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Chapter 8
Kidnapped.
The word echoed in Don's mind as he thought of Mel. A couple of officers were left poking around Mel's room, looking for more evidence. Nothing had been touched though, no trace left of who or what had happened to Mel after the brief struggle as shown by the rumpled sheets on the bed, the magazine with its pages wrinkled, and the unfinished apple on the ground. Don's stomach churned again at the possibilities of what could have happened to her and he left the room for his own.
Once there, he sought the comfort of his bed. He stared at the ceiling above him and fought to still the tears that threatened to break out. Why now? he thought. Why so soon? What do the Nica have against her? His mouth set in a grim line. The Nica had everything against her and her kind, the Lhaam. They were jealous of the Energy. They wanted Power and rule for themselves. They didn't understand Balance and nor did they care to. They wanted to own… to destroy… to hate everything, eventually hating themselves so much that they believed that they weren't successful… that life wouldn't give them what they wanted, and so they died, unhappy, beaten by their own selfishness.
But there were those who didn't believe that yet, who didn't know how they'd most likely end. And these were the dangerous ones. They still had the drive to succeed and kill to succeed. They were after all who weren't of their kind, Lhaam and Innocent and even their own fellow Nica. It didn't matter who they killed as long as they got to the top of whatever goal they wanted. And so, Mel was targeted, a prime kill actually. She'd been gaining a name for herself in battle and was respected among her kind. It wasn't a surprise they were after her, especially here, knowing that she'd let some guard down among familiar people and settings.
Don knew all this and almost wished he didn't. No one knew of him just yet and he wanted to keep it that way for as long as he could. He was an Unknown and knew it. For a long time, he'd developed his skills without formal guidance. His instincts told him what he needed to know and he learned much from that. He'd always been able to pick on his Lhaam peers, discreetly stealing into their minds sometimes to get the history and background he wanted. It was a miracle no one knew about him though.
At times, he was lonely with his knowledge. He knew he missed many battles and could have helped them out in some instances. But he was afraid to lose his anonymous side. As an Innocent, he was less of a target. But that also made him a coward, and that knowledge left an ill feeling in his stomach. But he'd continued to wait things out, knowing that sometime in the future, their lives would bring them together again and the world would learn of him. He was terrified.
He closed his eyes, seeking relief from inside himself. But then the images of the dream came back to him. The blood, the pain, the screams.
The tears came and they wouldn't be stopped.