Somehow They're Alive (part 12)

Welcome to part 12 of "Somehow They're Alive". I thought that I would include more of Landon in this part, too. I worked really hard on this one so...

I hope that you like it. I have a little surprise for you at the end. Also, please leave some comments. I'm wanting some feedback on this part imparticullarly.

Created by: Topaz
  1. ***Jaslina's Point of View***Feeling very confused and very anxious Audrey and I follow Ryan down a wide main corridor. When I think we're at our destination I'm proven wrong because we turn down a dark narrow hallway that seems endless. Somewhere toward the middle of it he stops in front of a closed door. "Nine doors down on the left. This must be it," he whispers more to himself than to us. He knocks on the door three times and then pauses for approximately three seconds. Then he knocks twice and pauses again followed by three more knocks. I'm having a hard time deciding whether the code knocking is necessary or if they're only being overly dramatic. From the other side of the door Jay whispers, "Who's there?" "You know who it is." "Are you alone?" "Negative. I have two people with me." "Is it red and doe eyes or newbie and Goldie Locks?" "Jay, enough of this. It's Jaslina and Audrey," snaps Ryan. Jay chuckles and opens the door. "Sorry, dude. I'm just a little paranoid is all. Come on in, but don't make too much noise." The minute we're all in the room Jay shuts the door and locks it securely. To give me a slight idea of what they might be up to, I observe my surroundings. All I can see in the dark little room is an unmade bed, a window with the blinds still closed, a closet, and a desk. The only source of light comes from the computer that sits on the immense mahogany desk.
  2. Ryan takes a seat on the bed near the computer. "Doe eyes? Is that Rayla's code name?" he teases. Jay's face turns red. It's noticeable even with the lighting. "No. What makes you think that?" "Nothing. So if it isn't her code name then whose is it?" "Uh....Jaslina's?" "My eyes are blue," I counter. "That's a good point." We all laugh. "Jay, the second we get back to America, you should ask Rayla out on a date," I say. "You really think that she'd say yes?" "I'm positive." Still amused, Audrey says, "I love it that you care about Jay's love life, but it seems to me that we have something else that we're supposed to be dealing with at the moment." Jay sits down in the chair in front of the computer. "Right, I'm sorry. Anyway, I bet you girls are curious as to why I'm here in Dourine's room instead of in the attic." "We're very curious! Please give us an explanation." "Okay. See, the washtub is never what I was after. Although, you must admit, it does serve as a good distraction. What I wanted was to use this computer." "That's it?" Audrey asks him. "You kept us here and wasted our time so you could use a stupid computer?" "Hold on, Audrey. Please let me finish." He pauses for a second and then continues. "This isn't just any computer. This is one of the best computers on the market. It can find any information you want in under a millisecond, and it finds a lot of it. With this computer, I'm finding out information about all of Ireland's mountains in a fraction of the time it'd usually take me. Once I have all of the useful information I can get, we can shrink it down and deduce where it's most likely Ryan's mom hid your dad and sister."
  3. I feel my heart explode with joy. There might be some hope left after all! Then another realization hits me. "But, Jay, how will any of this information help us find out where it's more likely that she hid them?" "Easy. The location of the mountains, the altitude, rock density, stuff like that. After all, there are tunnels in one of those mountains." "Are you sure about this?" "Hey, I know that it's a gamble, but it's worth a try. We found one of the best and most useful computer on earth; how much luckier could we get?" For once Jay has a good idea. There really is a smart and logically thinking person underneath the immaturity. Ryan can be immature sometimes too, but that comes with appropriate timing. When he needs to be he's a genius that thinks rationally. Maybe he's rubbed off on Jay throughout this ordeal. Let's just hope that he's rubbed off on him enough so that he won't get caught in here. "Alright, Jay, if you think this'll work then we'll leave you to it." Once we say our "goodbyes" and "be carefuls" Ryan and I back up toward the door and sneak out. We decided to leave Audrey with Jay for a few minutes. If we travel around in too large of groups we might get caught easier. It's a good thing that we didn't step out any later than we did too. When we're no more than five steps away from Dourine's bedroom door you wouldn't believe who we run into. "Hey! What are you kids doing in this corridor? This hallway is supposed to be private!" A little bit louder than normal, I say, "Oh, hi Dourine! You startled me!" "So I did. Now maybe you'll tell me what you're doing in this part of the house."
