New Fic - Sins Of The Father
Here is the final part.
Author’s notes:- This is the last part.
There is a sequel.
Enjoy.
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Peter frowned as he looked around the empty room, they’d been wrong about the location of the people holding his cousin and friend.
“Damn,” Kermit snapped as he kicked a handy box, “We’re running out of time. Whatever Nickie was needed for he’s not going to agree to do and this Tames guy will kill him and Melissa.”
“We need to think where else they could go,” Peter stated, he suddenly spun to his father who was looking around the room, “Pop, was Melissa wearing the pendant you gave her?”
“What does that matter?” Kermit asked but was ignored.
“She never takes it off,” Caine told his son, “She told me it makes her feel part of a family.”
“You found me by connecting your chi to Melissa’s,” Peter reminded him, “And then gave me the strength to fight by connecting my chi to hers.”
“Where are you going with this?” Kermit demanded.
Peter rolled his eyes at his friend, “It means she’s been connected to us and that sort of thing leaves an imprint. Couldn’t we try to use that to find her?”
Caine tilted his head slightly as he mused on his son’s idea, “Melissa has only just learned of this part of her heritage, she may not be able to give us her location.”
“We don’t need her to,” Peter replied, “We just need to be able to find her pendant.”
Kermit swapped a look with Caine, “Peter, what are you talking about?”
“I used the pendant to link Peter with Melissa,” Caine said slowly as he suddenly understood his son’s reasoning, “That imprint of Peter should still be there meaning...”
“Meaning we should be able to locate it,” Peter finished, “If we concentrate.”
“Then concentrate,” Kermit told them.
Melissa hated that she was forcing Nickie to do something that obviously terrified him but she also knew that if there was any possible way they were going to get out of here alive then he had to do this.
Her father listened to her idea, listened and actually agreed that it was workable. In all honesty Melissa thought it was utterly insane to begin with but since no one else had an idea then her plan was the one they were going with. She was also hoping that Peter, Kermit and her uncle would find them in time since she had more trust in them than she had in her father.
“We have less than twenty minutes before the ceremony starts,” Damon told them, “I will be back once I’ve told Tames I’ve persuaded Nickie to take part in the ceremony.”
“We’ll be ready,” Melissa told him.
He reached out for a moment and gently touched his daughter’s cheek holding her gaze for a moment before he left them alone.
Nickie sighed.
“I’m sorry,” Melissa apologised, “but it’s the only idea I had and since no one else could come up with anything...”
“I know,” Nickie replied, “It’s ironic that I’ve spent so many years avoiding this and suddenly allowing it to happen could be our only way out.”
Melissa shrugged, “At least you’re not setting yourself up for a major fall by trusting someone you know you shouldn’t.”
He grimaced at her, “I’m not?”
“No, you’re trusting me,” she smiled trying to lighten the mood pleased when he smiled back at her.
Damon headed back to the cell where his daughter and Nickie were waiting for him. He wasn’t happy about the plan his daughter had come up with but since he had no other ideas they had no choice. Melissa was just as smart as he’d known she would be, he’d known it from the day she was born. He regretted very little in his life except losing his daughter but allowing her to believe that he had killed her mother meant that she would be kept out of his world. Of course that had all come crashing to an end when those idiots tried to abduct her and set Melissa into the path of Damon’s father, brother and the destiny of the Caine family.
If this insane plan worked then Damon knew he wasn’t leaving his daughter’s life again. She was the one good thing he’d ever done and he was determined to keep her in his life.
“Are you ready?” he asked them as he stepped into the cell.
Melissa turned to Nickie who swallowed hard before he nodded, “Let’s do this.”
Tames stood in the centre of the large room, around him stood his followers each holding a smaller version of the large statue sitting at one end of the room, the statue Damon thought looked like nothing more than a green blob yet Tames insisted was the key. Damon could see Tames as he walked along the corridor with one hand on his daughter’s shoulder while keeping his other hand on Nickie’s back feeling the resistance in the younger man’s body as he walked forward to the thing he’d been trying to avoid for so many years.
