Zephyros Aetai
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Post by Zephyros Aetai on Nov 23, 2009 1:46:52 GMT -5
Zephyros' eyes flickered open slowly, hearing a familiar beeping in his ear. He tried to take a breath and jerked awake as it both hurt... and was impossible. There was a tube in his throat, and two in his arm. His eyes looked around slowly, noting the monitor that had a line with jerky bumps indicating his heart rate, and the machine that made sounds to the same timing as his chest rose and fell. Everything felt... distant, and he knew he was on some sort of painkiller. The sun shone in his eyes from the window and he turned his head a little. The haze was fading from his mind and he blinked slowly.
Shouldn't it be Jason in that chair?
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Jason Hiller
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Post by Jason Hiller on Nov 23, 2009 2:19:36 GMT -5
Casper hadn't slept all night, his mind riled up on fear for Jason and Zeph. Especially for Jason. The news of his son's disappearance had struck him like a bullet to the heart, and not one member of his family knew how much he was bleeding within.
He had spent the night and most of today in prayer, when he wasn't comforting his wife and daughters and the girl who had found Zeph in the park, or attempting to help the police. Now, Casper lifted his bowed, weary head from his trembling hands and saw Zeph's return to consciousness. A soft sigh escaped his lungs, and he spoke, his voice cracking slightly.
"Zeph... can you hear me?"
He watched Zeph closely, waiting urgently for a reply. He had tried to explain the situation to Zeph earlier, only to find that the boy hadn't heard a word he had said. Zeph needed to know what was going on... they needed all the information they could get from him if they were going to find out who had taken Jason.
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Zephyros Aetai
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Academy Junior: Small God
Even the mightest Hurricane started as the gentlest of breezes...
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Post by Zephyros Aetai on Nov 23, 2009 2:28:25 GMT -5
Zephyros nodded slowly, his eyes narrowing in concern. He didn't like Casper's expression. The man looked... so distressed. He moved his head a little, as if trying to get the tube out of his throat. Knowing better than to try to speak, and to try to pull it out himself, he settled again and looked at Casper, his hand tightening on the sheets. He could hear the beep from the heart rate monitor pick up, reflecting the quickening pulse he felt in his chest.
Something was wrong... something was very wrong. Where was Jason? He should be here... this was the first time Zeph had woken in a hospital without him since he'd been kidnapped. It was pretty much the first time he'd woken up at all with Jason missing. He swallowed weakly, feeling tears in his eyes. Casper, tell me what's wrong. Please... Where is Jason?
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Jason Hiller
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Post by Jason Hiller on Nov 23, 2009 2:43:51 GMT -5
Casper took a deep, shuddering breath, his eyes locked on Zeph's. He swallowed and licked his lips before speaking again, but his mouth was dry. The words came out with difficulty, and his raw heart seared with pain as he repeated them. Hopefully this would be the last time.
"Jason is..." he began, and his voice broke. "He was taken, Zeph. Yesterday morning, while you and he were in the Stadtpark. Likely by whoever injured you. The police have been called... they're taking any leads they can find, but we need to know what you know. Otherwise..."
He trailed off, his hands clenching in his lap as his body shook silently. He could not gather the courage to speak the unthinkable.
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Zephyros Aetai
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Even the mightest Hurricane started as the gentlest of breezes...
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Post by Zephyros Aetai on Nov 23, 2009 2:51:41 GMT -5
Zephyros' eyes filled worse with tears and he started crying, his entire body trembling. The pain in his chest was almost unbelievable... it was like the time he'd thought Jason had been cheating on him, but worse. The tube in his throat kept him from sobbing, or even quickening his breath, but his entire body jerked.
He remembered what happened. He remembered every second of what he'd been conscious for... His body thrashed again, in the agony he couldn't voice. Tears continued to stream down his face as he tossed in the bed, nearly ripping the IVs from his arm.
