***I'm going out of town for the weekend, so I don't know if I'll be able
to post before Monday night or Tuesday. But I will have my computer, so I
will be writing. I'll just have a lot up when I finally get back. Thanks
to everyone who has made suggestions, I'm trying to work those in. HAVE A
GREAT WEEKEND!!! :-) ~abs
Chloe and Chris stood outside a cave. Chloe reached inside her cloak and pulled out some black face paint, "What are you doing?" Chris scrunched his face.
"Playing the part," Chloe smeared the black face paint in circles around her eyes, and then drew tribal markings on other areas of her face. "I'm Balthazar's daughter."
"Nice," Chris nodded.
"And you're going to be my prisoner," she smiled cleverly.
"Ah, not here," Chris backed away, "This is Zotox."
"Who-tox?" Chloe stammered.
"Zotox, rhymes with Botox," Chris explained, "A slime demon."
"What would an upper level demon like Batterak be doing with a lower level slimeball?" Chloe scowled.
"We're not the only ones who come to Zotox for information," Chris pulled something out of the bag over his shoulder.
"What's that?" Chloe inspected.
"Our payment," Chris revealed it to her.
"Nasty! Chris! That's a bunch of... what is it?" she inched closer.
"Horse shit," Chris smirked, "from those police horses that are in Golden Gate Park."
Chloe gagged, "I think I'm going to be sick," and backed away from him. Chris laughed and motioned her to follow him. The pair entered the cave and crept around until they came to what was obviously a lair. A thin film of green slime covered the stalactites and stalagmites that adorned the cavern. To their left, Chloe noted what appeared to be a nest of blue slime in which floated five red eggs.
*Why hasn't this guy or thing or it, been vanquished?* Chloe kept close to Chris.
"She's harmless," he whispered to her.
*That's never stopped you before,* Chloe stepped with Chris into the room in which Zotox was lurking.
"Zotox, my good friend, I've brought you something," Chris tossed the demon the bag of horse dung.
"What do you need?" Zotox slugged over to Chris and Chloe.
"Information. Batterak been here?" Chris interrogated.
"Mmm, ugly British git?" Zotox slurped.
"That'd be the one," Chloe stepped up.
"Who're you?"
"A friend of mine," Chris interjected, "You can trust her."
Zotox dropped the bag on the floor and slid over it absorbing the contents. She led Chris and Chloe over to a pot with more green slime bubbling within. Holding up her arm, as slime oozed off it, she motioned them to her. "This him?" she asked placing her hand in the pot as a picture took form.
"That's him," Chris confirmed.
"He wanted information on how to get in touch with an elder. He never said who, just wanted to be able to reach an elder. And he wanted to make sure there was a certain soul trapped in the hall of lost souls," Zotox pulled her hand out of the pot.
"Whose soul was he looking for? Did you tell him?" Chloe asked puzzled.
"I told him I couldn't get him in touch with an elder. But I could confirm the presence of a soul—Balthazar's soul. He's been dead a few years," a jumbled mass of words came from Zotox's mouth.
"How do you locate souls?" Chris pushed.
"Using a piece of clothing or something else that belonged to the demon or the person," and pointing back to her pot, "and placing it in that pot. It's like using what you witches call scrying crystals," Zotox answered.
"Thanks for your help," Chris turned to leave.
Chloe nodded and turned to follow Chris, *Are you not curious what form of clothing or whatever Batterak gave her? Or why he wanted to make sure Cole's soul was there?* Chloe thought as she caught up to her cousin.
"Not particularly," he answered as the emerged from the cave.
"Well, I am," Chloe stopped.
"Why?"
"Because I think it could help us," she looked Chris up and down wondering what had gotten him in such a rotten mood.
"It's one in the morning, Chloe. We already know Batterak wanted Cole's soul because you saw him when you went to retrieve it. We have been speculating that he is working with Gideon. And as for how he got a piece of Cole's clothing or whatever, he has him trapped somewhere in the future. He probably brought it with him," Chris was getting impatient.
Chloe walked up and grabbed Chris's arm. She saw his conversation with Leo and Cole, and she could feel Chris's anguish, sadness, and conviction. She pulled her hand away, "Now that I know what's crawled up your ass and died, we can go somewhere I think we should check out," she tossed a small energy ball at him scattering his orbs.
"Why'd you do that?" Chris angrily recollected himself.
