Slaying Dragons

Chapter Thirty One

Mal awoke feeling rotten. He looked over his bed and only saw one head. Like the past two weeks, every time he woke up, he had to relive the realization that no, this was not a bad dream.

He got up, letting Ellen sleep in and went to check on the kids. They were all asleep, fitfully. Just like they'd been since their mother had been abducted.

He shook his head and went to go downstairs to make coffee. He needed it to stay awake and research Yheng.

So far the police had no leads because everywhere the Japanese man was known to frequent in Italy had been raided and had led nowhere. No one had seen him for a couple days prior to the abduction.

And since then, he'd been a ghost.

Mal was so stressed out, he felt like a 90 year old man instead of 22. Friends and family floated in, offering prayers and food but neither brought him comfort. He didn't know where his wife was or if she was okay.

He rubbed his hands over his face harshly so he wouldn't start crying. Ellen did enough of that. Not that he blamed her but tears solved nothing.

Another thing that solved nothing was Po's war on Yheng's father, a billionaire from Toyko. Mal didn't care about the man past him offering help on getting his love back.

Beneath all his worry and sadness was a deep anger and ball of hatred for the man that took his wife. Phillip had revealed everything he knew of Marcy's and Yheng's interactions and none of it was good.

Gianni had been beside himself for days, crying and carrying on. He blamed himself for not taking the situation seriously earlier. But Mal offered him no ease. He was too wrapped up in his wife's disappearance.

Another person that blamed themselves was Quinn. The blonde wouldn't stop crying and had sunk into a deep depression.

Karou, Paris and Yuria were not far behind. Jude tried to help but even he was worried. They'd been in dangerous situations before but Marcy had always survived. What if she didn't this time?

Their parents were all devastated and the rest of the family was in a tizzy. But what kind of shocked Mal was Marcy's fans. He knew fame was fickle but since the story broke about Marcy being abducted, fans had been sending care packages, flowers and anything they thought would help.

Correspondence came from all over the world but Italy was fierce with their love. Tips poured into the authorities about Yheng, whether true or not.

Mal just wished it was over and he could hold his young bride.

Footsteps echoed on the kitchen tile and he looked to see Mike coming in. "Hey."

"Mercy wants you to come talk to Lucy. When you have a minute."

Mal was torn. "I don't know. I gotta go through these reported sightings."

"I can do that."

Mal still waffled.

"I think you need this as much as she does. She's making herself sick."

Mal realized Mike was worried over his own wife. "Yeah, I'll go down. Give me a couple minutes."

Mike nodded and turned to go before stilling. "We'll find her. There is no other option."

Mal said nothing as his brother left.

M&MC

Mal peeked into the master suite of the Chang thruple. "Lucy?"

Quinn turned her head, tears and snot all over her face. "Mal?"

He came further into the room to sit on the bed. "How you holding up?"