The Crystal's Curse

by Vicky de Leo

  A moment later, she frowned and said, “Joshua?” She opened her eyes and attempted to push him away.

  Her feeble attempt angered him. The thought that she had said Joshua’s name enraged him. She was his. He had hoped that she would come to him willingly. If it hadn’t been for Joshua, it wouldn’t have to be like this. He tamped down the anger. It didn’t matter. Frank would be there first. Sara may not remember, but he would know. He began unbuttoning his shirt.

  ***

  Climbing into Nathan‘s car, Joshua asked, “Is Sara all right? What’s going on? Where are you taking me?”

  “I just got a call from Rachel. She said Lisa called her furious. She saw Frank and Sara going into his house. She said that Sara was hanging all over him.”

  Joshua was astonished at the pain. He felt like someone had kicked him in the chest. He couldn’t breathe. Frank and Sara? Why would she do that? He didn’t think the pain could get worse, but as he thought about them together, the burning increased. No, it can’t be true. He didn’t want to believe it. It had to be a mistake. Sara loved him, didn’t she? He shook his head. “Are you sure Rachel didn’t misunderstand?” That had to be it, a misunderstanding. The pain eased but only fractionally. Sara wouldn’t go anywhere with Frank, especially not to his house. “I just talked to her not 30 minutes ago and we were going to meet here,” he explained still struggling to understand.

  Nathan said, “That’s why I called you. Something fishy is going on. I’ve never seen Sara hang all over anyone, including you and she likes you. She doesn’t even like Frank. You say she was fine thirty minutes ago and she was waiting for you?”

  Joshua thought about it. She sounded fine on the phone. She called him. If she wanted to be with Frank, why would she call him and set up a date? It didn’t make any sense. “Yes, she sounded normal and I told her I would meet her here. What are you thinking Nathan?”

  “I think he did something to her.”

  The stabbing pain was back worse than ever, each breathe a struggle. “Like what?” Comprehension suddenly stuck him. “You mean drugs?” Rage, black and overpowering, replaced the pain. The more he thought about it the more sense it made. Frank would do anything to get back at Joshua for the humiliation he had suffered. What better way than through Sara. Panic and horror made his heart race and his palms sweat.

  Concentrating on the road, Nathan said, “What else? Nobody changes that fast. He couldn’t get her drunk in that short a space of time.” When he looked over, he saw that Joshua’s hands were curled into fists, his eyes dark and cold, his jaw clinched so tight, Nathan could almost hear the teeth grind. It struck him then that it might not have been a good idea to bring Joshua along. Maybe he should have checked on the situation by himself first.

  “How much longer?” Joshua asked in a tightly controlled voice.

  Nathan felt Joshua’s urgency and he was driving as fast as the narrow streets would allow. “Another ten minutes at least.”

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Sam and Maria walked into Lrence’s house loaded down with packages. Taking a break from the shopping, they had stopped in the Italian section for a late lunch. They were reasonably sure no one had followed them. Being out of the house doing normal every day things had reduced their stress levels. They laughed and teased one another as they went up the stairs. After dumping the packages on the bed, they went down to the basement to see how Lrence, Kafra, and Helen were progressing.

  Lrence turned and saw them. “Good, you’re back just in time. We were just getting ready to throw together a late supper. We’ve made good progress, and may be ready to test a couple of theories early tomorrow. Did you get everything you needed?”

  Sam and Maria nodded.

  Lrence took off his lab coat. Kafra cleaned up the table. They both looked fresh, like they could go on for hours. Helen, on the other hand, looked tired. She leaned against the table and rubbed the small of her back.

  Maria said, “Why don’t you three sit down upstairs in the living room? I’ll raid your kitchen and see what I can throw together, if you don’t mind, Lrence?”

  “Sounds good to me.” Turning to Helen he asked, “When was Sara planning on bringing your things? Maybe she could stay for supper as well.” He picked up the papers and stuffed them into file folders.

  She looked at her watch. “We didn’t set a time. Actually, I’m surprised she isn’t here yet. I expected her to come right back. She and Joshua probably got sidetracked. Maybe I should give her a call.”

