The Runaway

Chapter 40

"You seem excited to see us," Elizabeth Ledgerwood said to her daughter. They were stationed in an empty alleyway that was lit up by a single lamp. The moonlight crept over them slightly enough so that Violet could see her mother's dirty blonde hair and arched eyebrows, and her father's glasses and dark goatee. Her gut churned with discomfort. 

She smirked at the familiar faces. "Of course, I would be excited to see my own parents after running away from them." She tried to put on a tough front. "I'm guessing nobody won the reward prize for finding me." She gulped, feeling like a helpless child in front of them.

"You were hard to catch. Not even the top investigators could find you." Her mother stared her down closely. "You've gotten skinnier. Hair's dark and unwashed I see." 

Ignoring the comments, she asked, "How's Rena?"

"She's doing absolutely fine without you."

"Oh."

A chuckle. Liz said to her daughter, "What a lovely family reunion."

She hated when her mother was sarcastic. Her words never delivered in a positive way. "Is that why you tied me up and kidnapped me? For a family reunion?" She scoffed. "What do you really want?"

"Why would we kidnap our own daughter?" her mother answered, "You were the one that went missing. You're still a minor."

The word daughter didn't sit right with her, but unfortunately she was bound to them biologically. "Why would you want me back?"

Her dad, Thomas, crossed his arms and sternly said, "We don't. However, you have really crossed the line this time." A static voice sounded from his pocket. He pulled out a two-way radio and spoke into it. "No need for backup. We've got one down." The static clicked and he stuffed it back in his pockets. 

"So it's true," Violet started, "You guys are part of the Silvers."

Liz shook her head. "Not anymore but we're still valued members." She clicked her tongue. "And, we wouldn't have had to come all the way here if you hadn't gotten involved with those creatures. Now they're practically begging for our help to tag you down."

Her daughter waved her hands in the air. "Well, you've got me. What are you gonna do to me now?" She sniffled. "Lock me in a cell like old times?"

"Shut up," Thomas spat at her. "You deserve to die." 

She flinched but didn't give in to his words. "Why haven't you just killed me then?"

"I would but your mother wants to give you an alternative method."

Ouch. "Are you trying to be considerate now?" she turned to her mother. "What is it?"

Her mother sighed. "We know you've turned." She eyed her daughter in disgust. "Instead of killing you, I'm giving you the option to run." She seemed to be proud of her idea. "We'll tell the Silvers we got you and they won't ever find you again. You just need to stay hidden." 

Violet's jaw dropped and her head began to pound. Did they talk to Colton's group beforehand? "How did you know?" There was no way they found out on their own. It didn't make any sense. 

Her mother simply said, "We've known since you were born."

Her mind could not register the words. "What?" she asked. A million questions swarmed her head, deepening her anxiety.

Thomas swapped glances with his wife and shrugged. "Do you want to tell her or should I?"

"I will." Liz cleared her throat. Violet studied her mother's face closely. "It happened 17 years ago. Silversmith had just been killed and we were on the hunt for the substance to preserve his work. Victor's group had already fled and the only person left behind was Wyatt Sutherland."