The Preston Six Collection: (Book 1, 2 and 3)

by Ryan, Matt

  “How did you guys get here?” Lucas asked.

  “A boat picked us up, a cargo ship. They dropped us off at the nearest port, which happened to be Sanct.” Julie rolled her eyes. “Where’s Harris?”

  “Well, a freaking missile hit us. We jumped right before it hit the aircraft. Harris saved my life, blocking the blast with his body.” Lucas paused. “He’s here somewhere, they took him away like we had captured a criminal. I hope he’s alright.”

  Poly glanced at the elevator door with the red light above it. She didn’t think they would be getting back out of here through that elevator.

  “So what’s going on here?” Poly asked as the wonderful reunion feelings began to wear off and the reality of their surroundings set in.

  “They couldn’t identify us, so they stuffed us in this room. They even took my Panavice.” Julie folded her arms.

  The elevator bell dinged and the door slid open. A man dressed in shiny black clothes, with a small white hat on, sauntered toward them while staring at his Panavice.

  Wow. He walked better in heels than she did.

  “Hello, I’m Douglas,” he said, never looking up.

  The smell of cologne hit Poly’s nose. It smelt sweet, like strawberries. “Hello, Douglas.” Could strawberry scent still be considered cologne?

  “Travis will see you now,” Douglas said, turning back toward the elevator.

  “Who’s Travis?” Julie whispered, as they fell in line behind Douglas.

  “Compry’s dad, he’s mayor of the city or something,” Poly whispered.

  They followed Douglas into the elevator. He took his time eyeing Hank up and down, then returned back to his device.

  Poly took the time to see the elevator near the street level of the city. The elevator dropped below the city and her view turned into solid steel. It stopped and Douglas grabbed a bar on the side of the elevator. The elevator lunged sideways and sent Poly into Julie’s arms. Hank was almost thrown into Douglas, but saved himself at the last second.

  “Might want to hang on, big boy,” Douglas said with a smirk.

  No one dared to look at Hank for his reaction, staring at the floor instead.

  Lucas cleared his throat. “Man, I still can’t believe I am seeing you guys standing in front of me.”

  Douglas let out a long annoyed sigh.

  Poly glanced at him and back to Lucas. “We’ll talk more, later.”

  “Thank you,” Douglas breathed out as he typed into his Panavice.

  “Douglas, do you know how . . . that other man . . . who came here with us is doing?” Lucas asked.

  He looked up at Lucas for a second. “I don’t keep track of who’s coming and going in this place.”

  The elevator changed directions abruptly. The group fell forward, this time Poly ended up in Lucas’s arms. He helped her back on her feet and then glanced at Julie. Douglas smirked again.

  The elevator made a few clicks and then moved up. The light flooded in as they rose above the street level again. The cars moved along the streets and a couple walked a dog. Soon they were high above the city and the elevator stopped.

  Douglas moved to the front of the door and tucked the Panavice into his tight pants.

  “Oh and don’t say anything about Gladius’s hideous little doll, it’ll just set her off.”

  “What doll?” Lucas asked.

  The door slid open and they followed Douglas to a reception desk. A woman in a pink, revealing top and a pink hat, with a white feather sticking out of the top, sat at the desk. A small doll stood on the desk, wearing a matching outfit, feather and all. They both looked up at Douglas at the same time.

  “Hey, Gladius.”

  “Oh, look at them, they look so rough.” She got up from her desk and walked around next to Hank.

  The doll hopped off the desk and followed her.

  “Look at the size of this one, I could take him home and climb him like Mount Metzer,” Gladius said as she squeezed his bicep.

  The doll pulled at Hank’s pant leg.

  Hank’s face turned red and he looked away from Gladius. Poly smiled at seeing Hank so uncomfortable.

  “I think Travis wants them first,” Douglas said, rolled his eyes and crossed his arms.

  Gladius gave him a dirty look. “Well, go on in then,” she said, walking behind her desk to type into a keypad.

  The doll climbed up a small ladder on the desk and stood on top, staring at them.