This is all my fault! I should have been able to stop this if I could have just recovered from my own disappearance like I always do... I just bounce back, I should just bounce back! I could have stopped them! A month ago I could have stopped them before they even laid a finger on Jason, and now he's gone and I didn't stop it and it's all my fault!
His heart raced in his distress, the distress he couldn't voice and partly caused by that distress. He couldn't even cough to clear his throat, the damn tube controlling his lungs against his will.
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Jason Hiller
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Post by Jason Hiller on Nov 23, 2009 2:57:30 GMT -5
Casper jumped up from his chair in alarm, calling out in frantic German. A nurse rushed into the room, restraining Zeph gently but firmly and trying to calm him down. Casper stood by, watching in helpless sorrow as the nurse put another IV into Zeph's arm, full of a mild sedative.
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Zephyros Aetai
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Post by Zephyros Aetai on Nov 23, 2009 3:34:00 GMT -5
Zephyros settled down slowly, tears still streaming from his eyes. He gestured at his throat, urgently. He needed to speak, curse it! The nurse nodded and the tube was carefully removed from his throat. He took a careful slow breath, choking for a second on a sob.
"I remember a bit, Casper," he said urgently. "I'm afraid it won't be much help... I should have been able to stop them, I'm so sorry... If I'd been able to heal like I normally do... if I hadn't lost so much weight... I should have been able to knock them out before they laid a finger on him..."
He cried hopelessly, one arm over his eyes. He blinked, looking at his hand. His eyes filled with tears again as he ran his thumb lightly over the opal ring on his finger. It didn't quite fit the finger it was on... he lowered his hand and moved the ring to another finger until it felt like it would stay, clenching his fist as the tears poured down his face. "This is my fault... I should have been able to protect him..."
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Jason Hiller
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Post by Jason Hiller on Nov 23, 2009 13:52:01 GMT -5
Casper swallowed, reaching down to wipe the tears from Zeph's face with one hand. "No, Zeph, don't blame yourself. This isn't your fault. Just... please... tell me what you remember."
He took Zeph's hand, feeling sick to his stomach at the sight of the ring, which looked so out of place on Zeph's finger. Had Jason taken it off and given it to Zeph before being taken? Had there been a struggle, had they been holding hands and suddenly pulled away from each other, and Zeph had accidentally pulled the ring from Jason's hand? Had Jason dropped it as he tried to flee? There were so many ways this could have happened... but they needed to know the one way it had.
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Zephyros Aetai
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Post by Zephyros Aetai on Nov 23, 2009 14:05:05 GMT -5
Zephyros trembled, closing his eyes. "We were just walking... The sun felt warm, but it was blinding Jason so he moved us to a shady path. We teased each other a little... I tried to hug him and keep walking but it hurt my ribs so he ended up hugging me... then he stopped... the first time I'm not sure why, the second time he muttered something about mosquitoes and rubbed at his neck. He pulled... I think it was a dart, from his neck but I didn't get a chance to look at it because he started falling... I tried to catch him but I couldn't hold him up like I used to, so I at least got him gently to the ground..."
Zeph took a shaky breath, knowing that the only reason he was able to even say this was the sedative they'd given him. "He pulled the ring from his finger... I think he was trying to give it to me but it slipped from his hands as he blacked out... he told me to run, but I wouldn't leave him. How could I? Two men... They were completely hidden, I couldn't even see eye color but they were a little taller than me... came out of the trees. One of them moved to Jason, and the other punched me in the solar plexus before I could react. Then when I'd recovered from that but not enough to throw a punch of my own, he caught me in the jaw. There was a gun on his belt, I remember... a weird gun. Maybe a dart gun? I think it was shock that kept me awake as long as I was after that blow..."
