Secrets

Chapter Thirty

Hope you enjoy!!

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School was uneventful and I found myself nearly dozing off in many of my classes. The only remotely interesting part of the day was when I spoke to Hanna about my mother's concern regarding the unusual amount of time we spend together. Hanna had laughed, saying that I should have played along with the lesbian storyline to make the conversation more interesting.

Instead of journeying home after the last bell rings, I head towards the library. The silent fortress of musty books is relaxing, and this type of environment is exactly what I need at the moment. Sitting down in a dimly lit corner of the room, I throw my backpack to the side and run my hands through my hair.

An old saying states that curiosity killed the cat. However, I am not blessed with nine lives, and curiosity pulses through my veins like a drug being inserted into my bloodline. Thoughts revolving around the mysterious necklace and the unknown police business that my parents are involved with swirl through my mind, constantly intertwining and causing a splitting headache.

Knowing that I can't stay hidden in the dark for long before someone enters the room and questions my presence, I stand and quickly make my way to the nearest exit. The school grounds are nearly empty, which I am thankful for. Still not feeling the need to walk home so early, in a moment's decision I allow my long, toned legs to start towards the police station. Perhaps I'll be able to use small talk and my feminine charm to force some answers out of them.

The police station is not too far from the school, but unfortunately it is located in the opposite direction from my future destination - which is my house - and my time of arrival at home will be even further delayed. Despite this, I find myself entering through the intimidating glass doors, searching for a particular policeman. The room I enter into reminds me of a storm cloud; dull, grey, but full of built up energy that can be released at any moment. Many officers buzz about like worker bees, all vaguely occupied with their jobs. A large man with a kind expression upon his face makes eye contact with me and, after he sets his clipboard down on a wobbly table, he approaches me, obviously with the intention of speaking.

A smile is present on his face as he stands in front of me. "Well then, Miss Victoria Winters, you sure have grown. You must have been a few inches shorter the last time I spoke with you. Time really does fly, doesn't it?"

"It sure does, Jackson," I reply in a kind tone of voice, feeling comfortable talking to an old family friend. It has been quite a long while since I've spoken to him, but my parents have apparently had contact with him in the last few weeks, so it can't be overly awkward for him.

"What can I do for you, little lady? Is there a bloke out there who is mistreating you? You know if there is, I'm never against kicking his arse." Jackson's British accent does not fail to shine through and I chuckle at his choice of words, shaking my head as an answer to his question. "Just know that I'm always here for you if you need me. That's my job - to protect you."

"You're doing a great job at protecting the whole town," I say whilst also correcting his choice of words. "I'm actually here due to extreme curiosity."

He looks at me suspiciously. "Curiosity about what, Tori?"

I prepare a reply in my mind, but the words do not escape from my lips. The station suddenly turns dark, all of the lights having been simultaneously shut off. Jackson turns to look elsewhere and shouts something at nearby policeman. I remain completely still, scanning the room and seeing officers rushing about in confusion, trying to find the source of the loss of electricity. My eyes land on a figure standing in an unoccupied hallway. The blackness around us does not allow me to easily study his features, but his piercing brown eyes are fixed directly on me.

I stumble backwards, sudden fear building up inside of me. I refuse to break eye contact with the man, knowing that it would be an opportunity to approach me. "Jackson," I call out, hoping that he will hear me. "Jackson, I don't think this man should-"

Gunshots ring out from somewhere in the building. The sudden noise breaks my focus, and I sprint towards a hallway in the opposite direction of the sound. There are officers around me, yelling out orders and trying to discover whose weapon is being fired. A middle-aged African woman calls out for me to remain where I am, and for once I do as I'm told.

I examine the situation in my mind, trying to make sense of it. Firing a gun at a police station does not seem logical unless their goal is to cause a scene. There must be some reason someone would want to cause chaos like this on such an average day.

Someone grabs onto my arm, snapping me out of my thoughts. I sigh in relief as I realize that it is just Jackson, but seeing the stern look upon his face notifies me that I should not be calm at the moment. "We need to get you away from these bloody idiots," he says as he pulls me into another hallway.

He leads me through the station before we eventually come to another exit. Turning to look at me, his eyes meet mine. "My car is right outside, okay? We're going to have to run for it. Whatever happens, even if someone's shooting at you, you keep moving towards the car. I'm going to drive you home so that I know you're safe."

"Jackson, what the hell is happening?" I ask firmly, demanding a proper answer. "What's with the lights turning off? Who is shooting at who or what? Is everyone okay?"

He grabs my shoulders as a calming gesture and a look of worry is clear upon his face. "Victoria, I know this must be extremely confusing for you, and I know you want answers." I stare at him expectantly, waiting for him to continue. "However, right now we need to focus on getting you out of here and away from the people who are firing their weapons. As unfortunate as it is, you are their main target."

I suppose curiosity really does kill the cat in the end.

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Oh look, an update! That doesn't happen often. 

Sorry for my absence. School and life in general has been hell the last few months and I haven't really had the inspiration to write Secrets. However, I somehow ended up writing this slightly action-packed chapter. Honestly, I love Jackson a lot, but that might just be because he's British. Also, we technically have a new character...

QOTC: Who do you think the man in the shadows is?

I hope you enjoyed it!

Please vote and leave a comment!