  Poly kept eye contact with the doll as they walked toward the room. It seemed so real it creeped her out.

  Lucas put his arm out in a small bow and whispered to Hank, “After you, big boy.”

  Hank thumped Lucas on the back of the head, sending him scrambling to stay on his feet.

  Douglas swayed into the room behind the two.

  Poly was last to enter and immediately saw the collection of weapons displayed: Dueling swords on the wall, a sword in a case, a scimitar, a cutlass, daggers, a pair of Sai’s, and other knives, all filling the room in display cases.

  Poly ran her hand over the glass case holding a sword. The cold glass squeaked at her touch and she pulled her finger away. It was a wonderland of blades that she couldn’t take her eyes away from. Who could have such a collection in a place like this?

  Past the displays sat a man behind a desk. The man with piercing blue eyes and a beautiful face, watched her. He couldn’t be Travis, could he? He looked to be mid-twenties, but the resemblance to Compry was there. That confident, stern look oozed from him—the same as Compry. Poly lowered her head, remembering the news she was about to bring the man.

  “These are them.” Douglas swirled his finger at them.

  “Thank you, Douglas. That will be all,” Travis said.

  Douglas let out a huff and left the room.

  “Please, take a seat,” Travis said.

  Four cloth chairs were in front of his desk. Poly took the far right chair, she could jump from her chair quicker and she favored her right side. Lucas sat next to her.

  “You must be Travis,” Julie said.

  “Yes,” Travis answered and raised his eyebrows.

  “Oh, I’m Julie, this is Hank, Lucas, and Poly.”

  His gaze stuck on Poly. “Poly, I noticed you admiring my collection.”

  She looked back at some of the blades. “It’s very nice.”

  “I am glad you like it, it is something of a forgotten skill.” Travis said. “Are you skilled with a blade?”

  He could obviously see the blades at her hips. He didn’t need to see the many hidden ones to know she had a penchant for sharp steel.

  “I’ve learned from the best,” Poly said.

  Travis’s eyebrows rose with a playful glint in his eyes. “Who?”

  Was the man flirting with her? Poly wasn’t good at spotting stuff like that. She took a deep breath and said, “My mom . . . and Compry.”

  Travis shot out of his chair, the playful glint gone from his eyes. “Who are you?”

  “I’m Poly, but we need to tell you something about your daughter.”

  “What, did she finally get arrested?”

  Poly looked to Julie, who with a stern face, nodded for her to continue.

  “I’m really sorry to be the one to tell you this, but Max Boone killed your daughter a few days ago.” Poly stared at his desk. She couldn’t bear to look into his eyes.

  Travis staggered to the wall behind his desk and placed a hand next to a picture of a woman on the wall, the name Maya written into the wood frame under it. He stared at the picture and ran his fingers across the name. His head lowered.

  “Why? How do you know this?” Travis said in a low tone.

  “We were with Harris, trying to escape and Max shot her.”

  “Harris,” Travis hissed out his name and balled his fist next to Maya’s picture. “I told her to stay away from that man.” Travis looked over his shoulder at Poly. “Did she suffer?”

  “It happened in a split-second, she didn’t
even see it coming,” Poly said.

  Travis released his balled fist and let his arms fall to his sides. He turned to face them, eyes filled with tears as he sat down on his black leather chair. He covered his mouth and looked at a sword on the wall.

  Poly felt for him as he fought back his tears for his daughter. She felt the tears welling in her eyes. She had fond memories of Compry and seeing her father in pain brought those feelings to an apex. A tear ran down her cheek as she struggled to keep it together.

  Travis, with his deep blue eyes stared through her. He lifted his Panavice on his desk and glanced at the surface.

  “So you are all with Harris?” His gaze stayed on Poly.

  She squirmed in her seat and she thought maybe it wasn’t the smartest thing to tell him about Harris. She looked to Julie for help, but she stared at the carpeted floor. Lucas looked as if he wanted to jump from the seat.

  Travis leaned forward. “You aren’t in any database, any of you.” His gaze passed over all of them. “I will give you a single chance to tell me who you really are.”

