(Aubrey’s P.O.V.)
Jareth comes running toward me, he is holding his mother with both arms, she looks very distressed. I can not blame her, we just survived a shooting.
“Are you alright, Aubrey?” Jareth asks.
“Yes,” I reply as I stand up.
“I should have guessed Xander Norton would send people to look after his darling,” Jareth mutters. “At least we caught one of them. Now we have to focus on finding Grace and Xander.”
“What will happen with Leopold?” I ask concerned that the Keepers took him away in handcuffs still. We just proved that he is innocent, why didn’t they let him free?
(Leopold’s P.O.V.)I hastily put on a clean uniform and then I go to the Command Center where the 9th and the 4th Units are working together to find out where Grace and Xander are hiding by checking the surveillance footage. I walk in and I look around. It feels good to be a Shark again instead of a prisoner.“Have you found a location yet?” I ask out loud.“Not yet, commander. We are checking the footage from around the courthouse, we can not figure out how Grace managed to escape unseen,” Anthony explains to me. “It is like she vanished…” Oliver Parker mutters.“Do not be ridiculous, Lt. Parker, no one vanishes! I wan
(Aubrey’s P.O.V.) Something is not right, I can’t move my body and I have a terrible migraine. I try to open my eyes but they don’t seem to respond to my wishes. It takes me several tries for my eye lids to obey me, I blink repeatedly until I am able to fully open my eyes. At first, my vision is blurry but little by little I am able to focus and see what I have around me. My heart sinks to my stomach the moment I recognize the two people in front of me: Xander Norton and Grace White. They are both standing in front of me, as if they were waiting for me to wake up. They are looking at me with contempt. I gulp. I try to move but I am unable, something is holding me in my place. I look down and see that I am tied up to a chair, so tight that the ropes hurt my flesh. My broken arm is throbbing in pain and I am unable to move to alleviate it. Grace and Xander kidnaped me, I
(Aubrey’s P.O.V.)Grace runs to my side and puts a gag in my mouth to prevent me from letting Leopold know what is happening.“You won’t mess another one of my plans, Bearer,” she warns me as she looks down on me. She then takes out a gun and presses it against the side of my head. She is pressing so hard the metal hurts my skin.Everyone is looking straight at the shaft in front of us waiting for Leopold to come in. We hear the sound of boots and a few seconds later Leopold crosses the shaft that accesses the mine. His eyes examine the mine and then he fixes his gaze on me, desperation runs through my veins, I wish I could warn him of the dangers he is facing. Xander and his accomplices are pointing their guns at Leopold, although he is only able to see Xander. Leopold is carrying
(Aubrey’s P.O.V.) Leopold then breaks the kiss and puts something in my hand, I look down, it is his car keys. “My car is parked outside, go up the ramp and drive away,” he orders me. “No, I am not going to leave without you,” I reply firmly. “You have to. I need to stay and put an end to this once and for all,” he says. “Then let me help you,” I ask him. “No, Aubrey, it is too dangerous. I can not risk anything bad happening to you, I need you to be safe, far away from this place,” he says shaking his head. “Please, let me come with yo
(Aubrey’s P.O.V.)I slowly open my eyes and I find myself in a hospital room. There is a nurse by my side checking the monitor. On the other side of the room, seated on a couch I see Leopold and his mother Mabel. She is reading a magazine so she has not noticed I am awake. His eyes are closed, I think he is sleeping, his uniform has holes and dirt stains from the mine, he has not changed his clothes so I probably have not been unconscious for too long. I look at my arms and legs, I do not seem injured and neither do I feel any pain, not even my broken arm hurts anymore. What happened to me?“Oh, you are up! We were wondering when you would wake. It is good to have you back,” says the nurse with a kind grin.Her voice makes Mabel look up. She gets up from her seat and rushes to my side.
