[center][h1]The Cold Hard Truth of the Matter...[/h1] [h2][b]Location:[/b] Academy [b]Time:[/b] Midday [/h2][/center] Olivia hadn’t noticed, until Professor Saerne hugged her, the teacher was nearby. Her eyes widened and facial features turned up into a stunned look when his arms wrapped about her as if he knew exactly what had upset her. For a moment, fleeting, she considered just sinking into the embrace. To let everything held tightly inside go and crumble, the time passed and denied by her choice back in the toll booth, when he finally detached himself. The sensation of his strength still lingered to comfort her as he summoned something. It looked like aged parchment and a map, which he handed off to her. Gingerly Olivia nodded and reached out, taking the item in hand while he escorted her to the door. She paused a moment, waving back at the angel, before leaving. “See you later AC.” With those last words, she almost fought not to run away from the office in her haste. Namely before she broke down and cried right in front of the pair, feeling her calm slowly breaking apart. Her mind could vividly recall the whole conversation from start to finish, relighting the worry about her brother and it fogging over the fact she didn’t call her Uncle, while she walked. [center][i][u] Back in the Toll Booth in Professor Saerne’s Office[/u][/i][/center] After leaving AC and Reates alone, Olivia closed the phone booth door behind her. She reached for phone and the whole time had ended up gripping until it stung in her hand. The pain was slow to dull causing her to look down at the object in her hand. It was mild to say her nerves were unsettled, thick enough it seemed to suffocate her, when her eyes lowered to gaze at it. It was a normal receiver though one, surprising her a bit, mainly since she didn’t expect to be used by the eccentric teacher. She took a moment to study it, both settling and bracing her nerves. Of course nothing odd stuck out to her, noting the thin, rectangular shape with a smaller screen for visual conversations and touch screen displaying a dial used for contacts. It was wireless despite it being a landline so there was little need to worry about getting tangled up in the cord or being restricted in the same room though she was still blocked off from the others for this moment of privacy. For several moments she tried to quell her discomfort slithering inside and curl, tightening in her chest where it sat like a dead thing. She wanted to hear Emmet’s voice, enough to know he was alright, but a part of her knew if she did then there would be questions. Both selfish and concern types poured into her skull making Olivia feel a budding headache coming on about what she would say. Finally she exhaled the anxiety as she reached for the touchscreen then began to dial, the buttons beeped at her touch, pausing long enough to recall her brother’s emergency number and finally enter. The bland, loud tone came into her ear during her wait for someone to pick up. She was expecting to hear Emmet’s gruff voice and some lame excuse. Zi was out of breath, huddled up in a couch in one of the hippy cafes where freaks were a normal sight. Her wings were folded up behind her, still trembling slightly from the strain. Hearing the phone ring she almost dropped the cup of coffee she was cradling and hurried to pick up. “Emmet?” She asked breathlessly, her voice shaking with panic and hope. Olivia’s eyes widened in surprise to hear a feminine voice answer instead, her breath held in and stilled. Her stomach knotted tighter when her brother’s name escaped the woman’s lips, the tone not helping her in the least to remain calm. The girl’s fear made her fingers tighten until they were white as her chest burned and trying to peel away the numbness in her mind just to think. Finally her voice found its way back to her throat, the constriction gone, letting her speak. “No… This is Olivia Matthews, his sister. Where’s my brother?” Zi felt her breath catch in her chest. All she knew - Emmet leaving because of Olivia, the policemen talking about an incident at her school, Olivia now calling, the angel that shot at them - swirled around her head in an incomprehensible mess. Had it all been a trap? Was Darius finally bored of Emmet and found a way to dispose of him? The phone started shaking in her hand and she brought her knees up to her chest, squeezing the phone with both hands to keep it steady. She knew she was supposed to lie to the girl to keep her from being worried but more importantly, she needed more information. "I'm not sure, Olivia, he was with me last night but he got a call that something's happened with you and left." Her voice was steady, masking the beat of her frantic heart. "Are you alright?" “He was suppose to pick me up. When he didn’t come, I just stood there waiting for him. It seems Hank was sent instead and…” Blood, dead eyes and Hank’s image of his slumped over body flashed in the younger’s eyes causing her throat to tighten and a sourness to gather within her mouth. She knew that sensation well. The desire to vomit and purge her guilt, but slowly she took small breaths to push past the creeping sensation of terror building inside her core, “He and Mr. Findley, both were killed by a woman that t-took me. It’s my fault. All my fault this happened.” Instinctively her arm closed around her body and her mind whirled with the confusion over this news delivered to her. Aluvia’s words, once calm and soothing now burned up like the essence fuming off the angel’s wings. She was wrong. He’s not alright, her brother was in trouble and she was sitting here doing nothing to help him. If he died because she… The thought was enough to trigger what had been held back as her body