He stopped for a moment, overcome. All he could see was everything fading away, and the man picking Jason up and being unable to move to stop them from taking Jason... and blacking out before he could even see which way they went. Coughing, Zeph tried to stop the shaking and control himself enough to continue. "I don't remember much after that... I reached out as I fell to stop them... my hand landed on the ring, my fingers closed around it before I even really knew what I had touched... and then everything faded away before I-" he started crying again, "be-before I c-c-could e-even s-s-see whi-which way th-they w-went...!"
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Jason Hiller
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Post by Jason Hiller on Nov 23, 2009 14:27:13 GMT -5
Casper backed slowly away from Zeph's bed and sank into the chair again, his legs almost giving out under him. Breathing was a struggle, the air feeling strange and heavy around him and refusing to enter his lungs. Zeph didn't know which way the kidnappers had gone... it had happened too quickly for there to be much evidence other than Zeph's blood on the path and the dart which had struck Jason. There had been no message from the kidnappers, no talk of ransom...
Casper buried his face in his hands, biting his tongue so hard he thought he felt it start to bleed. He wanted to weep, to curse, to pray, to give his rage and sorrow some kind of outlet, but he knew he shouldn't leave Zeph alone. He stood up, starting to pace restlessly around the room, trying to think of anything but the horrible, horrible thought in the back of his mind... the one thing he feared most, which was also the most likely to have happened.
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Zephyros Aetai
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Post by Zephyros Aetai on Nov 23, 2009 14:34:34 GMT -5
Zephyros just wept weakly, the same thought in his own mind, and the guilt lying heavily over that. If what he thought had happened was true, then he would never forgive himself. He should have tried harder to recover, to regain the muscle mass he'd lost and remain in shape. He should have realized something was wrong before Jason had been knocked out and gotten them back in the sun, or screamed for help the second Jason had started falling before the men had come. That would have helped... or at least given the police more to work with.
His breath came in shaky gasps, and he wanted to thrash, to scream, to somehow vent his emotions more than just tears and sobs. He wanted to find the men that had taken Jason and tear them apart, he wanted just to find Jason and know he was okay and hold him close and never let him go. ...Or at least know he wasn't okay and then...
Zeph didn't want to think of that. He had to hold on to the hope that Jason was alive because if he wasn't... Zephyros wasn't going to be far behind him. Or at least, the most important part of Zeph. He'd sworn not to kill himself... but his life would be over just the same.
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Jason Hiller
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Post by Jason Hiller on Nov 23, 2009 19:22:43 GMT -5
Casper continued pacing, circling the room a few times before returning to his chair and standing beside it, looking at the nurse. “When will he be allowed to leave?”
“By evening, if he doesn’t do any more damage to his ribs,” the nurse replied, looking from Casper to Zeph.
Casper nodded, drawing a deep breath. “That will do.”
- - -
Jason woke slowly, groaning aloud at the splitting pain in his head. He was hurting, uncomfortable and cold. He tried to raise his head, his eyes still shut, and immediately had to lower it again as the pain flared. His whole body felt strange and heavy, like it wasn’t his own, and his mouth was dry and cottony. What… happened?
He laid still, curling up with his legs against his chest (he was naked, he realized dimly in the back of his mind) and trying to make sense of what was going on. He thought back, trying to recall what had happened… He had been walking in the park with Zeph, and then everything had gone dark when something had stung his neck… And now he was here. Where was ‘here’?
Jason shuddered, forcing himself to look up and find out where he was. He was in a dark, bare room, made of stone or concrete, about six feet by six feet. There were no windows, only a door with a small slot near the floor, which let in a tiny scrap of light, just enough to let him see. In one corner was a crude toilet, just a hole in the floor with a cover on top and a grate underneath, leading down into who-knew-what kind of abyss. The smells that came up were terrible, and he clamped his hand over his mouth and nose, trying to breathe through his fingers.
