Guardians of the Edge: Last of the Portal Keys

Chapter Nine : Trapped

Aiden shouldered his backpack, still stocked, grateful he took the time before falling asleep to return the prize to its hiding place. He turned out the light on the stove to darken the room. He had to hide and the only place big enough was right behind him.

He stuffed himself into the cupboard next to the sink, grateful the cabinets weren't compartmentalized, allowing his long legs enough space to fit as he eased the panel closed behind him. The front door creaked. He tried to form a plan, knowing he could be caught in moments, but was at a loss. He had cornered himself with no way out.

Feet shuffled through the dark of the kitchen. He saw light under the cupboard door as the intruder hit the switch. Aiden tried not to breathe, body aching from the unnaturally position. He was officially too tall to hide in cupboards.

"Anything?" Tag's whining voice was so close Aiden jumped. Luckily, the hired thug didn't notice.

"Nothing," the female voice said. "This one is empty, too."

"There's water in the sink in the bathroom." Another male voice called from down the hall. Aiden berated himself for not cleaning up.

"Anything fresh?" The woman sounded tired. There was a scuffling sound and the clatter of the garbage lid.

"Empty tin can," Tag said. "Laptop left on the table. Kid's been here, all right."

The woman started to curse, nice inventive curses Aiden filed away for later use.

"Then where is he?"

Aiden heard and felt a thump as someone, presumably the woman, kicked his door.

"Already gone," Tag said.

"i***t," she said. "Stop stating the obvious. This list is shrinking, gentlemen. There are only two of their safe houses left to check. And we know the brat's cleaned out at least one of their deposits. That means he has money and paperwork which makes him mobile."

"He was here maybe six hours ago." The second male voice joined them.

Aiden recognized it. Mondo. Lawrence's second bully. A huge guy, but far from stupid. In fact, Aiden was more concerned the big man was chasing him than Tag or the mystery woman. Mondo had one of those odd minds that could figure things out with little connection. Lawrence called him Sherlock Muscles.

"How can you tell?" Tag asked.

"Water's almost evaporated," Mondo said. "Takes about that long."

Mondo's brains were working in Aiden's favor. All he had to do was stay hidden and no one would be the wiser. He could wait them out, which wouldn't take long since they thought he was gone. What concerned him more was the fact they knew so much about his family. Where had they gotten a list of their apartments? And how did they know about the stashes of cash and paperwork? Aiden forced himself not to panic. He had what he needed despite their efforts to the contrary. Now he knew they were on to him, he could dump his parent's network and begin his own. It was a little harder for a sixteen-year-old to rent a place, but there were ways around it.

"What do we do now?" Tag's whine was getting on Aiden's nerves. Turns out he wasn't the only one.

"Keep looking, fool," the woman said.

"He's in the wind by now," Mondo said. "I know this kid, Candy. He's smart. If I didn't know better, I'd think he left the computer active on purpose to see if we'd take the bait."

Aiden grinned in the dark. Thanks for the vote of confidence. I'll have to use that one sometime.

"No kid is that smart," the woman said. Aiden didn't like her very much. "And the boss won't take no for an answer."

"So what do you suggest?" Mondo asked.

Her breath huffed out in annoyance. "We keep looking." The edge was gone from her voice. "And hope the boss doesn't take this out on us."

Aiden tensed as he heard their feet moving away toward the door. Almost time to go. His mind was moving on, making a plan as the door creaked open.

"Where is he?" He knew Tremaine's voice anywhere. He snapped back to the present, resigning himself to waiting out another conversation. His back hurt and his left foot tingled, like being poked with pins.

"Gone already," Candy said. "We missed him."

Aiden heard the soft tap tap of Tremaine's shoes moving further into the room.

"You're certain." It wasn't a question.

"We searched the place," Mondo said. "He was here, but he's been gone for hours."

Aiden's ears strained in the silence following. He hated not knowing what was happening, but had no choice but to wait and listen. Tremaine's shoes tapped closer. Aiden remembered those shoes, nice Italian leather with the natural smooth sole. He admired them the first night they had met in the warehouse, the night Tremaine hired them for the job. Aiden hadn't much liked the man, but he did like those shoes.

"She's here." Tremaine's voice hissed out of him. "He's hidden her somewhere in this apartment."

She? Aiden's heart skipped. The old woman's voice... what was the stone?

Candy's high heels clicked as she approached. "You're sure, boss?"

"Yes." His voice was low, for Candy's ears. "I can feel her calling to mine. The link is weaker since she was used, but she's still here. He doesn't yet know what he carries."

There was a hint of relief in the man's voice.

"How did the parents use her?" Candy's voice was as soft as Tremaine's.

"The Blood," he said. "How did I not sense it? One of them has the Blood."

"Then so does the boy," Candy said. "If he figures out what she's for?"

Instead of answering, Tremaine shuffled closer to Aiden's hiding place. Aiden was so tense he couldn't spare a thought to wonder what they were talking about.

