Being Grey (Beings Trilogy) (15 page)

“I wasn’t paying attention, it’s my fault.” Annabel is crying too.

“I’ll kill them. Kill them all. Just let me out of here.” Who you going to kill Robbie?

It’s just too much to think about and everyone sounds mad. I slip peacefully back into unconsciousness.

“She’s coming around. No interrogation please. Let me handle this for now.”

“Hey Glen.” Is this what a hangover feels like? Whoa, I’m never drinking again. Was I drinking?

“Hi
Alice
, how’re you feeling?” He’s looking deep into my eyes and his pure
Being
is making me feel better already.

I try to sit up but he holds me down for now. “Lay down for a minute. I think you had a nasty fall but I couldn’t find a bump.” He sounds confused.

“I feel OK. A little woozy but OK. I need to sit up Glen, please.”

He rescinds but adjusts the pillows behind my back. As I sit up I notice the gang crowded around. I’m sat on
Adrian
’s couch. There’s not one person who doesn’t look like they’ve been crying. “I miss a sad film?” I question.

Poppy snorts. A cry, laugh of relief sound as she runs to me. There’s no way Glen can hold her back. She’s small but nothing can keep us apart. She almost crushes me in a hug.

“I thought you were dying.” She sobs into my hair.

“What happened?” I look at Adrian and then the others in turn.

“We were hoping you could tell us.”
Adrian
replies.

“I’m so sorry
Alice
. We were right behind you. It was seconds. I’ll never forgive myself. If you’d….” Stefan can’t finish.

“I’m fine. Fine. Honestly.” I do feel fine. I get off the couch much to Glen’s alarm to show them I’m OK. “But a cuppa wouldn’t hurt.”

We’re out on the patio. Its dark, a mild night but we’re all snuggled up in blankets. Glen had to leave for work tomorrow. They’ve given me time but I can see all the expectant looks on their faces.

“I walked outside but started to feel faint immediately. I think I may have been drugged.” I begin.

“We drew blood; Glen is going to do some tests tomorrow. Not really his thing but he knows a man…..” Annabel pipes in.

“There was a man. Outside. Magnetic.” I try to continue.

“All this drama over a man? You fainted over a ‘magnetic’ male. I’m leaving.” Annabel huffs.

“Shut up and sit down, let her go on.” Robbie.

Robbie and I are cuddled up next to each other. I can feel how taut his muscles are. He wants action.

“I don’t really remember too much except I thought he knew me. Or I knew him. He waved. Guys I feel ok but I want to go home. Can you give me a little time? I know this is important” I pat Robbie’s knee, “but it’s coming to me in pieces. Tomorrow?”

They don’t object so Stefan drives Poppy and me home.

“I’m really sorry. I shouldn’t have left you alone.” This is killing Stefan.

“It’s OK. This isn’t anyone’s fault.”

He sees us to the door and Poppy and I go inside and upstairs.

“Poppy, will you stay with me tonight?” I ask nervously.

“Duh. Like you had to ask.” She jumps into the bed next to me. “What was it
Alice
? You saw something, someone didn’t you?”

“Poppy, I’m scared.” I begin and she cuddles closer. “He knew me. Me. My
Being
. He saw right into me.”

“The ‘Taker’? That’s what we thought. I’m so sorry we left you. It’s killing us all. Anything could have happened. Shh, you’re safe now, go to sleep.” She’s stroking my hair like mum does.

What I’m scared to tell her is the attraction. The desire I felt towards this stranger. The absolute knowledge that I realised before I passed out; I can’t and don’t even want to fight him.

Chapter Twenty Seven

I wake up Friday morning refreshed. Leaving Poppy snoring, I go downstairs for the first cup of tea of the day. I feel good but I know everyone else is feeling bad about yesterday, so I think it’s time for a little fun.

I text
Adrian
, Robbie, Annabel and Stefan and tell them I’m ready to talk more. Do we want to do an 11 O’clock meeting? I have no intention of attending a meeting. But what I do know is the entire group is feeling pent up with frustration. I know how to relieve that. It’s a 2 minute drive from
Adrian
’s and it’s time to ‘Go Ballistic’.

I call ahead and make the necessary arrangements.

“Get up sleepyhead.” I yell up the stairs. “Time to have some fun.”

Poppy appears 5 minutes later with her arms outstretched like a zombie. I hand her tea and she takes a few sips. “Did you scream fun? We’re going shopping?”

“Oh I thought we’d do something a little different today. Maybe something to unleash some of the frustration from yesterday, some of the stress of your party coming up….. Maybe, we could just Go Ballistic today?” I say with a smile creeping up me face.

“Aaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh!” Is the screeching reply which is accompanied by one hand pumping the air and the other still holding her tea which is slopping all over the floor, whilst wiggling her hips. She’s awake now!

Go Ballistic is a paintball warehouse near
Adrian
’s. We used to come here all the time for training. It’s far more convenient to shoot a paintball gun than to try and get teenagers into a shooting range, or driving us all into the country. And its way more fun as we get to shoot real people, each other!

Poppy manages to contain her excitement, barely, as we get to
Adrian
’s. She’s driven today, my car still impounded, and we take Robbie and Annabel while Adrian and Stefan follow in the Roadster. Luke is in school but is too young to join in the festivities anyway.

