Triggered Hunt: Daryl's POV

"Daryl, what are you doing here?" questioned Nilah's father.

I continued looking at the distinct eyes of my former Healer. He did the same.

"Fords, we have to go," said Noah then started walking past me and placed a new set of cryotanks and a duffel bag in the van. Before he shut the door entirely, I ceased it from closing further.

"I need Healer Fords," I told him, looking at the apprehensive eyes of Noah Hendrix.

"Is Nilah with you?" he asked in concern.

I nodded. "This is crucial, Mr. Hendrix. I'm not here to interrogate you on how you came to be here or what you're hiding. We need Fords Deep Waters. We've been searching for him for days."

"Who's 'we'?" questioned Fords.

"I think you know."

Silence filled us for just a second until Noah spoke.

"You both have found the humans," uttered his authoritative voice. "Is Nilah safe with them? Don't tell her that you saw me. I don't want her to worry."

"I won't, but we need your assistance," I directed towards Fords. He seemed to be pondering.

"How did you people know what I've done?" he asked pensively. "I've been inconspicuous about it."

"I don't know the answer to that question," I confessed. "The others have somehow found out about that with research and that the claims are true. It seems to me that you've included someone else in your mission." I gestured to Noah.

"Noah Hendrix and I are in this quest together. I helped him create those special contacts for Nilah."

"And you knew Nilah was human?" I whispered with wide eyes.

He nodded solemnly. They lied to Nilah and she didn't even know that her father shared her innermost secret with someone she has never even met.

"You both have been in this mission for how long now?" I inquired.

They glanced at each other and sighed, finding no way out of my queries.

"If I answer your questions, will you answer mine?" Fords proposed.

"I may not know everything you're interested in hearing, considering that I'm not human."

"But you are associating with them, am I not right?"

"I'll come up with my best answers," I agreed.

"I've been in this mission for nine years now," he replied to my query.

"What about Nilah? Since when have you known about her…condition?"

"Since she was born," he said and my eyes widened a little.

"How -"

"I delivered Kendra's child," he responded before I even asked. "The three of us are the only ones who knew."

"Knew?" I quoted. "You mean there are others who know now?"

"An attentive one…" he muttered vaguely then regained his convincing tone, stating, "The Seeker, for one. She's more than enough reason for Nilah to hide."

"Has she done anything…unusual?" I said with uncertainty, thinking of all the things a Seeker would do. Unfortunately, the Seeker who had uncovered Nilah's secret was relentless. It's been nearly a year since Nilah escaped, yet why do I have a slight feeling that this deal with the Seeker was not over?

"Not that we know of," Noah answered, though there was a hint of doubt in his voice. I frowned, wanting more answers.

"We haven't really been monitoring her actions," he explained. "I knew Kendra and I were being watched when Nilah disappeared, but it stopped. We have no idea if she has given up on her pursuit."

It fell silent.

We have to get back, reminded Daryl.

Instantly, I turned my head to see the back of the building. The group had parked in the front lot and I let my eyes search for the alley leading to the opposite parking space.

"They're waiting for me," I uttered with slight urgency. "Fords, Mr. Hendrix - we need you both. Please come with us."

They eyed me and after they conversed in hushed tones, they finally agreed.

"This isn't a ploy where you hand us to a bunch of Seekers, right, Daryl?" Noah asked in a rather intimidating tone.

"It never even crossed my mind, sir."

I had to crouch in the back with the stacks of cryotanks and different sizes of bags, since there were no seats. Fords sat on the front passenger seat and Noah drove through the alley.

As if he knew, he stopped the van right beside Nate's blue one. I stepped off the uncomfortable space and tapped on the tinted window. It didn't roll down.

"Nate, it's okay," I assured through the sealed window. A few seconds passed and he finally rolled it down, seeming calm and rather soul-like. I raised an eyebrow and gazed behind me, where he was glancing at the white van. He certainly knew if a soul was nearby. I grinned.

"Guess who I found," I said and their expressions changed.

. . .

I watched as Nilah embraced her father tightly after she nearly lunged at Noah.

"Where's Mom?" I heard her ask him, but I walked away to give them privacy.

We had driven a few miles from Austin and stopped at a small clearing beside a dry forestry. I didn't even know Texas had this much woodland. I thought it was all desert.

