Chapter Twenty Four

All day Saturday, Abe led a search party in the woods. He had guardians search for a cave or a hiding spot for the Morches. They never found it and it frustrated Abe. He went down to the holding cells in the sub level and didn't come back up until midnight. Whatever he was doing was time consuming. I made sure I stayed out the way. Everyone had a job to do whether it was finding the Morches or hunting down Ramadi.

I stayed in my room most of the day. I didn't bother to come out unless it was for food or to talk to Lily. Lou, my stylist, kept showing me what she was working on. Even though I told her she didn't have to design me anything else because I had enough clothes to last me over a year but she didn't listen.

It's Sunday and everything is the same as yesterday. They are still looking for the Morches location. Monica and Nathan are still in their cells. They keep swearing they had nothing to do with this and they're not working for Ramadi. I almost feel bad for them. They could be telling the truth. Lily and I aren't certain that whatever they were talking about meant they were an undercover spy. But Abe doesn't want to hear it and I give up on trying to explain to him.

It's time like this, I want to lock myself in the beautiful piano room and never emerge but everytime I try to go to the room, the door is locked. I don't want to ask Abe for the keys because maybe he locked it for a reason. He probably knows I've been sneaking in there everytime I came here.
So instead of going to the piano room, I lay across Lily's bed, staring at the ceiling.

"What do you think they're doing?" I ask Lily.

Lily is on the floor with a canvas. She doesn't want to be in the art room. I don't blame her. Downstair is a reckless havoc.

"I don't know." She said. "But check this out."

I turn my head and glance at the floor. She finish painting a scene, I'm all too familiar with.

A while back, during the summer, I had this "dream" I was standing in the middle of a field filled with flowers. The sun was shining so bright it made it hard to see anything but light.

I was sitting on a bench, playing the piano and Lily was standing next to me. It looks like someone took a picture than Lily painting it.

"It's incredible, Lily." I praise. "Can I have it?"

She stands up, holding the canvas. "No. I'm hanging it up."

I get off the bed. "Why can't I have it?"

I follow her downstairs when she looks for a place to hang her work.

"I want Abe to see it." She finds a place she likes. "Besides, I have another one for you."

"Where is it? Can I see it?"

She shakes her head. "No. It's at the school."

"When will I been able to see it?" I ask.

"When I finish it and don't hold your breath. It's no where near being complete."

She hangs up the canvas and steps back, studying it.

"Beautiful, Princess." A guardian says as he walks pass.

"Thank you." She says, smiling before looking at me. "You told me you were gonna play me a song."

"I was but the room it's locked and I don't want to ask Abe for the key."

"Are you sure that's the only piano in this whole house?"

"The only one I could find." I tell her. "What song do you want me to play?"

She shrugs. "I'm thinking about a One Direction song."

I roll my eyes. "Of course you are."

"I said I was thinking about it not that I wanted it." Lily says. "I want you to sing Only One."

My eyebrow furrows together. "Why that song?"

She shrugs. "It reminds me of Mom. I feel like she's here with us. I don't know but I get the sense she's talking to us." She explains. "And maybe Abe will stop being busy and take the time to hear it."

I nod my head. "I understand what you mean. When I think of Allison, a wave of calmness hits me."

"Do you know the lyrics?"

"Not entirely but I'll sing what I can." I tell her. "I'll be right back."

I might not be able to play it on the piano but I can play it on the acoustic guitar. I head upstairs in my room and spot the guitar in a corner. I search the lyrics up as I head downstairs.

Directly across Lily's painting is a bench. I sit down and place the guitar in my lap.

We were in one of the busier hallways and hopefully they will stop what they are doing and listen. I begin to say as I string the guitar.

As I lay me down to sleep
I hear her speak to me
Hello 'Mari, how ya doin'?
I think the storm ran out of rain, the clouds are movin'

I know you're happy, cause I can see it
So tell the voice inside ya' head to believe it
I talked to God about you, he said he sent you an angel

And look at all that he gave you
You asked for one and you got two
You know I never left you
Cause every road that leads to heaven's right inside you
So I can say

It isn't until the next verse when a group of people begins to form around Lily. They're either listening to me or looking at the picture or both.

Hello my only one
Just like the morning sun
You keep on rising till the sky knows your name
Hello my only one
Remember who you are
No you're not perfect but you're not your mistakes

Hayes' P. O. V.

"If we do that, then it could end in our death." I say, crossing my arms. "We searched the woods, thoroughly. There's nothing there."

"There has to be something there. A trail? Something that will give us a lead to Gethol."

Reid shakes his head. "We're telling you, there's nothing but trees out there. They probably knew we would come looking for them and bailed out."

Abe studies the map laying on his desk. He points to an area we searched twice. "They have to be right here."

"Abe. Give it up. They're gone." I say, leaning against the wall.

We've been in Abe's office for hours and frankly, I'm getting tired of it. Abe woke us up the crack of dawn to search the woods. We were gone for three hours. When we got back, he had us question Monica and Nathan. They were useless. They knew nothing about the ambush or Gethol.

"I'm not going to give up until I find him and bring him down." Abe says.

At times like this, I wish Allison were here. She's the only one to keep him from going insane. She's the only one to keep him calm. Hell, Allison is the only one to keep everyone calm.

If she were here, we wouldn't be running around like we lost our minds.

"Abe you need to rest." Reid says. "We'll work on it."

Abe is about the protest when we hear a voice. We know who it is. It's Millie.

Abe moves away from his desk to the door. He opens it and walks out. Reid and I follow him down the hall. There's already an audience forming, surrounding Millie.

