Guardian of Atlantis (The Children of Atlantis) (23 page)

“I had a really vivid imagination when I was little.” Raven shook her head. “Come on.” She turned her back to the ocean painting. “We need to start looking for Dad’s journals.”

Ethan glanced at the blue ocean then at Raven who was already over at the wall with the pyramids of Giza painted on it opening one of several boxes
lining
the wall. He frowned slightly, not remembering seeing them there a m
inute ago when he looked at the
wall.

“Nothing in this one but a bunch of blankets,” said Raven closing the box lid.

“Were these boxes here all the time?” Ethan walked over to the next one.

Raven laughed. “It’s because how they’re painted. If yo
u’re not looking for them,
they look like part of the wall.
Pretty neat illusion.”

“Yeah.
A good way to hide stuff.”
He opened the box and rummaged through the contents. Shaking his head he closed it and moved to the next one.

They spent several minutes going through all the boxes lining the wall, but even though each one was filled with all sorts of stuff, the journals were not among it.

“Okay, I don’t know where else to look,” said Raven after she closed the last box. She turned and looked around the room.

“What about behind or under the cushions?” suggested Ethan, though he didn’t sound too sure about the idea.

“
There’s
a lot of cushions. I just don’t know.”

“We don’t have anything else to lose.”

Raven shrugged her shoulders. “If you think we should then let’s do it.” She moved to the first set of cushions and pillows and moved them. Slowly she worked her way toward the wall with the painting of the Temple of Apollo.

Frustration set
in. “This is ridiculous. There’s nothing here.” She kicked a rather large cushion. “
Ouch
!”

“What’s wrong?” Ethan looked over at Raven who was staring at a cushion and hopping on one foot.

“That cushion’s on the hard side,” she grumbled.

“You probably just kicked the wall or something. Just pick it up and move it.”

“I didn’t kick the wall.” Raven dropped to her knees a pushed the cushion. It wouldn’t move. “I don’t think this is a cushion.”

“What do you mean?”

Raven poked it with her finger. Her finger bent, but the cushion didn’t. “It’s solid.”

Ethan dropped the cushion he’d picked up and moved over to Raven, dropping down beside her.

Raven felt the top of the cushion then down the sides. “It’s a box. I’ve just got to figure out how to open it.”

“
I don’t see any kind of latch o
r anything that indicates there’s a lid.” Ethan moved to look at the other sides of the cushion box.

“Do you think there might be some sort of hidden button we’ve got to push? You know, like the hidden doors in the old horror movies.” Raven sounded excited.

“One way to find out.
”

They each started at a different point and carefully felt their way around the box, pushing on it as they went. Raven was almost to the back corner on her side when a soft click came from the cushion box.

She stopped and stared at the box.

Ethan moved his hands away just as the top split into two sections and opened.

“Okay, now that was really cool!” Raven said excitedly.

Ethan pushed the two sides apart. They both looked into the opening. At the
bottom of the cushion box was
something wrapped in cloth.

Raven reached in and pulled out the bundle and slowly
unwrapped
it. The cloth turned out to be a pillow case. “I think it’s a bo
ok inside.” She held her breath
and started to reach in it.

“Wait!”

Raven stopped in mid-motion. “Why?”

“Don’t put your hand in there. Just in case there’s a trap or something in there with it. Just dump whatever it is out onto the floor.”

Raven shook her head, but did what Ethan asked of her. A dark tan leather book fell out. It was held shut by a strap and buckle. “It’s one of Dad’s journals.” Raven felt like she had just won the lottery. She picked up the book and held it gently to her chest.

“Okay. L
et’s go.” Ethan got to his feet.

“But what about the others?
There are more, we’ve just got to find them.” Raven wanted to keep searching. “I remember mom bringing up a box. Where did she put it?”

“I don’t think we want to stay here much longer. Something’s making the hair on the back of my neck stand up.” Ethan turned, slowly scanning the room. “Come on, we need to go. We can come back later.”

“I’ve got to stop by my room.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.” Ethan’s voice sounded almost tense.

“I need some of my clothes, my toothbrush, and other stuff.” Raven stood up, hugging the book to her chest.

Ethan sighed.
“All right.
But make it quick. We can come back later to get the rest of your stuff and look for the other journals.”

Raven nodded and followed Ethan out of the attic, turning off the lights behind her and shutting and locking the door. She put the key in the pocket of her jeans. “I need to grab a bag out of the hall closet.”

“You go
to your room and start getting
your stuff. I’ll get the bag.”

“It’s the third door on your left.” Raven went to her room and put her hand on the door knob.

“It’s a trap Little O
ne.”

