Book 4 | Agent 34 and the Last Gem

Chapter 17 | 33 Gone

Marque descended down the cave. He reached the spiral staircase and began going down that, calling to the owner of this bunker down below.

"Harper! It's me, Marque. Can I come down?"

There was movement down below, then Harper poked her head into her hand-built stairwell. "Yeah, come on," She beckoned to him.

The human descended down the stone steps, his shoes clapping against them loudly. He reached the bottom and went through the open door that was shining light into the lightless stairway.

"How's it going?" Marque asked the elf. Harper was wearing a nice dress and it appeared to be new in some form.

"I'm okay," she replied. "How are you doing?" The elf replied back with a bright smile. She had seemed to be way more opened up with the fact that she wasn't alone on this island anymore.

"I'm good," Marque replied, looking down at his feet quickly. "but the Zena isn't right now. Erm," He rubbed the back of his neck, looking up at the elf. "Long story short, one of our men have been taken by a weird skeleton and our boat got destroyed. Could we use this place as a shelter until the Ar'guals finish the base?"

Harper's smile turned into a frown and her mood went grave. "I have time, tell me what went on,"

"Well, I don't really know myself to be honest,"

"Tell me," Harper repeated.

"Okay, okay," The human said to the old woman. "So, we were sleeping in the boat, everything going fine, having good dreams and whatnot. All of a sudden we were awoken by a fire. We all came outside to see a skeleton with a satchel and a hat standing and waiting on us. There were only four of us because Sercon, Ismara, and Agent 34 went to the mainland at sunrise to get some survivors. He asked us where 34 was and Vrängr's mouth slipped and began to torture that poor elf to find his location. He wouldn't budge and then began to take him to the volcano to further torture him,"

"Hah," Harper laughed. "That volcano hasn't been active in the fifteen years I've lived here and I doubt it will in the next fifteen years! That volcano will do nothing to him!"

"For some reason," He continued. "he turned around and took Vrängr back to the mainland with no clarification whatsoever. So now Vrängr is gone and we have no where to live,"

"You can stay here," Harper stated. "but if you ever get that skeleton—I want to have a wack at him,"

"I thought you wanted nothing to do with Braunick?" Marque asked.

"I don't," She explained. "but if I ever get a chance to take a wack at his forces, then I will take that chance and I will wack 'em good,"

Marque laughed. "Alright, I'll go tell Thad and the others that we can stay here," He began to go back up to the outside. Before he did, he popped his head back inside the bunker. "Oh, and thank you for doing this,"

"No problem," Harper said before she turned around and went deeper into her home.

~ ~ ~

"Change of plans," Barjual said abruptly. "Vrängr got kidnapped and is being taken to the mainland. We are supposed to intercept them,"

"What?" Sercon asked quickly.

"I told you," Their ride repeated. "Vrängr got kidnapped. Thad told me to intercept them near the shore,"

"So rescue mission is cancelled?" Ismara asked.

"No," Barjual said, turning around in the middle of his flight and positioning himself a little ways in front of the shoreline of Renya. "This is a new rescue mission, but not for survivors. For Vrängr,"

"I'm sure the elf can handle himself," Sercon said. "He's lived with Braunick most of his life, he can handle something like this,"

"Slow down, tiger," Ismara told him. "He has had his memories wiped, remember? Vrängr might not ever be himself again,"

"Why would someone take Vrängr though?" Sercon asked. "Especially with his memories gone. He acts like a child!"

Barjual grunted. "They erm—they weren't after Vrängr,"

"Then who did they want?" Ismara asked.

"They were after Agent 34," Barjual stated. Suddenly, Agent 34 no longer wanted to remain silent in this conversation. He shot upwards, previously leaning against one of the dragon's gray spikes with his feet propped against another in front of him.

"It was a mistake," He said.

"Welcome to the conversation," Sercon said. "and duh. Who would purposefully kidnap Vrängr?"

"No," Agent 34 explained. "Vrängr lost his memories, so he is all loopy. He isn't himself,"

"And?" Ismara asked.

"Remember how he wanted to go by Agent 33 because he liked my name?" That opened all of their eyes at once.

"The kidnapper must've wanted Agent 34," Barjual said. "and Vrängr must've called himself "Agent 33". Damn it,"

"Look," Sercon pointed in the distance, a blurry white dot slowly emerging towards them.

"That must be them. Be prepared," Agent 34 warned them all. "And remember. It's me they want,"