Chapter 12: Losing and winning

Victor

Victor collapse on the sofa exhausted. It had been a long day off an even longer week and it felt like nothing had changed. Peace was still gone and he was still no closer to coming up with a plan to get the net on side.

Hey.

Her soft voice shot few his mind making him sigh. He loved to hear her voice but he longed to have her in his arms.

It wasn't the first time they had talk since she left, it wasn't even the second. They had spoke almost everyday. There connection to painful when they didn't talk.

Hey.

He sent back.

How was your day?

He sighed again. They stuck to natural subjects so that they didn't argue.

Long and trying yours?

The same.

He could hear how tired she was as she spoke. All he knew was that she was in a small town waiting for Keen to go to her. He had been mad when he found that out but she had guards nearby and while he still wasn't happy it did make him feel slightly better.

How is everybody?

They are doing ok. Will wants to come back and help, but I'm worried about Maya being caught in the middle.

He could feel her smile.

What are they like?

You mean Will and Autumn?

And Maya.

Victor can't help but smile at the thought of his brother and his family.

Will is a loveable vogue, cocky and fun to be around.

Will soulfinder happen to be his friends little sister who they had been asked to keep safe. It had been an up and down battle that they never believed they would find away out of.

Autumn is like you.

He told her honestly.

She is strong and tough but reckless.

He felt her sigh biting back an argument about her not being reckless.

Maya is a sweet kid.

He continued, making her smile.

Beautiful just like her mother and always laughing just like her father.

I can't wait to meet them.

She told him honestly.

Victor sighed frustrated. She talked about a future with him but he wasn't even sure that was a possibility any more.

For that you would have to be here.

He told her, he knew it was wrong and cruel but he couldn't help it.

Victor

She whispered almost painfully. He could feel her instant hurt and he regretted his words.

I'm sorry.

Me too.

I just miss you so much.

I miss you too.

Then come home.

He begged.

He could feel her sorrow.

I can't. Please don't make this harder than it has to be.

He wanted to argue that it was already hard but he let it go.

"Victor?" Someone called from the kitchen.

I have to go.

Ok I love you.

I love you too.

When the connection was cut off, Victor couldn't help but feel a sense of loss. Leaving with Peace was hard.

"Victor?" someone called again.

Sighing Victor stood up and made his way to the kitchen. He found Trace and his father waiting for him.

"What?" he asked slightly annoyed that they had cut his conversation time with Peace down.

"The net agreed to listen." Trace said slowly.

Victor let the words sink in before a slow smile spread on his face.

"Victor keep in mind Peace commit crimes." Trace pointed out.

Victor glared at his brother.

"Under dresses." He argued.

Trace sighed and shook his head.

"It doesn't matter why she committed the crimes, the fact is she did she better have one hell of an argument." Trace told him.

Victor nodded.

Peace

Peace let go of a breath as Victor voice disappeared. Soulfinders where a once in a lifetime love of your life that you were lucky to find but when you had them you never wanted to let them go. It wasn't till this very moment that Peace understood how important soulfinders were. Being away from Victor for so long physically hurt and she is pretty sure that if it wasn't for her guards Sam and Hunter she would have already returned to his side. Sam and Hunter were soulfinders that recently joined Fader they were slightly older than she was but not by much. Sam was short tubby women with short curly, wild red hair and bright green eyes. She was warm and kind women who constantly reminded of the reason she was doing this in the first place. Hunter was almost the complete opposite. He was tall with skinny frame and large dark eyes. He had almost jet black hair. He didn't really talk to her much not she minded Hunter scared her. When he did talk to her it was cold and uncaring.

"You ok?" Sam's soft voice called.

Peace looked up from her seat by the window.

Sam smiled at her.

To the outside and to Thomas they hoped they looked like three students sharing a house in a popular student occupied town but to Fader and Victor she was bait and they were her guards.

Peace nodded.

Sam sighed and made her way over.

"I take it you spoke to Victor today?" Sam asked and Peace nodded again.

"Just now." Peace added.

"I know its hard sweetie trust me I really do." Sam said and for some reason Peace believed that Sam really did know how she felt.

"But you have to do this otherwise Keen will keep coming." Sam concluded and Peace nodded.

She knew that but it didn't make it any easier.

Peace opened her mouth to speak with Hunter came running into the room.

His eyes wide and determined.

"His here." Hunter stated.

The air left Peace's lungs. Sam took hold of both of Peace's hands and forced her to look at her.

"Go upstairs and hide." Sam ordered.

Peace shook her head, she couldn't just leave them to deal with Thomas alone.

