The Search For Peace 2

Chapter 34

"Ultima?! Juliet?!" Kevin's voice was high in his throat, his hands frantically reaching out for something, anything to hold in the abyss that had engulfed them.

Even as he took small, careful steps, he managed to knock down a few items in the hallway; a granite vase, a jewelry box, and a candle stand, all at once. They landed on the carpeted floor with definite thuds, and his search for the two girls continued. "Ultima, where are you?"

"Right here." He stopped abruptly and focused on the orb of light that had suddenly appeared, followed by Ultima's deadpan tone. Her right palm cradled a fresh ball of fire, her face illuminated by the orange and red hues.

A smile broke Kevin's awfully distressed look, and the boy fought the urge to hug her, joining her side like a happy puppy.

"Juliet, you there?" Ultima called out while scanning the area with her light. The place where Isabella Enache had stood was now empty, causing her to click her tongue. But what shocked her was the fact that Juliet was nowhere to be seen as well.

Kevin grabbed at his arms, suddenly cold. "Where the heck is she?"

The Taurus girl did not reply, too busy shining the ball of fire on the ground. A glistening object caught her eye, and she dove down to pick it up.

"What?" Kevin crouched beside her, "What is it?"

It was Juliet's, no doubt. "One of her earrings." Ultima muttered, circling the small, dangling pearl in her hand. The twisted hook of the earring had a hint of blood on it, as if the piece of jewelry had been hastily pulled out of her earhole.

Kevin noticed that too, and his heart began to pound as he stood. "We need to find her."

"Yup." Pocketing the evidence, Ultima got to her feet, a storm in her chest. True, she hated the girl's guts, but that did not mean she was going to let the Scorpio Clan kidnap her. Oh, they were going to pay. The were going to burn.

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At the time, Austin was inside a convenince store. He was staring hard at a certain box of cornflakes, trying to figure out if they were 'frosted flakes' or not.

There was a lady in a uniform down the aisle, busily sorting through packets and cans. He could ask her but....nah, who asks the clerks anything anyway?

To boost his nonexistent confidence, he sniffed and picked up the box with pride, heading towards the cashier. But that was when a hand rested on his shoulder, and the eerie voice of a man whispered: "I've finally found you."

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"I've finally found you." Austin repeated in a high-pitched, highly annoying voice, his idiot of an uncle still holding his side, where the boy had jabbed him with an elbow. "I mean, who says that Spark, who?"

Master Spark giggled through the pain in his ribs, running a hand over his red face. They were now seated on a frozen bench in a frozen park, the Leo family apartment just a parking lot away.

"I scared you though." The man teased.

Austin scoffed. "As if."

Flurries of snow began to dot their identical shades of brown hair, Austin's cut short and Spark's all over the place. Another trait that the two shared was the red hands and face, the tips of their ears a blazing pink.

"So." Austin's breath formed a cloud in front of him. "Why'd you jump me in the convenince store?"

"That would make a really catchy song." Spark's gaze was distant as he spoke. "~Why'd you jump me in the convenince store?~" His singing was pretty good, the boy had to admit.

"You really should've become a singer  instead of the leader of a clan, dude."

Spark let out a deep sigh, before singing, all melancholic: "~If only life would let you choose.~" He smiled at his nephew, nudging his shoulder with his. "Your parents doing okay?"

"You know I don't talk family."

The man's eyebrows shot up in amusement. "Is that so, big guy?"

Austin ignored his prying eyes. He wasn't Harmony. His sister was stupid enough to fall into his uncle's traps. Not that he meant any harm. "Just get to the point."

"Well, there's a mission..." Spark spread out his cold fingers, pressing them against each other. "You are a G3, unfotunately."

They were both looking down now, at the snow piling up at their feet.

"Your parents won't decline," the man continued, "since this is what they signed you up for....But I-"

"I'll go." Austin's response was blunt, and Spark wanted so desperately to sigh again. "I'll do whatever they tell me to."

And he did sigh, internally. And he also added, in his head: "Yeah....and thats your problem, kid."