The sun rose slowly and the darkness started to leave the sky. My eye's felt heavy and full of sand as the black Volvo came up the drive. I wondered for the fifth time if I should have asked Maverick to be here as I stood from my seat on the porch. Blowing out the candle sitting on the table I waited for the car to stop and walked to it. Pushing down my fear and repulsion I opened the door. Sliding in to the seat, the smell of cigerates and a mans colone overwhelmed me.
"It's good to see you." "Is it?" He tutted at me smiling. "Why so cold?" I flinched as he stroked my cheek. "Will you not tell me what your name is today?" I eyed him. "You will leave me alone or I will come clean about what I know about your beliefs and why my neighbour got murdered." He took his hand back. "That wasn't us. It's been made to look like us but it's not. Come home to us my dear we will protect you as we did before."
I looked him in the eye making him frown with anger he was repressing. "You can't protect me from these people. Leave or die. These people will kill you and your church easily." "You threaten me?" His voice held a dangerous note to it. "How could I? I'm giving you a warning. Go home and leave me alone. The wolf cry's at the moon." His eye's went wide. "The wolf! You can't be serious. You got involved with them?" "I am serious. You know as well as I do that means I'll be dead within a month. Go home or face my fate."
I opened the door and he grabbed my hand. I looked down at the glove that barely covered the brand on the back of his hand. I recognised the shape of an 'x' inside a square. The symbol for contacting ex-members. "You've been punished for following me?" "I'd die for you."
Looking in to his face I knew he meant it. "I've told you I don't want you around me. Don't make me get another restraining order. Go home and save your self more pain." I shook him off and got out the car. "At least tell me where my little girl is." "Safe from us both now leave!" I slammed the door and walked back to the house.
After a moment the car turned and the window opened. "I would let you back in with us in a heartbeat I would never leave you to the wolves." "I wouldn't come back to your group even if you left it." He shook his head at me and drove off. I let out a relieved breath, went inside and made myself a hot drink. I sat down with a book and enjoyed the peace I'd regained.
"Tia... are you awake?" Tobin's small voice woke me up with him shaking me gently. Looking at the clock it was 10am. I've only slept two hours. "I am. Do you want breakfast?" "They are here!" He whispered whilst wringing his hands. I looked out the window. "Where?" He came closer and said with his hands. There here, I saw them. Need a way out!
I stood and walked to the door locking it. I put the code in to the panel and metal shutters closed over the windows and doors. Turning I moved one of the bookshelves revealing my gun safe. I unlocked it and removed a shotgun. Loading it and stuffing my pockets with shells I looked over the liveingroom.
Tobin tugged on my sleeve. I smiled at him and closed the door to my gun safe and moved the bookshelf back. I used his silent language to tell him to follow me. I led him in to the basement. "We can talk here. Now I have somewhere safe place we can go, but I need to wait for them to leave before we can escape."
He nodded looking up at me. "Let's settle in. I've got some board games and blankets down here." He looked at the floor. "I left... Ted upstairs." I nodded handing him a bat. "Then we must rescue him."
With Tobin behind me armed with a bat, we climbed the stairs. I moved out into the living room checking every corner with my gun. He moved behind me bat ready. I moved to the bottom of the stairs and made my way up pointing the gun in to the areas I couldn't see yet. Finally I checked every corner then put the gun down. I signed to him to gather clothes and blankets. He nodded and I picked up the gun pointing it down the stairs and sitting on the top step. When Tobin was done he tapped me twice on the shoulder with one finger. I started back down the stairs. Once back in the living room I grabbed the phone and put the gun down. I signed at him to pick some books and again he nodded. I picked up the gun again and moved around watching Tobin so I didn't sweep him with the end of the weapon. He tapped me again and I moved to the basement.
When he was in he locked the heavy metal door. He sighed walking down with the stairs with his bundle. "How's Ted?" He put it down and picked up Ted. "Safe... Tia... you didn't mind me going to save him?" "Why would I mind rescuing family. Now we can survive down here for three day's. Do you think they will leave before then?" He looked at Ted. "No..." "That's alright. We can plan our escape in time. Today though I'm tired so we rest today and work on getting out soon." He came over and took my hands. "What about your medicine... do you have enough?"
