Walking Among Humans

Chapter 12 - Part 1

Mona

Ben and I are on the roof looking down on the street when I hear them for the first time. I can't see them yet, but from what I can tell there are about thirty of them all together. I drop down so I am hidden by the safety wall, and pull Ben down with me. I motion for him to stay quiet and return my focus to the men on the ground below us. Their voices are getting louder. They have found the Center.

"There it is."

"Just where she said it would be."

I can't help wondering who she is.

"Alpha team, take the north. Bravo team, take the west. Charlie team, take the east. Delta, take the fire escape to the third floor. Echo team, take the roof. The rest of us will take the south. Clear every room on every floor. Kill anyone who gets in the way. Detain the females until I can question them. One of them is my daughter and I'll know her when I see her."

I close my eyes and try to wake myself up. I know this is only a vision, so I open my eyes hoping to be awake, but I'm not. Ben is on his feet in front of me in a protective position.

"The girl comes with us."

Ben sneers at the man. "Over my dead body."

A sadistic smile forms on the man's face. "That is an acceptable arrangement."

I can't watch him die again. "Ben! No! Get out of here, now!"

"I can't do that and you know it."

I open a connection with him. "They won't hurt me, I'll be safe. It's better for everyone if I let them think they have won. Nobody else will get hurt. Now go! I'll stay in touch and get you as much information as I can."

A look of horrified understanding washes over his face. He turns around so that he is facing the street.

"And don't try to follow us, Ben. It will only get us both killed." I make sure to say it loud enough so that they hear me.

Ben jumps off the roof and out of harm's way, giving me a room for a little strategic maneuvering.

Once I am sure Ben is safe, I look over the edge of the building.

"Abaddon! I'm the only one you want! Leave the rest alone and I'll come along quietly!"

* * *

Mona

I sit bolt upright in bed and Ben is by my side in a matter of seconds. He wraps his arms around me and holds me close to him.

"From the freaked out look on your face I'd say you had another dream."

"Yeah, and it gave me a better idea of what we are facing."

I grab my phone off the nightstand and send John a text message. Another dream. Please come to my suite.

He replies quicker than I expect him to. He says he'll be here in about forty-five minutes.

I close my phone and put it back on the nightstand. "Looks like John is going to be a while and I don't know about you, but I'm famished."

It is almost dinnertime and we missed lunch. I feel bad for my guardians because they missed lunch as well.

Ben helps me to my feet. "We can try the cafeteria first. They've given us a break before."

My guardians are at my side as soon as I exit my room, prepared for whatever may come along.

"I'm sorry you guys missed lunch on my account. We're heading for the cafeteria to get some dinner."

As we walk to the cafeteria, I can't help notice how empty the halls feel. Normally at this time of day there are a lot of students in the halls and social areas waiting for dinner. The emptier the halls get, the more nervous I become about the upcoming confrontation. While the evacuation means fewer people will be here to fight, I'm glad we have a safe place to send the others.

We arrive at the cafeteria expecting to find the catering crew hard at work preparing dinner for the masses. Instead, we find it deserted and smelling of antiseptic cleanser instead of the usual divine scent of our Monday night feast of kidney and gall bladder gumbo.

Ben frowns. "Guess we go raid Mom's fridge then."

"We're going to have to make it quick then. John will be at my suite in thirty minutes."

"What if one of us goes upstairs to get the food and brings it back down to your suite? I don't think there's any immediate danger, so you'll still be safe."

Ben nods and we start heading back to the stairs. "Good idea. Let's get Mona back to the suite and I'll make the call."

Once we are back in my suite, Ben calls Lois and asks her if she can make us all something to eat. We both know she would do anything for us. Ben lets her know that Martinez will be up to get it since we need to be here when John arrives.

Martinez's mouth drops open. She politely waits until Ben hangs up the phone. "Why do I have to go?"

Ben grins. "It was your idea."

She groans in protest.

I try hard not to laugh. "Please?"

"Since you put it that way." There is a playful tone in her voice.

She glides across the room and opens the door just as John is about to knock.

John chuckles. "Don't tell me you're a telepath too."

She doesn't get the joke. "No, sir. I was just heading upstairs to get dinner. It looks like it's going to be a long night."

John leads us to the living room and sits down in the chair across from the couch. Ben and I follow suit on the sofa. I describe my most recent dream, revealing only the numbers and logistics of the impending attack. I don't think now is a good time to tell them I offered myself up in the dream. Not yet anyway.

John thinks for several minutes before speaking. "Now that we have the details I want you both on the next transport to Concord."

I can't let him send me away. "No way!"

I can tell John is losing patience with my defiant attitude. "This isn't open for discussion, Mona."

It is time for them to realize that I'm capable of handling myself. "Look, it's me he wants. If I run and hide now, he'll just keep hunting me. Then what? I spend the rest of my life on the run? Always looking over my shoulder wondering if he's there in the shadows waiting for me? No thank you. I would much rather nobody else gets hurt because of me. And the only way it's going to stop is if we catch him. I can help."

I half expect him to get angry and threaten me with an equalizer to get me to cooperate, but he doesn't. He sits there staring at me in shock for a minute, then a huge grin creeps across his face.

"I'm so proud of you, Mona. Standing up for what you believe in. So willing to risk your own safety to protect people you don't even know. Okay, you can stay and help figure out how to proceed. But if it looks like it's getting too dangerous you will let Ben take you somewhere safe. Got it?"

Having finally got his respect, I am happy. "Got it."

Ben isn't happy, but he is eager to get this over with. "Okay. So running is out of the question. Why don't we just let the equalizer catch him and send him back to Talonia?"