ZACHARY'S POV

I was in a thick dense forest and my vision was obscured by the darkness. I felt weary but I could not stop to rest for a sense of urgency caused me to continue trudging along. I stumbled at some point but a tree I supported my hands on prevented me from doing so. I continued for what seemed like endless ages until I glanced up and saw the sun, it was so bright that I had to cover the sun with my hand over my face to reduce the intensity. I walked a little farther with renewed determination until I unexpectedly fell into a manhole and sank deep underneath and then endlessly.

I jolted awake and after brief seconds, my surroundings came into view. I was in a hospital room, it was very fancy more like a five-star hotel suite than a hospital room but still undeniably a hospital room because of the hospital equipment I sighted. I was dressed in a hospital gown and a drip was attached to my right arm. The monitor beeping caused me to glance in its direction. I wanted to call for someone but my throat felt so dry, I needed a drink.

I noticed a flat board beside the left side and recognized it as a ringer for hospital personnel. I tapped on it and waited. It wasn't long before I was joined by a doctor and a nurse. I recognized the doctor, he was Dr Ravensdale, our family doctor and a long-time friend of the family.

"Thank God you are awake Zach." He looked so relieved.

"I need a drink." I choked out. He nodded and looked to the nurse who quickly went to the dispenser bottle and fetched me a glass of water. Dr Ravensdale propped me up when he pushed a button on a remote he took from the nightstand. He helped me drink as he cautioned me to take it easy.

"How long have I been here?" I asked him.

"Two nights Zachary." He replied.

"What happened to me?" I inquired.

"You were poisoned by the unique Demaray poison. Seems your body has been introduced to it prior to this event and it was not disastrous." He explained.

"I have been poisoned before? Was I poisoned?"

"Yes to both of your questions. You are fine now, we procured an antidote and your body fought well against it. Any other person would have taken a few weeks to heal, it took you two days."

"I understand. Thank you, doctor. Where are my family and friends?" I asked.

"Your mother is on her way with your sister but your other friends won't be coming until tomorrow." He informed.

"Why won't they be able to come today?" I was curious to know.

"It's 10 pm, it is late." He replied. I nodded in understanding.

In truth, a lot of questions swarm in my mind. Denise poisoned me now and before? But for what reason, it couldn't be merely to get even with me? Or could it? Was there something more that I was overlooking? I have been asleep for two days; a lot could have gone down. Was it all in control or was I indisposed at a time I was needed? I hoped not.

"Rest your mind and body today, Zachary, you will need it if you are going to make leeway with all the questions you have on your mind." Dr Ravensdale advised. He must have seen the battle of emotions I wore. I nodded for he was right and I had to agree, I knew no other thing to do.

And so, I stayed put until mom and Elaine arrived a little while later and burst into the room. Mom quickly rushed to my side and grabbed the sides of my face and peered into it, she looked so worried and I felt awful that I had anything to do with it. I took hold of her right hand and brought it down.

"Mom, I am fine now. Nothing I wrong with me anymore." I assured her. Mom's eyes glistened with unshed tears.

"My baby boy, you simply take too much on for your age. For once, I just want you to live freely." She sighed as a tear ran down her cheek.

"I am happy the way I live mom," I assured her taking both her hands in mine.

"We were so worried about you Zach, it is a relief to see that you are okay," Elaine said quietly from the other side of my hospital bed where she sat upon. Her eyes were sad and I had a gut feeling that there was something more but I let it be at the moment. I will find out later.

Mom and Elaine remained with me for another hour where she told me that dad had been around throughout the day but had to travel in the evening for a meeting and would not be back until the next day at sometime around noon. Mom made light conversation and Elaine would occasionally drop a comment. Mom later revealed that she brought along my favourite cookies which she had personally baked from scratch, I was elated. I could not tell the last time mom took time to make any meal for us. Such liberties were rarely taken as the family was too busy running the country and keeping up with the peace of nations.

True it was admirable but precious family moments like this had come to be rare and extremely appreciated. It was, therefore, one of my favourite things about staying with Phoebe and her family all those years ago as a pup.

