Page 27 (2/2)

Two men entered the foyer, both no less than six feet, six inches talThey were nearly equal in theirthat I realized I was unconsciously cowering behind Ryan

The largest of the two had a ful , brown beard When his eyes focused on Kim, he held out his arms, and a wide smile broke across his face

"Boo Boo!" he said, his boohout the house

Kim made her way to him quickly, and as tal as she was, the massive arms that encircled her round as the man arched his back, and then returned her to earth after a feeet h…Ryan…this is my dad, Charles Pol ock And this is my uncle Bruce"

"Nice toas my hand disappeared into each of theirs when I shook them

Ryan did the same, but he didn’t seem intimidated at al

"How’s school, Kimmie?" Bruce asked

"I’ht Nina to meet you"

"Oh?" Charles asked, suddenly suspicious

Bruce reached behind hi beyond me

"Let’s al just relax, here," Jared said from behind me I turned to see both of his arms outstretched in front of hilanced at Charlie,his sidearround

"It’s okay, Bruce," Kim said

Jared released the hold he had on his weapon, and then stood besideit on the table next to hiun fro it at Jared's face, but then his shoulders dropped "How many of them are there?" he said

"Three," Claire said I turned to see her in the saain, I’ll blow your knee cap"

"Bruce," Ki

Bruce put the second gun down, and then pul ed up his pant leg, revealing another gun He set al three side by side on the ground, and then stood

"You sure you don’t want to check the other leg?" Claire asked, her weapon stil drawn

Bruce sighed, and then reached down, pul ing a rather large hunting knife from a holster "That’s al of it"

"Ki on, here?"

Kim reached out to her father "Nina is my friend, Dad And she’s important These people are here to protect her They’re not here to harm us"

Charles nodded slowly, and then touched the arm of this brother "Easy, Bruce"

Bruce relaxed, then, and Claire stepped out of her rigid stance, replacing her gun in its holster

Jared turned tohere?"

"Don’t cuss at er lit Jared’s eyes "You…you have no idea how dangerous it is for you right now"

"Maybe I would if you would just tell , you wouldn’t want to leave the house And I don’t want that for you," he said, his eyes dark "But you can’t do certain things, Nina, and running off with two hu is one of theht you’d just fol ow"

"Oh," Jared said, taken aback "You did?"

"Oh, Christ, let’s hear what Kiet out of here," Claire snapped

I peeked at our audience, e my throat

"The book," Kim said to Charles

"Kim!" Bruce said Charles touched his brother’s arm, and Bruce immediately silenced

"They know," Kim said

"You’re the son of Gabriel, aren’t you?" Charles said, in awe

"One of them," Jared answered

Bruce’s face turned red "Thief If he wouldn’t have taken the da"

Claire took a step forward, and Jared gripped her shoulder "You call ain," Claire seethed, "and it wil be the last words that co to help me," Kim interceded

"What?" Charles said, confused

"Jared promised to help me return the Demoniac to the Sepulchre in Jerusalem"

Charles' eyes darted to Jared "Is this true?"

"Yes," Jared said "I need time to study it, but after that, you have my word"

Charles took a step back, and then walked several steps aith Bruce right behind him They conversed in lohispers, and then returned

"We can't trust them," Charles said, finality in his tone

"None of that ot some history, here, that’s apparent But we need to focus on the problem Dad, Nina is the women in the prophecy in the Naissance de De to you?"

Charles’ eyes shifted to mine, and then he scanned me from my hair to my shoes "No," he paused "Who is she?"

Kim turned to me "I told you We’re not al owed to open the book He knows nothing"

"Is that why you came here?" Jared said, livid "I could have told you that! If Charles knew anything, Gabe and Jack wouldn’t have taken it in the first place!"

"It orth a try, because our next option was the last resort"

"What are you talking about?" Jared said

I looked at the crowd of people around y in the air It was in thatof the journey Getting the book back into our hands had always been the only choice, which hy Gabe and Jack had coht

"I have to distract Shax long enough for you to get the book," I said softly

Jared turned to ether "Are you serious?"

"No, Jared, she’s trying to be funny Of course she’s serious," Kim said

"Bad idea," Ryan said

I reached out to to hiertips "It’s the only way you’re going to get the book

Jared glanced at Claire, and then back to et the book to save you It doesn’t et our hands on it"