by M. Goldsmith
“Call. Call now. They’ll want to help,” Zarina reassured.
Kai interjected, “It’s a good idea, Canyon. If Ash was the last one to see her, she may know something. Come out in the hall with me, and we’ll call her together.”
He watched on as Canyon punched the numbers into his cell. Poor guy, his hands trembled, and Kai took the phone from him putting it on speaker.
“Thanks,” Canyon said, with a sad smile.
Rowan picked up on the second ring with a groggy voice. Kai listened in as Canyon explained the situation. He could hear muffled talking and then a few minutes later Mica’s booming voice came over the line. “Canyon, Ashlyn isn’t here. Her bed hasn’t been slept in. We’re just throwing on some clothes, and we’ll be right there.”
Rowan and Mica arrived a few minutes later. Kai and Rayne were standing in the doorway to Laurel’s room talking to her parents who stood just outside. Rowan ran and embraced Zarina. Mica and Canyon shared a brotherly hug.
“Kai was just about to fill us in on Laurel’s test results. Go ahead, Kai, what’s going on?” Canyon said.
“She’s stable, and the CAT scan was negative. A CAT scan machine indicates abnormalities with organs, soft tissue, bones, and can even illustrate collections of fluid. Laurel’s scan was clear. She is out of danger, but the question remains; why she is still unconscious? Her body’s self-healing ability is not kicking in. Our best guess is the dart contains a drug we aren’t familiar with. I’m going to run some tests. I’ll get to the bottom of this, I promise. Hang in there.”
“I think we should go talk to the Elders right away. We need to find out what happened to Laurel. And it’s urgent we find Ashlyn,” Rayne said.
“I agree. I’ll go with you, and I think you should come, too, Canyon. We need to get on this right now before too much time passes. Our daughters’ lives may depend on it.” Mica rushed toward the door.
“Okay,” Canyon agreed and turned to Zarina. “I’ll be back soon, honey. You and Rowan stay with Laurel.”
“Hurry back and let us know what the Elders have to say,” Rowan said. Tears pooled in her eyes as she pushed them all toward the door.
Chapter Three
Ashlyn
Numbness inched its way up Ashlyn’s body until she was depleted, and the last remnants of her Flame were squelched. The charred vestiges of her fire-consumed clothing irritated the inside of her nose. Barely a whisper escaped her lips when she tried to speak. Her eyes darted around frantically taking in glimpses of the men in black. Confusion hung heavily over Ash’s mind. She felt restrained both mentally and physically. Deep male voices surrounded her, and she tried not to panic, but she was reduced to an unmoving heap. The chill in the air settled deep in her bones.
“Hey, check her out. I’m gonna get me a piece of that ass.”
“Ya gonna have to wait in line, dude. Nice of her to take her clothes off for us.”
“You morons will do no such thing. The Boss wanted whichever one of them we found unharmed. That includes you laying off the goods. You, go get me a blanket from the van, and make it quick. You two, do a sweep of the perimeter and make sure it’s clear. We’ve got to get out of here now.”
Ashlyn could feel the stranger’s warm breath on her skin as he bent low to speak directly into her ear. The man’s face, a study in horror, appeared scarred and distorted. Only a thin whoosh of air exited her mouth when she tried to scream.
“My men may be idiots, but they’re right about one thing. You are a fine piece of ass,” he said. Slowly, he dragged a finger down her spine sending waves of nausea through her. “You’re coming with us, Firecracker. When the Boss is done with you, I’m gonna take what’s left.” He stood back up to his full height looming over her. Then, he drove his booted foot directly into her flank, her ribs throbbing in protest.
The blackness of the night’s sky hovered menacingly above Ashlyn. One of the men returned with a gray blanket and dropped it on top of her. The cold spring air penetrated the thin material. The damp ground was frigid against her bare skin, and the chill seeped in, bone deep. Even though it wasn’t protecting her against the bite of iciness, she was relieved to be covered up. Ash hoped it would distract the men from her nudity, but the whispered promise of the dark stranger invaded her thoughts.
“What now, Devlin?” one of the soldiers asked.
