where is she [luka]

"Luka!" Aran yelled, storming into Luka's advisor's suite uninvited. She found him pouring over some kind of documents that she didn't care about. She only had one thing on her mind right now. "Luka, where the hell is Amerie!? Some asshole is saying he's the new overloridian...and he's saying you confirmed it."

She didn't believe it. Wouldn't, couldn't believe it. She wouldn't believe Amerie was dead until she saw it with her own eyes. There was no body, no official word, no nothing. And this new guy, this Reid asshole, refused to touch the star piece in front of anyone to prove it, saying he'd already done it for Luka and that was enough. Bull fucking shit it was. Something fucking suspicious was going on and Aran wasn't going to rest until she figured out what it was and got Amerie back safe and sound.

She knew she didn't have much time. Reid had pretty much fired her on the spot, not that she would've worked for the little shithead anyways, and security was probably looking for her right now. She needed answers from Luka, and she needed them fucking now. "Tell me what the fuck is going on."

Luka had shut himself up in his suite, doing paperwork that the "Overloridian" had sent him off to do. He wasn't even sure if it was real work, but he was happy to get away from that bastard. Instead of actually working however, he was trying to think of a way to save Amerie. His first step was to find out who Reid was working with, and then maybe that would give them a clue as to where they might be keeping her.

His thoughts were interrupted though, when Aran barged into his room.

Aran wrote:"Tell me what the fuck is going on."

Luka winced and looked up at her sadly. He stood up from his desk and brought a finger to his lips, hoping she'd get the hint and speak quieter in case somebody was listening.

"Amerie is still alive," he whispered. He sucked in his bottom lip before continuing. "Whoever that Reid is working for, has her somewhere."

Aran clenched her fists in frustration as Luka got up and hushed her. It wasn't his fault, but she just wanted to shout and rage and hit things as if that would somehow solve this mess. She forced herself to control her temper, though, and listened to what Luka had to say.

Amerie was alive. Even though she'd been sure, hearing the confirmation caused relief to wash over her. She's alive. Somewhere. Someone has her.

I was supposed to protect her...

"And you have no idea who...or where?" she asked, forcing her voice low. She may have failed to protect Amerie, but she would not fail to rescue her. If Luka didn't know anything else, she would go beat the truth out of Reid.

Luka opened his mouth to speak, then shook his head sadly. "I have no idea," he replied. "And Reid isn't going to tell me." He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Oh Gods Aran," he groaned quietly. "I just want her back home."

He felt so useless and dumb. Sweet, gentle Amerie was out there somewhere, and there was nothing he could do about it. No wonder his father use to hit him. He was so distraught that he actually started to cry. "And all I can do is sit here and think!" He wiped at his tears frustratedly before continuing. "Every little thing that I do wrong, Reid will threaten her life, I literally can't do anything without his permission."

Luka roughly shook his head and grunted. "I. Hate. Him."

Luka wrote: "Every little thing that I do wrong, Reid will threaten her life, I literally can't do anything without his permission."

"I can, though," she told him firmly. "I can make him tell me where she is. I won't say you told me anything." She knew she could handle Reid without a problem. He didn't look like much, on top of being newly settled. The hardest part would be holding herself back from killing the little asshole before he could tell her what she needed to know.

"No Aran," Luka replied firmly. "I know you're strong enough to fight him," he set his hands on her shoulders and stared into her eyes intensely. "But you could be putting yourself, or Amerie into danger." He squeezed her shoulders gently. "Think about it, what do you think would happen to Amerie if whoever Reid is working for found out he was harmed?" He let go of her shoulders and stepped back. "And sure you can take on that little creep, but he always has guards with him now, do you really think you could go up against multiple clio at one time?"

He paced around in a little circle and ran his hands through his hair. "Trust me," he said. "If getting answers out of Reid was as simple as beating him to a pulp, I would have done it myself."

Luka wasn't a particularly violent clio, but if it came right down to hand to hand combat with Reid, he definitely could hold his own. His hard work at the gym wasn't just for looking good shirtless.

"He won't be in any condition to report back to whoever when I'm done with him," Aran said harshly. "And I can handle the guards too." It wouldn't be Aran's first time taking on--and beating--multiple clio.

What did Luka want her to do? Nothing? Sure, beating up Reid might be risky, but it was better than doing nothing.

"Maybe Luka can find something out," Gamma said aloud, so that Luka could hear too. She got where Aran was coming from, but if Amerie did end up hurt due to her rash actions, she knew she'd never forgive herself. "He's working with Reid, sorta. It might take some time, but--"

Aran made a noise of frustration and spun around, punching a hole into Luka's wall. She took a few breaths, unclenched her fists, and slowly turned back around to face Luka. "Do you think you can find out who he's working for? Soon?"

Luka's face went from distraught to determined. "I will do whatever it takes," he replied. "Whatever it takes to save Amerie, and bring her back home." His determined looked softened and he said, "Please be careful Aran, I don't want to lose you too." Despite the two of them not getting along in the beginning, Luka felt as if he and Aran had grown closer in the past several months, and he would definitely call her his friend.

Aran's expression softened. She had no right to be mad at Luka. As much as she wanted to just rush into action, maybe that really wasn't the smartest option. "You don't have to worry about me," she assured him, shaking her head. She'd dealt with dangerous clio her entire life. "You be careful too though, alright?"

So what now? She couldn't stay here in the Solas mansion, the only home she had. Aw, fuck it. Who cares? It wasn't home without Amerie, anyways. "Maybe...I'll go to Dian," she said slowly. The Dian overloridian was Amerie's friend. She'd have way more resources to find her. Plus, the other overloridians needed to know that Reid was a fraud and that Amerie was still out there. "The overloridian there can help us."

She looked Luka in the eye. "Lemme know what you find," she told him. "And if you don't find anything in a few days, I'm coming back for Reid." She cringed inwardly at the thought. A few days might not seem like a lot, but it was still time that Amerie would be alone and possibly hurt.

"I'll be careful," Luka replied. "I promise."

Luka crossed his arms over his chest and shook his head. What a horrible situation they were all in, and what did this all mean for Solas? He had been so caught up in worrying about Amerie, he didn't even think about what was going to happen to their Eilemaiden. He just hoped that whoever Reid was working for wasn't also planning on destroying Solas.

Aran wrote:"Maybe...I'll go to Dian," "The overloridian there can help us."

"That's a good idea," he replied. "Tamar and Amerie are friends, I'm sure she'd be happy to help us."

Aran wrote:"Lemme know what you find," she told him. "And if you don't find anything in a few days, I'm coming back for Reid."

Luke nodded in response, a serious look now on his face. "As soon as I find out anything, anything at all, I'll be sure to get the message to you."

Aran looked down at her hands. Her knuckles were already starting to bruise from where she'd punched the hole in the wall. She thought about all the things she was going to do to the clio who was holding Amerie. "We'll get her back," she said to Luka, and maybe also a little bit to herself. She reached up and clasped Luka's shoulder for a second and nodded, before turning to leave.

She wished there was some way she could let Amerie know. We know you're out there. We're gonna find you. Just hold on.

"We will," Luka replied. Right then and there he made a promise to himself and to Amerie that he would make damn sure she came home safe. He was going to do whatever it takes.

"Be careful," he said to Aran as she started to leave. "And let's bring our girl home."