When Eli awoke the next morning it was not to the smell of pancakes, but the sound of a rooster crowing.
His mother was already up and had borrowed a pair of overalls from Bob. Her brown hair was tied in braids and she was helping to feed the horses around back.
She looked like a regular country girl and Eli remembered she had grown up on a farm in Tennessee. He wondered if the childhood familiarity helped calm his mother cause the worry lines that had deepened on her face were slightly lessened as she tended to the animals.
Bob gave him a pair of jeans and a flannel shirt that fit him perfectly and he realized the clothes him and his mom were wearing must have belonged to Bob's wife and daughter.
"She was about your age when they caught her." Bob said when he saw Eli's look.
Eli helped Bob clean the hay out of stalls and collect the gas from the hen house. They made breakfast and as they sat eating, Eli couldn't help but remember the last time his dad had been home and the three of them had eaten together at the dinner table.
When he saw a sad nostalgic look on Big Bobs wrinkled face, he wondered if he wasn't the only one having these thoughts.
The day continued with Bob showing them how to fix up an old tractor. Eli always had busy hands so he liked being able to tinker with the equipment.
"I'm gonna go into town and get some supplies." Bob said that afternoon. "Remember not to go past the fields lining my property. Keep your heads down." Bob warned before heading off in an rusty pickup.
"I'm gonna go brush the horses his mom said gently "do you want to come with?"
"I'm gonna keep trying to fix the tractor, Big Bob showed me a lot." Eli gave his mom a reassuring smile, knowing she was worried about him.
Eli lost track of time while working on the tractor, it must have been a few hours before he realized his mom hadn't returned from the stables.
"Mom? Eli called as he entered the stables.
No answer. He kept walking and as he did he noticed something strange the horses seemed agitated, and there was a buzz in the air, as if static electricity hung in the air.
Eli couldn't help but get an awful feeling in his gut, what is this feeling? And where was his mom?
Bob arrived a few minutes later and saw Eli running around the farm calling to his mom.
"What's the matter boy?" Bob asked but even as he said the words he got a sinking feeling in his gut.
"I can't find her! Eli looked like he was on the verge of tears and panic as he breathed rapidly."
"It's ok boy we'll find her." Bob consoled with a hand on Eli's shoulder.
"Oh I sincerely doubt that." A cold voice said from behind them.
They turned to see a tall woman in black suit staring sternly back at them.
She remainders Eli of a stern teacher he had in elementary school. Her hair in a tight bun and lips pressed in a line.
"What do you mean by that? Eli questioned
"What have you done with my mother?" Eli demanded as he stepped forward his eyes beginning to glow gold without him realizing.
"Hold it boy." Bob kept a firm grip on his shoulder to keep him from going up to the woman.
"She'a not a snake you want to poke with a fork." Bob advised
"So eloquently said." The woman sneered "If you plan on finding your mother I'm afraid you'll need to come with me." The woman said
"I don't think my mom would approve of me going with a stranger." Eli spat back
"Special Agent Grimm. Nice to meet you, Elijah isn't it?"
"How do you know my name?" Eli staggered back a step.
"That's not all I know, son of Omar and Racheal." The woman clearly wanted to make Eli scared but he stood his ground.
"What have you done with my mom?" Eli asked agin through gritted teeth.
"Nothing yet, like I said, just come with me and you can see her.
"Don't listen to her boy!" Agent Grimm glared as Bob stopped Eli again.
"You're getting in my way old man."
"I won't let you take this boy. I promised I'd keep him safe and I keep my word." Bob stepped in front of Eli and despite his old age looked ready to fight.
"Really now? I suppose I'll have to remove you from the equation. In a flash the agent shot out her hand and a orange spike of light shot forward, before going right through Bob's chest.
"Still going to keep your word old man." Agent Grimm taunted as Bob fell to the ground, red stains beginning to appear on his checkered shirt.
"You bet I am." He said as he pulled a revolver from his denim pocket.
"This one's for my wife Marry." Bob said as he shot the agent in the stomach.
"And this one's for my daughter Sue." He said and fired another shot into agent Grimm's head.
The agent fell down and as they both lay in the dirt covered in blood, Eli shakily knelt down besides Bob.
"It's ok, I'm gonna heal you." Eli said in a shaky breath as he saw more and more red cover the old man's clothes.
"No boy." Bob said as he breathed in a deep breath. "You use that magic of your's now and this will all be for not. Just let me be."
"I'm sorry, but I can't just let you die." Eli said determined.
"I wish Bob was healed and in a safe place." Eli said as his eyes glowed gold.
"You idiot!" Bob shouted as the golden magic began to heal him and in a blink of an eye he was gone.
All Eli could do now was trust that his magic brought him somewhere safe.
He knew it was a reckless move. But he couldn't live with himself if he let someone die for him like that.
He knew that using his magic was like sending out a beacon but he thought he'd have more time. No sooner had he stood up off the ground did he feel a weird sensation and after a flash of light he was surrounded by six agents in suits.