| |
“Judith!” Bran took off toward the car.
“Let her go!” Abbie shouted as she, too, raced toward Judith.
Liwei swung around. He opened his car door and shoved a sluggish Judith into the backseat, where two men held her down while he jumped into the driver’s seat.
Bran reached the Consul’s back door, but the vehicle took off before he could grip the handle. The vehicle sped down the lane, tires screeching. Abbie shot out her cord after the fleeing car. Her friends joined her and they all stared as the vehicle’s rear lights vanished ahead in stunned disbelief.
“Oy, keep it down!” a man shouted from an open window above.
“We have to get her back,” Bran said in a panic, ignoring the complainer.
The car turned the corner and Abbie finally gave up on snagging it. Heartsore, she retracted her Grimm cord. It returned with a sting that said it, too, was fiercely unhappy with tonight’s events.
A window slammed shut above and then a clacking sound alerted them. From where Judith must have dropped it, her torch rolled across the road to hit Bran’s shoe.
He picked it up eagerly. “Comet can help us find Judith.”
“That’s Comet?” Granny Chan asked.
Abbie glanced around at what else they’d missed and noticed a white cloth on the ground. She picked it up. It was wet. She sniffed and then reared.
“Chloroform,” she said. “Lots of it. Explains why Judith slumped so quickly. Even if she wasn’t unconscious, those two blighters on the backseat could have easily held her down a groggy woman.”
A window above opened and a woman’s voice asked, “Who are you people?”
Abbie glanced up and realized it was Granny Chan’s younger self.
“You’re a Grimm!” Fen snapped in alarm and formed a ball of fire in her hand.
Abbie flared her shield to encompass her companions as well as herself.
Fen drew her hand back to fling her light ball. No time to talk her down, so Abbie used fear. “Stay out of my way, witch, and I won’t come after you.”
Fen’s arm remained raised and her fiery ball blazed. At least, that warning had halted her flinging it at them.
Abbie was fairly certain they were safe beneath her shield. The road might fare worse.
“Who are you after?” Fen asked.
“None of your business,” Abbie replied, aiming for a brusque tone. Every moment that villain had Judith, her friend’s life was in danger and Abbie’s world was unraveling. She whispered, “We must find where Liwei has taken Judith and quickly.”
“I can cast a spell to find her,” Granny Chan said.
“Save your strength,” Bran whispered. “Comet’s a GPS tracker. She can locate Judith.”
“That’s how we tracked you down,” Mrs. Beckwith put in, huddling closer under the flashing shield Abbie’s ring had built. She took Granny Chan’s shaking hand in a comforting hold. “I’m sure we’ll find her, too.”
“Everyone in these row houses is under my protection,” Fen called down, though she’d reduced her volume. Her neighbors might be under her protection, but they likely didn’t know it. “Harm any of them and you’ll regret it, vile Grimm.”
Soft as that threat was, it came with a powerful backlash that vibrated Abbie’s shield.
“Great,” Bran whispered. “She hates Grimms. No wonder I didn’t get far with her.”
Abbie rolled her eyes at her brother before calling up to Fen. “In that case, my work here is done for tonight.”
“Forever,” Fen replied in a stern tone.
Abbie glanced at Granny Chan, who shrugged her shoulders unapologetically with a proud grin.
“We can discuss forever another time,” Abbie replied and gestured for her group to move on down the pavement.
Abbie glanced back and spotted that blazing ball. Fen didn’t give up or forgive easily. Explained a lot about Judith if this was the woman who’d raised her.
Bran clicked on the torch’s second button and a map appeared before them, showing the path the blue car had taken. “Awesome,” he said with enthusiasm.
“That’s odd,” Granny Chan said.
“What?” Abbie asked.
“If Judith has claimed Comet, no one else should be able to use her.”
“Whatever the case, if we’re to follow her, we need to find a cab, and fast.” Abbie hurried toward the closest main road, which was Wapping High Street.
“If Comet’s responding to Bran,” Granny Chan began, and then stood still.
Everyone else stopped with her, so Abbie hurried back to their side. The older witch didn’t look winded, and she was an avid rambler. “Why have we stopped?”
“For Bran to use the torch,” Granny Chan said, “Judith must have transferred control of Comet to him. That also explains why the torch rolled to his shoe and not to one of us.”
