Airborne Saga: Grounded Part 18

"Avery, come on." Leela had snuck up behind her at some point. "Avery, its time to go."

The words went ignored. All Avery could hear was a loud buzzing in her skull. Avery still held the b.l.o.o.d.y sweater, hovering at the side of an immobile corpse. She couldn't react. She didn't know how. Avery had never really seen someone die before. And not like this. Not to save her life. He didn't even finish talking. What was she supposed to tell Adalyn? Adalyn would never get to know what her father wanted now. Horror sinking in, Avery shook and couldn't stop. Tears jerked at her eyes but she didn't cry. She was too panicked to cry, too panicked to think.

"Avery, he's gone." Leela said again but this time the girl's voice ripped Avery from the stupor.

With it, Avery whirled on her, a flash of white rage hitting just behind her eyelids. Samuel had died because of Mikhail. Samuel had died because of the harpie Leela was just so in love with. That rage tripled in seconds. But when Avery caught Leela's eyes, all that rage had faded away. Leela, small and shaking, blinked tears from her wet, wide eyes.

"I'm so sorry, Avery." She repeated, "But we have to go or they'll come for us next."

The anger had dissipated leaving only a hole in her chest. Avery numbly nodded because Samuel was already dead and Leela was absolutely right.

Twenty-Two.

Covering Samuel's body with a jacket didn't seem like an appropriate funeral but giving the old harpie some type of closure made Avery feel better. Having torn her sweater up, she'd closed his eyes and placed the thin fabric to cover his face. Limp and calm now, he could have been sleeping. But the knot in Avery's gut didn't go away.

"We can come back for him." Avery said more to herself than Leela, but the girl still nodded sympathetically upon hearing it.

"It's okay. We can come back when it's over."

Swiping at her dry eyes, Avery nodded.

"Yea, I guess we should go." Avery's voice broke and suddenly eager to move, she hurried to the exit with Leela tailing her. They had to go back into the fog as Avery knew no other way to escape in the windowless room. At least the green gas had dissipated a bit and only still floated in thick, dark clouds around the ceiling. Avery pressed a finger to her lips for Leela to see just before she turned the k.n.o.b. The lock slid out of place and the door inched open.

The springs squealed. Avery slowed. Her blood pounded in her ears so loudly she could barely tell her own heartbeat from the noise outside. It was absolutely imperative no one see them. The knot in Avery's gut reminded her that they couldn't fight their way out twice.

Door open, they crept out into the hall. The area seemed clear and remained quiet, but remnants of an earlier battle decorated the area. Wallpaper had been forcibly torn off, carpets were spotted with dirt and blood, and talon marks marred the door frames. It had to have happened quickly-immediately after the concussion bomb.

Avery's lips pressed together. The fight already went down but where did that put Mason?

One hand linked with Leela's they skulked down the hall weaving through the corridors. The only exit Avery knew about was at the very end but she'd gladly jump through the first window to avoid the well guarded door.

Footsteps suddenly cracked down the hallway. Avery froze and forced Leela still. Hearing them coming up around the corner, Avery gave Leela a shove towards the nearest door. Leela caught the k.n.o.b and opened it swiftly. The room was dark and enveloped in shadows but they slipped inside. Clearing the wall, they slammed their backs against it before staggering in blind.

"Close the door!" Leela hissed but it was too late. The footsteps were too close.

They stomped down the hall just outside and stopped. Avery stole a glimpse outside. Rafael stood nearby. The harpie wielded a blade but his eyes weren't set their way. He did a meticulous survey of the area. Heart skipping a beat, Avery slapped a hand over her mouth and m.u.f.fled her heavy breathing.

He lingered. Just when Avery thought he'd move, Leela suddenly did. The girl sprung up and made for the exit.

"What are you doing? No!" Avery hissed a second too late. Leela was already out there.

Avery pressed her back against the wall and held her breath. The tears kept threatening to come. Too much stress too fast. Avery couldn't take this now.

"Rafael! How are you?" Leela's blurting voice came out bubbly. Rafael swung around, surprised by her appearance but the harpie didn't lash forward in attack.

His brown eyes sized her up and he double took.

"Human girlie? Still alive?" He quirked.

"No thanks to you! I can't believe you let them take me off that island. I want to talk to Mikhail now."

Avery leaned forward and stole another glance. Leela faced away and her expression was invisible. But the tone sounded sincere and it stung badly. A pause lulled in the conversation after Leela's demand and Rafael took his time considering an answer.

"Mikhail has better things to do right now little lady."

"Yea, and what's that?" Leela snapped back. The jolt in her tone didn't bother Rafael. To talk to a killer like that was just insane. And then it got stranger. "Avery and Mason are already long gone." Leela added.

