Drop of Hope

by Jamie A. Waters

  Alec pulled out his commlink and called Lars. His cousin answered almost immediately. “Hey Alec, how's it going?”

  “Are you with Sergei?”

  Lars hesitated, apparently picking up on his tone. “Yeah, he just got here. We're trying to figure out a workaround for the construction delays. Why? What's going on?”

  “Is Ariana with you?”

  “What? No, why would she be? Alec, what's going on?”

  Alec frowned, the worry in his gut coiling even tighter like a serpent prepared to strike. “Ask Sergei if he's seen her.”

  The elevator doors opened, and they stepped out, heading down the noisy corridor.

  Lars replied a moment later. “No. He hasn't seen her since last night. What's going on?”

  “Ariana's missing. Her brother can't find her, she's not in the tower, and her last known location was the construction tower.”

  There was a lengthy pause and then Lars said, “We're on our way to Sergei's quarters. She may have gone there. He gave her the code yesterday so she could check on the plant.”

  Alec disengaged his call and shoved it back in his pocket. She'd been gone for two hours. It didn't take that long to check on a plant. “Check to see if Ariana used an access code to enter Sergei's quarters.”

  Brant glanced down at his tablet again and shook his head. “She didn't. Shortly after she arrived on this level, the door was opened from the inside.”

  Alec's jaw clenched. What the hell sort of game was Sergei playing and why would he deny seeing her? He approached Sergei's quarters and entered his override code. The door slid open, and he cast his gaze around the empty room.

  Sergei and Lars entered a moment later, and Alec whirled around. He flicked his wrist, slamming Sergei against the wall with his air energy.

  “Where the fuck is she?”

  “Control yourself, Alec!” Lars shouted. “You can see she's not here. Sergei wouldn't hurt her.”

  Brant grabbed Alec's arm, his shadow energy swirling through the air and coaxing him to calm. He pointed to a hydrating pack lying on its side near the plant, most of its contents spilled in a small puddle on the floor. Alec released the air energy holding Sergei, letting him fall to the ground.

  “Your cousin is correct,” Sergei asserted coldly as he stood, his hand brushing against the weapon at his side. “I will forgive your lapse in control this once. However, if you use energy against me again, our treaty will be finished.”

  Alec ignored him and approached the spilled pack, the gnawing worry growing larger. “If she had been here, Ariana wouldn't have left the water like that. Every drop is precious to her.”

  Sergei strode toward the plant and pressed his fingers against the soil. “She was here.”

  “Who else has access to your quarters?” Alec demanded. “She didn't use the code to enter. Someone let her in.”

  Sergei scowled at him. “Your people have codes to enter. Some of my people do too.”

  “Brant, contact security and have them analyze this room,” Alec ordered. “I want the names of everyone who has been here. Backtrack and find out which of our people accessed this floor within the past twenty-four hours.” He turned back to Sergei. “I want your people questioned as well.”

  Sergei ignored him, sweeping his gaze over the remainder of the room. He moved beside the table and knelt to pick up something off the ground. He studied it for a long moment and murmured, “This belongs to Ariana.”

  Alec frowned and walked over to Sergei. In his hand was a small ring with a deep-blue stone. He swallowed, the fear in his gut becoming a living thing. He took it from Sergei and managed, “She was wearing it this morning. She never takes this off.”

  Sergei's eyes narrowed, and he walked over to his desk, scanning the contents. He picked up a tablet and swore in his native tongue.

  Lars turned to him and demanded, “What is it?”

  “Pavel,” Sergei snapped. “He was in my quarters yesterday to deliver progress reports. He must have met her and realized she was responsible for the plant.”

  Alec clenched his fist around the ring and took a step forward. “Are you saying one of your people abducted her?”

  Lars's eyes grew wide as he glanced back and forth between them. “Sergei, are you sure? Pavel's your second-in-command.”

  Sergei tossed the tablet aside in disgust. “Yes. He accessed my notes on Ariana and the instructions she gave me to care for the plant. If he knew she would return, he could have waited for her. Ariana is too trusting. She would not have considered him to be a danger.”

