Patrol 2: Lost & Found

Chapter 14

The flickering light of a few lanterns led her away from the stairs, down a dirt tunnel. Eddin was shouting up ahead, but Vania couldn't make out his words. She sprinted to catch up.

She ended up in a small room with packed dirt walls; Laria lay on her back, arms and legs tied to pegs pounded into the ground, holding her spread-eagled on the floor. The child was crying; blood ran down her arms, legs, and abdomen. Thank all the gods, she's still alive. Vania looked around, hearing a commotion.

Bergin cursed loudly just as Vania turned; something she couldn't see crashed into her; she landed hard on the ground.

"He's getting away!" Bergin shouted.

"Go, get after him!" Vania replied. "I'll see to Laria!" She crawled over to the bound girl and quickly cut the ropes, pulling the child into her lap and holding her close. "It's okay now. We've got you. It's okay. You're safe now."

She stroked the girl's bare head, wincing at the smoothness. He shaved her fur off. Was that all he took? She gently looked at Laria's bare arms and legs; the cuts there were shallow, as was the cut to the girl's abdomen. She sighed with relief.

She carefully held Laria at arm's length and looked into her tear-streaked face. "Hi, Laria. Remember me?" The girl nodded, sobbing. "My name is Vania. I'm an enforcer in the city. My partners are outside chasing down the man who did this to you. We'll be bringing you home soon; your mother is worried sick." She pulled the girl close once more. "You're safe now. It's okay."

"A-are you gonna rescue the baby, too?" Laria asked.

"Baby? There's a baby somewhere here?" At the little girl's nod, Vania asked, "Do you know where he keeps the baby? Did you recognize the baby—is it someone you know?"

Laria pointed with one shaking hand to the far corner, where the others had been fighting. Vania frowned, noting the emptiness of the space.

"He has you here and the baby over there?" Laria nodded again. "What's the baby's name, Laria? Is it someone you know?"

"I don't know," the girl whispered.

"What does the baby look like? Can you tell me?"

"He...he looks like he's made of snow. All white."

"All white," Vania whispered. "As in, his blankets?"

"No. His skin. His hair. All white. Like snow."

"And he never said the baby's name?" After the girl shook her head, Vania sighed. "That's okay. You did good, remembering to tell me about the baby." We never had any reports of a family having an infant stolen... Vania frowned at the empty space where Laria said a baby should be. Suddenly, an albino man with silver-grey eyes emerged from her memory, talking about his son who'd been stolen, 'He looks like me, but he has his mother's beautiful deep red eyes...' She froze, whispering, "Sylvern's son. Ro'ashlin. He's not dead."

Laria looked up at her; "Vania?"

Vania blinked, realizing she'd begun squeezing the girl; she smiled down at Laria. "Sorry. I didn't hurt you, did I?"

Laria shook her head, eyes welling with tears; "It felt like Daddy was hugging me."

Vania blinked and swallowed hard, trying to rid her mind of the image of Adar's corpse. I did my job, Adar, she silently told his ghost. I saved your daughter. She stayed on the floor, holding Laria and rocking slowly, murmuring reassurances.

"Vania." A breathless Bergin entered the room. "How's Laria?" He crouched down beside them.

"She's one brave little girl," Vania replied. "She lost some fur, but it'll grow back. She has some cuts, but luckily, they're shallow—we stopped him in time. Did you catch him?"