Chapter Thirteen

After his rescue, Kenny finds himself at a restful safe house and face to face finally with Percy.

Percy’s Safe House

      Kenny could remember as far back in his life to when he was two years old and living in warm and sunny Miami. He remembered vacations as a toddler to the Bahamas every few weeks and he remembered the beautiful white sand that would always wedge between his feet. Malcolm’s face was beaming smiles even then and there was so much laughter shared between them. So once he found himself back in the present, being led by a bandaged Christian leaning against his shoulder and an ash blonde haired man named Percy, over a hill and a footbridge and through something invisible yet phlegmy.

      He was so dazed and confused from the earlier events he didn’t hear the conversation Christian and Percy were having. But he paid attention when they rounded through some brushes and came to the view that took his breath away. There was an enormous pearly renaissance villa, sparkling tons of windows and pillars around the two story front door, surrounded by countless patches of palm trees. There were three wings that were attached; one on the left and right side and the last was separated by a football field sized multicolored rose garden. He appeared to be the only one at awe as the other two were still in conversation about training. As he got closer and they passed over an outsized fountain with a cupid waterspout, the mansion seemed to double in size.

      The double storied door creaked opened automatically once they passed the fountain and was completely opened by the time they crossed the threshold. It shut at alarming speed leaving them in a crystal floored foyer with a huge oak door that swung open and out ran Tonya covered in tears. She flew into Kenny’s arms, tearing him out of Christian’s hold as the others came out slowly and in complete shock. He noticed that Madison and Alice were here and after being helped by Jerry and Junior into the dining room, he sat down at the nearest cushioned chair and Percy began scanning him with a handheld laser baton. It blinked from red to green as everyone was sitting around him in silence, holding their breath. Christian was removing a purple and sparkling beaker from a free standing cabinet with ancient painting on the doors while Kenny was eyeing the food on the table. It looked like Thanksgiving had come early on a long dining table with dessert at the end.

      “I’m hungry.” He muttered and immediately Shawn started making a plate with everything slopped on top of each other. Kenny didn’t realized how hungry he was until the steam from the food reached his nose after his friend handed him the full plate.

      “Go ahead and eat up,” Percy said, while injecting him with the purple liquid and immediately all the pain vanished from his body, “I’m sure after the extraordinary night you had that your stomach would be empty.”

      “What is going on?” Kenny managed to ask in between swallows, “I was told that you could explain everything.”

      “In time,” Percy patted his shoulder, “Now, all you need to worry about is eating and resting. I see no problem into pushing our interview until tomorrow. Do you agree?”

      Kenny was actually feeling relieved. He didn’t think he could take anymore new information and was wondering why he asked in the first place. He stuffed his mouth with mashed potatoes and gave Percy and thumbs up, who was giving him stitched on his arm and then moving onto Christian’s bandaged cuts.

 

      Once he was done eating with his friends, Percy led them down a long hall and out a glass garden wall door into a large garden of roses. The moonlight bounced off the red petals while dozens of butterflies fluttered from rose to rose. They approached a thick ledge and brace door with the typical door furniture on it; a door knocker, a latch and two locks. When Percy unlocked it and it raised up into the roof, they entered into a warm, fuzzy common room.

      A purple velvet sofa wrapped around the circular room with a translucent fireplace in the middle of the room. Percy welcomed them into their temporary abode until he secures the complete protection of their respective places of residence. They all felt like they entered a vacation on an expensive trip to the most expensive spot on the planet. There was a small kitchen through an entry that opened up to a curved stairway with black iron handrail. When they reached the top, there were eight white steel doors around the white gold guardrail. And that’s when Percy turned on his heel in a sudden halt, causing everyone to tumble over themselves.

      “This is the wing that is for use as long as you like but I assure you that your residence will be fully protected by tomorrow afternoon,” He crossed and stood at the door while typing on a keypad that appeared when his hand got near, “The password for whatever room any of you choose will be the last four of your social.”

      They entered a modern grey bedroom with a rectangular window drowning the room in natural light until the walls flickered and illuminated the room entirely. A king sized bed with a half dozen burgundy pillows and matching bed set sat underneath the window and to each side of it stood wooden nightstands and cushioned rocking chairs. Tonya called the first room while jumping on to the long daybed that sat in front of a small fireplace and mounted fifty inch flat-screen. Percy smiled and pulled their attention quickly to the keypad by the door on the inside of the room. It looked the same as its twin on the outside except for that there was a red and a green button toward the bottom.

