Chapter 34 – Jason

'Daddy?' Lily whispered in the dead of the night.

It had been yet another long sleepless night waiting for some news – any news at all – about the girls. Whilst they couldn't fully trust the words of a three year old based on a bad dream it was enough information to spark up an initial investigation. A team of six had gone over Tromso via unmarked helicopter to try and see if we could find anything out of place. Anything that could at least commission anything to try and find the girls, all twenty four of them. We knew time was running out – on the fourteenth day they would have been murdered, and it's over a week now. We had minimal time now, and even if they found them they would have to fling everything into the investigation to get the girls out. These things takes days planning, and it's time we are letting slip away.

I had stayed over Joe's to try and care after Lily but the toddler seemed fine after we told her they were looking for Ella in Tromso. After the normal book she likes to read before bed, she had settled down easily and drifted off. It was Joe and I that were the issue – and Joe wouldn't even let me read him a bed time story. Both of us were over the edge with anxiety about Ella and Lucy. I just wanted Lucy safe – if she hated me after this I couldn't blame her, if I had stayed with her this would not have happened, but I just wanted her back. Joe was on the edge of being pushed over, knowing that Ella is pregnant too but he wasn't allowed to mention it to anyone as it would make the investigation move slower.

'Daddy?' Lily whispered again.

'What's up, Lils?' Joe asked, putting his hand on Lily's back as she tried to climb onto the bed. I watched as Lily clambered over Joe and lay in between Joe and myself. Joe switched on the light before rolling and hugging his daughter. 'What's up?'

'Have they found Mummy yet?' Lily asked.

'Not yet, no,' Joe said softly.

'Even though she has a baby,' Lily said and Joe nodded.

'Even though she has a baby, yeah,'

'Mummy's in a hexagon.' Lily whispered.

'What do you mean, Lils?' I asked to her and Joe shot me a look. 'What do you mean she's in a hexagon?'

'Mummy – she's in a hexagon with your princess and auntie Crystal and auntie Sky. They're not happy there, though, but they can't leave.' Lily said, playing with the paws on the dinosaur and Joe just frowned at Lily.

'Is this hexagon in Tromso, Lily?' Joe asked, tiggling her slightly.

'Ya,'

'I'll go call Maui,' Joe said, grabbing his phone from the cabinet, chucking it around in his hand as he kissed Lily on the forehead before leaving the room.

'Uncle Jason,' Lily whispered to me, and I looked down at the toddler.

She looked so much like Ella it was uncanny; you can tell that Lily was her daughter from miles away. Lily had inherited Ella's long blonde straight hair, the green grey eyes and the chubby cheeks with the cute dimple. I had to admit how stunning Ella was to Joe, even though he glared at me for saying it, but Lily was just too cute. But there was no paternity doubts around Lily; she was clearly Joe's kid too. The straight nose and the bone structure, and the thick lashes too. Even the way she acts sometimes is incredibly similar to the way Joe acted when we were in primary school together. It even narrowed it down to the way Lily sticks out her tongue when cutting paper, and Joe did the same thing.

I hated myself for how I reacted with Joe when he told me Ella was expecting a baby. It was in hospital after Ella came back from Cornwall in a coma from her injuries. They had told me and I was happy to start with but I had words with Joe as he walked me through the maze of the hospital to my car. I asked him if he knew how much pressure it would be on him, as well as his girlfriend as well as their relationship. I asked him if it was his choice or Ella's to keep the baby, and when they said it was a joint decision I frowned and wondered it if it was one of them doing it to keep the other one happy. Joe got annoyed at me, telling me it was their choice at the end of the day and if I didn't like it I could stick that opinion where the sun doesn't shine.

I wish I had kept my mouth shut, because eventually they worked it out. They moved into Joe's flat and settled down happily for a few weeks before getting their first scan of their baby. It had come back all clean and healthy, and they started to tell people. They got engaged, moved into a house, and Ella gave birth weeks early but Lily was fine, and when I saw them in hospital I knew they made the right choice. Even now, they were still amazing me with their prompt parenting skills.

