“… So what do we do now?” I hated the fact my voice wavered. But give a girl a break considering the hell I’d just been through.
Frank was standing in the middle of the room, his chin in his hand as he stared periodically between Bruce and me. “My gut reaction would be to tell you to stay here, considering this house obviously has powerful magical protections, but at the same time, the gang must really want you if they sent him along,” Frank’s voice dipped down low as he shrugged at Bruce.
I shivered, bringing up my hands and clamping them on my shoulders. “Because I’m a locator….” It wasn’t a question. Or at least one designed for Frank. It was one designed for the idiot me who’d heard just how much Carson had wanted her, and yet hadn’t put in place sufficient defenses. That is to say, I’d known for weeks now how much the Cruze Gang wanted me, and I hadn’t done anything about it.
It was as if Frank could read my mind. He flicked his gaze toward me. “I wouldn’t beat yourself up about this. There was nothing you could have done. The Cruze Gang are far too powerful. Trust me,” he added with a guttural growl. It was his expression, and not his tone, that got my attention. You see, his expression was half hardened and yet half softened with fear. Not the fear you show for yourself – but those around you. It didn’t matter how large or powerful Frank was – his kid, presumably, was neither.
We shared a moment. A moment where I suddenly realized that if I hadn’t found it in my heart to let Frank in my house, I would presumably be at the whims of the Cruze Gang by now.
Frank took a hard breath, his fingers still latched around his chin. “I could take you with me,” he suddenly offered.
It took me a moment to realize what he was speaking about. I frowned. “But how will Josh know we’re there? Should I leave a message on his phone?”
Immediately, Frank shook his head, the move so hard, it framed his long, taut neck muscles.
“Why not?” My voice could have been – and perhaps should have been – defensive at the strength of his move, but it wasn’t. It was either because I was too weak, or I’d solidly decide to trust this man.
“Don’t share any information with Josh until you can get him on the phone.”
I opened my mouth to ask why not, and then it struck me. You see, it wasn’t outside the realms of possibility that Josh had been kidnapped again. At that thought, my back stiffened, and I sat forward rigidly on my seat.
“The Cruze Gang have spies everywhere. And they’re pulling more toward their cause every day. All they need is your desperation,” he said as he curled a hand into a tight fist, “and they’ve got you.”
I swallowed hard. “Do you honestly think they’ve got Josh and Max?”
Frank looked at his feet. I would’ve expected him to give an automatic answer at that. Not least because Josh was with Max. Yeah, Carson Black had seemed satisfied to threaten Max back at the stadium, but he hadn’t outright attacked him. And that told me that even the Cruze Gang wouldn’t be 150 percent happy with locking horns with Max directly.
“I don’t know. But I do know this.” He let his hand drop, and he stared at me directly. “The Cruze Gang have sent one of their most powerful assets to pull you in. You’re not safe here.”
I made a face, and my shoulders dropped. His words echoed in my ears. And immediately, for some stupid reason, I thought of Max. Max wasn’t even a warlock, for God’s sake, and though he had been there when I’d saved Josh from Carson Black, other than to tell me to wait for an opportunity, and then to snap that I should throw the pillbox at Max, he hadn’t really done much. He’d just been there. And yet, right now, my mind wanted him back. Needed him back. It wasn’t just because of the specific comfort his presence offered. No, it was the tether acting up again. I know I’ve spoken so much about this otherworldly tether that you probably roll your eyes every single time I mention it now. But I swore whatever it was, it was getting stronger. Every day, every hour. And more than anything, every time I lay down at night, closed my eyes, and dreamed. I couldn’t tell you the last time I’d dreamed of something normal and not Max.
Frank paused for a long while and cleared his throat. “Are you using your powers again?” he asked softly. “Is there somewhere else we should head? If it’s not a good idea for you to come to the chemical plant with me, I’ll see what I can do. I’ll help you out. But I’ve got to get my kid,” his voice tightened.
I looked up at him sharply. Here I was, wallowing in my self-pity, terrified at the fact the Cruze Gang were after me once more, and I was forgetting my power. I couldn’t just sit here at the kitchen table waiting for another warlock to clamber through my window. I had to be goddamn proactive.
So I stood up and half closed my eyes. Frank didn’t need to ask for clarification this time. It was obvious what I was doing. He took a quiet breath and watched me without interrupting.
I settled my mind into the fact of what was happening to me. Into the terror the Cruze Gang had filled me with. More than anything, though, I concentrated on what they were. A shady group of ex-military strongmen who ran around finding people with problems to abuse. In other words, scum. Though I’d tracked down a number of bounties already using my skills, most of them had been relatively easy, and very few of them had involved me using my feelings. You remember those? I sure do. That conversation I’d had with Max outside of the bathroom stall in the VIP lounge would stay with me for life. More than anything, the way he’d brought his hand up and softly patted his chest with his fist. He’d told me to follow my feelings.
And that’s what I did now. The anger. The fact that this simply wasn’t fair and that the powers that be should have done something about this already. Innocent men like Frank should not be preyed upon. You couldn’t have that type of thing in a functioning society.