(A few months later) (Aubrey P.O.V.) It is so early the sun has not come out yet. Leopold is soundly asleep next to me. I try not to make any sound or movement that could wake him. His new position as a major is very demanding and he needs all the rest he can get. I look straight at the wall in front of me while I think of the first time I saw Leopold. I was with my squad practicing close combat when the sound of boots walking hastily caught our attention. We all turned our faces to see the 9th Unit as they crossed the field ready for their next assignment, Leopold was walking in front of them with his usual unfriendly gesture and arrogance. “Look, Aubrey, there goes Commander Mortensen,” Zack whispered to my ear with admiration.
We park in front of the luxurious brand new building that will be the headquarters for the Ministry of Opportunity. All the guests are going up the long white stairs that lead to the main entrance, everyone is wearing their best clothes, gorgeous dresses and perfectly tailored suits. The press is already here, taking photographs of the attendees. The excitement is palpable. Having a new Ministry is a big deal, especially one like this that instead of terrorizing citizens gives people a second chance.A valet opens my door, I get out of the car and check my dress nervously, I hope I look okay.“You are going to be the prettiest woman in that party,” Leopold whispers to my ear.I give him a thin smile, I doubt it, but it is very kind of him to say that. We walk pas
(Aubrey’s P.O.V.)I dream that I am in a boat and the waves are rocking the boat so hard that I start to get sea sick. I try to hold on to the gunwale but I can not, instead I fall on the deck. I open my eyes and the first thing I notice is that I am feeling nauseas, I think I am going to be sick. I jump out of the bed and barely make it to the toilet. Last night's dinner comes out. With my foot, I push the bathroom door so Leopold won't hear me, but it is too late. My race to the bathroom woke him up. I hear him outside knocking softly on the door.“Darling, are you alright?" He asks with a sleepy voice.“Yes, just go away! I do not want you to hear this,” I reply in a trembling voice mortified to think that he is hearing me throwing up.Leopold laughs outside the bathroom considering my shame
(A few months later) (Aubrey’s P.O.V.)I fix my eyes on the TV screen, I look at the news anchor for a brief moment trying to pay attention to what he is saying.“The secession movement has gained enough support in the Fourth District and now they have separated from Estermond. This is the third district to separate from our nation in the last two months. Unfortunately, without the Righteous Regime, there isn’t anything we can do about it as we witness the downfall of our nation…”I turn off the TV. I don’t care about the news, I am uninterested by Estermond’s destiny. Since the fall of the Righteous Regime a lot of changes have occurred in our nation and there is no one who can stop them. People are taking back what once was taken from them, the life that we once knew is over. We don’t have a unified powe
(Leopold’s P.O.V.)We get off the car in half a second and run towards the building. It is time to save Bastian. We go in and run up the staircase to the sixth floor. Sabrina is waiting for us in front of the apartment where she heard him cry. As soon as the four of us are together, Jareth kicks the door open.“Ministry of Bravery! Hands up!” Wilson yells at the top of his lungs as soon as he takes the first step inside. Sabrina and I go in behind both of them.We are immediately greeted by a burst of gunfire. Jareth drops to the floor in time to avoid the bullets, but Wilson is not fast enough and he is shot twice in the chest. Sabrina and I take cover behind a wall and start shooting back at the Eels. Ahead of us, we hear Jareth shooting at them too. I lean my head slightly to see what is going on, Jareth is crawling inside the apartm
(Leopold’s P.O.V.)The only thing I want is to drive as fast as I can to get to the place where the Eels have my son. But I am aware Jareth and I cannot do this alone, we need the support of our Sharks and for that we have to go meet everyone else.The meeting point where Major Anderson and Commander Wilson are waiting for us is located a few blocks from where the Eels supposedly have Bastian. Jareth drives at full speed to get there, we don’t want to waste any time. We arrive at the meeting point, the place is brimming with Sharks from numerous Units. Wilson is not the only commander present, there are other commanders ready to help. The only high ranking Shark who is absent is General Thompson who is with President Laurent at the Righteous Regimen headquarters, but nevertheless he is in constant communication with us thought the telephone. It moves me to see