'Yeah, Lily?' I replied to the toddler who was looking at me expectantly.

'Are you going to marry Princess?' she whispered to me.

'Er, maybe,' I replied the question catching me completely off guard.

'That would make her happy,' Lily said and he nodded to herself and I grinned at her.

'Would it?'

'Ya, it would make you happy too,' Lily commented and I hesitated. Of course Lucy would make me happy. 'Then after you get married you can have loads of babies,'

'Okay Lily let's reign it in slightly' I laughed at her gently, hugging her to me.

'Mummy is having another baby,' Lily whispered to me, hugging me back.

'She is?' I asked her. Of course I knew she was, but hey. When you have a kid you become a compulsive liar – Santa and the Easter Bunny for example.

'Ya, but she won't love me as much,' Lily said sadly.

'Of course she will, Lily. The baby might take up some more time, though, but Mummy will love you as much as she does now, and so will Daddy. Having a baby takes up a lot of time,' I explained to her, talking like I knew what I was on about even though I had no bloody clue.

'But they just sleep!'

'Yeah, but they're up at all kinds of hours wanting food or needing changing, but it doesn't change anything – Mummy and Daddy will still love you the same, and you'll have a brother or sister,' I explained to Lily and she nodded.

The door to the bedroom opened again and Joe walked in, grinning from ear to ear. I frowned at him then realised it must be good news if he's that happy. Immediately, he started to get changed and I covered Lily's eyes as she laughed.

'Going somewhere, sweetheart?' I asked Joe and he laughed slightly.

'They want us in at base, they have something,' Joe simply said.

It was pitch black when we were driving into base but neither Joe nor myself was tired. We were buzzed up, like we had downed 28 shots of espresso and perhaps some recreational drugs, all because they said they found a lead to the girls. I had begun to miss Lucy so much it hurt to think about her – and I had only known her for just over a day as my Soulfinder. If I didn't become a full time babysitter to Lily I would have lost it. Joe reassured me; saying that no matter how new the bond was, it was still strong as ever. But I didn't realise how much it was possible to miss someone. I just missed her being... well... her. I wanted to hold her again like I did that night, hug her close to me, pick her up and carry her around. I miss the way she acts, the way she looks at me, even the way we kissed. I missed her too much. I want her back. The fierceness of it hit me hard. I want her back – and when she's back she is never leaving my side again.

Lily's words echoed in my head – I already decided that I loved her and I wanted to, one day, live with her, marry her and potentially have our own kids. I loved her.

'You alright, mate?' Joe said and I snapped out of it.

'Er, yeah?' I asked tentatively.

'You was grinning like a kid and made a weird noise,' He simply said, checking the rear view mirror to check on a sleeping Lily in the back.

'Hmm,' I replied as we turned into base. They must have been told to expect our entrance, as we just drove straight through the barricades and the security defences they normally have armed and ready. Joe changed up a gear, his speed heading into the forties as he barrelled down the road leading to the main base, where Michael had told us to meet him.

'Is Lily asleep?' He asked gently and I turned in my chair. The toddler had changed into some leggings and a shirt, with a jumper over the top but was now fast asleep in the booster seat, her head lolled over the seat as she hugged the dinosaur to her chest. I smiled at her. 'I'll take that broody look as a yes,' Joe simply said and I smiled softly.

Wait – what did he mean by broody?

'It's obvious, mate,' Joe said, starting to break to pull into one of the spaces near the front of the building. Hardly anyone works the graveyard shift and we'd only get called in if someone major happens. Only Michael's car was parked, and a few others scattered around. Anyone who was actually working would be in the underground car park. 'You clearly want your own kid but you're denying it because you're too "young" or whatever was the reason you didn't want us to have Lily,' He said bluntly and I frowned at him.