  Lrence’s communicator went off. It looked like a tiny cell phone. Everyone stopped talking and watched as Lrence picked it up and said, “Yes.” He listened for a few minutes. “How soon? Alone? Yes, thank you.” He closed the phone. The tension was back in his face as he turned to them. “Erik found your father’s address. He is in Washington. She doesn’t know whether he will come tonight or wait until tomorrow morning to contact him. We need to get Joshua here now.”

  All trace of laughter was gone. Dinner no longer seemed a priority. Everyone just stood and looked at Lrence. Without a word, Sam handed him the untraceable cell phone. Lrence called Joseph at home. When he answered, he said, “Lrence here. Erik is on his way. Can you send Joshua here?”

  “Joshua is not here. He’s with Sara at her house. Do you want me to call him?” asked Joseph.

  “No we’ll call there and get him. We’ll keep him here. He won’t be coming home tonight. We don’t know whether Erik will contact you tonight or wait until morning. He is a tall, blond man with blue eyes. Remember, if he or anyone else asks about Joshua, don’t tell them anymore than you would any stranger. If you are pressed, say he is away with friends and you are not sure where, but he should be back in a couple of days. As far as Sam and Maria are concerned, you are sure they are still in Guatemala. Go to work as normal. Don’t call me; they may be monitoring your phone. I’ll contact you.” Joseph agreed and Lrence hung up. He handed the phone to Helen. “Call Sara.”

  Helen let the phone ring a dozen times. She tried Sara’s cell with the same result. She handed the phone back to Lrence. “There’s no answer.”

  Maria’s eyes were wide with fear. Sam put his arm around her. Lrence took the phone back. He called Joseph back and asked for Joshua’s cell phone number.

  Lrence put down the phone after several rings when Joshua didn’t answer. The tension in the room pulsed in the air. Still no one spoke. Kafra stood with her hand on Lrence’s shoulder as if to restrain him. Sam started pacing as Maria sank down on the bottom step, hugging herself.

  Helen looked shaken. She broke the silence. “Do something. Something’s wrong. I know Sara never goes anywhere without her phone. I can’t imagine that Joshua would either.”

  Lrence turned to Helen and said, “Let’s you and I go check out your house.”

  Helen nodded taking off the lab coat.

  Sam said, “I’m going with you.”

  Maria stood. “Not without me.”

  Kafra shook her head. She reached out and grabbed Lrence’s arm. “You can’t go, Lrence. It’s too dangerous. If Erik is in town, seeing you will ruin everything. You won’t be able to protect them. You’ll just get yourself killed. Let Sam and Maria go with Helen. He won’t recognize them from a distance. If they find out he has Joshua or Sara, then they can let us know and we’ll both go and rescue them.”

  Lrence hesitated. He hated putting anyone else in jeopardy, but he couldn’t argue with Kafra’s logic. Going himself would do nothing but put everyone in danger. He nodded to Sam and Maria.

  They picked up the phone and hurried to the car. Sam drove while Helen gave him directions. When they reached the house and he saw the silver Porsche sitting outside, Sam asked Helen, “Is that your car?”

  “No. That’s Joshua’s car.”

  Sam raised both eyebrows and looked at Maria.

  She shrugged and said, “A girlfriend and a car. Our son has been busy.” They stayed in the car and watched while Helen got out her keys and
opened the front door.

  After only a few minutes, she came to the door and motioned for them to come in. “No one is here,” she said, “but Sara’s purse is still here with her cell phone inside. It doesn’t look like she went upstairs at all. Nothing has been disturbed. I looked in the garage and my car is still here. I don’t understand what could have happened to them.”

  They called to let Lrence know that there was no sign of them and both cars were parked outside. He told them to stay there and wait.

  Setting down the phone, Lrence paced up and down. “Where would Erik take them?” He asked Kafra.