The angrier I got, the more I felt these tingles expand through my skin until they chased around my body, darting in and out, making me feel as if I’d swallowed a school of terrified minnows.
I stood there for at least a minute and a half, but Frank showed his trust in me by not rushing me once. Instead, he very much felt like a guard.
Finally, I started to feel the tingles penetrate my fingertips, and the next thing I knew, I pulled my phone from my pocket.
I closed my eyes fully now, but I could still tell that Frank was watching over me protectively. He gave me all the sense of security I needed to search through the maps app on my phone. The next thing I knew, I located something.
I opened my eyes.
Frank obviously could no longer contain his curiosity. He cleared his throat and took a step forward. “What is it? Or should I say, where is it?”
I opened my mouth and frowned. “Ah, it’s one of the power plants on the edge of town.”
Frank began to frown, too, but then he got a specific look in his eyes.
I swallowed. “What is it?”
“It could be one of the places that the gang is holding their men in before the operation tomorrow.”
I blinked. “If that’s the case, why exactly would my powers be telling me to go there? That sounds suicidal.”
Frank crossed his arms around his middle, his pronounced frown still pressing across his lips. “Not necessarily. Your powers could be telling you that you have an opportunity if you act now to eliminate a chunk of the gang, thereby reducing their powers.”
It took me half a second to realize it couldn’t be that. I shook my head, and there was certainty in the move. “I’m a locator, Frank – I don’t find opportunities. I’m not like Max,” I added, voice quiet.
“I’ll be honest with you, I don’t really know how your powers work compared to that of a standard warlock, but I can tell you this – there’s a lot of bleed between categories of the same witch.”
“What do you mean?”
“Take Josh for example. Technically, if you go by the color of his magic, he’s not actually that powerful a warlock. And yet, he’s got to be one of the strongest in the c
ity.”
I wanted to point out that Josh was a pathetic loser, but considering I had no idea where he was, I held my tongue and gave into my nerves instead. I also frowned all the harder. “What exactly do you mean?”
“Josh is more what you would call a composite witch. Though he’s got a lot of the strength of a warrior warlock, he’s also got the rare ability to use his magic to bolster his body. He can channel it directly into his skin.”
I nodded. “I get that, but I thought the oft-repeated rule that the color of a warlock’s magic dictated their strength was – you know, a rule.”
“I think you’ll find in magic there are no rules. What I’m trying to point out is that raw power doesn’t necessarily win you games. But the most important point,” he looked right at me, “is not only that there is a lot of bleed between different magical subgroups – there’s a lot of personal variation in how you choose to use your powers.”
I began frowning, but then one of my lips twitched up as I reminded myself of what I managed to do earlier. Without knowing it was possible, I located a safe place for Frank and his kid to head. Could that be what he meant?
I got my answer as he looked right at me and nodded. “You really think there’s that much difference between you locating a safe place for me to stay and you locating a safe place for us to attack? They’re on the same continuum.”
“I…” I trailed off.
“Who’s to say your powers are simply constrained to locating real-world objects that you’ve seen? It takes most witches and warlocks a couple of years before their abilities are set in stone. You only just found out you’re a witch a while ago, didn’t you?”
“That’s right. But what are you saying – that I’m also an opportunity locator as well?” I couldn’t keep my voice even as I said that. Emotion bubbled up within me from some reserve. And it wasn’t particularly hard to guess where that reserve was. It was the same well of feelings that Max’s presence added to ever since he’d walked into my life.
I took a hard breath, clamped a hand over my mouth, stared at the table, and finally let my fingers part. “Nobody else mentioned that I could be an opportunity finder as well.”
“I’m not suggesting you are. I’m suggesting your ability to locate blurs the lines between the two. If you can sharpen your mind, and you can catch hold of the essence of something, what’s to stop you from locating things that aren’t objects? A witch’s power is all down to their mind – to their mental control. That’s what separates even the most powerful warlock from a sorcerer.”
I started to shake my head again, but it was a weak move, and it couldn’t last. I let my hand drop, and I stared at my fingers before bringing them up, turning them this way and that, and then looking up at Frank.
He stared at me watchfully the whole time.
I took a breath. “Fine – say that my ability to locate objects kind of intersects with Max’s ability to locate opportunities. How can you be sure that… I’m not making this up?” It was an odd question, considering if I was making it up, I would be the one to know.
Frank shrugged. It was an oddly easy move considering the tense subject we were discussing. “I trust you. I may have only just met you, but you seem honest. And I was watching you when you were using your powers – I could tell you were channeling magic. That’s good enough for me.”
“It is?” My voice shot up high. “Does that mean we’re going to head to the outer district power plant in the hopes we can find some of your gang and…” I couldn’t even finish the sentence.
Frank shook his head. “Not until we have any more information. That’s the key to being a successful witch of any kind. Never jump in. Always pause to assess.”
I looked up at Frank seriously. I got the impression again that if Frank had been the district bounty hunter and I’d been contracted to work with him, I probably wouldn’t be in this situation. For one, he seemed to know a heck of a lot more about how this city worked. And for another, he shared his information freely.