Abe stares at his oldest daughter as she sings. I don't know why Millie is singing but I'm glad she is. The past two days have been out of control. Everyone has been busy. Abe needs this.

As Millie sings, I realize the lyrics has a deeper meaning. She's bringing Allison back. She wants Abe to know Allison is still here with us. She wants all of us to know.

I understand now. It's been a while since anyone dare breath Allison's name. Abe was barely getting over her death and years passed and he still couldn't cope with his loss.

His daughters wants Abe to know Allison is never truly gone. She's still here. She lives inside of them.

Millie's P. O. V.

I finish the song and glance up. Lily and I drew in a crowd. They actually stopped whatever they were doing to listen to us, to listen to Allison.

I spot Abe among the sea of faces and I know he realizes Allison may not be in our world physically, but her presence lives with us.

After the song, everyone became less busy. They starts thinking about our queen. Abe let them talk about her.

Abe throws his arms over Lily's and mine shoulders as he looks at Lily's picture.

"You know, you got your talent from her." Abe tells Lily. "She was always drawing, just like you."

"I didn't know that. I always thought it was from being the Seer."

"That's part of it. I'm sorry for keeping your mother memories locked away. I thought that if I stopped thinking about her, it would make getting over her easier but it didn't." He pauses. "So thank you for bringing her back into our lives."

"She was never gone." I say. "Even though, you stopped thinking about her, she was always here."

Abe nods. "I see her in you girls. You may think you look like me but you're more like your mother."

Abe looks at the picture one more time before we head into the dining room where most of everyone is. The food is barely coming out as we sit down.

Different conversations begins to fill the huge room and when Lily brings up Sophie is only when I remember what I'm suppose to do.

Three days go, Sophie got worried about her parents. She was worried about their safety. It has been four months since she heard from them and she freaked out. Hayes wasn't worried about them but I know Sophie needed something to assure her they were safe.

I know where the filing cabinet is located but getting inside is complicated. It's guarded at all times. Abe doesn't want anyone accidently getting into the wrong file and leaking out vital information. Every other day, the files gets updated on the guardians who are on special missions. If I can get inside and find Sophie's parent, I can see if they are okay or not.

I made a note to do so after midnight to ensure less chance of me getting caught. How am I going to get pass the two guards is going to require so reinforcements. I could alway ask Lily to create a diversion as I sneak inside but something tells me it's not going be that easy.

After I finish eating, I head upstairs to take a shower. Once I'm done, I walk to Hayes' room. I raise my arm and knock on the door.

It takes him a minute to open it but when he does, his face is fill of concern.

"What happened?"

I shake my head. "Nothing." I tell him. "I, um, actually came to ask you for a favor but" I take a step back. "um nevermind."

I'm about to walk away but Hayes catches my wrist, stopping me.

"What's your favor?"

***

Hayes arrives at my bedroom a little pass midnight and I follow him to the guarded door located on the other side of the house.

"Wait for my signal." Hayes warns me before walking around the corner.

I stick my head out far enough to see what's going on but not enough to get caught.
Hayes walks up to the only guard on duty with an emotionless face. The guard turns his head when he sees Hayes.

"Victor, Abe wanted me to tell you, Xen needs your help with Monica and Nathan."

Victor narrows his eyes. "Why does Xen need my help? He's perfectly capable of watching the traitors on his own."

Hayes holds up his hands. "Don't ask me, I'm just the messenger. But if you don't want to go, I'll just tell Abe you didn't want to listen to his orders."

Hayes turns around and begins walking towards me.

"Wait." Victor calls out, making Hayes stop. I see the corner of Hayes' lip tilt up. He turns around. "I'll go. Don't tell King Abe."

"Good." Hayes says. "Abe would have your head, if you disobey his order. I'll take your post until you get back."

Victor nods his head before heading towards the holding cells. Hayes waits until Victor turns the corner before motioning me to come. I quickly move to him.

"You have five minutes." He tells me and I nod my head.

I open the door and my eyes widen at how huge the room actually is. There is no way I'm going find their names in five minutes.

My eyes scan the room and they land on a section marked Guardians. I walk over the cabinets and search for the letter C. Once I find it, I pull open the cabinet and my fingers move rapidly to find their last name.

I don't find it the first time but on the second time, I spot the name Cipriano.

"Two minutes" Hayes says.

"I found it."

I open the file and I stare in disbelief. This can't be happening. There's nothing in here. It's empty. It had to come out when I pull the file out. I look inside the cabinet for loose paper but there isn't any.

"Millie. Time to go."

I shove the file back into the cabinet before shutting it. I head our the door and around the corner just as Victor comes.

"Xen doesn't need me." Victor tells Hayes.

"Oh, my bad man. It must have been the other Victor."

Before Victor can say anything, Hayes is walking away. He waits until we reach my room before asking questions.

"What did you find out?"

"Nothing."

He frowns. "What do you mean nothing."

"That's the point. I found nothing because there was nothing in their files."

"Are you sure?"

I nod. "I'm positive."

Hayes looks away from me in deep thoughts.

"We have to tell Abe someone took their file."

Hayes' head whipped harshly back to me. "No. You're not to mention this to anyone."

"Why not? Your parents can or could be in danger right now."

"Someone could have misplaced their file. There's no point in causing a scene if it's nothing. I'll search for it."

"Fine." I cave in. "What do you want me to tell Sophie?"

"Tell her, they're fine and their letter got sent to a different place." Hayes says. "Make something up."

"Hayes. I don't know about you but I feel like they're in serious trouble." I tell him.

"I know my parents. If they were in trouble, I would be the first one to know."

He walks away from me and I stare at him. I try to ignore the feeling in the pit of my stomach that he's hiding something from me.