  “Calm down. We don’t even know if he has them. Vicki said he hadn’t left Washington yet. These are kids, Lrence. They could be anywhere, out with one of their friends. You need to give it some time. Wait and see if they come home or call,” she pleaded. When Lrence continued to pace, she went on, “Even if he is here, all he has is Joseph’s address. He doesn’t even know there is a connection to Helen and Sara.” She knew she needed to keep Lrence calm thinking out all the possibilities so he wouldn’t risk his life for them again. Even though she supported his quest to rid the earth of Qashur abuses, she wasn’t willing to allow him to risk his life. She had already given up everything—their home, their families, and their friends. She would not lose him too.

  Lrence stopped pacing and thought about it. Then he shook his head. He wasn‘t buying it. “He could have followed Joshua from there to Sara’s.”

  “Even if he did, why take them anywhere? Why not interrogate them right there? No one was home. He doesn’t know this town. He hasn’t had time to set up anything. I really think you’re jumping to conclusions.” She sat down hoping he would do the same.

  “Fine Miss see-how-calm-and-logical-I-am. At what point do you think we should do something? Do we wait until he actually kills someone?” He flung the words at her.

  Unfazed she glared at him. “Sarcasm, very mature. At least wait until Vicki calls back and tells us he’s here.”

  He sat down defeated. Running his hand through his hair he said, “And then what? Kafra, how am I going to keep my promise to protect them? Once he scans Joshua, it’s over. I can’t kill Erik and even if I could it wouldn’t stop the Watchers from sending someone else.”

  Hating to see him so despondent, she knelt down in front of him and said softly, “It’s not over yet. Have Joseph call around to Joshua’s friends and have them start looking for him. Get the rest of them back here. We’ll go back to the lab and test what we have. If we need to make a stand, it’s better to do it from here. If it comes to that, we can contact our friends for help. You may not be able to kill Erik, but I don’t think Remnr or Demitri would hesitate.”

  “You could let them do that to a man you once loved?” he asked astonished.

  She rocked back on her heels. “I don’t know. I do know I hate what Erik has become. He killed Cnoc and he tried to kill you.” She stood, determination etched in the lines of her mouth. “I’ll do whatever I have to.”

  The certainty in her face shocked Lrence. All his anger and indecision gone, he called Joseph to tell him Joshua and Sara were missing.

  When he called Sam to get everyone back, he met resistance. Helen wanted to stay and wait for Sara. He explained that Joseph was calling all Joshua’s friends and would organize a search party if necessary. He reminded her that unless they came up with a cure no one would be safe. He couldn’t do it without her. They compromised by leaving Sam there to man the phones. Maria would come back with Helen to act as a test subject.

  Before leaving, Helen got out the pistol and ammunition she kept in the closet and gave them to Sam.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Nathan drove up in front of Frank’s house. Frank’s red Volvo sat in the driveway. “He’s here. That’s his car. What do we do now?” Nathan started to ask, but Joshua was already out of the car and heading up the sidewalk. Nathan got out of the car and hurried after him. “You can’t just barge in, his parents might be home,” he whispered when he caught up with him.

  Joshua didn‘t even slow down. “I don’t think so. You think he could just walk past them with a drugged woman?” He didn’t bother whispering. He banged on the door and when he discovered it unlocked, he threw it open and yelled Frank’s name.

  Frank had taken off his shirt, removed his shoes, and was just unbuttoning Sara’s blouse when he heard the commotion downstairs. When he recognized Joshua‘s voice, he growled and swore. How did Joshua know Sara was here? Someone must have seen them. He stopped what he was doing, slid his feet off the bed, opened the bedside table, and took out the gun his father kept there. He carefully loaded the gun and pointed it at the door.

  Joshua ran up the stairs. He threw open every door until he came to the master suite. It took only a minute for him to see Sara out on the bed. The top two buttons of her blouse undone. Frank, shirtless, sat on the bed next to her with a gun pointed at him. Joshua stopped in the doorway shaking with rage. When he heard Nathan move, he motioned with his hand behind his back for him to stay out of sight. Joshua and Frank just looked at one another.

  Finally, Frank said, “What are you doing here?”

  Moving forward Joshua growled, “You know why I’m here. What have you done to her?”