"Because you need to be straightened out. Come on," she shimmered out. Chris reluctantly orbed after her.
"Where are we?" he asked following her around the corner and then his eyes widened. "We're in a pub?"
"It's a demonic pub," Chloe pushed Chris behind a wall, "and you're going to give us away because you're good," she scanned the club looking for bounty hunters. "Bingo, stay here," she instructed.
"Where are you going?" he asked panicked.
Chloe turned to him placing her finger to her lips. She sassily walked up to a couple of bounty hunters at the bar. "Hey boys, buy a girl a drink?" she flirted putting her hand on the first demon's shoulder.
"What'll you have?" he flirted back.
"Whatever they're serving," Chloe ran her finger from the demon's shoulder down his arm and further down.
*Spare me!* Chris thought hoping Chloe would hear him.
Chris watched Chloe toy with the demon for five more minutes before taking him to a back room. She emerged carrying his gear and wandered back out the door to Chris.
"What happened?" Chris asked as Chloe approached him with her loot.
"He tried to get fresh with me, so I vanquished him," she smiled devilishly. "Here," she held out some handcuffs, "Put these on."
"We don't have the key."
"We don't need the key, stupid," she shoved them at him. He disassociated them and slipped them on his wrist. "Come on, watch me," Chloe beamed pulling Chris behind her. They walked back up to the bar and Chloe motioned for the bartender, "'Scuse me, point me to a power broker?" The bartender motioned to an odd couple in the back corner. "Thanks," she tossed him a wand as payment that she had collected from the bounty hunter. "Howdy, boys, I heard you were power brokers," she leered. "I'll trade you a white lighter for some information."
The power brokers exchanged contemplatively looks, "What do you want to know?"
Chloe shoved Chris into a chair, *Careful!*
"Batterak, know him?" Chloe gestured.
"Yes," the tall uglier one answered.
"He was looking for a way to reach an elder. Did you give him white lighter powers?" Chloe posed.
"No, we gave him directions to where he could find the elder he was searching for—sent him to the Magic School," the squat one leered.
*I knew it was Gideon! Let's get out of here—something doesn't feel right.* Chris raised his eyes to Chloe.
"You boys have been very helpful," Chloe formed two fireballs in her hands and threw one vanquishing one of the demons. But before she could get the other, someone telekinetically pulled her back. She gasped as the breath was knocked out of her.
"CHLOE!" Chris jumped up from his chair and shook the handcuffs through his wrist. He motioned the fireball she had formed into the other broker demon as he punched an oncoming attacker in the face knocking him out. He turned to the next one and kicked him in the stomach knocking him back into another would-be attacker's spear. He motioned to an athame that was sitting on a table and plunged it into his next attacker's stomach. "Anybody else?" Chris shouted, "That's what I thought. Batterak, give her back," he instructed through gritted teeth.
"You think I'm going to give her back?" Batterak laughed holding his own athame to Chloe's throat.
*Chloe, shimmer out. I'll follow you,* Chris looked deep into Chloe's eyes.
"I can't," she stuttered as Batterak moved the athame closer to her throat.
"Can't shimmer?" Batterak asked looking from Chloe to Chris, "No, she can't. Did a little investigating myself, got a charm to keep her from leaving," he leaned his head to the side revealing a necklace. "And don't try to get it off me, either, Chris. It makes me immune to your powers as well. Pass along the message to her father and company. He comes, or she dies. 'Til then, ta-ta," he left with Chloe in his arms. Chris turned and blew up two attackers. Looking down shocked at his own hands, he orbed back to the manor.
Chris orbed into the living room where Cole was sitting reading; Phoebe was up at her computer in the conservatory; Leo was walking down the stairs; and Paige was coming in the front door after closing the club. "Wow! I haven't had that much fun in a long time!" Paige exclaimed entering the room and drawing the attention of everyone, "We need to do that again sometime," she fell exhausted onto the couch.
Chris was yet to be noticed—and was standing motionless near the wall. His fear, shock, panic, and own exhaustion was overwhelming him and he began to shake. He took a couple of steps into the room before collapsing. He was sitting in the floor—bawling—as Leo, Phoebe and Paige rushed over to him. "Chris! Chris! Are you hurt? What's wrong? Chris?" Leo panicked.
