was blood she now sat in. Scrambling to stand, she ran the last few feet to Jacques. She tossed the boxes off him and paled. Hastily she backed away, turned and retched. Something had ripped into his body, and, unless she was wrong, most of his intestines were spread outside his body.
"Laylah?" Jacques' voice was weak and very hoarse.
"Jacques! Oh thank heavens, you're alive!" Wiping her mouth with the back of her sleeve, Laylah's tears began to fall and she went to his side, dropping to her knees. "What happened? Who did this? Where's Naiya and the others? Are they hurt? How did we get broken into?" The questions poured out of her mouth and she couldn't seem to stop them.
"Laylah! Hush! Listen to me. Get out of here, now!"
"I can't leave you! You need help. Pressure, that's it. Pressure stops bleeding!" She put her hands over the jagged tear on his stomach and tried to squeeze close his flesh. Blood continued to seep out and she felt faint at the sight of it.
"Laylah, I need you to listen to me. Get out of here. Run and get help." Jacques wheezed and tried to push her hands away.
"Help? Yes, help! I need to call for help!" She let go of his skin and fumbled with her pants pockets, trying to get her ear comm out.
"Forgive me."
"Forgive you?" Laylah glanced up and the impact of his slap knocked her sideways into the pool of blood. Stunned, she lay there staring at him.
"Move your butt, Laylah Le Croix!" he roared.
The guttural shout, coupled with the shock of being hit by someone she trusted not to harm her, was too much. Laylah scooted backward before getting to her feet. She ran from the pantry, sobbing in confusion and hurt. She didn't look where she ran as she left the kitchen and went out the side door that led to the backyard.