Jason uncurled and crawled sluggishly over to the door, fumbling with the slot and succeeding in getting it slightly open by pulling the bottom up and inward. He lifted his head, breathing the fresh air gratefully and looking at what little he could see of outside. It wasn’t much -- just what must have been the outside of another door a few feet away. He shifted, trying to look upward and see more of the door. There was a number on it: 23. So I must be in either 22 or 24… which means there are almost two dozen other cells like mine here, and maybe more. How many of them are full?
He reached up to try the handle -- locked, as he had expected. He shrank away from the door, curling up in a foetal position again. He needed to get out of here; he needed to get back to his family and Zeph…
Zeph… my heart… did he run when I told him to? Or did he stand and fight whoever took me? I just hope he’s safe, and not locked away here… Please let him be alright… Jason clasped his hands together and sobbed helplessly, shaking, praying to God and Mary to let Zeph be safe. But he stiffened suddenly, composing himself and wiping his face with the back of his hand. Now was not the time for tears. He needed to be strong, like he had been when Zeph was kidnapped. Only this time it was Jason who needed to be rescued.
Footsteps sounded outside, pausing in front of his door, and a small metal bowl was pushed into the room through the slot in the door. Jason jumped and scrambled toward the door, calling out urgently to the person outside. “Wait! Who are you?”
There was no reply, only the footsteps moving on. Jason sighed, then reached out and pulled the bowl closer, peeking inside and seeing that it contained something that might have been called food at one time. It consisted of chunks of something greyish and white in some kind of brown gunk. To call it meat and gravy would be high praise.
Cautiously Jason dipped a finger into the brown stuff, wrinkling his nose when he found it was stone cold, and had set to a jellylike consistency. He sucked it off of his fingertip anyway, gagging. It had virtually no taste, and was slimy on his tongue. He fished around with his fingers for a piece of possibly-meat that didn’t have too much fat on it, forcing himself to eat it. It was like trying to chew a strip of leather, but he managed to choke it down. That was all he could manage; he didn’t think he’d be able to keep down much more. His stomach was knotted with fear.
He shivered, looking around again at what he could see of the room. I need to find out where I am and whether I’m alone here… what kind of place is this, anyway? What do they want from me?
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Zephyros Aetai
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Post by Zephyros Aetai on Nov 23, 2009 19:30:55 GMT -5
Zeph just sat wooden in the back of the car, his eyes completely blank. They'd given him drugs... he held them loosely in his hand. If he could avoid using them, he would. If Jason came back, he wouldn't want to have Zeph addicted. Zephyros couldn't help thinking in terms of 'if'. If Jason came back, if they found him alive, if they ever saw each other again. Not when. He kept trying to think when, but he couldn't. At least he could make himself say when, and not if. It helped Casper, he could tell. To make them believe he had hope. If Zeph had hope, they would.
But he didn't. Jason was gone, he was never going to see Jason again. Not alive, at least. The pain he'd felt in the hospital was gone. Rather than the aching hole, he just had... cold. He could feel his heart beat, but there was no warmth there. Jason... I swore to you I wouldn't kill myself. Even if you aren't here, that vow still stands. But the most important part of me is with you. I won't let this kill me... not yet. I love you enough to die for you...
We'll just have to see if I love you enough to live for you... without you... If I'm strong enough.
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Jason Hiller
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Post by Jason Hiller on Nov 24, 2009 0:43:28 GMT -5
Helen sat beside Zeph, her arms wrapped around him for whatever scant comfort she could give. She knew it could never be enough... Zeph needed Jason, and no one else would do. Still she held him for the whole ride home, only vaguely aware that her tears were falling on his hair as she cried silently. Zeph was unresponsive, motionless and mute. There was no light in his eyes, no emotion on his face. If Helen couldn't feel his heart beating, she might have thought he was a mannequin.
She shivered, closing her eyes and trying to push away her own terror. Who could possibly want to kidnap Jason, and why? The kidnappers seemed to be after Jason specifically, and Zeph had just been unfortunate enough to be nearby at the wrong moment. They obviously weren't interested in money, or they would have made a ransom demand by now. What possible other motive could they have? What did Jason have that they wanted?