“Easy enough to test that theory.” Abbie took his torch. The lighted map turned off. She pressed several buttons. “Comet, show us where Judith is.”
Nothing happened. She didn’t even speak. Was that because Judith had claimed her?
Granny Chan shook her head, looking puzzled. “I don’t understand why Judith would give him control instead of me. I’m the witch among us.”
“She had little time to decide,” Abbie said. “Even if she hadn’t lost consciousness, that drug could have addled her senses. Her last coherent thought might have been her concern that Bran would be in trouble without her protection.”
She left out her belief that Judith was still in love with Bran. That was something for those two to work out later. “Judith might have meant to ask Comet to watch over him and the broom mistook that to mean she now belongs to Bran. Whatever the case, this is now all yours.” Abbie handed Bran back the torch, hoping everyone had enough of a rest to continue. “Let’s go.”
“Wait,” Bran said. “If I have total control of this magical broom, then we don’t need a cab. Comet, can you change into a car?” He then spouted off a string of data about that type, color, horsepower, and engine type he wanted.
Comet flew out of his grip and, in a flash of light, transformed into a handsome red Austin Cambridge Mark II.
With a grin, he jumped into the driver’s seat. “Let’s go get my Judith back.”
Comet flung open the car doors for them to enter. They’d all barely settled inside before the doors shut and the vehicle squealed down the lane.
“That’s a radio aerial on the bonnet,” Bran said, pointing out that spiffy detail.
Abbie, sitting up front with him, was more impressed by the seat. It looked like a bench seat except it was two individual leather seats stuck together. For such a narrow vehicle, the car had lots of elbow room. She shook off these distractions and said, “We need a game plan.”
“Yes,” Granny Chan said. “How do we retrieve Judith once we find her?”
“Without weapons,” Mrs. Beckwith said.
“I can supply anything we need,” Granny Chan offered.
“Smashing!” Mrs. Beckwith rubbed her hands. “I’d like a shotgun. My Gramps taught me how to use his. He owned loads of guns like that from before they passed the Restriction of Offensive Weapons Act, so it would fit this time.”
Abbie and Bran shared a nervous glance. Abbie mouthed the word, No. Aloud, she said, “We can’t risk doing anything that might change the course of history. All we can do is recover Judith and get ourselves to the south coast of Kent. That’s where our grandmother used to live.”
“I’ve no objections to leaving anymore,” Granny Chan said in a soft voice.
“Sorry about your sweetheart, dear.” Mrs. Beckwith patted the elderly witch’s hand. “On the bright side, your younger self had a lucky escape. That one’s a nutter.”
Abbie glanced back with surprise. Mrs. Beckwith was correct. Liwei came intending to kidnap Chan Fen tonight and snatched Judith by mistake. “He came prepared.”
“I can see how we could have been here to disrupt his plans to hurt my younger self,” Granny Chan mused, “but kept him from returning tomorrow or the day after?”
“Maybe it’s whatever we’re about to do to him next.” Mrs. Beckwith aimed a keen look toward her companion. “Should you get me that shotgun, after all?”
“No weapons,” Abbie repeated, though she wondered if, no matter what they did in this timeline, they were now destined to change the future. Was this what Kali had warned her against? What would they find when they returned home? If they returned home.
Comet drove them closer to the Thames’ shoreline. This area looked industrial, with large warehouses and offices.
“We’re close,” Bran said and pulled over to park. “Let’s walk from here so the engine sounds don’t alert anyone to our presence.”
“Ladies,” Abbie said, “you two should remain inside Comet. You’ll be safer here.”
Both women opened their back doors and exited before she’d finished speaking.
Worth a try. With a resigned sigh, Abbie got out.
“Torch,” Bran said and Comet transformed from a car into the torch in a bright flash.
Comet landed on his outstretched hand and, caressing the shiny metal, in a bittersweet tone he said, “I could learn to like this.”
Poor Bran. How to enjoy a new toy when the woman he loved, who had gifted it to him to keep him safe, was in danger?
“That light as she changed was more startling than the Austin’s loud trundling engine,” Mrs. Beckwith said. “Luckily, we’re not near any residential buildings in this lane.”
“I saw a five-storey on an adjacent street,” Abbie said in a worried tone. “It’s probably used as converted flats for workers in this area. Someone in there could have seen that light.”
