Second Chances (119 page)

Brian could feel his throat constricting as he struggled to find the words he needed to soothe Anna‘s fears.  It was an impossible task.  Instead, he spewed the first thoughts that came to mind.  “I’m sorry.  I never should have let her go to this conference.  I should have known something was wrong sooner.  I… I…”  He was at a loss for words.  He felt responsible for her.  Somehow he had to make this right.

Anna shook her head.  “Stop that right this minute.  You know as well as I that this is a waste of energy, a waste of spirit.  I love my daughter.  When she has her heart set on doing something, there is no dissuading her.  You tried to stop her this morning, didn’t you?”  He nodded shallowly.  “I know you’ve been doing your best to protect her.  She’s told me about the tea.”  He smiled a bit.  “And I saw the amulet she wears.” 

He inhaled, his head bobbed some more.  At least Anna didn‘t blame him.  He straightened a bit and focused on the task at hand.  “So what should we try first?  I know the police won’t be interested in this case until she has been missing for twenty-four hours.  I can’t wait that long.”

While she had waited for Brian to arrive and confirm her worst fears, she had been pondering that same question.  Now, she could merely reveal the one method she knew to reveal her daughter‘s location.  “We can try scrying for her.  I’ll just need a map and my crystals,” she was putting together a mental list when Chloe returned.

“Here, grandma,” she said quietly, carrying everything her grandmother had mentioned.  “I want to help.”

By the time Sarah felt strong enough to sit up and then get out of bed, it was dark.  A deep sadness overwhelmed her. 
I promised Chloe I would tuck her in tonight. 
Then more regret overtook her. 
Brian must be worried sick. 
She made her way to the bathroom.  She had seen the opening the first time she had awakened, and now the need to use the facilities was overpowering.  As she sat on the toilet, she contemplated her surroundings.  The bathroom had a high-end hotel feel to it.  The tiles were large beige marble.  The shower had a glass door and brushed nickel accents.  There were all kinds of toiletries for her use.  In fact, there seemed to be a fresh new duplicate of every product she had in her bathroom at home, except for the Victoria’s Secret ones which were new to her.

Something seemed strange.  She smirked.  Everything
was
strange right now.  What was wrong?  What was so out of place that it nagged at her to notice.  She took stock of the room once more, slowly, with great precision.  Almost instantly she realized that there was no door to the bathroom.  No way to have any privacy.  No place to lock herself in and find safety or temporary solace even.  More disturbing still was that the more she looked, the more she picked up on
other
little things, like the mysterious red lights glowing ominously behind the vents in the bathroom.  She might not have otherwise noticed them, but tonight because she couldn’t find the switches and because she was desperate, she had relied on the meager lighting offered by the lamp on her nightstand to guide her.  In the darkened room, red lights behind vents were very visible.  Up until now she had only suspected she might be being watched.  Now she was certain.  She wouldn’t react.  She would keep her cool.  She wouldn’t let on that she knew.  She flushed, washed her hands, and made her way to the bedroom windows. 

The grounds outside were very dark, but she could tell from the light on in other windows that she was several stories up.  She’d get a better sense in the morning.  Right now she was hungry.  She needed food.  Hearing the sound of metal scraping on the hardwood floor, she turned in time to see something being passed to her through a drawer in the bottom of the door.  Upon closer inspection, she discovered a sandwich, apple, and glass of milk.

Sarah wanted to be cautious; she wanted to take time to inspect the food.  She was going to be really careful…next time.  Right now she knew she hadn’t eaten for probably close to sixteen hours and this meager bit of food was really only an appetizer compared to what her body craved.  She bit into the apple first.  Other than in
Snow White
, she wasn’t aware of a way to drug an apple.  She pondered the idea while she munched, but couldn’t remember any dangerous apples other than those with the razor blades that one year at Halloween.  Maybe the apple would fill her enough so that she would pass on the rest.  But that sandwich looked mighty tempting.  And Sarah couldn’t remember the last time she had been this famished.  She peeled back the top slice of bread. 
If they wanted me dead, they would have killed me already,
she reasoned.

It was the best chicken sandwich she had ever eaten.  The bread was fresh, with just the right amount of mayonnaise spread evenly on either side of the sourdough loaf.  The chicken was perfectly seasoned.  And a healthy amount of Boston Leaf lettuce peeked out from the sides of the bread.  This sandwich deserved recognition on the cover of some food magazine.  She sighed happily for a moment as she munched, her hunger and gratitude creating an unusual amount of gushing for such simple fare.   As she finished devouring the first half, Sarah paused a moment to see if she felt different.  Nope.  Smiling, she ate every morsel of the second half. 

