"Do as you're told and no one else hurt," he growled. "In the lounge room."
"Daddy!" Libby sobbed.
"Do as he says kids," Isaac said calmly, his eyes never once leaving the man's face.
They trooped in. Natalie and the other kids were already there. No cook, as Lana had left and they hadn't had time to hire another yet. Then their eyes met.
"Tracy?" Isaac asked.
Tracy glanced over at him and smirked. Isaac sat down in amazement. There were four other men, two also with guns. The kids, naturally, were scared.
"Shut up," one of them yelled at the kids.
Audrey immediately burst into tears. Isaac took her from the lounge and hugged her to him. He glowered at Tracy.
"What's this all about?"
"What do you think?" then she turned to the two men without guns and pointed. "Take that.. and that... and, heck, take that too."
They took the items and started carrying them out.
"You're robbing the place?" Isaac asked incredulously.
Tracy nodded.
"Yes. And then I'm going to kill your wife."
"No you're not, you big fat ugly meanie!" Rogue yelled.
"Sticks and stone might break my bones, but names will never hurt me," Tracy smirked. "See? I did learn something from you brats."
"Sticks and stone might break our bones but names will never hurt us!" Storm and Rogue retorted together.
Tracy put her hand to her temple as if getting a headache. She stared at Isaac.
"I will never understand why you had twenty of them."
Isaac was about to rudely comment that there was originally twenty-one, but he had noticed that Esmerelda wasn't there. He wondered where she was and decided it was probably better for him to keep his mouth shut. His eyes floated inquiringly towards Carmen, who got the message. She tilted her head slightly and Isaac realised Esme had escaped through one of the secret passages. He hoped she could get help.
Before Tracy killed Babsie.
Tracy had her friends continue looting. When everything in the lounge room was gone that she wanted, she and the three she had carrying things went around the house. The other two men stayed with the family, keeping them quiet and under control.
Time passed and Isaac began to get a bit edgy. Where was Esme? Was she okay? Had she gotten help yet?