Summoned

~`~`~`~`~` ( Author Notes ) `~`~`~`~`~

Chapter 16 is hot off the presses. The juices were really flowing today because I finally decided on an idea and really like where it is heading so I hope you all like it!

Amanda88 – Hope you enjoy this next chapter :)

ShelleDW – I love your eagerness! ;)

Jackpot7374 – Thanks so much! Hope you like this update! :D

Thanks for all the Reviews, Hits, and Rates!

Enjoy and Please Review!

WARNING: There will be violence and minor character death in this chapter, don’t like violence then don’t read or skip that section.

Note: Story is in Harley’s POV unless stated otherwise in chapters.
“Blah blah” – Normal speech
“Blah blah” – Thought of character
(Blah blah) – Author comments

Chapter 16

-------------------- ( Third Person POV ) --------------------

Slaiden is lying on his back on the roof, waiting to leave. The boy was already gone for his date so all there was to do was wait until it was a reasonably late hour to go hunt for his prey. Slaiden thought back to the earlier conversation with the boy.

“Alright, ready to continue?” Jeff asks the demon leaning against the wall by the window.

“Hnnn.” Is all he gets in response.

Jeff decides to continue instead of rolling his eyes like he wanted to. “The next guy I want dead is a bit of an older guy. David Manning. He hasn’t given me trouble personally but he cheated my dad out of a lot of money a few years back that took us a while to recover. He was an associate at my dad’s firm but he quit a few years back without reason until my dad noticed thousands of dollars missing from the firm's account. My dad never had any proof to press charges on him. I know for a fact he hasn’t left the country like we first thought because my dad said he saw that son of a bitch at a bar in the city when my parents went out with friends. They had just seen a play and wanted to go out for drinks, they obviously didn’t stay at that bar. He probably blew that cash he stole if he’s back in town.”

“Is he a spineless worm like most office humans are?” Slaiden asks, slightly bored.

“Actually besides being smart, Manning is a tough guy. He did body guard work in college and dabbled in wrestling. Coworkers of my dad had told him the Manning used a lot of brute force to bully people into getting perks for himself. My dad never saw it at the time to do anything about it though. They knew he was smart even though he looks like he’d be a mob thug or something instead of a law associate since he worked at the firm but they never knew he was tech smart too, being able to embezzle all that money. He might give you a fight if you decide to confront him, not that you would need to worry about him or anything.”

Slaiden’s ears perk up at this statement, his interest now restored. “Good, it’s more fun when they put up a fight, it makes their blood sweeter when I lick my claw clean.” He says as he examines one of his hands.

“Spare me the details.” Jeff says as he glances at his cell. “I got to go, it’s almost 8 o’clock. Leave around 10 or 11 when it’s really dark. Later.”

Jeff starts to head out of his door when he pauses in the doorframe. He looks over his shoulder, back at Slaiden. “If by any chance Harley shows up, I hope she gets away before you get your claws on her.” He then leaves, not wanting to hear the response.

“If she is, she won’t leave unmarked.” Slaiden comments to an empty room, a smirk of victory on his face.

Deciding that he has waited long enough, he rises up and summons his wings. Flexing his wings, he inhales the night air. With an eager glint in his eye, he leaps off of the roof. He flies into the direction of the city, blood lust seeping into his eyes after being dormant for a week. He takes his time flying over the suburban homes as the scenery changes to become more industrial. After a few minutes he enters the city. He flies past a few skyscrapers before settling for one of the tallest ones. He lands on the highest point as he gazes at the sights before him. He focuses his mind on David Manning and locates him in a section of the city located near the large body of water that is the river that boarders Canada. Then another presence catches his interest.

“Well, well, look who’s in town as well.” Slaiden smirks as he homes in on Harley. He sense her not too far off from Manning. Figuring he can take his time, he decides to have some fun first. He takes off in her direction.

He finds her in a restraint with three others. “Damn, she’s not alone. Maybe I’ll get an opportunity after I take care of the other human.” He thinks as he lands across the street on a roof top. He locates Manning further down that block. He is about to head over there when Harley and her friends leave the restaurant. They are talking and laughing when a scream catches their's and Slaiden’s attention.

“SOMEBODY HELP ME!!!”

The voice is coming from Manning’s direction. Slaiden instantly senses that the voice is faking distress, but will easily fool human ears. Which is exactly what happens. He watches Harley look around then say she is going to check it out. She crosses the street, ignoring the words of her friends. Slaiden decides to follow her.

He dashes over roof tops and beats her to the scene. He sees two men holding another against the wall while the apparent leader antagonizes the captive man. Slaiden instantly realizes that the leader is Manning…and the man being held against his will seems vaguely familiar too. More words are said and a punch is thrown at the bound, familiar man’s stomach causing the man to grunt. Slaiden notes that something is off about Manning. He examines the scene closer. His eyes slightly widen in realization as to what is about to take place.