The only item left on the tray was the glass of milk.  She had never been much of a milk drinker.  Now if this was chocolate milk…well, it would have been a different story altogether.  Still, she was very thirsty.  Sarah glanced around the room.  If she didn’t drink it, the best she could hope for would be tap water, over chlorinated, city treated tap water.  Cocking her head to the side, she wondered if drinking the milk would be pressing her luck. 
Just one sip.
  And instantly she knew. 
Next time, no milk.
  She had only drunk a little, but already she could feel the effects.  She hurried to the bed, laid down once more on top of the comforter, and quickly fell into a drugged sleep.

“I’ll keep Chloe,” Anna had said.  “Go to the airport in case we are wrong.”

So, despite all his misgivings, his personal belief that it was a colossal waste of time driving to the airport, finding a parking spot, and searching the crowd at the gate for her face, he did so anyway.  Brian knew how these things worked.  Later on, when they went to the police and he told them that she hadn’t gotten off the plane, they could conceivably check surveillance photos to see if he had even gone.  He would look suspicious and detract too much attention away from the investigation if he couldn’t account for his whereabouts.  
 

In his heart he knew not to expect her.  He found himself whispering,
Please be here.  Please be here.
  The words repeated over and over again in his mind.  And even though he knew she was never going to walk through that gate, he couldn’t help but be disappointed and distraught when all his worst fears were realized.  He went to the ticket counter.

“Please,” Brian begged.  “My girlfriend went to speak at a conference in Boston today.  She was supposed to return on this flight.  She never came through the gate.  Can you tell me if she boarded the plane?”

It must have been the look in his eyes.  The young woman at the counter stared at him a moment, then said softly, “Please, tell me her name.”  Her fingers were poised over the keys waiting for his response.

“Sarah,” he began sadly.  “Sarah White.”

“One moment, please.”  After a little clicking, she paused.  The agent began to scroll down the screen.  She shook her head.  “No.  You’re right.  And she didn’t try to schedule a later flight…”  Her voice trailed off.  She looked at him helplessly.

Brian knew what that meant.  She couldn’t help him.  She didn’t know what to say.  “Um, okay.”  He stepped back a half step.  “Uh, thanks for trying.”

Slowly, he made his way back to the car.  He knew Sarah was in Boston.  They had scryed for her and that’s the city the crystal had landed on.  There was no doubt.  He would have to stop at the bookstore and get a more detailed map of Boston in the morning.  Tonight he would make first contact with the police.  And when he finally made it back to his loft, he would try to try to find her the only other way he knew how.  He would test the limits.  He would see how far that golden cord that connected his soul to his body would stretch because he knew where he was going to try to take it. 
I’ll find you, Sarah,
he thought as hard as he could. 
I’ll never stop looking for you.

In a bed in Massachusetts, while deeply asleep, Sarah smiled.

Brian took several deep breaths before he flipped open his cell phone and called Anna.  She answered immediately.  “She wasn’t on the plane,” he said quietly.  “I mean, I knew

she
wouldn’t be, but…”

“There, there,” Anna cooed.  “Don’t ever give up hope.  We
will
find her.”  She tried to put on a collected appearance, but still she couldn’t hide her wringing hands from the watchful eyes of her granddaughter.

He sighed.  “I won’t.  Ever.”  He paused for a moment.  “So, shall I contact the police now, have them meet me over at my loft?”

“Yes,” Anna responded.  “I think that would be best.”

“I’m sure they’ll want to contact you as well,” he said matter-of-factly.  “I’ll just ask that they wait until Chloe is off to school.  How does that sound?”

“Perfect,” she chirped, trying to keep up the front for Chloe’s sake.

It didn’t matter.  Chloe had decided that since everyone was determined to protect her, she would need to break a few rules to stay informed.  It was
her
mother that was missing. 

Dialing while he drove, Brian spoke with a detective in the police force.  “I know it hasn’t been twenty-four hours,” he argued, “but isn’t it better if we work the case while it is still warm, rather than wait for all potential leads to dry up?”  He listened for a few minutes.  “I know she is just my girlfriend.  I’ve been in constant contact with her mother, that’s where her daughter is staying in her absence.”

He sighed.  “No, I didn’t leave her with her father.  He isn’t…terribly involved.”  He rolled his eyes.  “Well, I suppose because he is involved with another woman, which is why they are working on a divorce.”  He was aggravated; tired of answering questions and trying to catch up the detective on what was a very complicated life. 

“Here’s what you need to know: Sarah promised her daughter she would be home tonight to tuck her into bed.  She also promised she would call us once she arrived in Boston.  She did not come home.  She never called.  She did
not
pack any clothes or personal belongings.  I know this because I dropped her off at the airport with Chloe this morning.”  He was exasperated now, but he had finally managed to make them understand the gravity of the situation.  “Good.  I’ll be home in ten minutes.  I look forward to meeting you then.”  Finally.  He focused on the road and tried to figure out what to say that might help them locate Sarah.  He had no idea where to start.

“What are your intentions, Master Evan?”  James asked with his back to the young man and pretending to only half pay attention.  He didn’t want to appear too interested and arouse suspicion.  Something about Dr. White made him want to protect her as much as possible.