      “Your passcode is the same for the inside; to lock you just hold the red button down, likewise for the green to unlock. If you want your door to open automatically then just press and hold both buttons down. The bathrooms conjoin every two rooms and are equipped with all your toiletries. You may choose to access the standing shower or the Jacuzzi tub as is your wish. And let me see, did I forget anything? Ah, if you need anything just press the zero button.” Percy looked at Kenny and kindly bowed to him, “Please rest up, you brave and kind man, enjoy the company of your loved ones. We should save our questions till the noon time, I presume. Please, everyone, good night and know from my sincerest words that my home is your home.”

      And with that, Percy waved and dashed out the door. Christian sighed and awkwardly looked at Kenny as he approached the door.

      “You were amazingly strong out there.”

      “Thanks.”

      They both sighed over the silence and then Christian exited after his friend with the door closing shut behind it. Not soon after the knob latched, there was a huge bang of commotion that echoed over the room; Jerry was frantic that the worse had happened, Junior swore his heart had stopped twice, Teddy couldn’t decide between laughing or crying when he talked, Tonya repeated ‘Aye, aye, aye’ as she fanned herself when Shawn described the horror he was feeling in his gut. Madison kept asking everyone to explain what happened and Alice began to sob and cover her ears at the loudness.

      This overwhelmed Kenny’s insanely increasing migraine and without being able to control it, he let out a stomach churning scream. Everyone immediately stopped their freaking out and were eyeing him with a hint of fear.

      “I can’t take this right now,” Kenny quietly stated with frustration, “I’m tired, I want to get out this stupid costume and I need to sleep! Good night and I will talk to you guys in the morning.  And please don’t follow me.”

      No one moved as he stood up with a beaten attitude, shuffled toward the door, pressed the red and green button to exit the room and entered his room all the way at the end. It looked exactly the same as the other room but this was the last thing that Kenny cared about. He simply locked the door, stripped down to his birthday suit and fell asleep sobbing under the fluffy burgundy converter once the walls dimmed out.

 

      As morning dawned, the birds chirped distinctly outside and made quickly little rushing shadows on the sunlit wall as the smell of bacon invaded Kenny’s room. It was the small popping sound from outside his door that woke him up and he was in the same position as he had fallen asleep in. After putting on the fluffy silvery robe that he found on the front of the bathroom door, he unlocked his door and approached the balcony.

      There was a solemn mood below in the common room; Teddy and Madison played darts that hung back toward the edge of the room while Tonya brushed Alice’s hair and twisted it as she played with her dolls. Junior was watching a football game as Kenny slowly came down the stairs. Shawn had looked up from polishing his disassembled gun between him and Junior.

      “Hey guys,” Kenny cleared his throat.

      “You feel better this morning?” Junior looked up, stretching his arms on the top of the sofa.

      “A little. What’s for breakfast?”

      No one had to answer because Jerry came busting out the small opening with a towel on his shoulder and flour smeared across his face.

      “I knew I heard you, Kenny. Which do you want sausage or bacon?”

      “Uh…bacon?”

      “Turkey or pork.”

      “Kosher.”

      “Fruit or cheese?”

      “Both?”

      “Greedy.” Shawn muttered but Jerry nodded and rushed back into the kitchen.

      “Where’s Mal?”

      “Still sleep.” Tonya answered, slowly twisting away, “I think everything got to him last night. He drunk himself out to the point that the butler guy stopped bringing him drinks. That’s when he pulled out his own.”

      A shot of guilt pierced through Kenny’s stomach as he stared upstairs at random doors, hoping his brother would wake up.

      “Frankly, we all kind of had a shake up with it.” Teddy added, apparently forfeited his game, and walking over to Kenny, “Where did you go? You just disappeared in this hazy mirage type deal and next thing we know, here we are.”

      The only sound in the room was the football game and Jerry cooking away in the kitchen, clinging pots and pans together. Shawn motioned for him to sit next to him and after he did, Kenny inhaled deeply and started talking.

      “At first I didn’t know myself. Once I had grabbed this sword after what felt like the voice of God screaming at me to, I thought of you guys and keeping you safe but I just appeared in Oakland. On top of city hall. And then, when reality hit me, I ran but fought off this demon spider thing inside the building and that’s where William and Christian fought.”

      “WILLIAM?!” Everyone exclaimed.

      “Wait, William what?” Jerry called from the kitchen.

      “I’ll fill you in after!” Junior called back.

      “Great, breakfast will be done shortly!”

      So Kenny began his story again, with William trying to kill him to obtain some type of forgiveness for the sins he committed and Christian showing up just when he thought his neck was about to snap. He started describing the failed attempt to teleport and crashed on the bird sanctuary.