  “Would he hurt her?” Lars asked, a trace of fear creeping into his voice.

  Sergei was silent for a long moment and looked over his desk again. “I do not know. I was planning to release Pavel from service at the end of the month. He and some others are afraid of your people. Fear makes them unpredictable.”

  “If this is true and he's taken her,” Alec said, his tone sharp, “our alliance is forfeit.”

  Sergei met his gaze evenly. “I understand. We will discuss this after we locate her. I will not endanger my people because of a rogue agent.”

  “Very well,” Alec conceded. “However, if this Pavel has harmed her in any way, I will kill him.”

  Sergei inclined his head. “If he has harmed her, I will help you.”

  Pain, sharp and stinging, lanced over her cheek as someone slapped her. Ariana groaned, trying to move, but her body wouldn't cooperate. It was heavy and sluggish, and the pounding in her head was competing against the brutality of someone slapping her again. She whimpered, trying to move away, but her limbs wouldn't work.

  “Wake up,” a man demanded.

  She blinked open her eyes, trying to focus on the dark shadow looming over her. So much anger and rage—it overwhelmed the room, suffocating her with its onslaught. Ariana cringed, reaching for her energy to soothe them, but they slapped her again. She cried out, her eyes now wide open, the throbbing in her head from the cacophony of emotions outrivaling the physical pain in her cheek. It was a migraine of emotion pounding against her—so much fear, fury, and desperation coming from everywhere all at once.

  A sharp object was jabbed against her side, the tip of it piercing her skin. “If you use energy, you will die.”

  “Please,” she managed, her voice hoarse. “I need water.”

  A moment later, water splashed over her face. She coughed and sputtered but managed to weave some of the water energy into her shields. It wasn't enough. The emotions were too strong and there were too many of them, all clamoring for attention. Her awareness sharpened a fraction, but the images wavered as she tried to focus on the room. Pieces began to solidify before going blurring again. Why couldn't she focus? Was it from the emotions?

  She managed to get a few impressions of the small room. A dirt floor, a small table and chair, and beyond that, she could make out a textured wall. The wall wasn't like anything she'd seen in the towers. Pavel was standing over her with an ugly sneer on his face, holding a dripping hydrating pack in one hand and a knife in the other. A wave of nausea washed over her, and she squeezed her eyes shut trying to keep herself from being sick.

  “Sit up,” he ordered.

  Ariana blinked again from her prone position on the floor, but her arms still wouldn't work. She was bound, with her hands behind her back and her ankles tied together. Impatient, Pavel put down the hydrating pack and grabbed her arm, jerking her upright. She cried out from the burning agony of his touch and the emotional pain surrounding her.

  “This pathetic creature is who you were so interested in?” a woman spoke from somewhere behind Pavel. “I am not impressed, Pavel. If she is of no use to us, you will dispose of her. But do it away from here so her people will not find her.”

  “She grew plant in Sergei's room,” Pavel snapped. “We will use her to grow more.”

  Ariana swallowed, her throat dry, and glanced at the hydrating pack. If she were going to figure out how to get out of this, she neede
d clarity of mind. “Can I have some water to drink?”

  “You will grow plant first,” he demanded, gesturing to a pot on the floor near her.

  She stared at it and frowned. A plant? That was why they'd brought her here? It didn't make any sense. If Sergei had wanted her help, all he needed to do was ask.

  “Where's Sergei?”

  Pavel's eyes narrowed, and he raised his hand, bringing it down with a sharp crack. The force of the blow sent Ariana reeling, knocking her back down to the ground. Her eyes welled with tears, the pain in her head a hot and stabbing lance. He grabbed her again, this time by her hair, and forced her upright.

  “Begin,” he ordered and raised his hand, threatening to strike her again.

  She flinched and tried to focus on the pot, but her vision kept wavering. The fury emanating from Pavel wasn't the only emotion surrounding him. Ariana caught the pungent aroma of guilt too. There was no way to tell if the guilt was from abducting her or if her question about Sergei had triggered it. Whatever it was, Ariana had no doubt Sergei was ignorant of Pavel's plans.

