"I don't care! My son is missing, find out!" Edward shouted into the phone. He paced the room and Pearl just sat there, on the couch, watching it all in slow motion. Several men had showed up now and they were getting ready to go back to Buckingham Palace, to ensure all of their safety moving forward.
Pearl searched her mind, recalling every moment of the morning he left. She told Edward and the guards everything she could remember.
"He said something about having to go to France. To meet the French diplomat to Britain there. I think. And that there were meetings with the Russian ambassador. I don't know if it was to France or England. That Edward requested it early. That he would return in a couple of days. That's all he said that I can recall." Pearl said quietly.
Edward had told them all to keep things quiet and out of the press. Time was of the essence and the press finding out could be terrible for them, especially if Erik was only "away for personal reasons" his father said. Meaning that he lied to be somewhere he didn't want Pearl to know about. Like with another woman. She knew this was a possibility but she wouldn't let herself believe that. It wasn't like him to do something like that and she knew he was in danger, she could feel it. She and Erik had a bond like that. Her dream was a way of telling her something was wrong. She was angry at herself for not acting on that premonition sooner. They had to find out what happened and where he was and soon.
"Let's go." Jim said, carrying her luggage and escorting her outside to the limo. There were five cars of military guards in front and behind them. The drive back was the longest car ride Pearl had ever taken. Edward was on the phone constantly, asking questions and trying to find answers. They arrived at the palace and Frances and was there to greet them.
"What have you found out so far?" She asked Edward.
"Nothing. He was last seen exiting the jet in Paris with Charles and getting into a black SUV. There is nothing else. The French ambassador, our ambassador and the Russian ambassador know nothing. They had no knowledge of him even going to meet them. This is dire." Edward said. Pearl felt her knees begin to buckle and she found a chair to sit in before she collapsed. Jim helped her and stood by her, looking at Edward with concern. "What I can I do to help?" Jim asked.
"Do you still have any military security clearance?" A general asked him. "We don't want to make anything public or alert anyone just yet on a broad reaching scale. We don't need panic and chaos right now. Not yet."
"I am able to get basic information. But I have a friend, a close friend, that has deep intelligence security clearance. Let me see what I can do." Jim said. Edward nodded.
"I'll be back, Pearl. I'm not leaving you, just going to get on my computer for a bit." Jim said. Pearl nodded, still unable to form rational thoughts or words.
After a long time, what felt like years, a man walked in, talking with Frances.
"Listen to me, aunt Frances. I'm not going anywhere until he is found. I am going to help however I can, even if that means going out to find him myself. I'm a military man. I know what I'm doing. Louis is a disaster and will be of little help to you and Auggie needs to be protected as the second in line and well as here for you, for comfort. I am fourth in line and not nearly as important. Let me help you." She heard him say.
"If you really want to help, help here. With us." Frances said.
"Is that her?" She heard him ask Frances.
"Yes." She said. He walked over to Pearl.
"Get up. Come with me." He said, taking Pearl's hand and leading her out of the main room where everything was going on around her. "This isn't good for you to be here, around all of this chaos."
He walked her into a quiet study and helped her into a chair, and poured her a glass of water. Handing it to her, she looked at it and then at him. "Right." He said, taking the water back and pouring her a glass of scotch instead. She took it and drank it.
"Hello. I'm Sebastian, Erik's cousin. I'm Edward's nephew. Louis is my little brother. You met him, I hear." He said, sitting down across from her. He was tall, like Erik but he had jet black hair and gray eyes, like Edward. He had a deeper voice, and less of an accent. Pearl looked at him and nodded. "I'm Pearl." She managed to say.
"Yes, I know. I've heard all about you." He said with a caring smile. "It's going to be ok. I promise." He said, looking at her. When Pearl heard those words, something inside of her broke. She began to sob, uncontrollably. He stood up and knelt in front of her, taking her hand and trying to console her. "Even if I have to go and get him back myself, we will bring him home." He said. She could only cry and shake her head. He then pulled her into his arms and held her there for quite some time, rocking her and telling her that Erik would be ok.
"I'm sorry." She said to Sebastian after she calmed down. "I don't even know you and I'm sobbing in front of you like I am. I'm so sorry." She said.
"It's quite alright. I understand." He said. "If you're ok now, I'm going to go and check on things. Are you alright here?" He asked, looking into her eyes to see if she was stable.
"No. I'm not staying here. I'm going too." She said, standing up. "Maybe one more drink, though, if that's ok. My nerves are shot." She said. He nodded and stood, walking over and pouring both of them a glass.
"I haven't had a drink in three years. I think today is a good enough reason to have one again." He said. They both drank their scotch and walked back into the main room, where more military and staff were now gathered, trying to find out where Erik had gone.