Chapter 6; 630pm Saint James Hospital

Detective Stone walked with Mr. Ginn down the ICU hallway. Stone could see the anxiety on Mr. Ginn's face. He hadn't said anything since the car ride. Stone told him that Samara was found in a storage unit across town that had been rented by the Mepple brothers. When they found her she was bounded to the floor by a chain, hands tied behind her back with a ball gage in her mouth. She couldn't remember anything from the events of the last three days. She told Stone the last memory she had was enjoying a beer at the local Micro Brewery on Eagle Ave. Her and the three brothers worked for her father's company in the same department.  The hallway was quite, just the occasional medical beep or phone would ring, but otherwise it seemed like it was a slow night for the Hospital. Mr. Ginn's steps began to slow once he noticed the two Officers outside his daughter's room. Stone could tell he was trying to collect himself so not to make a scene. The two Uniforms noticed Detective Stone approaching and stiffened their posture. Stone's Reputation for a no nonsense and stickler for the rules made people walk a fine line when he was around. A line in his mind they should be walking all the time.  The younger of the two Officers rushed to place his phone in his pocket. Before Stone could scold him for using his phone while on a protective duty, the doctor seeing to Samara's care stepped into the hallway. Buying the young Officer, a brief reprieve from Stone. Stone looked to the young man's badge, 323232 was simple enough number for Stone to remember. He would send an email in the morning to his SGT to ensure he was corrected. The Doctor was an older woman. She was short and thin, dark skinned, woman. Her white coat had a nameplate on it that read Aaliyah. It was a Islamic name means "exalted." She wore a black hijab over her hair. Her thin framed glasses fit her rounded face well.

"Detective Stone, hello again." Dr. Aaliyah had been the medical doctor for a few of the cases Stone had worked over the last few years. She was a good Doctor.

"Aaliyah, how have you been? This is Samara's Father Thomas." Stone turned to Thomas who was looking through the window into his daughter's room, Stone could feel the mixed emotions radiating from him, anger, relief, sadness, all rolled into one.

"Hello Thomas." Her voice conveyed kindness, support, and understanding. Stone felt like he should be taking notes on how to interact with people when he was around her. Thomas' shoulders relaxed a bit as he turned around to face her.

"how is she Doctor?" Thomas' voice was filled with sadness and relief.

"Well other than some lite bruising, dehydration, and mild amnesia she is healthy. No signs of sexual assault, or any other assault. Once her labs come back and when the IV is done you can take her home. But Mr. Ginn, you have to understand when her memory starts to return she may experience nightmares, or fits of terror. " as Aaliyah spoke each word seem to hit like a punch gut to Thomas.

"Mr. Ginn, we will have a protective detail here until she is discharged. I will make sure you have a police escort home and a protective detail for the night. We will give her case the top priority." Detective Stone reassured Thomas.

"Thank you Doctor. Detective Stone, that means a lot to us. But please do not treat us any different. We deserve no more than anyone else in our shoes." Both Aaliyah and Stone where in disbelief over the level of humility Thomas was displaying.

"I promise you I would give this level of treatment to anyone that went through this. When she is ready to be discharged just let these fine Officers know, they will escort you home and stay with you until they are relieved. Isn't that right 323232?" Stone's voice conveyed strength, conviction, and even a mild threat feeling that the Officers understood. In that moment Officer 323232 realized Detective Stone had seen him on his phone.

"Thank you Detective."

9:10 pm Gwen's Apartment.

Gwen returned home all smiles, she absolutely loved spending time with William and Bai. Those to old men where funny and great story tellers. Though when she asked about Detective Stone and their history they both became very quiet.  With William finally saying it was nothing to concern herself with, and with her gut saying to trust them over Stone, she let it go. Walking to her apartment door from the elevator she wondered if Marci would stop by after her date. After all Marci lived a floor up from Gwen, and It was a great comfort to have her sister close. Once she got the door open Gwen placed her keys on a small table by her front door; a sudden chill ran down her spine, again she saw movement out of the corner of her eye. However, this time she also heard the floor creek. Gwen reached for her firearm, but before her hand could even reach the grip, something knocked Gwen to the floor. It was a decisive strike. Fast and hard. She hit the floor with a solid thud. Her chest burned from whatever struck her. She rolled to her side, but before she could even register what was going on she felt a vase strike the back of her head, the sound was sharp, Gwen's eyes rolled back, she could feel the warm flow of her own blood running down the side of her face has she lost consciousness.