“Now this is unexpected…but intriguing none the less. What will you do ‘little girl?’”

-------------------- ( Harley’s POV ) --------------------

( Earlier That Day )

I just got home from school and all I want to do is relax for a while. I get comfortable on the couch and start flipping through channels. I settle on ABC family and wait for the commercials to finish.

*Bzzz* *Bzzz* *Bzzz*

“Seriously? I just want a few minutes to myself.” I think as I reach for my vibrating cell to answer. The screen is lit up to show Ryan’s number. I press ‘TALK’ and answer.

“Hey Ryan, what’s up?”

“Hey Harley, are you free later tonight?”

“Yeah, why? What’s going on tonight?”

“Well me, Claire and Conner where going into the city to see the game cuz my dad got a couple of tickets. I know baseball isn’t your thing but I thought it be fun to go.”

“Sure sounds fun, what time is the game at?”

“The game starts at 7 so we will probably leave at 6 to get there early enough for parking. I’m picking everyone up so I’ll get you last, around a quarter to 6.”

“Great! Thanks a lot Ryan, I’ll see ya then!”

“Cool, later Harley!....*Click*…”

“This should be fun, I haven’t been to game in a few years.” I think as I stretch out. I go back to watching TV and wait around for 6 o’clock to come.

A few hours later it’s almost 6. I finish my dinner quickly and go into the bathroom to touch up on my makeup. While I’m not a total girlie girl when it comes to makeup and fashion, I still like to look good. A little bit goes a long way as my mom always says. I check my reflection and fix my hair a bit, pulling it back into a pony tail. I’m dressed in a Tiger t-shirt to represent my team with a pair of jeans and Nike sneakers. Causal yet sporty, perfect for a baseball game.

*Bzzzzzzz*

My cell signals me that I have a text. I check it to see that Ryan is outside. I rush back to the kitchen to grab my bag and kiss both my parents on the cheek saying I’ll be back later tonight. I rush out the front door and climb in Ryan’s five seater truck, noting that this time Conner is abiding the law and actually inside the truck.

“Hey guys!” I say with a big grin as I buckle up next to Conner in the back. They all say hey back and we drive off.

The ride goes by pretty quickly as I notice we are already entering the city. We merge off of the freeway and go down Jefferson Ave which will take us near the stadium. We make a few turns as we try to find decent parking prices. We find one a few blocks off that is priced for $10. We all pitch in a few singles and park in the lot. We walk down to the stadium and get our seats.

“Hey these are good seats, tell your dad thanks.” I say as I sit next to Conner.

“I know, my dad gets them through work for promotional packages when they are trying to make a deal. They always have some left over.” Ryan adds as he sits down with Clair who sits at my left.

“Your dad rocks dude.” Conner says as he tries to flag down the snack vendor a few rows below us, his arms waving above his head. “Dude!...Peanut dude! Over here!...Yo! Dude with the box!......Duuude-Loooook-Oover-Hereee!”

“Ha-ha, oh Conner…Ryan I love your friends, they are so funny.” Claire says with a laugh. Ryan puts his arm around her which I notice she blushes a bit once he does. I think Ryan is going to ask to be official with her soon by the rate things are going. I give a smile of my own as we watch the team warm up. The players finish up and go back to the dugout. The announcer comes on and starts announcing the lineup as the crowd gets louder with excitement.

The game goes by faster than I expected, lasting for nine innings. We ended up winning 6 to 4 against Chicago. While I’m not a big baseball fan, I did enjoy myself. I need to be at the game to really pay attention to baseball. It was an exciting game. Conner even got his peanuts…in the last inning. Claire and I think the guy had been ignoring him the whole game for being called dude over a hundred times.

It’s around 10:30pm when we leave the stadium since they have fireworks after the game on Friday nights. We decide to grab a quick bite to eat at a sports bar down the street. We get a table after waiting about 10 minutes. We make it easy for the waitress telling her we are all splitting a large pizza with a pitcher of coke-a-cola. We talk about whatever and crack some jokes as we wait. We get on the topic of college when Claire asks where I’m going.

“I’m going to State, it was my top pick out of the three I applied to. Even though I’m not too far away I’m going to live in the dorms to get the going away experience. What about you?”

“I’m going to Central for teaching.” She replies. Ryan adds that he is going to Central as well. “What about you Conner, what are your plans?”

“I thought you were going to community college right man? Cuz of you ACT scores?” Ryan asks.

Conner gets s shy smile on his face and rubs the back of his head showing us that he is a bit embarrassed. “Well…” he says, “Actually guys, when I got my score back they said I got a 14 but I got a letter earlier in the year saying they mixed up my score with someone with a similar name. Turns out man, I got a 34.”

“A 34!!! Dude why didn’t you tell us earlier! You could go to fucking Harvard!” Ryan exclaims as he stands up in his chair.