Piper was easing her way down the stairs as Cole got up from his chair to help her, "It's almost two in the morning, what's going on? Who's crying?" she rounded the corner to see her baby huddled on the floor with the rest of the family towering over him.
Leo knelt down and had his hand on Chris's shoulder, "Paige, go get some water," he instructed. "Chris, are you hurt?" he repeated as Piper walked up.
"No," he sobbed, "No."
"Oh God," Phoebe fell onto the sofa, "Panic, lots of panic. I can feel your panic, Chris, and you took the empath blocking potion."
"Chloe," Cole realized as Phoebe jumped back up to her feet and ran over to him.
Chris cried harder. Leo pulled Chris's head to his shoulder as Piper played with his hair. Paige handed Chris the water, "Here, baby, drink," Piper helped him get the glass to his lips.
"What happened?" Cole growled.
"Calm down, Cole," Leo stood up defending his son who was now sitting up on his own. "Whatever happened has him more panicked and upset than I have ever seen him. Chris is rarely disheveled or unorganized, and... just leave him alone."
"That's my daughter that's missing," Cole stepped up to Leo challenging him.
"Yeah, and that's my son you're threatening. Back off," Leo was more aggressive than anyone had ever seen him.
"Everyone, calm down!" Paige interjected, "Getting all heated up and mad at each other is not solving anything. We don't even know what happened yet," she helped Chris to his feet and walked him over to the sofa where Phoebe had once again taken a seat.
She put her hand on his face and brushed the hair back. She looked in his deep green eyes and felt his pain. "I forgive you, Chris. I know you love her and whatever happened was completely an accident," she began to cry, "You both knew the risks," she fell onto Chris's shoulder and cried as the tears were once again filling Chris's eyes.
"Is she dead? Someone just tell me if she's dead," Cole pleaded.
"She's not dead," Chris was finally able to say, "Batterak got her. It was an ambush. He knew where we would be, and he was there. He took her. He took her and I couldn't stop him. He had an amulet on his necklace that kept either of us from being able to use our powers," Chris became choked up, "and he said that I had to send Cole to him. Or..."
"Don't finish that thought," Phoebe cried. Chris nodded.
"Where is he? I'm going," Cole jumped up.
"You can't," Chris stood up.
"Why not? He's got my daughter, damnit!" Cole shouted.
"Because that's exactly what he wants you to do," Leo tried to calm him. "We need to come up with a plan. He won't kill her until he gets Cole."
"Until he gets Cole? There are plenty of other things he can do until then. That man is all things evil, Leo," Phoebe stood up and viciously hit her brother-in-law, "there's other things!" she put her head on Leo's shoulder and he pulled her into a hug.
Piper walked into the center of the room, "We are all going to have to find some way to sleep on this. We are not going to be any help to Chloe without a good night's sleep and clear heads."
"Piper's right," Paige stepped in, "We need to have a plan of attack. This is exactly why Batterak came back. He's got it all planned out. We need to figure out something that will be a surprise, so we can get Chloe back, double up the power of three, and vanquish his ass once and for all."
Everyone had tears in their eyes as they filed out of the room. Cole and Phoebe ascended the stairs hand-in-hand. Paige mumbled something about having an idea, grabbed some potion ingredients from the kitchen and orbed herself to the attic. Leo kissed Piper on the cheek and put his hand on Chris's shoulder before her orbed out. Chris put his hand on his shoulder where Leo's had been, "He stood up for me," he meekly noticed.
"He did," Piper walked up to Chris and hugged him burying her head in his chest, "because he loves you."
Chris lowered his lips to the top of his mom's head and rested them there. He kissed her and backed up, "There's something else," Piper looked up to him as he went on, "I blew up two demons."
"Awh, that's my boy!" Piper playfully punched him in the arm. "First time?" Chris nodded, "We'll work on honing that tomorrow. It'll be handy," she smiled taking his hand and heading towards the stairs. "We moved the cot from the club into my bedroom. I'm not sleeping at the Magic School anymore since we don't know why Wyatt is afraid of Gideon. I thought it would be nice to have both my boys sleeping in the room with me."