Rafael's brows shot up under his black hair.

"Do you know where they've gone?" He quizzed immediately. His wings twitched with intrigue.

"Yea, they were going to the airport. And they actually wanted me to go with them to Florida. Can you believe that?" Leela hit every note perfectly and said the lie so smoothly, it could have duped Avery.

"They left to go to the airport?" Rafael asked again but his face had lit up. Rafael fell for it hook, line, and sinker.

"Yea, I mean you better go catch them or they'll be out of town in the next hour. Now can I talk to Mikhail?"

Suddenly preoccupied Rafael turned away from her. His attention went to the south hall, probably where the rest of the Band members lingered, and he ignored Leela.

"Not now kid." He waved her off and with that, took off down the hall in a hurry. After a minute, Leela slipped back into the room.

Avery had half a mind to slap her. Hand twitching at her side, she didn't.

"What was that?" Avery demanded frantically. Standing up, she joined the girl's side.

Leela's cheeks reddened and she offered, "Me saving you as payback for being stupid?"

A grin stole over Avery's face and Avery wiped at her burning eyes. She'd thought she'd lost Leela yet again and that emotion washed through her before dissipating.

"He could have seen right through that." Avery still pointed out.

To be fair though, Avery had barely seen right through that.

"He didn't though. Now let's beat it before they go to the airport and realize that I lied."

Avery nodded automatically. Catching Leela's hand again, the two continued down the hall. Each step farther, the green gas cleared but it wasn't comforting. With no fog, they were in the open. The halls had few alcoves to hide behind and though pressed close to the nooks, they weren't hidden. They were vulnerable.

"Quickly." Leela pointed out. Stalling here wouldn't help any. Avery picked up the pace, using day old memories to lead the way. At the end of the hall was a polished wood grandfather clock-- there they took a left. Floral wallpaper and overly bright fluorescents followed them. Right at the first corner by the gla.s.s nightstand. Only the metal exit door remained in the last hall.

Avery stopped when she spotted it, held her breath, and listened for sound. Her ears still buzzed and her hearing stayed fuzzy. But she heard nothing besides the hissing of the heater and their heavy breathing.

Outside that heavy steel door were the grey muddy field and the perimeter wall. Almost a hundred feet outside of that was the first hint of asphalt and road. No trees or coverage to be found, they'd be at a disadvantage.

"Let me go first." Leela suddenly whispered. "If no one is there, then I'll wave you out."

"Don't be stupid." Avery held her back, digging her fingers in Leela's jacket until her knuckles turned white.

"Look, I just walked pa.s.sed Rafael, right? I can do it again. Besides, I'm not the one they'll kill on sight."

Avery pressed her lips together until they formed a thin line. She wasn't willing to bet that every other Band member was as forgiving as Rafael, but it did seem like their only option. Lingering here someone would inevitably sense the magic and follow. Like Mikhail. Avery couldn't do that.

"Just a peek. Be careful and if you get a bad feeling-"

"Yea, yea." Leela waved her off. They snuck to the door. Avery pressed her back against the dry wall to stay out of sight when Leela turned the latch. The k.n.o.b cried out loudly from rusted hinges. The sharp noise echoed down the hall. Leela stepped out fearlessly. The door swung shut in her wake.

Avery let out a shaky breath. Her limbs were freezing and her muscles burned. She tried to keep the magic awake in her chest but doing so continued to drain the strength from her body. She'd be running on empty soon and they needed to move quickly.

A minute had ticked by and Leela hadn't resurfaced. Just before Avery could move, the door clicked. Frozen in place, Avery got ready for anything. The magic surged down her arms and sparked in her hands. The door opened and Leela's head popped in.

"I don't see anyone. Like anyone anywhere. Not a trace." Her eyebrows had vanished under her bangs.

Avery didn't ask questions. Standing up, she joined Leela on the outside. The sky, still overcast, drizzled and threatened snow. The wind whipped through the courtyard with a breakneck speed and the temperature dropped ten degrees.

Lacking her sweater, Avery curled her arms around herself while too distracted to do more. Leela had spoken the truth. The outside was absolutely empty and unusually quiet. Mud heavier due to the rain, they sloshed forward and their steps couldn't stay silent. Then Avery heard a voice. Sliding to a stop, Avery caught Leela's elbow and helped her whirl. That's when she saw the harpies.

A group lingered on the rooftop. They all wore the bronze plated armor with the swirling insignia. Short spears and long blades dangled from their hands but the group's attention was turned away. Avery scanned the crowd for less than a second. Seeing no familiar faces, she didn't lose the opportunity. Hand on Leela she maneuvered the girl through the exit of the outside perimeter wall. The door fought but they opened it quietly. Springing outside, they took in the new surroundings.

