The story so far:

---- Aija is a Volunteer at the Pristine School at Innermost. She works along with Zuri and Ze, who are her friends. Aija witnesses a strange event one night – light emanating from Rez's body. The kidnapper is after her soul, next, but he leaves her alive and goes away. Another man finds her, he wants to take her somewhere else - Aija though wary of him agrees. Aija learns of the existence of the aliens – the Ytai. Also, about the R'ies and H'eon, Harvesting and Àvo from Etrie. Etrie tells her that the man, who Harvested Rez (Thieron), will now go after her. He tells her that the spy/kidnapper's name is Luka. Etrie asks her to work along with him. Aija agrees to work along with Etrie on Harvest Stopping Missions.

---- Thieron kidnaps Aija. She finds out that Nala works for Thieron. Ze, who was following her to rescue her, gets captured along with her. Thieron binds Aija to himself.

---- Luka asks Aija not to talk of Zuri to Nala, especially in front of Thieron. She agrees for Zuri's sake. Luka goes to Etemir to scout for souls. He is caught by Etrie but manages to escape. Etrie is furious about Aija and Ze. Thieron is planning the Harvest of the soul that Luka scouted. Aija and Ze try to escape, but Thieron stops them. Thieron and Aija go to the Open. They meet Alton Ivar.

---- Thieron finds Aija is out of the room and when he goes to find her, he sees that Dhor-Wo has found her. He gets her back to the room, furious. When they go to see Var-Inu, the Ytai man asks to see her. And, then, he tells Thieron to take her to get the Avo. They are attacked by a Savage. He manages to stop it. Var-Inu burns it. Aija asks if he is really Ah'n. He tells that he is Ah'n.

---- Xan speaks to Aija. He tells her what happened to him.

---- Zuri is having a hard time with both Aija and Ze gone. She finds Iyler at Aija's apartment and confronts her about not being form the Secures. 

---- Etrie informs them about the bond Thieron has with Aija. It makes getting them back all the more complicated. 

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****24.3 - Zuri****

Etrie had been careless; there was no doubt of it. He could have handled this better. If she was a strong soul, then Zuri wouldn't have left her side even at the Hospital.

Zuri banged her fist on the table. How many days did Aija have left? And what about Ze? Was he too, a powerful soul?

"Damn!" she yelled into the empty room. The Central system beeped once and quieted when she didn't say anything else.

Her Scroll rang from somewhere inside her room.

Zuri took in two deep breaths to steady herself before receiving the call. "Answer call on Central system," she commanded. She didn't have the patience to go search for the device.

"Zuri?" Addithri Oshiro's voice echoed through her Apartment.

"Mrs. Oshiro. Is there any news on Aija?"

"No, my dear," her voice sounded sad. "I was wondering if you would like to give us a little visit tomorrow. It must be difficult for you, staying alone."

Zuri considered the offer for a moment. Aija hadn't wanted Zuri to go to her place until after the end of volunteering. But, that might have been because Zuri hadn't known who Aija was back then. But, she knew Aija belonged to the Oshiro family for quite some time now, and she had met Mrs. and Mr. Oshiro already.

Zuri also truly hated being alone; she wasn't allowed to go home either. This was a weird situation no one had anticipated. Aija wouldn't mind.

"Sure, thanks, Mrs. Oshiro. I appreciate it."

"You're welcome. I'll text you the address."

"Thank you," Zuri felt grateful.

Addithri Oshiro cut the call telling her she would see her the next day. Her Scroll beeped, and she went in search of it and found it on her bed. There was a text from Addithri Oshiro with the address of Aija's home.

****

Zuri reached the neighborhood early and walked all the way to Aija's house. The navigation system took her to an affluent part on Innermost. The community felt – opulent, and it was immediately perceptible that the people who lived in these enormous mansions were wealthy and influential. They obviously held important positions at places relevant to the Leadership or even held coveted spots in the Leadership itself.

Zuri thought of her parents' home at the small town of Apper. It was hardly a fourth of the size of these houses, and hers was one of the bigger ones. She and Alex shared a room, whereas these houses surely held rooms for each child of the family.

The Leadership, it was becoming evident to her, only took care of itself and those vital to it. These houses were each a piece of beauty. Her palms were balled into fists by the time she reached Aija's home – the biggest of all the houses she had seen till then.

Zuri stood in front of the gated place and stared at it. It easily beat the other houses in beauty and size. For a second, Zuri felt like she understood why Aija had been so reluctant to reveal where she had lived all her life. It was obvious that Aija was privileged.