  Ariana licked her lips, trying to retain some of the moisture that had splashed on her skin. It wasn't enough to insulate her from the relentless emotions. She hesitated, wondering if he'd strike her again for speaking. “I—I'm not a fully-trained earth channeler, but I can try to grow your plant. I'll need my hands free though.”

  Suspicion crept over Pavel's face, but he leaned forward to remove her wrist bindings. His movements were brisk, but he never turned the weapon away from her.

  “Is that wise?” the woman asked.

  Ariana tried to rub life back into her wrists. They were red and raw where the metallic bindings had dug into her skin.

  “Sergei made notes about her. She does not have offensive abilities.”

  Ariana's heart fell into her stomach. Sergei couldn't have shared that information with him. Sergei was difficult to read, but she should have been able to tell if he were planning to hurt her. Had she been shielding from everyone so much that she'd crippled herself? She'd known there was something off about Pavel, but she never suspected this. She hung her head, ashamed she'd suppressed her abilities to such an extent. In trying to protect herself, she'd make things far worse than she’d ever imagined.

  “I want to see these notes.” A tall, dark-haired woman with streaks of gray in her hair stepped out of the shadows. She was handsome but possessed a callousness in her aura Ariana found unsettling. There was a connection between her and Pavel, some sort of compact that bound them together. Ariana had no doubt that this woman would hurt her if given the opportunity.

  Pavel motioned toward a tablet sitting on a small table. The woman picked it up and read over the contents before replacing it. When she turned back to Ariana, there was a calculating gleam in her eye. “You are a healer too?”

  “Yes. I saw her heal,” Pavel said before Ariana could answer.

  “Indeed,” the woman murmured, taking several steps toward Ariana. She bent down, grasping Ariana's hair and jerking her head upright. “A healer who can grow plants? You may be very valuable to us.”

  Ariana's eyes watered, the pain from this woman's touch even more brutal than Pavel's. There was so much hatred, so much envy, so much of everything. It was too much. Ariana unwillingly flinched at the woman's critical assessment.

  The woman released her suddenly with a sharp laugh and stepped away, gesturing to the pot. “Make it grow. If you succeed, we will allow you to live. For now.”

  Ariana swallowed and studied the pot beside her. There were a few handfuls of dirt thrown into it, but she had no idea what they wanted her to grow.

  “Did you have a seed?” she asked, trying to see if she'd missed it somewhere.

  “You will use this,” the woman said, thrusting a strange object at her.

  Ariana took it, studying the relatively hard, brownish vegetable with several lumps and small sprouts. She leaned forward and took a sniff, the earthly aroma strangely soothing. It had slumbered under the soil, still retaining its preference for the dark.

  “You will grow it,” Pavel reiterated.

  She blinked up at him and studied the vegetable again. Seara had only taught her how to grow plants from seed. She knew it was possible, the plant was already beginning to sprout without her assistance, but her experience was too limited.

  “What is it?”

  The woman scoffed and turned away, heading toward the door. “She does not even know what it is. This is a waste of time. Kill her and be done with it, Pavel. I have better things to do.”

  “No, please,” Ariana urged, panic rising sharply within her. She clutched it to her chest and added, “I'd like to try.”

  Pavel regarded her for several heartbeats. “It is a potato. You will grow it now.”

  “Oh,” Ariana murmured, looking down at the vegetable again. She'd eaten potatoes but had never held an uncooked one in her hands. There was so much potential in this small vegetable. Why had she ignored her earth talents for so long?

  Ariana took a deep breath and closed her eyes, reaching out to the surrounding energy in the room. They were in some sort of compound. The echoes of the emotions of dozens of other people overlapped, but she didn't recognize any energy signatures.

  I must be in a Coalition camp.

  She took another deep breath—pretending to be focused on the potato—and reached out farther, trying to sense the bond with Jason or even her connection to Alec.

  There were sharp tugs from both of them, and she gasped. Their worry and desperate fear were nearly overwhelming. They knew she was missing. She had to stall to give them time to find her.

  “What is it?” Pavel demanded, taking a step toward her.

