Turning Tables (CTYBT sequel) (ON HIATUS)

Chapter 8

*Bec's POV*

Bri squeals in terror, strengthening her grip around me. I back up, putting distance between me and the dead man. Kneeling, I pull Bri in front of me. She drops to her knees with tears rolling down her cheeks, shaking. She leans into me; by now, her entire body is shaking. "Why is all of this happening to us?"

"I don't know, Bri." I say, wrapping an arm around her. Tears are running down my cheeks, now. Nova runs down the stairs.

"What happened?" She asks. I look towards dead body, then hear sirens outside.

"The alarm was tripped. Figures." Someone knocks on the door, Nova opens it. I don't know what she said to the cops, but they leave. I look over as she closes the door and see the smallest glimpse of a badge. "Whomever she's with is obviously important...important enough to make the cops leave."

Nova looks at me with suspicion. I look away, my concern growing when I see mom at the top of the stairs. "I heard the cops outside. Where are they?"

"Gone." Nova says, looking up at her.

"What do you mean, gone?" Mom asks. "Why did they leave?"

I look at Nova. "That badge...who is she with? The FBI? Some kind of bodyguard group like Wave?"

Nova looks down for a split second, then turns so all three of us can see her face. She pulls the badge out again, showing it to mom. "Aileen Allaway, Special Agent of the CIA."

"Allaway? What the..." It hits me. Nova was a lie. Most, if not all, of what I know about her may be a lie. If she really works for the CIA, God only knows who she really is.

"If you're with the CIA, why are you here?" Mom questions.

"We thought Wilmer's kidnapping had something to do with another investigation."

"What other investigation?" I ask.

"That's classified." Aileen says.

"Bullshit, it's classified!" I shout. Aileen looks at me, her face unreadable.

"If I tell you anything about the other investigation, your situation could get a hell of a lot worse. It's bad enough you know I'm with the CIA."

"Whatever 'classified' information you have just became public information." Aileen looks at me, anger and terror in her eyes.

"Listen to me, Rebecca." Her voice is low; toned to make anyone believe she isn't angry or terrified. "You could end up dead. Not just you, all of you. That's exactly why Yukio didn't want you going tonight."

"Going where?" Bri asks. "Is Yukio the reason you've been sneaking out at night?"

"Shit, I'm screwed." My heart skips a beat. Time seems to slow down as I look between Bri and my mother. I don't say anything.

"Where have you been going? You were gone all night, and you didn't come back 'til noon."

Again, I remain silent. I can't will myself to speak; not yet. Aileen speaks for me. "She's been going to the gang fights. And, she wanted to help Yukio track a lead tonight."

"Rebecca, is this true?" Mom asks. Bri wriggles out of my arms and looks at me with a look of question and hope. Hope that it's not true. Questioning everything she knows about me. "Bec?"

With a shaking voice, I say, "It's true. I've been going to the gang fights. I wanted to help Yukio track the lead he had."

"So...he's part of the reason?" Bri barely manages to whisper.

"Yes." I say, using the same tone; staring off into nowhere.

"How long?" Mom asks, with a voice shaking more than mine. I look at her. She has her elbows on her knees, her fingers running through her hair. "How long have you been going to those fights?"

"A few weeks." I stutter.

"Dad didn't know, did he?" Bri asks.

"No, he didn't." I wipe tears from my eyes. "Nobody knew until I saw Yukio there last night."

++++

I sit on my bed, leaning against the wall and void of any emotion. Mom and Bri are already under enough pressure; all Aileen did was make it worse.

Annabelle's here. I feel her.

"What's going on? You seem different." She says.

"What do you mean, different?" I ask, even though the answer seems obvious.

"Your aura's completely gray, but you aren't dead." She sounds worried. "So, what's going on?"

"Well, for starters, Nova is actually Aileen Allaway, who actually works with the CIA. I think it's safe to say that whole group does." I look in her direction. "They know I've been going to the gang fights downtown."

"Wait, the ones hosted by Axe Mason?"

"Yep." Axe Mason. He's pretty tight with the leader of the Al Ghul gang. It's kind of weird, considering no one knows who their leader is.

"Jesus, Bec! I didn't even know about this!"

"Really? That's surprising. I mean, you only seem to be following me everywhere these days."

"Because I feel the need to. With a valid reason." Annabelle steps closer to me. "Bec, you're putting yourself in danger. Mom and Bri can't handle another family member going missing or worse."

I lean my head against the wall and tilt it down. "I...I just...I look back at this now, and I regret it all. The fights, I mean."

I shut my eyes and feel tears rolling down my cheeks. "Where are you, dad? Please, God, let Yukio's lead work."