Then I ticked my mind back to the question at hand. “Even if this place,” I tapped a finger on my phone, “really is an opportunity to do something against the Cruze Gang, what do I do? I can’t contact Josh, and you have to leave.”
Frank didn’t have an answer for this one. He glanced away. I could see that he was warring with his own consciousness. Obviously a part of him – a very strong part – wanted revenge on the Cruze Gang. I could tell he wanted to break them apart so that no more warlocks like Frank would be drawn into their criminal game. But at the same time, he had a duty to his kid.
I didn’t say a word to rush him. This had to be completely his decision.
And he came to it. From the disappointed look in his eyes, I could tell that he decided not to help. Which was for the best, frankly.
He opened his mouth.
Just before he could speak, I frowned down at my phone as I got a tickling sensation that rushed up my fingers, plunged hard into my wrist as if I’d just been bitten by a snake, and spread up the rest of my arm. I yelped just as my phone rang.
Frank looked alarmed, then nodded at it. “Answer.”
I glanced down to realize it was Josh, and yet my stomach twisted with fright. I thumbed the button to accept the call. “Josh—”
I stopped abruptly.
I could hear somebody breathing over the line. I may not have known Josh for all that long, and yet, I was confident enough to realize this wasn’t him. “… Who are you? Where’s Josh?”
“Clever girl,” someone said in a low, raspy voice.
I balked. Just as I’d been able to recognize Frank’s voice even though I’d only seen him once but had watched the footage multiple times – it was the same with William.
Maybe William’s raspy voice echoed out over the receiver considering I was only weakly pinning it against my ear – because Frank stiffened. “Bill,” he mouthed.
He also shifted forward, and I angled the receiver until he could hear.
“I’m going to keep this short and sweet. We’ve got Josh and Maximus. And if you don’t want them to be blasted apart by magic and spread over this city like butter, you’re going to come and meet us underneath the town hall.”
“Underneath the town hall?” I managed, my voice shaking. “I have no idea how to get there.”
“I’d say you’re a finder and that you should be able to figure it out for yourself, but I’m going to show pity on you. Today,” he added with a low, ominous growl designed, no doubt, to make me feel as if my stomach was sinking through the center of the earth. “You head to the back of the town hall. There’s a maintenance door. Leads to a set of stairs. Take it, then find us.”
“How do I even know you’ve got Josh?” I demanded.
Bill snorted, the sound easily rattling over the receiver. Honestly, Frank didn’t need to be pressed so close. I imagine the neighbors on both sides would be able to hear Bill’s bull-like snorts.
“Want to hear him scream? Okay.”
A shot of total fear sailed through me as I heard the muffled sound of Bill’s footfall. Then there was a thwack as if he kicked something hard. Somebody groaned. I felt as if my brain was going to explode with fear.
“Josh? Josh?”
“Don’t you dare take a step near this place, you got that? Call—” Josh was cut short as there was another heavy thwack, Bill no doubt kicking him in the guts.
Josh groaned.
“He was about to tell you to call the police. I wouldn’t bother. We’ve got enough plants in the warlock division that they won’t pay attention. Or worse – they’ll come and get you and deliver you to us. You’ll get a lot more points if you show up on your own. And believe you me, sweetie – you’re gonna need points.”
The comment was designed to terrify me, and it almost worked, but then I reminded myself that I’d been through worse.
The me from several weeks ago wouldn’t have been able to do anything but sit here and shudder in fea
r. The me from now tilted my head back. “Why are you calling?”
He snorted. “Are you not following the conversation?”
I darted my gaze down to Bruce and looked up at Frank meaningfully. Frank obviously understood what I was conveying, and he nodded.
“You’re calling because you would’ve expected your illusionist to check in by now, right? Are you worried about his safety?”
I surprised myself by how direct and chilling my tone was. I couldn’t exactly profess to be as freaky as Bill here yet, but my voice was even and direct, and that caused Bill to pause. “Yes, I’m calling because Bruce should have checked in by now. I take it you found a way to incapacitate him. That’s a good thing.”
I frowned, quickly losing control of the conversation only a few seconds after I’d claimed it for myself. “Why is that a good thing?” I asked after a pause.
“Because it will make you even more valuable. Obviously you’ve got a good enough hold of your finder magic that you can use it against even the most powerful illusionist. Good girl. Now come to the town hall. Or are we going to need to spread your friends over the city using a dissolving spell? Heard of one of those? They sound like a sack full of blood popping and smell worse.”
It was a comment designed to press my emotional triggers, and just before it could, stealing away all of the confidence I’d managed to gain back, I clenched my teeth. “… Fine. I don’t have a car though – I have to walk.”
“You could take this thing called public transport.”
“I don’t have any money on me. You’ll just have to wait.” I paused, waiting for him to say one of two things. Either threaten me that I should run, or tell me that he would send someone to pick me up.
He did neither. I could hear as he took a sighing breath through his teeth. “Hurry, little finder. Josh and Max are running out of time.” With that, he hung up.
I stared at my phone then over to Frank. “Why wouldn’t he send someone to pick me up?” My voice didn’t waver as I asked that. I’d just found out that my partner and Max were in trouble, and yet, my tone was as steady as ever.
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