  A threat hung in his words and Poly’s heart raced as she thought about explaining who they were and where they came from. Harris said the master stones were only known to a few members of MM. She looked to Julie, then to Hank and Lucas.

  Lucas spoke first. “We’re from Preston. We’re not from this world, we’re from Earth. We were taken to this world by Harris and in trying to run from MM, we ended up here, alive, by the thinnest of chances. And if I may, your daughter was an amazing person, we all cared deeply for her.”

  Poly’s mouth opened as she listened to Lucas. Travis leaned back in his chair and blew out a long breath.

  The door opened behind them. Poly turned to see several men dressed in heavy black armor standing at the door, she gripped the dagger at her hip. Travis waved his hand and shook his head. The men hesitated, but a stern look from Travis sent them stepping out of the room.

  Were they here to take us?

  She turned to Travis who grinned at her, looking at her hand on her hip dagger.

  “Compry taught you, eh?” Travis asked.

  “Yes,” Poly said and placed her hand on her thigh and pulled out a knife. “I think you should have this.” She slid the dragon etched throwing knife across the table to Travis.

  He took the knife in his hand and held it. Travis smiled and looked to the ceiling. Tears slid down his face. “I gave her this knife for her hundredth. Thank you.” He turned the blade in his hands. “She was my oldest daughter, from my first. . . .” He glanced back at the picture of Maya, a beautiful young woman, and didn’t finish his sentence.

  Travis collected himself and took a deep breath. “So Harris yanked you from your world.” He didn’t seem to be addressing anyone. “I assume he told you I have a stone. That’s why you’re really here.” He talked in a distant tone.

  Harris had told her about the stone, but hearing it still sent her emotions to the roof. Earth was the next step on her way back to Joey.

  “You have a stone? We can get home,” Julie said and smiled with a shocked look.

  “You didn’t know?” Travis leaned forward in his chair.

  “We knew,” Poly said, pointing to Lucas and herself. “Harris told us.”

  Travis leaned back. “My dad is the one who found it.” Travis laughed and looked at the ceiling. “He built this building just to hide it.” He cleared his throat.

  “Do you know the code for earth?” Julie asked.

  “Yes, I’ll show you the code,” Travis slumped in his chair.

  “Wait, what about Harris?” Hank asked.

  Travis’s eyes narrowed for a second, he blinked and his faced looked somber again. “I will personally make sure Harris is cared for.”

  Poly didn’t like the way he said cared for, mixed with the hint of hate in his eyes when Hank mentioned his name. “Promise that you won’t hurt him.”

  Travis raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms. “A promise? Why would I promise you anything?”

  “You taught Compry, Compry taught me. We have a connection, your daughter can live through us and our actions.” Poly said and spun her dagger in hand. “One thing she taught me was that your word was as important as your sword.”

  Poly felt the tears in her eyes again. Not just for Compry, but for Harris, who she was positive was going to die if she couldn’t stop it.

  “She did teach you, didn’t she?” Travis asked. “How well did she teach you? That is the question.” He stood up from his chair and walked around the desk next to her.

  Poly tensed up as Travis approached her. She felt for her left dagger, she wasn’t as good with her left hand, but she saw twelve places she could stick him if he got three feet closer.

  “I’ll make a deal with you. If you can beat me in a duel, I’ll promise not to hurt Harris. You can pick any blade.”

  “No, Poly,” Julie said. “He’ll kill you.”

  Travis laughed, “Please, I’m more civilized than that. We can duel in sensor vests. First one to get a strike on the vest wins. Not a scratch will be had.”

  Poly stood up to face him. He was a foot taller and she could tell from the lean muscles under his button up shirt, he was an athlete. She swallowed. “Deal.” She extended her hand to him.

  He looked at her hand for second and then shook it.

  “Pick your weapon,” he said spreading his arms out around the room.

  She stood from her chair and did a circle, taking in all the different blades on display. She couldn’t beat Compry on any weapon, but one. She thought of the plates Paul threw in the air.

