Chapter IV

Missing

Maria opened her eyes. She shook her head, refusing to believe what they were telling her. "No, it can't be true."

The police officer sighed as he turned back to the River's. "I'm sorry, but I am afraid that your son has been kidnapped."

Ashley covered her mouth with her right hand, tears pouring down her face. "By the same kidnapper who kidnapped the other children around his age?"

"Maybe, but we aren't for certain."

Maria hung her head. She felt someone rub her back and she looked up to see her older brother, Michael, rubbing her back. She had the same hair color as Maria, and his was curly as well. His eyes were green though, and his skin was gorgeously tan from his time in California, where he was going to college. He was fit and probably was getting looked at by the females.

Her oldest brother, Nicholas, looked more like her father. The same dirty blonde hair that was straight and perfectly styled. His eyes were green as well, however he was much paler than the rest of his family due to the fact that he preferred to stay indoors to study law at Harvard. He wasn't as fit as Michael, but was still muscular.

"It's okay, they'll find him." Michael said, though his eyes were watering.

    Max had been close to her whole family. Michael and Nicholas loved him almost as much as Maria did. Nicholas nodded. "I'm sure he is alright, okay?"

    Suddenly, the door to the police department was thrown open. Missus and Mister Gold stood there, with a teenage boy standing near them. The boy had familiar blonde hair and familiar blue eyes. His skin was tanned nicely from the time he spent outdoors in Colorado, and he was more muscular than from when she had last seen him. He hurried over to her and knelt down in front of her. "Maria! Are you alright?" He asked, his blue eyes staring into hers.

    She felt her face heating up as she looked down at the attractive blonde staring down at her. "Y-yes, I'm alright. Just, worried, is all."

    He nodded. Suddenly, the man put a hand on him. "Brady, stand up straight." He ordered, pulling him up.

    Mr. Gold held a stern look in his dark eyes as he pulled his stepson up. His dark hair was covered and coated in gel, making it look fake and honestly unappealing. His skin was pale, as per usual, and his almond shaped eyes were narrowed. The black tailored suit he wore looked to cost more than Maria's whole wardrobe, and she was always nervous to be around him.

    Mrs. Gold put a hand on her husband's arm. "Relax, honey. He's just checking up on his friend." Her soft curls framed her round face. Her hair was the same lovely blonde as both her sons' hair, and her eyes the same kind blue. Her skin was tanned like theirs, though hers wasn't as dark as theirs usually was. She wore a simple black blouse with a white skirt and black heels. She had a pearl necklace on as well as pearl earrings.

    Her husband sighed but relaxed his grip on his son's shoulder. Brady looked back at Maria. "Are you alright?"

    Maria chuckled. "You already asked me that, Brady."

    Brady's face flushed red. "Oh, right." He mumbled, sheepishly covering his tomato colored face.

    She smiled as she stood up. "I have to get to school."

    Nicholas latched a hand on his younger sister's arm. "Maria, you don't have to go."

    "I do, Nicholas. I need a distraction." She said, her voice quiet and soft as she moved towards the door.

    Suddenly, another hand grabbed her wrist. She turned around to see Mr. River gripping onto her wrist. "If you have any idea on where Max could be or if you think of anything weird that happened before he vanished, be sure to tell the police when you come back, okay?"

    Maria nodded, and then pushed the door open and stepped out onto the sidewalk. As she walked away, she heard her name being called, and turned around to see Brady running towards her, a backpack hanging loosely in his right hand. When he caught up to her, he panted slightly. "Let's walk together, yeah?"

    She shrugged. "If you really want to."

    As they were walking, Maria began to think of Max's behavior before he was kidnapped. That's when she stopped as the memory resurfaced in her mind.

    Max stared at the ground for a second. Maria stared at him, confusion gracing her features. Suddenly he turned around and engulfed her in his strong arms. Maria couldn't help her face heating up. She was affected by the slightest gestures made by him. However, she was sometimes able to keep her crush under control. "You okay, Max?"

    "I hope to see you again, Maria." He said, burying his face on the top of her head.

    Her heart was going into a frenzy as she stayed frozen in her spot. He released her after a few seconds, and then left. She stayed rooted in her spot as she watched him leave. She wanted to know what he meant by that, but she didn't know. Eventually she went home, but not after standing there, watching his figure vanish beyond her viewpoint.

    "Maria?" Brady called, looking at her. "You alright?"

    She blinked, getting taken out of her daze. "I'm sorry, I was just thinking back to something Max did yesterday."

    Brady cocked his head to the side. "What'd he do?"

    "Well, after getting to the point where we break away from our walks home, he engulfed me in a hug. I was confused at first, so I asked him if he was okay, and he simply replied with, 'I hope to see you again, Maria,', and he buried his face in my hair, and then left. I don't know what he meant by that, but I don't think it was good."

