Read Online The Return of the Titans by James Thompson - Free Book Online Page A

were sure
that you were gone, the enemy withdrew.” He turned a few pages in
the notebook then looked at Justin. “Now, Mr. McLeod.”
    Justin suddenly felt like he couldn't
breathe. He watched the man scan through his notes again. Mr.
Fitzgerald sighed and shook his head. He suddenly looked sad and
Justin almost felt like screaming when the man continued to stare
at the notebook. Then he tossed the book on to the table and stared
into Justin's eyes.
    “Your mother is safe, Mr.
McLeod.” Justin felt his jaw drop.
    “She...she's safe?” He
couldn't believe it.
    “Yes, she is. Safe at
home. She refuses to leave and with her health the way it is, we
decided it was best to agree. However,” he held up a hand as Justin
was about to protest, “she is being guarded now. The entire
building is. No one is going in or out of that place unless we wish
them to.” Justin relaxed slightly.
    She's safe, he thought. She's safe. It just
kept running through his mind. Aaron patted his back and Justin
looked at him with a shaky smile. Then he turned back to Mr.
Fitzgerald.
    “Thank you, sir,” he said.
“But what about...”
    The man was shaking his head before Justin
could finish his sentence. “I'm sorry, Justin.” He felt a small
jolt as Mr. Fitzgerald used his first name. “Wilson fought off the
attackers long enough for you to get away. But in the process, he
received a fatal wound.”
    Justin's mind went blank. He couldn't seem
to think at all. Wilson dead? It wasn't possible. He felt Aaron
gripping his shoulder so hard that it would have been painful if he
could have felt it. He stared mutely at Mr. Fitzgerald. He didn't
think that a man so intimidating could look so compassionate. But
there was real regret in his eyes.
    “He lived long enough to
know that you were safe, Justin. I think,” he hesitated then said,
“I think he would have been proud to know that.”
    Justin sat there. He could almost see Wilson
standing at the door of his apartment, swinging that ridiculous old
mop at his attackers, yelling at the top of his lungs. And then he
had a flash of memories from the time he was a little boy. Wilson
helping him put together his first model airplane, giving him
advice on a million different things that Justin couldn't ask his
mother about. He had always been there, a presence in Justin's life
for as long as he could remember. And now he was gone. Just like
that.
    He looked at Mr. Fitzgerald again. “Thank
you for telling me, sir,” he said quietly. “He was a great guy.
I'll miss him a lot.”
    The man nodded. “We all will, Justin.”
    Justin stared. “You knew him, sir?” he
asked.
    “Yes, of course I knew
him.” He looked over at Aaron. “As I know your cousin, Mr. Dalton.
As I know dozens of others who have guarded you all since you were
children.”
    “ They work for you? Wilson
and the others?”
    “In a manner of speaking,
Mr. McLeod. They are Guardians, like us. And like us they have
sworn to protect you no matter what the cost. That is why I'm sure
that Wilson was happy that you escaped.” He smiled again. “And that
he cared for you a great deal.”
    Maybe it was because he'd had so many shocks
in a short time, but Justin wasn't really surprised that Wilson was
a Guardian. In fact, he felt more than flattered that the man had
spent most of Justin's life watching over him.
    “Now, I know that you both
have a lot to absorb. If you'd like to wait before asking any more
questions or voicing your concerns, please tell me now. Perhaps I
can come by again tomorrow.”
    Justin and Aaron looked at each other, then
back at Mr. Fitzgerald.
    “No sir,” Justin answered
for both of them. “I think we'd like to continue, if you don't
mind.”
    “Excellent. I don't mind
at all. And we should get this cleared up as soon as we can.” He
looked a little anxious for a moment. “You see, we really can't
continue to teach you what you need to know until we know who's
staying and who's leaving. So,” he