  She shook her head. “I'm sorry. I'll try again. It might help if I had a little water though. That's more of my element. I'm not used to working with earth energy”

  “Give it to her,” the woman demanded, obviously growing impatient with the whole ordeal.

  Pavel scowled but handed over the hydrating pack. Ariana took a large sip, gathering the energy threads inside her and using them to fortify her strength. Pavel snatched the hydrating pack from her hand, and she lowered her gaze. Maybe it would be enough.

  She closed her eyes again, reaching out across her connections, and sensed Alec. Although her bond with Jason was stronger, Alec had the unique ability to communicate telepathically.

  “Pavel, Coalition camp, Prisoner.” She sent the thought outward, along with the mental images of her captors. There was no way to know if he picked up on the message. She could only hope he was listening.

  Ariana turned her focus toward the potato, uneasy about how much energy she'd already used by sending the message. It was taking almost everything she had to keep from being overwhelmed by the emotions in the camp. If she wasn't able to grow the potato, though, it might be for naught. Neither Pavel nor the woman seemed overly troubled about exterminating her if she didn't live up to their expectations.

  She sent a trace amount of energy toward the potato, trying to get a sense of the vegetable and what it would demand in exchange for growing. Its requirements were relatively modest. Hopefully, they wouldn't require more than this one demonstration. She blinked open her eyes and studied the pot in front of her. Sending another small amount of energy outward, she checked the composition of the soil. It wasn't ideal, but she didn't think they'd take kindly to her asking for something different.

  Ariana placed the potato in the deep pot, carefully covering it with a layer of dirt. Spreading her hands over the soil-covered vegetable, she sent her power outward and into those small little sprouts just beginning to emerge. The roots began to unfurl beneath the soil, reaching outward, but it hesitated.

  She paused and glanced up at Pavel. “I need the hydrating pack again.”

  He handed it to her, and she poured it over the soil, feeling the moisture permeate the roots beneath the surface. When it had enough, she placed the hydrating pack besid
e her and moved her hands over the vegetable again. Wiping her brow with her elbow, she sent out more energy. She needed to hurry. Her remaining strength was dwindling too quickly. The sprouting plant reached outward, breaking through the surface and forming small leaves. Underneath, the roots were becoming even more established. The growing excitement from Pavel and the woman were overpowering, and Ariana slumped forward, barely catching herself before she fell.

  Pavel's expression was smug. “I told you, Sofia. She will be of great use to us and easy to manage.”

  “Well done,” the woman declared. “It appears Pavel was correct. We may keep you for a while.” She motioned toward the plant. “Pavel, come. I want our scientists to look at our new plant.”

  Pavel moved forward and refastened the bindings tightly on her wrists. She winced as the metal once again bit into her skin, but she didn't object. He retrieved the plant and followed the woman out the door.

  Ariana's eyes fluttered closed, unable to find the strength to even try to pick up the abandoned hydrating pack beside her.

  Alec closed his eyes and inhaled sharply. He kept repeating Ariana's words over again in his head. Pavel, Coalition Camp, Prisoner. Underneath, he could sense her exhaustion and pain. What the fuck were they doing to her? He pressed his hands against his desk, reaching out to her again and cursing himself for not solidifying their bond. So much for noble intentions. If he'd bonded with her, he'd be able to share his energy with her. As it was, he only had a dim sense of her—just enough to know she was still alive.

  They'd all returned to Alec's office as a central base to organize their efforts to locate Ariana. Jason had joined them and was now sitting in a nearby chair, resting his head in his hands. Ariana's brother was picking up on some of her emotions, too, but so far hadn't been able to locate her. He was still trying, but Alec didn't have much hope he would be successful.

  At least he'd convinced Ariana's father to lead the investigation searching the construction tower for any trace of Ariana. Devan had been a whirlwind of icy fury when he learned Ariana had been taken. He'd demanded they launch an immediate attack against the Coalition and only reconsidered after someone pointed out that an attack against them might put Ariana's life in even more danger. If they didn't find her soon, Alec was tempted to launch the attack himself. Someone had to know something.