Damon frowned slightly as he saw Melissa reach out and take Nickie’s hand squeezing it as they reached the door. Nickie slowly walked to the empty place that was waiting for him in the circle, he took the statue and snuck a look to where Melissa stood with her father. Her brown eyes were wide as she watched him nervously waiting.
Tames turned to the large statue and nodded to one of his guards who pressed a button to open the roof allowing the light of the full moon to shine on the large statue. Each of the smaller ones started to glow and a stream of light flowed from each towards the centre of the circle and into Tames.
Melissa tensed ready to move the moment her father gave her the signal, knowing it had to be soon or whatever this psychopath was doing would actually work. She glanced over at him and saw her father hold up his hand for her to wait. Damon moved slowly away from Melissa to get into position, Melissa could see Nickie watching her looking desperate as he gripped the statue in his hands.
After what seemed like an age Damon nodded sharply to his daughter, Melissa ran to the large statue that sat there and shoved it with all her strength as Nickie flung the smaller one he held to the ground. At the same time Damon took out the first two guards.
Tames let out a snarl of anger, “Kill them.”
Most of those who had been in the circle stared at him confused and started to run away but several others turned to do Tames bidding.
Melissa backed up as several men descended upon her, “Oh crap.”
She let out a cry as she saw a fist coming towards her shocked when the fist was halted, Melissa spun and a grin spread across her face at who stood there.
“Did you miss us?” Peter asked.
Peter was surprised his plan to track Melissa using the imprint of his own chi within her pendant had actually worked. In all honesty it had been an idea born out of desperation.
They reached a farm not far from the outskirts of the city, as Kermit stopped the car they heard a crash and scrambled out towards the large barn at the back of the farm. Peter saw Melissa as several men moved menacingly towards her; he ran and grabbed the arm of the man about to strike.
“Did you miss us?” Peter asked, grinning down at her.
He twisted the arm of the man he was holding before kicking him away from Melissa. As the others moved to him he nodded Melissa away. Peter lost sight of Melissa as he was attacked from several sides.
Quickly he dispatched his attackers and turned to check on the others, stopping at the sight before him. Standing face to face with his father was a man Peter hoped never to see again.
Damon Caine, his father’s brother who had tried to kill him.
Caine readied to defend himself as he looked into the eyes of his brother. He felt Peter move to his side and could see Kermit standing ready just behind Damon but before any could speak they heard a cry. All four turned to see Melissa standing shaking as a knife was pressed to her throat by Tames.
“Melissa,” Damon cried, he was about to step forward but Caine grabbed his arm holding him back as Tames pressed the knife harder against Melissa’s neck, “Let her go, Tames. I told you before if you harmed her...”
“What?” Tames snarled, he yanked on Melissa’s hair making her cry out again, “You’ve already destroyed everything. But I’ll take the one thing in your life that you care about.”
Melissa stared at her father unable to do anything; she was trying to hold her breath afraid that the slightest movement would mean her death. As everyone was so focussed on her not one of them noticed Nickie until he’d grabbed Tames’ wrist. Nickie pulled moving the blade away from Melissa’s neck allowing her to slide out from under Tames arm and to safety. As Damon pulled Melissa to him Nickie dropped narrowly being missed as Tames swiped at him. Peter ran and grabbed Tames wrist twisting so the knife fell to the ground with a clatter. Tames pulled away and ran out of the barn into the waiting backup Kermit had called the moment they’d reached the farm.
Damon held his daughter tightly as she shook, after a few moments he pushed her back to check she wasn’t injured. As he heard the police coming closer Damon turned to his daughter.
“You have to go,” Melissa stated bitterly.
Damon nodded; he wasn’t going to defend his decisions or who he was to her, “I don’t apologise for who I am, Mel.”
“Of course not,” she sighed annoyed.
Damon gently kissed her forehead, “You’re still my daughter,” he looked over to where his brother stood, “You’ll watch over her?”
Caine nodded moving to Melissa as Damon stepped away, he nodded once to his brother before disappearing.
Caine wrapped an arm around his niece before he looked at where Peter stood with a hand on Nickie’s shoulder.
“Let’s go home.”
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Karen Simms knocked gently on the door to Caine’s apartment wondering what was going on. Kermit had called her after she’d finished the paperwork on the cult they’d arrested.