When mom excused herself to see the doctor, I turned to Elaine with unasked questions brewing in my eyes.

"Zach, I really cannot tell you anything right now. Wait until tomorrow when Xavier and the company will come to see you." She pleaded once she saw my eyes.

I looked her over, she did look stressed, it couldn't be because of me being in the hospital. She was keeping something vital from me and I had to find out fast.

"Do you have my cell phone with you?" I inquired, my hands itched to latch onto an electrical device that was familiar and could help assuage my doubts.

"What do you need it for?" She countered.

I frowned, "It's mine and I want to take a look at it." I replied as a matter of fact. She nodded and retrieved it from her handbag before handing it to me, a quick eye scan unlocked it and I went to my contacts and finding Phoebe's phone number, I dialled it.

I have not spoken to her for the past two days, she was likely to be worried and I did not want her to be. Besides, I just wanted to hear from her.

"Who are you calling?" Elaine's eyes narrowed at me suspiciously.

"Phoebe," I replied simply. I barely noticed that her eyes were panicked for a second before she concealed it with a shrug and looked the other way. Her line rang a few times but no one would pick. Phoebe did not exactly sleep early if I recall correctly. I assumed she must have slept early because of a long day and decided to give it a rest.

"What's wrong?" Elaine asked peering me over.

"She didn't pick up, I will call tomorrow," I informed, she nodded.

I asked Elaine how things have been at school with the double-A week and my absence and she assured me that all was well and Pris Tine was in the lead especially since I, Xavier and Jaden all beat our competition hands down that fateful day.

"The way you won that match was quite amusing, you went for unconventional means." She told me.

"Is that so?" I asked, "At that the time, I didn't even think so, I just went by any means I could cope with. Something was draining my strength that day. At least, I know what it was now."

"The poison," She said and after a pause, she burst into laughter, "It was so funny Zach, it was the highlight of that day but hold on, for you to have turned to a skunk means that you have encountered one previously, Your ability does not allow you to shapeshift into something you have never had contact with." She reasoned.

She dug up memories, slightly unpleasant ones for I had encountered a skunk the first time I was away from home as the pup Killian and had come upon one near the woods, the stench was awful.

"Do not make me remember Elaine, I would rather forget," I informed her with a cringe.

She laughed harder, "What about the spider, where did you encounter it?"

"At the forest, when Xavier and I went camping to complete a stage of our training, I and Xavier were together the whole time and yet it chose to bite me. Xavier took full advantage of the situation." I said with a sneer, "I got him back afterwards though, I bit him when I shifted into the spider later." I said smugly.

A tear was at the corner of her eye and she had to wipe it away, "Both of you are incorrigible."

I shrugged, "Boys will be boys."

Mom returned and we had to cut our conversation short. She was happy for she received news that I could leave in the morning. I was glad to learn that, I hated hospitals for no matter how fancy they are, they are still hospitals.

Xavier and Jaden met me in my room the following evening. I had used the day to get some training and it felt good.

"You look leaner than usual," Xavier teased, "I didn't know that a mere two days in the hospital could achieve that," he openly checked me out and I put my hands over my chest, he could be creepy. I noticed Jaden conceal a smile, Xavier smirked.

We got serious soon enough and I went on to ask Jaden to give me updates, I hated not knowing what was going on. Xavier and Jaden shared a look,

"So Zach, you have to relax to hear the news that we have got for you. Don't think that measures have not been taken for they have but there is only so much we can do and now, we wait." Xavier said with a serious look.

I looked from one buddy of mine to the other. "Just get to the point," I said with my hands akimbo as I faced them seated on my bed while they sat on the sofa beside my bed.

"Phoebe was abducted," Xavier said after he released a sigh. I waited for the information to process.

"It sounded like you said that Phoebe was abducted," I sought confirmation. I had dialled Phoebe's number again that morning and after a few rings, it went straight to voicemail. According to the tracker on her phone, she was home at the time.

"Yes. It happened the day you were hospitalized," Jaden confirmed weakly.

