"Not yet. I'll let you know as soon as I get something."
"What do you make of this email? Who could it be?"
"I really have no idea. In the morning, we can ask the professor. Maybe he'll know something from his research days." He shrugged and gave me a lopsided grin. "For now, we should go to bed. I didn't realize it's nearly 1 a.m."
"Yeah, I'm wiped. Hey, have you seen Drake? He's not home yet and I can't reach him by cell."
Brad dropped his eyes. "No, no idea."
He was hiding something from me, but his mind opened up at the slightest touch: 'Can't believe he actually did it. Left without telling anyone. Where the hell does he think he's going?'
My body coiled tighter than a snake ready to strike. "Drake left? What are you talking about? Where did he go?"
Brad closed his laptop and turned to face me. "I'm sure it's nothing. It's just... earlier today he was worried and upset. He wanted to do something, to track the Seeker, but he didn't want to hurt you. He made an offhand remark that he should leave without telling you, but I didn't think he was serious."
I balled my fists and paced the floor. "Oh my God. No, he wouldn't do this. He wouldn't go off on his own, would he?"
Brad shrugged. "I honestly don't know. He's used to being a lone ranger. He might have."
My stomach hit the floor. Rabbit-like palpitations clutched my heart. He can't be gone. It's just... no... not possible.
Something pushed at my mind—an aggressive presence whose signature I recognized from the mind-jacking. I'd vowed not to be caught unaware again, and had wired my mind with a booby-trap I'd taught myself a long time ago. When anyone tried to connect with my mind, it triggered a wall that crashed down to protect me.
I sent out tendrils of thought to explore the presence lurking just outside my mind. Emotions and impressions swam through me.
Vast. Powerful. Lonely. And... illness… death.
A small surge of sympathy tempered my anger for a moment, but then the presence crashed into me again, cracking my walls and sending me to my knees. I used every ounce of power I had to fight it, and sent out a plea to Drake.
A moment—or maybe an eternity—later, his strength flooded me. 'I'm here. I'll help.'
Together, we sent a full frontal assault on my attacker. The pressure abated for a moment, but came back stronger, more powerful than ever. I grabbed my head and screamed.
An unfamiliar voice swam in my mind, calling to me. 'Sam. Sam!'
His voice trickled into my soul, seducing me.
Drake howled. 'Leave her alone!'
His power, his strength, surrounded me and protected me. I dug into the recesses of my powers and pulled out more, letting it build inside me until I had enough. With Drake's support I slammed into the Seeker's mind and pushed him out.
Relief filled me.
And Drake was gone.
"Sam. Sam!" Brad's panic subsided. "Are you okay? What happened? That mind-jacking thing again?"
"Yes. It's gone now, but it got through my walls. Just a bit, but... I don't know, he might have seen something. We should warn the professor."
Brad ran to Bernard's room to wake him.
I stumbled to the kitchen for a glass of water, and rested my head on the cool kitchen counter. "Drake, we need you. Come back."
No answer.
Loneliness swept through me, filling up every part of me with a wretched hopelessness. I couldn't do this without him. My ever-growing child kicked against my ribs and reminded me of how powerless I really was. I couldn't fight anyone alone, couldn't risk the baby.
Fat, hot tears fell from my eyes and formed a puddle on the counter. Why keep fighting when I can never win?
I searched my mind for what the Seeker might have siphoned from me. Did he know where we were now? Would he track us?
Brad and the professor might be in danger because of me, and I didn't have time to wallow in my own grief.
Bernard put his arms around me and guided me to the living room couch. "Sit. Rest. We'll figure out what to do."
Both he and Brad were dressed. I looked down at my flannel pajamas and sighed. My head hurt so badly.
Bernard checked the windows. The only interruption to the silence of night was a chorus of crickets singing to the moon. He sat down next to me and held my hands. "How much do you think they saw?"
"I really have no idea. My defenses were good, but the Seeker is very strong. I couldn't push him all the way out until Drake helped. Now Drake is gone again and I don't know what to do."
Bernard looked to Brad. "Make sure all the doors are locked and the alarms are set. When Drake comes back we'll make a plan."
I closed my eyes against more tears. "What if he doesn't come back?"
The professor squeezed my hand. "He'll come back. Trust me."