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He was so completely dead pan when he said it, she wasn’t entirely convinced that he meant it as a joke. But she decided to ignore that for now. She didn’t particularly care if he was a sadistic monster, so long as he was on their side.
“Have you checked the manor?”
The look he gave her very clearly asked if she thought he was stupid. She lifted her hands, figuring she had to at least ask.
“Do they have any other properties?”
“Yes. We’ve searched them all. She doesn’t have any storage places we haven’t tracked down, and Drevor knows nothing. We already… asked him.”
Sandy wasn’t sure she liked that brief pause, or what it might mean, but she chose to ignore that for now too. “What about the stadium?”
He hesitated. The stadium was the home base for the Eliviers, and Elffa was their manager. She essentially had unrestricted access to any part of the stadium she wished. It was huge, almost just as big underground as it was above, and it even already had medical facilities. If any place would be capable of running a stasis machine/pod/thing, it would be there.
“We have not,” he finally admitted. “It’s a large stadium.”
“But Rane spends most of his time there, and we could have everyone searching for-”
“No,” he cut her off harshly, tail sliding against the ground. “No authorities.”
She hummed thoughtfully. “Rane’s team?”
He thought to himself before grunting. “They could help.”
“Then, how about a deal?” She faced him fully. “Drevor is already on our side. Rane and his team know that stadium. You know that Elffa will never give him back if she has her way. She will hold him forever if for no other reason than she knows what will happen if you get him back or he dies. I don’t imagine you will just tip your hat, tell her it was nice knowing her, and leave even if she gives your brother back tomorrow.”
Orza hissed as he snarled, revealing his full muzzle of sharp teeth. It was all the answer she really needed.
“Help Rane and me instead,” she pressed. “Help us get out from under her, and I swear we won’t sleep until we find your brother and give him back to you.”
Orza gave her a long look down his scaley muzzle. He was so much bigger than her, it was like staring into the eyes of a huge monster. But she met his gaze evenly, letting him see the unmasked, determined sincerity in her gaze.
“And what will you do if you fail?” He asked, voice rumbling without threat or fear. “Are you willing to pay the price if we throw our lot in with you and our brother ends up dead?”
She thought about it for only a moment. Measuring the weight of what she was seeing still playing out on screen, knowing how terrible their future would be if she didn’t do something, and the risk that, if she guessed wrong, she would be responsible for a male’s life. She didn’t know if she’d call him an innocent male – not considering Orza and Kirs – but he certainly had never done anything against her or Rane.
She nodded once, firmly. “I will. I mess up, and you can claim your pound of flesh.” Firmly, she held out a hand.
He blinked at it before looking back up at her.
“You shake it,” she said. “It’s how humans seal deals. Do we have a deal?”
He considered her for a moment before grabbing her hand. He didn’t quite do it right, encasing her entire hand, thumb and all, in his fist before shaking. But she considered it to be just as binding as a properly formed handshake. She nodded, grinning.
“Do you have a plan then, little female?” He asked, releasing her hand. Giving her that same emotionless look he usually gave Elffa.
Sandy grinned, determination rising. “Send Kirs a message. Tell him to let Rane know that I’m safe and he’s off his leash.”
Orza didn’t respond verbally, but he opened a new screen on his holodisplay and quickly tapped out a message to his brother.
Sandy had her gaze fixed on the screen. Rane was currently explaining that, while Sandy was definitely safe and unharmed, she was also an upstanding citizen on Earth. He even went so far as to describe how she took care of her grandmother as she grew ill and died. Painting her in almost saintlike brushstrokes and then comparing her to him and telling them how ashamed and disgusted she was with him. It was all his fault. He was an immature, irresponsible male that didn’t deserve such a wonderful female as her anyway. Hearing the self-flagellation made her grit her teeth, hands tightening into fists as she wanted to scream that it wasn’t true. That none of it was his fault.
In the background, she barely saw Kirs. But she could still spot him surreptitiously checking the message Orza had just sent him.
He stilled. Only for a moment. Then, he moved.
Elffa looked confused, but she didn’t try to stop him, as he approached Rane. The reporters went quiet as he stepped behind him. He leaned down, raising his arm and blocking his mouth from being seen, as he whispered something to Rane.
Sandy watched as her mate blinked. His eyes widened in surprise. He whipped his head around, looking at him. Kirs stood up, giving him a single look, before stepping back. Deliberately putting himself between Rane and Elffa.