I shook my head in disbelief, "Are you saying that as soon as I was indisposed, they took Phoebe?" They nodded. Now it made sense why they were all looking stressed.

I wanted to punch something but that would be of no use, I needed to think fast. I fired questions at them and they informed me that they had first gotten wind of it when Phoebe's bracelet tracker was suddenly disenabled; Jaden had been monitoring it closely. Xavier had called her house and she had not returned from a quick errand she had run; the information was passed by Lexi.

Father had sent officers later to her house to assure her family that Phoebe will be found and that she will be all right once it had been confirmed by the local police that she was missing. There were no security footages which captured that moment, no black box cameras, no witnesses, no nothing. The job was too clean, it could only have been accomplished by someone who had a stronghold over technology and I knew of one person who did. I knew that she could not have acted on her own either.

"Zach, what are you thinking?" Xavier asked, "You look like the wheels in your head are turning again, they always turn in situations like this," he said.

"Xavier, Jaden, I need you to alert Alvina, Daniel and Samantha to meet in two hours in the basement," I said taking charge.

"By Samantha, do you mean Sam McLendon?" Xavier asked and I nodded. "Why did you decide to let her in on this one?" He asked a little confused.

"You once told me and how she is more powerful than she lets on, we will need her and you assured me once that she could be trusted, I choose to believe your words now and I will also trust her since she is Phoebe's friend," I explained.

Xavier beamed, "You made a wise decision. I and Jaden will get right to it." He said. I nodded to him as he took his exit. Jaden was already at work on his Tap, a sort of cooler version of a tablet. I went in search of Elaine, we needed her too.

I had a video call with dad on the large screen, he explained he would not be able to make it back that due to unforeseen circumstances, I told him about the team I planned to form to retrieve Phoebe and he sighed.

"You mustn't take responsibility for this one Zach. I promise that I have it under control, it's dangerous." He reasoned.

"I will go through with my plans dad and bring Phoebe back safely," I assured him. Dad sighed in surrender.

"All of the technology and weapons in the vault are at your disposal, be safe Zach," Dad said, I nodded.

"I will be."

In exactly two hours after I planned to meet saw every one of us gathered in the basement. The girls and Daniel were amazed that I had such a place and kept it away from them until that moment but I had to explain that it was mostly a strategy room for the guys. They still marvelled at how cool it was with a game room, snacks machine, ice cream stand amongst other attractions.

"You know, I have been to this moment before," Daniel whose ability was time-travelling revealed.

"Oh yeah? So, what else happens in this moment?" I asked

"You talk about why we are gathered and it turns out we need an extra help after an interrogation has happened," Daniel said.

I nodded, "Okay. So, we are gathered here today because a friend of ours has been abducted by someone connected to the revolution. Our friend I special and her abilities will want to be exploited and we certainly cannot let that happen. That friend is Phoebe as almost all of us are aware." I said.

"What special abilities does Phoebe have that will make her a target?" Sam asked as she was a little confused.

"Fate writing," Daniel who did not know replied. He must have heard it from me when he time travelled.

Sam's shock was palpable. "You guys are kidding," she blurted but when no one said otherwise, she drew a sharp breath, "wow, so that stuff is real and it's Phoebe's real ability." She breathed. I managed a terse smile.

"Currently, we have Denise Demaray in custody of one of the cells, her abilities are useless in it. Sam, we need you to question her, you are the only one who can get in her head and extract valuable information, are you up for this?" Sam's eyes met mine in determination,

"Take me to her," She confirmed.

Sam took a seat opposite a bound Denise in the computerised holding cell. Denise smirked when she saw her.

"Do you think you can find out anything from me because you have Samantha?" She said looking straight into one of the cameras.

Sam did not reply her but quietly closed her eyes and when she opened them, it was obvious that she and Denise had a stared down which Denise seemed to be on the losing side. Sam smiled tersely when she was done and gave a signal before we let her out. Denise looked furious.