I moved to a box and opened it. Inside was a months worth of my medication. "See. This is why your safe with me. You don't need to worry about more food. If we need more we can get the extra from the stores we have upstairs. Now let's settle in for a rest." I came back to his side as he laid the blankets and pillows out. Then I laid down. Tobin sat next to me and I offered him my arms. He laid down with me and laid Ted between us.
"Tia?" "Yes?" He shifted laying his head on my chest. "Can you be my mum?" I hugged him tighter. "If that's what you need me to be, that's what I will be." "You are nice and you trust me." I kissed his head. "While I'm asleep don't touch the gun. I'll teach you to use it soon and then give you one OK?" He nodded. "I'll sleep with you...mum." I smiled and kissed him again. He fell asleep quickly and I covered us with another blanket.
I woke up and looked down at Tobin still sleeping on me. He stared and I tucked the blanket around him tighter. He settled and I looked at the old wound pocket watch I used to keep the time down here. It was one o'clock. I picked up a book reading it contently. The phone rang and Tobin stirred again.
"Hello?" "Tia.. I'm sorry if I'm disturbing you..." I smiled looking at Tobin still sleeping on the makeshift bed. "Not at all. What is it you wanted Maverick?" "That black Volvo was in town but the occupant never got out." I sighed. "Hopefully you won't see it again." "That's good... I wanted to tell you the chief let me back to work." A brief moment of panic touched me. "That's good." "I wanted to tell you myself so you didn't find out from someone else."
I shifted laying Tobin's head on my lap. "Was there something else you needed Maverick?" He sighed. "Please don't go back to that flat tone. Look I wanted you to know that he knew you came to my home, and has ordered me to get close to you. I'm going to need to feed him some information. So you tell me what I can say and that's all he will get."
Flat tone? Did I do it again? "Sorry.. I don't realise I'm doing it. I don't want you to tell him anything." "Why do you change like that?" I sighed looking up at the ceiling. "It's easier to be emotionally distant than to let people know what I feel about things these days." "So when you go all blank faced and flat toned, you're feeling unsafe?"
Tobin whined and I rubbed his back. "Yes Maverick." "Well don't worry. I'm not telling him anything you don't want me too. Was that Tobin?" "Yes he's asleep on me." He went silent for a moment then asked. "Is he OK?" "He will be. I'm going to need to talk to that social worker." Tobin kicked his foot out and clutched his bear. "Why?" "He asked me to be his mum."
Maverick started coughing like he was choking on something. "He what?" "He wants me to be his mum. He's sure his mum won't be coming back. So he's chosen me to replace her, because I've treated him well." Maverick had got his coughing under control and breathed deeply. "Is it a good idea?"
I stroked Tobin's hair smiling at the affection I felt for him. "I'm prepared to look after him until his mother returns. I understand where he comes from. I understand his fears and have lived with them myself. Like right now, he said he saw the people after him and we are hiding in the basement. I'm taking him seriously, he needs that regardless of whether it's true or not."
"Do you want me to come and check it out?" Tobin whined again and sat up. It was obvious he was still mostly asleep. "Shhhhh Tobin it's alright we are safe." I pulled him to me and he started to cry.
"Tia... do you want me to come and look around?" Maverick sounded desperate. "Hey Tobin Maverick is on the phone.. he wants to know if you want him to come and look for them." Tobin shook his head violently. "No! They will get him!" "Alright then. I'll protect us."
Maverick sighed. "Are you sure?" "I have my own arsenal here Maverick. We will be fine." Maverick cleared his throat as I rocked Tobin to comfort him. "Do YOU want me to look around?" "No thank you Maverick. We will be fine." Tobin looked up at me and then at the gun. "Are we going to plan?" "As soon as I'm off the phone. Why don't you take Ted over there and put the kettle on?" He nodded walking to the small kitchen I'd set up in the corner of the room.
"Are you safe?" Maverick sounded stern. "Yes Maverick. We will be here for awhile I think but we are safe." I mentally crossed my fingers hoping he wouldn't come riding in hoping to save us. "Alright... just don't shoot anyone." I laughed and Tobin looked at me. "I'll try not to."
He hung up and I put the phone down. "Did you know they were coming?" I walked to his side and poured the water over the noodles he set out. "No my dear. I have people after me too. I've worked out how to keep my self safe." He nodded taking a bowl and looking up at me. "Will you teach me?" I smiled and walked back to our makeshift bed. "Of coarse I will my dear. You will need to protect me and Ted after all. Now we have an escape to plan and then a soldier to train don't we?"