The Elementalist

Base- Somewhere out in the middle of the Pacific Ocean

9:00 pm UTC -10:00

He breathed a sigh of relief and moved a hand across his face and his hair, grateful that Miss Gabrielle White didn't fight them to get her into the van and on her way to base. "Oh, thank, Gods," he said, breathing another sigh of relief before he cleared his throat and shifted in his seat, the leather creaking underneath his weight. "That is four people being contacted and then three people on their way here."

He looked at the phone that was connected with Mary Kate and pursed his lips in annoyance. "Hopefully, they will get her soon," he grumbled under his breath before he cleared his throat and shook his head. "We don't have time to dilly dally, and that is all that they are doing."

He moved a hand through his hair before he shook his head and sighed, clearing his throat. "I hope the rest of them are going to be just as easy as the other three children," he muttered under his breath before he took a look at his phone to make sure that no one called him. "If not, then I hope that they won't be as difficult as Ms. Mary Kate."

He bit back a small sigh before he shook his head and cleared his throat. "Now, let's see if someone else is ready to be picked up," he muttered under his breath before he looked at his computer to read the name Luis Gomez...

"Well, Mr. Gomez," he said before he cleared his throat and leaned back his seat while he folded his arms across his chest while he tucked his head closer to his chest, biting back a small smile. "I hope that you are ready for your life to change for the best..."

Luis Gomez- Atlanta, Georgia

12:00 am EST

Luis opened his eyes when something shifted into bed with him, and his whole body grew tense. He blinked and blinked a second time before he turned around to see one of his siblings climbing into bed with him but pausing when she saw that he was awake and looking at her. "Ariella?" he asked groggily while he rubbed his eyes and sat up, biting back a tired yawn. "Are you ok? What is it? What's wrong?"

She blinked and blinked again before she bit the inside of her lip. She didn't say a word while she looked at him with her bottom lip quivering.

Luis furrowed his brows and cocked his head while he stared at her, seeing that she had been crying. "What's wrong?" he asked, his voice turning slightly darker and becoming more protective of her. "Who do I need to hurt?"

Ariella bit back a small laugh and shook her head, blinking back the rest of the tears. "You don't have to hurt anyone, Luis," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I am ok. I-"

"Don't," he warned and shook his head, interrupting her. He set his jaw and narrowed his eyes, biting back a scowl. "Do not lie to me, Ariella. You have been crying and are crying while we are talking with each other."

Ariella sniffled and blinked back some tears, trying but failing to keep some more from falling. She didn't say a word and rubbed her eyes before she shook her head.

Luis sighed and moved a hand through his hair and across his face, shaking his head. "Dios mío, (My God,)" he said, his voice barely above a whisper before he cleared his throat. "Do you want to sleep in here for the rest of the night, well morning?" he asked, knowing full well that she wouldn't tell him what was bothering her.

She hesitated before she nodded. "Por favor, (Please,)" she said. "Lo siento. (I'm sorry.)"

Luis snorted and rolled his eyes before he grabbed his blankets and pulled them up a little so that she could go under them. "No lo seas. (Don't be,)" he said and shook his head. "You are fine. Is Mama home?"

Ariella shook her head and got under the blankets. "No," she said, and her voice shook with pain and sadness. "She's still out and about. I think she is at work."

Luis bit back a small snort and shook his head, pursing his lips in annoyance. "I don't think so," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. He cleared his throat and shifted in his bed before he turned to look at the clock to see that it was 3:30 in the morning before he looked at her. "I think she might be doing something else."

Ariella cocked her head and studied him, pressing her lips into a thin line. "What do you mean?" she asked and furrowed her brows while she cocked her head, and he silently cursed his luck. "What do you mean that she is doing something else?"

Luis bit back a small smile and shook his head, and his heart broke into a million pieces. "It's nothing, Ariella," he said. "It doesn't matter."

Ariella scoffed and rolled her eyes. She scowled and narrowed her eyes, turning to look at him. "Don't do that," she scowled. "What do you mean that she is doing something else?"

Luis sighed and shook his head, not answering her question while he pressed his lips into a thin line. "When you are older, Ari," he said softly. "Por favor. (Please.) Don't put me in this situation."

"¿Por qué no? (Why not?)" his sister asked and raised an eyebrow in question while she studied him. "Is it something dangerous?"

Luis hesitated before he shrugged and grimaced, not saying a word.

In a way... yes, what their mother did was dangerous, not only to her but to them as well. If she somehow pissed off the wrong person and they found out where he and his siblings lived, then they could be held for ransom.

Or worse...

Luis grimaced and shook his head, shaking those thoughts away while doubt and worry tightened in the pit of his stomach.

"Luis," his sister pleaded. "Is she doing something dangerous?" Her eyes grew wide, and her face grew pale while she stared at her brother, and Luis couldn't help but wonder what was going on through that mind of hers.

However, he didn't question it; he couldn't...

Ari scowled and narrowed her eyes while she stared at him, and her whole body grew tense. "I have the right to know, Luis. What is going on? What is she doing?"

Luis sighed and shook his head, relenting. "Ok," he said, "but you can not tell anyone else about this. Is that understood?" He scowled and narrowed his eyes, and Ariella nodded, her eyes wide.

"Yes," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I promise that I won't tell anyone."

Luis pressed his lips into a thin line before he cleared his throat and shifted in bed. "She's a "lady of the night," as well as doing her day job, Ariella," he said, trying to come up with a better way to tell her what her mother was.

Ariella furrowed her brows and cocked her head. She didn't say another word while she looked at him, confused.

Luis sighed and shook his head before he cleared his throat and shifted some more, trying but failing to get comfortable and to relieve some of the nervousness that he felt. "She's an escort," he said, giving her a different description as to what she was. "Would that description work?"

Arielle frowned and narrowed her eyes while she studied before realization dawned in her eyes, and her eyes grew wide. "Are you saying that she is a prostitute?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "Is that what you are calling her?"

Luis bit back a small smile and nodded. "Yes," he said in confirmation. "That is exactly what she is and why she stays out more nights than not."