Casper was silent as he drove, his hands clenched tightly on the steering wheel. He could hear his wife and daughters sobbing, no matter how they tried to hide it, and saw Zeph’s frightening catatonic state. He tried to keep himself composed, to hide his own terror, but he could tell it wasn’t working.
Pull yourself together, man! he ordered himself, looking at his own eyes in the mirror above the windshield. You were a soldier once. Be that soldier again, Captain Hiller. Look your enemy in the eye as you shoot it in the heart. Fear is your enemy now. Conquer it. His hands tightened on the steering wheel, his knuckles whitening as his eyes narrowed in determination. No more emotional scheisse. Focus on what you need to do. Find Jason and bring him home.
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Zephyros Aetai
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Post by Zephyros Aetai on Nov 24, 2009 1:10:59 GMT -5
Zephyros leaned against her, blinking when the car stopped. He shouldn't be doing this... They'd realize how he was feeling if he stayed like this. They'd see he had no hope. He blinked again, trying to bring a warmth, a hope to his expression that he didn't feel.
We'll find him, he lied to himself. He's okay, we'll find him.
But he knew it was a lie. It worked outwardly; he seemed a bit more... aware. Though he could blame the drugs for his earlier state. He just... wouldn't be able to let them see how he really felt. They wouldn't expect him to go home... maybe if he was lucky they wouldn't find Jason's body until he was out of reach.
I can do this... at least until school. Then I'll just... focus on other things. I'll work out... I'll probably have to talk to the psychologist again, a lot. I'll take a lot of classes, and maybe they'll let me have the drugs that let me forget so I can sleep. At least until I finish this year... then I'll find somewhere to live where no one can find me... Where I can more than forget... I'll become someone else...
I'll live for you Jason... Because I swore not to die for you.
Looking at the house almost overwhelmed him. It was Jason's house... but then he thought maybe it would help... He could sleep in Jason's room, if they would let him. It was probably a bad idea... but at least he would sleep, drug free. He hoped... but he was sure he'd have nightmares anyway. Just as long as he didn't wake anyone...
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Jason Hiller
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Post by Jason Hiller on Nov 24, 2009 1:31:18 GMT -5
Helen looked up as the car stopped, slowly letting go of Zeph and taking his hand as she undid her seatbelt and opened the door. "Come on, Zeph..." She led him gently into the house alongside her family.
Casper drew a slow breath, addressing his family and Zeph once they were all in the living room. "The police are doing all they can with what they know. The best thing we can do for Jason right now is try to get some rest, and not give up the hope that he may still be alive. Pray if you wish to, cry if you must, but please hold onto what hope we have. For our own sakes, and for Jason's."
He looked at Zeph. "If it would comfort you, you may sleep in Jason's room. Heidi and I will be across the hall if you need anything. Goodnight, everyone."
Casper and Heidi retired to their bedroom, and Ariadne headed upstairs. Helen lingered beside Zeph and wrapped her arms around him again, speaking softly into his ear. "I know you're hurting, Zeph. I know how hopeless it seems, but we can't give up. Jason wouldn't want us to give up."
She held him tightly and stroked his cheek before slowly pulling away and heading up to her own room, looking down at Zeph in quiet distress as she walked up the stairs. She doubted any of them would be able to sleep tonight... Zeph least of all.
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Zephyros Aetai
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Post by Zephyros Aetai on Nov 24, 2009 1:38:50 GMT -5
Zephyros managed a solid smile for Casper, "Thank you sir. Good night. Sleep well..."
He looked at Helen as she spoke to him, tilting his head to the side and managing a slight smile for her as well. He didn't answer to what she said... It was too late to tell him not to give up. But he'd lie for them. Because she was right. Jason wouldn't want them to give up, so he'd help them keep hope. "Try to sleep Helen. I will see you tomorrow."
