Guardians of the Edge: Last of the Portal Keys

Chapter Six: Uncle Larry

Aiden sucked three quick breaths, forcing himself to hyperventilate as he rubbed roughly at his eyes to redden them. It didn't take much to stir his emotions back up again, his tears and need to collapse into a heap of shaking and sobbing cresting inside him at the first opportunity. A normal teenaged boy might have a hard time expressing his emotions this way, but Aiden's parents were careful to ensure he knew just how important it was to play the young adult card.

Overestimate adult's need to protect you, his father said. And underestimate their ability to handle tears. Aiden moved back two steps and broke the connection to the laser before running forward and pounding on Lawrence's door, now in a genuine panic.

He heard the rapid hiss of leather recovering and the quick, heavy tread of the big baker. The door flung open. The large, balding man gaped in shock.

"Boy!" One of his huge, soft hands clasped onto Aiden's shoulder and hauled him inside the office. Aiden kept just enough control over his feelings he was able to take in the familiar space to refresh his memory even as he allowed fear to take over.

"Uncle Larry!" He stopped using that particular name a few years before, but knew it would have the desired effect.

It did. Lawrence's face crumpled in worry.

"Where have you been?" Lawrence sweated heavily, his white t-shirt spotty, even soaking from his immense belly to wet the front of his apron. "I've been terrified!"

Aiden's eyes threatened tears, but he held back with all his power. From the look on the big baker's face, crying wouldn't be necessary and he was afraid if he did let loose, he wouldn't stop. No time to really fall apart.

Besides, he might need the tears later.

Best to hold those in reserve, Aiden thought.

Anything can be a weapon, Antoinette said.

"They're gone and the cops came and they almost caught me and I didn't know what else to do!" Aiden collapsed in on himself, feeling young and alone, his vulnerability affecting Lawrence with marvelous results.

The large man's hands flapped in front of Aiden's face. "What are you talking about? What happened?"

Aiden felt his body sway and let himself appear weaker than he was, as though he were totally exhausted. Not far from the truth, but far enough he still had the energy to manipulate this man. Lawrence reacted, guiding him to a chair. The fat baker hovered over him and forced a weak smile as he gave an awkward pat to Aiden's shoulder.

"There now," Lawrence said. "Tell your Uncle Larry what happened."

Aiden swallowed hard, face pinched in fear and agony. "They're gone!" When Lawrence winced, Aiden found himself grinning inside despite his fears at the fact the man hated histrionics.

"Now, now, what you mean? Who is gone?" His round belly bounced right next to Aiden's face, cavorting like something was trying to escape from it.

"My Mom and Dad!" Aiden clutched at the damp apron, pulling Lawrence off balance. Tears surged without his consent, skimming his blue eyes with moisture, threatening to spill as another thread of his control parted. Aiden wanted to have his Uncle Larry save him. Someone. Anyone. For a brief moment he considered telling Lawrence everything, just so he wouldn't be alone anymore.

But before he could collapse completely, the big man pulled away and clutched his pudgy hands to his chest, stepping back, trying to keep the trembling smile in place while he sagged to sit on the edge of his desk.

"They can't be gone. Where did they go?" Lawrence mopped his broad, bare forehead with a much used rag he fished from the front of his apron. Aiden watched, trying to hold his calculation through the cloud of worry taking over, knowing the baker's fear was genuine, more for his own hide than for the Trents. His heart went cold, knowing then the man his parents trusted, called a friend, even, cared more for himself and the prize than he ever had for them.

Aiden leaned closer, letting out his fear and hopelessness. "I don't know," he said. "We were there, at the museum, everything was going according to plan, you know, like it always does?" Lawrence was nodding eagerly as Aiden went on. "So they get to the prize, right? And they get past the last sensor, no problem, just like we worked out, then!" he trailed off, losing his hold on his emotions as he flashed back to the moment!

Antoinette and Eric reaching for the prize in the flood of hot light consuming them!

"Then?" Lawrence was too far gone to hide his impatience. Aiden shook himself as a soft hum of sadness escaped him, realizing he was lost in the memory, but knowing it served him.

"There was this light." Awe filled his voice, not a bit of it faked. "This bright glow, you know? Like a flash of it, really hot. Then it went away." He sagged into the chair. "And they went with it."

Lawrence stared at him like he was ill. "What?"

Aiden lurched toward the man again, needing to know for sure if Lawrence was playing him. "Please, Uncle Larry, what happened to them? What is that thing? Are they dead? I need to know!"

Lawrence, meanwhile, began to shake, the tremor of it vibrating his round stomach so much Aiden struggled with disgust at the sight of it.

"Where is it? The artifact, Aiden. Do you have it?"

His doubt was enough to feed his need to lie. Best to let the man sweat it out. Maybe he would give up more answers that way.

"It's gone." He snuffled some mucus, his head ringing from all his expended energy. "When the light vanished, they were gone and so was the prize. Poof." Aiden tossed his hands into the air and dropped them in his lap with a thump, feeling his body fall limp at the same time. He may not have trusted Lawrence, but it felt better to share what he'd seen with someone else, at least.

"No, oh no, oh no." Lawrence whispered under his breath over and over as he hurried around his desk and collapsed into his chair, ignoring the whoosh as all the air in the stuffing left in a hurry under his great weight. "No, oh no, this can't be happening."

Terror. Aiden could practically smell it in the air. So the laser alarm was fear based. And since the paleness of Lawrence's face had everything to do with what Aiden just told him, he could only assume he was right. That Lawrence was, in fact, afraid of Tremaine. He let the man stress another moment while Aiden pulled himself together before breaking into the fat man's private conversation.