Raven blinked. She turned to look at Ethan, but she knew he didn’t say it.

“It’s a trap,” said the voice again.

“Ethan! We’ve got to get out of here! It’s a trap!” Raven yelled. She saw Ethan’s fangs sprout out of his mouth and his hands lengthen into deadly claws as he started shifting. Raven felt a set of strong arms wrap around her, pinning her arms to her sides.

Ethan growled.

Raven kicked and struggled to free her arms. The journal fell to the floor.

“Stop fighting. You’re safe,” the voice whispered in her brain. The arms tightened, and Raven felt herself up against what felt like a rock wall, except it moved and breathed.

Everything became a blur.

Raven tried to breathe, but the arms were too tightly wrapped around her, squeezing the oxygen out of her lungs.

“Raven!”

She heard Ethan call her name
and the sound of flapping wings
as her world turned into a g
ray blur.

15

I hate the stone gargoyles on old buildings.

They give me the creeps.
Their stony stares.
Always watching.
Something is really off with them, and I keep expecting one of them to attack me.

             
--Raven Weir’s journal

“Breathe Little One. Breathe.”

Raven felt a hand caress her cheek. She sucked in a deep breath and almost immediately started coughing.

“Not so deep. Shallow breath
s until your lungs are full. Then breathe normally.”

Raven opened her eye
s and took several small breath
s.
“Easy for you to say.
You weren’t the one whose chest got crushed.” Raven saw one eyebrow go up over the rim of the dark sunglasses he wore.

“It wasn’t my intention to crush your chest,” he said.

“Right.”
Raven coughed again.

“If I had realized I was hurting you, I would’ve loosened my grip.
I didn’t want you to fall.
”

Raven’s eyes narrowed as she looked at her surroundings. The only thing she was absolutely sure of was she was no longer in her house. It looked like she was in some sort of construction site. “
Where’s
Ethan and the others?” She looked back at the man in black.

“They’re not here.”

“That’s pretty obvious,” snapped Raven. She leaned back on some sort of column. “And you’re the guy from the police station.
One of Agent Morrison’s men.”

“Obviously.”

Raven started to get up.

“You should sit there for a while longer. It’s not good getting up too soon after you
’ve
faint
ed
.” He leaned forward and put his hand on her shoulder to keep her from getting up.

“Get your hand off me!”

He held both his hands up, palms out. He then gave her a sideways nod and moved away from her. “I won’t hurt you Little One.”

Raven, with her eyes on the guy, pushed herself up to her feet. “I’ve heard that one before.” She took a slow deep breath. Other than feeling a little shaky, she seemed to be okay. She looked for an exit as much as she dared without moving her head. “Who are you and where
am
I?”

He took off the dark sunshades he was wearing. “I am Xander. And this,” he gestured with his hand. “This is one of the warehouses the humans were refurbishing before they ran out of money.”

Raven’s mind whirled.
A warehouse.
The only warehouses she could think of were on the opposite side of town from her home. Not what she wanted to hear. “All right, Xander? Why am
I here?”

“Isn’t it obvious Little One?”

“U
h, no.”

“I saved you from Morrison’s trap.”

“I get that much. Now, where are my friends?”

Xander smiled at her. “They were not important to me. Only you are important.”

Raven didn’t like the sound of that. “You left my friends in Agent Morrison’s trap?”

“Yes. Bes
ides it was more believable this
way. And it buys us some time. She will be busy, playing with the Hellhounds before she kills them.” He stared at her. “I told you we would see each other again. Did I not, Little One?”

The muscles in Raven’s jaws twitched. “You left them to die?” She looked at Xander as if he were a disgusting bug she needed to squash.

“It had to be Little One.”

“Quit calling me that,” Raven shouted at him. “I’m not your Little One, or anyone else’s for that matter.

Xander laughed. “You have the same fiery passion your mother has as well as the same hair. But your eyes, I don’t recognize them.” He shook his head. “I have missed her.”

“Sorry to disappoint you, but you’ve got the wrong girl. My mom’s got blonde hair, not this inky black stuff I’ve got. But, you know, we all make mistakes.” Raven finally spotted what looked like a stairway in the far corner.

“
I didn’t make a mistake. You’re
Medusa’s daughter. Her skin is darker and the eyes are different. Hers were the most beautiful shade of green before they changed her. You can deny it all you want to, but I know you’re her daughter.
The daughter that should have been mine.”

Raven stared at him. “Who are you really?”

“I’m Xander. Medusa and I were to have married, but Cronos, Atlantis’s military commander, ordered Medusa and her sisters to be used as lab rats in the genetic experiments he wanted performed. It was his way of punishing Medusa’s mother, Ceto Gorgon, because she opposed military interference in the science experiments she was in charge of.”

