Three Hearts Left Intact

Chapter 3: The Missing Piece

Shooting up from yet again another nightmare, Mallix found himself covered in his own sweat. The sun was still hiding away as he lied awake hyperventilating until his breathing evened out. After it did he left his place in his damp bed and over to the shower. Letting the cool water run over his body, Mallix felt somewhat at ease as he finished in the bathroom.

As he left his room and checked the time noticing the sun would be up soon. Deciding not to go back to bed, he stayed up looking over the plan Alex had discussed with everyone the night before in the dining room. The entire thing seemed fool proof...well almost. As all the details matched one another and the information checked out, Mallix grabbed the map with the layout of the building off the table. As he did so he noticed a rather large piece missing from the map.

He wanted to look around to see if that piece had fallen anywhere but it would be no use. The map had a clear cut through it, there was no way he was going to be able to tell what laid there. The only option he had left was to wait for Alex to wake up and ask him.

Taking a seat at the kitchen table with the rest of the paper work, Mallix continued to study the plan. By the time the sun rose and everyone else was stirring awake he had the entire plan memorized like the back of his palm. Every hallway, every guard position, every little detail he had it covered.

He was sat still looking over the papers when he could hear Nina's crutches echoing through the halls. It wasn't long before she appeared in the main room with him. Bags were under her eyes as she let out a big yawn.

"Morning," he said nearly startling her as she almost lost her balance. She hadn't even noticed anyone was up yet. His face cringed watching her regain herself before looking at him almost irritated, "sorry..." he told her in a soft tone.

Shaking her head, Nina continued walking over to him. She sat besides him looking to see all the paperwork spread across the table. Looking up from the table she was met with Mallix's deep blue eyes staring back at her, almost as if waiting for good news.

"There going to be ok," she reassured him. "After the way you treated Lain in high school and the way she defended herself that one time in college, we both know she can take care of herself just fine. And she won't let anybody hurt a single hair on Kaila's head."

He rolled his eyes at the mention of high school. "What if they aren't even together though? What if there were separated?" He truthfully told her his concern.

Nina looked down for a moment, pausing to think. "Lain isn't going to give up, she'll find a way to be with Kaila. And I mean, we can't short Kaila out of this. She's just as strong. She may be easily intimidated at times, but when she needs to be able to protect herself she does just fine."

He hung his head low, for hours he spent wondering what could possibly be happening to his girls. Every aching second with them gone felt like an eternity to him. He wished countless numbers of times to go back and redo the past, wanting to change the smallest of details. Maybe then they'd be safe in this warm house with one another, or maybe Mallix would have been there with them. Able to protect them with his life. But unfortunately that was not the circumstances he was given.

He felt a hand on his shoulder bringing him out of his thoughts. Looking closer at her face, he could tell that she had too had a restless night. "Are you ok?" He asked her.

She smiled softly nodding her head, but it did her no good. The way her eyes dragged and the lost emotion in her smile, his soft face became more stern wanting to get a more accurate response. He gave her a look similar to those he'd give Kaila if she had done something wrong. She laughed for a moment confusing him, "I haven't seen you look that way in a while." For a brief second her old unworried self shined through.

"What way?" He asked.

"The face you were making, you've been so worried over losing Lain and Kaila you haven't been the same. Usually your assertive and sure about what your going to do, but it hasn't been the same since they've left. You've lost that touch."

Mallix's eyes wandered away still contemplating over Nina's words. He didn't want it to be true, but he knew it was. "I've just been so worried, what if something happens to them? Nina there all I've got."

"That's not true I know your dad and you aren't on the best terms, but you still have James. And we still don't even know where he is or what happened to him? I've been so worried about him too. I just want everyone to come back."

Hearing his name brought some pain to his heart. While James was the typical annoying little brother, Mallix still had a place for him in his heart. And now he added another person to the list of those he would think about at night, wishing there alright and hoping they'll be safe.

He felt a tear coming to his eye feeling a rush of guilt pass him by. 'How could I have forgotten about James?' He blamed himself.

Nina could sense she hit a soft spot in him. His long face dulled even further than it was and the way he cleared his throat indicated how close he was to waterworks. She turned to the table trying to think of something to change the topic of conversation to. "What's that?" She asked seeing Mallix was gripping on tightly to a piece of paper.

It took him a moment to respond, he needed to make sure he wouldn't break down the second his mouth opened. "It's the map of the facility Alex mentioned last time." He put it back on the table.

Nina looked over it again familiarizing herself with the minuscule details it had to offer. She scanned it from one side to the next noticing Mallix's hand never left one spot. Moving his hand out of the way she noticed the perfect tear in the sheet. "Did you rip the map?"

He shook his head defensively, "I noticed that too. I was going to ask Alex when he woke up. The tear is too clean to have been a mistake." The lines of the rip, followed a direct line along the whole way through.

"I wonder what was over there?" Nina said aloud.

"Me too." Alex's voice suddenly was heard from across the room. Both their heads shot up seeing Zander and Alex besides one another coming over to the table.

"I had the map in one piece one day, then the next it was missing a huge chunk in the corner of it. And this was before I even had the chance to sit down and memorize the layout. I wish I could tell you what was back there, or who ripped it. That's still buzzing around in my head."

Mallix suddenly was dawned by more curiosity, "can you just get another map?" He asked as if the process of obtaining the layout of a hidden facility was simple.

Alex looked at him with a face of sympathy before shaking his head, "the guy who gave me that one risked a lot to get it for me, he's not going to be willing to do it again. We're just going to have to make do with what we've got."

While the conversation stroke Zander's interest he was more focused on the rumble from the beast residing in his stomach. "Anyone hungry?" He lightheartedly asked getting up from the table and into the kitchen. He didn't want their morning being spoiled by the burdening news. As he prepared their meal, slowly everyone's conversation eased up as they let their morning begin.
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Let me know what you think. Thanks Lexx signing off