Evan sighed.  And he paced.  “I don’t know,” he admitted quietly.  In truth, he hadn’t expected to get this far.  He thought having Sarah under his roof had been a mere dream.  Now that he had actually pulled it off, he had no idea where to go from here.  He knew what the other part of the dream was.  In his vision of a perfect life, she would one day want to stay with him.  Eventually, she wouldn’t be here because he forced her, instead she would realize the risks he had taken for them to be together.  He would win her love.  He would even move her daughter here to make their happiness complete.  She could teach here.  He would see to that.  Right now, however, he had no idea how to proceed.  He wasn’t ready to meet her face to face.  He wasn’t even ready to communicate with her over the speaker system he had installed.  For now he would watch and wait, bide his time.  He would know when she was ready, receptive to him.

Beginning with a cleansing ritual, Brian then summoned the guardians of the watch towers.  Secure in his circle, he lay down and quickly transcended his body.  He focused on Sarah, hoping their love would draw him to her.  But he couldn’t feel her.  He shuddered a bit, his form dimming, but he knew in his heart that she wasn’t dead.  It was something else that was preventing him from reaching her.  He tried simply making it to Boston, seeing if he could feel her once he was in the city.  Brian found himself at the airport, the last place he knew she had been.  He moved around outside, where she should have been picked up in a limo, but he felt nothing.  What if they were wrong?  What if she had been moved from Boston, even since they last scryed for her?  What if she had been placed on another plane?  Weighed down by sadness, Brian was drawn back to his waiting body.  He had never felt more useless.  Convinced he had done all he could for the night, he focused on Sarah and spoke words of love and protection.  Dejected and alone, he collapsed into bed.

The sun was peeking through the trees as Sarah struggled to lift her head from the pillow.  Again, her head felt heavy and fuzzy and while the feeling was growing familiar, it was still unwelcome and annoying. 
It’s my own fault,
she reminded herself. 
Today I must be more careful.  My family must be out of their minds with worry.
  She smiled as she realized that she now thought of Brian as family.  She squeezed her eyes shut. 
Brian,
she thought as strongly as she could muster through her throbbing head. 
I don’t know where I am, but so far I’m safe,
she frowned slightly,
if you can consider being held against your will and constantly drugged, safe.  Come rescue me, my love!
  She hugged herself tightly then struggled to get up and sit beside the window. 

Maybe the sunrise would soothe her.  But the peace was short lived.  She jumped as the drawer in the door sent her food.  She was starving, which made it even more difficult to turn away the food she saw there.  She knew instantly she couldn’t trust one morsel of it.  Any one of the items could contain the drugs she was desperate to avoid.  There were scrambled eggs, one of her favorite breakfast items; as well as yogurt, milk, and tea. 

Sadly, she shoved the drawer back out into the hall.  A split second later it was returned to the room.  Sarah’s breath caught.  Someone was out there.

“I’m not going to eat any of that,” she said with what she hoped would come across as disgust.  “You might as well keep it.”  She shoved the drawer out once more.

“Please,” the voice whispered.  “You must eat.”  The voice attempted to send the drawer back into the room, but Sarah had placed her foot against it to prevent it.

“I won’t be drugged again.”  She pushed against the drawer with all the strength she could muster.

The voice sounded scared.  “What will I tell the master?”

And in an instant she recognized the voice.  “That’s none of my concern, James,” she sighed.  “Tell him I’m on to him for all I care.”  She pushed her hair back from her face.  “But assure him that I will starve to death before I let him knock me out again.”  And with that she rushed off to the bathroom, overcome by a wave of nausea.

From the other side of the door, James could hear her retching.  He looked up into the camera, certain that Master Evan had seen and heard everything.  “I tried, sir,” he whimpered.

In the control room that had taken over his walk-in closet, Evan paced.  He had plenty to worry about.  What if Sarah stopped eating all together?  What if she died?  It seemed she was already sick.  Had he over done it with the meds?  He only meant to make her more pliable, not
harm her.  Exhausted from the hours of watching her, he leaned back in his chair, threw a forearm over his eyes and took a nap.

Struggling to hold her emotions in check, Sarah splashed water on her face and brushed her teeth.  She focused on breathing as evenly as she could, acutely aware that she was being watched.  But all Sarah wanted was to be held by Brian.  She imagined that he would have held her hair back from her face while she threw up, then he would have carried her back to bed and done everything to make her comfortable.  He would have made her some tea to soothe her stomach.  And he most certainly would have held her in his strong arms while she regained her strength.  Instead, due to circumstances beyond her control she was on her own. 

Suddenly, Sarah reached for her amulet.  She often held it or touched it when she thought of Brian.  Somehow, it always made him seem closer.  To her dismay, the precious gift was missing.  She rushed back to the bedroom, checked the carpet, under the bed, in the linens, over near the window, everywhere she had been that the necklace might now be hiding.  Crestfallen, she had no success.