Mission: E

‘4xz times 3xy set to the fifth power all within a cube root, divided by 7yz squared rooted equals 3.8xyz to the negative third power times 10. What is z?’

‘How the hell am I supposed to know what 'z' is?’ The thought rang out in her head as the reality of the problem sunk in. It was clear to her that she didn't remember doing this in class. Then another horrible thought floated through her brain ‘Oh crude- did I sleep through this-no-no-no-no, don't look at me- don't you dare! Crap!’

Eyes falling back to the paper and scanning over the problem, with her pencil eraser stuck between her teeth; Elle Scott did her best to work out the problem that lay beneath her. She glanced up again, nervously looking from the teacher to the students sitting around her. Her teacher sat at their desk, beady eyes having moved on from her; her fellow students all sat hunched over in the small desks, which were carefully lined neatly in equal rows. She glanced back down to her paper, pulling her half chewed pencil out from her teeth, and willed her hand to write. She sighed as she got half way through the problem, only to realize she forgot to carry a negative one, instead of the positive one she had been using. She flipped her pencil and rubbed what was left of her stub eraser over her scribble writing. The dread of having to start over weighed her down.

She brushed away the little strings of rubber, making sure they were all pushed to the floor; keeping her desk clean. “Controlling what you can during the uncontrollable” As her father always said. Elle stuck the pencil back in her mouth, wishing the answer would just come to her. After a few more hopeless minutes, she worked it out to the point she saw as right, and nearest, of an answer on the multiple choice test.

A few more minutes past, as did a few more useless questions, when Elle felt a vibration in her pocket. She didn't even bother to look, if the teacher or monitor saw her phone she'd have it taken from her, kicked from the testing center, and force a retake on every person in the room. She did not need the whole school hating her.

Hunching over even more, forcing herself to focus on the current question, her phone vibrated again as a few light strands of hair fell over her forehead. She pushed them back, wishing she had brought an extra bobby pin. That was something she could have controlled. Her phone vibrated a third time, and she rolled her eyes annoyed. Glancing at the clock she saw she still had two hours until the end of testing; but only five minutes until a bathroom break.

When the beady-eyed teacher finally called for pencils down, and test books closed; Elle was one of the first to leave her desk. She joined the small group of girls rushing to the bathroom. The second she got out of the class and into the open breezeway, she slowed down to give herself distance, and pulled out her cell phone. She fumbled with unlocking it, having to manually input the password. With the ability to see what all the fuss was about, Elle had five new messages, all from Emerald. Elle let out a scoff, and rolled her eyes, not even reading the texts. She quickly texted back to him; warning that she was in testing. She ended her mini rant with a warning, if he didn't cut out the texts, she would tell her father. It was a childish threat, really, but it got the point across.

Stuffing her phone back into her pocket, Elle waited outside, just out of view of the classroom door, for the other girls to return from the bathroom before she came in. A cold wind blew through the breezeway, making it through her thick coat, and to her bones. Elle glanced around, her eyes meeting the cool, grey clouds that hung low in the sky. Jack Frost was creating up a good storm that was for sure. She was glad when the group of girls came rushing back just as quickly and they had left; it seemed as if Elle wasn't the only one who needed to get out of the cold.

The next few hours went quickly, much to Elle's relief, and she didn't have much trouble for the rest of her midterm. Once the tests were collected, and everyone- the teacher included, were itching to go; they were dismissed. Elle slipped on her coat over her shirt, and buttoned it quickly. The cold air hit her, and she walked quicker. The crowd around her matched her pace, everyone seeking to get off of campus and start their winter break. "Ellie! Wait up for me!" Elle turned at the sound of her name, walking to the edge of the breeze way, where people wouldn't push her, this way and that for slowing down. Rushing out of the same classroom was Elle's best, closest, and longest of time friend; Beth. Her dirty blonde hair blew in the strong gust of wind as she pushed her way over to Elle. "Oh, thank God that is over." The two looped arms as Beth continued, "I swear if I had to sit in the seat for another second looking at Mr. Han's ugly striped green sweater, I might have plucked my own eyes out." Elle rolled her eyes with a smile as they navigated the parking lot. "Oh Beth, stop being a drama queen."