She rang the bell, and the Smart Screen lit up. The gate clicked open, and she went in. She crossed the manicured garden and knew there had to be a bigger backyard. She rounded the garden and reached the Main door; five steps led to the intricately carved wooden door.

Mrs. Oshiro was waiting for her there. "Hope it was easy to reach here."

Zuri nodded, "Thanks for having me."

Zuri was introduced to the whole family – Vaya, Rei, Avi, and Asahi. Mr. Oshiro wasn't home. Zuri even met Doi, Aija's niece. Asahi and Avi showed her around the house, and she got a glimpse into Aija's life at home; a comfortable, luxurious life. They even had a pool!

There was only one pool at Apper town, which was used by all the residents. She remembered her father standing in line for a ticket to use the pool for the weekends. He often took her when he had the time, and now Noah took Alex on some weekends – he woke up early now to reserve a spot on the pool's website; he no longer had to wait at lines, but it was still a lot of effort.

Aija had an in-house pool.

Avi and Asahi led her to a glasshouse filled with the most exotic plants she had never seen before.

Asahi pointed to a stone in the ground, "This is where Terra is buried. I don't remember her, but she was the best dog ever."

They'd had a dog?! One required special permission for it, and not everyone was granted permission. But of course, her father was an important person – any kind of license was nothing but child's play.

Her childhood had been wildly different from Aija's. Zuri didn't feel jealous. Just sad. Sad that there were far more privileged people when there were others who struggled – especially in the towns lining the perimeter of the City. They had to toil for money, the Plague haunted them, and they had no way out of there.

The Leadership was unconcerned about them. Zuri's life was better than most; she knew it. She wouldn't trade her life for this, but it hurt for the people who had it worse than she did.

****

The lunch was excellent. Mrs. Oshiro was friendly and took good care of her. They had a good conversation about school, her family, her friends, and the sort. Avi and Asahi told her they had seen her at school with Aija.

Zuri learnt that *Quinn had been visiting them nearly every day. Quinn really must be a good man. He might wait for her really long – and no knew if they would get Aija back.

Zuri was glad she had accepted the invitation. It would have been stifling at her Apartment all alone. And she'd learnt something today – that the Leadership wasn't on the people's side; it was for its own.

After lunch, she Rei, Avi, and Asahi spent time in the glasshouse just lying down and looking up at the clouds speeding by. It wasn't much, but she was grateful to the Oshiros for having her over. Zuri felt better and not so lonely. She had to try cloud watching with Alex; he would enjoy it, creating shapes in the clouds as Avi and Asahi did.

"They'll find her, won't they?" Avi asked, breaking the silence.

Zuri didn't know what to say. Lie to the boy and assure him or tell him the truth about Aija being bonded to a Ytai?

"I hope so," she whispered.

Avi was quiet for a while before he stood up. Asahi looked at him and sat up.

"It's going to be alright, Avi," Rei whispered.

Zuri looked at Aija's older brother. They looked so much like each other – like their mother. It was easy to tell they were siblings. Rei was studying medicine and had come home as soon as he had received the news of Aija's kidnapping. Rei seemed calm and quiet, though it was easy to see that he was hurting. Rei and Aija were close.

Avi left the glasshouse, and Asahi followed him out. Rei sat up, and so did Zuri.

"Avi won't say much, but he's attached to Ai," Rei told her. "It's been difficult for all of us. Asahi has only stopped crying as of yesterday. I wish Avi would cry, get it off his chest. But he won't. He keeps it all to himself."

Zuri looked at Avi and Asahi's receding figures. "I'm sorry," she said moments later, tears stinging her eyes. She wanted to tell them she knew what had happened to Aija. Tell them the truth. They deserved to know. What if Thieron took away her soul? They'd be waiting for someone who wouldn't come back.

"She spoke so much of you; always so highly of you," she told Rei, suppressing her need to tell them the truth. Etrie would be furious if he got to know what she'd done. Also, what would humans do against the Ytai; against Thieron when Etrie himself struggled?

Rei smiled sadly. "Tell me this, Zuri," he spoke softly, all his hurt shining in his eyes.

Everyone in her family had brown eyes except for Aija and Asahi. Aija had once told her that her great grandfather had grey eyes.

"Was she happy?"

"Yes," Zuri answered.

"Even with Quinn?"

"Yes, Rei, she didn't run away."

"I know," he said, and Zuri felt the conviction in his voice.

They looked at each other, each one reading the other person. Did he know more than he let on?

"I just wanted to know if she lived a happy life."

"She did. And, will again once we find her."

Rei Oshiro nodded.

Zuri could feel the lost hope, embracing him.

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Character Reference

Quinn Ot/Chr 3.r