“How is it you’re still alive?” Raven asked.

“I too was a lab rat in one of Cronos’s experiments. Medusa had a rare talent for sculpting. Cronos had her talent multiplied and her eye sight changed so all s
he had to do was look at something and it
would turn into a perfect stone statue. I was the first one her enhanced eyesight was used
on. She still thinks, even now
, that she killed me. Medusa didn’t know I too was an experiment. An experiment
to create the perfect soldier, t
he perfect soldier made out of living rock.”

“And what does all this have to do with me?” Raven started inching her way toward the stair.

“Cronos didn’t want soldiers who went from flesh and blood to stone statues then back again. He wanted a soldier with a living, impenetrable rock shell, but mindless enough to accept orders without question. But the experiment failed. I and the others were locked away.
Forgotten
until Zeus started his rebellion.
We were a
mong the ones freed during the first
days
of the war
.”

“You want revenge.” Raven shook her head. “All this is about revenge.”

“No. Not revenge. My people are the ultimate predator. We are at the top of the food chain, but we must hide like frightened mice. We want our rightful place
among the gods
.”

“Your people?”

“You will help us achieve our goal.” Xander smiled.

“Sorry, can’t help you with that.”

“Yes, you can.” Xander sounded menacing. “And will.”

Raven wondered how long she had before he made his move. She also wondered if she would be able to defend herself.

“When you become one of us, you will understand and you will help.”

“I have to decline the
invitation. But you’re going to do something for me.” Raven put her hands on her hips. “You’re going to take me back to my house and help me rescue my friends.”

Xander threw his head back and laughed. “I love your spirit. I just hope I don’t have to break it, too much.” He stared at Raven. “Come here.”

Raven took a step toward him but stopped. She shook her head. “Don’t think so.” She realized she was in serious tro
uble and had to somehow get away
. She put her hands up in front of her, palms facing Xander. “I wouldn’t come any closer if I were you,” she warned him. “It might not be good for your health.” At least I’ve given him a warning. If anything happens to him, it’s his own fault, she told herself.

“Nothing’s
going to happen to me,” said
Xander.

“I think it’s time for you to stay out of my head.” It infuriated Raven that he could easily see into her thoughts.

His laughter filled her brain. Suddenly he was standing in front of her. “And what are you going to do Little One?”

Without a thought, Raven slapped him
as hard as she could, in an attempt
to erase the smug look off his face.  Raven’s hand felt like it was on fire. She turned it over. The palm was covered with blood. She looked at Xander. The side of his face she had slapped looked like broken rock. Sharp edges were covered with her blood.

“There’s no use fighting me. You can’t beat me Little One,” he gloated. “You will become one of us.”

“Fine, if that’s what you think.” Raven darted around him and ran for the stair case.

In the blink of an eye, Xander moved to block Raven’s escape route, but instead of stopping, Raven put on a burst of speed and tackled Xander. A defensive lineman couldn’t have made a better tackle.

The two flew down the stairs and over a railing. Raven twisted and arched trying to get out of Xander’s reach. She hit the floor hard, her breath knocked out of her. The sound of something heavy crashing through the floor surrounded her. She heard several more crashing sounds and then silence.

Raven closed her eyes and rested for a few moments. Nothing seemed to be broken, but she
hurt everywhere. “I really need to take some self-defense classes. This has gotten beyond old,” she mumbled.

A moan floated up to her.

Raven
opened her eyes. The floor, a few feet
from her
,
had a huge hole in the middle of it. Slowly she inched her way to it and looked over the edge. The floor below also had a hole in it. The floor beneath her shifted slightly. Raven scooted away from the hole as fast as she dared.

She looked around. There was only scaffolding above her. “So down it is,” she said to herself.” She had no clue what was going on with Xander. Slowly she moved to the next set of stairs and started working her way down to the ground floor.

A louder moan drifted up to her.

After what seemed like forever, Raven finally stepped off the last step.

Light from a street lamp streamed in to the warehouse through several broken windows. Just feet from her, a door stood partially open. Raven smiled and headed toward it.

“Help me, Little One.” The voice was a bare whisper in her head.

Raven turned. At first she didn’t see anything,
then
she saw him, lying on a pile of debris. A steel pipe was sticking through his thigh.

“Help me.” This time the voice wasn’t in her head.

Raven started to go toward him, but stopped herself. “No, you’ll live. My friends may not be so lucky.” She turned and went out the door. She had to get back to her house and save Ethan and the others who had sworn to protect her from t
he trap she alone should be in.