"It's true!" Elle laughed, and adjusted the cap that lay limply on her head. The parking lot was busy and alive with students, and cars all making noise alike. As the two girls approached Elle's SUV, she unlocked it. They both rushed to climb into the car. The engine came to life with a roar, and the two were hit with a blast of cold air. "It's about time." Elle and Beth both let out a terrified shriek as a small head popped out from the back. Beth’s flying phone nearly hit the small figure leaned between the seats. He picked it up, and handed it back to her, closing his eyes against the warming air that started to flow through the air vents. "I've been in here for nearly three hours, bored, hungry, and nearly freezing to death, why-" Elle cut him off with a frown. "Oh shut up Emerald! I told you I was taking my midterms!" Emerald frowned. "Yes, I got that, but did you read any of the messages I sent you?"

"No! I was pissed off that you nearly got me caught with my phone on! Now what is so freaking important? Run out of hay and carrots for the reindeer again?" He pointed a small, stubby finger at Elle. "Watch it, Emmanuelle, running out of carrots for nine large beasts is no laughing matter." Elle ignored that he had used her full name, and glanced down to the small man. His green and red striped cap covered nearly all of his red hair except for a few ends that wisped around the back of his neck. He wore a classic sweater with scarf, and black boots that he tucked his khaki colored pants into. It was a stereotypical outfit. "Just, sit back." He did, and Elle carefully backed her car out of its spot. She drove slowly through the parking lot. "What are you here for anyways? Christmas is like, what, a week away? Why aren't you back home helping dad and mom and everyone else? Get your seatbelt on before I get pulled over by the cops." Elle pulled out onto the two lane countryside road- which feel like it could be. identical to every other road that ran throughout North Carolina. "That's why I'm here!"

"What is mom in need of help with wrapping gifts or something?" She glanced lazily back through her rear view mirror. "No! Your father is missing."

"WHAT?" Elle turned to face Emerald, her mouth gaping open. "ELLIE!" Beth’s hand gripping her own on the wheel had Elle turned back to face the road. With a gasp, Elle slammed her foot down on the break. It caused the whole car to lean forward as the vehicle fought the sudden stop in inertia. Beth's scream had saved them from running a red light. But there was a good chance they would all feel the pain of the seatbelts holding them back in the following days. With her foot pressed on the brake, Elle glared back to the man. "What do you mean my dad is missing? He can't be missing! Are you sure? Have you looked for him everywhere?"

"Yes, everywhere up North and in your town here. Your mom even checked out your house too. The only thing we have is his phone. Found on his desk. We have troops worldwide looking for him. We've had them out from day one." Elle’s mouth fought to make sound as it moved. Since day one? What day were they on now? "How long, exactly, is that?"

"About a week." Elle was dumb founded, and pissed. She spoke, trying to gather her thoughts. “It is literally the week before Christmas; my dad would never take a break this close to the one day he actually works.” The reality of Emerald’s timeline sunk in, “and, wait, back up. Did you say he's been missing for a week already? Why in the hell did no one tell me this sooner!?"

"Your mother thought it best to wait until after all of your midterms were done." A car horn honked behind her, and Elle turned back to the road. The light was turning yellow as she switched her foot over and the trio all fell back as she flew through the intersection. Her eyes, while normally a calm hazel green, were now burning greatly with fire as she sped down the road. "What the actual hell? My father is missing! And-and Christmas is a week away! Why did no one fucking tell me?!" Elle slammed her hand against her steering wheel in anger. She was sick of being treated like the baby everyone saw her as. She was nearly 18! "It wasn't anything to concern you...Until now." Elle glanced back to Emerald. "Well, why now?" Making a few sharp turns, she barely stopped at any of the stop signs along the road. Elle turned into her neighborhood, the larger than average houses blurring by. "Well, your mother has been working night and day to find your father... She was tired. We didn't think anything of it when she went to lay down for a nap. But that night, when Noel went to get her for dinner; she was gone."

