Close To Embers (formerly known as Modern Love)

Chapter 20 - The Return

Leave no stone unturned seemed to become their motto these days.  It was still early morning; they hadn’t expected the battle to be over quite so quickly.  By the time they’d made a quick trip back to Megan’s loft, it was not long after noon when the group found themselves arriving in Sweetwater.

Jack and Jesse sat up front while Mason and the girls hid in the back.  Still dressed in the uniforms Nikita designed, the plain clothes they brought with them from Memphis were stowed in an old rucksack for safekeeping.  They couldn’t possibly walk around in these without being recognised at the time-being, nor could they stroll around in the costumes.

“Where do you want me to drop you off?” Jack asked, pulling into the school grounds.

“Take us round back.” Ruth instructed.  “There’s a delivery point for the kitchens we’ll slip in there.”

“It looks awful busy out there.” Nikita noted, pointing out the large assembly taken place outdoors.  “Is there some sort of event or festival on today?”

“I don’t know.” Shrugged Ruth.  “What’s the date?”

“Oh my god!” Megan shrieked, making them all jump as she consulted her cell.  “It’s Graduation Day!”

“Silencer’s at the ready!” Ruth crooned, yanking out the readily equipped guns.

“You don’t think she’s in the crowd, do you?” Nikita asked.  “We can’t go after her if she’s in there.”

“Let’s just check out the guidance councillors’ office first.” Ruth said calmly.  “Jack, pull up here.  This’ll do.  Megan, you ready to blow the lights?”

“Just one section at a time right?  If I blow them all, Mama will probably know we’re coming.”

“Whatever makes you happy, honey.”

The lights to the delivery entrance went out at a wave from Megan’s hand.  Jack pulled the car out of the grounds as soon as the girls were safely inside.  Just outside the kitchen they stopped to make sure their weapons were concealed and their masks in place.

Ruth led the way, crouching low at corners to survey the path ahead, whilst Nikita brought up the rear.  Each time they entered a new part of the school Megan blew the lights and returned the power to the previous section.  They were getting deeper, closer to the crowd outside.

“There she is!” Nikita called, as soon as Megan had set off another hall of lights.

Mama Goody made a break for it as soon as the lights went out.  They chased her down unlit corridors until she got confused.  The sound of more running footsteps seemed to startle her so she took off in the opposite direction.

“It’s your Dad!” Ruth shouted, pointing down another hall.

Will Rice and a couple other men were pursuing Mama as well.  The girls were closer though and they could see Mama on her cell to someone as she panted, running down corridor after corridor.  Nikita threw her hands out at her father and his colleagues.  They seemed to freeze mid sprint.  Mama was still running ahead of them, now entering the gym.

“Blow the lights, Megan!” Ruth cried.  “We’ve got her cornered!”

“You can let your Dad and his friends go now, Nik.  They won’t catch up to us.”

A second later they were dowsed in darkness.  Mama was pulling at the locked doors leading out to the football field, rattling them as if they would give way.  Sunlight still streamed in through a high up window but there was no way she could get up there without help.  A car screeched to a halt outside and Mama’s face sagged with relief as they worked the lock on the doors.

“Well, girls, I can’t say it hasn’t been fun.  I didn’t believe you were alive until I heard about the attack on Sutton Manor.”

“Yeah, we’re just full of surprises.” Ruth said, training her gun on Mama.

“Sorry, love, but you’re out of time.” Mama smirked.

The lock finally gave way and the door swung in slightly, bathing Mama in a pool of sunlight whilst the intruder stayed hidden behind the door.  Mama turned to face the car driver and her face fell.

“What?  No!  You lied to me!”

“Nikita freeze!” Ruth cried.

 She was a moment too late.  The drivers’ hands were all they could see but in them was a gun equipped with silencer.  She didn’t even hear it go off; it must have been a moment before Nikita raised her hands.

Mama stood slightly off kilter.  Her long white heels looked ready to snap beneath her, hands splayed out protectively as her face blanched in terror.  Blood had started to trickle from the hole in her forehead, Mama’s eyes were still wide with sheer horror.

“We’re too late.” Megan said, ashen faced.

“Might as well let her go, Nikki.” Ruth said, equally upset.  “Let’s go take down her killer.”

With no preamble, Nikita let time slip idly by and the girls spared no time to watch as Mama fell to the gymnasium floor.  They were already after the car driver.  He was running out into the open.

“Plain clothes!” Ruth shouted, hastily pulling the rucksack off her back.

Nikita recognised the retreating back.  Of course, they all did.  They thought they had outrun Will Rice.  He was now at the top of their shit-list, just as Ruth knew he would be.  The last target before their happily ever after.  They couldn’t be seen not by anyone, not by their parents or friends or neighbours.  No one.  So, Will did the worst.

Running faster than before, the girls tried to keep up with him but he led them round the side of the building, past the back where Jack and the boys had let them out and back through the corridors they’d been through not minutes ago.  For a hopeful second, they thought they had him cornered.  Wrong again.

“He’s just went through those doors!” Nikita cried, no longer caring she was chasing down her own father.

“Quick!” Megan shouted.

“Let’s get him.” Bellowed Ruth.

Through the double doors they went back out into the sunlight but Will was nowhere to be seen.  How could he be?  He was hidden somewhere in the crowd.  Every person in the stands and the rows and rows of seats turned to see Megan, Ruth and Nikita standing just in front of the schools’ main entrance.

So much for their happily ever after.