Eternal Code: La'lliia's Fire

8

Alfred took over the study as a base of operations. Calling in favors from his wealth of informants. After just a few minutes of observing the man Christian could see what La'llia meant when she had told him Alfred was the information King. The seriousness of what they were doing seemed to energize the very air around them. La'llia had taken another elemental with her and they went back over Jenny's townhouse looking with more detail for clues to what could have happened to her, or where she could have been taken.

Christian felt useless and helpless. This was his friend they were trying to find, and all because of what was happening to him. Pacing the floors waiting for answers was doing little to ease his mind. Needing a way to release some of his frustrations, Christian changed and went back into the gym. He popped his ear buds from his iPod in and lost himself into burning away his emotions.

As he worked, he thought about everything that had happened just within the last twenty four hours. There was no telling what Damien had intended. It had seemed that he was only there to talk to him, but could it be that he would have been kidnapped instead? Or worse? Exactly how far would Damien have gone to get what he wanted? Then of course there was the revelations that La'llia had told him about. Eternals...he shook his head. Who would have thought? Certainly not him. What was next Vampires and Werewolves? He stopped and shuttered, this was enough, and he didn't need to call more trouble.

The mere thought of him 'turning' took his mind in a different direction. Would it hurt? I have a lot of questions yet, he thought. He was working the punching bag pretty hard, and the music in his ears along with his thoughts distracted him enough so that he didn't hear them when they came downstairs. He nearly jumped out of his skin when he felt La'llia wrap her arms around his waist.

"Whoa there Tiger. What did that punching bag ever do to you?"

"Hey, sorry. You probably don't want to be near me...I'm all sweaty."

"Yea, you've been down here for a while huh?"

"Not sure...what time is it? Any news on Jenny?"

"Well, it's almost seven... I was about to make dinner. And yes, we have finally received a solid lead on where Jenny is."

Christian felt his spirits lift. They knew where Jenny was? This is great, but... "Wait...why haven't we gone to get her?"

"We will. We are getting some people in place, but Christian...you can't go. I won't risk losing you."

Suddenly he was filled again with the fear and anger that had struck when he discovered she was gone. "She's my friend La'llia. I need to help..." His voice held a tone of the edge that had been wearing him down all day. How can they expect me to continue to sit here and do nothing? La'llia felt the tension in his body as he spoke, removing her hands from around his waist she starting rubbing his back muscles.

"Christian, do you remember when I asked if you trusted me?"

"Yes, but..." He turned to face her.

"No Christian, I am not going to bend on this. You are not an elemental. I will not risk losing you, I...I couldn't stand it if I did." Her voice cracked at the end of her statement. She raised her chin in defiance as if to warn him to challenge her. "I won't do it Christian." She said again.

He sighed. "Okay, you're right. I'm sorry...it's just that ...I feel helpless..."

La'llia clasped his hand and started to lead him to the stairs. "Come on. You can shower and change while I fix dinner and we will sit down and fill you in on everything. We have a plan to get her home safely. Like I said before, you just have to trust us. And besides there's someone I want you to meet."