"WHAT?"

The car's tires squealed and, for the second time that trip, slid along the black pavement. The CRV rested in the middle of the street, the engine humming being the only noise that filled the cabin for two breaths. "My mom is missing too?" Emerald nodded, swallowing. "Yes. That is why I came here, to get you. The-the workshop, it was- is- was a mess. Everyone has been rushing around, in utter chaos! I got them to calm down for now, but it won't last. They're working, with the belief that you'll make it all better! You have to go there tonight! Or the whole workshop may as well burn down!" Elle looked at her gripped fingers, paling white against the black leather. Taking a deep breath, she released the break. The car began to move again, but she said nothing. Beth looked at her, concern clear on her face but not saying anything. Emerald had nothing else to say. He had given her all the information he could.

"What about the others?" Elle finally asked him, breaking the silence. "Have you thought of contacting anyone else? I don't have the power my dad does. They may not master in Christmas, but they sure do have more power than I do at the moment." Emerald nodded again, as Elle slowed the car. "We have tried, and we have failed. They aren't answering.” There was a clear bitterness to Emerald’s voice as he muttered, “typical”.

Elle pulled into the driveway and the car entered into the garage as the first few white flurries landed on the windshield. She turned her car off; unbuckled herself, and then faced the two head on.

"Are you telling me, that-" Elle had started.

"Yes, someone has-" Emerald tried to respond.

"But-but who-who would kidnap Santa Claus?" Beth looked at them both, hopelessly hiding the tears in her eyes. Elle looked to the Elf, and the Elf looked to Elle, then they both looked at Beth. There was no answer.

Who would kidnap Santa Claus?

Elle shook her head, running her hand through her hair. "Are you sure you’ve tried everyone-wait- Sandman?" Emerald didn't need to answer, his face giving away what he ended up saying. "No pick up." Elle was suddenly desperate, clinging for something. "Do you know anything else?"

"All we know is that Christmas is in a week, and there is no one to deliver presents."

"But how is Ellie supposed to do it? She doesn't have the magic of her father- or any of the other MCCs. No offense." Beth gave a small smile. Elle gave a small shake of her head. She knew Beth was right, and now was not the time for any petty fighting.

"Well, it can't kill us to try, it's better to try, and then to have billions of sad children on Christmas morning." Elle barely believed the words she was saying.

"Yes, yes, but let's not forget the biggest factor; if there's no Christmas, people won't believe. And all magic will die! Now, please, we must get going! Time is of the essence." Elle nodded as she turned to get out, but paused with her hand on the door handle. "Wait, how did you get here Emerald?"

"I, er, um, borrowed the backup sled." The Elf casted his eyes away before puffing his chest up and meeting her eyes once more. "As Head Elf, I have the rights to use any magical thing in a case of emergency."

"So you jacked Mr. Claus' sled?" Beth's eyes grew wide and a smile curled on her lips as she went on, "Oh, you lucky you- you head elf you; or you'd be on naughty list." Elle said nothing as she climbed out of the car. Emerald hopped down beside her, his head barely reaching her waist.

They entered the house, and the two girls rushed to Elle's room. Her room was filled with memorabilia from their life together. The two had been friends from toddlerhood, and shared everything with each other. With her parents' blessings, when the two reached teen hood, Elle shared the "family business" with Beth. She thought she couldn't have ever been more grateful for her friend then when Beth accepted her secret.

Elle was grateful for Beth, as she packed a small bag of things. Rushing around her room she would toss some random item to Beth who would then pack it for her. Though Elle had a good amount of things in her room at the North Pole, she hated being unprepared.

"Chargers?"

"Check."

"Phone?"

"Check."

"Um,I think that's the last of it."

"Great, are you coming with me?"

And when she said, "are" Elle meant; "please, please, come with me do not leave me to deal with the loss of my parents on my own". Luckily for her, Beth got the message clear as day. "Hell yeah! It's been too long since my last trip to the North Pole!"