One day at a time. He'd have to live each day without Jason as it came. He had to live... at least physically, even if emotionally it was too late.
---
The next morning found Zeph sitting on the couch, his knees curled up to his chest and his chin resting on them. He hadn't slept... his eyes just looked blankly at nothing. The moment he heard footsteps, he was going to put on that mask, the one that said he believed Jason was okay and the police might find him at any moment. His heart was still... missing. Not hurt, just... nonexistent. Almost as if he'd never had one at all.
Or as if it was with Jason, completely. All he could think of was Jason... at least they were happy memories that played through his mind. Only the things Jason would have wanted him to think of.
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Jason Hiller
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Post by Jason Hiller on Nov 24, 2009 1:54:55 GMT -5
The night passed far too slowly for anyone's liking, and what sleep anyone managed to get was fitful and restless. Casper came out of his bedroom, looking as pale and haggard as he had in the hospital when Zeph had first awoken the day after Jason's disappearance. Seeing Zeph still sitting on the couch, exactly where he had been the night before -- he didn't look as though he had moved an inch, or slept all night -- Casper seated himself beside Zeph and laid a firm but gentle hand on his shoulder, addressing him softly. "Zeph?"
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Zephyros Aetai
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Post by Zephyros Aetai on Nov 24, 2009 1:58:50 GMT -5
Zeph jumped a little and looked at him quickly, blinking in surprise. He must have gotten too lost in his memories to hear him. "Yes?"
His expression turned concerned as he looked Casper over. "You look like I should... like I probably do. Are you okay?"
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Jason Hiller
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Post by Jason Hiller on Nov 24, 2009 2:45:44 GMT -5
Casper sighed, squeezing Zeph's shoulder a little. "Not entirely, but I'm doing my best. That's all we can do right now."
He was silent for a moment, looking at nothing in particular, becoming lost in thought as Zeph must have been. It had been two days... two long, painful days since Jason had gone missing. They had no conclusive evidence of the kidnappers' identities yet, no ransom demand, no other information. Jason doesn't have any enemies... who would do something like this to an innocent boy? Think, Casper.
The phone rang suddenly, startling him. "Excuse me," he said quickly, rising and hurrying to answer it. <Hello?>
<Casper Hiller?> said the voice on the other end of the line. <This is Chief Ellenberg. We have the name of the man who took your son.>
Casper's jaw dropped as his heart leapt. <What are you finding on him?>
<Not a lot yet besides the name, but we're working double time to find him and see what he's up to. We'll keep you updated when we find out more.>
<Thank you!> Casper cried, hardly able to contain his joy. <Thank you! God bless you!>
<God be with you, sir.>
Casper hung up the phone and turned back to Zeph, his heart racing in exhilaration. "We have a lead on Jason's kidnapper. We'll find him yet!"
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Zephyros Aetai
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Post by Zephyros Aetai on Nov 24, 2009 3:33:40 GMT -5
Zephyros just looked at him for a moment. He should be excited... A smile lit up his face, "That's... That's the best news I think I've ever heard. I just wish... wish I could do something to help..."
I wish I had the hope you do... But I know the odds. I wish I didn't... but I do. I did the research after last month... And I won't get my hopes up just to have them dashed. I won't survive it. Heartbreak can kill...
I just hope for your family's sake that I survive until after I'm out of your care. So you can't think that you caused my death... Because just as Jason could not be blamed for my kidnapping, you would not in any way be responsible for my own death.
An image of him in the shower, with the knife sliding on his wrists and blood pouring from his body came to his mind. Jason had blamed himself for that. But Zeph's death wouldn't be anything like that... it wouldn't be suicide. At least, not that kind of suicide. Was dying from a lack of will to live suicide?
