Chapter Seventy – Locked.
Arya couldn’t feel her legs.
Something really heavy were on them. Or maybe they weren’t there anymore. But feelings on her legs were definitely gone.
As she laid there, feeling weak and crippled all over, her mind went back to the last events. The dark house, the kitchen door, the gas.
“Connor.” She mumbled. “Connor, where are you?”
He had been with her when it all happened.
The last thing she remembered was she yelling at him to lie down but he dragged her out of the kitchen and farther, towards the extreme room.
The explosion had still affected them, though in her current state, she couldn’t determine to what degree they got affected. Someone groaned below her legs.
Her eyes widened. “Connor?” where was he exactly.
Something began moving from her legs, then she saw Connor fall back to the ground. “Huh, you were on my legs?! Get up! I thought I lost them or maybe a block fell on it.”
Connor attempted rising again but this time fell on his back, away from her. “We nearly died, Arya. I can’t believe…”
Arya was quiet, then her eyes began to water. Yes, they nearly died. They were nearly killed.
What on earth was happening? Didn’t her Aunt Jenna say her father was injured? Or was it her fault for entering the wrong apartment? “I don’t know how this happened either.”
Could it have all been planned? Did the enemy know she’d go to the wrong apartment? But then how’d they know she’d come at all? It bothered her so much. Was her father okay?
“I’m sorry but the house you grew up in, it’s finally done for.” Connor chuckled. “This was surely planned by a member of your family.”
Arya rose to her feet. “Don’t say that! My family members are the victims here! I don’t even know who’s after me so don’t give me ideas of suspecting my family.”
Connor stared at her like she was bewitched. Wasn’t it obvious someone that knew her very well would plan this?
It’s not like the attackers could just steal someone’s house to set this up. Everything was planned; from the bad switches to the door and then gas.
“Right! That door that was locked earlier. Someone was in here, I wonder if they left in time for the explosion or they knew the explosion wouldn’t be massive.” Connor stood up.
Arya looked down, feeling very vulnerable. She shouldn’t have left the hotel after all. And now, she had dragged Connor into the nonsense. She felt so bullied and weak.
“How did they know my house? Where are my aunt Jenna and father? Where they abducted?” she mumbled.
Connor held her hand tightly. “Don’t think of anyone but yourself now. We don’t know if they are more traps here.” He looked around.
Earlier, he had noticed the house was quite isolated so no one might have noticed the explosion. If Debby had that in mind when planning, then Connor expected more traps.
“Watch your step.” Arya held him from stepping on shards of glass. He exhaled and smiled at her. “Thanks.”
The whole area, from the rooms to the kitchen and then the backyard had been blown out. But there was still the fence.
Connor led Arya out to under the evening sky. It looked like it would rain, or maybe it was the smoke from the explosion.
Arya’s eyes went to the gate they walked in through. There was a chain round about it and a padlock in the middle. “We are locked in, Junior. The gate has been padlocked.”
His head snapped at that direction and his jaw dropped. This was really planned out well. His hands felt for his phone. “My phone. I was holding unto it when the explosion…”
He ran inside the house immediately. It wasn’t very dark as a hole had been created from the backyard. Arya ran with him.
They searched around the rooms and back to the kitchen. A cracked object laid on the side of the kitchen door. Connor couldn’t believe that was his phone.
“That was expensive. Now, we can’t call anyone to come to our aid. Your phone is downstairs and we can’t reach it. I’m also scared an assassin is still waiting for us.” Connor said.
Arya stayed quiet, feeling like a lost rabbit that ventured into a lion’s den. “I’m sorry, Connor.”
“What?” He turned to her.
She shut her eyes tightly. “I’m really sorry I got you dragged into this. I should have known it was a trap. That my aunt dragged me into a trap!”
As the words came out from her, she wanted to bawl. An Aunt who hated her much that she wanted her dead.
It wasn’t a surprise she decided to end her now that she was in a safe place and felt happier than before. She didn’t think that she was the enemy all the while.
But it didn’t make sense. Why was she attacking the Wades? She had literally sold her to them. “I’m really sorry, Connor.”
Connor just gave her a side eye then shook his head. “I didn’t know you’re the kind of person to blame yourself for what you didn’t do.”
She stared at him confused. “What do you mean…”
“What do you think I mean?!” he interrupted her. “You left to help your father, right? If he decided to turn against you, isn’t that his fault?”
“Still, I should have known it was a trap. Now, I dragged you into it and…”
“How’d you know it was a trap! I don’t expect you to be a witch that sees the future.” He sighed. “Also, I planned to leave on my own. I could have met worse.”
Arya felt relieved that Connor didn’t blame her but she couldn’t stop blaming herself. “I don’t know what to do now.”
“How about killing yourself?”
Both Connor and Arya froze. They recognized the voice.
Arya swiftly turned and faced her. “Debby Chan! What are you doing here?” Her eyes widened. “Are you here to help?”
Could it be the girl was around the area? She heard the explosion so decided to take a look? How’d she get in?
Connor pulled Arya behind him as Debby began to laugh.
He bit his lips, annoyed. He should have told Arya, long ago, who exactly her enemy was. “She’s not here to help, Arya. She’s the menace.”