“That is amazing Conner! Who knew our loveable slacker was actually a closet genius.” I say, a bit shocked myself.

“Well yeah…I guess I’m smarter than I thought. No wonder I never felt that I needed to study for tests.”

“No that’s just your laziness, boy genius.” I say lightly, “You may be smart but you still a bit of a slacker.”

“Harsh, Harley, real harsh.” He says seriously then grins, “Ha-ha I’m just messing with you, I am a lazy guy, but I’m a smart lazy guy!” Conner says proaudly with a loud laugh.

“So where are you going for college then since you have all these new options?” Claire asks.

“Well Harvard and Yale accepted me but I decided that those snobs weren’t my style so I’m going to State and living with my bro at his house. Dude, Harley! We can hang out all the time!”

“You Turned Down HAVARD!?!” Ryan freaks, not comprehending how Conner can act like it was not big deal, as if he had just thrown away a candy bar wrapper and not an invitation to a top national school.

“That’s great Conner, can’t wait. Hey here comes the food.” I say with a grin. I notice Ryan mumbling about how he can’t believe Conner turned down Harvard. But he soon stops once he spots the pizza. We dig in and have a good time for a while longer. We finish and are ready to head home 20 minutes later. We leave the restaurant and start walking outside.

“So you all had a great time?” Ryan asks as he walks besides Claire.

Conner suddenly wedges his way between them, putting his arms around both of them. “Dude, I for one had an amaz--”

“SOMEBODY HELP ME!!!”

A scream not too far off cuts him off. I turn in that direction, but can’t exactly pin point where it came from. “Oh no! Please don’t be Slaiden!” I think as I look back to the boys and Claire. “Someone needs help!”

“Where did it come from?” Ryan asks looking around as well.

“Over there! I’m going to check it out!” I say as I look back in that direction.

“Now hold on a sec Harley…” Ryan starts but I ignore him as I run off not wanting to take any chances by hesitating this time. Before I’m out of ear shot I hear Claire ask if they should follow.

“Nah dude, this is normal. She’ll be back in fifteen minutes tops after kicking some serious ass.” Conner says casually, still between the two.

“Glad you’re so concerned with my well being Conner.” I think sarcastically as I run across the street. I go between an alley way and turn around a corner. I pause and listen again.

“Help!”

The voice is closer, coming from farther down the block to my right. I run in the direction of the voice, passing buildings as I go. I slow down and listen again. I hear voices just around the corner in a back alley. I silently creep closer to the corner, my back pressed against the wall. Right before I’m at the edge, I listen again to better assess the situation.

“I ain’t fucking around, you little punk!” A man says with anger.

“Ugh!” I hear another man gasp, most likely from a punch to the gut. Laughter fills the air, I count two, maybe three other voices, all male. I partially peek slowly around the corner to catch a glimpse at the scene. I quickly pull back so I’m not spotted.

“Well no demon at least.” I think as I press myself back against the brick wall. There are four men total. Three white, one black. One white guy, the one being beat up, is being held against the wall by one of the white men and the black man, while a tall, broad white man was in front of him. The rest appeared to be average builds, not that threatening from what I could perceive in the quick glance that I had. Also none appeared to be armed either, probably this was a bar dispute but whatever that guy did he needed help. The man from before starts to talk again.

“Talk or else this will get real ugly for you.”

I take a deep breath, preparing to confront them. I pull out my cell as well to use it as a warning. If they think I’ll call the cops then they might just leave without any more trouble. I step from around the corner to face them.

“Knock it off.” I say calmly with a bit of an edge.

All the men look my way. The leader looks slightly surprised then instead of turning angry, he puts on an amused smirk. He looks me up and down then looks at the guy he is threatening.

“That her?”

“Yep.” Says the man as he is released. He brushes himself off and turns to face me. He puts on a smirk of his own which confuses me.

“What’s going on?” I think as I stare at the once victim who now seems like a buddy in confusion.

I hear foot steps behind me. I glance over my shoulder to see two more men, one is Mexican and the other is black come from around the corner. They block my path behind me. By the smug looks on their faces, I can tell something is off about this situation now. 3 on 1 I can handle by force or threat of a phone call, 4 on 1 is possible but I won’t get away unscratched…now 6 on 1…..I’m in trouble. I look back to the other men before me. I study the man who I thought was in trouble and realize he looks familiar. “Shit! I know him!” screams in my head as it hits me of where I’ve seen this guy before. He was one of Steve Crandall’s buddies that were there the night of the tournament. My eyes widen in realization of what was going on here.

“I’ve been set up!”


~`~`~`~`~` ( Author Notes ) `~`~`~`~`~

Sorry for the cliffy and the shorter chapter but this is a good stopping point for Chapter 17 next. I finished this a lot earlier than expected. I got so into writing it that I wrote a good portion of my day away. Hope you all liked it! Chapter 17 should be up in a few days!

Please Review! :D