“This is the most ridiculous idea ever.” Annabel complains but I can see she’s smiling.

“Totally, we should be out there hunting.” Robbie concurs, with the biggest smile ever.

As we get out of the cars we all run inside, literally pushing each other out of the way to be the first in.

“Hi guys, go suit up.” Charlie who works there says. He’s known us for years and even though we haven’t been around for a while, we’re hard to forget. We take this pretty serious.

The first time we came as a group we argued forever over who would make up teams, so Charlie devised a simple answer. Three long straws, three short. Within minutes we’re all in the staging area, suited up in our overalls. We pull straws alphabetically.

Adrian, myself and Robbie are blue. Annabel, Poppy and Stefan are yellow. We put on our armbands and head into the fight zone, loaded with enough paintballs to drown an army.

As ever, Robbie is too fast to get splattered. He zooms around the place sending us all into giggle fits which result in losing concentration and getting hit. It doesn’t really matter whose team anyone is on. Today we’re doing it to let off steam.

I manage to get Poppy on her bum from close up so she’s writhing on the floor in giggling agony. We’re all picking on Annabel but she’s hiding behind the tank, holding her own.
Adrian
just keeps popping up and down all over the place. It’s almost as if he can disappear from one place and reappear in another. Stefan managed to get me in the left shoulder a minute ago which resulting in me twisting to the left, firing paintballs all the way and hitting my own team multiple times.

We’re all in a really good mood as an hour and a half later we get changed and head for refreshments on site. We can’t really go anywhere else as we all have blue and yellow hair.

Poppy is holding her bum, I’m rotating my shoulder and Robbie is showing off what is going to turn into a fantastic bruise on his calf.

“That was a great idea
Alice
, I needed that.” Robbie says, punching my bad shoulder.

“Fun.” Annabel says, still panting with a blue ear.

Unfortunately, it’s soon time to get serious. “I don’t want to say too much more about yesterday except to confirm, as Poppy said you’d all guessed, that I believe Ian is the ‘Taker’. He must have somehow known which is why he didn’t come into the pub last night, but he made sure I knew as they were leaving. He waved at me.” I leave it at that, scared that if I say anymore I’ll blush.

I haven’t stopped thinking about him all day, those smouldering good looks. Sounds like something out of a romance novel but I can’t think of another way to describe him. Hot doesn’t do him justice.

“And Ian is?” Robbie asks.

“We don’t know. He was mentioned in passing as they were leaving.” Poppy says.

“Hang on a minute, that’s not true.” I’m trying to remember what Jason said. “Ian was in the car the night Phil died. If I remember right, he was in the front seat, playing with the radio.” I’ve knitted my eyebrows together in concentration.

I look around the group and they’re all looking back at me.

“What?” I ask.

It’s Adrian who speaks up. “
Alice
, was anymore said? Think very hard. We’ve all assumed Adam was the one to blame in the ‘accident’. We know you said he pulled the scarf up over the driver’s eyes but it all must have happened very fast.”

“I don’t think so.” I’m suddenly frustrated. “I wasn’t there at the accident, how am I supposed to know exactly what happened? All I know is Adam has a damned
Being
so he still needs to die. But Ian, there is something else that was said. Rich? People watcher! That’s the expression Jason used.” I can feel my cheeks starting to blush. He may be a ‘Taker’ but he’s also the most attractive thing I’ve ever seem. Unbelievably I want to smile at the thought of that kiss he blew. I want to catch it in my hands and bring it in tight. I almost feel lightheaded again.

“Leave her alone. Can’t you see she’s getting dizzy at the thought of him? Look at the colour in her cheeks. That’s enough for now.” My protector, Poppy.

I’m embarrassed at my reaction but thankful to Poppy for getting it wrong.

I try and get it back together. “Bottom line is will he come to Poppy’s party? Do we even want him to?” Well I do, but just to see him again.

“He’d be insane to. If Ian is a ‘Taker’, and he recognized you for being the opposite, why would he show up where he has to realize he’s outnumbered by tens if not hundreds to one?” Stefan asks sensibly.

“It’s strange to think this Ian hangs out with Jason and Adam.” Annabel muses. “If he is a ‘Taker’, no offense
Alice
but we weren’t there to see what happened, why doesn’t he hang around in a gang? Like us. Why would he put himself in danger by being alone?”

“I think I may have the answer to that.”
Adrian
says, watching me. Not looking at me, but looking at my
Being
. “But it didn’t happen in my time as a mentor. I need to discuss this with hierarchy. Let’s get out of here and I’m sure I’ll see you all over the weekend.”

We’re dismissed with no answers? That’s not like
Adrian
. He’s already leaving so Stefan shrugs at us and runs to catch up.

“What was that all about?” Robbie asks. “Discuss it with hierarchy. Those aren’t light words.”

“
Alice
?” Annabel asks. She knows I’m holding something back. She’s too smart for her own good.

“No idea. Come on, let’s get out of here.”

Chapter Twenty Eight

I’m getting out of the shower. We’re home and yes, I’d had fun but as always it turned a bit serious. I want to let loose. Be a teenager, have a giggle. It’s late on a Friday afternoon and I’m heading downstairs, towelling my hair.

“Got any plans tonight?” I ask Poppy.

“Yes, we do. While you were in the shower Jason called.”