“We’re going to move out as soon as the others clear the area. Let’s head back to the van. I’ll take the girl.”
The man called Devlin took hold of Ashlyn and the blanket together, easily lifting her into his arms. She fought the urge to vomit as everything around her spun from the sudden movement. Her head pounded, and her side ached from his kick. She was completely vulnerable in this state. Ash knew she needed to fight back or else she would surely be taken from her home. Determination and despair mingled as she attempted to move her fingers. Her forefinger gave a slight wiggle, and she dug deep searching for her elusive powers. Concentrating, she called to her Fire, but not even a spark came to the surface.
The jostling and harsh treatment continued as they approached a black van with no windows. Ashlyn heard the voices of the other men, and her stomach dropped when she caught a glimpse inside the back of the van. Shelves and cabinets filled with boxes and other items lined the perimeter of the interior. A stretcher like the ones in the Medical Center dominated the space, except this one had chains with cuffs by the head and the foot. She knew if they got her into that van it was over for her.
Ash called on her inner strength shouting in her head. You are a Guardian! You are of The House of Fire! You can do this!
As Devlin endeavored to lift her into the van, a burst of adrenaline rushed through her body. She kicked out her foot connecting with his groin.
“Ugh!” He grunted out in pain instantly dropping her in the doorway.
The tips of Ash’s fingers slipped off the edge of the van’s threshold. She flailed awkwardly grasping for anything within range to brace herself. Inadvertently, she plucked a small box off one of the shelves. Too weak and uncoordinated, her momentum slammed her to the ground. The impact bounced the box from her clumsy grip and was it thrown under the vehicle. The package was quickly forgotten when pain radiated down her shoulder, pulling her focus.
Devlin yelled to his men, “Get me a syringe and one of the ampules in the box marked with a red X. Now!” To Ash, he spat, “You’re going to pay for that, bitch!”
He grabbed her roughly with a needle in one hand manacling her, digging into to her flesh. Ashlyn searched deep within to call her Flame to the surface. Sparks discharged from her fingers. They were faint, but she knew she burned him, even as she felt the needle pierce her skin.
“Night, night, Firecracker, see you on the other side,” Devlin condescended.
“F-f-f-ry you,” Ashlyn sputtered, before blackness overcame her.
****
As she gradually began to rouse, Ashlyn wondered why her head pounded like the rhythmic beating of a drum. Struggling to open her eyes, a burning brightness flooded Ash’s vision as though someone was shining a flashlight directly into her retinas. She slammed her lids back down. Wave after wave of nausea rolled over her, and she fought the urge to vomit by breathing deeply. Suddenly, she was swamped with chilling memories of being chased and captured by the dark faceless men.
What happened after she fell into the blackness? A terrifying face, one she would never forget, the man the others called Devlin, had been livid when she kicked him in the groin and burned him. She had been rather pleased with herself right up until he stuck her with a needle. Now a dense fog clouded her mind, as she attempted to puzzle out the details of what happened and where she was.
Slowly and deliberately, Ash cracked one eye open ever so slightly careful not to alert her captors. She urgently needed to get a sense of her surroundings. The unmistakable itch of a woolen blanket scratched against her bare legs and arms. Bright florescent lights shone down on her and illuminated the
entire space. A stainless-steel sink stood in one corner with a seamless toilet beside it. The walls looked like they were made of cinderblock and the floor concrete. No visible hinges, handles, or doorknobs appeared on the large gray metal door, only a small slot large enough to pass a book through. Two cameras hung from opposing corners on the high ceiling. A large vent was built into one of the walls close to the top. Someone had bolted a grate, like a cage, right over it.
Supine on a bed, dressed in a hospital gown instead of being nude, Ashlyn momentarily breathed a sigh of relief. Her comfort was short-lived. Her heart rate kicked up as the gravity of her situation began to sink in. She was alone in a cell. Ash attempted to wiggle her fingers and toes, but her body was not responding to her commands. With a deep measured breath, she endeavored to call her Flame to the surface, but that, too, was uncooperative.
