Chapter 25

Agent Jackson took Tom from Blake whilst Agent Jones came over to John and me. I was still cooling my hand in the holy water and John had his hand on my back.

"If this is," Agent Jones gently lifted my hand out of the water, "your way, then you've got some serious re-thinking to do."

"Well what do you expect?" I snapped because I was upset that Blake and the Agents were in the same building. "I've been trying to make sure you can't get to him-" I pointed to Blake - "and to make sure that the criminal-" I pointed to Tom - "doesn't get away!"

"Florence, please." Agent Jones said in a hushed voice. "Now is not the time; you need to get your hand sorted out."

"I," I said mocking her hushed tone, "am going to see Tammie, after I know Blake is safe, and then get myself sorted and then I am not listening to you ever again."

"Florence," Agent Jackson came back into the church - without Tom - and said, "do you know why Blake is wanted so badly?"

"Well," I muttered, "I would have if none of this had happened."

"Stop!" Blake warned the Agents.

"Not only is he wanted for assult, stealing and for his dad," Agent Jackson held up a hand to shush as I sucked in my breath to argue with him, "he is also wanted for murder."

"What?" I felt like everything around me was going fuzzy.

"Florence," Blake took a step closer to me, "I can explain."

My gaze, half bewildered, half disgusted, rose to meet his. "Don't bother. I'm going to see Tammie." And with that I ran out of the church.

The blood drumming in my ears blocked out Blake calling after me. I forgot about John... and everything else. All I could think was Tammie... and... murder? I go on dangerous outings to bring murders, kidnappers and criminals to justice and for what? To find out someone close to you was one of them?

I ran through the cemetery to my house, mum and dad left already in dad's car; I grabbed mum's car keys and drove to the hospital. She was laying on one of those uncomfortable hospital beds and Nancy and Terrance sitting on one side of her head, Josh was sitting on the other and Max and Megan were sitting at the end of her bed.

"Florence!" Nancy jumped out of her chair. "There you are!"

"Flo, what happened to your hand?" Max noticed it first.

"Nothing" I put my hand behind my back. "How's Tam doing?"

"Good, she's asleep now but the doctor's said she'll be better by tomorrow." Terrance said with a sorrowful look at Tammie.

"Excuse me, miss," a nurse that came in to write in Tammie's file spoke gently to me, "come with me and we can get your hand cleaned up."

So I did. I went with the nurse, I mean. She was very nice about it and like her voice, her touch was gentle. My hand was bandaged up - as long as I use the cream she had given me, I shouldn't have a scar. Then I jogged back to the room Tammie was staying in and I didn't like what I saw.

Tammie was stirring - still asleep, Max looked like he was going to cry, Megan looked pityful, Terrance and Nancy looked uncomfortable...

"What?" I said, bracing myself for more bad news.

"Florence, the social want to meet with all of us to discuss..." Nancy didn't meet my gaze.

"Another home?" My voice broke; bracing myself didn't help one little bit. "I was in care from two until I was five and now twelve years later you want me gone?" I backed away slowly towards the door.

"Florence, honey," Terrance met my gaze, "it isn't like that-"

"I know exactly what it's like..." I ran. My legs just got faster and faster...

I drove back home - well I should say Nancy and Terrance's house - and grabbed my travel bag that I use for holidays; packed some clothes - mainly warm ones - my makeup, my pictures of my parents (my real parents) and picked up my purse. Then I found the envelope that Mr Ward had given me, put it in my leather jacket's pocket and closed the door on everything.

The girl that locates missing people... has gone missing.

Chapter 26

"One way ticket please." I replied to the ticket clerk who asked if I wanted an all-round ticket or just a one way ticket.

I was going home.

My real home, where I was born. Where I spent the first two years of my life. Where everything was... right. Everything was... perfect. And everyone was... happy.

The journey was nearly two hours, I just starred out the window watching the whole world past by. There was a little amount of drizzle on the windows. As I stepped off the train, the fresh air hit me like a warm summer breeze. Unfortunately it looked like it was going to pour down. I looked at the map that was posted on the yellow-stained wall and found the nearest cemetery. The walk was about another half-hour but I managed to find it alright.

"Excuse me?" I asked in a small voice to the cemetery sexton that worked there. "Do you know where I could find some graves, I'm looking for them."

"Any name in particular?" The old, fragile man asked with a wrinkly smile.

"I don't their first names... but, err... Knight is their second name." I wasn't aloud to know their first names for some reason and I only found out my last name because when the court was deciding to let me join Tammie's family, they read out my name 'Florence Knight' and Nancy wanted it changed to 'Florence Ryder' but growing up not knowing my surname and then being given one, you get used to it but the only reason why I don't mind 'Ryder' is because John calls me that.

"Ah, yes," the sexton clicked and pointed upwards, "there are only six graves here that I know of with the name Knight. Any particular year of death?"

