Chapter 24

"Daryl?" Micheal asked, looking at me.

I shook my head. "Don't worry about it." I told him then gave Delilah a glare.

"Master!" she said, sounding exasperated.

"Daryl." Karen said reaching out and grabbing my arm. "We should at least listen to what she has to say." she told me. "It can't just be because she is a pervert."

I frowned at her.

"It wouldn't hurt to know." she told me.

"I know, but we need to get out of here first." I told her seriously. "Even if she is right, and you agree to it, we aren't doing it now. Right now we need to grab our stuff and get the hell out of here. If we wait too long we will get stuck in traffic with everyone else who has the same idea."

"That would be bad." Micheal said. "I know how I get when I am stuck in traffic." he added giving me a serious look.

I grimaced then hurried to my room.

The girls had set out a bunch of my clothes, shoes, and whatever else they could find on the bed. I tossed it all into my spatial storage then grabbed what they missed like my electronics. Delilah seemed certain the government wouldn't last long, but I wasn't so sure. Then again even if the government fell, did that guarantee the power would be turned off? Might as well use the tech until I couldn't. Besides, I had a solar charger. The tech wouldn't lose their biggest value until after the cell towers stopped working.

Once I was done I paused then smiled before grabbing my bed and thinking of putting it into my storage as it was. It disappeared from my room frame, mattress, and all. With a childlike glee I emptied my room in a couple of minutes then walked out of the room leaving behind only the few pieces of trash I had missed in my weekly cleaning.

Leaving my room I concentrated on my spatial storage. I still had a lot of room left even after emptying my room so I started to grab everything. I cleared the kitchen and dining room first then headed for the living room only to stop when I saw Karen, Megan, and Heather watching the television.

"What is it?" I asked moving to stand beside Karen. I cautiously reached out and wrapped my arm around her waist. She glanced at me then leaned into me. "The news isn't right." she told me.

"How so?" I asked.

"While they can't hide the attacks made by twisted, they seem to be avoiding talking about them more than they have too." Karen replied.

"Is there a chance there were fewer attacks today?" Megan asked.

I shrugged. "Maybe, the attacks yesterday were happening through the course of the day. We might just have had an unlucky morning." I told her. "If that is the case it would be for the best." I reminded her.

Megan nodded then stared at me and Karen for a moment before moving to my other side and leaned into me. I wrapped my other arm around her waist and held her tight.

Megan sighed as she relaxed against me. "I know it would be better for us, but, well I know there are all kinds of conspiracy theories out there. Would they block news of the attacks?" she asked.

I frowned as I considered that. I wanted to say no, but I couldn't be sure. Would hiding the truth help? It might keep people from panicking, but that would only help for a short time.

"Delilah." I called looking around until I spotted the shadow fairy. "With each opening the ambient mana increases right?" I asked.

"Yes Master." Delilah replied seriously.

"So we should see an increase in twisted today versus yesterday, right?" I asked.

"That depends on the people. Ambient mana won't cause a change on its own. They also have to have the emotion to trigger the change. Extreme anger is needed." She reminded me.

"So yes." I said looking back to the television. "Has anyone checked online?" I asked.

The girls shook their heads then Megan twisted in my arm to pull her phone out and look online.

"Oh!" she gasped looking at her phone.

Karen and I peered at her phone to see what startled her.

"There are a lot of twisted attacks." Megan told us then looked into my eyes, "But several were solved quickly by people."

I frowned then realized that it must be other awakened people.

"Isn't that good?" Karen asked seeing my reaction.

I nodded, "Of course it is." I reassured her. "Having heroes step up to help out will keep the casualties to a minimum."

"OH!" Megan exclaimed again.

I looked back at her phone, she turned it so Karen and I could see. It showed a video shot from above. Despite that I could clearly make out the figures of Micheal, Chewy, and I fighting the three twisted.

I groaned. "We need to leave." I restated.