A disembodied voice spoke to her, and her eyes ricocheted around the room searching for the person attached to it. “I can see you’re awake, Firecracker. No need to pretend otherwise. The effect of the drug we gave you is still in your system. I see you still can’t move, but I know you can hear me.”
The voice sounded tinny and buzzed slightly which caused a ringing in her ears. It dawned on her the voice was being projected from the speakers above her bed, and he watched her from the cameras.
“You see, Firecracker, the drug has a progressive effect. Bursts of adrenaline can inhibit its effectiveness for short periods of time depending on how capable you are of fighting it. An antidote is required to restore your speech and motor abilities permanently. If you promise to be a good little girl, I’ll consider giving it to you. It worked out quite nicely for your little friend. My boss considers her a bonus, so he doesn’t really care what we do with her. She’s very pretty by the way. And if you don’t cooperate, I think I will enjoy hurting her in so many delicious ways.”
The taste of bile rose in her throat. Where was Laurel, and what were they doing to her? A cold sweat broke out all over her body when she recognized the menacing voice of Devlin. Her Fire remained trapped, stymied. Ash couldn’t fathom who these people were and what they wanted with her.
****
Hawk
The resonance of a thump-thump-thump followed by two more thumps in a rapid staccato had Hawk rolling his eyes as he stretched his long body. Quill and Kai had helped to invent the distinctive knock when they were children. He knew it must be Quill disturbing his peace. Hawk ambled to the door swinging it open to greet his best friend even though he was annoyed with the early morning visit.
“What’s up, Quill? We don’t have to be in the Square for a couple of hours yet.” He glared at his friend.
“I figured you didn’t hear your phone. That’s why I’m here. The Elders have called a meeting in their chambers immediately. All of the Protectors and the entire Council have been summoned. No idea what it’s about, so don’t even ask. Let’s just go and get it over with, so we can party at the festival later.”
Hawk pulled on a pair of black work boots sitting by the front door and followed Quill. He was dressed in a long sleeved snug fitting black T-shirt and dark jeans, his uniform, as Quill referred to it. Hawk knew he had a reputation as a badass, and he never did anything to refute it. He supposed the dark Native American looks he inherited from his father’s family, combined with his brooding attitude, probably contributed to his intimidating image.
Quill, on the other hand, was quick with a joke and extremely gregarious. He was more of a colorful character in every way. Though every bit as tough as Hawk, he appeared lighthearted. Quill’s looks were a total departure from Hawk’s. Though he was also tall, measuring slightly above six feet, he carried lean muscle and not bulk on his frame. Short sandy colored hair and green eyes, not to mention the smile Quill wore as a permanent feature, made their differences even more apparent.
Their breath came out in soft clouds in the cold early morning air, and they walked at a quick pace in silence. Quill knew Hawk better than anyone. Preferring quiet in the morning, Hawk only spoke when he had something important to share. Quill enjoyed filling the empty spaces in any conversation with mindless chatter. It was amazing they shared such a close bond considering how opposite their personalities were. Somehow, these divergent traits simply worked for them.
Although they had very different perspectives on life, it was no surprise, at sixteen, both Hawk and Quill decided to enroll in the Protectors Trials. As the military police force of Aether, the Protectors trained in hand to hand combat, martial arts, and with weapons. An individual, born a Protector, inherited a keen intelligence, tremendous strength, and the ability to influence one, or more of the Elements. Only a true Protector had the ability to pass all of the Trial’s stages, but Protectors were not born marked with a symbol, like Guardians. Any man or woman at the age of sixteen became eligible for the Trials, but only a select few would receive the coveted tattoo. The Protector’s symbol, marked on his, or her right shoulder blade, identified the individual as part of the elite force.
Hawk and Quill arrived at the Council Chambers and were instructed to go directly into the conference room. The Elders, including Hawk’s grandfather, Bear, were all present. Hawk scanned the room sensing the immense power gathered together in one place.
Raven, the Fire Elder, opened the meeting. “Thank you all for coming so quickly. I’m afraid we have some rather disturbing news to share with you. Firstly, this evening’s ceremony and festival have been postponed. We have sent representatives to spread the word to the community, and volunteers will begin to dismantle the preparations. Bear, why don’t you fill them in on the details.”
