Chapter Two – Victor POV
Soulfinders. Everywhere. At my brother's house, in Mum and Dad's house, just not in my house. I'm slipping. I am throwing myself into my work more than ever and I know that Mum hates it. I'm hardly ever at home but I really don't know what I'm supposed to do around all those mushy, loved-up couples that call themselves my siblings. The only reason I agreed to drive down to Wrickenridge is that Crystal has offered to find my soulfinder for me. Uriel has gone all chicken and is really scared that he'll find his soulfinder is dead or something so he's quite hesitant about the whole thing. And Will … he's just Will. Laid back, not a care in the world, totally chillax or whatever he calls it.
"VIC!" Mum calls and engulfs me in a massive hug.
"Hey, Mum", I mumble and make to disentangle myself.
"Don't 'Hey Mum' me! I haven't heard from you in over two weeks, young man. Explain yourself!"
"Had stuff to do at work" I grunt and shove past her.
"Hey, Vic" Crystal greets me less patronizingly as she leaps down the stairs and doesn't quite suffocate me with her hug.
"Ready for the big moment?" She asks and I can tell she's feeling a bit apprehensive about all of this.
"Sure" I say and have to repress a groan as Xav bounds down the stairs and ruffles Crystal's hair which she retaliates with a slap in the stomach which he responds to with a kiss. I just hope my soulfinder won't be up for such cheesy crap.
Everybody is gathered in the living room. And I mean Everybody. Sky is perched on Zed's knee with his arm slung loosely around her waist, Phoenix and Yves are cuddling in front of his laptop where they are probably watching The Notebook or something, Xav and Crystal are arguing about who gets to sit on the big comfortable bean bag, and Trace and Diamond are having a whispered conversation which for some reason involves touching each other in every sentence. Mum and Dad are the only ones who are seemingly able to keep it together.
"So, let's get this started" Crystal says, who, after losing the argument, is now wrapped in Xav's arms who's sitting in the beanbag chair.
I take a seat opposite and carefully let my shields down, something I do very rarely in this household or ever at all. I sense Crystal's consciousness carefully treading in my mind, searching for the soulfinder link.
"Oh", she says and pulls back.
"What?" I ask and slowly an image creeps into my mind.
"Umm..." She exchanges a scared look with Xav as I slam my walls back up.
Tell me.
"Cut it out" she snaps and I can tell that she's pissed I tried to use my compulsion on her.
"Prison, Farah, Afghanistan."
"Prison?" I breathe. What has she done? Is she in trouble?
"She's innocent but she's being held captive in a prison in Farah."
"You can tell she's innocent?" I ask and she looks confident as she responds, "She's got a kind soul."
"Is she a local or a soldier?"
"I'm afraid I don't know."
"There's a US military base about ten miles from Farah" Yves cuts in. "You could start looking there."
"Hang on" Mum says, "Vic, honey, you can't just go … flying out to Afghanistan. There is a war going on there."
"And I need to get my soulfinder out of there" I say and pull Mum into a hug.
"I'll be fine, Mum. I have a couple of colleagues who've got connections out there. They'll get me there safe."
"What will you tell them about your reasons for getting your soulfinder out of prison? You can't just go in there saying you're a Savant" Zed asks.
"I'll … create a cover case." Or something. I would never admit it to my brothers but I don't actually have a concrete plan.
"Oh, Vic" Mum sighs and looks at Dad for help.
"Mum" I say before Dad can butt in, "I'll be fine. I'm 25 years old, I can handle myself, I'll go over there, I'll get my soulfinder out, the end."
"C'mon, Vic", Will says, "you of all people should know that it's never the end if your last name is Benedict."
"Yeah, but with all the butts I rescued, I think I know how to handle it by now."
"Vic!" Mum gasps and exchanges a worried look with Dad.
Shit, that might've gone too far.
"If you need anything, I'll be upstairs packing."
And even though they all make an effort to keep their voices down, I still hear snippets of the discussion caused by my departure. Slipping – lonely – not himself.
Of course I'm not myself without my other half. Without the person that makes me complete. Without my soulfinder.
Chester, a friend of mine with an extraordinarily useful telekinesis skill, is able to organize a flight from the army base near Pueblo in the early evening so I've only got fifteen minutes left before I have to leave. Mum is, of course, crying with Dad trying his best to comfort her. The rest of them all look like this is gonna be the last time they're gonna see me despite Zed's mental message that I'll make it out alive.
"Good luck" Crystal whispers as she hugs me and Sky must've sensed my apprehension as she gave me an extra-long hug and a consoling pat on the shoulder that I barely feel.
"Hurry up so I can go looking for mine" Uriel says, surprising us all. However, I don't elaborate on his order and just reach over to pull him into a hug.
Don't worry, I will.
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