(Aubrey’s P.O.V.)I look at myself in the mirror of the dressing room where they are making us wait until it is time to go to the set. In my hands, I hold a sheet of paper on which I wrote down what I want to say in case I get too emotional and forget the message.Leopold is standing behind me looking at his phone insistently in case there is news about Bastian’s whereabouts.Someone knocks on the door and comes in. It is an assistant who is here to take me to the set. I get up my chair and walk behind the assistant. Leopold gives me a reassuring smile before we exit the dressing room. The assistant leads us to the set, which consists of a black desk, a chair, and a gray background. I already gave them Bastian’s photo, so they can show it while I talk to the camera. The assistant takes me
(Aubrey’s P.O.V.)There is no point in staying at the Equality Square, the banner has no more information or clues that can help us find Bastian. We go back home, heartbroken and feeling dismayed. Sadness is has consumed my will to live, I find no comfort or solace. The Eels have not attempted to contact us, they have not asked for ransom or anything in return for Bastian. The banner we found in the Equality Square only indicated their desire to make the citizens of Estermond suffer, they do not seem to have any intention of negotiating to give our son back to us.Once we are home, we find that Roberta has made dinner for all of us. I sit at the table and stare at the food on my plate. I am unable to eat, sleep or do any normal human function, in my body there is only room for anguish.Mabel turns on the TV, the news of Bastian's kidnapping spread like wildfire through Estermond. Several people w
(Aubrey’s P.O.V.)Several hours go by and we have no news of Bastian, with every passing minute my heart breaks a little more. I do not know how much I will be able to endure this nightmarish situation. I never imagined experiencing pain like this was possible.In the news they are justifying the closure of the roads with maintenance work, President Laurent does not want the population to panic thinking that Estermond can not take care of their babies. He wants for Bastian’s kidnap to remain a secret.The night ends and a new day begins. We are all exhausted and dejected. At dawn Alice decides to go home, she wants to be here to support me, but she also worries for her little boy. She is afraid that what happened to us could happen to her child. Commander Wilson orders one of his men to accompany her and watch over their house, he is worried about his son too. Our experience is a cautionary
(Aubrey’s P.O.V.)I feel like I am trapped inside a nightmare and I don’t know how to wake up from it. The house is full of Sharks that come and go gathering evidence. I am seated in an armchair in the living room while Alice holds my hand to give me strength. On my lap, I have Bastian’s blue baby blanket. My baby boy is not here, someone took him and forgot his blanket. Bastian must be cold, he must be scared, hungry... I burst into tears again. Alice surrounds me with her arms to comfort me. She says nothing because there is nothing to say. What can you say to a person in a situation like this? There are no words, no possible comfort.The 9th Unit along with other Units is questioning all our neighbors, hoping that someone has seen something unusual that can help us find Bastian's whereabouts. People I have never seen in my life are searching for Basti
(Leopold’s P.O.V.)We arrive at the building of the Ministry of Bravery. People get out of their vehicles wearing their best clothes, the place is brimming with Sharks and their families. Aubrey takes my arm and we head to the party. The event is going to be held at the Temple of Strength under a big white tent. A lot of Sharks salute me as we walk, I am enjoying greatly all the honor and respect that comes with being a major. I look at Aubrey out of the corner of my eye, even though she has barely slept since Bastian was born and she has spent all her energy taking care of our boy, she looks ravishing. I feel like the luckiest man when I am with her.We enter the tent, inside I see General Thompson chatting with other high rank officials, among them Major Anderson. I d
(A few months later) (Aubrey’s P.O.V.)My eye lids feel so heavy that I have to close my eyes for a moment to rest. I can still hear Grandma and Mabel as they talk to each other seated on the couch next to my bed. I would like to ask them to give me a few hours to sleep in peace but I am afraid to be perceived as rude.The whole family is so excited about the birth of our little Bastian that they did not even wait for us to leave the Bearer Center to come to meet him. Normally, the Matrons do not allow so many family members to be here at the same time, but this time they decided to let it pass because of Leopold’s rank.Leopold is showing little Bastian to Jareth and Roberta in the nursery, while the three of us stay in the room waiting for them to come back."Aubrey, are you paying attention? What do you think about the id