Chris gave her a huge smile as she continued to lead him upstairs, "I've got an easier," he orbed them to her bedroom. He helped Piper get quietly situated in the bed before going to the bathroom to put on his pajamas. Once in the bathroom, he looked down at his ring, it was glowing, *You're still alive,* he thought as he wiped away the last tear, *But I can't sense where you are. We'll save you. I swear we will.* Turning off the light he noted, *And I'll tell them all about Gideon in the morning.*
Chloe and Chris stood outside a cave. Chloe reached inside her cloak and pulled out some black face paint, "What are you doing?" Chris scrunched his face.
"Playing the part," Chloe smeared the black face paint in circles around her eyes, and then drew tribal markings on other areas of her face. "I'm Balthazar's daughter."
"Nice," Chris nodded.
"And you're going to be my prisoner," she smiled cleverly.
"Ah, not here," Chris backed away, "This is Zotox."
"Who-tox?" Chloe stammered.
"Zotox, rhymes with Botox," Chris explained, "A slime demon."
"What would an upper level demon like Batterak be doing with a lower level slimeball?" Chloe scowled.
"We're not the only ones who come to Zotox for information," Chris pulled something out of the bag over his shoulder.
"What's that?" Chloe inspected.
"Our payment," Chris revealed it to her.
"Nasty! Chris! That's a bunch of... what is it?" she inched closer.
"Horse shit," Chris smirked, "from those police horses that are in Golden Gate Park."
Chloe gagged, "I think I'm going to be sick," and backed away from him. Chris laughed and motioned her to follow him. The pair entered the cave and crept around until they came to what was obviously a lair. A thin film of green slime covered the stalactites and stalagmites that adorned the cavern. To their left, Chloe noted what appeared to be a nest of blue slime in which floated five red eggs.
*Why hasn't this guy or thing or it, been vanquished?* Chloe kept close to Chris.
"She's harmless," he whispered to her.
*That's never stopped you before,* Chloe stepped with Chris into the room in which Zotox was lurking.
"Zotox, my good friend, I've brought you something," Chris tossed the demon the bag of horse dung.
"What do you need?" Zotox slugged over to Chris and Chloe.
"Information. Batterak been here?" Chris interrogated.
"Mmm, ugly British git?" Zotox slurped.
"That'd be the one," Chloe stepped up.
"Who're you?"
"A friend of mine," Chris interjected, "You can trust her."
Zotox dropped the bag on the floor and slid over it absorbing the contents. She led Chris and Chloe over to a pot with more green slime bubbling within. Holding up her arm, as slime oozed off it, she motioned them to her. "This him?" she asked placing her hand in the pot as a picture took form.
"That's him," Chris confirmed.
"He wanted information on how to get in touch with an elder. He never said who, just wanted to be able to reach an elder. And he wanted to make sure there was a certain soul trapped in the hall of lost souls," Zotox pulled her hand out of the pot.
"Whose soul was he looking for? Did you tell him?" Chloe asked puzzled.
"I told him I couldn't get him in touch with an elder. But I could confirm the presence of a soul—Balthazar's soul. He's been dead a few years," a jumbled mass of words came from Zotox's mouth.
"How do you locate souls?" Chris pushed.
"Using a piece of clothing or something else that belonged to the demon or the person," and pointing back to her pot, "and placing it in that pot. It's like using what you witches call scrying crystals," Zotox answered.
"Thanks for your help," Chris turned to leave.
Chloe nodded and turned to follow Chris, *Are you not curious what form of clothing or whatever Batterak gave her? Or why he wanted to make sure Cole's soul was there?* Chloe thought as she caught up to her cousin.
"Not particularly," he answered as the emerged from the cave.
"Well, I am," Chloe stopped.
"Why?"
"Because I think it could help us," she looked Chris up and down wondering what had gotten him in such a rotten mood.
"It's one in the morning, Chloe. We already know Batterak wanted Cole's soul because you saw him when you went to retrieve it. We have been speculating that he is working with Gideon. And as for how he got a piece of Cole's clothing or whatever, he has him trapped somewhere in the future. He probably brought it with him," Chris was getting impatient.
Chloe walked up and grabbed Chris's arm. She saw his conversation with Leo and Cole, and she could feel Chris's anguish, sadness, and conviction. She pulled her hand away, "Now that I know what's crawled up your ass and died, we can go somewhere I think we should check out," she tossed a small energy ball at him scattering his orbs.
"Why'd you do that?" Chris angrily recollected himself.
"Because you need to be straightened out. Come on," she shimmered out. Chris reluctantly orbed after her.
