Okay, okay, I know what you are thinking. Why didn't Dan go instead of her? Why did they just take a Lucian and a half Original instead of two originals? Well those are excellent questions, but let the story play out please you will find. Also I apologize if I made Dan a bit too sappy right now. I just got book seven today and am realizing the truth, but I am still going along with the original thing. I so new they were you know what's.

11

Amy broke into tears. The love of her life had been taken away to protect her. Now how could she live with herself?

She fell onto her knees and sobbed. Natalie came over next to her and comforted her. Her brother had just been taken away and there was absolutely nothing she could do about it right now.

Dan… Dan was to emotionally struck to say or do something. He just stared after the truck, tears streaming down his face. He stayed that way until the lights were a dot, then a fleck, then a speck, and then gone.

He walked back over to his sister. He knelt next to her and Natalie.

Amy looked up at him.

Her eyes were puffy and red from tears and her face was wet. She noticed Dan's expression and gave him a hug. This time he didn't push away.

"I'm so sorry, Dan," she whispered. "I knew you liked her."

"It's okay. I'm sorry about Ian," Dan said. "Wait, how did you know? I didn't even know!"

She smiled, "I know you, Dan, maybe even better than you know you."

Natalie smiled at that.

All was quiet until they heard the sound of footsteps behind them.

They turned around to see the agents of the Ekats and the Lucians.

Spotting Isabel, Natalie cried, "Mum!"

"Oh, Natalie, where's Ian?" Isabel Kabra asked.

She didn't respond.

Pushing to get to the front, Nellie came forward saying, "Where's my kids? Anyone, where are they? Let me through!"

Finally she got to the front. When she got to them she smiled but then counted the numbers and sw their expressions.

"Where is…?"

"Let me through!"

Dr. Engles arrived at the scene.

"Where is my daughter?" he asked.

No reply.

"Where is my daughter?" he sternly commanded.

"The…the Madrigals," Natalie said. Everyone gasped. "They…they took her, and…my brother."

"Again?" Alistair asked.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, somebody please explain to me this 'again,'" Nellie said facing the two branches and standing next to the Cahills.

"Nellie," Alistair began, "about four years ago, after Brooke's most recent quest, the Ekats and the Lucians…"

"Sure say your branch first," Isabel said.

"Fine… while the LUCIANS and the Ekats were fighting over the territory Ian and Brooke were taken away. It was horrible. They were gone for about a year when they finally showed up at a Lucian stronghold. They were in horrible shape; the girl worse than the boy. She stayed there for about two weeks out of pity before she was well enough to make it back to her own stronghold."

"That's terrible! The girl was only…how old are you Dan?" Nellie asked.

"Twelve," he managed to say.

Nellie counted on her fingers exclaimed, "Nine?"

They all grimly nodded.

"And now," Dan said and everyone was surprised to hear him speak, "they are going to torture her and possibly kill her for information and because of her heritage."

"What exactly do you mean, Daniel?" Natalie asked.

Dan looked at Dr. Engles. Understanding he nodded for approval.

"She is part Original."

The Ekats and Lucians gasped.

"Robert," Alistair said. "Why didn't you tell us? Is your wife one?"

He nodded.

"We even have greater dangers among us. Amy and I," he paused, "we are also Originals."

Silence, but of course it was broken by Isabel Kabra's fury.

"Of course!" Isabel exclaimed. "Out of all of the Cahills my son has to fall in love with probably one of the most dangerous people in the world!"

"Isabel," Alistair started.

"No Alistair," she shot back. "This is not the time to go preaching about how I should calm down. My son is missing and so is your agent."

"Brooke's an agent?" Amy asked Dan.

He nodded.

"This is not the time to be arguing, Isabel!"

"I know you again let them go missing in your territory!"

"So this is my fault?"

"Of course it is!"

"Hey!" Dan yelled.

All eyes turned to him. He stood up, fury on his face.

"Don't you guys see what's happening? You are fighting again while that SUV gets farther and farther away! We shouldn't be fighting! Isn't that how Brooke and Ian got taken away in the first place? By your bickering! Next thing you know, the Madrigals will swoop in and take another one of us away right from under you noses! Who will it be next: Me, Amy, Natalie, possibly Lindsey or Abbey? The point is that we need to put away our differences and help them! So are you with me or are you still going to fight about which branch will do what?"

There was total silence.

"Daniel is right," Natalie said, "you have been unwise to be bickering again. This has only been a problem. If we are to destroy Madeline and the Madrigals and keep Reagan's ancestors safe, we must work together in harmony."

"Natalie, you are really shocking us today," Dan said.

"Like I said earlier, Daniel, I have my moments," Natalie said frustrated by his ignorance.

Sometimes people just don't get me, she thought.

Footsteps came up behind them. They turned only to find the Januses and the Tomas.

"Late," Isabel said, "as usual."

"Not our fault," Eisenhower said, "Cora had to fix that rats nest that she calls hair."

Cora huffed.

All of the Ekats stepped back putting space between them and the Tomas.

Cora Wizard said, "And I thought the Madrigal held grudges."

"They betrayed us, but if it makes you feel better," Alistair said, "welcome, T-t-t…"

"-omas?" Eisenhower finished.

Alistair nodded.

"What did we miss?" Cora said.

While Isabel brought the Januses and the Tomas up to date, Dan kept thinking hoping that Brooke would get the message.

I'll find you, he thought, even if I have to stop the hunt for a while, I'll find you no matter what.

So… R&R.