As the line of cars picking up students at the academy trickled past Lydia she looked toward the end for Corbin's shiny red coupe. He was late, which was very unlike him. The murky feeling that the day held something dreadful, which had risen gradually inside her not long after her day of school had begun, suddenly reached for her innermost fears when the line of cars grew shorter ony by one and Corbin's car was nowhere in sight. 

    She sat her books down near the curb and took her cell phone out of her coat pocket. A few quick strokes on the touch screen had Corbin's number ringing until the call went unanswered and eventually ended at his voicemail. Lydia promptly ended the call and instantly had another one going out to Shade's phone. After a few anxious rings Shade's voice entered Lydia's ear, much to her relief.

    "Hey Lydia, what's up?"

     Trying not to sound worried, Lydia answered,"Shade, have you talked to Corbin today?"

    "Mmm, no. But I just woke up a little while ago and I haven't talked to anyone. Why?"

    "Well, he's late picking me up from the academy, and I called him but didn't get him," Lydia explained.

    There was a brief pause as Shade glanced down at her watch. "Yeah, he shoulda been there by now," she said with a mild hint of concern.

    "Shade?" Lydia uttered timidly.

    "Yeah?"

    "I've had another one of those...bad feelings today," she revealed.

    There was another brief pause then,"Hang tight, I'm on my way."

    The campus of empty buildings at the academy had the feel of a ghost town by the time Shade's dark gray rumbling coupe turned onto the drive where students awaited their rides home each afternoon when the school day was done. Shade eased the car up to where Lydia normally waited only to find no one in sight. She searched the grounds with a sweeping glance and saw her young sister leaving one of the nearby classroom buildings.

    Lydia stopped in the doorway, turned back to a teacher who had promised to remain with her until her ride came, and thanked her as she assured the teacher that the car waiting outside was there for her. Lydia then trotted away from the building and hopped into Shade's car.

    "I haven't been able to reach Corbin on his cell," Shade informed as Lydia settled her books at her feet in the floorboard.

    "Me neither," Lydia confirmed. "Have you called Gale?"

    "No, not yet. I don't wanna worry her until we have to," Shade reasoned.

    Lydia nodded.

    "What about your gift?" Shade asked.

    "I've sent him messages, but so far, nothing. If he were able, he would've contacted me by now...somehow," Lydia affirmed almost desperately.

    Scrambling her thoughts to make sure they tried everything, Shade asked,"What about his presence? Can you feel him like you've been able to do in the past, with each of us?"

    Lydia shook her head discouragingly. "No, he must be far from here now. I'm scared Shade. He went to follow up on a lead from Gideon after he dropped me off this morning and..."

    "A lead? What are you talking about?" Shade enquired urgently.

     "That's right, you were gone last night when Gideon and Amanda came to the manor," Lydia remembered.

    "What lead?" Shade pressed.

    "They had a run-in with that Colonel Merrick and were able to swipe his laptop which had a lot of files with details about two people. Gideon is leaving tonight to track down one while Corbin convinced him to let him investigate the other who works here in Bergstad," Lydia quickly divulged. "He was supposed to take you with him," she added.

    Shade closed her eyes with a regretful grimace for a second then looked at Lydia with a newly formed expression of determination. "Lydia, I want you to reach out to Corbin again, try harder than you ever have. Okay?"

    Lydia nodded anxiously then bowed her head and composed her body into a completely focused state. Shade, so as not to distract Lydia's focus, remained perfectly still with hopes that her little sister's gift would prevail. She watched as Lydia seemed to slip away from herself, leaving her calmed body in the passenger seat of the car while her mind went elsewhere. Enduring the passing seconds was grueling for Shade as she anxiously awaited the result of Lydia's efforts, praying inwardly for Corbin's safety.

    More than two hours away, on a narrow stretch of road that cut through the dense forest  which separated Bergstad from everything on the western side of the region, a large SUV motored along on its way to an undisclosed location known only by its driver and a very few select others. Dr. Harper had taken Corbin to her condo in Bergstad where she'd spent most of the day gathering up everything she would need once they arrived at her private lab, which was hidden away in the mountains and would be reached shortly after nightfall which was fast approaching.

    Dr. Harper darted her eyes from the road to the rearview mirror so she could check on the precious cargo sitting blankly behind her with his hands and feet bound securely with specially made fetters and chains that she had absolute confidence in. The mindless stare on Corbin's face assured her that the proven power of her gift did not require the aid of chains, but she dared not take any chances, knowing the importance of her cargo to her Master, as well as to her own research. She returned her eyes to the road with thoughts of where to begin once they reached the lab.

    A subtle twitch disrupted the void on Corbin's face as a frantic plea from his youngest sister entered his mind with the sense of her presence more powerfully than ever before. Her words pierced through the unnatural hold on his being, reaching deep inside him with a rousing power.

    Corbin, where are you? Please contact me. Please Corbin!

    Corbin's mind awakened with a single, essential thought: Lydia.

    Back inside Shade's coupe Lydia burst out of her trance-like state with a gaping, astonished expression at Shade. Until now her gift of telepathy had always been a one-way form of communication.

    "I heard him! I heard Corbin!" she excitedly admitted.

    A little stunned, Shade replied,"What? You heard him?"

    "Yeah! He said my name!"

    "Is he okay?" Shade asked.

    "I don't know. All he said was my name," Lydia eagerly divulged.

    Shade was briefly unsure of what to do next, then she said,"Well...find out where he is."

    Lydia nodded quickly then returned to her bowed state of concentration with reaching thoughts to her brother.

    Corbin, I can hear your thoughts. Where are you?

    The next transmission from Lydia pushed Corbin back into consciousness, loosing him from Dr. Harper's hold. He blinked rapidly a few times to help clear the disorientation and confusion that surrounded him. As he tried to grasp his current situation he realized instantly that he was in a moving vehicle. The weight of the chains along with the unfamiliar passing scenery aroused his fears, then he remembered meeting Dr. Harper earlier. A quick glance at the driver seat in front of him revealed the short orange hair that identified his captor. Again the presence of Lydia entered his mind.

    Corbin, please let me know if you're okay. We're worried.

    Corbin discreetly pulled against his chains to test them, then closed his eyes in order to direct his thoughts.

    Lydia, Dr. Harper has me chained and is taking me somewhere unknown. I'm trapped!