Hey readers. I didn't get three reviews last chapter :(. I was busy for the last couple days, so sorry for the wait. Maybe this time I can get three reviews (Hint, hint).

Ian walked to the window in his small hotel room. Yesterday, after rescuing them from the middle of the English Channel, Alistair had taken them to Calais, a French port town. They'd checked into a small hotel late that night, but Ian hadn't slept even one minute. Subconsciously, he turned around and walked back to his bed. He stood there a minute, then walked back toward the window. He turned and started walking back toward the door when it suddenly swung open, revealing Amy.

"Amy!" Ian jumped a little. He quickly straightened. "What a surprise!"

Amy narrowed her eyes. "I was knocking for two minutes."

"Oh." Ian looked down, his composure breaking again. Amy walked in and leaned against the wall.

"You're really worried about her, aren't you?" She asked softly. "We all are."

"Of course I'm worried, it's just...Natalie and I are the only ones left." Ian said, looking at the floor. "Mum's in prison...she'll probably never get out. Dad ran off to Brazil...he's probably dead. If Natalie-"

"She's not dead." Amy said firmly. "And neither is Zai. We'll find them, Ian. The Maritime Gendarmerie and the English Coast Guard have boats all over the Channel. And since the Tomas control the US Navy, they're sending some ships over, too."

Ian stood up. "Thanks, Amy. I'm going for a walk." With that, he turned and walked out the door without looking back. Amy looked after him in dismay. I hope he'll be okay.

Zai buried his head under his pillow on his bed. He was in a small room the crew of the Belle had provided him. He had just taken a shower and changed into a set of clothes that had been left for him on the bed: A oversized white cotton shirt, long, well-worn jeans, and a red bandana. After donning the clothes (minus the bandana), he threw himself onto his bed. He wanted to get off the ship as fast as possible. First off, it had been hard for him to explain how he and Natalie had ended up in the middle of the English Channel, with one of them unconscious. Zai had improvised and told David Foucan that he and Natalie were cousins, and they had been on their family's yacht when they'd fallen overboard. He seemed to buy it, he and Natalie looked enough alike that they could be related, and he didn't press for details about how they fell overboard.

This whole situation was...depressing. He was separated from the rest of the group, the Vespers were after them, and he had no money, no passport.

Well, money wasn't really an issue, as he was traveling with Natalie Kabra. But he just wanted the whole thing to be over with. He had helped them get Dan, which was the only reason he had joined them in the first place. Now...did they really need him? Just then, there was a knock at the door. He quickly jumped to his feet.

"Come in!" he called. The door opened slowly and Natalie entered.

"Oh, hey, Natalie." he said. She stood in the doorway, looking at her feet and twisting a strand of hair around her finger.

"I, um..." Natalie started. Zai raised his eyebrows expectantly.

"I want to...say thanks." she finished. "You know, for saving me."

Zai supposed that it was probably expected of someone in this position to say 'It was no big deal' or 'It was nothing.' But it was a big deal. He nearly died himself doing it.

"I almost drowned doing it, but I didn't really have a choice. I was conscious, you weren't." he told her plainly. He had always been uncomfortable with praise, especially when it had to do with saving someone's life. "You would've done the same thing."

"I suppose..." Natalie sounded uncertain.

You suppose? He thought to himself. That's the last time I parachute with you!

"I mean...I would!" Natalie noticed Zai's expression change.

"Breakfast time!" a voice was heard behind Natalie. David Foucan had briefly appeared in the doorway.

Then Zai forgot about his uncertainties and realized how hungry he was. He hadn't eaten anything since breakfast yesterday at the Kabras'. Natalie was probably as hungry as he was.

Ian walked down by the pier, looking out over the rough, grayish-blue ocean. Was his sister somewhere down there? He stood there staring for a few minutes and then turned and walked back up, past the small stores lined up by the water. It was about a five minute walk back to the hotel, but for some reason he didn't want to go back. He didn't really know what he wanted to do. He had so many emotions, part of him just wanted to walk and walk and not talk to anyone for the rest of his life. The other part of him wanted someone to which he could cry and spill all his emotions out. He left the waterfront behind and walked up the road, not really knowing or caring where he was going.

Natalie made her way back to her room. After a breakfast of sausages and eggs, she wasn't feeling so weak. She wouldn't eat food like that like that back home, but what choice did she have. She sighed. Oh, the sacrifices she'd made in her life. She hoped they were worth it. She turned the corner that led to her room, only to find Zai leaning against the wall next to her door.

"Hey." he said.

"Hello." she replied. She hadn't seen him since breakfast. Come to think of it, she didn't see him at breakfast.

"I talked to Mr. Foucan." he continued. "He says we'll be docking in Cherbourg tomorrow.

"Okay." she answered. Having told there that, Zai turned and walked away. Natalie looked thoughtfully at him. He seemed...different, more weighed down. This whole crazy adventure must've really taken it's toll on him. Not only that, but after what happened a couple years ago...

No. What happened was Elizabeth's fault. I helped him! And so did Elias! And Ian...

Natalie ran into her room and shut the door. The thoughts of what her brother did, or rather what he didn't do, were unbearable. She collapsed onto her bed, sobbing softly.

Amy sat on her bed. Today was the last day of searching for Natalie and Zai. If they weren't found today...

"Hey." Amy was pulled out of her tormented thoughts by a voice from the door of the room she was sharing with Nellie.

"What do you want, Dan?" she asked.

"We're going to join one of the searches." he replied. "Coming?"

"Okay." she answered. Amy was mad at herself for not being more enthusiastic about joining a search. But inside, she was more scared about what they might find then about what they might not find.

Amy, Dan, Nellie, Elias, and Alistair made their way to the pier, where a ship would be waiting.

"They should be here by now." Alistair commented. The sun was high in the air, and they were supposed to meet the ship at noon. He was just about to suggest they head back to the hotel and wait when Amy spotted them.

"Look! Over there!" she pointed. A Tarawa-class US Navy Amphibious Assault Ship was docked at the far end of the pier.

"Whoa!" Dan yelled. "Let's go!" They all ran toward it. As they got closer, Amy noticed that there was a name painted on the side in huge letters: USS MADISON

"How did you convince the Tomas to send this over?" Nellie asked incredously.

"I have many friends in all the branches, my dear." Alistair smiled. "And speaking of friends..."

"HEY! AMY! DAN!" someone yelled to them from the deck of the ship. Amy shielded her eyes and looked up. She gaped at who she saw.

"Hamilton Holt?" she exclaimed, dumbfounded. Then, she watched in open-mouth surprise as the rest of the Holt Clan, Eisenhower, Mary-Todd, Madison, and Reagan stepped appeared over the railing.

This chapter was kinda short and flat, but I needed it so set the stage for the upcoming one. Stay tuned!