Chapter 2

I opened my eyes in the hospital, with Doc's face hovering over me. I didn't remember what happened. At all. So, naturally, I asked. "What happened?"

"You, um, fainted." Doc avoided eye contact and busied himself with straightening out his healing instruments and the cans that were raided monthly from hospitals.

"Oh," I said. "Why?" I tried to sit up, but Doc gently pushed me back down.

"Don't," he said. "Wait a few more minutes." I lay back down.

"So, what happened? I mean, why did I faint?"

Doc finally looked at me. "We just found out Ian about three hours ago."

"Ian?" I was completely bewildered. "But he's on a raid…" And then I remembered the sullen faces, the distraught women, the tears, and…Ian. "And he didn't come back." I swallowed. "They caught him."

"Yes." He didn't say anything more.

"Doc?" he only looked up at me. "Where is everybody?"

"Oh. They wanted to be here for you, but they're preparing a rescue party. They're going to try and go after Ian."

"But where are they?"

"The plaza, I think."

"Um, can I get up?"

"As long as you don't fall down as soon as you get up, you should be fine." He held my hand to help me up. I thanked him, and then walked as fast as I could towards the plaza. I had to stop a couple of times because I was still light headed, but I didn't stop for long. I reached the plaza within two minutes.

Everyone was calm, surprisingly. But then again, there was only one person commanding the room, and that person was Kyle. I personally wouldn't interrupt him either, but I didn't have to. He saw me. "Wanda." Everyone's heads turned towards me. If I wanted to speak, now was the time to.

"I want to come." I saw some people shake their heads. "I can really help on this raid. You guys might have to get into a hospital or an operation room to get to him, and I can get past the security easily." Those who had been shaking their heads stopped. I took a deep breath. "If you are going to take me, I'm also going to need Sunny." I saw her head jerk up when I said her name.

"No," Kyle's voice was flat and harsh. "Sunny isn't going anywhere." He put his arms around her. I understood him completely, but…

"Kyle," I tried to penetrate his stubborn air, "no one's going to hurt us. We're still souls. We'll be in the clear, and we'll get Ian out of there."

"She's right, Kyle." Jared stepped forward until he and Kyle were right in front of each other. "Wanda's not going to be able to carry Ian out, and Ian can't be awake. Chances are he's already got a soul in him." I winced.

"No. Sunny's staying here." Kyle wasn't backing down. I had figured that was it, when suddenly Sunny backed out of his arms to stand by Jared. I could see, even from this distance, that she was shaking, and I could hear it in her voice when she spoke.

"I want to go, Kyle. I want to help." She stood up straighter and raised her chin. "I'm going. I'm going to help Wanda get Ian back. And you. You know that I can help, and I know that you want Ian back. You'll be with us the entire time. So I'm going."

"But I don't want you to get hurt." Sunny slowly stepped forward and hugged him, and he accepted defeat.

I was touched by Sunny's refusal to be squashed, and I was proud of her, too. My heart twanged as I saw her hold onto Kyle like she did. Ian will be home soon, I reminded myself. Soon.

Another hour later, we had comprised a rescue party. There was me, Sunny, Kyle, Jared, Melanie, and Brandt. That was almost more than enough people. Jamie had begged to come, but Melanie, Jared, and I all responded with a sound, "No." So, with much grumbling, he settled for helping to prepare. Preparations took another half hour, and then finally we were ready to go. Sunny, Kyle, and Brandt rode in the sedan since it was Sunny's first raid and the engine noise wouldn't attract as much attention. Melanie, Jared, and I rode in the jeep. I was driving.

Kyle and Jared had said that they'd lost Ian in Tucson, so that was most likely where he'd be, which was good, because after all the raids I'd been on, I was semi-familiar with that hospital by now. "Okay," I said, "once we get to Tucson, we should book two hotel rooms. Sunny and I will go in, and we'll each ask for a room."

"Why?" Melanie asked.

"Just in case. It might be the wrong hospital and we may not be able to get him out tonight. It could take us a while to figure out what room he's in."

"Okay," Jared agreed. "We've got to get Sunny to pull over though, so we can tell them." We flagged down Sunny's car, told them the plan and which hotel to meet at, and then we were both on the road again. We soon passed their car, and they were far behind us.

We didn't talk much, and as soon as we were on the highway, Melanie and Jared got under a blanket in the back. In another hour we had reached Tucson and were parked in front of the designated hotel. Sunny pulled up soon after that, and, leaving the others in the cars, we walked in.

It was no problem to get two rooms right next to each other. The whole arrangement was made within five minutes; the man who was working the front desk was exceptionally nice. I almost felt bad for deceiving him. Sunny and I thanked the man, and walked out again, promising that we'd be back that night. Once back in our separate cars, we began to drive to the hospital.

