Gavin didn’t object. He took the bag and slung it over his shoulder. “Let’s go.” He gestured and walked towards the elevator. I didn’t waste any time. Once we stepped outside I saw what Gavin had spoken about. Already two others stood nearby. I wasn’t sure they looked the most capable of soldiers but this wasn’t a war. We only had to deal with one man. I doubted Craynor had an army of his own. If I was lucky the fact Craynor was still alive, someone would see him, recognize him.
“We’re all here to help,” a female voice chimed in. “I’m Rane.” She held out her hand. I remembered her. She had been the girl on Joshua’s bed in Haven.
“You’re alive?” I was flabbergasted.
Rane laughed. “Seems I am.” She smiled. “Don’t worry I’m not here to steal away your husband. I heard you and Joshua got married. Congratulations.” Rane shook my hand.
“Thank you.” I smiled politely, unsure how I felt about her joining Gavin and the rest of the task force assigned to find Joshua. I didn’t hate her. I trusted Joshua enough to know nothing had happened between them and at the same time, staring at her, she was the absolutely picture perfect essence of real beauty. She was everything I wasn’t. I had no reason to be jealous but it was difficult not to be. I swallowed my pride. “Thank you for joining us.”
“Of course,” Rane answered. “Joshua is a great guy.”
Gavin gestured towards Collins and Elsa approaching us. “Looks like we have a few extra hands.”
“I can either stay and fight alongside of you,” Elsa told me. “Or travel back to Shadow for reinforcements.”
The answer was obvious. “Go.” I didn’t want her to waste a moment thinking she’d be helpful by staying. The bigger the army, the stronger chance we had against Craynor. I had no idea his end game, and that scared me.
“You’ll have whatever you need from our end. Weapons, transportation, you name it,” Elsa assured me.
“I’m sorry I can’t join you.” Collins frowned. “With Elsa away, someone from Shadow needs to remain in Torv.”
“I know.” He didn’t owe me an explanation and I hadn’t asked for one. “Thank you.” I felt my body shiver and glanced up at the cloudy sky. I hoped the weather would cooperate. It was getting darker and grayer with each passing minute. “Thank you all for agreeing to help.”
“Where do we start?” Another voice echoed. I didn’t recognize him and introduced myself.
“I’m Olivia.”
“Cole,” he responded, shaking my hand. “Rane mentioned you could use another body.”
Gavin laughed. “You’re it?” Cole was considerably scrawny compared to Gavin. I didn’t care: at least he was another person to help. I wasn’t particularly surprised that was all who’d volunteered. I was grateful Rane and Gavin had joined me. I wasn’t even sure the four of us were enough to search all of Cabal, but it was a start.
Cole shrugged. “Sierra bailed the minute she found out it involved Craynor. She wanted to help, but she fears him. She was from Genesis.” Cole glanced at me. “I’m it, sorry.”
“It’s fine.” I put on a smile as best I could. At least I had his help along with the other volunteers.
Collins looked me over. “Cate left for Shadow a few hours ago. If I’d have known, we could have sent her for reinforcements. In the meantime I recommend you train these three until they come.”
“We don’t have time,” I said.
“You train us? No offense, but what exactly are you trained in?” Gavin asked.
I didn’t blame him for not knowing what we were capable of back in Shadow. It wasn’t as though we could administer Mindonsiphan and prepare them in the way we’d been prepared for war. Rane was the closest in age, but it would take time and be too great of a risk. I doubted Shadow even offered Mindonsiphan anymore. There was no need for it. At least I hoped it wasn’t being given to adolescents. Would I even know? Right now it wasn’t at the top of my priority list. Finding Joshua was the first thing I needed to do. I still didn’t know where to start.
I pulled out the note from Craynor, showing it to the group. “This is all I have to go on.”
They each studied it as I felt the first drop of moisture fall from the sky. We ducked into the atrium seeking shelter. Rane looked it over twice before speaking first. “Whoever wrote this has been in Torv long enough to stop at the paper. This is newsprint.” It hadn’t been printed on, but the texture and thickness appeared similar. “It was trimmed down, but I’m confident it was from a newspaper facility.”
Gavin agreed. “I know the printer at the Genesis Times I can ask him…”
“Craynor’s not stupid,” I interrupted them. “He’s not going to stay in Torv. He knows we’re looking for him. He also knows the guard posts have been down for weeks and he can come and go out of the city without anyone noticing. He’s planned this for a while,” I remarked. “He knew when to grab Joshua without anyone witnessing it.” I said to Rane. “How familiar are you with the buildings in Torv?”
Cole chimed in. “What are you thinking? That he hasn’t left yet?”
I shook my head. “The opposite. How could he have left without being seen? There were underground tunnels. I took them from Genesis to Haven. There were two other tunnels that led to nearby allying cities. I can only assume it was Torv, and Spade, the other city north of here.”
“You think he’s in Spade?” Cole tried to make sense of my words.
“I don’t know.” I threw my arms in the air. “Right now I’m trying to wrap my head around how he could have left the building we were in unseen.”
“The stairwell,” Gavin suggested. “No one takes it.”
I glanced at Rane. “Maybe so, but Craynor wasn’t particular well-built. He couldn’t have carried Joshua alone down twenty-eight flights of stairs.” At least I doubted he would have done so and Joshua would not have gone willingly.
Rane’s eyes lit up. “There’s a service elevator. I should have thought of it sooner!” She ran from the foyer to the back of the building where the service elevator was situated. Gavin, Cole, and I followed her. Elsa and Collins returned back to the representatives to continue their discussions.
Reaching the service elevator, the doors opened and I stepped inside, seeing a small amount of blood. I didn’t want to think what that meant.
I felt a warm arm on my shoulder. “He’ll be okay,” Gavin assured me. “Joshua was always strong.”
“Do we know where the underground entrance is?” I asked them. Everyone shook their head no. “It can’t be far,” I reasoned. “Look here!” I saw the slightest trail of blood leading towards a dark hallway and back exit.
“They’re gone,” Gavin answered, none too surprised.
Stepping outside into the rain, I didn’t care as it soaked me. I was beyond frustrated. Craynor likely had stolen a vehicle. What chance did I have of finding Joshua? I couldn’t wait around for reinforcements to come from Shadow. I turned around, letting rain seep into my pores as I turned towards the others standing inside, but watching me from the door. “We should get a vehicle and travel to Haven.”
Cole frowned. “I thought you said Craynor took Joshua to the underground tunnels.”
I stepped inside, soaking the carpet. “It was a theory.” I stared at Cole. “Clearly Craynor came this way. The blood is evidence of that,” I reasoned.
“Olivia’s right,” Gavin agreed. “We need to get a hold of a car. Anyone have one?” He sounded hopeful.
“Cate and Elsa both took vehicles to Shadow already. I can’t wait any longer.” I brushed past them growing short-tempered.
Olivia.
I heard his voice and stopped walking, feeling Rane slam into me from behind. I grimaced as I turned around. “Wait there,” I held up a hand. Where are you?