Aren't we lucky, Daryl chimed in. Your bathroom trip paid off.

"Daryl, thank you!" Nilah's voice called from behind me. Arms suddenly wrapped around my shoulders and neck when I turned around. I slid my arms around her also.

Now it really paid off, said Daryl, feeling her embrace, too. Is it wrong to think that he may be perverted sometimes?

Yes, it is, he scolded and I repressed a laugh.

"So where's Kendra?" I asked after we parted.

"Mom's not with my father," she sighed, disappointed. "Apparently, she has to cover for his disappearance. They're being cautious."

"She's still in California?"

She nodded.

"I'm sure you'll see her soon. Besides, having your father here is a good sign, right?"

She beamed at me, embraced me goodbye, and I watched her go back with the others.

"Young love, is it?" chuckled someone beside me and I turned my head to see Doc walking my way and sitting down at a rock above the sandy soil. I sat down, too.

"We're best friends," I said, suppressing to add, "but I want more."

"Why, of course," he smiled cunningly. I gave him a strange look, supposing that he's implying something.

"Your face says everything," he finally declared. "You clearly like Nilah."

"No, I don't."

"Certainly, you don't." He shook his head then a sly grin spread across his face. "You love her. Why don't you tell her? Afraid of rejection?"

I looked at the ground.

"Well, here's a little story for you," he started, and I looked at him. "I wanted Sharon ever since she took away the bottle of gin from my hand on one of the nights I was drunk. I was tipsy, but I still distinguished those beautiful, fiery locks on her head," he chuckled slightly, reminiscing. "We argued sometimes because of my drinking and it got worse when Wanda - in Melanie's body - lived with us. But despite all of that, we made it work. As you can tell, I hardly drink anymore," he added and I half-smiled.

After he stood up and left, I thought deeply. When would I tell her? Should I even? Of course I should. But how? When?

So many questions, grumbled Daryl. Oh great, I still have Daryl to worry about.

Why would you worry about me? he questioned, and then smirked, saying, Am I finally growing on you?

You're the one that knows my thoughts, I responded. Didn't you hear me?

Oh, um, I'm not even sure. Weren't you talking to Nilah?

I was somewhat baffled then remarked, You mean all this time speaking with Doc, you haven't been listening? Wow, you finally learned how not to eavesdrop.

Hey! I can't help it. You're in my body! Anyway, that's weird. The last voice I heard was Nilah's.

"Hey, Daryl," a woman's voice sounded from my left. It was Kim and she settled beside me. I smiled at her in greeting.

"Tell him I say hi," she grinned and it took me a second to figure that he meant the real Daryl.

Wow, she treats us like we're two different people, he commented.

Well, we are, I uttered.

But not everyone knows that I'm still here. It's actually nice being noticed once in a while.

"Do you guys fight constantly?" Kim asked, scrutinizing me and I shrugged.

"We can't really do anything about it. It's inevitable."

"But it must be tiring to share a body," she indicated. "Let alone a mind."

"I've tolerated him for eight years. A few more won't hurt." I half-smiled again. "So what are they planning now?" I nodded towards the small huddle of Nate's group.

"Oh, they've planned this for a long time," she emphasized. "They're going to discuss the soul-human operation dilemma with the Healers, and if they agree to do what we wish for them to do, then we go back to our cell and fix the problem."

"Cell?"

"Oh, it's what we call our groups. It's also the place where we hide."

"What happens after that?"

"Well, since the rumors are true, then we might be able to unite with the insurgents who Fords took the souls out of," she said the last part with uncertainty. I didn't mind her talking of my species.

All of a sudden, her eyes widened and she cursed as she grabbed my hand, sprinting back to the vans. What the hell was happening? Instantly, a beam of white light was directed towards us from above. I was blinded by it when I looked up and saw a form of a helicopter.

I ran with Kim as we reached the white van, which had the only open door. The other two vehicles had already driven off, police cars in their trails. The van lurched forward with such force that both of our backs hit the stacks of cryotanks.

"Grab onto something!" ordered Jamie, who was on the passenger seat. Noah was driving, making sharp turns, and we all shook with the van. I held onto the handle above the car door and grasped the bottom of the headrest of the passenger seat. We were all racing for our lives.