“Captain,” Peter greeted her softly, “Come in. We’re waiting for you.”
“Why?” Karen asked confused as she saw Kermit sitting with Nickie Elder who was gripping a mug of what she assumed was tea, at their side sat a young woman she didn’t recognise who was wrapped in a blanket her head resting against an old man who looked remarkably like Caine. Caine himself was standing simply watching over the room as Karen walked in.
“We thought you’d want to know what happened first hand,” Kermit spoke up, motioning for her to sit down.
Taking her seat Karen reached out and touched Nickie’s arm, questioning with her eyes if he was okay. Nickie looked at her for a second before he looked back down at the liquid in the mug he was holding to him.
Karen then listened astonished as they explained everything that had happened over the past few days to her.
“Why were they killing the children?” Karen asked, surprised as Nickie flinched violently at the question. When they all turned to him she quickly understood why.
“Nickie,” Caine pushed softly.
“The rule was...” he trailed off and licked his lips, “The rule was each set of parents were to have only one child. Tames believed or maybe it was what his ritual called for was...was that the power of the families converged on the single child.”
“But each victim was an only child,” Karen reminded him.
“They were the children of those he’d already chosen,” Nickie whispered horrified at the thought, “If they had children themselves...”
“There wouldn’t be enough for his ritual.”
Karen turned as the young woman finished the sentence for Nickie. Her brown eyes were filled with sadness as she stayed close to the old man.
Nickie nodded, “I’m sorry, Captain. I know I should have told you the minute I realised what was happening but you have to understand that even after all these years, Tames terrified me like nothing ever has.”
“I understand,” Karen told him, “But I can promise you this, he’s never getting out of jail.”
Karen stood on the balcony on Caine’s apartment with Kermit and Peter.
“It would have been a little more helpful it you two thought to actually let me in on what was going on,” she scolded them, smiling slightly as they both hung their heads, “But I understand why you tried to keep it a secret.”
“I’m hoping none of Nickie’s part in what happened will be in the official report,” Peter mentioned, “Or Melissa’s.”
“That...Peter...” Karen trailed off with an annoyed sigh, “There’s no need for them to be mentioned,” she rolled her eyes at him, “One day, Detective.”
“I’m not a detective anymore,” Peter reminded her as he did every time she called him that.
Karen shook her head, “I have to go. Try and keep out of trouble for a few days.”
Peter laughed, “We’ll try.”
“Detective Griffin,” she turned to Kermit, “I expect you to turn up for your shift tomorrow.”
“Of course, Captain,” Kermit nodded.
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Nickie stood looking out across the city knowing at some point he’d have to leave the sanctuary of Caine’s place and head back to his own apartment but for the moment, for the moment he was relieved that Caine wasn’t kicking him out.
“Hi.”
Nickie turned to find Melissa standing there, “Hi.”
Melissa took a deep breath, “It wasn’t your fault, Nickie. You know that right?”
“It feels like it,” he whispered, “If I hadn’t been so stupid you wouldn’t have ended up with a knife at your throat.”
She shuddered at the memory, “You stopped him. You faced your fear, Nickie. That’s damned incredible.”
He said nothing continuing to watch the city for several minutes until Melissa gently nudged him with her shoulder.
“Hey, you know you still owe me dinner,” Melissa grinned at him, “Remember?”
He looked down at her confused, “Seriously?”
“Of course I’m serious,” she laughed, “I never give up the chance for a free meal. Besides,” she continued as he looked crestfallen, “It means we might actually manage to have a conversation without someone interrupting or trying to kill us.”
“You want to have dinner with me?” Nickie asked her confused.
Melissa laughed, “Of course. Why wouldn’t I?”
“It’s just,” he hesitated looking embarrassed, “Its rare any woman wants to actually have dinner with me never mind a beautiful one.”
Melissa blushed at what he thought of her, “Well I’m looking forward to it.”
With a smile she slipped her hand into his and rested her head against his arm to watch the city before them, both trying to forget everything that had happened over the past few days.
In a car driving away from them Damon Caine mused over the past few days. His daughter now knew the truth which meant he had to be careful. He had enemies that would gladly use her to get to him so for now he had to trust in his hated brother to protect her.
For now at least.
Part Three