curled, her free hand jerking to stop it. Anything that had been within her stomach came up in acidic and nasty tasting mess, held back in her throat where it sting and threatened to come up. She was breathing hard, daring not to speak, fearful of letting the foul tasting mess escape and land on the floor. Now wasn’t the time to get sick. Swallowing it back down, Olivia began to cough roughly when her last meal went down overly rough and tried to choke her. "Olivia?!" Zi shouted down the phone as the girl made a whimpering sound. A few heads in the cafe turned and she lowered her voice, realising the girl had almost thrown up. Her voice was even stronger now, worried but commanding in the same time. " Olivia, listen to me, don't you [I]dare[/I] underestimate your brother. He is alright but he must be worried sick - you know you're his single, most precious thing, right? I'm currently looking for him in all the hospitals and police stations around and when I find him he'll want to know about you. Where are you right now? Are you safe?" Should I come get you? was the next logical question but she didn't ask that. She couldn’t afford that. Wiping the back of her hand across her skirt, Olivia’s head seemed to flood her in unwanted thoughts, doubts, and worse case scenarios. She couldn’t stay here and risk losing him. The thought drove a nail into her center leaving her mind spinning and body weak, slid down on the bench allowing her to prop against the glass wall. “Yeah...I’m alright. The woman took me to an abandoned building on the way toward Loom. She covered the room in some sort of webbing and trapped us inside. I managed to make a cabinet fall and...I-I-I think it j-just t-trapped her so I tried to get out. Noel, a musician heard me and helped me to escape. Aeris found me later and now we’re at the Academy. It’s only temporary but I want to go home and I want to know he’s alright. If something happened to him…” She could feel her eyes stinging thanks to the tears as she closed the lids, letting the wetness wash away the shame. What could she do but make it worse? Zi took a sharp breath and squeezed the phone tighter. “Olivia, listen, ok? Calm down, please. We need to be strong, your brother will be” [i]pissed[/i] “furious at us if we don’t get it together, right? You should trust me and you should trust your uncle, we’ll find him.” She’d thrown Darius into the equation just as a way of prodding about whether Olivia had any suspicions of the true nature of his and Emmet’s relationship but as the sentence left her mouth she realised something else as well. “Have you spoken to your uncle already? He might know something that I don’t.” Her voice never wavered despite the sudden surge of anger she felt on the inside. “I’ve not talked to Uncle Darius since I was kidnapped, though I’m sure Aeris told him I was here. I can’t be fully registered according to the headmaster without Darius’ permission,” Olivia spoke, her middle churning and body curled for self comfort, “This isn’t normal for him, Zi. I was going to ask Aeris if we could stop by his apartment since Ms. Quarin believes this might’ve been a one time incident. I know it’s not. He wanted me kidnapped to get to a woman named Mary… there was some confusing stuff said about Darius and my brother, stuff I don’t understand and don’t want to think about. I just want to know EZ is alright. It’s all my fault… I got Mr. Findley killed, Hank and now… E-” What had she done...The question rippled in her head over and over, taunting her with some hidden secret that made her heart blacken and twist inside. The apartment. Now that was a bad idea. “I’ve been to his apartment. That’s how I got his phone. He’s not there, unfortunately, but there’s nothing to suggest he’s not alright, Olivia.” She cringed at the ease with which the lie left her mouth, suddenly feeling as disgusted with herself as she was with Darius and Emmet. Wasn’t the girl old enough to deserve the truth? But it wasn’t up to her to decide, was it? “You didn’t get anybody killed, dear. But if anyone is after you, you better make sure you keep yourself safe. Stay where you are and leave the rest to me and your uncle. You can trust us that much, can’t you?” “I-I can try. I’ve got Darius, Aeris and Emmet but I know my brother doesn’t have anyone. He doesn’t let anyone inside and I don’t understand why. Please, no one worries about him so no one will seek him out. He doesn’t deserve to be forgotten.” Olivia said as she admitted to the woman her fears. “Promise me, you won’t abandon him.” “I would never forget your brother.” Zi smiled as bitter saliva dripped down her throat with the admission. Sometimes she wished she could. “This is why I’m asking you to have some faith in me.” “Kay, but if you don’t find him...I’ll kick your ass.” Zi chuckled despite herself and her voice softened. “I wouldn’t risk that. Keep yourself safe and I’ll call you as soon as I know anything.” “You too,” Olivia said and hung up, her shaking hand placed the phone beside her. She was shaking all over, her eyes horrified that she couldn’t stop while she pressed her palms into her eyes to cease the wetness. [i]No...not here, stay calm.[/i] She tried to order herself, her body feeling weighed by the fear and pain inside before forced it to stay upright. More than anything she wanted to sink farther into the booth’s wall, using its solid form like a prop, while her arms wrapped about her knees. And just cry. All she could was use her hands to wipe away the wetness along her redden eyes. It seems so easy for her mask to surface when her hand pressed against the door, opening it to face Professor Saerne finishing up with Aluvia. This was a hellish week for her that much was turning out to be certain.