      “That explains the spontaneous fire at Lake Merritt!” Junior cut in and then glanced around the room at the frustrated looks, “What? Sorry. I just saw it on the news that’s all. Finish, please.”

      “There’s nothing to finish, really. After they all fought with the flame and William blitz attacked Christian, I was pulled here in this wormhole tube.”

      “That’s a double negative.” Junior cut in again.

      “Why do we care?” Tonya interjected, “If he wanted to say a*****e pipe would that make a difference?”

      “Look, the grammar in America is atrocious and is dying on the new generation. Why is it so bad to want to use correct word usage in everyday conversation?”

      “Because it makes you look like a dick.” Shawn added.

      “Proper grammar shouldn’t inheritably make one a dick.”

      “There! That there is what we are talking about!” Tonya pointed the brush in Junior’s direction.

      “Guys, lay off him okay?” Kenny defended, “He’s already underpaid and underappreciated at his job, let’s not treat him like s**t here.”

      “It sounds so depressing when you say it like that.” Junior scoffed.

      Breakfast soon came with plates already been made and presented to everyone with a placemat underneath. Jerry had made eggs, bagels with lox and cream cheese, a fruit salad, bacon or sausage, cheesy grits and hash browns with melted buttered waffles. Maple syrup was in a small cylinder on the side. They filled him in on everything Kenny before Junior cut in a third time.

      “Are we going to at least bless our food we have together?”

      A collective groan passed over the room.

      “Where did we get you from?” Shawn protested, “Fine! Since mother wants us to bless the already-getting-cold food, which one of our many different religious views would like do the honors?”

      Alice raised her small little hands and the tension lifted swiftly with everyone smiling.

      “Daddy, which one do we say again?”

      “The blessing over the bread, baby. You need help?”

      She nodded her head quickly and grabbed the bagel in her palm.

      “Baruch atah Adonai-” Jerry started, wrapping his daughter in his grip.

      “Ba-ruch a-tah Ado-nigh-” Alice repeated.

      “Eloheinu melch ha’olam-”

      “Elo-hei-nu mela’olam-”

      “Hamotzi lechem min haaretz.”

      “Hamot-zee leshemin haretz!”

      “Amein.”

      “Yay!” Alice bit into her bagel happily as the Jerry chuckled and everyone clapped.

      No one wasted time as digging into the food as the room started filling up with laughter, Malcolm sluggishly joined them but only drunk tomato juice for his breakfast. Tonya retold the story of Kenny’s disappearance to him while the other’s started a card game.

      As soon as the small bird clock chimed the noon hour, there was a rapid knock at the door and then the door slid up. Christian towered in the doorway in a biker’s jacket and black denim jeans. He wore a brown bandana around his head and brown Timberland boots.

      “Percy just called to let me know he will be back home within the hour if you were still interested in talking to him.” He said to Kenny, stoically, adjusting his gold rimmed glasses.

      “Uh, yeah. Sure.”

      “Great.” And then the door closed suddenly.

      “You want to explain to us what this is all about?”

      “No, not really.”

      “I think he meant to rephrase his sentence to say; explain to us what that was all about.” Shawn said as Kenny cut his eyes.

      “I found myself falling for him and there’s something he’s keeping from me. Happy?”

      “Didn’t you just break up with William?” Jerry questioned, stuffing a piece of bacon in his mouth.

      “I have been over him since the beginning of the year. He just popping up didn’t rekindle a relationship or anything. It was just sex. But is this appropriate subject matter with kids in the room?” Kenny sighed heavily and swallowed a spoonful of grits. Jerry quickly turned the conversation over to Thanksgiving and making a big dinner at his place. Shawn volunteered to do desert and Tonya always brought the alcohol. They tried to keep the tone light and airy while Kenny daydreamed for the most part of it until another round of rapid knocks came again and he ran upstairs to get ready.

 

      The two walked together side by side in complete silence. There was no talk of being brave this afternoon and it seemed that Christian was little more agitated than usual. There was no smile at all as they crossed the main hall and descended down a small spiral staircase hidden behind a statue of Zeus, Poseidon and Hades along the western part of the foyer. Kenny noticed the further down they went, the less nice the walls became. It turned from pearl white to grey brick but the air never changed.

      Finally they came to the fifth floor and entered a large hallway with striplights hanging overhead and a bunch of metal clanking and music in the distance. A song by Maroon 5 was blaring out the room like a concert over the clanking as they got closer. When they turned the corner, it was like walking into a football field sized auto shop. There was only one car on suspensions with no wheels, but the rest of the room was filled with industrial sized metal tables with laptops and multicolored beakers and weapons hanging on every piece of the wall. Swords, both single and double bladed, and hammers hung on the right of Kenny while bow and crossbows with metal design took the left. He noticed there was a replacement pistol on the nearest table.

