"Whoa," Reymet said. "In that case, I'd be happy to tell you everything I know."
Obi-Wan noted that he sounded relieved. Maybe Reymet had a secret that had been a burden to keep, and that was why he kept hinting to Ferus that he knew something. "Follow me."
The halls were emptying of students as Reymet quickly led them down to the ground level of the school.
"Class beginning. Mod seven." The soft voice floated out from the speakers. "Mod seven. Class beginning."
The hallway was empty. "Hurry," Reymet hissed. "I only have a few minutes before I have to check in to my next class."
He ducked into a storage closet, and Obi-Wan and Siri quickly followed. They crowded in next to him.
"Couldn't you find a bigger place for us to hide?" Obi-Wan asked as he bumped into a durasteel toolbox.
"If you could just squeeze together, I can…" Reymet began to wiggle past them, then ducked down below them."… okay, just a second… move your foot… no, the other way… thanks…"
Reymet unscrewed a panel from the wall. A large utility shaft opened up.
"In there," he said.
"What's in there?" Obi-Wan asked, peering in.
"When they renovated, they just built around all the old electrical and water systems," Reymet explained. "It was cheaper than ripping them out. There's a whole network of utility pipes still in place. They lead to the old system rooms."
"Did you show Ferus this?" Siri asked.
Reymet nodded. "We were going to explore it together, during free time. I didn't know he was missing. I would have looked for him — "
"Do you think he's with Gillam?" Obi-Wan asked. He kept his gaze on Reymet.
Whatever reserve the young boy had crumbled. "I don't know," he said.
"I think Gillam is still here, though. I saw him the night he disappeared.
He knew about the old utility pipes, too."
"Do you think Gillam is hiding?" Siri asked.
Reymet nodded. "I don't blame him. With a father like that, I'd hide, too. That's why I wouldn't tell on him." He looked uneasily at them. "But now I'm not so sure. I can see Gillam hiding, but I can't see Ferus doing that. He isn't mean like Gillam."
"Gillam is mean?" Obi-Wan asked.
"Maybe I shouldn't have said that," Reymet said. "He's not mean, I guess. He's just… not nice." He shifted from one foot to the other uneasily. It was clear he was worried he'd said too much. "They're doing extra security checks — and I'm late for class. One more demerit and I'm suspended. Not that having to leave this place would break my heart. But it just might break my old man."
"Go," Obi-Wan told him. "We'll handle it from here."
Reymet suddenly looked lost. "I really hope you find him. I like him a lot." Reymet hurried out the door.
Obi-Wan peered into the pipe. He could see where the dust had been disturbed, but it was impossible to tell by whom or by how many.
"After you," Siri said.
Obi-Wan climbed into the pipe. He had to stoop and move slowly because of his size. Siri had an easier time.
"Hurry," she urged him.
"Would you like to go first?"
"If I could get around you, I would."
Obi-Wan saw light at the end of the pipe and quickened his pace. He slid out of the pipe onto a springy floor. He realized that it was covered in moss. The large space had a damp, moldy smell. Mildew marked the walls in cloudy patterns. The smell was close and dank.
"This must have been some sort of holding tank," Siri said. She took out a glow rod and held it up. "Makes sense if that was a water pipe."
Obi-Wan felt the floor suck at his boots. "There's a couple of passageways. Any ideas?" He turned to Siri, but he already felt the Force move in the space. She was looking keenly about her, sending out the Force, trying to reach her Padawan. Obi-Wan joined her, calling on the Force to help them locate Ferus.
They turned at the same moment and headed for the passageway to their left. They could feel it now. The Force had entered the dank, dark space, and they knew Ferus was near.
Siri held her glow rod aloft. "I think we're in the old water treatment system. See the inflow pipes'?"
"These are holding pens for the water," Obi-Wan said, peering into the rooms as they passed. Some of the chambers still had their durasteel panel doors. Others had doors that were half rusted away, or had been removed.
The Force grew stronger. Ahead they saw a chamber with an intact door.
It was bolted to the wall with a new lock.
Siri withdrew her lightsaber. Within seconds, the metal peeled back, giving them an entry to the chamber.
Ferus sat in the middle of the room. He quickly stood, facing them. "I am sorry for needing rescue, Master," he said to Siri. "I am sorry, Master Kenobi."
"We all need rescue sometime," Obi-Wan said.
"Some more than others," Siri said, grinning at Obi-Wan.
Ferus was so different from Anakin, Obi-Wan thought. Anakin would have smiled at him as soon as he entered. It's about time, he would have said.
Or maybe, I hope you brought my lunch. He felt an intense need to find his own Padawan. Added to the feeling was the fury that he was gone at all.
"What happened?" Siri asked Ferus. "Are you all right? Where is your lightsaber?"
"It's hidden in my room." Ferus made a face. "One of several of my mistakes. I came down here looking for Gillam without stopping there first.
I thought if I found him I could prevent Anakin taking off with the secret squad. Instead, Gillam found me."
"Gillam?" Obi-Wan asked, surprised.
Ferus nodded. "He was never kidnapped. He staged it himself."
Obi-Wan felt a surge of impatience. He should have examined this possibility. He hadn't been able to imagine a son doing such a thing to his father. No matter how much he'd seen in his life, no matter what evil he'd faced, he was still capable of surprise at a son's resentment of a powerful father. It always surprised him, how personal a betrayal could be.