"Where are we?" he asked following her around the corner and then his eyes widened. "We're in a pub?"
"It's a demonic pub," Chloe pushed Chris behind a wall, "and you're going to give us away because you're good," she scanned the club looking for bounty hunters. "Bingo, stay here," she instructed.
"Where are you going?" he asked panicked.
Chloe turned to him placing her finger to her lips. She sassily walked up to a couple of bounty hunters at the bar. "Hey boys, buy a girl a drink?" she flirted putting her hand on the first demon's shoulder.
"What'll you have?" he flirted back.
"Whatever they're serving," Chloe ran her finger from the demon's shoulder down his arm and further down.
*Spare me!* Chris thought hoping Chloe would hear him.
Chris watched Chloe toy with the demon for five more minutes before taking him to a back room. She emerged carrying his gear and wandered back out the door to Chris.
"What happened?" Chris asked as Chloe approached him with her loot.
"He tried to get fresh with me, so I vanquished him," she smiled devilishly. "Here," she held out some handcuffs, "Put these on."
"We don't have the key."
"We don't need the key, stupid," she shoved them at him. He disassociated them and slipped them on his wrist. "Come on, watch me," Chloe beamed pulling Chris behind her. They walked back up to the bar and Chloe motioned for the bartender, "'Scuse me, point me to a power broker?" The bartender motioned to an odd couple in the back corner. "Thanks," she tossed him a wand as payment that she had collected from the bounty hunter. "Howdy, boys, I heard you were power brokers," she leered. "I'll trade you a white lighter for some information."
The power brokers exchanged contemplatively looks, "What do you want to know?"
Chloe shoved Chris into a chair, *Careful!*
"Batterak, know him?" Chloe gestured.
"Yes," the tall uglier one answered.
"He was looking for a way to reach an elder. Did you give him white lighter powers?" Chloe posed.
"No, we gave him directions to where he could find the elder he was searching for—sent him to the Magic School," the squat one leered.
*I knew it was Gideon! Let's get out of here—something doesn't feel right.* Chris raised his eyes to Chloe.
"You boys have been very helpful," Chloe formed two fireballs in her hands and threw one vanquishing one of the demons. But before she could get the other, someone telekinetically pulled her back. She gasped as the breath was knocked out of her.
"CHLOE!" Chris jumped up from his chair and shook the handcuffs through his wrist. He motioned the fireball she had formed into the other broker demon as he punched an oncoming attacker in the face knocking him out. He turned to the next one and kicked him in the stomach knocking him back into another would-be attacker's spear. He motioned to an athame that was sitting on a table and plunged it into his next attacker's stomach. "Anybody else?" Chris shouted, "That's what I thought. Batterak, give her back," he instructed through gritted teeth.
"You think I'm going to give her back?" Batterak laughed holding his own athame to Chloe's throat.
*Chloe, shimmer out. I'll follow you,* Chris looked deep into Chloe's eyes.
"I can't," she stuttered as Batterak moved the athame closer to her throat.
"Can't shimmer?" Batterak asked looking from Chloe to Chris, "No, she can't. Did a little investigating myself, got a charm to keep her from leaving," he leaned his head to the side revealing a necklace. "And don't try to get it off me, either, Chris. It makes me immune to your powers as well. Pass along the message to her father and company. He comes, or she dies. 'Til then, ta-ta," he left with Chloe in his arms. Chris turned and blew up two attackers. Looking down shocked at his own hands, he orbed back to the manor.
Chris orbed into the living room where Cole was sitting reading; Phoebe was up at her computer in the conservatory; Leo was walking down the stairs; and Paige was coming in the front door after closing the club. "Wow! I haven't had that much fun in a long time!" Paige exclaimed entering the room and drawing the attention of everyone, "We need to do that again sometime," she fell exhausted onto the couch.
Chris was yet to be noticed—and was standing motionless near the wall. His fear, shock, panic, and own exhaustion was overwhelming him and he began to shake. He took a couple of steps into the room before collapsing. He was sitting in the floor—bawling—as Leo, Phoebe and Paige rushed over to him. "Chris! Chris! Are you hurt? What's wrong? Chris?" Leo panicked.
Piper was easing her way down the stairs as Cole got up from his chair to help her, "It's almost two in the morning, what's going on? Who's crying?" she rounded the corner to see her baby huddled on the floor with the rest of the family towering over him.