    He nodded. "Killian did something similar with me. I got a phone call from him a day before he was kidnapped. He said this: 'Brady, I want you to know I love you. I love you with all my heart. Don't trust Zane. I won't be there to protect you anymore. Please, stay safe. Find some good, tough friends who can beat up someone if they really wanted to. I love you, so, so much. Please, tell Mom I said the same to her. Goodbye, brother,'."

    Maria frowned. "Did they know they were getting kidnapped?"

    "Maybe they were threatened?"

         Why would they be threatened, though? Who would threaten them? It makes more sense for your brother to have been threatened, but Max? He's middle classed, not rich, like your family."

         Brady nodded. "I guess that is true. Maybe Max was confused, perhaps? Or maybe we misinterpreted their words."

         Maria frowned. "I doubt the latter, but the first point could be true. Max isn't the smartest man on the planet."

         He laughed. "True, true. Last I saw him he was twelve and attempted to jump from one roof of a house to another with a pillow sheet."

         "Oh yeah! That's when he broke his arm and dislocated his other shoulder! That was pretty funny, until he screamed bloody murder, of course."

         Brady chuckled. "Yeah."

         Maria sighed, and then frowned, thinking back to Max. Her heart pounded when she remembered him kissing her cheek. She felt someone tap her shoulder. "Maria? Are you alright? Your face is looking a bit red."

         She nodded vigorously as she turned to look up at Brady. "Yeah, yeah! I- I's okay."

         Brady frowned, but didn't make any other comment. Maria was thankful for that. She didn't want to think anymore of the past, especially seeing that Max might never be found.

         She didn't like the thought of it.

****

         "What do you mean River was kidnapped?" One of the boys shouted in the halls as the news was spread around the school.

         Maria grimaced as she leaned against her locker. Brady was by her, watching her with a worried expression. "You okay? We can always call your parents to come get you..."

         She shook her head. "I have to make it through. It's what Max would've wanted for me."

         "Oh, Maria!"

         Maria and Brady looked over to see Hannah running over, a distressed look on her voice. Chris trailed behind her, disinterest clear on his face. "Hannah? What is it?"

         "I heard about Max! I am so, so, so, so sorry!" She said, wrapping her arms around Maria's torso.

         Chris sighed, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Yeah, I'm sorry too. It's a shame, really. No one to banter with now."

         Brady cocked his head to the side. "Is that you, Chris?"

         "Hmm? Oh, Brady, hey."

         Brady smiled. "It's great to see you again, old buddy!"

         "Yep, same here!" Chris said, though Maria felt as if that whole statement was false.

         Hannah sniffled as she wiped a tear from her eye. "And to think, I was beginning to think he'd ask me out!"

         Maria paused and looked at her, her heart beginning to shatter. "W-what?"

         The ginger nodded. "Couldn't you tell? He always seemed into me, but it might have just been my imagination."

         Chris shrugged. "I think he was very into you, if you catch my drift."

         Maria choked on her saliva. Brady seemed to freak out and began to pound on her back, trying to get her to stop dying. Chris had a small smirk on his face while Hannah seemed puzzled, trying to figure out the sexual innuendo Chris had suggested.

         Overall, the group looked like a bunch of idiots and a jerk.

****

         Max frowned as he sat in the hotel room. "So...why are we here again?"

         Killian chuckled lightly to himself. "Well, we are staying here until the buzz dies down a bit. As easy as it is for me to get out of here, it isn't exactly easy for you."

         "What is your power exactly?"

         The eighteen-year-old sighed. "It isn't the best, but I try. Basically I can transform into any sort of creature, however, they are always entirely black and have golden eyes. So, a panther, for example, would look like a normal panther except it'd have golden eyes. A fox would have a black coat and golden eyes."

         "So...what you're saying is you can transform into a dragon?"

         Killian chuckled. "I could if I really wanted to, but the larger the creature, the more it takes out of me."

         He nodded. "But, you can still transform into a dragon? How is that not the best?"

         "Just wait till you see the others, Max."

         Max began to think of all the different things that could possibly have been given to the others. But then, he realized something.

         In the heat of the moment, he hadn't paid attention to the names, but they were all coming back to him now. Jasmine, Asher, and Piper. Max felt his jaw beginning to clench when he thought of Asher. Sure, he had been doing it to protect Max, it was true, but why couldn't he have been kinder to them before he left? He basically changed completely, not letting anyone near him! Perhaps touching him would harm you?

         Either way, Max knew he wouldn't forgive Asher easily. Killian had moved from his spot, and was now busy going through the small bag he had with him, putting things back in it and taking others out. Eventually, Killian had organized his bag.

         Though, as he was doing that, his long sleeved sweater had ridden up, and Max had seen something.

         A scar. A deep, ridged, scar.

         It looked to be caused by a knife.

         Was it the Snake Demons?

         Max hoped so. He, surprisingly, didn't want it to be anything else.