TOMMY

I try to stay calm after Zedd's abrupt departure. I didn't mean to upset him and, of course, not two minutes after he left the planet, I realized where I went wrong and how two words could have prevented the whole thing. As I'm not in the mood for a walk, maybe I can do some work in the garden today. I dress and head downstairs. I'm not really surprised to find the other two waiting for me. "Morning, guys."

"You seem to be in little better mood than your mate" Dar comments.

"Misunderstanding. I know what I should have said, but now it'll have to wait for him to come back. Listen, I'm not really in the mood for a walk or my language lessons right now. How about I work in the garden - at least until lunch?"

"Actually, Tommy, that would be great" Pina answers. "I need some of the plants harvested. I'll show you what I need and how much."

I nod and when breakfast is over we both head for the door. She shows me what she needs, what they look like when ready and not and how much of each. This should certainly keep me busy until lunch time. I let my mind wander as I work, thinking - more often than not - of Zedd.

I head in just before lunch. Pina takes the basket from me, thanking me for doing the chore for her. Dar hands me a glass of water and I take a few sips as he comments teasingly, "Well, you're tanning nicely. Won't Zedd be pleased."

"You think so?" I start to take another drink when my stomach suddenly twists in knots. I can feel the blood drain from my face even as the glass slips from my fingers and shatters on the floor. Something is very wrong. I can hear Dar trying to get my attention. "Zedd."

"What is it, Tommy?" Pina asks urgently.

"I'm not sure. Pain, blackness and then he was just - gone. I mean his consciousness." I can't explain it any better, but apparently the best I could do was good enough as I have their attention. "Something's wrong."

"Go clean up quickly, grab your staff and meet us in the hangar. Dar, go place a few calls. Try Zedd first."

We all head out quickly. I keep my mental fingers crossed even as I'm praying to the powers that he's all right. Half an hour later, we're all in the hangar. Dar comes in last and by the look of him, the news isn't good. "His ship is still on the supply planet, but he's nowhere nearby."

"Not even at that bar he likes to go to?" Pina asks.

Dar shakes his head. "We'll go there first and see if we can find anything out. After that, we'll have to see. I grabbed some extra weapons and Pina, I think that we should take your ship in spite of the lack of room. Since we don't know what's going on, we might need the medical equipment." Oh god.

"Not to mention being the most maneuverable" Pina answers. Swiftly we load up and are gone. Dar's right, there isn't much room, but still enough for me to pace for the next couple of hours.

Just before Pina lands the ship, I feel something from the bond. "Wherever he is, he's waking up. Confused, hurting and a long way from here."

"Don't lose that connection, Tommy. Depending on what we find out, we might need it to find him."

I nod and we exit the ship and hurry over to Zedd's. Quickly, we board and look around. There's no signs of a struggle which would mean that, whoever grabbed him did so outside the ship. Suddenly, Dar curses. "What?"

My heart is in my throat as he turns around holding Zedd's staff. "He never had a chance to summon it" he says.

"But at least whoever has him doesn't have it" Pina points out reasonably. "Now we only have to find him and not his staff too."

I can't help it. I snap at her, "The staff is replaceable, Pina. Zedd isn't."

"I know. I just meant that it would be easier" she soothes. I'm not having it.

Before I can say or do anything else, I suck in a breath. "Whoever it is, they're hurting him." We rapidly exit the ship, Dar securing it with his codes. We head back for Pina's ship.

We're almost there when a tiny young woman hails Pina. "Pina!"

She hurries over to us as Pina says, "I'm afraid I don't have time to chat today."

"Are you looking for your other companion?" We all stop dead in our tracks and turn on her.

"Do you know where he is?" I demand.

Her eyes flicker over to me but speaks to Pina. "There were men in another ship. They waited for him to finish loading supplies and then attacked him from behind. They took him on the other ship and then left. Something about delivering him to someone."

Pina hugs her. "Thank you, Asa. I'll make the supply run next month and I'll pay you then for the information."

She smiles. "Your credits are always good with me, Pina, you know that." She gives a brief description of the ship and we leave quickly.