“If they did, this close to New Year’s,” Bran said, “they’ll probably assume someone set off fireworks.”
“Good point,” Abbie agreed, releasing that worry.
“That place ahead looks abandoned,” Mrs. Beckwith said.
“Judith’s in there,” Bran said in a grim tone. “Perfect quiet spot to bring a victim,”
“Since marriage wasn’t on his mind,” Granny Chan said as they walked about testing doors and looking through windows, “what did he want with me?”
“Did he know you were a witch?” Abbie asked.
“No,” she replied. “Only my family in China were aware of what I can do and a cousin in Chinatown. He gave me my first job in his restaurant.”
“As a cook?” Bran asked.
“As a magical guard. Cooking was a perk I insisted on.”
“It must have hurt your cousin greatly when you left,” Mrs. Beckwith said.
“Are you suggesting he put Liwei up to kidnap me?” Granny Chan asked in a scoffing tone. “He wouldn’t dare.”
“Why not?” the lady asked, sounding curious. “If he wanted you back or as revenge?”
“You don’t understand,” Granny Chan said. “He. Would. Not. Dare!”
Abbie agreed because she had a better culprit in mind. A man who had lived for centuries, which meant he would have been alive at this time. The same person who had sent one of his minions to Granny Chan’s home with an explosive magical pink dragon scarf.
She wouldn’t put it past that villain to have implanted a spy within Granny Chan’s coven. And if that spy had told him that Granny Chan was thinking of looking into her past, that might be why he sent his spy over with the magic scarf–to stop her. That act stopping Abbie from going to London might have simply been a bonus perk.
Bran stopped ahead. “Comet says Judith’s in this building.”
Abbie pointed to the pale blue Ford Consul parked nearby. “I’d say you’re correct.”
“Should we barge inside and demand he release her?” Bran asked.
“Or I can blast him,” Granny Chan said.
“I vote for Option B,” Mrs. Beckwith said.
“Neither option is wise,” Abbie said, unprepared to take unnecessary chances in case the immortal was in there, too.
“This door’s loose,” Bran said. “I could jimmy it open.”
“Why not turn Comet into a key?” Granny Chan asked.
“Oh, yes,” he said with a sheepish smile. “I hadn’t thought of that.”
Granny Chan nodded. “I’ve been at this magical game a little longer.”
“Wait!” Abbie paced a cautionary hand on Bran’s arm. “Judith might have been groggy before, but by the stench on that rag, she would be comatose by now. Instead of us going in, let’s get everyone inside to come out. Then Bran can sneak in with Comet and fly Judith to safety.”
“You may be new to the game,” Granny Chan said with an admiring glance at Abbie, “but you have amazing instincts. Like all Grimms, you make a formidable opponent.” She hesitated a moment and then added, her eyes teary, “I’m glad you’re on my Judith’s side.”
“I’m on your side, too,” Abbie said and gently squeezed the elderly witch’s arm.
Bran shone Comet’s torchlight against the building’s side to study the map it displayed. “Judith’s in there. Three flights up, two doors down.”
“How do we draw them out?” Granny Chan asked.
“With firepower,” Abbie said. “If we cause a noisy disturbance out here, they might come out to investigate.”
“My shotgun,” Mrs. Beckwith said, miming shooting it.
“Not quite,” Abbie said. “Comet’s flare-up earlier gave me an idea. How about we set off fireworks along this street? No one’s nearby and if we disturb tenants down adjacent streets, they shouldn’t lift an eyebrow, even at this time of night. They might tell themselves it’s neighborhood kids testing a few fireworks.”
“Wish I could stay out here to watch.” Bran glanced around and then pointed to a pile of boxes. “I’ll move those closer to the door and hide behind them while you three do your work from across the street.”
“Agreed.” Abbie hurried the two ladies off. Once far enough away not to be spotted, they crouched behind a car. “I’d say we’ll need at least a dozen fireworks.”
With a devilish grin, the elderly witch began making firecrackers and rockets.
Abbie set her shield and cord on high alert, while Granny Chan accumulated her firepower. The elderly witch handed her and Mrs. Beckwith the flares and matchbooks.
Abbie’s painted box of matches showed a colorful Chinese lady with Mandarin lettering.