Gwen awoke to a strange smell in the air. It was an earthly scent. Her head was pounding; she slowly opened her eyes. As her senses returned she felt a coarse fur wrapped against her naked body.

{I AM NAKED!} Panic filled her mind, confused she looked around.

She was in a burrow home; it was small, so small she could not stand up. Gwen clasped the sheepskin blanket tightly around her body.

{Where am I? Where are my clothes? Who attacked me?}

Beyond the tiny room where she had woken, she could hear the banging of clay pots and dishes and a strange humming. She made a make shift dress by wrapping herself completely in her blanket, she crawled into the next room. Her head was throbbing; she must have hit it in her sleep. The dream of the strange land was slowly fading from her memory.  Once through the small doorway she could not believe her eyes. Her dress suspended in mid-air by magic, while a needle and thread worked without the aid of hands to mend the rips from when the Rogues attacked her. A tiny table was in the center of the room. On the other side of that table, was a strange-looking man. Her head throbbed, she remembered hitting her head or did someone hit her? Why was it so hard to focus? Did she suffer a trauma or did her head hurt simply because she could not understand what she was looking at? He was small, pale skinned, thin, yet still had a pot belly. His hair was long and white to the floor in a tight braid. When he turned around he noticed she had joined him in his kitchen. He had huge bushy white eyebrows that seemingly hid his eyes, and a long beard that match his hair. Other than a loincloth, he had nothing else on.

"Child, you are awake I see. How is your head? You had a nasty bump." his words filled with kindness. He seemed familiar to her, but she had never seen him before.

"Where am I? Where is Jacob?" concern wept from her has her memories cleared. She Remembered watching Jacob get stabbed and left face down in the mud. She shuttered as her mind also reminded her of the horrific fate those same Rogues had suffered before her very eyes. Had this small man done that to steal her away? Was she now his prisoner?

"Child, calm yourself. I mean you no harm" He replied as if he could read her mind.

"I do not know of this Jacob you speak of. But when I found you outside the castle walls, among those bodies, I figured best to get you somewhere safe."

A small pot was sitting on the table; with what looked like tomato soup in it. Gwen's stomach rumbled loud enough that even the enchanted needle seemed to notice.

"You be hungry I see. I have some bread and mushrooms that should hold you over." the little man turned to the cupboard behind him.

"Sir, I mean you no disrespect, but where am I. How is this" she gestured to the dress and needle

"Happening?"

He let a little chuckle out has he slid a plate with a loaf of bread and some fresh mushrooms towards her on the table.

"Well magic of course. I'm sure you can recognize that" his tone light-hearted like a child.

The needle dropped to the floor, followed by the thread.

"Aye yes. I have finished the repairs on your dress. Best you get dressed, eat and be on your way back home."

He turned his back without her needing to ask. Gwen slipped her dress over her shoulders.

"How long have I been here?" She asked has she tied her dress.

"Just since night fall." Gwen looked around and could see the sun was only at early-day at best.

"Need to get back to where you found me; I need to know if Jacob is okay." Gwen noticed how pleading her voice sounded even to her. The little man turned and faced her. Stern was his look.

"After the mess you made out there I don't suggest you return to that spot just yet. Best avoid it. The Lord's men will be wondering why they have three dead men to clean up" laughingly replied the little man.

{Only three? Did Jacob survive the ordeal? Did he say I caused it?}

"Sir, are you sure there were only three bodies? Why do you think I caused their deaths? I promise you I had no hand in what be fell them."

The little man's lips curled in a vicious smile.

"Oh I be certain," he picked a sack from the side of the table and dumped three heads from the bag. Terror filled Gwen, but she could tell that Jacob was not among these heads. A side from the one missing most of his flesh, the rest still had all their features.

"And you most certainly did cause this, you have a power in you, a cold power. I took their heads to keep them from being identified. Buy you a little time." his eyes grew wild. His fingers danced around the table has he spoke.

"I normally don't get involved in the affairs of man, but I felt you release your power while I was gathering my mushrooms. I could not allow you to fall into Lord Berith's hands. You used so much magic that it drained all of your energy. Now eat up." he slid the plate straight into her hands. Gwen's heart was pounding hard, so much so she felt dizzy. The little man turned to the pot of Soup; he raised a ladle from the inside of the pot, and with it came a sack hat, bright red. Blood red. The air suddenly filled with an Iron copper smell. One she could taste. That was not soup. It was Blood. Her heart raced faster and harder. He was no little man, he was a Dwarven Red Cap. A murder of lost travelers.

End Chapter 6