Zephyros kept his thoughts from showing. He was excited, they had a lead. They might find him... The smile faded from his face anyway, and his head sank to rest on his knees again. He tried not to shut down... But without Jason with him, it was hard to do anything else. At least that wasn't really... unusual. He'd been doing that in Greece when they'd needed to be apart for a while, and that had probably been told to the Hillers as well. So his inability to focus shouldn't scare them too much...
He hoped. Maybe he should be taking the drugs just to have an excuse for his actions, or lack thereof. He blinked slowly. "I'm supposed to be writing to a school friend... Jason's kidnapping probably isn't international news like mine was... He'll get worried if he doesn't hear from one of us. I'll go do that now... maybe it will help distract me."
Without giving Casper a chance to respond, he stood and went up to his room to set up his laptop and internet. The advantages of his family... that he really had wireless internet wherever he was thanks to what his father did. He sat with the computer on his knees, leaning back into his pillow as it started up. Logging into Facebook, he started a note to Ian.
Hey Ian. I know Jason usually writes this, but I decided I should probably tell you myself how I am this time. I hurt my ribs again by falling down the stairs; I ended up in the hospital for twenty four hours, and my ribs are wired together again. I'm having to be really careful like I was right after your cousin left Greece. There isn't really much else to write about... take care of yourself...
Zeph
He read it over carefully. No, nothing about that really should tip Ian off that something else was wrong... It was short, but a lot of the messages were short. And there was only one lie in it, about how he had hurt himself. It wasn't like he wasn't that clumsy sometimes anyway. Ian wouldn't be suspicious of that... He sighed softly and sent it, leaning his head back against his pillow and staring at the ceiling with a blank expression. Ian didn't always reply to Jason's messages... For a week at least, he shouldn't have to send anything further...
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Seth Larisha
Kitty Kat ![*](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/stars/star.png)
University Senior: Werewolf
Posts: 139
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Post by Seth Larisha on Nov 24, 2009 4:36:04 GMT -5
Seth paced his cell in wolf form. He knew food was coming, and the only way he could swallow that slop was in a form that would eat rotten meat if it was hungry enough. Besides, it was easier just to stay in wolf form. Warmer too.
~Can anyone hear me?~ he asked, sitting in the back of his cell. They usually threatened him with a cattle prod when they brought him food anymore. Several bore scars from his teeth. His ears were pricked up, though he wasn't listening with his ears for a response.
~Please, one of you has to be able to hear me. Just think your name and I can pinpoint you...~ he tried again. Maybe they were keeping mages too now, or maybe one of the new wolves would be able to hear him. That was another reason to stay wolf. His power only worked in wolf-form, though he could communicate with fellow werewolves in their human form. If anyone could hear him. Not many could after all, and he couldn't figure out what made some able and some not.
Now if only someone would answer.
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Post by ianharris on Nov 24, 2009 5:12:51 GMT -5
Ian sat on the edge of the chair in the hotel lobby and balanced his laptop on the edge of his knees. A steaming cup of coffee sat on the small table next to him. It was his fourth cup of the day. This entire situation was turning him into Paula, and he didn't like it at all. But long nights and lots of stress were unnecessary. The hunt couldn't continue much longer. It just couldn't. All this had to end sometime.
He opened his Facebook inbox, not expecting anything new. However, to his great surprise, there was one new message, from Zeph. Ian opened it and read through it quickly, nodding to himself.
"Is that from Zeph?" A voice asked behind him. Ian turned to look up at Paula, who hovered over Ian, holding her own cup of coffee.
"Yes." Ian said. "You can read it if you want."
Paula nodded and skimmed the message. Then her brow furrowed in concern and she leaned forward, reading through the entire message in a low mumble to herself. After this, she straightened and ran her fingers through her hair. "Does anything about that strike you as odd?"
Ian shook his head. "No. Should it?"