I shuddered, remembering they died when I was two. "About fifteen years ago?"

"Oh, this way then," he began to lead the way to their graves, "may I ask: why are you looking for them, you're what, sixteen, seventeen? It is unusual to have teenagers around here."

"Because... they're my parents." I thought not to tell him my age incase he called the social.

"Oh," he said again, "I'm very sorry. Here you are... I'll leave you alone." He turned to leave but then he clicked his fingers again and pointed upward, "perhaps, I could bring you some flowers to put on their graves?"

"Yeah, I'd like that." I smiled, he walked off and that's when I began to cry.

Here lies Angela and Scott Knight, loved by everyone. Grew up together, laughed together, cried together, loved together and died together. My eyes produced their own waterfalls. The rain began to pelt single droplets... then they doubled... and soon enough it began to pour down. It was as if the sky was crying for me. My mum and dad laying side by side in their graves and someone had engraved, in the headstone, the one main thing I wanted to know about them... They loved each other and their daughter with all their heart.

My knees sunk into the muddy grass and my bag fell of my shoulder, unceremoniously. Suddenly my wind-chilled body began to get very hot under the leather jacket; so I tore it off and dumped it on top of my bag. The rain soaked through my clothes and down to my skin. I kept reading the last sentence over and over again.

I don't know how long I stayed like that - kneeling and crying at the end of their graves - until I heard the sexton come back... and some other people.

"I don't know a Florence, but there is a teenage girl here looking for her parent's graves." His voice grew louder as he came closer to me.

"Florence?" A relieved, breathless voice fell beside me.

"Excuse me, miss, here are the flowers," the sexton handed me the flowers - white roses - and stuck out a hand, "we haven't been formally introduced. I'm Patrick."

"I'm Florence," I shook his hand - only then did I realise he had an umberella - and then turned to a drenched John, "how did you find me?"

"Ryder, I know you... better than what you think." John threw an arm across my shoulders. "Nancy and Terrance are worried sick."

"Worried?" I was maybe being a tad hysterical. "They wanted to ship me off to another family!"

"No, Ryder. They didn't want that. They just wanted to find a way to stop all this. They don't want to see you... or anyone else... get hurt." John rubbed my arm.

"Wait." Patrick interrupted us. "I know who you are now. You're Florence Ryder, you saved them people! It is an honour to meet you!" He was pratically chuffed.

"Florence!" Blake appeared behind my parent's headstones. "I'm so sorry! Let me explain!"

"Please do. It can't be any worse than what's happened so far today." I gripped on to John, afraid that my knees wouldn't be able to withstand what Blake was about to say.

"It wasn't murder, I swear!" Blake pleaded. "When I was staying in a 'safe location' with the government, there was an Agent... Agent Linton." His eyes blatantly showed he was looking back on a memory. "He began experiments on me... and then when it didn't work out... he was going to kill me. I ran away, of course. Agent Linton chased me into town and... I ran across the street... he was shooting at me... Your car... it swerved not to hit me but with the shooting..." Blake said quickly so he wouldn't change his mind. "Agent Linton hit one of the tyres... I stopped your side of the car from hitting a brick wall... but your parent's side... went into it instead..."

"Oh... my... God..." I couldn't think. I couldn't breathe!

"Agent Linton said I had purposefully murdered your parents out of anger issues... like my dad. That's why I'm... I'm protective of you and then when John came along I tried to disappear out of your life, knowing that he would protect you." Blake pressed his lips together tightly, showing he didn't want to talk anymore.

"That... that... that's how I got this ability. From all of that!" My heart may have been broken before but now it was shattered and laying all over the floor.

"Yes... because I made the stupid mistake of running in front of the car... of letting myself get tested on... for everything..." Blake swallowed. Hard.

"Want to know something?" Patrick startled me, when he broke the silence. "I don't believe in mistakes. It was a great sacrifice of your parents... but Blake, here, obviously saved you for a reason... and then you came out with your ability. Two brilliant people died so one normal, small-town girl and her companions could make the world a better place... and end all heartache of many other families."

I realised Patrick was right. My parents didn't die for me just to mope around feeling sorry for myself and regretting this gift! "Patrick, could you please call this number-" I told him Max's mobile number as he dialled it into his old mobile - "and tell Max to come here and to bring Agents Jackson and Jones."

Patrick then strolled off to speak to them. A tall shadowy figure appeared from the trees, his gaze was sharp and penetrating. As he took a step forward he clapped very, very slowly.

"Well, well, well," the shadow laughed bitterly, "thank you so much Miss Ryder for leading me straight to Blake."

"What? Who are you?" I moved closer to John.

"Blake, isn't it time we finish this once and for all?" He stepped out of the shadows.

"I think it is," Blake hissed, "Agent Linton."