The pond and steel benches where Avery had gone on the date with Patrick sat waiting. The rich green forest rested behind that. Water falling from the sky made it hard to pinpoint motion, but the area looked empty.

"It can't be this easy." Avery voiced her thought aloud.

"How was this easy?" Leela's voice shot up with frustration and disbelief. Avery ignored her in favor of keeping her eyes sharp and maneuvering them to the forest.

"It doesn't make sense. They storm the place, nearly avoid killing us, and then just chill? No guards, no danger? Rafael may be stupid but Mikhail certainly isn't. He wouldn't take your word on it and then turn his back to let us walk out of here."

The logic rang so disturbingly true, it made Avery queasy. Leela stole a glance backwards before they reached the tree line.

"That's the thing. I don't think Mikhail is with them." The girl whispered.

Shoving branches out of the way, Avery ducked and avoided the awkward forest clearance.

"How would you know that?" Avery asked as she marched forward.

The forest must have been built into uneven land. Combined with torrential rain, the area became mud city. Her shoes lost with each step, Avery found herself trudging forward through sick smelling muck. She certainly hoped that Portland wasn't home to any poisonous snakes.

"I don't. It's just when Mikhail's around the Band doesn't act like that. They don't stand around. They fidget and stuff."

"They're afraid of him." Avery piped in but let Leela continue.

"I just don't know what the purpose of them coming was then." Leela said.

Following the day light, Avery made way for the clearing. The forest wasn't huge so the thicket of trees ended. Just clearing the last of the tree line, it was visible what was out there.

A few cute, small houses sat in a cul-de-sac. The neighborhood was probably gated, and by the looks of it, had paid extra like Samuel to be far away from the business of the city. Avery's eyes were drawn to something more important. At the curb hovered a yellow and black taxi that was probably one second past dumping off its prior occupants.

Their luck was unbelievable. Avery couldn't grasp it. Her feet stayed glued to the ground when Leela rushed to the taxi. The driver had a mouth full of mushy green and brown food, halfway in the middle of his lunch, and he looked up. Knocking a sub off his lap, the condiments scattered on the rug of the cab.

He b.u.mped a beefy finger into the ceiling indicating the unlit sign on the top of the car.

"Out of service!" His m.u.f.fled voice yelled through the window. Leela didn't back down.

"How much money do you want?" Leela answered smoothly. Suddenly, her hands were in her pocket pulling out a s.h.i.+ny black card that Avery would have bet had Nate's name on it.

The driver's eyes went from her face to the card. Finally the car's locks clicked up and he b.u.mbled out of the door. Yanking open the back door, he waved them in like an eighteenth century knight.

"After you." He spit out the words with some crumbs from his lunch.

Avery happily slid in after Leela. Her shoes were muddy and soaked, and her jeans dripped but the taxi driver never noticed. Sliding into the driver's seat himself, he gave them one more look with saucer-sized eyes. The black card Leela had held his attention and after dusting spare lettuce off the gear s.h.i.+ft, he kicked the car into drive and offered to take them anywhere in the state., Avery sunk back into her seat. Outside the overcast sky and rain killed the visibility but no harpies showed in the skies. The car kicked into gear and rumpled into a cruise. The woods and Samuel's compound rapidly disappeared in the rear view mirror.

"I know why he did it." Avery suddenly said. Her mind had been spinning for awhile and now it made sense.

Leela's head shot up and her brow knotted.

"What do you mean?"

"I know why he sent in the Band. Why Mikhail didn't come himself." Avery clarified. "You always send the p.a.w.ns in first. He's got us on the defensive. Now it's time for his next moves."

Avery could only hope that they were ready for it.

Twenty-Three.

"Here." Avery said when she recognized the street.

It'd been harder to find than she'd expected-- there were about eight nearby streets and a dozen buildings with a similar wooden design to that of the hotel. She squinted through the tree coverage and rain dashed window until she finally recognized the familiar coffee shop. Dim yellow lights from the shop glowed through the storm and lit up the painted white mug on the gla.s.s.

Leela squinted through the window too.

"Aren't we going to a hotel?" She whispered just out of the driver's ear shot.

Avery shrugged.

"No use in making it easier for them to find us." Avery said. It was wet and cold but they couldn't get any worse off than they'd been at Samuel's compound. Avery scanned the sky and grabbed the handle while Leela paid.

"You girls sure are generous." The driver plucked off a flimsy receipt from the machine and gave them a toothy smile. "If you ever need a ride again, gimme a call!"

He slipped a business card in with the receipt. Ready, Avery opened the door. The rain soaked her before she even made a step, and moving quickly she cleared the sidewalk and stood under the nearest canopy. Leela joined her side.