Eliot Strange and the Prince of the Apocalypse

44) Find the Girls

Torin sleeps until late afternoon and this gives me time to think. Besides my mom, I think about Steven. I remember the weapons in George's closet. Those weapons can turn the tide if there is a fight. I feel like I need to get them to Steven and the Resistance. Then, Torin and I, and Steven and Cindy Lou can go. Go to my dad's and safety. My dad would tell me never to travel with liabilities (a hurt, hunted prince and Cindy were definitely liabilities by his definition), but I would convince him to let them stay. They are family now. Family sticks together.

Torin is awake, and I want to tell him my new plan. He does not yet know that Steven is gone. His first question tells me that he has been thinking about some of the things I have.

"Where is my friend Lindy?"

"I want to tell you about that but first, tell me about Jack."

Torin sits up, and I hand him a Coke. "After we get some fluids in you, you can take that shower."

"Thank you lovely lady. I do love a good Coke. And I need that shower and to definitely brush my teeth." He takes a sip and burps. "I am sure you approve." He smiles. "My cousin, my best friend, my devoted bodyguard and protector of my life, Jack Taylor is alive. It is amazing." He takes another sip. "I was sure he was dead. I should have known better. He is a skilled opponent and smart and lucky, so damn lucky." He laughs.

"Why were you arguing if you were so glad to see him? And how does Carli know Jack Taylor?"

"He said I must go. It was not safe here. He said we must get immediately to safety. I told him I was the leader of this band of brothers, and girls too of course, and that I would not desert my comrades in arms. I also told him that my new compatriots have sworn to protect me."

"What did he say?"

"He said that he and Carli had been trying to find me for some time. They had been in many precarious adventures. It was dangerous. They were even traveling briefly with the enemy. They lost him at the newspaper office, but he found them again. It was him. He shot me. But Jack got him."

"Jack told you all that?"

Torin takes another drink and nods. " He told me he needed to get me home. I refused. That is when he pulled out his gun, and demanded I go with him. I laughed, but Carli must have thought he really was going to shoot me. She swung her purse at him. The gun went off."

"And shot you?"

"No, Jack would never be so careless as to point a loaded gun at me. The other guy fired upon me."

"The man they were with before? The bad man?"

"Yes, I guess maybe it was him. He shouted, and we turned, and he fired. A gun battle ensued. Steven was there. He helped me. I don't  know what happened to Carli and Jack."

"So Carli was with Jack? How does he know her?"

"He was searching for me. I thought he was dead, but he was looking for me all along. He picked the wrong girl."

"What do you mean?"

He took another sip of the Coke and looked me in the eye. "I have something to tell you, but first you have to promise to not be angry with me."

"Ok?" I say with some hesitancy because it sounds like Torin is going to tell me something that is going to make me mad.

"I know your mother."

"What? How?"

"I don't know her well, but I met her last summer at a state dinner. She is a lovely lady and fascinating."