"You need to find her before that happens," Tremaine's voice held a deadly promise. "If she vanishes again! I must get her back to Reacher before she's worthless." Tremaine was so close Aiden smelled the man's cologne through the panel door.

"If that pathetic waste can do what he says," Candy said. "He hasn't produced so far."

"He will," Tremaine said, "or he will spend the rest of his very short life paying the price. I must have a new Key made. There is no other option."

Reacher? Who was Reacher? And what was this "key" Tremaine talked about?

Aiden didn't get an answer to either question. The quiet conversation was interrupted.

"But, boss," Tag said, "we've been searching for days!"

Aiden heard Tremaine spin. "And you will continue to search." His shoes retreated. "And search some more until you find that boy and my property." Flesh slapped flesh. Tag cried out. "Is that understood, you useless excuse?"

Aiden didn't need to see to know Tag was bobbing his head in agreement.

"Find him!" Tremaine's feet stomped away toward the exit as the other three scrambled to do his bidding.

Aiden only had one shot at escape. He eased the door open a hair and looked out. He saw a foot. He looked up and up until he caught a glimpse of Tag. The skinny man slouched against the far wall, an unhappy look on his face.

"He ain't here," he called after the other two. Then, "Stupid kid and his stupid rock." Tag dragged chair legs across the tile. There was a soft thump as he planted himself in it. "Don't work for him anyhow."

Aiden could only assume Tremaine was gone. Tag was too much of a boot licker to be so complacent if the boss was still around. The problem was, Tag's reluctance was causing Aiden a whole world of grief. Unless the man could be convinced to move, Aiden was out of luck.

Tag's chair was right in the path of the exit.

Luck was with him, it turned out. Its name was Candy.

"Get your lazy a*s up and help us search!"

Tag continued to grumble to himself under his breath, but he did what he was told and trudged out of Aiden's line of sight, leaving a clear path to the door.

He took one more moment to wriggle his left foot to bring the circulation back, then eased open the cupboard door and peeked around the side. He could see Mondo's huge form in the living room, tossing the couch. The other two were out of sight. Aiden slid onto the floor then to his feet and made a straight-line dash to the exit.

It was brilliant, really. A beautiful plan that would have worked, should have worked. Except, of course, Tremaine chose that exact moment to return.

Aiden froze, as did the equally stunned Tremaine. Aiden reacted first, backpedaling into the kitchen and heading for the rear exit. But Mondo was there, blocking him, his huge torso looking even bigger in his trademark plain white t-shirt. His black hair hung shaggy over his deep brown eyes, wide lips twisted into a grimace.

"Sorry, kid," he said.

Aiden spun back to Tremaine. They had him cornered, with his back to the intersection of the countertop. He knew he was trapped, but he felt calm. He was trained to think on his feet and get what he needed to survive.

Tremaine didn't bother with his g*n this time. He held out his hand.

"Give me the stone."

Aiden clutched his backpack to his chest.

"Tell me where my parents are," he said.

"Give me that stone."

"I don't give a crap about the prize," Aiden said. "You can have the stupid thing. Just tell me where my parents went."

Tremaine's hand dropped and he shrugged. "Hard to tell. Depends on where they wanted to go."

Aiden frowned at the cryptic answer. "Give me my parents back and you get the prize."

Tremaine was nearing the end of his patience, that much was clear. "If they were foolish enough to use her, they are gone, boy. Now give me the stone before it happens to you, too."

Aiden wasn't about to let the stone go without a fight, but he would rather have answers. He planned to bargain further when he felt the familiar tingle going through him at the same time he heard a gasp. He looked up and saw Candy for the first time, all long pink hair and skin-tight black leather dress, before something caught his eye. He glanced down at the front of the backpack.

It was glowing again.

...quickly...

The woman's voice was a little louder, a little stronger. Aiden looked up into Tremaine's eyes and saw fury there. But, more important, he saw fear. Something about Aiden having the prize made the man nervous. The conversation came back to him. His blood!

!Guardian... Her words pinched him as if to get his attention. !do not allow me to fall into his hands, I beg you...

Aiden didn't stop to think, not with her begging him to help. He unzipped the front of the backpack, revealing the stone. It pulsed with white light, the tingling inside him echoing the beat of the glow. Tremaine's face twisted. Something in the man's pocket glowed back, only its light was red.

...hurry, please...

"Don't touch that stone!" Tremaine looked like he wanted to leap forward and grab Aiden. He balanced on his toes, body swaying toward the pack. But, it was as if something pushed him away. Aiden looked down into the light. There was an invitation to it, paired with the sound of the old woman's voice.

...touch me, quickly...

He reached for it, to pull it free of the bag.

"No!"

Aiden looked up again. The barrel of Tremaine's g*n was pointed at his chest.

He was dead if he didn't act. Aiden reached inside the pocket and gripped the stone in his hand. The g*n roared, the concussive force of the bullet hitting the light now in front of him, surrounding him even as her voice screamed in his mind, filled with pain, but also a note of triumph.

The metal projectile shattered into a million bits as the light consumed him and carried him away.

***