Chapter fourteen

                                    

                                          
Evie didn't want to to wait until Ryker's captors, or whoever it was who had taken him, if that's even the case, to make their move and demand a ransom or whatever it was that they wanted. To Evie it seemed like there were way too many gray spots in the explanation Chalmers had told her. It seemed unlikely that someone could "take" Ryker, he was strong(no doubt about that) and he knew battle tactics and escape plans. Ryker was definitely not stupid, if he didn't want to be caught, he wouldn't have been, 
                          
    And that was the part that was making Evie crazy over everything else. Ryker is perfectly capable of getting out of any tough situation, so why wasn't he getting himself out of this one? This logic made Evie think that he wasn't actually "taken" like Chalmers suggested. Actually, it wasn't Chalmers suggestion at all, chalmers had been told by the CuCuy's that Ryker was taken hostage. Could it all be a cover up so no one suspected anything? And why would the CuCuy's give Chalmers information about Ryker if he was missing? Didn't they dislike Ryker? All if this wasn't making any sense to Evie and she wasn't about to just sit around and wait for word about Ryker's condition.
                          
      Evie didn't know where to start or how she would even go about it, but she started packing all of her things. 
                          
"Ev...ie..."
                          
Evie turned around quickly, afraid of what was awaiting her. She let her guard down once she realized it was Argo. She turned her back to him and continued packing. "You scared me, Argo."
                          
"My...apologies. I...wish to...help." He spoke more fluently than Evie remembered.
                          
With a sigh she shut her suitcase and turned back around with her hands on her hips. "Why should I trust you? Your a CuCuy, your kind hates Ryker. How do I know this isn't just a setup so you can find him and kill him?"
                          
Argo shook his head quickly and took a hesitant step towards her. It seemed he was more afraid of her than she of him. "No, no. I do not...wish to hurt...Ryker. I only...want to help you. As I...said...before, you are...important...to my society." 
                          
"You keep saying that, but I don't understand what you mean, Argo. How am I important to your society? What good am I to them?" She honestly couldn't believe that she could help them in any way, that she could mean anything to a race who hated her Sion. 
                          
He redirected his eyes, looked away from her. "Not important...at the...moment. Time to...find Ryker."
                          
Evie nodded and bit the inside of her cheek weighing her options. She really didn't have much other choice. If she allowed Argo to go with her and help her, it would to be to her advantage. But surely he'd want something in return? What was he getting out of this?
                          
"What do you want in return?" She asks tilting her head to one side and staring at him with questioning eyes. 
                          
**********
                          
Evie walked beside Argo in the dark cold of what seemed like winter. She had no idea were they were headed and was beginning to think that Argo didn't either. Argo had snuck Evie out of the house without Ives or any of the others noticing, but Evie was sure they'd noticed by now. 
                          
"Do you even know where your going?" Evie looked at him, suspicion now lining her eyes replacing the trust that was there a moment ago.
                          
"Please...be patient. We are...almost there." 
                          
Evie couldn't help but notice how well his english had become. "Your speaking is getting better." 
                          
"I have been...practicing. To...better communicate. What use am I...if I cannot speak?" 
                          
Evie smiled a little to herself, but said nothing more of the matter. Not being able to feel the tips of her fingers, she began to rub her hands together rapidly an blowing puffs of hot air onto them. 
                          
Argo looked at her curiously as she did this. "What is this for?"
                          
"I'm cold." She answered quickly, momentarily pausing her attempts to warm her hands to speak.
                          
Argo stopped walking and Evie stayed beside him. He turned to her with his own hands out, palm up. "I can fix this." 
                          
She hesitantly placed her hands on top of his. Argo closed his eyes tightly and focused all of his energy on the little cold hands placed on his. Evie watched him intently, curiously as he murmured soft whispers of words she didn't understand. Their hands began to glow, a golden bright light outlining their hands.  Suddenly, heat shot from Argo's hands and traveled to Evie's, moving quickly up her arms to her neck and her head then back down through her toes, filling her body completely with a strange tingling warmth.
                          
    
                          
"Wow..." Evie smiled and stared down at her hands as she took them away from Argo's, the heat still swelling inside of her. 
                          
Argo smirked and continued to walk without saying so much as a word. 
                          
"Ryker hasn't expressed his abilities to me. I think he's afraid to." Evie spoke honestly. 
                          
"Ryker's...abilities, are....personal." 
                          
"Personal? What do you me-"
                          
"Evie!"
                          
Evie and Argo's heads snapped back in the direction of the voice that shouted Evie's name. There stood Ives, among the trees, chest heaving up and down- obvious that he had been running. Twelve other men stood behind him, ready and armed. 
                          
"Evie, you need to get away from him!" Ives pointed an accusing finger at Argo- who growled in return. "He's not what you think he is." Ives advanced towards them.
                          
Argo pushed Evie behind him protectively and faced Ives without fear. "She...is...with me now."
                          
Ives looked at Evie and didn't take his eyes from her. "You've made a pact with him? Do you know what he is, Evie?" 
                          
Evie nodded, stepping out from behind Argo enough to see Ives face to face. "Yes, i know what he is. But he's promised to help me find Ryker. Which is more I can say for you."
                          
"You don't understand what your getting yourself into. This is way beyond your comprehension!" Ives snapped, daring, stepping closer.
                          
Argo stayed close to Evie's side, never leaving her unprotected against Ives and his men. 
                          
"Maybe it is! Hell, I know it is. But Ryker is my Sion, you said yourself the bond is unbreakable. I know for a fact that if I was in Ryker's position, he would do the same for me." Evie objected.
                          
Ives sighed in frustration and hung his head. "Don't make me do this, Evie. Your making this more difficult than it needs to be."
                          
Evie felt tears swell in her eyes. "I'm so sorry, Ives." She stepped back behind Argo. "I'm staying with Argo."
                          
Ives smiled sadly and raised his head, meeting Evie's eyes. "Then you leave me no choice..." Ives looked back at his men, mumbling a few orders.
                          
Argo leaned his mouth down by Evie's ear. "We must leave now." He whispered gently. 
                          
Evie nodded and scanned the area for an escape, but found none. "It's impossible." She breathed.
                          
"No." Argo took her hand in his and held it gently, afraid that he would hurt her. 
                          
Argo closed his eyes and imagined the place he knew Ryker would be. He pictured it in his mind: dark, cold. He imagined the sounds, the smells, the feelings. Argo's body began to tingle and vibrate, his power radiating off of him like lightning striking a tree- powerful, fierce, and quick. Evie closed her eyes, feeling a heavy tiredness wash over her. 
                          
Evie opened her eyes slowly and gasped. "Ryker..."