"Where?" Micheal asked, coming out of his room with Courtney right behind him. He paused as he noticed that some of the furniture was missing then looked at me questioningly.

I smirked then reached out and grabbed the entertainment center and moved it and everything on it into my spatial pocket.

"Useful." Micheal admitted.

I nodded. "Yeah." I agreed. Then looked around at the others. "We need somewhere either out of town, or at least close to the outer edge of the suburbs." I told them.

While they thought about that I grabbed the rest of the furniture and put it in my spatial pocket then grabbed the remaining things in Micheal's room. I left the bags he packed with him just in case we got separated.

"Any ideas?" Courtney asked Micheal.

He grimaced then looked to me. "Bachelor pad?" he asked me.

I frowned as I tried to remember exactly were that was. "It could work." I told him.

"Where?" Courtney asked giving Micheal a glare.

I chuckled. "After his dad and my mom divorced, his dad started to date again. Instead of bringing those girls home where Micheal and Megan were staying he set up a bachelor pad." I explained.

"And why am I just now hearing about it?" Courtney asked Micheal.

"Secret between men?" Micheal replied sheepishly.

"That explains a few things." Megan commented.

"So where is it?" Karen asked. "And if it is a bachelor pad, can we really use it?"

"Fort McDowell." Micheal replied.

Courtney looked surprised. "That is a bit out there." She admitted. "Wait, isn't that where he is building that housing community?"

Micheal nodded while I smirked.

"Daryl?" Megan asked, looking at me.

"His bachelor pad is the model house for the community they are building." I told them. "If I remember correctly the community is outside of the town closer to the casino, while it is labeled as a part of Fort McDowell it is probably closer to Fountain Hills."

"Does that matter?" Megan asked.

"Highway 87." I replied. "Any objections?" I asked looking around. "I suggest you make your calls once we are on the way. Let everyone you can know to get out of town."

Everyone nodded.

"Great." I said. "Anything else?"

"You forgot the kitchen sink?" Micheal asked.

"Ha ha." I retorted before looking at Karen. "Any word from the neighbors?" I asked. In truth I already regretted suggesting they could come with us. I didn't know them at all. I knew why I had, and despite my better judgement I also hoped she came along.

Karen shook her head.

"What neighbors?" Micheal asked.

I quickly gave him a recap of what had happened before Courtney and him had shown up.

"So that was the girl your shadow fairy was talking about?" Micheal commented.

I nodded. "Yeah." I admitted then shrugged. "Well if they aren't coming then I don't see any reason to stick around."

"Lets go check on them before we take off." Karen told me.

I looked over at her only to see her give me an impish grin.

"Who are you and what did you do with Karen?" I asked.

Karen just snorted and led the way out of the apartment. "Don't forget to lock up." she said over her shoulder.

I looked over at Micheal, "Is there even a point?" I asked him.

Micheal shrugged. "Principle?" he asked me back.

"Hurry up or we will leave you behind!" Megan called as she followed Karen.

"What else happened?" Micheal asked as we followed the girls toward the door.

I just shrugged and didn't reply.

Micheal gave me a hard stare as I shut the door behind us then locked the door.

"Really?" Micheal asked.

I just shrugged. It didn't hurt anything so why not.

With the door locked behind us I followed the girls to the stairs then helped Micheal carry Bryan's stroller up to the second floor. Once on the second floor we headed for the apartment where I had killed my first twisted. I tried not to think of it as a person. I knew now that it had been a person before it transformed, but after, I couldn't call it a person. It had been a monster. I had no idea if I could have helped it like I had Mike.

No that wasn't true. I knew I couldn't have helped that twisted. Not because I knew the technique I used on Mike wouldn't work. No, even if Delilah had somehow warned me in advance, I was barely able to kill it as it was. There was no way I could have suppressed it long enough to drain the tainted mana from it.

With Micheal and Chewy helping, maybe we could stop and attempt to save a lone twisted. With how fast Mike was able to recover, groups like what we faced in front of the apartment building would be impossible.