      As his attention turned to the table full of guns, armor and flasks full of steaming liquids he noticed a woman hammering a crystal pebble in the handle of a long bladed sword. Her straight black hair was pulled tightly back in a ponytail but it was still down to the middle of her back. She brushed her hands on her blue mechanics outfit, that also was tightly fitting on her natural curvy body, turned off the boombox by her foot, and waved toward the two. Christian politely smiled.

      “Chris! Hey, I was just fixing this sword Percy brought me from one of his misadventures in the Caribbean. Don’t tell anyone I told you but I think he wants to give this to you. Who’s this cute guy?”

      Kenny blushed and stuck out his hand for her to shake.

      “This is Percy’s protégé.”

      Kayla’s eyes widen and her smile grew broader. She met Kenny’s hand with a steady shake and then a swift hug.

      “I heard so much about you. I’m Kayla, known the two clowns since college. How are you sweetums?”

      “Uh, I am fine.” Kenny wiped his eyes and began fidgeting with his thumbs, “Thank you for asking.”

      “And great manners.” Kayla went back to hammering, “Why can’t you clowns have some manners? Aren’t you from England, the land of manners?”

      “We have manners enough and Percy said he was giving this to me?” Christian was stroking the tip of the blade as Kayla nodded, “Speaking of where is he? He told us to meet him down here.”

      Kayla shrugged and pushed the sword out of her way and pulled out a small laptop from under the table.

      “I haven’t seen him since this morning.” She started typing and the sword became encased in a box of blue lasers that seemed to be getting absorbed by the entire sword. Christian quickly glared down at Kenny before,

      “Good afternoon, my dear friends and honored guest!” Percy came strolling in dressed in a brown leather jacket, white goggles perched on his head, ruffled dress shirt and black slacks with matching boots. He was removing his brown gloves as he approached Kenny.

      “I hope you slept well last night?”

      “I did, thanks.”

      Percy smiled and looked at the two behind Kenny.

      “If you two will excuse us.”

 

      Percy was just as tall as Christian is to him when they walked close to each other. Kenny still finds himself looking up whenever either of the two talk and it was getting a bit frustrating. They had walked another flight below and the scenery changed dramatically. The walls became pillared and yellow stoned and the floors were unbreakable fish tanks. There were goldfish, catfish and nurse sharks swimming freely under their feet as Percy’s smile never faded.

      “Just through this hall is where we are heading and this is typically where I go to keep an eye on things and release some energy. There is more power in this room than there is in this entire estate.” Kenny noticed Percy’s voice started to echo as they entered deeper into the hall, “And I’m sure you are wondering why you were called so late in life as this carrier of enormous power.”

      “In a way, yes.”

      “You see, Kenny, when the world was formed, it needed life so the Nature Seed was born and gave birth to life as we know it today. From the trees and doves, to the smallest insect to the largest whale, it all comes from her. Then when human’s needed something more than faith to guide their footsteps, the Barrier of Knowledge was born and brought education. And so on with the holder of the Love Seed when hatred reigned and the Warrior of Darkness when war infested every corner of this world.”

      “And me?”

      “You were needed to bring order to a dying world both in the spiritual and physical world. But a few of us were afraid of what your power was capable of so you were actually bound to never be able to ever see your powers awaken.”

      They had walked up to a large golden door with images of the sun etched into the middle and it suddenly spun with dancing solar flares as the door opened like a pulled curtain.

      “What happened?” Kenny asked as the door was completely pulled from view, opening their path to an open elevator.

      “Come, let me show you instead. This is the port of all my power from the Seed of Knowledge. I call it my Galaxy Lab. You ready?”

      Kenny inhaled deeply as Percy went ahead of him and entered onto the elevator. He felt the same sense of comfort with this stranger as he did Christian, but he remembered that there were so many unanswered questions he had and if going into this room, this lab, will help him in the long run than he was definitely going to find out more.

      Excitement filled his longs as he realized he was about to learn more about his past that seemed to be a jumbled puzzle in his mind. And once he learned more about his past, than he knew that his future was going to be less scary to face. So he shook off the last remaining doubts he had, remembered the previous battle he endured and entered the elevator with the tall blonde man that looked like a pilot, who was holding to the handrail.

      “Hang on.”

      And then the walls around them shifted and closed shut as it gave out and fell below.