  Frank raised the gun. “Stay where you are. I don’t know what you are talking about. Sara and I are just having a little fun. You weren’t invited. I’d appreciate it if you would just leave us alone. You know the old saying about three’s a crowd.”

  “Fun! You call it fun kidnapping and drugging her,” he fumed. At the same time, he was analyzing all possible scenarios, trying to come up with a way to get to Sara.

  “I did not kidnap her. She came of her own free will. As for being drugged. She just took something to relax her.” Frank ran one finger down Sara’s arm, never taking his eyes from Joshua. “You’re just mad because she prefers to party with me. Sara’s a real party girl. Sorry, she didn’t know how to tell you that you are a little too straight laced for her tastes. We have been seeing each other behind your back for some time now.”

  “That’s a lie!” Joshua shouted. Then taking a deep breath, he looked Frank in the eyes and growled through his teeth, “I’m not leaving here without her.” His fists clinched at his sides.

  Calmly now because he knew he had the upper hand, Frank said, “Well now that’s a problem. Maybe you didn’t notice. I’m the one with the gun. I’m a good shot and you’re a pretty big target. Since you broke into my house, I would be perfectly within my rights to shoot you. I’ll tell them I thought you were a burglar.” Then with venom, “Don’t tempt me, Joshua. Just get out.”

  Joshua’s phone rang. When Joshua went to reach for it, Frank shook his head and told him to keep his hands where he could see them. The phone kept ringing while Frank thought through his options. He couldn’t just let Joshua walk out of here now. Joshua could call the police. Frank couldn’t afford to get caught with an obviously drugged woman in his parent’s home. He doubted that even his father would consider that a minor indiscretion on his part. However, he hadn’t planned on shooting anyone either. It was tempting. Frank hated Joshua. No, not here, not this way. Sara would never forgive him. On the other hand, all he really had to do was incapacitate Joshua for a few hours. He still had two rohynols in his pocket. Maybe he could set it up so it looked like Joshua was the one who had drugged Sara and taken advantage of her. Then Frank could be the one who rescued her from him. He liked that idea. He smiled as he made up his mind.

  Joshua watched the emotions flit across Frank’s face. He was confident that Frank wasn’t prepared to shoot him, but he could see he was planning something. If Frank got within reach, Joshua was sure he could overpower him. He prayed that Nathan would stay quiet and let him handle it.

  Nathan, standing next to the master bedroom door just out of sight, had heard every word. At first, he wondered why Joshua had stopped in the doorway, but assumed that Joshua could handle the s
ituation, until he heard that Frank had a gun. Now he was torn. Should he just step into the doorway and let Frank know he had a witness? Would that detour him or just goad him into a rash act? He was still trying to decide when Frank spoke.

  “Okay, Carson, we’re going to take a little walk. Turn around.” Frank got up from the bed and walked toward Joshua.

  Joshua thought, “Great if I can get him out of this room, Nathan can get to Sara and I can take Frank down without risking her.” He turned around and with his hand in front of his chest so that Frank couldn’t see, he motioned for Nathan to move away. Then speaking loudly to cover Nathan’s footsteps he said, “What about Sara? Are you sure she’s all right?”

  Nathan backed down the hallway and slipped inside the next open doorway.

  “She’s fine. Now move and keep your hands where I can see them.” Frank came closer, but stayed just out of Joshua’s reach.

  With his hands now up, Joshua walked through the doorway and down the hall.

  Frank was right behind him. “Let’s go in here.” He nudged the gun into Joshua’s side to indicate the next room in which Nathan was hiding.

  Nathan moved behind the open door. Looking through the doorjamb, Nathan watched first Joshua and then Frank step into the room. When Joshua had cleared the door, Nathan swung the door as hard as he could into Frank. The gun went flying sideways, discharging a bullet into the ceiling.

  Joshua turned, grabbed the door now between him and Frank, and ripped it off the hinges throwing it aside. Then he attacked Frank, knocking him through the open doorway into the hall. Trapped against the stair rails, Frank fought back, but he was no match for Joshua. Enraged Joshua kept punching and kicking, even when Frank slipped down unconscious.