'I have admitted I was wrong about that,' I said back and he shrugged.

'It wasn't a dig,' He said. 'It's just the way you were brought up,'

'You were brought up the same,'

'Yup, but I was brought up in a Savant family. They weren't happy Ella was pregnant but they understood that I wasn't going to leave her or the baby, and they knew it wasn't going to ruin anything either and it was inevitable. I think everyone was just happy that there was going to be a baby,' He said, pulling up next to Michael's car, putting the handbrake on. 'Also, apart from Isaac, neither you nor Lucy has any real family,' he said and I nodded.

'So what's stopping you?' He asked, turning off the engine and looking at base like it held all of his secrets.

'Er – the fact I've known her for a day as my Soulfinder?' I asked him like he was stupid.

'If we're doing it based on the whole Soulfinder thing, I found out when Ella was twelve weeks gone,' Joe said simply, getting out the car. I followed his moves, standing awkwardly as he bent down to pick Lily out her car seat. He balanced the toddler on his hip, Lily's head against his shoulder as he locked the car.

'It's different,' I said under my breath, walking towards base like Lucy was in here, brought home and safe. I swear to God that girl is never going to leave my side. Ever. 'This has all happened in between,'

'We were down in Cornwall with terrorists hunting us – I won't say any more because it's not my choice, it's between you and Lucy, just know you won't be getting any baby cuddles if you look at my baby like you want to kidnap him when he arrives,' Joe simply said.

'We think we found them,' Michael called down the stairs.

'So, where are they?' I asked, Lily having been placed on my lap in her sleeping state so Michael and Joe could talk quietly. We were in the Northern office, I on one side of the table, Michael and Joe on the other side but even from there I couldn't hear what they were saying. My mind had been running around tenfold. My need for Lucy to come back, mixed in with what Joe was hinting, to sheer excitement to concern made time dribble past. I prayed for Lucy's safety. I missed her. I really did miss her. I hugged Lily a bit tighter.

'We think we found them,' Michael said to me, looking up at me. I once was scared shitless by him, but now he was my cousin I seemed less scared by him. I'm so glad Ella had told him before she went missing.

'Great, let's go get them!'

'It's not as easy as that,' Michael warned heavily and I got up, putting sleeping Lily back on the chair before heading over to the laptop. I looked over Michael's shoulder.

'If we take Lily's word and they're being kept in a hexagon, this is the only place in Tromso. It lines up – it's in a middle of a rotting military base. It's been left for dead, but theoretically it could have people in. But it's been abandoned for over thirty years,' Michael said and we summed up the image.

It was grainy to say the least; but we could work out what was being shown. Among other smaller buildings, a hexagon sat. Michael played the clip that must have been shot out of the helicopter – the building was around fifteen stories high and looking impregnable. I let out a muffled swear word. It would need weeks of planning to create an operation to get in there. It takes a week to organise a trip to the partnered Savant academy up north – this would take months. I could see Joe was thinking the exact same thing. It would take months of coordination.

'That would take weeks to break into, though,' Joe said remorsefully.

'Yeah, but they only have six days left,'

Michael didn't need to say it – we know what he meant. Six days left until the twenty four kidnapped individuals will get murdered, and we'll find their bodies next to a body of water. Six days wasn't a long time. Not long at all.

'We can't wait that long, we need to get them out,' I said, panic heading deep within me.

'I have a plan, but it could be suicide,' Joe said, sitting down on the chair next to Michael as I hovered around. I copied his behaviour.

'If it will work, we'll do it.' Michael said.

Anything to get the girls out, get them safe would be completely worth it – even if we would get hurt in the process.

Day thirteen, 7:04am

I sat in the car playing with the seatbelt and the leather interior of Joe's car, waiting for him. I had to give him time, I understood that, but this felt like suicide – a waste of time. The time that Joe was in his parents' house could be time that we could be heading to Norway. The plan was set – we knew what we would be doing and just hoped the girls, all twenty four of them, got the memo. We had to pray to the guardian angels that my father used to pray too after my "death" when I was a few days old that the plan would work.