“Ashlyn Woods and Laurel Green went for a walk late last night in the woods beyond the North Tower. Laurel was found injured and unconscious by her parents at dawn. She had been hit by tranquilizer dart and Kai believes that drug is wreaking havoc on Laurel’s system. She is in stable condition, but remains in a comatose state. Kai has been unable to ascertain much information from the dart itself. He is continuing his tests. We will pray to the God and Goddess for her speedy recovery and hope Kai can find us some answers quickly. It is imperative we obtain the information we seek with haste not only to save Laurel, but Ashlyn as well. Our Fire Guardian is missing.”
Hawk’s fists clenched tightly at his sides his knuckles whitening under the strain. He concentrated on breathing, but the air wouldn’t flow. It felt like all the oxygen had been forcibly sucked from the room. He fought desperately to maintain his self-control. Quill turned to him with a knowing look of support. Silently, he urged him to hold it together. The ground beneath Hawk’s feet vibrated, the air around him warped, and appeared distorted. Hawk, unsure if he caused the disturbance with his powers, stood shocked.
Bear’s booming voice rang loudly through the room pulling him from his current state. “Hawk Crane! What in the name of the God and Goddess are you doing? We must all remain calm.”
As oxygen filled his lungs once again, he shook his head back and forth trying to process what he just heard. Ashlyn was missing. “Sorry, Grandfather.” He lowered his gaze to the floor.
“As I was saying, River, I would like you to set up teams to search the areas fanning out in all directions from the Green’s house into the woods. Do not disturb the area, but search the ground, the trees, the road. Everything is important. Look for footprints, tracks, or anything that may have been dropped by the women or any possible perpetrators. Report back to me in two hours, and let me know if you find anything. Hawk, I want to see you and Quill when everyone leaves. You can catch up to the teams after. Let’s move out!”
When everyone else had gone, Hawk and Quill waited for his grandfather to address them. Bear was red faced, and his brows arched downward making his face look harsh. Hawk could tell he was in trouble.
“Okay, one of you had better tell me what’s going on with you, Hawk. I saw the look you gave him, Quill.”
Neither of them spoke for a minute. Bear glared at them. Ha
wk’s body continued to vibrate from his powers, even as he attempted to maintain control. He had never let his powers consume and dominate him before. Quill was uncharacteristically quiet, and Hawk knew it was up to him to explain. Finally, he resigned himself to the fact his grandfather was not going to let this go without an explanation.
“I’m in love with Ashlyn,” he blurted out. “I think I have been my whole life. I’m sorry, Grandfather, I just lost control for a minute there. I promise it won’t happen again.” He lowered his head studying his boots.
“I see. Well, that explains a great deal. I have often said if love were a woman, she would be glorious, and wonderful, but sometimes a cruel vixen.”
Bear often spouted words of wisdom to Hawk and his friends. He concocted sayings and quotes that were truly original to him. His stories were entertaining and full of life lessons they often took with a grain of salt. Bear was prone to embellishment, and sometimes it was hard to tell fact from fiction. Despite his colorful nature, Hawk loved and respected no one more than Bear.
“I have to find her, Grandfather, if anything happens to her…” He stammered, “I-I just don’t know what I’d do. I need to tell her how I feel, now more than ever.” Hawk placed his hand over his heart, and closed his eyes as he spoke, “It’s strange really, it’s as if she inadvertently projects herself to me. That sounds crazy, right?”
“No, it does not,” Bear responded. “There is a little-known gift among the Guardians that pertains to such connections and communication. Every so often a Guardian may be born with the gift of selective telepathy. The power is awakened when the Guardian finds her true match. It is a form of telepathy so rare it is not often spoken about. It takes time for the bond to fully form. Although telepathy is strictly a Guardian power, once the link is opened, the telepathic energy can flow both ways between the Guardian and her partner.”
“Do you think that’s what this could be? I saw her in the Tower’s Atrium yesterday, and I could’ve sworn I’d heard her thinking. My imagination went wild.”