The Connected

Chapter 5

~A~

Eight brothers gathered all around their resident computer genius, who sat behind the intricately carved dragon desk in the war room-aptly named for the countless hours of strategization done within its four walls during the Silent Wars many decades ago.

"What the fuck do you mean you can't fucking find her?" North shouted, his fear, confusion and frustration all compounding into anger at the thought of not being able to find their center. He counts himself lucky that his brother connections both understand and accept his often erratic outbursts, having become accustomed to such loud volume many years past. They know he shouts because he cares, that in the past all of his worries, fears, and hurts went either ignored or unheard by his first family, one that was given but not chosen.

"I mean, the foster system archives have made no notes regarding any girls demonstrating strange abilities. No uncommon occurrences for anyone whose 18th birthday coincides with the end of our stasis." Victor replies, feeling his brown eyes burn with the flames inside his soul, the only outward indication of his upset and self-hate at failing to find her. His only talent, his purpose within his bonded group was skill with technology, even though his real power lay with fire. Tapping at the keys of computers, as well as the ivory ones of the piano, was an exercise to control his power when he was young, the latter was forced by his parents but he loved the music all the same; however, the talent for both had come as a surprise and later an avid and useful interest.

"What about medical records for South Carolina, any strange patients admitted with her description lately? We've narrowed it down that far based on dream flashes, right?" On one hand Sean hoped that she'd never been sick or injured enough to require hospital admittance, but on the other he knew that would end their search far more quickly. Years of schooling and experience had him mentally listing possible injuries that could be attributed to power flare ups their center could have experienced. If they found her at a hospital then they really would be destiny babies, as he had been found in front of one at birth as well. The green eyed future Mrs. Green.

Looking at his older brother, Kota realized that they'd lost him to a daydream, as Luke was most prone to doing. He counted off all of their fingers to calm himself when panic threatened at the thought of not being able to locate their center. "We could also search citywide security cameras and labor databases to find persons matching her description, after all there are only a limited number of prior foster kids with birthdays October 6th." His brothers all nod and his shoulders lose some of their weight as the burden of knowledge shifts once more, perhaps he could ask the animals of the area if they've seen or spoke to a blonde green eyed beauty.

"Fuck yeah! There's only one fuckin' girl in the world that gorgeous, and with hair that damn beautiful. All we have to do is follow the trail of broken hearts and boom!" Making an explosion motion with his hands, Gabriel lightens the mood as always, but he also makes an important point. He knew this perfect girl was gonna' be trouble from the first time he heard her giggles from his dream flashes. While he may not consider himself as special as his brothers, she'll never want for anything or look bad doing it when he's by her side, fuck no.

"Not to mention that our marks will go fucking crazy the second we touch her. We might have to be careful though, she's grown up thinking she's normal in the human world, and we're a whole lot of...not normal." Nathan adds his wisdom to the pot, and the others' gazes turn thoughtful, perhaps realizes they can't just barge into her life and expect her to bend to their every wish. They wouldn't even want her to. Growing up the ways they had, she would have to be able to fight their demons, as they would with hers, which would require her to possess not only a compassionate heart, but a spine of solid steel as well. He could and would teach her to fight the physical threats of their world, but she would have to be just as strong mentally.