Out of the Flames

Chapter 14. Game On

"No, this is Christine Sterling, with whom am I speaking?" I said purposefully keeping my tone the same.

"That is not important. Tell me, do you recognize any of these names?" He started, I quickly tapped the button the side of my phone that would start tracing the call. "Matthew Sterling, Rachael Sterling, James Sterling-" In the background I heard a faint yell.

"-It's Jamie you dimwit! If your going to kidnap us, at least get our names right during the ransom demand!" This was followed by the sound of a slap and a high-pitched shriek probably from Mom or Marisa.

"-Jamie Sterling, or Marisa Sterling. If you recognize any of those names please show up at Definbaker Hill, at 10:00pm, we are willing to trade you for the four of them." The man let out a low chuckle. "Just remember, every cop you bring, will be one less limb that comes back with your family and every minute you're late will cost each of them a finger."

I panicked half because of the message and half because the call hadn't completed the tracing.

"That is really funny. Who is this, wait, Derek?" I tried to stall the conversation so that he couldn't hang up.

"No Julia, I am calling you for my boss, the head of the Russian Mob." He tried to say this with the same dark tone as before, but failed miserably.

"Who is this Julia you keep talking about, I told you my name is Christine."

"Stop lying. Be at the hill at 10:00."

"Wait, where is Karen,the police officer?" I asked needing about fifteen more seconds to finish the trace.

"Dead. We killed her when we entered the house."

"Interesting, you might want to fire the person who shot her. Just remember, watch your back."

With that I disconnected the call. I purposely was the one to end the call because that set me in the position of authority. I quickly read the scan and found he was in the old cement factory on the north side of the city.

I took a step toward Edi's house and let out a squeak when Henri materialized right in front of me.

"What are you doing here?" I asked confused at his reappearance.

"I have some bad news Julia." He said looking at me with sad eyes. "Because of time travel, you were born way earlier than you should have been. You are interacting with people to close to an established chain of events."

"Henri, what are you trying to say? Just spit it out." I said placing my hand on my hip.

"Enrique Mendez grows up and becomes CEO of MezCorp. MezCorp creates the drug Vitalliet. You are influencing him, every second you spend with him either convinces him to make the drug, which creates a paradox, or it convinces him to not make the drug, which also creates a paradox."

"What are you trying to tell me?!" I asked getting frustrated with him for wasting my valuable time.

"You can't see him until after the drug is created."

"What! How long is that?" I asked I let my family slip out of my mind as I was faced with losing yet another loved one.

"Four years. You can't have any influence on him for the next four years." Henri placed his hand in my shoulder.

"No, you're mistaken. I can't, he needs...I need..." I stumbled over my words trying to form the right way to say that I couldn't live without Edi.

"I'm sorry, you can say goodbye, but then you have to go and save your family. I'll see you later tonight." Henri gave me a sad smile and then disappeared once more.

I took off toward Edi's house and half way there I switched to flying. I spotted him through the glass windows of his studio and I dropped myself to the ground and ran the last steps into his studio.

"Tina! Are you alright? What is happening?" Edi asked rushing to my side. I wrapped my arms around him in a fierce hug.

"I'm going to go get my family, then I'm going to disappear. I'll be gone for a long time, but once it's safe I'll come back to you." I took a deep breath to steady myself.

"Wait, wait, wait. Stop. Slow down. You are leaving me? I-I do not understand." Edi looked at me with pleading eyes. I knew he understood, but now he was just hoping that he had misheard me.

"I have to run. I have to leave to protect you and everyone else I love. I promise you everything will be ok. I promise I will come back, I'm keeping the ring, in my mind the promise is still valid, but you can break it if you want, I give you permission." I whispered into his ear. I gave him a kiss and just when he tried to deepen it I pulled away. "You can have the other half of that kiss the next time I see you." With that I ran back out of the studio and flew away.

I carried myself all the way to a block away from the police station and then ran from there wary of cameras. I burst through the doors and up to the front desk.

"Hello Miss, what can I help-"

"I need to speak to whoever in is charge here." I said with confidence.

"I'm sorry, could you explain what's going on?" The officer asked.

"My name is Christine Sterling, I am in witness protection and my family has just been kidnapped. Now let me talk to your commanding officer." I demanded.

A stunned look crossed the officer'a face and it took him a moment to comprehend what I had said and snap into action.

"Follow me." He said and let me in through the side door. I followed him through a maze of desks and cubicles before we reached an office. "Our commanding officer has gone home for the night, but this our next highest ranking officer." He knocked on the door.

"Come in." Answered a woman's voice. We entered the office and I saw a pale blonde officer with her hair in a perfectly straight bob that framed her delicate yet harsh features. Her name plate read Sargent Rheid. "What do you need?" She asked pointedly.

"A swat team preferably. My name is Christine Sterling, I'm in witness protection and my family has been kidnapped. My protecting officer is dead and I need your help." I stated quickly feeling that she wanted the facts fast.

"Your sure they have been kidnapped? Have you received a ransom demand?" She asked.

"Yes."

"What did they want?"

"Me, in exchange for my four family members." I replied quickly and formally cutting out all unnecessary details.

"Four for one? What makes you so special?" She raised a thin eyebrow.

"I witnessed the execution of two citizens, as well as other classified reasons I am not at liberty to share with you." I responded masking my smugness under many layers of formality.

"What level of classification is this under?"

"Not even the president of the United States has high enough clearance to know this secret."

"And yet they trust a teenager with it." She muttered.

"It was not my choice. But, back to my point, I need a swat team to 52nd St. and Miller ave." I strongly suggested.

"You want to send a swat team to a ransom drop?"

"No, I want to send a swat team to where my family is being held captive."

"How would you know where they are?" She asked semi-intrigued.

"Because I traced the phone call." I said like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Also, I recommend that they enter through a side door as I told them to watch their backs."

"You are sure that's where they are?" She asked searching my face for any traces of doubt.

"One hundred and ten percent." I replied looking her straight on.

"Alright, I'll call up a team."