"What am I going to do?" His voice quavered. He'd been asking himself that question since they vanished. And though he knew Lawrence wouldn't have an answer for him, Aiden had to voice it out loud.

Lawrence shook his head. Then flinched as the phone rang. He stared at it like it was alive and meant him harm before picking up the receiver with clear reluctance. The big man grew pale as he listened to the voice on the other end of the line. She was loud enough Aiden could tell it was a woman.

"Yes, the boy just got here," he said. "No, alone. Something! strange happened. Yes, of course. Yes, we'll be right here." The line clicked, but it took Lawrence a full six seconds to replace the receiver. He looked up at Aiden, a flash of fear replaced by false concern.

"Can I get you anything?" It was quite evident the portly baker's offer was half-hearted, and Aiden was tempted to force him to run errands just to keep the man off-balance, but decided against it.

"Who was that? Tremaine? Does he know what happened?" Aiden decided fishing might tell him something and hoped to get a nibble before he had to face their employer.

"He'll be right here," Lawrence said. "Not to worry, everything will be worked out." Aiden could tell the large man was terrified despite his words.

Why is he so afraid? And does that mean I should be?

He cursed himself for bringing the prize with him, for being so wrapped up in his own anxiety he'd failed to follow his father's code.

The prize is all that lies between you and your reward, Eric said. p*****t comes before delivery.

In this case, Aiden would settle for his parents back. And now he'd lost his leverage, bringing the thing to the very place his patron could get his hands on it without helping Aiden. Lie or no lie, he was sure Tremaine would insist on searching him and, when he did, Aiden would lose the only chance he had to find his parents.

He suddenly doubted the wisdom of his actions, the haze of his sagging energy burning away as he dug into reserves for clarity. It was time to trust his gut and get out.

He faked a weak cough while his heart rate increased, focus returning.

"I'm so thirsty," he said. "Can I have some water, Uncle Larry?"

It took the baker a moment to register, and then he nodded and gestured toward the dispenser in the corner.

"Help yourself." He was deep in his own thoughts, hands twisting together over his round belly, eyebrows bobbing to an inner conversation. Aiden rose and took a paper cup, filling it slowly as he plotted his escape, doing his best to keep the man from seeing the shake in his hand as more adrenaline raced through Aiden's bloodstream. He drank the water down then turned and tossed the empty cup into the trash. Lawrence ignored him, his fat fingers tapping together, hands resting on his massive girth.

"I need to use the bathroom," Aiden said.

Lawrence waved at a door to his right. Aiden had never been in the washroom in the office. He slid inside, pulling the door closed and hit the light. And swore under his breath. The thing was interior. No windows.

There was no way out of the office without Lawrence knowing.

Aiden was trapped.

Two options. He faked the sound of using the facility by running water. One, I wait here and face Tremaine and see what I can find out before he takes the prize. Or I make a run for it and hope Lawrence's bad boys aren't close by.

He turned off the water and sagged for a moment, letting himself feel the loss of the two most important people in his life one last time before dragging himself back upright and squaring his shoulders. He knew Eric and Antoinette would be counting on him to help them. His parents would want him to fight another day.

Run, then.

He gathered himself before stepping out of the bathroom. Lawrence was still in his big leather chair, muttering to himself. Aiden eased toward the office door, knowing going out the back would be the better exit, but worried since Tremaine left that way he would probably return by using it too.

The last thing I need is to run into him when he's the one I'm trying to avoid.

Aiden reached the door with his back to it, keeping his eyes on the distracted baker while feeling for the handle. It was in his hand before Lawrence registered where he was.

"Boy? What are you doing?"

"Been a slice." Aiden yanked the door open and ran. "Say hello to Tremaine for me." He couldn't help but toss the last over his shoulder as the door swung shut behind him.

He hopped over the laser and was partway down the hall when he heard the door open again and Lawrence's surprised grunt at the sight of him fleeing.

"Aiden!" He heard the shout and winced, ears open for pursuit as he spun around a corner on his way to the fire escape. He was almost to the pressure pad at the stairs, Lawrence puffing and shouting behind him, when he heard the pounding of booted feet coming up the steps. Two of Lawrence's bullies, Tag and Mondo, hit the landing just as Aiden dodged by. The leaner, longer Tag made a grab for him, but missed as Aiden threw caution to the wind and flew toward the exit door.

He knew the pair of bruisers was on his back. Under normal conditions, there was no way they would ever catch him. But Aiden had been through far more than he was used to and, despite the surge of energy he'd managed to muster, his strength failed him, the burning in his muscles and wobble in his knees about to capsize him at any second.

Fingertips brushed his jacket, the scent of bad breath brushing past his cheek. Aiden threw every last ounce of himself into flight, lungs aching, stomach clenched as he propelled himself forward just a little faster, a little further.

His hand hit the door, shoved it wide. The pressure of another hand on it shoved it open further as he let it go. Something brushed over his back as he spun down the fire escape, sliding down the rails on his hip, leaping the last three feet.

He hit the ground at a dead run, ignoring Lawrence's bellows for his boys to catch him. Worn out, tired, on his last legs, it didn't matter. Now that he was on the street they would never find him.

Aiden squashed what remained of his fear and submerged himself as far into his training as he could. His parents were still with him in every move he made, in every thought. His instincts always served him well and he wasn't about to dump everything and let his family down.

Clear-headed at last and with a goal in mind, Aiden disappeared into the city.

***