It had been a few months since I had gone on a raid. People had mostly tried to keep me at home, because even after a year, they hadn't believed my body capable of keeping up with a raid, although I did just fine on the first couple after my transition. Also, Kyle had wanted me to stay behind with Sunny. Besides him, I was the one Sunny trusted most. So, even though I didn't like staying home because I always worried for Ian—I didn't let myself dwell on that thought—I stayed because it put everyone at ease.

When finally, we reached the hospital after a long silent ride, I reached into the backseat for my bag. Sunny and I had each gotten a bag before we'd left. In each of the bags there was: a container of chloroform, a rag, and a small baggie with a single white pill inside. We each also had a pill in our pockets, as did everyone on the expedition. I pulled into a parking space, silently thanking whoever would listen that the lot wasn't even half full. The hospital obviously wasn't that busy tonight.

I saw the sedan slide into the parking space next to mine, and watched as Kyle leaned forward to peck Sunny on the cheek as he handed her bag up to her. I smiled a small smile as I whispered goodbye to Jared and Melanie and heard their whispered simultaneous warning, "Be careful."

Sunny and I met each other behind the cars. "All right," I said. "Are you ready?"

She nodded confidently, and I was once again struck by her bravery.

"Okay then, let's go. You know what to do if we get caught?" She nodded again, this time a little less bravely.

"And you know how to use the chloroform?" I made sure.

"Yes, Wanda. I was instructed many times before we left." Sunny still had many stereotypical qualities of a soul, so I knew she wouldn't be irritated if I gave her one reminder.

"You know that it's not necessary, it's only if we need to knock out one follower. Otherwise use the pill."

"I know. But, I just have one question." We were almost to the door now, so I grabbed her arm and held me back.

"Hurry."

"Won't they remember us taking Ian's body when they wake up, if we use chloroform? I mean, won't they remember it all when they wake up?" I, too, had thought of this when I first started raids, but by now, I knew the generally accepted answer.

"Yes. But they will have no idea where to find us. Remember, we're very secluded." I grabbed her arm again and pulled her into the hospital with me.

"Right." She said, sounding reassured.

I walked Sunny right up to the front desk and smiled widely, innocently. I nudged Sunny, signaling her to do the same. "We're here to visit a patient."

"Great", the silver haired lady in front of the computer smiled back at us. "What room is he or she in?"

"Actually," I said, floundering, "I forgot. I'm so sorry."

"Well that's no problem, dear." She clicked on something on the monitor with her mouse, and then poised her fingers over the keypad. "Can you tell me their name?" She smiled up at us again.

I was internally very scared. I had no idea what to say. Then, very calmly, I heard Sunny say, "Please, he's in an operation right now. Forgive my friend. His name is…"

"Swirling rapids?" Sunny nodded her head vigorously. "Yes," continued the woman, "he's our only patient that's having an operation right now. It's been a very slow night." She gave us a knowing look. "Actually," she went on, "it's been even slower lately, now that we've rooted out almost all the humans." I felt Sunny stiffen beside me, but I remained calm, and laid my hand on her shoulder. She instantly loosened up. "Believe it or not, they've just captured another human. It seems that there are more hidden." My breath caught.

"Another human?" I asked, trying to make my tone sound terrified.

"Oh, yes. He's here in this hospital now. Tried to swallow a suicide pill." She put her hand over her heart. "It's just horrible. Luckily, our men were able to make him reject the pill. A soul was just transferred to him about an hour ago. One of the most revered souls, in fact. They believe that this soul will be able to betray the location of the other humans that were hidden with his body."

Sunny yelped.

"Well, what's the matter dear?" the woman asked.

Without missing a beat, Sunny replied, "It's just...so frightening. I mean, I thought all the humans were gone." And before Kyle had brought her to the caves, she probably had.

"Do you know the name of the soul? The one who was so revered."

"Oh yes of course. And I'm sure you've heard of him, too. His name is Dancing Stars. He should wake up in a while. We may even get to meet him." Sunny and I gasped. I'm sure that the lady thought that we were in awe, when really, we were fearful. Dancing Stars was the most revered soul in history, very well-known, because he completed the mission of the souls—to create harmony in tainted societies—everywhere he was sent, and he left no stone unturned. He could certainly root out any secret human society that remained.

"I'm sure you'll find the humans in no time," I gushed over the sound of my pounding heart.

"Well," the silver haired woman shrugged, "one can only hope. You may wait in one of the chairs. I'll inform you when Swirling Rapids is out of his operation. He should be done within an hour."

We thanked her as we both walked to two stiff blue chairs in the emptiest part of the room and sat down; waiting anxiously to see someone we didn't know.