Leo knelt down and had his hand on Chris's shoulder, "Paige, go get some water," he instructed. "Chris, are you hurt?" he repeated as Piper walked up.
"No," he sobbed, "No."
"Oh God," Phoebe fell onto the sofa, "Panic, lots of panic. I can feel your panic, Chris, and you took the empath blocking potion."
"Chloe," Cole realized as Phoebe jumped back up to her feet and ran over to him.
Chris cried harder. Leo pulled Chris's head to his shoulder as Piper played with his hair. Paige handed Chris the water, "Here, baby, drink," Piper helped him get the glass to his lips.
"What happened?" Cole growled.
"Calm down, Cole," Leo stood up defending his son who was now sitting up on his own. "Whatever happened has him more panicked and upset than I have ever seen him. Chris is rarely disheveled or unorganized, and... just leave him alone."
"That's my daughter that's missing," Cole stepped up to Leo challenging him.
"Yeah, and that's my son you're threatening. Back off," Leo was more aggressive than anyone had ever seen him.
"Everyone, calm down!" Paige interjected, "Getting all heated up and mad at each other is not solving anything. We don't even know what happened yet," she helped Chris to his feet and walked him over to the sofa where Phoebe had once again taken a seat.
She put her hand on his face and brushed the hair back. She looked in his deep green eyes and felt his pain. "I forgive you, Chris. I know you love her and whatever happened was completely an accident," she began to cry, "You both knew the risks," she fell onto Chris's shoulder and cried as the tears were once again filling Chris's eyes.
"Is she dead? Someone just tell me if she's dead," Cole pleaded.
"She's not dead," Chris was finally able to say, "Batterak got her. It was an ambush. He knew where we would be, and he was there. He took her. He took her and I couldn't stop him. He had an amulet on his necklace that kept either of us from being able to use our powers," Chris became choked up, "and he said that I had to send Cole to him. Or..."
"Don't finish that thought," Phoebe cried. Chris nodded.
"Where is he? I'm going," Cole jumped up.
"You can't," Chris stood up.
"Why not? He's got my daughter, damnit!" Cole shouted.
"Because that's exactly what he wants you to do," Leo tried to calm him. "We need to come up with a plan. He won't kill her until he gets Cole."
"Until he gets Cole? There are plenty of other things he can do until then. That man is all things evil, Leo," Phoebe stood up and viciously hit her brother-in-law, "there's other things!" she put her head on Leo's shoulder and he pulled her into a hug.
Piper walked into the center of the room, "We are all going to have to find some way to sleep on this. We are not going to be any help to Chloe without a good night's sleep and clear heads."
"Piper's right," Paige stepped in, "We need to have a plan of attack. This is exactly why Batterak came back. He's got it all planned out. We need to figure out something that will be a surprise, so we can get Chloe back, double up the power of three, and vanquish his ass once and for all."
Everyone had tears in their eyes as they filed out of the room. Cole and Phoebe ascended the stairs hand-in-hand. Paige mumbled something about having an idea, grabbed some potion ingredients from the kitchen and orbed herself to the attic. Leo kissed Piper on the cheek and put his hand on Chris's shoulder before her orbed out. Chris put his hand on his shoulder where Leo's had been, "He stood up for me," he meekly noticed.
"He did," Piper walked up to Chris and hugged him burying her head in his chest, "because he loves you."
Chris lowered his lips to the top of his mom's head and rested them there. He kissed her and backed up, "There's something else," Piper looked up to him as he went on, "I blew up two demons."
"Awh, that's my boy!" Piper playfully punched him in the arm. "First time?" Chris nodded, "We'll work on honing that tomorrow. It'll be handy," she smiled taking his hand and heading towards the stairs. "We moved the cot from the club into my bedroom. I'm not sleeping at the Magic School anymore since we don't know why Wyatt is afraid of Gideon. I thought it would be nice to have both my boys sleeping in the room with me."
Chris gave her a huge smile as she continued to lead him upstairs, "I've got an easier," he orbed them to her bedroom. He helped Piper get quietly situated in the bed before going to the bathroom to put on his pajamas. Once in the bathroom, he looked down at his ring, it was glowing, *You're still alive,* he thought as he wiped away the last tear, *But I can't sense where you are. We'll save you. I swear we will.* Turning off the light he noted, *And I'll tell them all about Gideon in the morning.*