  4. Putting on his charm, Ryan pleads, "Please don't be angry, Miss Dourine. Me and Jaslina had no idea that this hallway was off limits. It's just that since we came here we haven't had much alone time and we were hoping to talk a little bit." An extremely cynical look crosses her face. "Really? Huh. I'm not at all certain that I believe you." "He's telling the truth, ma'am. You never get any alone time with your boyfriend when you're constantly in a travel group. Ryan and I have been trying to get a free moment to talk for two weeks and haven't found a second until about ten minutes ago. We just thought that we'd use the time to our advantage." Looking a little more convinced, she asks, "So you two deserted your work so that you could go sneaking around together?" "Not at all," I say. "We haven't been alone for more than ten minutes. Besides, Miss Nora gave us and our friends' permission to take a break and have lunch together." "My sister gave you permission to take a break?" "Yes. If you don't believe me you can go ask her. Just because we're tourists doesn't mean that we're liars." She arches her brows in a considering fashion. "Alright, I'll give you a point there. I'll ask her about that after my mid-afternoon nap." Before we have a chance to stop her she pushes past us. For a moment it seems like everything's going in slow motion. When she opens her door I expect to hear screaming, shouting, and the words "˜I'm calling the police!' Or, to put it simply, all the basic signs of a fight. Instead I hear the door closing softly behind her and soft snoring a few moments later. Ryan and I walk briskly to the attic. Our fingers are crossed all the way there.
  5. *** "Landon, wake up! Why are you so tired?" Feeling groggy, Landon slowly works his way into a sitting position. Why is Sapphire yelling at him? A simple glance at the clock answers his question. It's nearly one o'clock and he hasn't woken up yet. Because of his early morning visit with Jaslina and Ryan he only got four hours of sleep. Strange. Landon was almost certain that he'd be sleeping in a cell right now after the risk he'd taken. "Oh. I'm sorry, Sapphire. For some reason I'm exauhsted." "It's okay, honey bear. You know that I'd usually let you sleep, but I can't this morning." "Why not?" "We have to take a trip. Don't you remember?" "A trip?" Suddenly the memory comes to him. "Right, that trip! To the mountains." "That's right. Remember, we have to make sure that a certain person is where he should be." "I know. I remember. If he isn't there, that means that certain people may have found him already." "Exactly." She steps toward the door before saying, "Put on a shirt, and let's hit the road." For just one second a thought occurs to him. Maybe Jaslina and Ryan are right. Turning himself into the police could be better for him than life with Sapphire. There's still a chance for him to get his life back on the right track. As his red t-shirt hits him in the face the thought goes away, and he finds himself still wrapped around Sapphire's finger like a ring.
  6. ***Jaslina's Point of View***This tough day of work is finally over! It was a hard day, but well worth it. I'm ready to see the heaping pile of information that Jay has in his notebook! Well, that and all of us are curious as to how Jay and Audrey weren't seen in Dourine's room. There wasn't the slightest sign that she even noticed they were there. Where could they hide in such a small room? Nora's cheerful voice brings me back to reality. "Alright, you kids have done an amazing job today. In my opinion, you deserve to get paid for all your hard work." "Nice try, sister dear, but it'll never work. They agreed to work for free, so that means that they don't get paid. The only thing I owe theses tourists is the washtub." Dourine reaches behind the lobby desk and pulls up the washtub. "Here, it's all yours. Take it and leave, snowflake." Obviously, she was talking to Jay when she said that. First off she doesn't like him. Second, the name fits because his hair is so blonde that it's almost white. The mischievous look in his dark green eyes doesn't help her attitude toward him either. Jay grins and comes back with, "Snowflake. I like it. That's one name I've never been called before; I'm keeping it." Holding her palm to her forehead, she commands, "Just take the washtub and leave." Deciding to obey her, he tucks the bulky object under his arm. "Thanks for letting us keep this. Have a nice evening." Nora shouts after us, "Are you sure that you kids don't want to stay another night? It's getting awfully late." "We're sure," says Jay. "We'd best be moving on. I'm sure we'll find a place to spend the night at."