Sam sighed.

"We will be fine you have to go." Sam said quickly with no room for arguing.

Peace looked from Hunter to Sam. Hunter was looking out the window muttering under his breath while Sam held her hands. Despite Hunter coldness, she cared about both of them and hated the thought of anything happening to them.

"Whatever you have heard, without Fader Thomas is much worse." Peace warned.

Sam nodded before kissing her on the cheek.

"It's going to be ok." Sam promised.

Peace gave her one more look before looking over at Hunter. He gave her a hard look before nodding.

Peace ran up the stairs and hid in the loft just like they had planned.

For a solid hour she listen to them crashes and bangs, the screams of pain. She prayed for Sam and Hunter but when everything feel eerily silent Peace feared the worse.

Fader's plan had failed and Nate had failed to keep her safe and now she would have to face Thomas alone.

Peace's powers were incredibly strong but only when she was outside. Peace had enough power to overwhelm Thomas but only in the right environment. Thomas power could freeze everything but a savant. Which included her power. But Peace was stronger than him when she had the earth around. If she stood any chance against Thomas she had to get outside and now.

Peace swallowed back her fear and slowly lowered herself out of the loft praying that Thomas wasn't close enough to hear her.

She looked over the banister of the stairs, she could see broken glass and furniture but nothing else. She moved slowly to the stairs keep her footsteps light as she heard movement downstairs. Half way down a step creaked and Peace winced as the sound of movements stopped no doubt focusing on her. Her heartbeat speed up as footsteps approached her.

After a couple of minutes the sound of footsteps disappeared again and Peace sighed in relief. She moved quickly to the last remaining steps looking round as she did. She moved towards the kitchen knowing it would be quicker to get outside via the back door. As she entered the kitchen she gasped as she caught sight of someone's small foot.

A cold shiver swept through her. She recognised those shoes. She took an unsteady step forward and cried out as her fears were confirmed.

"Sam." she cried, staring at Sam's broken body.

"Peace." she heard his voice call.

Peace couldn't move she was frozen. Sam was dead because of her.

She heard his footsteps get closers but she didn't care. She had lost too much because of him and she was done losing.

I love you.

She sent to Victor just as something hit her over the back of the head.

Victor

Victor looked round the room. These three man were the head on the savant net. They sat at the crescent shaped desks as he, Trace and his father stood in the middle of the room waiting to be judge by them.

The man on the left was Jackson Kent, he had to be in his late fifties with grey-white hair and dark intimidating eyes. The man on the right was not much older than Trace with bright blonde hair and warm blue eyes. Victor new him as Blake, but other than that he knew nothing about him. The man in the middle was Oliver Johnson. With his power to read minds, thirty year old Oliver was head of the savant net and for good reason. Oliver was known for making tough but fair decisions. He was a tall man with broad shoulders and muscular frame. His warm hazel eyes shone as he spoke quietly with his colleagues.

Victor was beyond nervous. He whipped his sweaty palms on his trousers.

"It will be ok." he father said reassuringly.

Victor was hesitant.

"We have come to a decision." Oliver's deep voice boomed.

Victor looked over at the man.

"Peace Turner has committed a number of offences against not only the state but the net as well." Oliver started.

"She didn't have a choice." Victor argued interrupting Oliver.

Jackson glared, Blake looked amused but Oliver expression remained blank.

"Whether she intended to or not Peace Turner still committed crimes." Oliver stated and before Victor could argued Oliver held up his hand.

"However someone with Peace's gift cannot be ignored, nor can her knowledge of Fader." Oliver added.

Victor nodded understanding.

"As long as Peace answers our all off our questions about Fader and keeps in line under our rules there is no reason that I see off why she can't be left with just a warning." Oliver continued.

Victor smiled struggling to believe that they had won.

Oliver levelled him with a look.

"If Miss Turner should chose to go against us or this state again there will be no more warnings, no more good graces and Miss Turner will not be the only one facing the consequences." Oliver told him.

Victor nodded.

"She won't." Victor promised and he hoped he could keep it.

Ten minutes later Victor followed his father out of the room breathing a sigh of relief as he did.

Peace was free from the net as soon as she told them about Fader.

Victor froze, would she tell them about Fader? It was clear she still cared about Nate and Victor was worried of what that would mean for the deal he had just made.

"Victor?" his brother called noticing he had frozen.

Victor looked up to answer just as her panicked words shoot through her mind.

I love you.

She whisper.

Victor could feel how scared she was and before he could reply he felt her pain. He had no idea what was hurting her but the pain was unreal and Victor found himself gasping from it.