"Several things, actually." Paula said. "And I only know because you've showed me his old messages. First, he tells you to take care of yourself, which isn't really that off-putting. However, the ellipses around it give it a worried tone, like Zeph is concerned. Second, he spends the entire message talking about this injury he had... an injury that we couldn't have possibly known about. It sounds to me as though he's attempting to justify this injury somehow, which means that he's ashamed of how he got the real injury. It's insurance in case we ask. And, most important of all, he only mentions Jason once. The two are inseparable, even on paper. So where the hell is Jason?"
Ian stared at the message, thinking about all of that. Damn, Paula was good. "I guess you're right."
"Of course I am." She snapped. "Now, this can only mean that Jason is in trouble. I'd better call Zeph and figure out what's going on. If I have to leave, will you and Kor and Istvan be good for a few days?"
A cold chill descended through Ian's spine. "I don't know..."
"You'll live." Paula said, a flash of annoyance crossing her face. She turned and pulled out a cell phone. Dialing a number quickly, she put the phone to her ear. "Go drop that off in your room and find Istvan. Tell him what - Zeph? This is Detective Paula Harris. I'm calling about the message you sent to Ian."
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Jason Hiller
Ireth ![*](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/stars/star.png)
University Freshman: Lycanthrope
Just another nancy boy...
Posts: 1,433
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Post by Jason Hiller on Nov 24, 2009 11:38:26 GMT -5
Jason shivered, curled up with his knees to his chest and his arms around his shins, where he lay in the corner of his cell furthest from the door. He had given up trying to sleep, unable to quiet the whispers in his head. They were malicious, hissing like snakes, feeding on his wavering hope. They won’t come for you… No one knows where you are. They all think you’re dead. You will never be free.
It had been two days since he was taken. He had a sense of the routine by now. One bowl of slime -- he couldn’t bring himself to call it food -- was brought to him in the morning, and a few hours later he was taken out of his cell and into another room for “testing”. This lasted for a few hours before they brought him back to his cell and gave him a bowl of water, and they’d leave him alone for the night. Jason shivered harder, squeezing his eyes shut at the memories that welled up. He still ached all over from the last “session”, yesterday.
~Can anyone hear me?~
This whisper was strange; unlike the others in his head, it was gentle, and familiar. Jason blinked, frowning in confusion. Was that… Seth?
~ Please, one of you has to be able to hear me. Just think your name and I can pinpoint you...~ The voice came again. Jason recognized it for sure this time, though he didn’t know how it had come to be in his head. It was infinitely better than the others. Good to hear a friendly voice again.
Wait a minute… Seth was talking inside Jason’s head. That was not normal. He stiffened. Maybe he was imagining it… fabricating the voice himself just to have a sense of something familiar to cling to… But if this was all his imagination, surely he would have called up Zeph’s voice, not Seth’s. This had to be different… maybe it was real.
He uncurled, sitting up and looking around, following the instructions in his head. Jason… I’m Jason. I can hear you. Seth, where are you?
His stomach suddenly lurched, and he gagged as a horrible thought came to him. If Seth was here… how many of his other friends were? His mind flew back to everyone he knew at Dunehelden, particularly the werewolves. Professor Harrows ( Hawk, he corrected himself; she was married now)… Natalie… were they safe? Natalie was with her family in London; Professor Hawk, as far as he knew, was safe with her new husband wherever they lived now. He sighed, rubbing his face anxiously. As long as they weren’t here, he was glad.
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Seth Larisha
Kitty Kat ![*](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/stars/star.png)
University Senior: Werewolf
Posts: 139
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Post by Seth Larisha on Nov 24, 2009 11:44:32 GMT -5
Seth almost jumped when he heard a reply. He sat up straight, his ears pricked to full alert.
~Jason? Shit, they got you?... Well, at least we both have someone to talk to. Are you okay? I thought you were in Greece with Zephyros. How did they catch you? ...Oh. Right. You aren't insane, by the way. You have quills... I'm telepathic as a wolf. I know, freaky. But this isn't just a voice... You're probably so scared you thought maybe it was all in your head, right?~
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