"All I saw was that she worked in close conjunction with an amber-eyed brunette, I have seen the brunette before." Sam pondered before she snapped her fingers "That's right, she is Melanie Stewart, Nicole's older sister, the granddaughters of the Ellingtons." Sam said.

I frowned, it was as I suspected. "Is there no other information of value you saw?" I inquired.

"I am not sure except it does seem that she has been Seradon's spy all these years. It seems she has never met the big bosses, a series of tests must be undertaken and she has not gotten through all of them but Zach, is it really okay to have her locked up like this?" Sam asked.

"Dad took care of it, I'd rather not think how," I informed all nodded in understanding.

"From all that has been said, only an Ellington or a relative can infiltrate the manor and acquire more information," Alvina reasoned.

"You are not quite correct," Daniel started, "There is one thing we are to be mindful of, every Royal has a birthmark through which they are identified and able to be tracked with but the catch is that only a Royal of the same family who has access to the tracker can find the other Royal."

"How does that connect with any of these?" Alvina asked.

Daniel met my eyes and I did not need anyone to tell me that he already knew Phoebe's true identity. "Phoebe has the Ellington family birthmark on her collarbone. It has been concealed all these years probably at infancy because someone with the ability to insert and lock memories did exactly that to Phoebe. Made her realize she always had to conceal that mark no matter what happened, even Phoebe does not often remember she has a mark like that, concealing it is a reflex like sneezing to her. The cream she must have been using to conceal it must also have the properties to keep the tracker in the birthmark dormant until recently."

"Why would it be until recently?" I asked.

"Because something in Phoebe wants to be found," Jaden reasoned as a wave of realisation washed over him. "She wanted to be found but she did not know it, her subconscious had this all planned out. It is not the revolution who has the upper hand here, its Phoebe."

I was confused, "You are not making sense. Phoebe was abducted and is probably bound up somewhere, she could not have willed that fate for herself." I said.

"Maybe but her subconscious does not realize this. Phoebe is controlled by forces beyond her, she may be the fate writer and may unlimited abilities but she can control it only to a certain extent." Jaden explained.

"How do you know all this stuff?" I asked Jaden.

"I happened to read the chronicles of the fate writer yesterday, apparently Maria Von Braun went through the same thing at some point. She was very detailed about this sort of thing." Jaden said.

"Is that how you found out too?" I asked Daniel, he shook his head.

"I was thrust into several times and places into the future, I heard everything I said from different people," he admitted,

"No wonder you sounded too smart," Elaine voiced, Daniel sneered at her.

"I am smart." He defended.

"You have your moments is all," Elaine replied with a sweet smile that irritated Daniel.

"Hold up guys," Sam said, "The point I got from all that went down just now is that Phoebe is also a missing Royal?" Sam's expression was that of disbelief. I and the boys glanced at each other.

"You guys totally left us out of the loop." Alvina accused.

"We are sorry," Jaden said, "Discretion was needed at the time, Phoebe doesn't even know yet."

"Why should I apologize too? I am a victim too," Daniel muttered and I sighed, the other two guys shook their heads. Daniel was not just it sometimes.

After a few minutes of brainstorming, we agreed we needed an Ellington and the only one who could assist us was Nicola.

"Daniel, are you sure there is nothing you can do? Like go into the future and see where she is?" Elaine asked.

"No, it won't happen in this case because I want it to but I did see after I ran all possible scenarios in the time travel that the only person who can get through to Nicola is you, Xavier." All eyes turned to Xavier.

"I am not dating Nicola guys." He blurted and we nodded. It seemed he was the only one who did not see their chemistry. Despite he groaned about going out with her to obtain her DNA, he genuinely seemed like he had a good time and even called her later that evening in my presence and they chatted a long time.

"If that helps you sleep at night," Alvina said. Daniel looked at his watch,

"Go find her now, she needs you now and you need her too. Around this time is when she opens up to you." Daniel informed and Xavier sighed. He grabbed his jacket as he made his way out.

"I am off guys." He said as he stepped into the elevator.

"Relax and have a good time brother," Alvina said to him, he nodded and pressed the close button on the elevator. Now we had to wait.