Cure

16

"What do you mean?"

Ace was pacing back and forth across the parking lot. Frustration grew in his expression the longer he spoke. The security guards tried getting us to leave the property but Ace sent them a death glare and they left us alone once I promised we would leave after his phone call.

"She's a lunatic!" Ace protested.

I wanted to know what Beau was saying but he insisted on keeping it off speakerphone.

After what felt like an eternity, Ace finally ended the call and turned back to us.

"What's wrong?" Ellie whispered, placing a comforting hand on Ace's arm.

Ace sighed, "Ashley knows my dad helped us escape and she's pissed."

My eyes widened. "Does she know about the others? My sister?"

"Somehow Hayley's managed to stay under the radar. But the others, Ashley is aware of their presence and my father says she's looking for them." Ace kicked at the floor.

"That's not good," I muttered.

If anything happened to Stacy, Blake, or Caleb, I'd never forgive myself.

"It gets worse," He threw Dallas a pained look. "She's got Bella again. And unless we get back to the manor, she's going to kill her."

Dallas clenched and unclenched his fists. The both of them loved Bella to death, and even though she was his half-sister, I knew Dallas wasn't going to take any nonsense regarding her well-being.

"She wouldn't do that!" Ellie protested.

But we all knew she would. She certainly would.

"What are we gonna do then?" I asked.

Ace shook his head. "We have no other option. We have to go back."

"But what if it's a trap?" Ellie thought aloud. "What if your sister is actually safe and this is just Ashley trying to lure us in?"

"What choice do we really have, Ellie?" Ace frowned. "If there's any chance that my sister could be in harm's way, I can't just stay here and let it happen.

Ellie nodded, "Of course, we just have to be careful, we don't know what that conniving woman has up her sleeve."

With that, the four of us climbed into the cab, asking the driver to drop us off at Ace's so that we could pack up and leave for the manor.

As we drove along the crowded roads, I pondered over the information the Vice President had presented us with.

Essentially, my parents had way too many secrets. I wondered how much Hayley knew, how much brothers had known. How was it even possible that the damn Royal Family themselves had something to do with my own mother. It was ridiculous.

I wasn't sure what finding the heirlooms would do.

Sure, I'd give them back, but the Queen wasn't responsible for America, at least not since the last hundred years. Venom had to be addressed by the American government. The Vice President was being a total wuss. But it wasn't like we could threaten him into confessing.

"Do you smell that?" Dallas asked suddenly, pulling me from my thoughts.

"Smell what--" I began. Immediately, a strong whiff of smoke filled my senses.

I looked outside the window, there was smoke in the sky.

"Is there a fire somewhere?" Ellie frowned.

We asked the driver to stop driving, we were almost at Ace's. The four of us hopped out and made our way to the house.

Which was up in flames.