“Light one of these and roll it away down the road,” she instructed, “and it’ll flare up from wherever it lands and cause a lot of smoke.”
Mrs. Beckwith rubbed her hands in excitement, bouncing in her crouched position.
Abbie’s tension was also up, but for an entirely different reason. There was the faintest chance the immortal might be inside that building. She hadn’t felt this anxious since the first time Kali showed up. “Ready?”
With an overhanded lob, Granny Chan tossed her first flare across the road.
It landed away from Bran’s hideout, the flares shooting and exploding in all directions.
“Wow,” Mrs. Beckwith said in an awed tone. Then she tossed hers. It went straight through the open window of a car across the road. The flare went off, setting off light bursts and starting little fires inside the vehicle.
“Sorry,” Mrs. Beckwith muttered. “Shouldn’t have glared at that car when I threw it.”
“I say good aim,” Granny Chan said in a satisfied voice since the vehicle was Liwei’s blue Ford Consul.
Across the street, the building’s front door flung open and three men rushed out.
“That’s my brother’s car!” Liwei shouted and let loose a string of curses. If one of her brothers spewed such language, her mum would have washed their mouths out with soap.
Abbie rolled her flare across the road. When the firework erupted, Liwei jumped in fright with a startled yelp.
Fireworks erupted one by one after that, and pandemonium broke out as smoke flooded the street. Abbie spotted Bran sneak in through the door left open.
To give him time to rescue Judith, they kept up the fireworks show.
Before long, Abbie pointed to something other than fireworks high up. Comet was flying with two passengers, one slumped across the staff and one sitting up and waving.
“Time to go,” she whispered, thrilled they’d accomplished what they needed to do with no casualties. Well, except for one trashed Ford Consul. “The street’s smoky enough that we should be able to slip away unnoticed.”
“Good idea to leave.” Mrs. Beckwith said briskly and pointed up the street. “People are coming this way. Probably from those tenements.” Her voice grew gentler as she added in a thoughtful tone, “Might be the most excitement those poor folks will see this Christmas season.”
“Halt!” Liwei snapped from behind her.
Abbie turned around to find his gun pointed at her.
Liwei flicked his gun and said something in Chinese. When they didn’t react, he snarled in English, “Move!”
For a pregnant second, Abbie was tempted to use her shield to push their attacker back. Then she changed her mind. The answer to Granny Chan’s question earlier, about what kept Liwei from coming after her younger self, might depend on what they did next.
Abbie ordered her pen-ring’s shield to shrink to skin level for all of them, allowing their attackers to come closer.
Her shield hesitated. She sent her order again, forcefully. This time it obeyed but shrank to only around her, leaving her companions vulnerable to being killed. Terrified, Abbie scrambled for a new plan of action. Her pen-ring had allowed her to keep a shield over her kids. Why not over these two women? Whatever the reason, Granny Chan and Mrs. Beckwith were now in imminent danger. “Do as he says.”
“Shut up,” Liwei snarled. “Or this one dies.” He shoved his gun at Mrs. Beckwith.
Taking their cue from Abbie, the women stood. Liwei and his two cohorts crowded close and herded the women into the building. To Abbie’s eyes, all three men appeared nervous. Even after the door closed, they kept glancing around the whole time they moved through the building.
Abbie’s Grimm cord stung her arm, eager to spring out and wrench aside Liwei’s gun arm. She wasn’t sure the man wouldn’t reflexively fire before she’d disarmed him, so she ordered the cord to remain calm, but alert.
This building was dimly lit, with bare lightbulbs flickering overhead to highlight walls covered with stained and torn wallpaper. Liwei herded them up two flights and then into a room. He ordered one of his cohorts to remain in the corridor to keep guard. The man argued as if he didn’t want to stand outside alone.
What was he so afraid of?
Liwei pushed the man out of the room and shut and locked the door.
His remaining cohort began shouting in what sounded like Mandarin, pointing to a chair strewn with ropes.
Had that been where they’d left Judith tied up?
Liwei ignored him and faced the two women, looking unhappy and a little terrified. In heavily accented English, he asked, “Where is Fen?”
All three women faced him in silence.
Liwei’s cohort spoke again, which began a heated conversation.
Abbie watched the men, memorizing their features. Could one of them be the immortal in disguise?