  7. Exchanging glances, we follow Jay out into the parking lot. He's unbelievable. Even when somebody tries to insult him he manages to turn it around and make it humorous. Not just that, but he was almost caught in Dourine's room with Audrey and manages to act like they weren't there at all. Audrey, on the other hand, has been trying hard to not seem tense. The same goes for Ryan and me. Satisfied, Jay shoves the hulking piece of scrap metal into the back of the van. Somehow he finds a place for it among the stacks of boxes, blankets and clothing. Silently we all get into the van. Tammy is in the driver's seat and Rayla is sitting next to her. The rest of us chose a random space toward the back. Once we're far away from the little bed and breakfast the vehicle explodes into questions. Most are for Jay. "How did you and Audrey not get caught on Dourine's computer? She went into her room to take a nap, and it seemed like she did even notice you!" exclaims Ryan. "She didn't notice us because we weren't in there," smiles Jay. "You weren't in there? What are you talking about? Of course you were there!"
  8. "No we weren't. Audrey and I turned off the computer and snuck out the window. It had no screen and there was a tree branch right next to it." Feeling relieved, I ask, "How'd you figure that out?" "We sort of got lucky at the last minute." "Nobody saw you, right?" asks Rayla. "I don't think so. Her room faces a backyard that's covered by trees." "That's convenient." "I know. That's what we were thinking!" As the others are caught up in the conversation my mind starts to drift off. Jay risked breaking and entering into someone's bedroom, and then worsened the risk by spending hours on the woman's computer. Will the risk be worth it? Everybody else has risked their very lives by coming to this country with me. They're trying to be of assistance on what could be a futile mission. If we don't find my dad and sister, and Sapphire succeeds in killing us what is this worth? Landon's words echo in my head. The last thing he said to Ryan and me before lowering himself out that window by his rope. "Get out of here! It isn't safe. I care about Sapphire, but I care about you guys too. I don't want you dead." Perhaps we should heed his warning before...I don't even want to say it! Before Jay ends up arrested for breaking and entering. Before someone else's house get's burned down. Before"”before somebody ends up dead.
  9. Just like dad and Josephine might be. For this whole trip I've held onto the fact that dad and Josephine might still be alive. That they might be trapped in their dark little room alive somewhere waiting. Waiting for their little Jaslina to come and rescue them. It might not be true. That could be the secret that Sapphire's trying to hide. Perhaps they're dead and she doesn't want anyone finding evidence of that. Maybe we should just go home... It's then that I catch myself. We can't go home! Not until I know! Yes, Josephine and my father could be dead. Yet again, they might not be. If they're still alive somehow, then I'm going to find them. I won't risk leaving them here! We can't give up. Or at least I can't give up. Ryan and I really should tell the others about Landon's visit. If they want to listen to his warning and get out of here, then they're welcome to. "Jaslina, did you hear me?" Audrey's voice distracts me from my thoughts. "I'm sorry, Audrey. My mind was elsewhere. What were you saying?" "I was just wondering why you were taking so long this morning. It's seems like we sent Ryan after you and he also disappeared for a while." I guess the moment of truth has come faster than I thought. Chuckling nervously, I say, "Oh, yes, this morning." Ryan and I exchange glances before I continue. "There really is something that we should tell you about this morning. We had a visitor." "A visitor?" I gulp. "Uh huh. I don't think you're going to like what I'm about to tell you." "Try me."
  10. *** Sapphire leads Landon down that all familiar hallway. It takes forever to reach. With so many secret passages how could it not take forever to find. The first time he and Sapphire came here they must have gotten lost. As they're walking Landon hears the unexpected clanking of metal beneth his feet. The door. They found it. Sapphire and Landon pull on the latch and lift it up. Huddled up in the corner of the dark little chamber is the man. The bearded man with torn and greasy clothes. The man who Sapphire's mom could get the death penalty over, and that Sapphire is risking her own life for. If she's discovered hiding him she'll get the letal injection along side her mother. In her eyes, Landon see pure evil. "Ah, Mr. Rowe. It's good to see that you've been getting fed your meals. So how do you feel?" "How do I feel? Is that a trick question? My answer is the same every time!" "So you're still miserable? Perfect. Just as my mother wants." "I don't care about your mother anymore, Sapphire." "Ah, imprisonment has made you angry." "Don't play games with me. By doing that your only copying your mother." "I know. I enjoy copying her." "I hope that you don't copy her too much." "What are you saying?" "I'm saying, please answer my question. I've been begging to know for years!" "I'm sorry. You know that I can't do that. Josephine's whereabouts will always be a mystery to you." Without shutting down the door, Sapphire walks away. Landon always has to shut it to make sure it's secure. Before closing it, he says to the man, "I promise that you have nothing to worry about, Mr. Rowe. Your rescuers are coming for you. This won't be your home for too much longer."

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