Elle smiled, grabbing her bag as the two rushed from the room. As they made their way through the house, Beth called her parents, both who were the definitions of workaholics and barely home.In the words of Beth, “They are the picture explanation of stereotypical television parents.” As long as Beth got good grades, and didn't get in trouble, they didn't care what she did. Such as joining Elle's family on their holiday trip to their cabin up North. Mainly because Beth's were Jewish and didn't celebrate Christmas.

The girls left through the back door, slipping on their hats and gloves as they trekked out through the large back yard. On an area of freshly covered snow grass Emerald stood on a small, four person sled, complete with two reindeer waiting in front and two long, twisted metal rods sharpened for support. The Elf looked up to them as they came up, his face being the only exposed piece of his body. The two girls nodded, and Beth took Elle's bag. Elle then walked over to the two reindeer, the falling snow already covering them in a thin white layer. The second she got a glance at their faces, Elle knew who the reindeer were. She smiled, and brushed off each one's head as she greeted them. "Hello Vixen, hello Comet. How are you two?" The two replied in a series of moans, and donkey-like sounds. Elle understood them clearly. She had been speaking reindeer since childhood. "Oh really? Well, you know, Robbie and Ralph are still young; and brothers. They'll relax soon enough, I promise." Elle nodded, smiling at them. Glancing behind them, Beth nodded. "So boys, are you ready to take us home?" The reindeer replied, Elle smiled. "Thank you." Giving them each a loving pat, Elle then climbed in the front seat with the Elf, while her friend sat in the back. "I think you may need to pull out some magic. I barely had enough to make it here."

Elle sighed, pulling her hat over her ears. She then bushed the snow from her face and pulled her sunglasses over her eyes. Elle reached into her pocket, as the Elf waved a hand over the dashboard. Magically, a glass dome formed over the sled, shielding them from the snow and warming them up. In the same motion, the dashboard also flipped, and all the gauges, nobs, buttons, flip-switches and other scale readers were revealed. Pulling her hand out from her pocket, she pulled out the hand sized ornament.

"Is that-" Elle cut him off, "Yup my emergency magic." She shook it, holding it up to her eye level. "I'm nearly out, but it looks like we should have enough with some to spare; so you're lucky." Emerald looked at her, eye wide. "Emmanuelle! That should be full!" Elle rolled her eyes, as she always did when her full name was said. Sighing, she worked the lid off of the ornament. "Yeah, well, I'm a seventeen year old teenager, and I have needs. Now shut it." The lid came off, easily, but also carefully. She pressed a few buttons, and a little compartment popped up right under the dash board. Emerald closed his mouth, a small frown settling on his face as he watched her carefully pour out just enough of the sparkling dusk into the compartment. His eyes moved over to the meter, and watched as the arrow moved up from the dark orange, into the bright green. She capped the top back on, and then looking to Emerald, held a gloved hand out to him.

"Oh no-no!" He shook his head, his grip on the reins getting tighter. Elle gave a small node with a "Oh oui-oui!"

"No!" He tugged at the reins as Elle grabbed for them. "It's my father's sled, now hand over the reins!" The Elf continued to resist it "No."

Elle knew that they wouldn’t make it to the North Pole in time for New Years let alone Christmas with the way the conversation was going. So she did what her mother always taught her, address the argument from a new angle.

"Who's magic is it that's gonna get us to the North Pole?" Elle kept her grip on the reins but didn’t pull at them. He pressed his lips tight before a low, "Yours", came out. "Whose father is the big SC?" Emerald looked pained as he responded. "Ugh, yours." Giving him a small, smug smile, she asked him one last question. "Who's going to save Christmas?"

"You are!" He then released his grip on the reins. Elle resisted the urge to give him a huge smug smile. She needed to focus on the task at hand, flying to the North Pole. Pulling forcefully, but not hard, the reindeer started into a run. It lasted for a few feet before they began to lift off the ground. The magic was working its powers and soon enough the sleigh was flying through the snow.