  She slid her hand into the fold at her thigh and pulled out three, thin steel blades. “Throwing knives,” Poly said. The three knives spread apart like a deck of cards in her thumb and finger.

  Travis looked her in the eyes and she held the piercing gaze, trying to muster the look of confidence, while the fear in her gut fought to take over.

  “Very well,” he said and walked to the cupboard below the sword display and pulled out two gray vests. “It may be large for you, but it should work.” He handed her the vest.

  He went to another dresser and opened a drawer. He pulled out a pair of throwing knives, black steel with spider symbols on the thin hilts.

  Poly felt the vest in her hands, a rough fabric that felt like steel wool. She pulled it down over her head, wincing in pain as it grazed her injuries, and slipped her arms through. It was too large, but she pulled in the sides and bottom, adjusting it to fit as well as it could.

  Travis used one arm and in a quick motion, had the vest on. He held the two knives in his right hand. “There is a green button at the bottom of the vest, press it.” She did. “If it turns red, you have been hit and have lost.”

  Lucas walked next to her and whispered. “I’ve seen you stare down and kill Arracks and those freaking zombies, you can do this.”

  Julie walked to her and put her mouth next to her ear. “He seems to favor his right hand, also he has an injury on his right, I think it’s his knee, saw it when he leaned on the wall.”

  Poly was momentarily struck dumb, she turned her head to Julie as she walked away. How could she have missed these things? Compry had taught her about taking advantage of other’s weaknesses. “Mercy is for the dead,” she would say.

  Travis spun one of the black blades on the tip of his finger as he stared at her, spinning it with his thumb. She looked away from his skills and looked at his black slacks and past his belt and up to his vest, she had to hit somewhere on that vest.

  She felt a large hand on her shoulder and turned to Hank’s concerned face.

  “He’s throwing a knife and you are protected here.” He pointed to her torso in a circular motion. He turned to Travis and then back to her. “If he hits you here,” he pointed to her eyes, “I will kill him with my hands.”

  Travis was meant to hear and she saw the smirk on his face as he looked at Hank.

  Travis stood on the o
ther side of the room, about thirty feet away, while Hank, Lucas, and Julie put their backs against the wall in between them.

  “We ready?” Travis asked. He didn’t have an ounce of fear or concern in him.

  Poly turned sideways and crouched down. She held one throwing knife in each hand. Travis smiled and turned in the same manner, but being much larger, she had many targets picked around his body. She closed her eyes for a second and took one slow, deep breath and let a calm come over her.

  She figured she couldn’t beat him on an even field, but she knew how to even it out, even if it hurt. Compry would tell her that in order to win, sometimes you have to be willing to lose.

  She lowered her left arm against her side and turned her body sideways, giving him the smallest target possible. She pinched a single blade between each forefinger and thumb.

  “Ready,” she said and jumped.

  Travis moved in lightning speed and she expected it as the two black spider blades flew in the air at her. But she was nearly as fast, and flung the blade in her right hand over the head and at the same time her left hand threw a blade side armed. She watched his eyes following the high blade and she knew he wasn’t watching the lower blade coming at him.

  Still in the air, his first black blade struck her in the leg, as she planned, and the second blade struck the bicep of her left arm.

  Poly groaned and she fell to the ground, the back of her head hit the floor. Her vision went black from the combined pain of her head, arm, and leg. Warm blood oozed down her affected limbs. She reached for the blade stuck in her arm and pulled it out, letting out a scream.

  She sat up on her rear and looked to Travis who stood with a dumbfounded look, staring at the red button on the bottom of his vest.

  She’d won.

  Lucas jumped and screamed, “Oh,” he yelled as he ran over to Poly. He hugged her and helped her to her feet. “You okay?”

  Poly winced at each touch. She put weight on her leg and a jolt of pain shot up. Each time she moved her fingers in her left arm, pain screeched down to her fingertips. Her vision blurred with each heartbeat. “I’m fine.”

  Hank and Julie ran to her side.

  “That was so risky,” Julie said shaking her head.