It was a messy plan, relying on coordination and exact timings to work. The day that we were called into the office, Ella had managed to find herself in her old office. Joe had dropped by to pick up some clothes for Lily – a habit the couple had got into, keeping spare clothes in the office for the messy toddler. Ella had told Joe that it was draining her to be there.

Ella had told Joe everything she could about where they are; they were not under duress by person as such but more the place. She had outlined that they were under influence not to use their gifts however Ella had managed to break that just long enough to get the message through to Joe. If they used their gift, it would trigger an alarm and everyone would be knocked out. The twenty four girls were across four floors – six on each. Every six hours on a pro-rota basis, the doors to their floors would open and they were able to head down to the bottom floor; a kitchen. The girls on different floors were not allowed to communicate however they were all safe. Guards come once a day to make sure they're all there and breathing. There's over twenty guards on each shift, shifts change every twelve hours but the remaining guards who are off duty stay on sight. They've overheard them talking about "the boss and sideman" who only come in when they are on food rotation. They are located on the seventh floor, to the twelfth floor but they don't know what's above them or below them. The plot of land has controls making sure no one enters. It's a challenge just to get into.

The plan was hastily thrown together within the fifteen minutes Joe was speaking to Ella. Well, we say speaking, Ella was projecting herself to the office the telekinetically writing her responses on the door. Joe could just speak; she would hear and reply in writing. Ella would get the word to all of the girls, and on day thirteen they would break out at the same time, get some Jeeps and drive out of Norway. On our side, we would take enough troops with us that we would be able to help them get out. We would meet them thirty miles down the road and a plan to get them all out and into isolation in the cabins at base.

We were relieved to hear from the girls, knowing that they're all safe. Ella had also confirmed to Joe that the baby appeared to be okay. Joe, of course, was over the moon. He was struggling knowing Ella was in danger but also the idea that she was under all of the stress of being kidnapped and held under duress whilst in the early stages of pregnancy.

I was incredibly relieved to find out Lucy was okay. I had developed such an ache in just wanting her back that I wasn't too sure how I was still breathing and functioning. It had felt like there was an elastic band was attached to my heart, stretching it beyond relax when she wasn't with me. I sighed. I loved her so much – and if this all went wrong today, she'd never know.

I looked over at Joe's parent's house, waiting for him. He was dropping Lily off for perhaps an overnight stay but he was taking a long time to drop the toddler off. I think Lily knew what was happening, though, as she kept asking when Mummy would be home, and if we're going to pick her up. Joe didn't want to leave Lily but we couldn't take her with us. We knew how risky this operation was.

Another fifteen minutes and Joe appeared, the door closing behind him. He walked to his car, hands deep in his pocket. He didn't even look back before opening the car door and sitting in, but when he did I noticed the look of tears in his eyes.

'You okay?'

'That was so hard,' He said, his voice cracking slightly. I nodded – what could I say to that? 'If this all goes wrong today, it'll be the last time I'd see her,'

'You can't say that, Joe, it won't go wrong,' I said, amazed at the strength coming through in my voice.

'But if it does –'

'It won't – it's been planned perfectly.' I said. 'If the girls can do what Ella said, even if it means them just getting out of there we'll get them back, by the end of the day, we'll have them back.'

'Mmm,' Joe said but I guessed he didn't agree with my optimism.

'Now, wave goodbye to your daughter and let's head back to Maui, okay?' I told him, looking out the window where Lily had got up onto the sofa, and was looking out the window at us excitedly. Very soon, her family would be put back together – we hoped.

Hello! I've hoped you've been enjoying these last few chapters. However, I'm not too sure if I should continue or not - what do you think? I'm scared that no one is reading this or enjoying it because there has been no reviews recently and so on and yeah.