Julie stops and turns to Stewart. The door opens behind her and Rob and Rick enter the room running. They look to her on the stairs as Kynar and Sevol appear in the middle of the room.
“Where is she?” Rob asks. The fear of the answer is in his tone when he repeats the question quickly. “Where is she?”
Julie cries as she points up the stairs. She gets up and runs to her son standing beside Rick at the door.
“Rob wait,” Rick says, “let Sevol .” Rick turns to his Molawner . Sevol fades from vision.
Rob already knows the answer. His wife is gone. He was too late and didn’t save her.
Sevol returns to stand beside the shadowy image of the smaller Kynar . His tone is short but shows compassion. “She has been taken.”
“ Aaaaagh !” Rob yells out. He cannot control his emotions. “No! No! No! No!” He paces for a couple seconds then stops. “No. No, we can’t let this happen. We can’t.”
Rick doesn’t say anything. He knows that it will not help. He watches as Rob collapses to his knees crying.
Julie cries as she holds her son at the doorway.
“We can’t let this happen,” Rob cries.
“Rob,” Rick says. His tone is soft but also to the point. “We have to go.”
Rob stands and turns to his Fearling Kynar . He speaks with desperation in his tone, “Something? There has to be something we can do. Kynar there has to be something we can do.”
“James,” Kynar says. “Protect James.”
Rob stops. He knows that Kynar is right. He wipes the tears from his eyes. He thinks of his son at the cafeteria with Rachel and the others.
“The Fearling is right,” Professor says startling everyone in the room as he enters the house. “We have to get back to James. I have a taxi out front.”
“How did you get a taxi?” Rick asks.
“He was driving by the wreck.”
Rob stops. He turns to Julie and Stewart. “You two stay here.”
Julie understands why Rob speaks his words. There will be no Vaun in the house so there will be no chance of them being attacked.
“As long as you’re not with us you will be safe,” Rob says.
Julie nods yes, as Rob hugs her then bends down to Stewart. “You stay with your mom and protect her,” Rob says. He reaches out and hugs the boy. He stands then turns to the door.
“We will call you when time allows,” Professor says.
Julie holds her son as the three men exit the house. A second later Kynar and Sevol fade from vision. “We’re safe now,” Julie cries. “We’re safe now.”
“What about James?” Stewart asks. He saw what happened to Ann. He is scared for his friend and the others. “Is he safe?”
CAFETERIA
Thirty minutes later Rob, Rick, and the Professor enter the large room. They see the other Vauns instantly stop and turn to them. Rachel and the other Vauns notice that Ann is not with them and they know what that means.
“No,” Rachel says. She looks down and sees James staring at her. His eyes tear and she knows that he is aware.
Rob walks to his son and bends down. He hugs his boy tightly as they both cry.
“We were attacked in the car and delayed,” Professor says, “We were too late to help Ann.”
“No!” Rob is not ready to give up. He won’t. He can’t. “No! We have to go get her! If they can come here damn it then we can go there!”
They say nothing. They let Rob cry his thoughts out. They are all searching for a way to travel to the Fearling’s world but they have not found the way yet.
“There has to be a way,” Rob says. He turns to the Professor. “You can find it. You can. With Rachel’s dad’s help you can find it.”
“Yes,” Professor says. He is calm, compassionate. “We do not know how yet but we will find it. We will. We will Rob. I promise you this.”
“Now,” Rob cries. He stops as he slowly gets control of his emotions. He feels his