I focus my mind on the bond, trying to stay in control as I realize that they're hurting him again. I'm pacing as Pina gets us out of the atmosphere and Dar works on the computer. The clicking of the keys gets on my nerves, as my pacing is no doubt getting on theirs. "What are you doing, Dar?"

"Cross referencing her description of the ship with the database to see if it might be someone we know."

I return to my pacing. The pull of the bond tells me that we're headed in the wrong direction. "Pina, we need to head more to the right."

She makes the course correction. Ten minutes later, Dar suddenly says, "Pina, what's our heading?" Pina tells him and he curses. "This will not be fun."

"What is it?" she asks anxiously.

"Well, based on your informant's description of the ship and our heading and I'm only guessing here, but-"

"Spit it out, Dar" I say impatiently.

"I think we might be headed for Doilor's place."

"Annwyl" I hiss, blood starting to boil. "If you're right, Goldar, then he's mine."

"Tommy, are we still heading the right way?" Pina says.

I focus on the connection between me and my mate, grunting in discomfort at his pain which is all the stronger the closer we get. "Yeah and we're close."

Now Pina curses. "It's the right planet, Dar. Find me a place to land."

After a minute, I can feel us descending. "Hold on, Zedd" I whisper. "We're coming."

I grab a spare sword and sling it across my back before I pick up my staff and return to pacing. Pina sets us down carefully. "We'll have to walk a ways, but any closer will set off the alarms."

We all depart the ship. As we make our way toward Zedd, I say, "You guys need to make sure that you get Zedd out. I'll do what I can to keep the way clear for you."

"No, we need to stay together" Dar argues. "It'll do no good to get him out if we lose you."

"Trust me. I have a plan." I can sense them exchanging looks behind my back but I don't address their doubts. We ease our way up to the building, each of us is hyper alert as there seems to be a serious lack of guards. The door is locked and I curse under my breath. "We have to hurry. He's fading."

Dar shoves me aside and begins working at the lock, tools pulled out of a small kit in his pocket. "Dying?"

"Not sure. Don't think so." In another minute, the lock gives and we slip inside. I focus carefully and point. "That way and down."

We move carefully, subduing guards as we go. Finally we find the stairs that go down. Slowly, carefully we go down. The layout is not unlike the dungeons in Zedd's castle. Suddenly, a scream of pain echoes throughout the hallway and I fight the urge to throw myself toward the source. We ease our way down the hall, passing several narrow doors. The door at the end of the hall is ajar and the room behind it is brightly lit. I signal the others to wait and sidle up to the door. I peek around the door jamb, barely smothering my gasp at what I see.

On one side of the room, a man is bound, bent over a table and being used at both ends. On the other side of the room, a woman being treated just the same. In the center of the room is Zedd, stripped naked, arms chained over his head, feet barely touching the floor and covered in cuts, welts and bruises. I pull back and rest my head against the wall. I've got to get myself under control or I'll be of no use to him. Dar and Pina, one at a time move around me so that they can see as well.

Just as we're ready to move, I hear a familiar voice. "Come now, Zedd. I can stop all this. I can make the pain stop, make them stop hurting you." I look around again in time to see Annwyl caress Zedd's cheek. "It doesn't have to be like this, Tercinta."

"Thomas will find me" Zedd answers, weakly but defiantly.

Annwyl laughs. "Your pet won't find you and can't save you. He's just a human and completely useless. There is no help coming. Save yourself, love. Say that you'll be mine and this will all be over. You'll be bathed and fed and your wounds treated and then I can love you as you deserve to be loved."

I push the door open as Zedd spits in Annwyl's face. "I warned you to stay away from my mate." My sword is drawn and I point it at his throat. Slowly, he backs away from Zedd. "Goldar, Scorpina - help Zedd." Out of the corner of my eye, I see one of the guards reach for a weapon. "I have no problem killing you too."

Annwyl makes a quick move but I'm quicker and deflect the thrown blade effortlessly. I throw myself at him, forcing him to draw his own sword. The blades clash fiercely as we trade blows. I hear Zedd call for me, but I block it out so as not to be distracted. "Go with Pina and Dar, Zedd. I'll be along shortly."

"You'll be dead, human" Annwyl snarls.

"Yeah, well, you'll have to stand in line. I've heard it before and I'm still here." He screams in rage and launches at me once more.